"Grass, you're pretty early."
"Mm. Did you bring what I asked for?"
"Don't worry. It's all top-quality goods."
The pink figure took out a stack of photos and handed them to Grass Wonder. Grass Wonder accepted them, opened the package, and began checking the pictures inside.
The subject of every photo was a white-haired girl: eating, training, spacing out, resting. In short, they were candid shots of her daily life.
The angles were shockingly precise, and the timing of each shot rivalled that of a professional photographer. Looking at the one where the white figure lay defenselessly on a chair, taking a short nap, Grass Wonder touched her cheek and breathed a little faster.
Yuki-chan, looking like that will let certain people take advantage of you.
Why can't I be the one to encounter such a good opportunity?
A sleeping Shirayuki. No matter what was done to her, she would not know.
"I also have one I just took. If you want it..."
Grass Wonder swallowed. She took out a treasured photo from her pocket. It was a very close-up sleeping face. Shirayuki lay on the bed like a baby, and under the light, her delicate face gave off an alluring glow.
"How about it?"
"Deal!"
Agnes Digital handed over a photo she had just taken that morning. It showed Shirayuki wearing a maid outfit. She seemed to have just finished changing, and was fiddling with the hem of her skirt. Beneath the short skirt, a faint glimpse of white could be seen.
"This is a precious scene I obtained by wishing away ten years of my lifespan. I'll entrust her to you, Grass... Grass?"
Agnes Digital called Grass Wonder's name. Only then did Grass Wonder come back to herself.
No good. Just looking at photos was no longer enough to satisfy her. Rather, it had awakened the desire in her heart even more. That faint white curve was filled with endless temptation. She wanted to go and cling to Shirayuki right now.
"Where is Yuki-chan?"
"At the student council café."
Grass Wonder carefully tucked the photo into her arms, then ran straight toward the café.
She had become acquainted with Agnes Digital because of a certain accident. At the time, Agnes Digital had been secretly taking photos behind Shirayuki. Grass Wonder discovered her and was prepared to execute her on the spot, but then she saw the exquisite photos Agnes Digital had taken.
After careful consideration, Grass Wonder felt that Agnes Digital had a talent for discovering Shirayuki's wonderful qualities, so she spared her. However, Grass Wonder demanded that if Agnes Digital took any more photos of Shirayuki, she had to give Grass Wonder a copy. Of course, this was not one-sided. In return, Grass Wonder could also contribute a few photos of her own as an exchange.
For example, after that incident, Grass Wonder had helped Shirayuki change into clean clothes and carried her back to the dorm. Before leaving, she saw Shirayuki's adorable face and felt her heart ripple, so she could not resist taking a photo with her phone.
Grass Wonder had set it as her wallpaper and looked at it repeatedly every day.
When she reached the café, Grass Wonder did not find Shirayuki. After asking Narita Brian where she had gone, Grass Wonder quickly chased after her. Passing through the corridor, she finally saw that snow-white figure. Just as she raised her hand, Grass Wonder saw Shirayuki and Tokai Teio enter a small room.
What were those two doing? Sneaking around like that.
Grass Wonder frowned and walked to the door. She looked at the four words written on it: Activity Storage Room.
Getting something?
For some reason, an ominous feeling suddenly rose in Grass Wonder's heart. She raised her ears, pressed them against the door, and listened carefully to the sounds inside.
"Hurry up, Shirayuki, serve me!"
Grass Wonder heard Tokai Teio's voice.
"I know. Don't rush me. Let me see where you can lie down..."
Then came Shirayuki's voice.
"There's a sofa cushion here."
"Is it clean?"
"Mm, you can lie on it."
"Then let's use that. Come here, Teio. Lie on me."
"Yay!"
Hearing the conversation inside, Grass Wonder's eyes gradually lost their light. Her sky-blue pupils became like a dead pond, without the slightest glimmer.
What is going on, Yuki-chan? You and Teio secretly ran into an empty storage room, then began this unclear conversation. What exactly are you two doing?
What else could they be doing?
Grass Wonder understood in her heart. Shirayuki had once held herself back until she became like that. One could imagine how intense the feelings hidden inside her were. Grass Wonder had clearly helped Shirayuki cool down before, to the point that even the bedding had become a mess.
Even so, not long afterward, Shirayuki had gone to someone else.
Yuki-chan, I treated you as my most important person. I gave you all my care and concern, and this is how you repay me?
Was your reaction when you saw my body that day not because you liked me, but simply because you were curious? Does anyone work for you? Even Tokai Teio, with her childish personality and still-growing body, is fine?
Grass Wonder felt her reason gradually collapsing. The world in front of her grew darker and darker. The people passing by saw Grass Wonder pressed against the door with such a gloomy expression and immediately felt a chill in their hearts. Then they quickened their pace as though fleeing for their lives.
Grass Wonder listened carefully to the sounds inside.
After the first few sentences, she heard nothing else.
Could those two be cuddling?
Were they holding each other and rubbing together?
Grass Wonder's fingers nearly crushed the wall. Imagining Tokai Teio and Shirayuki tangled together, she almost wanted to rush into the room, grab Teio by the collar, and throw her out the window. But the last bit of reason she had left stopped her.
Today was an event day. There were many guests in Tracen. If she rushed in now and got into a fight with Teio, it would definitely attract a crowd. Tracen's reputation would plummet, and they would face severe punishment.
So Grass Wonder could only wait. She had to wait until the two of them finished before she could enter.
Ten minutes later, Shirayuki's voice finally came from inside the room.
"How was it?"
"Barely acceptable. As service for an emperor, it counts as passing."
"As long as you liked it."
"Hmph!"
Inside the room, Tokai Teio sat up, her ears twitching twice.
She had to admit, Shirayuki's lap really was wonderful. Soft, gentle, and carrying a nice scent. Her ear cleaning technique was also just right, perfectly within the comfortable range. Tokai Teio was very satisfied.
She wanted Shirayuki to keep cleaning her ears for a little longer, but because of her pride, she could not say it out loud.
With a slight feeling of lingering satisfaction, Tokai Teio opened her arms.
"Then, as a reward, I'll give you an emperor's hug. Accept it with gratitude."
Teio's face was red, and her eyes rapidly shifted between the floor and Shirayuki's face.
Since Shirayuki had kept her promise, Teio had to keep hers as well.
Although Teio could be very willful at times, her embarrassed appearance was still rather cute.
Looking at Teio's slightly red cheeks, Shirayuki reached out and hugged her. She was a little taller than Teio, so when they embraced, her chin just happened to rest against Teio's cheek. Her face brushed against Teio's delicate skin, and their bodies pressed closely together. A soft feeling filled both of their arms.
Ever since Shirayuki had hugged Special Week once, she had grown fond of this feeling. It was as though she could touch the sincere emotions in the other person's heart.
This was friendship. The closest kind of friendship.
"Teio."
"Ah... ah?"
Teio's normally childish voice became thin from nervousness, with a slight tremble in it.
"Your body seems to have developed quite a bit?"
Shirayuki could clearly feel the changes in Teio's figure. She still remembered how small Teio had seemed when they first met. She had not expected such a change in only a few months.
"I-Idiot! Don't say that at a time like this, you... you H-Shirayuki!"
H?
"I was just saying what I noticed."
"Stop pretending! Hurry up and say it. How was my emperor's hug?"
"How should I describe it... I want to keep hugging you like this forever. It really feels wonderful."
Fujiwara Shirayuki could not help sighing. Friendship between girls was truly wonderful. Unlike men calling each other brothers, interactions between girls were unbelievably intimate. But precisely because of that, she could deeply feel the other person.
After hearing Shirayuki say "wonderful," Tokai Teio's body trembled twice. She stiffly let go.
"All right, the hug is over! Hurry up and go back to work. If you want to hug me again, you'll have to work hard for it!"
After saying this, without waiting for Shirayuki to respond, Tokai Teio opened the door and ran out, almost bumping into Grass Wonder standing outside. But at that moment, she had no mental room to wonder why Grass was there.
Tokai Teio covered her face, her heart pounding rapidly.
Not good, not good, not good...
Blood rushed upward, and her face turned completely red.
This is very bad!
The great Tokai Teio had actually been conquered by Shirayuki...
"Teio ran so fast!"
In the blink of an eye, Teio had already disappeared.
Wasn't there still twenty minutes of break time left? Work had not resumed yet.
"Yuki-chan."
Just as Teio left, a long, ghostlike voice drifted in. Grass Wonder slowly walked into the room, wearing an inexplicably terrifying smile as she looked at Shirayuki.
"Grass? Why are you here?"
"Just by coincidence."
With a light kick of her foot, the door shut with a bang. Grass Wonder then raised her hand and locked it.
"Grass?"
"Stay quiet for a moment, Yuki-chan. I need to confirm something."
"Wh-What?"
Sensing that something was wrong with Grass Wonder, Shirayuki instinctively stepped back.
"You'll know soon."
A brown figure flashed. Grass Wonder appeared in front of Shirayuki in an instant. She was so fast that Shirayuki could not react.
With a light hook of Grass Wonder's foot, Shirayuki lost her balance and fell onto the sofa cushion. Her hands were firmly pinned down by Grass Wonder, whose strength felt like steel, leaving her unable to move. At this moment, Shirayuki facing Grass Wonder felt very similar to Chiya facing Hayakawa Tazuna.
Utterly powerless.
Are you kidding me? I'm an Uma Musume too, so why can't I resist Grass Wonder at all!?
"Wait, Grass! Let's calm down first. If there's something to say, let's talk properly. Did I make you angry somehow?"
Grass Wonder did not answer. She gently sniffed, trying to catch Shirayuki's scent. If Shirayuki had really done something with Teio, then her body should carry a very strong fragrance. Shirayuki's bodily fluids carried that scent.
She smelled near Shirayuki's chest, then around her waist, and finally lower down. Only near the very bottom was there a very faint scent.
At last, Grass Wonder relaxed.
Shirayuki's body was clean. In other words, she had not come here with Teio to secretly do what Grass had imagined.
"Grass, what are you doing?"
Fujiwara Shirayuki had no way to describe the scene in front of her. Her closest friend had pinned down her arms and was sniffing her scent.
This was far too embarrassing!
It was true that her sweat could stimulate the emotions of Uma Musume, but she had not even exercised today.
Grass Wonder sat up. Her face had returned to its usual smile.
As long as it was not what she had imagined, everything was fine. The collapsing world regained its shape. She no longer needed to use rough methods to talk with Shirayuki.
"Yuki-chan, what were you doing with Teio just now?"
"We were... cleaning ears."
"Only that?"
"Mm. Teio specially requested maid service."
Fujiwara Shirayuki swallowed. She had almost thought she was going to be forcefully kissed by Grass Wonder like Chiya had been by Tazuna. As expected, there was no way the friendship between the two of them would change into something like that.
Grass Wonder must have been jealous that she had given Teio special service, which was why she was angry.
It was fine. Shirayuki valued every one of her friends.
"Does Grass want it too?"
"Mm?"
"Ear cleaning and a lap pillow. There's still time now, so if you want, I can do it for you too."
Hearing this, Grass Wonder's expression changed. The corners of her mouth curved upward, and she lay down with her head on Shirayuki's lap.
"Is there ear-licking service? I want Yuki-chan to lick my ear."
"There isn't! It's just normal ear cleaning."
"Is that so? What a pity."
Grass Wonder narrowed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of the cotton swab entering her ear.
Yuki-chan really is as lovable as ever.