Chapter Two Hundred: You Are My Everything
Outside the break room, Fujiwara Chiya set out the prepared grill plates and ingredients. Aside from his own Uma Musume, Fujiwara Chiya had also invited one special guest.
Nase Fumino.
"You're here early. I thought you would come after I finished preparing everything." Fujiwara Chiya smiled as he lit the charcoal beside him.
"Why did you invite me to Rice Shower's celebration party?"
"Because you're half of Rice Shower's trainer too. I've really troubled you during this period, always going to you to ask questions. If it weren't for you, I might still be standing in the same place."
Looking at the man thanking her, Nase Fumino tucked her bangs behind her ear. Then she picked up the apron beside her and tied it around herself.
"You're clumsy. You won't handle this properly alone, so I'll help."
She was half of Rice Shower's trainer, and Fujiwara Chiya was also half of Rice Shower's trainer. Understanding what that sentence meant, Nase Fumino was in a very good mood.
"You're the guest."
"Guest... When you said you'd treat me to barbecue, did you mean today?"
"Mm."
"How lazy."
"I didn't say I'd only treat you once."
Nase Fumino folded her arms. Her face remained expressionless, forever carrying that cold look, making it hard to tell what she was thinking.
"Then I'll help you this time. Next time, you cook for me again."
"All right. I'll leave your portion to me, and I'll leave mine to you?"
The corners of Nase Fumino's mouth rose slightly. Then she began handling the ingredients with practiced efficiency. With her back facing Fujiwara Chiya, she spoke quietly.
"By the way, Chiya, I haven't had the chance to say it yet. Congratulations on your victory. You're one step closer to your dream."
"Thank you."
The evening banquet was very lively. Fujiwara Chiya and Nase Fumino were in charge of the barbecue, while Rice Shower and the others sat at the dining table.
"Trainer, where's the main dish?"
Gold Ship asked while holding a large piece of beef in her mouth.
"It's coming soon."
"The main dish?" Wearing an apron and carrying a slightly housewife-like atmosphere, Nase Fumino looked at the man beside her.
"Originally, I was planning to buy them a whole cart of carrots as a reward, but only eating carrots would be too plain. So I changed it into a barbecue dinner and reduced the carrots to half a cart."
"I see." Nase Fumino looked at the Uma Musume sitting at the table and happily eating. "You're quite willing to spend money. You bought mostly meat for the barbecue, and that isn't cheap."
"Eating meat is good. Eating meat helps them grow."
Fujiwara Chiya sliced off a piece of steak, sprinkled seasoning on it, and handed it to Nase Fumino.
"You should try some too."
"...Do you want me to grow too?"
Fujiwara Chiya glanced at Nase Fumino's rather modest chest, then half-jokingly said,
"It wouldn't hurt."
The corner of Nase Fumino's eye twitched. She took the plate, picked up the steak, and ate a few bites. After licking her lips, she said to Fujiwara Chiya,
"I usually wear formal clothes."
"Huh? I know."
"That outfit is very tight. It presses down the chest area, so what you see is not my actual shape."
"I-Is that so?"
The man cleared his throat awkwardly. Nase Fumino gave a soft snort.
Hmph, stupid man.
When the half-cart of carrots arrived, the banquet atmosphere reached its peak. Everyone offered their congratulations to Rice Shower. The petite Uma Musume happily swayed her tail. Graded races were what Uma Musume pursued, and winning even one of them was extremely difficult. Every Uma Musume who could win one was a one-in-a-thousand existence. From this race onward, Rice Shower's name would become known to everyone.
Fujiwara Chiya felt deeply gratified. Finally, he had grown from a disappointing trainer into a trainer who could help an Uma Musume realize her wish. On the stage, Rice Shower had shone brilliantly, just like the princess in that fairy-tale book.
However, a graded race was not the end.
It was only the beginning.
The truly important races were still to come.
"Rice Shower, this is my gift."
At the table, Shirayuki handed Rice Shower an exquisite gift box. Inside was a rose woven from blue thread. She knew Rice Shower loved the story of the blue rose very much. Even the flower on Rice Shower's hat was a blue rose. Her original phone wallpaper had also been a blue rose, though later it was changed into a photo of her and Chiya together.
Knowing Rice Shower's preference, Fujiwara Shirayuki had asked Mejiro Dober for guidance in handicrafts and gave Rice Shower a rose she had personally woven. Actually, Fujiwara Chiya had originally wanted to make it, but his hands were too clumsy. He was far less dexterous than Shirayuki, and he always failed to thread it properly.
So Chiya prepared a different gift.
"Shirayuki-san... Ah, it's so pretty!"
Rice Shower held the rose in both hands, her eyes sparkling. How did Shirayuki-san know she liked this?
"Congratulations on winning the race."
"Mm! Thank you, Shirayuki-san."
Looking at Fujiwara Shirayuki sincerely congratulating her, Rice Shower felt deeply moved. She still remembered how, at the very beginning, she had been wary of this girl who was so close to Onii-sama. Every day, she had thought about how to prove her own place. She had even told reporters in public that she was Onii-sama's younger sister.
Rice Shower did not know what kind of effect those words had caused Shirayuki, but surely it had felt uncomfortable. After all, no one would want to see their family taken away.
Even so, Shirayuki had still faced her happily every day. That made Rice Shower feel guilty about what she had done. And for some reason, she always saw Onii-sama's shadow in Shirayuki. Her eyes were very similar to Onii-sama's.
Perhaps this was what real siblings were like.
Rice Shower could not replace Shirayuki's place in Onii-sama's heart, but Shirayuki also could not replace Rice Shower's place in Onii-sama's heart.
From now on, Rice Shower wanted to get along with Shirayuki as friends. Or perhaps as sisters.
She would be the older sister, and Shirayuki would be the younger sister.
After the banquet ended, Rice Shower found Fujiwara Chiya, who had finished cleaning up and was preparing to return to his room.
"Onii-sama, can Rice stay in Onii-sama's room for a while?"
"Sure."
It just so happened that Fujiwara Chiya also wanted to celebrate privately with Rice Shower. Rice Shower was the first Uma Musume to win a graded race since he became a trainer. From the very beginning, he had placed considerable expectations on her, and Rice Shower had not disappointed him in the slightest. She had claimed the championship.
The two of them had helped each other become who they were now.
Inside the room, Rice Shower sat close to Fujiwara Chiya, leaning against him with a relaxed and content expression. After so much time had passed, Rice Shower had really grown quite a bit. The girl he used to be able to hold very easily now had a clear sense of weight to her.
"Do you still want to eat something?"
"Rice is already full. Rice ate happily."
"Is that so?" Fujiwara Chiya smiled. "Then should we play something? Let me see what I have here..."
"No need."
Rice Shower leaned against Fujiwara Chiya.
"Rice just wants to stay with Onii-sama like this."
"I see. Then let's just stay like this. Doing nothing is nice too."
Time passed second by second. Rice Shower's ears slowly leaned against Fujiwara Chiya's chest.
"Do you know, Onii-sama? Rice once had a dream. Rice dreamed that she won a race, but everyone hated her. Even though Rice had won, no one gave Rice their blessing."
"That really is... an awful dream."
Fujiwara Chiya responded softly.
"Because Rice is an unlucky child, even if Rice wins, she would still bring misfortune. But after Rice met Onii-sama, that dream disappeared. Today, Rice won, and everyone was very happy."
She raised her head. Her beautiful purple eyes, like gemstones, looked at Fujiwara Chiya.
"If Onii-sama had not been there, Rice might really have become like that."
"How could that happen?"
"Onii-sama doesn't understand... Onii-sama is everything to Rice."
She hugged Fujiwara Chiya tightly.
"Tonight, Rice wants to sleep with Onii-sama. Is that okay?"