Shirayuki was brought to Tazuna's room.
Looking around the not particularly spacious dormitory room, she felt it was not very different from a trainer's room. The room was extremely tidy, and there were quite a lot of documents placed on the desk. It seemed that even in her free time, Tazuna was still working.
Speaking of which, why did she bring me here?
Tazuna had said she wanted Shirayuki to relax and rest, yet she had brought her to the staff dormitory. Shouldn't she have taken Shirayuki back to her own room instead?
"I'll help wipe your body first."
Hayakawa Tazuna placed her on the bed, a gentle smile on her face. But within that smile, Shirayuki sensed something familiar. It was a little like when Chiya had been forcibly dragged to the hotel that day.
"I can go back and do it myself..."
For some reason, Shirayuki felt a sense of danger.
"Lie here and wait for me."
Hayakawa Tazuna's answer was rather forceful.
It really is different!
The old Tazuna would never have spoken to her in that tone. What exactly had happened today? Classes, training... there did not seem to be anything unusual. It was the same on Chiya's side. He had not encountered Tazuna all day, so such a situation should not have existed.
Shirayuki had no clue. The only seemingly reasonable explanation was that it was all in her head.
Under Tazuna's forceful arrangement, Shirayuki had no choice but to lie on Tazuna's bed. Her pillow and bedding carried a pleasant scent. The faint fragrance drifted into Shirayuki's nose and eased her anxiety.
Soon, Hayakawa Tazuna came over with a towel and basin. Looking at Shirayuki lying on her bed, her eyes flickered slightly before her smile returned.
"Shirayuki, take off your outerwear. I'll help wipe you down."
"I can do it myself..."
"Be good."
Shirayuki suddenly felt a kind of pressure from someone above her. Slowly, she removed her outerwear and turned her back toward Tazuna. Tazuna used the towel to wipe Shirayuki's sweat-damp skin. In a place Shirayuki could not see, Hayakawa Tazuna narrowed her eyes and observed carefully.
There was nothing abnormal at all.
She was simply a normal girl.
"All right. Next is the front."
"I'll do the front myself."
"Shirayuki, don't be difficult."
With that, Shirayuki was gently but firmly turned over and pressed against the bed. Her two arms were held in place, and she was left facing Tazuna directly.
I'm Shirayuki, right? Not Chiya, right?
For an instant, Shirayuki experienced a sense of cognitive dissonance. After so long, she almost confused herself with Chiya again. Tazuna's attitude toward her was practically the same as her attitude toward Chiya!
Could it be, Tazuna, you're interested in me too?
Impossible, right!?
Shirayuki fell into confusion. Hayakawa Tazuna wiped her body. When the towel passed over her chest, Shirayuki's body trembled slightly. That movement did not escape Hayakawa Tazuna's eyes.
Even her sensitive reactions are the same as a girl's.
It was difficult to imagine what kind of life Shirayuki had been living. More precisely, what kind of life Chiya had been living while playing Shirayuki. Hayakawa Tazuna already knew everything, including Shirayuki and Chiya's relationship, and their current state. She had learned it all from Northern Dancer.
To be honest, Hayakawa Tazuna had thought Northern Dancer was lying to her. After all, this matter sounded far too bizarre, far beyond their understanding. But Northern Dancer had spoken very seriously, and it did not sound like a joke at all. Besides, Northern Dancer was not the type who liked making jokes in the first place.
Hayakawa Tazuna had fallen into an intense internal struggle.
If things really were as Northern Dancer said, then Shirayuki was Chiya. They were different on the surface, but in reality, they were still the same person.
In order to adapt better to that body, Chiya had created Shirayuki, who possessed a feminine way of thinking. But to Hayakawa Tazuna, Shirayuki was a being formed by extracting a man's longing for femininity and the parts of his mind that leaned toward womanhood. So it was not wrong to view Shirayuki as the girl version of Chiya.
That left Hayakawa Tazuna conflicted. She liked Chiya, but she was not sure whether she also liked the girl version of Chiya. Amid endless confusion, Hayakawa Tazuna changed her way of thinking.
What would happen if she left Shirayuki alone?
Chiya would be with her on one side, while on the other side, he would live a completely different life. In a place Tazuna could not see, he would interact with others and might even do excessive things. Just thinking about that made Hayakawa Tazuna's head heat up.
The matter had become very simple.
Even if Shirayuki was the girl version of Chiya, Hayakawa Tazuna would not allow her to fall for anyone other than herself!
Hayakawa Tazuna touched Shirayuki's smooth body. It was completely different from Chiya's. Chiya's body was firm, and sitting on him was very comfortable. But Shirayuki's body was too soft, as though she might break if handled carelessly.
However, considering that Shirayuki was an Uma Musume, her body should be much stronger than Chiya's.
"T-Tazuna-oneechan..."
Shirayuki made a sound. She felt that Tazuna's actions were somewhat strange, and her uneasy thoughts seemed about to come true.
Hearing how Shirayuki addressed her, Hayakawa Tazuna lightly bit her lip. Was this the price of using two bodies? On one side, she treated Tazuna as a partner. On the other, she had to see Tazuna as an older sister.
It must feel terribly awkward.
Even just listening to it, Hayakawa Tazuna felt that way. And Chiya had been living with that strange feeling all this time.
I'm such a fool. I didn't know anything.
Hayakawa Tazuna clenched her fist.
But it's all right. From now on, you won't be alone anymore.
I'll accept everything about you.
"Chiya."
Hayakawa Tazuna said that name, and Shirayuki's ears moved.
"My cousin... isn't here."
Looking at Tazuna, who had pinned her in place, Shirayuki spoke cautiously.
"He is here. I know."
"Tazuna-oneechan, what are you saying?"
Shirayuki's heart skipped a beat. It seemed Tazuna knew her secret. But that should not be possible. The identity of Shirayuki had already become deeply rooted in her mind, and there should not have been any slip-ups.
What exactly was going on?
"Miss Dancer already told me everything. About you, Chiya. About Shirayuki. She told me all of it..."
Mom! What are you doing!?
Shirayuki's heart nearly collapsed. She had been sold out by her own mother!
"It must have been troubling, right? Being like this now. In order to live normally, you had no choice but to change yourself. But it's all right, Chiya. No matter what you become, I still like you."
Wha...?
Shirayuki's eyes widened. But before she could react, Hayakawa Tazuna had already kissed her. Their lips touched, and Shirayuki tasted something sweet.
At that moment, Shirayuki realized that neither Chiya nor herself had the strength to break free from Hayakawa Tazuna.
After a long while, Hayakawa Tazuna finally pulled away. Unlike Chiya's deeper, heavier presence, Shirayuki carried the unique fragrance of a young girl. However, the way the two of them kissed was exactly the same: inexperienced and clumsy.
Hayakawa Tazuna had thought she would strongly reject it, but after actually doing it, she did not feel as much resistance as expected. Still, her feelings were calmer than when she kissed Chiya. After all, Tazuna's preference was men. Her desire for Shirayuki was purely because she did not want Chiya using a girl's body to fool around outside.
If Shirayuki had to choose someone, then Hayakawa Tazuna would rather that person be herself.
Whether it was Chiya or Shirayuki, she would hold both of them firmly in her hands.