Last night had been the hardest night Shirayuki had endured in a long time.
She had spent the whole night curled up inside the stifling wardrobe, sweating all over, not daring to make even the slightest sound.
It was not hard to guess why Rice Shower had worn that outfit.
For uma musume like them, who had already confirmed their feelings, head pats and kisses were no longer enough to express affection. Rice Shower was already a mature adult. If she was going to do something, she wanted to go all the way.
Of course, Fujiwara Chiya had wanted to stop her.
He wanted to maintain a healthy relationship with her. They could not spend all day thinking about these messy things. At the very least, their official identities still had to be considered.
So after Rice Shower expressed her intentions, Fujiwara Chiya fought constantly against the beast in his heart.
But under her forceful attack, that beast gave him a harsh lesson.
That day, Fujiwara Chiya realized once again that Rice Shower was not as fragile as she looked on the surface. She was very bold, and she would take action for the things she wanted.
Wearing that black sleepwear, Rice Shower perfectly embodied what it meant to be soft with a touch of charm. Purity and allure, two completely opposite words, appeared on her at the same time.
"Onii-sama, tonight is really hot."
Her pink lips parted slightly as she spoke in a soft voice. A blush spread across her fair cheeks. She sat on the bed, her toes lightly curling against the bedding.
Fujiwara Chiya noticed that her body had grown quite a bit compared with before. The legs that had once seemed a little slender now looked fuller and more rounded, and the black fabric wrapped around them emphasized that change even more.
Together with the faint softness beneath it, the impact reached its peak.
Rice Shower slipped under the blanket and lifted the space beside her, inviting him in.
"Come in quickly, Onii-sama. It's already so late. Rice should sleep together with Onii-sama…"
Under the effect of that gentle voice, Fujiwara Chiya was completely captivated and lay down beside her.
Early the next morning, while the sky was still dim, Shirayuki quietly slipped out of the room.
Her whole body was soaked through. She had sweated so much that she was almost dehydrated. After returning to her dorm, Shirayuki went straight into the bathroom to wash herself.
Ever since Fujiwara Chiya's stamina had increased sharply, he no longer collapsed asleep afterward like before. Even after several hours, he could still act as though nothing had happened.
But the price of that was that Shirayuki's side remained awake the entire time, continuously enduring the effects of the night.
After a whole night, Shirayuki was mentally drained.
Perhaps this was what people meant by pain mixed with pleasure.
Except for her, one body suffered while the other enjoyed itself.
After finishing her shower, Shirayuki drank some water and lay down on the bed, finally able to relax for a while.
Chiya was fine.
She, on the other hand, was nearly exhausted. There was not a single dry part of her body.
After an unknown amount of time, Fujiwara Chiya opened his eyes.
Rice Shower was no longer beside him. From outside the room came the sound of cooking. After putting on his clothes, Fujiwara Chiya walked out and saw Rice Shower in the kitchen.
She was wearing an apron and moving the pan over the stove. Her black hair shone softly in the bright sunlight coming through the window.
At that moment, the feeling Rice Shower gave Fujiwara Chiya was neither cute nor charming.
It was domestic.
Hearing movement, Rice Shower's ears twitched.
She turned around and saw Fujiwara Chiya in his sportswear. A gentle smile appeared on her fair face.
"Onii-sama, breakfast will be ready soon."
Fujiwara Chiya's pupils contracted slightly.
So familiar.
He felt as though he had seen this scene somewhere before.
The slightly longer hair, the taller body, the faintly more mature face. That powerful sense of déjà vu awakened a memory in Fujiwara Chiya.
He remembered that dream.
In that dream, Rice Shower had looked just like this when she kissed him.
A year had passed, and Fujiwara Chiya realized that the dream seemed to have already come true.
In fact, reality had gone even further.
He sat at the table and noticed that Rice Shower had tied her hair up, letting it fall over her shoulder.
"Why did you tie your hair?"
"Ah… this?"
Rice Shower touched the ends of her hair.
"It was a little damp, and it felt uncomfortable sticking to my body, so Rice tied it up for now."
Fujiwara Chiya felt that Rice Shower now carried the air of a young wife.
"Go take a shower later."
"Yes. Rice will go later."
She sat opposite Fujiwara Chiya and propped up her cheek, watching him.
Thinking back to last night, Fujiwara Chiya wanted to bury himself in the ground.
He had lost to temptation.
He had lost to that sweet voice calling him "Onii-sama" again and again, and had ended up like this.
Unable to face himself, Fujiwara Chiya changed the topic.
"Rice, aren't you eating?"
"Mm. Rice won't eat."
She touched her stomach and smiled.
"Rice is already full."
Fujiwara Chiya coughed dryly, hurriedly drank a few mouthfuls of water, and kept his eyes fixed on his bowl.
Rice Shower did not mind. She simply sat across from him, lightly swinging her feet, watching as he finished every bite.
"Um… I still have training, so I need to go early. The key is on the table inside. Lock the door when you leave."
After giving those instructions, Fujiwara Chiya hurried out of the room.
Rice Shower watched him leave. Only after his footsteps disappeared down the hallway did she stand up.
She washed the dishes clean and put them away, then walked into the bathroom. On the floor lay the black sleepwear set. Rice Shower picked it up and held it close for a moment. Her face quickly flushed.
The strong scent stirred her mind, leaving her dizzy.
She had been completely captivated.
This was simply the best scent in the world.
It was her Onii-sama's scent.
After lingering for a while, Rice Shower reluctantly placed the outfit into a basin.
She really wanted to keep it like this and take it out from time to time to remember the feeling, but considering that she would need it again soon, Rice Shower could only endure the pain of washing it clean.
After all, her Onii-sama had already been captured by this outfit.
She took off her outer layer, turned on the shower, and rinsed her sticky body.
Humming happily, Rice Shower began thinking about what game she should play with Onii-sama next time.
Rice Shower had thoroughly come to like the feeling of being a bad girl.
On the other side, Fujiwara Chiya found Byerley.
She looked at Fujiwara Chiya's face, and the corners of her mouth curved subtly.
"Not bad."
She said something completely out of nowhere.
"What?"
"I did a little investigation into your uma musume. Rice Shower, Agnes Tachyon, and Mejiro Dober. No matter which one, they all possess considerable potential. Their compatibility with you is also quite high."
"So…?"
"So, not bad."
"?"
If she kept speaking in riddles like this, Fujiwara Chiya was going to get angry.
"Trainer, I am very happy that you have accepted your role. However, you must not let things bloom and bear fruit too early. It is better to wait until both sides are fully mature."
Byerley adjusted her hat out of habit. Then she suddenly raised her head and looked toward the distant sky for a while.
"…I see. In that case, there is no problem. Trainer may follow his own heart. The timing of blooming and bearing fruit can be left for her to arrange."
Fujiwara Chiya took a deep breath.
"Stop talking in riddles!"