“Speaking of which…” “Hmm?” “Has Tojo Keiko not been coming to class lately?” “Impressive that you even remembered her.
Her presence is basically non-existent.” In the staff room, the homeroom teacher of Class A voiced their concern about the cute but invisible student who had suddenly vanished.
“Could she be getting bullied?
Should we call the police?” “You need to tone down your protective instincts a bit.” The dean said, somewhat amused.
“The dorm checks confirmed she’s in her room and hasn’t gone anywhere.
She just took a long leave of absence.
Normally, that wouldn’t get approved, but for some reason, the principal agreed to it after talking to her.” “But is it really just a leave of absence?
Why stay in the dorm if she’s on leave?” The homeroom teacher was still worried.
“Did Keiko-chan completely shut herself off so much that she won’t even step out of her room?” “If you put half of that imagination into your blind dates, you wouldn’t be single by now.” The dean sighed.
“Alright, alright.
If you’re that worried, go check on Tojo Keiko after school.
If you don’t, you won’t even be able to focus on lesson planning.
It’s hard to believe you’re a top graduate from Waseda.” “Actually, I wasn’t really a top student at Waseda.
I spent half my time playing in a band, so…” The homeroom teacher scratched their head.
They only got this teaching job with their sister’s help.
But finding a few Umamusume in the class had kept them motivated to stick around.
“Oh, Satono Diamond?
True, it’s surprising that the young lady of the Satono family is attending our public school…” The dean remarked.
“Is it just because it’s close to her house?” “But Keiko-san is the one I worry about the most.
She has no family and no friends.
I wonder if she’ll even go to high school after graduating.
Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if she just dropped out.
But I hope she doesn’t.” As people get older, they tend to get more emotional.
Especially for this teacher, who wanted to look out for kids like Keiko.
“I hope everything goes well for her…” — “Morning—” Diamond woke up in Kita-chan’s dorm.
It wasn’t because Keiko had kicked her out—Keiko wouldn’t dare.
But lately, Keiko had been pushing herself to the limit, cutting down on sleep to study.
Since she also had to worry about disturbing Diamond in the room, she had been using a small desk lamp to study late at night.
Knowing this, the considerate Diamond had temporarily moved into Kita-chan’s room.
After all, Keiko was attempting to take Todai’s early entrance exam as a middle schooler.
While such prodigies did exist, seeing the desperate way Keiko grinded through test papers made Diamond realize she was dead serious.
She truly wanted to get into Todai, and once she saw a chance, she refused to let go.
To support her friend, Diamond decided to give Keiko space once she realized her presence might be a distraction.
However, not being able to see Keiko every day, brush her hair, buy her breakfast, feed her, or occasionally hold her hand and hug her left Diamond feeling a bit lonely.
It felt like putting a long-time pet in a boarding kennel—her heart was filled with nothing but worry.
“I wonder if Keiko-chan is eating properly…” Diamond muttered to herself over breakfast.
Kita-chan couldn’t help but chime in.
“If you’re that worried, just go see her.
I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.” “Just because she doesn’t mind doesn’t mean I should bother her!” Although Diamond desperately wanted to visit, she was worried that interrupting her now would be wrong.
Keiko was taking her bet with Rudolf seriously.
While Diamond really wanted to go to Tracen Academy with Keiko, as her friend, she also wanted Keiko’s dream to come true.
This conflict left her unsure of how to support her.
“Speaking of which, Dia-chan.
Why do you care so much about Keiko-chan?” Kita-chan leaned on the table, asking.
“For me, I like any cute girl and want to get along with them.
But you’re different, Dia-chan.
You look warm on the outside but are actually quite distant.
If you’re not interested in someone, you’d never let them get this close.
Let alone worry about them this much.” “Hmm…” Diamond rested her chin on her hand.
Now that she thought about it, why did she care so much about Keiko?
Initially, she hadn’t been very interested.
She had only seen Keiko as someone who shut herself off, refusing to even speak to her.
“Maybe…
maybe because she suddenly said something that got to me.” “What did she say?” Kita-chan leaned in, full of curiosity.
“Can you tell me?” “At first, I just thought I should look after a poor girl…” Diamond shook her head.
“But then I realized I never really understood her.
She has always been working hard in silence…
Probably since the day you ran with her, I realized that even though she stayed away from everyone, she was always training.
The way she ran—that look in her eyes—it doesn’t lie.” “I get that, but what did she actually say to you?” Kita-chan pressed, feeling her question had been dodged.
“Give me the details.” “…Ugh, you’re so annoying, Kita-chan.” Thinking back to that line which sounded almost like a confession, Diamond’s face flushed crimson.
She pushed away Kita-chan’s gossiping face.
If blushing could generate heat, Diamond’s body temperature would have reached two thousand degrees by now.
‘Being hated by someone you like is much more painful than being hated by someone you don’t care about.’ ‘Someone you like…’ *Like…* *Just when did she start feeling that way about me…* Diamond covered her face, burying it in the table like an ostrich.
“I don’t know!” “You really can’t hide it, Dia-chan.” Kita-chan clapped her hands, as if suddenly remembering something.
“But I heard that Keiko-chan used to have a very close childhood friend.” “Who is she?” “?” “Who is she?
Where does she live?
Which school does she go to?
What is she like?
How wealthy is her family?” “Dia-chan…
you’re being a little scary.” “Huh?
No, it’s just that anyone would feel annoyed if some unknown stranger tried to make a move on my Keiko-san, right?” “Dia-chan…
were we switched at birth?
I feel like you sound more like my family’s style.” Kita-chan looked a bit frightened.
“She and Keiko-san haven’t been in touch for a long time.
She’s attending another school now.
I only found out because I accidentally glanced at her diary a few days ago.” “Name?” Diamond tilted her head, her eyes completely devoid of light, a strand of hair clinging to her lip.
“Tell me her name first, please.” “How would I know?
But the diary referred to her as ‘Deep’.” Kita-chan sighed.
“It sounds like a nickname, not her real name.” “Deep?” Diamond frowned.
She didn’t recognize the name, but she felt a strong wave of hostility toward this stranger.
“Fine.
I’ll ask Keiko-san next time.
I need to be subtle about it, though, or she’ll think I’m some kind of creep investigating her.” “…To be honest, you already are one.” Kita-chan said, terrified.
“Please don’t do anything illegal.” “Hearing that from you makes me feel weird…” Diamond glared at Kita-chan.
“After all, snooping in someone else’s diary isn’t exactly a good thing either, is it?” “…Ehe.” Kita-chan looked away.
“It was just lying around.” “Hmm…” Diamond bit her thumb, lost in thought.
Finally, she stood up.
“But I really should check on Keiko-san.
Actually, I need to check on her regularly.
What if she forgets to eat?” “True.
I’ll go too.” They tacitly agreed never to speak of their conversation again, deciding to take it to their graves.
They quickly finished breakfast and headed toward Keiko’s room.
As they arrived at the door, they felt a strange atmosphere.
Diamond pressed her ear to the door and heard a flat, robotic voice chanting vocabulary words.
Her face darkened.
“I have a bad feeling that we might be too late…” “Let’s open the door first—” Kita-chan suggested, looking worried.
“I bet she pulled an all-nighter.” “I think so too—” Diamond pulled out her key.
With a click, the lock turned.
Then the door swung open, and a wave of test papers literally spilled out from the room like a tide.
To their horror, the dorm room they had left just a week ago was now completely buried under test papers and exams.
Energy drink cans lay scattered on the desk, a whole tub of instant coffee was completely empty, and Keiko was slumped over the desk.
A pair of glasses hung off the bridge of her nose as she held a vocabulary booklet in one hand, scribbling furiously with the other.
Next to her lay the plastic remains of over a dozen dried-up pens.
The scene was a literal depiction of purgatory.
Diamond and Kita-chan couldn’t even find a place to step.
They had to navigate through the few patches of floor with less paper to reach the girl.
But Keiko—who had entered a state of mind similar to a high school senior two weeks before the college entrance exam—had no idea they were there.
She kept chanting words like a machine, her pen scratching against the paper without pause.
Once she finished one test paper, she pulled out the answer key to grade it, then threw it onto the massive pile of papers beside her.
Diamond picked up one of the tests and looked through the questions.
She quickly realized one thing—most of these questions were so difficult they made her head spin just looking at them.
What on earth was Keiko preparing for?
Was she preparing to fight the Trisolarans?
“This can’t go on…
She’s been surviving entirely on instant noodles and energy drinks.
I doubt she’s even sleeping three hours a day.” Kita-chan felt her skin crawl when she saw the alarm clock set for 4:00 AM.
“Let’s take her to the infirmary…
No, let’s call an ambulance right now!” “I agree!” Diamond was almost in tears.
How had this poor girl been driven to this?
‘Symboli Rudolf, you monster!
She was such a normal girl, and you’ve ruined her in just a single week!’ “Kita-chan, hold her down and carry her out.
I’ll call the ambulance!” “Right!” Kita-chan immediately rushed forward and snatched the vocabulary book and pen from Keiko’s hands.
Deprived of her tools, the girl stared blankly for a moment before looking up as if waking from a dream.
Seeing a worried Kita-chan and Diamond on the phone with the ambulance, she managed a weak, exhausted smile.
“Ah, you guys are here…
I thought…
I was hallucinating again.” The dark circles under Keiko’s eyes were so heavy that Kita-chan worried she was on the verge of death.
“Sorry, I didn’t clean the room at all this week.
It must be a mess.” “This goes way beyond just being a mess…” Kita-chan gave an honest assessment.
“You need rest, and you’re going to the hospital.” “Eh?” Keiko scratched her head.
“I’m fine, aren’t I?
An Umamusume’s body is pretty tough.” “How is any of this fine?
You’ve completely lost it!” Ignoring Keiko’s protests, Kita-chan swept the girl up in a bridal carry.
Hearing Diamond say the ambulance was already downstairs, Kita-chan ran down from the sixth floor to the first floor in a flash, carrying the girl all the way and placing her onto the stretcher.
By the time Keiko finally realized what was happening, she was already in the emergency room.
Doctors were bustling all around her.
She looked at Diamond in confusion.
“What happened?” “The test results are out.
Aside from malnutrition and exhaustion, there’s nothing major.” The doctor came over to report to Diamond.
“Though if she had waited any longer…
Tojo-san’s physical constitution is indeed very tough.
It’s a miracle she didn’t suffer any major damage after putting her body through this much stress.” “Listen to me, Keiko-chan.
Although I support your goal of getting into Todai…
you cannot gamble with your health like this.
From now on, you must get proper sleep.
Otherwise, I will never let you touch another test paper again!” The light had completely vanished from Diamond’s eyes.
Keiko swallowed hard, knowing that anything she said right now would fall on deaf ears.
She could only nod.
“I understand…” However, Keiko had no idea yet that the entire school had already found out she had studied herself in the hospital.