Keiko’s luggage was quite simple.
Aside from her laptop and drawing tablet, she didn’t own anything valuable.
Dragging a single suitcase, she walked out of the room Diamond had prepared for her.
After coaxing the reluctant Diamond, she finally managed to board the bus to the Umamusume Dorm.
On the way, she didn’t forget to text Kita-chan to let her know she was safe.
As a member of the “four-nothings” class—no parents, no siblings, no money, and no home—she had survived entirely on her friends’ support.
Enrolling in Tracen and finally having her own place was a good thing.
She wanted to become independent, but Diamond treated her like a child, showing no intention of letting her rent an apartment on her own.
And honestly, the argument that “living at the Satono residence is infinitely better than renting outside” was hard to dispute.
The conditions at the Satono house were indeed far better than any rental.
Although she had stayed there for less than a week, Keiko had already been thoroughly checked out by everyone in the Satono family.
Fortunately, she had passed all their standards, and the evaluations from Diamond’s parents and siblings were incredibly high.
In the end, they treated her like a child of the Satono family.
Even Satono Crown would buy an extra pudding for her whenever she went out.
They didn’t treat her like an outsider at all.
In fact, Diamond’s parents even suggested adopting her, but Diamond strongly opposed the idea.
But Keiko understood Diamond’s reasoning.
Suddenly turning from friends to sisters would definitely be awkward.
Besides, you couldn’t become a true family just by being adopted.
In every aspect, Diamond’s refusal of her parents’ request was completely reasonable.
Keiko also followed Diamond’s advice and declined the adoption offer, though this didn’t affect her high standing in the Satono household at all.
Oh, and based on Keiko’s observations—the hierarchy in the Satono household put Diamond’s father at the very bottom.
The top tier was Diamond’s mother, followed by Diamond, then Crown-san, then the family’s Persian cat, and finally, Diamond’s father.
After Keiko stayed with the Satono family, she successfully climbed up to the same ecological niche as the cat.
Reduced to the same level as the cat, Keiko wept in her heart.
But on second thought, Diamond’s father, who ranked even lower than the cat, was far more pitiful.
Aside from being the most manly when paying the bills, he was usually stuck washing dishes and cooking.
Diamond’s mother looked much more like the real head of the household.
The Satono family was a warm one.
The parents were successful entrepreneurs, and the atmosphere at home was wonderful.
Despite their busy schedules, they never neglected Diamond and Crown.
Unlike typical wealthy families where parents were always absent, Diamond, as the youngest, was absolutely adored.
Although Crown-san would sometimes complain to Keiko that Diamond was completely spoiled, Crown was clearly one of the ones spoiling her too.
So Keiko could only smile and nod along.
Diamond’s brilliant, diamond-like personality was truly thanks to this warm family.
Keiko genuinely envied it.
After all, she had once possessed a warm home of her own as well.
Though they weren’t rich, she was an only child and had been just as adored.
Even her stern, silent father hadn’t beaten her when he found out she applied to the art academy.
He had only let out a heavy sigh and stepped outside for a smoke.
Thinking of this made her a bit sad again.
She wiped the corner of her eyes, trying to hold back the tears, when a tissue was suddenly handed to her.
“Are you okay?” Squatting next to her was also an Umamusume.
She had long chestnut hair and wore a face mask.
Although she dressed like a delinquent, her voice trembled slightly.
She seemed terrible at talking to people.
Keiko felt a wave of warmth in her heart.
She took the tissue, wiped her tears, and thanked her.
“Thank you…
um?” “It’s good you’re okay.
Sorry to bother you…
but you look really sad.
Did you run away from home?” The masked Umamusume asked.
“Actually, I often want to run away too.
The atmosphere at my home is suffocating, and I hate staying there.
But…
even so, I feel like running away isn’t a good thing.” “No, I didn’t run away…” Keiko shook her head.
Her sad mood suddenly dissolved after being interrupted.
‘Is sadness some kind of channeled skill that can be interrupted?’ She thought, amused.
“To be precise, I don’t really have a home to begin with.” “…Ah, sorry…
I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.” The masked Umamusume sat down beside Keiko, wanting to comfort her but not knowing what to say.
“It’s fine, I’m okay now.” Keiko waved her hand.
“It just comes back to me sometimes.
I can get over this kind of thing on my own.” “That must be tough…” She sighed.
“Living in Tokyo all by yourself must be really hard.” “That’s true…” Keiko agreed.
“The prices here are crazy.
I can’t even afford a watermelon.
But some things are really cheap, like bean sprouts.” “Eating too many bean sprouts will only make you malnourished.” The girl next to her chuckled, which also helped Keiko relax.
“If you don’t have a place to stay, how about coming to my place?
It’s a housing unit provided by the school, but I recall there are a few empty rooms.
If we talk to the dorm manager, maybe she’ll let you move in.” “I do have a place to stay, it’s also a school-provided housing unit…” Keiko quickly explained.
“I’m not exactly homeless, and I still go to school.” ‘Though I’m technically enrolled at Todai—’ Keiko kept that detail to herself.
She didn’t want to create a sudden barrier in their nice chat.
It would be like a normie suddenly posting photos of his girlfriend in a group chat of lonely singles.
It would create a sad, thick barrier between them, making everyone wish they could punch the show-off.
There probably weren’t any One-Punch Men among Umamusume, but bringing up such topics would definitely ruin the mood.
As they talked, they found they had a lot in common.
Both were socially anxious, easily embarrassed, and had complicated family situations—’though having no family at all was technically a complicated situation in itself.’ During the bus ride, they got to know each other well and even exchanged LINE contacts.
But happy times were always short.
Soon, it was time for Keiko to get off.
As she stood up reluctantly, she noticed the girl next to her standing up too.
They looked at each other, and Keiko asked first.
“Are you getting off here too?” “Yes…
My place is nearby.” She nodded.
“If we live close, it’ll be easy to hang out next time.
We really have a connection.” “Yeah…” Keiko had a bad feeling.
They got off the bus together, said their goodbyes, but then realized they were walking in the same direction.
Up to this point, Keiko still had some hope that they were just going the same way.
But when they both stopped in front of the Umamusume Dorm, she fell into despair.
“…What a coincidence.
You live in the Umamusume Dorm too?” The masked girl still hadn’t put two and two together.
“Are you also a freshman?” “…Um…
yeah…
indeed…” Keiko nodded blankly.
“By the way…
I think I forgot to ask for your name.” “Oh, right.
My name is Orfevre.
Nice to meet you.” The girl nodded.
Only now did they realize they hadn’t introduced themselves.
Being so spacey that they didn’t realize it until now made them a match made in heaven.
“Hello…
my name is Tojo Keiko…” “Ah…
you’re the one from Todai…” “Please do not call me that!” Keiko suddenly snapped.
As it turned out, they were roommates?
And Orfevre was Gold Ship’s relative…
“Yo—Orfevre, you’re back~ I just bought some weird-flavored jelly beans from the convenience store.
Let’s play the Beanboozled challenge today!” Gold Ship walked up from the other direction and greeted Orfevre casually.
“I refuse.” Orfevre immediately crossed her arms in a defensive stance, rejecting her flatly.
“Don’t be like that, it’s fun.” Gold Ship was about to tease Orfevre when she spotted Keiko standing there, her face pale.
“Eh?!
Aren’t you the one from Todai?
What a coincidence!” “…Ah…
what a…
coincidence.” Keiko sighed at the heavens.
“Um…
if there’s nothing else, I’ll go to my room first.” “Since you’re already here, let’s eat together!
Star-san’s cooking is delicious.” Gold Ship smiled, catching Keiko just as she tried to slip away.
“Now that we’re living under the same roof, you’ve got to get along with us, Miss Todai!” “I’m allergic to socializing!” Keiko would rather die than get involved with a weirdo like Gold Ship.
But her struggles were completely ignored.
Being much taller, Gold Ship grabbed both Orfevre and Keiko with one hand each, lifted them off the ground, and marched through the front door.
“Just think of it as exposure therapy!
It’s fine, it’s fine, at worst you’ll just eat a booger-flavored jelly bean!” “Who would want to eat that?!” “Let me go, Gold Ship!
I’m going to punch you!” Their struggle did nothing to loosen Gold Ship’s iron grip.
The two small Umamusume had zero chance of resisting Gold Ship.
Let alone a delicate and frail girl like Keiko, even Orfevre couldn’t compete with Gold Ship in strength.
“Ooh, smells great—Star-san, is it sukiyaki today?!” Gold Ship smelled dinner the moment she carried the two depressed Umamusume inside.
Using her god-like nose, she identified the dish and happily carried the two into the dining room like a pair of chickens.
“Yes—after all, we have to welcome our newcomer to the Umamusume Dorm.
Eh, Gold Ship, what’s in your hands?” A short-haired girl who looked like a beautiful girl but radiated a strong motherly aura stood up to greet them.
“Isn’t this our newcomer?” “Yup~ The one from Todai.
She was being shy, so I dragged her and Orfevre in together!” “I see~ Well, everyone sit down.
Gold Ship, you’ll need to go drag Digital-chan, Tachyon-chan, and Cafe-chan down here in a bit~” The smiling Sakura Star O clapped her hands.
Like a proper Yamato Nadeshiko, she gave her orders in a gentle voice.
“For the Umamusume Dorm’s newcomer welcome party, everyone must be present~” “Roger that~” Gold Ship dropped the two onto their chairs and stomped upstairs to call the other three Umamusume.
Keiko finally recovered from Gold Ship’s tyranny.
Looking at Orfevre, who had received the same treatment, she sighed.
The two of them really were alike, both completely crushed under Gold Ship’s heel.
If the two of them were socially anxious, Gold Ship was a social terrorist.
Even Keiko’s Todai-level brain couldn’t predict what Gold Ship would say or do next.
That was the scariest part.
The most terrifying thing in the world was pure randomness.
Exhausted, Keiko forced herself to sit up and looked at the steaming sukiyaki pot.
The bubbling broth looked delicious, but looking at it made her recall the hot pot she used to eat with her family during holidays in her past life.
The steaming warmth was exactly the same.
Taking a deep breath to shake off the memories, she walked up to the busy Sakura Star O.
“Is there anything I can help with?
It feels bad to just sit here and wait to be fed.” Keiko asked cautiously.
“I can chop vegetables, and I’m fine in the kitchen.
So…
please let me help.” “Oh my~” Sakura Star O smiled warmly at her tiny junior.
Despite radiating a weak, fragile aura, the girl had a pair of determined eyes.
“Ah~ Ten Point was right.
You really are a good kid.” “Eh?” Keiko blinked.
She hadn’t expected to hear her boss’s name from Star O.
“Is Ten Point-san also an amazing Umamusume?” “Well, she is a legendary senior of mine.
When she found out you were coming to stay here, she specifically asked me at a party to take good care of you.” Star O wiped her hands on her apron and gently cupped the girl’s face.
“Now, now, come help.
It’s almost done, but could you chop some green onions to sprinkle on top?
Be careful not to cut your fingers.” “Okay.” Keiko confidently picked up the kitchen knife.
She wanted to pour her efforts into this aromatic sukiyaki.
She didn’t actually want to be a loner; if there was a way, she would actively try to fit in.
After all, her mother had once told her—to be a warm person.