Air Groove’s footsteps halted.
The Uma Musume following her—including Mejiro McQueen and Hishi Amazon, who had no races today and were just training with their senpai—also stopped.
For a moment, only the distant, frenzied cheers, weakened by the distance, remained in the passage, forming a stark contrast with the deathly silence in this nearby corner.
The boy, with his back to them, seemed completely unaware of the verbal bomb he had just dropped.
“A-Air Groove-senpai…” Hishi Amazon whispered, somewhat at a loss, but Air Groove stopped her with a raised hand.
Air Groove’s sharp eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze cutting across Kitano’s back like a scalpel.
She didn’t immediately react.
As the vice president of the student council, she had seen all sorts of people.
There were fervent fans, and there were indifferent ordinary people, but such… such precise and almost absurdly objective remarks that devalued the worth of an Uma Musume’s running, even questioning their fundamental existence, she had never personally heard before.
It wasn’t malicious slander, but more like… a judgment based on some strange standard.
That made her even more concerned.
Mejiro McQueen gently furrowed her delicate brows.
Her upbringing as a noble young lady prevented her from easily getting angry.
However, the other party’s words, comparing an Uma Musume’s proud running to an electric bicycle, truly made her feel an uncomfortable sense of offense.
Especially the phrase “is an Uma Musume even human?” touched on something much deeper.
Kitano was completely oblivious.
After he finished his rant, he felt the slight stuffiness in his chest dissipate, and his mood brightened considerably.
He stretched, pulled out his phone, and checked the time.
“Hmm, it’s about time to go back and find them.
I’ll just pretend I finished using the restroom.”
He turned around, ready to retrace his steps.
Then, his steps halted.
At the entrance of the passage, three Uma Musume, each with a distinct style yet equally striking, stood there, silently watching him.
The black-haired one leading them had particularly cold eyes, as if she could freeze him on the spot.
Kitano’s heart skipped a beat.
Although he didn’t recognize every Uma Musume, he had some impression of these few… especially the vice president of the student council, Air Groove.
After all, her reputation was well-known throughout Tracen Academy and its surroundings.
“It’s over.”
These two words flashed through his mind instantly.
The air seemed to freeze.
Kitano’s brain raced, trying to think of any possible explanation, but no matter how he thought about it, having those words heard by the very people they concerned was an absolute social suicide-level disaster.
To his surprise, Air Groove didn’t immediately scold him sharply.
She merely scrutinized him up and down with her icy blue eyes, her tone terrifyingly calm, carrying a formal chill:
“Which class are you in?
What was the basis for your remarks just now?”
Hishi Amazon, however, had less patience.
She glared at Kitano, puffing out her cheeks, her ponytail swishing impatiently.
“Hey!
What you just said was incredibly rude!”
Although Mejiro McQueen didn’t speak, her deep purple eyes clearly expressed disapproval and scrutiny.
Kitano took a deep breath.
He knew that arguing or playing dumb would be meaningless in this situation.
He chose the approach that best suited his personality—honesty, but limited honesty.
“I apologize.
I didn’t mean to offend.” He bowed slightly, his attitude not overly flustered, but at least polite.
“I’m Kitano from the third year of the general studies course.
My previous remarks… were just some personal, immature views, and in that enthusiastic environment, I couldn’t help but blurt them out.
If I offended any of you, I apologize.”
He skirted the main points, avoiding any mention of “sixty kilometers per hour” or “is she human or not,” only admitting to “immature views” and “talking to himself.”
Air Groove took a step forward, and an invisible pressure permeated the air.
“Personal views?
Talking to yourself?” She repeated it, her tone not betraying whether she believed him or not.
“I’m very curious.
What kind of personal views would lead you to such… conclusions?”
Her gaze locked onto Kitano, with an undeniable sharpness.
“Do you think our running is just a common sporting event?
Or even inferior to what you call other sports?”
This was a trap question.
Answering yes or no seemed to lead to an even more troublesome situation.
Kitano was silent for a moment.
He knew that if he didn’t offer an explanation today, it would be difficult to get away.
He looked up, meeting Air Groove’s gaze, his eyes holding his usual placidness, even a hint of fatalistic composure.
“Vice President, I respect every athlete who dedicates passion and sweat to competing.” He spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully.
“The running of an Uma Musume is undoubtedly an excellent athletic performance.
It’s just… I personally may not fully understand the significance that society places on this sport, which far exceeds the sport itself.
For me, watching a race and watching an exciting soccer or basketball game are essentially… not that different.”
He paused, then added, “As for the rest… that was indeed a slip of the tongue, and I apologize again.”
He didn’t deny the efforts of the Uma Musume, but clearly drew his own line—he couldn’t empathize with the world’s fervor.
And he cleverly steered the conversation back to sport itself, avoiding the sensitive question of existence.
Air Groove stared at him for a full ten seconds, the air pressure in the corridor so low it was suffocating.
Finally, she seemed to temporarily accept this explanation, or rather, she felt that further probing here would yield no results.
“Mind your words and actions, Kitano-kun.” She said coldly, “Tracen Academy welcomes all people with good intentions, but not baseless contempt and slander.
Your personal views are best kept to yourself.”
After speaking, she no longer looked at Kitano, gestured to Mejiro McQueen and Hishi Amazon behind her, and walked straight past him.
Hishi Amazon made a face at him as she passed, while Mejiro McQueen merely glanced at him with her deep eyes, her gaze complex, carrying a hint of inquiry, and also a trace of… inexpressible thought.
Kitano stood in place, watching the three Uma Musume walk away until they disappeared at the end of the passage, then let out a long, silent sigh of relief.
“…It seems I’ll have to find a safer place even for talking to myself from now on.”
He rubbed his temples, feeling more tired than after watching an entire race.
However, this matter should be over, right?
he thought optimistically.
He didn’t know that on their way out, Air Groove had whispered to Mejiro McQueen, “Look up that student’s information.
Third year, general studies course, Kitano.”
And Mejiro McQueen, in turn, nodded slightly.
That boy’s placid gaze, and the sense of detachment in his words, so out of step with the entire world, made it impossible for her to simply categorize it as ignorant provocation.
Within it, something more special seemed to be hidden.
When Kitano returned to the stands, his friends were still in a state of euphoria, their faces flushed, waving cheering towels they had somehow acquired, excitedly discussing the fierce competition in the final spurt.
“Did you see it?!
That last turn!
It was art!”
“So strong!
This is the power of a top Uma Musume!”
Kitano quietly sat back in his seat, his friends’ heartfelt, incomprehensible enthusiasm buzzing in his ears.
He looked at these classmates, who usually attended classes, played around, and were otherwise perfectly ordinary, now with eyes shining because of a race.
He sighed softly inside.
“Perhaps… this really is what they love,” he thought.
Just as in his previous life he would get excited over a brilliant game maneuver or a wonderful scientific discovery, it was just that their channels were different.
He didn’t understand, but at least he could respect this pure passion.
The race finally concluded amidst the roaring cheers of the entire venue.
The commentator, with a voice hoarse from excitement, announced the champion’s name and analyzed who had lost with honor.
This was immediately followed by the Winning Live, where the placed Uma Musume changed into dazzling idol outfits and performed song and dance on stage.
Kitano watched quietly; lights flashed, songs soared, and the girls’ smiles were infectious.
He objectively evaluated in his mind: “Well, the movements are synchronized, and their facial expressions are well-managed.
At the very least, they definitely dance better than some lazy trending celebrities.
I can’t argue with that.”
The performance ended, which meant that this viewing experience was finally over.
“That was amazing!
Kitano-kun, wasn’t it spectacular?” A friend, still exhilarated, put an arm around his shoulder.
“Ah… mm, the atmosphere was certainly very lively.” Kitano gave a perfectly correct and safe answer.
Bidding farewell to his friends, who were still immersed in excitement, at the school gate, and watching them walk off shoulder-to-shoulder while discussing where to go next, Kitano merely waved, choosing to leave alone.
After the clamor, the street seemed unusually quiet.
He walked aimlessly, leaving behind the heat of the track and the cold gaze of the student council vice president.
For him, there were more important and practical matters to consider right now.
“So… what am I eating for dinner tonight?”
“Tonkotsu ramen?
Or the convenience store’s new bento?”
As for what Air Groove and those Uma Musume would do?
He couldn’t be bothered to delve into it.
The worst outcome would be a warning, disciplinary action, or even expulsion?
For him, it didn’t seem entirely unacceptable.
This world was certainly interesting, but if it meant losing his peaceful daily life, leaving might not be out of the question.
“Forget it, things will sort themselves out.
The most important thing today is to solve dinner first.”
He made up his mind, turned, and walked in the direction of the 24-hour convenience store he remembered.
He was completely absorbed in his culinary choices, utterly unaware that in the shadows of a street corner not far behind him, several pairs of eyes were intently watching him.
These were several slightly younger Uma Musume in casual clothes.
They were future stars, brimming with infinite aspirations for running and glory, who had specifically come from the Academy to watch this race.
They had originally been in a hidden spot on the outskirts of the track, excitedly reliving the recent race, but unexpectedly overheard Kitano’s astonishing conversation with Air Groove.
That boy’s bland yet sharp words, like a thorn, pierced their simple and ardent hearts.
“Uma Musume… are they human?”
“Can’t understand… the fervor?”
These words echoed in their minds, bringing confusion, hurt, and a strong sense of indignation.
They might be exceptionally talented, but at this moment, they were still simple-minded girls, harboring the purest dreams.
Kitano’s detached, even slightly demeaning attitude deeply stung them.
They couldn’t understand why there would be such a person in the world, and even less could they accept their life’s pursuit being so casually dismissed.
So, with varied but equally strong emotions, they exchanged glances, made up their minds, and quietly followed the incredibly ordinary boy walking toward the convenience store.
They wanted an answer.
An answer as to why he could view their entire world with such indifference.
Kitano was oblivious to all of this.
He was standing in front of the convenience store’s cold case, seriously comparing the cost-effectiveness of the fried chicken cutlet bento and the pork cutlet rice.
He didn’t know that a questioning from future stars, triggered by his unintentional rant, was about to unfold at the convenience store entrance.
His peaceful dinner time, it seemed, was about to be interrupted.
It really helps the fic grow!