Chapter 125: The Enchanting You, Like a Mirage

After the shoot in the sunflower field wrapped up, we headed straight to a nearby beach. Since the filming location was already a secluded hidden gem and we were shooting on a weekday, the number of people around was minimal. The beach hut was still open, so it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves.

Now that the shoot was done and the dress was officially mine, I swayed the hem of my new one-piece dress and led him by the hand onto the sand. We’d both changed into sandals already, so a little sand getting on our feet wasn’t a big deal.

With the Goodwood Cup just a month away, I wasn’t allowed to go near the rocks or deep into the sea, but I wasn’t planning on going that far anyway. Starting tomorrow, it’s going to be non-stop training.

For now, we could take a light stroll on the beach, sip cold drinks at the hut, snap a few photos and videos… just make some memories. Taking a breather like this in the middle of the intense Twinkle Series would be the perfect refresh.

“Think we’ll find any crabs?”

“If you spot a little hole in the sand, one might just pop out.”

“Oh! Look at this pretty shell.”

“Whoa— that’s cute.”

“You mean me?”

“……”

“...Hey, say something! That awkward silence totally made me sound like a narcissist who just bombed her own joke.”

“…Well, I won’t deny it. Apollo’s charm is part of the appeal, after all.”

“Ugh… Okay, okay, fine. You win. I give up. No more compliments about me, please~”

“What even are you…”

I squatted down, one hand holding the back of my dress in place as I picked up shells. I noticed Tomio’s eyes flicking between my neckline and my legs—he was clearly very into the outfit.

When I deliberately gave my skirt and tail a playful little wiggle, his gaze locked instantly downward. Oh? So that’s what he likes, huh. Guess the “pure and elegant” type really does hit the mark with him. Look at you, caught in the act.

“Hey, take a photo of me?”

“O-oh… sure.”

“Just snap away whenever you feel like it.”

I lifted my straw hat, held a shell up to my cheek—posing naturally, trying to move in ways that would capture his attention. Watching his expression closely, I came to a conclusion—

He seems to have a thing for when I look up at him from below. Interesting, interesting. Maybe I’ll try giving him some big, pleading eyes and a little “pwease~” next time I need a favor.

After taking a bunch of photos for UmaStar and Umatter, we took a break at the beach hut.

Come to think of it, maybe because I wasn’t in disguise, the staff at the hut asked, “Are you Apollo Rainbow?” When I said yes, they asked for an autograph, so I signed a square autograph board for them. I’d done plenty of these during the Classic-tier season rush, scribbling signature after signature on mountains of boards, so I was used to it by now.

“Looks like you’re getting popular overseas too.”

“Haha, you really undersell yourself. Apollo’s a pretty big name in Europe now.”

The response after the Gold Cup was explosive. Footage of the race I won was all over the news and internet. After burning out completely and crashing for a few days, the requests came flooding in—interviews, photoshoots, guest appearances on shows. Stuff like today’s shoot and off-season appearances got the green light, though. Other offers are being filtered and taken on selectively.

It’s normal for media requests to increase after a big win, but one thing that wasn’t normal—my UmaStar followers suddenly shot up by the hundreds of thousands.

I got tons of messages, not just from existing fans, but from people who said watching the Gold Cup got them interested in the Twinkle Series.

Getting casual fans hooked is important, but to keep the content alive and thriving, it’s absolutely vital to attract new ones. I run to fulfill my own dreams, so gaining fans feels more like a side objective—but without people showing up to the races, the Twinkle Series can’t continue. In that sense, my dreams and fan turnout are deeply connected. There are others like Double Trigger and Kayf Tara who crave the thrill that comes from the energy shared between fans and us Umamusume.

The more fans we get, the more positive momentum builds—for the Umamusume, for the fans, and for the URA that runs everything. It’s a win-win-win.

If there’s a downside, it’s that sometimes overly enthusiastic fans cross the line and cause trouble. Thankfully, my fans have always been respectful, and I’ve never had to deal with that kind of drama.

“When’s the commercial we shot airing again?”

“At the earliest, a week from now.”

“Wait, that soon?”

“Pretty fast, yeah.”

We’d been sitting at the beach hut for a while, and once I started to relax, I took off my straw hat and gave my horse ears a good wiggle. Aaaand—there he goes, staring again. I feel like ever since the Gold Cup ended, Tomio’s been much easier to read in all sorts of ways.

Of course, the only reason I picked up on that was because I’ve been watching him too closely. Or maybe it’s just that I’ve been spending more time staring at him.

“Here you go! Two honey-mead & yogurt drinks.”

“Yay, looks so good!”

“Want me to take a pic?”

“Yes please~”

…I never used to take selfies or ask for photos before. Becoming an Umamusume really changed me. Ever since moving up to Open Class, taking pictures for SNS became a natural thing. And ever since getting closer with Tomio, I started to really think about “how to look cute on camera.” So when I’m in front of the lens, I always make sure I’m giving it my all.

I opened the camera and angled the shot so my fingers with freshly done nails and the honey-mead & yogurt were both in frame. As I was checking the lighting, Tomio sent me a perfect candid, and I uploaded both right away.

The reactions were instant:
“So cute.”
“Who is this white-dress angel?”
“She's totally hinting again.”
“Flirting alert.”
“IS THAT HONEYMEAD??”
“Looks like a fairy.”
“Feels like an eroge CG scene (comment deleted 3 seconds later)” — UmaStar and Umatter exploded with “Uma-zing!”s in no time.

Most of my fans are guys. That’s probably colored by my own perspective during livestreams and comment browsing, but still—the combo of the straw hat and white dress was an absolute hit with them.

Even the gyaru crew and Lumos gave me instant Uma-zings, so I’m super glad I got to keep this outfit.

Drunk on the flood of online praise, I took a sip of my honey-mead drink. Whoa, so good. I instinctively grabbed the container with both hands and tilted it up for a big gulp. It’s addicting. I bet even Teio-san would approve… not that I know if she’s tried it, but still. It’s that good.

“Whoa… this is amazing. If Teio-san had this, she’d be busting out her Teio Step for sure~”

“Hey—look this way, look this way.”

“Another photo? …Fine, I guess.”

“Okay, pose!”

“Mmh.”

Just as I was enjoying my drink, my trainer interrupted, so I threw on my best business smile for the camera. I mean, I do like that he wants to take pictures of me—but don’t overdo it, okay? Actually, more than the screen, I want him to look at me. I’m right here, the real deal.

Tomio was completely absorbed in fiddling with his phone—ignoring the honey-mead, ignoring my face, just tapping away with this dumb grin on his face. My good mood from earlier was starting to sour. Before I could stop myself, a sharp remark slipped out of my mouth.

“Ugh, seriously, what is your deal?”

“Ah, no, sorry—heheh… it’s just, the little mustache was too cute.”

“Huh?”

Startled, I reached up and wiped my upper lip with my finger. Sure enough—foam from the honey-mead yogurt had left a little mustache there.

“――――!!”

A sudden wave of heat surged up from around my collarbone, scalding with the intensity of boiling water as embarrassment rushed past my nose and shot straight up to the tips of my horse ears. Oh no. This is mortifying. I messed up. Why didn’t he say anything? Was Tomio just trying to mess with me?

My mind short-circuited as a flood of thoughts ran rampant through it. My ears, now flushed bright red and drooping flat, signaled my complete and utter deflation after realizing I’d let him see me with the fake mustache on.

“And by the way, I wasn’t taking photos—I filmed the whole thing. You know, for a change of pace.”

“...Huh?”

“I’ll send it to you later.”

“…That’s the worst…”

“Come on, I think it’s cute! Haha.”

“……”

I really thought today I was going to be the one in charge. I was supposed to be the one making him flustered with my charm. But in the end, it was me getting all shy while Tomio just laughed.

Feeling just a tiny bit sulky, I made sure the mustache wouldn’t get in the way and finished my honey & yogurt drink, then decided to change into my swimsuit to head into the sea.

I’d let this fuzzy, frustrating sense of defeat dissolve into the ocean. Slipping out of my one-piece dress and into my swimsuit, I dove straight into the shoreline waves without a second thought. The cool seawater slipped between my toes, tickling me enough to make me nearly bounce from the sensation.

The last time I went into the sea was during last summer’s training camp—so it’s been almost a year, huh? The ocean really is the best. You can train, you can swim, you can even fish.

I kicked my foot up casually, splashing water at my Trainer when he got close. “Wah!” Tomio yelped with a laugh, jumping back in an exaggerated reaction. I teased him, asking what the point was of even wearing shorts, and he grinned and said, “Oh, you’re gonna get it,” before diving into the shallows himself.

From there, we launched into a full-on splash war in the crystal-clear rippling waves, playing to our hearts’ content.

At one point, Tomio commented, “You changed swimsuits since last year, huh?” but of course I had. Trends change, and more importantly—I’ve grown.

With both my athlete’s body developing and me being smack in the middle of puberty, last year’s swimsuit just didn’t fit anymore. Honestly, it’s natural that my body’s changed. If I’d stayed the same as I was last year, there’s no way I could’ve made it through the Gold Cup. Of course my body’s gotten bigger.

But… as a girl, it kind of stung that most of those growth numbers screamed “muscle gain!!!!” My base weight went up significantly, my abs are fully defined now, and my waist, thighs, and arms have all clearly bulked up…

According to Kayf Tara-san, I’m “still slim,” but compared to before, I’ve definitely gotten thicker… And well, Tomio seems like he prefers slim girls, so… yeah, I’m not thrilled about that.

Maybe balancing cuteness and strength is harder than I thought. I’ll have to ask Curren-chan senpai about that sometime.

After playing in the ocean to our hearts’ content, it was time to get ready to return to Tracen Academy. Watching the sun dip below the horizon, I found myself mumbling, “I kinda wanted to play with Trainer a bit longer…”

Just as I was finishing packing up my things, a shadow came running from the beach hut. A boy, maybe in the lower grades of elementary school, was sprinting straight toward me. A fan, maybe?

As I suspected, the boy skidded to a stop right in front of Tomio and me, gasping for breath after what must’ve been quite the run.

I crouched down to meet his gaze, waited for him to catch his breath, and gently asked, “What’s wrong?”

He looked up at me, eyes sparkling like stars.

“Y-You’re Apollo Rainbow-Onee-san, right?!”

“Going with ‘Onee-san,’ huh… Yeah, I’m Apollo Rainbow. What’s up?”

“I saw it on Umasta! That Apollo Rainbow was here! I live nearby!”

“Uh-huh, uh-huh. You want an autograph?”

“Yeah! I brought paper and everything!”

“Fufu.”

One of the moments that really makes me glad I kept running all this time is getting to meet little fans like this. Sometimes I even get asked by fan couples if I’ll bless their baby by touching them—it happens more often than you’d think. I end up interacting with kids, toddlers, and babies fairly often.

And really, boys around this age are at their rowdiest and cutest. Tomio stood a bit behind, watching us with a soft smile, totally giving off “boyfriend-in-the-background” vibes.

I signed the plain sheet of paper and pencil case he’d brought, and the boy jumped up and down in joy. The way he expressed his excitement with his whole body—honestly, it warmed me to the core.

“I saw Apollo Rainbow and decided I wanna be a horse girl too! But, like, that’s probably impossible, so… I decided I’ll aim to be a track and field star instead!”

“Really!? That makes me so happy…!”

“I’m already the fastest in my school! Never lost to anyone, not even the older kids! Pretty cool, huh?!”

“Wha—seriously? That’s amazing!”

“Hehehe!”

The boy rubbed under his nose in that proud-kid way. Fastest in his school even when competing with older kids—he might really be something special in the future. Who knows, he might grow into an incredible athlete one day.

As I watched him proudly, his face suddenly shifted into a more thoughtful expression. He fidgeted with his fingers in front of his waist, like he was about to say something hard to get out.

“…So, uh, Apollo Rainbow-Onee-san… there’s something I wanna promise with you. Will you listen?”

“Hmm? Let me guess—when you grow up, you wanna marry me?”

“N-no—well, not exactly—I mean that’s not wrong either but—! W-What I wanted to say is… When I grow up, I want to race you! Promise me we’ll have a match! I swear it’ll be exciting—so please say yes!!”

“Oh… You said it now, huh? Then I guess I’ll take you on. But whether it’s a 100-meter dash or a 4000-meter run, I’m not gonna lose, okay?”

“I’m not losing either! Ten years from now, we’re racing in a 100-kilometer ultramarathon!!”

““!?””

“See ya, Apollo Rainbow!! Next time, let’s meet on the world stage!!”

The boy took off running, waving the autographed paper above his head, not giving us a chance to react or even process what just happened. His figure disappeared past the beach house, and Tomio and I exchanged looks, both of us wearing equally baffled expressions.

“…………”

“…………”

“That kid was something else.”

“Yeah. He’s got a solid life plan. Not only did he propose a race at a distance that could level the playing field between humans and horse girls, but he also locked in the promise without even giving you a chance to argue… That’s the mark of someone destined for greatness.”

“The world’s a big place, huh…”

“Haha. I’ll train with you full-time so you don’t lose to him.”

“—Wait, does that mean…”

…you’ll stay with me for the next ten years?

Tomio and I looked into each other’s eyes on the beach, bathed in the glow of the red evening sky. We were probably thinking completely different things, but I decided to believe what I wanted to believe. Because isn’t that way more wonderful? Isn’t that something to be happy about?

Even if we can’t fully share each other’s hearts, we can share this moment. We can stand in the same place and see the same view. We can share words that bring us closer.

Just being together is enough. I took a step forward and threw myself into Tomio’s arms. He didn’t push me away—just smiled gently. He, too, wanted to share our time and our view. But me—I wanted a future where we could stay together, side by side. Of course, I also wanted to become the strongest stayer. I wanted it all—every bit of it. Maybe that’s just who I am: a greedy horse girl.

The sun slowly sank below the horizon. On the opposite side of the sky, the moon began to rise.

Today comes to a close, and the next G1 Goodwood Cup draws near.

I still want to play, but I also want to run.

There have been so many times I’ve wished, “If only this moment could last forever…” But days as fun and beautiful as this one—I can count them on one hand. Taking pictures in a lovely setting, playing around, growing closer with Tomio, interacting with fans… My dreams and love life are still far from complete, but even if it all ended today, I think I’d be satisfied. That’s how special today was.

And even so, I keep running toward my dreams—because I’m a greedy horse girl.

Apollo Rainbow never stops until she’s done everything she set out to do.

Today marks the end of my break. The days of fierce battle begin once more.