In the end, it took a few hours to eat through all the food Oguri had prepared for me. Not because there was that much food; this was Oguri we were talking about—she would tear through any amount of food in record time. It was just that we got interrupted by-, well, y'know.
…Anyway.
I cleared my throat as I pulled up my suit's collar as high as I could. I'd also smoothed out my outfit as best as I could. But there was only so much I could do on my own, and I wasn't skilled enough to heat my hands just enough to turn it into a makeshift iron. Not it really mattered. It wasn't as if I was meeting anyone else.
"Thank you for the feast." I said as I clapped my hands. And it truly was a feast—my stomach felt incredibly full, and I had a feeling I'd be bedridden for quite some time once I went to sleep.
"Nn. It was a good feast." Oguri said, her eyes subtly glancing at me. I felt a pleasant shiver run down my spine, but I did my best not to glance at her.
I sighed softly as I glanced around. Night had fully fallen by this point, but Tracen Central had never looked so bright. Countless christmas lights were scattered all across the academy, coloring the entire campus in a kaleidoscope of colors. In the distance I could see a massive bonfire lit in the center of a track, with thousands of people gathered there beneath the clear starry skies.
It was strange to see Tracen Central be so occupied. Of course, there was hardly ever a dull day in Tracen Central, but the number of students here wasn't actually that high. This was an elite academy after all, and so there were only so many students attending during a single year.
But I didn't dislike it.
…On that note,
"Where did she even get logs that big?" I couldn't help but ask, staring at the giant bonfire she'd lit. I wasn't too surprised that Director Akikawa decided that a massive bonfire was required for the outdoor celebrations, but I couldn't help but ask where exactly she got those giant logs she used to surround the flames. Did she go out and cut down a few trees from the amazon forest or something?
Oguri hummed. "Maybe she got it from Secretariat?" She offered.
I blinked, realizing that Secretariat was technically still here in Japan. "Huh. Maybe." I said as I rubbed my chin. Director Akikawa had made it clear that she wasn't a fan of the Big Red, but she wasn't adverse to asking for help. The only reason Secretariat wasn't here today was because she was having her own New Year's celebration.
Both of us fell quiet. It wasn't unpleasant by any means—we were simply taking the time to relax after all the food we'd consumed.
We sat there in silence, lying on the picnic mat as we watched the stars above, our hands held together. And at that moment, it felt almost as if the rest of the world didn't exist—as if the world consisted only of this rooftop, the starry skies, and the two of us.
And then, eventually,
"Do you ever wonder how things could've been different?"
Oguri turned to me. "Like?"
"It's just–" I pursed my lips slightly. "It was basically by chance that you found me that day. It was because you took a different route and I just happened to be sitting there at that exact moment." I turned to her, my smile a little somber. "What would've our lives been like if we never met?"
Of course, I already knew what it would've been like. Oguri would've still gone on to become one of Japan's most beloved umamusume, and she would close out her story by winning the [Arima Kinen]. Perhaps she wouldn't have reached the same heights as she had in this world, but her story would've still been one of grandeur.
But that was an unfair question, and Oguri's brows furrowed as her hold on my hand tightened. "I don't care." She said. "A world like that—it's not a world I want to be in." She rolled over to her side and stared directly at me. "I don't want to live in a world without you."
I took a small breath as I rolled to my side, and I met her stare with a soft smile. "Yeah. I feel the same way." I gently brushed my hair through her hair. "Sorry. I was just thinking."
"Dummy." She said, giving my forehead a light flick. "Don't think about it ever again."
"Yes, yes~"
Then–
The starry skies were set alight with dozens of fireworks, exploding outwards into a rainbow of sparks. I could hear the crowd cheering from afar, and I couldn't help but smile slightly as I rolled over to better watch the show of fireworks. "I guess they decided to set it off early."
Oguri smiled. "It's pretty."
"It really is. The Director really went above and beyond this time around." I chuckled. "Although I guess that's how the Director usually is."
"Nn."
And so, as the fireworks bloomed across the night sky–
Kitahara Jo laughed joyfully as he swept White Narubi into his arms and lifted her up. His heart felt like it was seconds away from exploding with joy, and White Narubi giggled shyly as she held onto the man. The colorful glow of the fireworks illuminated her face as he held her up, and at that moment, she looked like the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid his eyes on.
"Boom, boom!" Tokai Teoi cheered as she sat on Symboli Rudolf's shoulders, her eyes glittering as she spread her arms to the sky. Rudolf chuckled softly as she kept herself still, careful not to let Teio fall from her shoulders. Maruzensky and Mr C.B. watched the two from afar, both of them more than amused at the way the Emperor had softened so significantly due to the efforts of a single face-hugging child.
Yaeno Muteki and Sakura Chiyono O shared a toast before they drank their cans of beer. Muteki smirked slightly as she saw Chiyono O balk at the beer's taste. "It doesn't taste very good, does it?" She asked, and Chiyono O rapidly shook her head around, as if to try and shake the taste away.
Dicta Striker whistled as she watched the multitudes of shapes that were painted across the night sky. "Holy shit, that's bright." She whispered, narrowing her eyes slightly. Mejiro Ardan smiled as she stood just a little closer to Dicta, for once refraining from calling out her language. Neither of them noticed the very not-inconspicuous group of Mejiros who were watching the two from a small distance.
"Here's to another year." Nase Fumino smiled gently as she held up her glass of wine. The smile Super Creek returned was soft and loving, and they softly clanked their classes together. Her cheeks reddened slightly as she then noticed Creek's tail wrapping around her leg, and her blush only brightened when she heard Creek's playful giggle.
Obey Your Master whistled as she saw the assortment of fireworks being launched into the sky. "Now that's a celebration." She said with a grin. "What do you think?"
"Makes'it feel like ah'm back at ta' summer fes'." Tamamo said, smiling fondly as she stared at the exploding fireworks.
Belno Light smiled, quietly relieved that nothing had gone wrong with the fireworks display. She didn't have the chance to test everything with how abrupt everything was, and so she was glad that everything was working as intended. And since that was the case, she finally sat down and drank the entire bottle of wine she'd opened nearly an hour ago.
And there, sitting on the rooftop, with no one but each other as company, I chuckled."It's a little early, but–" I smiled softly at the girl I loved. "Happy New Year, Oguri."
Oguri smiled back. "Nn!"
Then, the last fireworks exploded across the skies as we kissed.