On the golden beach were two not-so-long sets of footprints.
Those two sets of footprints were very close to the seawater, and perhaps soon they would be washed away completely by the sea.
But... "In two more days, we have to go back to Central."
"We could go back tomorrow too."
"You clearly want to stay a little longer, don't you?"
"Yes, because after returning, it's work, endless work. Before those troublesome matters are dealt with, there will be almost no rest time, and I won't be able to see you."
The words contained a complaint that Rudolph had never voiced.
Such a complaint was quite new to Tokai Shizen, as Rudolph's previous demeanor had always been completely indifferent to such matters.
But now... Looking at Rudolph, whose face showed a hint of complaint, Tokai Shizen pretended to think seriously for a few seconds.
Then she looked at Rudolph: "Then why don't you just work at the restaurant?"
"Hmm..."
Rudolph did not respond.
But Tokai Shizen didn't care. She knew, even with her eyes closed, that Rudolph couldn't possibly agree to that suggestion, as there were many things to handle at Tracen.
If outsiders were to see, it would be very troublesome.
So Tokai Shizen just looked into the distance.
It seemed to be the off-season for tourism.
The entire beach, like the restaurant, had very few guests.
Looking at such a beach, Tokai Shizen thought again about the places she might go after her brief fifteen-day appearance.
I wonder if it will be a beach?
No, I'm an Uma Musume. If the Three Goddesses decide.
Perhaps it will be a grassland?
Or will it be at Tracen Academy?
Thinking this and that, Tokai Shizen turned her head to look at Rudolph.
Then, as if some special key in her heart had clicked, she bent down:
"Luna?"
"Hmm? Eh?!"
Rudolph, who was directly picked up by Tokai Shizen in a leg-hugging manner, let out a slight gasp.
"About meeting you..."
The movement of her feet, accompanied by slight sounds, caused the background of Tokai Shizen in Rudolph's field of vision to constantly shift between the beach and the seawater.
This let Rudolph know that the other person was holding her and spinning in place.
And her trust in the other person made Rudolph give up on asking, waiting for Tokai Shizen to say something.
"I'm very happy!"
"Whether it was before, or now, always..."
"Very happy, very happy!"
Tokai Shizen's words made Rudolph unable to pay attention to her current state.
She wanted to respond, but she hadn't had time to do so.
Tokai Shizen could no longer hold Rudolph.
The two people, who had finally managed to be close, separated once again.
Rudolph fell to the side of the seawater, while Tokai Shizen sat on the beach.
Looking at Tokai Shizen sitting on the beach and then collapsing backward, Rudolph ignored her body, which was soaked by the seawater. She immediately went to Tokai Shizen's side to check on her condition.
But... what she saw was Tokai Shizen with her eyes open.
Tokai Shizen waited for Rudolph to appear in her field of vision, covering the originally reddish part of the sky, leaving only the sky that had turned deep blue, and then, when she saw the faintly visible moon,
She spoke the words that Rudolph should have been good at:
"Luna (moon), has appeared."
"...Hm?"
Unusually, Rudolph also failed to realize the key to this pun at first.
But she quickly reacted.
"Yes, Luna, has appeared."
Saying this, Rudolph looked at Shizen, and then she found that the other person was also looking at her.
Looking at Tokai Shizen like this, Rudolph opened her mouth, but before she could speak, she was forcibly stopped by a slight action.
"Don't say such a buzzkill thing at a time like this."
Saying this, Tokai Shizen pointed her finger at Rudolph's lips, making her close her mouth: "Think carefully about what you plan to do when you return to Tokyo."
"...Hm."
Seeing Rudolph nod in agreement, Tokai Shizen still wanted to say something.
But her phone rang, signaling that their short journey was finally coming to an end.
————————————
A few days later.
"Hello? Ah, flight arrival time?"
Tokai Shizen, sitting in the waiting room, looked at the estimated arrival time on the plane ticket in her hand.
She didn't hesitate and replied directly: "Around two in the afternoon, I'll probably arrive in Tokyo, but if possible..."
Turning her head to look at the other person sitting beside her, also waiting for the plane, Tokai Shizen just continued:
"I might bring someone else back, don't be too surprised~"
Listening to the voice coming from the phone, the expression on Maruzensky's face, sitting in a corner of the restaurant, changed slightly.
She could probably guess who Tokai Shizen was bringing back.
If it were the original her, Maruzensky would have been hostile towards that person, hating them for abandoning Tokai.
She would... In short, it definitely wouldn't have been good thoughts.
But for the current Maruzensky... "Perhaps... it's a good thing."
Maruzensky couldn't be sure if that person's return would cause more problems.
But, the experience of working together in the Student Council, the time spent as friends.
All told Maruzensky one thing.
That is, perhaps compared to her current self and Representative Chiaki, that person staying by Shizen's side.
Could prevent some things from happening that neither Representative Chiaki nor Maruzensky wanted.
And after saying "See you at two in the afternoon" as a farewell, Maruzensky hung up the phone.
After hanging up the phone, Maruzensky did not press the screen-off button on her phone.
She just scrolled through her contacts looking for another person's name.
Then, after seeing Tokai Roman, she immediately called her.
As Tokai's older sister.
Tokai Roman had the right to know about Tokai Shizen.
And soon, the call was connected.
Maruzensky heard a voice that was slightly tired.
"Miss Maruzen, is something wrong?"
It seemed she was too tired from taking care of Teio and Mochizuki.
Thinking this, Maruzensky was silent for a few seconds, then continued: "Shizen is coming back, you can rest for a while."
"Is that so, that's really good..."
Mid-sentence, Tokai Roman stopped, then asked Maruzensky another question.
A question she had been very concerned about these past few days.
And it was because of this question that Tokai Roman's recent rest time hadn't been very good.
So, she asked the question she was very concerned about: "By the way, will Shizen bring someone else back?"
"...No."
"Is that so, then that's really a good thing."
"Yes, it's indeed a good thing."
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