If my life were a manga, this is the part where the screen would freeze, the colors would invert, and a giant stylized kanji for "DESPAIR" would slam into my forehead.
I stood there, staring at the "Prince" of Tracen Academy. My brain was performing the digital equivalent of a Blue Screen of Death. I've played enough visual novels to know that the "childhood friend who was actually a girl" is a trope as old as time, but experiencing it in 4K resolution while standing in a pile of scattered cardboard boxes is a different flavor of psychological trauma. (Insert Denji "He's literally me" photo)
"You're... Fuji?" I stammered, my finger trembling as I pointed at her. "The kid who used to wipe his—her—nose on my sleeve and swore that the pink bonnet and never removing them even if it is hell on earth?!"
Fuji's face is going through different conflicting emotions. It's amusing to see if I weren't just as confuse as she was. She looked like she wanted to kick me into the stratosphere, but also like she was five seconds away from hiding her face in her hands.
"I was six, Machiko!" she hissed, stepping closer. The height difference was... concerning. 'Why is she still so short? And why did she smell like expensive shampoo? It's so... Girlish?' Little did I know, a faint blush is going up my head... "And yes, it's me. I can't believe you actually thought I was a boy. I literally have horse ears, you dummy! I thought it was obvious!"
"I mean yeah? But like everytime I suspect you of being an Umamusume... You know what? I don't even know what I'm saying." I shouted back, the faint blush in my face gone. I'm just spouting random bullshit at this point. "I just thought you were... I don't know, a very pretty boy Umamusume! Like a K-Pop idol! I didn't know the Three Goddesses only handed out those ears to the ladies! I was busy trying to survive my own name, okay?!" I tried to reason.
Fuji let out a long, theatrical sigh—the same one from the sandbox. She leaned down, picking up the last of the boxes with a grace, she grinned at me while looking back, her face against the light of the sun. "I guess somethings never change, and you are still the same moronic Machi-chan I knew." Fuck I'm blushing... Am I seriously blushing to the one swore to be my brother? Am I actually a closeted Gay person? Fuck I don't know what's going on anymore!
Shee grinned at my stupefied expression and teasingly said "Are you bewitched by my beauty Machi-chan?"
"N-no... I'm just embarrassed. You are so c-cringe I guess you also did not change Kiseki..." I tried my best to smile. Thankfully she suddenly looked back... Seriously she would have laughed if she saw my face.
A cold chill ran down my spine, cooling the embarrassment. Wait... If she was here, and I was here... and I was a trainer with zero trainees...
Wait. My gacha-addicted heart skipped a beat. Is this it? Is this the 'Fate' that the shitty pop-up ad promised me?
"So," I said, my voice dropping the comedic pitch and finding a bit of that 'adult' grounding I usually kept tucked away. I helped her balance the boxes. "Fuji. You're a student here. And from the look of those boxes... you're moving into the Ritto dorms?"
"I've been here for a while, actually," she chuckled, "That now I'm a Dormitory Chief." She puffed her chest proudly. And then she flipped a stray lock of black hair behind her ear, the 'Prince' persona sliding back on like a well-tailored suit. She gave me a wink.
We continued to walk after that, very weird atmosphere we have...
She fiddled her fingers before saying...
"Your a trainer right? Machi-chan?"
"Hm... Yeah why?"
"Umm... I currently don't have a trainer so... Please be my trainer!"
She said it casually, but I caught the flick of her ear. A nervous twitch.
I looked at her giving her that stare...
"You know that there are more qualified trainers than me right?" I asked.
Fuji looked away, her gaze landing on a stray leaf on the pavement. "Most trainers see a 'Prince.' They want to polish the statue, Machiko. Giving me the title of the next triple crown winner even though I haven't even ran in official races... I have honestly grown disentisized by all their incessant talking. They knew I am only good at mile, yet they still are talking about me being a triple crown..." She self-depricatingly laughed. "They almost made me believe..." I swear I saw the faintest anger flicker. Not anger at the trainers who lied to her, but to herself for being weak...
She looked back at me, her blue eyes searching mine. "What about you? You said you came here for 'Heaven.' Did you find it yet?"
I grew silent at the horrible way she pushed the topic back to me... Fuck, I'll try to salvage this situation!
"Heaven is currently under construction," I said, offering a smirk that I hoped looked more 'Cool Mentor' and less 'Awkward'. "But I happen to be an expert architect. Even if my previous work was called a 'lumpy potato.'"
Fuji chuckled, a rich, genuine sound. "It was a potato."
"It was Gothic-inspired!" I snapped, before sighing. "Look, Fuji... Kiseki. I'm a licensed trainer now. Rank one in the class. And I'm currently looking for a trainee who'll be the next triple crown so..."
The atmosphere shifted. The wind picked up, rustling the trees around the Ritto dorms.
Fuji set the boxes down on a nearby bench....
"What are you implying, Machiko?" she asked, her voice soft.
"I listened to what you said back then. While it is good that you haven't changed, there are some parts of you that needs changing." I set down the box I was holding and flicked her forehead.
"Owie" she said in a soft voice her hand covering the part I flicked.
"And the first thing it needs to start with is here."
I stepped forward, closing the gap. "I don't care about miracles, Fuji. And I don't care about 'The Prince.' I care about you. We have spend over 2 years, and yes I am still ignorant about a lot of things but..."
I held her hands, clasping it.
"I KNOW WHEN YOU ARE HURTING. SO PLEASE, BE MY TRAINEE, LEAN ON MY BACK, LET ME DO MY DAMN JOB AND LET ME FIX THAT LOW SELF-ESTEEM OF YOURS!"
I held out my hand. "What do you say? Want to show them what a 'lumpy potato' can really do when it's properly coached?" (A/N: Hehe...)
Fuji stared at my hand for what felt like an eternity. She lowered her head, before shaking. Then she looked up at me, her face now blooming with mischievous grin.
"You know that if an Umamusume and a Trainer made a charge, that they are basically the same as a married couple right? So are you basically implying that you want to marry me?" She said while snickering on laughter.
I blushed profiously at her teasing. She just covered her mouth alluringly before turning away.
"Well, I wouldnt mind if we were to marry, Machi-chan..." She murmured just soft enough that Machiko can't hear it, she then proceeds to run away.
"H-Hey, wait for me bastard!" Damn Umamusume!!!!!
__END__
A/N: This is where the Romance will start. If you read my plans back in the day, you'll know what will happen next.
Kekw, really enjoyed writing the romance part. Anyways, Ciao~~