Archive of Our Own

Agnes Digital's anonymous confessions!

Tracen students, rejoice! Your goddess has supplied you with an outlet for anything from long-held attraction to declarations of rivalry, all towards a place of perfect secrecy!

Yeah, if only. Special Week was a sweet but self-conscious girl, as well as a moderately large public figure. The two didn't quite mesh well together.

That's why on days like these, it wasn't uncommon to find her scouring forums like this very one with her own name searched up in the Ctrl F section. She knew it was a bad habit, but it was far too addicting to stop.

Of course, it was mostly positive. Tracen had done an incredible job of fostering positivity amongst its students by encouraging students to use feelings of jealousy or inferiority as motivation towards a greater rivalry rather than as a source of resentment.

And for a while, it was fun scrolling through the confessions, seeing the Umamusume she'd bolstered to confidence. It put a genuine smile on this kind girl's face to know she'd been an inspiration to the people around her.

But one specific post caught her eye. It was, in hindsight, obviously just something random to ignore. On one rainy night, alone in Suzuka's apartment in America, she clicked on a post titled the following:

---

What's so special about Special Week?

Seriously. She surrounds herself with such lofty company, but how do people with personalities like King Halo and El Condor Pasa not see how she's just a boring cardboard cutout of a person? She doesn't have a single notable trait I can name, neither physically nor personality-wise.

I'll admit her racing record is impressive, but that means nothing when you're just… there.

Can't believe she got Suzuka of all people to switch teams.

---

Agnes Digital, as the ever-diligent moderator she was, deleted the post a few hours after it was made before emailing Spe an apology.

Unfortunately, she'd already screenshotted it.

"Hmm…"

She squirmed uncomfortably in her bed. When she thought about it, really, what did she have to distinguish herself?

Anyone would recognise Suzuka from a mile away. Always the prettiest person in the room, with her serene smile and a voice that sprinkled over the ears like freshly fallen snow. Everything down to her running style and her habits was a Suzuka signature.

Spe, on the other hand, didn't have any prodigious, personalised running style. It wasn't incredibly notable, like Suzuka's constant acceleration that set her apart even from other front runners, who typically prioritised a more consistent pace.

A textbook pace chaser, diligently sworn by what she'd been taught.

Her phone dinged with a notification. She saw the notification and a small smile spread across her face.

ViewFromTheLead: Spe. My training has concluded. I've attached something below I'd like you to see!

ViewFromTheLead: '1 video'

It was a scrimmage race, held at a considerably late time. She had wished Suzuka good luck that very morning as she made her way to the racetrack, which was a few hours away from her apartment.

As she'd expected, Suzuka blasted off right from the start. Every other racer struggled to match the pace she set, even the other front runners in the same bracket. By the end, Suzuka had maintained such a dominant lead that the race concluded with a 6-length victory. It wasn't even close.

And for the first time in a long time, a horrid possibility crept up into Special Week's mind.

Does someone as boring as me… deserve to be friends with someone as amazing as her?

ShootingStar: That's so great, Suzuka! That was such a cool win, the way you stayed ahead of them the whole time?

Her phone rang. Suzuka was video calling. Spe sat up straight before fixing her hair.

"Hey, Suzuka! Great job on the race; you were so cool today as well! Gosh, I wish I knew how you run like that!"

Suzuka smiled. Her hair was messy with a towel around her neck, and her ear covers had been taken off. She looked good like that.

She always does!

"Thank you, Spe. I must say, it was far easier to run when I knew that you'd be watching. How has life alone been treating you?"

"Suzuka, you've been gone for a day at most. I've been fine. Thank the goddesses I finished my exams early; I hear Scarlet nearly killed Gold Ship over the stress."

Spe giggled to herself. When she spoke to Suzuka, everything just felt right. And of course, that's because it was!

Who else was so perfect, so considerate, and so consistently Suzuka.

And if Suzuka was so perfect, then… where did that leave Special Week?

"Are you ready for the camping trip? We leave at first light tomorrow."

"Huh? Oh, y-yeah! I'm packed and ready!"

See, Special Week was leaving America in just a few days. Suzuka, who still had several races she planned to participate in (including a G1 in only a couple of days, which she was favoured to win and that she had been massively preparing for), had a few more months left on her visa.

Suzuka, as outdoorsy as she was, had many things she wanted to show Spe, but in the interest of time, she had one specific location in mind. Some faraway mountain, where the two would stay for the night.

"That's great. I can't wait to show you all the scenery over there, Spe; it's truly one of a kind."

"Yeah… get home safe! I'll probably be asleep by the time you arrive."

Suzuka blinked.

"Don't you… want to talk about what happened today?"

What 'happened' was that you're amazing and incredible, and I'm just a boring, bland cup of plain fat-free lite yoghurt in a world of ice cream, sitting next to a delectable tub of the finest strawberry goodness in the entire world, and I'm lucky to be your friend.

"Well, I'm all tuckered out! I've spent all day…"

Sitting at home scrolling. Becoming very abruptly aware of all my inadequacies.

"…catching up on coursework! There's a lot I've missed out on, and I can't let my grades drop!"

Especially not when Suzuka is so diligent.

"Alright then. Get some good sleep, Spe. I'll see you in the morning."

Suzuka gave a little wave to the camera, smiling earnestly as Spe hung up. She sighed, flopping back onto the bed.

"I can't believe I'm lying to her of all people. What are you doing, Spe?"

Suzuka's apartment was small but cosy. Her contract came with enough liberties to net her a guest room, where Special Week was currently staying. Suzuka had decorated her room so nicely, even going as far as to purchase a similar carrot plushie to the one she had back at Tracen.

She'd brought her existing one with her, so it wasn't exactly necessary, but Spe secretly preferred Suzuka's one.

It was a gift! From Suzuka! It would be rude not to, really.

She hugged the plushie, and after a long time spent aimlessly staring at the roof, she drifted off to sleep, dreaming of fields of grass.

---

Silence Suzuka's team members were a very rowdy bunch, not dissimilar to Spica. The language barrier made it difficult for her to truly communicate with them, though thankfully her running did the talking for her.

Regardless, times like this made it easy for Suzuka to properly appreciate Special Week's presence in her life.

She remembered her first few years at Tracen, where she'd been an (in her own words) awkward weirdo who had no idea how to socialise or do anything but run, run, run.

Then she met foolish little Special Week, who crashed into her life like a shooting star, demanding they become best friends and singing her praises every time she got the chance.

Of course, there was a mutual respect present with her team, with many of the runners astonished at how quickly Suzuka had acclimatised to American turf. But that was different to real friendships.

Though if you asked her, she'd just say she ran. Nothing special.

She sat at a bus stop, hands in her lap, admiring the skies above. She truly loved these wilder areas where the sky cleared up to unveil a shimmering array of stars. Courtesy of Admire Vega, she'd picked up several tips on the art of stargazing, and she had a rather fancy space telescope she couldn't wait to show Spe. Gosh, she couldn't wait to show her half the things in the mountains above!

That being said, Suzuka wasn't clueless. She knew something was up with Special Week, and she was going to find out.

"The night sky unveils all secrets eventually."

She spoke to nobody in particular, confusing some of her nearby Umamusume competitors.

Maybe she was a weirdo.

---

"Hey, has Special Week said anything strange to you recently?"

Back in the land of the rising sun, McQueen had pulled Teio aside.

"No, why do you ask?"

She showed her phone screen to Teio.

"… McQueen, it's a cute photo, but what does this have to do with Special Week?"

She had accidentally left the app, exposing a very compromising home screen, a photo of Teio smiling at the camera, covered in post-production hearts.

"No! Not—not that; forget that, please. I meant to show you this."

"Oh, dang."

Suzuka had been the only person so far that they'd trusted with their newfound relationship status. McQueen thought she was trustworthy, and Teio was convinced she didn't think about anything but running. Regardless of the reason, she'd received the news gracefully, congratulating the two.

(What she'd never admit was that she breathed a mental sigh of relief. She really thought that cafe date could break them apart, but it thankfully had brought the two even closer together.)

Even though she'd teased them, insisting that the rest of Spica was well aware, she had kept their secret.

ViewFromTheLead: McQueen, have you or Teio received any strange messages from Special Week? She seems upset about something, and I don't really know why.

McQueen typed with both her index fingers, a feat Teio had no idea was possible to replicate. Like, was it comfortable at all to hold your phone like that? Rich people are weird.

Mejiro_McQueen: No, and I'm afraid Teio hasn't either. You may have to ask a different member of Spica, or maybe one of the Golden Generation. Was that what they called her table group?

McQueen had always thought that name was awfully pretentious.

Though 'Greatest Stayer in Japan' or 'Invincible Monarch' wasn't much better, she supposed.

ViewFromTheLead: I'd prefer to keep this between close friends for now. Thank you anyway.

Mejiro_McQueen: I regret not being able to assist you more. Good luck.

"I do hope it's nothing serious. Special Week can be quite emotionally vulnerable; I'd hate to hear that she's going through something."

Teio nodded in agreement.

"Yo! Are you two done making out in there? The movie's about to start!"
Vodka's statement was punctuated by raucous laughter from both Gold Ship and (surprisingly) Daiwa Scarlet.

"WE WERE NOT!"

The two answered in unison.

---

At the crack of dawn, Special Week woke up. Despite having been a late riser as per her disposition, her time as an athlete, as well as Suzuka's roommate, led to her wake-up times becoming far earlier.

Yawning, she stood up and began her routine.

"Good morning, Spe!"

Spe nearly shrieked, jumping back at the shock, inadvertently shocking Suzuka too.

"What was that for?"

"I… I just wished you good morning, didn't I?"

Oh, yeah. I hope I'm not this jumpy around her all day.

"…well, anyway. It's good that you're up. We leave in an hour, so get dressed and make breakfast with me."

Despite Spe not knowing how to cook, Suzuka did. Suzuka was so used to being solitary that Spe would bet she could live without so much as speaking to another person for a year, as long as she had tracks to run on and ingredients to make food with.

Regardless, the two had fallen into a familiar routine. Special Week would slice the carrots, Suzuka would fry up the carrot fritters, then Spe would grill some carrots whole, and…

…Some stereotypes exist for a reason, okay? She wasn't proud of it.

However, that morning in particular, Special Week managed to cut her fingers 2 separate times and left the carrots on the grill pan for a minute too long, causing them to burn.

"Spe, just sit down. I'll take over for today."

She complied.

Great. Now I can't even help her cook. What am I even doing here?

She watched Suzuka finish up with a downcast demeanour, which Suzuka picked up on quickly.

"Suzuka, is this double the normal serving?"

Suzuka sat down with a comparatively smaller plate.

"Yep. We're going to be outside for a long time, and I'd prefer you didn't starve on the way there."

"But, Suzuka, we're still dieting! I have races to run when I get back too!"

"Well, you've stuck to it for long enough. I think that warrants a cheat day."

Special Week's face lit up, causing Suzuka to let out a small huff of amusement.

She really was simple to please.

---

The buses were, thankfully, air-conditioned.

Suzuka took stock of their baggage.

Tent? Check.

Sleeping bags? Check.

Sack of carrots? Check.

Assorted culinary instruments? Check.

Telescope? Check. What a hassle that was to pack.

Spe? … Half check.

The Special Week in question was… half present at best. She was at the window seat, drawing carrots in the window fog with an unfocused gaze. Of course, she could just be tired. Suzuka chose to give her the benefit of the doubt.

"So, Spe, this is the route we're going to take. It's a rather long trek, around two or three hours. Once we arrive, we'll be camping there overnight. You should get excited! I'm confident you'll love what I have to show you."

"That's great, Suzuka. I can't wait."

It was a 5-hour bus ride; there was no way Spe would be so blue for the whole trip, right?

"Right. Well, if you're feeling tired, you're welcome to sleep on my shoulder. Or on the window, if that's what you'd prefer."

Suzuka wasn't tired at all, but she needed to see something. She adjusted her posture.

"I know I'll be sleeping for a while. See you in a bit, Spe."

To Suzuka's credit, she was very good at sitting still doing absolutely nothing for long periods of time, provided she'd had a good run beforehand. Her plan was to feign sleep for an hour or two to see if Special Week had anything compromising she wasn't telling her.

Thankfully, about thirty minutes in, Spe opened up her phone, flicking through her many photos (which were about 30% Suzuka, 40% food and another 30% miscellaneous things), clicking on a white box of text. Spe put her head in her hands after about 5 seconds, refusing to read any more.

Perhaps someone sent her a mean message? Or did the Tracen cafe incorporate a limit on portion sizes that I missed?

Suzuka couldn't open her eyes any wider without breaking the illusion that she was asleep. So instead, she shifted in her spot and stretched.

"Ah, there's nothing quite like a good nap the day after a race, right, Spe? Apart from racing itself, that is. What are you looking at?"

Spe jumped, rushing to hide her phone.

"Nothing much."

She responded too quickly.

Now, how would the people she knew respond in this situation?

Teio would immediately latch onto her curiosity and harass whoever was hiding the piece of information she wanted to know. Perhaps after she got bored, or something else caught her attention, she would stop, but in the meantime, she would stop at nothing.

Suzuka looked over at Spe, then herself. Yeah, that wasn't happening. Not Suzuka.

McQueen would probably measure her response over a course of time, approaching the problem with sensitivity and from several angles to gauge the most polite way of asking what was up.

Suzuka had one day to figure out what was wrong.

Vodka and Scarlet would ask upfront like, 'Hey, what were you looking at? What do you mean, 'nothing much', you numbskull? It's clearly bothering you!'. They were similar like that, though maybe Scarlet would be just a tad more polite about it.

But, no. Absolutely not. Suzuka liked to think of herself as possessing more tact than that.

Then again, there was always that approach.

Gold Ship would take the phone herself, beknownst or unbeknownst to the target, and figure it out on her own.

…well, tact didn't necessarily mean she couldn't act out every so often, right? It was an option to consider for their unique situation, she supposed.

In any case, Special Week was acting mopey, and she didn't know why. For such an adorable smiley girl, Suzuka would stop at nothing to turn her frown upside down.

---

That was close! What if she'd read the post? Stupid Spe! Stupid!

Spe could see that Suzuka thought something was up. As much as she wasn't complaining, it was strange that Suzuka chose that day in particular to not only double her portion but also to nap?

She huffed (internally). Did Suzuka think she was that dumb? The Suzuka she knew could function perfectly on literal minutes of sleep. Even the day after a race, sleep deprivation was the last thing on her mind.

Well, of course she thinks you're dumb. Next to her, you don't even compare. And you still pulled out your phone anyway.

Shut up, mental Spe!

Cheerful thoughts! Cheerful thoughts! I'm going out with Suzuka!

Then not seeing her for almost a year.

No, no. It was selfish of her to be so occupied with something like this, especially on their last big outing for a long time.

"So, Suzuka! What are you most excited to show me?"

"Ah, I'm happy you asked. The spot I've chosen has a splendid view of both the luscious forest and the endless night sky. When we get there, I also have a surprise for you!"

A surprise? Spe liked surprises! Surprises made her happy! She forced a smile onto her face.

"That's great! Hey, you want to play I Spy on the way there?"

To tell the truth, Special Week found the game rather dull, but Suzuka loved it. It gave her an excuse (as if she ever needed one) to focus on specific parts of the surrounding environment. Anything to get Suzuka's mind off of the problem!

"I would love to! Okay, I spy, with my little eye, something starting with…"

It was going to be a long trip.

---

"Thank you, driver!"

Suzuka's broken English was really funny, even in her serene tone of voice. She couldn't imagine her talking like that all the time to her team members, to all the good friends here she was sure she'd made.

They walked over to the entrance to the trail, a large gate made of old corrugated iron.

Immediately, the smell of forest air hit Special Week's senses.

"Spe, remember that it'll be a 3-hour or so walk. Are you up to it?"

"Of course I am! The long distance is no problem for me! You're talking to the winner of the three thousand and two hundred metre Spring Tenno Sho here!"

"This is a twenty-kilometre trail, Spe."

TWENTY?

"Oh, well. It's close enough! I'll be fine; don't be such a worrywart, Suzuka!"

They walked past a sign stating: 'Humans: 5-6 hours, Horse girls: 2-3 hours."

"This is a very unpopular track, surprisingly enough. Or at least not the route I usually like taking."

Suzuka smiled at her, looking radiant as always.

"But I trust the scenery will do the talking for me!"

The two walked together, chatting for about an hour or so about Tracen, and Spica, and Gold Ship, and all manner of different things.

Special Week felt great! She and Suzuka were back, and nothing was there to stop her! Just her and her, one-on-one, like it'd been from the start. The topic had switched to Suzuka's team.

"Those American Umamusume are super strong, aren't they? I heard a lot about them; some of them are hitting serious weights!"

"Yes, they are. Not to worry though; I'm still faster than them."

Special Week just loved Suzuka's quiet confidence. She was the furthest thing from an egotist, but Spe could tell that Suzuka knew herself as an incredibly blessed racer.

"How many of them are you friends with? You must have plenty of good friends over here, with skills like yours!"

And her quiet charm. And her soft carrot hair, and her racewear, and her face, and her eyes, and –

Suzuka shifted uncomfortably.

"Err… Could you tell me about that time McQueen 'destroyed' a parfait in 13 seconds again?

Well, that was strange. Why didn't she want to tell her? What was it that Suzuka felt she couldn't talk to her about?

Well, isn't it obvious?

The cruel Special Week at the back of her mind had returned.

She's made some ACTUALLY cool friends who she likes being around, who don't annoy her and drag down the average IQ of a room. Wow, you're pretentious. You really thought you were her only friend?

"F-for sure! So, it all started when Gold Ship started a betting ring—"

---

Something was wrong. Special Week had been so happy, nearly bouncing up and down in joy at getting to talk to Suzuka for so long again.

So why was her smile strained? Her steps laboured, her posture slightly lower? A hundred small details in Special Week's behaviour that Suzuka's vision had picked up on over the years were wrong. Whatever had happened, Suzuka had messed up.

And for the next two hours, she continued to look off, still making casual conversation like nothing was even wrong.

Special Week really wasn't subtle.

Whenever she was happy, she would smile from ear to ear, walking with a visible spring to her step and sometimes even hum to herself. Sometimes she would give Suzuka a big hug to show her appreciation, and when she didn't, she still enjoyed brushing shoulders or even grabbing Suzuka's elbow to show her something.

Whenever she was lying, she would either put her hands behind her back, or look to the side, or rub the back of her head. Her tone would get shakier, and she would be incapable of looking people in the eye.

Whenever she was sad, her big round eyes would go all droopy in unison with her ears, and she'd walk like she was trying to spot coins on the ground.

All that to say that Special Week is very physical and very distinctive.

So for all these new patterns, these new unusual mannerisms to all pop up at once? Suzuka knew for sure something was wrong. She could only hope it wasn't her own fault and that Spe would speak to her on her own terms.

People had always thought it was strange and maybe a bit concerning that Suzuka was so perceptive of the people around her. But Spe had accepted all of her, even going so far as to nearly worship her whenever she had the chance.

To be truthful, Suzuka hadn't made any new friends in America. It just wasn't a priority, and she was still enjoying her time, actively searching for new scenery at the other end of the globe. She was just afraid Special Week would think she was lonely.

But she would throw all of it away in a heartbeat for Special Week to smile authentically one more time before she had to leave.

"Spe, we've arrived! Look around, what do you think?"

"Looks like a forest to me, Suzuka."

It was a clearing near a cliff with a full, wide view of the sky and a good portion of forest, as well as a large crescent-shaped lake. It was a spot known only to Suzuka, and she loved coming here on her own to gaze upon the breathtaking scenery.

"Y-yes, well, it is quite spectacular. Would you like to set up the tents? Night won't fall for a few hours."

Special Week moved robotically, unloading their luggage onto the forest floor, onto the picnic blanket Suzuka had rolled out.

Hmm.

Special Week wasn't subtle. But today, she was truly an enigma. Suzuka, for the first time in a long time, had zero read on her best and most trusted friend.

She sighed, shaking the leaves out of her white headband.

"It will get rather cold up here. I'll start a fire while you're busy."

---

Spe read the instructions carefully, but she still had no idea what she was really doing. She was moving on autopilot, and she was 100% sure Suzuka could tell she was upset, but how could she ever ask her about something like this? No, it was better to just weather it out until Suzuka could speak to her on equal terms again.

"Spe, you're doing it wrong."

Suzuka walked over, placing her arms over Special Week's.

"Place the pole into the floor here. You'll know it's in when you feel it click."

Her breath hitched.

Suzuka was beautiful, and that was a fact.

So why, in this specific position, could Spe not take her eyes off of her?

Suzuka stood about 2-3 centimetres above Spe. She took in her taller frame. Long, slender runner's legs which were tucked into black stockings. A simple green tracksuit decorating her torso with a simple, laid-back charm.

Lightly tinted pink lips and a pair of almond-shaped green eyes, which flicked from scenery to scenery with a quiet curiosity. Straight orange bangs which captured the reflected light and hip-length locks. Delicate green ear coverings and a smooth white headband, both staples of her appearance.

Suzuka was an ethereal beauty, green and orange and white forming an otherworldly countenance.

Special Week gaped at her. Her mouth opened and closed, her otherwise plentiful words and sentences refusing to come out.

She's pretty. She's so pretty. I can't believe someone this beautiful is next to me, going out with me, just because she wants to.

But you do know that she just feels bad for you, right?

Her inner voice had returned one more time, carrying a supposed truth she didn't want to hear.

It's your last day. You and she won't see each other for months. I bet she set up this big outing, because she's planning on cutting you off the second you land on Japanese soil. She probably talks about you all the time to her good American Umamusume friends, about how much you secretly bore her.

No, no, no. Suzuka wouldn't ever do that to me. She's far too good for that.

No. What she is is far too good for you. No wonder she was so excited for today.

"Spe? Spe?"

Suzuka's lips moved, but her ears hardly registered the sound. Only one thought lingered.

Today is going to be my last day with her.

---

Night had fallen, and Special Week hadn't talked much. They ate flame-grilled carrots by the fire, which had a signature flavour that Suzuka had been completely sure Spe would've loved and harped on about.

She was such a light-hearted foodie. Where had that part of her gone? Where had she gone in general?

She was off in a different world, occasionally looking over at Suzuka with wide eyes before averting her gaze.

Suzuka looked around.

The trees were green, such a lush green that even in this darkness, their colour was still visible. Strong brown oak trunks surrounded the clearing, going far above their camp.

And the cliff side was always incredible, no matter how many times she saw it.

The moon was round tonight, shooting rays of faint yellow light across the terrain. The lake was clear with a blue tint, waters moving back and forth with a light and consistent tide. Pitch black sky formed a sheet above the two, dotted with a breathtaking assortment of stars, casting an intermittent white glow.

Stars…

She looked over at Special Week, pink eyes staring into the fire blankly.

A seven-coloured scenery.

Suzuka, of course, was well aware that she enjoyed sightseeing quite a bit more than the average person. But if this wasn't enough to lift Special Week's spirits, then she wasn't too sure what was.

Finally, Suzuka pried.

"Spe-chan, are you feeling alright? You've been off all day, and I'm really concerned for you. Please tell me whatever is on your mind."

She perked up at her nickname. A plastic smile sat uninvited on her face.

"Suzuka, I'm perfectly fine. Hey, what about that surprise you were telling me about?"

Suzuka was unconvinced. She slowly brought the telescope over, wrapped in a green tarp to make it easier to carry.

"You'll be able to see every star in the sky with this. If you'd like, I could set it up now."

Special Week looked mildly interested.

"Yeah, sure. I want to see it."

---

Special Week watched Suzuka's figure again. How her hands tightened lenses or moved around the tripod. How her hair softly swayed in the wind. Her expression, one of focus and discipline, as she often found her wearing.

She watched the way her ears wiggled and the way her small, restrained movements cut an impression into her appearance, trying her absolute best to commit it all to memory.

I don't want this. I don't want to say goodbye to her. We've gone through too much together; I can't just – just let her go. That's not what I want.

But is that what she wants?

She tucked her knees to her chest, watching in silence.

"Alright, it's ready for you, Spe. All you have to do is look inside."

She paused before walking over to where she was standing. Suzuka, ever helpful as she was, placed her hands on her shoulders, showing her the proper posture. Her heart felt ready to burst, beating harder and louder than it had in any of her races. Suzuka motioned towards the eyepiece.

Special Week, as Suzuka adjusted the focus, saw a large, incredibly bright blue star in plain view. It really was incredible.

"That right there…"

Suzuka pulled her away, getting her attention.

"…Is Spica. What do you think?"

Of course it was beautiful. But nothing held a candle to how Suzuka stared deep into her eyes, so composed and impossibly collected.

"…Tell me more."

She didn't want her to go. She didn't want to leave.

"Well, it's the brightest star in the Virgo constellation. But not many people know that it isn't actually one star; it's two different stars which orbit each other so closely they appear as one celestial object."

Spe didn't respond. She hardly factored in what Suzuka was saying, paying close attention to how the light reflected off of each of her individual eyelashes.

"…It's also only 250 light years away."

Suzuka spoke up weakly, desperate for some kind of feedback from her beloved chatterbox.

Two stars.

Special Week felt unimaginably small. Under Suzuka's gaze, she felt like she wasn't even there at all.

"Suzuka, I-I think I'm going to sleep now. You can stay out here if you want; I'll be in the tent."

Before she could think about it, she tore her eyes away from Suzuka's face, diving into the tent where they had set up two sleeping bags.

---

Suzuka was stumped. It seemed like Spe had gotten worse and worse throughout these past few days, and the worst part was, Suzuka had no idea why.

Really, she'd thought that she would at least appreciate hearing her team's namesake a bit more, especially after how long they'd been walking up here for. But, regardless, Spe had the right to be upset alone. She didn't have to tell Suzuka anything at all if she didn't wish to, and she would wait until Special Week was fine to speak to her of her own volition.

She looked out at the view in front of her, sitting alone. She was used to this anyway; she'd come here by herself so many times! The only difference was the other disheartened Umamusume in the tent.

It really was a magnificent view.

.

..

…

No.

No.

For all her life, Suzuka was never the one to initiate. Never one to speak without being spoken to or to object when life dealt its worst to her.

All she knew was to run and to run alone.

But she knew in her soul that something was truly, deeply wrong with her best friend. And if she didn't handle it now, before she left the country, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself.

She got up quickly, rushing over to the entrance of the tent.

"Spe. Please talk to me. I'm not asking you; I know you need to get this off your mind as soon as possible."

She barged into the tent, where she saw Special Week looking at a photo. A familiar white box filled with black text. Suzuka leaned over, snatching her phone from her grasp.

"What? No! Suzuka, you can't read that!"

Suzuka held her back with one hand, flicking her eyes from sentence to sentence. And after what felt years long, she looked back at Special Week.

"Spe. Who… who sent this to you?"

Special Week looked down. She refused to answer entirely.

"Is this what you think of us? Of me? That I'm forcing myself to be by your side? That you… that you somehow bore me?"

She looked up at Suzuka, looking rather ashamed of herself before nodding slowly.

Suzuka sighed. It was no wonder. Spe was so sweet, but also so sensitive. It was believable something like this would crawl through her skin and bite at her heart like this. She sat down next to her, neither of them speaking.

"Suzuka, what do you see in me?"

Spe spoke properly, a real, unfiltered expression appearing on her face for the first time all day. And really, where would she even start?

Special Week, the light of her life, who'd introduced her to a group of valued and beloved lifetime friends whom she might never have even spoken to otherwise.

Special Week, who loved to talk and talk and who knew every single good restaurant within ten kilometres of Tracen.

Cute little Special Week. So emotional and so silly. Such an endless fountain of joy.

"Well, Spe. You're the kindest person I've ever-"

"But McQueen is kind too! So is Trainer, and so are you! What do you like about me specifically?"

"You're kind. Hard-working. Earnest. You're an incredible racer, and an absolute joy to be around."

Spe looked like she was about to rip her hair out.

"B-but I… come on! Scarlet works just as hard as I do, if not more! Teio is earnest and steadfast in her beliefs, she's definitely less shakeable than I am, and you're far more of a racer than I could be! And you could say the same thing about so many of the great Umamusume at Tracen, except they all have something of their own."

Suzuka was unsure what to say. She had no idea that Spe had thought this about herself. And even less idea of how long it'd been going on for.

"You're just… You're incredible, Suzuka! You're so pretty and so cool all the time, and you're the greatest racer I know. I… I don't know why someone like you would give me the time of day."

Special Week closed her eyes, her lip quivering slightly.

"But, still, I like being with you so much. Even from the first day I saw you, I wanted to be by your side for as long as I could, but you're in America, and I'm not gonna see you again, and I—I really hate this!"

Suzuka had never felt so confused. All this time, Special Week, who had shown her the whole world at Tracen, who had brightened up her life with a glow that no scenery could ever replicate, thought Suzuka was too good for her? Suzuka moved into her sleeping bag. It was a cold night.

"Look at yourself, Spe. Do you know what they call you? The Supreme Commander of Japan. You have four G1 victories and a comfortable spot in the Golden Generation. You defended the Japan Cup against Broye. I believe they also call her Monteju. It was a victory that dominated headlines, you know. They were calling you the number one Umamusume in Japan for a while. I, personally, only have one G1, and a comparatively lacklustre record in my early years."

"But the Tenno Sho! You would have won that if it weren't for your injury!"

"Yes, well, four is still noticeably more than two."

Spe struggled to find a response, a flaw in Suzuka's logic.

"You were on a 6-win streak! And you continued that streak in America too!"

"Look at TM Opera-O. She ran an eight-win streak, undefeated for a whole year, with five of the wins in G1s. And Almond Eye. She ran a seven-win streak, also five in G1 races."

"Y-You've set two records!"

"Yes, in a G3 and a G2 respectively. You've set one yourself in a G1 race. Quite a bit more impressive, I would say."

Spe was unconvinced. She was still upset, and Suzuka could see facts weren't going to change her mind.

"…Well, tell me, Spe. Do you see yourself still liking me in 15 years?"

She was caught off guard.

"I mean… yes? What would change?"

Suzuka smiled.

"Maybe in 15 years, I wouldn't be so… pretty. Maybe my personality would be different, and I would be jaded and upset instead of levelheaded. And in 15 years, I wouldn't be so good at racing, would I?"

"What does that matter? You'd still be you! Nothing could change how I feel or how I see you, Suzuka!"

"So, in other words, what makes someone special to somebody else isn't in their qualities but in the sum total of the experiences you spend with them."

Spe faltered.

"You and I, nothing would change the way that we care for each other. Even if you were somehow the most boring person in the world, you'd still be Special Week. And that alone is always going to be enough for me."

Spe was dead silent again, with her head perched on her knees.

"Spe, I care about you. I care about you so much more than you could possibly know. Your company and your influence on my life brought me life and friends that I would never have been able to reach otherwise. And I'm upset that you refuse to see how I feel, how you and I are so much greater than just good friends."

She'd been right with her through the darkest moments of her career and had never given up faith in her.

And she thought that she wasn't good enough for Suzuka?

Suzuka was starting to tear up now too, the weight of their conversation pressing on her heart. She remembered their first meeting, where Special Week had approached her with wide eyes, telling her how pretty she was and that she wanted to be friends with her, no matter what. Suzuka had been so confused.

But inexplicably, she had thought about Spe, thought about her so many times. When she ran that same trail the next morning, she hoped that she could see her again. When they'd met again and learned they were roommates, Suzuka knew that she couldn't let her go.

Team Rigil was a supportive group, filled with prodigious racers who were all incredibly serious about the craft of running, just like her. She joined Spica regardless, refusing to lose sight of Special Week's light.

"And even then. Even though it doesn't matter, I'm one hundred percent sure that of everybody at Tracen, you're the cutest Umamusume I've ever seen, by far."

For the first time all day, Spe's expression lightened up, still speechless. And to perfectly punctuate Suzuka's statement, she blushed.

An adorable, neck-to-head, bright pink blush covered her face. She frantically tried to hide herself from Suzuka's sight, a stammering gratitude failing to escape her mouth.

She really is precious.

Suzuka couldn't help the smile on her face, seeing Special Week's pleased expression and her sweet hum after an eternity of gloom.

"Spe, please value yourself. You're so much more than any average onlooker would ever know. And even to those average onlookers, you're a treasure."

She'd seen the post made by whatever jealous, sad failure of an Umamusume had made about her best friend, with such disgusting intentions. But she had a hunch.

"Agnes Digital's anonymous confessions, yes? Let's look through some of these together."

She coaxed Special Week out of her shell, pinching one of her ears lightly between her fingers. The soft and well-maintained fur was smooth to the touch.

Suzuka read out loud all the posts titled with 'Special Week.'

'Special Week, you gave me courage in today's race! Thanks for encouraging me, a random Umamusume who you never spoke to before, to do my best!'

'Special Week, you were soooo cute in your racing silks when you did your winning live! I'm stanning hard!'

'Special Week is so fun to be around, don't you guys think? She's so funny; I wish I were one of her best friends!'

'How is Special Week so universally loved across Tracen? She just has this infinite charm that makes everybody want to talk to her! Man, I'm jealous.'

It was an endless onslaught of appreciation and love for the Uma.

"…Ok, you can stop. You've made your point."

"My, my. There are even some confessions on here. You have some admirers, Spe, I'm jea—"

"OK, STOP! STOP!"

Spe looked up at her, frantically waving her hands across her face. On her face was plastered the biggest, cutest, most innocent grin that she'd seen her wearing in a long time. Her eyes, although closed, were brimming with tears. And she giggled. In that endearing, childlike way she loved to do so, with sparkling eyes thinly hidden behind her eyelids.

"Thank you, Spe-chan. I can't possibly begin to repay everything you've done for me, everything you've brought into my life."

She leaned over, wrapping her arms around her. She hoped that for even a second, she could share that same warmth that Special Week had given to her, no, gifted to her.

"Suzuka?"

She perked up at her name.

"Hm?"
Special Week hugged Suzuka back. Touchy, warm Special Week who loved finding excuses to give out affection.

"Can we… really be friends for the rest of our lives?"

Suzuka had never been so happy to hear her speak in her life.

"I would love nothing more, Spe."

---

Special Week felt content. As the two lay side by side, Suzuka chattering on about constellations and star systems, Spe looked over at her again.

Suzuka looked vulnerable with her hair and ears exposed. She wasn't used to it, but she was so happy that she got to see this side of her so often. And as Suzuka looked in her direction, cutting off her speech, she smiled.

She felt the inexplicable urge to lean forward, to close the distance between their faces and to show her exactly what she used to smile.

"Suzuka, can we sleep in the same bag? I'm cold."

"Of course, Spe."

She lifted up her bag as Special Week slowly crawled inside. Special Week ran warm, and she wanted to give Suzuka as much of her warmth as she could. She wrapped her arms around Suzuka again, who slowly reciprocated.

The sound of her heartbeat, strong and steady, sent pulses through Special Week's body. She could feel her own heartbeat getting faster and faster as she lay in Suzuka's embrace.

"I'm going to have to speak to Digital personally about enacting some restrictions on some of the… primates… making posts on her platform."

Spe laughed out loud, piercing the soft forest ambience.

"Suzuka, you shouldn't say that!"

"Yes, well, I suppose it could be viewed as an insult towards terrestrial vertebrates in general. My apologies, Spe."

She felt warm and soft. And above all…

Huh?

She felt loved.

But, of course. Special Week felt perfectly lucid, and her mind was clear of all thoughts but the Umamusume in her arms.

She stated her truth. The three words she had refused to see, even though they were right in front of her.

I love her.

She said it again.

I am in love with Silence Suzuka.

She said it one more time.

I love her. I love her so much. I love how pretty she is, how considerate she is, how smart and how perceptive she is of everyone and everything around her. I really, really, love her.

She nestled in closer, into Suzuka's neck, taking a deep breath of her scent.

I want to spend the rest of my life with her.

It brought her great comfort to think so freely, so unburdened.

Suzuka, I'll make you mine. I'll be the only scenery you seek. That's my goal.

Again, she giggled to herself.

Gosh, that was so cheesy! If only you knew, Suzuka.

And to the sound of each other's shared heartbeat, the two fell asleep. Though unbeknownst to Spe, Suzuka's heart wasn't any calmer.

---

The following day felt like a blur. The two returned to Suzuka's apartment, sleeping on each other's shoulders. They prepared breakfast one last time together in her kitchen. Suzuka felt they had gotten even closer, but it was far from a perfect conclusion. The final day had gone by far too quickly, and she wasn't ready to say goodbye.

Special Week had packed her bags already, leaving for the airport. She promised to video call Suzuka every single night in Japan, giving her a long hug before she finally left. She wished Suzuka luck in her G1 race, but in her mind, she already knew she would win.

Suzuka waved her goodbye before turning around and immediately entering Special Week's room. She lay on her bed, a strange melancholy ache in her heart.

But this isn't goodbye. We're going to see each other again soon, and we'll talk every night. It'll be just like before.

She grabbed Spe's plushie, taking in how her strawberry perfume stuck to it. She'd forgotten to take it home. How silly of her, she thought, as she breathed her scent. She moved onto the sheets, to the pillow, and even to the backboard. Every last piece of evidence that Special Week, the Umamusume had been inside the house; she drank it all in.

Her phone rang. She jumped on the spot before answering her trainer. The race was moved up. It was to begin in only a few hours.

---

"Yes, and now your passport, please, miss."

Transit was mind-numbingly boring, and she missed having Suzuka by her side already.

I can't wait to get back to Japan so that I can call her.

She moved along the queue, reminiscing already on the time they had spent in the mountains. She regretted it now, being so sad and unpleasant on her last outing with Suzuka, but she couldn't do anything about it now.

It didn't matter. She knew the path forward, and her path was with Suzuka. No matter how far apart they were from each other.

---

"And number 9, our favourite to win, Silence Suzuka! Please welcome her; she's come a long way from Japan to race on our soils!"

Yes, I have. A very, very long way from Japan.

The crowd roared with anticipation. The feeling was still addicting after all these years. She entered the starting gate. The turf was in good condition. The track consisted of a one thousand eight hundred metre length, well within her prime running range.

The starting pistol went off, and Suzuka shot like a rocket.

She'd missed this, the feeling of wind through her hair and the familiar burn within her lungs as she pushed herself to a higher and higher velocity. The green turf stretched in front of her exquisitely, but she knew the end was soon in sight. A one-point-eight-kilometre distance wasn't much to an Umamusume. Refusing to look back and compromise her momentum, she rounded the final corner.

Spe would've been right behind me right about now. She'd overtake me about a third through this straight, then we'd contest for the lead until the finish line.

She kept on running, the only path in sight directly forward. And as she crossed the finish line, making history as a Japanese Umamusume winning an American G1, she couldn't help but admire the scenery.

But what was this?

It isn't as sweet. The scenery is all wrong.

It's cold.

She felt empty, and bland, accepting her medal and looking at her two-length victory in the video feed. It was a smaller end G1, but a G1 nonetheless. She should've been more excited than anybody else there. Instead, it felt like even the second-place winner was celebrating harder than her.

Well, she would get to show Special Week her win! That was a bonus, wasn't it?

She imagined Special Week on the podium next to her, smiling and waving to the crowd with her hands over her head.

She imagined herself in the lower spot, looking up at Special Week's warm glow from second place.

The scenery she envisioned was flawless.

Her throat hitched.

Special Week.

The Shooting Star. The Special Dreamer. All those funny, exuberant titles they gave to the Umamusume to hype them up to the audience.

'Foolish little Special Week, who crashed into her life like a shooting star.'

Special Week, her glowing exuberance, who brought her life so much joy even from her memories.

Special Week, who thought so highly of her that she even broke down at the thought of losing her.

She wasn't just a friend. Of course she wasn't.

Suzuka loved her. Her love for her was so much stronger, so much more than any superficial, transient joy which her racing could ever bring her alone. And she'd only figured it out right on the cusp of her disappearance.

No.

This wouldn't be how it ended. Suzuka wouldn't let it. Dashing off the podium, she waved to her trainer, cutting through the reporters before running towards her lifeline.

"Taxi! To the airport!"

She looked down at her racing gloves, the medal still around her neck. She had nothing on her but a small bag containing her Japanese passport and a towel. She hadn't even changed out of her racing silks, and her hair was a mess.

It didn't matter.

---

Special Week sat, waiting for her plane number to be called out.

I wonder what Suzuka is doing right now? She's probably preparing for her big race.

"JL7, please begin boarding."

She got up from her seat, grabbing onto her bag straps and sighing.

Maybe she's thinking about me.

"wait!"

A faint voice in the distance caught her attention. Weird, it almost sounded like…

SUZUKA???

"Wait!"

She heard a cry from across the room, in the loudest voice she'd ever heard from Suzuka. And there she was, covered in dirt and sweat, still looking as perfect as always.

"Suzuka? What are you doing here? H-how did you even get in?"

She bent down, slightly out of breath.

"My taxi was too slow, so I had to get out and run. I had my passport on me for identification because – huff – because it was a G1."

"Ok, but what about your ticket? What about your race? Suzuka, you shouldn't be here right now! You have a G1 to win!"

She waved off Special Week's complaints.

"Oh, I won that already. But that's beside the point. Spe, the scenery was all wrong; it was cold and lonely, and I thought that would be manageable. But it wasn't."

She grabbed her hand, looking straight into her eyes. Special Week blushed at the contact, averting her gaze.

"To tell you the truth, Spe, I need you there with me, on that podium. Anything other than that, and my scenery is incomplete."

She brought them closer together, nearly face to face.

"And I know it's sudden, and you won't know how to respond, but I need to say this right now."

Suzuka paused, finding her wording. The anticipation was killing her.

"I love you, Spe-chan."

She short-circuited.

Suzuka? She loves me? She? Loves me?

No way, I must have heard her wrong! That isn't right.

"…say it again."

She smiled.

"I lo-"

Special Week closed the gap between them, grabbing Suzuka's face between her hands. It was a short and tender kiss, and neither of the two knew what to do or how to do it. But still, Spe felt herself swimming in Suzuka's scent again, her perfume overlaid with the smell of turf and sweat, and it was so much better than she could have ever imagined.

They came up for air before Special Week looked her in the eyes. She kissed her again, and again, and again, and again.

And again, for good measure.

Both were actively panting now, the line in front of Spe slowly thinning.

"I… I suppose I should take that as a yes?"

Special Week felt yet another grin hitting the sides of her cheeks.

"YES, Suzuka! I love you too! Probably a lot more than you think!"

Suzuka broke into a wide smile herself.

"That's amazing, I…"

She stared at her lips.

"… Spe, could we kiss again?"

And she was all too happy to comply.

---

"Hey, so how did you get in anyway?"

"Oh, I messaged Gold Ship. I don't want to know how she did it, but she got us tickets to another flight tomorrow morning which we can both board when I'm done packing."

So, did that mean…?

"I owe her a few hundred thousand yen, but today's win covers all that and more."

"So you'll come to Japan? With me? With Spica, again?"

Suzuka's eyes glimmered.

"The scenery in America has been incredible. But it isn't the scenery I'd like to live in for the rest of my life. The Dream Series sounds just fine to me."

Special Week laughed, capturing her in another tight hug. This time, she wasn't letting go, and she didn't need to either.

To her, and to Suzuka, the scenery had never looked so perfect.