Uma Musume: From Being Knocked Ten Meters Away

Chapter 586 What is Love?

The thunderous sound faded as the words fell, followed by a moment of silence in the steaming pool, and then...

"puff--"

Shuangjiang couldn't help but laugh out loud, a look of unbridled joy on her face. She slapped the water's surface, splashing water everywhere.
"See? I told you it would turn out this way."

Just in the direction the water was heading, I instinctively dodged, then helplessly reminded them:
"……careful."

Then, she smoothed the wet strands of hair clinging to her cheeks and gently stroked the surface of the water with that finger.

After a moment's hesitation, her gaze swept over Frostfall and California's Gleaming, finally settling on the Northern Black Steed. She spoke with a hint of amusement:

"The atmosphere at the school... does indeed vary from region to region."

"Love is not encouraged in Europe, but it is not explicitly prohibited either. It is more like a private matter that requires individuals to exercise discretion."

"Yes, yes! That's it!"

The previously loud and bewildered remarks had left California Shining somewhat disheartened and amused, but now that she saw Rong Hou decide to go along with it, she suddenly perked up.

She sat up abruptly, splashing water, and said with sparkling eyes:
"Our area is much more open!"
"The training and competitions are definitely similar. I just heard what Xiao Bei and you guys said, and it seems to be similar to what we have over there."

"but……"

She spread her hands:
"Parties, dates...aren't these the essential elements of youth? Shouldn't youth be this vibrant and colorful?"

As she spoke, her gaze slyly drifted towards the flushed face of the Northern Black Horse:
"So, Xiao Bei?"

"……what?"

Northern Black Horse, seemingly still adjusting to the new topic, asked in a daze, "What... is wrong?"

"What else? Honestly..."

California Shining puffed out its cheeks, looking angry, then, with a sly glint in its eye, nudged and squeezed closer to Northern Black Horse.

"So, um... by the way, your trainer, Mr. Yasui, is very young, and seems like a nice person, huh?"
"You two are together all the time, haven't you... um?"

In a rather ambiguous manner, California Shining began to wink and make suggestive gestures as she spoke.

“Yes, he’s strong and responsible,” Shimoko nodded in agreement. “Although he’s quite rare in America, he’s probably a very popular type here, right? I mean, trainer Yasui.”

This blatant teasing instantly made the atmosphere in the hot spring even more subtle.

"Ugh——!"

A short, sharp whimper, as if someone had choked on water, was heard. Gao Shangjunyi, who had been trying to keep a low profile, turned bright red and suddenly sank down, leaving only his panicked eyes, which seemed to say "you can't see me," visible above the water, bubbling shyly.

On the other side, Baofa seemed to be jolted a bit awake by the overly direct topic. She shook her wet short hair, opened her eyes a little for once, glanced at Beifang Xuanju, and then quickly closed them again, as if she hadn't heard anything. However, the corners of her mouth seemed to curve slightly and very quickly before she returned to her cool and indifferent expression.

Wan Laizhengming finally understood the atmosphere. Her eyes lit up, as if she had found the perfect time for background music, and she excitedly patted her waterlogged violin player:
"Oh right! Since this is a topic about love, how can we not have some appropriate background music? The current music is too soothing, we need to change it!"

She fumbled around on the transparent piano, trying to change the music.

At first, the player seemed to be making a jarring "buzzing" sound due to poor contact caused by water damage. However, after being hit a few more times, it obediently played a melodious and romantic tune with a classical feel.

The steaming, ambiguous air suddenly gained an indescribable, slightly comical yet strangely fitting dramatic background sound.

Wan Laizhengming nodded in satisfaction, clutching her unreliable instrument with a blissful expression that said, "That's right!" Perhaps reminded by the music, Ming Shengleidong, who had previously asked "What is love?", tilted his head, furrowed his chin for a moment, and then suddenly clapped his hands:
"Trainer Yasui... If we're talking about popularity, I think that's what Sister Kiss said. She even said that if he weren't so busy training, a lot of girls would be pursuing him."

The seemingly harmless "finishing blow" from the thunderous roar was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating noticeable ripples.

"Oh ho?" California's eyebrows rose even higher, his face full of smug satisfaction.

Frostfall also revealed a "sure enough, not simple" smile, and gently nudged Burst next to him with his elbow.

This time, Baofa didn't even bother to open his eyes, only letting out a soft, ambiguous hum from his nose as a response.

After a moment, he let out a soft "heh," and the movement of his fingertips across the water became even more leisurely, as if he were savoring the increasingly interesting atmosphere.

The bubbles coming out of the Gaoshang Junyi became even denser, almost like a small hot spring vent.

Regardless of their reactions, all the female racehorses were glancing at the Northern Black Horse, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

Being the center of attention, Beibu Xuanju couldn't help but feel his face burning.

This wasn't just because of the hot springs, nor was it the kind of excitement that usually comes with the attention given to competitions.

She didn't know what it was, but she knew that if she didn't say something, she would probably start to emit a temperature that would make the hot spring water boil.

"No, no! Senior Qisuo... she was definitely just praising A-Zhen!"

She didn't know why she suddenly said that, she just subconsciously waved her hand and stammered:
"Ah Zhen... he's just extremely focused on training and matches! Really!"

She spoke with conviction, saying things that even she found inexplicable, yet scenes of their time together unconsciously surfaced in her mind.

His focused expression, the furrowed brow as he studied the tactics board, the calm tone when he reminded her of important points before the game, and the slightly helpless yet tolerant look on his face when the California Shining and their teammates joked about him in Dubai...

A strange, slightly sweet, and somewhat flustered emotion, like a warm current quietly rising from the bottom of a hot spring, gently seized her heart.

And she understood why, California's eyes lit up.

"Oh? Just focusing on training?"

With a wicked grin, she leaned even closer, almost whispering in the ear of the Northern Black Horse:
"But Xiao Bei, if I heard correctly, the way you address trainer Yasui... has changed?"
"Not 'trainer,' it's 'A-Zhen,' right?"
"It's a very intimate term of endearment~"

She deliberately dragged out her words:

"So... tell me, what are your feelings for 'your A-Zhen'?"

The words "Your Ah Zhen" seemed to carry a faint electric current, causing Beifang Xuanju's heart to skip a beat.

She instinctively raised her hand and pressed it to her chest, where it was pounding irregularly.

She was somewhat confused by this unfamiliar palpitation, but her cheerful and innocent personality led her to continue thinking about the problem.

"I just feel... he's really amazing."

Her eyes lit up, she temporarily set aside her shyness, and her tone became serious and full of trust:
"It seems like he can arrange everything. I feel very at ease when he's around, and I don't have to worry about anything..."

"Yes! Just like this plan to compete overseas, it was his idea that he first came up with and started preparing for it! He said he wanted to look further ahead..."

(End of this chapter)