Chapter 89: The Second Valentine’s Day

...I gotta make Valentine’s chocolates soon.

On the night two days before Valentine’s, after finishing training, I lay in the room where Guriko slept peacefully, lost in thought.

I’d been so absorbed in training that, despite telling myself I should do this soon, I hadn’t made any progress on the chocolates. Making them wouldn’t take more than an hour, but I was missing ingredients. I’d run out of heavy cream and cocoa powder, so I’d have to buy them at the supermarket or convenience store...

This year, I wanted to make heart-shaped ganache chocolates. If I didn’t get the cream and cocoa powder soon, I’d have to settle for store-bought stuff... I needed to hurry. But I was out of time.

...Then, what if I went to the convenience store right now?

No time like the present. My ears perked up, and I bolted upright.

...Maybe I should invite Trainer too? It wasn’t lights-out yet, so he’d definitely still be awake.

In the dimly lit room, I fumbled for the phone I’d tossed by my pillow. Grabbing the familiar device, I squinted at the glaring screen.

Current time: 8:14 PM. Maybe calling him was a bad idea... Actually, the screen was way too bright. I didn’t want to wake Guriko, so I’d mess with it in the hallway. Gently gripping the doorknob, I stepped into the frigid hallway. It was so cold I wondered if icy air was seeping through the floor.

Though it wasn’t lights-out yet, many horsegirls were already asleep, exhausted from training for the upcoming spring G1 races. Guriko had been like that lately—finishing training, eating dinner, drowsily washing up in the baths, then collapsing into bed like she’d hit her limit. It was proof of her hard work, but she’d lamented that she couldn’t even focus on homework. Even as a dazzling Twinkle Series G1 horsegirl, she couldn’t escape assignments.

No other horsegirls passed by, and the dorm head must’ve sensed the mood—only minimal lighting was left on. The only sound was my soft footsteps, making the place feel eerily lifeless.

"Brr, so cold..."

I made my way near the washroom, where fluorescent lights still glowed, and leaned against the wall.

Opening the chat app, I tapped Momozawa Tomio. The screen switched instantly, displaying my usual barrage of nonsense messages. Ignoring those, I typed "You awake?" and sent it.

—And immediately regretted it. Sending "You awake?" at night was peak awkwardness. Like, "Oops, wrong person lol" levels of awkward.

Even though I’m adorable, getting a message like this during his night shift must’ve annoyed him. I moved to delete it—but next to the sent message, the tiny "Read" icon lit up.

Before I could panic, a reply popped up: "Something wrong?" Knowing him, saying "Never mind" would backfire. He’d probably worry and pry for details. I’d never sent a vague message like this before, which made it worse.

No choice but to commit. To be honest, I timidly typed "I wanna see you" and sent it. The "Read" icon appeared instantly, followed by an immediate reply: "I’ll be right there."

"Wait, is he panicking? ...Oh no."

Now that I thought about it, "You awake?" → "I wanna see you" at night was worse than "Never mind"! It sounded way too serious. I quickly tried to type "It’s nothing big!"—but just as I realized that might make him overthink it more—my phone buzzed sharply, cutting me off.

A call. Of course, from Trainer. I tapped the screen and put it on speaker. Tomio’s voice came through, more distorted than usual.

"Apollo, did something happen? Are you okay?"

First words out of his mouth. The muffled phone audio made it hard to tell, but he sounded really worried. Now I couldn’t just blurt out "Wanna go to the convenience store?" This was all my fault. Sorry, Tomio... That aside, let’s go to the convenience store.

"Wanna go to the convenience store?"

"Huh?"

"The convenience store."

"I heard you, but—"

"Sorry for worrying you... But I just really wanna go."

"...Got it. Give me a sec to get ready."

"Wait, really?"

"I had stuff to do too, so this works."

"Meet at the front gate?"

"Yeah."

After hanging up, I hurried back to my room, snatched a long coat and scarf from the closet, and slipped out of the dorm. The hallway had been cold, but outside, the air was freezing. Beyond the streetlights, everything was pitch black—it made me not even want to move.

"So cooold..."

Burying my face in the scarf Tomio had given me, I stuffed my hands in my pockets and shivered. February nights were brutal. Even outside snow country, it was plenty cold.

After waiting at the gate for about five minutes, I saw Tomio jogging toward me. His visible white breath from exertion made him oddly endearing.

"Sorry for saying something weird out of nowhere."

"Nah, s’fine... huff... huff..."

"...We’re not in a hurry. Wanna walk slow?"

"Thanks..."

Rubbing his back, I started walking leisurely toward the nearest convenience store.

From the trainer’s office to the front gate—for a horsegirl, it’d be a light one-minute jog. At this rate, Tomio must’ve sprinted for five minutes straight. Was it really that far? I wondered, before remembering the obvious gap between human and horsegirl physical abilities. I’d been living in this body (and girlhood) for nearly two years now. No wonder I sometimes forgot I wasn’t born a horsegirl.

"...Heh."

"Wh-What?"

"Nothing."

"Now I’m curious..."

Even though he was physically larger as an adult man, his athletic ability was hopelessly inferior to us horsegirls in every way. It was unbearably cute. They say love is blind, but was this adoration really the same emotion?

Walking down the dimly lit path, I was hit by a giddy feeling—and it wasn’t from the cold.

After a few minutes at Tomio’s pace, we reached the convenience store near the training center. Ignoring the Valentine’s-themed banners, I stepped inside, making the sleepy clerk widen his eyes in shock.

It’s not like there was anything weird about coming here with Trainer. Sure, my pajamas were visible under my coat... but it’s night, so it’s fine, right?

Ignoring the clerk’s stunned face, I grabbed a basket and browsed the shelves. With Valentine’s approaching, the store was stocked with chocolates and gifts.

Randomly patterned gift bags, fancy chocolates, a "Chocolate-Making Corner" with ingredients... At least what I needed was here.

"You said you wanted to come, but what are you buying?"

"Hmm, chocolate ingredients. Between classes and training for the Dubai squad, I’ve had no time... Figured I’d force myself to buy them now."

"Ah..."

"What about you?"

"Pens, notebooks, an SD card, coffee... some other stuff."

"If you said cup noodles, I’d have gotten mad."

"Scary~"

"Scary isn’t the right response. You have been cooking properly lately, right?"

"Yes, ma’am. No cup noodles."

"Good."

I tossed some heavy cream and cocoa powder into the basket, then sneakily added a few snacks while Tomio wasn’t looking. No way he’d miss it, but he seemed to let it slide.

After grabbing his stationery and drinks, he pushed the basket toward the register. As he pulled out his wallet, his gaze drifted to the side—where steamed meat buns sat.

"............"

"............"

"...Want one, Apollo?"

"...Can I?"

"You don’t gain weight easily. Half should be fine."

The clerk’s eyes widened further, but the transaction went smoothly.

"Th-Thank you very much! Please come again!!"

With an oddly energetic send-off for the late hour, we started heading back. Sharing the plastic bag between us, Tomio deftly pulled out the steaming bun.

"Here, split it carefully."

"Looks good~"

"Hot!"

"Phew, gonna burn myself..."

Walking while sharing the bun with Tomio, the filling and juices were scalding. We struggled, puffing out white breaths between bites. By the time we finished, my tongue was definitely burned.

"Oww..."
"But it was good, right?"

"Convenience store snacks at night always taste the best."

"Ahaha. Right? Boneless chicken, ice cream—weird how good they are."

Laughing dryly, I glanced down at my purchases. Finally, I had everything for the chocolates. I’d make them early tomorrow morning and let them chill in the fridge until the day. The actual chocolate would only take an hour or two—the real issue was the packaging.

As I stewed over it, a sudden question crossed my mind. One thing I wanted to confirm—his ideal type.

"Hey, Tomio—"

"Hm?"

"What kind of girls do you like?"

"……Uhhhhhh."

"Too sudden to answer?"

"…………"

Valentine’s Day, at its core, was originally a European tradition where people exchanged gifts with loved ones—romantic partners, family, friends. The gift didn’t even have to be chocolate. But in Japan, it had warped into a day where women confessed their feelings to men through chocolate.

What I was giving him was honmei chocolate—the real-deal confession kind. But from what I’d heard, honmei chocolate was more like… a mutual confirmation.

Something you gave when you both already knew you liked each other. Not that Tomio and I weren’t close! We’d practically sworn eternity to each other (…maybe?), and our relationship was solid. But my cowardly heart couldn’t shake the fear that maybe I was misreading things.

The closer we got, the more terrified I became of rejection. Emotionally, we were deeply connected—surely he wouldn’t care about superficial preferences at this point. But—

It’s never that easy.

That voice at the back of my mind tugged at me. Logically, Tomio probably liked me. My lack of confidence was the only issue—to outsiders, it was probably obvious. But… I still couldn’t shake the doubt. That was just who I was.

"What kind of girls I like… Never really thought about it."

"Then, like, what hairstyle do you prefer?"

"……Straight, long hair?"

"Ahaha, you could’ve at least lied and said ‘bob cut’."

I played it off lightly, but it stung a little. My confidence in giving honmei chocolate wavered. Running my fingers through my voluminous bob, I wondered how long it’d take to grow out to Tomio’s preferred long hair.

Then—his carefree words pierced through my tangled thoughts.

"Ah, but Apollo—I think a bob suits you best. Not just your hair. You should be confident in being you. You’re most charming when you’re yourself."

"—!"

It melted into my chest—the exact words I’d needed to hear. So happy, so startled, I almost teared up. I clenched my lips, holding back the flood.

Cheater. Saying something like that so effortlessly, slipping right into my heart—how could someone be so cruel and wonderful at once?

There was no one else for me. I clung to his arm, slowing our pace. I wanted to talk more. To savor this tiny journey back to the Training Center.

The dark clouds in my mind vanished. It’s okay to be me. No one could take that away. I still didn’t have unshakable confidence, but the doubt was gone.

I’d give my honmei chocolate to the trainer I adored.

A clear resolve shot through me.

—Pour my love into it. My gratitude. Every ounce of feeling I have.

And—I’d make it happen. My dream.

The dream no one could take from me—becoming the strongest stayer.

The slowed pace made the walk back feel endless. But all moments end. Gazing up at Tomio’s awkward smile, I lost myself in idle chatter.

Later, early morning.

I stood in the dorm’s shared kitchen, silently starting the chocolate-making. The ingredients were ready: 150g bittersweet chocolate, 90ml heavy cream, cocoa powder and powdered sugar for decoration, freeze-dried fruit, heart-shaped molds.

Following the online recipe would get me Heart-Shaped Ganache Chocolates.

The key was pouring my heart into it. Handmade gifts really were special.

I’d pack in all the feelings built up over these two years. That alone would make them delicious.

—And just like that, despite the simple steps and basic ingredients, the finished ganache chocolates looked absurdly decadent. I nodded, satisfied.