After about ten minutes of being bathed in the little cuties' presence, Mizuno Sora finally recovered completely.

"Where… am I?" Mizuno opened his eyes, staring at the white clouds drifting across a blue sky, still dazed.

Strange—just now, he'd been sitting, held in Tokai Teio's arms. How had he ended up lying down instead?

And his head seemed to be resting on something soft. His hands were being held too…

I've already been locked into Teio's basement… No, wait—I can still see the sky. So it's an aboveground chamber instead?! Mizuno shivered, craning his head back.

But the terrifying Teio wasn't there. Instead, he saw the adorable Rice Shower.

"Onii-sama, you're awake." Rice lowered her head, meeting his eyes.

"Mm?" A big question mark popped above Mizuno's head.

Rice Shower was giving him a lap pillow? Why did this feel so much like last time…

Blinking, Mizuno checked his surroundings carefully.

He was still at the training room entrance. Ship-bro was there, but Teio wasn't. Instead, Urara, Rice Shower, and King Halo surrounded him.

The four Uma Musume sat quietly around him. It looked heartwarming… but Mizuno still felt like he was about to be dismembered.

"Ship-bro, what happened?" Mizuno asked Gold Ship.

"Yaa…"

Hands behind her head, Gold Ship gave him a simple explanation.

Basically—he had fainted again.

But she hadn't told the others he'd collapsed from fear. Instead, she called it "Cute Energy depletion," while sending Mizuno a secret look with the truth.

"I see." Mizuno nodded, piecing it together.

So that was why he'd seen hordes of tiny Rice Showers and Uraras charging toward him in the darkness—because those two had given him a lap pillow and held his hand. If Gold Ship hadn't clarified, Mizuno might've thought he'd wandered onto the neighboring tokusatsu set to transform into a giant of light.

"Rice Shower, Urara—thank you." Mizuno bowed his head.

Without them, he might still be trapped in fear, unable to wake.

"Hehe~" Urara smiled like the sun.

"Uuh…" Rice Shower hid her face in her hands.

Mizuno then looked straight ahead—at Gold Ship.

"…" Meeting his gaze, she said nothing, simply stared back in silence. Like a wordless guardian.

Oh, right. Without Ship-bro constantly guarding him, and covering his secrets, Mizuno would've been done for.

Ship-bro was the one he most owed thanks to!

"Ship-bro, thanks. You're reliable as ever~" Mizuno said from the heart.

"Heh, no need. It's what I should do." Gold Ship shrugged.

But Mizuno could tell—she was pleased.

"Good." With everyone thanked, Mizuno lay back down.

What a paradise this was:

His head resting on little sister Rice Shower's lap, his hand held by angel Urara, Ship-bro watching protectively nearby…

This was a fantasyland he might never know again. He should enjoy it while it lasted~

"Hoo…" Mizuno shut his eyes and let out a comfortable sigh.

"What about me?" Suddenly King Halo shoved her face right in front of him.

"The first-rate King is holding your hand too, you know. Look~" She flaunted their joined hands proudly, eyes sparkling, clearly hoping for praise.

"Ah…" Mizuno froze.

He'd almost forgotten she'd helped too.

Even if her help had been counterproductive… at least it was with good intentions.

He sat up, ready to thank her.

"Uh… thank you, King-san… King-san… first-rate, yeah…" Mizuno mumbled, eyes darting away halfway.

"?" King Halo immediately caught the shift, frowning.

"Trainer Mizuno, why can't you look me in the eye when it's my turn? Are you just brushing me off?"

"Um…"

After thinking hard, Mizuno decided: time to use his patented Topic Diversion Jutsu.

"Ahaha, look at the time! Let's go buy something tasty." He stood quickly, trying to escape.

"Guuh…" King Halo lunged and grabbed the back of his collar.

"Trainer Mizuno, unless you give me a proper explanation, I won't forgive you!" Her smile turned dangerous.

"Uh…" Mizuno scratched his head awkwardly.

He couldn't possibly say: Every time I see you, my body feels like it's being drained dry.

That excuse would get him killed on the spot!

"It's… because you're too first-rate. Looking at you makes me shy…" Mizuno blurted, still glancing away halfway.

"Shy?" King Halo narrowed her eyes.

At first she didn't buy it.

But then she recalled: in the romance dramas she'd watched, whenever people—human or Uma Musume—were with someone they liked, they got shy, avoiding eye contact…

Seeing Mizuno so unable to look at her straight, maybe he really was shy!

Which meant… Trainer Mizuno was too fond of her. So fond that even praising her made him turn away?!

"Ahem…" King Halo's cheeks flushed. She coughed a few times in embarrassment.

"Fine then. I'm magnanimous. I'll forgive you this time…"

She let go of his collar and even smoothed out the wrinkles gently.

"Hm?" Now Mizuno was confused.

That flimsy excuse had worked? Wasn't it too easy?

He'd thought she would demand thousands of flowery compliments like last time, draining him until he was sprawled on the floor muttering "oysters."

But this time, just one line had satisfied her?!

Had she improved? Or… misunderstood something?

Either way, as long as he got away, it was fine.

"Hahaha! Now that the misunderstanding's cleared up, let's head to the shopping street and buy something good." Mizuno suggested.

Thanks to King Halo's reminder, Mizuno remembered he needed to buy lots of ingredients for Urara's celebration feast.

Even though it was early, the shops had just opened. But his habit was always to arrive ahead of schedule—like catching the first school bus, or arriving half an hour early to training. Preparation meant fewer surprises.

Since he'd already lost so much time waking up, if he delayed further, the freshest food might already be snatched up by the early-rising grandpas and grandmas.

He wasn't about to serve leftovers at Urara's party. An angel like her deserved only the best!

"But… Teio hasn't come yet. Shouldn't we wait?" Rice Shower asked timidly.

"Right. Better to go together." King Halo agreed.

"Actually, Teio's been resting in the training room all along." Gold Ship opened the door, showing Teio asleep in a chair.

"Eh?!" Everyone gasped.

So she'd been resting inside the whole time? No wonder—the usually early Teio hadn't "arrived" today.

"Should we wake her?"

"No need." Gold Ship shook her head.

"She was up early. She's exhausted. Let her sleep."

"I'll stay with her. You can all go buy food without worry."

With Mizuno in Urara and Rice Shower's care, Gold Ship didn't need to shadow him anymore.

Besides, she could explain everything to Teio when she woke, preventing any misunderstanding that Mizuno had abandoned her.

"Thanks, Ship-bro." Mizuno's eyes teared up. He gave her a thumbs up.

"Heh." Gold Ship returned the gesture.

The final plan: Gold Ship would stay with Teio. Mizuno, Urara, Rice Shower, and King Halo would go shopping.

Mizuno led the way, calling back to the three Uma Musume:

"Let's go! Time to shop!"