"Hachimi hachimi hachimi if you drink the honey drink"

Tokai Teio bounced her way to the training ground, happily humming her self-composed "honey song."

As usual, she had arrived half an hour early to their meeting place.

For Teio, doing this wasn't just to prove that, as the future undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume, she had to be first in everything she did.

More importantly—it was so she could have some alone time with Trainer Mizuno.

President Rudolf had said it before: if she wanted to become a Trainer's assigned Uma Musume, she had to build a good relationship with him.

Teio agreed. She wanted to deepen her bond with Trainer Mizuno by inviting him out to play on weekends.

But for some reason, Trainer Mizuno always kept a distance from all the Uma Musume. And he was busy. Whenever she invited him, he always found an excuse to refuse—never giving Teio the chance to get closer.

So her only chance was before afternoon training, by arriving early!

Trainer Mizuno was very responsible—always arriving ahead of time and waiting with a book. Which meant that if Teio showed up early, she was guaranteed to find him there, reading.

President Rudolf had also said Trainer Mizuno might have a "big brother preference," that he favored cute little-sister-type Uma Musume—like Urara and Rice Shower.

So if Teio wanted to be his assigned Uma Musume, she had better act like a little sister.

Thus, Teio followed Prez's advice and created a plan for her alone time with him.

She called it: Operation Little Sister!

The idea was simple—keep pestering Mizuno with spoiled-sounding requests, stay physically close, share fun things. Until Mizuno gradually realized: Teio was number one at being a little sister!

Originally she thought someone like Trainer Mizuno, who kept distance from all Uma Musume, would be very hard to "conquer." To make him fully accept her, she might need months.

But when she began executing her plan, she was surprised—things went better than she expected.

Because Trainer Mizuno rarely refused her spoiled requests.

If Teio wanted honey drink, he made it right away. If she wanted extra training, he gave solid advice.

Even when she tried leaning against his shoulder, Mizuno didn't resist—he just stiffened once, then stayed completely still, letting her lean there while continuing to read.

The books Mizuno read were deep and difficult. She'd heard they were written by his idol, and supposedly "very good and easy to understand." The reality: Teio couldn't understand a word. But whenever she asked, Mizuno would explain carefully until she got it.

So every time she arrived early, Teio got to spend a quiet, pleasant stretch of time with him.

If at first her spoiled behavior had been deliberate—trying to be a cute little sister so he would accept her—now, Teio really did want Mizuno to be her onii-chan.

After all—what girl wouldn't like a gentle, hardworking big brother who always listened to her requests?

"Sniff sniff..." Teio twitched her nose, catching the faint sweetness of honey in the air—that was the scent on Trainer Mizuno's clothes.

Ever since that time she caught a cold after being drenched in the rain, and Mizuno secretly snuck into her room to take care of her, Teio had memorized that scent.

"This way~" She followed it, soon spotting Mizuno sitting on the ground, reading.

"Trainer Mizuno, good afternoon!" Teio ran over, greeting him warmly.

She had leaned against his shoulder for several days now—her affection had reached a peak. It was time to go further.

Today, I'll get even closer. I'll sit right in Trainer Mizuno's lap and read with him~

But when she arrived, she was shocked—

The spot to Mizuno's right was already occupied by another Uma Musume...

"Teio-san, good afternoon," King Halo greeted her first.

There was a light smile on her face, her complexion rosy—she clearly was in an excellent mood.

Could it be... she had just spent a happy time with Trainer Mizuno?

What had they been doing?

"...Halo-san, good afternoon..." Teio answered politely, but inside, she felt a sudden sour sting.

Her precious alone time with Trainer Mizuno... had been stolen.

"Grr..." Teio puffed up her cheeks, glaring at the two sitting together on the grass.

"Teio?" Mizuno looked up at her—only to see an unmistakably jealous Tokai Teio.

What the heck? Why did it feel like this girl was really unhappy right now?

"..." Teio didn't say a word. She just marched straight to Mizuno's left side, plopped down, and very naturally rested her head on his shoulder.

"Huuhh..." The moment she touched him, her mood lifted.

As expected—being by Trainer Mizuno's side brought her an odd sense of peace, as if all her worries melted away.

Teio reached out, hugged his arm, and rubbed her cheek against it.

"....." Mizuno's whole body jolted. He stiffly turned his head.

"Hee-hee~" Teio beamed at him.

"..." Mizuno forced himself to face forward again, pretending to read.

Sure, Teio had leaned on his shoulder before... but wasn't this even closer? Now she was hugging his arm too?!

And it felt like she was using some hidden strength—clamping down like an iron chain, as if she wouldn't let him escape.

Hey! Was Teio about to awaken some terrifying new trait?!

"..." Cold sweat trickled down Mizuno's back. He dared not move.

"?" King Halo noticed too. Teio had just snuggled up against Mizuno, holding him tight. An unfamiliar pang of jealousy welled up inside her. She couldn't help but say:

"Teio-san, aren't you sitting a little too close?"

In response, Teio shook her head.

"Nope this is the normal distance between me and Trainer Mizuno!"

Almost like she was showing off, Teio rubbed her cheek against Mizuno again.

"After all, I already see Trainer Mizuno as my onii-chan. This is perfectly normal for siblings~"

"Onii-chan?" King Halo's irritation spiked. She immediately pressed Mizuno: "Trainer Mizuno, is what Teio-san said true?"

But by now Mizuno's brain had short-circuited from Teio's affection assault. He was in a state of [Fear lv.2]—unable to respond. Which made both Uma Musume assume his silence meant agreement.

"..." Teio looked at Mizuno, a little touched.

She'd only thrown that line out as a test. She hadn't expected Trainer Mizuno to accept it!

So he already saw her as his little sister. If she'd known earlier, she would've been even more affectionate.

"Hee-hee~" Teio's mood soared, rubbing against him again like a triumphant boast.

"Grr..." But King Halo's mood sank fast.

Onii-chan?

No way she believed that.

If Urara or Rice Shower had said they saw Mizuno as a brother, Halo might believe it. But Teio? She definitely had other motives!

And even if Trainer Mizuno wasn't her lover yet—watching him get hugged like that by another Uma Musume was intolerable!

"A first-class Uma Musume would never hand over what belongs to her!"

Almost as if in defiance, Halo mimicked Teio—hugging Mizuno's other arm and resting her head on his shoulder.

Mizuno: ???

Wait—Teio was one thing, but you too?!

Stare~

Teio and Halo glared at each other across Mizuno, neither willing to back down. Sparks crackled between their eyes. And both kept hugging him tighter and tighter.

"..." Wedged between them, Mizuno felt his brain shuddering.

Was this a nightmare? Just like the dream where four Teios ganged up on him? Was being hugged left-and-right by two Uma Musume just an illusion?

But the suffocating pressure on his arms screamed the truth—this was real. Not a dream.

And far scarier than a nightmare.

HELP! Somebody save me! Mizuno screamed silently inside.

He really was about to be torn apart by two Uma Musume!