A little while later, in the stands at the very front of the spectator area.
Looking at the horse girl beside him with pink-and-white bangs, Anjing Zhen wore a strange expression. "...So you were hiding there because you wanted to surprise Little Kita?"
"Hehehe, that's right..."
Scratching her cheek, the horse girl smiled sheepishly. "I thought it would be inconvenient to disturb her while she was preparing and entering the gate, so I wanted to see her before she went out..."
Just then, a nervous yet eager voice came from nearby. "S-Special Week-senpai, h-hello. C-could I ask for your autograph? I-I've always admired you!"
The horse girl with pink-and-white bangs was Special Week. Anjing Zhen had spotted her earlier at the exit of the underground passageway. After she hurriedly explained why she was there, she had followed him to the spectator stands.
This horse girl was extremely popular in Japan. On popularity rankings, she had practically never fallen below the top three, earning her the title of "Japan's Most Popular Horse Girl."
That was why, after arriving in the spectator area, many people recognized her. Quite a few came over to ask for autographs and photos.
Most of the people here were Trainers watching the race, and some had brought their horse girls along. The one approaching for an autograph was one of them.
She looked twelve or thirteen, not yet at Full Maturity, with childish innocence written all over her small face.
She wore three golden star-shaped earrings beside her left ear. Her brown hair fell to about her shoulders, with a small white streak in her bangs, while pale blue-and-white flower ornaments decorated both sides of her hair.
"Ah, sure, sure."
Rather than being bothered by the interruption from the little horse girl, Special Week smiled as she