Just as Duramente and Futanari Shingang finished training and headed to the cafeteria, the final race at Nakayama Racecourse had already ended, and preparations for the Winner's Stage were underway.
As she made the final checks with the other Horse Girls, Kitasan Black's heart was filled with joy.
Part of it was the exhilaration of victory, but there was also the relief of clearing the air with Ribbon Keiko and Tsubasa Hayate.
Her Trainer had been right—there was nothing between Horse Girls that running could not convey.
Senior Yamato had said something similar.
She had said that everyone went to school together, went home together, trained together, and raced together every day, so bumps and clashes were inevitable. But as long as things were talked out clearly, they were no big deal.
Her Trainer and senior had also said that there was ultimately a limit to what one person could do. She should not be too hard on herself over certain things; often, doing her best was enough. And as long as she had tried, the outcome would not be too bad.
That was indeed true.
Under the lights of the Dance Hall, when she stretched out her arms, Ribbon Keiko and Tsubasa Hayate stood before her.
They had placed second and third in this Saint Lite Kinen respectively, and would be right beside her during the finale performance afterward.
As their steps intertwined, their gazes happened to meet, and they shared knowing little smiles.
The old barriers and misunderstandings had long vanished from those smiles, replaced by a brand-new Tacit Understanding.
As the accompaniment gradually reached its climax, the steps and movements became more complex. Yet bolstered by their Tacit Understanding, they gracefully moved their long legs, leaped, spun, and waved their arms elegantly through the air as though