From the entrance of the Dance Hall to the stage, then dancing before glow sticks as brilliant as a river of stars, Kitasan Black kept thinking about what had happened earlier.
Not only about the "family" Satono Crown had mentioned, but also about everything she herself had experienced so far.
She had already won quite a few championships.
At the moment she stood atop the highest podium, flowers, applause, cheers, shouts...
All glory converged upon her, as if the entire world were cheering for her.
But now, after experiencing defeat and conflict, witnessing dejection and injury, and seeing the different expressions of so many Horse Girls before and after races, her state of mind had quietly changed.
She thought of Sato no Takarazuka. Every time she raced, she too was filled with Fighting Spirit and gave it her all.
Yet the outcome of a race was always cruel. Someone always had to taste the bitterness of defeat.
Just like at this Saint Lite Kinen, she stood in the champion's place, at the front of Winner's Stage, leading the dance.
But Sato no Takarazuka had only been able to stand beneath the podium before, and now could only stand behind her.
She must have felt so dejected, so regretful. Kitasan Black felt that her rival ought to be thinking that way.
Perhaps she was doing more than merely thinking it.
As she came to the front of the stage, she could not help paying attention to the other girl's expression.
Compared to how she remembered her, Sato no Takarazuka no longer had the lost, vacant look she had worn during the Spring Stakes, nor the sorrow and sadness from when she changed Trainers.
She had become much more composed. Noticing Kitasan Black's gaze, she merely nodded calmly and even greeted her.