At Tracen, Good at Doing Time

"Sorry we're late."

At that moment, Silence Suzuka and Special Week appeared nearby.

Neither of them had expected to show up right then.

"Um, did we come at a bad time?"

Special Week glanced at Air Groove, then at Zhou Yuang, and began pressing her index fingers together.

"No, your timing is perfect."

Air Groove disagreed. She glanced at the two carnations in the cart, signaling for Special Week and Silence Suzuka to take them. Any Uma Musume at Tracen Academy who wanted to express her love for her mother could come to Air Groove for a flower.

"Really? Thank you, Air Groove!"

Special Week clasped her hands together. Though her birth mother had not raised her in the Uma Musume world either, she had a loving adoptive mother.

She respected that mother just as deeply.

This might be a game, but Special Week still wanted to give her adoptive mother a gift.

She looked at the red and yellow flowers in the cart, unsure which to choose.

"Literacy-kaa-san, which one do you want?"

She remembered Silence Suzuka was beside her. Perhaps she wanted to give someone a flower too.

"I'll take whichever one's left."

"No, it's fine. Pick whichever you like, Special Week."

It was only a game, after all.

Silence Suzuka shook her head. She doubted taking a flower meant much, but one look at the carnations reminded her what their different colors symbolized.

"Um, Literacy-kaa-san, are you sure? Also... which color should I pick?"

Special Week clearly knew little about such things. Growing up in Hokkaido, she had learned next to nothing about carnations.

"Hmm... I'd suggest the red one, Lil' Special."

Before Air Groove could explain their meanings, Silence Suzuka offered her advice.

Hearing the senior she admired say that, the guileless Lil' Special reached for