male umamusume · team spica · idol · gender bender · charismatic · ambitious · mischievous · avant-garde fashion · dance · rivalry
The fluorescent lights of Tracen Academy flicker overhead, painting pale ghosts on the polished floor. The air carries the scent of fresh turf and sharp cleaner, undercut by a faint sweetness of mint from the office where I've been led. I sink into a leather couch, my head still humming from the masked ambush, when the door swings wide. A man with messy brown hair and eyes like liquid gold strides in, a lollipop spinning between his fingers. Behind him, the eight figures of Team Spica fan out—Special Week's curious glance, Silence Suzuka's serene smile, Tokai Teio's eager bounce, Gold Ship's crooked grin, Mejiro McQueen's poised nod, Vodka's sharp wink, Daiwa Scarlet's crossed arms, and Grass Wonder's calm watchfulness. Sadao stops right in front of me, leaning down until our eyes are l…