The Special Uma coffee can save any valentines day. Poll story for February.
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The bell above the door of Leblanc jingled half-heartedly as Ryuji Sakamoto dragged himself inside.
“Man… Valentine’s Day is a scam,” he groaned, dropping into a stool like gravity had suddenly doubled.
Across the counter, Ren looked up from the book he’d been pretending to read for the past ten minutes. He slid a cup of coffee toward himself but didn’t drink it yet.
“Something tells me that you say that every year,” he said.
“Yeah, well, this year it’s extra true,” Ryuji muttered. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his arms. “Whole city’s full of couples. Chocolates, dates, matching outfits… It’s like some kinda coordinated attack, for real.”
Ren glanced out the window. Sure enough, people passed by in pairs, laughing, arms linked, little gift bags swinging between them.
He looked back at Ryuji. “Did you ask someone out?”
“I did!” Ryuji shot up, then deflated immediately. “Well. I thought about it. Really hard. But ultimately… haaaa…”
Ren nodded solemnly. “Yeah… Similar situation here.”
Ryuji pointed at him. “You get it! Finally, someone who understands my pain.”
From behind the counter, Sojiro Sakura gave a quiet snort.
“If this is what you two call pain, you’ve lived pretty easy lives,” he said, wiping down a glass. “You’re young. Go outside. Do something with your day instead of moping in my café.”
“We’re not moping,” Ryuji protested weakly.
“You’ve been staring at the same spot on the table for five minutes.”
Ryuji immediately sat up straighter.
“Okay, maybe a little moping.”
Ren finally took a sip of his coffee. It was good, the best coffee in town as always.
Leblanc always felt like a safe place. So Quiet and warm. A world away from crowded streets, expectations and the metaverse stress.
Ryuji sighed again, though this time it was less dramatic.
“Guess it’s just one of those days, huh? No dates, no chocolate, no nothing.”
He glanced at Ren.
“You didn’t have plans either, right?”
Ren shook his head.
Ryuji leaned back in his stool, crossing his arms.
“Man. Two of the Phantom Thieves, defeated by romance.”
“Could be worse,” Ren said.
“How?”
“We’re not spending it alone.”
Ryuji blinked.
Then he cracked a grin.
“…Yeah. Yeah, I guess that’s true.”
There was a short, comfortable silence.
Sojiro watched them for a moment, then turned toward the back counter. He rummaged around longer than usual, the clink of glass and ceramic coming from behind the shelves.
“If you’re going to waste the day here,” he said without looking back, “you might as well help me with something.”
Ryuji perked up immediately.
“Free food?”
“Don’t push it.”
Sojiro returned with a small tin Ren didn’t recognize. He set it down carefully, opening the lid. The smell that drifted out was different from the usual beans… it was sweeter, almost grassy, with something sharp underneath.
“Got this recipe from overseas,” Sojiro said. “Been meaning to try it. Figured today was as good a day as any. And I need a trusty taste tester.”
Ryuji leaned over the counter, now looking very invested. “What kind of coffee is it?”
Sojiro scanned the tin again, slowly and deliberately. “Apparently it’s called Uma Coffee.”
Ryuji squinted.
“…Uma? Like ‘horse’?”
“No idea,” Sojiro said. “The guy who gave it to me said it was popular with athletes. Something about stamina.”
That word caught Ryuji’s attention immediately.
“For real?”
Sojiro didn’t answer. He just started brewing.
The process took longer than usual. The aroma grew stronger, richer, but lighter somehow, like fresh air mixed with roasted sweetness.
When he finally poured the cup, the color was slightly brighter than normal coffee. He looked up to Ren, who still was drinking his first cup, and decided not to pour a second cup. And just take the one cup he made and set it in front of Ryuji.
“Careful,” he said. “First time I’ve made it.”
Ryuji picked it up without hesitation.
“Well, if it’s supposed to help with stamina, I’m sold.”
He took a long drink.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then he blinked.
“…Whoa.”
Ren looked up.
Ryuji straightened slowly, like a switch had been flipped somewhere inside him. The sluggish heaviness from earlier seemed to drain out of his posture all at once. His shoulders rolled back. His eyes sharpened.
He flexed his hands.
“Dude. I feel… really good.”
“Placebo effect,” Sojiro said. “I have heard of fast acting coffee but never of a coffee that acts that quickly.”
“No, seriously,” Ryuji said, standing up. He bounced lightly on his toes. “I feel like I could run a marathon or something.”
Ren watched him carefully.
The change was sudden. Too sudden.
But Ryuji just looked energized. Awake. Motivated in a way he hadn’t been all afternoon.
He turned to Ren, grin widening.
“Hey.”
Ren raised an eyebrow.
“Why’re we sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves?”
That sounded like the Ryuji he knew.
“What do you want to do?” Ren asked.
Ryuji didn’t even hesitate.
“Let’s train.”
“…Train?”
“Yeah! It’s Valentine’s, right?” Ryuji grabbed his jacket, already moving toward the door. “The Track should be open after school hours. Instead of moping about dates, let’s actually do something productive.”
He looked back over his shoulder, eyes bright with excitement.
“C’mon, man. There is no way anyone else is using it right now. I don't think we have raced in like… ever.”
Ren finished his coffee in one smooth motion and stood.
Ryuji pushed the door open, cool afternoon air rushing in.
“Today’s gonna be great,” he said, almost to himself.
The bell jingled as they stepped outside.
Behind the counter, Sojiro watched the door close.
Then he looked down at the tin again.
“…Huh.”
He picked it up, reading the small handwritten label taped to the side.
Uma Blend – For runners who want to go beyond their limits.
Sojiro scratched the back of his head.
“Well,” he muttered, reaching for another cup, “hope it lives up to the name.”
As expected, the school track was empty.
Late afternoon light stretched long shadows across the lanes, the air cool but not cold, therefore it was the perfect running weather. The city noise faded behind the school buildings, leaving only the faint rustle of wind and the distant hum of traffic.
Ryuji bounced on his heels at the starting line like a coiled spring.
“Man, this feels great,” he said, rolling his shoulders. “I haven’t had this much energy in forever.”
Ren stood beside him, adjusting the stopwatch app on his phone.
“You sure you didn’t drink three coffees?”
“Hey, if that’s a new recipe Sojiro’s is planning to sell, I’m definitely going back for seconds.”
Ryuji crouched, fingers brushing the track.
“Okay. One lap. Loser buys dinner.”
Ren nodded.
“Ready?”
Ryuji glanced at him, grin sharp and competitive.
“Try to keep up.”
Ren put his phone in the middle of the racetrack, where both can see it.
“Three… two… one.”
His phone vibrated and they took off.
Ryuji’s start was explosive, stronger than usual, but Ren settled into a steady pace quickly. The familiar rhythm of the track kicked in: breath, stride, breath, stride.
Halfway through the lap, Ren edged ahead.
Behind him, Ryuji’s footsteps stayed steady. Not fading. Not slowing.
But not gaining either.
By the final stretch, Ren pushed harder and crossed the finish line first, slowing to a jog as he stopped the timer.
A few seconds later, Ryuji crossed behind him.
Ren bent forward slightly, catching his breath.
Ryuji didn’t.
He slowed to a walk, then straightened immediately, hands on his hips.
“That’s it?” he said.
Ren looked up.
Ryuji wasn’t breathing hard. Barely breathing fast at all.
“You okay?” Ren asked.
“Yeah, I’m great!” Ryuji stretched his arms overhead. “I didn’t even feel that.”
Ren straightened slowly.
“That was full pace.”
“Exactly!” Ryuji turned, eyes bright. “So let’s go again.”
“Already?”
“I wasn’t even warmed up.”
He jogged back toward the starting line without waiting.
Ren hesitated for a moment, watching him.
Something about his movement was different.
Smoother. More professional.
Like his body knew how to run better than it did before.
But Ryuji was already waving him over.
“C’mon, man! Don’t tell me you’re tired already!”
Ren exhaled and walked back to the line.
“What do you want to bet this time?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Double or nothing?” Ryuji said, dropping into position.
“Haa… Sure.”
This time, when Ren counted down, Ryuji exploded forward.
And didn’t slow down.
Ren pushed hard to keep up, but by the first curve, the distance between them was already growing.
Ryuji’s stride looked longer now. More powerful. His posture perfectly aligned, arms moving in clean, efficient motion.
By the halfway mark, Ren was already extremely falling behind.
By the final stretch, Ryuji was far ahead.
He crossed the finish line at full speed, then slowed gradually, turning back with a wide, exhilarated grin.
Ren crossed several seconds later, breathing hard.
Ryuji jogged back toward him.
“Did you see that?!”
Ren nodded, still catching his breath.
“That was fast.”
“Right?” Ryuji bounced lightly in place. “I feel incredible!”
Ren straightened, and paused.
Up close, something was… different.
Ryuji looked leaner.
His waist narrower. His hips were slightly wider than Ren remembered. His legs looked thicker too, especially through the thighs, the muscle definition more pronounced.
His hair brushed the back of his neck now, longer than it had been earlier that day.
“Ryuji,” Ren said slowly, “did you—”
“One more,” Ryuji cut in immediately.
He was already turning back toward the starting line.
“I wanna see how fast I can really go!”
Ren followed more slowly this time.
As Ryuji walked ahead, something moved behind him.
Ren blinked.
At the base of Ryuji’s spine, under the waistband of his track pants, the fabric shifted, like something inside it flicked once.
Ren frowned.
At the starting line, Ryuji was stretching again, deeper this time, movements fluid and practiced.
When he straightened, Ren froze for half a second.
Two small shapes protruded from his hair.
They looked like… ears.
Not human ears.
They were positioned higher on his head, triangular, covered in short blond hair that matched the rest.
They twitched.
Ren stared.
“Ryuji,” he said carefully, “your head—”
“Timer ready?” Ryuji asked, completely focused.
He didn’t even look back.
Ren hesitated.
“Ryuji, I think something’s happening to you.”
“Yeah,” Ryuji said, dropping into a runner’s stance.
“I’m getting faster.”
Ren opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
There were a lot of things Ren wanted to say… but…
Ruyji looked so happy.
So focused. So driven. Alive in a way Ren hadn’t seen since before the track team incident.
Ren glanced at the small ears again.
They flicked once.
He exhaled slowly.
Just wait and see.
“Ready,” he said, raising the phone.
Ryuji glanced back over his shoulder, grin bright.
“This one’s gonna be amazing.”
Ren counted down.
“Three… two… one.”
Ryuji launched forward.
This time, it didn’t even look human.
His acceleration was instant, explosive, his stride lengthening into something powerful and rhythmic, almost mechanical in its precision.
By the first curve, he was already moving faster than Ren had ever seen anyone run on this track.
Ren didn’t even try to keep up. After the first few steps, he just stopped and watched.
Ryuji’s form was perfect. Every step balanced, every motion efficient. The small ears flattened slightly as he ran, reacting to the wind.
And behind him now—
The fabric of his pants strained, something pushing against it from inside.
A shape.
Long.
Moving in time with his stride.
Ren swallowed.
By the time Ryuji hit the final stretch, he was sprinting at a speed that made the distance disappear beneath him.
He crossed the finish line and slowed gradually, laughing breathlessly, not from exhaustion, but exhilaration.
Ren stopped the timer.
The number on the screen made his eyes widen.
Ryuji jogged back toward him, energy still radiating off him.
“Well?” he asked eagerly. “How was it?”
Ren looked up slowly.
“…You’re getting faster,” he said.
Ryuji’s grin widened.
“I told you! This coffee is magic!”
He turned back toward the track again, already bouncing on his toes.
“Okay. One more.”
Ren looked at the timer.
Then at the ears.
Then at the shape moving under the back of Ryuji’s pants.
He took a quiet breath.
“…Okay,” he said.
And this time, he didn’t try to stop him.
Ren just raised the phone again, but took a second to take in all of Ryuji again. It was hard to even say if Ryuji was still a guy or not. Because from the looks of things, she clearly wasn’t.
She stood at the starting line, rolling her shoulders, shifting her weight from foot to foot. The movement had a lightness to it now, almost graceful. Her hips swayed slightly with each step, balanced and powerful.
Her waist had narrowed further, her hips wide and athletic, thighs thick with runner’s muscle. Her chest strained noticeably against her track jacket, the shape unmistakably feminine. Her hair had grown longer, falling past her shoulders, the blond catching the evening light.
The horse ears atop her head flicked forward eagerly.
And behind her, no fabric hid the truth anymore.
A long blond tail swished freely.
She turned toward him, bright-eyed.
“Ready, Ren?”
Her voice was softer now. Higher. Still energetic, but lighter, warmer.
Ren hesitated.
“…Are you feeling okay?” he asked.
She blinked, tilting her head.
“Huh? Yeah! I feel amazing.”
She gave a small laugh. It was an easy, almost musical sound.
“I’ve never felt this good running before.”
Ren looked at the timer.
Then at her again.
She wasn’t confused or scared.
She looked like someone who had finally found exactly where they were supposed to be.
“…Okay,” he said quietly.
He raised the phone.
“Three… two… one.”
She ran.
It wasn’t just fast.
It was beautiful.
Her stride was long and powerful, perfectly balanced, every movement flowing into the next. Her ears flattened slightly against the wind, tail streaming behind her like a banner.
By the halfway point, Ren already knew.
This would be the fastest yet.
She rounded the final curve and accelerated, pushing into a full sprint that blurred the distance between them.
She crossed the finish line and slowed gradually, breathing hard now, but smiling, bright and satisfied.
Ren stopped the timer.
Then stared.
“…Ryuji,” he said automatically.
She jogged back toward him, hands on her hips.
“Well?” she asked eagerly.
Ren turned the screen toward her.
Her eyes widened.
“No way!”
She leaned closer, practically bouncing.
“I beat it? I really beat it?!”
“You didn’t just beat it,” Ren said quietly. “You broke the school record.”
“Eee—!”
She clapped her hands together, actually hopping once in place.
Then she laughed, cheeks flushed, tail swishing rapidly behind her.
“That’s amazing! That’s seriously amazing!”
Ren watched her.
The way she stood. The way she moved. Even the way she reacted, so open, excited and expressive.
It was as if someone turned Ryuji into the happiest, girliest version she could be.
She turned back toward the track again, eyes shining.
“One more,” she said.
Ren blinked.
“You’re not tired?”
She shook her head, smiling.
“I want to see my best time.”
Then she added, a little more softly:
“…Will you time me again?”
There was something different in her tone now.
This wasn’t just excitement. There was something else in her voice now too.
Ren nodded.
“Yeah.”
She took her position again.
This time, when she crouched at the line, it looked completely natural. Like she had done it a thousand times.
“Ready?” she asked.
Ren raised the phone.
“Ready.”
“Okay!”
Her ears perked forward.
“Three… two… one!”
She ran.
This lap was everything she had.
Her speed was incredible, her form flawless, her expression focused but joyful. She pushed through the curves, accelerated on the straights, tail streaming behind her, hair flying in the wind.
By the final stretch, she was smiling.
Ren realized it wasn’t about the time anymore.
She was running because she loved it.
She crossed the finish line and stumbled slightly this time, finally out of breath.
Ren stopped the timer.
She turned back toward him, breathing hard, cheeks flushed, eyes bright.
“Well?” she asked.
Ren showed her the screen.
For a moment, she just stared.
Then her expression lit up completely.
“That’s my best! That’s my best time!”
She laughed—bright, breathless, completely happy.
Then, without hesitation, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her now massive boobs against him.
The impact nearly knocked the air out of his lungs.
“Ren!” she said, voice warm and full of emotion. “Today was amazing!”
She leaned against him, holding him tightly, her tail swishing behind her.
“Thank you.”
Ren blinked.
“For what?”
She pulled back just enough to look up at him, smiling softly.
“For being my trainer.”
Then, after a small pause, her smile turned a little shy.
“…And my partner.”
Ren froze.
She didn’t seem embarrassed.
She looked completely sincere.
Fully happy like he had rarely seen anyone before.
Like this was exactly how things were supposed to be.
He hesitated.
Then, slowly, he relaxed.
“…You did great today,” he said.
Her face lit up again.
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
She beamed.
They gathered their things as the sun dipped lower, the sky turning warm orange over the empty field.
As they walked off the track together, she moved naturally to his side.
Then closer.
Then closer still.
Before Ren quite realized what was happening, she slipped her arm around his and pressed against him, her chest resting warmly against his sleeve.
She giggled softly.
“This was the best Valentine’s ever.”
Ren glanced at her.
Her ears twitched happily. Her tail swayed behind her. Her expression was bright, relaxed, and completely at peace.
“I am glad you liked it, Ryuji.” Ren replied.
She looked up at him, slightly confused, then chuckled.
“My name is Ryuka, you silly!”
Ren looked confused for a moment, but she tilted her head with just the cutest smile he had ever seen anyone give him. So he just nodded.
“You're right, Ryuka. Don’t know how I messed that up.” he said.
She squeezed his arm a little tighter, leaning into him as they walked.
“Let’s train again tomorrow, okay, Trainer?”
Ren looked ahead at the path leading away from the school.
“…Yeah,” he said.
Ryuka laughed softly, pressing closer, practically glowing with happiness as they walked together into the warm evening light.
For the first time that day, Valentine’s didn’t feel lonely at all for either of them.