Ring-ring-ring—
As the sun sank and twilight spread through the forest, Mizuno's alarm finally went off, marking the end of his two-hour waterfall meditation.
The warm light of dusk painted the forest gold, and the spray glimmered on Mizuno's bruised, battered body like tiny shards of amber.
It was late. Nightfall in the forest meant danger, and training had to end for the day. But Mizuno was spent—completely drained. He couldn't even lift a finger to turn off his alarm, much less climb down from the stone. The waterfall's pounding felt like it was melting his muscles.
Fortunately, Hayakawa-san had been meditating beside him the whole time. The moment she heard the alarm, her horse ears twitched under the stream. She turned, stood, and swiftly scooped Mizuno up from beneath the waterfall.
"Trainer Mizuno…"
Cradling his limp body, she looked down at his unconscious face. Her eyes lost focus, her breathing quickened.
No one else was around. Master Jin's place was nearly two kilometers away—far too distant to hear anything, even if Mizuno had been awake and shouting.
But he wasn't awake. He couldn't move, couldn't speak.
If Hayakawa just lifted his hood now… she could finally breathe in that familiar scent she'd dreamed of for so long—and see his face again, the same handsome face she'd once touched for a fleeting moment in that warehouse.
No one would know what happened here. No one even knew Mizuno had come to train in this isolated place. The only one aware of the Uma Musume under the waterfall… was Mizuno himself.
If she took him away now, that intoxicating scent—and everything about him—would belong to her alone.
"Haa… haa…"
Breathing raggedly, Hayakawa carried Mizuno out of the water and back to the tent she'd pitched nearby. She laid him gently on the bed, then crouched beside him, trembling. Her hands gripped the sheets tight as she fought herself not to move.
A single drop of water—maybe from her hair, maybe not—slid down her flushed cheek, tracing her neck and vanishing into the curve of her chest.
Mizuno lay there defenseless, his hood half-shadowing his face, the steady rhythm of his breathing filling the silence.
You must resist… you have to hold back…
She repeated the words in her head, over and over, but her slender fingers still crept forward on their own—hesitant, shaking.
Maybe… just one little sniff…
Her hand brushed the fabric of his sleeve, curling around it, lifting ever so slightly—
Clang!
The kettle on the table toppled suddenly, hitting the ground with a loud metallic crash.
The sharp noise snapped her back to reality. Hayakawa gasped, releasing Mizuno's sleeve at once.
"Phew…" She pressed a hand to her chest, heart hammering.
That was far too close. If that kettle hadn't fallen—if something hadn't stopped her—she might have actually lost control.
"I can't stay here any longer!"
Gritting her teeth, Hayakawa shut her eyes, turned, and bolted from the tent. She didn't return that night, choosing instead to spend the entire evening under the freezing waterfall, forcing herself to meditate until dawn.
...
The next morning, just after sunrise.
"Mmnn~"
Mizuno stirred, stretching with a long yawn. He'd been out for twelve straight hours.
When he sat up, he felt… amazing. His waist didn't ache, his legs weren't sore—he felt full of strength, almost overflowing with energy.
He pressed his palm against his abdomen, feeling the firmness of his muscles. A sudden realization flashed through his mind.
So this was it—the secret to recovery! As long as one had passion for battle and a desire to win, the body could heal itself in no time—stronger than before!
"The human body really is incredible, huh?"
[Fortune]:Incredible, my ass. I'm the one using my Hope Energy to fix you! Without me, you'd be in bed for two weeks minimum.
"Huh? Really?" Mizuno scratched his head sheepishly.
He'd thought he'd awakened some hidden martial arts potential—that he could just "sleep off" broken bones. But apparently, Fortune had been secretly patching him up the whole time.
[Mizuno]:You're using your Hope Energy for that? Isn't that dangerous for you?
[Fortune]:Eh, nothing too serious. I'll just randomly pass out sometimes. You won't get any danger alerts, though—so you'll probably never notice when you're about to get Uma Pyoi'd.
[Mizuno]: ?!
How was that not serious?!
"Wait…"
He suddenly noticed the unfamiliar tent around him.
Then his gaze fell on the green hat and professional outfit neatly hanging on a nearby rack.
Hayakawa-san's clothes.
"So it was Hayakawa-san who helped me…" he murmured.
Memories of collapsing under the waterfall returned. She must've carried him back here—and hadn't taken advantage of him in the slightest. Gratitude welled up in his chest.
He'd always worried Hayakawa-san couldn't control her urge to sniff him, that her meditation was an uphill battle against instinct. But now, seeing that she hadn't so much as disturbed his clothes, Mizuno felt ashamed for doubting her.
She'd truly overcome her desires. She'd become stronger.
"Hayakawa-san… I really misjudged you!" he said sincerely.
[Fortune]:Hard to say.
[Mizuno]:?
[Mizuno]:What do you mean?
[Fortune]:Some things are better left unknown…
[Fortune]:Anyway, don't worry. As long as I'm—Zzzz…
[Mizuno]:Fortune? …Hey, Fortune?!
Silence.
"…You've gotta be kidding me."