Chapter 2: President?! W-Why Are You Here—?!
As the black-haired umamusume—Kitasan Black—rushed to apologize, Makoto found himself glancing toward the broken hole in the door.
So… she must've been eavesdropping outside.
And when she heard the words "craniotomy," she got so shocked that she yanked the doorknob—and a chunk of the door—with her bare hands.
Clumsy, for sure. But far more noteworthy was the sheer strength and explosive power she'd just displayed.
Umamusume, aside from the ears and tails, looked pretty much like human girls.
But their physical abilities were in a whole different league.
Not only could they run at speeds topping 60 kilometers per hour, but their arm strength, core power, and reflexes were equally superhuman.
At Tracen Academy, training often included dragging heavy objects to develop strength.
And we're talking industrial truck tires—half a ton, easy.
Yet even among umamusume, accidentally tearing off a door and knob was a rare feat.
The instantaneous force she showed just now? Also way above average.
On the flip side… her control over that strength clearly needed work.
Case in point: that clumsy entrance… and, of course, the earlier "traffic accident."
Makoto's mind clicked.
Kitasan Black…
That name…
It sounded familiar.
Wasn't that a name he'd heard before in his previous life?
He paused, thoughts drifting through half-forgotten memories.
Meanwhile—
"You'll take full responsibility?" Agnes Tachyon chuckled darkly. "My, my… how interesting."
Her voice snapped Makoto out of his thoughts.
With a teasing smirk, Agnes Tachyon looked over at the nervous Kitasan Black.
"If I remember correctly, Kitasan-san, you mentioned before that you still don't have a trainer, yes?"
"And Yasui-san here said earlier that he hasn't partnered with any umamusume yet either."
"In that case… if the two of you have no official connection, how exactly do you plan to take responsibility?"
In the horse racing world, the term "official connection" referred to the formal trainer–umamusume relationship, meaning they were mutually responsible for each other's progress.
"Eh—?!"
Kitasan Black let out a drawn-out squeak of surprise, her black ears perking straight up.
"Yasui-san— you're a trainer?!"
"Oh? So this reckless little racer didn't even know who she crashed into?" Agnes Tachyon said with an arched brow.
"R-reckless?! I—uh—!"
Kitasan Black flinched as if struck, her hands twisting nervously in front of her.
Her ears drooped in shame.
"I didn't properly ask about Yasui-san's situation… I was just so focused on getting him to the hospital…"
"B-but!"
She clenched her fists and straightened up again.
"Even if I'm not his assigned umamusume, the fact is Yasui-san got hurt because of me.
I will take responsibility. No matter what!"
"Hmmm…" Agnes Tachyon nodded, clearly amused.
She slid the X-ray toward her across the desk.
"Then for the next few days, I'll leave Yasui-kun in your care."
"Yes, ma'am! I won't let you down!"
Kitasan Black bowed deeply, her voice loud and full of resolve.
Makoto, meanwhile, had just finished sorting through his thoughts and finally spoke up, a frown tugging at his brow.
"Hold on a moment, Dr. Tachyon."
"I have some medical knowledge myself. According to all the scans and reports, other than a mild soft tissue contusion, there's nothing wrong with me. No head trauma. No internal damage."
"So if you're going to insist on hospitalization or even a craniotomy, I'd rather transfer to another hospital for a full second opinion."
"Oho~ Not bad. That's what I'd expect from the top scorer of this year's Central Exam."
Agnes Tachyon nodded slowly, unfazed.
"You're right. Based on what we've seen so far, you're not in any immediate danger."
"So we'll cancel the hospitalization. No surgeries for now."
"For the next few days, just rest in your dorm and come back for periodic checkups."
"If you start to feel unwell at all, we can revisit the idea of hospitalization," Agnes Tachyon added casually.
"Otherwise, the medical costs might be a burden for Yasui-kun—No, I mean… for Kitasan Black-san too."
Makoto Yasui raised an eyebrow.
He hadn't expected Agnes Tachyon to back down so easily, and the sudden change in tone made him a bit suspicious.
Was this mad-scientist umamusume really giving up on her "vivisection plans," or was she scheming something new?
Meanwhile, Kitasan Black nodded repeatedly, her eyes shining with determination.
"I don't mind at all! Yasui-san ended up in this state because of me, so all the medical fees, and—"
Her expression slowly froze, her mouth twitching awkwardly.
"…Also this."
She pulled the broken doorknob from behind her back, presenting it like a child caught with a guilty secret.
"I'll… I'll take responsibility for this too."
"Oh? Well, that makes things easier."
Without even looking up, Agnes Tachyon flicked her gaze at the doorknob and turned back to her computer, fingers tapping rapidly on the keyboard.
"The payment counter is down the stairs, left at the end of the hall. I'll have the office issue an invoice for the door repairs too. You're both free to go."
Makoto figured that probably meant she really had given up on the whole "cutting open his skull" thing. He grabbed his X-rays, gave a polite bow, and stepped toward the door.
"Alright. I'll pay for it. Thank you for everything, Dr. Tachyon."
Kitasan Black also gave a quick and energetic bow.
As she turned to follow Makoto out, she paused, glanced awkwardly at the doorknob in her hand, and frowned. Then her eyes lit up with an idea.
She tossed it into the room's trash can like she was disposing of evidence, bowed again toward Agnes Tachyon, and sprinted after him.
"Yasui-san! Wait up!"
Makoto had only made it a few steps before hearing her voice. Not surprised, he turned and casually pointed to the wall.
Kitasan Black stopped mid-run, confused.
She followed his gesture to a clearly posted sign: "No Loud Talking."
Several passing doctors and nurses shot her irritated glances.
"Ah! I'm sorry! So sorry!"
Flustered, she bowed multiple times in quick succession.
Then, covering her mouth halfway with one hand, she caught up to Makoto and whispered:
"Yasui-san… Are you really okay? Your head isn't injured, right…?"
Makoto gave her a small smile and shook his head.
"She got to you, huh? Don't worry. I wouldn't joke around with my own health."
"And besides, if anything were wrong with me, Dr. Tachyon definitely wouldn't have let me walk out so easily."
Even though it was this girl who'd literally knocked him into the hospital, Makoto didn't harbor any resentment toward her.
From the moment she half-dragged him into the emergency room, it had been clear—Kitasan Black was a good-hearted, kind girl.
And as for that so-called "accident"…
It wasn't really her fault.
They had both seen a child about to be hit. They both rushed in from different directions. The collision was an accident—one born of good intentions.
Still, if there was anything to blame… it'd be this:
Kitasan Black lacked proper control over her own strength.
Makoto had enough experience to adjust his posture in mid-dash.
Theoretically, she should've been able to do the same.
Her lack of control—not her speed or intentions—was the true culprit here.
"Yasui-san… you… you're such a good person…"
Her voice trembled a bit as she spoke, eyes wide with emotion. Then she pursed her lips, seeming to make up her mind.
"Alright—I've decided!"
The first part came out loud—again—and then she quickly shrank, glancing around guiltily and lowering her voice like a conspirator.
"…decided?" Makoto blinked. "Decided what?"
"Well, I–"
She started to mumble, but her eyes suddenly widened and snapped forward.
"President?! W-why are you here—?!"