Looking at the two who were deep in conversation, Kazuo couldn't help but find Aoi, who was organizing goods on the other side.
"There's something I'd like to ask. Shouldn't specialized racing boots only be acquired after a debut race?"
"Hmm..."
With a slender finger resting on her chin, Aoi thought for a moment and said, "This can only be considered a convention, right? If a Trainer judges an Uma Musume's ability to meet the standard, they can contact us in advance for adjustments. Adapting earlier helps with preparations for future races."
"I see..."
"Of course, exclusive racing boots are usually custom-made after an advance reservation, and the time required is at least one or two months."
In Aoi's opinion, Mihono Bourbon's visit today was mainly for some basic measurements and to discuss plans.
After all, Kiryuuin also needed to review and evaluate her qualifications.
Kazuo thoughtfully considered what Aoi had said.
What exactly is the standard for judgment? Every Trainer probably has their own different opinion... As Kazuo was thinking, he felt as if he was being watched. When he turned his head to look towards the shop door, there was nothing there... "Hmm?... Was it my imagination?"
"Asama, come here for a moment."
While Kazuo was in a daze, Kiryuuin, who was standing at the counter, called out.
"Yes, coming right away!"
Although a bit puzzled, Kazuo attributed it to his own overthinking and quickly turned and jogged over.
However, what he didn't know was that, just after he turned away, a small head slowly poked out from the other side of the door, cautiously observing the situation inside the shop.
"Asama, I should have taught you this before, right?"
Kiryuuin said, handing him the shoe upper he was holding, "What type of racing boot is this?"
Kazuo took it and saw that it was relatively light and small, with softer material.
"Is this for short-distance races?"
"That's right, it seems you've understood it well." Kiryuuin said, taking the shoe back, and continued to speak to Mihono Bourbon, who was standing in front of him, "Mr. Kuronuma asked me to prepare this earlier, but if the information I received is correct... you should be a middle-to-short distance runner, right? Then this type should be very suitable for you... So, may I hear your reason for choosing racing boots adapted for long-distance races?"
"Eh?"
Kazuo was also stunned when he heard this, but then he couldn't help but recall that day's race, and the ability Mihono Bourbon displayed in the 2000m middle-distance race.
"Mihono Bourbon should have indicated that she needs long-distance racing boots."
"That's true, but I also need to know the exact situation. Especially for custom-made items, even if the Trainer agrees, we still need to consult and agree."
He usually seemed casual, but at this moment, he was exceptionally serious.
This was probably a matter of principle.
Mihono Bourbon was silent for a moment after hearing this, then replied:
"Because the Kikka Sho distance is 3000m. For Mihono Bourbon, since the final crown of the Triple Crown is long-distance, Mihono Bourbon must adapt to races of this intensity."
The Classic Triple Crown... no wonder. The Triple Crown races are a goal that every middle-to-long distance runner wants to achieve.
But—
"That's what you say, but it also says here that you are a middle-to-short distance runner, right? The Kikka Sho is a 3000m race; that's not something you can just talk about."
Kiryuuin was very blunt, but it was also the truth.
He had seen too many Uma Musume striving for the Triple Crown. Although having grand goals is a good thing, sometimes one needs to distinguish what is within one's capabilities.
He wasn't trying to discourage her; it's just that there's only one champion. Moreover, even if he wasn't an Uma Musume, he knew how brutal the long-distance uphill course of the Kikka Sho was.
Therefore, when he saw 'middle-to-short distance' marked on her adaptability in the data, he 'kindly' reminded her to be safe.
Of course, whether the other party would appreciate his kindness was not for him to consider.
"This report is from Mihono Bourbon's measurement before she enrolled. After training with Master, Mihono Bourbon is confident in continuing towards this goal."
The girl's emotions remained unchanged; it seemed such questioning was something she was already accustomed to.
She replied very calmly, and Kiryuuin, who had been observing her, also nodded and said:
"Is that so... Alright then. Since the Uma Musume's wish has been confirmed, we won't say anything more. After all, my role here is just to give advice. However, I will communicate with Mr. Kuronuma. Since you've chosen to go for middle-to-long distance, many aspects of your training plan will need to be improved, and we will also adjust weighted training boots for you."
As Kiryuuin spoke, he deftly pulled out a document from a drawer. It was a procurement document.
"Custom racing boots. Aoi will take you to the back room for measurements later. You and Mr. Kuronuma can come back in a month to sign and pick them up. And then, since you said you're aiming for the Triple Crown, weighted accessories, training shoes, weighted vests..."
Kiryuuin mumbled as he checked off items on the procurement list, and soon he had selected a complete set of training equipment for Mihono Bourbon.
"Since Mr. Kuronuma intends to train you this way, I will also provide you with corresponding training equipment. If you can persevere, then at least it should have some effect on your future qualification assessment."
Taking the delivery note Kiryuuin handed her, Mihono Bourbon bowed deeply. Although her tone was still flat, it conveyed a sincere attitude.
"I am extremely grateful."
Watching Mihono Bourbon walk to the back room led by Aoi, Kazuo couldn't help but turn to Kiryuuin, who had started secretly smoking a cigarette.
"Can race adaptability, like this, be adjusted through acquired training?"
This was his question. It wasn't about saying effort is useless, but rather that competitive sports actually test talent more. Generally, adaptability assessment is like being labeled; once fixed, it's very difficult to change.
"It's difficult."
Kiryuuin took a deep breath, slowly exhaling smoke.
"But it's not impossible. Although Horse Racing does test talent and ability, how should I put it, the Mr. Kuronuma I know—"
"He is also a diligent Trainer. If he and an Uma Musume are willing to fight to the death and work hard, I want to see what kind of results they will produce."
There will be 2-3 more updates tonight, including a birthday chapter for Daijin.
Seeking razor blades and votes!
[Daijin's Birthday Chapter] Making * Lovers
It was noon on the third day.
"I'm so sorry to trouble you to come and help."
Yuriko said, placing the brewed floral tea on the table.
Kazuo looked up, then immediately returned to work, nodding as he replied, "It's no trouble at all. You all go rest; I should be done in a bit."
"Is that so? That's a huge help..."
Yuriko smiled, relieved, her tense emotions finally easing.
"Then... let Daijin stay here with Asama-sensei. If anything comes up, just call me from outside."
"Eh!?"
Daijin, who had been staring at her phone with her head down, instantly looked up in surprise, her eyes wide as she stared at her mother.
"Because you're also very free. You're just sitting here playing on your phone and resting anyway, so why not stay here and assist Asama-sensei?"
"Guh-eh..."
Daijin was like a kitten being choked, letting out a whimper.
Their gazes met instinctively, and Daijin immediately showed an expression of dread at the thought of trouble.
Such a look was truly disheartening, and Kazuo couldn't help but smile wryly, "It's fine, I can handle it alone. Everyone should just go rest."
"How can that be! Anyway, Daijin, you just stay here! I'll go get some more tea and snacks for you two~"
Yuriko commanded with a rare forceful tone, but as she left the room, she hummed a cheerful tune.
With the door closed, only the two of them remained in the staff office.
And the atmosphere became strange.
The store's air conditioner hummed, and the sound of typing filled the room.
Kazuo secretly glanced out of the corner of his eye at Daijin, who was hunched in a chair, playing a mobile game, and couldn't help but sigh softly.
Why had it come to this situation again?
This had to be explained from earlier.
.
After seeing Mihono Bourbon off, Kazuo was busy until his lunch break. He had just opened his phone when he unexpectedly received a message from Xiao Hai Wan.
The gist was that Daijin had encountered some trouble, and when she consulted Xiao Hai Wan, Xiao Hai Wan remembered Kazuo, who she had previously mentioned worked at a store near Daijin's place.
So she sent a message asking Kazuo for help.
However, rather than Daijin encountering trouble, it was actually a situation at the flower shop where Yuriko worked.
They were supposed to compile and input last month's accounts into the store's office computer, but for some reason, it wouldn't start.
With Golden Week approaching and various orders coming in, temporarily jotting everything down on paper was the only solution Yuriko, as the acting store manager, could think of.
But this was clearly not a long-term solution, so the few people in the store were now in a frantic mess, and the repairman they called hadn't answered the phone for a long time.
Seeing that the situation was indeed not good, Daijin, truly at a loss, tentatively contacted Xiao Hai Wan.
Of course, Daijin chose to contact Xiao Hai Wan because her LINE account only had Xiao Hai Wan, her roommate (who had "forced" her to add her).
Although she was particularly excited that Daijin would ask her for help, Xiao Hai Wan was indeed not very familiar with computers.
However, since Kazuo had been in the server room for a while, watching match replays and such, Xiao Hai Wan naturally thought of him.
So she sent him a plea for help.
While it was somewhat coincidental, Kazuo did know some computer knowledge. After all, he had taken computer classes in high school and gained experience during his month of working in Tokyo.
However, regarding this, Kazuo still wanted to complain a little.
Why did girls always think that a guy who uses a computer automatically understands computers? If it were truly a hardware malfunction, he wouldn't be able to fix it himself.
But since he had agreed, and it was also his lunch break, after telling Aoi, Kazuo went to the flower shop Farver with a 'let's try' attitude.
Upon seeing Kazuo, Yuriko was first stunned, then showed a surprised expression.
After learning that Kazuo was introduced by Daijin's roommate to check the situation, Yuriko practically regarded him as a savior.
The few employees in the flower shop were all girls. While they could use computers, repairing machinery was too difficult for them.
They might be experts in floral art, but they were completely clueless about computers.
However, last month's accounts had to be finalized today and sent to the head office, so Yuriko was currently having a headache.
Even though Kazuo repeatedly emphasized that he was just there to check the situation, he was still treated as a savior by the others. Except for Daijin, who stayed by the side with a somewhat strange expression, Kazuo was practically enjoying the treatment of being surrounded by stars, escorted into the staff office.
In the large room, there was only one computer that looked a bit like a second-hand item picked up from a used goods market.
"This is the computer. I wonder if Asama-sensei has any ideas..."
"It won't turn on?"
Kazuo squatted down to check the power connection while asking Yuriko.
"Mm... It was working yesterday, but today, for some reason, it won't start at all. After pressing the power button, it just made a few sounds and then stopped responding..."
Yuriko got a headache just looking at the computer that wouldn't start.
"It shouldn't be a hard drive failure..."
If it really was data recovery, then he could only shrug and say he was powerless.
However, he tried to start it, and the host made a few struggling, low sounds like it had asthma, then stopped responding.
Listening to the sound inside the case... Kazuo tried again and indeed felt there was a problem.
He crouched down, pulled the computer case out from under the desk, tidied up the wires a bit, unscrewed the bolts, and removed the cover. Kazuo's face immediately darkened.
"How… how long has it been since this was cleaned?"
He saw that the exhaust fan inside this old-fashioned computer case was covered in a thick layer of dust. When he lightly wiped it with his hand, his thumb instantly turned pitch black.
"Yuriko, have you never cleaned this before?"
Who would have thought, Yuriko also looked very surprised.
"This… can it be opened?"
"…"
This machine had definitely never been cleaned since it was bought.
Kazuo was at a loss for words for a moment, so he continued to check the situation. Besides the exhaust fan, he also needed to check if the RAM sticks on the motherboard had oxidized, causing poor contact.
However, this should cause the system to overheat and crash. If he guessed correctly, the RAM sticks might also have come loose… "Excuse me, do you have any brush tools here, like a toothbrush?"
"Uh… no."
"Then, you should have clean water, right? Wait for me, I'll go back and be right back."
After saying that, leaving everyone bewildered, Kazuo rushed out.
After a while, Yuriko seemed to snap back to reality, turning to Daijin, who was engrossed in her phone, and asked, "Does Asama also live nearby?"
"…Most likely, he lives where he works…"
"What did you say?"
.
When Kazuo returned from the shop with a small brush for hoof care, as well as wet wipes and an old dry rag from the shop, he sat there carefully cleaning the dust from the exhaust fan. In no time, the water in the basin next to him also became murky.
After checking carefully for no signs of oxidation and securing the wires on the motherboard, he put the cover back on, plugged in the power, and tried to start it.
This time, the computer case no longer made that dull buzzing sound; the noise was much quieter. After it started running normally, the display screen also showed the boot-up message.
As Kazuo had expected, the cause of the malfunction was a lack of cleaning.
"Alright… there shouldn't be any problems now."
However, no sooner had he spoken than Kazuo looked up at the desktop displayed on the computer screen and was instantly speechless again.
This computer was still running the long-discontinued XP system, and the files on the desktop were haphazardly scattered everywhere. Files related to orders, account statements, and financial reports, for example, densely covered the entire desktop.
"This is… too messy, isn't it?"
Speaking of which, is it really okay to just dump files like this? Isn't this an office computer? Even if they can't get another computer, they should at least back up files on a hard drive.
If an unrecoverable error occurred, wouldn't that result in incalculable economic losses?
Kazuo asked, somewhat incredulously, and Yuriko also seemed a bit embarrassed.
"The store manager was in charge of this before, so I'm not particularly clear."
Kazuo seemed to recall Yuriko mentioning that she was acting as the interim store manager because the original manager had gone to the head office in Osaka to report on her duties.
"Hmm… then I'll help you take a look. I might as well help you organize the files so it'll be easier to use later."
"That would be a great help."
The few young girls in the shop looked at Kazuo with almost worshipful eyes, but he kept his gaze fixed on the computer, frowning as he tried to find things amidst the dense array of files.
"By the way, Yuriko, do you know where your templates are saved?"
"Templates…?"
"I mean, the spreadsheet templates used for electronic data entry. For a shop, you'd need something like that for accounting, right?"
"Are you talking about this?"
Yuriko pointed uncertainly to a file on the desktop with a string of numbers.
"Hmm… yes, this should be the macro command file created earlier…"
After just one glance, Kazuo fell silent again… How should he put it, the way this macro command was written looked like the kind of paid software specifically designed to trick computer novices.
To some extent, Kazuo strongly suspected they had encountered an unscrupulous vendor selling a custom-built machine.
Even though the original store manager wasn't there, Kazuo could still imagine what an unreliable person she was.
Shouldn't things like this have been carefully reviewed during the contract signing?
"You… you haven't been inputting numbers one by one into the spreadsheet all this time, have you?"
"…Yes."
Upon receiving the affirmative answer, Kazuo scratched his head, a bit perplexed. "I'll rewrite a set of Excel macro commands for you, which will make operations much more convenient."
"And then… among you, whoever has better comprehension skills, I'll explain some things to her first, and then write a simple operation guide. This way, your efficiency will greatly improve in the future."
Hearing this, Yuriko turned her head to scrutinize the young girls, then her gaze fixed on Daijin, who was still looking down at her phone.
"Daijin's comprehension should be good; let her do it."
"Huh?"
"Huh?"
Daijin and Kazuo both exclaimed in unison, neither of them having expected Yuriko to make such a decision.
"Anyway, Daijin is Asama's student at school, right? There shouldn't be any communication barriers, should there?"
Yuriko clapped her hands together, making the decision, but in reality, the communication barrier between the two… as summarized above, had led to the current situation.
"Daijin... can you look over here, please?"
"Oh."
Although she responded properly, it felt difficult to communicate well.
But no matter what, the two of them had finally taken the first step.
"Hmm, look at this. You actually don't need to input it cell by cell like they did before. See, if you stop typing, it automatically jumps to the next cell."
"Oh... it really does."
"Alright, let's start by talking about quickly filling sequences and entering consecutive numbers."
"Manually entering them can easily lead to errors like this, so you'll need to change your method."
Logically, this is something middle school students would learn in computer class—
To be honest, putting Daijin aside, is it really okay that all the employees here are computer novices?
.
"Anyway, look, I've revised this part. If you write it in this format and press this macro button, the table will be exported correctly, along with the value list and this month's summary."
"Also, over here, I've debugged it so it can export the entire client list."
He explained for over ten minutes, until Daijin was completely silent. It was then that Kazuo turned his head, only to find the girl staring at his cheek as if deep in thought.
The moment their eyes met, both of them froze, unsure of what to do.
Unconsciously, the two of them were sitting very close, side by side, and something else flickered in the eyes of the petite Daijin—
"I brought some tea and snacks."
To their surprise, Yuriko walked in with desserts, and Kazuo's head instantly twisted at a very strange angle.
"Ow, ow, ow!!! It's going to break! It's going to break!!!"
"Daijin, what are you doing!!"
Yuriko finally managed to get Daijin to remove her hand, which she had unconsciously propped against Kazuo's face. Kazuo, rubbing his neck, was still shaken, almost truly believing he would cross the Sanzu River in that instant.
"No, I just did it unconsciously..."
For some reason, her mood soured again, the girl mumbled softly.
She was almost killed by someone's unconscious action—
"It's fine. Anyway, the text has been written. It's this TXT file I left on the desktop."
Checking the time, Kazuo stood up as it was getting late.
"I've covered the main points. That's pretty much it. Daijin should understand how to operate it now. I won't stay any longer."
"Oh, won't you stay a little longer?"
"No... I came during my break. Since I also work at a nearby shop, I need to hurry back now."
"Is that so... that's really troublesome. Then please accept this fee..."
"No, no need for that, really! I just came to help a friend out."
Whether it was Yuriko, or Daijin, or agreeing to Xiao Hai Wan's request.
Kazuo was unwilling to accept the offered payment.
Seeing Kazuo's resolute attitude, she couldn't say much more and just nodded, saying:
"In that case, how about I give you a pack of the shop's floral tea? It's not an expensive gift, just a small token of appreciation."
"Hmm... that I can accept. Then I'll respectfully obey."
The shop's special floral tea tasted quite good, Kazuo thought, and no longer declined.
"Then I'll go get it for you—"
"I'll also head out. And Miss Yuriko, I've also entered your accounts for you. You just need to verify them later."
"What about Daijin?"
Yuriko had originally wanted Daijin to see Kazuo off, but at this moment, she was already slumped over the table, completely devoid of energy.
Looking at her unmotivated daughter, Yuriko felt a bit helpless.
Although it was her wish to bring the two together, if her daughter herself didn't have such desires, it was best not to push too hard.
So Yuriko didn't say anything more, simply leading Kazuo out of the room.
And Daijin, sitting alone in the room, buried her head deep in her arms as if exhausted, once the entire room became quiet.
"..."
Tap, tap, tap, her feet unconsciously kicked the table leg—
"..."
"I messed up again..."
She muttered, only loud enough for herself to hear.
She wanted to get along well, but she always unconsciously put up "resistance." She could get along well with everyone else, but only with Kazuo, she could never bring herself to be honest.
Although she pretended to be nonchalant, her heart was actually very conflicted.
Sitting with him always made her uneasy. Looking at his profile reminded her of the classroom at dusk that day, his silhouette at that time. Once she recalled these things, an indescribable emotion always spread through her heart.
She herself didn't know what was wrong with her, but—
Perhaps constant avoidance was the best choice for now.
As she was thinking, her hand unconsciously touched a sharp, square object.
The notebook that had fallen to the floor was last month's ledger.
When Daijin picked it up and placed it on the table, it happened to open to a page where a familiar name appeared before her, causing her to pause slightly.
Asama... Kazuo.
Why had he bought flowers here too...?
The date is April 20th... wait, that day is—
She picked up the ledger and carefully cross-referenced it, only to discover an incredible coincidence.
Client, Asama Kazutomi... a bouquet of white daisies, card gift-wrapped and mailed... Could it be—
Her heart began to pound rapidly. She quickly pulled out a photo she had saved in her phone gallery, a card written by her fans to give her strength.
Daijin had always been grateful to these three unknown fans. Besides her teacher and mother, these gifts were also the strength that helped her move forward.
But—
Could it really be like that? She rummaged haphazardly on the table. Daijin remembered Kazuo had written some notes on it earlier.
"Here...!!"
The handwriting she found, and the words on that card—
"...!!"
As if her breathing stopped, after realizing all of this, she sat stunned at the table, unsure what to do for a long time.
What should I do?
What should I do?
What... should I do—
Completely at a loss, she could only bury her head in her arms.
This wasn't escaping; it was just that, at this moment, she didn't know what kind of expression to show that person.
Towards that clumsy yet incredibly gentle guy... they were both the same, both hopelessly—
"...idiots..."
Whether she was talking about Kazuo or herself, only she knew the answer.
------------------------------
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