"It's strange."
March murmured as she wiped away sweat after finally reaching their agreed-upon goal.
"I know he's someone who might be connected to something big, but why does he insist so much on not telling?"
The UmaMusume furrowed her brow while watching people come and go from the supermarket.
Out of all the people she had met in her life, Kiyoshi was truly the most curious.
Not only because of his mistakes when saying strange things, but also because he acts as if he's a bit clumsy, yet at the same time, as if he knows what he's doing.
"Do you want me to know or not?"
March complained while watching as a black-haired boy arrived, jogging up to the spot.
He wasn't tired, he showed no signs of having exerted himself, his gaze remained as somewhat indifferent as always.
Despite the great distance from the starting point.
Something that, in contrast, had exhausted her.
"You won."
Kiyoshi said while pretending to wipe sweat after reaching their destination.
"I'll get you dessert tomorrow."
He said with a small smile, but March shook her head.
"I want something else."
The trainer took a step back and frowned.
"For you to change your mind... means you want something bigger."
Kiyoshi looked at himself and then looked up again.
"There's a big age gap, it's not good for you to ask for something like that."
He looked at her accusingly, and March just rolled her eyes.
"I don't want anything you're thinking of right now."
She dismissed any mistaken speculation the trainer might have.
"Can I ask for the reward later? I don't have anything in mind to ask for yet."
March said, and Kiyoshi looked at her analytically before nodding.
"That's something I can do."
Kiyoshi accepted March's request.
"Well then... see you tomorrow."
He turned around, ready to leave as he considered the training finished.
"At the usual time?"
"At the usual time."
Kiyoshi nodded and proceeded to leave, leaving March in silence, who soon began to feel herself jogging towards the academy while thinking about many things.
"October fourth..."
She murmured the date of that day.
The day she would run in the Junior Crown against Oguri Cap, also the day she could solidify her path as a runner.
"Without a doubt... I can win."
She smiled, remembering the last race Oguri Cap had run against Norn.
———
The days continued to pass normally.
The training sessions, the occasional outings, the races, and the awards for the UmaMusume at the academy.
The only thing that had changed was Kiyoshi, who seemed increasingly frustrated with something, but tried to hide it from the people around him.
Clearly, he had failed at this, as it was included in my thoughts summarizing this time.
"Only four days left."
Kiyoshi said while Norn and March jogged a few meters away.
"Two will be for training, and the day before the race you'll rest."
The black-haired boy spoke in his usual lazy tone, and the UmaMusume simply nodded in acceptance.
"Do I get to rest too?"
Norn asked while turning to look at Kiyoshi, who shrugged.
"That would be more your decision. Even though you train with me, you're still an UmaMusume under another trainer."
Norn pouted but continued with the routine.
A few weeks ago, she had tried to get a team transfer, but Kiyoshi stopped her with a few words. Though it hurt, she understood that, in fact, she wasn't an UmaMusume suited for him as a trainer.
Her eyes rested on March, who maintained a serious expression.
On the other hand, she also noticed that March had developed the habit of continuing to train even when Kiyoshi ended the sessions.
She did something similar too, but not to the extreme of staying until nightfall like the UmaMusume assigned to Team Stella did.
'Does he know?'
Norn glanced sideways at Kiyoshi, who was on his bicycle, pedaling lazily without showing any enthusiasm.
He surely knew. He just didn't see the need to correct March.
At the end of the morning training, both UmaMusume returned to their dormitories to shower and then go to their classes, giving Kiyoshi free time to return to his residence.
———
"Can we go?"
"No."
"Can we go?"
"No."
Same question, same answer.
"Why not? We already know everything about UmaMusume and races."
"Who is the most recognized UmaMusume in Japan?"
"Symboli Rudolf, the undefeated UmaMusume."
A black-haired girl raised her hand and answered Kiyoshi's question as he was preparing some rice.
"And what's the reason for her retirement?"
"An injury."
"And?"
"Is there more?"
"Go study."
Kiyoshi said dryly and refocused on the kitchen, ignoring the rest of the voices that had been the cause of his annoyance these past few weeks.
"It was also because of the shame she felt after losing in a foreign Grade 3 (G3) race."
Kiyoshi looked at the purple-haired girl who spoke and just snorted.
"I'm still not taking you to the race."
The purple-haired girl pouted and began to look for a way to achieve her goal.
"Then I'll tell Dad that you wanted to eat us."
Kiyoshi snorted, amused.
"Those words are very easy to misinterpret, Aurora. Besides, your father left you in my care for a reason. Don't think that fool doesn't know my temperament."
The black-haired boy grumbled while taking out the rice and then putting another pan on to heat.
The girl, who was just entering adolescence, grumbled in annoyance, feeling totally defeated by this guy who acted with complete superiority without showing a shred of respect.
"Besides, you can watch the race on TV."
"The excitement of a close-up experience is better than watching the simplicity through a screen."
The black-haired girl who had been insisting earlier said while seemingly doing things she had only seen in Buddhism.
"That sounds very wise."
Kiyoshi looked at the black-haired girl and then at Aurora, who nodded in support of the black-haired girl.
"UmaMusume races make more sense if you watch them in person. Watching so many recordings sometimes deprives you of the real excitement."
"You're annoying."
Kiyoshi was beginning to think it would be a bad idea to actually be a father in the near future, where he would be the primary guardian.
But for that, it was honestly too late.
He sighed and simply paid attention to the kitchen again.
"Fine, you can go... but don't say anything stupid to people."
The black-haired boy looked at the rest of those present and added a bit more.
"And don't mention me as your big brother or anything like that."
"Okay, big brother!"
"Annoying."
———
Finally, race day arrived.
A large crowd had gathered at the venue well before the race was set to begin.
The excitement was palpable among them.
But the ones that stood out the most were two groups.
"Will coming like this really let us go unnoticed?"
Alice questioned while wearing black sunglasses and a formal black outfit.
Something that made her look more like a security agent than a normal passerby.
"I never thought about going unnoticed."
Toshi said while playing with his keys.
Like Alice, he wore a completely black outfit and sunglasses.
Something that was also replicated by his other eight companions chosen for this "mission."
"Besides, our objective is to prevent any attempt at race manipulation by external means."
Toshi stopped when he spotted in the distance an older man with black hair staying more in the shadowy areas.
He recognized him.
It was hard not to, really.
"Big brother!"
A girl's call distracted Toshi, who turned to look, and his cheeks puffed up as he tried to hold back laughter at the surreal scene.
The second group that stood out a lot was this one.
"I want something to eat."
Toshi just watched as Kiyoshi began dealing with a group of children who followed him like a brood of ducklings.
"I already gave you money. You decide what to buy. I have to take care of some things."
The black-haired boy acted annoyed, but when the group walked away, he was clearly supervising to make sure nothing happened to them.
When they finally disappeared from view, the trainer's gaze turned towards the group that looked like a security unit and made a disapproving face as he walked towards them.
Boom!
Toshi felt a great pain in his head as he bent over a bit.
"Why do you always choose eccentricity over efficiency?"
Kiyoshi questioned while the other black-haired boy just rubbed the bump on his head with tears in his eyes.
"It was so you'd notice us quickly."
Toshi recomposed himself and put his arm around the trainer's neck while pointing to the girls in his group.
"Besides, don't you think it looks good on them? After all, it's good to enjoy this kind of thing when you've been suffering so long in the prison of..."
Toshi's mouth closed and couldn't open again while the trainer just crossed his arms and looked at the rest of the group, who seemed nervous.
"Long time no see, arrogant brats."
Kiyoshi gave a small smile, and the first thing that happened was the strangest scene for all the onlookers watching from a distance.
"Boss!! I'm tired!"
The trainer's leg was hugged by a blonde who didn't care about being in public.
"That girl Alice really needs your help with her explosive temper."
The blonde looked up with crocodile tears and looked at the face of his potential savior.
"Why don't you ask her out? Maybe then she'll stop being annoyed by everything."
Kiyoshi raised an eyebrow and then let out a weary sigh, something that made the rest of the group open their eyes in disbelief.
Even the pleading blonde and the annoyed Alice reacted and looked incredulously.
"It's not the time for me to indulge in the luxury of having dates."
Toshi, who heard him, just frowned and looked at the sky.
He didn't have to think much about this.
"If something happens, you'll be in charge."
The black-haired boy shuddered and turned his gaze to Kiyoshi, who still had his blonde companion hugging his leg.
"Huh? Why me?"
Toshi crossed his arms and frowned.
"Hajime is more professional than I am."
Kiyoshi smiled a little and simply put his hands in his jacket pockets.
"Isn't it your joint promise if that happened?"
Kiyoshi started walking without paying attention to the blonde guy still hugging his leg.
"What was he talking about?"
Alice asked while looking at Toshi, who had a bad look on his face.
"How does he know about the promise?.. no... why is he telling me only now?"
Although the black-haired boy didn't seem to pay attention to Alice.
"Bastard!"
Toshi exploded.
"You complain so much about that bastard, and you're similar to him in his youth!"
Alice was left incredulous when she heard Toshi speaking in perfect Greek while pointing at Kiyoshi, who turned to look at him and simply waved his hand dismissively.
"I'm forced to be like him, it seems. Sorry."
Toshi frowned and just felt his body tremble.
"Fucking bastard."
Toshi complained and simply walked towards a nearby food stand.
Throwing a tantrum would be pointless. He just didn't expect everything to be so fast...
Due to his outburst, Toshi ignored the presence of a little black-haired girl who was listening to everything from the shadows and simply sneaked away until she reached her group.
"And what did you discover, Darkness-Chan?"
Aurora asked while eating a dango.
"Big brother's bodyguard has a special identity."
The black-haired girl took the dango offered by a blue-haired girl.
"It also seems the reason we're under big brother's care is because something big is happening."
The black-haired girl frowned, and Aurora hummed while finishing her dango.
"Bigger than Dad's battle?"
"If even he is being cautious, it must be much bigger."
Aurora hummed and simply frowned upon realizing that no matter what she did, her investigation into her big brother was too superficial.
Besides, he surely already knew. She could feel that difference between her and her big brother.
The lack of presence, as if he weren't alive.
'The gap is immense.'
———
"Are they your acquaintances? The ones who look like a security unit?"
March asked while watching her trainer enter the room they had agreed to meet in.
"Why do you ask?"
Kiyoshi raised an eyebrow, and March pointed at her trainer and looked at him accusingly.
"A lot of strange people are around you. It wouldn't surprise me if they are also your acquaintances."
"You barely know me, and you say everyone around me is strange."
Kiyoshi snorted.
Although March wasn't entirely wrong either.
"They're my old university classmates."
Kiyoshi waved his hand while walking towards the whiteboard.
"You're proving my point..."
"Is that more important to you?"
Kiyoshi asked with a raised eyebrow and then began writing something on the whiteboard.
"Whatever, you shouldn't pay too much attention to them. It's bad for you. They're like religious fanatics."
Kiyoshi turned around and showed what he had written on the whiteboard.
"The strategy for this race is... do whatever you want?"
March tilted her head and seemed totally out of place.
Had her trainer hit his head?
"I know what you're thinking."
Kiyoshi said dryly while playing with the marker.
"But I know you can win this race regardless of what you do."
March looked at her trainer with a shine in her eyes, but he only crushed her growing admiration.
"Although that depends on how much you've closed the gap between you and..."
Pwah!
Kiyoshi doubled over while clutching his stomach in an exaggerated manner.
Before him, March frowned with annoyance and looked at him with a mixture of disappointment and irritation.
"Why are you always like this?"
She asked, and Kiyoshi tried to recover after the UmaMusume's blow.
"Sorry, my fanaticism got the better of me again."
Kiyoshi apologized, but for March, that apology wasn't sincere.
"So, you want me to run in a way that feels good to me?"
March looked at the whiteboard again.
Leaving that topic aside was better to avoid getting annoyed with her trainer, who was obsessed with her strongest rival yet.
"Yes, none of the ideas I have to make your running style more effective are an option for you."
Kiyoshi, who seemed unharmed, said calmly while looking at the UmaMusume.
"They're not suitable for me..."
March looked thoughtfully at her trainer and then gave a half-smile.
"Sometimes I think you really have no idea about this."
Kiyoshi made a face at the obvious jab but quickly returned to normal.
"You can think all the bad thoughts about me, but I try to bring out the best in you without risking your physical condition. I'd feel bad if you got injured because of that."
After those words, there was only silence from March, who looked at her trainer with wide eyes.
Kiyoshi, now crossing his arms, only raised an eyebrow seeing March's lack of reaction as she just stared at him.
"Don't tell me that..."
His words didn't finish when the UmaMusume, in a strange act, was now hugging him.
"I know..."
Kiyoshi felt bewildered while his hand moved to the UmaMusume's head and gave a soft pat.
"This is weird."
March snorted while letting the trainer touch her head.
"Shut up before I regret doing this."
The strength in the hug only increased, and Kiyoshi did as the UmaMusume asked.
He paid no attention to time, and when they separated, neither said anything.
March just turned around, and Kiyoshi watched her with his gaze until she reached the door.
The black-haired boy was going to stay quiet, but an idea crossed his mind, one that would surely change many things in their lives.
"That place..."
March stopped when she heard her trainer's voice.
"It doesn't depend solely on something physical."
Kiyoshi pointed to his head while March watched him.
"Everything you achieve will be through a combination of body and mind. If you have talent but a weak will, you won't advance."
"What are you talking about?"
March asked seriously, and Kiyoshi simply put his hands in his pants pockets.
"You know."
Kiyoshi passed by her side and left the room before the UmaMusume.
March didn't know how, but Kiyoshi had already disappeared from the place, leaving her alone while those words echoed in her head.
The more they engraved themselves in her mind, that place began to emerge in her thoughts.
"Really..."
March frowned.
"You really revealed that out of nowhere?"
Did he really reveal he knew about that place?
Didn't he want to keep it a secret that he was a superhuman?
"What are you really doing?"
March wondered while closing the door and beginning to walk towards the area assigned for the runners.
———
"There's nothing better than taking a vacation and enjoying some entertainment."
A blonde man smiled while sitting comfortably among the audience.
His attire attracting attention, and the people around him took pictures of the "cosplayer."
"Is it a good idea to come without telling him?"
A girl with orange hair asked, looking at the person she had been ordered to guide.
"Huh? Why would I have to inform the brat about my affairs?"
The blonde made a face while watching the UmaMusume begin to come out.
"They're truly interesting beings."
The blonde brought his hand to his chin and gave a half-smile.
"I only get to know about them now, but this just means more problems for the brat."
The blonde looked at his guide and spoke seriously.
"He keeps playing dumb?"
The orange-haired girl frowned.
"I don't know what you're referring to, Your Majesty."
"I'm talking about that incident months ago."
The blonde crossed his arms.
"You mean that?"
The orange-haired girl relaxed her expression and looked towards the track.
"That incident is nothing to him... same with the other two recent trips thanks to Uncle Chaoxiang."
"Then why does he keep acting like a child?"
"He is a child."
The blonde fell silent and simply snorted, amused.
"The contestants are beginning to enter the circuit!"
Both raised an eyebrow at the familiar voice now resonating in the place.
The people in the audience were also curious about the change, as the announcer was now a woman.
"Today is no ordinary day!"
"The two UmaMusume who have recently built a reputation will run against each other again."
"She sounds very excited."
The orange-haired girl murmured dryly.
"Her 'darling' is here. It's normal for her to get excited."
The blonde snorted while beginning to sip some wine from a golden cup.
"In lane number five, the favorite to win the race, Oguri Cap!!"
"In lane number nine, the only UmaMusume who has managed to defeat Oguri Cap in her debut race, Fujimasa March!"
"Will March manage to defeat the hope devourer once again? Will Oguri Cap get her revenge against March?"
"Did they give her a nickname so quickly?"
The blonde began to turn his head and just fell silent when he observed Kiyoshi beside him.
"You haven't been slacking..."
The blonde smiled, and Kiyoshi just glanced at him before continuing his walk to where a person of interest was.
"Your presence is very problematic..."
The blonde just smiled at those words.
"You know your role. You can't avoid it."
Kiyoshi didn't stop and just continued walking until he sat down next to an old man leaning on his cane.
"That makes it sadder."
The orange-haired girl sighed heavily, and the blonde just sighed.
"Ruppei-san!"
"I told you to call me Musaka, idiot."
Both just watched the interaction between the old man and a man who walked followed by an UmaMusume who sat down next to Kiyoshi, who seemed to console her about something.
"Ginjiro Musaka."
The blonde murmured the old man's name.
"He feels interested in him?"
The orange-haired girl questioned, and the blonde just shook his head.
"Momentary interest, nothing big."
The blonde looked back at the track and uttered other words.
"It's interesting to know someone has abilities of this sort."
The blonde snorted, amused.
———
"I thought you weren't coming back."
Alice looked at Toshi, who sat down beside them.
"Pff, me getting angry doesn't mean I won't complete my duties."
Toshi crossed his arms and put his feet on the seat in front of him.
"Since Kiyoshi accepted that girl as his pupil, she became his responsibility, and Kiyoshi's safety responsibilities are my priority."
The black-haired boy spoke calmly, something very different from his earlier reaction.
"By the way... that strange guy..."
"Ignore him. If you keep looking at him, you'll start feeling like you're nothing but an insect on the ground."
Toshi snorted, and Alice felt very confused now.
"More than Kiyoshi?"
"Many times over. That miserable guy is possibly the richest person in the universe."
Toshi bit his thumb while trying to calm his envy.
"I thought it was something else..."
The Russian girl sighed resignedly until she realized something in Toshi's words.
"He's richer than Kiyoshi?"
———
"That name."
March murmured while remembering the recently mentioned nickname for her rival in this race.
"Although 'hope devourer' does suit her..."
Oguri's ears twitched, as if catching March's whisper, who could only snort a little, amused.
And she began to walk to her assigned gate, like the other UmaMusume.
"All the girls are now at the starting gates."
March took a breath, and her gaze became completely serious.
"The fifteenth edition of the Junior Crown is about to begin!"
The announcer spoke with great excitement.
"There are a lot of nerves before the start, huh?"
The announcer talked to herself, but for some reason, she began to hum through the speaker.
"This is... weird."
March murmured at the strange act and looked to her sides to see if the other UmaMusume had such thoughts.
But to her surprise, the two UmaMusume beside her, who had seemed nervous before, were now totally calm and focused.
Totally prepared for the start of the race.
After a few seconds, she stopped, and the gates opened, signaling the start of the race.
"And the UmaMusume take off with great energy! All of them seeking to take the lead from the first moment!"
'Run however feels most comfortable to you.'
March remembered the conversation with her trainer before the race while advancing and taking the outer lane, quickly leading the race.
In the days prior, she had received many explanations from her trainer for this race.
So she already had a strategy in mind.
The UmaMusume glanced sideways.
She still didn't have the second place too close.
"The runners enter the second turn! The leader is Fujimasa March, followed by Okan Maker, who is trying to close the gap with March!"
'Even though she's in second place... the main opponent is Oguri Cap...'
March thought but quickly realized she seemed to have the same illness as her trainer.
'It's difficult.'
She mentally snorted. A chibi version of her trainer mentioning the UmaMusume with a great appetite appeared on her shoulder while drinking coffee.
"Detestable."
She focused completely on the race.
She would soon enter the third turn.
'I don't feel comfortable.'
March thought. Maintaining this distance didn't make her comfortable. There was still a lot of track left to the finish line, but this distance between her and her strongest rival made her feel uneasy.
'So...'
Her right foot stomped the ground forcefully.
Everything around her seemed to go silent for an instant, and then the UmaMusume took off.
"This is impressive! Oguri Cap and Fujimasa March accelerate at the same time before the final stretch!!!"
March's eyes opened a bit in surprise upon hearing that the UmaMusume had also accelerated at the same time.
It took only a few seconds to soon feel the change behind her.
The presence that slowly but surely closed the distance between them.
"Both runners have made the decision to accelerate early! Will they be able to have energy left for the final stretch?!"
March gritted her teeth at that rhetorical question.
It was a reality that having accelerated from much earlier meant quickly draining her energy, which was normally used in the last part of the race.
But now she had to continue at this pace. Any loss would mean total defeat.
She can win this race. He assured her of it.
He told her with a smile... only to then name the UmaMusume who was now running beside her.
March's eyes opened in surprise when she realized her own thoughts.
Sweat ran down her face, just like the UmaMusume beside her.
The effort of maintaining a constant speed from a great distance was beginning to affect her.
And beside her, little by little, Oguri Cap began to create a distance between them.
A minimal distance, but one that felt as if there were a great gap between them.
As if they were kilometers apart.
'It's the same distance I feel when I look at him.'
She got distracted in a memory already a bit... a small chibi version of her trainer beat her to it?
"March!!"
A call woke her up. It was a call that didn't sound like a normal shout due to the distance.
"What are you doing?!"
Wasn't it obvious?
Why did he have to ask that?
"The runners enter the final stretch! Oguri Cap now leads while continuing to create distance between her and Fujimasa March!"
"It seems you're an idiot."
She became furious.
She gritted her teeth with great anger, anger that even she didn't know where it came from.
"What the hell are you talking about? Of course I can win!"
"Incredible! Fujimasa March seems to have gotten a second wind and accelerates again!"
The distance that previously existed between them disappeared. Both were now running equally.
The effort on their faces, the sweat running down their faces, but their gazes were set on a single objective.
The finish line.
Not just any finish line. It was that finish line they had seen only a few times, which little by little was becoming clearer.
"Now you just have to focus!"
Even with all her attention on winning, March could still hear her trainer's voice.
'Focus?'
As if her trainer's words knew what would happen, soon the place changed.
Once again, she was here, in that place.
And beside her was also Oguri Cap, who didn't seem too surprised this time.
Both kept running, both at the same pace.
It was a matter of seconds.
And when they returned to reality, the sound of cheers and excited, incredulous shouts filled their ears.
"This is incredible! Both runners have crossed the finish line at the same time!"
The bewilderment on her face hadn't disappeared yet, even as she heard those words.
Her eyes quickly searched for her rival, Oguri Cap, who was leaning on her knees while catching her breath.
She was also bewildered.
On the results board, all the UmaMusume had been placed in their final positions, except for first and second place.
"Sorry for the delay. They are still reviewing the final image to declare the winner."
The announcer, who was animated before, now seemed a bit uncomfortable while asking the euphoric audience for calm.
———
"What did you think?"
Kiyoshi asked while looking beside him at the Tokyo trainer who had appeared at the location.
He had spent the whole race chatting with him and with Kitahara while ignoring the fanatic on his other side, who now seemed ecstatic while ranting about how magnificent a UmaMusume race could be.
Musaka, who was usually a man of few words, turned and looked at the young trainer.
He had heard a bit about him, as he had been in Tokyo not long ago and had submitted his application to enter the Central Trancen Academy.
He honestly didn't expect that he already knew about him and that merely upon seeing him, he would come to chat.
Even his nephew wasn't as energetic as him when talking about UmaMusume, especially his assigned UmaMusume.
"What do you want me to say?"
"Will she be the talk of the town or can she stand out in Tokyo?"
Kiyoshi asked, and the three people around him seemed surprised to hear the question he posed to the trainer of the national team.
"Hmm."
Musaka turned his gaze towards the track.
Everyone was still waiting to hear the race result.
The UmaMusume were still recovering after the race.
"Do you really want your assigned UmaMusume to face those great challenges?"
The veteran trainer asked, and Kiyoshi looked in March's direction and smiled.
"I wish I could be less hasty, but an UmaMusume will always want to be the fastest."
Musaka hummed again and finally decided to give his answer to Kiyoshi.
"She would be crushed... but that was my opinion before the finish..."
Musaka spoke seriously.
"That girl can stand out, but she'll need her trainer to instill more instructions in her instead of talking to her mid-race."
Kiyoshi let out a laugh upon hearing the old man's words.
"You're funny, old man Ruppei."
The old man made a face and then used his cane to hit the black-haired boy's foot, who just complained and apologized.
"After several minutes, we finally have our winner!"
The speakers resonated with the announcer's voice, and the entire audience fell silent, eager to hear the result.
The participating UmaMusume equally waited anxiously for the result.
"After several reviews, the UmaMusume winner of the fifteenth edition of the Junior Crown is Oguri Cap!!"
Cheers resounded, the excitement of such a race palpable.
But the only ones not celebrating were Toshi, Kiyoshi, and that blonde guy who only looked seriously in the direction of March's trainer.
———
"I lost..."
March murmured while feeling her legs begin to tremble.
After all this time, after all the training, even having her trainer's assurance... she lost.
She was frustrated, annoyed, not with her trainer, but with herself for not meeting the expectations he had in her.
She also wanted to show him that... she was special too.
But she lost. There was nothing she could change.
"How did she do it?"
She questioned, although she also had to question why she also had a second wind to manage a "tie" with Oguri Cap in the final stretch.
"It was because of you."
An answer came from in front.
March raised her gaze a bit and noticed a hand extended towards her.
"Thanks to your words, I knew I didn't want to lose, and the strength I didn't know I had came out on its own."
March felt bewildered by the words.
Hidden power? Was this an anime/manga?
"No, it's worse. It's a fanfic."
A chibi Kiyoshi said while drinking coffee on her right shoulder.
Ignoring her chibi trainer, she returned her attention to the UmaMusume before her.
The sensation was similar to what Oguri Cap described, that frustration she felt when her master called her an idiot.
The feeling of desperation at the fact of losing.
"If your goals aren't clear, you won't be able to reach the top."
The UmaMusume repeated those words she had told her that day at the viewpoint.
"Now I understand what you meant."
Oguri smiled. Her blue eyes showed her sincerity.
"Let's run together until we reach the national level, March!"
March felt her heart tighten.
Past memories of her trainer flashed through her mind until she was back in the present, where Oguri Cap extended her hand to her.
An incredulous smile formed on her face.
"Together?... Next time, I'll win."
March took Oguri's hand, and she helped her stand up completely.
"Oguri Cap, huh?"
An UmaMusume from a distance murmured while watching the interaction between those two UmaMusume.
"Interesting. I'll remember her face."
"Don't forget Marchi-chan."
The UmaMusume's hair stood on end as if she had been electrocuted the instant she heard the voice coming from behind her.
When she turned around, she found herself with a group of boys in black attire and a black-haired guy who seemed to be their leader.
Instinctively, her ears perked up, her alert state activated.
"The instincts of the national-level UmaMusume don't seem to be that great."
Toshi scratched his cheek while Kiyoshi just glanced at him before ignoring him and walking towards the UmaMusume.
"Don't be nervous. I just came to say hello."
Kiyoshi gave a small smile, but the UmaMusume just went on the defensive.
"Who are you?"
"Oh, my apologies. I'm Kiyoshi Ishikawa, trainer of Fujimasa March. Nice to meet you, Tamamo Cross."
Kiyoshi bowed.
If before, Tamamo's ears indicated her alert state, now her tail moved due to her current discomfort.
"What business do you have to appear in such a creepy way?"
She was already ready to flee.
"Toshi."
Kiyoshi turned around and looked at his trusted man, who turned towards the group, which tossed him two black briefcases.
The UmaMusume was now bewildered, and when both briefcases were opened, she just fell silent.
One of the briefcases was full of money, and the other had a document with a seal and several words she could understand.
"Sorry for being intrusive, but I'd really like you to accept these two things..."
The UmaMusume's face darkened while the wind just made the skirt of her uniform flutter.
"You... investigated me?"
Was this guy a stalker trying to court her?
Her ears moved, showing her now nervousness.
"I investigated all UmaMusume, both active and retired, their economic and social situation."
Kiyoshi said while closing the briefcase.
"I've decided to help any UmaMusume in any way I can. You, a talented UmaMusume, are no exception."
Kiyoshi began to extend the briefcase towards the UmaMusume, who just stood there incredulous at everything.
"You just have to take it. You read the document... you must know I don't need a favor in return."
Tamamo gritted her teeth. Her whole body, not her mind, and her body told her no. This guy inspired no confidence. The fact that he was doing this with a fake identity confirmed it.
But she wanted to accept. She knew that if she did, the odds were higher than ever.
"I..."
———
"You did well."
Kiyoshi walked beside March, who remained silent.
Both were heading to witness Oguri's Winning Live, though now that seemed like a bad idea considering March had lost by a nose against her in the race.
"I... lost. I failed."
March said disheartened. In her mind, Kiyoshi's words were merely a consolation, pity due to their trainer/UmaMusume bond.
"Actually..."
Kiyoshi looked up at the sky.
"I lied to you."
"Huh?"
"In this race, I actually expected you to lose by more than three lengths."
Kiyoshi spoke quietly while receiving his UmaMusume's gaze.
"I simply lied to you, hoping for an unexpected result."
A smile appeared on the black-haired boy's face. It wasn't a fake smile; it was a totally sincere smile. March could be sure of that after spending so much time by his side.
"That's why I'm telling you, you did well. You even managed to surprise me. What do you want as a prize?"
The trainer joked, and the UmaMusume just let out a small, amused laugh.
"But if I can really ask for a prize..."
March glanced sideways at her trainer and gave an evil smile.
"Can I come celebrate your birthday?"
The black-haired boy didn't seem surprised as he continued walking, completely ignoring the shadows that followed them silently.
"At this point, denying you that request is just foolish."
Kiyoshi looked bored and glanced at March.
"You just have to promise me one thing."
"Yes?"
"You won't say anything to people outside of those at that party."
Kiyoshi turned his eyes forward again.
"Are you a cult that worships you?"
March joked, but then remembered when she personally ran into Kiyoshi's university friends.
They all seemed to be verifying her condition, and then simply left while speaking English among themselves.
"Well, the possibilities have increased."
Kiyoshi let out a laugh, and March just followed with a nervous laugh.
"Why doesn't he kiss her?"
Aurora questioned while watching the trainer and UmaMusume.
"Since when is their atmosphere romantic?"
Darkness asked doubtfully, and Aurora rolled her eyes.
"Let's go watch the Winning Live of that girl who gives me chills."
Aurora murmured, and her companions nodded.
"Will Uncle Arthur be there too?"
"Unlikely. He just came to meet up with big brother. For a king like him, spending too much time with these people is sickening."
Aiko snorted. Aurora and Darkness had to agree with her.
At the end of the day... it would be better to enjoy the moment and stop worrying about future situations.
End of Chapter.
And another chapter!
After two weeks, I'm updating again. I apologize for the delay, but honestly, I've been feeling uninspired to write all this time.
But well, a new chapter, with more new characters who will be fleeting and interactions with characters who will be very relevant in the future, like Tamamo Cross.
The race between Oguri and March, as I've said before, will bring many changes for both, especially since I'll maintain a rivalry between them until they retire.
Although I certainly have a more interesting plan for the UmaMusume who are already past their peak ages.
But well, that's still a long way off. Your comments also influence things, as that's how I know if people appreciate the story, hehehehe.
Anyway, if you have any questions, go ahead, and I'll answer as best I can.
I don't think I have anything more to say, so...
Until next time!