Early the next morning, in the trainers' office, Chiya finished revising the training plan and started looking for part-time work. His trainer's salary alone clearly wasn't enough. If he wanted to support Shirayuki's expenses, he needed extra income.
Night shifts would be best. Paid hourly, but not too late. The convenience store cashier was out. Night shifts there rotated. Food delivery might work. But he didn't have a bike, and most delivery workers were Uma Musume. Their speed was on a completely different level. By the time he delivered anything, the food would probably be cold. Instead of making money, he might end up getting complaints and losing it instead.
Scrolling through listings, every job had issues. Either the schedule didn't match, the location was inconvenient, or it required special qualifications. The ones he could apply for paid too little, so he skipped them.
Isn't there something easy, flexible, and well-paid?
With that unrealistic hope, he kept scrolling. Then something caught his eye.
"Requirements: Tracen students. Daily pay: 8,000 yen."
What kind of job is this? Why does it pay so well? And only hiring Tracen students…
He clicked into it. The moment he saw the employer, he calmed down instantly. It was the Mejiro family.
That explains it. Of course, the pay is high.
For a second, he thought it might be something shady, like illegal mediation work, and wondered how something like that could appear on a legitimate job site. Since he was already here, he might as well check the details.
[This job will not interfere with regular classes or training. Specific duties will be discussed in person.]
What is this? Why so secretive?
He stared at the tempting number on the screen. After a few minutes, he glanced at the contact number and meeting address.
…Should I have Shirayuki go check it out?
After class, Shirayuki took a train to the designated location. As soon as she got off, she saw it: a two-story villa with a large courtyard.
In Tokyo, a place like this would cost at least tens of millions of yen. Not that expensive. If she saved every yen without spending anything, she could probably afford it in about nine years.
Led by a black-suited attendant at the entrance, she went upstairs and was brought to a room on the second floor. The attendant opened the door and gestured for her to enter.
Shirayuki swallowed and silently encouraged herself. This feels even more nerve-wracking than my central exam interview… She was about to meet the head of the Mejiro family, a major figure in the racing world. One wrong move could ruin her future.
She sat in the chair prepared for her. With the midday sun behind them, the strong backlight made it impossible to see the person's face clearly, only a vague silhouette.
Do all powerful people like to act mysterious like this?
"Fujiwara Shirayuki, correct?"
"Yes."
The voice sounded relatively young. Maybe around thirty.
"You transferred here just a few days ago, according to the phone call?"
"Yes."
"Are you good at housework?"
"Yes. I've lived on my own for four years. I handled everything myself during that time."
"Do you have experience taking care of others?"
"Taking care of others?"
Shirayuki paused. "I worked as a caregiver at a Uma Musume kindergarten before. Does that count?"
Back then, Chiya had taken the job to observe how young Uma Musume ran. He had stayed for three months.
"A caregiver, I see. That's actually quite suitable."
The person seemed satisfied.
"If we asked you to become a tutor for our child, would you be willing?"
"…Huh?"
That caught Shirayuki completely off guard.
Tutor? What exactly does that mean?
Finally, the head of the Mejiro family explained.
"Mejiro Dober. Our child, Dober. She struggles with social interaction. She often says the wrong things and has difficulty getting along with others. Even now, no trainer has chosen her. So we are looking for a Tracen student to help her improve her communication skills."
Because family members were too familiar, their influence was limited. Letting her figure it out herself hadn't worked either. So the Mejiro family decided to hire someone.
They needed someone who could stay close to her, act as a communication partner, and actively help her change. This wasn't just making a friend. It required observation, guidance, and consistent effort. A demanding job.
Others had applied before, but the strict requirements drove them away. Tracen students all aimed for high-level races. With enough success, fame and glory would follow. Who would give that up to essentially babysit someone else? That was why the position remained unfilled.
"And… Dober has androphobia."
"Androphobia?"
"Yes. She becomes anxious and unstable around men. You would need to be especially careful when she interacts with them."
"So that's why…"
Shirayuki was surprised. That explained her behavior the other day.
"Well? Can you accept the job?"
The tone was careful, almost cautious. Even they knew this wasn't an easy request. But the pay was high.
Shirayuki hesitated.
8,000 yen a day. Helping someone improve socially. Her own classmate.
Should she take it?
"…Can I think about it?" she asked. She needed to consider how much time it would take.
"If you agree now, we can raise it to 9,000 yen per day."
"It's not about the money. I'm also an undebuted runner. I need my own time. If I spend all my time helping Dober-senpai, it will affect me too."
"10,000."
"I said it's not about the money."
"11,000."
"…Well…"
"12,000."
…
Shirayuki cleared her throat.
"Money isn't the point. As someone with a sense of responsibility, and also as Dober-senpai's roommate, it really bothers me to see her struggling like this. As her junior, I feel I should do something."
"So your answer is?"
"…Deal."