Inside the infirmary, Fujiwara Chiya was applying medicinal oil to Nase Fumino's arms, which hung limply at her sides as if dislocated. Although he had applied medicine to Uma Musume before when working as a caregiver, this was his first time doing so for a human woman. Unlike Uma Musume, her arms were untrained, so soft that he could barely feel any muscle, yet she had used those very arms to pull him back from danger.
"Thank you for earlier."
Her blue-green eyes glanced at him calmly before shifting to the window.
"It's nothing."
She remained as cold as ever, but what she had done made it clear to Chiya that beneath that cool exterior, she was actually kind. Not many people would throw themselves forward without hesitation to save a colleague.
Repay kindness with kindness. Chiya understood that well.
Is there anything else I can do?
He thought to himself.
Perhaps noticing his thoughts, Nase Fumino spoke. "This kind of injury will heal in three days. You don't need to worry about me. Compared to me, they need you more."
"They" naturally referred to his Uma Musume.
After applying the medicine, the two of them could only sit there in silence. It was better to go back and take care of what needed to be done.
A few minutes later, Chiya stood up.
"I understand. Trainer Nase, I won't forget this. If you ever need anything from me, just say the word. I will do everything I can."
He left the infirmary.
Nase Fumino remained, gazing out the window.
Repay a debt…
Not a bad phrase.
But judging from his reaction, he had probably forgotten everything already.
The fact that they had met long ago.
At that thought, a trace of disappointment crossed her face.
The moment Chiya stepped out, something was already happening on Shirayuki's side.
"Shirayuki."
"Ms. Tazuna!?"
Seeing the familiar green figure, Shirayuki jumped in surprise. "I'm really sorry you had to see me like this."
She scratched her hair, a few blades of grass still stuck in it.
In front of the perfect woman in his eyes, Chiya always wanted to appear reliable, yet reality was the complete opposite. Every time he met Tazuna, he was either tied up by Uma Musume, scolded by the chairman, or left dejected after being abandoned by a runner.
Everything he did not want her to see, she had already seen. And now even Shirayuki had inherited his bad luck. If she had at least won, she might have been able to stand tall in front of her. But she had not just lost, she had not even crossed the finish line properly.
Sliding across it face-first.
That kind of finish was unheard of, not just at Tracen, but in racing history. Thankfully this was not the official Twinkle Series. If she had done that in front of tens of thousands of spectators, she might have considered deleting her account and starting over.
"Shirayuki, that wasn't embarrassing." Tazuna gently fixed her hair. "I watched your race from start to finish. Even at the very end, you never gave up. You pushed yourself to surpass your limits. That determination was more beautiful than anyone else's."
Her gentle words deeply moved Shirayuki.
What an amazing woman. Kind, considerate, and beautiful.
I want to date her.
From the very first day Chiya arrived at Tracen, he had been captivated by Tazuna's mature and composed charm. Whether it was her looks or her personality, she perfectly matched his preferences.
Unfortunately, everything that followed had been less than ideal. He kept making mistakes and embarrassing himself, and in the end, Tazuna always had to clean up after him.
He could no longer hold his head up in front of her.
If he kept being this unreliable, one day he might end up with no option but to pair up with himself.
"Thank you, Ms. Tazuna. I've realized that I still have many shortcomings. Compared to them, I still have a long way to go."
"It's good to be motivated. You're just like your brother in that regard."
"Really?"
So in her eyes, I'm motivated.
That might be one of his few strengths.
Just as Shirayuki began to feel a little pleased with herself, Tazuna seemed to notice something. She gently held Shirayuki's face and leaned in closer.
Seeing those beautiful eyes so close, Shirayuki's breathing stopped.
W-what is this supposed to mean!?
Her mind went blank.
This angle, this situation…
She could only think of one word.
A kiss.
But why?
Why was she suddenly leaning in like this? Did I put something strange on myself? No, I just smell like grass. And why Shirayuki? What about me as Chiya? Wait, does that mean… Ms. Tazuna, are you into girls?
As Tazuna's face drew closer, Shirayuki shut her eyes.
Whatever happens, who could resist this!
Just as she braced herself, a warm sensation touched her neck.
"Shirayuki, you're bleeding."
…
"Huh?"
Tazuna reached out and touched the area beneath her cheek, along her neck.
"Here and here. Your skin's scraped."
She had noticed the redness earlier. Upon closer inspection, tiny beads of blood had begun to surface.
Even with an Uma Musume's physique, sliding that far in a training uniform still took its toll.
"Come with me to the infirmary. I'll treat it."
"…No, I'm fine. I can do it myself."
Shirayuki waved her off.
Just moments ago, she had already imagined what their future children would be named.
This misunderstanding alone was enough to make her too embarrassed to show her face for three days. Tazuna was not that kind of person.
Shirayuki sank into self-loathing.
"No matter how I look at it, Ms. Tazuna has surpassed me in both mind and body. I thought I was someone blessed by fate, but even the gods can't fix how corrupt my thoughts are…"
"What's wrong, Shirayuki? Why are you suddenly putting yourself down like that!?"
Looking around to make sure no one was listening, Tazuna leaned in and whispered.
"If you don't mind, we can find some time. I can give you some special training."
Catching the faint floral scent from her, Shirayuki perked up.
"Special training?"
"That's right." Tazuna nodded. "I can teach you how to become a strong Uma Musume."
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A/n: If anyone has a suggestion on how I can improve the translation, please do tell. For now, I'm basing how good the translation is on how I enjoy it and how acceptable it is. But I feel like there is something missing.