After seeing his Uma Musume fall, Fujiwara Chiya panicked and jumped straight down from the stands. Fortunately, someone beside him reacted quickly and pulled him back.
That incident quickly spread among Tracen's trainers in that exact version.
Although the real reason behind it was embarrassingly stupid, the outcome wasn't bad. Everyone saw just how concerned he was for his runners. But the more praise he heard, the more guilty Chiya felt. That reputation didn't suit him at all. If anything, it should belong to Nase Fumino.
"Maybe I misunderstood him before. He's not that bad after all."
Whether it was how he quietly helped her or how he panicked and jumped down when Shirayuki fell, Mejiro Dober's impression of him had improved.
Maybe he was a bit perverted, but he was a good trainer.
"So? What did your trainer say?"
Dober asked Shirayuki, whose smile looked a bit stiff.
"My trainer said your running form has an issue. Your center of gravity is too far back, which makes it harder to accelerate. Also, you still had energy left at the end of the race, which means your timing for acceleration was off. If you had started accelerating before the curve, you might have overtaken the two ahead of you."
Hearing this, Dober quickly replayed the race in her mind. Just as Shirayuki said, when she accelerated, it always felt like she couldn't fully exert her strength. And by the end, she still had stamina left, far from the exhausted finish she had expected.
So it was a center-of-gravity issue…
Her instructor had never mentioned that before.
Then again, a trainer would naturally be more professional than an instructor. These problems would be easy for them to spot.
"I see. I'll work on it. Thank you, and thank your trainer as well."
Dober nodded seriously. This was exactly the kind of guidance she needed.
"I'll try adjusting my running style later and see if there's any improvement."
"Dober senpai, it's hard to notice differences on your own. You need a trainer present."
"A trainer…" Dober's gaze dimmed slightly. "But I don't have one."
"My trainer… he's always thought highly of you."
"Shirayuki's trainer…" Dober hesitated.
Even if he wasn't as bad as she had imagined, just thinking about him being male still made her uneasy.
Her ideal scenario had been simple. She would win a race, attract multiple offers, and then choose a female trainer. That way, her ability would be recognized, and she wouldn't have to feel uncomfortable during training.
But reality didn't work like that. She couldn't even win.
"The reason those Uma Musume win is because they all have professional trainers guiding them. Instructors only teach the basics. They won't teach the deeper, more advanced aspects. If you could receive proper training, senpai, you would've won that race."
Seeing her hesitation, Shirayuki quickly added, "You're scared of men, right? You're not comfortable training under my brother… In that case, I'll act as the middleman."
"…What?"
Dober didn't understand.
"I can relay every instruction from my trainer to you. That way, you won't have to interact with a man directly, but you can still receive proper guidance."
"No… that's too much trouble for you."
"It's not trouble at all." Shirayuki stood up. "You've always wanted to overcome your condition, right? Then treat my trainer as the target of that challenge. Use him to gradually face your fear. I'll be there beside you, relaying everything and helping you follow through."
"If you're not ready to sign a contract yet, you can apply to your instructor for a trial period under a trainer. If it doesn't suit you, you can go back. What do you think?"
This proposal was almost perfect for Dober. It was entirely built on Shirayuki's effort as the intermediary. Looking at the white-haired girl sincerely inviting her, Dober couldn't help but ask,
"Shirayuki… why are you doing so much for me?"
To you, I'm just a senior you've known for less than a month. We're not that close. Nothing major has happened between us.
Yet Shirayuki kept helping her.
Was it because of her mother's request? To help her overcome her communication issues?
Dober didn't know. But she understood one thing. No ordinary underclassman would go this far for someone like her.
Shirayuki fell silent for a moment.
"Because I like Uma Musume."
She spoke simply.
"I love watching them run. I love their joy when they win, and I love their determination when they refuse to give up. To me, Uma Musume are the most beautiful beings in the world."
"So, Dober senpai… when I saw how hard you were trying, I decided that I wanted to help you shine on the track in your own way."
Those simple, pure words struck directly at Dober's fragile heart. In those clear blue eyes, she saw her own reflection.
This girl was different from other Uma Musume. Her words felt like the voice of an angel.
Could someone like this really exist?
Maybe. The one in front of her did.
Mejiro Dober accepted her proposal.
For now, she would train under Shirayuki's trainer and decide later.
That night, during the team's barbecue gathering, Fujiwara Chiya ended up drinking alcohol. Even though Chairman Akikawa had already forbidden him from drinking, he needed some way to vent his excitement.
"It worked… senpai was right… whether it works or not, just sell the idea first…"
Chiya muttered nonsense, his face flushed red.
"Rice Shower… can't drink alcohol, but… Rice Shower can drink juice with Onii-sama."
Sitting beside him, Rice hugged her juice.
"You can drink when you're older."
"Yes. When that time comes, Rice will drink with Onii-sama."
"Boss, another plate of chicken skin!"
"Gold Ship, aren't you ordering too much?"
"Not at all! This is nothing!"
"Two more beers here!"
Shirayuki waved her hand drunkenly, her speech slurred.
"Shirayuki, you can't drink! Huh… you're already drunk!?" Meisho Doto panicked, trying to stop her.
The lively night passed, and the next day, an orange-haired figure pushed open the door. Smelling the unpleasant odor inside, she frowned deeply.
"That idiot… I knew something was off when he didn't show up for work!"