It should be fine if I just talk to him for a bit…No matter what, he is my trainer. He's helped me so much… I should at least repay him somehow.
Trying to reassure herself, Mejiro Dober made her way toward Trainer Chiya's office.
Wait… what if he's already eaten?If I bring this now, won't it just put him in an awkward position? Even if he does eat it, there's no guarantee he'll like it…
I should've asked Shirayuki what kind of food he prefers…
Dober felt a wave of regret, but it was too late to turn back now. All she could do was push forward.
When she reached the office, she took a deep breath, calming her racing heart, then knocked on the door. After hearing a response, she stepped inside.
"Excuse me, Trainer Chiya."
"Dober, come in. Have a seat."
Chiya gestured toward the sofa. "What brings you here at this hour?"
Dober held the lunchbox tightly in both hands. Sitting down, she spoke carefully.
"Trainer… about my exam last time."
"I saw the results. Congratulations on passing."
"Thank you… but that's not what I wanted to talk about."
She nervously played with her hair.
"My performance improved a lot compared to last time. That's thanks to your guidance. This isn't much, but… I hope you'll accept it."
She placed the lunchbox in front of him.
"This is…?" Chiya asked, pretending not to know.
"I made it. You haven't eaten yet, right…?"
"That's true. I've been busy lately, so I end up eating pretty late."
Hearing that, Dober quietly let out a breath of relief.
"Trainer, you should take better care of yourself. If you can't even take care of your own body, how are you supposed to take care of your Uma Musume?"
"You're right. Mind if I eat it now?"
"O-Of course…"
Dober stammered slightly. Watching someone eat food she made right in front of her felt strangely embarrassing.
Her face was burning.
Chiya untied the wrapping and picked up his chopsticks, taking a small bite.
The taste wasn't anything extraordinary. Compared to Amazon's cooking, there was still a gap. But as a thank-you gift, it was clear Dober had put a lot of care into it. The presentation alone showed how much effort she had made.
"Thank you."
"W-Why are you thanking me…? This is supposed to be my way of thanking you. If you say that, it defeats the purpose…"
"As a trainer, I think the best feeling is receiving a thank-you from an Uma Musume. It means I've actually helped you."
At those words, Dober's eyes trembled slightly.
"Well… of course. You helped me improve my time by a full second. That's something I could never get from the instructors."
She slowly lifted her head.
"This isn't just about gratitude. These past few days, I've relied on you and Shirayuki-san a lot. I think… it's time I take a step forward."
Her gaze wavered for a moment before settling on Chiya.
"I've seen how much effort you put in. Even though you were only auditing, you still worked so hard to support me. So… if you don't mind…"
She took a breath.
"Would you… become my official trainer?"
For a moment, Chiya's vision blurred.
…That's right.This is what I've been working toward.
Everything he had done was to bring Mejiro Dober into his team.
As a member of the Mejiro family, her potential was undeniable. It just hadn't been fully brought out yet.
And now, finally, his efforts had paid off.
"I'm still a rookie trainer. But if you're willing, I want to grow alongside you and the other Uma Musume. If you can accept someone as inexperienced as me… then I'd be honored to sign a contract with you."
Maybe it was because of the excitement, but his vision felt strangely unsteady.
"I accept."
With her answer, Chiya immediately took out the application form he had prepared and stood up to hand it to her.
But the moment he left his seat, a sudden sense of weightlessness hit him. His body swayed, and he grabbed the desk, his head spinning as he collapsed.
"Trainer Chiya!?"
Just before losing consciousness, he thought he heard Dober's voice.
Elsewhere, Shirayuki staggered slightly, catching herself as dizziness hit.
Even with such a strong wave of disorientation, she managed to keep her balance.
My control… has improved a lot.
"…Wait, this isn't the time for that!"
She clutched her head.
The connection to Chiya's perspective had suddenly disappeared.
Did it… disconnect!?
Shirayuki froze.
So it can actually cut off…?
Then she remembered the last thing she saw.
The ground rushing closer.
Don't tell me… I passed out!?
Realizing that, she rushed toward the office. When she opened the door, it was empty.
"He's not here!?"
Did I get up and leave on my own?No… that doesn't make sense.
Then she noticed something else.
Dober wasn't there either.
So she must have taken him somewhere.
If he collapsed, there was only one place.
The infirmary.
Shirayuki sprinted over, and sure enough, she found Chiya lying on a bed inside.
Dober sat beside him, holding his hand tightly, her eyes slightly red.
"Dober-senpai."
"Shirayuki!"
Seeing her, Dober looked like she had found a lifeline, her voice trembling.
"Trainer Chiya suddenly collapsed."
"I know, I know. It's okay. He's in good shape, so don't panic," Shirayuki reassured her. "Where's the nurse?"
"I called her. She should be here soon."
"I see… then let's wait."
Shirayuki sat down beside the bed.
She tried to wake up through her own will, but nothing happened. Looking at Chiya's sleeping face, a faint fear crept into her chest.
If something really happens to this body… does that mean I'll be stuck as an Uma Musume forever…?
During Chiya's unconsciousness, Dober kept holding his hand.
"Dober-senpai… are you still afraid of men?"
Trying to distract herself from her thoughts, Shirayuki asked.
"I am… but in this state, Trainer Chiya can't really do anything to me."
Her fear mainly came from voices and eye contact. With him unconscious, she could at least stay calm.
"I see…"
Shirayuki glanced at the way Dober held his hand so tightly but said nothing more.
After about five minutes, the school nurse rushed in and began examining Chiya. After a series of checks, she gave her conclusion.
"There's nothing wrong with his body. He likely collapsed from stress and fatigue."
"Stress?" Shirayuki repeated.
"Yes. He just needs some rest."
That doesn't make sense…
Even though his workload had increased, it should not have been enough to make him collapse.
But the nurse was certain. His body was perfectly healthy.
In the end, Shirayuki had no choice but to accept it.
"Did Trainer Chiya collapse because of me…?" Dober said anxiously. "He's been adjusting my training every day… maybe I pushed him too far…"
"That's not true."
Shirayuki cut her off immediately.
"Dober-senpai is the most hardworking and least troublesome member of our team. Trainer Chiya always says you complete every training session seriously. He trusts you a lot."
"…Really?"
"Of course."
Hearing that, Dober looked at Chiya with complicated emotions and tightened her grip on his hand.
It was firm. Strong.
A man's hand…
Aside from her father, this was the first time she had looked so closely at someone else's.
"Trainer… please get better soon."
Don't forget… you just became my trainer.
"Let's go, Dober-senpai. The nurse said he just needs rest."
"…Okay."
After one last look, Dober stood up, gave a small bow toward Chiya, and left with Shirayuki.
Two hours later, while Shirayuki was doing her own training, a familiar ceiling suddenly appeared in her mind.
Chiya had woken up.
After another check confirming he was fine, he was allowed to leave.
Rubbing his still-heavy head, Chiya returned to his office.
Am I really just that tired…?
Leaning back in his chair, he thought about it.
Between races, exams, and everything else, the stress had been piling up without him realizing it. On top of that, constantly splitting his attention between himself and Shirayuki had likely worn his mind down.
That's the only explanation…
I need to rest more from now on.
Letting out a sigh, he began organizing the messy documents on his desk. The application form he had given to Dober now had her name neatly written on it.
Seeing her elegant handwriting, his mood immediately lifted.
One step at a time…
Guide each Uma Musume forward, little by little.
And when they fully accept me… that's when we form a contract.
He believed the Uma Musume under him would stay with him for the full three years.
As he sorted through the papers, his gaze drifted to the incense on the desk.
Thin strands of pink smoke rose from it.
He picked it up, frowning slightly.
Isn't that color a bit strange?
Before he could think further, a rich, sweet fragrance filled his nose.
Less than five seconds later—
Shirayuki's connection to Chiya's perspective abruptly disappeared again.