Chapter 10

"Mmm...

Bill Withers' music played softly from an old radio in the kitchen. A middle-aged man with a disturbing appearance was quietly making coffee.

It was morning, just as the sun was rising, but the atmosphere was so quiet it seemed like two in the afternoon. Suddenly, the floor shook with a loud noise.

-, thump, thump

"What's... an earthquake?"

The man making the coffee stopped stirring the spoon and listened. The floor shook slightly, thumping as if something heavy was approaching.

Is it an earthquake? Just as I was about to hide under the desk, the sound came closer.

-, thump, thump

"Dad?" What are you doing there?"

"Oh, nothing."

A girl, barely 150 cm tall and delicate, with long hair and a small build, casually brushed past him. And with every step she took, a knock resounded.

The man stared at the source of the mysterious noise: his own daughter. Meanwhile, Tamamo, the girl, ignored her father's gaze and mixed the remaining coffee with milk.

The brown liquid in the cup softened. She added two more sugar cubes, raised the glass, and gulped it down.

Kia made an old-fashioned gesture and put the glass down again. She stood there for a long moment, motionless.

Do you have something to say? Her small lips trembled.

"Your father."

"What's wrong?" "About last time... I'm... I'm sorry." I got angry for no reason."

"The truth is, I don't care, so there's no need to apologize."

"Although... well."

Tamamo lowered her head, fiddling with her hands. Her normally erect ears drooped.

The man gently stroked her small crown. Soft gray hair tangled between his fingers, the same texture and color as his wife's.

Tamamo, who had been silently accepting his touch, blushed shyly and suddenly raised her head. At the same time, she wagged her tail.

"Actually, I joined a professional team this time. I even found a coach."

"Fine. So what?"

"There's a race scheduled after these kids'. Anyway, it's a conditional competition, and the store will be packed, so I didn't ask you to come. But..."

As soon as her words trailed off, the man's gaze fell upon her blazing blue eyes.

"This time I won't lose at all."

"I just... wanted to say that. Okay."

It was a kind of ambition. After saying a few short, concise words, she left the kitchen.

The man, alone, stared at his daughter's back. Another knock was heard.

"A horseshoe?"

 The man's sharp gaze scanned the top of Tamamo's sky-blue sneakers. Every time she touched the ground, he felt the weight, the vibration.

He couldn't have gained that much weight, so it must be part of her training. Who would have thought she'd force him to train like this? That new coach, Lee, even though I don't know his face, is an extraordinary person.

"Phew!"

He doesn't normally smoke in the gym, but the feeling of heaviness and suffocation was unbearable, so he clumsily searched his pocket for a pack of cigarettes. The seriousness his daughter displayed just before leaving stunned the man.

She wasn't always passionate about running. She gladly complied with the coach's demands during training, but she rarely pushed herself more than necessary.

She simply made her parents happy by running. Deep down, she just wanted to see her parents smile, and had no intention of becoming a runner or achieving anything.

She's a quirky and kind girl these days. However, he doesn't enjoy the races themselves. This time, I'm not going to lose at all.

As I light the end of my cigarette, the look from earlier comes to mind. A look similar to the one his mother gave him just before the race.

What made him suddenly so desperate? It's such an obvious question that the military doesn't even need to let their guard down.

It must be his fault, surely. He couldn't bear to see his father living like a beggar, so he decided to take on the burden himself.

There aren't many ways to make more money than being a racing driver. That is, assuming he was successful.

"Phew!"

A father financially dependent on his daughter, who isn't even twenty yet. Pathetic as he is, he is to a degree. A chuckle escapes him. The embers of his cigarette flicker precariously in the puff of air.

The same goes for his relationship with his long-buried wife. As her trainer, he's become a scapegoat. He hasn't contributed one bit to her victory. And yet, why does he insist on marrying such an idiot?

I don't understand why people do this. If I were a woman, I wouldn't even consider such a man. It makes me want to throw up.

The fine imposed by the court, the additional burden of suffering, is beyond what any single person can bear. Whoever filed the lawsuit probably thought I couldn't pay it. That's why they're venting their frustration.

I wish I could find that guy who swindled me, beat him to death, and then kill him too. But how could a middle-aged man catch someone that not even the international police could?

I deliberately kept quiet in front of my daughter, avoiding unnecessary burdens, but that girl, with her wit, must have perceived the extent of the damage a long time ago. That's why she had that look in her eyes just now, and I said something I normally wouldn't.

"So everyone will be happy only when I'm gone... What nonsense."

The reason a former trainer doesn't interfere with his daughter's training. The reason his wife retired without achieving her dream of winning the G1. The reason he was swindled out of necessity. The reason.

It's all because of me... Stupid. Because I'm incompetent.

I'm always a burden to others, garbage. That's the only meaning of my existence.

 "Problems."

I wanted my daughter, the only member of my family I had left, to grow up without worries. She didn't have to be a great runner. It didn't have to be a race at all. As long as she somehow found happiness and grew up healthy, I was content.

But now, as if being a wife weren't enough, she tries to burden her children with this burden.

"I miss you."

I don't know, right now, nothing.

The Kyoto racecourse, still reeling from the Shimbun Kyoto Cup held a few hours ago, is in full swing. Next up is Tamamo Cross, the 5-10 favorite and today's third favorite.

[Looking at her recent record, she's achieved a second place and two third places, just missing out on first place.]

[Yes, can she get the long-awaited victory today? That's the key to this race.]

[By the way, it's been a while since she's faced such a tough race. Will she be okay?]

A makeshift stage is set up in front of the waiting room where the Uma Musume train before the race.

A gray-haired girl strides out from the far end of the long hallway.

As she finally steps onto the podium, she frowns slightly, as if dazzled by the sunlight, and looks around. "Incredible..."

"Those legs are always incredible. And yet, they still haven't made it to first place..."

The girl abruptly throws her jacket over her gym uniform. At the same time, gasps of admiration erupt from the audience.

Unashamed of the scorn surrounding her, the girl calmly picks up her jacket and heads back down the aisle.

The ceiling reappears, the sun disappears, and in the darkness, her piercing blue eyes shine softly.

The girl murmurs softly,

"I win."

The race begins.