Chapter 96: Horino’s Youngest Sister’s Theory on Love

"This afternoon, thank you both for taking the time out of your busy schedules to be here."

As a member of the distinguished Horino family, it was only natural that I’d been drilled from a young age in the etiquette of standing buffets and tea gatherings. Well, the Horinos were relatively modern—what you might call a “relaxed” noble household—so those manners were rarely forced on us, and there weren’t many opportunities to show them off. Still, skills you work hard to acquire don’t fade so easily. It’s like that saying about muscle memory—once you learn how to ride a bike, you can still pedal just fine even after a long break.

So, acting as the host of this gathering, I opened with a greeting that paid the utmost respect to the two of them… only to have it shut down instantly.

"No, you don’t need that with family. Can we just get to the point already?"

One line from Masa, and that was that.

…Well, yeah, maybe it was a bit over-the-top for family. But still, things like this are about starting with proper form, right? Like saying “thanks for the meal” before you eat.

"Even among close family, there’s etiquette. Let me at least say that much."

"We’re not even gathered in the first place. It’s a day off, sure, but I’ve got plans. Can we move on already?"

…Fair enough. Wasting Masa’s time wouldn’t be right. And strictly speaking, since we weren’t physically together, saying “thank you for gathering” was a lie anyway.

What I was facing wasn’t two people, but my powered-on PC monitor. On the screen was a LINE call window, displaying the icons of my two siblings’ accounts.

That’s right. This “gathering” was entirely online.

Generally speaking, when people hear “a noble family meeting,” they probably imagine something like sitting around a round table in a pristine garden, tea and sweets laid out neatly, or gathering in a lavish hall dressed in dazzling formalwear. And to be fair, those kinds of events do exist. When interacting with other families or handling formal introductions, that’s usually the case, and I experienced my fair share back when I lived at the main house.

Honestly, they’re exhausting. You have to wear a mask at all times and never show your true feelings. Since I’m not good at that kind of acting, I had to stay constantly on edge.

That said, it’s not like we always went that far whenever we gathered. In the end, those events exist because there’s a need for them—to display the family’s authority and power, to hold confidential discussions, to establish shared understanding and unity. The host has a clear objective, and the party itself is just the necessary expense to achieve it.

Which also means that if there’s no clear purpose, there’s no need for an unnecessarily lavish gathering.

That’s why, when the Horino family met privately, we never went all out. At most, we’d brew slightly better black or green tea during afternoon tea time.

Calling my brother and Masa today was, in a sense, just an extension of that. Maybe there was no need to approach this so stiffly. …Though, to be honest, it wasn’t that I was trying to sound formal on purpose. I was just nervous and ended up that way.

"Now, now, Masa. I’m happy that Ayumu came to us for advice like this. Don’t you feel the same?"

The one who stepped in was my older brother—the eldest son of the Horino family. Always mediating whenever Masa and I clashed, he soothed her today as well, his voice carrying that familiar what can you do? tone.

"…I guess it’s better than when you tried to handle everything on your own."

"Then you should just say that. Ayumu’s Ayumu—you have to spell things out, or he won’t get it."

"…I’ll take that under advisement."

Good. It seemed like Masa had settled down, at least for now. …Though this time it wasn’t so much anger as reflexive pushback, so “settled down” might not be the right phrase.

Thinking, once again, that my brother had saved me, I spoke up.

"Sorry, and thanks, big brother. And… it’s been a while."

"Yeah. About three weeks, I think. How’ve you been since then?"

"I’m doing well. Ever since I started making sure to get enough sleep, my total active hours have gone down, but my efficiency’s up. I’ve also had fewer minor health issues. …I’m realizing now that you were right."

"I see… I’m glad you’re actually resting."

He murmured that, sounding genuinely relieved.

…It struck me then how much I must have worried him. He’d always looked out for me—telling me to eat more, sleep more, constantly checking on my health. I should have listened sooner. I should have reassured him earlier.

He’s one of the few family members I truly trust. Maybe I should’ve taken his words more seriously instead of brushing them aside.

I’d been so focused on what was right in front of me that I overlooked something so obvious.

…It’s never too late to say thank you, or to apologize, right?

"Big brother… I’m sorry for all the worry I caused you. And thank you."

"…No, it’s fine. I’m your brother, after all."

The brother I respect smiled warmly, just as he always does, and answered that way.

---

…Alright. As nice as it was to catch up with family, we couldn’t linger forever. If we didn’t get to the main point soon, Masa might erupt again.

So, it was finally time to bring up the reason I’d contacted them today.

"So, the reason I contacted you both today is because I have something I’d like to talk over with you."

"Why are you using polite speech?"

"Uh… yeah."

That was probably because I was more nervous about the topic than I wanted to admit.

…To be honest, even now, I hesitated to talk about it. Part of me wanted to keep my mouth shut—convince myself it was all an illusion, that it was nothing, forget about it, pretend I’d never noticed. Run away.

But I couldn’t.

"It might sound abrupt. You might think it’s stupid. Even so… I want you to listen."

No matter how frightening it was to face head-on. No matter how much resistance I felt toward acknowledging and confirming it.

There are things you still have to confront.

Because this is… a responsibility I bear as her trainer.

I swallowed, took a breath, and spoke quietly.

"This is about a friend of mine. A trainer. …It seems like his assigned Uma Musume might have romantic feelings for him."

…My head hurts just saying it.

The embarrassment of thinking, What am I even saying? The guilt of lying to my family. The disgust at my own arrogance. All of it mixed together, sending blood rushing to my head.

Calling them up just to talk about a “friend.” About something as sensitive as being liked by his trainee. I knew how tasteless it sounded. It wouldn’t be strange for them to dismiss it as vulgar speculation.

But this was the only way. To protect the person involved and consult without inviting bizarre misunderstandings, this was the only option.

As I desperately tried to rein in my emotions and reassure myself—

"…Oh."

"Eh…?"

My brother let out a sound that almost seemed impressed. Masa, for some reason, sounded confused.

…Huh? That reaction was nothing like what I’d expected.

And as I wondered how I was supposed to continue from here—

From the earbuds I was wearing, Masa’s exasperated voice burst out.

"…Big brother, do you seriously think that kind of excuse would fool us?"

"Huh? W-wait, excuse? What are you talking about…?"

"Are you stupid? Nobody believes the whole ‘this is about a friend’ preface anymore. Basically, you finally realized that Hoshino Wilm has feelings for you, right?"

"…What!?"

"Don’t ‘what!?’ me. Honestly, the fact that you didn’t realize it after being so blatantly appealed to all this time is what’s abnormal."

…What the hell!?

I thought I’d disguised it perfectly, yet Masa figured it out instantly. And on top of that, she’d noticed Wilm’s feelings long before I did.

"…As expected of you, Masa. I really can’t beat you."

"That’s not something I’m even remotely happy to be praised for. I mean, it’s not that I’m amazing—it’s just that you’re the crazy one for not noticing. I’m the normal one here, okay?"

She says that modestly, but this really is thanks to Masa’s sharp intuition. I’m a little jealous of that side of her. Unlike our brother, she’s efficient in a different way.

The eldest Horino brother is a kind of all-purpose genius—someone who gets results no matter what he touches. A jack-of-all-trades who can handle just about anything with ease. His education as a noble and as a trainer; his knowledge of surgery, internal medicine, psychiatry; general social norms, even miscellaneous trivia. The fact that he mastered all of that while still in his twenties says everything about how extraordinary he is.

On the flip side, that level of ability is precisely why—despite having almost no career to speak of—he was entrusted with the position of school nurse at a regional Tracen. …From what I’ve heard, he was even invited to move to the Central division at one point. Apparently, he turned it down, saying he wasn’t ready yet.

Compared to him, Masa is what you’d call a precocious genius. When she puts her hand to something, she learns quickly—at least up to a point. Early on, she can even outperform our brother. She isn’t the type to specialize deeply in a single field, but she can do most things reasonably well. Wide but shallow—that description fits her best.

That said, unlike our brother, Masa isn’t without weaknesses. Once what she’s learning passes a certain level of complexity, she tends to struggle. Even during practice exams for the trainer license written test, she reached 80 points almost immediately, but had trouble stabilizing at 90.

Still, slowing down in the later stages once things get complicated happens to everyone. Rather than calling it a weakness, it’s probably more accurate to say she has the strength of rapid early growth.

…So then, how about me—the second son?

I’m slow from start to finish, no matter what I’m learning. I’m used to having no talent and poor efficiency, so it’s fine. I just have to work harder, right?

…Yeah. Sorry. That’s a lie.

Honestly, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve envied my brother and Masa.

So, in a way, it’s only natural that Masa noticed before I did. Her communication skills—her ability to understand people and read their intentions quickly—are just that high.

Of course, this is also my own failing, and I truly regret that.

…Wait. If Masa noticed, then—

"Don’t tell me… you did too, big brother?"

"Well, I’d heard bits and pieces from you now and then."

To my hesitant question, my brother replied with a wry smile.

Unbelievably, he’d figured it out despite never having met her in person. That meant both of my siblings—everyone but me—had already noticed what was going on with Wilm.

I knew I wasn’t good at reading people’s emotions… but I didn’t think I was that hopeless.

Honestly, that stings a little.

Still, reflection could wait. What had been exposed was exposed. I needed to apologize properly and accomplish what I’d originally set out to do.

"…Sorry. I lied. To be honest, it’s about me and Wilm. Of course, there’s a chance I’m just being presumptuous, and if it’s all a misunderstanding, then that’s fine, but—"

"You can drop the disclaimers and get to the point."

"Yes…"

…I’m sorry, Wilm.

If this really is just my misunderstanding, then I might be seriously damaging your image.

But if this suspicion is true…

Then it’s a problem that’s beyond me to handle alone.

This is a situation where I need the cooperation of two people I trust—both of whom have proven abilities.

I took a slow, deep breath, and said it.

"Let me restate it clearly. There’s a possibility that Hoshino Wilm has feelings for me. I want your opinions on whether that’s accurate—and if it is, how I should respond."

---

Going back in time, to last year.

It was when I visited the cemetery where Wilm’s parents are buried, together with her.

She told me, with a slightly lonely expression, that she’d already sold the house where she’d lived with her parents.

Seeing that… I wanted to give her a place to belong.

For humans—and probably for Uma Musume as well—a place to return to is incredibly important. A place where you can think, unconditionally, It’s okay for me to be here. A place shared only with yourself and the people you truly trust. Like the Horino main house is for me—a place where I don’t have to put on airs, a place that’s just ours.

Not having such a place means never having anywhere to let your guard down—nowhere you’re allowed to relax.

And I think that’s unbearably sad.

So, I took action.

Using connections from my family and my own funds, I secured a good plot of land and arranged for a construction company. From the blueprint stage onward, I discussed everything thoroughly with them, making sure to accommodate her as much as possible. I designed it to be spacious and easy to live in, so that she could still live there comfortably even after starting a family someday.

Hoshino Wilm is a girl who never had a good family—unable to reconcile with the one she was born into.

That’s why I want her, someday, to have a warm family she can truly relax with.

The size of that house is a symbol of that wish.

May she meet a good person, give birth to children safely, and live a happy life…

"Three Goddesses, please… take care of her."

Late January of this year.

Standing before the newly completed house, I said those words and pressed my hands together.

After somehow finishing all the inspections and paperwork, I ended up giving it to her as a present on her birthday just the other day.

…Well, even I have to admit it turned into a rather excessive gift. As a result, Masa chewed me out afterward with things like, “Are you insane, giving something like that to a minor!?” and “What were you going to do if she didn’t want it!?”—but setting that aside.

I gave her what I considered my trump-card present… and in the end, Wilm refused to accept it.

That, in itself, was fine. I could leave it as insurance for her until she graduated from the senior division. And if she still said she didn’t need it then… well, there were various options, like using it as a base for me and Masa.

So that wasn’t the problem.

The problem was—

"Then please let me live at your place, Ayumu."

…The fact that she said that.

The mental makeup of a girl her age can be difficult to decipher, but there’s one thing I can say for certain.

If someone is told, “You can make it your own house,” and instead wishes, “I want to live with you,” there’s no way that doesn’t carry ulterior meaning.

Of course, there are various possibilities one could consider. For example, maybe she was trying to avoid gift taxes by not accepting the property itself. Or maybe she wanted to use it as a foothold to rely on the Horino family.

But those ideas are easily dismissed by the facts that she’s a reigning Triple Crown Uma Musume with enough savings to live comfortably even without working, and that she herself is a genuinely kind-hearted girl.

According to Sherlock Holmes, “Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.” If you follow that line of reasoning…

It leads to the conclusion that Hoshino Wilm might have feelings for me.

That’s how I arrived there.

…To be honest, when that realization hit me, I was stunned.

After all, she’s the undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume, Hoshino Wilm. To me, she’s a cute student, an important partner, and an earnest, gentle Uma Musume.

The idea that someone like her could have feelings for me doesn’t feel real. Impossible. Something has to be wrong. …But there’s no other possibility I can think of.

…Or is it just because it’s me? Am I too stupid to see it? Maybe there’s some massive pitfall I’m missing—something obvious that I just can’t perceive?

And so.

In order to confirm whether this suspicion was true—and to figure out how to deal with it—I decided to consult two people I trust completely. People who wouldn’t let this leak outside.

---

"Let me say it again. There’s a possibility that Hoshino Wilm has feelings for me. I want your opinions on whether that’s true—and if it is, how I should respond."

When I asked that—tense beyond belief, no, extremely tense—

Masa and my brother answered casually.

"Well, it’s pretty obvious that she’s into you, big brother."

"I’ve never met her directly, but… based on what you’ve told me, I think the chances are high."

…Ah. I see. So that’s how it is.

To be honest, I’d been hoping they’d say something like, “What are you talking about? Face reality. There’s no way. Don’t get ahead of yourself, creep.”

…Not because I wanted to be insulted.

But because I wanted them to deny it outright.

I was hoping there was some logic I’d missed—that in truth, Wilm only saw me as a “trustworthy trainer.”

That would’ve made things so much easier.

"Seriously… love, huh…"

I couldn’t help but clutch my head.

Romance involving racing Uma Musume isn’t actually all that rare.

Looking back at past data—especially since Horino shifted its policies—cases like that have been fairly common.

Well, it makes sense. When a trainer and an Uma Musume build a good relationship and run together in the Twinkle Series, a strong bond naturally forms. Most of the time, it’s just camaraderie… but Tracen Academy students are athletes and adolescent girls at the same time. It’s not unusual for them to mistake that bond for romantic feelings.

That’s why romance involving racing Uma Musume isn’t rare at all.

…And tragic endings to those romances are just as common.

Fundamentally, a contracted trainer cannot engage in romance with their assigned Uma Musume. This is obvious. There’s the age gap, professional boundaries, ideological issues, ethical issues—problems piled on problems. It’s faster to look for the parts that aren’t a problem. Free love is only permitted within the bounds of the law. Romance with a student is something that exists only in dramas and novels.

“A forbidden love between a trainer and their assigned Uma Musume…”—that kind of story is common fiction in this world. But it’s fiction, and nothing more. As a trainer, for your own sake and for theirs, you can’t confuse that with reality.

…Well, anyone who would confuse the two probably wouldn’t make it past the interview with the chairwoman in the first place.

So when an assigned Uma Musume confesses, the trainer has no choice but to reject her. And for an adolescent girl, heartbreak is a massive failure and upheaval—practically a catastrophe. There have been cases in the past where that alone was enough to shatter what had previously been a smooth, trusting relationship.

And now, Hoshino Wilm and I are standing on the edge of that same path.

"What should I do, big brother… Masa…"

On a purely personal level, I want Wilm to be happy. If there’s anything I can do for that, I want to do it. That’s why I didn’t hesitate much when I built the house a year ago—and my feelings are even stronger now than they were then.

But my feelings are secondary.

What matters most is what true happiness looks like for the girl named Hoshino Wilm.

And viewed from that angle, her romantic feelings become… incredibly difficult to handle.

As I struggled to organize the mess in my head, Masa’s voice reached me.

"First, I want to ask—what exactly are you worried about, big brother?"

What am I worried about?

…Breaking the problem down, analyzing it. Yeah. That really is an important step.

"There are two things. The first is whether Wilm might be mistaking feelings of camaraderie for romantic feelings…"

"That’s not it. She’s not at an age where she’d fall in love with the idea of love itself."

"…Yeah. You’re probably right."

She does have a strangely mature side—steady and grounded even when she seems lighthearted. Not quite an adult, but far more composed than a child. That’s also part of who Wilm is.

Still, even adults can misjudge these things. Just because it’s Hoshino Wilm doesn’t mean we should accept it without question…

But for now, I moved on to the next issue.

"The second is… her public standing, and her feelings. As her contracted trainer—and as her guardian—I can’t betray either role."

That’s it.

That’s the biggest problem of all.

Racing Uma Musume are athletes—but at the same time, they also have an idol-like side.

If a passionate romance with a contracted trainer were to come to light… even if it wouldn’t outright end her career, it’s easy to imagine a flood of abuse from sharp-tongued fans.

Not everyone is watching her solely for her racing.

Her looks, her personality, her charisma, her voice, her movements—there are countless elements that draw people in. And once romance colors even a part of that, it can start to look tainted.

If the goal were simply to avoid that, then the correct response would be to firmly reject her feelings.

But the truth is… I don’t want to dismiss Wilm’s feelings so callously.

To begin with, if she were to confess outright, I—as her trainer—would have no choice but to refuse. Even before that, the sincere response upon sensing her feelings would be to turn her down.

And yet, in Horino’s past, there have been many relationships that collapsed precisely because of that response…

…Ugh. My head hurts.

What am I supposed to do?

"That’s a pretty tough problem. A lot of trainers have probably struggled with it. And even so, there’s no clear ‘right answer’… no, it probably doesn’t exist."

Even my brother—who usually solves my worries with ease—didn’t seem able to answer this one right away.

…That makes sense. If there were a definitive answer, it would be recorded in Horino’s white papers by now. This issue has occurred multiple times, and yet no established method of dealing with it exists.

The answer differs for each individual Uma Musume… or perhaps there’s simply no solution where everything ends neatly.

"What should I do…?"

"Mm…"

And so the two of us—two men—sat there holding our heads in our hands.

That’s when Masa cut in.

"Let me ask you one thing, big brother. Do you think it would be okay for you to accept Hoshino Wilm’s feelings?"

"Huh?"

"Don’t ‘huh’ me. That’s a crucial point, isn’t it?"

…Whether I could accept Wilm’s feelings.

No… but… that’s—

"I know what you’re thinking. ‘There’s no way someone like me is worthy of Hoshino Wilm,’ right?"

"…Masa, did you secretly learn mind-reading or something?"

"How long do you think we’ve known each other? Of course I’d know that much. …Honestly, you’re such an idiot. This isn’t about whether you’re ‘worthy.’ It’s not about appearances or whether you look like a good match from the outside. What matters is whether you want each other—whether you can accept each other. Am I wrong?"

"………"

"So what you should be thinking about isn’t whether you’re worthy. It’s whether you can accept her. What’s your answer?"

Those words hit painfully close to the mark.

She was right. Completely.

What she was talking about wasn’t “the relationship between contracted trainer Horino Ayumu and assigned Uma Musume Hoshino Wilm.”

It was the relationship between “Horino Ayumu, one individual, and Hoshino Wilm, one Uma Musume.”

In that case, what matters isn’t how it looks from the outside—it’s whether the two involved can accept it.

If that’s the question… then yes.

"In that sense, I can accept Wilm. I want to accept her."

Setting aside issues like age, appearance, and social position for the moment—her mindset is something I find deeply appealing. Looking at her as an Uma Musume, if you ask whether I could accept that… honestly, I’d almost welcome it.

…Of course, I could never say something like that to her. No matter what.

I do think of Hoshino Wilm fondly—as an Uma Musume.

"…!"

For some reason, Masa seemed to catch her breath at my answer. But she quickly composed herself and continued.

"…Then there’s no problem. There is a way to protect both appearances and her feelings."

"Really!?"

At her words, I jumped to my feet without thinking.

A single, clever method that wouldn’t hurt her heart—and wouldn’t cause a stir in public…

Prefacing it with, “It might be a little dirty, and kind of tasteless,” Masa laid it out.

"Just keep being the dense big brother you’ve always been—someone who doesn’t notice Hoshino Wilm’s feelings. Pretend you don’t realize how she feels, vaguely sidestep her advances… and if you can make it through until she retires as a racing Uma Musume, then any kind of relationship will be accepted.

If she changes her mind along the way, then that protects both of you.

And if she holds onto her feelings all the way to the end… then it proves it wasn’t just being in love with the idea of love. It proves it was the real thing.

…In other words, your win condition is this: don’t let the relationship progress until Hoshino Wilm retires as a racing Uma Musume.

That’s the only way to protect both public perception and her feelings, isn’t it?"