Chapter 208: You're definitely hiding something in there, right?

"Wilm, tomorrow—Saturday—is your rest day, isn’t it? If you don’t have any plans, how about we go out somewhere?"

"With Bourbon-chan?"

"No, just the two of us."

"I’M GOING!!!"

"That’s loud."

And so, I ended up going out with Ayumu-san.

To be honest, it’s actually pretty rare for the two of us to go out alone.

Well, it’s only natural—Ayumu-san isn’t just my trainer anymore. He’s also taking care of Mihono Bourbon, a promising Uma Musume of the new generation.

He can’t devote all his time to me anymore, so compared to our Junior and Classic years, the time he spends with me has decreased.

On top of that, our team includes his younger sister, Masa-san, who serves as our sub-trainer.

Whenever we go somewhere, she’s usually with us, and lately, it’s often Masa-san who accompanies me instead of the busy Ayumu-san.

…He’s probably trying to be considerate, thinking, “It’s easier for her to talk with another woman.” And honestly, he’s not wrong—it is easier. She even gives me advice on how to approach Ayumu-san and things like that.

Ironically, just as I became certain of my feelings for Ayumu-san, Bourbon-chan joined us—and not long after that, Masa-san too.

Selfish as it may be… I can’t help but wish we’d had just a little more time alone together.

That’s why, during the France expedition, being able to have Ayumu-san all to myself made me genuinely happy.

Thinking that chances like that won’t come often anymore… does make me a little lonely.

And if I’m being honest, it’s not just the environment—there’s also me.

Compared to my Classic years, I’ve become insanely busy.

After winning so many titles and running so many great races, the fame of Hoshino Wilm has—well, this might sound like bragging, but—it’s skyrocketed.

Even Rudolf-san laughed and said, “Even in my active years… no, in anyone’s, there’s never been this much excitement.”

Naturally, that means more work. On top of that, I’ve entered my late-stage explosive growth phase. Add in the excitement from recently watching the Autumn Tenno Sho and the Japan Cup, and my motivation is through the roof.

There’s just no way I’ve had the time or energy to relax and play around.

Well… it’s also my fault for running off to train whenever I get the chance.

But still—

If Ayumu-san has forced me to take a rest day, that means it’s the most efficient plan for my development.

And if he’s suggesting we go out, that means it’s completely fine in every aspect.

In other words…

For the first time in a long while, I get to cling to Ayumu-san without any worries.

For me, it’s been two whole months since I’ve had him all to myself.

Naturally, my internal “Ayumu-san deficiency” is reaching critical levels, and I’m overwhelmed with the urge to replenish it immediately.

If I had to compare it to food—I’m practically starving, and the perfect seasoning has already been added.

"Yay, it’s a date!!"

"Call it an outing. That sounds better."

To put it simply—I was in absolute heaven.

"Anyway, morning of the day has arrived."

"Why are you narrating like that?"

"To calm myself down after being shaken by the fact that Ayumu-san was already here when I tried to arrive early!"

It was 8:30 AM—thirty minutes before our 9:00 meeting time.

And there he was, standing in front of the training center’s main gate, dressed in casual clothes instead of his usual suit.

That’s early. Way too early.

I came out as soon as I couldn’t wait anymore—and I’m still only just early.

Seriously… how much did he want to go on this date with me?

Well, I couldn’t sleep properly last night either from excitement, so I can’t really talk.

"A trainer whose job is to hurry up his trainee can’t exactly keep her waiting. So I arrived a bit early."

"That’s cool… really cool! I said it three times because it’s important!!

But you know, that kind of intensity might scare people off. Anyone except me, that is."

"If it’s fine with you, then there’s no problem."

"Hehe, I guess so. It’s not like you do this with anyone else anyway~?"

"I do with Bourbon."

"Ugh—well… that’s different. The vibe is totally different.

So… um… did you wait long?"

"No, I just got here."

We exchanged the classic line on purpose and shared a small laugh.

…It’s been three years since I met him.

We’ve really grown used to each other.

Back then, if I’d asked that, he might’ve said, “I’ve been waiting about thirty minutes,” or gotten confused about what I meant.

And I probably wouldn’t have understood what he was thinking at all.

But now…

We understand exactly what the other wants to say—what the other wants to hear.

Time really builds something strong.

Something precious.

Seeing his warm smile, I know he feels the same way.

Feeling happy, I lightly showed off my outfit.

A light-gray, stylish look.

"Hehe… what do you think? Nature helped me pick this outfit. Cute, right?"

"Yeah, it’s cute. It suits you very well. The oversized fit hides your figure nicely, and you clearly considered disguise. Good job."

"Hehe, I got praised."

"And since your peak phase is ending soon, your body will stop being fixed. Depending on the Uma Musume, changes can happen quickly around this time. So choosing slightly oversized clothes is smart."

"Look forward to my growth!"

Peak phase fixes an Uma Musume’s body shape—one of their more mysterious traits.

According to Ayumu-san, it likely prevents physical changes from interfering during rapid growth.

In other words, once that ends…

Even someone like me—still 145 cm in my third year of middle school—might finally grow into a proper lady.

I can’t wait to overwhelm him with a more mature figure someday.

"So, where do you want to go? We’ve got the whole day free."

"What about your nighttime training?"

"Day off today! That was decided yesterday. And luckily, Rice-chan is on full rest too, so no plans."

At that, Ayumu-san looked off into the distance.

"Rice Shower… I never expected a Classic-level girl to follow your training. Her grit—or rather, that cold obsession with victory—is incredible."

"Yeah. I really respect that kind of person, regardless of seniority.

And she doesn’t break down despite all that—that toughness is amazing."

"Still, my Bourbon won’t lose."

"Her long-distance aptitude aside, Bourbon-chan’s growth is just overwhelming. In a way, it’s talent versus effort—like Teio and me… or maybe the opposite?"

"And then there’s Souri-chan as a potential counterpick."

"Souri Cross is a great matchup against Bourbon… though whether she becomes the next Nature depends on what comes next."

We got so caught up talking about the younger girls that we forgot where we were going.

Well, we both love racing—this always happens.

No, no—this is a date! I need to be more romantic!

"Anyway! Where should we go? Any ideas?"

"Anywhere you want."

"Hmm… maybe karaoke? It’s been a while since we went together, right?

Hehe, hearing Hoshino Wilm sing isn’t something you get every day~"

"True. If you recorded and sold it, it’d be worth a fortune."

"I sense business!?"

"These days, you’d earn more doing livestreams with donations. If you play it right, you could make 30 million yen in two hours. Maybe even 100 million."

"Wha—my sense of money is breaking…"

Idols are scary.

All that attention, admiration, validation—and money.

Once you experience that, you can’t go back.

Well, I’m not really interested in that anyway.

I’m more driven by the desire to run.

"Still, karaoke… I’ve only ever gone with you."

"Eh!? You didn’t go during school—oh…"

"Don’t look at me like that. I just spent too much time improving myself."

"…"

"Stop looking even sadder. That’s how I got here—and how I met you."

"Ayumu-san… let’s make lots of fun memories from now on."

"Stop that. I’m satisfied with my life. Being with you already gives me more than enough happiness."

---

And so, we went to a karaoke place near the training center.

In this world, it’s not unusual for an Uma Musume to go to karaoke with their trainer.

Since we practice singing for winning lives, some girls need extra training.

And for that, karaoke rooms are perfect.

The place we entered had slightly larger rooms.

"So, what should I sing? Any requests?"

"I’ll enjoy anything you sing."

"Perfect answer! I’m pretty confident in my singing, you know?"

"I know. I’m always captivated during your winning lives."

"Oh! Then I’ll sing one of those songs—just for you."

"Then, ‘Umapyoi Densetsu’?"

"I—I haven’t properly practiced that yet… please wait until after the URA Finals…"

I want him to think I’m good, after all.

And I’m not confident in songs I haven’t practiced.

Even though I’m talented thanks to my reincarnation cheat, I’m more of a hard worker than a genius.

I’m good at learning efficiently—but improvising like Teio isn’t really my strength.

That’s why I focus on mastering things beforehand.

And while I’m confident in the songs I’ve practiced…

"Umapyoi" is still a bit too much for me right now.

Alright, guess I’ve got no choice—I’ll just queue it up myself.

First… I haven’t sung in a while, so let’s start with "Make debut!" to shake off the rust.

The songs performed in a Winning Live change depending on the race you win.

…However, there’s one slightly cruel detail—everything below G2 uses the same song: "Make debut!"

Whether it’s a maiden race, an open race, or even a G2, it’s always "Make debut!" No matter how different the level is, Uma Musume up to G2 are only allowed to sing and dance a single song throughout their careers.

Honestly, I feel like there should be more variety. I wonder what the people at the top think about that.

Anyway, getting back on track—

Once you hit G1 races, the song changes depending on the race type and category.

As for what I’ve won so far…

"ENDLESS DREAM!!" from my Junior G1 win.

"winning the soul," which I only got to perform twice despite winning the Triple Crown races three times.

"Special Record!" for the Takarazuka Kinen, Japan Cup, and Osaka Hai.

And "NEXT FRONTIER" for winning the Spring Tenno Sho this year.

Including "Make debut!", I’m pretty confident in all six of these songs.

I’ve practiced them a lot, after all.

So, inside the slightly spacious karaoke room, I started singing—adding light choreography as I went.

"~♪"

Familiar movements. A familiar way of using my voice.

I focused all the way down to my fingertips, breathing from my core.

The techniques I’ve trained into my body felt like extensions of my limbs—moving exactly as I willed them.

The tricky part, though, was the microphone.

In live performances, it’s either on a stand or a headset—but this is karaoke, so it’s handheld.

With one hand occupied, I adjusted my choreography and gestures on the fly.

This level of improvisation is something even someone like me can handle.

And so, I kept singing one song after another—for about thirty minutes straight.

Honestly, an Uma Musume’s lung capacity is incredible.

Six songs in a row, singing and dancing seriously—and I’m not even out of breath.

Well, you’d have to be like that to run races. Those are way more exhausting.

"Phew. So, how was it? Pretty good, right?"

"Pretty good? That was amazing. As expected of a professional."

"A professional? …Ah, right. I guess I am one. Huh… a professional, huh."

I’m not a singer, but I am an idol.

If being a professional means performing the songs made for us better than anyone else—then yeah, we’re definitely professionals.

Though I don’t really feel it.

At the end of the day, I see myself more as an athlete. The idol part just feels like a way to thank the fans.

Like that, we spent some time with me singing—and occasionally Ayumu-san joining in.

Voices get rusty if you don’t use them regularly, so being able to sing freely like this was fun.

As for Ayumu-san’s singing… well, to be honest, it’s about a karaoke score of 65—pretty tone-deaf.

But even that was fun to listen to.

Karaoke isn’t about being good. It’s about enjoying yourself.

Then, about two hours later, after we’d sung our fill…

"So, in the end, how exactly does Teio’s dual-domain work?"

"Hmm… if I had to guess, Rudolf-san’s version uses a core domain as-is, then layers a skill on top of it.

But Teio’s feels more like dual-wielding skills.

For most Uma Musume, running two domains at once is probably too much for the brain. Even if you push it, chaining from a skill-based domain into a full domain is probably the limit.

But two skill-based domains? That might barely be possible… I think. Just a feeling, though."

"I see… I figured once it’s turned into a skill, it becomes something unknown—something even ‘Understanding’ can’t copy.

But two at once… as expected, Teio exceeds expectations.

And it’s not sequential or simultaneous either…"

"Yeah… it felt more like fusion, right? Like combining skills—except it’s two skill-based domains being used together?"

"The scary part is that Tokai Teio pulled that off without any prior practice or planning.

Why does she have techniques I don’t even know about when I’m the one managing her training…?"

We talked about racing while snacking on the fries we ordered.

I mean, can you blame us!?

We can talk as loudly as we want, nothing leaks outside, and it’s the perfect environment for conversation!

And our biggest shared interest is racing!

Of course the topic drifts there—it’s basically a law of nature!

"…………"

"If you want to try it, just say so."

"You’d get mad, wouldn’t you? I can hold myself back."

"If you do it at the last moment, sure. But if it’s practice beforehand…

Honestly, as part of researching Uma Musume phenomena, I’d want you to try."

"Well… if I can, that is."

"You can. You’ve got a month."

"Do you think I’m some kind of god?"

"I think you’re an angel."

"Hehehehe…"

An angel, he says! …Wait, am I the wife here? Future tense?

"Anyway… I wonder how far Nature will read into this."

"She’ll definitely see at least this much coming. And beyond that…

Worst case, she might even force out a domain using another domain."

"The reverse? That’s some extreme counterplay."

"If it’s her—or rather, her team—it’s entirely possible.

…Honestly, a trainer from an ordinary background and an Uma Musume who isn’t a Teio-level genius are pushing us this far.

In some ways, they’re even more dangerous than Teio."

"When you put it like that… I can’t argue."

Nice Nature.

My irreplaceable best friend—and my most terrifying rival.

People call her the third brightest star of our generation, the eternal third place—in a good way.

But to be blunt, she doesn’t have the same top-tier talent as me or Teio.

What drew me to her wasn’t talent.

It was her grit.

In that mock race we held, she understood, deep down, that she couldn’t beat me.

And yet, she kept running anyway.

She didn’t know how to give up.

That “Uma Musume-like” spirit…

For someone like me, who couldn’t run alongside anyone before, it felt like I had finally found a true rival.

Yes… as far as I know, Nice Nature is the most “Uma Musume-like” of all.

No matter how high the wall, she never gives up.

Even while putting herself down, she never truly accepts defeat.

With nothing but stubborn will and grit, she endures brutal training, thinking relentlessly to find a way to win…

And now, she’s even beginning to step into our realm.

She is the ideal Uma Musume.

If Tokai Teio is a “true genius,” unlike someone like me—a “fake genius” with reincarnation advantages…

Then Nice Nature is the “true protagonist,” unlike someone like me—a “fake protagonist” relying on talent and efficiency.

…Heh.

Back when I cared more about my past life’s anime, I probably would’ve said Teio was the protagonist.

But this isn’t that world.

They’re not characters—they’re rivals.

Comparing them like that would be disrespectful.

While I was smiling to myself at that thought…

Ayumu-san crossed his legs, wearing a calm smile, and said:

"Now then… I think it’s safe to say Tokai Teio and Nice Nature have reached their peak.

Which means the preparations are complete."

"Preparations? For what?"

"For you. The Arima Kinen in your first Senior year."

"Oh… last year’s revenge?"

"Not that."

Ayumu-san closed his eyes, as if recalling something from the distant past, and slowly folded his hands.

"…Mind if I tell you a bit about myself?"

"Hm? Sure, go ahead."

“…That’s rare,” I thought, blinking in surprise as I nodded.

Ayumu-san isn’t the type to talk about himself.

Probably because he puts Uma Musume first—he’ll ask about us, but he almost never talks about his own past.

Lately, he’s started opening up a little more, but even then, it’s not often.

Honestly, I’ve probably heard more about his past from Masa-san than from him directly.

That’s why… the fact that he went out of his way to preface it like this—

It felt genuinely unusual.

"Before I became a trainer, I was desperate to become a proper trainer for Horino. I barely had what people would call ‘free time.’

…Though from your perspective, maybe that level of effort just seems normal."

"Not at all. That’s way too intense—it’s kind of creepy."

"Wow, harsh. …Well, I can’t exactly deny it."

He let out a wry smile, but from what I’ve heard from Masa-san, back then, Ayumu-san was almost… lacking in humanity.

…“Her.”

That decisive failure from his childhood.

Apparently, it’s been resolved now in the form of forgotten memories—but the mark it left behind was far too deep.

It wasn’t like Rice-chan, single-mindedly running toward a goal.

It was more like… hurting himself in a masochistic way over something he could never get back.

Watching someone you love do that—

What else could you even call it, if not unsettling?

"Anyway, back then, I hadn’t had my sense of normalcy shattered by you yet. I had a straightforward dream of becoming a trainer.

Someday, I wanted to support an Uma Musume running in the Arima Kinen… something like that.

In other words, for me back then—and probably for most people aiming to become trainers—Arima was both a dream and a goal."

"Is that how it is?"

"That’s exactly how it is."

The year-end grand race—the Arima Kinen.

By the time I reached the level where I could run in it, I’d already secured things like the undefeated Triple Crown and the first-ever Classic–Takarazuka combo. If I wanted to enter, I easily could.

But normally… just qualifying for that race must be incredibly difficult—and meaningful.

Only eighteen of the most popular runners in Japan get to participate.

Eighteen out of two thousand.

What else could you call that, if not an honor?

…Though, honestly, that’s just speculation without real feeling behind it.

"Arima Kinen. We couldn’t quite win it last year, but even beyond that—as someone who’s followed Uma Musume and racing for years, this race means a great deal to me.

That’s why… at the end of a contract year—Senior Year 1—if I were to send my trainee into the Arima Kinen, I wanted everything to be in perfect condition.

Back then, I thought that meant pushing the individual’s abilities to their absolute limit…

But being with you made me realize—it’s not just that."

Ayumu-san brought his gaze back from the distance and fixed it on me.

There was something intense in his eyes.

Pure, unwavering—and carrying a quiet kind of fervor.

"Tokai Teio, who pushes you to your limits.

Nice Nature, who has the potential to defeat you.

And not just them.

Happy Meek, who knows you better than anyone and will target you.

Mejiro McQueen, your rival in long-distance races.

Mihono Bourbon, the rising star of a new era.

Rice Shower, unmatched in her relentless marking.

Souri Cross, who will likely challenge you with an all-out escape strategy.

I’ve prepared the greatest possible stage for you—the fiercest opponents imaginable.

…Are you satisfied, Hoshino Wilm?"

Ah… I see.

So that’s what this was.

Unable to hold back the smile forming on my lips, I threw myself into Ayumu-san’s arms.

"Hehe… it’s perfect, Ayumu-san. You really are my greatest trainer!"

Tokai Teio—the monster who stepped into the Dream Trophy realm while still competing in the Twinkle Series.

Nice Nature—the extraordinary girl who honed her strengths through sheer effort and gained the power to defeat that monster.

People say they’re the second and third stars, growing as they chased after the brightest one—Hoshino Wilm.

But in truth…

I wasn’t the beginning of it all.

It was Ayumu-san.

He’s the one who took a cold, frozen star like me—

And turned it into a radiant one that could guide others.

Through training me, he always created the best possible environment for me.

“Soulmate” might sound cliché…

But if there’s only one destined trainer for me as an Uma Musume—

Then it’s him.

It’s not “he’ll do.”

And it’s not even “I choose him.”

He’s the only one.

The only person I want to be with.

I felt the warmth of his hand on my back—strong, steady, unmistakably his.

Then, his voice reached me softly by my ear.

"Maybe this year’s Arima will be just as harsh as last year’s… or even more so.

But I’ve already worked out how we’ll win. The path is there.

For your sake—and for mine—let’s go win it.

My partner… Hoshino Wilm."

…There’s no way I could ever fully put into words how happy that made me.

No matter how many I tried to use—no one else would ever truly understand.