Chapter 28: The Happy-Ending Fan Shows Up!

A full week had passed since the Japanese Derby.

After tearing a muscle during that forward-leaning final spurt, I’d been transferred to a hospital near the Training Center that specialized in treating Uma Musume—and promptly locked up… no, hospitalized.

Eventually, my leg muscles healed. I went through proper rehabilitation and managed to recover a decent portion of my former running ability. With that, I was finally discharged.

Free at last, I headed toward Trainer Horino’s office. I wasn’t exactly brimming with confidence, but my heart was quietly dancing all the same.

…Well, there were some things that happened after that which I’d really rather not remember, so let’s just gloss over them for now.

After glossing everything over, the result was simple.

I was furious.

Not just angry—completely, utterly enraged.

So enraged it felt like a blood vessel in my brain was about to snap.

This was probably the first time, even in this life, that I’d ever been this mad.

It was what you’d call a “Let’s go to the turf… it’s been a while… I’ve finally snapped…” kind of state.

In my previous life, I’d been an otaku, consuming more games and manga than I could ever count.

Among them were countless stories, countless characters, and just as many ways of thinking as there were individuals.

I don’t think it’s right to outright deny someone else’s way of thinking.

After all, that’s their life up to now—their lived experience.

You can throw words at them all you want, but all you’re really doing is attacking their character.

That said… people inevitably have their likes and dislikes.

Some people hate wishy-washy characters. Others can’t stand the “good grief” archetype.

I don’t think that’s a bad thing in itself.

Liking something and disliking something are also part of how someone thinks and lives. They aren’t things others should deny.

Besides, disliking something and outright rejecting it may sound similar, but they’re completely different.

And of course, I have my own preferences too.

What I like most are people who try—the mindset of wanting to give it your all.

Regardless of whether someone has talent or not, doing everything you can with what you have is beautiful.

Even if it ends in failure, even if you know it won’t bear fruit, people who still give it their all look cool.

That’s why, in my previous life’s anime Season 2, I loved Teio, Nature, and Turbo-sensei.

So then, what kind of mindset do I hate?

It’s the idea—or rather, the kind of development—where two people love each other, yet choose to distance themselves “for the other person’s sake.”

I absolutely despised that.

I get it. I really do. I understand the feeling.

You care about them.

Because you care about them, you choose to step away.

Suppressing your own desires and acting for someone else’s sake is noble, sure.

It’s not something most people can do, and most would probably praise it.

…But I’m not part of that “most.”

It might be the correct decision.

But even so, I hate it.

I hate it because I hate it.

Parting ways because both sides care too much about each other is just too sad.

People who deserve happiness not being able to be happy—that’s wrong.

Even if it’s nothing more than a childish ideal, I can’t bring myself to think that idea is mistaken.

…To put it bluntly.

Hoshino Wilm—no, “I”—am what you’d call a die-hard happy-ending fan.

A grand conclusion where everything wraps up nicely, and all the major characters can look back later and laugh, saying, “You know, that wasn’t such a bad time after all.”

That’s my ideal.

Which is why I won’t accept developments like that.

Someone leaving of their own accord.

Deciding what’s best for the other person and running off to somewhere out of reach.

I’ll never forgive that.

…And if it’s about me, then all the more so.

---

"Now then, shall you tell me why you thought delegating was a good idea?"

In response to my question, the trainer hesitated for several minutes.

After we talked things through—after I sincerely conveyed that this was necessary, that mutual information-sharing mattered—

He finally frowned, his face twisting in obvious pain, and began to tell me everything.

That he’d always been bad at being efficient, someone who could never quite do anything properly.

That despite that, he’d resolved to become a proper trainer from a respected family.

That for twenty years, he’d continued training himself as a trainer.

That even so, ever since entering this academy, he’d felt his inadequacies keenly every single day.

That seeing me pushed to the brink by Nature had made him panic, leading him to consider delegating my training to someone else.

That what happened at the Derby had been the final push.

…It might sound strange coming from me, but his life story was pretty bleak.

Unlike me, who lacked a good family but was blessed with talent, he’d been blessed with a family but not with talent.

I’m not interested in arguing which is worse—that kind of comparison is pointless—but…

Well, this might be a little inappropriate to say.

But I was kind of glad he’d lived that kind of life.

Knowing that he’d struggled through so many things made me feel closer to him—like I could finally think, “Ah, this person is the same as me.”

The trainer, who’d always felt like someone from a different world, was actually just another human like me.

Born into the same world, troubled by similar worries, struggling in similar ways.

As I reached that thought… I finally realized it.

I’d been expecting too much of him.

I hadn’t really seen who he was.

He wasn’t some flawless superhuman. That image had been nothing more than a mask.

Trainer Horino was just an ordinary human living in this world, and I hadn’t noticed something so obvious until now.

Sure, his abilities were practically cheating.

He didn’t seem to realize it himself, but his observational skills, knowledge, drive to act, and all his other qualities as a trainer were far beyond those around him.

Maybe there were trainers who could beat him in one area or another, but judged as a whole, he was almost certainly top-class within the academy.

I’d spoken several times in the hospital with Teio’s trainer, who was said to be among the very best at the academy, and even then… normal people just don’t have eyes like that. Gathering detailed data on thirty racers before a race apparently wasn’t normal either.

He looked like someone born to be a trainer—someone who had shaped himself into that role.

Judging purely by ability, there was no doubt he was a “cheat trainer.”

…But when you strip away the “trainer” filter and look at him as he is—

He’s just a human, with no cheats at all.

Someone who sometimes can’t think straight from overwork.

Someone who panics when things don’t go well.

Someone who worries, hesitates, and sometimes chooses the wrong path.

I completely failed to notice something so obvious.

…My head hurts.

I’d thought I was reasonably confident in both my acting skills when wearing a mask and my ability to see through what lay beneath one.

And yet, for a full year and a half, I’d been fooled by his second mask.

A mask isn’t necessarily just a single layer.

Even if the first one peels away, what lies beneath might not be a bare face at all, but a second mask.

The trainer was probably that kind of person.

The first mask was a blunt, expressionless one that peeled away easily.

A self-proclaimed “perfect” mask riddled with gaps, one that broke apart easily due to his lack of acting skill.

And then there was the second mask—the solid mask of being a trainer.

A mask formed from identifying himself as a trainer and suppressing everything else about who he was, one that would never peel away.

His true face wasn’t that of some slightly pessimistic, perfect-gentleman type.

What lay even deeper was cold self-loathing and resignation.

Lamenting his lack of talent, and then giving up on it…

It was the face of an utterly ordinary person.

…When I imagine it, it makes me a little sad.

Just how painful must it have been for him to stay with me for this past year and a half?

For someone like him—who had struggled all his life precisely because he lacked efficiency… lacked talent—someone like me, who fought using innate ability, must have been an eyesore.

The grass is always greener on the other side.

An Uma Musume who casually uses something you can never have, no matter how badly you want it… that’s obviously irritating.

And yet, despite that, he never hated me. Instead, he thought only of me and continued to support me.

Probably because the mask of being a trainer has fused with his real face.

His second mask isn’t fragile like the first.

If anything, it’s unbelievably thick and unyielding.

Try to peel it off, and it won’t come away. No matter what shock he takes, it won’t break.

…Because it’s already fused to his true face, inseparable from it.

So much so that it’s impossible to tell which is the mask and which is the real face.

Or perhaps, to him, both are equally real.

His awareness of himself as a trainer is absurdly strong.

Just because he’s assigned to me, he doesn’t dislike an Uma Musume who’s probably incompatible with him, like me. No matter how powerless he feels, he never throws away his role.

…More than being an ordinary human, more than being an individual, he prioritizes the image of “Horino’s Trainer” that he believes in.

Which is why, no matter how much he might personally loathe someone, he won’t even hate them if they’re his trainee.

And no matter how painful or difficult it is, he’ll never abandon the one he’s responsible for.

For him, the standard of judgment isn’t what he wants or how he feels.

It’s simply what he should do as a trainer of the Horino family.

That’s why his maneuvering this time probably wasn’t just self-preservation.

He genuinely believed, from the bottom of his heart, that “as Hoshino Wilm’s trainer, I’m not good enough, so I need to borrow someone else’s strength.”

For twenty long years, he’s lived only as a trainer.

Because of that, he can no longer tell where the mask ends and where his real face begins.

The values of a trainer have become second nature to him, and he doesn’t even remember what his values were before that.

…He places no value on “himself outside of being a trainer.” He can’t find any.

He believes he can do nothing else. That he has no redeeming qualities.

And so, he can devote himself entirely to being a trainer.

…And even stake his life on it.

That felt unbearably lonely, sad, and cruel.

…………However.

That’s that, and this is this.

I was undeniably shaken by the realization that the trainer was that kind of person, but…

That’s something to slowly come to terms with and resolve as we keep moving forward together.

Before any of that, though, there was something I needed to make this thick-headed, hopelessly dense trainer understand.

"So, because you don’t have confidence in your ability to give me proper training, you thought it would be best for me to put some distance between us… is that it?"

"No, I’m not trying to put distance between us. I’m just delegating the training to another trainer. That doesn’t mean I’m distancing myself from you as a person—"

"How is that different?"

"Eh—well, that is—"

"How is it different?"

"It isn’t… I’m sorry…"

Like I said earlier, I absolutely, utterly hate the idea of “putting distance between yourself and someone because you care about them.”

If two people like each other, then they should just go ahead and be all lovey-dovey. Hold hands, kiss, and stay happy forever.

…No, it’s not like I want to be lovey-dovey with my trainer, okay?

That was just an example limited to romance—well, honestly, I wouldn’t mind the lovey-dovey part, but that’s not the point.

The point is, if both sides don’t actually want to be apart, then that should be enough.

Any problems that get in the way are just noise. They should all disappear from this world.

…Of course, reality doesn’t always allow that.

Annoying entanglements. Fear of dragging the other person down. Believing there’s someone more suitable out there.

Those circumstances are exactly why people choose to step back.

But I don’t care.

I hate painful, bittersweet things. I hate letting go of happiness once I’ve finally grasped it.

Coldness. Emptiness. All of it—I’m sick of it.

The warmth above my head, the warmth I’d finally managed to obtain, slipping away…

That’s something I will absolutely… never accept!

"Denied. Denied again. Completely, absolutely denied!

I will not allow you to assign another trainer—absolutely not!"

"Eh—w-well… no, but if I think about what’s best for you—"

"Shut up already!!"

"I-I’m sorry, I’ll speak more quietly…"

Let me ask you to think about something.

Say there’s someone who absolutely, viscerally hates cheating—so much that just hearing the first hint of it makes them recoil.

Now imagine that person is about to have their real-life lover or spouse stolen from them.

How do you think they’d feel?

…Yeah. That’s exactly my situation right now.

The thing I hate more than anything—“distancing yourself for the other person’s sake”—was something my own trainer was trying to do.

That’s not just wrong.

That’s a full-on, catastrophic misread that hits every landmine possible!!

"I absolutely—absolutely!—will not accept this!!

I am your trainee and yours alone!!"

…Sure, maybe Trainer Horino wasn’t the flawless, perfect gentleman trainer I’d imagined.

Maybe that mask had been a lie.

But even so, this man is my trainer.

He’s the one who reached out his hand to me that night.

The one who praised my effort and patted my head whether I won or lost.

The one who told me he wanted me to enjoy running.

The one who promised we’d stand together again next year, no matter what.

The one who accepted me even if I didn’t race.

The experiences we’ve built up together, and the feelings he’s shown me—those aren’t lies.

No matter how hopelessly incompetent he might secretly be, he’s still the perfect gentleman who saved me.

My trust in him—my romantic feelings—none of that is lacking even a little.

I made it through university in my previous life. I’m long past the age of being in love with the idea of love.

The one I’m in love with is… the useless, hopeless man standing right in front of me.

…And yet. And yet this man—!

With Teio, he said, “The relationship between a trainer and an Uma Musume is inviolable!”

So what—does he think only the two of us are an exception!?

"I’m not anyone else’s! I’m yours—not some abstract ‘Horino family trainer,’ but the one and only trainee of Horino Ayumu, the trainer!! I’m the Uma Musume who formed a bond of trust with you!!"

"…You just said my name."

Because he only ever saw himself as “Horino’s Trainer,” he’d never once told me his given name.

But after more than a year together, you’re bound to see it somewhere.

And there’s no girl alive who wouldn’t remember the name of the person she loves.

Horino Ayumu.

That’s my trainer’s name.

The one and only, irreplaceable person.

"Of course I remember it! More than you care about me—I care about you!!"

"H-hey… Hoshino Wilm?"

More than anything, this man just doesn’t understand.

He has no idea how much I like him. How much I adore him.

It’s true—I always told him I wanted to run intense races.

And “more intense races” naturally means racing against stronger opponents.

Trying to train me for that isn’t wrong at all.

Depending on the relationship between trainer and trainee, even relying on others might not be completely off the table.

If you look at it one way, you could even say this was my fault for not clearly telling him, “I want to race—but more than that, I want to race with you.”

…Fine then. If he won’t understand unless I say it, I’ll say it!!

"I don’t just want to win races!

I want to win—with you!

Winning alone means nothing! Winning with someone else doesn’t make me happy either!

Why! Don’t! You! Get! That!?

We’ve been together for a year and a half!!"

"Eh—n-no, uh… what…?"

The trainer blinked rapidly.

Like someone who never once imagined he could be loved this deeply.

Being liked “too much” isn’t something befitting Horino’s Trainer.

So he puts on that thin, flimsy mask.

Cold. Curt. Unapproachable.

If he treats people that way, they won’t fall for him—or so he thinks.

That’s his method.

But there’s no way that actually works.

Anyone with a bit of common sense would realize it.

Some Uma Musume would fall for that businesslike attitude, and others might even enjoy being treated coldly.

There’s no universal way to make sure “no one likes you.” You have to change how you act depending on the person.

And yet… with his abysmally low self-esteem, he unconsciously assumed, “There’s no way an Uma Musume would ever like someone like me,” and figured this would be enough.

Welp—too bad!!

In fact, the contrast between his usual blank expression, the occasional softness he shows, and his sheer uselessness became the gap that made me totally—ah—fall in love!

Yes! Exhibit A of a spectacular failure is standing right here!!

"Never again!! Not ever—not for the rest of your life!! Don’t you dare suggest asking another trainer to train me!!

It’s extremely—extremely—extremely unpleasant!!

Don’t ever let me go. I am the trainee of Horino Ayumu alone!!"

"…………O-oh. I see. Then… I’m sorry about that."

Huff, huff… my shoulders rose and fell as I caught my breath.

For now, I’d said everything I wanted to say.

…Maybe I went a little too far.

But this whole incident made one thing crystal clear.

Expecting this trainer to “pick up on things” is a complete waste of time.

If something matters, I have to spell it out clearly—or it means nothing.

Alright—while I’m at it, I might as well air the rest of my grievances!

"And another thing! You still haven’t said ‘welcome back,’ you haven’t patted my head, and I haven’t received my reward privileges either! Hurry up and give them to me!!"

"No. Those are given to Uma Musume who return safely from official races. This time, even if it was minor, you were injured, so you don’t get them."

"Why are you so stubborn about that specifically?!"

The timid atmosphere from before vanished, and he rejected me with a sharp, serious expression.

Why though!? This is where you’re supposed to give in! It’s not like it’ll wear out or anything!

"I don’t care! Give it to me!!"

"No. Absolutely not. I understand you don’t want to lose, but that doesn’t mean I can reward an Uma Musume who doesn’t take care of her own legs.

I’ve told you this before—I don’t praise you because you win. I praise you because you worked hard and came back safely.

If you want praise, then don’t run so recklessly next time."

"Ugh…"

Y-you monster trainer…!

The moment it comes to his trainee, he snaps back to being calm instantly! Stop being cool at times like this!

Fine then. If that’s how it’s going to be, I’ll fight this to the bitter end!

"Then just praise me! Pat my head!"

"No. Absolutely not."

"If you pat my head now, I’ll stop doing self-training!"

"Please do that anyway."

"I made you a Derby Trainer!!"

"…You remembered that too?"

Of course I did.

I remember what he told me about a month ago.

“Though its presence has been somewhat overshadowed by races like the Arima Kinen, the Takarazuka Kinen, and the Japan Cup, the Tokyo Yushun was originally the greatest race in Japan.

Even now, its old prestige remains. There’s even the saying, ‘It begins with the Derby and ends with the Derby.’

That’s why an Uma Musume who wins the Derby is praised as a Derby-winning Uma Musume, and her trainer as a Derby Trainer.”

I’d brushed it off casually at the time, but when I heard that, I thought it was my chance.

A chance to repay—even just a little—what Horino Trainer, who always trained me with complete selflessness, had done for me.

I know how busy he always is.

Whenever I talk to him, he’s typing on a keyboard, reading documents, or stamping papers.

One night, late at night, I messaged him on LINE about the next day’s schedule—and he replied within seconds.

He works so seriously, always doing his best for my sake.

The only way I can repay that effort is with victories on the track.

That’s why I didn’t want to lose the Japanese Derby—a truly special race.

If I could give Horino Trainer the title of Derby Trainer, I thought I could repay at least a fraction… no, that might be too much. Maybe a tenth of what I owe him.

"I worked hard! I worked really hard to repay you!

Sure, as a trainer, you might say exhausting my legs isn’t something to praise.

But as a person—as Horino Ayumu!—is it really right to not praise a girl who tried her hardest for your sake?!"

"Ah—uh, well… hm? Is that… the right thing? …A-ah, good job, Hoshino Wilm?"

"You’re welcome! And please pat my head!!"

"Ah, yeah… huh? Am I being tricked here?"

…Phew.

Yes. This—this is it. This slightly rough, warm feeling.

As the trainer’s hand rested on my head, my anger finally began to settle.

Honestly. For a trainer to not pat their trainee’s head—that’s dereliction of duty.

I hope he reflects on that going forward. Truly. Sincerely.

At that moment, my Uma ears caught a mutter he probably hadn’t intended for me to hear.

"Hmm… didn’t work, huh. I thought it was a pretty good plan…"

…Haah.

Honestly. This man really is something else.

No matter how much I say, the trainer probably still can’t find any value in himself.

The inferiority complex and resignation he’s carried for twenty years straight aren’t things that can be wiped away overnight.

If anything, they’re something that should be slowly, steadily worked on over the next twenty years.

If I’m not careful, he’ll soon start saying again that he lacks ability, that he should rely on someone else.

To stop that from happening… and to create a moment where he himself can finally acknowledge his own worth—

For the two of us to move toward a happy ending together… what should I do?

…Oh. I’ve got it.

I just need to make him fall for me.

"I’ve decided, Trainer."

"W-what have you decided, Hoshino Wilm?"

I fixed him with a sharp look and declared it.

The opening declaration of the biggest gamble of my life.

"Let’s make a bet, Horino Ayumu, Trainer.

With your training plan, I’ll win the Takarazuka Kinen.

And if I do—then make me yours. For good. Your one and only Uma Musume."

…Looking back on it later,

I can’t help thinking—

That was just a straight-up confession, wasn’t it?