"Excuse me, Mr. Kitano Ryuichi? This is a custom-made gift for you from Miss Silence Suzuka. Please sign for it."
"Thank you for your trouble."
At this time, in the clothing store, Kitano, accompanied by Tamamo, Oguri Cap, and Special Week, had successfully received the gift that Suzuka had custom-made for him here. And after receiving the gift in a bag, he couldn't help but ask the clerk, "Excuse me, what's inside?"
"It's a scarf." And the female clerk, with a truly gentle and beautiful smile, answered his question. "Miss Suzuka ordered it a month in advance. She said she had returned to the racetrack and wanted to choose a gift for her trainer to thank him for his help."
"Miss Suzuka said that she hopes to see you always wearing this scarf in the winter."
The clerk, who was suspected to be a fan of Silence Suzuka, had clearly witnessed the scene of her falling from the sky just as she was reaching her peak. Therefore, when she mentioned her "resurrection" a few months ago, she was clearly radiant and couldn't help but say to him:
"Trainer Kitano, thank you so much. Miss Suzuka was depressed for so long. I was always worried that she wouldn't be able to return to the racetrack. I didn't expect that after you became her trainer, you immediately encouraged her to stand up again!"
"It's nothing. I just did what I was supposed to do." And Kitano also smiled faintly. To the fan in front of him, he also gave his humility and friendliness as a trainer. As a trainer for several lifetimes, he could be said to be experienced in fan interaction.
Even when facing the media, he could now do it with ease. After all, in that playthrough with Oguri Cap, the popular Oguri had suffered a lot because of the media. At that time, if he hadn't blocked the media and fans, she would probably have been disturbed and unable to rest and prepare for the race.
But fortunately, he didn't have this trouble now. According to his understanding of the history of his several charges, it was still very difficult for them to achieve the level of popularity of Oguri. Even with his intervention, only one Gold Ship had the most hope of achieving a certain level of popularity after a few pranks...
Of course, if Gold Ship could win one or two more G1s than in history, or achieve the feat of three consecutive wins in the Takarazuka Kinen and enter the Hall of Fame, then her popularity would definitely be very high.
It's just that, the Takarazuka Kinen... whether it was Festa or Suzuka, or even Tokai Teio, they would not give up this race, which was one of the most valuable, right? The competition was also very fierce. Even he couldn't figure out who would win the championship in the future.
"It was Suzuka who gathered the courage to return to the racetrack herself. I think she must not want to end it like this. I will do my best to fulfill her wish, until the day she wants to stop."
"Yes! Suzuka-san will definitely continue to run! Trainer Kitano and I will both support her!"
And at this time, Special Week, who had followed along, immediately walked up with a radiant expression when she heard the topic about Suzuka and stood beside him. She stood with him almost extremely naturally and said enthusiastically to the fan clerk:
"Please leave it to us! Trainer Kitano and I will definitely let Suzuka-san win more races!"
"—Mm, thank you, Trainer Kitano, and Miss Special Week!"
Here, the clerk did not feel uncomfortable with Special Week's sudden intrusion. After all, the good relationship between Special Week and Suzuka was no secret since their active period.
It's just that the only thing that made this clerk feel suspicious was her particularly familiar attitude towards him, and her behavior of standing with him without any hesitation to support Suzuka. This made the clerk's heart subconsciously think:
"Is Miss Special Week... also one of Trainer Kitano's charges? Did Miss Suzuka return to the racetrack with their encouragement?"
"I see... but if it's Miss Special Week... it shouldn't be a threat, right? After all, Miss Suzuka seems to like him quite a lot?"
Due to the consideration of the other three horse girls who had come with him, the clerk did not tell him that when Suzuka had come to the store last month to customize the scarf, the clerk had jokingly asked who had received such care from her. Suzuka, with unprecedented joy, and even a happy smile, had answered, word by word:
"It's a gift for my best Trainer-san, so I also hope to give him the gift I can give, the gift that can accompany him the longest."
Miss Suzuka... please do your best, don't lose to Miss Special Week! The clerk also silently cheered for her idol in her heart. However, when her gaze fell on the simple and honest smile of Special Week, she also quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
However, Miss Special Week's threat... no, it's better to say there's no threat at all, right? What a relief.
...
"By the way, do you have to wear this scarf as soon as you go out? It's not particularly cold right now, is it?"
However, on the street, Tamamo also looked at him, who had just put on the custom-made scarf from Suzuka as soon as he left the store, with a helpless expression, and couldn't help but complain:
"Even if I know you care about your charge, is it necessary to go to this extent? To always show off the things your charge gives you?"
"—But if she finds out that the thing she gave is always being worn, I think Suzuka will be happy." And now, with the slightly reddish scarf, a bit like the color of her hair, already wrapped around his neck, he also expressed his experience as a N-playthrough trainer without hesitation:
"Even if it's just a small thing, but it might make someone happy for a day. Why not?"
"You're really responsible for every charge to the end..." And faced with the words of the person she had always admired, Tamamo, even though her mouth was a little sour, had to admit that his words were exactly what she was thinking—if it were her, she would definitely want her trainer to wear the gift she gave him all the time. Just looking at it would make her happy.
No, no, what I need to think about now is how to recommend Oguri to him... Tamamo Cross, pull yourself together!
Thinking this, Tamamo also subconsciously turned her gaze to Oguri Cap on the side. And at this time, Oguri, who had originally made a plan with her to make a move at this time and try to "win over" him, was as quiet as ever, just silently following behind him.
But even just following behind him, her ears and tail were still wagging slightly, indicating her active mood at this moment, as if just this was enough to satisfy her, not daring to ask for more.
What should I say... useless fellow! Tamamo Cross also facepalmed. It seemed she had to take charge of this situation!
"By the way, Trainer Kitano, are you so considerate to every charge, not finding it troublesome at all?"
"Huh? This... if you put it that way, I haven't really met any child who I felt was particularly difficult to take care of." And this sudden question from Tamamo also made him subconsciously recall his past, and a few children he considered "troublesome" flashed through his mind, but he still chose to answer this way.
He had said before that in fact, the horse girls who were willing to continue with him after experiencing his confession were mostly those with rather strange personalities. But they had not caused him any trouble. On the contrary, every one of them was working hard for him, who believed in them.
From the free and unwilling to be bound by anyone C.B., to the now-famous for their strange personalities Gold Family, and many of his former charges... Tachyon, Cafe, Gold City, Admire Vega, Narita Taishin, etc.... he never found them troublesome, because they were all fighting for him.
"It's probably because of my constitution. Even the most eccentric horse girl in my team can be considered easy to take care of, at least that's what I think."
"Hey... so that means you're the type who doesn't mind trouble, right?"
And when Tamamo heard him answer this way, the smile on her face couldn't help but spread a little. The next moment, she put on an indifferent look and said to him half-jokingly:
"Then if you don't mind the trouble, I'll entrust Oguri to your care, okay? Why don't you be her trainer and give me a few days off?"
Saying this, without even waiting for his answer, she walked forward on her own, chattering non-stop, her tone light and with a hint of teasing:
"Ya—I've been taking care of Oguri for a long time. In another year or two, I should be graduating. I don't plan to be a trainer at Tracen. I'll probably go back to my hometown and take care of my family with the prize money."
"I was worried that no one would take care of her. Now there's someone who can take over. You don't know how troublesome it is to make takoyaki and various meals for her every day. I can finally be free."
However, as she spoke, her heart, whether it was out of emotion or because it had inexplicably triggered a corner of her memory, couldn't help but continue:
"From now on, Oguri is yours. You can cook for her, wash her clothes, take care of her in every way. If you can treat her as your only charge, I'll be satisfied."
"After all, I don't really care. I'm used to not having a trainer. Oguri is the one who really needs to be taken care of... or something..."
...Hey, strange, why can't I speak anymore?
Why does my throat feel so sore, I can't breathe—why am I crying for no reason?
And when she came to her senses, she found that her tears, which had not fallen for who knows how long, had already burst out. When she came back to her senses, she was already sobbing so much that she couldn't even speak, and she didn't even have the strength to take a step.
Heart... a sharp pain, as if it was being pierced a thousand times... what's going on? Why am I suddenly so sad?
Head, my head hurts so much—what is this?
...
"It's okay, you just take care of Oguri. You don't need to worry about me."
"After all... my luck is always not so good. I'm always a step behind in everything, in becoming famous, in my peak, and even in terms of trainers... I'm also a step behind."
...
"...Tamamo?"
And at this time, Oguri Cap, Kitano, and Special Week all noticed her strangeness in front. And Oguri, after a long hesitation, actually showed a pitiful expression and said to the trembling Tamamo in front of her with some grievance:
"You... don't want me anymore? Tamamo?"
"I think this is precisely a sign that she can't bear to part with you, Oguri." And seeing this scene, he also somewhat understood what had just happened, and what she had said all that for.
Obviously, because she was about to graduate, she was afraid that no one would take care of Oguri, so she wanted to take this opportunity to quickly connect her with him, so that she would have someone to take care of her in the academy, and she could leave with peace of mind.
It's just that... she seemed to have underestimated her friendship with Oguri. He looked at the trembling Tamamo in front of him, who had already subconsciously grabbed her arm and was crying uncontrollably, and a gratified expression couldn't help but appear on his face.
Should I say, as expected of the lifelong good friend of Oguri that I'm optimistic about? I didn't let them separate in the past, how could I this time?
"If you don't mind, Tamamo, you and Oguri can become my charges together and continue to stay at Tracen together."
"This way, even after graduation, you will have a reason to stay at Tracen. I think the team, and Oguri, we all still need you very much."
"Need... me?"
However, Oguri's voice did not bring Tamamo back to her senses. And the moment his words sounded, her trembling body finally turned around slightly, revealing her face that she did not want to be seen, that tearful face that was as pitiful as an abandoned little animal, but also pretended to be strong and pitiable.
And it was at the moment he said he needed her that an inexplicable warmth in her heart made her tears fall even faster. And in the next moment, she finally couldn't hold back her feelings and cried out like a child.
"Waaahhhhhh—!"
In an instant, he only felt a gust of wind coming. The next second, Tamamo Cross buried her whole body in his embrace. The large teardrops falling from her face fell uncontrollably onto his clothes.
And the sobbing Tamamo in his arms could no longer hide her emotions. While hugging him tightly, as if this was something she had always hoped for but could not do, she cried out and said:
"Can I, can I stay... thank you, thank you..."
"Of course you can, Tamamo... you should also control your emotions."
And even he was facing this kind of Tamamo for the first time. After a brief moment of helplessness, he could only gently stroke her ash-colored long hair, just like when he was comforting Golshi and Oguri, so that she could release her emotions as soon as possible.
And on the other side, at this moment, the originally simple and honest smile on Special Week's face, who had been silently observing all of this, had completely disappeared. Under the premise that no one was paying attention to her now, her hidden, extremely cold gaze was fixed on Tamamo and Oguri...
As a witness to the whole process just now, Special Week and he seemed to have come to two completely different judgments... And Tamamo's reaction made her vaguely feel a situation, a situation that she and Suzuka had just experienced not long ago.
The weather is getting cold, but there are still a lot of flies... so annoying.
And in the next moment, he felt that the emotions of Tamamo in his arms had stabilized. He also subconsciously looked up at Special Week. Without finding anything abnormal, he also asked her with an apologetic tone:
"Sorry, Spe-chan, can I borrow your handkerchief?"
"Of course, Trainer Kitano~"
However, almost the moment he looked up, the simple, kind, and concerned Special Week, in coordination with him, anxiously took out her handkerchief. And the black flames burning in her pupils... only reflected the one she was looking at, her one and only trainer...
-------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get access to early chapters by joining my Patreon!
Find me at My : pat*eon*com/RuneA
I, Herta's Fiancé, the Universe's Number One Male Fist (114 Chapter (Simulpub-Full) )
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Succubus in Sixth Street (290 Chapter)
Reborn in Type-Moon, My Sister is Aoko Aozaki (240 Chapter)
MyGO!! A Story Voiced by Me (110 Chapter)
BLEACH: Blade of Purification (120 Chapter)
Konoha: Starting the Game as Yoriichi (310 Chapter)
My Real Job is Spying on Konoha, but I'm Also its Hokage (120 Chapter)
The Pinnacle of the Navy! Starting from Being Captured by Garp (140 Chapter)
Watching Yu-Gi-Oh! short videos is making the veteran players lose...(70 Chapter)
Uma Musume : The Trainer Who Just Wants to Live (193 Chapter)
Zenless Zone Zero The Random Kamen Rider (140 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: It All Began With Me Being Stepped On by Arlecchino (100 Chapter)
Naruto: I Can Synthesize Summoning Beasts (70 Chapter)
Demon Slayer: The Great Swordsman's System, Disciple of Yoriichi (100 Chapter)
My Wife is a General, but I'm an Emanator of Abundance! (120 Chapter)
Type-Moon: My Nine-Fold Path (120 Chapter)
Uma Musume: They're Peeking at My Diary, and All of Tracen is Panickin (85 Chapter)
The Wild History of Type-Moon world (60 Chapter)
Reborn in Conan, But I Refuse to Be the Bad Guy (70 Chapter)
Ruan Mei is begging me to go back? But there's no going back anymore (120 Chapter)
Just a Slacker at Tracen Academy (120 Chapter)
Survival in Blue Archive (60 Chapter)
Kimetsu no Yaiba: Doma Wasn't Hated Today, Either (90 Chapter)
The Vibe of This Chat Group is a Little Off (90 Chapter)
Heartbreak Simulator: I Broke Them and Made Them Cry (70 Chapter)
The Talentless Trainer Doesn't Want to Restart (70 Chapter)
A Journey Starting as a Quincy (70 Chapter)
Uma Musume: The Master of Romance Obstruction (70 Chapter)
If there's a particular novel you're enjoying on Patron, please give it a 'like' so I know to focus on it.