Contract...
It wasn't exactly what Aogumo Tenku had in mind, but it would do!
Aogumo Tenku had long wanted to be Raku's Umamusume, to be by his side every day. The thought of not seeing him for a day was unbearable. And yet, no matter what, Raku never seemed to want to take their relationship to the next level.
Someone had once offered Aogumo a contract, but she had refused.
She wanted to wait, to wait for the day the trainer came for her.
And so, she waited until today, when Raku finally extended a contract offer.
Suppressing her excitement, Aogumo asked, "Oh my, did Trainer finally discover my charm and decide to claim me for himself?" As she spoke, she looked into Raku's eyes, but quickly averted her gaze.
He was too close!
What trainer gets this close to an Umamusume to offer a contract? Any normal person would think they were busy with something else!
How about we finish our business first?
Her body was already heating up.
Fighting the urge to devour him on the spot, Aogumo leaned back on the sofa, trying to create some distance. But in such a small space, how much distance could there be?
Hearing his thumping heartbeat and feeling the warmth radiating from his chest, Aogumo's blood began to surge. Her ears, usually tucked against her head, were now standing straight up and were a little red at the tips.
She loved to tease the trainer, to watch him get flustered, but with him being so assertive, she was the one who was flustered.
I'm the one who's supposed to be forward, Trainer. You're making this difficult for me.
Please, let me tease you instead of you teasing me!
"Who could refuse a cute green cat? I certainly can't. So, Tenku, what do you say? Will you become my Umamusume?" Raku replied.
"Trainer... you really don't know anything about romance."
Aogumo gave up and surrendered to her desires. She reached out and wrapped her arms around his broad chest. "Let's just sleep for now. I'll tell you my answer when I wake up."
Aogumo was a master of procrastination.
This was not what Raku had expected.
Aogumo hadn't resisted him lying down next to her, which clearly showed her high level of affection.
But because of her personality, she didn't agree right away, choosing instead to be coy.
This was the difference between reality and the game. Even with high affection, a character's personality could make them do things that didn't align with what Raku had imagined.
Every Umamusume had her own mind.
Aogumo Tenku was different from the "Aogumo Tenku" he knew.
He remembered not long ago, he was looking for the green cat sleeping in the bushes. When she was asleep, he would go and mess with her.
He would take off her clothes and tie her up in strange ways, or simply play a game of Jenga with her.
Raku had always wanted to hear her say, "Trainer, what are you doing?" when she woke up. Even if she got angry and punched him, it would at least make him feel like he wasn't the only person in this world.
But sadly, every time Aogumo woke up, she would just look at him with her sky-blue eyes, then reach out and hug him tightly, her porcelain-white legs clamping around his waist.
No miracle ever happened.
Until today.
Raku had finally seen the real Aogumo Tenku.
He stroked the girl's head. Her tail, which had been hanging loosely off the sofa, twitched and then began to wag furiously.
She still felt as wonderful as ever.
Raku instinctively stroked her from her hair down her back and held her tightly. He had discovered long ago that Aogumo was a better companion for sleeping than Teio. If he brought her to his room, she would just find a bed and lie down to sleep.
This was Aogumo Tenku's character setting—she could fall asleep anywhere as long as it was comfortable.
In a bush, on a bed, on a sofa...
And on Raku.
In addition to her incredibly soft body, Aogumo's voice also had a soothing effect. Even if he wasn't tired, just lying next to her would make him drowsy. After a workout, Raku would always lie next to Aogumo and sleep until he woke up naturally.
However, the consequence of sleeping so much was that he couldn't sleep at all at night.
Unless he went back to Aogumo.
This was a terrifying thought. Raku had become addicted to Aogumo and couldn't sleep or function without her.
Later, Raku had to order Tokai Teio to drag him away whenever he slept next to Aogumo, forcing him to break the habit. Only then did Raku finally escape Aogumo's temptation.
It was a dark period of his life.
As Raku lay close to Aogumo's soft body and stroked her ears, the sleeping girl's cheeks were flushed.
The faint scent of dandelions from her body stirred Raku's emotions.
"Mmm~" Aogumo let out a captivating sound.
Alright, that's it. Whether this is the real world or the game, I'm going to claim this green cat today!
"Trainer..." A ghostly voice rang out before Raku could make his move. He looked up and saw Tokai Teio with empty eyes.
"Teio...? When did you get here?"
"Just now. The door wasn't locked, so I came in. Trainer, what are you doing...?" Tokai Teio looked at him, then her gaze shifted to Aogumo, who was blushing shyly in his arms. Her lifeless eyes sent a chill down Raku's spine.
Strange, is that order still in effect?
"Trainer, I don't care if you're sleeping, but why is this girl here?" Tokai Teio reached out and effortlessly lifted the nearly six-foot-tall man from the sofa. Her soft arms possessed a terrifying strength.
"I was just talking about the contract..."
"Contract? Isn't having me enough for you, Trainer? I, the great Teio-sama, am invincible. We don't need these throwaway Umamusume. As long as you focus all your energy on me, I'll definitely win you the Triple Crown. Do you really need to sign with anyone else?"
Raku gulped, looking up at the domineering Tokai Teio holding him in her arms. He couldn't believe he was being princess-carried by someone.
The real Umamusume are so fierce. Is it because I've maxed out their affection?
All Umamusume with max affection would have a heart icon on their progress bar, and Teio was no exception.
Her heart was a vibrant red.
Just as Raku was suspended in mid-air, flustered, Aogumo yawned and sat up from the sofa. She glanced at Tokai Teio, then turned to Raku. "It's decided, Trainer. I will become your Umamusume."