Kitahara felt that he could understand what Symboli Rudolf was thinking, and he could also accept the confusion Seattle Slew was feeling at the moment.
This was nothing more than the difference between a god's-eye view and the perspective of those inside the situation—those involved are confused, while onlookers see clearly.
Even without considering how difficult it is to discover talent, simply gathering retired horse girls together and reorganizing a series of competitions is not a particularly hard idea to come up with.
However, the limitations of the era make such things very difficult to carry out in practice.
Organizing new races requires resources, cooperation from various parties, personnel arrangements, communication with suitable horse girls, and understanding their individual circumstances.
Just the last point alone—URA associations around the world may understand their own country's horse girls well, but when it comes to the global situation, their knowledge probably extends only to the most famous group.
Organizing events for such a group of horse girls would require an enormous amount of work. Even Kitahara, who had access to existing historical data, spent quite a lot of time planning it out. People living in this era would have an even harder time.
The other difficulties were similar.
Most importantly, there was risk.
The foundation of the entire industry was still capital operation, and every project carried various risks.
The Twinkle Series had already proven to be astonishingly profitable, but other races had not. Faced with such unknown risks, very few people would be willing to invest rashly.
Because of this, only someone like Kitahara—who knew more about the horse girl field and possessed a broader vision—could propose races such as the "Youth Cup" and the "Peak Cup" without hesitation.
But these thoughts naturally couldn't be explained to Symboli Rudolf, nor could they be explained to Seattle Slew.
So when he saw that Symboli Rudolf had already fully accepted the new races and even seemed somewhat excited about them—
And Seattle Slew still seemed to be in the middle of a "college entrance exam"—
Kitahara decided to directly discuss the establishment of the races with the Secretariat. After all, whether it was the "Peak Cup" or the "Youth Cup," both required the support of the American chairman.
The former race required horse girls like Seattle Slew to participate, which would be impossible without the Secretariat's approval.
As for the "Youth Cup," Japan indeed had enough horse girls to organize such an event.
However, Grass Wonder and El Condor Pasa, who were in the same generation as Special Week, Seiun Sky, and King Halo, still held American nationality and were currently studying at the American Tracen Academy.
If they wanted to "bring"… introduce these two horse girls to Japan, even though the relevant matters were not directly under the Secretariat's jurisdiction, taking them away without notice would still be rather disrespectful.
Because of this line of thinking, from the end of the banquet, throughout the remaining time in the United States, and even until the flight back to Japan, Kitahara hardly had any time to chat with Oguri Cap and the others.
On the one hand, it was natural because of work related to academic cooperation.
Although the Secretariat had left Connie Academy due to scheduling arrangements, Penny Chenery was still there.
Seattle Slew and Affirmed had nearly the same level of authority at Tracen Academy as Symboli Rudolf, and they could make decisions on many matters.
Together with other members of the board, discussions about cooperation proceeded smoothly.
On Japan's side, Hayakawa Tazuna represented the association and board of directors, while Symboli Rudolf and the others represented the academy and the student council.
Kitahara, meanwhile, participated as the representative of front-line trainers.
International cooperation between academies, the direction and format of partnerships, investment and profit-sharing, horse girl exchanges, the hosting of new races, film collaborations, and more.
American thinking was much more open than Japan's, so none of these projects encountered significant obstacles.
As a result, Kitahara had almost no free time.
The only time he managed to get some was on a rest day after returning to Japan.
More precisely, it was Oguri Cap and the others' rest day.
Although the overall summer schedule was a training camp, it was impossible to conduct special training continuously for two months.
Recently, they had also participated in a relay race and an educational race. Although these two races were not official competitions in the Shining Series, their intensity was no less than that of the other races.
And the next races for these three horse girls were all in October, leaving plenty of time. So after returning to Japan, they didn't rush to Nagoya but instead stayed in Tokyo and went around having fun.
Kitahara himself followed Akikawa Yayoi and Hayakawa Tazuna, handling some of the final matters of the projects negotiated in the United States.
However, while dealing with affairs that day, he was clearly somewhat distracted.
"…Kitahara, do you think this is alright? Kitahara…?"
After hearing his name called several times in a row, Kitahara finally reacted.
Looking toward the voice, he saw that behind the desk in the chairman's office, Akikawa Yayoi and Hayakawa Tazuna were both looking at him with concern. It had been the latter who was speaking.
"Sorry, I got a bit distracted just now…"
Scratching his head awkwardly, Kitahara asked apologetically:
"Where were we just now…?"
"…Ah, we were talking about the arrangements for Grass Wonder and El Condor Pasa after they come to Japan."
After hesitating and examining Kitahara for a moment, Tazuna finally spoke.
"Those two children are very interested in coming to Japan. After discussing it with their parents, everything went smoothly."
"When the next semester begins, they'll enroll at Central Tracen Academy."
"What the chairman and I were just discussing was their academic arrangements, as well as housing for their families."
She paused and mentioned another matter.
"Also, when you went to Europe last time, you discussed similar things with Epsom Academy."
"At that time, races like the 'Youth Cup' and the 'Summit Cup' hadn't yet been decided."
"But since communication with the United States went so smoothly this time, Europe will probably be the same."
"In that case, the two new races can be carried out entirely under the name of international cooperation and exchange, without worrying too much about the URA Association."
"Following this line of thinking, when the student council president of Epsom Academy visits Japan later, we can discuss this matter with her."
"What I asked you earlier was to hear your opinion—particularly regarding student exchanges."
"For example, from the United States, outstanding horse girls like El Condor Pasa and Grass Wonder are willing to come to Japan."
"Sunday Silence also said that after retirement, she plans to transfer directly to Japan."
"Gentlemanly also said she's somewhat interested and may come take a look after retiring."
"I was thinking that Europe might have similar situations."
"Kitahara, you have a great eye for discovering horse girl talent, don't you? Even Chairman Akikawa praises that. So we wanted to hear your thoughts on this matter, but…"
After patiently explaining everything Kitahara had missed, Tazuna became concerned again.
"But you seem… perhaps a bit tired."
"It makes sense, really. The vacation has just started… no, actually, you've been busy ever since returning from Europe."
"First Tamamo Cross and Inari One's race, then Oguri Cap and the others."
"Then the relay race, and after that the race in the United States."
"Oguri Cap and the others had their races at different times, so after competing, they all went to rest. Like right now, they're probably out playing somewhere like Harajuku…"
At this point, Tazuna's expression turned a little strange, but she quickly continued:
"But you've been busy the whole time, Kitahara. I feel like you must be tired."
"If that's the case, why not go spend some time with Oguri Cap and the others?"
"With the chairman, me, and Rudolf here, things should be fine."
"And if there really is a problem, we'll ask you."
Ever since Kitahara arrived at Central Tracen Academy, his status, ability, and evaluation in everyone's eyes had been rising almost in a straight line.
Whether it was training, racing, discovering talent, business development, or unprecedented ideas, he had proven that he was capable.
At this moment, Tazuna was practically treating him as a safety net, her words subtly implying that if something couldn't be solved, they could just go to Kitahara.
Although Akikawa Yayoi didn't speak, judging from the way she happily waved her fan with a satisfied expression, she clearly shared the same opinion.
Kitahara fell silent for a moment, but did not agree with Tazuna.
He didn't really feel tired. Compared to working in a Japanese corporation, his current life felt extremely relaxed.
His professional knowledge had accumulated across two lifetimes, and with his understanding of industry development—almost like having a cheat—he could combine it with real-world analysis and put ideas directly into use.
The only real difficulty might be things like domains and "proper form"—matters bordering on theology or metaphysics. But those weren't problems that could be solved in a day or two, so there was no need to rush.
Or perhaps there was another difficulty.
Understanding what his horse girls were thinking.
The reason he had been distracted earlier was precisely that he was thinking about this.
He couldn't quite understand what Oguri Cap, Super Creek, and Ardan had been thinking after the education race, or why they now seemed to be avoiding him.
He admitted he had a lot to do every day, but he still had time to chat.
Yet whenever he found time, those three horse girls would mysteriously disappear.
For example, just like today.
He wasn't staying at the academy right now, but was lodging with Hayakawa Tazuna, just like the first time he came to Tokyo.
Oguri Cap and the others were doing the same.
He felt that he already been waking up very early every day.
But surprisingly, they woke up even earlier.
When he got up, they were already gone, and he had no idea where they had gone.
Calling them, sending messages, or asking Tazuna usually produced the same answer.
They had gone out to play.
There was nothing wrong with resting, of course.
But when it happened so coincidentally every day, it was hard not to suspect that it might be intentional.
So… could it be…
…that they disliked him now?
Because of the educational race arrangements?
Kitahara even had such a helpless guess.
But whatever the truth was, he would have to find a chance to talk openly with his horse girls.
For now, work still came first.
"No need. I'm not tired or anything—trust me."
Shaking his head, he glanced around and noticed many documents on the desk. After thinking for a moment, he reached out his hand.
"I was just distracted earlier, not tired."
"As for Europe… there should be a student list, right?"
"Could I take a look?"
"If I remember correctly, when we finished the exchange race in Europe and were doing inspections afterward, I noticed some very good horse girls."
"If they could come to Japan for an exchange study, many races… I think they would become even more exciting."
Seeing Kitahara so devoted to work, Tazuna hesitated again.
Before she could say anything, Akikawa Yayoi suddenly spoke with a smile.
"Excellent! As expected of Kitahara, you had already prepared something so early."
Saying this, she handed over several documents from the desk.
"As for the list, I do have one."
"During the International Horse Girl Association mid-year meeting recently, I happened to exchange lists with Lyphard."
"You can take a look first."
"Tazuna, you don't need to persuade Kitahara anymore."
"He's just that kind of person. Persuading him is useless—nyehahaha!"
Waving her fan and laughing loudly, she casually advised Tazuna.
Tazuna gave a wry smile, while Kitahara smiled slightly and accepted the list, flipping through it.
"If we're considering things from the perspective of the 'Peak Cup,' then horse girls like Dancing Brave and Reference Point would be very suitable invitations. But these horse girls probably can't be contacted under the name of study exchange."
He first analyzed the European horse girls on the list who belonged to roughly the same generation as Symboli Rudolf and Maruzensky.
Then, flipping through the list, he continued:
"As for horse girls suitable for study exchange and capable of performing well in races like the 'Youth Cup'…"
After thinking for a moment, he quickly named several.
"Let's try these."
"Zafonic is excellent. Pursuit of Love as well. Nature, Dr. Devious, and Dear Doctor are also good."
"Further down…"
"Montjeu? Hmm, this one is very good too."
"And Urban Sea."
"If we go even further… it might be a bit early to think about them now, but…"
"Let's try asking Galileoand Sea the Stars if they'd be interested in coming to Japan."
Relying on memories from two worlds, Kitahara quickly selected a group of European horse girls who had not yet debuted—or had not even begun their proper development.
Then he added a few from the same generation to "disguise" it a bit.
The reason for the disguise was simple.
When he mentioned those horse girls, the races that could be organized in the "Youth Cup" also appeared in his mind.
Previously, he had only considered races among Japanese horse girls.
For example, Tokai Teio, Mejiro McQueen, Rice Shower, and Miho No Bourbon alone could already form a perfectly balanced and highly exciting competition.
Narita Brian was a little younger. Her weaker performance in the previous relay race wasn't due to lack of talent—it was simply because of her age.
If age and development were taken into account, suitable rivals for Narita Brian would be horse girls like Hishi Amazon, Marvelous Crown, and Sakura Laurel.
Similarly, Special Week, Seiun Sky, King Halo, Grass Wonder, El Condor Pasa, and others he remembered could also form excellent races.
But if international factors were considered—especially Europe—then race arrangements might need adjustments.
The names he had proposed while "looking at the list" were precisely based on that consideration.
Zafonic, Pursuit of Love, Nature, and Dr. Devious—once these European horse girls debuted, they would definitely become extremely powerful competitors.
In the parallel world comparison:
Zafonic was the British dual-crown champion with four G1 victories.
Nature was also a dual-crown champion.
Pursuit of Love won the Epsom Derby, as did Dr. Devious.
Dear Doctor was the champion of the Arlington Million in France.
These racehorses had all participated in races in Japan.
Specifically, the Japan Cup, which was promoted to an international G1 race in 1992.
That year's Japan Cup champion was Tokai Teio.
It was also Japan's first Japan Cup victory in many years since Symboli Rudolf's win.
One could even say it was a "father-to-son inheritance."
Since in the parallel world these Japanese and European racehorses could compete on the same stage—
Then the same could happen in this world.
The later names he proposed followed similar logic.
For example, Montjeu.
In 1999, Montjeu was arguably one of the strongest horses in Europe, defeating El Condor Pasa by half a length in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Yet in the same year's Japan Cup, Montjeu lost to Special Week and finished only fourth, cementing Special Week's title as the "General of Japan."
In the other world, because of this result—and because Special Week had lost to El Condor Pasa in the 1998 Japan Cup—fans endlessly argued about which horse was stronger.
It was quite subtle.
If racehorses could think like humans, they might even have similar thoughts.
El Condor Pasa: How did Special Week beat Montjeu?
Montjeu: How did El Condor Pasa beat Special Week?
Special Week: How did Montjeu beat El Condor Pasa?
In short, although this world had not yet had those two Japan Cups and the Arc de Triomphe, letting the three of them compete earlier might be quite interesting.
Add to that Grass Wonder, Seiun Sky, and King Halo—who had similar "rivalries" with El Condor Pasa and Special Week.
Once the races of this generation unfolded, there certainly would be no shortage of fun—spectacular performances.
Urban Sea, Galileo, Sea the Stars, and Van Gogh were other types of situations.
Their talent was unquestionably strong.
Galileo was a top Derby horse, champion of both the English and Irish Derbies, winner of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and the 2001 European Horse of the Year for three-year-olds.
Sea the Stars won six top G1 races in a single year at age three, including the 2000 Guineas, Epsom Derby, Eclipse Stakes, International Stakes, Irish Champion Stakes, and the Arc de Triomphe—eight wins in his career.
Frankel, known as the "perfect racehorse," had fourteen wins from fourteen races and was the undisputed Horse of the Year.
Compared with them, Urban Sea's achievements seemed less dazzling—only a single G1 victory, the Arc de Triomphe.
However, as a mare, she was the mother of Galileo and Sea the Stars, and the grandmother of Van Gogh.
If in this world these horse girls came to Japan, their races would likely be arranged after Tokai Teio's generation.
For example, around the generation of T M Opera O, Orfevre, and Gold Ship.
But compared to the races themselves, Kitahara was more curious about something else—
What daily interactions the "Sea family horse girls" might have in this world.
Maybe they'd be as eccentric as the "Gold family."
Or perhaps something like the relationship between Symboli Rudolf and Tokai Teio—"kind father, filial child."
Or like Sunday Silence and Special Week—"roaring father, gentle child."
In any case, it would surely be interesting.
Although Kitahara had many thoughts in his heart, outwardly he simply named the European horse girls he favored one by one.
Given his previous performance—especially his preparation work for the American education race—Akikawa Yayoi and Hayakawa Tazuna had almost no doubts about him, and they quickly wrote down the names.
"…That's about it. These are the ones I noticed during the European inspection."
After finishing the list, Kitahara thought for a moment.
"After this… President Dancing Brave is coming to Japan, right?"
"I remember it's because of that rare illness she has."
"As for that, Kyoko from my team, her grandfather Dr. Kokubo Ren, and other experts are all researching it."
"Rudolf and the others have also put in a lot of effort."
"With the addition of the resources from Dancing Brave's team, perhaps this meeting will produce good results."
"Once her condition improves—or at least stabilizes—we can confirm the European horse girls' situation."
Hearing this, Tazuna continued recording Kitahara's ideas, while Akikawa Yayoi became excited.
"Excellent! A very complete and outstanding plan—there are no problems at all."
Waving her fan, the chairman affirmed:
"And your trip to the United States went very smoothly. I've also spoken with the Secretariat on the phone."
"She said that when the right time comes, she'll also try to make a trip to Japan."
"Even if she really can't find the time, she'll send Seattle Slew and Affirmed in her place."
"If things go quickly, they could arrive around the end of this vacation."
"If slower, it still won't be too late—at the latest it should be around the Japan Cup."
"Oh right, speaking of that, I really have to thank you, Kitahara!"
Kitahara looked surprised.
"Thank me?" He pointed at his own nose.
"Correct!"
The fan in her hand waved even more energetically. With a delighted and satisfied smile, Akikawa Yayoi nodded, then shook her head slightly as if a bit helpless.
"You're not the chairman—especially not the chairman of Japan—so there are many situations you wouldn't know."
"Japan's Twinkle Series races basically aren't connected to the international circuit. The only one that barely counts is the Japan Cup."
"But even the Japan Cup isn't really considered G1-level internationally. So ever since it was established, other countries haven't shown much interest in coming to Japan to race or even visit."
"When my father was chairman—and even the previous chairmen before him—every year during the Japan Cup or other international programs, they would rack their brains trying to attract famous international horse girls."
"Sometimes after exhausting every possible effort, those people still weren't willing to come."
"But now things are different. With your reputation, my job this year will be much easier."
"You have to understand, Dancing Brave almost represents the strongest level of European horse girls in recent years."
"Even though she's currently injured, even though she has retired, her prestige across Europe and the world is astonishing."
"As for Secretariat, there's no need to even mention it. Although she and I are both chairmen now, and we were both horse girls before… I simply can't compare with her."
"I mean in racing."
"If I had to race her, I'd probably spend the entire time watching her back get farther and farther away."
"Only Tazuna could keep up with that terrifying speed of hers."
Hearing her suddenly mentioned, Hayakawa Tazuna looked slightly startled, then shook her head.
"My situation was special. If I hadn't possessed both a human and horse girl state at the same time, I don't think I could have kept up with Secretariat either—let alone cross the finish line almost simultaneously with her."
"Don't be so modest… Ah, forget it. That's just your personality—I won't argue with you."
After teasing her friend with a smile, Akikawa Yayoi continued:
"If Secretariat really comes to Japan, the prestige she brings us would be enormous."
"And even if she truly doesn't have time to come, Seattle Slew and Affirmed would already be more than enough."
"One was the first undefeated Triple Crown champion in history—and achieved it in the American system where the Triple Crown races are packed into just two months."
"The other is also a Triple Crown champion."
"A visit like that—let alone how much our academy would benefit from it."
"Even the association's shareholders would probably be grinning from ear to ear."
"They wouldn't even need to race in the Japan Cup… honestly, they'd only need to appear in the VIP stands at any race."
"The tickets for that race—and the tickets for the Winning Live afterward—would definitely have only one possible outcome: sold out."
"Those profit-obsessed people might even raise the prices temporarily."
"The merchandise would probably get more expensive too."
"In short, whether it's for Tracen Academy, for the horse girls, or for the association—Kitahara…"
Akikawa Yayoi closed her fan and looked at him very seriously, slightly bowing.
"You've made tremendous contributions. Nyehahaha!"
Facing such praise, Kitahara reflexively thanked her, then returned to a working mindset.
However, there wasn't actually much left for him to do.
Most cooperation details had already been discussed in the United States. The remaining work was mainly handled by the board under Akikawa Yayoi, with assistance from the student council.
He only needed to confirm a few details and provide some ideas—there shouldn't be any major issues.
And even if there were, Tazuna had already said they could ask him later.
So after confirming this, Kitahara quickly excused himself and left the office.
After closing the door behind him, he thought for a moment and took out his phone.
Right now was a rare moment of free time. It was a good opportunity to ask where Oguri Cap and the others were.
But just as he finished entering the number and was about to call, the office door suddenly opened again and Tazuna stepped out.
"…Is there something else?"
Kitahara asked in surprise.
"I suddenly remembered something."
With a somewhat strange, amused expression, Tazuna glanced at the phone in Kitahara's hand, then took out her own and tapped a few times.
The next second, Kitahara felt his phone vibrate with a message notification. He opened it instinctively.
"…Chiyoda Ward? Sanbancho 2-chome? Chidorigafuchi Boating Pier?"
Seeing the address displayed on his phone, Kitahara was completely confused.
"This is… what's going on?"
"Am I right in guessing that back in the United States, you already wanted to have a talk with Oguri Cap and the others?"
Instead of answering, Tazuna suddenly asked a question—and it hit exactly the topic Kitahara cared about.
"…Yes, I did think about it, but…"
Though he didn't understand why she brought it up, Kitahara admitted it honestly and then shook his head with a bitter smile.
"I just never found a good opportunity."
"In the United States they were staying in the dormitories, so going there at night wasn't appropriate. During the day… I had too many things to handle."
"And it's pretty much the same now."
"Also, they've been waking up very early lately. By the time I get up, they've already gone out."
"This situation… honestly made me start wondering if they might dislike me."
"For example, maybe because the education race arranged them to compete against you and Secretariat—it might have been too intense."
"So…"
Suddenly, a thought struck him.
"Wait… are you saying they're in Chiyoda Ward?"
Tazuna still didn't answer immediately. Instead, she smiled gently.
"Don't worry. You're a very special trainer."
"I think any horse girl who becomes your trainee—or even someone who has interacted with you a little—would find it hard to dislike you."
"In fact, Secretariat and I once talked about it. If it had been possible, training under you back then might actually have been quite nice."
Whether she was serious or joking, she said this lightly. Seeing Kitahara's stunned expression, she continued:
"They—Oguri Cap and the others—are indeed in Chiyoda Ward."
"Back when we were still in the United States, they already wanted to do this. They just didn't know when you'd have time."
"They asked me yesterday. I felt you probably wouldn't be busy today, so I suggested arranging it for today."
"If you want to find them, you can go there now."
"But… I'd also like to suggest that you don't contact them first."
"I think you'll find them anyway. That way it'll be more of a surprise."
A surprise?
What surprise…?
Wait, Miss Tazuna, could you at least explain a little…?
Kitahara felt that what Tazuna had just said was rather baffling. And after saying it, she slipped back into the office with a faint laugh, which made it even more puzzling.
Still, this probably wasn't a joke—Tazuna wasn't that kind of person.
So although confused, Kitahara thought for a moment, left the academy, and took the train toward the location she had given.
The journey from the academy to Chiyoda Ward, to Chidorigafuchi Pier, wasn't troublesome. Transportation there was very convenient.
Take the Tozai Line, Hanzomon Line, or Toei Shinjuku Line to Kudanshita Station, then walk five minutes to the Chidorigafuchi greenway.
Or take the Hanzomon Line and get off at Hanzomon Station, which is also about a five-minute walk.
At first, while riding the train, Kitahara still didn't understand what Tazuna meant—nor what kind of "surprise" Oguri Cap and the others had in mind.
But he quickly began to guess.
Oh… it's the summer festival season.
Just by looking at the girls and horse girls on the train wearing yukata, he felt like he understood.
Summer festivals are a traditional Japanese custom, usually held during the hot months of July and August.
And the yukata is a distinctive outfit for that time.
It's not that people can't wear yukata at other times, but on summer nights, girls full of youthful energy wearing colorful yukata while watching fireworks and participating in festivals create an especially beautiful scene.
As a type of kimono, yukata have their own style.
Formal kimonos tend to be solemn and elegant, with simpler colors.
Yukata are far more lively.
Their patterns are rich and varied, the dyeing and weaving are delicate, and the obi belts are tied differently.
The colorful yukata resemble blooming flowers, paired with rainbow-like sashes.
In fact, during summer festivals, fireworks aren't even necessary—the girls wearing yukata themselves already form a vibrant spectacle.
Kitahara recalled that during the past few days commuting between the residence and the academy, he had seen many scenes like this on the train.
The Edogawa Goldfish Festival, Kagurazaka Awa Dance Festival, Shinjuku Taiko Festival, the Nogi Shrine summer festival…
Many summer events were taking place across Tokyo during this time.
So today must be the Chiyoda festival?
What festival is it exactly?
Since he wasn't very familiar with these entertainment events, Kitahara took out his phone and searched.
"Oh… the Lantern Floating Festival."
"Chidorigafuchi… boating in the moat near Kitanomaru Park, lighting lanterns on the water…"
"There's also Awa dancing, goldfish scooping, fireworks, and street food…"
"Sounds lively."
"So they came here to play… and then invited me to join?"
Muttering while reading his phone, Kitahara suddenly smiled and leaned back in his train seat.
He suddenly realized something.
Perhaps the idea of deliberately "having a talk" with his horse girls had been too forced.
That method—like his usual work—was too purposeful.
But if he really wanted to understand what they were thinking, perhaps he shouldn't approach it so deliberately.
Instead, he should simply watch what they do—what they are like outside of racing.
Like this summer festival.
He had seen many girls wearing yukata today, yet he realized he couldn't quite imagine Oguri Cap and the others wearing them.
Or dancing, scooping goldfish…
The only dancing he had seen from them was on Winning Live.
The reason was simple: he understood training well, but wasn't very good at teaching dance.
Back in Kasamatsu, Oguri Cap and the others practiced dance with their friends.
After coming to Central Tracen Academy, that responsibility was handed to professional dance instructors.
He had always believed that professionals should handle professional tasks.
Now it seemed that way of thinking had also been a bit too rigid.
If he knew nothing about them outside of training and racing, then even if they talked face-to-face for hours, it might not matter much.
Kitahara suddenly reached this conclusion.
With that thought in mind, after getting off near Chidorigafuchi, he didn't call Oguri Cap.
Instead, he wandered through Kitanomaru Park.
He wanted to test his idea.
He wanted to see whether, relying on his shared experiences with his horse girls—on pure instinct—he could find them.
…Still, even relying on instinct, finding them this quickly felt unbelievable.
On the park's main path, Kitahara noticed a lively procession approaching.
Instinctively stepping aside into the crowd of spectators, he soon spotted a familiar face within the group.
It was an Awa Odori dance procession.
At the very front was the leader carrying a tall wooden lantern pole with a paper lantern labeled "Awa Dance."
Behind him were rows of children and young horse girls.
The boys wore bright yellow shirts, waving paper fans, with headbands reading "Awa Dance."
The girls and young horse girls wore pink, pale red, yellow, or white yukata.
They carried round fans and wore triangular straw hats that hid their horse ears.
Their dance was softer and more graceful than the boys'.
Further back were older dancers, and finally musicians playing shamisen, taiko drums, gongs, and flutes.
Honestly, Kitahara felt the dance itself wasn't very complicated.
The steps and gestures were simple—alternating steps and arm movements to a two-beat rhythm.
But in such a lively atmosphere, complicated choreography wasn't necessary.
Everyone looked happy.
The spectators clapped and sometimes even joined the dancing.
Kitahara himself almost felt like dancing.
And in the middle of the procession—
There they were.
Oguri Cap, Super Creek, and Mejiro Ardan.
Also Tamamo Cross and Inari One from Nagoya.
And Special Week, Seiun Sky, and King Halo who had gone to America before.
Along with Tokai Teio and others who seemed to have arrived together.
All of them wore bright, colorful yukata instead of uniforms, training clothes, or racing outfits.
Their slender yet athletic figures looked lively in the summer clothing.
The triangular hats hid their ears, making them look like ordinary carefree girls without the burdens of training and racing.
Their laughter drifted faintly through the crowd.
"Um… after the dance, should we go get something to eat together?"
"Huh? Oguri, you're hungry already? We barely started dancing!"
"Yeah, didn't Super Creek cook a ton of food for you earlier? And you already ate a lot of yakisoba at that stall."
"That wasn't a lot! The ingredients just ran out because Oguri ate everything!"
"Oguri-senpai really eats so much… maybe I should learn from her…"
"Special Week, please don't learn that. You eat just as much as Oguri-senpai. That yakisoba stall selling out was partly your fault!"
"Not just yakisoba! The takoyaki, chopstick rolls, grilled chicken skewers… you two wiped out everything!"
"Eh? I was wondering who did something so outrageous… turns out it was you two…"
"Hey, Tamamo-senpai, why are you silent… and why do you look so angry?"
"Angry? Of course I'm angry! If you lot hadn't suddenly dragged me here today, I'd never have known!"
"Turns out Oguri has been dressing up like me to eat discount food everywhere!"
"No wonder some shops started banning me! It was all because of you!"
"Confess! How many times did you impersonate me?!"
"N-not that many…"
"M-maybe… five… ten… twenty… no, no wait… maybe just three or four times…"
"I HEARD THAT! I'm not deaf! Oguri! I'm going to fight you!"
"W-wait, don't do this here! We're still in the dance line!"
"Tamamo-senpai, calm down! It's the summer festival!"
"Oguri-senpai… maybe you should apologize properly…"
The dance line grew slightly chaotic.
"Hmph. For everyone's sake, I'll let it go this time… Oh right. When Kitahara-uncle arrives tonight, don't eat too much."
"Don't worry. I know everyone prepared a lot for a long time. I won't overeat. Besides, I already ate so much earlier, so I can eat less tonight…"
"…Though speaking of that, has Kitahara finished his work yet…?"
"…Huh?"
"Look over there… isn't that Kitahara?"
(End of Chapter)