The dawn's Inari slowly painted the sky at the horizon, the melodious whistle of a ship sounded, and seagulls soared freely in the distance.
The uncle on the boat shouted loudly towards the dock, and the salty sea breeze mixed with a sense of melancholy spread in his mouth.
On a small island in the Seto Inland Sea, 18-year-old Asama Kazutomi, with a pile of luggage, made his final farewells with a mother and daughter.
"Brother…"
A little girl with soft, fluffy black short hair tugged at Kazuo's sleeve, her face full of reluctance. Her cherry-blossom eyes were fixed on Kazuo, and on the girl's head were horse ears, different from ordinary people.
The girl was an Uma Musume, as people called them, but she was only just over twelve years old.
"…Be good, Brother is going to Tokyo to study and work now."
Kazuo gently knelt down, stroking the girl's soft black hair, and looking at this sister with whom he had no blood relation, he lightly smiled and said:
"If I become a Trainer in the future, then when you become an Uma Musume, we can be together often."
Hearing this promise, a smile finally appeared on the girl's face.
"It's a promise! I will definitely come find Brother!"
"Yes, it's a promise."
More than a plan, this was a wish.
As a top student with a deviation value of nearly sixty in the national tests at his prefectural high school, Kazuo still had to make a choice.
After all, when it came to choosing his path, he gave up going to a public university that required high tuition fees.
Instead, he sought opportunities in Tokyo, the purpose being to leave the opportunity to his sister, who was six years younger than him, so that she could attend a good Uma Musume training academy.
The high training fees and academy qualification applications—if he could leave these to his sister!
Of course, he had already discussed all of this with his stepmother.
"Miss Ayako, thank you for taking care of me all this time."
Like the girl, this beautiful and dignified woman was also an Uma Musume, and Kazuo's stepmother.
After his father's accidental death, his stepmother single-handedly raised both of them, so Kazuo had always felt grateful to this mother who was not his birth mother.
To lessen her burden, Kazuo himself proposed giving up further education. This way, perhaps with his own efforts, the two of them could give his sister the opportunity to study at a Central Uma MusumeAcademy.
Of course, Miss Ayako clearly felt very bad about this decision.
Looking at Kazuo, who had already grown into an adult, Miss Ayako knew that anything more she said would be futile. She could only show a worried expression and nod apologetically: "Have a safe trip… Kazuo, if you encounter any difficulties outside, remember to tell us at home…"
"Mm… I know."
At dawn, the ship's whistle blew softly. On a small island in the Seto Inland Sea, a boy named Asama Kazutomi thus began his journey of studying and working in Tokyo.
.
However, the reality was far from that simple.
Even though he had already prepared himself mentally… but when he actually faced it—
"Alright, let me ask you a question first…"
In the interview room, seven or eight people sat at a table in front of him. In this oppressive atmosphere, he felt like a suspect being interrogated, stared at intently by them.
An invisible pressure made Kazuo restless, and his palms were completely sweaty.
The lead middle-aged interviewer held the form Kazuo had just filled out, as if scrutinizing him, narrowing his eyes and speaking with an inscrutable expression:
"Why… are you wearing this to the interview?"
At this moment, Kazuo was clearly wearing a restaurant uniform, with "Yoshinoya" written prominently on the chest. This attire made him look exactly like a delivery person… "Uh… actually, I was just delivering food when I happened to see your company's job posting… so I temporarily filled out the form and information to participate in the interview…"
He had impulsively participated in this interview, but only when he sat there did Kazuo realize how foolish he was.
Who comes to an interview wearing a work uniform like this!!!
He really wanted to slap himself… This agonizing atmosphere, with his answer, became even more deathly silent.
Several interviewers exchanged glances, their eyes full of speechlessness and disappointment. Some of them didn't even bother to look at his hastily filled-out resume, showing not the slightest interest, and sighed helplessly, resting their chins on their hands.
All of this was seen by Kazuo, and his heart clenched tightly.
"You… are only eighteen, right? You should still be a student, right?"
Suddenly, a clear, cold female voice rang out. It was the youngest, most striking beauty among the interviewers who was seriously reading his resume.
The woman, who looked like a very capable professional elite, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, was now pointing at a section of information Kazuo had filled out and asking a question.
"Uh… I gave up on further studies and am currently working in Tokyo, looking for opportunities to continue my education…"
This answer instantly made the woman's willow-like eyebrows furrow. She stared at Kazuo with extremely sharp eyes:
"Are you joking…?! We are looking to recruit elite Trainer staff with professional knowledge and excellent academic records… You haven't even studied at a specialized school…?"
"Yes… yes."
Regarding this point, the moment the woman exposed it, Kazuo's heart felt like it had fallen into a valley. He slowly lowered his head, not even daring to meet her gaze.
The other party was right; he didn't even have the necessary background and had rushed here purely out of passion… Even if he told her he had self-studied a lot, Kazuo fell silent under this pressure.
"If we only recruit people like you who come to an interview knowing nothing, then for the students you will be responsible for… what does that even mean?!"
The woman's voice grew increasingly stern. Although the others didn't say much, the meaning conveyed in their gazes was the same as hers.
"Our recruitment position isn't for you to learn? Why would we give you four years of self-improvement like college students? When it comes to work, people only want your results."
"…I'm sorry…"
"Now, now… Ms. Tojo, calm down…"
At this moment, among the interviewers, the oldest, a kind, white-haired old man, suddenly spoke up to dissuade her.
"…My apologies, I was out of line."
Perhaps realizing her lapse, the woman named Tojoquickly apologized to her colleagues around her, but then sat down with a somber face.
"Ahem… well, let's pause for a moment." The old gentleman squinted his eyes, looking at Kazuo with great curiosity, "There's something I'm very curious about. Why did you choose to participate in this interview? Just to be sure, let me confirm… you should know that this is the Tracen Academy's Trainerrecruitment interview, right?"
He couldn't help but recall the promise he had made with his younger sister—
That's right, for his sister, he had to become a capable Trainer… even if forced by reality—
"Yes, yes!"
The elder's kind attitude not only slightly relaxed Kazuo's nervous mind, but also, recalling their previous agreement, his heart settled down somewhat.
"Then… how much do you know about our Academy?"
"Tracen Academy is the first specialized Uma MusumeAcademy established in the country. Many of the Uma Musume competing in various major races have graduated from your esteemed institution. It can be said to be Japan's most professional Uma Musumetraining organization!"
"Uh… everything you just said, ordinary people already know…"
A middle-aged man on the side spoke, clearly dissatisfied with the answer.
"Yes…"
Unable to refute, his impression of the Academy indeed remained superficial… "Ahem… then, speaking of which… do you have any favorite Uma Musume? Or perhaps… a most memorable race?"
The old man crossed his hands, propping up his chin, watching him with an intriguing gaze.
And this sentence seemed to stir a fragment in his heart.
In his hazy childhood memories, that azure dancer's mask, the evening gown fluttering in the wind, like an elf in the shadows, that Uma Musume as elegant as a singer—
"Yes, I do!!"
Kazuo, somewhat agitated, almost stood up, "Although it was a race before I was born… but from the video I watched, a Uma Musume I particularly like, who graduated from Tracen Academy, is—"
"Oh…?"
Upon hearing that name, the old man's expression finally showed a ripple.
"The Nikkei Shinshun Cup in the G2 race! In that race, truly!! It left a very deep impression!"
"Especially her Kiai (Fighting Spirit) when she sprinted, when she shot up from seventh place in one go—even though I was watching a video, I could still feel a kind of sadness or resolute Kiai (Fighting Spirit)from her, that almost extremely forward-leaning running posture… No matter how many times I watch it, my blood boils! To this day, thinking about it still gives me goosebumps!!"
The fearless sprint, the Uma Musume wearing a dancer's mask—
"Is that so… you really like her that much…"
The old man slowly leaned back in his chair, as if savoring his words.
"Yes!! That's why, when I first learned it was your Academy, I immediately participated in this interview!!"
"However," the old man showed an apologetic smile, slowly shaking his head, "I'm really sorry, that Uma Musume… after participating in that race—her professional career abruptly ended due to a bone fracture…"
"…Eh?"
He froze completely, not even knowing how to react.
His hands and feet were cold, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar… He didn't react to anything that happened afterward. He just mechanically said a few simple words and was then asked to leave the room.
Standing outside the door for a long time, the final scene and those perfunctory, templated phrases slowly surfaced.
"Await notification"… in reality, it was just a polite way of saying no.
"…Seriously, what am I even doing…"
Scratching his head in a self-deprecating manner, Kazuo shrugged his shoulders dejectedly.
The clock above ticked, and the sky outside grew darker, his heart felt a stifling, inexpressible frustration.
Now, he would also be scolded by his boss for missing work… Looking at the food truck parked outside, all that lay before him was the worrying burden of the bustling city.
"Slap! Slap!"
He vigorously slapped his cheeks, as if this could drive out all the cluttered thoughts in his mind.
"I can't give up yet… I still have four years. For the promise with my sister, no matter what, I have to find a way to become a Trainer."
However—
Even he himself hadn't expected it.
March 31st
"This is Mr. Asama Kazutomi, the intern assigned to the training department starting today."
A mature woman in a bright green uniform introduced him to everyone in the office.