The chatter quieted as the other turned to listen.
"Thank you, everyone, for not minding your busy schedules and joining this gathering. This small gesture is nothing." She smiled behind her fan. "Today there's no training, no tasks. Only eating, drinking, and having fun to your heart's content."
"I hope everyone drinks their fill and has a great time."
Yayoi Akikawa snapped the fan shut and sat back down in one smooth motion.
Several troublemakers immediately cheered. Gold Ship let out a wild "Yahooo!" that echoed off the ceiling. "Long live the Director Yayoi Akikawa!"
The Director usually isn't very reliable, but sometimes she's extremely generous.
Before Hayato could process that, a pink blur came charging toward him. A small uma musume bounced to a stop right in front of his chair, practically vibrating with excitement.
"Escape runner trainer, can you teach Urara the great escape?! I feel like if Urara learns it, she'll be totally invincible!"
Ooofff!
Hayato almost choked on his coffee. The one saying this was Haru Urara, the uma musume who'd debuted one hundred times without a single victory.
"So it's Urara." Hayato carefully set his cup down. "I'm sorry, but you're an uma musume who can't use the great escape. Compared to that, I think you should focus on learning the closer running style or late-surger running style and practicing dirt short-distance races."
"Haha, so you're saying if Urara learns that running style, Urara can win?" Instead of looking discouraged, Urara seemed to have some kind of epiphany, her pink eyes sparkling. She felt like she could definitely win her next race.
But then her expression shifted again. If that running style was amazing, wouldn't a great escape be even more amazing?
The escape runner trainer really is like Mayano Top Gun said, he won't teach other uma musume the great escape. But that's okay, Sei-chan is willing to help Urara.
Her whole face lit up. "Hey, hey, Trainer, Urara will be participating in the selection race at the beginning of the month. Will you come watch? I think I can win!"
Hayato's chest tightened. The beginning of the month was also King Halo's Spring Stakes. If Hayato went to both races, time-wise, he probably couldn't make it to both, right?
But looking at those expectant pink eyes, the words came out before he could stop them. "I can."
Even knowing Urara would definitely lose, Hayato still wanted to go cheer for her.
"Great, great! Yay!" Urara bounced away toward Seiun Sky's direction, her excitement practically lifting her off the ground.
"What a lively and cute child," Kiryuin said, watching Urara go. A thoughtful expression crossed her face. If she and Meek played together, maybe Meek wouldn't be so lonely.
Too bad the trainer she's interested in isn't me.
Kiryuin shot Hayato a look that was equal parts dissatisfied and jealous.
Hmph, I won't lose either.
She was already mentally planning to intensify Happy Meek's training the moment they got back.
Catching that look, Happy Meek felt a chill crawl up her spine, her smile freezing in place.
"Yeah, she's cute," Hayato said absently, his mind already elsewhere.
Hayato didn't want to see Urara's hundred-loss streak continue at all. His thoughts turned over the problem, considering angles, looking for solutions. Anything he could do to help this little angel.
Because it was impossible for Urara to keep losing and still be that happy. She just cried when no one was looking, didn't she?
His throat constricted slightly, an ache settling in his chest.
Hayato wanted to do everything he could to protect Urara's smile and never wanted to see the day she cried.
After that, Hayato went looking for Ines Fujin, who was notoriously hard to track down in Tracen Academy. Lucky for him, Yukino Bijin happened to be nearby too, which made things easier.
"Trainer Hayato?" Ines Fujin looked up as Hayato approached, taking the initiative to greet him first.
"Yeah. Has your leg injury healed?"
"It's healed, totally healed! It's been fine for half a year now." She jumped to her feet and bounced twice, landing each time solidly. "See? I'm not lying, right?"
She paused, then the words tumbled out before he could respond. "Do you still need people? I can do odd jobs, anything really."
Hayato studied her for a moment. Ines Fujin had been called a genius once. Four-race winning streak, won her first GI at the Asahi Hai Futurity, tying the record Maruzensky had set. Later, she'd won the Japanese Derby as a front-runner despite not being able to win the Satsuki Sho due to an accident.
Her injury hadn't been as severe as people thought, it wasn't untreatable. The real reason for her retirement might have been something else entirely.
"I didn't have odd jobs," Hayato said. "I need training partners. Same salary and work hours as Yukino. If you're satisfied with that, come by tomorrow."
"Okay." Ines Fujin agreed without even thinking about it.
The banquet continued around them. Most of the food was disappearing into the stomachs of the four-member glutton group, who were currently having a competition to see who could eat cake the fastest.
Passing by one corner, Hayato caught sight of Trainer Okino. Her expression looked rough, gloomy in a way that made him wonder if she'd already been abandoned by her original uma musume.
A few steps later, Hayato spotted Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka in the middle of what looked like a heated argument.
"Didn't I already tell you? That's not right. Hmph, you just won't listen. Serves you right." Daiwa Scarlet's tsundere attitude was in full force as she glared at Vodka.
Vodka wasn't backing down either. "If it's black tea, you add milk."
"No, you add sugar."
"Milk."
"Sugar."
"Fine, then let's find someone to settle this."
They turned their heads in perfect sync and spotted Hayato. Both of them headed straight for him, teacups in hand.
"Trainer, do you think it's better to add milk or sugar to black tea?" Daiwa Scarlet got the first word in.
Vodka jumped in immediately with her own argument. "It's definitely milk, right? The color ends up just right."
"Wrong! Obviously, taste is more important. Didn't you just drink it?"
I'm saying, you two, both are fine, right? What's even the point of arguing about this?
Adding sugar and milk to tea or coffee was completely normal. Everyone's taste was different, personality was different, so the amounts and preferences varied. That was just how it worked.
To resolve the dispute, Hayato kept his expression serious. "Are you making tea to drink it, or to look at it?"
"Uh, this..." Vodka was immediately at a loss for words.
"Hmph, I told you—of course, taste is most important." Daiwa Scarlet smiled in victory, even showing her fangs.