Inside the library, Hayato spotted a desk covered with over a dozen training-related books piled high. An uma musume with long twin tails was resting with her face pressed against the desk surface, completely still.
The book Hayato wanted happened to be on that very desk.
Hayato walked over quietly and picked one up, trying not to disturb her. He'd barely flipped two pages when the sound of rustling paper made the uma musume stir.
She sat up slowly, rubbing her dry eyes with obvious exhaustion. Only after blinking several times did she finally look at him properly.
"You didn't sleep all night, right?" Hayato kept his voice gentle, concerned. "You can't do this to yourself. You need to balance work and rest. Sleep is important too."
"Mind your own business." Daiwa Scarlet snatched the book back from his hands in one smooth motion and immediately used it as a pillow, laying her head back down. Her voice came out muffled against the pages.
Last night, she'd trained until midnight after sneaking out of the dorm. Then she'd come to the library and grab over a dozen books, determined to pull an all-nighter studying.
It wasn't unusual for her, really. She'd wanted to study through the night for a while now. Having a key to the library made sneaking out for all-nighters completely easy.
It's just that she'd ultimately lost the fight against exhaustion. She'd fallen asleep while reading.
"I can't control you and don't want to," Hayato said evenly. "But can you let me look at those books? I need to read them too."
"Find them yourself." She didn't even bother lifting her eyelids.
Left with no choice, Hayato went to track down several books on his own. He'd originally planned to take them back to the trainer's office, but something about leaving Daiwa Scarlet like this made him uneasy. He sat down in a spot next to her instead.
Genius. Honor student. Top student. Those titles were never obtained out of thin air or by luck alone.
Daiwa Scarlet was the model student representative, the kind everyone pointed to as an example. She'd always taken first place and nothing else, never competing for second. That is, until she met her lifelong rival, Vodka.
If Hayato wasn't mistaken, Vodka had already been recruited by Trainer Okino over at Spica by now. Getting Vodka to cooperate would still need time and adjustment, though. You couldn't just bag someone like her and expect instant results.
Hayato's ambition wasn't quite that aggressive.
Seiun Sky had delivered herself to his door. King Halo was because he couldn't stand watching her get mocked. Silence Suzuka was because Hayato didn't want to see her tragic future unfold...
As for Grass Wonder, at the time, he'd wanted help getting through the beginner period. Because of what happened with Halo, he felt somewhat responsible toward her, too. It was about taking accountability.
As other students started filtering into the library for morning study, Daiwa Scarlet finally lifted her face from the desk.
She tidied her two long twin tails with practiced motions, then put one hand on her hip with her chest out, giving Hayato a warning look. "Don't tell anyone about this."
"Actually, you don't need to push yourself like this at all. Staying up all night really isn't good for you." Hayato met her eyes steadily. "I have a more efficient training plan. Want to try it?"
"Training plan?" Her eyes narrowed immediately, voice taking on an unhappy edge. "Are you also like all those other guys, here to recruit me?" She crossed her arms defensively. "You should give up on that idea right now. I'm not as good as you think. You saw it yourself, this is my real temper."
The self-deprecation in her voice was clear, but so was the defensiveness underneath.
"Think whatever you want. I'm just reminding you... not out of concern, not..." The more Hayato explained, the worse it got. Each word seemed to dig him deeper into a hole he couldn't climb out of. "Anyway, it's for your own good."
He gave up and left before he could make it any worse.
Daiwa Scarlet stared blankly at his retreating back, her mind trying to process what just happened. What does this person mean? How strange. Does he even know me? He just says it's for my own good and leaves.
"It's the escape runner trainer!" Several Uma Musume recognized Hayato as he passed, greeting him with bright smiles. "Good morning, escape runner trainer!"
"Yeah, morning." Hayato only responded once before heading outside, already exhausted by that nickname.
"Good morning, escape runner trainer, hehe." More uma musume spotted him and covered their mouths or faces as they giggled.
Maybe this title really is just funny to everyone.
After Hayato had walked far enough away, several uma musume huddled together near the entrance, voices dropping to excited whispers.
"I didn't pay much attention before, but looking at him now, the escape runner trainer is actually pretty handsome."
"I know, right? I just wonder if he'd take an uma musume like me. I really want to join his team."
"He won't." Another voice cut in, tinged with disappointment. "Yesterday, I clearly got first place in the selection race and applied directly, but got no response at all. Instead, he recruited Urara, who's never won a single race and only managed sixth place in a dirt race. I really don't get it."
"Slacker uma musume Seiun Sky, self-proclaimed first-rate King Halo, Urara who keeps losing, he really only takes uma musume with zero achievements."
"You can't say it like that, though." Someone else jumped in, voice rising with enthusiasm. "In just three months, three uma musume won races consecutively. The worse the Uma Musume starts out, the easier it is for miracles to happen with him!"
"Exactly! He's incredible. He already has the skills of a first-rate trainer, no question."
Daiwa Scarlet pulled over one of the uma musume nearby. "What does 'escape runner trainer' mean?"
The uma musume looked at her with confused eyes, head tilting slightly. "You don't know? That trainer's name is Hayato. He just entered Tracen at the beginning of this year." Her voice picked up speed as excitement took over. "The uma musume he trains are all escape runners, and they all win by absolutely massive margins."
She leaned in closer, eyes bright. "You know what? One of his Uma Musume directly challenged an open class Grade GII race and won by a huge seven-length margin! Right now, tons of people are talking about it. Two of them are even advancing to challenge the Classic Triple Crown, Triple Tiara, and Spring set!"
The uma musume paused, studying Daiwa's face. "Wait, was he just trying to recruit you? Then you'd better seize that opportunity while you can. This kind of chance won't come again."
"Hm?" Something clicked in Daiwa Scarlet's mind. Wait. Did I just...? The thought flickered and started to form, but she shut it down immediately. "Hmph, so what? There are plenty of trainers who want to recruit me."
"Hehehe." The uma musume bent over laughing, the sound genuine and amused. After she'd laughed enough, she straightened up and wiped at her eyes. "Then suit yourself."
She stopped paying attention to Daiwa Scarlet after that.
"Escape runner trainer? If that person helped... no, no, no." Daiwa shook her head back and forth vigorously, the motion emphatic. She was absolutely opposed to seeking outside help. Absolutely.