Chapter 24. Oguri's Serious Talk
PomPomPurin—the Pompompurin-themed café decorated around the animated character launched last year—had become extremely popular among the Uma Musume of the nearby Central Tracen Academy.
Although she had never belonged to Central Tracen Academy, Oguri Cap also liked this café. The reason, however, differed from most others: while many Uma Musume came for the adorable Pompompurin decorations, Oguri Cap came for the pudding.
Yet now, seated opposite her, neither Oguri Cap nor Silence Suzuka paid any attention to the menu.
Oguri Cap ordered a seasonal limited parfait and a mocha for herself.
"What would you like to order, Suzuka-san? It's on me." The gray Uma Musume looked up, fixing her gaze on the Uma Musume across from her.
"As for me—" Silence Suzuka pursed her lips briefly before answering, "An iced Americano."
"Is that alright? Don't force yourself." Oguri Cap's tone softened.
She deliberately adopted this gentler expression, hoping to lower Silence Suzuka's guard. This time, however, there was no ill intent behind the invitation.
"Then a seasonal limited latte," Silence Suzuka replied, sensing the kindness and choosing not to refuse.
Once their orders arrived, Oguri Cap took a sip of her mocha and wrinkled her nose— even mocha was a little too bitter for her taste.
Silence Suzuka followed suit, cautiously sipping her latte.
As she set the cup back on the table, Oguri Cap spoke. "I'm sorry for calling you out so suddenly today, Suzuka-san, but I don't want to beat around the bush."
Silence Suzuka felt her heart tighten, her nerves pulled taut. She couldn't help but feel that the presence of the senior seated before her was growing increasingly oppressive.
"Suzuka-san," Oguri Cap said calmly, "when did you realize your feelings?"
The tone was flat, yet to Silence Suzuka it struck like a thunderclap. She instinctively leaned back—then realized that such a reaction would only confirm what the other party had already concluded. Forcing herself to straighten, she steadied her posture.
Before Silence Suzuka could respond, Oguri Cap added, "Let's be honest with each other. Tell the truth, okay?"
At those words, Silence Suzuka swallowed the excuses she had prepared for her senior.
Her thoughts were a tangled mess, and for a moment she didn't know how to organize them clearly.
Seeing her reaction, Oguri Cap reached for her cup, deliberately giving her more time. "Then… let me tell you my side first."
Silence Suzuka lifted her head and met Oguri Cap's gaze.
Only then did she notice the gentle sweetness hidden in her senior's eyes.
"Actually," Oguri Cap said, "I'm not sure of the exact moment."
The words landed like a bombshell, leaving Silence Suzuka momentarily at a loss.
"When was it exactly?" Oguri Cap lowered her gaze to the mocha in her cup. "Was it when he rushed into the classroom and invited me to join the team in front of everyone? When he waited beneath the shrine's torii gate, towel and sports drink ready after I climbed the Slope Road? When he gave me a thumbs-up on that rainy night in Monbetsu? Or when he stood on the stage of Kasamatsu Racecourse and declared that he would become the most dazzling star in the Tokai region—together with me?"
She shook her head lightly. "By the time I noticed—that feeling was already completely certain."
Silence Suzuka bit her lip. For a fleeting moment, she thought Oguri Cap was declaring victory. But the gray Uma Musume overturned that impression with a single sentence.
"But back then, I realized Berno felt the same way."
Nothing more needed to be said. Just considering the present circumstances, Silence Suzuka understood that the doubt she had once harbored had become reality.
"I see." She pressed her lips together. After a brief pause, she continued, "As for me, I do have a definite moment."
Oguri Cap's ears twitched. She truly wanted to hear the answer.
"It was after I transferred to Team Sadalsuud." Silence Suzuka lifted her cup and, abandoning all pretense of elegance, drank it dry in one go. "Although I joined the team believing it could help me achieve better results in the Twinkle Series, the fact remains that I was expelled from Rigil."
"At that time, I had no confidence at all. My results unfolded exactly as Ann predicted—things went smoothly at first, but once I truly stepped onto the Classic Race stage, all that remained were bitter memories."
"For the first few nights after arriving in Hokkaido, I kept asking myself what I would do if I still couldn't succeed in Team Sadalsuud. What if I truly lacked the ability to become a successful Uma Musume? Oguri-senpai, you know I have a habit of walking counter clockwise around my room. During that period, whenever those thoughts overwhelmed me, I would change clothes and go out for a jog."
"Until one night…Ann caught me just as I was about to leave the hotel."
"No wonder—" Oguri Cap murmured softly, recalling how she had gone to Shuta An's room several times only to find him absent.
"I wanted to hide my anxiety from Ann," Silence Suzuka said with a bitter smile, spreading her hands. "But he still saw right through me. It felt like he could see everything about me. Before I even said a word, he pointed out exactly what I was worried about."
"At that moment, I was so embarrassed I wanted to turn around and run—actually, I already had." She paused. "But in that instant, Ann's starting speed was even faster than mine, an Uma Musume's. He grabbed my wrist and stopped me."
"That's only natural," Oguri Cap replied calmly. "Suzuka, you don't know this, do you? Ann's mother was a French Triple Tiara Uma Musume. If he were one himself, he'd be considered of noble blood."
"So that's why—" Silence Suzuka sighed. "At the time, I thought he could unleash such strength just for me—It felt a little presumptuous."
"That's not quite right either," Oguri Cap said, instinctively defending her lover. "Ann can indeed erupt with extraordinary strength for a moment, but doing so greatly increases the risk of injury. Back then, he really was taking a risk to stop you."
"I understand." Silence Suzuka nodded faintly. "I'll continue. After that, I was kept at the pavilion by Lake Toya. I thought I was about to be lectured."
"And what happened?" Oguri Cap leaned forward, intrigued.
"Nothing." Silence Suzuka lowered her head, avoiding her senior's gaze.
Her thoughts drifted back to last year.
—
"I know what you're worried about," Shuta An had said, gripping her wrist and forcing her to face him. "And I know that no matter what I say now, you won't be able to let go of that worry. So I'll promise you just one thing: as long as you follow my training, this year I will definitely make you a G1-winning Uma Musume."
With the bright moon at his back, the Young man spoke with an unshakable confidence. In Silence Suzuka's eyes, he looked like a savior bathed in faint light—yet that promise also felt like the temptation of a handsome succubus, irresistible in her fragile state.
But what choice did she have? Clinging to her anxiety would never improve her situation.
Seeing her fall silent, Shuta An took out a clean handkerchief and handed it to her. "If anything's bothering you, you can tell me anytime. Since you've joined my team, I'm responsible for you."
—
"Back then, I was just deeply moved," Silence Suzuka said softly, returning to the present. "But looking back now, that was probably when my feelings first began to stir."
"To be honest," Oguri Cap said as she took a bite of her parfait—causing Silence Suzuka's eyes to light up—"when Berno and I accepted each other, I was already mentally prepared. But I want to know—does Ann know?"
"No." Silence Suzuka shook her head vigorously. "I haven't told him. And I don't plan to, at least not for now."
She clenched her fist. "I want to wait until the second half of the year. After I win three more G1s. Only then will I have the confidence."
"I understand." Oguri Cap nodded.
After dropping Silence Suzuka back at the Academy, Oguri Cap stood at the gate and sent Shuta An a LINE message, informing him that she was already there.
Upon receiving it, Shuta An quickly left his office, rushed to the parking lot, and drove to the main entrance. Spotting the gray Uma Musume waiting nearby, he smiled.
"What's wrong?" he asked after she got in. "Oguri, are you dissatisfied with today's conversation?"
"No," Oguri Cap replied brightly. "I'm very satisfied. In fact—even more satisfied than I expected."
Since Shuta An knew nothing about the Dream Trophy Series, he didn't ask further.
"Satisfied is good," he said, nodding as he put the car in gear and drove them home.
After lunch, Shuta An returned to his study to continue working. Oguri Cap, meanwhile, took the opportunity to pull Berno Light aside and review the conversation once more.
"Although I knew this day would come, it's good that Miss Suzuka isn't rushing," Berno Light said with a sigh of relief. "To be honest, I wasn't fully prepared either."
"The bigger issue is how you'll explain things to your family," Oguri Cap pointed out.
"No need," Berno Light blinked. "When I went back to Kasamatsu last time, my mother told me to hurry up and said I should also learn patience in this situation. I've already made my choice, so I don't plan to explain."
"We might have to talk to Dober and Teio later," Oguri Cap added suddenly.
"Please don't," Berno Light said with a wry smile, waving her hand. "Dober-chan definitely won't go that way, and Teio hasn't even begun full-scale training yet. If you bring it up now, she'll just start planning too early. Worse, if she misunderstands, it'll only cause trouble."
"You're right." Oguri Cap shook her head helplessly.
"Compared to that," Berno Light said earnestly, "you should focus on solidifying your own position, Oguri."
"No need," Oguri Cap replied with a confident smile. "This one thing—absolutely no need."
Berno Light gazed at that smile for a long moment, then sighed softly, tinged with envy.
On the weekend of the Oka Sho, Shuta An took Oguri Cap and Mejiro Dober to Hanshin Racecourse to watch the race live. The others were busy with their own matters. Berno Light was buried under work, while Silence Suzuka and Tokai Teio chose to train at the Academy.
Mejiro Dober had originally planned to do the same, but Shuta Trainer gave her a reason she couldn't refuse.
"Next year you'll be running on the Oka Sho track too. Experiencing the atmosphere now is important. This counts as training."
Faced with that logic, the young lady of the Mejiro family could only concede. After greeting Mejiro Ramonu, she met up with Shuta An and Oguri Cap early, then took the Shinkansen to Hanshin Racecourse, awaiting the opening act of this year's Classic Race circuit.
"Next year—can I be the protagonist up there?" Mejiro Dober murmured to herself as she read an Oka Sho analysis magazine on the train.
She stole a glance at Shuta An. "I believe in Trainer. He can definitely make it happen!"
Noticing her gaze, Shuta An—having nothing to hide—met her eyes openly, right in front. Startled, Mejiro Dober quickly lowered her head and returned her attention to the magazine.
"Next year, I'll definitely appear here as a popular Uma Musume. As long as I win—I'll become the pride of my family too!"
Her thoughts drifted into a vision of a brilliant future.
Watching Mejiro Dober lost in anticipation, the corners of Shuta An's mouth lifted, his mood brightening.
"Next year's Oka Sho," he said with quiet confidence, "Team Sadalsuud will claim its first Classic Race victory."
Although no Uma Musume from Team Sadalsuud competed in this year's Oka Sho, Shuta An still managed to bring Oguri Cap and Mejiro Dober into the VIP box—thanks to Kitahara's connections. The reason was simple: Team Scorpii, under Kitahara, had an Uma Musume named Air Deja Vu running in this year's Oka Sho.
"Air Deja Vu—" Shuta An raised an eyebrow upon hearing the name. "It sounds a bit like Miss Air Groove from the Student Council."
"They're distant relatives—five generations apart," Kitahara replied. "So they're not particularly close."
"No wonder," Shuta An said, watching Air Deja Vu on the screen. "That explains why she hasn't shown up among the popular picks."
Air Deja Vu had won her debut race last year, then challenged the Akamatsu Sho and Hiiragi Sho in the one-win class, finishing second and sixth respectively. This year, she placed second in the OP-level Saffron Sho, secured enough prize money to enter the Queen Cup—where she again finished second—and thus advanced smoothly into the Oka Sho.
"Even though she's only won once, she wasn't far behind in any of her losses," Kitahara said with a shrug, having already anticipated Shuta An's thoughts. "Losing just means there's still room to grow. My goal right now is to aim for the top five and make sure she can run two spring Classic Races."
"And then hope for a leap forward over the summer?" Shuta An asked.
"Exactly," Kitahara admitted frankly. "Then we'll see if there's a chance at the Triple Tiara. Time is still on Air Deja Vu's side."
"That's a sound plan," Shuta An said with a grin, then glanced back at Mejiro Dober. "If there's an opportunity this summer, perhaps she could train together with Dober from our team?"
Kitahara's eyes flickered with surprise. He hadn't expected such a proactive suggestion—one that clearly benefited him, yet offered little direct advantage in return.
"Wouldn't that be inconvenient?" he asked.
"What's inconvenient about it?" Shuta An replied calmly. "Of course, it depends on Dober's race schedule. If there's a conflict—"
"I can help," Oguri Cap interjected.
"No, no, no," Kitahara waved his hands hurriedly. "Having Miss Oguri Cap train with her would put far too much pressure on Air."
"Then let Suzuka do it," Oguri Cap said, turning to Shuta An. "Regardless of the Takarazuka Kinen, Suzuka should still be training during the summer, right?"
"She's currently planning an expedition," Shuta An replied, spreading his hands. "If there really is a conflict…then Teio can do it."
Tokai Teio.
Kitahara knew well that both the academy and those around her held extremely high expectations for Tokai Teio. Training with her would undoubtedly be a positive influence on Air Deja Vu.
"Then Teio will be the provisional candidate," Shuta An concluded. "Since your goal is the Shuka Sho this year, Kitahara, as a friend, I should lend a hand."
"Thank you, Ann-san," Kitahara said with an unreserved smile. "You've helped us immensely."
"That still depends on your efforts—and Air Deja Vu's," Shuta An replied, returning the smile. "Results, in the end, must be earned by the Uma Musume themselves."
"Not just results," Oguri Cap murmured silently to herself.
Although the sky over Hanshin Racecourse was overcast, the track was officially listed as good—no rain had fallen at all. This disappointed the teams who had prayed for rain, but Kitahara let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"Air Deja Vu has never tested her adaptability on a heavy track," he explained. "A good track is the safest outcome for her."
"Or maybe she'd run even better on heavy ground?" Shuta An teased lightly.
"But this is the Oka Sho," Kitahara protested. "How could I gamble on that in such an important Classic Race?"
As he spoke, the eighteen Uma Musume began entering the starting gates one by one.
Air Deja Vu was assigned gate ten, right in the middle. Noticing this, Shuta An glanced down at her past race records on his phone.
"Are you still planning a slightly forward, mid-pack strategy?" he asked.
Kitahara shook his head. "I've tried going forward before, but it never produced good results. This time, I asked for a change—Air will stalk instead."
"Stalking…" Shuta An narrowed his eyes, his gaze drifting toward London Bridge, widely regarded as the race's likely pace-setter.
"London Bridge usually sets a fast pace—around thirty-four seconds for the first six hundred meters," he murmured. "That should hold true today. In that case, stalking might indeed be the better option."
Receiving Shuta An's tacit approval, Kitahara straightened slightly. "I've studied this race carefully. Stalking is absolutely the best way to counter London Bridge's pace."
"Agreed," Shuta An replied aloud. Internally, however, another thought surfaced.
"With Suzuka's ability…should our own strategies target stalking types?"
He couldn't reach a conclusion, and ultimately chose to set the question aside.
In the end, Air Deja Vu finished third in the Oka Sho. Phalenopsis—whom Shuta An had favored before the race—claimed victory with a powerful late surge.
Meanwhile, the heavily favored Dantsu Sirius, whose physical condition Shuta An had subtly questioned in his evaluation, fell to eleventh place. Immediately after the race, she was taken to the hospital by ambulance.
"It's not serious, is it?" Kitahara asked anxiously.
"It shouldn't be," Shuta An replied with a shrug, his confusion evident. "Most likely accumulated fatigue. I honestly don't understand why she had to run eleven races before the Oka Sho. Does her Trainer think his Uma Musume is made of iron?"
"She needed to earn points," Kitahara said quietly, understanding the logic behind the decision.
"And then failed to earn any in the race that mattered most," Shuta An snorted. "A complete waste of effort."
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