Chapter 43. Mejiro Dober Awkwardness
After the Takarazuka Kinen meant Shuta An received no special rewards in the Dream World—only the 50 million yen runner-up prize—his smile was impossible to suppress when he woke.
After a quick wash, he went downstairs to make breakfast. He had just dropped slices of bread into the toaster when a Line message from Tokai Teio arrived.
"Trainer! What time should we meet at the Academy gate this afternoon?"
Having already purchased the plane tickets, Shuta An replied at once. "Three o'clock is fine. The flight departs at six, so we should reach Hakodate around seven-thirty."
"My final exam grades all improved this time!" Tokai Teio suddenly added, as if it were unrelated.
Though her academics were not his responsibility, Shuta An still offered generous praise, indulging her excitement. After informing Silence Suzuka of the meeting time as well, he fried an egg, poured himself a cup of instant coffee, and called it breakfast.
"When Oguri isn't home, I really can't be bothered to cook," he muttered. "Maybe I should invite her to America this summer for the Dream Cup—"
The thought faded as quickly as it came. Berno Light had mentioned that the Gray Uma Musume had already finalized and registered all her races for the year. He had no intention of letting Oguri Cap withdraw from the URA Association on his account. For an Uma Musume running for Dream Trophy, maintaining a good relationship with the URA was essential.
"I may say they wouldn't dare cross me, but I can't let Oguri take risks," he reminded himself.
That afternoon, Tokai Teio arrived at the Academy gate with her suitcase, brimming with excitement to meet her Trainer—only to find Silence Suzuka already standing in the very spot she had intended to claim. Her expression stiffened for a moment. She released her suitcase, pressed her hands to her cheeks to compose herself, then pulled it along as she approached.
"Suzuka-senpai, good afternoon!" she greeted brightly.
"Teio-chan, good afternoon." Silence Suzuka turned and offered a small bow.
As the junior member, Tokai Teio bowed in return.
"Suzuka-senpai, are you going to Hokkaido as well?" she asked.
"Yes. Ann originally intended to give me a holiday yesterday, but I told him I would rather go to Hakodate to cheer for Dober-chan. He agreed," Silence Suzuka explained with a gentle smile.
"I see~" Tokai Teio suppressed the flicker of disappointment in her heart and smiled brilliantly. "With Suzuka-senpai there, Dober will definitely perform even better!"
"I'll do my best to assist with training," Silence Suzuka replied calmly, accepting the praise. After all, in terms of sparring value, an active G1 Uma Musume far surpassed what Tokai Teio could currently offer.
Tokai Teio understood this perfectly. Instead, she chose optimism. "With Suzuka-senpai there, I'll have more freedom to enjoy Hakodate," she thought.
They did not wait long. At exactly three o'clock, Shuta An drove up to the main gate of Central Tracen Academy, picked up Tokai Teio and Silence Suzuka, and headed straight for the airport.
"The hotel we booked is by the sea in Hakodate, right next to the beach," he said while driving. "You both brought beachwear, I assume? If not, we can buy some after we arrive. Part of Dober's training will take place on the beach. I've already asked the URA Association to prepare equipment there that's inconvenient to transport."
"If there's anything you need help with, Trainer, just tell us," Tokai Teio declared, patting her modest chest—fortunately with Silence Suzuka beside her, it did not appear quite so meager.
"There's nothing in particular. You two are going for a holiday, unlike Dober," Shuta An replied evenly. "I can handle most matters myself. Don't feel obligated to stay at the hotel—go out and enjoy yourselves."
After takeoff, Tokai Teio leaned closer and asked in a hushed voice, "Trainer, how much does it cost to park a car at the airport for a month?" A quick calculation had left her trembling at the thought.
"I never planned to leave it there. I gave the spare key to Mr. Kitahara and asked him to drive it back to my garage," Shuta An answered.
"That's a relief. For a whole month, the parking fee might rival the prize money for a debut race win," Tokai Teio sighed. "If it were that expensive, Oguri-senpai and Berno-senpai would definitely scold me."
He could not deny it.
After landing at Hakodate Airport, the trio quickly met the hotel's private shuttle.
"What kind of rooms did you book?" Silence Suzuka asked discreetly via Line.
"Four single rooms," Shuta An replied. "You'll all have your own space."
Meanwhile, Tokai Teio gazed out the window at Hakodate's nightscape, occasionally snapping photos and sending them to friends without bothering to edit them.
"The night view here is stunning…" she murmured. "If there's time, I want to go up the mountain and see the whole city from above."
Shuta An made a mental note. "After Dober finishes the Hakodate Nisai Stakes, we'll visit Mount Hakodate together to enjoy the view."
Though Mount Moiwa in Sapporo currently held greater fame, the night view from Mount Hakodate was in no way inferior—it had simply never received the same publicity.
When Shuta An and his party arrived at the Yunokawa Nagisa Prince Hotel, Mejiro Dober was on her balcony, sketching the seaside nightscape. With the room's light at her back, she carefully rendered the shimmering surface of the ocean on her tablet, each stroke deliberate and restrained.
"Trainer and the others are arriving in Hakodate today…but they didn't tell me when. It feels awkward to ask Trainer or Sister Ramonu," she murmured after finishing a piece, setting down her pen with a soft sigh. "Once they're here, at least I won't be so bored."
During her days alone in Hakodate, she had mostly remained in her room drawing, venturing out only for brief evening walks along the beach. She had not visited any of the city's attractions.
"I don't want to go sightseeing by myself. It feels…too lonely," she admitted under her breath. As if sensing something, she rose from her seat.
Just as she turned to retrieve a bottle of carrot juice from the refrigerator, her phone rang.
Abandoning the juice, she picked up the phone from the bedside table where it was charging. A Line message from Shuta An appeared on the screen.
"We've arrived at the hotel. Dober, have you had dinner yet? If not, shall we meet at the entrance and head out together?"
She instinctively rubbed her stomach. She had already eaten a light meal at the hotel restaurant—but since it had been light, surely she could manage a little more. After convincing herself, she quickly replied, "Not yet! I'll get ready and come downstairs right away!"
When Shuta An saw her message, he had just finished a quick shower. Though the single room featured a seaside open-air bath, he had chosen efficiency and used the indoor shower instead. Wrapped in a towel, he sat on the bed and typed back, "No need to rush. Let's meet in forty minutes."
He knew Tokai Teio and Silence Suzuka were likely enjoying their own open-air baths and would not appreciate being hurried out immediately after travel.
At nearly nine o'clock, the four gathered at the hotel entrance.
Shuta An had already selected a dinner spot on the map: a nearby branch of Bikkuri Donkey. Having dined at their Tomakomai location with Oguri Cap and Berno Light before, he had no hesitation in making a reservation.
So when Tokai Teio asked about dinner plans, he answered with complete confidence.
"I once took Oguri and Berno to the Tomakomai branch. A lot of people asked Oguri for autographs back then."
"I want to become famous like Oguri-senpai soon!" Tokai Teio said brightly, her voice tinged with admiration.
Silence Suzuka walked quietly behind Shuta An, adjusting her mask. "Will I be recognized? I did just win the Takarazuka Kinen…"
"It's fine. I reserved a corner table. Even if someone recognizes you, they won't disturb you," he assured her.
"That's good," she replied softly. "I don't want to interrupt everyone's meal because of me."
Mejiro Dober shifted slightly to the side so she could see her Trainer past Silence Suzuka's shoulder. "I haven't tried any restaurants here. I've been eating at the hotel the whole time."
"None at all?" Tokai Teio asked curiously. "Are there any good restaurants or dessert shops in Hakodate you like, Dober-chan?"
"I…haven't gone anywhere," Dober admitted, her voice shrinking with embarrassment. "I've just been drawing and doing light training. So I can't really recommend anything."
"I gave you a vacation, didn't I? Why are you cooping yourself up in the hotel?" Shuta An's lips twitched slightly. He had not expected her to remain such a homebody even after coming all the way to Hakodate.
"Because…" She could not bring herself to confess that she wanted to go out—with everyone.
Her cheeks flushed red. For a split second, an ill-advised excuse nearly escaped her lips—something like "Hakodate isn't that interesting." Fortunately, she swallowed it in time, lowering her head and falling silent.
Though Shuta An did not turn around, he could easily imagine her expression and decided not to press further.
"There are three weeks until the Hakodate Nisai Stakes. For the next week, you three can explore Hakodate together. Starting next Tuesday, we'll begin focused training."
"Yay!" Tokai Teio reacted immediately. "I heard Hakodate's honey is amazing! I want to try every dessert shop and find the best honeyed drink in the whole city!"
"I'll look after Teio and Dober-chan," Silence Suzuka said quietly, eyes lowered. Though she would have preferred to stay by Shuta An's side, she would not object to his arrangement.
Mejiro Dober, seeing both of them respond, finally added in a small voice, "Thank you, Trainer…"
The reply only reinforced her reserved image.
"Why is it so hard to say that I want to go out with everyone?" she thought, annoyed with herself.
Her lingering frustration dissolved the moment they stepped into Bikkuri Donkey, where the rich aroma of sizzling hamburg steaks filled the air, warm and inviting.