June's here, and the Takarazuka Kinen looms—the upper half's grand finale. The Uma Musume gathering are all titans. Marvelous Sunday, who took second in the Osaka Hai, is one reason. Then there's Taiki Blizzard, fresh off her Yasuda Kinen win, and Dance Partner, with two G1 victories and a high graded stakes record. Familiar foes, every one.
I can't lose this time. And… I'm meticulously checking my moves to avoid another Osaka Hai mess. Reasons come to mind, but dwelling on them won't help. Focus on what's ahead—that's all.
"Huff… huff… huff…!" I panted.
Win the race in front of me. That's it!
"…" Hachiman watched.
"Air Groove's getting her groove back," Fuji said.
"Yeah," Hachiman said.
"This pace, she'll crush Takarazuka, right?" Fuji asked.
"Who knows?" Hachiman said. "Depends on their moves. This race has a lot of Osaka Hai runners. They know our hand, and they might block us. It won't be easy. Then again, no G1 ever is."
"So… it could get dicey again?" Fuji asked.
"Depends on Air Groove's instincts," he said.
"You can't slack either," Hachiman told her. "Your debut's in August at Niigata, 1600m short distance—perfect for you. That track shifts from a mile to a long straight. We chose Niigata to make a strong impression."
"Got it," Fuji said. "I'll show you a miracle, Hachiman Trainer-san."
"Looking forward to a blowout," he said.
"Hah… hah… hah…" I gasped.
"Phew… phew…" Rice Shower panted.
As expected from Rice Shower—she stuck to my tail the whole way. I couldn't shake her… So this is what it's like being chased. The pressure's intense, forcing you to rethink your timing.
"You're fast," I said.
"Huh? N-No way," Rice said. "I couldn't catch you."
"Don't sell yourself short," I said. "It was close, and I couldn't pull away. That tag game paid off, huh?"
"Oh… maybe," she said. "I kept trying to cut inside without thinking."
"Trainer's influence, no doubt," I said.
"Yup! Anii-sama's amazing!" she said.
I can't say it like that. In front of him, I clam up. It's not that I dislike him—just… embarrassed, maybe?
"Good work," Hachiman said. "That's it for today. Cool down and stretch. Rice, thanks for joining. Your right-turn skill was a big help."
"No problem!" Rice said. "Call me anytime you need me, Anii-sama. If I can help, I'll give it my all!"
"Sure, but you also wanted in on my training, didn't you?" he teased.
"Huh? No!" she said. "Well… I thought it'd be nice sometimes…"
"You didn't?" he said. "My bad."
"It's fine," she said.
"Go cool down," he said. "You too, Fuji."
"Lately, Hachiman Trainer-san's been bringing others into our sessions," Fuji said. "Not just CB-senpai, but freshmen too."
"Really?" Rice asked.
"Yeah, it's frequent," I said.
"The dorm's Pony-chans said Hachiman Trainer-san's the only one letting unassigned girls join," Fuji said. "It's a big deal for them. More keep signing up for his sessions."
"Plus, he's designing menus for Uma Musume the instructors watch," I said. "Instructors and students rate him highly."
"Anii-sama's amazing~," Rice said. "Oh, Air Groove-san, you've got Takarazuka, right? How's your condition?"
"No issues," I said. "Today's training helped me grasp the pressure of being chased. Good lesson."
"I was shocked when Anii-sama asked, but I'm glad I helped," Rice said. "Good luck at Takarazuka."
"I'll make your help count," I promised.
"My debut's in August," Fuji said. "This summer's gonna be busy. Time for Hachiman Trainer-san to shine."
I can't drop this race. I haven't lost yet, but the last one was too close. This time, I'll erase that doubt.
Rice Shower's training stint pushes Air Groove to new heights, her resolve for Takarazuka Kinen blazing. Hachiman's strategic coaching and Fuji's debut hype add fire, while Air Groove's trust arc deepens. The Yahari crossover fuels Hachiman's "Tengan" grit, with Haruno's shadow lingering. Rice's spark—game-changer!
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