"Kiryuin Aoi?!"
Upon hearing the name Kiryuin Aoi, the Uma Musume of Mizuno's team immediately pictured the young female trainer in their minds.
After all, at the celebration following Urara's Debut Race, Kiryuin Aoi had shown up with her assigned Uma Musume, Happy Meek, to join in the festivities. And when Mizuno was previously in closed-door training, he had asked Kiryuin to help take care of the team's Uma Musume for a while, leading to their mutual acquaintance over time.
Though the team hadn't gotten familiar enough to know each other's likes and habits deeply, they'd still exchange friendly greetings whenever they met, expressing gratitude for her previous care.
You could say the Team TAC Uma Musume generally respected Trainer Kiryuin Aoi, treating her as a gentle older sister, both kind-hearted and skilled.
But their respect was built on the premise that Kiryuin Aoi had never been a rival for Mizuno's affection.
Yet now, their beloved Trainer-san had openly confessed to everyone that he liked Kiryuin Aoi?!
Had Trainer Mizuno's heart already been stolen by Trainer Kiryuin while none of them were looking?!
"Despicable woman…" The Uma Musume angrily flattened their ears, silently maxing out their hostility meter toward Kiryuin Aoi, firmly marking her as an enemy.
Yet not every Uma Musume present knew who their supposed rival was. Newcomers Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka, along with El Condor Pasa from another team, had no clue who this Kiryuin Aoi was.
"Who's that?" Vodka asked aloud.
"That woman…" Rice Shower's gaze was empty, lowering her head as she slowly wiped the small knife in her hand.
"Which woman?"
"The woman who stole Onii-sama away…"
"So, who exactly are we talking about?!"
"So it's Trainer Kiryuin…" Symboli Rudolf gripped Mizuno by the collar, her eyes full of ill intent.
Though Rudolf usually didn't have much contact with trainers, she'd met Kiryuin Aoi once when the latter had brought Happy Meek for the assignment ceremony. Given Rudolf's trait of never forgetting anyone she met even once, she naturally remembered Kiryuin clearly—a beautiful female trainer from a renowned trainer family.
Not to mention, among rookie trainers at Tracen, aside from Trainer Mizuno himself, Kiryuin Aoi was clearly the most outstanding.
Kiryuin Aoi seemed rather popular within trainer circles, even attracting a group of male admirers at Tracen Academy.
As Student Council President, Rudolf regularly monitored the official Tracen Academy message boards and occasionally saw Kiryuin Aoi's photo appearing on confession pages, attracting love confessions from senior and fellow trainers. Of course, most of those trainers who had the audacity to confess to the school's beauty despite already having assigned Uma Musume would usually vanish with their Uma the very next day, probably dragged forcibly back home to get married by their beloved partners…
Such incidents were so common at Tracen that Rudolf never took particular notice.
But she absolutely never imagined that even Trainer Mizuno would like her!
"Why do you like her?" Rudolf pulled Mizuno closer, interrogating him sternly.
"Uhh… no particular reason…" Mizuno nervously scratched the back of his head.
"Maybe because she's my closest friend. While sharing joys and moments with her, feelings developed, and I eventually fell for her…"
"But I'm your close friend too!" Rudolf indignantly covered her chest. "And we've spent even more time together, so why didn't you fall for me instead?"
"......" Mizuno was speechless.
Friend, my ass! What kind of friend thinks about Uma Pyoi-ing me every single day?! At best, you're my bully!
"So… how far has your relationship with her progressed?" Rudolf continued to press.
His next answer would decide whether Rudolf should act immediately—imitating the Uma who abducted their reckless trainers, locking up the one she loved forever in the basement—or simply use her presidential power to transfer Kiryuin overseas, ensuring Mizuno would never see her again, no matter how much he liked her.
"Ah… well…" Mizuno's eyes darted around, as he answered quickly:
"I like her, but unfortunately, she doesn't like me, so it's just one-sided…"
"One-sided?" Rudolf raised an eyebrow.
"Exactly! Unrequited love!" Mizuno nodded frantically, pointing at himself. "Someone who clearly loves a girl but never dares to confess is nothing but a coward."
"Guh…" Perhaps his words hit too close to home, because aside from Urara and Rudolf, the other Uma Musume all guiltily lowered their heads, nervously playing with their fingers.
"So are you planning to confess repeatedly to Trainer Kiryuin until you disappear like those other trainers?" Rudolf's eyes glowed menacingly, her ponytail gradually coiling around Mizuno's thigh.
"Gulp…" Feeling his thigh squeezed tighter, Mizuno nervously swallowed before letting out a feigned sigh of resignation.
"Sigh… Not exactly…"
"Although I like Trainer Kiryuin very much, I'm aware it's impossible for her to ever return my feelings. Our relationship is destined to have no result…"
"And when facing a love that can't be returned, the best answer is to give up and wish her happiness."
"So…" Mizuno held up one finger. "I'll only pursue Trainer Kiryuin for one year."
"One year?" The Uma Musume instantly became alert, perking their ears.
"Yes, just one year," Mizuno confirmed. "If within one year she rejects all my confessions, I'll abandon this unrealistic hope and promise never to like her again."
He chose exactly one year because it was neither too long—provoking the Uma Musume to kidnap him prematurely—nor too short, leaving him unable to devise a new escape plan from this deadly romantic battlefield.
He thus declared he'd love Kiryuin Aoi for only a year. After all, one year later, he might've already found a chance to flee far away.
But to ensure Kiryuin wouldn't be harmed by his lies, Mizuno quickly added:
"But if during this one year, Trainer Kiryuin mysteriously disappears or something happens to her, I'm afraid I'll never forget her. She'll hold the most important place in my heart forever…"
"Mm?!" Hearing this, some Uma Musume with darker intentions quickly discarded their sinister plans.
"One year, huh…" Rudolf thoughtfully bit her lip.
If Mizuno had said three or more years just now, she'd definitely have immediately used force to capture him on the spot, teaching him that when Uma Musume claimed their lover, they didn't waste time with subtlety—it was like violently hitting billiard balls, just slamming straight in!
But for just one year, Rudolf felt she could definitely endure.
Even with the risk that Mizuno might succeed, she just had to secretly sabotage his confessions to Kiryuin Aoi, ensuring he failed repeatedly.
But still…
"Trainer Mizuno, you aren't lying to us again, are you?" Rudolf smiled sweetly, gently tracing her finger along Mizuno's jacket zipper.
Knowing Mizuno's slippery personality, he could easily be setting up a smokescreen, planning a sneaky escape. Claiming to like Kiryuin could simply be a shield to trick everyone.
"How could I?!" Mizuno firmly grabbed Rudolf's hand, declaring righteously, "If I'm lying, I'll willingly let you all Uma Pyoi me!"
"Oh, really? Then you better keep your word, Mizuno-san~" El Condor Pasa playfully approached, pulling out her phone and waving it in Mizuno's face.
El flipped her phone around, clearly showing Mizuno what was on screen.
He saw that El had been recording the whole thing—and the timer was still ticking, displaying [04:44], meaning she'd started filming five minutes ago.
"?!" Mizuno's brows furrowed as an ominous feeling hit him.
"What's this?"
"A recording~" El mischievously explained.
"Huh?! R-Recording?!" Mizuno froze stiff, eyes contracting in shock.
"Yep! Freshly captured video!" El stopped the recording and opened her album.
There were numerous videos of Mizuno from different times and angles—
From his earlier declaration of ["If I'm lying, I'll willingly let you—"] to him diligently working at his desk, directing afternoon training, and even the absurd scene of him choking on food during lunch to avoid being fed by Vodka…
"Ever since you brushed off our promise this morning, I decided to record every important moment—especially when someone makes promises!—to prevent you from backing out again."
"Which means, Little Gou-san," El whispered seductively into his ear, "you can't escape this time~"
"Quack!" Mizuno stared at the videos, cold sweat dripping.
What the heck?! She's like a terrifying historian recording my every move! Does she really have to go this far to trap me?!
"..." Mizuno nervously swallowed again, feeling the Uma Musume around him glaring with suspicion.
Now, to keep his lie believable, he truly had no choice but to pursue Kiryuin Aoi seriously…
Otherwise…
He'd become the first trainer in history who actively charged headlong at a group of adolescent Uma Musume…!