Akasaka Rin sat slumped amidst a mountain of piled-up documents.
As a rookie commentator, there was still so much she needed to learn.
Having earned recognition from the audience and caught the eye of higher-ups, Akasaka Rin—who had only been a central commentator for three years—was entrusted with a major responsibility: the commentator role for the upcoming Classic Triple Crown races.
To avoid appearing too green on the job, she had no choice but to work overtime, reviewing every piece of information from past Classic Triple Crown races.
Though, truth be told, even Rin herself couldn't quite figure out how exactly to apply all this knowledge to commentary.
She was just nervously, instinctively trying to fill up the empty spaces inside herself.
Flipping through another page of notes, Rin stretched lazily, her gaze drifting absently toward the ceiling for a moment.
But she quickly snapped out of it, patting her cheeks to force herself back to attention.
Lowering her head, she stared at the photo frame on her desk and murmured to herself.
"Finally, I'll get to see you again…"
"Dream Weaver."
Rin had actually been present at Dream Weaver's debut race, though back then her impression of the Uma Musume was mostly just "the one who beat Tokai Teio."
If that were their only connection, she wouldn't have placed a photo from Dream Weaver's post-victory interview after the Hopeful Stakes on her desk.
Everything traced back to the dream Rin had after that debut race.
After the debut, Rin had many dreams.
Most were hazy, leaving only faint memories, but in each one, the figure of an Uma Musume appeared.
Among all those dreams, the one that left the deepest impression and stirred the strongest emotions in Rin was a dream set at Kasamatsu Racecourse.
In that dream, her background and experiences were strikingly similar to reality—she, too, had been assigned to a local racecourse as a commentator.
But in the real world, local tracks were filled with passion and dreams.
Uma Musume carrying hopes would strive to become better versions of themselves, so the real Rin never lost heart.
Step by step, through hard work, she made her way to becoming a central commentator.
The world in that dream, however, was different.
Compared to reality, the local scene in the dream was like purgatory.
Forget dreams—there wasn't even a flicker of energy from the audience. Every day, she commentated in a nearly empty stadium, with only staff around.
At first, Rin even thought this was a nightmare born from the immense pressure she felt after entering the central circuit—a pressure she had projected onto her past experiences.
But soon, things took a turn. An Uma Musume burst onto the scene, shattering the stagnant local atmosphere.
With victory after victory, she gradually transformed the deserted Kasamatsu Racecourse from the dream into something resembling the vibrant reality.
In the dream, Dream Weaver saved a despondent Akasaka Rin, and in reality, Rin's fondness for her grew immensely.
After winning the Hopeful Stakes, Dream Weaver was already being hailed by some sensational tabloids as the most talented Uma Musume in history.
Even the more measured media outlets expressed high expectations for her.
As a relative newcomer in the industry—having been exceptionally assigned to the Classic Triple Crown races due to audience favor and leadership approval—Rin didn't have the means to do much for Dream Weaver.
But at the very least, she wanted to be like her dream self, using passionate words to sing praises for her victories.
Yet, as the saying goes, it's only when you need knowledge that you regret not having enough.
It wasn't until Rin could actually start doing something for Dream Weaver that she realized her dream self's commentary completely outshone her present self.
Because of their different experiences, the dream version of Rin—who had been stuck in the local circuit and witnessed its revival from bleak stagnation—clearly possessed deeper insight and more expressive emotional capacity than the steady, balanced real-world Rin.
To get even slightly closer to that dream version of herself, Rin had no choice but to stay at her desk after hours, reviewing materials.
"Honestly, going through all these materials isn't all that useful for commentary."
"Besides, what the audience and the higher-ups value about you isn't this. Leave knowing the history to old-timers like us. Young people like you should be more spirited."
Just as Rin was gearing up to drive herself hard and continue reviewing, a deep, middle-aged male voice suddenly came from behind her.
"But that drive to learn is still commendable."
Before she could turn around, a pair of large, bony hands placed a cup of coffee on her desk.
"Oh, it's you. You scared me, Sugimoto-senpai."
Realizing it was her direct superior and temporary partner, Sugimoto Kentaro, Rin immediately relaxed. Without ceremony, she grabbed the coffee and gulped it down in big, hearty swigs.
Watching her drink coffee almost as if it were beer, Sugimoto Kentaro shook his head helplessly.
"The significance of the Classic Triple Crown is something people assign to it. At its core, it's no different from other G1 races. Keep a level head—treat it like any ordinary G1 event."
Rin, having finished her hearty drink, couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"Only you could say something like that, senpai. And besides, I've never commentated on a G1-level race before! The Classic Triple Crown is my first time commentating on an event of this magnitude. How am I supposed to keep a level head?!"
Sugimoto scratched his head and smiled somewhat awkwardly. He had unconsciously brought memories from there into reality again.
Listening to the complaints of his direct junior and temporary partner, his gaze inadvertently drifted toward her desk.
Looking at the photo frame containing the all-too-familiar Uma Musume, Sugimoto Kentaro's eyes grew thoughtful.
Like Rin, he also had many dreams. Most were vague, but one remained vividly clear.
In that dream, Rin had already grown into a commentator capable of standing alongside him on the G1 stage, so Sugimoto sometimes got mixed up without realizing it.
"The Satsuki Sho…"
"I hope this time, there won't be any regrets."
In his recollection, the Uma Musume named Dream Weaver hadn't participated in the Satsuki Sho or the Japanese Derby.
Instead, she earned her ticket to the Kikuka Sho through the Kobe Shimbun Hai, and then, in pursuit of the unfulfilled dreams of the Northern family, fell at the Tenno Sho (Spring & Autumn).
Sugimoto Kentaro was nearing middle age. Compared to Rin, who was still immersed in her dreams, he clearly had his own reflections.
While it was joyous to see Dream Weaver revive the dreams of his youth, was it truly worth it for this Uma Musume he had grown fond of to devote her all to fulfilling someone else's wishes?
In reality, the Northern family's outcome wasn't bad. Sugimoto hoped that before achieving those wishes, she might pause to think of herself a little.
He hoped this Satsuki Sho wouldn't become like that dream's Kikuka Sho—not merely a battlefield chosen by others, but a stage she chose herself, with her own will.
Sugimoto patted Rin on the head, signaling her to stop chattering away.
Shifting his gaze from the photo frame, he began to use his experience to teach his junior how to approach commentary for a G1-level event.
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T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.