King Halo's Case
"Even though it's the New Year holiday, I can't believe I actually wanted to come home."
On that day in late December, King Halo stood in front of the mansion where she was born and raised, muttering to herself.
Compared to Haru Urara and Rice Shower, who were also returning home for the holidays, King Halo's family home wasn't that far from Tracen Academy. It was much closer than Kochi or Hokkaido, and she could get back in less than an hour by changing trains.
King Halo's mother's job required their mansion to be located close to Tokyo. Her mother, who was once one of America's leading horse girls with seven G1 victories, now made a living as a racing uniform designer.
She designed racing uniforms for the Twinkle Series—for horse girls who ran in G1 races in the central circuit—so it was convenient to be close to Tokyo, where Tracen Academy was located.
King Halo had even heard a rumor that her mother was a very famous racing uniform designer and had connections with the URA.
She had a brilliant career, was now a famous designer, and even had connections with the URA. When did King Halo start to become so conscious of her mother?
Why did she want to become a horse girl like her mother, a first-rate existence like her mother?
King Halo gave a wry smile at her past self. It would be a lie to say she wasn't conscious of it now, but King Halo had grown enough to want to return home on her own.
Thinking of the man who had made this happen, King Halo's dignified expression turned into a gentle smile.
"I'm home."
And with a smile, she entered her family home.
King Halo's family home was too big to be called a regular house. It was smaller than the houses of the prestigious Mejiro family or Rice Shower's family, but it still had many rooms, including a study and a workspace for King Halo's mother.
To the public, King Halo was a legitimate young lady from a wealthy family that even employed housekeepers.
"Oh, you're back."
When she stepped into the living room, King Halo's mother was elegantly sipping tea. She looked at King Halo as if she was surprised and put down her teacup to speak.
"So you've finally decided to come back. You've finally come to understand your situation and talent—"
"I don't care about that. Besides, it's the New Year holiday, isn't it? Of course, I'd go home, I'm a student."
King Halo cut off her mother, who was about to say something she had often heard over the phone. Her words were sharp and to the point.
"Urara-san also went back home, and Trainer went with Rice-senpai because he was worried about her injury, so it's boring to stay at the dorm. There's nothing to do but train on my own, so I just decided to come back."
"...I see. But listen, King. With that attitude, you'll never win a senior class race next year—"
"That's right. I have to do the practice menu Trainer gave me, so I'll be using the yard. Oh, but it might be a bit too small? I'll go for a run outside."
King Halo checked the time. If she started training now, it would be the perfect time for dinner. She cut her mother off and went to her room to put her luggage away and change into her gym clothes.
"..."
King Halo's mother watched her daughter leave with a dejected look on her face.
That evening.
King Halo's mother was eating dinner with her daughter, King Halo, with a strict expression on her face.
"So? What kind of person is your new trainer?"
King Halo's mother changed her approach. She didn't know what to talk about with her daughter, who seemed to have become mentally tougher than before.
"What kind of person is Trainer... Well..."
King Halo's trainer's face came to her mind.
To King Halo, her trainer's face wasn't particularly handsome. He wasn't a so-called "ikemen" by any means. But he wasn't ugly, either. King Halo thought he had the calm, warm face of an old tree.
She didn't mean he looked old. It was just that his occasional gestures and expressions seemed so calm, unlike a man who was only a little over twenty years old.
Yet, at times, he would have a childlike smile, at times he would be lively with Haru Urara and Rice Shower, and at times he would be serious.
And there were times when he would cry over the wins and losses of the horse girls he was raising. He was a man who, in a strange way, looked both cool and cute at the same time.
"He's probably the most compatible trainer for me. His words, his instructions, his training menus... everything feels right. He puts his all into making me stronger, into making me win races... He's that kind of person."
King Halo spoke with a gentle smile. Her expression looked so mature that her mother was speechless.
"You... you've become a little more grown-up."
Still, King Halo's mother managed to squeeze out those words. They were from the heart, and King Halo, who heard them, blinked—and smiled softly.
"If I look that way, maybe he's the one who made me an adult."
"What?!"
Bang! King Halo's mother hit her chair with her leg. King Halo frowned, wondering what the loud noise was.
"Mother? What was that loud noise just now?"
"A bug surprised me. It was at my feet."
"Huh? But it's winter now."
"A bug surprised me. It was at my feet."
"O-Okay..."
King Halo muttered that if there was a bug, it couldn't be helped. Her mother took a deep breath and then changed her expression to a stern one as if to pull herself together.
"But, from the races you've run, can you really trust that trainer? He made you run in the Kikuka Sho less than a month after the Sprinters Stakes, and then in the Mile Championship—"
"I asked him to do that. I believed in his words for the Sprinters Stakes. The Kikuka Sho was a race I was going to run in anyway, and after seeing Urara-san's run in the JBC Sprint, I wanted to run in a G1 race too."
"...Oh, I see..."
King Halo's mother's momentum came to a complete stop. But she immediately regained her composure and changed her expression to a stern one again.
"Even if it was what you wanted, it's a trainer's job to stop you from doing such reckless things."
"Reckless... Hehe... Yeah, that's right. You would think it's reckless."
But despite her mother's harsh tone, King Halo laughed in a way that sounded somewhat amused and happy.
"But you know, he supported me. He must have known it would be a burden on him too... He didn't strongly stop me and said, 'I want to do it too'... He's such a silly person."
"Is she bragging?" King Halo's mother thought. And at the same time, she felt like she had a glimpse into why her daughter had become so mentally strong.
For a horse girl, having a trustworthy trainer is a huge thing.
How many horse girls are there who can meet a trainer who is compatible, trustworthy, makes them stronger, and supports them?
And King Halo had met that kind of trainer. King Halo's mother felt this strongly.
"...But, no matter how compatible your trainer is, your talent has its limits. If you had the talent of your teammate, Rice Shower-san, it would be a different story, but you will eventually reach your limit. So come back home before you embarrass yourself."
"Oh, you're saying such strange things. Talent? Even if this King's talent has a limit, it's still a long way off. And if I'm with him, I can overcome anything, even without talent."
King Halo's mother threw hurtful words at her, but King Halo was unwavering.
"I am Team Kitarufa's King Halo. I will become stronger with Urara-san, Rice-senpai, and most of all, with him. And eventually, I will win G1s at all distances. Just you wait, Mother. The day when you are called King Halo's mother, instead of me being called your daughter, is approaching."
King Halo smiled with confidence. It wasn't overconfidence; it was a firm belief. She believed without a doubt that if she went down this path with her trainer, she could make it come true.
"Win G1s at all distances?... Are you serious?"
"Of course, I am. I've already won G1s in the sprint and mile. All that's left are the middle and long distances... I was originally aiming to win all G1s in all distances, but if I'm going to aim, I should aim for a higher goal."
King Halo's mother tried to recall if there was any horse girl in Japan who had won G1s at all distances. She knew there were some who had won all stakes races, but she was sure there wasn't a single one who had won all G1s. Hearing her daughter was going to attempt such a feat, King Halo's mother couldn't help but give a wry smile.
If she could achieve that, she would certainly be praised by the public. However, King Halo's generation was full of horse girls with brilliant talents.
The members of the so-called "Golden Generation," including King Halo, were all vying for the G1 titles, and the top spots in every G1 were always dominated by them.
Among the Golden Generation, King Halo had the most impressive record with two G1 victories, but even though she was a top sprinter and miler, the G1s in middle and long distances would always be a clash between the Golden Generation.
Even if they weren't called the Golden Generation, there were many other strong horse girls. The goal King Halo had set for herself was an impossible one.
But King Halo herself believed that she would achieve it, and that it was possible. The foundation of this belief was her trust in her trainer and her pride in what she had built up so far.
Seeing King Halo's serious eyes, her mother sighed in defeat.
The dinner was over, and King Halo was about to return to her room. But before she could, King Halo's mother spoke as if she had just remembered something.
"Oh, that's right. You went straight to training as soon as you got back, so I forgot to tell you, but don't go into the study. Some of the shelves are old and unstable."
"Really? Okay, I understand."
King Halo nodded obediently at her mother's words. If she were to get injured there, she would cause trouble for her trainer, and she knew he would be sad.
King Halo headed to her room. And on her way, she couldn't help but mutter.
"My goodness... Mother is still the same."
King Halo muttered sullenly about her mother, who was always saying negative things. But perhaps it was because her trainer had given her advice on how to deal with her mother that she wasn't so resistant to her anymore.
"Oh, what's that?"
King Halo, who had been reminiscing about their conversation, suddenly heard a faint sound with her excellent horse girl hearing. The sound came from the study, and King Halo concluded that it was the sound of something light falling on the floor.
King Halo walked down the hallway and stood in front of the study door. She had been told not to go in, but she couldn't help but be curious when she heard a sound.
(Did a shelf break? I'm sure it's not a mouse or some other animal...)
She had been told it was dangerous, but she didn't think the shelves would collapse the moment she opened the door. If it was that dangerous, her mother would have warned her more strictly, King Halo thought.
She had nothing else to do anyway. If a shelf had collapsed and books were scattered everywhere, she would clean it up.
King Halo thought that as she opened the study door. Once she was curious, she couldn't rest until she had confirmed it. She flipped the light switch on the wall next to the door.
The study was a room of about ten tatami mats with bookshelves, a desk, and a chair. King Halo looked down at the floor to see what had fallen and her eyes widened.
"What?"
What lay on the floor was an object she had not expected. King Halo was deeply confused as to why such a thing was there and why it was even in the study in the first place.
Rolling on the floor of the study was a plush doll of King Halo in her racing uniform. It was about 30 centimeters tall, with felt hair that mimicked her bay coat, and it looked up at the confused King Halo with a cheerful smile.
"A plush doll of... me?"
King Halo muttered as if to confirm.
She had heard that merchandise would be made of her and that it would be released soon. But this was something that wasn't on the market yet.
She wondered why it was here, and as she looked around the study, she saw a piece of cloth draped over the bookshelf next to where the plush doll had fallen. King Halo wondered if there had been a cloth on this bookshelf before and casually lifted it.
"..."
She was speechless.
The books that should have been on the shelf were gone, and in their place were bookshelves filled with plush dolls, keychains, bromide cards, calendars, and other merchandise that would be released soon.
A plush doll had probably been pushed out and fell to the floor. King Halo had happened to hear it, but that wasn't the problem.
Why were all kinds of King Halo merchandise, which hadn't been released yet, stuffed into the bookshelf in large quantities?
King Halo was not only an excellent horse girl but also an excellent student. Her mind was probably faster than others her age.
But even she couldn't comprehend what was happening in front of her. Her brain was refusing to accept it.
"Why is the door open...?!"
Just then, her mother appeared. She froze when she saw King Halo holding the plush doll in her hand and staring at the merchandise stuffed into the bookshelf.
"...Mother... Um, this merchandise..."
"...A friend from the merchandise manufacturing company... brought a sample because my daughter's merchandise was going to be released... That's it... Yes, that's it!"
"This many...?"
"They were given to me by multiple people! But I can't just throw away something that hasn't been released yet, can I? So I put them there!"
King Halo looked down at the plush doll in her hand at her mother's flustered explanation. She wondered if she had ever made such a cheerful smile. King Halo escaped from reality, thinking that her best friend, Haru Urara, would look good with such a smile.
King Halo's mother had connections everywhere. If her daughter's merchandise was going to be released, surely there were people who would bring her samples.
King Halo thought so—or at least she tried to.
"...You can't just throw away something that hasn't been released yet, can you?"
"Yes! That's right!"
"Yeah... That's right. I guess so."
King Halo gently put the smiling plush doll back on the bookshelf. She avoided the crowded areas and gently placed the plush doll in a spot where there was a bit of space.
When she turned around, she saw her mother looking more flustered than ever before. King Halo smiled softly and nodded.
"...I'll be in my room now."
"O-Okay... Have a good rest..."
"Yeah... You too, Mother."
With that, King Halo left the study.
King Halo was kind enough not to pry any further.
Just a few more nights until New Year's Day.
—Before the new year began, King Halo had become an adult once more.
Smart Falcon's Case
Tracen Academy has a variety of facilities.
There are practice courses, a pool, dorms for the horse girls, and a nurse's office for when they get injured. There are classrooms for studying, and a gymnasium for exercising on rainy days. There's also a training gym and a dance studio for practicing the dances for Winning Live.
In one of those facilities, the dance studio, there was a horse girl even though it was the end of the year.
It was already pitch black outside. She had been dancing for who knows how long, and large beads of sweat were dripping from her forehead onto the floor. But without wiping the sweat from her forehead, the horse girl continued to practice her dance.
For horse girls, practicing the dance for Winning Live is a crucial part of their training. They can't do a half-hearted job when they are performing in front of so many fans. Singing practice is also a must, but the horse girl—Smart Falcon—was dancing with single-minded devotion.
"One two, one two."
Smart Falcon danced with a smile on her face, watching her reflection in the mirror. This was an extra practice after she had already completed her training for the day, so she could dance well even when she was tired after a race. But a horse girl's dance workout is more intense than a simple sport. Smart Falcon suppressed her heavy breathing and continued to dance with a smile.
What was on Smart Falcon's mind as she danced was another horse girl's smile.
A naturally beautiful, charming smile, unlike her own. That smile captivated the horse racing fans who saw it, and it also captivated Smart Falcon herself.
The cheerful, innocent smile of the horse girl—Haru Urara's smile—would not leave Smart Falcon's mind.
The first time Smart Falcon became aware of the horse girl named Haru Urara was during the Shoryu Stakes.
The smile Haru Urara showed the audience and the cheers she received from them were stuck in her mind.
A horse girl who, like Smart Falcon, primarily ran on dirt.
A strong horse girl who, like Smart Falcon, had won many races and broken records.
—A horse girl who, unlike Smart Falcon, was genuinely liked by her fans.
That was Smart Falcon's assessment of Haru Urara. And Smart Falcon thought she wasn't wrong.
In the Champions Cup in December, where she clashed with Haru Urara, Smart Falcon won, and Haru Urara came in 3rd.
With that victory, Smart Falcon had won her third G1. This was the top record among the horse girls of her generation.
Haru Urara had one G1 victory. Considering that many other strong horse girls were stuck at one G1 victory, Haru Urara's evaluation didn't drop. In fact, in Smart Falcon's mind, Haru Urara's evaluation grew stronger and bigger every day.
"Thanks to Haru Urara, I was able to get out of being a shut-in! Haru Urara lost, but it was the best just to see her in person!"
The day after the Champions Cup, the newspaper had a comment like that.
"Haru Urara defeated in 3rd place!"
Her treatment was smaller than the winner, Smart Falcon, but the article was still surprisingly big for a horse girl who came in 3rd.
—Why was that?
"One two, one two!"
Smart Falcon danced. She danced with a smile, ready for anyone to see her at any time.
Something was missing. Smart Falcon, who was aiming to be a horse idol, had something that Haru Urara didn't. Conversely, Haru Urara had something that Smart Falcon didn't.
Smart Falcon was the only one in the Classic class with three G1 victories. She had won three G1s, albeit on dirt.
Despite that, when it came to dirt, the public's popularity favored Haru Urara over Smart Falcon. Even if she included turf horse girls, Haru Urara's popularity was high, probably in the top five.
Even winning just one G1 race would leave a name in horse girl history. No, even winning a stakes race, including G2s and G3s, or even an open race, would leave a name.
Even though it was on dirt, a G1 was special among stakes races. Despite winning such a special race three times, the public's evaluation of her wasn't as high as Smart Falcon thought it would be.
Of course, her evaluation as a horse girl was incredibly high. She was at the top of her generation in G1 victories on dirt. If her evaluation was low with that record, even the URA would be at a loss as to what criteria to use.
But Smart Falcon hadn't gotten the recognition she wanted. She hadn't gotten the popularity as a horse idol that she had hoped for.
In the current Classic class, there were only one—no, two—horse girls who had won two G1s, let alone three.
King Halo, who belonged to the same team as Haru Urara, and El Condor Pasa, who skipped the Arima Kinen and ran in the Tokyo Daishoten.
The Tokyo Daishoten was a race Smart Falcon had skipped, thinking Haru Urara wouldn't run in it, and El Condor Pasa had won it.
But Smart Falcon thought that was fine. No, she also thought it wasn't fine.
The reason for her conflicting feelings was simple. Smart Falcon herself hadn't made up her mind yet.
"One two, one two!"
Smart Falcon danced. She sped up the tempo and danced with a smile.
What came to her mind was Haru Urara, with a smile as warm as the spring sun. She thought of that smile, which had captivated not only the fans but also Smart Falcon herself, who was dressed in her adorable racing uniform.
But something was missing—something was missing.
She wasn't Haru Urara. She couldn't be like her. Smart Falcon understood that.
In other words, if something was missing, she needed to make up for it with something else.
"Hehe—call me Faruko?"
The corners of Smart Falcon's mouth in the mirror twisted into a strange smile.
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