With the Osaka Hai in the latter half of March drawing closer, all I can do is continue training King as usual and scouting our rivals.
Lately, during training, I've been having Urara and King do flexibility exercises, while Rice supervises them. This gives me a chance to scout other girls. It was while I was scouting that I noticed something unexpected—a realization, more like it.
(First it was Oguri Cap, but now Winning Ticket is also injured...)
Apparently, her leg has been bothering her, and she recently began a period of rest. While there's no fracture or inflammation, her leg just doesn't feel right. And then there's Grass Wonder, who just returned from a long-term rest late last year to race again, and her leg is also showing signs of trouble.
This narrows King's rivals for the Osaka Hai to Special Week, Seiun Sky, Biwa Hayahide, Meek... and maybe Narita Taishin.
Then there's the question of what the members of Team Canopus will do. Ikuno Dictus announced her retirement from the Senior class late last year, but Nice Nature, Machikane Tannhauser, and Twin Turbo all seem intent on continuing to run in the Senior class.
Today, Twin Turbo is running on the practice course, shouting, "Defeat Tokai Teio! Defeat Rice Shower!"... Wait, does she not know she's moving on to the Dream Series?
If the members of Team Canopus show up, that's eight powerful rival girls. That's a lot. I'm not sure if King, strong as she is, can handle the members of Team Canopus who have been at the top of the Senior class for so long.
(That's strange... So many girls are resting or aiming to race overseas, but it doesn't feel like King's rivals have decreased...)
The only other one I'm worried about is Mejiro Palmer.
(Her right leg is supposedly not in great shape... Maybe because of the cold, more girls at Tracen Academy are feeling discomfort in their legs... My team needs to be careful, too.)
Given their running speeds, girls are naturally prone to leg injuries. Even if there's no obvious injury like a fracture or inflammation, it's quite common for them to feel joint pain when it gets cold in the winter or discomfort when a low-pressure system approaches.
Whether to endure it and continue training, take it easy with a lighter menu, or rest completely depends on the girl's personality, the symptoms, and the trainer's policy.
As I was thinking about this, I continued my scouting mission. Then, I narrowed my eyes, spotting a girl who caught my attention.
(Is that... Biwa Hayahide?)
I stopped in my tracks when I saw Biwa Hayahide running on the practice course. I watched her closely, and her powerful body, blessed with a large frame, moved with an intensity that far surpassed that of an ordinary girl.
She ran the course and then came to a stop. Her expression was completely serious; it was clear she never slacks off in her training.
"Hmm, she's still so big... No, is she even bigger than before?"
Besides her height, her powerful physique made her running form breathtaking. As I watched her wipe the sweat from her brow, I muttered to myself. I believe she has as much potential as Special Week and Oguri Cap.
While she hasn't won a G1 race yet, she has the skill to win one at any moment. She's undoubtedly a formidable opponent for King in the Senior class.
After watching Biwa Hayahide, I decided it was time to head back. Scouting is important, but training is even more important.
Trying to scout other girls is tough since their training times often overlap with my team's, so my time is limited.
(I wish I had more people to help me scout other girls... Rice will take a while to make a full recovery, but maybe it's worth asking her?)
I'm confident that Rice would accurately gather the information I need and do a proper scouting job. I could completely trust the information she saw and felt.
But that would be limited until Rice fully recovers, so maybe it's just better for me to keep doing it myself... As I was thinking this, I heard a voice.
"---Whose head is big?"
"Huh?"
Someone grabbed my shoulder, so I turned around to see Biwa Hayahide standing there with a serious expression. Her eyes stared at me, and I couldn't tell if it was my imagination, but the hand on my shoulder was strong. No, it wasn't my imagination. It was definitely strong.
"Biwa Hayahide. Is something wrong?"
"That's my line. I just heard it... 'Whose head is big?'"
"???"
I was confused by Biwa Hayahide's words. Huh? A big head? Who said that? I looked around, but I couldn't see anyone who would say such a thing.
"No one said that."
"Yes, I distinctly heard it. So? Who has a big head?"
"???"
I was confused again. Is she okay? Is she hearing things? But... hmm... oh, maybe.
"I did say, 'She's still so big,' but I never said anything about a big head."
"You said my head is still so big...?"
"No, I didn't."
I waved my hands to deny it. Suddenly calling someone's head big is a terrible insult.
But still, up close, she really is big. Her height is slightly less than mine, but it's probably over 170cm. Her physique is also good. She's got a full figure, and her height makes her look like a model. The glasses make her look intelligent, and her face is very pretty, as is typical of a girl.
However, the way she keeps saying "big head" suggests that it bothers her.
"I'm sorry if I made you misunderstand. When I said 'big,' I was talking about your physique. Your height and build... Hmm, they're really nice. I wonder what kind of training a girl like you would need to get stronger."
I gently took her hand from my shoulder and peeled it away. It was a delicate, feminine hand, but it had a powerful strength to it, as a girl's would.
The biggest girl in Team Kitalpha is King, but at 159cm, she's over 10cm shorter than Biwa Hayahide. King's measurements are well-balanced, but she looks a size smaller than Biwa Hayahide.
Depending on the sport, physical build is a talent. In that regard, I think Biwa Hayahide is blessed with a great body.
"...So you weren't saying my head is big?"
"A big head...? You're more of a small face, aren't you?"
Wait a minute. Does her curly hair make it look that way? But even when I look at her face again, it doesn't seem particularly big.
"A-A small face...? You're saying I am...?"
"Your face... No, it's not big. Your head only looks big because of the volume of your hair, doesn't it? The curly hair and the amount of it might make it look big, but... no, I don't think it's big at all."
If Biwa Hayahide were my girl, I'd check by touching her, but I can't just pat another team's girl on the head. But this is the first time I've seen Biwa Hayahide up close, and I couldn't help but stare at her.
"With that much hair, the rainy season must be tough. And it must be hard to take care of in the morning after you wake up. Is it difficult to fix bedhead?"
"Ah... You understand? Is that what you mean?"
"Haha, I can't say I understand since I've never grown my hair that long. But it looks like you take great care of it; your hair is beautiful."
When I said that, Biwa Hayahide seemed a little embarrassed and began adjusting her glasses with her finger.
"I-I see... I apologize. It seems I misheard you. For some reason, I've always been sensitive to those kinds of words. I'm sorry for bothering you."
It seems Biwa Hayahide has a complex about the size of her head. When she realized her mistake, she apologized sincerely.
"...Hmm? Wait a minute, you're... the trainer for Team Kitalpha, aren't you?"
After apologizing, she looked at my face for a few seconds and then said that.
"Ah, I guess this is our first official meeting? I'm the trainer for Team Kitalpha."
I offered my right hand, and Biwa Hayahide gave me a slightly combative smile as she took it.
"I am Biwa Hayahide. I see, so you're the trainer who's raised Rice Shower, King Halo, and Haru Urara."
Then she tightened her grip on my right hand. If she were to squeeze with all her might, my hand would be in terrible shape, but she understood her own strength and loosened her grip just enough.
"Then, please tell King Halo this: I will win the Osaka Hai. I've been wanting to wear a G1 crown for a while now."
Biwa Hayahide smirked. Hmm... I like this bold attitude. I'd love to train a girl like her, too.
"I'll tell her. But you won't win. My King will."
I smirked back, mimicking Biwa Hayahide. She smiled even more deeply.
"I see... Not only is King Halo a formidable opponent, but her trainer is, too. I will be more cautious as well."
With those words, Biwa Hayahide returned to her training. After watching her go, I turned on my heel to return to my team.
"...My little sister also got ahead of me."
I thought I heard her say that on the wind.
Afterward, I returned to Urara and the others, confirmed that Urara and King had properly warmed up, and then had them run.
It's been almost two months since Rice fractured her leg, and it's okay for her to move a little now, so recently, besides the pool, we've been gradually increasing her training intensity.
First, I had her walk, then walk faster, then jog a little, and finally run at a light pace. But if she felt any pain or discomfort, even a little, I would stop her to avoid putting any strain on her recently healed left leg.
However, today Rice seemed to have something on her mind, and she stood still while watching Urara and King run. Noticing this, I stood next to her and was about to ask what was wrong.
"Onii-sama, Rice wants to ask you for some advice..."
But Rice spoke before I could. Advice, she said. Hmm... I wonder what it is? It's rare for her to bring up a consultation during training like this.
"It's about my future... about my path forward. As for racing, I'm thinking of going to the Dream Series. But as for academics... it's a bit..."
Rice trailed off. Rice is not only a good runner but also an excellent student and very diligent. I think she could easily go to college if she wanted to, but she had a difficult expression on her face.
"Well, for the past few months... no, for a while now, Rice has been interested in training girls... In the future, I was thinking of... well, becoming a trainer..."
"......"
I froze at her sudden words. Rice, a trainer? Huh? Seriously? Rice herself has won six G1s, so a trainer who can use that experience... No, how would that work?
I've often heard, in this life as well as my previous one, that a great athlete doesn't always make a great coach. Just because a girl had an excellent career doesn't mean she'll succeed as a trainer.
However, I don't think Rice would have zero talent as a trainer since she reached the top with her own legs. Because she made it to the top on her own, I feel she'd be able to guide the girls she's in charge of.
"A trainer, huh... Can I ask why you want to become a trainer?"
"Yes... You see, Rice has been running with King-chan, right? During that time, Rice taught King-chan everything I could and tried my best to make her a little stronger. King-chan remembered what I taught her, and she became stronger... That made me so, so happy."
Rice looked at King, who was running alongside Urara. It's true; I know that Rice has been teaching King a lot. How to run mid-distance and long-distance races, how to conserve energy during long races, and how and when to execute a long spurt.
It's no exaggeration to say that King's rapid growth has been a result of Rice's help, not just mine. As if to prove that point, King's growth curve has slowed down a bit since Rice got injured.
"Before, Rice was focused on my own running. But after teaching King-chan so many things, I realized how much fun it was... I felt like even a girl like me could be useful to someone..."
"Ouch!"
Ah, damn. Rice said, "even a girl like me," so I instinctively flicked her on the forehead.
"'Even a girl like me,' huh... It's been a while since I've heard you say that, Rice."
"Oh..."
After flicking her forehead, I patted Rice's head. I went with her to her parents' house during the New Year's holiday to talk about her future, but... so, a trainer, huh?
"Rice, a trainer... I won't stop you, but you're not going to a trainer's school right away, right?"
"Yeah. I was thinking of going into the support department at Tracen Academy first... I want to study how to support girls there and see if I have an aptitude to be a trainer..."
I narrowed my eyes and looked into the distance as Rice spoke.
As someone who went to a trainer's school after graduating from junior high without even thinking about my aptitude as a trainer and spent four years barely getting a passing grade, Rice's words felt so bright they hurt...
I barely passed the central trainer's license exam on my first try. My score was just at the minimum passing grade. I was so close to failing that if I had made one more mistake, I would've been out.
From that point of view, it makes sense for Rice to first go into the support department to study while running in the Dream Series. And then, who knows how many years she'll run, but it would be a good idea for her to do the prep work before going into the trainer training program.
There are two types of trainers, central and regional, and I think Rice could easily get the regional trainer's license.
The central trainer's license... I still don't know how I managed to barely pass. It was so difficult that if I took the exam again, I'd probably fail.
I got a passing grade, but only after studying hard for four years at a trainer's school, with the added advantage of my previous life, and studying since I was a grade schooler to take advantage of that.
What about Rice? She's the type who studies diligently, but the trainer's license written exam is all open-ended questions, not multiple choice...
Well, as I thought before, even if Rice really wants to become a trainer, she can take her time. She has enough money to choose her path slowly. If she decides it's not for her, she's already earned enough money to pursue a different path.
Rice is already in her third year of high school. In a normal high school, this is the time for graduation. It's already March, so it's the height of graduation season.
Even if she's going to the Dream Series, Tracen Academy requires her to go to some department, so she should choose the path she wants.
It would be a wild idea, but she could enroll in a department and only attend the bare minimum classes to pass, so she could focus on training... But Tracen Academy champions both academic and athletic pursuits, and she'd probably get called in by the Chairwoman or Tazuna soon after.
"I see... Rice in the support department... Have you talked to your parents?"
"Yes... I actually talked to them about it over the New Year's holiday... I thought that since a trainer is so close, I could get a lot of good advice..."
"Right. I'll teach you anything I can. But a trainer, huh... I can bring you my textbooks and reference materials if you'd like? Ah, but maybe new ones would be better..."
"Yes! Rice wants to study with the same textbooks and reference materials Onii-sama used!"
"Are you sure...? But, yeah, okay... I'll bring them next time."
I gave a wry smile at Rice's eagerness. It's great that she's motivated, but I wonder how long that will last. And what will happen when she hits a small obstacle or loses her motivation?
(Well, what you learn is never wasted, and Rice has earned enough to be able to take that detour... And since her family is so wealthy, she could probably just get married and become a housewife through an arranged marriage if anything goes wrong.)
As I thought this, I looked at Rice. Compared to when we first met, Rice has grown so much... I don't think she's grown much physically since she's past her growth spurt, but she's matured so much mentally.
I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of adult Rice becomes.
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