After Oguri Cap completed her chase-up, Shuta An led her out of the training ground.
"Oguri, head back to the hotel for breakfast first; I'll wait for Berno here," he whispered. "Since today's chase-up was a bit more intense, we'll skip the morning session. Do some light training in the hotel gym this afternoon, and that'll be enough."
"Mhm!" Oguri Cap nodded in understanding. But before leaving, she glanced around to ensure no one was watching, then wrapped her arms around the Trainer's waist, pressing her body close. (Since it is going to be like this, maybe I should add 'harem' tags for this fic. The affection gained in the dream really are convenient)
He wasn't made of stone. He returned the hug, his left hand gently resting on the Gray Uma Musume's back.
"Mmm—" Oguri Cap narrowed her eyes, visibly enjoying the contact. After a quiet moment in each other's arms, Shuta An finally let go. These silent embraces had become something Oguri Cap seemed to cherish recently.
However, for the young Trainer, holding back before the Uma Musume under his care was a challenge. Only after much self-discipline had he learned to maintain composure and not let Oguri Cap notice his flustered state.
Otherwise, he couldn't be sure what kind of unpredictable things Oguri Cap—still somewhat naïve about such matters—might do. Maintaining the current balance was the ideal situation.
Meanwhile, Berno Light was busy adjusting her filming parameters.
"I'm doing an important job for Oguri!" she reminded herself, "I can't mess this up!"
After recording Dicta Striker and Sakura Chiyono O's chase-up starts, she quietly left the training ground. As soon as she stepped outside, she spotted Shuta An waiting.
"Trainer~ I'm done filming," Berno Light said, waving her phone.
"Good work," Shuta An replied with a thumbs-up, then took her hand. "Let's head back."
"Where's Oguri?" Berno Light glanced around but saw no sign of her friend.
"I told her to go back first," Shuta An said.
She didn't need an explanation. Having followed him out early in the morning to record before breakfast, Oguri Cap must've been starving—if she'd waited any longer, she might've started gnawing on her own sleeve.
"Then let's hurry too!" Berno Light said cheerfully, still holding his hand. "If it were Oguri holding your hand, reporters would've made it a scandal already, but with me, it's fine, right?"
"It's just holding hands, what scandal could that be?" Shuta An retorted with a chuckle, tightening his grip slightly. "Let's go! If we take too long, Oguri might've eaten the entire hotel buffet."
"Pfft." Berno Light burst out laughing.
On the way back, Shuta An asked her to send him the two short clips she'd taken.
After a simple breakfast, he gave Oguri Cap and Berno Light some free time and retreated to his guest room. He transferred the videos from his phone to his laptop and began his analysis, starting with Dicta Striker's footage.
After a few replays, a major issue stood out.
"Dicta Striker's focus at the start is too unstable. Or rather, she's slow to shift into race mode—clearly distracted by something near the track."
But Shuta An immediately dismissed the idea of exploiting it through Oguri Cap. "There's no way Oguri could distract her intentionally; Oguri herself would just get distracted."
Indeed, multitasking was still a difficult skill for Oguri Cap.
Next, he studied Dicta Striker's stride and acceleration.
"Her burst power is remarkable, and she transitions into acceleration very quickly. Definitely a come-from-behind (End Closer) type… so—"
After finishing with Dicta Striker, he moved on to Sakura Chiyono O. Her start was decent—no glaring weaknesses, but no standout strengths either.
"I'll need Berno to compile footage of their past races later to get a clearer read," he thought, closing his laptop.
He stretched, checked the clock, and raised an eyebrow—it was only just past 10 a.m.
"Feels like I've been at it for ages, but it's only been two hours?" he muttered with a small sigh.
Over the past two months, not only had Oguri Cap improved significantly, but Shuta An himself had grown as well. His most notable progress came from the "Physical Fitness Synchronization" ability he'd earned in the Dream World after his surprising Nakayama Kinen victory on Iron Shiloh—a complete long shot.
Since then, he'd felt much more confident training Oguri and Berno. Still, he knew that without consistent exercise, even the best physique would dull. So, he decided to spend the rest of the morning at the hotel's pool.
Yet when he arrived, the place was deserted—aside from a few lifeguards chatting idly, the entire area was empty. The stillness gave the scene an oddly cold atmosphere despite the bright sunlight streaming through the windows.
After a moment's thought, Shuta An reasoned, "It's probably a weekday—low occupancy."
Actually, it worked in his favor. After changing into swimwear and putting on goggles and a swim cap, he did a short warm-up before diving into the water. His freestyle strokes cut cleanly through the pool, and after finishing a lap, he leaned on the edge, catching his breath.
"So fast…" murmured one of the lifeguards. With no one else around, they had been watching him swim, surprised by his performance.
This pool didn't have timing equipment, so they could only estimate based on their senses.
"That looked like 49 seconds for 100 meters… That's Olympic level, isn't it?" someone whispered.
When Shuta An finally left the pool, satisfied with his training, he didn't notice someone hidden in the corner quietly taking a few photos of him.
The person secretly taking photos was a reporter from Shūkan Bunshun. However, he wasn't there to capture Shuta An this time; he had come on a different assignment. Still, Shuta An's performance in the pool caught his attention.
"It's unbelievable… That kind of physique can't belong to an ordinary person," he thought. Acting on instinct, he discreetly snapped a few photos, intending to ask his editor-in-chief later if they could identify the man. "Maybe there's a story here," he murmured to himself.
Unaware of being photographed, Shuta An left the pool, changed clothes, and returned to his room to put away his swimming gear. Then, he headed to the hotel restaurant for a light lunch.
"After I eat and rest, I'll start compiling the weather data," he planned silently, organizing his afternoon schedule while eating.
Meanwhile, after being given free time, Oguri Cap and Berno Light decided to go out for a walk—at Berno's suggestion.
"I thought Oguri would be busy with training for the next two weeks, so I hadn't planned to go shopping alone," Berno Light said with a cheerful smile as they exited Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo. "Didn't expect to get a day off together."
"Is there anything Berno wants to buy?" Oguri asked. "I'll just accompany you."
"Honestly, not really," Berno said, waving her hand. "But come on, this is Tokyo! The biggest city in Asia! We can't just stay in the hotel when there's so much to explore!"
Oguri blinked, smiling faintly. "Even if I haven't been here before, I'll definitely come again in the future. So there's no need to rush—let's just visit one place you really want to see and take our time."
Berno pondered briefly, then nodded. "Then I want to go to Minato Ward."
"Then let's go!" Oguri said, grabbing her friend's hand and taking the lead.
Minato Ward—together with Chiyoda and Chūō—is one of Tokyo's "Three Central Wards." Known for its embassies, high-end neighborhoods, and commercial districts, it embodies the city's cosmopolitan flair. To girls from the countryside, it represents the image of Tokyo itself.
After a half-hour train ride, the two arrived at Shiba Park in Minato Ward.
"There are so many people—even though it's a weekday," Oguri muttered, a little overwhelmed. "Do that many people in Japan really not have work?"
"No, not really," Berno replied with a laugh. "Minato Ward's full of offices and companies, so the foot traffic's heavy even on weekdays. But when we get to Roppongi Hills, it should be less crowded."
"Hmm—" Oguri still seemed skeptical. From her experiences in Nagoya and Kasamatsu, weekday crowds were nothing new.
Just then, a familiar voice called out nearby.
"Kaichou~! It looks like our usual store has launched new spring products!" Tokai Teio exclaimed, pointing at a brochure from Roppongi Hills and waving it excitedly toward Symboli Rudolf, who followed behind her.
Today was the Student Council's designated shopping day.
Symboli Rudolf had been in excellent spirits after several successful negotiations with the URA Association, while Maruzensky was hoping to shed her "old-fashioned" image in front of the younger students. Tokai Teio, naturally, tagged along because the President was going—and Air Groove came along to keep her mischievous junior in check. (based on IRL situation, Air Groove should be the youngest)
As fate would have it, the moment they reached the main entrance of Roppongi Hills, Oguri Cap and Berno Light arrived too.
"Eh?" Tokai Teio was the first to spot them. "It's Chukyo—"
"Those are your future seniors," Symboli Rudolf said with a knowing smile, gently patting Teio's head. "Still haven't memorized their names?"
"I have!" Teio pouted. "It's Oguri Cap and Berno—"
"You should add 'Senior' when addressing them," Air Groove reminded calmly. "Go on, say hello."
"Ugh—fine," Teio said, then walked forward and bowed. "Oguri Cap-senpai! Berno Light-senpai!"
Hearing their names, Oguri and Berno stopped.
"That's…" Oguri blinked, trying to recall. They'd met only once before—back when Teio was in her Central uniform. Now, dressed casually in a cherry-pink jacket, cream knit sweater, black pleated skirt, white stockings, and combat boots, she looked entirely different.
Berno, however, recognized her right away. "Ah! You're that Central girl who said she'd be trained by Trainer—Tokai Teio, right?"
Oguri waved politely. "Miss Teio, good morning. I didn't expect to meet you here."
"Good morning, Seniors!" Teio bowed again, aware of her seniors watching from behind.
Oguri returned the gesture with grace. "A pleasant surprise indeed."
"Are the two Seniors shopping here from Kasamatsu?" Teio asked, her tone half-curious, half-teasing.
Before Berno could reply, Symboli Rudolf's calm voice cut in. "No. Oguri Cap is in Tokyo to prepare for the Central Major Race."
As she spoke, the Central Student Council group approached. As Central Tracen Academy's Student Council President, Symboli Rudolf already knew that Shuta An had registered Oguri Cap for the Yayoi Sho. She even planned to attend the race in person on March 6 at Tokyo Racecourse.
"Local New Star versus Central Prodigy… this year's Yayoi Sho will draw all eyes," she thought.
If both young talents continued to develop, they could reignite the excitement of the Twinkle Series—the void left since her retirement.
At Central, this year's Classic generation was remarkable: Yaeno Muteki, who crushed two debut dirt races by 20 lengths; Sakura Chiyo O, whose name echoed the former two-crown star Sakura Star O; Super Creek, not yet in full form but already hailed as a future champion;
Mejiro Ardan, heir of the prestigious endurance line; and Dicta Striker, whose explosive sprint drew awe.
"This generation might finally bring the Twinkle Series back to its golden days," Maruzensky often said.
But Symboli Rudolf knew—without the presence of this Gray Uma Musume before her, none of that would be possible.
"Without a strong rival, true brilliance never emerges," she thought silently.
Despite her high stature, Symboli Rudolf greeted the two Kasamatsu girls with warmth. "Good morning. Are you two shopping on your own this time?"
"Yes," Berno answered quickly. "Our Trainer's busy at the hotel, so he let us explore."
"I see," Rudolf nodded. "Then why not join us? We know Roppongi Hills quite well."
Oguri hesitated. Seeing that, Berno also paused. Behind Rudolf, Maruzensky and Air Groove exchanged glances.
"I'm not saying anything," Maruzensky whispered, "but doesn't Rudolf-chan look like she's planning something?"
"Oguri Cap can't transfer, so what could she want?" Air Groove murmured.
"Hehe~ my bet's on something to do with Teio," Maruzensky teased.
Air Groove sighed. "If it involves Teio, that makes sense. Honestly, the President treats her like her own daughter."
After a moment's thought, Oguri nodded. Since she and Berno didn't know Tokyo well, following Rudolf's group would be more efficient—and perhaps even fun. "Later, I can ask for advice on picking something nice for Trainer," she mused.
Seeing Oguri agree, Berno smiled and followed along.
For the next three hours, the group explored Roppongi Hills—from the open-air plaza to the rooftop garden. Under Symboli Rudolf's guidance, Oguri even found a formal suit she thought would suit Shuta An perfectly.
"This one outfit cost as much as five local Kasamatsu race prizes," Berno muttered, half in shock. But Oguri didn't mind. "It's worth it," she thought with satisfaction. "In the Twinkle Series, the Trainer always wears a suit at the award ceremony—so I want him to have one ready."
Noticing the warmth in Oguri's smile, Symboli Rudolf seized her chance.
"Since we've finished shopping, may I visit with you?" she asked. "There are some things I'd like to discuss with Shuta-kun."
"Of course," Oguri replied cheerfully.
In the lounge of Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo, Shuta An looked up from his newspaper when he heard Oguri's voice—and froze.
Following behind her were Symboli Rudolf and her Central entourage. Even the hotel attendants were startled. Symboli Rudolf and Maruzensky were national icons—having them appear in person drew immediate whispers. Some staff rushed to alert the lobby manager.
Symboli Rudolf took a seat opposite Shuta An, smiling as she pulled Tokai Teio beside her. "It's been a while, Shuta-kun," she began. "We happened to meet Miss Oguri Cap and her friend at Roppongi Hills and decided to come together. There are a few things I'd like to discuss with you personally."
Shuta An's heart tightened. Could it be that the agreement's been revoked? he thought nervously.
But Rudolf's first words put him slightly at ease. "First, I want to thank you for your advice after last year's Kikuka Sho. Without it, Sakura Star O might have entered the Arima Kinen—and that could've ended dangerously."
Shuta An exhaled slowly. But then Rudolf's tone shifted.
"The second matter is…" She grasped Tokai Teio's arm and extended it slightly toward him. "For the next ten days, I'd like to ask your permission for Tokai Teio to join your team's training."