"Hey, Sakuraba-san—want to try dating me?"
"...?"
Sakuraba Ryo looked at Mr. C.B., who currently had a hand draped over his shoulder, with a thoroughly speechless expression.
"Please don't joke around, ma'am."
"Oh, I'm not joking at all~"
A faint flush still lingered on Mr. C.B.'s cheeks, clearly the aftereffect of the massage.
But hearing those words come out of her mouth, Sakuraba Ryo could not help feeling that she still had not quite come back to her senses.
"My, my~"
Seeing the look on his face, Mr. C.B. lifted a finger and started tracing little circles over his chest.
"You're handsome, your technique's incredible, and your personality is so sweet~ Is it really that strange for me to want a boyfriend like that?"
"..."
Sakuraba Ryo remained thoroughly unimpressed.
Sure, that was what she was saying—but looking at the expression on Mr. C.B.'s face, which did not seem serious in the slightest, he was convinced this was a trap.
Temptress, don't think you can ruin me!
Reveal your true form at once!
"Sorry, but I'm not casual enough to start dating a woman I've known for less than a few hours. So I'll have to decline."
"Oh? So if we spend enough time together, you would be willing to date me?"
"That's... not what I meant."
Sakuraba Ryo was starting to get a headache.
No, seriously—I just gave you a massage. How did this turn into a dating route already?
Where's all the prerequisite story buildup?
Did you just skip the whole thing and go straight to the confession?
Faced with someone as instantly familiar as Mr. C.B., Sakuraba Ryo felt only trouble brewing.
"Haha~ If Sakuraba-san wants to take it slow, then let's slowly build up our feelings instead~"
Mr. C.B. said it all with a bright smile.
After experiencing Sakuraba Ryo's massage for herself, she finally understood why Symboli Rudolf had spoken of him so highly.
With massage technique like that, who wouldn't lose their mind over it?
If Sakuraba Ryo stayed by her side all the time, giving her a massage whenever she felt like it...
Hehe.
What kind of paradise would that be?
And to be honest, from the moment she had first met him, she had already felt a faint pull from him.
All in all, in Mr. C.B.'s eyes, this young investor was exceptionally pleasing to look at.
Her eyes turned slightly, and she leaned in again, her tone light but with a trace more seriousness underneath.
"But really, Sakuraba-san... if one day you change your mind and decide to confess to me..."
She drew the words out, smiling with crescent eyes.
"I just might say yes on the spot~ In fact, I wouldn't even mind keeping you myself. You could just focus on studying massage techniques, and I'd take care of making your life nice and comfortable. What do you think?"
A slight twitch ran through the corner of Sakuraba Ryo's eye. Without hesitation, he raised a hand in a stopping gesture, his voice calm but absolute.
"Allow me to decline in the strongest possible terms. I make a living with my own skills. I have no interest in being kept."
"Aww—what a shame."
Mr. C.B. pouted a little, though she did not press the point much further. Quite cheerfully, she turned and took her wallet out of the small bag she was carrying.
"All right then, let's settle today's service fee first~ Oh, and—"
She pulled out several bills, then added an extra stack that was obviously much thicker, smiling as she held them out.
"This part is your tip~ Sakuraba-san made me feel that good today, so you absolutely have to accept this little token of appreciation."
The instant the words your tip left her mouth, the expression on Sakuraba Ryo's face changed abruptly.
It was as if he had just heard something utterly unbelievable. His pupils shrank slightly, and his whole body even leaned back by half an inch on reflex as he stared fixedly at the extra stack of bills in Mr. C.B.'s hand, as though that was not a gratuity but some sort of detonator.
"W-wait..."
There was a rare urgency in his voice.
"You said... a tip?"
"Of course. With technique as good as yours, shouldn't there be a tip?"
Tip my ass!
Like hell I'm taking it!
The nerve of you—trying to make me earn money off pocket change?
I'm a man who's going to become the king of losing money!
Tips can get the hell out!
Steadying himself, Sakuraba Ryo forced a polite but firm smile onto his face.
He lifted a hand and gently, but decisively, pushed away the money Mr. C.B. was offering—especially that conspicuous stack of tip money.
"You're too kind, Mr. C.B."
His voice settled back into calm, but carried a note that allowed no argument.
"You're an honored guest referred by our Luna-san. Since this is your first time trying our service, how could we possibly charge you?"
"Let's treat today as a complimentary trial. As for the tip..."
He paused, his eyes sweeping over the stack of bills as though it were a hot potato.
"There's truly no need."
"Your satisfaction as a customer is the best return we could ask for."
His words sounded lofty and proper, every sentence polished with courteous distance.
Inside, however, he was furiously ranting.
Give me a break. Taking the service fee is already making money, and now you want to add a tip on top of that?
Are you trying to make me fail at losing money faster?
This money absolutely cannot go into the books!
Not one yen of it!
Yet when this righteous declaration of "free of charge" reached Mr. C.B.'s ears, it took on an entirely different meaning.
She blinked.
Looking at Sakuraba Ryo's utterly sincere expression—like someone who viewed money as dirt and cared only for his customer's comfort—and remembering how firmly he had rejected the idea of being kept, a little light bulb seemed to flash on in her head.
Huh? He won't be kept, and now he's even waiving the ordinary service fee and the tip too... and he specifically emphasized that it was because it was me?
Could it be... that Sakuraba-san doesn't actually have no feelings at all? Maybe he's just shy, or has some reason he can't say outright, so he's too embarrassed to accept my "support" directly—and this is his way of showing... concern?
My, my...
So Sakuraba-san's personality is this awkward, huh...
That's kind of adorable~
The corners of Mr. C.B.'s mouth rose before she could stop them, and the light in her eyes only grew brighter. The tiny bit of disappointment from being rejected was instantly swept away by this sweet misunderstanding.
She withdrew the hand holding the money, though instead of putting it back into her wallet, she simply tapped a finger lightly against her chin and looked at Sakuraba Ryo with a gaze full of meaning—and maybe even a trace of secret delight.
"My, my... Sakuraba-san really is something."
Her voice turned soft and drawling, the teasing lilt now carrying a note of I know exactly what's going on here.
"Giving me such special treatment? Refusing even to take my money... how am I supposed to handle that~"
Something in Sakuraba Ryo's chest dropped. He had a vague sense that this conversation was starting to go in a very wrong direction, and immediately straightened his expression.
"No, this is only basic customer service—"
"All right, all right. I understand~"
Mr. C.B. cut him off, smiling as she tucked her wallet away, wearing the exact expression of someone saying no need to explain, I get it.
"Since Sakuraba-san insists so strongly, I'll gratefully accept this favor for now. But..."
She leaned closer, shrinking the space between them. Her breath brushed the air between them, faintly fragrant.
"I won't forget this gesture. I'll be coming by to trouble you often from now on, because..."
She paused deliberately, watching the way Sakuraba Ryo's expression had gone just a little stiff, and smiled even more brightly.
"Because the technique here is simply too unforgettable~ We can take it nice and slow~"
Sakuraba Ryo stared at Mr. C.B. with a blank, flat expression.
For god's sake...
Why do the two Triple Crown Umamusume I've met both feel this shameless?
Why is it like they're both lusting after my body or something...?
No, that can't be right... that'd be way too ridiculous.
Or is this what happens after winning the Triple Crown? Do Umamusume all become old men inside afterward?
He had at least heard a little about an Umamusume's "proper development"...
That whole process of going from little horse girl to grown horse girl—that was what they called it.
So if that existed, then maybe an extra stage called old-man-ification was not all that hard to understand either...
While Sakuraba Ryo was internally ranting about whether Triple Crown Umamusume had some bizarre branching evolution line, Mr. C.B. had already gathered up her things and was preparing to leave.
She reached the door and put a hand on the knob, then seemed to remember something and turned back around, that same delighted smile still on her face—the one Sakuraba Ryo found impossible to read.
"Oh, right—Sakuraba-san."
Her tone sounded casual, but there was a flicker of seriousness in her eyes.
"I almost forgot to remind you. You're Oguri Cap's investor now, right?"
Sakuraba Ryo snapped out of his chaotic thoughts and nodded.
"That's right. Is there something I should know?"
"Oh, nothing so grand as advice~~"
Mr. C.B. waved a hand, but there was a distinct this ought to be interesting note in her smile now.
"Just consider it a little heads-up in return for your special treatment. This year's races—you should really keep an eye on what's happening over at Oi."
"Oi?"
Sakuraba Ryo frowned slightly. The name was certainly not unfamiliar to him. It was one of the regional circuits that competed fiercely with Central.
"That's right."
Mr. C.B. gave him a meaningful blink.
"I hear they've got a... well, let's call it a very impressive secret weapon hidden over there."
"If you're not careful, even Oguri Cap could lose to her~"
"Thank you for the warning, Mr. C.B."
Sakuraba Ryo nodded, though he did not take it overly to heart.
"You're welcome~"
Mr. C.B. seemed quite pleased with his reaction, her smile deepening.
"After all, I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of performance Oguri Cap can put on too. It'd be terribly dull if she took a loss just because of a lack of information, wouldn't it, Sakuraba-san?"
With that, she did not wait for him to ask any follow-up questions. She simply waved, pulled open the door—
"Then thank you for the lovely treatment today, you awkward little cutie of a Sakuraba-san~ See you next time!"
The door swung shut behind her, leaving only the light sound of footsteps fading down the hall.
Sakuraba Ryo stood there in silence, the corner of his mouth twitching.
Who the hell are you calling awkward and cute?
There's some weirdo woman out here smearing me!
I'm calling the police.
"But..."
"Oi's secret weapon, huh..."
He repeated the phrase under his breath, his eyes sharpening.
Someone Mr. C.B. would bother mentioning ought to be a truly formidable runner.
Hoho.
Then I get it now!
This year, absolutely do not invest in any Umamusume from Oi!
Hahaha, I'll just walk the other way entirely!
If I don't invest, then I can't make money off them!
---
T/N: LMAO also UAGRSUHFUASHAFRIS IM SO JEALOUSSSSSSSS MR. C.B. HANG OFF ME PLEASE
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