Rice's POV
"…"
"…"
"Mmm-mmm-mmm…"
We stood in front of the academy's central bulletin board, our eyes locked onto the fresh printout of the Japan Derby entry list.
[NIPPON DERBY FIELD SET! Satsuki Sho winner Mihono Bourbon and runner-up Rice Shower join the fray! In a twist of fate, both favorites have been drawn into the same bracket: Mihono Bourbon at Gate 15, and Rice Shower at Gate 13, both in Bracket 7! Will Bourbon lead the pack again, or will Rice Shower and the rest of the field find their kick in the home stretch?]
"It's a bit of a tough draw for you two, isn't it?" Machikane Tannhauser said, her brow furrowed. "The outer gates are always a gamble."
"U-um, yeah…" I murmured, feeling a small knot of anxiety in my stomach.
"It is not a problem," Bourbon-san said, her voice a steady anchor. "I will simply run my race. That is what Master has instructed me to do. And you, Tannhauser-san? What is your position?"
"Me? I'm at Gate 7 in Bracket 4! It's actually a pretty great spot," Tannhauser chirped, her tail swishing with renewed energy. "This time, I'm definitely going to make it into the top group!"
I looked back at the board, my resolve hardening. "I'm going to catch you this time, Bourbon-san. I promise."
Bourbon-san offered a faint, nearly imperceptible smile. "Fufu. I do not intend to be caught so easily. I have spent these weeks preparing to meet your challenge head-on."
"Hehe, I can't let you two have all the fun!" Tannhauser struck a determined pose. "I might not be able to match your speed just yet, but when it's time to give it my all, I'm going to show you what I'm made of!"
"...A formidable rival indeed," Bourbon-san noted, her eyes narrowing analytically. "I will have to consult with Master to refine our strategy for more than just Rice-san."
"Ehehe, that's the spirit," I said.
"Alright!" Tannhauser raised a fist. "We're all rivals today, so let's give it everything we've got! Ready, set… hmph!"
"M-mun!" I echoed, trying to match her energy.
"...Mun," Bourbon-san added, ever-so-quietly.
We had spent quite a while staring at that board. As everyone probably knows, the outer gates at Tokyo aren't ideal, especially for a race as long as the Derby, but you never know what will happen on the track. I need to make sure I practice running on the outside to be ready!
Wait… I just remembered. Today was actually a rest day!
"...By the way, Rice-san," Bourbon-san said as we began to walk away. "Is your trainer aware of what's happening? Regarding the Student Council's inquiries about the staff?"
"Mhm. He was having lunch with the Mejiro sisters and he asked them about it directly."
Tannhauser gasped. "Whoa! Rice-san's trainer has some scary-sharp intuition! What did they tell him?!"
"Well, Ardan-san made it clear she didn't want to talk about it, so he just… stopped asking. He didn't pry at all."
"...I see," Bourbon-san pondered. "It seems he is satisfied simply knowing that something is happening. He has no interest in the finer details. That is a fortunate turn of events."
The President had mentioned she didn't want Big Brother to find out what the girls were up to. We have to be extra careful not to let him catch on!
Hachiman's POV
"I have to say… this is a first," I said, leaning back as the waiter set a cold beer in front of me. "Having a drink with this specific lineup. I'm actually surprised you were the one to invite us, Kuronuma-san."
"Our trainees are both running in the Japan Derby," Kuronuma replied, his voice gruff but relaxed. "Having a pre-celebration before the storm hits won't hurt anyone. Consider it a toast to their hard work."
"My girl barely managed to slide into the entries," Minamisaka added with a humble smile. "Tannhauser worked her tail off to get here. Seeing that effort bear fruit is enough of a reward for me."
I was sitting in a dimly lit izakaya with Kuronuma—Bourbon's trainer—and Minamisaka—Tannhauser's trainer. By some weird stroke of cosmic luck, all of our rest days had aligned perfectly.
"Since this is a 'celebration,' I'll skip the shop talk for a second and ask something else," I said, taking a sip of my drink. "What's the deal with the Horse Girls lately? They've been acting… weird."
"Ah," Kuronuma grunted. "I was wondering when you'd bring that up. They've been coming to me too, asking questions."
"They've approached me as well," Minamisaka noted, looking thoughtful. "What about you, Hikigaya-kun? Have they come to interview you?"
"No. Not a single one," I said.
Minamisaka blinked. "That's strange… the academy has been buzzing since early May. For them to ignore you entirely is… well, it's unnatural, in a way."
"Why do you say that?"
"You're the center of attention right now," Kuronuma said, pointing a finger at me. "Trainers and students alike are watching your every move. The idea that no one would want to interview the guy who's training the Derby favorite's biggest rival is impossible. There has to be a reason."
Great. I'm 'the center of attention.' Just what I always wanted, I thought sarcastically.
"...Do you think," Minamisaka said, lowering his voice, "that it might have something to do with that incident between you and that senior trainer? The one from a few weeks back?"
"No way," Kuronuma dismissed the idea immediately. "There isn't a trainer alive who would want to spread that story around. If it got out that the 'rookie' they were picking on is actually the protégé of a US Triple Crown legend, Hikigaya's reputation would skyrocket while theirs hit the dirt. They aren't going to broadcast their own humiliation."
"True," Minamisaka agreed. "It would be like tying their own noose. They'd keep that under wraps at all costs."
"Look, there's no point in overthinking it," I said, waving a hand. "If it's that important, I'll find out eventually. I can just ask the students once the Derby is over."
"...I suppose you're right," Kuronuma said. "We have more pressing matters to worry about anyway."
"Exactly," Minamisaka nodded. "Our job is to make sure our girls are in peak condition when they step onto that track."
"That's the goal," I said.
If I really got desperate to know, I could always go kick down the door to the Student Council room. If the girls are the ones running this show, there has to be a leader. And if there's a leader, all roads lead to Rudolf.
"Enough talk!" Kuronuma declared, raising his glass. "Tonight we drink! Tomorrow, we don't start until the afternoon shift!"
"Haha, I'm with you," Minamisaka laughed.
"...Guess I can indulge for once," I muttered, clinking my glass against theirs.
I'll just ride the wave for tonight. Tomorrow's problems are for tomorrow's Hachiman.
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