Chapter 265: Eavesdropping?
After ending the video call, Makoto walked toward the bedroom door, deep in thought.
Tokai Teio's plan kept circling in his mind. He felt both excited and a little nervous about the possible overseas trip.
As he walked, he vaguely heard some movement outside the door. He paused for a moment, then instinctively quickened his pace and reached out to open it.
Outside, Kitasan Black and Almond Eye were pressed against the door, clearly trying to listen in.
They hadn't reacted in time—when the door suddenly opened, both of them lost their balance and tumbled to the ground.
Kitasan Black ended up on the bottom, hurriedly bracing herself with her hands, her hair slightly messy.
Almond Eye landed on top of her, equally flustered.
"…What are you two doing?"
Looking at the two Umamusume, Makoto couldn't help but laugh.
"You've been eavesdropping out here the whole time?"
Hearing that, the two girls—stacked awkwardly on the floor—instinctively looked at each other, one raising her head, the other lowering hers, both forcing out embarrassed smiles.
"Uh, well… Trainer, we… we were just passing by…" Almond Eye spoke first with an awkward laugh, but her voice grew quieter as she continued.
"…Doesn't that sound a bit far-fetched…?"
"Uh… actually, we were just curious…" Kitasan Black also laughed awkwardly, her face flushed.
"You were in your room for so long without much noise, and you didn't say anything, so we came to listen a bit… We didn't really hear much…"
"Mm-hmm! That's right!" Almond Eye nodded rapidly like a pecking chick, quickly adding, "We only heard a tiny bit, not much at all!"
As for the fact that the two Umamusume had been eavesdropping, Makoto only found it amusing and didn't think much of it.
Besides, what had been discussed on the video call was something he planned to talk to them about anyway.
After a moment's thought, he slightly furrowed his brows and tried to put on a serious expression.
"You two… eavesdropping isn't a good habit. Be more careful next time."
"If I were discussing something important, even if I planned to tell you later, what you did… would still be impolite."
In the end, he couldn't bring himself to truly scold them, only calling it impolite.
At that, not just Almond Eye, but Kitasan Black also nodded repeatedly like a pecking chick.
"Mm-hmm, got it, Trainer. Next time I—no, we—won't do it again."
"Mm-hmm! We definitely will—no, definitely won't!"
Smiling, Makoto stepped forward and extended both hands.
"Alright, as long as you understand. Get up—the floor's cold, you might catch a cold."
After helping the two Umamusume up and dusting them off, Makoto thought for a moment before telling them about the overseas expedition.
"G-go overseas?!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Kitasan Black's ears perked up, her face full of excitement.
"Really, Trainer? Are we really going abroad? That sounds so interesting!"
Almond Eye also looked over with excitement and anticipation, even pointing at herself.
"I'm going too, right? That's great! I've never been abroad before!"
"Yeah. Based on what has been discussed, as long as everything is settled with you two, we'll head out together."
Makoto nodded.
"Going abroad and adapting to a new environment will help your growth a lot. And it's also a rare opportunity to experience different racing styles and training methods."
"For now, I don't plan to arrange overseas races for you, Kitasan—we're not ready yet. But if things go well, we can still have some friendly matches or training races with overseas runners."
"That also means we'll be facing many challenges, so we need to prepare properly."
Hearing this, Kitasan Black clenched her fists, full of determination.
"I'm not afraid of challenges, Trainer! No matter what difficulties we face, I'll work hard to overcome them!"
Almond Eye also nodded firmly, a competitive spark shining in her eyes.
"Me too. I'll train hard and won't hold you back, Trainer—or Kita-senpai!"
Seeing their high spirits, a warm feeling welled up in Makoto's heart, lifting his mood as well.
Looking at the energetic Kitasan Black and Almond Eye before him, Makoto couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion, his thoughts drifting.
From the very first time they met, Kitasan Black had left a deep impression on him.
There was something about her—an aura that made it seem like nothing could ever bring her down.
No matter how grueling the training, how powerful the opponents, or how unfavorable the situation in a race—in her clear eyes, a blazing fighting spirit always burned, without even a hint of hesitation or fear.
As for Almond Eye, while she didn't possess the same outward, overwhelming presence as Kitasan Black, the competitiveness and fighting spirit within her were just as undeniable.
Makoto still remembered the first time he spoke with Almond Eye—the light in her eyes, a desire for victory and a relentless pursuit of self-improvement.
She was like an unpolished gem, still in the process of being refined. Though she had yet to shine at her brightest, her potential was already clear and promising.
After a moment of reflection, Makoto quickly gathered his thoughts. He then sat down at the table with the two Umamusume to carefully discuss training and race scheduling.
Since it was her first time participating in such an in-depth discussion, Almond Eye seemed a bit uneasy.
She sat there, unconsciously tugging at the hem of her clothes, glancing from time to time at Makoto and Kitasan Black. Occasionally, she tried to speak, only to hesitate and swallow her words.
Thanks to her previous experience preparing for the Arima Kinen, Kitasan Black was much more familiar with this kind of discussion, and throughout the conversation, it was mostly her and Makoto doing the talking.
However, the one whose schedule got settled first was actually Almond Eye.
Tracen Academy's entrance exam was set for February. After completing it, she would be able to apply for an overseas study program.
With Tokai Teio assisting behind the scenes, there was little need to worry about the approval process.
On Kitasan Black's side, they first focused on training.
Even if they were going overseas, regular training could not be neglected in the slightest.
If they were careless, they might adapt to overseas tracks but lose their familiarity with Japanese racecourses—which would be more harm than good.
After considering everything, the two ultimately decided to set the study trip duration at two weeks.
This way, they would have enough time to gain an in-depth understanding of overseas racing environments, track characteristics, and opponent styles, without being away so long that it negatively affected their adaptation to racing in Japan.
"Next is deciding which two weeks."
After confirming the duration, Makoto frowned slightly as he thought.
"The ideal timing would be late March. That's when the Dubai World Cup takes place. If we go then to observe and exchange, we'll definitely be able to see and learn a lot more."
At this point, he looked at Kitasan Black.
"But if we do that, we won't be able to participate in the races around that period."
"What do you think?"
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