In the not so spacious but enclosed room, the beautiful and usually timid Uma Musume was shyly, yet persistently confessing her long-held love to her beloved Trainer— a scene that seemed to have come straight out of an amateur romance book.
At least, it was much better than some Uma Musume who were more 'forceful' in their methods, aquiring their Trainer's hand in marriage through semi-coercion.
Meisho Doto's approach was incredibly gentle, perhaps even a little too gentle, to the point some Uma Musume might think she had some kind of weird kink.
And it clearly showed when "Meisho Doto," who had been repelled by Meisho Doto, started seething with infuriation.
"M- me?! Do you have peas for brains?! What kind of woman would ask for 'second place'?! What kind of Uma Musume would settle for 'second place'??!!!"
"If you're going to compete, compete for first place!!! What's the point of a race if you're not aiming for first??!!"
"Moreover, the finish line is right in front of you!!!! You only have to take the last step to win everything!!!!"
"Don't be content with second place! Don't be content to be a backstage dancer!! Where was that fire you showed me earlier??!!! Channel it now!!!"
'Grhh— go away! Don't bother me!'
Facing the voice of her other self, Meisho Doto, who had learned from last time, uncharacteristically fiercely interrupted "Meisho Doto" with impatience, and "she" quickly fell silent afterwards.
It seemed that whether it was T.M. Opera O or Meisho Doto, their attitudes towards their alternate selves were surprisingly consistent.
For a person that was essentially themselves, it sure was bizarre that both parties hated each other's guts.
Of course, the biggest reason was that their other selves also showed immense interest in Wada, just like them, which, due to their wilder nature, usually manifested in physical intimacy, in their own bodies nonetheless!
The feeling of having your actions dictated by another person, especially regarding matters of the heart, was something the two more reserved girls were incredibly averse to.
They wanted to capture the heart of the person they loved with their true feelings— not through forceful methods which cause their beloved physical and mental distress.
Their Trainer treated them with kindness and gentleness; thus, they naturally had to respond with the same attitude. This was the unspoken understanding between Meisho Doto and T.M. Opera O.
Moving closer to Wada, Meisho Doto gripped his palms with tears in her eyes, tenderly confessing her feelings to the person who had always given her support and courage.
"Please... Trainer... I'm willing to just be second place, please..."
"Meisho Doto..."
But, Wada truly didn't know how to respond to Meisho Doto's feelings.
I mean, how could he not be moved? How could a man not fantasize about a situation like this happening to them at some point? To have a girl shower them with unconditional love like this?
Yet, Wada still had moral boundaries and responsibilities to uphold, as both a Trainer and a decent human being.
"...Doto, you don't need to lower yourself down like this. Like I said, you are your own person."
"You are not just T.M. Opera O's rival, you are not just Wada's trainee, you are not just the Beast of the Racecourse; you are Meisho Doto. There's no single aspect that defines you entirely."
"You don't have to settle for second place. You... should find someone better. I'm sure that you'll find someone who can love you more than I ever could."
"You're still young. When you leave Tracen Academy and become independent, you'll find that there are many, many people who are better than me."
"Go to new places, meet new friends. Then, you won't need to be second place; you're a good girl, Doto. So, even if it might take some time, you'll definitely find someone who loves you more than anything else in the world..."
"—I- I don't need to be first place, I don't want any of that!!"
Interrupting Wada, Meisho Doto showed bravery far unlike her usual self and pulled Wada's hand, imitating her other self and placing his palm over her left chest where her heart lay.
Enduring the instinctive shyness the touch brought, she spoke with conviction never shown before,
"Trainer, can't you feel it? My heartbeat that even I can hear right now."
"You might not be able to love me to the same extent as T.M. Opera O, nor might I be able to love you to the extent of T.M. Opera O."
"But, you are the person I love the most in this world... Trainer, you are my eternal number one."
"So please... don't leave me... don't take away the courage you gave me..."
"I don't care if you consider me second place, you are my most cherished first place and that's enough."
As she spoke, Meisho Doto couldn't help but move even closer to Wada and embrace him.
She didn't use much strength— if she wanted to, she could have roughly smothered Wada's face into her bosom, but she didn't.
As if akin to an all encompassing embrace, Meisho Doto held Wada so softly that it felt like he could break free from her with just a little effort.
But how could Wada do that? After everything Meisho Doto had said? After everything she had displayed?
In the end, he could only slightly open his mouth, his voice sounding as if a fishbone were stuck in his throat.
"—You can have a happier life, Doto."
"I'm happy right here, Trainer."
With Wada in her arms, Meisho Doto closed her eyes with a smile.
"You don't have to accept my feelings, Trainer. Maybe you are right... maybe I will come to regret my decision today."
"But, fate has led me to you. Although you are not meant for me, I have already given you my heart."
"So, even if you reject me now, even if you kick me out of the team later, please... just forget about T.M. Opera O now and let me be the only person in your eyes, even if it's just for these few seconds."
Perhaps it was due to the influence of "Meisho Doto," or perhaps it was because she herself suddenly gained courage, Meisho Doto completely forgot about her shyness and did the thing she had longed to do.
Meeting Wada's gaze, Meisho Doto closed her eyes and met Wada's lips.
The young and pure Uma Musume knew nothing of technique or romance; still, this was the most effective way she knew to express her feelings.
Then, in a surprising turn of events, Meisho Doto's head moved sideways and gently bit on Wada's neck, leaving a shallow tooth mark.
"...This is a punishment, Trainer. Take responsibility for making me feel so strange..."
"Please be prepared, Trainer. Even though I can settle for second place, whether it's on the racetracks or in love... I won't surrender completely."
Her tone carrying much more confidence now, Meisho Doto felt an inexplicable sensation of joy as she gazed at the tooth mark on Wada's neck, feeling a sense of triumph from the bottom of her heart.
At this moment, the scent of Wada, which had been covered by T.M. Opera O, seemed to have been tinged with the scent of Meisho Doto.
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Wish me luck, I'm off to my End of Years
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If you spot any errors, feel free to comment about it and I will fix it as soon as I can.