Once the paperwork and contract procedures were finally sorted, the day slipped by just like that.
"So, Trainer," Chiemi asked with bright enthusiasm, "do you want to head to the track later and take a look?"
The thought that she was voluntarily offering to show her ability to a trainer—something she'd never done before—made her want to laugh.
She'd hated the idea not long ago… yet now, she was oddly looking forward to it.
"Not today," Wu You said. "Let's go home first. We'll start formal training tomorrow."
"Aww~ Fine," Chiemi said, sounding disappointed but not refusing.
Besides, with his skill, he'd probably already figured out her aptitudes anyway.
Wait—go home? They were neighbors.
Which meant…
Could she possibly mooch dinner again tonight?
Chiemi wasn't normally a foodie, but that udon from last night had been so good she'd woken up in the middle of the night craving it.
Her horse ears shot upright. With her hands clasped behind her lower back, she hopped closer to him.
"Trainer Can we talk about something?"
Wu You didn't even need any special senses to know what she wanted. But he also knew that when you were trying to close the distance between two people, a little teasing did wonders.
And besides… he'd already begun planning her training.
So instead of agreeing immediately, he put on an innocent face. "Mm What is it?"
Chiemi wasn't stupid. She knew he was playing dumb.
But she didn't mind. If anything, she'd been in a prestigious club for a short while before and hadn't gotten along with the trainers there at all. This kind of easy banter—being able to joke with her trainer—was exactly what she'd secretly hoped for.
She blinked, her ears flicking lightly, and deliberately stretched out her tone.
"Trainer Tonight's dinner… can it be just a tiny bit more… lavish?"
As she spoke, she nudged a pebble with the tip of her shoe, wearing an expression that said, I'm easy to please, and I'm very, very hopeful.
Wu You swallowed a laugh and continued the act, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Dinner? Why would I make anything elaborate when it's just me~?"
"How is it 'just you'?!" Chiemi immediately leaned closer, her fresh, clean scent washing over him.
"Today is our official 'partner anniversary,' you know. As my trainer, shouldn't you treat your Umamusume to a proper meal to mark it? Preferably… something you cook yourself~"
"And shouldn't you show some sincerity too?" Wu You countered.
"Of course. When we buy groceries later, I'll—"
"You'll pay?"
"No! I'll carry the bags~!"
Wu You gave her a long, meaningful smile, then nodded. "Alright. But in that case, I decide what we eat. No objections?"
"Of course Leaving it to Chef Wu You"
Deal struck, the two of them left Tressen Academy chatting and laughing.
To the other Umamusume, the scene was… fresh. And mildly terrifying.
"Hey… wasn't that Chiemi?"
"Looks like it…"
"Was she… bouncing as she walked? And next to her was this insanely handsome guy?"
"Looks like it…"
"So… we must've seen the wrong person, right?"
"Let's… say we did…"
…
Not far from their building was a bustling shopping street, so buying ingredients was easy.
Chiemi kept her promise and acted as the pack mule. A few bags of groceries were lighter than a feather to an Umamusume, after all.
Once they'd finished shopping, they headed upstairs.
"Mm… tofu, soup base, and… red dates?" Chiemi asked, peering into the bags. "Are we having hotpot?"
"Exactly," Wu You said. "My special hotpot. I guarantee you'll be satisfied."
He reached for his door.
"Huh?" Chiemi pointed her thumb at the unit next door. "Aren't you cooking at my place?"
"I've got some ingredients and cookware I need to grab first," he said. "I'll come right over."
"Mmm~ Okay," she said, nodding.
But the moment Chiemi got home and set the bags on the table, she realized something was very, very wrong.
Last night, she'd woken up hungry and rummaged through everything looking for food. In the process, she'd tossed clothes all over the floor.
Jackets. Coats. Shirts.
And even some… private items.
Living alone, it didn't matter. But her trainer was about to come over.
Chiemi's cheeks flushed. She immediately began scrambling to clean.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Chiemi, I brought the stuff."
She hadn't even managed two minutes of tidying before the knocking started.
"Ah! Trainer, wait—just a second! I'll be right there!"
Clutching a huge wad of clothing, Chiemi gritted her teeth and hurled it upstairs in one desperate toss.
A few stray pieces that didn't make it got kicked beneath a chair.
"I'm coming, I'm coming Trainer, please come in"
Wu You caught the faint new trace of sweat in her scent and immediately understood. She'd been cleaning.
He felt a small stab of regret.
She was a girl, after all. He should've given her more time.
Meanwhile, Chiemi's attention locked onto what he was carrying.
A cardboard box stuffed with a strange pot, plus several things wrapped in kitchen paper.
Even before she saw them, the aroma hit her—an incredible, mouthwatering umami.
"These are… mushrooms?" she asked.
"Sharp nose~" Wu You replied.
He set the box down on the table and carefully peeled back the kitchen paper.
Inside were all kinds of mushrooms she'd never seen. The rich, savory fragrance spread through the room in a wave.
Chiemi instinctively reached out to touch them—only for Wu You to stop her.
"Careful," he said. "Some of these are poisonous."
"Poisonous?!" Chiemi recoiled as if she'd been shocked.
She knew some poisonous mushrooms could taste extraordinary, but her instincts still screamed at her to keep her hands away.
Wu You put on gloves and began sorting the mushrooms as he explained. "Two years ago, I met an Umamusume friend while traveling in the East. She sent these as a gift."
As he spoke, an image surfaced in his mind: a red-haired woman with a heroic, commanding presence that even outshone Chiemi.
If Umamusume were born with the aura of athletes… she had the air of a battlefield general.
"Trainer," Chiemi said, staring at the spread of mushrooms on the table, "are you sure this is okay?"
She didn't doubt he could cook. She just had never seen anything like this.
"Of course," Wu You said calmly. "I've made it plenty of times."
He pulled out a red, traditional-style clay pot—complete with a locking clasp.
"But you have to promise me one thing," he added with a smile. "Until I say it's okay… don't sneak a bite."
Chiemi's expression pinched with a tiny hint of offense.
Why did he sound like she was some glutton like Oguri Cap?
"Hah! Fine!" Chiemi lifted her chin, brimming with confidence as she turned away. "Don't worry. I absolutely, absolutely won't lose to it. Hmph!"
Wu You watched her go, lips curling into a knowing smile.
Good. Very good.
Step one of the training plan could begin.
This girl had no idea what mushroom broth could do to a person.
-------
My : pat*eon*com/RuneA
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