Chapter 14: Super Creek
Not long after Sakura Bakushin O left the clubroom, Kisei sat in front of the computer, still organizing the day's training data. Knock, knock, knock—three rhythmic knocks sounded at the door.
Kisei paused for a moment and checked the time. Who could be visiting at this hour?
"Come in."
Creak... The door was gently pushed open, and a brown-haired, blue-eyed Uma Musume stood properly at the entrance.
"It's you!"
With just one glance, Kisei recognized her. Wasn't this the gentle Uma Musume he had met at the school gate yesterday? He remembered her name was... Super Creek!
"Trainer Hoshino!" Creek also looked surprised. Nase Fumino had brought her here for a physical check-up but hadn't mentioned who the other person was.
At that moment, a figure nimbly slipped out from behind Super Creek. Fumino raised her head, her 150-centimeter height creating a somewhat adorable size difference next to Creek.
"Senior Hoshino, do you two know each other?" Fumino was also a bit taken aback.
"We met briefly at the school gate yesterday," Kisei nodded, feeling a sense of wonder.
He never expected that the young Uma Musume he had encountered by chance yesterday would be the one Fumino had taken an interest in. Although, as a trainee trainer, Nase couldn't officially sign a contract yet...
"Ara... I'm so happy that Trainer Hoshino still remembers me," Creek gently cupped her cheeks, her eyes curving into a smile.
"Of course I remember," Kisei smiled as well. "Please, come in."
The two of them entered the clubroom one after the other. Fumino walked up to Kisei and gave a slight bow, her short purple hair swaying gently with the movement. "Senior Hoshino, I'm counting on you."
"Mhm," he acknowledged, but his gaze turned slightly playful as he looked at her. "But you're still a trainee trainer, right? According to the rules, you can't sign a contract with an Uma Musume yet. Aren't you afraid I might snatch away the promising Miss Creek you've set your sights on?"
Fumino's shoulders visibly tensed.
Super Creek was the Uma Musume she had noticed on her very first day at Tracen. Although Creek hadn't yet undergone her formal transformation, Fumino herself was still a trainee trainer. She could wait!
But if Kisei were to take the lead now...
Just the thought of Super Creek becoming someone else's Uma Musume made Fumino feel as if her breath was about to stop.
"Alright, just kidding," Kisei said, his tone softening immediately upon seeing how genuinely nervous she was. "Come on, Miss Creek, let me start with a basic physical check-up for you."
"Understood, thank you for your trouble," Creek gave a slight bow.
The check-up process was simple and efficient. Kisei measured several key data points and inquired about her daily diet and exercise habits. Five minutes later, he closed his notebook.
"That's all for now. Tomorrow, I'll send the preliminary dietary suggestions to Nase's email. Once Miss Creek undergoes her formal transformation, adjustments will need to be made based on her physical changes."
Fumino let out a sigh of relief and offered a sincere smile. "Thank you, Senpai."
"Don't mention it," Kisei replied as he organized the equipment, his tone understanding. "Weight management isn't easy for many Uma Musume, given their metabolic needs and athletic appetites. In this regard, I have some experience."
He recalled events from years past. Back then, Symboli Rudolf had tried so many methods and undergone countless minor adjustments just to keep her weight within the perfect range.
For an Uma Musume, finding the balance between maintaining enough energy to run and avoiding excess weight that affects speed has never been an easy task.
Hearing Kisei mention weight management so bluntly, Super Creek lowered her head in embarrassment, her cheeks flushing slightly.
"But you don't need to feel too pressured, Creek-san," Kisei added in a gentle tone. "The core of the diet plan I designed is to optimize your energy structure and meal timing while ensuring you get sufficient nutrition and feel full. It's not about making you go hungry, but about eating smarter."
"Thank you, Trainer Hoshino..." Creek replied softly, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her skirt.
After seeing Fumino and Super Creek off, Kisei stood at the activity room door, watching their figures disappear around the corner of the hallway, and couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.
Awkward.
During the earlier check-up, he had naturally seen the data panel that appeared above Creek's head.
[Name: Super Creek]
[Track Aptitude: Turf (A), Dirt (G)]
[Distance Aptitude: Short Distance (G), Mile (G), Middle Distance (A), Long Distance (A+)]
[Running Style Aptitude: Leader (D), Front-runner (A), Stalker (B), Closer (G)]
Long Distance Aptitude A+!
Kisei's heart did itch a little. Excellent long-distance Uma Musume were already rare, let alone one that could potentially reach S aptitude through training.
If he hadn't known Fumino beforehand, he might have really tried to approach her. But since she was a colleague from the same office, doing so would inevitably make future interactions uncomfortable.
Moreover, from the expression Super Creek had when mentioning Fumino, and from Fumino's cautious yet determined attitude, it was clear that the two had already formed a tender bond between them.
"Forced melons are not sweet," he murmured to himself, turning to lock the activity room door.
After packing up and returning to his dorm, Kisei had just torn open the packaging of a cup noodle when the doorbell rang urgently.
"Hoshino—! Are you in—!!"
Okino Koji's loud voice pierced through the door, full of energy.
"Senpai, I say..." Kisei opened the door with a helpless expression. "Could you turn down the volume? You're disturbing the peace."
"Hehe, I saw your light just turned on, so you must not have eaten yet, right? Let's go, together!" Koji familiarly slung an arm over his shoulder.
"Senpai, I'm busy." Kisei sighed. "I really don't have time to fool around with you. Unlike you, I don't have an Uma Musume in my team right now, so I'm... well, idle all day."
Koji immediately glared. "What kind of talk is that from you! This is strategic rest, adjusting my condition, understand? Waiting for the next 'one and only' to appear!"
"Then you'd better hurry up and wait." Kisei brushed off the hand on his shoulder. "Before the chairwoman sees you're too free and transfers you to manage the warehouse."
"No way! What's my relationship with the chairwoman? She adores me!" Koji puffed out his chest, full of confidence.
Kisei was speechless and turned to close the door. "Anything else? If not, I'm going in."
"Hey, hey, don't be in such a hurry!" Koji wedged his foot in the door crack and lowered his voice mysteriously. "Our group's trainer gathering is tonight, are you coming?"
"Your group?"
"Yeah! Me, Old Man Rokuhira, Trainer Okita, and Old Man Tanabe." Koji counted on his fingers.
(Note: Trainer Okita—Trainer of Narita Top Road in the original work; Trainer Tanabe—Trainer of Jungle Pocket in the original work)
Kisei twitched the corner of his mouth. "A dinner full of old folks? I'd rather not..."
"Young people just don't get it!" Koji interrupted him, eyes gleaming. "That's a treasure trove! Just casual conversation is decades of experience, more useful than reading ten books. And..." he deliberately drew out his words, "today Old Man Rokuhira is treating everyone to sukiyaki."
Kisei paused.
"Which restaurant?"
"That old establishment behind the academy, 'Matsuba.'"
Kisei fell silent for two seconds, then grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.
"Let's go!"
His decisiveness caught Koji off guard for a moment before he burst out laughing. "You rascal!"