By the time the victory concert began that evening, Yasui Makoto already had a plan in mind.
If his memories from that parallel timeline were correct, Duramente's accident had occurred during grazing—a period of rest, outside of training and racing.
In a situation like that, there weren't many precautions he could take, but there were still some.
For example—a comprehensive physical examination.
Unlike the routine check-ups after training or races, a thorough medical examination would cover a wider range of potential issues. It might help detect hidden risks that were usually hard to spot, minimizing the chances of accidents or other misfortunes.
Conveniently, Almond Eye was clearly entering her honkaku-ka—her full competitive maturity—so it was the perfect opportunity to schedule such an exam. Bringing Kitasan Black along was natural enough.
And with that excuse, he could casually invite Duramente as well. Given how close he'd become with Air Groove over the past few months, he was confident the invitation wouldn't be turned down.
Not long after settling on that idea, Yasui received a message from Air Groove.
Glancing over at Duramente, who stood just beyond Kitasan Black, Yasui considered his response for a moment before texting back. As the concert continued, he discussed things quietly with Air Groove.
After the concert ended, the crowd bustled and surged, conversations buzzing everywhere about today's races and the evening performance.
Duramente, chatting excitedly with Kitasan Black and Almond Eye—a rare hint of enthusiasm on her face—glanced up casually, only to suddenly freeze in place.
"The senpais' performance was amazing... Eh?"
Kitasan Black, who had been happily speaking halfway, paused and looked curiously at Duramente, puzzled by her sudden reaction. "Dura-chan, what's wrong?"
The next second, following Duramente's gaze, Kitasan Black also stiffened, her smile turning awkward and strained.
From afar, moving hurriedly through the bustling crowd toward them, Air Groove appeared, her face a mixture of fatigue and urgency.
She wore a sleek black business suit as though she'd just rushed over from some important meeting. Tiny beads of sweat dotted her forehead.
Catching her breath slightly, Air Groove first sent Duramente a helpless look, then turned toward Yasui Makoto, her expression clearly grateful.
She wiped the sweat from her brow, her gaze turning apologetic again as she looked back at Duramente.
"So…will you come home with me now? Whatever the issue, we can always discuss it calmly—"
"…No."
With a defiant expression she'd never shown before, Duramente stiffened further, reflexively turning her head away and raising her chin in stubborn refusal.
"I... promised to compete again with Kita-chan. I…
"I don't want to be someone who breaks promises."
"Breaks promises...?"
Repeating the phrase subconsciously, Air Groove involuntarily glanced toward Yasui Makoto.
Yasui understood exactly how Duramente felt at that moment.
Trying to persuade Duramente now would be as difficult as going back in time to persuade his own younger self.
Because at this age, promises made to friends carried incredible weight—no matter how trivial or childish they seemed afterward.
At the instant those promises were made, they'd been genuinely determined to fulfill them, no matter who tried to intervene.
In other words, Air Groove-san, looking at me won't help either...
He felt a headache coming on.
The air around them seemed frozen. All the surrounding crowd's excitement and chatter faded into the background, leaving only this awkward, suffocating silence.
Seeing Yasui's uncomfortable expression clearly, Air Groove opened her mouth as if to speak, but ended up just quietly gripping the corner of her suit, letting out a soundless sigh.
Duramente, neck stiffly turned away, eyes fixed defiantly elsewhere, stood rigid as if ready for battle, her entire presence radiating stubborn resistance.
Kitasan Black and Almond Eye had already stopped their lively conversation. Now they exchanged confused, helpless glances, uncertain of what to say or do.
As his headache worsened, Yasui suddenly felt incredibly grateful that his own Uma Musume had always been sensible and cooperative, never causing him embarrassment like this.
"It's okay, Dura-chan."
Breaking the awkward silence, Kitasan Black unexpectedly took a deep breath and smiled gently at Duramente.
"Even if you go and compete in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, we'll... still be competing together, right?"
As though rust were falling from a machine, Duramente shivered visibly, turning slowly toward Kitasan Black, disbelief etched across her features.
"Kita-chan…"
"It's because of what we promised, right?" Kitasan Black's eyes shimmered earnestly. "Our promise… our vow."
She spoke softly, eyes brightening further. "Yes, we promised: in the next race, and the one after, and onward—we would keep racing each other, to clearly settle things again and again."
"Isn't that right, Dura-chan?"
"…Yes."
Her disbelief vanished instantly, replaced with fierce determination. "I won't ever break our promise."
"I know you won't. I always believed it."
Kitasan Black's gaze grew brighter still as she reached out, taking Duramente's hand firmly.
"But competing together… doesn't necessarily mean being on the same track, does it? That's what I think."
"The Kikuka Sho is in October. The Arc is also in October."
"And both are G1-level races."
"Since the timing lines up and the prestige is equal…"
"Let's compete this way instead."
"Let's see clearly who will win—I'll take the Kikuka Sho, and you'll go win the Arc."
Duramente's eyes instantly ignited, burning with rekindled passion like embers springing back to life. She lifted her chin proudly, holding Kitasan Black's gaze fiercely, every muscle tensed as if poised for immediate battle. Even her ears quivered and her tail swished intensely, radiating an unmistakable thirst for victory.
"And if we both win?" Duramente suddenly asked, her voice sharp and resolute.
"…I honestly hadn't even considered losing. But—"
Surprise and amusement flickered briefly in Kitasan Black's eyes, quickly replaced by a heated intensity.
"Now that's the Dura-chan I know."
Her crimson eyes sparkled brightly, almost like stars lighting up the night sky. Kitasan Black swung her arm energetically upward, declaring loudly:
"Then we'll keep racing in the next one!"
"We already promised, didn't we?"
"The next race, and the one after, and all the races to come…"
"Our competition will never end so easily, Duramente!"
As Kitasan Black's declaration echoed clearly, Yasui's pupils unconsciously shrank, his eyes widening in surprise. He instinctively glanced toward Air Groove beside him.
She met his astonished gaze directly, mirroring his own startled expression. Yasui couldn't help but chuckle softly, taking two small steps backward.
Air Groove, understanding immediately, followed him quietly.
"Kitasan… truly impressive, isn't she?"
Air Groove spoke first, shaking her head gently with a rueful smile. "She's incredibly mature. Compared to her, Duramente really is..." She left her sentence unfinished, shaking her head again helplessly.
Understanding Air Groove's envy and helplessness, Yasui unexpectedly felt a flicker of pride.
But that thought quickly vanished as another matter rose to mind.
"You flatter me, Air Groove-san," he said softly, addressing her with the familiarity they'd developed recently.
"By the way, I was thinking recently about arranging a comprehensive physical exam for Kita-chan and Almond Eye. Has Duramente already had one scheduled?"
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T/N: i wonder if yasui can make almond win more than 9 g1 races