Slowly, the lights began to dim, and the commotion quieted down as people realized that the interview was soon to start. Hundreds of people immediately took their seats; some eager, some mildly interested, some here mostly for the formality. Television crews sprang to work without any delay, setting up dozens of heavy-duty cameras and pointing them towards the front of end of the room.
And there sat the three trainers who have agreed to come forth as the representatives of all Japanese trainers.
Komiyama Masami. Nase Fumino. Kitahara Jo.
The man glanced at the other two for a moment. They returned a subtle nod, and he smiled as he reached for the microphone and spoke. "Before we begin, I have to apologize" He grinned. "I'm just some guy from the Japanese countryside, so I can't speak or understand any other language. So this whole thing might be a bit slow."
And exactly as he said, it took nearly a minute for his words to finally be understood by everyone, with all the translators interpreting his words in real time. But he got his words through, and some of the tension in the room lightened slightly. Not enough to feel like they wouldn't get their careers ruined by being rude, but just enough that they didn't feel like they'd choke just from sitting still.
Nase Fumino couldn't help but glance at him slightly, more than impressed at just how much this man had changed in the two years she'd known him.
The man who had first entered Tracen Central was one that kept his head down. Perhaps he did so unintentionally, perhaps it was by choice—whatever the case, he had let himself remain hidden in the shadows cast by the three trainees he was responsible for.
She did not fault him. Nor did she think it was a disgrace.
Because he did not run. Though it was clear he was far out of his depth, he planted his legs down like a root and stared back. No amount of discomfort or fear could eclipse his desire to remain together with his trainees.
He was certainly better than most men in her life.
Though that was a low bar to clear.
"Alright, in that case," Kitahara grinned. "Let's get things started!"
The first to speak was a well-dressed woman.「This is Anne Steward from CNN」She said.「If I may ask, how are you feeling about all the attention that has recently been placed on the [Japan Cup]?」A translator quickly relayed to them what the woman had said, and Kitahara hummed.
He subtly glanced at Masami and Fumino to see if they had anything they wanted to say. Masami looked a little out of her depth as she subtly shook her head. Meanwhile, Fumino simply hummed as she reached for her own microphone.
"It has been…interesting." She began. She could still easily recall the mystical sight she'd seen on that day. "I admit that I feel somewhat mortified to know that so many are watching us at this very moment." She smiled. "But I believe it is not unearned."
"Yeah, I pretty much have the same opinion." Kitahara grinned as he lounged into his seat. It was impressive that she couldn't tell whether his confidence was faked or not. "So much changed in just a year—it's amazing, really." He chuckled. "Kinda makes it feel like we're doing the [Prix de l'arc de Triomphe] instead."
"Wow, you pronounced that pretty good." Masami smirked. "How many times did you need to try to get that?"
"A lot." He said without shame. A small bout of laughter followed, and he grinned as he leaned forward. "But, to be real, I'm excited. We've got literally the entire world watching us, and I'm sure everyone's as eager as we are to see how things will go down in the [Japan Cup] next week."
The woman smiled as she bowed.「That is all.」She said as she sat back down.
The next to stand was a lean young man.「This is Donatien Bouché from Antenne 2.」He cleared his throat.「In light of what followed the ending of last year's [Japan Cup], has there been any preparations made in regards to any potential injuries the runners might incur?」His question was then translated into Japanese, and Fumino frowned slightly.
She glanced at Kitahara. He nodded as he lifted his microphone. "I can't say I know too much." He began. "I'm just a trainer, so I don't know how things have changed." He smiled. "But I know Director Akikawa, and she loves umamusume more than anyone else I know. I'm sure she's prepared as best as she could for anything that might happen."
The first part of his answer was false. Kitahara Jo wasn't just a trainer. Whether he liked it or not, he was deeply tied with the new racing association Director Akikawa was creating, and so he knew full well just how much effort the Director was putting in to ensure nothing like last year would happen again.
Even so,
"But the possibility is there." He said, frowning slightly. "This year's [Japan Cup] will, without a doubt, be the most competitive race Japan has ever seen." He closed his eyes. "We can only pray that the Goddesses will protect them all once they step onto the track."
The young man was clearly surprised by the brutal honesty in Kitahara's answer, but he quietly nodded.「Thank you.」He said as he sat back down. The mood in the venue had become slightly somber—after all, hardly anyone here could forget the way last year's champions had dropped onto the ground after the finish line, as if they had literally burnt their lives away in their battle for the crown.
It didn't last long, thankfully. More reporters from every corner of the world began giving their questions, and the three of them were quick to handle them. Some asked more general questions about the upcoming [Japan Cup], while others were a little more specific in their inquiries. And whenever the topic about their trainees would come up, one of them would step up.
But it couldn't be denied that the interview was beginning to get a little too long by the end. Over an hour had gone by since the interview began; they'd surpassed the time limit that was previously set for this interview.
Which was why Kitahara nearly dropped to his knees in prayer when he saw Otonashi Etsuko stand up.
"This is Otonashi Etsuko from Central News." She smiled as she gave a subtle nod. "After the [Japan Cup], do you have any plans regarding where to next take your trainees' careers?"
Kitahara took a quiet breath, and he then glanced at Masami. She nodded, and with a soft breath she raised her microphone. "Was thinkin' about if it'd be appropriate to say it here, but I might as well."
"Tamamo Cross will soon be retiring."
A small silence followed, before the venue grew noisy. After all, none here were unknowing of who Tamamo Cross was, and to suddenly hear that she was retiring soon sent a shockwave throughout the crowd. Even Otonashi Etsuko looked a little distraught, despite having known about it beforehand.
"We thought long and hard about it, and we've agreed that it's about time." She smiled softly. "Tama-chan and I—we've been together for a while now, and neither of us wants to see Tama-chan fizzle out. That's not what the White Lightning deserves." She clenched her fists beneath the table. "So the [Arima Kinen] will be Tama-chan's last race before she steps back." She forced a grin. "Gotta go out with'a bang, y'know?"
Kitahara's eyes softened slightly, before he raised his own microphone. "Since Komiyama-san's spoken about this, then I'll speak as well." Another shock rang throughout the crowd, and Kitahara grinned as he stood up.
"I can't go into too much detail, but next year, Blossom Star will be racing in America." He grinned at the shocked looks he received. "I'm sure everyone'll understand once more information's released to the public."
"Thing is, we're not the type to let anyone go on their own." His grin turned a little sheepish. "So we've decided; next year, all of Team Kitahara will go overseas. We'll run in America for a year, and after that?" He shrugged. "Who knows."
"So just like Komiyama-san, you can consider the [Arima Kinen] as Team Kitahara's soft retirement."
He smiled.
"Please look forward to it."