It was the evening of the day I invited Kiryuin-san out for a drink.
After a usual training session with Urara and Rice, I changed into my suit in the clubroom. My eyes fell on the coat rack and I clapped my hands.
"Ah, I remember now."
"Big brother? Is something wrong?"
Rice was the one who reacted to my words. I turned my gaze to Rice and checked her outfit. She was in her Tracen Academy uniform, but she wasn't wearing an overcoat or anything similar.
"That's right, I forgot I lent my jacket to Rice after the last race. Man, it's bad to forget the clothes you were wearing. Am I getting old...?"
The race between Urara and Rice was so moving that it had completely slipped my mind, but I did indeed lend my jacket to Rice.
I thought I'd forgotten something, but the warmth of spring had made me forget I was even wearing a jacket. The fact that I didn't even notice when I got home shows how scatterbrained I am... I messed up. It's been warm lately, and I didn't need it, so I completely forgot.
As I was muttering to myself, Rice stopped in her tracks with a smile. Urara looked at Rice with a puzzled expression, but Rice rebooted in a few seconds.
"...Yeah, that's right. But I'm sorry, big brother. The clothes I borrowed are at the dry cleaner's."
"The dry cleaner's? Why would you do that...?"
"Huh? B-because... Rice, I was sweating... I can't return clothes to big brother that are dirty with Rice's sweat..."
Rice said, fidgeting with her hair in embarrassment. For me, I don't care about Rice's sweat. I mean, you're bound to sweat during training, and if you worried about that, you couldn't be a trainer for a horse girl. I get soaked in sweat during training too, and Urara even hugs me when she's all sweaty.
(Ah, but Rice is a girl her age... Even if I'm okay with it, Rice might not be.)
At that moment, a memory of Rice pleading with her mom, "Mom, please don't wash big brother's clothes with mine," flashed in my mind—no, wait, that memory doesn't exist. Maybe I'm just tired.
"I don't think they're dirty at all. I'm the one who's sorry for not noticing, Rice. Even if you looked cold, it was inconsiderate of me to have you wear my clothes. I'll be more careful next time."
"That's okay."
"I won't do it again... huh? Okay? You don't have to be so considerate, you know?"
I'm not at the age where I should have old-man smell yet, but it must be tough mentally for a girl her age. Knowing Rice, she's probably being considerate of me... but her face says otherwise.
"Rice likes big brother's scent. It's very calming."
"Me too! Trainer's smell is like my dad's!"
"Hmm... I don't know if I should be happy about that..."
What am I supposed to say to that? I guess I don't understand the sensibilities of today's young people. I mean, my appearance is young, even if my mind isn't.
And Urara? What does "smells like my dad" even mean? Like the smell of tatami mats at my grandpa's house in the countryside? I'm sure she's trying to compliment me, but should I be happy about it?
"Anyway, I'm glad I remembered what I forgot... Now I'll lock up, so you two head on home."
"Okay! See ya, Trainer!"
"Yeah, I understand, big brother... Locking up means you're going home now?"
"Yeah. Going home, or rather, having drinks with a coworker. It's "Hanakin"... I guess that's a dead word."
Shoot, I accidentally said a dead word. As I felt a bit down, Urara and Rice tilted their heads and mumbled, "Hanakin?"
"Just forget it... You know, how I sometimes treat my coworkers? This is just part of that."
When I said that, both Urara and Rice nodded in understanding. They smiled, waved, and left the clubroom.
I checked the windows were locked and all the electronics were off, then I left the clubroom and locked the door. I had no work left to do, so I could go for a drink with a clear conscience.
I headed to the shared trainer space to look for Kiryuin-san. Knowing her, she must have finished all her work. As for Happy Meek, she's been on a light training schedule for the past few days to recover from fatigue, so she shouldn't be training anymore.
"Ah, hello..."
When I looked for her in the shared space, Kiryuin-san quickly approached me. She was dressed in her usual style: a white dress shirt with a formal black vest, black slacks, and black boots, giving a neat and proper impression.
"Sorry for the wait. Shall we go?"
"Y-yes..."
Kiryuin-san seemed a bit awkward. Hmm... Maybe I should have invited other colleagues after all? But if there were too many people, she might find it hard to talk...
As I exchanged words with Kiryuin-san, we walked leisurely toward the shopping street. It's a place I often visit with Urara and Rice, but it's also convenient because there are places to drink. It's cheap, delicious, and the fact that it's within walking distance is a big plus.
"How's Happy Meek doing?"
I asked about Happy Meek as a light opener. Kiryuin-san's face immediately fell.
"I made her overdo it... She's not injured, but when I switched to a lighter training menu, she started showing signs of the fatigue she'd accumulated recently..."
"Ah... That's not good. Overtraining is a sure way to get injured. But you were able to stop just in time. As long as you're careful not to let it happen again, you'll be fine."
It's natural for people to make mistakes. When you're in charge of a horse girl's life, there are mistakes you absolutely shouldn't make, but if it's a mistake you can recover from... well, it's better not to make them, but sometimes things happen.
While talking about such things, I guided Kiryuin-san to a pub I frequent. It's not a fancy place, but for me, it's a very comfortable, down-to-earth izakaya. I feel a bit bad for Kiryuin-san, who might have imagined a place with a dress code when I said "go for a drink," but I hope she sees it as a life experience.
When we opened the door, a mix of lively chatter, savory aromas, and the smell of alcohol filled the air.
"Good evening!"
"Oh, it's Kitarufa's boy. The private room in the back is ready for you, as requested."
"Thanks. For the food, just the usual recommendations, please. Two draft beers... Oh, is draft beer okay for you, Kiryuin-san? Or maybe a chuhai? We can get non-alcoholic too."
I was the one who invited her, but nothing good comes from forcing alcohol on someone who can't drink. When I asked her, Kiryuin-san looked at me with an unusually serious expression.
"...I've never had alcohol before."
"Ah... Then maybe some oolong tea or..."
"N-no! This is a learning experience! I'll have a namachuu, please!"
"...Please don't push yourself, okay? Pops, we'll have two draft beers and one oolong tea."
I decided to let her have a sip, and if she couldn't handle it, I'd have her switch to juice. The owner of the restaurant laughed and spoke to me as I was thinking this.
"Alright. But hey, you brought a real beauty with you today, didn't you? Is it a date?"
"She's definitely a beauty, but it's not a date. I'd take her somewhere else if it were a date."
"Hahaha! You got me there! It's just a coworker, like the other people who come here, right? I'll give you a little something extra."
"Thanks! Alright, Kiryuin-san, this way."
I led Kiryuin-san to the private room in the back. It was a small room with tatami flooring, suitable for small parties. I took off my shoes and stepped up onto the tatami, and Kiryuin-san followed my movements, taking off her boots and stepping up as well.
In just a few minutes, small dishes like edamame and sashimi, along with the beer and oolong tea, were brought to us. Kiryuin-san, however, was frozen as if she had encountered something from another world.
"Alright, let's toast. Oh, but if you take a sip and don't like it, please don't force yourself to drink, okay? Actually, first, just smell the beer. Does it seem drinkable?"
"Y-yes... It has a strange scent. This is alcohol... It feels like I'm doing something wrong."
For some reason, Kiryuin-san's face looked moved. But when I heard that, my face twitched.
"Kiryuin-san, you're an adult, right?"
"Huh? Yes. That's why it's okay for me to drink."
That's not what I meant, but it would be uncool to point that out. I lightly clinked my beer mug with Kiryuin-san's and started drinking. Kiryuin-san then mimicked me and brought the beer to her mouth.
"...Can you drink it? Are you okay?"
People who are weak with alcohol are truly surprisingly weak, to the point that a drinker would be shocked. Some people can't even stand the smell of alcohol, let alone a sip of beer.
I, on the other hand, can hold my liquor pretty well. I'm not a heavy drinker, but I can drink without getting drunk as long as I pace myself.
Kiryuin-san, meanwhile, looked confused by the taste of her first beer.
"It's a little bitter... I wouldn't say it's delicious, but the flavor of the barley... it's a unique taste."
"You can taste the barley flavor on your first beer...?"
She must be from a good family after all. Her sense of taste is probably sharp. But if I told her she had a talent for drinking, I wouldn't know if that was a compliment or an insult, and I'd be scared if Kiryuin-san got into drinking.
"Since it's your first time drinking, please drink little by little. Also, drink the oolong tea to stay hydrated. It's dangerous for people who aren't used to it to only drink alcohol. We drank the beer first, but it's better to eat something before you drink on an empty stomach to avoid getting drunk quickly."
"Y-yes..."
Kiryuin-san placed her beer mug on the table and took a sip of oolong tea. She's so obedient, I thought with a wry smile.
"And, please, just let out your frustrations little by little. Just like with the alcohol, take your time. Let's eat slowly too. We have plenty of time."
I feel like this is a manager's role, but with the number of trainers at Tracen Academy, it's difficult for a senior person to invite everyone out one by one. That's why it's necessary for working adults to invite colleagues out to vent and complain.
If you ask me if I have the luxury to take care of my coworkers, I'd say it's debatable. Thanks to Tazuna-san, our work is running smoothly, and the training of Urara and Rice is on track, but there are still many things to do.
However, I can't help but feel like I have to help someone who looks like they're about to break. That's probably because I saw the horse girls who broke while I was training Urara. The difference is that one is a trainer and the other is a horse girl, but maybe it's just my nature to not be able to leave such people alone.
And so, my drinking session with Kiryuin-san began.
I snacked on the food, sipped my drink, and listened to Kiryuin-san talk.
I took my time and listened to her, and it turned out that Kiryuin-san was in a difficult position. I'd heard many times that the Kiryuin family is a famous family of trainers, but being a famous family comes with its own pressures.
Now that I think about it, when she was first assigned to Tracen Academy, my colleagues kept their distance from Kiryuin-san. I'm not from a family of trainers, so I didn't quite understand how unapproachable the famous Kiryuin-san was.
She told me that when she went home for the New Year, her family complained about various things.
That she was only focused on training Happy Meek.
That she entered Happy Meek in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies instead of the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, which leads to the classic route.
And that she didn't scout any classic-grade horse girls, focusing only on Happy Meek, even though there was a trainer among her peers who had a horse girl win the Arima Kinen.
The last one was about me. Seriously? The famous Kiryuin family is keeping an eye on me? And Rice wouldn't have been able to win the Arima Kinen without all the hard work she put in.
I was sipping Japanese sake and licking a pinch of salt while listening, and Kiryuin-san gave a weak smile when she saw me drinking.
"You're so calm, you're amazing... Both Haru Urara-san and Rice Shower-san have become so strong... You're an amazing trainer..."
"This isn't me being calm, it's just my preferred way of drinking... And thank you for complimenting Urara and Rice."
"It's the same today... I can't invite other people out to eat or drink like this..."
As she said that, Kiryuin-san took a sip of the cassis orange she had ordered.
"By the way, so you switched from the Tiara route to the Classic Triple Crown because of your family's influence? I thought something was off."
"Yes... I thought the Tiara route was a better fit for Meek. But my family said that was just running away... They said that to truly succeed as a trainer, you have to win the Classic Triple Crown, which attracts strong rivals..."
Kiryuin-san looked down with a dark expression. Hmm... I thought all I had to do was let her vent, but this is a lot more serious.
"Did Happy Meek say anything when you suddenly changed the plan to aim for the Classic Triple Crown?"
"Meek just said... she believes in me..."
"Then shouldn't you have chosen the path that you thought would be best for Happy Meek?"
If your horse girl believes in you, a trainer should live up to that. However, just saying "I believe in you" and leaving it up to the other person can also be a form of irresponsible burdening in the name of trust.
I can't say I'm an expert, but I've given Urara and Rice the training I thought they needed, and I believe in them after many discussions. If you believe in them after doing what needs to be done, I think that's not a bad thing.
"My father and mother were both trainers... They have more experience than me and have trained many different horse girls... So I'm sure they're the ones who are right..."
"No, they might have more knowledge and experience as trainers, but each horse girl needs a different training method, so you can't rely on a single approach, can you? If a unified method worked for everyone, I wouldn't have to worry about training Urara and Rice."
Besides, if a unified training method worked for all horse girls, there would be no need for trainers. I feel like I've thought this before.
I felt that just listening to her vent wouldn't be effective, so I started to interject with counterarguments to help Kiryuin-san let out her true feelings. But it was deeper than I thought... or rather, a huge amount of complaints kept spilling out of Kiryuin-san's mouth.
"Meek, that child is truly amazing... She can run short distances to long distances, and I think her talent is top-class among her generation... But I'm... I'm a bad trainer, so I can't bring out her talent..."
As she said that, Kiryuin-san's lips trembled and tears began to fall.
—Not being able to bring out your horse girl's talent.
That must be the most frustrating thing for a trainer. I also wonder if my training for Urara and Rice is truly the right way, or if there's a better way.
I don't worry about it as much now, but last summer, I spent every day racking my brain about how to make Urara win and how to make her want to win.
So, while I can't say I understand Kiryuin-san's feelings completely, I can imagine them to some extent. I could try to comfort her, but...
"I'm still a rookie in my second year, so I can't say anything to you, but... even rookie trainers like us are responsible for our horse girls' lives, right? What do you think about twisting your charge's life because your parents told you to?"
"...T-that's..."
Kiryuin-san looked stunned when she heard my words. I thought that as someone from a famous family of trainers, she would have a more solid mindset about this than I do.
From what I've seen of Kiryuin-san and Happy Meek, there seems to be a decent amount of trust between them. Kiryuin-san is diligent about Happy Meek and always considers if something can be used for her training. Happy Meek is a bit hard to read, but she trusts and admires Kiryuin-san.
Is her family so important to Kiryuin-san that she would do something that would betray Happy Meek?
When I thought about it that way, I couldn't help but smile wryly. When Kiryuin-san saw my expression, she looked at me with a puzzled face.
"Since we're drinking, I'd like you to forget what I'm about to say, but... frankly, I'm not in a position to be telling you this, Kiryuin-san. When I first joined Tracen Academy, I was a clueless kid who didn't even understand what I just said myself... Well, I was a mess."
"I-is that so?"
"Yeah. Even though I knew in my head that I was responsible for a horse girl's life, I didn't truly understand it. I realized it while training Urara... no, that child made me realize it, but I'm not the amazing person you think I am."
I said that and downed the sake in my cup in one go.
"I've only been a trainer for a little over a year, but I've failed many times, taken detours, and each time Urara and Rice have made me realize something... I'm not a person who was born into a family like yours, so I can't say anything pompous, but... no, that's wrong."
After saying that, I reconsidered. I've already said this much. It's not just about letting Kiryuin-san vent, but I should also say what I want to say.
"I'm going to say something pompous after all... Kiryuin-san, are your family and their teachings more important to you than Happy Meek?"
At the very least, there's nothing more important to me than Urara and Rice. As for my training policy, I was put down by Tojo-san, but the parts I didn't want to swallow, I just threw away. I'm in the process of adapting it in a way that I think will be beneficial for Urara and Rice.
Kiryuin-san's eyes widened and she froze when she heard my words.
"But... then... what I've been doing to Meek..."
Kiryuin-san muttered to herself. I couldn't help but smile wryly again at her reaction.
"And it's also not good to take a stranger's words at face value. I also got lost after getting a lecture from Team Rigil's Tojo-san, so it's better to take what others say with a grain of salt and only use the parts you find useful."
I said that and smiled.
"First, you should have a good talk with Happy Meek. Sort out her hopes and your hopes, and set clear goals for the future. I'm sure you'll see what you need to do then."
"Yes..."
"Don't worry, this is just a night of drinking. No matter how much you vent, the alcohol will make you forget it all. You can vent as much as you want. And once you've vented and feel a little better, let's work hard again starting tomorrow."
I hoped that my words would help her move in a better direction, even if just a little. I just quietly watched Kiryuin-san as she cried.
And then, I messed up.
I was comforting Kiryuin-san, who was eating, drinking, and loudly complaining, but when I thought she might be drinking a little too much, it was already too late.
"Waaaah... Meek... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."
She wasn't a sad drunk. Kiryuin-san continued to cry while sniffling, drinking the chuhai she had ordered. Her face was bright red. This was clearly too much to drink.
I looked at the clock, and it was already past 11 PM. Over four hours had passed since I started listening to her vent, but looking at Kiryuin-san, she seemed to be at her limit. The content of her complaints was also looping a few times, so she'd probably gotten everything out. And on top of that, it looked like she was about to throw up the contents of her stomach.
"Kiryuin-san? Should we call it a night? Do you even have consciousness?"
"I'm sorry, Meek..."
"Ah... This is bad..."
Was she sleeping or awake? I grabbed Kiryuin-san's hand to stop her from drinking and gently shook her body. But her reaction was minimal.
"Kiryuin-san, can you stand?"
"Yes... I can..."
I tried to get Kiryuin-san to stand, but her footing was unsteady. She was clearly drunk.
I took out my phone, launched a chat app, and decided to ask a female colleague for help.
'Kiryuin-san is passed out drunk. Help.'
'I'm with my boyfriend right now. It's a good mood, you know?'
'Sorry. Never mind.'
I immediately surrendered. I thought she might be busy, but she was on a date with her boyfriend. She might punch me next time I see her. But I'm grateful that she was kind enough to reply so quickly. I tried sending messages to others... but it was late, so there was no reply.
I could ask Tazuna-san for help... but it's too late for that. I can't say, "I got Kiryuin-san passed out drunk, please help me..."
"Kiryuin-san? Can you get home?"
"Mmm... Meek... I'm sorry... I'm a bad trainer, I'm sorry..."
This is bad. She can't even get home. It seems impossible for her to get home even if I call a taxi. If I leave her alone, she'll probably fall asleep on the street. I could take her home and help her unlock the door... but leaving a passed-out drunk person alone can seriously be fatal.
"She vented while drinking, and now she's about to throw up the contents of her stomach, hahaha... Haa..."
I can't just leave her and go home. I can't take care of her here, since the pub is about to close.
"Guess I have no choice... I'll take her home with me..."
I called a taxi, paid the bill, and waited for the taxi to arrive while taking care of Kiryuin-san. After about 10 minutes, the taxi arrived, and I helped Kiryuin-san into it, leaning on my shoulder, and headed to my place.
"Kiryuin-san, I'm unlocking the door, so can you stand on your own for a second... Ah, never mind. I'm sorry, just bear with me for a bit."
"Mmm..."
We arrived at the apartment I was renting, but Kiryuin-san was so drunk she couldn't stand on her own. So, I apologized and supported her by holding her close, then took out my key and opened the door to my home.
I thought someone from the neighborhood might see us and get the wrong idea, but I led Kiryuin-san into my apartment anyway.
The apartment I'm renting is a 1DK near Tracen Academy. When you open the door, there's an entrance and a 4.5-tatami mat dining kitchen, which leads to an 8-tatami mat room, a bathroom, and a toilet.
I only use the apartment to study horse girls' race footage, so the 8-tatami room is pretty bare. There's a TV, a bed, a dresser, a suit rack, and a kotatsu on a rug.
I also have a laptop and a Wi-Fi modem on the kotatsu, but those are more for work. I also have a binder with notes I've scribbled on and documents on rival horse girls that I brought home with Tazuna-san's permission.
"Here's the bed... Kiryuin-san, can you lie down?"
"Mmm..."
I spoke to her and encouraged her to lie down, but she didn't react much. So, I changed my grip on her body, lifted her in my arms, and laid her down on the bed.
(Phew... She seems to be conscious, but is she okay? Let's see, medicine for a hangover is...)
I rummaged through the refrigerator and took out some liquid medicine. I bought it during a drinking party with colleagues over the New Year, and it was still good. But looking at Kiryuin-san, she didn't seem like she could drink it.
I poured some mineral water into a glass, prepared a straw, and spoke to Kiryuin-san, who was lying down on the bed.
"Kiryuin-san, can you drink some water?"
"Can't... drink anymore..."
"It's not alcohol, so it's okay to drink... I guess not."
I tried to help Kiryuin-san sit up and drink water, but she wouldn't drink at all.
Still, she must have been uncomfortable lying down in her suit, so she squirmed a bit, took off her black vest, and unbuttoned the top button of her shirt. She was about to unbutton the second button and the ones after, so I sighed and stopped her.
"A girl your age shouldn't be so immodest... but I'm the one who brought her home, so I can't really say that."
This situation—a drunk female colleague brought to my home and lying on my bed—is something I'll regret tomorrow. But I have something I need to do now. A cute, drunk woman is lying on my bed. There's only one thing a man should do, right?
—That's right, I have to take care of her.
I brought a basin from the bathroom and covered it with a double plastic bag.
When a person is passed out drunk, there's one thing you have to be careful about. It's a disgusting topic, but it's throwing up in your sleep. It's completely unsexy, but it's a dangerous situation that can lead to death.
I had no choice but to stay with Kiryuin-san until she calmed down. That's why I couldn't just drop her off at her place and say goodbye.
I mean, the moment a female colleague gets blackout drunk in front of a man and gets brought to his home, Kiryuin-san is already out. But since I have no intention of making a move, am I safe? But the risk of her choking on her vomit and dying can't be ignored. If that happens, I'm out.
You also have to worry about acute alcohol poisoning when someone drinks too much, but in Kiryuin-san's case, she didn't drink that much, so it was probably just because she wasn't used to alcohol. Her face was red and she was sleeping, but she didn't look like she was in pain. Still, her condition could change suddenly, so I couldn't sleep until she was okay.
"Oh dear..."
I sat down right next to Kiryuin-san and gently brushed her black hair away from her face. Her face, red from the alcohol and with a relaxed expression, looked more childlike than usual. But she must have been under a lot of stress. I made her vent with the help of alcohol, and I hoped she would recover from this.
I picked up the blanket and gently covered her body. Kiryuin-san seemed to notice and grabbed my arm, pulled it to her chest, and smiled happily.
"Mmm... hehehe..."
"A-a-a-ah, come on, let go, be a good girl. My arm wouldn't be a good pillow. That's right, good girl..."
A girl her age shouldn't be doing such a thing, honestly. She's so defenseless that I'm worried about her future. I don't care if she's from a famous trainer family, but isn't she a little too sheltered?
"Mmm... water..."
"Huh? Can you drink? Good, then sit up... Here, drink from the straw..."
I helped Kiryuin-san sit up and brought the straw to her mouth. For some reason, she brought her face closer to mine.
"Mmm... kiss..."
"Alright, alright, you kiss the straw. That's right, good, you drank well."
I gave her some water and patted her back reassuringly, and she relaxed. I looked down at her chest, which was covered by the blanket, and saw it rising and falling with her breathing. Her breathing was stable, so she must have fallen into a deep sleep.
I carefully folded the vest Kiryuin-san had taken off and decided to stay and watch her for a while, so I put my legs into the kotatsu. I was a little sleepy from the alcohol, but it would be a disaster if I woke up to a terrible situation.
"Alright, let's watch Smart Falcon's last race footage..."
I turned on my laptop and started researching Urara and Rice's rival horse girls to kill time.
And then, the next morning.
I had determined that Kiryuin-san was okay after her face had returned to a healthy color on the bed, so I took a quick nap and then went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
Since it was Saturday, I had training with Urara and Rice in the morning. I had to eat a good breakfast. It was a little past 7 AM, which was early for a holiday, but it couldn't be helped since Kiryuin-san was here.
Breakfast was toast, bacon and eggs, a salad, and coffee, a lineup that would make a Japanese food lover want to clothesline me. But it's easy to make, so it can't be helped.
"Mmm... fwaaaah...?! Huh?! Where am I?! W-what...?! W-what happened last night?! Huh? W-why?! How?!"
Kiryuin-san woke up and started to panic. I was glad I didn't have to wake her up, so I poked my head into the room.
"Good morning, Kiryuin-san."
"E-e-e-e-eh?! G-good morning?"
When I greeted her, Kiryuin-san flusteredly pulled the blanket up to her chest.
She must have unbuttoned her shirt while she was sleeping, as the two top buttons were open, showing a glimpse of her skin. And it looked like she had unbuttoned her pants too because she was uncomfortable. How immodest! My inner King-chan commented.
"How are you feeling? Do you feel like eating breakfast?"
"Feeling...? Huh? My stomach feels a little... queasy... And my head hurts a little..."
Kiryuin-san tidied herself up under the blanket but answered my question with a confused look.
"It's probably a light hangover. I have some medicine, but it's for after you eat, so let's have breakfast first. Oh, do you know where the sink is? I've prepared a towel for you, so you'll feel better after you wash your face."
"O-okay..."
Perhaps because I was so calm, Kiryuin-san seemed to calm down a bit. She washed her face at the sink as I suggested, then came back and asked me with a red face.
"Um... I don't remember much from last night... D-did anything happen?"
"Ah... So you're the type to not remember when you get drunk. I'm the type who remembers everything. If you ask me if anything happened..."
It would be inconsiderate to tell her she didn't throw up. So I searched for the right words, but in the end, I settled on a simple answer.
"Nothing happened. I just took care of you because you were passed out."
"R-really?"
"Yes. I swear on Urara and Rice."
I might be guilty for bringing a passed-out female colleague to my home to take care of her... but I definitely didn't do anything that would make me unable to continue being a trainer. So please don't be so shy and blush so much.
"So, how do you feel?"
"Huh?! W-what about?"
"Did you get to vent a little and feel a little better?"
When I asked that, Kiryuin-san looked surprised and put her hand on her chest. After a few dozen seconds of silence, she smiled like a blooming flower.
"—It's strange, but I feel lighter."
"That's good. Stress and complaints don't do any good if you keep them bottled up."
Then my efforts were worth it. Also, while alcohol can be dangerous if you drown in it, it can also be a helpful tool if you rely on it in moderation. It's truly a friend to humanity since ancient times. But if you rely on it too much, it'll betray you badly.
"Then have breakfast and take the medicine. Since it's still a bit early, you might want to go home and get ready before heading to Tracen Academy."
I don't know where Kiryuin-san lives, but she should have enough time to go home and take a shower. She'll have time to change and tidy herself up.
As I was saying that and preparing breakfast, I suddenly felt Kiryuin-san's presence near me. She tugged on my sleeve, and when I looked at her, I saw her face flushed pink, looking up at me with dewy eyes.
"Um... if... I ever get down again... would you listen to me like you did yesterday?"
"Yes, of course. As long as I'm not busy, it's no problem. Oh, but..."
I stopped there, a little hesitant about how to phrase it. But when I looked at Kiryuin-san's face, I couldn't help but smile wryly.
"It was partly my fault for not stopping you sooner, but next time, you need to control how much you drink so you don't pass out. I'll take care of you if you pass out when you're with me, but if you're so defenseless, some bad guy might take advantage of you."
I'm really worried about her. When I said that in a casual tone to warn her, Kiryuin-san looked down with a red face.
"Y-yes..."
And she mumbled as she tugged on my sleeve. She's cute, but I think it's dangerous for her to act like that with her eyes watering.
After that, I had breakfast with Kiryuin-san, saw her off at the entrance, and started getting ready for today's work.
I wanted to go to work in my sweats, but Tazuna-san told me to be more mindful of my appearance now that I'm in the process of forming a team.
There are times when journalists like Otome-san make appointments in advance to interview me, but there are also times when reporters waiting around Tracen Academy ambush me for an interview.
I've showered and shaved, so I'm good. My sweats for Urara and Rice's training are also good. I'll wear a new button-down shirt and pants... My jacket from yesterday should be fine.
After getting ready, I headed to work as usual. I showed up at the clubroom as usual and greeted Urara and Rice, who were already there for the Saturday session.
"Oh, good morning! Trainer!"
"Good morning, big brother...?"
Urara and Rice smiled and greeted me back. But while Urara was fine, Rice came close to me and started circling me for some reason.
"......"
I tilted my head at Rice, who kept circling me in silence. Her nose was twitching, but what was wrong? What's going on?
"Mmm... Big brother, who did you go out for drinks with last night?"
"Kiryuin-san. Oh, do I still smell like food or alcohol?"
I brought the cuff of my jacket to my nose and sniffed. Hmm... it doesn't smell as strong as barbecue, but I think I can smell a sauce-like scent, maybe?
And for some reason, Rice was in a bad mood all day.
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