Chapter 132.
After entrusting the rest of the team to Taiki Shuttle up in the spectator stands, Shuta Ann slipped away from the roaring crowd.
He navigated the quiet, concrete corridors of Tokyo Racecourse's underground passage alone. The muffled echoes of the stadium above faded into the background, and just as he expected, Mejiro Dober soon emerged from the shadows of the locker rooms.
As she approached, the young man's eyes instinctively scanned her winning outfit. He immediately noticed that the signature bracelet she always wore—a staple accessory of her racing gear—was missing.
"Did your bracelet fall off during the run?"
He asked gently, wanting to remind his lover in case it was lost on the track.
Mejiro Dober looked down at her bare wrist. A soft, melancholic smile graced her lips as she shook her head.
"No. After I bowed to the grandstands, I took it off and left it on the grass."
She stepped forward, melting into his embrace as she wrapped her arms around him.
"My Twinkle Series career started at Tokyo Racecourse, and it ends here at Tokyo Racecourse." she murmured against his chest. "Leaving that bracelet on the turf—it means I'm letting go of my past. From now on, the Uma Musume known as Mejiro Dober is no more."
Shuta blinked in genuine surprise.
"Even after you graduate from university, you aren't considering a return for the Dream Trophy Series?"
According to their previous late-night conversations, Dober hadn't entirely ruled out running a few exhibition races in the Dream Cup after finishing her studies.
"Mhm. I plan to become a full-time manga artist after I graduate."
Dober nodded, her voice muffled but resolute against his jacket. She looked up at him, her violet eyes searching his.
"Ann will support me, right?"
"No matter what path Dober chooses, I will always be your strongest pillar of support. It's perfectly fine if you don't want to run in the Dream Trophy Series."
The young man declared without a second of hesitation. He offered a wry smile.
"Though, your fans are probably going to be devastated."
"I didn't want everyone holding onto false hope for my Dream Cup debut."
Dober explained, her gaze dropping slightly.
"So... right before I left the lounge, I scheduled a timed post on Twitter. It should have just gone live."
Startled, Shuta Ann held her close with one arm while fishing his phone out of his pocket with the other. He opened the app, and the very first post on his timeline was a massive, two-part statement from his lover's account.
"Mej1roDober: Thank you all so much for your endless support over the years. I hope today's Queen Elizabeth II Cup was a race you could all enjoy. Saying this right now might bring sadness to many, but I refuse to deceive your expectations, so I must announce a decision that may not be received as good news. Today was my final race. This is not just the conclusion of my Twinkle Series career, but the absolute end of my time on the turf as an Uma Musume. I will not be participating in the Dream Trophy Series, nor will I appear in public as a racing Uma Musume in the future. As for my future endeavors, please allow me to keep them a secret for now. But please believe me when I say I will live happily, even without the title of a Triple Tiara Uma Musume. Finally, thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for every blessing, cheer, and word of encouragement you have given me. — Mejiro Dober."
The comment section was already in absolute meltdown.
Within minutes, the Japanese trending tab had rocketed "Uma Musume End" and "Mejiro Dober" to the top two spots.
Shuta Ann tried to scroll through Dober's replies, but the sheer volume of traffic was staggering.
He switched over to the official Team Sadalsuud account, only to find it equally flooded. Fans were frantically quoting his earlier press conference statements, suddenly realizing that his vague phrasing had been entirely intentional. The puzzle pieces were clicking into place for the public, and the resulting theories were chaotic.
"Did Trainer Shuta know she was skipping the Dream Cup this whole time?! Why didn't he stop her?!"
"Does Dober-chan even understand how much commercial value she's throwing away? There has to be some dark, unspoken reason she's abandoning the Dream Cup."
"This reeks of the Mejiro family. I heard rumors that their Uma Musumes have to shoulder massive family expenses once they hit the Dream Cup. Maybe the quota they forced on Dober-chan was too high, so she's refusing to run to escape the debt!"
"Even so, she's a Mejiro! Isn't it incredibly selfish to just abandon her responsibilities to her family?"
"Selfish?! Does the Mejiro family even have the right to demand anything from her? Reporters have proven time and time again that Team Sadalsuud's expenses were paid entirely out of the Trainer's own pocket! They didn't even take major corporate sponsorships!"
The timeline was devolving into a toxic, speculative warzone. With a swift tap of his thumb, Trainer Shuta Ann adjusted the team account's settings, restricting comments strictly to those he followed.
"Is public opinion exploding?"
Dober asked, her ears drooping as she read the shifting expressions on his face. A wave of anxiety washed over her.
"I... I should have discussed the exact wording with you first, shouldn't I?"
"It's nothing."
The young man smiled warmly, locking his phone and sliding it safely away. He shook his head.
"Dober did absolutely nothing wrong. But your university enrollment isn't until April, right? What are you going to do with yourself for the next six months?"
Relieved by his calm demeanor, Dober's eyes brightened as she rattled off her meticulously planned itinerary.
"First, I'll go on a few outings with Ardan-oneesama. Then I'll head back to the estate to help Ramonu-neesama with the household chores. After that, I'll stay home to practice my drawing, or go out on sketching trips!"
"That sounds perfect." Shuta Ann chuckled, completely approving of her cozy, domestic agenda. "And if you have the time, you can accompany me on a few outings next year, too."
"If Oguri-senpai needs help, I'll have plenty of free time for her as well!"
Dober beamed, the heavy weight of her racing career visibly lifting from her shoulders.
"Now that I'm not preparing for the Dream Trophy Series, I suddenly have so much time. I can finally produce way more merchandise for Comiket!"
"Well." Shuta Ann reached out, gently stroking the back of her neck in a soothing rhythm. "As for the storm of public opinion, leave the media to me. You don't need to look at Twitter or the news for the next few days. Just focus on yourself."
Dober nuzzled affectionately against his chest before taking a reluctant step back.
"I understand. I won't post anything else online. I don't want to cause any more trouble."
"They are your fans, Dober, not trouble."
Shuta Ann corrected her, his tone turning serious and absolute.
Dober lowered her gaze to the tips of his shoes, a soft blush dusting her cheeks.
"Yes."
As he watched Dober turn and head down the corridor to prepare for her final Winning Live, Trainer Shuta Ann let out a long, imperceptible sigh.
I wonder if the crowd will pull any unexpected stunts during the live, he thought, his protective instincts flaring. The media pit has definitely seen her statement by now. I need to figure out exactly how I'm going to spin this as her Trainer.
Adjusting his collar, the young man turned on his heel. He made a brief stop at the restroom to splash cold water on his face, mentally organizing his PR strategy, before beginning the long, deliberate walk toward the flashing cameras of the media zone.