Chapter 94. Leisure
Faced with Silence Suzuka's declaration, Shuta An was momentarily at a loss for words.
It wasn't until the eggs Benedict were placed on the table that he finally spoke. "Suzuka doesn't need to use this kind of self-imposed pressure to force out a better performance."
"It's alright. A little pressure gives me more motivation to run," Silence Suzuka replied, lifting her gaze and smiling gently at her Trainer. "Like a spring—before it can release its strength, it must first bear pressure."
Shuta An waved his hand, immediately refuting her reasoning. "That's not the same thing. If another Uma Musume said that, it would be fine—Oguri, for example—but Suzuka is different."
As soon as the words left his mouth, he noticed a faint blush spreading across Silence Suzuka's cheeks. Still, what mattered now was conveying the right principle. He continued without hesitation.
"Suzuka is an Uma Musume who escapes from the pack. You only need to relax and run at your own pace. Not placing psychological burdens on yourself—that's the correct path for you."
"Promise me this," Shuta An said as he reached out and gently held Silence Suzuka's free left hand. "Enjoy running, just like you did back in Hokkaido. During those morning training sessions, even when I couldn't always see you, I could feel the joy radiating from you as you ran."
"Ever since the day you decided to step onto the Twinkle Series stage and had that dispute with Miss Tojo—I don't know why, but you've been giving me an anxious feeling," he continued softly. "As if you're chasing after something."
Shuta An looked straight into Silence Suzuka's eyes. "Suzuka, don't rush. Whatever it is you want—as your Trainer, I'll make sure you get it. Slow your mindset, calm yourself. Only then can you truly control your race rhythm and perform at your best."
"Yes, a spring needs pressure to release its power," he said, tightening his grip slightly. "But Suzuka isn't a spring."
"You should be the wind—free, galloping across the racetrack."
For Silence Suzuka, among all his words, what lingered most in her heart wasn't his reasoning, but that single promise: what you want, I will always make sure you get it.
She didn't know whether the Young man before her truly understood what she desired—but she was willing to believe in the interpretation most favorable to her.
"I understand," she said softly. "I'll try my best to relax my mindset."
"That's right," Shuta An grinned. "That's how it should be. Just run with style this time—let the Uma Musume of Hong Kong witness your leading pace."
"If it's Suzuka, I believe you could escape all the way to the ends someday," he said with certainty. "So don't put too much pressure on yourself. Relax a little. Smile more."
He tilted his head, a hint of nostalgia in his expression. "I still remember the first time I met you. After we chased each other all the way to Monbetsu Racecourse, I was thinking about something."
"What was it?" Silence Suzuka asked, curiosity flickering in her eyes. This time, it was her turn to pose the question.
"I was thinking—how wonderful it would be if I could train such a talented Uma Musume at Kasamatsu," Shuta An admitted honestly. "But back then, it was just a thought. At the time, I was only responsible for Oguri's training, and she wasn't even a graded Uma Musume yet. She had no fame nationwide, and even in the Tokai region, people only called her a 'star of Kasamatsu.' No one could have imagined she'd become the GOAT candidate she is now."
"Not a candidate," Silence Suzuka interrupted calmly. "In Central, everyone believes Senior Oguri is already the undisputed GOAT. She dominated the Breeders' Cup Series, secured an overseas Classic Race victory, and domestically achieved three consecutive Japan Cup wins, along with sweeping all three-autumn long-distance G1 races."
"And if she wins the upcoming Arima Kinen," Silence Suzuka continued, "she'll widen the gap in G1 victories even further."
"With such a senior on the team," she admitted quietly, "I don't even need to add pressure to myself—the psychological pressure is already immense. After all, sharing the same Trainer, I don't want to fall too far behind Senior Oguri's achievements."
"Of course, I know I've already missed the chance to match her pace," she said, revealing a corner of her heart. "But I still want to become the representative Uma Musume of Team Sadalsuud—and make my Trainer proud."
Shuta An shook his head repeatedly. "I chose Suzuka because I saw your talent. Only one G1 win during your Classic year doesn't matter. Next year, once Suzuka fully matures, we'll definitely claim even more honors."
"And as for that last part—" he paused briefly.
"The current Suzuka is already my…already the team's pride," he said sincerely. "After all, you hold the honor of an overseas G1 victory. Other than Oguri Cap, no other Uma Musume in Japan has achieved that."
Only then did Silence Suzuka realize that her hand had remained in Shuta An's grasp the entire time.
She gently withdrew it and let out a soft hum. "Mm."
After breakfast and a short rest, Shuta An brought Silence Suzuka to Sha Tin Racecourse—one of Hong Kong's two major racecourses, and the one that currently hosted the most events. Compared to Sha Tin, races at Happy Valley were far fewer.
"The inner dirt track is completely out of use, so we'll train here," Shuta An said, pointing ahead. "Today will just be jogging laps. While you're at it, carefully observe the turf track here at Sha Tin."
"We expect to get a single opportunity to train on the turf this weekend," he added. "That'll be your only chance to adapt to it, so make the most of it."
"Mm-hmm! But Trainer…" Silence Suzuka glanced at his training attire. "Dressed like that today…are you going to run with me?"
"If I just watch from the side, it doesn't feel as good as jogging together," Shuta An replied with a nod. "Will that put pressure on you?"
"Of course not!" Silence Suzuka denied immediately. "On the contrary—I'm very happy that you're running with me."
"Then that's perfect," Shuta An said, grinning.
Over the next few days, Shuta An and Silence Suzuka's routine remained unchanged. The Uma Musume stayed in the hotel, leaving only for training, while Shuta An—unable to remain idle for long—often went out for walks. Even so, he never strayed beyond the Sha Tin area.
Then, on Sunday, December 7th—exactly one week before the opening of this year's Hong Kong International Races—the Hong Kong URA Association sent an invitation. Shuta An and Silence Suzuka were invited to attend a party at Sha Tin Racecourse on the evening of the day after next.
After carefully reading through the details, Shuta An confirmed that it was a party, not a ball, and he quietly let out a breath of relief. Though his physical condition was excellent, he had never properly learned ballroom dancing.
There had been such courses back when he was studying on the West Coast, but he had always preferred spending his time at the training grounds, observing Uma Musume workouts, rather than learning how to dance.
"If it were a ball, I'd just find an excuse to stay locked up in the hotel," the Young man muttered to himself.
With that thought, he went to Silence Suzuka's room and handed her the invitation.
"Suzuka, you only brought one formal dress?" Shuta An asked.
"Yes," Silence Suzuka nodded, answering a little awkwardly. "I thought I'd only need to attend one draw ceremony, so I only brought one—Besides, I only own a single dress. I don't usually wear that kind of clothing, and buying more would just mean they sit in the closet."
"That may be true, but this time we'll probably attend three events in Hong Kong," Shuta An said after a moment's thought. "The welcome party the day after tomorrow, the draw ceremony on Thursday, and another party after the race."
"One dress won't be enough." He paused, then continued, "This is my oversight. I should've reminded you back in Tokyo."
"How about this," he looked up, "since there's no training today, let's go pick out two dresses. I'll pay—consider it compensation."
"Huh?" Silence Suzuka froze.
"If we're buying more, one should be enough, right?" she said quickly. "There's no need to buy two. One new dress to rotate with the one I already have would be fine. Buying two feels…wasteful."
More than anything, Shuta An had offered to pay, and she didn't want her Trainer spending unnecessary money on such things.
"Then we'll do it your way," Shuta An replied without hesitation. Saving money was never something he objected to.
"This won't do…" By dusk, Shuta An and Silence Suzuka still hadn't found a satisfactory evening gown, despite having left the hotel early that morning.
"What's going on with Hong Kong?" Shuta An complained, rubbing his temples. "Evening gowns that fit Asian body types are ridiculously hard to find. Even on the West Coast, those dresses would only suit especially tall Uma Musume. Do they actually want to do business?"
"But I saw plenty of customers still buying them, even when the skirts dragged on the ground," Silence Suzuka said softly.
"Because those styles are popular in Europe. They're just completely unsuitable for Asians," Shuta An replied tiredly. "Anyway, I don't want Suzuka to settle."
"You don't want me to settle?" Silence Suzuka murmured.
The words were so soft that the Young man walking beside her didn't hear them.
She subtly slowed her pace, shifting from walking shoulder to shoulder with him to half a step behind. From there, she could freely observe her Trainer's figure. Having been out all day, this was the longest uninterrupted time Silence Suzuka had spent alone with Shuta An since joining his team.
"It's a shame there isn't much time left," she thought with a hint of regret.
No matter what, they had to find a new dress today—
Just as they entered the Mong Kok area, someone suddenly called out Shuta An's name.
He turned toward the voice. A deer-haired Uma Musume stood a short distance away, smiling brightly and waving at him.
Shuta An frowned. He had no recollection of ever meeting her.
"Excuse me," he said, "who are you?"
"My name is Oriental Express!" the deer Uma Musume said cheerfully. "I'll be representing Hong Kong in next week's Hong Kong International Cup—and I'm also Miss Silence Suzuka's opponent!"
"So…do you need something?" Shuta An asked after giving her a brief once-over.
"I know Mr. Shuta is a remarkable Trainer," Oriental Express continued with a grin. "You trained champions of the French Two Crowns and the Breeders' Cup. Even Ireland admires you."
She stuck out her tongue playfully. "Ah—right, I forgot to mention. I'm actually an Uma Musume born in Ireland."
Seeing that Shuta An seemed ready to leave, she hurriedly added, "Mr. Shuta, are you and Miss Silence Suzuka sightseeing today? Or are you trying to buy something but haven't found anything suitable?"
Shuta An had initially intended to brush her off—but then he paused.
Wandering aimlessly won't solve anything. I might as well ask a local.
So he said, "We have a party the day after tomorrow. I wanted to buy Suzuka a suitable evening gown, but so far, nothing fits."
"I see—" Oriental Express glanced briefly at Silence Suzuka's chest, muttering under her breath. "That is tricky."
But shopping was something she loved, and it clearly didn't discourage her.
Smiling confidently, the gray Uma Musume said, "I know a shop that will definitely meet Mr. Shuta's standards."
"Really?" Shuta An's eyes lit up.
As expected, asking a local was far more effective.
And to be fair, Oriental Express hadn't exaggerated. Following the address she provided, Shuta An took Silence Suzuka there, and before long, they found a dress that satisfied both Trainer and Uma Musume.
On the way back to the hotel, Silence Suzuka turned her head slightly to look at the Young man seated beside her, sitting straight and gazing ahead.
"Trainer," she asked, "do you speak Chinese as well?"
"Is it that obvious?" Shuta An replied, surprised by the question. "You remember I left America, right? Asia was my first pick so I learned Japanese, and Chinese. Since Japan, Hong Kong, and China are the only ones have better environment."
"I want to learn it too," Silence Suzuka said.
This surprised him even more.
Still, he didn't refuse. "Chinese isn't easy. But if you want to learn, after this trip is over, I'll get you some textbooks. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask me."
"Mhm!"
A bright smile bloomed on Silence Suzuka's face.
Though he had already seen that smile many times today, Shuta An still found himself glancing at her—once, then again—without realizing it.
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