Uma Musume : The Trainer Who Just Wants to Live

Kitano led Oguri Cap and the others from the cafeteria back to his dorm room. He brought them here only to verify a guess, a conjecture that might change his perception of the playthrough he was in.

"Kitano? Are you really okay? Your body—can you really handle making a meal?"

"Don't you dare force yourself. You're already half-dead. It's not worth dying over one meal!"

Inside Kitano's dorm, his suggestion to cook a meal for Oguri Cap with his own hands, despite his illness, had given Nakayama Festa and the others a huge scare. The two Gold Family sisters, who were especially aware of his condition, watched him with deep concern.

In the years he had lived with them, Gold Ship and Festa had watched his health deteriorate day by day, from being able to walk normally to now relying on a wheelchair. They didn't say it, but they were more concerned about his every move than anyone, terrified that some accident would cause his fragile life to wither completely.

As for cooking, that was something they wouldn't even dare to imagine. Even during the time when he was relatively healthy, they had never enjoyed such treatment. And now, for him to offer to cook for Oguri Cap, whom he had just met, was truly unbelievable to them.

"Don't worry, I won't push myself." As Gold Ship helped him put on an apron, Kitano said softly to the worried Festa:

"My body hasn't been great lately, but I can still manage a simple dish."

"Trainer Kitano... I think you should listen to your juniors, you know?"

It wasn't just the two of them; even Mr. C.B. and Tamamo couldn't watch anymore. C.B., in particular, felt an inexplicable frustration seeing him show such unprecedented concern for a girl he had never met before, even pushing himself just to see if he could solve her problem.

But she had no time to dwell on that now; she just wanted him not to overexert himself. Unfortunately, she didn't know him well enough yet. Otherwise, she would understand that the thing he cared about most was everything related to his charges. On this principle, no one could persuade him.

Moreover, he himself was extremely concerned about this issue now. Oguri's psychological problem and the flavor she was searching for... although it might be his own wishful thinking, he couldn't think of anything else that fit her description besides the dishes he used to make for her.

Back when he was her trainer, although he let her eat to her heart's content, the food at Tracen wasn't free. Even though the prices were kept low, Oguri's family background and her incredibly large appetite often put her in a financial crisis during her early days in the central league—luckily, she had him.

He often paid out of his own pocket to give her extra meals. Later, even when her prize money was enough for her to eat freely, she would still pester him every few days, hoping he would cook for her personally.

This continued until his lifespan was nearing its end and he could no longer support himself enough to cook. Oguri never mentioned it again after that.

And during that time, the dish he made for her most often was delicious and cheap fried rice—the kind you could pile high on a plate.

Could it be... the "flavor" she's talking about is related to those past dishes?

But... this is a new playthrough. Why would she retain consciousness from the past? This has never happened before. Or is this a timeline affected by me, one I've never encountered before?

Various questions flashed through his mind, but all of them required verification.

"It's okay! My cooking skills are pretty good too!" Tamamo, clearly not wanting him to push himself, immediately stepped forward, puffed out her small chest, and said confidently, "You just need to tell me the steps, Trainer Kitano! I can do the heavy lifting like flipping the wok!"

"—No, thank you, Tamamo-san. But please leave this to me."

However, Kitano shook his head, declining her kind offer. The same ingredients in different hands, even with seemingly identical steps, could result in completely different flavors. He didn't want to disappoint her again because of such a small difference.

Moreover... his own heart had a little bit of stubbornness. He was somewhat hopeful that the flavor she mentioned was related to him. If so... at least he would know that after he died in that playthrough, he was still cared for by that girl.

This was something only he could confirm himself.

"I hope I still have the strength to do this..."

Kitano gritted his teeth. Perhaps supported by a belief in his heart, he, who hadn't had the strength to even stand for months, pressed his hands firmly on the armrests of his wheelchair and, under everyone's worried gaze, shakily stood up again.

During this process, Festa, Gold Ship, C.B., and Tamamo, who were beside him, were all tense, afraid he would lose his balance and fall. They were ready to rush forward and support him at a moment's notice.

And at the dining table, the silent Oguri Cap also turned her gaze to him... There was reluctance and hesitation in her expression. Wasn't her own heart in turmoil, not wanting him to push himself so hard?

But... the answer, the one that had been troubling her for so long, might finally be within reach.

Oguri had a premonition. She watched his back, felt her heartbeat accelerate, and the scene before her began to resemble and overlap with her vague dreams...

"Trainer-san, I won the race today! I finally beat Tama!"

"I know, you did great, Oguri. I'll treat you today and cook again. You can eat your fill this time."

"Mm, you're so nice... ."

Who was that? In a daze, the fragment of the dream appeared in her mind again. But in the dream, the name she called that person... what was it?

Why can't I remember? Why did I forget his name? Was he important to me?

"—Large serving of fried rice, Oguri Cap."

Just as she was wracking her brains, the voice from the dream and Kitano's voice in reality overlapped again. When she came to her senses, a large plate of steaming, fragrant fried rice was placed in front of her.

After doing this, Kitano collapsed back into his wheelchair as if completely exhausted. Except for the dazed Oguri, everyone else immediately rushed to his side, asking anxiously:

"Trainer Kitano? Are you okay?"

"Are you alright, Kitano?"

"Kitano-chan, are you tired?!"

"—Don't mind me, I'm fine." The simple meal had visibly drained his energy. His already sickly pale face became even paler, and this time even his lips turned white. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he was panting heavily.

But compared to his wretched state, his spirits were higher than ever. He looked intently at Oguri, who was still staring at the fried rice, his eyes filled with unconcealed anticipation. After swallowing, he managed to suppress his excitement and said:

"Oguri Cap, try it. Although I'm not very confident... this is the best I can do right now."

"...Time to eat."

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Oguri's expression became calm again. After putting her hands together once more, she picked up a spoon and brought a mouthful of fried rice to her lips.

In the next moment, with a heart full of excitement, she chewed slowly and deliberately, savoring every bit of flavor. Then, she stopped all her movements.

...Honestly, it wasn't the best fried rice she had ever eaten. Some of the rice grains weren't fully cooked, probably because his stamina didn't allow for it. The seasoning was a bit random; although delicious, it felt like it could have been better.

But it was this randomness... that made all her thoughts stop. She focused wholeheartedly on the flavor of each grain of rice exploding in her mouth, savoring the aftertaste for a long, long time...

"Nice to meet you for the first time, Trainer-san. I'm Oguri Cap. Mom said you're willing to be my trainer? Is that true?"

"Trainer-san, someone from the central league came to see me. They said I can go to Tracen Academy! —Huh? You knew? And you agreed?"

"Trainer-san... is there something you're not telling me? You didn't tell me that after I go to the central league, you can't be my trainer anymore."

"I don't want to go... Trainer-san... Why do you want me to leave? I don't want to be separated from you."

"—I'm going to win."

Her own voice echoed in her mind as she savored the aftertaste. Flashing images of her journey from the local leagues to the central one, an unforgettable journey.

But it seemed... different from what she remembered experiencing?

The trainer who supported her, who constantly cheered for her from behind, who encouraged her to go to the central league... who was he?

She had no such experience. Her journey from local to central had been smooth sailing. She had distinguished herself on the dirt tracks, was scouted by Symboli Rudolf, and entered the central league... She had experienced all of this.

Why did she feel that these ethereal dreams... were her real life?

In the dream, she vaguely saw a gate—the gate of Tracen Academy, which she had seen countless times.

Was this the scene from her first time entering?

But... behind that gate, was someone waiting for her?

Under her gaze, the familiar figure standing with his back to her slowly turned around. At that moment, the unprecedentedly bright sunlight made it hard for her to see his face, but just from his silhouette, she recognized him at a glance... the person inseparable from her.

"—Hey, Oguri Cap. From local to central, did you eat well along the way?"

"I hope you don't mind that even though the place has changed, the trainer is the same. And it's a rookie trainer who just got his central license yesterday and was floundering in the local leagues before."

That person smiled teasingly at her. In the next moment, the ash-haired horse girl ran forward, crying silently, and gave the person she had been longing for the most dependent embrace...

"...So familiar."

"Hm?"

Her thoughts returned to reality. Oguri's murmur caught everyone's attention. Under their gaze, the silent Oguri, who had made them all anxious, finally reacted.

A faint smile appeared on the face of this ash-haired horse girl, who had been so indifferent before. She held back tears and, after a deep breath, said softly:

"Such a familiar taste. It's... very similar to the taste I've had before."

"It seems... it's just missing a little something. Just a little bit away from the taste I've always been searching for."

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