I Just Wanted a Quiet Life... So Why Am I an Uma Musume Trainer?!

Hachiman slumped, exhausted. "Finally… it's over."

What a day. He'd signed on to be Symboli Rudolf's temporary trainer, analyzing her run, but somehow Seabea had crashed the session from nowhere, turning it into a double act. Analyzing two Uma Musume at once wasn't the plan.

Yet, their runs were unmatched—polished, precise, breathtaking. They'd only tackled 2000 and 2400 meters, but both shone equally. If these two were in the same generation, the classics would be a warzone, Hachiman thought.

Rudolf caught her breath. "That was refreshing. Your training was new, Hachiman. Running alongside someone that intensely? A first for me."

"Totally!" Seabea chirped, tail swishing wildly. "That was so fun!"

Hachiman raised an eyebrow. "And who's the uninvited Uma Musume who barged in?"

Seabea pouted. "You never watch my runs, Hachiman! It's your fault. If you watched me regularly, I wouldn't have to crash!"

"Liar," Hachiman shot back. "You'd have done this anyway."

"Ehehe, you get me!" Seabea grinned.

Get you? Obvious as daylight, Hachiman thought. But Seabea was done, right? No promises made. Tomorrow, it'd be just Rudolf.

"So, Hachiman," Rudolf said, "3000 meters tomorrow?"

"Don't say that now," Hachiman muttered under his breath.

Seabea's ears perked. "What?! Rudolf gets more training with you?!"

"Air Groove's out for three days," Rudolf explained calmly. "Hachiman's covering my training during that time. Tomorrow and the day after."

"That's not fair!" Seabea whined. "Rudolf gets you all to herself? Hachiman, watch me too! The next two days, like Rudolf!"

"Why?" Hachiman said. "I saw your run. Goal achieved. You're good."

"No way!" Seabea protested. "I want you to keep watching me!"

"Look, I—"

"Nooo!" Seabea wailed, voice turning childish.

Is she regressing to a toddler? Hachiman thought.

Rudolf stepped in. "Seabea, don't push. Hachiman has his own—"

"Then I'll stick to Hachiman until he says yes!" Seabea declared. "Even if he says no, I'll keep sticking!"

Rudolf blinked. "Seabea…"

"Seriously?" Hachiman groaned.

"Hachiman, please!" Seabea begged, lunging forward and wrapping her arms around him. "Train me too! It's not fair if it's just Rudolf!"

Hachiman froze. She's hugging me again. Flashbacks hit—last December, Seabea had dragged him into a run, insisting on holding hands the whole way. Physically and mentally draining. "Hey, can you not hug me?" he said.

"Nope!" Seabea said.

"I mean—"

"No way!"

"Listen—"

"Nuh-uh!" she yelled, squeezing tighter.

Rudolf watched, amused. "Seabea?"

"It's not fair if it's just Rudolf…" Seabea mumbled, clinging harder.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Hachiman yelped. "Ease up! You're gonna break something!"

"Will you train me?" Seabea asked, eyes gleaming.

"Fine, fine! I'll watch you! Just stop squeezing!"

Seabea loosened her grip, giggling. "Ehehe, thanks!" But her arms stayed locked around him. She's not letting go, is she?

Rudolf chuckled. "Seabea's attachment is something else. Looks like we're training together tomorrow."

"It'll be chaos," Hachiman sighed.

"What's that about chaos?!" Seabea huffed. "What do you take me for, Hachiman?!"

A hug-happy Uma Musume, he thought.

Rudolf smiled. "Your bond's enviable."

"Right?" Seabea beamed.

"I'm just getting pestered," Hachiman said.

"Maybe I'll call you by name too," Rudolf mused. "Might change things, Hachiman?"

"It won't," Hachiman said.

"It will!" Seabea insisted. "Try it, Rudolf!"

"You're the one calling me that without permission," Hachiman muttered.

"…Hachiman," Rudolf said softly.

Hachiman froze.

Rudolf tilted her head. "Feels a bit off. Hachiman-kun… yes, that's better. Mind if I call you that from now on?"

"Call me what you want," Hachiman said, shrugging.

"Then it's Hachiman-kun," Rudolf said, ears twitching slightly.

"We're all first-name basis, huh?" Seabea said. "Nicknames would be cool, but foal names are kinda embarrassing. Got a nickname, Hachiman?"

"I do, but it's just a play on my surname. Boring," Hachiman said. "Anyway, training's done. I told Rudolf, but don't tell anyone else about this. I'm not training a dozen Uma Musume."

"Hmm, what to do?" Seabea teased. "You've ignored my runs for sooo long…"

"Then I'll just train Rudolf tomorrow," Hachiman said. "You can run on your own."

Seabea's eyes widened, and she squeezed again. "…"

"Alright, alright!" Hachiman said. "I'll watch you, just let go. Please."

Sigh. Can't say anything careless around Seabea anymore.

Two days into her forced rest, Air Groove simmered. The Cherry Blossom Award loomed, yet here she was, stuck. Her body ached to move, but Hachiman would notice any attempt. Doing nothing was maddening. She wasn't in the mood to go out, and student council duties were light this season, wrapping up too quickly. Born to race, yet stripped of it—what's left? she thought, hooves scuffing the dorm floor.

"…" Air Groove stared at the wall.

"Air Groove-senpai!" Dober's voice cut through.

Air Groove jolted. "Dober? What's up?"

"I haven't seen you around lately," Dober said, ears twitching with concern.

"Right," Air Groove said. "I'm on rest for a fever."

Dober's eyes widened. "An injury?!"

"No, just a fever," Air Groove clarified. "My trainer ordered three days of rest. So, for two days now, no training."

"At such a crucial time…" Dober murmured.

"I get it," Air Groove said. "I thought the same at first. A fever? I won't rest for that. I tried to argue, but he said, 'You look like you want to skip the Cherry Blossom Award.'"

Dober gasped.

"I had no comeback," Air Groove admitted. "A year ago, he said something I didn't fully grasp. I'm ashamed I didn't understand then."

"But… starting training the day after tomorrow?" Dober said. "That's pointless, isn't it?"

"Probably," Air Groove said. "But I'd rather race honorably than wallow in regret over missing it."

"Senpai…" Dober's voice softened.

He made me choose back then—skip or race, Air Groove thought.

"What's your trainer doing now?" Dober asked.

"Who knows?" Air Groove said. "Probably watching someone else's training. He's got skill, even if he doesn't look it. Uma Musume trust him. He's likely in demand."

"Speaking of—" Dober started, then froze. "Air Groove-senpai!"

"What?"

"When did you get new team members?!" Dober blurted.

"What are you talking about?" Air Groove asked, confused.

"Your trainer! He was training the president and Seabea-senpai together!" a voice called from nearby.

Air Groove's ears flattened. The president and Seabea-senpai? What's going on?

"I've got something to handle," she said, turning. "Excuse me."

"Senpai?!" Dober called after her.

At the racecourse, Air Groove's eyes locked on them. There! Hachiman stood by the track, Rudolf and Seabea mid-run, hooves thundering.

"Hey!" Air Groove shouted. "What's the meaning of this?!"

Hachiman glanced over. "Air Groove? Meaning of what?"

"You're training the president and Seabea without telling me?" she demanded.

"Yeah, I'm observing their form, like I did with you," Hachiman said. "Don't interrupt."

"So you prioritize Uma Musume who aren't your responsibility over me?" Air Groove snapped.

"What's your point?" Hachiman asked, eyes narrowing.

"You tell me to rest, then ignore me to train others? Quite dedicated," she said, voice sharp.

"What, you want me to focus only on you?" Hachiman shot back. "My Uma Musume never demanded that. I decided there's nothing I can do for you right now."

"You…!" Air Groove's tail lashed.

"Air Groove," Rudolf said, approaching. "You're here."

Air Groove stiffened. "President… and Seabea-senpai."

"Hi, Air Groove!" Seabea chirped. "We're borrowing your trainer~♪"

"Borrowing?" Hachiman muttered. "You forced your way in."

"Ehehe~♪" Seabea grinned.

Rudolf tilted her head. "Hachiman-kun said you're resting for three days. Starting today?"

"No, I…" Air Groove faltered. "Never mind. Sorry for interrupting."

She turned and left. Do whatever you want.

By the riverbank, Air Groove stood alone, the breeze cool against her skin. Was it the frustration of not racing? Or anger at him? I lashed out over nothing… Pathetic. I'm nowhere near an empress if I can't control myself.

Why's he with them? she wondered, then shook her head. No, that doesn't matter. I was too harsh. I need to apologize. But how? Admitting her fever was easy, but this was different—anger she couldn't tame. What do I do?

"Hey, you're Hachiman's…" a voice said.

Air Groove turned. There stood the Uma Musume who'd been with her trainer the day she won her first G1.