Chapter 97. Exchanging Gifts with Suzuka
After helping Berno prepare the ingredients and finishing a simple lunch, Shuta An returned to his study to continue researching the plans for the Sadalsuud team's Uma Musume next year.
"Speaking of which—shouldn't I contact Sheikh and tell him I'm planning to have Silence Suzuka challenge the Dubai Turf again?" Sitting in front of his computer, the young man thought for a moment. "Better inform him first."
After confirming that it was just past 1 PM for the URA Association Chairman, Shuta An opened Line and sent a message—
"Sheikh, I'd like to ask when registration opens for the races on next year's Dubai World Cup Race Day?"
"Mr. Shuta, which race do you plan to register your trained Uma Musume for this time?" Sheikh quickly replied.
"I'm planning to make Silence Suzuka's comeback race the Dubai Turf. Our team doesn't have any other suitable Uma Musume for the other races," Shuta An answered honestly.
"If Miss Silence Suzuka's comeback race is set in Dubai, won't the URA Association in Japan have objections?" Sheikh's response surprised him.
"Why would they object? The races suitable for Suzuka in Japan at the start of the year are all G2 or G3, and the prize money is lower than Dubai's. I don't think the URA Association would oppose it."
"Well…I also have some insider news I'd like to share with you in advance." Sheikh paused before continuing. "It's about the Dubai World Cup Race Day."
"What news? They're not canceling it next year, are they?" Shuta An joked.
"Of course not. Thanks to the efforts of our Dubai URA Association, the Dubai Turf—currently a G2 race—will be upgraded to G1 next year. For you, Mr. Shuta, that should be good news, right?"
"That really is good news." Shuta An raised an eyebrow. "This can't be announced publicly yet, can it? I'll keep it confidential."
"Actually, it's fine even if you mention it. We'll be announcing it publicly in early January anyway. There aren't many days left," Sheikh replied casually.
Even so, Shuta An silently decided not to tell anyone before the official announcement.
Around 7 PM, he left the study, returned to his room for a bath, then changed into a thick trench coat. Taking the gift he had prepared for Silence Suzuka, he went downstairs.
"Ann, going out at this hour…are you heading to the hospital?" Berno called out when she noticed him.
"Yes. Suzuka is alone in her hospital room tonight, so I should go keep her company." Shuta An glanced at the clock. "I'll probably be back around eleven."
"Alright, then I'll have Oguri start dinner a bit later. Otherwise, she probably won't last until midnight." Berno teased the gray Uma Musume upstairs, who was currently watching videos on her phone.
"No need to have Oguri wait for me." Shuta An nodded in agreement.
Driving to the University of Tokyo Hospital, he parked the car and entered the inpatient ward alone, soon arriving outside Silence Suzuka's room.
Through the glass window, he saw Suzuka leaning against the headboard, quietly staring out the window. Although he couldn't see her expression clearly, he could tell she must be feeling lonely.
So he gently knocked on the door. When Silence Suzuka turned her head, he stepped inside.
"Ann…" Suzuka whispered softly. "I thought you'd already be with Oguri-senpai and the others."
"I've already greeted them." Hanging his trench coat on the rack and placing the bag on the bedside table, Shuta An sat down beside the bed. "Tonight, I'll stay here with Suzuka for Christmas Eve."
The moment he finished speaking, a flash of surprise and joy appeared in Silence Suzuka's eyes. At that moment, Shuta An felt that eyes truly were the windows to the soul.
However, Suzuka's tone remained calm. "In that case…Oguri-senpai and the others don't mind?"
"Of course not. At home, I'm still the one who makes the decisions." Shuta An waved his hand lightly. "There are only a few days left until you're discharged, Suzuka. Can you hold on a bit longer?"
"I'm already fine," Silence Suzuka murmured. "It's just that Ann already paid the hospitalization fees through the end of the year."
"Even if you're discharged earlier, I still want you to wait until late January before starting rehabilitation training." Shuta An shrugged.
The perceptive Silence Suzuka immediately caught the implication.
"If rehabilitation starts in late January— then Ann has already decided to challenge the Dubai Turf with me again, right?"
"That's right." Shuta An nodded without hesitation. "Next year will also be your final year in the Twinkle Series, according to my plan. I want to aim for consecutive victories in the Dubai Turf and the Takarazuka Kinen."
"What about the Tenno Sho (Autumn)?" Silence Suzuka asked with a faint smile. "Why did Ann deliberately leave that race out?"
Hearing her question, the young man pressed his lips together. He reached out and took Silence Suzuka's right hand, which rested outside the blanket. Having stayed indoors the entire time, her hand was warm.
Lowering his gaze to their joined hands, Shuta An spoke seriously.
"I don't want Suzuka running at Tokyo Racecourse again. The final straight there is too long. That's a disadvantage for Suzuka. Besides, you've already won the Tenno Sho (Autumn) once. That already proves your strength in Japan's middle-distance Twinkle Series."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Other than the Dubai Turf and Takarazuka Kinen, I'm planning to have Suzuka run some middle-distance races in Australia. Some tracks there use left-handed turns, which Suzuka prefers, and their final straights are relatively short. The only thing we'll need to deal with is the higher moisture in the turf. But overall, it's still a better option than America."
"I'll follow all of Ann's arrangements," Silence Suzuka replied obediently, feeling the slight chill in her lover's hand.
After speaking, she gently pulled his hand under the blanket.
"At this time of year, you should wear gloves when going out. Even after sitting here for several minutes, your hands are still cold. That's not good in the long run."
"Alright, I understand." Shuta An said.
Taking advantage of the moment, he simply stood up and sat on the bed beside her.
"Closer," Silence Suzuka requested softly, her voice low and shy.
Shuta An moved without hesitation, climbing onto the bed and sharing the same blanket with her. Their hands remained clasped together. For a moment, the hospital room fell silent, filled only with the quiet rhythm of their breathing.
The young man closed his eyes and let the silence settle. Gradually, he felt as if the heartbeat of the Uma Musume beside him was syncing with his own, the two rhythms slowly overlapping.
"Ann…after I retire from the Twinkle Series next year, I'll move out of the academy," Silence Suzuka suddenly said.
"I've already prepared a room for Suzuka," Shuta An replied calmly. "When the time comes, you can move in without bringing anything."
"I'll still need luggage. I can't leave everything at the academy…" She paused, then realized something. "Actually, even after graduating from the Twinkle Series, I still want to try the Dream Trophy Series."
"For the Dream Trophy Series, you can rely on Berno then," Shuta An said. "She obtained her agent's license there, so she's already considered a professional in the industry."
"Mhm~ I understand." Silence Suzuka leaned her head against his shoulder. "It feels like Ann has already arranged my entire future."
"You entrusted it to me, didn't you?" Shuta An said evenly. "So I have to plan it properly."
As he spoke, he released her hand and instead pulled the Uma Musume into his arms.
"If Suzuka doesn't want to run anymore, you don't have to join the Dream Trophy Series."
"I haven't run enough yet." Silence Suzuka lowered her gaze toward her legs beneath the blanket. "I think my passion can last at least another ten years."
"Then do as you wish." The young man restrained the urge to push things further. "In short, Suzuka doesn't need to worry about the cost of chasing her dreams."
"That won't do," Silence Suzuka said, rubbing lightly against him. "I also need to think about Oguri and the others."
Because they hadn't seen each other for an entire week—and because their conversation drifted toward the future—they ended up talking for a long time. By the time Shuta An and Silence Suzuka finished discussing their New Year plans, it was already past ten.
During the conversation, Shuta An noticed that Suzuka's eyes repeatedly drifted toward the handbag resting on the nightstand beside him. It didn't take much thought to understand—Silence Suzuka was clearly curious about what he had brought with him tonight.
So he finally spoke.
"Suzuka, tomorrow is Christmas. I prepared a gift for you."
"So it's inside there?" The Uma Musume tilted her head, glancing at the handbag again.
"That's right," Shuta An confirmed. "I asked my assistant in America to order it for me."
As he spoke, he took out the gift box from the bag.
Silence Suzuka immediately recognized the logo printed on it.
"Chanel… Is it perfume?" she guessed after a moment.
The size of the box suggested the item inside wasn't large. After eliminating clothing, handbags, and watches—items she rarely used—perfume seemed the most likely answer.
"Is it Coco perfume?" she asked quietly.
Over the past two years, Chanel's Coco series had frequently appeared in Japanese fashion magazines. Taiki Shuttle often tried to persuade her by saying things like: "A 100ml Chanel COCO Eau de Parfum costs 30,000 yen. If you use it every day, it can last around 200 days. That's very cost-effective!"
But Suzuka had never bought one. She felt she wouldn't use it often. If she bought a bottle, it might last ten years.
Still, a few hours earlier, when Shuta An had held her in his arms, she had briefly considered buying perfume.
"A 100ml bottle, used four times a day, can last more than 200 days," Shuta An said.
His words further confirmed Suzuka's guess.
But then his tone shifted.
"However, I don't think a gift that lasts only 200 days can represent my feelings."
"Eh?"
The Uma Musume froze. A possibility she hadn't considered suddenly surfaced in her mind.
Before Shuta An could continue, she hurriedly interrupted him.
"If it's a ring—I'm sorry, Ann. I can't accept it."
Every girl understood the meaning of a ring. Silence Suzuka was no exception.
Before knowing what Oguri Cap and the others would receive for Christmas, she knew she couldn't accept such a gift—no matter how precious it was, no matter how much it moved her.
She knew whose approval allowed her to rest peacefully in this man's arms. She could not take a step ahead of Oguri Cap.
"If I did…I wouldn't be able to face Oguri-senpai," she said quietly.
For the first time, Shuta An heard something fragile in her voice.
"It's not a ring," he said gently. "And honestly, I haven't decided whether to order one yet."
He placed the gift box on the blanket.
"But it is jewelry. And I think Suzuka will like it."
Carefully, he opened the box.
Inside lay the Allure Céleste necklace.
"So beautiful…" Silence Suzuka's eyes widened. "Is this…really for me?"
"Allure Céleste," Shuta An said calmly, "uses sapphire to represent the blue Earth surrounded by stars, while diamonds represent comets crossing the night sky. It celebrates the beauty of the mysterious universe."
He continued slowly.
"Over sixty years ago, during the Great Depression, the founder of Chanel created the Bijoux de Diamants collection. At a time when values were collapsing, she realized jewelry could preserve the value of the brand."
"And this Allure Céleste necklace is a tribute to that legendary collection. I don't think there's any gift with a longer lifespan than a gemstone."
He didn't bother describing the exact composition of the necklace—the 55.55-carat sapphire, the 8.05-carat pear-shaped diamond, and the surrounding stones.
Instead, he simply continued.
"Of course, the real value of jewelry isn't the jewelry itself. Its value comes from the person wearing it. Even the most luxurious jewelry exists to complement someone. And only the right wearer can truly complement the jewelry."
He looked directly at Silence Suzuka.
"I'm confident Suzuka can command this necklace. This Allure Céleste necklace—symbolizing the Earth, the Moon, and a comet—will shine on Suzuka."
Silence Suzuka carefully fastened the necklace around her neck. Because her chest was rather flat, the sapphire and pear-shaped diamond didn't fall into a cleavage. Instead, they rested gently against her chest.
(The Author was too blunt about Suzuka's figure)
She raised her head. Her ears stood upright.
"I will give this necklace a legendary story."
Before saying that, Silence Suzuka had been staring quietly at her legs beneath the blanket.
"Next year, I will win every race I run," she declared.
"Even in Australia, where I might not be used to the tracks…I will not lose."
Then she turned toward Shuta An, her eyes burning with determination.
"Ann…you'll protect me, right?"
Before he could respond, her cheeks flushed red, and her voice softened again.
"And…close your eyes."
Shuta An obeyed.
He closed them.
The next moment, he felt something soft press against his lips.
When they parted, Silence Suzuka whispered quietly,
"We're still in the hospital…so for now, this is all we can do. I really don't know how to—"
Before she could finish speaking, the young man moved first.
"Mm—"
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