Chapter 140. Injury
"Speechless."
After Mejiro McQueen crossed the finish line in third place, Nishizaki Ryu turned to his friend and reached out a hand.
"Tokai Teio's performance today was unmatched."
After shaking hands with him, Shuta smiled and shook his head.
"Teio told me she'd go all out, and she kept her word. If the race had been a little longer, Miss McQueen would probably have won."
"Don't say that." Nishizaki Ryu's cheeks flushed. "Losing to an opponent I hadn't studied at all before the race... I'm so frustrated I want to kick a wall."
"It's not your fault." Shuta patted his friend's shoulder. "I didn't expect Dai Yuusaku to explode with that much energy before the race."
"But she still lost to Tokai Teio," Tojo Hana added.
Air Groove had finished fifth in this race, and although the prize money had increased a little, it had still completely failed to meet their pre-race goal.
"Because I've always trained Tokai Teio to be the strongest," Shuta said. "You can't expect to win a race by relying on a random burst of power. Only absolute strength can protect every honor."
No one present could deny that.
"Maybe it's too cruel for Uma Musume like Dai Yuusaku, who burn themselves out," Shuta said, turning away. "But against absolute strength, no opponent will be given a chance."
...
The young man walked toward the media area. Passing Kurofune and Admire Vega, he said, "You two go back to the box. After the interview, I'll come pick you up for Teio's Winning Live."
"It's fine if we wait here," Kurofune replied. "We won't accept interviews from reporters."
"That works too." Shuta didn't mind. "I'll come back for you later. Don't wander off."
"Mm."
Admire Vega gave a soft hum.
Tokai Teio stumbled forward. Rather than greeting her familiar rivals like Mejiro McQueen first, she went straight to the dazed Dai Yuusaku.
"Your performance today was amazing." Tokai Teio held out her hand. "Honestly, I really couldn't go any faster at the end. You pushed me to my limit."
Having come back to her senses, Dai Yuusaku's expression was bitter.
"But I was sure that by the end, I had already gone past my limit and even then, I still couldn't close the gap between us."
"We'll have another chance to compete in the future. I hope I'll get to see an even stronger you then." Tokai Teio shook her hand, waiting for a response.
Realizing she had been rude, Dai Yuusaku's face reddened. She reached out and shook Teio's hand.
"Truly, Teio deserves the title of Undefeated Triple Crown."
"Of course!" Teio lifted her chin. "To become an Undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume, I've spent many years training, even before I entered Central Tracen Academy!"
Hearing that, Dai Yuusaku only felt more bitter.
Who hadn't worked hard?
But when the gap in talent is laid bare, it's just... despairing.
After greeting Dai Yuusaku, Tokai Teio slowly turned toward Mejiro McQueen, who had already regained her composure.
"McQueen."
"Teio." Mejiro McQueen forced a smile. "Today was your victory."
"Yes, I won." Tokai Teio nodded. "But it's only the victory of this one race. We'll still have chances to compete again in the future."
"Teio, are you really not considering the Spring Tenno Sho?" Mejiro McQueen still wanted to draw Teio onto the stage she excelled at.
"Probably not." It was Tokai Teio's turn to smile bitterly. "My Trainer was really angry last time and said that if I brought up the Spring Tenno Sho again, I should also submit a request to leave the team."
"Then let's not."
Mejiro McQueen wasn't willing to be the bad guy.
While Tokai Teio continued chatting with Air Groove and Nice Nature, Shuta also finished his interview.
"The questions were basically the same as before. Everyone lacks originality."
The young man complained as he walked back to the spectator area to pick up Admire Vega and Kurofune.
"Teio-senpai is amazing. I thought she was going to get caught in the last 200 meters." Kurofune chattered beside him. "Ayabe-chan was very calm, though. She firmly believed Teio-senpai would win."
"It was easy to tell."
Admire Vega replied, without explaining to Kurofune why she had made that judgment.
"After the Winning Live, we can go to a nearby restaurant to celebrate." Shuta paused. "And for Christmas a few days later, if you don't have plans, you can come to my place."
"Ayabe-chan, Mrs. Kondo should let you go home, right?" He looked at Admire Vega.
"Mom said I should decide for myself." Admire Vega looked up. "I plan to go back."
"Then be careful on the way." Shuta went on, "I've already bought your train tickets, haven't I?"
"Okay." Admire Vega's answer was as concise as ever.
After Tokai Teio finished greeting her opponents on the track, she was preparing to return to the waiting room for the Winning Live when she, as expected, ran into her Trainer at the entrance to the underground passage.
Shuta frowned and walked up to her.
"Why is Teio's gait so uneven? Is everything alright?"
"It's okay?"
Tokai Teio held the young man's arm with her left hand and moved her right ankle.
"It does feel a little uncomfortable, but it should just be extreme exhaustion from pushing myself too hard in the race. Trainer, don't be too alarmed."
"How can I not be nervous?" Shuta looked down at her shoes. "After the Winning Live, we're going to the hospital."
"Let's go tomorrow." Tokai Teio shook her head again and again. "Kurofune and Ayabe-chan are probably looking forward to the celebration, and I can't make them worry."
"If the test results aren't out, I'll be even more worried."
Shuta grabbed her wrist.
"Be good. Listen to me. After the Live, I'll drive you for a checkup. We need to find out what's going on."
Listening to him, Tokai Teio's heartbeat suddenly sped up for no reason. She gave a soft hum.
Mm."
Seeing her like that, Shuta simply helped her toward the waiting room.
"During the Live later, keep your movements small. Don't do anything too strenuous."
He reminded her again after she changed clothes and came out.
"Mm-hmm! I know." Tokai Teio smiled brightly, warmed by his concern.
Before the Winning Live began, Shuta explained to Admire Vega and Kurofune that he needed to take Tokai Teio to the hospital for a checkup—which meant their long-awaited celebration had to be canceled.
"I can only hope Teio is just overly fatigued." The young man sighed. "As for the celebration, we'll combine it with the Christmas party."
"Teio-senpai will definitely be fine!" Kurofune clenched her fist. "She absolutely won't be injured!"
"There's no Uma Musume who absolutely won't get injured," Shuta said helplessly. "We can only hope it's not serious."
Admire Vega listened to her Trainer's sigh and felt a little sad again.
"I don't even have the chance to sigh for my sister."
Her mood dipped again.
Shuta noticed Admire Vega's affection level instantly drop to 19—and then rise back to 20 a few minutes later.
"Did I say something wrong just now?" he wondered, still unable to find the answer.
"Admire Vega is truly hard to understand," he sighed.
After the Winning Live ended, Shuta did not go to the underground passage entrance of Nakayama Racecourse as he had before.
Instead, he went directly to the backstage area of the stage.
After picking up Tokai Teio, he asked Admire Vega and Kurofune to help carry her luggage.
"Where's Trainer?"
Tokai Teio asked, a little confused.
Shuta didn't answer. He simply turned around and crouched down.
"I'll carry you to the parking lot on my back."
"Eh?" Tokai Teio startled and waved both hands repeatedly. "I don't need that, I'm not hurt, I'm really fine, Trainer doesn't need to do this."
The staff at Nakayama Racecourse all saw what was happening and began discussing it excitedly.
Although Tokai Teio couldn't hear what they were saying, the heat in her face rapidly rose.
"I know!"
In order to quickly escape the staff's gazes, Tokai Teio hurriedly climbed onto the young man's back, letting him support her legs.
"Let's go!"
With his outstanding physical strength, Shuta easily carried her and left the backstage area.
When they arrived at the parking lot, Kurofune and Admire Vega were already waiting with the suitcases.
After settling Tokai Teio into the back seat, Shuta returned to the driver's seat.
"I'll take Teio to the hospital for a checkup first, then I'll take you two straight back to the Academy."
"Okay,"
Admire Vega and Kurofune replied in unison.
That was only natural. Taking Tokai Teio to the hospital was the top priority now.
"Hold on tight."
Shuta started the car and drove out of the parking lot.
"I hope no reporters took pictures just now?" Tokai Teio worried on the way. "I don't want my fans to be anxious. It's not a major injury."
"It's fine,"
Shuta said without caring much.
"Rather than worrying about that, I'd rather Teio worry about herself.Winning this race is certainly something to be happy about, but if it causes a serious injury, I..."
The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't bring himself to say them.
He knew that for Tokai Teio, losing a race hurt more than getting injured.
"Anyway, I hope it's not serious," he said, changing the subject.
When they arrived at Tokyo University Faculty of Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Shuta opened the car door.
Tokai Teio was about to get out on her own, but the young man completely ignored her and bent down slightly, carrying her out in a princess carry.
On a chilly late-December evening in Tokyo, Tokai Teio's head was already steaming after being embraced by him.
"Let's go,"
Shuta said, unfazed—mainly because he often carried Oguri and the others like this at home, so he was used to it.
Tokai Teio buried her face in her Trainer's arms, too embarrassed to look at anyone.
After leaving Teio at the hospital, Shuta left again.
While Teio was undergoing her examination, he had to take Kurofune and the others back to Central Tracen Academy.
"I'll pick you up at the Academy on Christmas morning," he said after they were settled. "And about Teio's condition, you two shouldn't tell anyone yet. Once I confirm the situation on the team's Twitter, then you can talk about it."
"There's nothing to say publicly about this," Kurofune said first. "I definitely won't tell anyone, not even if Curren-chan asks me."
"..." Admire Vega remained silent, only nodding—
Shuta felt reassured by that.
He found it hard to imagine Admire Vega gossiping around.
After dropping the two Uma Musume off at the Academy, Shuta pulled out his phone and contacted Berno.
"I need to go to the hospital. Tokai Teio may be injured, and I need to see the results, so I'll be home very late tonight."
"Understood. Teio will definitely be fine," Berno replied quickly. "Dinner will be kept for you."
"Okay,"
Shuta replied, put his phone away, turned the car around, and headed back to the hospital.
He was under a great deal of pressure now.
Nothing had happened after the Japanese Derby. Nothing had happened after the Kikuka Sho.
But something had happened after the Arima Kinen.
Shuta thought of Tokai Teio in the Dream World.
"Was avoiding the Arima Kinen after the Kikuka Sho really the right choice?"
But he had no time to regret it, nor could he regret it, because he understood perfectly well that there was no way he could have made Tokai Teio avoid the Arima Kinen when there were no physical problems before the race.
Not to mention whether Teio herself would agree, or whether public opinion would allow it—he himself had no reason to try to convince himself of that.
Shuta paced back and forth in the corridor, anxious.
Tokai Teio was still undergoing examinations, and it would probably take longer before the report came out.
He couldn't go in and ask about the situation without being called by the doctor, so he could only wait for the nurse to summon him.
"Is Teio okay?"
Symboli Rudolf also sent a Line message asking.
Shuta, still not knowing the diagnosis, could only reply:
"Still don't know."
In fact, many reporters had noticed Shuta carrying Tokai Teio to the parking lot.
Some of the bolder ones even drove after him, seeing him take her to the hospital.
Though he hadn't announced the specific situation publicly, the reporters were all waiting for him to speak.
The boldest only dared to post anonymously on social media, saying something like,
"Tokai Teio went to the hospital for a checkup."
After all, the lingering impact of Shuta's previous handling of "Friday" was still there.
An hour later, the attending doctor finally came out.
Recognizing Tokai Teio's identity, she naturally also recognized Shuta's.
So she took the initiative and said, "I'm \ sorry—"
Hearing that, Shuta's hair stood on end and his eyes widened.
"Tokai Teio has an injured leg. It should be due to overexertion during today's Arima Kinen race," the doctor explained.
"The good news is that it's not a severe fracture, just a hairline fracture without displacement. It's clear that you've taken very good care of Tokai Teio before this. With a conservative approach, she can recover by resting in a cast and splint for six weeks. No surgery is needed."
"Six weeks?" Shuta nodded. "Thank you for telling me. Then let's go with the cast and splint."
Although that treatment plan meant Tokai Teio would definitely miss the Dubai Sheema Classic, he knew he could not choose anything aggressive.
For Tokai Teio now, stability was the most important thing.
"I'll go pay the medical fees now."
He bowed, took the bill, and prepared to pay.
Walking along, Shuta sent a Line message to Symboli Rudolf, reporting Tokai Teio's exact injury and recovery time.
Then he took a deep breath, opened Twitter, logged into Team Sadalsuud's official account, and drafted a post—
"Tokai Teio has been diagnosed with a hairline fracture of the lower left leg without displacement, and requires six weeks of rest.
Future plans are temporarily on hold.
I will ensure that a healthy Tokai Teio returns to the Twinkle Series stage as soon as possible.
Thank you to all Tokai Teio fans for your support, and I ask that you continue to bless and protect Tokai Teio warmly during this time."