Chapter 1. Rice Shower's Next Race
The New Year holiday ended, and Shuta Ann resumed his regular work schedule.
In Team Sadalsuud, Rice Shower and Mejiro Dober's first races of the new year had already been decided. However, because Rice Shower had not received an award from the URA Association last year, Shuta Ann decided to announce their next races on different occasions.
Mejiro Dober's next race would be announced at the URA Association Annual Awards Ceremony, while Rice Shower's next race would be posted directly on Twitter today.
Shuta Ann had already confirmed this with both Uma Musume.
"Has Teio's next race not been decided?" Dober asked curiously.
"Let her get discharged from the hospital first before talking about anything else," Shuta Ann replied, shutting down the topic.
"When I visited her yesterday, the medical staff said Teio's recovery is faster than expected, and she might be able to start rehabilitation training in a month."
"If she can start rehabilitation training in a month—"
Shuta Ann frowned.
"Then the Takarazuka Kinen would be the only suitable race for her. We can't have her first comeback race be in the Southern Hemisphere. If she misses the Dubai Sheema Classic, her next race will definitely be the Takarazuka Kinen."
"My first race will also be in Dubai, right?" Mejiro Dober guessed. "Ann probably wanted Teio and me to win all the turf G1s there in Dubai?"
"I did have that thought, but Teio got injured, so there's nothing we can do," the young man shrugged. "It's fine if she goes next year. Dober just needs to do well herself."
"I definitely won't have any problems."
Dober simply sat down on her lover's lap and leaned back.
"Rice Shower is coming soon, you know."
Regardless, Shuta Ann had no intention of using Team Sadalsuud's activity room as a place for daytime intimacy, so he reminded Mejiro Dober, who was trying to be affectionate—because of working on Comic Market manuscripts, the two had spent very little time together this past month.
"Ugh—"
Mejiro Dober pouted, having been subtly rejected.
"Later, okay?."
Shuta Ann lifted Mejiro Dober from his lap as if picking up a cat.
After a while, Rice Shower arrived at the clubroom. Mejiro Dober had just returned to her dorm a minute before Rice Shower pushed the door open.
She saw her Trainer waiting for her on the sofa and obediently sat down across from him.
Ann had called her to the clubroom for "something to discuss," so Rice Shower was very curious about what it was.
She guessed it was about this year's races, but until Ann spoke, Rice Shower wasn't sure.
Because of her overthinking, Rice Shower huddled slightly.
"Rice, I called you here today mainly to tell you that your first race of the year has been decided,"
Ann began, intending to bring the seemingly distracted Rice Shower back to attention.
"Yes!" Rice Shower snapped out of it and answered loudly.
"For your first race, since Rice Shower currently has enough prize money to enter the Satsuki Sho, the goal is still primarily to compete for honor. My plan is to start with the Yayoi Sho, a G2 prep race for the Satsuki Sho, with the goal of winning or placing second. Then for the Satsuki Sho, the goal is a top-five finish. As long as one of those two races meets the target, tickets for all races up to the Kikuka Sho will be secured."
"Understood!"
Now Rice Shower also understood her approximate race schedule for the year—
Yayoi Sho → Satsuki Sho → Japanese Derby → Kikuka Sho.
As for whether to go to the Arima Kinen, that would depend on her performance in the earlier races and her Trainer's plans.
"I know!" Rice Shower nodded vigorously. "I'm ready! I said at the Christmas party that I wouldn't let Trainer down. I'm ready now!"
Unlike the Rice Shower in another timeline, who only became timid and even disliked racing after the Kikuka Sho, this Rice Shower, having sharpened herself through sparring with her team seniors, was very confident in her own ability.
Even after seeing powerful rivals like Mihono Bourbon from her own generation, Rice Shower believed she could contend with them and even defeat them under her Trainer's guidance.
After sending Rice Shower off, Ann logged into Twitter and drafted a message:
"First day back at work in the new year, wondering what to post, so after discussing it with Rice Shower, I'm announcing her next race."
"To gain experience racing at Nakayama Racecourse, Rice Shower's first Classic Race of the season will be the G2 turf 2000m Yayoi Sho. Regardless of the result, she will participate in the first classic triple crown race, the Satsuki Sho."
"I hope all fans will continue supporting Rice Shower!"
After posting that tweet, Ann, as expected, saw a flood of comments asking about the next races for Mejiro Dober and Tokai Teio.
The young man didn't reply to a single one.
What a joke—this was a tweet about Rice Shower. How could he possibly answer questions about other Uma Musume there?
He simply posted another tweet:
"Tokai Teio is still recovering, and Mejiro Dober's next race hasn't been decided yet."
That way, the comments under the tweet announcing Rice Shower's next race quickly filled with messages of support for her.
"That's good," the young man thought. "Posting a separate tweet for the questions will keep them from interfering with Rice Shower's update."
—
In the afternoon, after submitting his weekly training plan and work report, Ann clocked out on time.
"Kitahara-san, do you have any plans after work?" After clocking out, the young man looked up and asked his friend, who was tidying his desk.
"!" Kitahara-san quickly answered as if grabbing a lifeline. "Nothing! Ann-san, what's up?"
"At Christmas, an Uma Musume from our team gave me a bottle of bourbon whiskey. I'm not much of a drinker myself, so I thought I'd gather you guys who can drink to sample it together."
"Sounds great, sounds great." Kitahara-san nodded repeatedly. "I'll ask Tojo, Nishizaki, and Minamisaka for you."
Soon, all three Trainers confirmed they were free.
"I happen to have the alcohol in the clubroom, so let's just drink it here," Ann suggested.
"Tojo said she and Nishizaki are going to the bar to buy a few more bottles, and we'll drink them together later,"
Kitahara-san said, checking his phone and informing his friend.
"OKOK." Ann readily agreed.
"But in that case, Ann-san won't be able to go home today, right? Will all four of us need to find designated drivers?"
Kitahara-san suddenly thought of this problem.
"It's fine, just arrange for someone to pick us four up at the appointed time," Ann replied.