Meisho Doto had never imagined what it would be like to be the one being hugged by her Trainer. The previous time she thought he was going to hug her was during the Mainichi Hai, where he excitedly spread his arms out to hug someone... only for that "someone" to be T.M. Opera O instead.
At that time, to say that Meisho Doto didn't feel any resentment would definitely be a lie. But Meisho Doto was very good at consoling herself, so she didn't dwell on the matter and never brought it up. After all, she knew that T.M. Opera O was a very important person for her Trainer and that the main reason for Wada asking her to be his first Uma Musume was because he wanted to beat T.M. Opera O in the Mainichi Hai so that he could recruit her.
Meisho Doto had been clear about these things since the very beginning, so perhaps she never intended to become "The One" in Wada's heart—especially after she witnessed the bond between Wada and T.M. Opera O, that natural unspoken understanding that she lacked. She knew; she understood.
If it were any other Uma Musume, perhaps they would either make a quiet exit or erupt in anger, questioning their Trainer. After all, most Uma Musume don't like it when they aren't the most important Uma Musume in their Trainer's eyes.
But Meisho Doto was an exception; she didn't do any of that. She didn't try to harm or sabotage T.M. Opera O in any way, nor did she try and embarrass her Trainer in revenge. In fact, she even actively went out of her way to help T.M. Opera O win the Classic Triple Crowns, choosing to "sacrifice" herself.
"T-Trainer?!" Meisho Doto's eyes seemed to lose focus, and she began to babble in panic: "Th-th-th-this—this isn't right! I-I-I-I-I can't! T.M. Opera O will be very angry at me if she sees this!"
"...This is just an overdue hug you deserve, Meisho Doto."
However, Wada now chuckled, soothing Meisho Doto's emotions, and tightened his grip slightly, saying: "This probably can't compensate for your efforts, Meisho Doto, but at least let me, this incompetent Trainer, try to do something within my power. You've done well enough, Doto. Now relax and enjoy your well-deserved rest."
"Trainer..."
Wada's words gradually calmed the panicked Meisho Doto. The cat doll she had initially used to cover her face, which Meisho Doto had cherished just a second ago, was now forgotten, rolling onto the cold floor. Because now, in front of Meisho Doto, there was a presence she wanted to rely on more than the cat doll, and at this moment, Wada's chest was the place Meisho Doto most wanted to lean on.
This was not something a cat could replace; this was her... most desired sanctuary right now.
"Trainer, are you... always this kind?" Meisho Doto, leaning against Wada's chest, couldn't help but ask in a muffled voice: "I've wanted to know that ever since I first met you, Trainer. Back then, I only wanted to beat T.M. Opera O once and you wanted to recruit T.M. Opera O. You could've just trained me like any other ordinary Uma Musume and then sent me away when we were done with our goals... I was already mentally prepared for that."
"But... you didn't do that, Trainer. Not only did you not do that, you cared for me so much... you comforted me when I failed, you were willing to guide someone as clumsy and weak as me... you were so good to me..."
"...It's all your fault, making me so happy, and yet so sad."
Happiness that someone was finally willing to accept her, and sadness that this happiness will be eventually taken away by others. Meisho Doto knew that thinking like this was wrong; what she already had left was enough and she shouldn't crave more... but she couldn't control her feelings. She wanted more care, more attention from her Trainer...
"I'm sorry, Meisho Doto." Wada's expression was also very conflicted. He certainly knew what Meisho Doto was talking about. He only now realized that the Uma Musume in his arms was not merely just a Racehorse that liked to race, but a girl with a human-like psyche, just as sensitive. Even Racehorses themselves were sometimes possessive about people. If even Racehorses can get jealous, how much more so these delicate-minded Uma Musume?
"Meisho Doto, T.M. Opera O... she's someone who holds extraordinary significance for me. I don't know how to explain this, but her place in my heart... is indeed irreplaceable forever—even if it makes you unhappy, I must make it clear now."
"But I think... you perhaps don't need to be like T.M. Opera O. You two are inherently different people. You can choose your own lives and goals, rather than tying your life to T.M. Opera O. You will become a nationally renowned Uma Musume in another way, and it doesn't have to be expressed solely through constantly fighting against T.M. Opera O."
"...I don't need to?"
However, at this moment, upon hearing Wada's words, a faint smile quietly appeared on Meisho Doto's face. She proactively placed her hands on Wada's back and, with a hint of amusement, softly said:
"Silly Trainer..."
I stopped caring about the showdown with T.M. Opera O a long time ago, Trainer... I understood a long time ago.
This was the first time Meisho Doto had spoken to Wada in such a tone. In the past, she would never have been able to say such words, but now she had let go of her self-consciousness and inhibitions, completely relaxing.
Just as Meisho Doto said in her dream, she felt she had emerged from an "obsession," one which had blinded her for so long. And now, having emerged from it, she felt that everything around her had become much clearer. Perhaps she didn't need to obsess over winning against T.M. Opera O; she could achieve more victories in her own way. Her achievements didn't need to be built upon T.M. Opera O's failure or success. She was herself, Meisho Doto, not T.M. Opera O's competitor, nor did she need to be tied to the name T.M. Opera O.
Though she had subconsciously understood this before the Japanese Derby even began, only now did she fully realize this fact.
"Trainer, ever since I beat T.M. Opera O once in the Mainichi Hai, I was no longer the old Meisho Doto. I gained courage, and this courage... was personally given to me by you. So... please don't leave me... don't take the 'courage' you gave me away from me..."
As her words fell, Meisho Doto buried her entire shy face in Wada's arms. Wada, hearing this, revealed a heartfelt smile, gently stroking Meisho Doto's hair and softly saying: "Good girl... Meisho Doto, you're a really good girl..."
"—I'm not a child... Trainer... I... I've already grown up, you know."
Meisho Doto replied with a hint of dissatisfaction in her tone, but she still nestled in Wada's embrace, her shy cheeks not daring to look up at Wada—she feared that if she saw Wada's handsome face at that moment, she would lose control and do something that definitely couldn't be written in a book like this.
But wasn't the current situation already quite out of line? Meisho Doto's mind was unexpectedly thinking really quickly right now, probably because doing something she usually wouldn't dare to even think of made her mind become more active. And the moment Meisho Doto uttered those words, the atmosphere in the hospital room suddenly became more ambiguous. Wada, who had been gentle initially, subtly stiffened, sensing something was amiss... This child, Meisho Doto... could it be—
"—Bang bang bang!"
"Ryuji! Your Overlord has arrived—has Meisho Doto woken up yet? Are you in there?"
But just as Wada was thinking this, a rapid knocking sound suddenly rang out. Outside, T.M. Opera O's uncharacteristically flustered voice suddenly came, interrupting the weird atmosphere in the hospital room.
Wada immediately distanced himself from Meisho Doto, feeling a sudden sense of relief in his heart, though his movements were somewhat stiff with helplessness. As for Meisho Doto, she belatedly realized what she had just said. And once reason returned to her, she immediately buried herself under the covers like an ostrich.
"Cough cough, T.M. Opera O, Meisho Doto and I are both inside, come in." Wada also coughed awkwardly for a while, secretly cursing himself for being such a dullard at noticing signs... But fortunately, he still had his best bud T.M. Opera O! At least if he finds himself in a precarious situation like this again, T.M. Opera O could probably bail him out of danger.
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"Best Bud" my fucking ass.
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If you spot any errors, feel free to comment about it and I will fix it as soon as I can.