Satsuki Sho - "The Second Meeting"
Minami More
The crowd reacted immediately.
She was the horse girl everyone expected.
The front runner who had never been afraid to take control.
The horse who raced with her heart.
Ginjiro Musaka stood beside her.
Confident.
Exactly the same as before.
"The preparation is complete."
Minami More smiled.
"Of course."
She looked toward the track.
"She's here, isn't she?"
Ginjiro followed her gaze.
Saint Light
She looked exactly the same.
Quiet.
Relaxed.
Holding tea.
Kaiya stared.
"You're really doing that before the Satsuki Sho?"
Saint Light looked down.
"The tea?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"..."
Kaiya gave up.
But then...
Minami More approached.
"So we meet again."
Saint Light looked over.
"Oh."
Kaiya immediately noticed.
She remembered.
A pause.
Kaiya blinked.
"...Was that a compliment?"
Saint Light tilted her head.
"I think so."
Minami More laughed.
"You're strange."
Ginjiro Musaka approached.
His eyes moved from Saint Light to Kaiya.
"So."
A pause.
"You actually made it here."
Kaiya scratched his cheek.
"I guess."
Ginjiro narrowed his eyes.
"Interesting."
"When I first heard about you, I assumed you would struggle."
Kaiya blinked.
"That honest?"
"Yes."
Ginjiro didn't hesitate.
He looked at Saint Light.
Kaiya smiled slightly.
"She is already strong."
Minami More smiled.
"Trainer."
"Hm?"
"You're doing it again."
Ginjiro looked confused.
"What?"
"Looking down on people before the race starts."
Silence.
Ginjiro looked away.
"I am simply stating reality."
Saint Light watched him.
Then smiled slightly.
"He's interesting."
The Race
The gates opened.
Minami More immediately took control.
Exactly like everyone expected.
Front position.
Perfect pace.
No wasted movement.
Ginjiro watched calmly.
Minami More was racing her race.
Saint Light settled behind.
Kaiya watched.
Same as before.
Observing.
Waiting.
But something was different.
Her eyes.
They weren't bored.
They were focused.
The final corner.
Minami More increased the pace.
The crowd exploded.
"Minami More is running away!"
Ginjiro smiled.
Then Saint Light moved.
Kaiya noticed immediately.
Not because of the acceleration.
Because of the expression.
The sleeping genius had awakened.
Again.
Minami More looked back.
And smiled.
"Finally."
The final straight became a battle.
The passionate genius.
Against the quiet genius.
One fought with emotion.
One fought with calm.
Minami More pushed.
Saint Light adapted.
Every time Minami More changed pace...
Saint Light answered.
The finish line approached.
Both refused to give an inch.
The crowd screamed.
Then...
Saint Light crossed first.
Satsuki Sho Winner: Saint Light
2nd: Minami More
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then the stadium erupted.
After the Race
Kaiya found Saint Light.
"You won."
Kaiya stared.
"Do you have any reaction?"
Saint Light thought.
Then looked toward Minami More.
"...I want to race her again."
Kaiya froze.
That was new.
Minami More approached.
No anger.
No disappointment.
Just excitement.
"So."
Saint Light looked at her.
"You're stronger than before."
Saint Light nodded.
"So are you."
Minami More smiled.
"Good."
She clenched her fist.
"Then the next one will be better."
Behind them, Ginjiro watched.
Quietly.
For the first time...
He wasn't looking at Kaiya like an amateur.
He was looking at him like a problem.
Because the impossible had happened.
A trainer with no pedigree.
No elite background.
Had taken a talented but unmotivated genius...
And awakened her.
Ginjiro adjusted his glasses.