As evening approached, the sun, about to dip below the horizon, radiated its final heat, bathing almost the entire academy in a warm, golden glow.
The hustle and bustle of the day was gradually receding, leaving only the occasional sound of cheerful training slogans echoing from the field. The trio seemed completely immersed in the atmosphere; as they practiced, their lighthearted laughter rang out, greatly softening the usual sternness of a training session.
Twin Shine, however, was a rare absence from her friends' side. She had quietly made her way to the door of the Trainer's office. Several times, she raised her hand to knock, only to let it fall back to her side in hesitation.
After repeating this cycle several times, a firm light finally sparked in her eyes—she had clearly made up her mind. She slapped her cheeks hard to give herself courage before finally knocking on the door.
Inside the office, Fujimaru Ritsuka had been waiting for a while. He responded decisively, "Come in."
He had just finished organizing today's training data and drafting the next set of plans, intending to have a good talk with the girls. He hadn't expected an early visitor.
Judging by the frequency and the "specific sound" of the horseshoes hitting the floor, he knew it was Twin Shine. Because her overall physical stats were lower than the other Horse Girls, the material and weight of her shoes were different, making it easy for Ritsuka to tell her apart.
He sensed she had something to discuss—likely something she didn't want the others to hear—so he sat back in his chair and waited quietly. He hadn't expected her to linger at the door for so long.
Through that single detail, Ritsuka concluded: the girl was stuck in a loop of hesitation. This was the moment she needed help and guidance most.
To avoid adding to her psychological pressure, Ritsuka didn't get up. He simply waited. Meanwhile, his mind raced: Shine is this hesitant... the problem must stem from yesterday's debut race.
Indeed, while Twin Shine was still standing outside, overthinking, Ritsuka had already guessed her intent.
Knowing nothing of his insight, Twin Shine pushed the door open gently. Her movements and expression were stiff.
"Um... Trainer, do you have a moment?" Twin Shine's posture was slightly slumped, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her shirt. The smile on her face was forced.
Clearly, the topic she wanted to broach was heavy, and it had stripped her of her confidence.
Ritsuka maintained a perfectly gentle demeanor, greeting her warmly. "Ah, Shine. Come in, have a seat. Would you like something to drink? Red tea? Green tea? I also have cola and other drinks."
"Ah, no, don't go to any trouble, I..." Twin Shine instinctively tried to decline, but she sat down obediently regardless.
Ritsuka noticed that even after his warm reception, her tension didn't ease. Her mood remained stagnant. This further confirmed his suspicions.
He poured her a cup of hot cocoa; the rich, sweet aroma might help her relax even just a little.
"Trainer, about yesterday's deb—no, about my future training, I have something to say." Twin Shine tried to look at Ritsuka, but she couldn't quite bring herself to meet his eyes, so she averted her gaze slightly. Her voice grew softer as she spoke.
Her fingertips brushed the side of the cup. The dark brown liquid reflected her lack of self-belief.
Ritsuka made his judgment: It seems the joy of winning her debut has evaporated. In its place is a more sober, even heavy, realization.
He didn't rush her. He simply observed her with a gentle gaze.
He saw her lowered eyelashes trembling slightly; he saw her bite her lower lip and then release it, leaving a faint tooth mark on the skin.
Twin Shine organized her thoughts. I should thank him first, then talk about the debut race, and finally, my decision...
For some reason, despite practicing this in her head dozens of times outside the door, she faltered now that the moment was here.
She smiled bitterly to herself. I guess... I really don't want to give up. But being this indecisive is pathetic. If I can't even make a decision, how could I ever become a great Horse Girl?
Spurred by her own self-criticism, she took a deep breath, ready to announce her well-considered choice.
But right then, Ritsuka cut in decisively. "Speaking of yesterday's debut, Shine, I need to apologize to you first."
He understood the principle that momentum, once stalled, is hard to regain. Since the girl was this hesitant, if he shifted the focus, he could disperse her negative emotions. As long as he kept her training and improving, and found another race for her to win, whatever dark thoughts she had would eventually vanish.
Twin Shine looked up sharply, her eyes wide with shock. "Huh? No... Trainer, you didn't do anything wrong. Why are you apologizing? The person who should apologize is—"
Ritsuka interrupted her again. "I'm apologizing because I didn't believe in my own Horse Girl enough. I gave you hints suggesting you should give up, nearly causing a Horse Girl to abandon her dream. That was my failing. It was a complete dereliction of duty as a—"
"Wait, Trainer! Please don't say that!" Twin Shine bolted upright, accidentally knocking over her cup. Hot cocoa spilled across the desk. Her face paled as she scrambled to clean it up. "Ahhh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I just..."
Twin Shine: QAQ
After yesterday's debut, she had realized the truth. She had come here to quit being a Horse Girl. But she was so grateful for Ritsuka's care during this time that she didn't want him to misunderstand her reasons. She had rehearsed her words over and over, worried that she wouldn't express herself clearly.
She never expected that before she could even open her mouth, Ritsuka would blame himself. This was not how she wanted this to go!
The two of them cleaned the desk together and sat back down. Twin Shine's ears drooped again, practically flat against her head, but this time, she looked directly at him. She refused to let him misunderstand.
"Trainer, after yesterday's race, I finally understand," Twin Shine said, her hands clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white. "Why did you always emphasize on-the-spot judgment? Because it really is the key that decides victory or defeat. I..."
Whether it was handling pressure or finding the right moment to burst, she had failed at everything. These were things Ritsuka included in their daily drills, yet she had made almost zero progress since the beginning. For her, that was a death sentence.
She, Twin Shine, lacked the talent to be a Horse Girl.
She knew perfectly well that without Ritsuka's wake-up call and her friends' cheers, she would never have won yesterday. That win was nothing short of a miracle.
But therein lay the problem: if even a debut race required a "miracle" to pull through, how could she possibly win formal races that were vastly more difficult? Rather than wasting Ritsuka's energy and making him give her special treatment, it was better to bow out so he could focus on Horse Girls who actually had a future.
Though it pained her, and though she desperately wanted to keep running, she knew that persisting was simply rude. How could she keep wasting the time of the people who supported her? Wouldn't that be repaying kindness with ingratitude?
She thought Ritsuka would understand. After all, he had hinted at it several times before and even laid out the training data. Wasn't that his way of making her face reality so she wouldn't chase the impossible?
But she hadn't expected him to shoulder the blame immediately, as if he had read her mind.
No! Not as if. He definitely had! Why else would he say those things? Guiding a Horse Girl was a Trainer's job, and that guidance wasn't just about encouragement—it involved appropriate rejection and cold truths.
A Trainer had the right to tell a girl his assessment and choose whether or not to support her entry into a race.
Winning by a stroke of luck meant nothing; if she had lost, it would have been a disaster. What Trainer would want a Horse Girl who refused to follow instructions?
Yet Ritsuka had kept her in the training group, found the race with the highest win probability for her, and stood by her firmly when she was on the verge of failing. Each and every act moved her to tears.
And this conversation just now? It sent a surge of intense, stinging emotion straight to her head!
Suddenly, she understood.
Fujimaru Ritsuka didn't need her to "face reality" or give him a "solemn thank you." He had seen through her desire to retreat the moment he noticed her "little habits." He didn't want her to leave with regrets, self-blame, or cowardice, so he spoke first to take the responsibility upon himself.
Everything he did was to protect her!
Even those previous hints—weren't they just to keep her from losing her confidence in running entirely? If he truly didn't want her on the track, why would he analyze the best debut race for her? Why would he give her the choice to "forge ahead"?
One must remember that a debut race isn't even counted toward a Horse Girl's official career. There's a common joke in the industry that "pros don't win their first one," as if top-tier Horse Girls all start their legends from a place of struggle.
But she was different. She truly lacked talent; even her basics were barely satisfactory.
There was no reason for Ritsuka to apologize to her. On the contrary, it was she, Twin Shine, who should be thanking him!
He believed in her more than she believed in herself. He believed there was still a path for her to walk. This went beyond "kindness"—it was truly noble.
Trainer is a truly great person, Twin Shine thought.
His delicate consideration and protection had gently wrapped around her heart, which had been tormented by her own perceived lack of talent, finally allowing her to breathe.
Because of his guidance, she hadn't just lost and left in despair; she had won.
Many people know that nearly seven thousand Horse Girls appear in Japan every year, but who knows how many girls never even make it to that stage?
Tears filled her eyes without warning.
"The one who should apologize is me. I've given you so much unnecessary work," Twin Shine choked out, her voice clearer than it had ever been. "And the one who should be giving thanks is also me. If it wasn't for your help and support, I wouldn't have even had the chance to stand at the starting line. And if it wasn't for you and everyone else cheering for me, I definitely wouldn't have won that race! So..."
Unexpectedly, Ritsuka countered, "No, it wasn't just that."
His eyes were startlingly bright, his tone absolute. "True, my voice might have woken you up, and the cheers from the others might have given you the strength to keep running. But Shine, love and courage alone aren't enough to win a race. What truly helped you win was your heart—that heart that chases dreams and longs to be a Horse Girl. And it was your legs."
Ritsuka spoke with total conviction. "You carved out that future for yourself. You didn't rely on outside forces!"
Looking into his eyes—eyes that seemed to embrace everything yet see through all—Twin Shine sniffed hard, forcing her tears back. His words were a checkmate; she couldn't argue against them.
But because of this, she felt even more grateful.
This Trainer had not only brought her to the track and guided her to victory, but he also refused to take any of the credit. Did I save the world in a past life? she wondered. How did I find such a good Trainer?
Twin Shine still believed she lacked the talent to be an elite Horse Girl. But she felt there was something she could do. For instance, lightening the load for her Trainer.
He had cared for her so much, fought so hard to stop her from "retiring," and left her speechless with his logic to the point where she actually felt a flicker of confidence. How could she not repay him?
If this continued, her debt to him would become unrepayable. She had to start giving back now!
He worked so hard; she could at least do what was within her power. Who knew? Maybe she had a hidden talent for this side of things.
Even if I don't, she thought, as long as I can help him, it's enough.
She was destined not to be the brightest light on the track. Even standing there was a miracle brought by Ritsuka. So, could she follow his example and become the person who supports that light?
The idea took root like a fresh sprout, quickly taking over her mind. The way she looked at him changed; her emotion and dependency transformed into a soft, yet exceptionally firm, resolve.
"Trainer," Twin Shine said, wiping the moisture from her eyes with the back of her hand. She stood up straight, a clear, bright smile breaking through her tears. "I understand. Thank you... not just for talking to me today, but for thinking about my future all this time."
She bowed deeply to him, then looked up, her eyes sparkling.
"If possible, I'd like to stay by your side—and by everyone's side—in a different way. I want to learn about training assistance, data organization, nutrition, even psychological counseling... I want to support your work! To the absolute best of my ability! I want to help you just as you helped me! Please!"
With that, Twin Shine bowed again with all her might. This time, however, she put a bit too much into it.
"Whoa!" the girl cried out as her momentum carried her forward. She began to topple toward the desk. Ritsuka lunged forward, catching her in his arms to prevent her from getting hurt.
"Trainer..."
Just then, a blunt, curious voice drifted in from the doorway. The newcomer hadn't knocked or even asked; she had simply pushed the door open. "Have you seen Shi... ne... uh?"
Staring at the scene before her, Oguri Cap slowly tilted her head. A giant question mark appeared over her head.
"?"
What was happening? Why were they hugging?
Seriously, what was going on?
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Musume: Oguri Cap Grand Order (119 Chapters – Ongoing)
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