No Wonder She's Special Week Senpai

Over the next few days, Hokubu Genkoma ran alongside Yamato Akagi for over an hour every morning and evening.

Through these runs, Yasui Makoto was delighted by Hokubu Genkoma's progress, while also secretly marveling at Yamato Akagi's talent and strength.

Generally speaking, an Uma Musume's golden period lasted around three years. After that, her overall abilities would decline.

But that wasn't true for a small number of top competitors.

Not only did their abilities decline much more slowly, but even afterward, although they could no longer reach the peak of their careers, they could still maintain a relatively stable level.

Yamato Akagi was one such Uma Musume.

The data made it especially obvious. She trained with remarkable ease, and from basic speed and strength to technique and awareness, she surpassed Hokubu Genkoma in every aspect.

With such a senior guiding her, Yasui Makoto felt he had gained quite a lot, not to mention Hokubu Genkoma's progress. He couldn't help wishing that Yamato Akagi could keep training with her like this.

But that was obviously impossible.

Yamato Akagi had returned to the academy with work and research to handle. She certainly couldn't keep troubling her.

After training ended that morning, Yamato Akagi also announced that this would be their last run together for the time being. They probably wouldn't run together again until two or three weeks later.

"Ahh—this is really nice."

After taking a large gulp of energy drink and wiping the sweat from her forehead, Yamato Akagi sighed,

"Coming back was absolutely the right choice. I get to train with Xiao Bei, and I can also experience the feeling of being a student again."

Drinking energy drink and wiping away her sweat as well, Hokubu Genkoma looked a little disappointed.

"It's a shame you'll be busy after this, Yamato-senpai. Otherwise, I'd still like to run with you more... Ow."

Putting away the hand she had used to flick her forehead, Yamato Akagi said with amusement,

"Why do you look like we'll never see each other again, Xiao Bei?

"Don't forget, I'll be the administrator of Ritto Dormitory from now on. We'll practically see each other every day.

"Just don't come back late and get caught by me, or I'll treat you as a strange Uma Musume and lock you outside."

When she mentioned "a strange Uma Musume," she seemed to think of something amusing and began giggling.

Covering the forehead that her senior had flicked, Hokubu Genkoma asked curiously,

"Yamato-senpai, what are you laughing about...? I definitely won't come back late."

"I'm not laughing at you."

Rubbing beneath her nose with her index finger, Yamato Akagi looked nostalgic. "It's about your Special Week Senpai."

"Special Week Senpai?"

Hokubu Genkoma grew even more curious. "What happened to Special Week Senpai?"

"When Special Week Senpai first came to Tokyo, she went to Tokyo Racecourse first, didn't she?"

Yamato Akagi smiled.

"That was when she saw Suzuka Senpai's race, and afterward decided to join Suzuka Senpai's team.

"After watching the race, she watched the Winner's Stage as well. When it was almost over, Special Week Senpai suddenly remembered that it was the day she was supposed to report to the academy.

"So she panicked and ran all the way back to the academy from the racecourse.

"Oh, right. She even got off at the wrong station when she arrived, and she ran to the racecourse too."

"All the way..." Hokubu Genkoma exclaimed in surprise. "No wonder she's Special Week Senpai. She's amazing!"

"Well, 'all the way' is just an expression. But Special Week Senpai really did run very fast back then. She even overtook cars the entire way and frightened quite a few drivers."

Yamato Akagi shrugged with amusement.

"Anyway, Special Week Senpai hurried as much as she could, but she still ended up being late. Fuji Senpai almost treated her as a strange Uma Musume and locked her outside."

"S-So that's how it was? Hahaha..." Hokubu Genkoma laughed awkwardly before repeatedly assuring her, "Don't worry, Yamato-senpai. I definitely won't trouble you to open the door for me at night!"

"Sure. Since that's what you say, don't blame me for locking you outside if you come back late."

After saying it jokingly, Yamato Akagi looked toward Yasui Makoto.

Yasui Makoto had been organizing and analyzing data on his tablet the entire time, but he hadn't ignored their conversation.

He found it rather interesting, especially the "Special Week Senpai" they had mentioned.

She was also a top-level Uma Musume. She had won the Japanese Derby, one of the Triple Crown races, and was the second Uma Musume in history to win both the Spring and Autumn Emperor's Prizes. She also held the title of "Number One General of Japan."

From what he remembered, judging from URA's promotional video about Special Week, this Uma Musume seemed quite imposing.

He had never expected to hear such a goofy side of her from the mouth of her friend.

After noticing Yamato Akagi's gaze, Yasui Makoto thought she was reminding him of something and nodded.

"I'll also keep an eye on the training schedule and remind Xiao Bei to return to the dormitory on time."

"I naturally believe that, but..."

Yamato Akagi smiled casually and asked curiously, "There's actually something I wanted to ask. Trainer Yasui, how are you planning to arrange the afternoon training?"

She was genuinely curious.

After training together over the past few days, she had become increasingly aware that Yasui Makoto was no ordinary trainer.

Previously, she had rarely seen that kind of temperament even in a twenty-eight-year-old trainer, let alone an eighteen-year-old one.

Most rookie trainers were timid and cautious, afraid they might teach something incorrectly.

Older trainers were much the same. At most, they wouldn't show their panic in front of an Uma Musume, but the moment they turned around, they would hurriedly run off to ask a senior for help.

Yasui Makoto was different. Compared to his excessively youthful appearance, his training style was remarkably mature and experienced.

It wasn't that he never made oversights. He also made the common mistakes of rookies in many small details.

But he would quickly discover his mistakes, had no qualms about telling Xiao Bei that he had made one, and could find a solution within an extremely short time.

Then there was his specific approach to training.

In Yamato Akagi's experience, the trainers she had met all liked to follow their seniors' teachings, adhere to the contents of textbooks, or rely on experience.

Yasui Makoto was different. He didn't care what method he used.

As long as he determined that it was effective for Hokubu Genkoma, he would use it and make timely adjustments, never clinging to convention.

So, with such an unconventional training style, what other training would he arrange for Xiao Bei besides running alongside her...?

"The afternoon schedule will be the same as yesterday's. But I generally don't arrange training on Friday evenings, so she can get a proper rest."

After explaining it to Yamato Akagi, Yasui Makoto smiled at Hokubu Genkoma.

"Besides, she told me yesterday that she had plans to go sing karaoke with her friends tonight. She wanted to go a little earlier, and I agreed."

"Mhm, mhm! Are you going too, Trainer?" Hearing about the evening plans, Hokubu Genkoma immediately grew excited.

"I'm not going."

Yasui Makoto shook his head and took a folded sheet of paper from his pocket.

"I studied basic music theory while preparing for my exams, and I also wrote some songs in my spare time. You can try singing this when you go to karaoke.

"If it seems suitable, I'll find a way to record it afterward and upload it to your racing account."

"Racing account?" Hokubu Genkoma froze for a moment before taking the paper and opening it. "Huh? Trainer, you can write numbered musical notation?"

"Music was an elective subject in the entrance examination, so I studied a little."

Yasui Makoto nodded, then smiled.

"You're the expert in this area. If anything seems wrong, just tell me directly."

"What do you mean, expert...?"

Hokubu Genkoma laughed shyly and nodded. "Then I'll try humming it first."