Almond Eye hadn't expected that running 2000 meters would take so much more out of her than sprint races. After crossing the finish line and hearing she'd won, everything else had passed in a daze.
When her awareness finally cleared, she looked around in confusion, realizing she was lying in bed, staring up at a stark white ceiling.
This is… the school infirmary?
Just as she recognized her surroundings, an anxious, nearly frantic voice rang out beside her.
"Almond-chan! H-How are you feeling…? Are your legs hurting badly? You must tell me if they are…"
Instantly recognizing Kitasan Black's voice, Almond Eye paused, then turned eagerly towards her senpai.
"Kitasan-senpai… I... I won, didn't I?" Her voice was calm, but she genuinely wasn't sure if she'd imagined winning earlier.
"Yes! You did! I watched the whole thing—you won beautifully! Even I couldn't manage that kind of finishing sprint!" Kitasan Black gushed excitedly from beside the bed, before quickly turning worried eyes toward Almond Eye's feet.
"But… Almond-chan, how are you feeling now…?"
How am I feeling? My legs…?
Prompted by Kitasan Black's question, Almond Eye followed her senpai's gaze downward, noticing for the first time that her racing shoes and socks had been removed.
Her pale, delicate feet were exposed to the air, and as she tested them, her toes flexed gently without any discomfort.
They seem fine...? Eh?
Just as she was about to reassure her senpai, she spotted several adhesive bandages stuck to the insides of her feet.
She leaned forward to touch one, and a slight sting of pain traveled up her ankle. Confused, she looked questioningly toward Kitasan Black.
As Almond Eye was about to speak, she caught sight of someone standing a short distance behind Kitasan—someone she recognized instantly from news articles she'd read. It was none other than Yasui Makoto, Kitasan Black's trainer, quietly discussing something with the infirmary's doctor.
"…My legs feel fine. Really," Almond Eye reassured, her eyes carefully studying Yasui from the corner of her vision.
Afraid Kitasan-senpai might doubt her, she quickly sat upright and lifted her leg smoothly above her head, demonstrating flexibility without strain.
"See? No pain. But… how did I get hurt?" Almond Eye asked, genuinely puzzled. She couldn't remember anything during the race that might have injured her feet.
"Oh, that…" Kitasan Black rubbed her head, glancing briefly toward her trainer before answering thoughtfully. "According to Trainer, it's because your flexibility is too good, and your pace too fast, but you haven't yet perfected your stride."
"In other words… you accidentally kicked your own feet," she finished matter-of-factly.
Almond Eye stared blankly. This was her first time hearing such a bizarre explanation.
Before she could inquire further, Kitasan Black turned around and waved energetically toward Yasui.
"Trainer! Almond-chan seems fully awake now—could you come explain it to her yourself?"
Almond Eye immediately perked up.
She'd wanted to meet Yasui Makoto since she'd learned he'd coached Kitasan-senpai through expanding her racing range beyond expectations. With such experience, he surely understood ambitions like hers, and she was eager to hear what suggestions he might offer.
And of course, she was also genuinely curious about this "kicking her own feet" phenomenon.
Seeing Yasui smile and nod in response to Kitasan Black, Almond Eye watched intently as he exchanged a few last words with the doctor before approaching her bedside.
"Nice to meet you, Almond Eye-san. My name's Yasui Makoto—I'm Kitasan Black's assigned trainer. I hope we'll get along well," he introduced himself warmly.
Almond Eye considered briefly, deciding not to leave the bed. She gave a polite nod from her sitting position.
"It's nice to meet you as well, Trainer Yasui."
She then pointed to the bandages on her ankles. "Can you please explain what exactly happened here…?"
After exchanging greetings, Yasui studied her bandaged feet carefully, his eyes showing a hint of admiration.
"Well, Kitasan basically explained it right. Your flexibility is outstanding, giving you a longer stride than most others. Your speed and explosiveness are also exceptional."
"Because of that, without sufficient practice managing your stride and rhythm, your back foot can sometimes overtake your front foot during sustained sprints."
As he spoke, Yasui used his hands to simulate Almond Eye's running motion.
"It happens like this: before your front foot fully lifts, your back foot is already thrusting forward. With both feet briefly airborne, your legs and balance become difficult to control—"
He demonstrated further, bringing his hands together with a sharp clap.
"—and they collide just like this. In your case, your feet rubbed against each other, causing minor abrasions."
"It's a very rare problem, since few people have your combination of flexibility, stride length, and burst of speed. But don't worry—once you enter honkaku-ka and formally begin specialized training, it can be resolved easily."
Realization flickered across Almond Eye's eyes, quickly replaced by eager anticipation.
"I see… Thank you, Trainer Yasui. Then, from your perspective, could I run mid-distance—or even long-distance races—like Kitasan-senpai does?"
Yasui Makoto's heart skipped a beat.
When he'd heard from Kitasan Black that Almond Eye had encountered a problem at the finish line, he'd immediately rushed over. Learning the issue was minor, due mainly to insufficient training, had relieved him greatly. Curious about how Kitasan had connected with a future "queen" of racing, he'd quickly asked for some background details.
He hadn't expected that in this world, Almond Eye's family had strictly restricted her to short-distance races.
From his memories of another timeline, Almond Eye's sire was indeed Lord Kanaloa, famously known as the Dragon King of sprinting. But her pedigree also prominently featured horses like King Kamehameha and Sunday Silence, bloodlines not limited to sprinting alone.
Considering these differences, Yasui quickly accepted the discrepancy—it was natural enough, given two separate worlds.
"Long-distance… I'm not entirely sure, honestly. But middle-distance races—absolutely."
He recalled Almond Eye's sole attempt at a longer distance, the Arima Kinen, where she had finished disappointingly, and continued thoughtfully:
"Although today's race level wasn't very high, I could clearly see your explosive speed, endurance, and flexibility are all excellent. Most importantly, you possess an unmistakable talent for a powerful late kick."
"These are precisely the attributes middle-distance races demand. With sufficient training, you'll definitely shine in mid-distance events. Even long-distance races aren't entirely impossible."
Listening intently, Almond Eye's heart thumped wildly in her chest, though she carefully controlled her excitement.
"Thank you again, Trainer Yasui… In that case…" She paused, making firm eye contact. "If—I mean, hypothetically speaking—if there's an opportunity, would you be willing to train me?"
This question caught Yasui Makoto by surprise.
He wasn't aware Almond Eye viewed him as a genuine genius, nor did he know the depths of her ambitions for the future.
But his answer came without hesitation:
"Of course. That is… if you'd have me."