Hakodate Racecourse, located in Hakodate, Hokkaido, is the oldest existing racecourse under the Japan URA. It began hosting horse girl races over a century ago.
After a direct flight from Tokyo to Hakodate Airport followed by a ten-minute train ride, Kitahara's group stood before the entrance of the Hakodate Racecourse. While not as grand as the Tokyo or Nakayama Racecourses, it was still a centrally-managed facility with all the necessary infrastructure.
"Whoa!! So this is a racecourse... it's huge! Must've cost a lot of money, right? And they have to maintain the turf even when there are no races... so much money." Holding their Tracen Academy IDs, the group entered the grounds unimpeded. The moment they were inside, Hakki was captivated by the main attraction—the track.
Oguri Cap, having seen plenty of racecourses, was unfazed. Zennin Gloria, not being a racer and specializing in logistics, had no specific standards for judging a track. And Kitahara, as a trainer who dealt with tracks almost daily, was long tired of them.
So, the youngest of the group, Hakki, immediately broke away from the main party, ran to the railing, and propped herself up. "Woohoo! So this is what a racecourse looks like! The track is so big, and the stands are huge! Kitahara, Kitahara! Will there be a lot of good food for sale on race day?"
"Of course. See that green plaza over there? On race days, it's filled with food stalls, all delicious and affordable. For some G1 races, a 'Golden Gourmet Stall' might even randomly appear, and it's incredibly popular," Kitahara explained, holding a clipboard and noting that Hakki didn't seem to show any signs of travel-related stress.
This horse girl Hakki was truly strange in some ways. It was almost a given that horse girls would experience a short period of rejection after long-distance travel to a new racecourse, but there was no trace of it on her. In fact, her first reaction upon arriving wasn't a desire to run on the track, but whether there would be food for sale on race day...
It seems Hakki's heart is even bigger than I imagined, Kitahara concluded. Due to different family backgrounds and personal experiences, horse girls' personalities were just as varied. There were always seniors who acted like children even in the upper divisions, or juniors in the lower divisions who were exceptionally mature and steady. Horse girls were just that mysterious.
"Groooowl—!"
A thunderous sound froze everyone in place. Oguri Cap looked down, pressing a hand against her flat stomach under her uniform. She then looked up, her eyes shining. "Kitahara, I'm hungry! Let's go eat!"
Hakki knew that a hungry stomach would growl, but this was the first time she had ever heard one so loud... It seemed Oguri Cap was truly hungry.
Kitahara glanced at her watch, thought for a moment, and then waved her hand magnanimously. "Alright! Today, we're going to an all-you-can-eat buffet! We'll eat until we're full!" This decision took a lot of courage, as Kitahara was well aware of the appetite of the two ash-haired girls in her team. But this was Hakki's first time leaving Central Tracen, arriving at the very track where her racing life would begin. How could they not celebrate properly! At worst, she'd just use the salary she had saved up over the years at Central!
Oguri Cap's beautiful eyes widened slightly, and she licked her lips. At this moment, she felt as if she were facing a formidable enemy. How long had it been since someone had invited her to something of the caliber of an all-you-can-eat buffet...! She felt the need to prove her strength as an ash-haired ghoul!
The two ash-haired girls took off like a flash, leaving the racecourse behind. However, they didn't seem to realize that even if they ran out, they'd still have to wait at the station for Kitahara to arrive before they could go to the buffet.
"Sigh, the moment you mention food, those two get fired up... If only Hakki had this kind of drive on the track," Kitahara said, half-amused, half-exasperated. The swish of her tail behind her indicated she wasn't in a bad mood. After all, this was the first time, in the truest sense, that she, Kitahara Jones, was participating in a Central Shining Debut Race with her very first Central horse girl! It would be a lie to say she wasn't excited.
"So... is the trainer really taking those two to a buffet restaurant...? Be careful not to get blacklisted by the owner..." Zennin Gloria carried only a small crossbody bag, but it contained essential portable repair tools, just in case a horseshoe came off on the track, causing a long delay. After all, sometimes, Zennin Gloria didn't quite trust the skills of the racecourse's logistics staff. The longer the delay, the more disadvantageous it was for a horse girl, making them more prone to anxiety.
Kitahara nodded confidently, then took out a bank card from her jacket pocket with an air of invincibility. "My confidence comes from my savings from the past few years. Sometimes, it's worth it to splurge a little on the horse girls in your team. After all, a horse girl and her trainer... it's a mutually beneficial partnership."
"I... see..."
"Mmm! This is delicious... this is delicious too. Oguri, leave some grilled meat for me...!"
"CuckooBird, you don't need to eat that much...! You need to adjust your weight! Eating so much before a race can lead to accidents! So let me finish all this grilled meat!"
"Nonsense! I need to gain weight! Let me eat! Leave a bite for me!"
The four sat facing each other in pairs. Kitahara and Zennin Gloria looked at each other, both reading the same thought in the other's eyes: It seems we still underestimated the appetite of these two ash-haired girls...
Hakki and Oguri Cap sat opposite each other, with tall stacks of plates in front of them. From time to time, a waiter from the buffet would clear the plates away, but a new stack would quickly accumulate. The two of them were like a whirlwind. In the time it took Kitahara and Zennin Gloria to blink, a full plate of sashimi had disappeared into Hakki's stomach.
Kitahara and Zennin Gloria didn't have large appetites and were full early on. So the two of them just watched as the other two teleported between their seats and the food station. Fortunately, Kitahara had the foresight to give her bank card to the owner when they entered, so the final bill could be charged directly. After all, Oguri Cap was already on the blacklist of many buffet restaurants in various cities. It was already a rare opportunity to let her eat her fill like this.
"Phew! I'm full!" *2
Both of them put down their utensils at the same time and let out a satisfied sigh. As Hakki was enjoying her meal, she seemed to think of something... which was...
This was probably the last comfortable meal she would have before the race, right...?
Why does that sound like a final meal before an execution? Hakki mentally gave herself two big slaps.
"Good that you're full. Then get a good rest tonight. The debut race is in less than a week. Adjust yourself well, Hakki! Especially don't stay up all night. If I find out, I'll confiscate your phone and laptop for this week!"
"I know!!" Like hell I do! With my skills in hiding phones from my high school dorm days, do you think a young'un like you who's never been through the wringer can possibly imagine it!
She just never thought her first all-you-can-eat buffet experience in two lifetimes would end just like that. She had originally planned to perform some grand, mysterious ritual and take pictures to show off to her loser fan group... What a pity!
Next time!
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