Based on the arrangements for Super Creek and Kyoko Miyamura, Kitahara also applied for a double dorm room for Tamamo Cross and Komiyama.
His introduction was similar to last time.
"If you going to be Tamamo's temporary trainer, then it'll be better for her to stay nearby to take care of Tamamo."
Unlike Kitahara, Komiyama wasn't from a local trainer background — she had graduated with a postgraduate degree in Uma Musume Sports Science, a top student.
Since childhood, she had been around the old man, Mino— Tamamo's current official trainer — and under his influence, she had been exposed to a lot of training knowledge about Uma Musume, met quite a few trainers and related personnel, including Musaka Ginjirou.
She had followed Mino many times to lectures in the Central region where Rokuhei Ginjirou spoke, so she could be considered his student.
Currently, like Kitahara, she had just taken this year's Central written exam two months ago, and was preparing for the second round — the physical health assessment — meaning the two of them were effectively in the same class.
So, in a sense, she really was Kitahara's junior.
As for the "temporary trainer" title, that was because Mino was nearing retirement, and he had agreed that once she passed the Central exam, Tamamo Cross would be entrusted to her care.
This made Kitahara feel a little regretful — he had originally hoped to gather his own "Starving Squad," or perhaps the "Eternal Big Three"… no, actually, the "Eternal Big Four."
But he quickly set that regret aside; right now, what mattered most was Tamamo's psychological issue.
"Oguri Cap and Belno Light's dorm is the fourth from the end of this hallway, Super Creek and Kyoko are diagonally across from you, and I'm in the trainers' dorm opposite, first room on the first floor. If anything comes up, just go to them or contact me."
After briefly arranging things, considering Tamamo and Komiyama had probably gotten tired from the trip to Kasamatsu, Kitahara decided to let them rest well.
"Alright then, you two should sleep early tonight. Tomorrow morning…"
"Tamamo! Come with me to eat board noodles! I'll take you now!"
An excited shout accompanied by rapid footsteps — from the other end of the hallway came an overjoyed Oguri Cap, charging toward them.
Following closely behind her were Super Creek and Belno light, both smiling, clearly looking forward to seeing Tamamo.
Looking even further down the hallway, Miyamura Kyoko appeared out of breath, running while waving her hand.
"Haa… haa… y-you three… wait for me… I-I… I can't run that fast…"
Kitahara was a bit surprised. He had only told Oguri and the others that he himself would be picking up Tamamo and Komiyama, and that after picking them up, they'd have a meal and come back to arrange things — he hadn't gone back to call Oguri and the others.
So how did they know we were here…
Just as he was wondering, Kitahara suddenly saw Tamamo Cross bouncing out of the dorm room.
She was waving her phone in her hand.
"Hahaha, surprised, Oguri? Lord Tamamo is here again!"
Ah. So they had contacted each other.
Seeing Tamamo, who had been listless all the way to the academy, now looking lively again, Kitahara thought for a moment and decided it might be good for her to hang out with her friends for a bit. He turned to Komiyama, ready to adjust the plan.
Just in time, Komiyama also came out of the dorm.
"Senpai, if Tamamo is this happy, let her hang out with Oguri and the others for a while."
Her naturally smiling face now carried a serious look in her crescent-shaped eyes.
"We old folks can take the chance to talk about our business."
Speaking with a deliberate old-fashioned tone, she pointed at Kitahara, then at the staggering, stumbling Miyamura Kyoko who had just arrived.
Kitahara understood what Komiyama meant and nodded.
"That's what I was thinking too. Since there's no rush to rest, let's go to my office and discuss the training and treatment plan going forward."
"Oh, right — let me introduce you."
He gestured toward Miyamura Kyoko.
"This is…"
"I know already. Hello, Kyoko-senpai, I'm Komiyama, Tamamo Cross's temporary trainer. Nice to meet you, please take care of me."
As she introduced herself, Komiyama went over and casually slung an arm over Kyoko's shoulder, smiling broadly.
"Kyoko-senpai, you're too much! How could you lose your head and try to chase after Uma Musume?"
"Haa… haa… huh? N-nice to meet you, I'm Miyamura Kyoko…"
Catching her breath as she greeted, Miyamura Kyoko gave a wry smile and shook her head.
"I-I don't even know what happened… when I saw them suddenly get so excited and run this way, I just… ran after them without thinking…"
… Truly a level of scatterbrained beyond medicine — she just went running after Horse Girls without a second thought…
You're that athletic, why not run the Arima Kinen — no, wait — why not run the "No-Uma Kinen"?
Amused internally, Kitahara said:
"Take a short break, Kyoko. Then come with us to the office to talk."
A short while later, in Kitahara's office.
While rummaging through a small insulated cabinet by the desk, Kitahara casually asked the two women sitting nearby, Kyoko Miyamura and Komiyama:
"Kyoko, would you like some alkaline vegetable juice or hot milk? How about you, Komiyama?"
"Alkaline vegetable juice?"
"I'll just have some hot milk."
Kyoko tilted her head in puzzlement; Komiyama casually laughed in reply.
"Here."
Handing each of them a bottle — vegetable juice for Kyoko, hot milk for Komiyama — Kitahara explained:
"I made the vegetable juice myself. To prepare for the second round of the Central exam — the physical test — I also have to train every day."
"Intense exercise raises body temperature and can cause significant sweating, which leads to lactic acid buildup, potentially triggering electrolyte imbalances, fatigue, decreased athletic performance, and other symptoms."
"Drinking some alkaline beverages helps the body recover. Vegetable juice and milk work on the same principle."
"Ohhh, I see. There is such a concept in medicine… Thank you, Mr. Kitahara."
Kyoko gratefully nodded after accepting the vegetable juice, while Komiyama tested the temperature of the milk and then drank it down in one go.
"Ahhh— very good-quality milk. Seems like Senpai enjoys a bit of luxury in daily life."
Kitahara gave a light chuckle but didn't say much more. He poured himself a glass of plain water, took a sip to moisten his throat, and went straight to the matter of Tamamo Cross.
"Kyoko, you're not fully caught up yet, so let me first explain Komiyama and Tamamo's situation…"
After briefly describing the PTSD, Rokuhei Ginjirou's instructions, and his current plan, he continued:
"Uncle Musaka's intention is clear — he hopes that while we train Oguri Cap and Super Creek, we can also arrange for them to cooperate with Tamamo's treatment."
"Tamamo is an exceptionally strong Uma Musume. If not for her psychological problem, there are few who could beat her right now. But psychological problems require a course of treatment, which means the cooperating Uma Musume need to have relatively free schedules."
"Oguri Cap and Super Creek have that potential, and each has quite some time before their next races — it's the perfect window to work in the treatment."
"The ideal approach would clearly be joint running training or simulated races."
"However, since Oguri Cap is currently doing weighted training, and Super Creek is in rehabilitation training, directly running together or simulating races might be a bit inconvenient."
"So how to balance these conflicts — I'd like to hear both of your opinions."
(End of this chapter)