**Chapter 28: Before the Select Sale**
The sun hung low over Nishiken Ranch as Kitano and Kanna Ogawa pulled up in the dusty pickup truck. The afternoon air carried the familiar scent of hay and horses, a comforting reminder of home after the whirlwind of the private sale at Newborn Ranch.
Resistance Queen, the newly acquired filly, would remain at Newborn for now, training for her ability test while Kitano sorted out the paperwork—horse name registration, racehorse registration, and the entry application for the Hokkaido Racehorse Association. The test itself was straightforward: gate practice and a chance to show her racing chops. Still, Kitano couldn't help but feel the weight of it all.
As they stepped out of the truck, Ogawa Take was the first to greet them, his weathered face breaking into a warm grin. "Mr. Kitano! How'd it go?" he asked, his voice carrying the eager curiosity of someone who'd been waiting for news.
Behind him, his son Masaru leaned forward, looking much better than he had a few days ago when a cold had kept him down. His eyes sparkled with interest, though he stayed quiet, letting his father take the lead.
"It's done," Kitano said, offering a small smile. "The deal's sealed, and Kanna was a huge help." He held out a neatly wrapped box of yokan and matcha daifuku, a thank-you gesture he'd picked up on the way back.
Ogawa Take waved a hand dismissively, though his grin widened as he accepted the gift. "No need for all that! Kanna just did what any good neighbor would."
Kanna, however, wasn't about to let her contribution go unnoticed. She shot her brother a smug look. "You owe me one, Masaru."
"For what? Talking a bit?" Masaru scoffed, crossing his arms.
"I went all the way there for you," she teased, tilting her chin up with a playful smirk.
Masaru sighed, shaking his head. "Fine, you win this round."
Kitano chuckled at their sibling banter, then turned to Ogawa Take. "You heading to the Select Sale tomorrow?"
"Yep," Take nodded. "You?"
"I'll be there," Kitano replied, scratching the back of his neck. "But I don't have any specific targets yet."
Truth be told, Kitano hadn't given the auction much thought. He'd gotten the participant list weeks ago, like every other Horse Owner, but hadn't studied it closely. Part of it was his confidence in his own judgment—or maybe stubbornness.
The other part was the Detector, a tool he relied on but could only use on-site. With just over ten million yen to his name, most of which was already earmarked for other expenses, he wasn't exactly swimming in cash. The Select Sale was known for bids soaring into the tens of millions, and Kitano's budget felt like pocket change in comparison.
Ogawa Take gave a knowing nod, not pressing further. Kitano wondered if the older man assumed he was keeping his targets close to the chest.
In the past, Horse Owners and producers like the Ogawas had tight-knit relationships, with Trainers bridging the gap. But auctions had changed all that, turning the process into a free-for-all where anyone with enough yen could snag a horse with top-tier bloodlines. Announcing your picks beforehand was asking for trouble—someone might swoop in and drive up the price.
Masaru, oblivious to the unspoken tension, piped up. "There's over five hundred yearlings and two-year-olds this year, Brother Kitano. Plenty to choose from!"
Ogawa Take's eye twitched, and Kitano could almost see him resisting the urge to whack his son with his cane. "Excluding the first and last ones, they're all fair game," Kitano said with a laugh, trying to ease the moment.
Everyone knew the opening and closing horses were the stars of the auction—elite bloodlines and flawless builds that came with price tags far beyond his reach. "I'm not sure I've got the skills to pick a winner out of the rest, though."
He didn't say it out loud, but the Detector gave him an edge. It wasn't much, but it was something. For now, he'd leave the heavy lifting to his future self and hope for the best.
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The next morning, Kitano was up before dawn, the cool air nipping at his skin as he climbed into his pickup and headed for the Hidaka Light Breed Horse Cooperative Business Division in Shizunai Asahi Town. Locals called it the "Hokkaido Market," a ten-minute drive from Nishiken Ranch.
Most out-of-town Horse Owners arrived a day early, soaking up New Crown Town's charm and saving their energy for the auction. Kitano, half-local and all pragmatist, saw no need for the fanfare. He parked his truck like he was heading to a livestock market and strode into the venue with the casual air of a rancher on errands.
Along the way, he exchanged quick hellos with familiar faces from the Veterinary Association. Under the Monbetsu Ranch tent, he spotted Branch Manager Arakawa, decked out in full veterinary gear despite the rising heat.
"Morning, Arakawa-san," Kitano called.
Arakawa looked up, his face breaking into a grin. "Kitano! Here as a Horse Owner today, eh? Hope you snag a Derby winner."
"Thanks for the sentiment," Kitano said with a laugh. "You're working hard out here."
He wandered for a bit, taking in the buzz of the market. When the announcer's gentle voice crackled over the speakers, he grabbed his auction catalog and started flipping through it, mimicking the other Horse Owners. "First one, sire Northern Basalt," he muttered, turning the page.
"Next. Sire Orfevre, dam sire King Kamehameha. Next."
"Sire Gold Ship. Next."
His fingers moved faster with each page. It wasn't that he had anything against these legendary sires—he just couldn't afford their offspring. The catalog felt like a menu where everything was out of his price range.
The announcer shifted to listing absent horses, and Kitano dutifully marked them in his catalog, noting with grim amusement that they, too, were probably unaffordable.
Then came a lengthy recap of last year's Select Sale success stories. Kitano tried to look attentive for about two minutes before giving in and pulling out his phone. A quick glance around showed he wasn't alone—half the crowd was scrolling through their screens, the pretense of focus abandoned.
His Twitter was flooded with private messages, mostly veterinary questions from local ranchers. He started typing replies, grateful for the distraction.
"Mr. Kitano?"
He looked up to see the Ogawa family—Take, Kanna, and Masaru—dressed in crisp formal attire, a stark contrast to his own worn jacket and jeans. Take gestured toward the venue's main aisle. "Care to head in with us?"
"Sure thing," Kitano said, pocketing his phone. He hesitated for a moment, noticing they were using the Horse Owners' entrance rather than the producers' aisle. Sensing his confusion, Masaru leaned in. "Our ranch plays both sides—Horse Owner and producer. We're here to bid today, too."
Take chuckled, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Who knows, Kitano? We might end up as rivals out there."
Kitano grinned, feeling the familiar thrill of the auction creeping in. The Select Sale was a gamble, and his budget was tight, but with the Detector in his pocket and a bit of luck, maybe—just maybe—he'd find a diamond in the rough. As they walked into the venue, the hum of anticipation grew louder, and Kitano couldn't help but wonder what the day would bring.
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