Chloris came quickly and left just as fast. Ms. Hayakawa took a deep breath to calm herself, then said with a hint of apology:
"I'm sorry, Asama-kun, it seems I've caused you trouble..."
Perhaps due to the stimulation, Ms. Hayakawa rarely showed such a flustered appearance.
However, Kazuo understood. He shook his head and said, "Haha... It's nothing, I was just a little startled. How should I put it, she's truly a unique person..."
She felt like someone who was completely unrestrained by rules, an extreme individualist.
Ms. Hayakawa sighed and said, "She was Ms. Tojo's university classmate, but I heard from Ahua that their relationship has been very antagonistic since then. It seems Chloris was always at odds with her. But involving Asama-kun is indeed my fault, I'm truly sorry..."
"No, no, no... Ms. Hayakawa didn't do anything wrong. Besides, she seemed to just be in a playful mood, right? How could a young lady like her be interested in a commoner like me? She's probably just saying it for fun and will forget about it soon, right?"
Kazuo seemed more optimistic, while Ms. Hayakawa hesitated slightly before nodding and saying, "I hope so..."
However, neither of them wanted to dwell on such a topic for too long. Ms. Hayakawa cleared her throat and then said, "In any case, let's not linger here. Shall we go inside the venue first? Asama-kun, it's your first time here, and there are many things worth introducing to you!"
"Is that so?" Kazuo also smiled, "Then I'll gladly accept."
Taking the tickets Ms. Hayakawa handed him, the two easily entered through the main gate.
Crossing the bridge, Kazuo followed Ms. Hayakawa to the front of the main hall of the venue.
From here, one could see the entire hall: a massive, multi-story circular building that enveloped the large racetrack within. Outside the gate, there were many display boards and posters, and even mascot-like dolls distributing flyers and small gifts.
Standing at the main entrance, the two could already hear the boisterous shouts from within the venue and the race commentary echoing overhead. Lively, festive, intense, and grand in scale—this was Kazuo's first impression of Fuchu Racecourse, also known as Tokyo Racecourse, Japan's largest venue.
It was clear that a race was still in progress, as announcements from the loudspeakers seemed to be reporting the results after the finish line.
"Today there are two races in total: one is the OP-level Seiryu Stakes, and the other is the G1 NHK Mile Cup Invitational we're watching."
"By the way, does OP race refer to an open exhibition race?"
"There are actually more detailed classifications, but it's not wrong to say it that way in common terms."
"Mmm..."
.
Upon entering the hall, Kazuo realized that the indoor scale was much larger than it appeared from the outside.
The first floor was entirely filled with shops displaying various merchandise, from posters and fans to cheering sticks and various specialty foods. Besides these, there were also bookstores specifically selling Horse Racing-related newspapers and magazines.
"Is this your first time at a Racecourse, Asama-kun?"
Seeing Asama-kun's curious expression, she couldn't help but ask with a smile.
"Mmm... I watched a race with my father once in Osaka, and it seemed to be just a local open training race... But that was fifteen years ago, before I was three, so I don't really remember it..."
That was fifteen years ago. At that time, he watched the race sitting on his father's shoulders.
"Is that so? Then let me introduce you to Tokyo Racecourse, Asama-kun."
"The entire Tokyo Racecourse has six floors, plus the underground shops, making a total of seven floors. The entire hall is also divided into three areas: the race spectator area, the event exhibition hall, and the six floors of rest and entertainment areas."
Ms. Hayakawa said, pointing to the electronic display next to her, "The Racecourse area is actually divided into three zones: what we call the Racecourse itself, the stand for spectators, and the Paddock."
"Paddock?"
Kazuo was very interested in this term. Seeing his expression, Ms. Hayakawa smiled and said, "That's right, Asama-kun, you've probably seen athletes on TV standing on a platform showcasing themselves while commentators introduce them, haven't you? Before the race, there's a procedure like this, allowing people watching the race to observe the participating athletes up close from a platform outside the exhibition area."
"And this is also to adjust the athletes' mindset before the race."
"I see..."
"Later, we can also go to the Paddock to cheer for Maruzensky!"
Ms. Hayakawa seemed extremely excited.
She led Kazuo into the venue.
"The spectator stands in the venue are divided into four grades: S, A, B, and C. These designated seats in the main Racecourse area require advance reservation, and for major G1 races, you even need to enter a lottery to get a chance. The cost for these designated seats is relatively high, but the view, angle, and viewing position are all optimal choices."
"Like reserved seats versus unreserved seats on the Shinkansen?"
"It's something like that, I suppose? Generally speaking, the fees charged by the Racecourse are quite affordable. The admission ticket to the venue is only 200 yen. People who don't get designated seats also watch the race from the observation decks outside the Racecourse. For Horse Racing, such an atmosphere is necessary."
Kazuo could imagine the scene of tens of thousands of people cheering and shouting, which is the most longed-for sight for athletes.
And from the perspective of Horse Racing fans and supporters, nothing is more meaningful than coming to the venue to cheer for their favorite athlete.
"Indeed... I really like that atmosphere..."
If the athletes on the Racecourse are part of the race, then the fans and race enthusiasts are another part that constitutes this Horse Racing culture.
Watching a race on TV is completely incomparable to the excitement and thrill of watching live sports at the venue.
Just being in the stands, the shouts of passionate fans are enough to infect everyone, enough to stir up everyone's emotions. And a thrilling race can further ignite the audience's interest.
Thinking this, Kazuo became even more interested in the upcoming race.
This was his first time watching a race live since he could remember, especially a G1 Central event.
P.S.:
First update today, two more to go. Also, asking for votes and blades. With finals approaching, updates might be a bit slower, but I'll try to maintain a pace of two to four updates daily.
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