"I didn't expect Daijin-chan to be so good at cooking!"
"Well... I often cook for myself at home, so I'm already used to it. It's no big deal, don't look at me like that..."
Although Aoi said the two rarely had time to cook, the kitchen equipment and seasonings were all fully stocked.
The two were busy cooking curry in the kitchen on the second floor. At this moment, both of them, wearing aprons and holding ladles and knives, looked like adorable chefs from a poster shoot.
Both Daijin and Xiao Hai Wan possessed culinary skills that earned high praise.
And to treat Kazuo, the two were now fully dedicated to preparing tonight's curry dish.
"Daijin-chan, can you take charge of simmering? Hmm... we need to prepare both spicy and sweet curries. I'll handle the ingredient preparation."
"Okay, Xiao Hai Wan, please pass me the salt––"
"Coming~~"
It must be said that, in her heart, Daijin now regarded Xiao Hai Wan as a true friend.
They say naturalness overcomes tsundere.
But it also has to be said that only a girl with such tolerance as Xiao Hai Wan could have such compatibility with Daijin.
"Speaking of which––Daijin-chan."
Xiao Hai Wan hummed a song as she washed vegetables and asked,
"When are you planning to choose your Trainer?"
Daijin, who was boiling curry blocks, stiffened at Xiao Hai Wan's question.
She looked very surprised, her eyes darting away... "Wh-why do you ask?"
"Because Daijin-chan still hasn't chosen her Trainer, right? After returning from the break, you should, by rights, be preparing for your debut race in August, starting in June."
Logically speaking, before this, Daijin had to choose her Trainer and form a contract.
"...No, there aren't any good choices yet..."
Daijin shook her head in a bit of a panic, her voice lacking conviction as she denied it.
Xiao Hai Wan put a hand to her lips, looking a little confused.
"But after the last race, there were so many amazing Trainers who wanted to contract with you? Was there really no one suitable among them?"
At the mention of this, Daijin's expression also darkened slightly.
"These guys... they were all denying me before, and just because I won one race, they're turning around and coming back to me... I don't even want to bother with people like that."
One must know that among the group of people currently surrounding Daijin, it's possible that some of them even voted in favor of forcing Daijin to withdraw back then.
At least at this stage, Daijin didn't want to consider the matter of a Trainer at all.
Compared to her, her roommate beside her had already decided on her candidate a long time ago... Thinking this, Daijin couldn't help but sneak a glance at Xiao Hai Wan next to her.
"Mm... that would indeed make one uncomfortable..."
After all, Xiao Hai Wan was Daijin's roommate, so she understood Daijin's situation perfectly.
One must know that Daijin was almost pushed to a dead end. If it weren't for Kazuo's mediation, she might not even be pursuing her Horse Racing dream in Tokyo right now.
Additionally, she had also silently supported Kazuo by his side back then, so she saw things even more clearly.
In fact, at least in Xiao Hai Wan's opinion, Daijin actually had a better choice right in front of her—
"Oh, right, Daijin, have you considered... choosing Asama-kun as your Trainer?"
"Ugh, cough cough... What are you suddenly talking about!?"
Daijin was startled by the sudden suggestion. Her face slightly red, she quickly waved her hands, vehemently denying it.
"How could I possibly choose him? That's obviously impossible!?"
"But... I think Asama-kun is very suitable for Daijin-chan? Wasn't he the one who was always trying to help Daijin-chan avoid expulsion before? At least Asama-kun never denied Daijin-chan from the very beginning, did he?"
Daijin knew all these things. Just as Xiao Hai Wan said, although the final on-site race relied on her own awakening and breakthrough to unleash her hidden abilities... if it weren't for Kazuo's secret help and support, she wouldn't have been able to persevere until then.
She said no, but her heart was actually very honest.
She rejected a group of people, but in reality, the ideal candidate in Daijin's heart has always been just one person.
It was precisely that one person who held such a high position in her heart, so much so that no one else could even enter her sight.
No matter their qualifications, any Trainer who appeared before Daijin couldn't help but be compared to Kazuo by her.
The result was also obvious; she still hadn't found her Trainer to this day.
It wasn't that she hadn't considered that possibility, but her wavering self found it truly difficult to take that step.
Moreover, she still hadn't figured out what kind of feelings she truly held for Kazuo in her heart... Perhaps in her subconscious, she was also waiting for something to happen... "Mm... I really hope Daijin-chan and I can be on the same team~ Daijin-chan, are you really not going to consider Kazuo?"
Xiao Hai Wan also deeply approved of their compatibility. From the perspective of a Trainer and a participant alone, Daijin actually had extremely high compatibility with Kazuo, and only Kazuo could guide Daijin better.
At least in Xiao Hai Wan's understanding, the only person who had ever been able to persuade Daijin was Kazuo.
"Consider...! But isn't he your Trainer, Xiao Hai Wan!?"
Daijin couldn't hide her surprise, shocked by Xiao Hai Wan's suggestion.
But Xiao Hai Wan just gently shook her head and said as a matter of course, "Isn't it normal for a Trainer to have multiple team members? After all, we need to form a team, and I really hope to be on the same team as Daijin-chan~!"
"Guh wuwu..."
At that moment, Daijin did get a tiny bit sidetracked, but Xiao Hai Wan's suggestion indeed made her heart flutter for a moment.
But before she could speak, a head popped out from behind Daijin and said:
"Ah, I smelled spicy curry from afar! It smells so good~ Did Daijin make this!? It looks delicious!"
Kazuo just happened to appear beside her, but having just finished a phone call in the hallway, he clearly hadn't heard their previous conversation, nor did he know that Daijin was currently in an extremely precarious state.
"Kyaaahhhh!!!"
Daijin let out a rare and adorable shriek, but in the next second, Kazuo was directly sent flying by her palm, crashing into the cupboard.
Unable to hide her embarrassment, Daijin immediately turned and ran out of the kitchen, while Kazuo shakily stood up, supporting himself on the table, and asked uncertainly:
"Did I... make her angry again?"
Xiao Hai Wan touched her cheek, tilted her head, and gave a slightly troubled smile, saying, "Hmm... how should I put it? It feels even more delicate? An inexplicable maiden's heart?"
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