"Please help me!"
"...what??? What's going on?"
Saying that the young man was confused is an understatement. He is nothing more than an acquaintance with Gold City, so he hadn't expected her to outright cry on his chest. This is something you should do with someone you are already close to. Someone you know would help you. Someone that you can depend on.
Am I a dependable man in Gold City's eyes? How? Why? What action did I do to improve my image in her mind?
"Sniffle… Sniffle… I try so hard… Sniffle…"
",,,"
The young man's instinct kicks in. He put his hands on her head and back, patting the crying blonde supermodel. He pushes his face against her hair to increase the contact space between them.
"Okay… It's okay… Tell me everything."
The young man wasn't someone who would willingly enter someone else's business without having a clear objective in mind. He wants something if he is going to put in an effort. Something that will help him. Something that will help him progress. Something that would justify the effort he puts into something. So his mind is racking ways for Gold City to repay him if he were ever to get involved in her mess.
"I want to be a runner too… Sniffle… Why…? Sniffle… Why is that so wrong? Sniffle… Sniffle… Kuh!! I'm an Uma Musume too, damn it!! Let me run!! Sniffle… Sniffle…"
"Mmh… Yes, you are right. Everyone is wrong for trying to stop you."
"Kuh! Sniffle… Sniffle… Uuuh… Sniffle…"
"It's okay… Your frustration is justified. There's nothing wrong with your dream. It's your body after all."
"Mmhh… Thank you…"
"It's okay… It's okay… Now, tell me what I can do to help you?"
"...please train me."
"...that… might not be possible. Sorry to break your heart, but you're senior Muyaku's trainee. My training menu might contradict his."
"I want yours. Please give me yours! Just for tonight, please tell me I'm yours even if it's a lie. Please…"
"Gold City…"
"Please…"
"Fuuh… Haaaahhh… Gold City, look at me."
*Ding*
[Uma Siren] activated.
The young man grabs Gold City by her shoulders and separates them. His crimson eyes are the only thing Gold City focuses on as they stare at each other. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a second, before opening them again.
"Aah…"
Gold City swears his eyes are shining. She doesn't know if she is imagining things or if she is just too tired, but the young man's eyes shine. Three things shine brightly in Gold City's eyes tonight: the full moon and the young man's eyes.
So… beautiful…
Gold City, a supermodel many swear to be the most beautiful uma musume in existence, finally understands what it means to be charmed. Model after model, picture after picture, outfit after outfit, Gold City has seen them all, but none was as beautiful as the young man's eyes. They were captivating. Downright majestic. If the 3 Goddesses were here, then their eyes would be the same as his.
"Mmh… Do you have any report of your ability, Gold City?"
"Ah… yes. I have a scan of it on my phone."
Gold City pulls out her phone and shows it to the young man. The young man looks intently at the report on the phone, reading every single measurement on it. Gold City doesn't know why, but it feels naughty when the young man is inserting all of the information about her body into his mind. Her speed, her power, her strength, her breast size, her height, her running posture, her waist size, her weight, her waist size, and more. The information that her fans would be clamoring to know is now being presented freely to the young man.
Sorry, trainer. I'm showing myself to this man. It's not my fault that you can't satisfy me now. If only you were… better…
"I see… Your stats are all over the place."
"You can help me, right?"
"Perhaps. But as much as I want to, I can't exactly overstep my boundary as Minaz's trainer and train you, Gold City."
"What do you want?! I'll give you anything. I understand what I'm asking is outlandish. I understand that you will get in trouble if people know that you've been training me without my trainer's permission, but you're the only one who can fill me. Please! Say your price!"
Gold City grabs the zipper of her clothes. At first, she wasn't sure she wanted to do what she was about to do, but as she went on, she became more desperate. Being looked at with lust is nothing strange to Gold City, but acting upon it isn't. This will be the first time she has ever sold her body.
Am I really doing this? With this man? Selling my body for progress? But… I don't want to feel like this ever again. I don't want to be nothing more than a beautiful face!! I want to be a runner!! That's what I want!! I want it!! I want it!! So if this cursed body, the body that has been giving me nothing but desperation, can be used as a payment, then so be it!!
"Sorry, Gold City. I'm not a kid. You're going to need more than a candy to destroy my reasoning."
"No… Please… I'll give you my money… My body… Anything that you want… Please… Just accept me…"
"I'm not saying that I won't help you. I'm also not saying that I will do more than this. I'm saying that I will need some time to consider my options and rewards. If my rewards don't compare to what kind of trouble I could get into by training you, then I won't do it."
"..."
"You're not stupid. You know politics. You know that people judge others by their looks. The moment I'm going against trainer Muyaku, I would be at a disadvantage right off the bat."
"Use me as a scapegoat. Throw me under the bus. Told them that I was the one who blackmailed you. I'll be your shield. If it's me against him, then I will win."
"..."
The young man bit his lips. It's true about what Gold City said. The moment it's Muyaku versus Gold City, Gold City would win 99% of the time. Muyaku wouldn't dare go against Gold City, the Uma Musume who has given him his current reputation. A fight would destroy Japan's most gorgeous pair, and for someone who hasn't finished baking as a trainer like Muyaku, he couldn't afford that. He would fall into obscurity if he were to train someone other than Gold City.
Gold City is the one who attracts the most attention with her beauty as she races. Reporters would swarm all over her even if she didn't win the race, and they would try to dig up information about her. They would stumble upon her trainer and notice just how handsome he is. That's how it has been this entire time. Unlike the trainees, the trainers rarely get into the spotlight unless your trainee wins.
He is not a bad person. He just suck at being a trainer. Honestly, he and Gold City are more alike than they like to admit. They're both blessed with a perfect face and body, but want to do something else. Sigh… I bet if he is given more time, he could improve Gold City's time. But Gold City's patience has run out.
"I'll watch your training tomorrow and give you my answer. Until then, let's pretend tonight never happened."