"Ah, it's Nearl. Here to see March?" Trainer Shibasaki let out a weary yawn, rubbing his eyes with one hand.
"March is inside, come on in." He stepped aside to let Nearl enter.
"Thank you, Trainer Shibasaki. What did the doctors say about March's condition? Could you tell me?"
After stepping in, Nearl closed the door behind her and followed Shibasaki further into the room.
"The doctors said it's nothing serious, haaaah—" Shibasaki, walking ahead, covered his mouth mid-sentence, but the tired yawn still reached Nearl's ears, making her a little concerned.
"You look exhausted. Have you not rested since last night?"
Noticing the faint dark circles under Shibasaki's eyes, Nearl guessed the trainer probably hadn't slept well these past few days.
"Ah, you noticed? I might not have been resting well lately," Shibasaki Koichi lowered the hand he'd used to cover his mouth and smiled awkwardly.
"Just had a nightmare yesterday, that's all."
"Would you like to talk about it? Sometimes sharing what's on your mind can help lighten the burden." Nearl encouraged him gently. Seeing Shibasaki in such a dazed state made her want to help.
"Besides, if you keep going like this, March will worry too."
At those words, Nearl noticed a shift in Shibasaki's expression.
He stood there for a moment, lost in thought, then finally let out a long sigh. Instead of leading Nearl further inside, he leaned against the wall and pulled out a cigarette from his pocket.
"You're right. If March keeps seeing me with this gloomy face, it won't do her any good. Maybe talking about it will help me feel better."
As he spoke, Shibasaki noticed Nearl's gaze fixed on the cigarette in his hand. Her light, almost golden eyes held a clear disapproval, making him quickly explain.
"Don't look at me like that—I wouldn't smoke around an Uma Musume. It's just a habit. When I'm troubled, I like to hold one in my mouth. Even unlit, the smell is somewhat comforting."
Hearing this, Nearl's expression softened slightly, though she still regarded him with a hint of reproach.
"Smoking isn't a good habit. If you can quit, please try—it'll be better for your health."
"I'll do my best," Shibasaki replied with a wry smile, though inwardly he was still muttering to himself.
'Nearl can be really stern. So authoritative too. When she glared at me just now, my heart actually started racing. She's always smiling normally—who knew she could be this intense?'
Stealing another glance at Nearl, he found nothing but a calm, faint smile on her face. Unconsciously, he put the cigarette away and tilted his head back as he began to speak.
"Last night, I had a nightmare about that training race between March and you."
"So you dreamed about that."
"Yeah. Pretty silly, right? A man nearly thirty years old, losing sleep over a bad dream." Shibasaki's tone was self-mocking.
"But that dream felt so real… and terrifying. I dreamed that March had an accident at the end of that race."
"..." Nearl fell silent, her brow furrowing. She had a feeling she knew where this was going.
Shibasaki noticed her expression and continued bitterly, "You guessed it, didn't you? That final fall—I dreamed you didn't catch her."
"I can still see it clearly: her tumbling across the ground, that long trail of blood, her left foot twisted at an unnatural angle."
As he spoke, Shibasaki's left hand clenched tightly around his right arm.
"It felt so real… so cold. Like the light in an operating room—chilling right through you."
"After rushing her to the hospital, the doctors told me her foot might never fully recover. It's ridiculous—even in the dream, part of me knew it was just a dream."
"I don't remember much after that. Just telling March the news, watching the light fade from her eyes, and how she tried to smile through the pain to comfort me."
"Then came her retirement announcement. I felt frozen all over—and then I woke up."
As he finished recounting the dream, Nearl could sense some of the tension leaving Shibasaki's body.
"That was the whole nightmare. Thank you, Nearl. I do feel a bit better now," he said, sounding relieved.
"Lately, every time I look at March, it overlaps with that dream. I know she's fine, but I just can't shake the feeling. That's probably why I'm so worn out."
Looking at the exhausted man forcing a smile in front of her, Nearl felt a pang of sympathy. She decided he needed proper rest.
Gathering light into her hand, she casually patted Shibasaki's shoulder, subtly channeling that warmth into him.
"Talking about it does help, Trainer Shibasaki. Shall we head inside now?"
"Ah, yes. March has been bored lately—I'm sure she'll be happy to see you."
Shibasaki straightened up, ready to lead Nearl to Fujimasa March's room. But before he could take a step, a strange sensation washed over him.
The weight in his mind and his fear of sleep seemed to vanish all at once. The exhaustion he'd been suppressing surged over him like a tidal wave, overwhelming his will in an instant.
Shibasaki Koichi could barely keep his eyes open. Without even registering where he was, he started to slump toward the floor.
Just before he collapsed, Nearl stepped forward and caught him. Watching his tightly shut eyes, she whispered softly, "Pleasant dreams, Trainer Shibasaki."
Supporting his weight, she slowly made her way into Fujimasa March's hospital room. Rounding a corner, she spotted the light blue hospital bed.
Clearly, Fujimasa March had already noticed the footsteps. Her ruby-red eyes were fixed in their direction, and when she saw Nearl supporting a sleeping Shibasaki, her ears shot straight up in surprise, stiff as rulers.
"Nearl, how did he…?" Fujimasa looked puzzled at the sight of the soundly sleeping trainer. He'd been fine when he went to answer the door just minutes ago.
"Shh, March. Trainer Shibasaki is very tired. Let him sleep."
Hearing Nearl's words, Fujimasa nodded. She shifted over and patted a spot on her bed.
"Lay him here. Thank you, Nearl."
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.