"I was just here to cheer and support T.M. Opera O in the Kikuka Sho..."
"So... HOW IN THE WORLD DID THINGS ESCALATE TO THIS POINT???!!!!"
Turning back time a bit, after Wada agreed to follow Hidehito Nase, they didn't return to Tracen Academy, nor did they go to anywhere Wada had expected.
Instead, Wada was currently half-naked, with only his bottom half being covered by a bath towel, sitting alone in a steaming hot spring at a famous hot spring resort in Kyoto.
For some reason, Hidehito Nase also didn't allow anyone else to join Wada; whether it was his two in charge Uma Musume or the other two Trainers, none of them were invited.
Thus, there were only three people occupying the hot spring resort this evening: Wada, Hidehito Nase, and Fumino Nase, who was now probably just a wall away from Wada.
Wada didn't understand just what was going on inside Hidehito's head. If he had treated him with suspicion or aggression, Wada would have found it perfectly reasonable.
After all, it would be completely normal for a father to be angry when a stranger like him was acting all chummy-chummy with his daughter.
But what confused Wada was that Hidehito Nase not only helped him at crucial moments—which could be attributed to him separating personal and professional matters—but now, also inviting him to a luxurious place like this hot spring resort to rest.
Wada simply couldn't comprehend it.
What exactly was Hidehito's goal here? Was this an act of goodwill or malice?
Wada's head started to hurt as he pondered this, he only felt that the development of the situation was spiraling completely out of his control.
Splash.
Just as Wada was rubbing his forehead, the wooden door beside him made a sound.
Soon, as Wada looked over, he saw that Hidehito Nase, wrapped in a bath towel, had already entered the hot spring.
"Oh, Trainer Wada, you're already in. The hot springs here are quite good, you know."
"Every time I come to Kyoto, I come here to unwind for a bit. Fumino comes here often too."
"Uh… yes, Mr. Nase."
Wada was momentarily at a loss for words.
Looking at the soaking Hidehito Nase, Wada felt a slight tingling sensation on his scalp—how did a man his age maintain his body so well?! He has an eight-pack!
Most Jockeys have pretty fit figures, given the fact that they have to manage their weight to not weigh down their Racehorses as well as to not get thrown off by them, Wada was no exception.
Yet, the man in front of him, despite initially looking like a business-type man, truly embodied what people think a man looked like.
Although he looked to be around fifty, his body did not show major signs of aging other than the wrinkles that were starting to form on his face, almost as if he was still a young adult.
He couldn't tell at the station… but now seeing his ripped body, Wada realized that his physical prowess was also likely on the higher end of the spectrum for humans.
Wada couldn't help but feel a little danger, not doubting for a second that if Hidehito were to throw a punch, he might get directly sent to the hospital on the spot.
However, Hidehito was clearly not here to beat up Wada considering what transpired in the past few hours. On the contrary, this older man was completely different from what Wada imagined.
Although he looked solemn, his expression was always kind, seeming like an easygoing person.
"So, Trainer Wada, how about I scrub your back?"
"Huh? A- ah— there's no need, I can do it myself—"
"Don't be shy, Trainer Wada. This is how men become friends, or 'bros,' as the younger generation like to call it."
"There's no need to be so formal here. I'm not your senior, and you're not my junior. Just talk with me casually as you do your friends."
Hidehito Nase, without further ado, pulled Wada up and led him to the side.
Before Wada could react, he was already seated on a small wooden stool. Hidehito then grabbed a towel nearby, wet it, applied shower gel, and pressed it onto Wada's back.
"Ouch!"
"It's supposed to hurt! How else can you make sure it's clean? I'll need your help later too, Trainer Wada."
Hidehito was surprisingly playful and cheerful as he chatted Wada up.
Wada also gradually adapted to the pain and slowly calmed down.
It seemed… things weren't as bad as he had imagined? Maybe he didn't dislike him as much as he had thought.
"Trainer Wada, how old are you this year?"
"? I turned 20 this year."
Wada was slightly startled, but he answered 'honestly.'
In reality, his true mental age was almost double 20, but it seems like his new body was that of a 20-year-old, with him looking like a recent college graduate, which was also reflected in his ID.
In fact, when the three of them first found themselves in this world, they found out that they already had many things like an apartment room, bank accounts, phones, credentials, etc.
Back then, due to their bodies looking different from the ones they just had moments ago, the three of them were even horrified at the possibility that they could have just hijacked the lives of three people.
Luckily, after further investigation, they realized that they were more like 'ghosts' in the system. They had no saved contacts, they had no parents, nothing.
Despite having official records of going to schools as well as living in an orphanage together, none of the teachers or caretakers there recognized them.
It was almost as if a divine entity had forcefully inserted them into this world and then smoothed all the inconsistencies out.
"Oh, 20 years old. That's really young."
Hidehito was also surprised by Wada's age and couldn't help but praise him:
"When I passed the Central Trainer Qualification Exam, I was already 25."
"Even Fumino only became a Central-level Trainer at 21. To be even more earlier than Fumino? You truly are a genius."
"Ah, the three of you in Team Miracle truly makes this old man envious. All of you becoming Central Trainers at 20 or 21, there really are more and more geniuses these days."
"Hahaha…"
However, Wada only chuckled awkwardly at the remark, not daring to say much.
To be honest, he actually joined the JRA at a similar age in his previous world.
At 21, he rode T.M. Opera O to win the Satsuki Sho, making him the youngest GI Jockey at the time—but that was only possible back then because T.M. Opera O carried him into the big leagues.
If it was his first graded race, Wada was even earlier, winning a GII at 19, but that wasn't much considering how much easier being a jockey is compared to being a Trainer in this world.
But in this world, also because of T.M. Opera O, and since no one except Imanami and Ikezoe knew he had transmigrated, almost everyone thought Wada was a genius.
A 20-year-old who managed to become a Central-level Trainer and nurtured a Classic Triple Crown Uma Musume as his second Uma Musume. He was by no means associated with the word 'mediocre.'
But while others didn't know, Wada understood himself best. Without T.M. Opera O, achieving something like that would be truly, an unfathomable distance away...
And without his extra years of experience, winning the Classic Triple Crowns would've been even more impossible.
"Actually, Miss Nase helped me out a lot. Without her, T.M. Opera O and I probably wouldn't have won the Kikuka Sho."
"Haha, you don't have to be so modest, Trainer Wada. Although I'm nearing my twilight years, my eyes are still sharp."
"I can tell you're a rare genius. You just lack confidence right now. As long as you get a few more years of experience, you won't be inferior to Fumino."
"—Besides, Fumino is already 28 and she hasn't reached your level either, so I say, it's quite reasonable for her to be your assistant."
Bang!
However, no sooner had Hidehito finished speaking, an angry knocking sound came from the other side of the bamboo wall.
Clearly, on that side, there was a lady who extremely disliked her father discussing her age.
Fumino Nase generally disliked people talking about her age. After all, being 28… she didn't need anyone to remind her of the gossip she would face.
But facing his daughter's silent accusation, Hidehito was not afraid.
Instead, he teased her louder: "Is something wrong, my daughter? Aren't you 28 this year?"
"—27! I'm still two months away from 28!"
On the other side, Fumino Nase's annoyed voice slowly faded away.
Perhaps because she was around her father, she was somewhat more comfortable being herself. This biting tone from Fumino Nase was something Wada had never heard before.
"Are you two done chatting? Isn't it time to go eat? Geez—Father, you're such a busybody."
"Wada, don't listen to my father's nonsense. When he gets excited, he always talks a lot."
"Heh heh… it seems my daughter doesn't like it when her old man talks to men she's close to."
Hidehito didn't mind this at all. Then, without hiding his voice, he said to Wada:
"Don't think she's better than me, me and her are actually quite alike. When she gets excited, she talks a lot too. I remember that one time she got drunk and..."
"—DAD!"
"Alright, alright, I won't say anymore—let's go eat together after we're done soaking, Trainer Wada."
"Yes…"
Wada was in a state of complete bumfuzzlement… The relationship between this father and daughter duo... was truly unexpected for him.
Well, that was good too. It meant that nothing too awkward would happen today.
Wada felt much more at ease because of this, relaxing a lot for his own safety and this rare holiday.
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The Three Goddesses putting in overtime to fix plotholes
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If you spot any errors, feel free to comment about it and I will fix it as soon as I can.