Uma Musume: Why Do We, Horse Trainers, Still Have To Train Uma Musume? Chapter 107 107: Meisho Doto: I Almost Stole Him

isho Doto had never imagined what it would be like to be the one being hugged by her Trainer. The previous ti she thought he was going to hug her was during the Mainichi Hai, where he excitedly spread his arms out to hug soone... only for that "soone" to be T.M. Opera O instead.

At that ti, to say that isho Doto didn't feel any resentnt would definitely be a lie. But isho Doto was very good at consoling herself, so she didn't dwell on the matter and never brought it up. After all, she knew that T.M. Opera O was a very important person for her Trainer and that the main reason for Wada asking her to be his first Uma Musu was because he wanted to beat T.M. Opera O in the Mainichi Hai so that he could recruit her.

isho Doto had been clear about these things since the very beginning, so perhaps she never intended to beco "The One" in Wada's heart—especially after she witnessed the bond between Wada and T.M. Opera O, that natural unspoken understanding that she lacked. She knew; she understood.

If it were any other Uma Musu, perhaps they would either make a quiet exit or erupt in anger, questioning their Trainer. After all, most Uma Musu don't like it when they aren't the most important Uma Musu in their Trainer's eyes.

But isho Doto was an exception; she didn't do any of that. She didn't try to harm or sabotage T.M. Opera O in any way, nor did she try and embarrass her Trainer in revenge. In fact, she even actively went out of her way to help T.M. Opera O win the Classic Triple Crowns, choosing to "sacrifice" herself.

"T-Trainer?!" isho Doto's eyes seed to lose focus, and she began to babble in panic: "Th-th-th-this—this isn't right! I-I-I-I-I can't! T.M. Opera O will be very angry at if she sees this!"

"...This is just an overdue hug you deserve, isho Doto."

However, Wada now chuckled, soothing isho Doto's emotions, and tightened his grip slightly, saying: "This probably can't compensate for your efforts, isho Doto, but at least let , this incompetent Trainer, try to do sothing within my power. You've done well enough, Doto. Now relax and enjoy your well-deserved rest."

"Trainer..."

Wada's words gradually cald the panicked isho Doto. The cat doll she had initially used to cover her face, which isho Doto had cherished just a second ago, was now forgotten, rolling onto the cold floor. Because now, in front of isho Doto, there was a presence she wanted to rely on more than the cat doll, and at this mont, Wada's chest was the place isho Doto most wanted to lean on.

This was not sothing a cat could replace; this was her... most desired sanctuary right now.

"Trainer, are you... always this kind?" isho Doto, leaning against Wada's chest, couldn't help but ask in a muffled voice: "I've wanted to know that ever since I first t you, Trainer. Back then, I only wanted to beat T.M. Opera O once and you wanted to recruit T.M. Opera O. You could've just trained like any other ordinary Uma Musu and then sent away when we were done with our goals... I was already ntally prepared for that."

"But... you didn't do that, Trainer. Not only did you not do that, you cared for so much... you comforted when I failed, you were willing to guide soone as clumsy and weak as ... you were so good to ..."

"...It's all your fault, making so happy, and yet so sad."

Happiness that soone was finally willing to accept her, and sadness that this happiness will be eventually taken away by others. isho Doto knew that thinking like this was wrong; what she already had left was enough and she shouldn't crave more... but she couldn't control her feelings. She wanted more care, more attention from her Trainer...

"I'm sorry, isho Doto." Wada's expression was also very conflicted. He certainly knew what isho Doto was talking about. He only now realized that the Uma Musu in his arms was not rely just a Racehorse that liked to race, but a girl with a human-like psyche, just as sensitive. Even Racehorses themselves were sotis possessive about people. If even Racehorses can get jealous, how much more so these delicate-minded Uma Musu?

"isho Doto, T.M. Opera O... she's soone who holds extraordinary significance for . I don't know how to explain this, but her place in my heart... is indeed irreplaceable forever—even if it makes you unhappy, I must make it clear now."

"But I think... you perhaps don't need to be like T.M. Opera O. You two are inherently different people. You can choose your own lives and goals, rather than tying your life to T.M. Opera O. You will beco a nationally renowned Uma Musu in another way, and it doesn't have to be expressed solely through constantly fighting against T.M. Opera O."

"...I don't need to?"

However, at this mont, upon hearing Wada's words, a faint smile quietly appeared on isho Doto's face. She proactively placed her hands on Wada's back and, with a hint of amusent, softly said:

"Silly Trainer..."

I stopped caring about the showdown with T.M. Opera O a long ti ago, Trainer... I understood a long ti ago.

This was the first ti isho Doto had spoken to Wada in such a tone. In the past, she would never have been able to say such words, but now she had let go of her self-consciousness and inhibitions, completely relaxing.

Just as isho Doto said in her dream, she felt she had erged from an "obsession," one which had blinded her for so long. And now, having erged from it, she felt that everything around her had beco much clearer. Perhaps she didn't need to obsess over winning against T.M. Opera O; she could achieve more victories in her own way. Her achievents didn't need to be built upon T.M. Opera O's failure or success. She was herself, isho Doto, not T.M. Opera O's competitor, nor did she need to be tied to the na T.M. Opera O.

Though she had subconsciously understood this before the Japanese Derby even began, only now did she fully realize this fact.

"Trainer, ever since I beat T.M. Opera O once in the Mainichi Hai, I was no longer the old isho Doto. I gained courage, and this courage... was personally given to by you. So... please don't leave ... don't take the 'courage' you gave away from ..."

As her words fell, isho Doto buried her entire shy face in Wada's arms. Wada, hearing this, revealed a heartfelt smile, gently stroking isho Doto's hair and softly saying: "Good girl... isho Doto, you're a really good girl..."

"—I'm not a child... Trainer... I... I've already grown up, you know."

isho Doto replied with a hint of dissatisfaction in her tone, but she still nestled in Wada's embrace, her shy cheeks not daring to look up at Wada—she feared that if she saw Wada's handso face at that mont, she would lose control and do sothing that definitely couldn't be written in a book like this.

But wasn't the current situation already quite out of line? isho Doto's mind was unexpectedly thinking really quickly right now, probably because doing sothing she usually wouldn't dare to even think of made her mind beco more active. And the mont isho Doto uttered those words, the atmosphere in the hospital room suddenly beca more ambiguous. Wada, who had been gentle initially, subtly stiffened, sensing sothing was amiss... This child, isho Doto... could it be—

"—Bang bang bang!"

"Ryuji! Your Overlord has arrived—has isho Doto woken up yet? Are you in there?"

But just as Wada was thinking this, a rapid knocking sound suddenly rang out. Outside, T.M. Opera O's uncharacteristically flustered voice suddenly ca, interrupting the weird atmosphere in the hospital room.

Wada imdiately distanced himself from isho Doto, feeling a sudden sense of relief in his heart, though his movents were sowhat stiff with helplessness. As for isho Doto, she belatedly realized what she had just said. And once reason returned to her, she imdiately buried herself under the covers like an ostrich.

"Cough cough, T.M. Opera O, isho Doto and I are both inside, co in." Wada also coughed awkwardly for a while, secretly cursing himself for being such a dullard at noticing signs... But fortunately, he still had his best bud T.M. Opera O! At least if he finds himself in a precarious situation like this again, T.M. Opera O could probably bail him out of danger.

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"Best Bud" my fucking ass.

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If you spot any errors, feel free to comnt about it and I will fix it as soon as I can.