Beep beep- Beep beep-
It is a morning on the weekend, and my alarm clock is working uncharacteristically hard playing my ringtone clearly in the quiet room. I sit up while rubbing my sleepy eyes and look at the calendar on the wall in a daze. The bright red mark on it jumps out at me, waking me up instantly.
player
[player]Oh right! I'm going to the stud farm with Hideki today!
There are no stud farms in any of the areas that I visit daily. The reason we're meeting there is...
All the members of the mahjong club start leaving after the club activities end. Seeing that Hideki needs to tidy up our club room, I offer to help him take photos of today's handwritten mahjong records for easy archiving.
Before I can ask him what I should use to take the photos, Hideki unlocks his phone and hands it to me.
[player]President, do you trust me that much? Aren't you worried I take this chance to spy on the secrets in your phone?
Hideki Akechi
[Hideki Akechi]I thought I don't have any more secrets in front of you?
Although it sounds a little funny, I guess... he's not wrong about that. I touch my nose and focus on taking photos with his phone. After about 20 minutes, I finally manage to take photos of a thick pile of paper.
[player]You really have your work cut out for you as the club president...
[Hideki Akechi]It won't be long now. Thank you for helping out. You can sit over there and take a break.
[player]Haha, Thanks.
I lean back on a chair and check each photo I just took of the logs to see if any of them are off-focus. There are so many photos that I end up swiping the screen almost mechanically with my finger. In a trance, I finish checking all of today's photos and a photo Hideki took appears in front of me on the screen.
[player]This is...?
The background of the photo is a lush green field, and there are three people standing on an award platform. Hideki Akechi, the protagonist of the photo, is holding up a trophy and smiling in a way that he has hardly smiled in the twenty years of his life.
According to the timestamp on the photo, this photo was taken four years ago. It must be an important memory to Hideki if he has especially saved it to his phone's photo album.
I stare at this photo in a daze until Hideki comes over to me after finishing tidying up.
[Hideki Akechi]Ahem, this is a photo that was taken when I participated in an equestrian competition. Both my mom and dad were busy with work and couldn't come with me, so my coach insisted on taking this photo so they can get feel the atmosphere of this moment.
[player]I remember that all participants of the eventing and show jumping competitions must be at least 18 years old...
[Hideki Akechi]That's the requirement for large international competitions, but I participated in a municipal youth dressage competition, which is open to participants who are over 14 years old.
[Hideki Akechi]Actually, I started learning equestrianism because my father wanted me to, but I fell in love with this sport as my training progressed. Time always passed so quickly when I was on horseback, and the training usually didn't stop until it was completely dark.
[player]I see.
I nod in understanding and instantly accept the character setting of gentleman and equestrian.
[player]Hideki, do you still practice equestrianism? Can I watch you in person?
[Hideki Akechi]I'm sorry but I'll have to disappoint you. My grandma fell ill soon after I won the youth dressage competition, and my father enrolled me in lots of courses at the same time, so I had a lot less time to train.
[Hideki Akechi]Although I was really reluctant, after thinking about it for a while, I decided to give up on my equestrian training temporarily to free up more time to learn other things.
[player]What a shame... You might even be participating in international competitions by now if you didn't give up.
[Hideki Akechi]You're quite confident in me, aren't you, PLAYER?
His blue eyes form beautiful crescents when he smiles, but something seems missing, which gives me the feeling of regret and sadness. Although Hideki hasn't said much about the topic, I can feel that he misses the time when he practiced equestrianism.
It's inevitable to have regrets if you're forced to give up something you love. I look at the photo again and thoughtfully give Hideki some time to hide his emotions.
[player]Oh, who's this person?
In the photo, the young rider standing on the right side of Hideki is frowning like the "unhappy" emoji, expressing his displeasure clearly for everyone to see.
[Hideki Akechi]This is Levine, who was one of the leading contestants to win this competition, and he also thought he would definitely win. When the judges announced the scores, and he found out I got 0.5 more points than him, he became so furious that even the coach was like walking on eggshells when talking to him.
[player]Oh, so he's a "Mr. Unhappy" then.
[Hideki Akechi]"Mr. Unhappy?" Haha, PLAYER, you always have unique and strangely suitable insights.
[Hideki Akechi]I heard that he asked the coach to give him more intensive training after that competition, and he basically ate and sleep with his horse to develop a deeper connection with him, all so that he can beat me and win the next competition.
[player]What happened after that? Did he succeed?
[Hideki Akechi]After that... You pretty much know what happened. I gave up equestrianism for various reasons, so we never competed again. I did meet him again a few times after that, but I think I've... become someone he dislikes.
[player]Is he still upset because he couldn't beat you?
[Hideki Akechi]It may look like that on the surface, but...
For once, Hideki disagrees with my point of view. He shakes his head, loosening strands of blond hair that partially cover his bright blue eyes.
[Hideki Akechi]The reason he's like this isn't that he is sour about losing to me but because of my situation.
[player]Huh?
[Hideki Akechi]He thinks it's really sad that I gave up on equestrianism even though I have the ability to be good at it, but he can't express himself properly due to his personality.
[Hideki Akechi]At the end of the day, Levine really loves equestrianism.
The serious way in which Hideki explains this to me makes me aware that he doesn't dislike this "rival" of his. In fact, he even wants to become friends with him.
If he can't personally gallop on the racetracks, being able to find someone who really loves this sport to gallop there on his behalf would be a wonderful thing. This is perfectly in line with Hideki's personality.
[Hideki Akechi]Although I stopped doing equestrianism training, I can still give you the chance to get in close contact with the horses.
[player]!!!
[player]Does that mean what I think it means?
[Hideki Akechi]Yes, the horse that won the competition with me is still living on a racecourse in the suburbs of One Han City. I'm visiting it this weekend, so you can come with me if you're interested.
[player]Of course I'm interested! It's decided then. See you on the weekend!
That's the end of my flashback. I look up at the clock on the wall and see that it's almost seven o'clock.
Given my understanding of Hideki, he usually arrives earlier than agreed. With this in mind, I get up quickly so that I won't be late.
Compared with the congested city center, the suburbs are far quieter. Free from car exhaust pollution, the mixture of fresh air with the faint fragrance of grass and trees smells refreshing and comfortable.
As it turns out, my understanding of Hideki is spot on. When we meet at the entrance of the racecourse half an hour earlier than we agreed, I'm really glad that I decided to leave home early.
[player]Hideki, good morning!
[Hideki Akechi]Good morning, PLAYER. To minimize the disruption to the schedule of the horses, I chose to meet you here in the morning. I hope this didn't inconvenience you that much.
[player]Although I really didn't want to get out of my comfortable bed, I woke up immediately when I thought about the fact that I'll be able to get in close contact with horses. Speaking of it, if you didn't tell me the address, I would never have realized that there is such a large racecourse in the suburbs of One Han City.
[Hideki Akechi]This racecourse runs on a membership model and is mostly promoted in the form of recommendations by members. No advertisements are placed in the city, so it's normal for you to not know about it.
After I follow Hideki into the racecourse, I am shocked by the magnificent reception hall in front of me that is big enough to accommodate hundreds of people and very vibrantly colored, reflecting the unrestrained charm of nature everywhere.
In the lobby reception hall, exquisite artworks are placed every few steps, some of which have appeared on TV before. Although I don't remember their names, I clearly remember the trail of zeroes in the price.
Not to mention, there is a huge painting of eight horses hanging on the wall...
[player]Is this painting the "Eight Galloping Horses" that I heard was sold for one billion Coppers on the news?
[Hideki Akechi]This is the last painting of Mr. Hongzhi. He announced that he would retire after this piece. Whether it is out of genuine love or for investment purposes, many collectors wanted this painting. Mr. Hongzhi was unhappy with the conflicts that arose over the painting, so the racecourse owner managed to get this painting in the end.
[player]Placing "Eight Galloping Horses" here is a good choice. Mr. Hongzhi would be happy to know that.
I look around me. There are exquisite works of art, paintings created by famous artists, and a luxurious reception hall... Everything around me tells me that things must be very expensive at this racecourse. Not to mention, it must cost a fortune to raise your own horse in an independent stable here.
From how Hideki would often buy afternoon tea for the club members during club activities on weekdays, I vaguely sensed that his family must be well off, but I never expected them to be this well off.
In front of me, Hideki seems to be used to seeing all this. He stops and turns to ask me a question.
[Hideki Akechi]Since this is your first time here, would you like me to show you around? Or do you have anything else in mind?
