Biwa Hayahide's story

I'm so sorry! You're not hurt, are you?

Yes! My apologies, I was lost in thought, and they must've fallen off.

You will? That'd be much appreciated!

Good... The hinges move without issue. And the lenses appear to be unblemished.

These are tailor-made for racing. Naturally, their material is able to withstand quite a bit of wear and tear.

Meaning, in theory, the fall from only a second-story window should not damage them.

However, the possibility remained that a runner might inadvertently trample them. Your assistance, though, reduced that chance to zero.

You have my thanks. Now I will not be hindered tomorrow.

Well, with that badge on your collar, I suspect you're a trainer. Then I'm sure you are well aware of the tryouts tomorrow.

That's where Umamusume aiming to debut will exhibit their abilities to trainers in the hopes of being scouted.

And in the tenth race, I, Biwa Hayahide, will be participating.

Rather, I must participate. There is something I have to accomplish in the Twinkle Series.

So, needless to say, I will seize this opportunity for victory, and my chance to make my debut.

I suppose... I can reveal one thing.

In tomorrow's race, I'll stay near the lead until the final corner. The front pack will be tightly grouped together.

Following the last turn, I'll pass them from outside.

Then I will gain a lead of no less than ten lengths, and place first.

That is the result I've derived from my calculations. Whether it proves true or not... you should confirm tomorrow with your own eyes.

The racers are in a heated battle right out of the gate! The spotlight's on Biwa Hayahide, who's gotten a favorable position in the front!

All according to my predictions.

The front pack is heading into the third corner! It's a close fight between the leaders!

Three... two... one.

Time to confirm my calculations!

They're out of the corner and into the final straight! Biwa Hayahide comes in from the outside! Biwa Hayahide takes the lead! She's two lengths ahead! Now three!

And Biwa Hayahide places first! She wins it by a landslide! What an overwhelming victory!

Wow, that was some show, Biwa Hayahide! You had plenty to spare, almost like you had it all planned out.

Hm? Hey, look! Is that who I think it is?!

Nice run.

Oh, it's you, Brian. Here to spectate?

I was just passing by.

I knew it! It's the Beast, Narita Brian! I've heard she's pretty elusive, but here she is, right in front of me!

Holy hotcakes, what am I waitin' for! Brian! I'd love to have a talk!

Tch, the rats are squeaking... Later, Sis.

One moment, Brian. You appear... thinner than usual.

Are you not meeting your dietary requirements? Is your nutritional intake sufficient?

Lay off of me. I'm eating just fine.

Hm. I think I understand. The recent changes to the cafeteria menu are not to your liking.

You've always been far too picky an eater. Listen, our energy consumption is exceptional, and...

Ugh! You're so bigheaded about everything!

What?! M-my head is NOT large! To the contrary, it is of average proportions... Brian!

Goodness... She can be so stubborn.

Wait up, Brian! The Triple Crown sure would look glorious on you! And I can help you get it!

...

There is still room to improve my theories.

I'm beggin' ya! Just gimme a minute of your time!

Tch... What a pain. I told them I haven't even raced in tryouts yet.

Don't say that. You're receiving scouting offers regardless. That's proof of their confidence in you.

I still don't like it...

No one beats my drive! I can lead you straight to the Triple Crown! Please, Beast!

I'd treat you the best! What do you say, Brian? No one would pay more respect to your natural talent than me!

Oh, that goes for you too, Biwa Hayahide! Let me train you! A little sibling rivalry to sharpen our training! Sounds great, doesn't it?

I'm pleased at the offer, but I remain undecided. I must humbly decline.

Well then... I will be going on ahead, Brian.

Huh? Hey, if you're gonna leave, take these scavengers with you!

Hm? Oh, it's you again. I believe I saw you watching us from a distance earlier.

Did you follow me? Haha, seeing as how you helped with my glasses, I suspect you mean no harm.

...

Please, Sis! Wait for me! Huff, huff...

Hahaha! Come on, hurry up! We're almost at the finish!

...My cherished little sister. She may appear aloof, but she is actually an earnest and good person.

Yes... As children we always amused ourselves racing in parks like this. She was competitive and often wound up crying, since I was the faster one then.

But... she said she loved racing and had fun running with me. She was always following in my footsteps.

I wish I could've always been a sister she could look up to.

Ever since then, our goal has remained unchanged, to race in the Twinkle Series together.

We were always together... That's why I could sense it. My sister's... Narita Brian's unique qualities began to surface.

And then her physical abilities swiftly grew to surpass mine. Power, speed, stamina... She has them all in spades.

Everyone knows she's a rare phenomenon. In time, she'll become a "Beast" on par with President Symboli Rudolf.

That's why I needed an edge. But one that differs from hers.

What I lack in physical prowess, I make up for in precisely planned strategies. And when there is a limit to training time, I maximize efficiency.

I have constructed formulas based on my theories, and I will find the solution to victory, using my "winning equation!"

Haha, it's still a work in progress. My equation can't contend with Brian yet.

Sniffle. No fair! I wanna run super fast like you...

Don't cry! There, there. Here, I'll tell you my secret!

We made a promise.

She may not even remember, but... it doesn't matter. As her older sister and as an Umamusume, I must keep my word.

We will stand together at the Twinkle Series, and we will have the greatest race of our lives!

And with my perfected winning equation, I will claim victory!

Huh? What did you say?

S-so you mean?! But... I'm still not sure if I'm ready.

And more importantly... are you certain?

...That I'm the sibling you want?

...

I've written all the theories I'm developing in this notebook. Of course, my winning equation is here as well.

But today it seems I must write about an additional important matter.

It concerns you, Trainer. I'll label this section with your name.

(Hm, what is this? I hear more talk of Brian than usual.)

So is it true?! That Brian's gonna race in the Sprout Kinen!

Yeah, seems legit!

(The Sprout Kinen... Even among Junior runners, only the most esteemed racers can gain entry!)

Wooow! Amazing! It's totally unheard-of for a pre-debut Umamusume to be chosen!

Brian's on a completely different level!

So you've run even further ahead.

And that's why I will complete my winning equation!

You want me to race on her behalf?

What... what is the meaning of this, President?!

I understand that this is sudden and a lot to process. We are just as thunderstruck as you are.

But the reality is this... Narita Brian has come down with a fever.

The racer chosen to take her place in the Sprout Kinen is you. So I ask again, Biwa Hayahide, will you heed the call?

Impossible. I'm not at that level, Brian's level.

I'm no replacement for her!

I disagree. You...

I know her capabilities more than anyone!

...!

I'm sorry, I lost my composure.

I'm worried about Brian's condition. Before I make any decisions, I would like to go see my sister.

Of course. I apologize for not giving due consideration.

However... there is, frankly, no time to spare. I expect your decision soon.

...

She looks terrible. I'm always telling her to take better care of herself, but she never listens...

It's the exact opposite of before.

It was a long time ago.

Her physical abilities began to surpass mine. No longer able to keep up, I started training recklessly.

But my sister, even though she was so young, was worried about me. And one day, while we were playing tag...

I should've treated it as a friendly game between sisters, as a proper older sibling would.

No. No matter how fast I ran, I was unable to catch up to her. I grew more and more desperate, eventually neglecting to watch where I was going... I crashed into a fence and wound up in the hospital.

While I was completely bedridden, Brian kept improving her speed on her own.

But I couldn't move, all I could do was use my head. That's when I began to persist in my studies.

In bed, I sank myself into my notes and books, constructing theories day in and day out. I even gave one the grand title of the "winning equation."

But... You know what, Trainer?

Not once in all this time have I ever been able to predict Narita Brian and her pure instincts.

She always exceeds my calculations. She destroys all my equations. She's an anomaly that I cannot solve!

Huh?

I told you, I've never been accurate when it comes to Brian. No matter how hard I try, I'll never surpass her!

I still haven't been able to prove any of my theories...

You? How so?

In tomorrow's race, I'll stay near the lead until the final corner. The front pack will be tightly grouped together.

Following the last turn, I'll pass them from outside.

Then I will gain a lead of no less than ten lengths, and place first.

Three... two... one.

Time to confirm my calculations!

Trainer...

Why? Do you truly believe that I can reach her level?

He's not the only one who believes in you.

President!

There's something of vital importance that I forgot to tell you.

Vital importance?

Yes, the one who so strongly recommended you above all others as Narita Brian's replacement...

was Narita Brian herself. She said it must be you.

...!

Are you ready? Then let's begin.

However small the step, we must get closer to perfecting the winning equation... There's nothing left to do but recalculate, revise, and reformulate!

Though, to be honest, I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried.

But I have hope... There are people who believe I can prove my theory and complete the winning equation.

And...

And what kind of big sister would I be if I could not even keep a promise to my sister?

That reminds me. Let me know if all this brainstorming is making you feel hungry.

I happen to have some curry I prepared last night.

Yes, the diced vegetables stewed quite nicely... It's a nutritious curry that even picky eaters would enjoy.

Good morning. The weather and wind speed appear satisfactory.

I am in ideal shape to perform at my best. Still...

I'd like one final strategy meeting with you, Trainer.

I have a complete rundown on our opponents. The focus will be on two in particular.

We should expect the local favorite, Through Passport, to be a skilled front runner. That was her running style for each of the past twelve scrimmages, you see.

And Titan Frypan will make a definite move from the center. The likelihood of a late surge approach is incredibly high.

Their caution and mental strength are rather... comparable to Brian's.

Perfect opponents? Hahaha, you sure are confident. One might even say optimistic.

Though I suppose this daring positivity of yours does help ease my tension.

It's time... Shall we?

...

(Brian... I hope you're watching.)

Pant, pant... All right! Watch me pick up the pace, Brian!

Wow! Me too, me too! I'm gonna catch you, Sis!

(Or since you left me behind already, maybe you can't even see me anymore.)

(Never mind... That doesn't matter now.)

I'm going to show you... I'll make you remember.

You'll remember what it was like trailing behind me!

It's fair blue skies today for the Sprout Kinen! And these ten leaders of the next generation are sure going to give us a fantastic show!

(All right, an excellent start!)

What's this?! Through Passport, the experienced front runner, is having some trouble! She's dragging behind! What could be wrong?!

And Biwa Hayahide, subbing for Narita Brian, is pushing to the front! Meanwhile, the highly anticipated Titan Frypan has a firm position in the back!

The results will be proof that I'm correct!

My technique is my theory! The winning equation!

They're approaching the final corner! And here comes Titan Frypan! She's flying around from the outside!

I won't let you overtake me now!

Look at this! Biwa Hayahide pulls ahead! How does she have the stamina left after staying in front for so long?!

Watch me...

You'll be the one trying to keep up, Brian!

Biwa Hayahide's leaving them behind! What a tremendous sprint!

Biwa Hayahide! It's Biwa Hayahide! The big name of the new generation is Biwa Hayahide!

First place. Well, not surprising.

As expected of my big sis.

Yeeeaaah! BIWA HAYAHIDE! That was an amazing race, huh, Taishin?!

So damn loud... Go bother someone else. I'm leaving.

Huh?! W-w-wait a sec! Where are you going?!

I have to train.

Gasp! I get it! Seeing Hayahide got you all fired up! I know exactly how you feel!

I'm coming tooooo! It's training time! Whoo-hooooo!

That's not why... Hey! Quit following me!

There... We've gotten the result we were looking for.

Heheh... Indeed. But that means we still have a long way to go.

No matter though... We will get there, eventually.

With that said, let's head back and get to work!

With these values, we can make a prediction for the upcoming race. Now I'd like to review our data on the other runners.

The key to the previous problem was racer number four, yes? We will refer to the data of her past three races, and...

Hey, check it out. Hayahide's talking about some super-complicated stuff.

Wow, for real. As expected from one of our school's top brains. She's really extraordinary... Out of our league, for sure.

How'd she get so smart though? Maybe if I study harder, I can be like that too.

No way, she's one of those people who were just born that way! We could never be like her.

"Extraordinary," huh?

Oh... It's nothing. Let's continue with the meeting.

...

Ah... Actually, no. My apologies. It's nothing.

...

It... it just feels strange being described as "extraordinary." That word infers that I'm special.

I always endeavor to follow logic, so from the outside, I may appear to be doing difficult things...

But I'm actually an average person, one who had no other tools but reason to get into the academy.

So I'm not worthy of such praise as "extraordinary." It is much better suited for someone with natural talent.

Thank you...

You're right. I'll sharpen my ability even further, and together we'll make it through this battle. My determination remains firm.

But you know, Trainer. As her big sister... what I really wanted was to outperform her.

I'm embarrassed at myself for foolishly chasing something as unattainable as natural talent.

Ah, I'm sorry for droning on about such a dull subject... Anyway, it's not on our schedule, but I'd like to incorporate what we drew from the meeting into training.

Making corrections later will only slow us down, so let's verify the formula first.

Hm... There are a plethora of treatment oils here, but they're all glorified cooking oils that emphasize fragrance over quality.

In that case, perhaps the baobab seed oil from earlier will do... But in terms of permeability, it lacks the right ingredients. Hmph...

T-Trainer?!

What are you doing he, what am I saying? You're obviously shopping. Still, this is quite the coincidence.

I was comparing the various hair oils here. I'm just about out of my current supply.

I figured I would check if anything new was available. Even for the same products, ingredients are often changed to suit the latest research.

I suppose... But as you see, hair care is an unceasing struggle for me.

Come on, just look at it. My hair is... well, it tends to become rather frizzled.

You don't... You surely don't believe my hair is naturally like this?

This is the result of a maximum amount of effort. Each day, I style it to minimize split ends, and my nighttime routine is far more complicated than average.

But... It's still not enough. My hair, it won't...

It's a shaggy mess of knots! Even my stylist admitted defeat against my hyper tangles!

Yes. It's not the exact definition, but I'm left with no choice but to call it that. My hair is an anomaly!

I use off-the-shelf products as well as ones of my own making. I even tried an unnatural concoction of Tachyon's, but to no avail!

My agony begins the moment I wake up in the morning. Have you ever jumped out of bed choking on your own hair?

The rainy season is especially problematic! Dealing with my hair has never been a source of joy. It is, rather, my mortal enemy.

And people tell me to just cut it short. But that would be the worst move to make! My face would look as big as a race track!

It's not that I prefer it long, but that's the bitter decision I made after considering the advantages of either letting it hang or tying it up. But of course...

Sigh... How many times I've wished to have straight hair like Brian's.

I remember the shock when I first braided her hair when we were children. The silky touch as I ran my fingers through it... I screamed, "How can our hair be so different?!"

I even tried holding my hair down with our father's pomade... But of course, it would never feel silky like Brian's that way. It was hopeless.

Wha... Are you laughing?! I'm pouring my heart out here!

...

Um, excuse me, miss? You seem to be having trouble deciding. Is there anything I can help you with?

...!

Apologies for overhearing, but I understand that you're having some trouble with your hair. Perhaps I could recommend our...

N-No, I'm fine... Thank you anyway.

Let's take our leave now.

I, um, apologize for earlier. I become somewhat... animated when it comes to hair.

But shouting in a public space like that without an ounce of self-control... I must've looked pathetic.

What?

You praise me too much... I'm simply figuring out my problems through trial and error. If my hair was any good to begin with, I would've never put the effort in.

...

That's... possible, I suppose. From all the anguish my hair gave me, I may have gained the determination never to give in.

But... that's a matter of hindsight. Let's not make light of the suffering I went through all that time.

I swear... your interpretation of the data is truly unique. Not at all like mine. But that's why I like talking with you.

Let me stop you right there. That is one comment I cannot overlook. Though I do appreciate your opinion and kind words.

However, if that's the conclusion you drew from our conversation just now, I must say that your reasoning is flawed.

There is a need to deliberate once more about this matter.

There's no backing out now. As my trainer, you must understand the pain I go through as much as I do.

Now, get comfortable. It's time I told you my tragic life story. No objections.

Phew... I've completed the workout sets. Doing high knees on the sand is quite exhausting.

Understood.

Pant... Pant... How did I do?

Your time's really improved! And you've steadily been getting faster since camp started. Let's keep up this pace!

Oh! Got it! Thank you!

...

Hm? Why wouldn't I be? Of course I'm fine. All right, ten minutes are up, let's get back to training.

There, we're done for today. All finished and according to schedule. Perfect.

Thank you. Let's go back to the camp dorms.

Oh yes, I was wondering... What are your plans for the evening?

Hah... You must think I'm a glutton for punishment. You wouldn't be wrong though.

But I'm simply asking what your plans tonight are. If you're free, there's somewhere I'd like to take you.

Yes. I feel like we haven't had a single conversation since camp started, other than to talk about training.

It's a little soon, but I want to reflect on our progress. No... That's not right. I should state my intentions clearly.

What I mean to say is... I want to go to the festival with you.

Ah!

Oh, almost had it! But you split the fish tail into pieces. Too bad! Better luck next time!

Rats... Another failure. Theoretically, I should be able to cut an impeccable shape if I take the weakness of the grooves into account...

I sharpened the toothpick. I've also made preparations to counter particulate accumulation. Everything was perfect... But why? Did I miscalculate the applied force?

Yes... It appears so. My calculations were accurate, but putting them into effect made me flustered, thus leading to a bad outcome.

So, however flawless the formula, if I can't match it with my abilities, it's no more than a useless string of random numbers.

If an individual has innate talent and dedication... My sister, for example, she'd be able to prove the formula without difficulty.

I'm sure Brian won't choose another path. However hard it is, she'll train those amazing legs she was born with... and go to the top.

But it's different for me. I have to calculate the shortest route, remove obstacles, and adjust my running just to make it to the starting line.

And yet... it's fine that way. That's simply who I am.

I was nothing special before, always scrambling to gain a footing. But I found my talent, developed it, and became the person I am now.

And you accepted me for exactly who I am.

That's why it's fine. Even if I don't get there as fast as I'd like, I'll move boldly forward and trust in my ability. That's my path.

In other words, I wanted to say there's no need to worry. Every day I'm growing in both mind and body.

That's all. And now, to use a strategy certain to obliterate this candy-cutting game. I can already see victory!

I'll get it this time!

Ah! I did it!

I did it! Look, I cut it out beautifully!

That's mighty impressive! This is the best cut I've ever seen! You showed real tenacity! What a win!

Hehe, indeed. I make an art out of persevering until I've reached the perfect solution.

Right, Trainer? Heheh.

Hup... Haaah!

How was it? That should be my maximum output. Did we reach our goal?

Good!

Going through the fundamentals led to success. This method really does suit me.

An equation for growth that leads to victory... And I discovered it with you.