Hachiman's POV

"From the Yukinoshita family?" I said.

Takanotsume nodded. "Yes. You're involved, so I'll skip the details, but a letter of apology has arrived from the president of Yukinoshita Construction."

"A written apology?" I scoffed. "Can't trust a word of it."

Letter of Apology

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by our daughter's thoughtless words and actions.

We also deeply regret the inappropriate response toward a minor student and the misunderstanding it caused. We are truly sorry.

Regarding our eldest daughter, Haruno Yukinoshita, she will be placed on indefinite probation, and I will personally ensure her reeducation.

Once again, we extend our heartfelt apologies to Air Groove, Hachiman Hikitani, and all affected parties.

"Probation, huh…" I muttered.

"What do you think, Hachiman Trainer?" Takanotsume asked.

"If it makes her reflect, fine," I said. "But even for an employee—or daughter—it's a slap on the wrist."

"…" she said.

"At least it means she won't show up here," I added. "Good thing, too. Air Groove wouldn't stay calm seeing her face."

"Is it that bad?" Takanotsume asked.

"Embarrassingly, yes," I said. "But the Osaka Hai's weeks away. I'll get her condition sorted. Worst case, we skip it."

"I see…" she said.

Hiratsuka-sensei's words echoed. End the contract… It might be best for Air Groove. But what should I do?

"Trecen's a breeding ground for headaches," I muttered.

"Hachiman Trainer…" Takanotsume said.

"Sorry, forget I said that," I said. "Excuse me."

Trainer's Office

I scribbled at my desk. Scritch, scratch.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Come in," I said.

"Pardon the intrusion, Hachiman," a voice said.

"Sensei?!" I gasped.

She grinned. "Surprised? I said I'd visit soon."

"Your 'soon' means tomorrow or the day after?" I said. "What about the university?"

"Still recruiting, but compared to you, the material's dull," she said.

"That's harsh…" I said.

"I'm just stating facts," she said. "Are the students in class?"

"Pretty much," I said.

"Good," she said. "Let's tour the campus."

"…Huh?" I said.

"It's fine, right?" she said. "I know the academy's facilities, but this is my first time inside. Show me around, Hachiman."

"…"

And so, I ended up guiding Sensei through the school.

Campus Tour

"It's different from America," Sensei said. "There's a… Japanese calm here."

"There's plenty of Uma Musume with quirks to roast," I said.

"That's their charm," she said. "Seeing these young Uma Musume reminds me of my student days. I had a trainer, friends, training sessions, occasional shopping trips—good times. It's probably the same here."

"No Uma Musume here isn't enjoying themselves," I said.

"I can feel it," she said. "Walking side by side with you like this… it's nostalgic. Brings back old memories."

"Old?" I asked.

"My racing days," she said. "My trainer walked beside me, talking about the next race or meals. Compared to him, you're still green."

"I'll surpass him someday," I said.

She chuckled. "Keep at it."

Lunch Break, Cafeteria

It's lunchtime, so the cafeteria's packed with Uma Musume. Being a standout trainer, I get greeted a lot. With Sensei here, we're drawing even more eyes.

"Look at those two," Sensei said. "They handle that much food like it's nothing."

"Oguri and Spe," I said. "They're Trecen's eating champs. No one else comes close."

"Really?" she said.

"Don't try to compete," I warned.

"What do you mean?" she teased.

"You know exactly what," I said.

As expected, Sensei ordered a mountain of food, enough to make Oguri and Special Week's eyes pop.

"Sensei…" I said.

"Back in my student days, I ate more than this," she said.

"A black hole and then some…" I muttered.

Oguri leaned in. "Trainer, who's she?"

"My mentor," I said. "The one who drilled training skills into me."

Sensei nodded. "You're the one from that table, right?"

Oguri blinked. "Can you finish all that food?"

"No need to worry," Sensei said. "In my prime, I ate double this. This is light."

Oguri's jaw dropped. "!!?"

Even Oguri's shocked…

"Call me Master!" Oguri said.

"Sorry, I'm not taking gluttony disciples," Sensei said.

"What are you aiming for?" I groaned.

Afterword

Hiratsuka-sensei's whirlwind visit lightens the mood, but the Yukinoshita apology falls flat, leaving Hachiman skeptical. His worries about Air Groove and the looming Osaka Hai persist, with contract termination hanging heavy. Sensei's campus tour and monstrous appetite stun Oguri and Special Week, injecting humor into the tension. The Yahari crossover deepens the stakes, but can the "Tengan" Trainer mend things with the "Empress"?

---------------------------------------------------------

🚀 Want more?

📖 Unlock 10+ early chapters on my Patreon!

💖 Support me here: patreon.com/DaoistRoeoNQ

🔓 Get ahead of the story today!