Suzuka’s sweat dripped down the yoga ball, pooling into a small puddle on the training room floor.
The amount was ridiculous… Were Uma Musume made of water or what?
But then again, that kind of intense sweating was probably exactly what kept them from overheating while maintaining superhuman speeds.
Humans already had far better cooling systems than most animals thanks to having no fur, so it made sense that Uma Musume were even more efficient in this regard.
Who’d have thought a training routine that looked this borderline suggestive would be so physically draining?
Suzuka’s legs trembled like a newborn foal’s, so Kenji gently guided her over to a chair.
The moment she sat down, Suzuka felt her hamstrings and glutes tingle like they’d been shocked, sore, numb, and aching.
She couldn’t help but cry out.
“Ah…!”
“What’s wrong?
Did you hurt yourself?” “N-No… just my leg muscles are feeling… intense…”
“Sounds like lactic acid buildup.
Take a few days off and rest properly.
We’ll enter you in the late-August race instead, once you’re fully recovered, we’ll send you out at peak condition.” “Yes…”
While being held had felt completely worth it, once the hug ended and she slipped into sage mode, guilt started creeping in.
She’d pushed through, but it looked like she’d caused trouble for her trainer again… Especially seeing how Kenji’s shirt was soaked with her sweat… It made her feel embarrassed and guilty.
Though mixed in was a tiny, heart-pounding thought: ‘Kenji-kun is covered in my scent…’ For now, though, shame won out.
Kenji didn’t care about his messy clothes at all; he was far more focused on Suzuka’s condition.
“Want me to give you a massage and help you relax?
I’m actually certified in sports rehabilitation.”
Leg massages weren’t part of standard trainer duties.
Trainers usually handled training schedules and pre-race tactics, while post-race leg care and injury checks were left to specialized rehab specialists.
Kenji had taken elective courses in sports rehabilitation and picked up a certification along the way.
Of course, he hadn’t done it just to take advantage of Uma Musume, he wanted firsthand knowledge of their leg conditions.
Massaging them helped him relax their muscles while checking for hidden injuries, which made planning and adjusting future training easier.
On a more personal note, as someone who’d traveled to this world, Kenji was genuinely curious about how Uma Musume legs differed from normal human ones, and why they could achieve superhuman speeds despite similar body sizes.
After deeper study, he’d discovered that Uma Musume leg muscles were incredibly soft at rest but hardened like steel when exerted.
Their muscle density and elasticity were vastly different from humans’, almost as if their legs had built-in super-springs.
Incidentally, Kenji’s practice subject had been none other than his mother.
Back home, he’d massage her legs and feet every day as part of filial duty, giving him plenty of hands-on experience.
He was already a seasoned reflexology expert, and pretty skilled at reading bone structure by touch.
“Is… is that okay?” “It’s part of my job, no need to be polite.” “T-Then please…” “Got it.”
Kenji rolled up his sleeves, knelt before Suzuka on one knee, carefully cupped her foot, and began massaging.
“Mm…!” Suzuka was used to Kenji touching her feet, but this level of pressure was new.
His warm, firm hands wrapped around her heel.
When he pressed his thumb firmly into the reflex zones on her sole, especially the spot corresponding to her lower back and waist, a deep ache surged up from the bottom of her foot.
It felt like an electric current shooting along her meridians: sore, tingling, and sharp.
The discomfort made her want to pull away, but she held firm… Kenji-kun was massaging her to help her relax; she couldn’t let his kindness go to waste!
Her endurance paid off quickly.
As the ache faded, an indescribable wave of relief washed over her, as if months of pent-up fatigue were being pressed out with every stroke.
“Haa…” Suzuka’s eyes fluttered half-closed; her feet felt weightless, like a heavy burden had been lifted.
This massage… might be addictive…
“How is it?
Feeling better?” “Ah…!
Yes, it’s very… comfortable.” Though… just her feet felt a little unsatisfying…
Looking down at Kenji, completely focused on his work, a sudden surge of ‘courage’ sparked in Suzuka’s mind.
Trainers always gave orders to Uma Musume… but maybe in this situation, she could try taking the lead?
“Um… Kenji-kun, could you go a little higher?” “Here?” Without overthinking it, Kenji continued up to her calf.
Holding back her breath, almost like she was entranced, Suzuka pressed on: “Um… even… a little higher…”
“Oh, the knee?
Yeah, this area’s important too.” Kenji kept moving upward, working along her popliteal fossa.
“Um… actually… it’s my thigh…” The moment she said it, Suzuka felt so embarrassed she nearly passed out.
She’d never been this forward in her life, but facing Kenji, she poured all her courage into it, like she was going for broke.
Thighs… alright.
Fine, let’s do the full routine this time.
Her sweat acted as a natural lubricant, slick and smooth, though slightly tacky.
Kenji’s fingers moved like an experienced explorer searching for treasure along Suzuka’s thighs.
Every press hit the exact spot: first a sharp, trap-like sting, then pure reward time after that.
“Mm… haa… ah… mmm…” But it wasn’t enough… Like thirst growing the more you drank, Suzuka’s subconscious had quietly reached a door labeled ‘desire.’ She wanted to step through it.
Her shame no longer held her back; it felt like another instinct for an Uma Musume, beyond running itself.
Almost there… so close to the spot that needed massaging the most!
But Kenji knew exactly when to stop.
He didn’t push upward toward her groin or anywhere else awkward, cutting it off right at his usual safe zone before the tension could spiral further.
“Alright, that’s enough for now.
Your legs aren’t shaking anymore.
If you do some stretches later, it’ll feel even better and you’ll be able to walk on your own.” “Mm… ah!
Yes!
Okay!”
Suzuka snapped back to reality, and her shame exploded all at once, she wanted to crawl into a crack and disappear.
What was she thinking…!
Her trainer, Kenji-kun, was just giving her a massage, and she’d used his kindness… only to satisfy herself… Ugh…
Then she saw Kenji wiping his hands with a tissue, and embarrassment hit even harder.
She should’ve wiped herself off before letting him start… Now she’d ended up dirtying her trainer!