"Besides, if the Horse Racing Association doesn't apologize, our chairman will not sit idly by." Right when her press conference was over, Chairman Akikawa called her to express her support... If the Horse Racing Association didn't apologize, she would go to the president of the Horse Racing Association in person to talk to him. Chapter 21 Bigger Dreams Since the protagonists were no longer there, the winners' stage performance in the evening naturally could not proceed as usual. Although many fans said that they came for Miura Bourbon, and that it would be better without Miyu, and that Miura Bourbon would be in the main position... the Horse Racing Association still cancelled the winner's stage. As compensation, the Horse Racing Association will refund the fans' ticket money in full. Although this amount of money is not a big deal for the Horse Racing Association, they cannot just suffer a loss like this. Did Higashino Chihiro do anything wrong? Of course not. Did Mi Yu do anything wrong? No, either. The problem then lay with them, and soon the employees who arranged the press conference were fired by the Horse Racing Association and sued in court for compensation. Although we know they definitely cannot afford to pay the compensation, we are not good people and society does not teach you to be merciful when you can.

Of course, the president of the Horse Racing Association also came forward and personally apologized to the Surpass team at the press conference. On the other hand, Kuronuma also called Chihiro Higashino and expressed his apologies. He did not expect that this incident would be caused by fans in the end. Although it had nothing to do with him and Miura Bourbon, he felt that as Miura Bourbon's trainer, he still needed to apologize to Higashino Chihiro... At the same time, he also expressed on the social platform that he hoped fans would treat this matter rationally and congratulated Mi Yu on his victory. "Kuronuma-senpai, there's no need to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong, and neither did Bourbon... I'm just upset with those fans and the staff of the Racing Association, and I don't mean anything against you." Chihiro Higashino also felt a little apologetic towards Kuronuma. After all, she and Mi Yu had shattered his dream... although this was her and Mi Yu's goal. "You go back to class first. I'll talk to him here." "Yes, Master!" After Miura Bourbon left, Kuronuma sat on the sofa in Higashino Chihiro's office. "Actually, I have always been prepared for this situation... But, it is really hard to accept when this day comes." "It's just the last step..." Kuronuma had been preparing for the Chrysanthemum Festival since he entered the junior high school... He had not spent too much time training for middle-distance races. The result was that he won all the middle-mile races, but still lost in the Chrysanthemum Shooting. "For the Triple Crown, both strength and luck are essential, but there is still a lack of both." For some reason, Higashino Chihiro felt that Kuronuma had become much more lonely and not as energetic as before. After a few words, Kuronuma left the office, and Higashino Chihiro also started to deal with the next matters. The chrysanthemum viewing in Miyu has come to an end. After a while, when the heat has passed, there will be nothing to worry about. As for the next things... It is the Japan Cup, the Autumn Emperor Award, the Arima Memorial and the farewell party with beautiful poses. One night after the chrysanthemum viewing, after finishing the team's evening training, Higashino Chihiro habitually checked her phone and revealed... A surprised expression.

"Mi Yu, come with me to the hospital tomorrow on our day off." "Oh, okay, brother." Mi Yu nodded and asked with some concern: "Brother, is Mi Yu injured?" Mi Yu remembered that after the chrysanthemum viewing was over, her brother had checked her out... Apart from normal fatigue, there were no other problems, right? "It's not your problem, it's..." "Bourbon-san?" Mi Yu came to the hospital with some fruits and followed his trainer into the hospital ward where he saw Miura Bourbon wearing a hospital gown and sitting on the bed. "Rice bath?" Leaving space and time to the two horse girls, Higashino Chihiro followed Kuronuma who gestured for her to go out and walked out of the ward. "How is Bourbon's injury?" Kuronuma showed him the X-ray film, and Higashino Chihiro frowned, "The problem is quite serious, tibial periostitis. Although you don't have to stay in the hospital for a long time, the subsequent recovery will take a long time... However, there is definitely no way to train before next summer, and with the subsequent rehabilitation training, next year's competitions will be scheduled at least after October." For a horse girl who is about to enter the senior level and has performed particularly well in the classic level, the impact is huge. "Dongye, I asked you to come here today because I have something else I want to discuss with you." Kuronuma looked at Chihiro Higashino and finally made a decision in his heart. "what?" Kuronuma looked around and said, "Let's talk somewhere else and tell them both." After opening the door and saying something to Miura Bourbon and Miyu, the confused Higashino Chihiro followed Kuronuma out. "Hey... Bourbon-san, are you okay now?" After the trainers left, Mi Yu looked at Miura Bourbon, who had a calm expression, and didn't know what to say for a moment. She had never known that Miura Bourbon had been injured... No wonder she hadn't seen him during her morning jog these past few days. She thought he was like her trainer and was asked not to do morning jog within a few days after the Chrysanthemum Viewing Festival. "Replying according to the doctor's diagnosis, except for my leg injury, everything is fine now, Mi Yu." "Yes, yes, yes, I'm sorry!" Mi Yu waved his hands hurriedly and said, "I didn't mean to say that. I wanted to say, I wanted to say..." Seeing Mi Yu's anxious look, Miura Bourbon's expression remained unchanged. She turned her head to look at the sky outside the window. "After the Chrysanthemum Festival, I wanted to aim for the Japan Cup because I failed to live up to my master's expectations of the Triple Crown. It seems that I was too hasty... So, it has nothing to do with the rice bath, and you don't have to blame yourself." “Mi Yu, you know.” "Hmm?" Mi Yu raised his head and looked at Miura Bourbon who was staring at him intently. "During the short time I was in the hospital, I was very anxious because I didn't know when I would be able to run again. I was almost overwhelmed by this emotion and thought about whether I should just retire." After hearing this, Mi Yu immediately stood up and bowed to Miura Bourbon, "I'm sorry! I broke your dream."

"And the reason why I didn't collapse and didn't choose to give up running is because of you, Mi Yu." Miura Bourbon looked at Mi Yu with a smile on his face, "I will not lose to you next time. I must beat you next time. I want to compete with you once again. This is a belief that supports me." "You did shatter my dream, but, Mi Yu, it is because of you that I now have a bigger dream..." Chapter 22: Run! Following Kuronuma-senpai to the hospital garden, the number of people around became much smaller. "Dongye, you should know that my stomach has been uncomfortable recently, right?" Higashino Chihiro nodded, "I remember you said it was gastritis, Kuronuma-senpai?" "Is the situation getting serious now? If necessary, I can help you contact a doctor who is good at this." Although he couldn't hire one, it would not be difficult to make an appointment with a doctor who was well-versed in gastric diseases if he asked his parents or grandparents for help. "Thank you." Kuronuma didn't reject Higashino Chihiro's kindness. If he went to ask her out, it wouldn't mean he couldn't get one... But the effect is definitely not as good as the one recommended by others. He really needs a top doctor in this field to help with the treatment. "But I didn't come here for this matter." Kuronuma put his hands in his pockets and turned to look at the hospital building not far away. "Higashino, I want to entrust Miura Bourbon to you." "?" Higashino Chihiro looked at Kuronuma, her face full of disbelief, "Kuroonuma-senpai, today is November 1st, not April 1st." Kuronuma didn't say much and handed a crumpled form in his pocket to Higashino Chihiro. "This is?" Higashino Chihiro unfolded the form with confusion, and her pupils shrank slightly as she looked at the words on it. "Gastric ulcer? And the risk of cancer?" Kuronuma nodded and said, "At the beginning, it was just a simple gastritis, but I didn't expect it to deteriorate to this extent now." "When is the surgery? How about I help you now? Contact a doctor? "We'll talk about this later." Kuronuma waved his hand. "I felt unwell a few days ago and went for a checkup. My wife also saw the results." "She burst into tears and begged me to quit my job as a trainer and take good care of her body." For their family, the money they earn now is more than enough for daily expenses. His wife thinks it is not worth it to sacrifice his health for work. Fortunately, it was discovered in time and did not develop into the more troublesome cancer...but who knows if something like this will happen in the future. At least until Kuronuma has completely recovered from his illness, her wife is strongly opposed to Kuronuma continuing to serve at Tresen College. "Originally I was thinking to delay it for a while, at least until Bourbon retires, and then I will retire. Now I will suppress it with drugs, but I didn't expect that Bourbon was also injured."

Kuronuma sighed and said, "I really put too much pressure on her..." Chihiro Higashino was silent. From an emotional point of view, Chihiro Higashino did not want senior Kuronuma to retire like this, but from a rational point of view, he supported it. Health is the root of everything. Without good health, everything else is in vain. Given Senior Kuronuma's current condition, of course he needs to contact a doctor immediately and undergo surgery. He will also need to rest for a considerable period of time after the surgery. Even if he recovers later, he will not be able to perform high-intensity training like he did before. "After the surgery, including the recovery time, a few years should be enough. Kuronuma-senpai should not retire." Kuronuma shook his head. "I am already in my forties. After I recover, I may be fifty. And it is impossible for my body to fully recover." "Plus, I've been away from the training ground for such a long time, whether I can still coach at the level I have now is still a question." "So, taking all factors into consideration, it's almost time to retire now." "It's just a little regretful that I still didn't see it... Never mind, let's not talk about it." Kuronuma looked at Chihiro Higashino with a serious expression, "My career as a trainer should end here... But, Higashino, you still have a long way to go, and Bourbon's road has not yet come to an end, so..." "Please! Please take Bourbon with you and reach the top!" Kuronuma bent his waist at 90 degrees towards Chihiro Higashino. For him, Miura Bourbon was the horse girl he had spent the most effort and cared about the most during all the years he had been coaching. He sincerely hoped that... after he left, she would be able to show her style in the Shining Series. The reason why he chose Chihiro Higashino instead of Hana Tojo was, on the one hand, because Bourbon Miura was more familiar with Chihiro Higashino and she could accept her more easily, and on the other hand, he believed that Chihiro Higashino could definitely do it. "Kuronuma-senpai, I promise you." After helping Kuronuma up, Chihiro Higashino agreed to bring Bourbon Miura into the team. It happened that no horse girls were recruited this year, and Bourbon Miura also needed to rest for a year, so it didn't affect anything. "But, Kuronuma-senpai, have you discussed this matter with Miura Bourbon?" "I'll go discuss it with her later. Although she may resist at first, I believe she will understand me." "Then, Kuronuma-senpai, I will help you contact a doctor who specializes in this field now." Having said that, Chihiro Higashino took out her cell phone and called her mother to ask. "The response may be delayed, but there will be no problem. The doctor will arrive in Tokyo before the Japan Cup at the latest." Kuronuma nodded and returned to the hospital with Chihiro Higashino. Chihiro Higashino and Kuronuma looked at each other, then left the hospital with Miyu, leaving space for Kuronuma and Miura Bourbon. "When your injury is healed, you can join the Surpass team!" "Why, Master, is there something I did wrong?" Miura Bourbon wanted to get out of bed anxiously, but was stopped by Kuronuma... He handed the table that he had shown to Higashino Chihiro before to Miura Bourbon. "Don't get me wrong. If possible, I would like to reach the top with you... But, Bourbon, I'm sorry, I have to leave early." Miura Bourbon looked at the form in her hand. Although she couldn't understand it, she knew that her trainer was sick.

"I will have surgery soon. The recovery time will be very long, so long that I will not be able to coach again before you retire... So I chose to retire and entrust you to Dongye, so that when I recover a little, I can still see you win the championship on the court. " "Master, I..." "Bourbon, promise me that after you recover, you will show your style on the field and let me see you reach the top in the Shining Series, okay?" "I……" "Don't talk nonsense. Once your injuries are healed, run!" "Yes! Master!"