Masumi Usui/First Love Horse Riding Club

Spice Inochi's Bond

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2Part 3

Izumi	(He told me to wait outside,
	But Masumi-kun, just where did you go…)
Masumi	Director, sorry for the wait.
Izumi	Ah, Masumi-ku—.
	(…A bicycle?)
Masumi	Director, sit in the back.
Izumi	…What’s up with this?
Masumi	I rented it.
	A two-person rental bike.
Izumi	(There’s various parts I want to dig into like the heart balloons tied to the handle and the cans attached to the back, but…)
	Umm… The place I sit has to be behind Masumi-kun?
Masumi	Right. It’s fine if Director just sits.
	I’ll pedal.
Izumi	…By the way, even if I ask the destination?
Masumi	It’s a secret.
Izumi	A secret, huh…
	(I was told to spend our free time together, but to think I’d be invited on a rental bike…)
Masumi	Won’t you ride it?
Izumi	Ummmm….
Masumi	I’ve been looking forward to being able to spend time together with you the entire time.
	I’ve also made a reservation, so I want to get going as soon as possible.
Izumi	(Reservation? Masumi-kun, just what on earth have you planned to do…?)
Masumi	…Well, if you say you want to spend time with me alone in our room without going out, then for me that’s also…
Izumi	I’d love to ride this!
	Umm, it’s ok if I ride behind Masumi-kun, right?
Masumi	Yeah.
	It’s dangerous, so hold the handles properly.
Izumi	I got it.
Masumi	…Haa. You riding a bike is cute too.
Izumi	M-Masumi-kun, you can’t drive without facing forward.
Masumi	I want to keep looking at you riding the bike…
Izumi	…There’s still the reservation time too, right?
	It’d be bad if we’re late, you know
Masumi	…Too bad.
Izumi	(For better or for worse, Masumi really doesn’t waver, huh?)
Masumi	—Director.
Izumi	Hm? What?
Masumi	Today, I’ll definitely make you enjoy yourself and I won’t make you regret it.
	I promise.
Izumi	Y-yeah. I’m looking forward to it!
	(In the end, without knowing where I’m being taken…)
Masumi	We’ve arrived.
Izumi	Here is…
Masumi	A ranch where you can experience horseback riding.
	Director, let’s ride horses together.
Izumi	Horseback riding!?
Instructor	Hello there.
	Perhaps you’re Usui-san who made a reservation by phone a short while ago?
Masumi	That’s right.
Instructor	We’ve been expecting you!
	So, come on over
Masumi	Let's go, Director.

Izumi	(There’s no way I thought that we’d end up doing a horseback riding experience…)
Instructor	—That’s all for the explanation.
	You’ve put your supporting gear on, so shall we get started right away?
Izumi	Yes! I’ll be in your care today.
	*neigh*
	Ah, this guy is the horse we’ll ride today?
Instructor	Yep.
	One that we take pride in, and his name is “Spice Inochi”.
Izumi	!
Masumi	What’s that, what a weird name.
Izumi	Spice life…! It’s a really great name, huh!
Masumi	If you say that, then I think so too.
Izumi	I feel like I’ll be able to get along well with this guy…!
	Nice to meet you, Spice Inochi!
Spice Inochi	*Blow, blow*…
Izumi	Fufu, he sure is friendly and cute.
	Here, here…
Masumi	…
	…I don’t like this guy.
	He’s getting too overly friendly with you.
	Even if he’s a horse, I won’t hand Director over.
Izumi	Enough, Masumi-kun! Don’t get the weird feeling that you need to compete with him!
Instructor	You’ve grabbed the reins, right?
	So then, first, let’s get him to walk slowly.
Izumi	(Wahh… so riding a horse feels like this!
	My viewpoint is high! The wind feels nice…!)
Instructor	It’s great, right?
	It seems like you’ve gotten used to it, so how about trying a little trot?
Izumi	Okay.
	There we go… Wahh, it’s a lot shakier than I thought—kyahhh!?
Masumi	Director!
Izumi	(This is bad, I’ll lose my balance—!)
Spice Inochi	*Whinny—*!
Izumi	Uh… H-huh?
Instructor	Are you alright!?
Izumi	Y-yes. Thanks to this guy who stopped immediately and leaned his body for me, I somehow…
	Thank you, Spice Inochi.
Masumi	…
	…It’s frustrating, but I’ll thank you.
	Thanks for protecting her.
Spice Inochi	*Whinny*!
Instructor	Shall you two change places now?
	Ma’am, please take a rest to calm down as well.
Izumi	I’ll take you up on that offer.
	Good luck, Masumi-kun.
Masumi	Yeah, watch me.
	Because I’ll show you riding so perfect that you’ll be captivated.
	—uh!?
	*neigh*
Izumi	Masumi-kun, are you ok!?
Masumi	Mm, I’m fine…
Izumi	(For some reason suddenly, it feels like the horse’s movements became rough…)
	It looks just like a rodeo.)
Masumi	…Maybe my compatibility with this guy is the worst.
Instructor	Hmmm… Perhaps, it might be that he thought of you as a rival.
Masumi	!
	Then he also, towards Director…?
Izumi	No, no, there’s no way…
Masumi	…I definitely won’t hand you over.
Izumi	Don’t take it so seriously!
Regular guest	—Hmph, it’s awful at running as usual, huh?
Masumi	?
Izumi	(Who…?)
Regular guest	A horse with a rough temper, and that’s picky about the human who rides it is not worth considering.
	Letting it go was the right choice after all.
Izumi	…Um, could it be that you’re Spice Inochi’s…?
Regular guest	I’m its previous owner.
	I took it in to raise it as a racehorse but it’s always been that way, see. I sold it here because I can’t use it.
Izumi	“Can’t use”, putting it that way…!
Regular guest	Isn’t it the truth?
	Playing around with amateurs suits something useless.
Izumi	—.
	(What’s with this guy, he’s really disgusting…!)
Regular guest	Well, because of that, I don’t want the likes of amateurs who can’t do anything but fawn over horses to interfere, ok?
	Also, a little girl who hardly knows anything either is…
Izumi	Hey…!
Masumi	...!

Izumi	Eh, Masumi-kun…!?
Masumi	Apologize right now.
	To Director… and while you’re at it, to Spice Inochi too.
Regular guest	What’d you say?
Masumi	To begin with, if you shut up and listen… What are you?
	You seem all self-important but you weren’t acknowledged by him, right?
	He didn’t want to be ridden by an old man like you.
	Can a guy like that possibly look down on Director who has been acknowledged by this guy and this guy here?
Regular guest	Hey…!
Izumi	M-Masumi-kun! That’s going too far…
Masumi	Be quiet for a second.
Izumi	—.
	(Masumi-kun… could it be that he’s angry?)
Regular guest	…If you insist, how about we try holding a match, huh?
Masumi	A match?
Regular guest	We’ll have a race between the horse I own and that horse.
	Of course, the ones who will ride are me and you.
Izumi	EHHH!?
Instructor	W-wait a minute!
	These guests here, it’s their first time horseback riding.
	A race all of a sudden is out of the question!
Regular guest	Ho, it’s your first time and yet you said something so arrogant, huh?
Masumi	It’s true that today is my first time horseback riding, but we can have a match.
	I received a lecture, and I remember all of it.
Izumi	L-like I was saying, no matter how much you’re you, Masumi-kun, it’s reckless to compete against someone who’s skilled at it!
Regular guest	Hmph… That’s true, it’d be childish to go all out against a beginner.
	Fine then, I’ll use one of my third-rate horses.
Masumi	If we hold a match—the rules are?
Regular guest	Two laps around the short track over there. The one who reaches the goal first, wins.
Masumi	I got it.
Izumi	W-wait, Masumi-kun!
	If you do such an unreasonable thing, and by any chance get injured too—.
Masumi	It’s fine. Let’s go, Spice Inochi.
	…We’ll shut this guy up who looked down on Director.
Spice Inochi	*Whinny*!
Regular guest	Guhh! This…!
Masumi	There’s no way we’ll lose…!
Izumi	(The competition is unbelievably close…!)
Instructor	Amazing…!
	Managing a horse to that extent in such a short amount of time…!
Izumi	(Spice Inochi is also properly listening to what Masumi-kun says.
	If it’s like this, then it’s possible…!)
MasumI	Just a little more, let’s go…!
Instructor	As they’re neck and neck, towards the last straightaway…!
Izumi	MASUMI-KUN! SPICE INOCHI! GO FOR IT!!
Masumi	—!
	*neigh*
Regular guest	HUH!?
Instructor	—By a difference of one nose, it’s Spice Inochi’s victory!
Regular guest	DAMN IT! I gave up the win this time,
	But in the end, it’s a victory against my third-rate horse! Don’t get conceited!
Izumi	(He left…)
Masumi	Director, thanks for before.
	We won thanks to your cheering.
Izumi	Enough, that was reckless.
	I was seriously nervous, alright?
Masumi	But it’s because I couldn’t forgive those remarks towards you.
CHOICE 1: Thank you. [+] Izumi Thank you, Masumi-kun. You got mad for me and Spice Inochi’s sake, right? Masumi He owed you… Above all, you were looked down on and I couldn’t stay silent.
CHOICE 2: You were cool. [+] Izumi Masumi-kun, that rein handling was so good I can’t believe it was your first time. You were cool. Masumi …! Director said I’m cool… Is that a proposal? Izumi W-why did it become like that!?
	Spice Inochi!
	Good job to you too. You really worked hard, huh?
	*neigh*
Masumi	…Only that guy getting pat is unfair. Me too.
Izumi	Ok, ok… Ahh.
Spice Inochi	*Blow, blow, blow*…
Masumi	…It doesn’t make me happy having my cheek rubbed by you.
Izumi	Ahaha, it looks like he got completely attached to Masumi-kun too.
Masumi	…
	It can’t be helped, I’ll acknowledge you as my rival.
	...Since I'll come see you again.

Anna