"That's right, exactly!" Nao nodded repeatedly, loudly affirming Akane's words. "But at the start of that sports festival, there weren't enough people from our class participating, and the other classes were making sarcastic remarks. I was under so much pressure that I almost dropped out too. Everyone encouraged and persuaded me to stay!"
"First Akane, who started out as my rival, then Reika. Seeing that, even Yayoi and Miyuki, who weren't good at sports, joined in at the end!"
"Everyone worked hard to train together for the competition. We swore together that we'd win this championship and shock those students from the other classes who looked down on us!"
On the "stage," an awkward, hole-ridden play was unfolding. The performer, with almost no acting ability, simply poured all her feelings straightforwardly into it, mixing joy and tears as she performed this one-woman show.
"Everyone's efforts weren't wasted. When the final baton was passed to me, I really did overtake the original first-place runner. But just as I was about to cross the finish line, I tripped and fell!"
But no matter whether the play was elegant and excellent or utterly unbearable, the other girls could no longer mock the person they "hated" as they had before. The sight of Nao Midorikawa now was simply too difficult for them to bear.
"I came in dead last and started crying. Just when I thought all of you would be disappointed, everyone gathered tightly around me and comforted me! You said, 'At least you didn't give up,' and in the end, everyone started crying..."
For some reason, Miyuki and Yayoi began to feel their eyes growing wet. Even Akane and Reika...
"Although we lost, everyone told me in the end that our combined efforts hadn't been meaningless, no matter the result! That was