"Our first race will be between the girls! May the first runners step up!"
The two girls come out of the locker. Miku and Yotsuba had left their headphones and ribbon in their bags and left them with Itsuki. Miku put her hair in a ponytail before taking a deep breath.
Miku"...This is too stressful."
Yotsuba:"It's fine, it's not like we need to win."
Miku:"I know, but I want to do a good job in Ichika's place...I want to let her know I can do this on my own."
Yotsuba:"Ahaha, Miku. You know you're never alone."
Miku:"But I have to do this-"
Yotsuba:"We'll always support you, no matter what!"
Miku:"...Haha, you're hard to argue with when your mind is set on something."
Yotsuba:"Shishishi! I am a little stubborn."
Miku:"That's what I love about you."
Yotsuba:"You're even more stubborn than me, though. But, that's why I look up to you."
Miku:"I don't believe that, there's nothing I have worth looking up to. Hm?"
Yotsuba:"What's wrong?"
Miku:"Oh, it's nothing, I just felt something in my legs."[I wonder what that was.]
[Can you really do this?]
The sisters continued as the first runners of each class got ready.
Nino, Itsuki and Raiha got first row seats after giving Fuutarou and takeda their good luck blessings.
Nino:"I never thought I'd see Miku actually doing something like this."
Itsuki:"You said that when she started cooking too."
Nino:"Miku's not the type of girl who would do that...at least, until we met Fuu-kun."
Itsuki:"Looks like what Uesugi-kun said about us being able to do everything the others can is becoming more true by the day."
Nino:"She's always trying new things. Whether it's through Fuu-kun or it's her finding something new by herself. Even though she's not good at them, even when others tell her she can't do it...Even when I've told her it was impossible."
Itsuki:"Behind all of your harsh words, you still love all of us with all your heart, and she knows that."
Nino:"...One day, she won't need us anymore...One day, I won't be needed anymore…"
Itsuki:"Nino…"
Nino:"But that's not today! After this, we'll go back to normal."
Itsuki:"The least we can do is root for them."
Itsuki took out her phone to start recording.
Raiha:"Ah, I should take photos too. Brother gave me his phone to take some."
Itsuki:"Do you know how to use it?"
Raiha:"Yep! I learned to use it way before my brother did."
Nino:"Why's that?"
Raiha:"We're poor!"
Nino:"Ah! Right, sorry for bringing it up."
Raiha:"It's ok, brother never let it bring him down. My dad is always sad about it, but big bro told me not to look up to him."
Isanari:"Achoo! I guess someone is talking about me. Probably Maruo, that bastard...Where's Raiha?"
…
…
"The girl's relay race will start...now!"
The first group of girls began their race. Class 3-1's first member kept a steady third place right behind second place. As she passes the baton to the second runner, she is able to take second as the other class almost falls. The second member begins to close in, she's midway through the track as Miku begins to prepare. Miku takes another deep breath, but...
Fuutarou:"We finally made it. Did you really need to go to the bathroom twice, Takeda?"
Takeda:"I'd been holding it in all day."
Maeda:"As long as you feel fine for the race."
Fuutarou and the others made it to a spot where they could see the girls.
Fuutarou:"I see one of them on the track getting ready and one of them waiting. Then the one on the track must be Miku. Looks like she's about to start...hm?"
Miku seems to be out of breath. She was breathing hard, despite not having moved yet.
Yotsuba:"What's wrong, Miku? You should start moving soon!"
Fuutarou:"Miku…"
Miku:[I can't move my legs...Why?]
Fuutarou:"Damn, I thought she rested enough, did the stress catch up to her?"
Raiha:"What's happening with Miku-san?"
Nino:"...I think It just dawned on either her mind or her body how hard this is for her. She's hit her limit."
Itsuki:"Miku, you can do it! Don't let that drag you down!"
Behind Miku, the second runner was closing in. By this point, the girl in first place passed Miku and gave the next girl the baton.
[Shouldn't Nakano-san be moving right now?]
Miku continues to pant.
Miku:[No, no, no, no! Why!? Why now!? After everything I've done, I mess up at the last minute...Ichika...Nino...Itsuki...Yotsuba...Fuuta-]
{"You know you're never alone."}
Miku:"...Ah."
Miku begins to move slowly. She attempts to take in another deep breath. Her body tries to reject it, but she forces it through.
Miku:"...Hng!"
In that moment, Miku stomps her foot down.
Fuutarou:"What was..?"
Nino:"I-Is she angry?"
Miku:[What the hell am I doing!? They're always there for me, of course I don't need to ask, what is wrong with me?]
Miku punches her legs.
Miku:[Even if I'm out of breath, even if my legs don't want to move, I'll make them!]
Miku:"I won't give up! I'll see this through the end!"
Miku:[I'm not the same person I was before!]
Miku begins to move as the second runner stretches out her arm to pass the baton. As they're running, the baton misses Miku's hand. While the second runner panics a little, Miku moves her arm again and catches it on the rebound.
Miku:[I won't let the me from the past keep bringing me down.]
Miku:"Leave it to me!"
The second runner is slightly confused, but she nods.
"Good luck!"
With that, Miku begins to run.
Miku:[This isn't about making my sisters or Fuutarou proud...This is about making myself proud! This is about becoming my own person!]
…
…
2 years ago
{Ichika:"Miku? Dinner's ready. You should come out, Ebata-san made your favorites."}
No response.
{Ichika:"You got bullied at school again, didn't you? You know you can always come to us...Yotsuba said she spoke to the principal about it. We had to hold Nino back from killing those kids and Itsuki is trying to get our dad on it."}
Some movement could be heard at the other side of the door.
{Ichika:"I know that you've been suffering too...After our mother died, you tried your best showing no emotion for Itsuki and Yotsuba, you were really acting like a big sister. Even now…*hic* I still miss my mom so much.."}
Ichika continues to cry at the door, but she composes herself and continues.
{Ichika:"You've tried becoming emotionally distant, but that's not you, is it? You're far more than just that. You can laugh, cry, get mad and so much more. You're Miku!"}
…
The door slowly begins to open. Miku slowly begins poking her head out, trying to hide her face.
{Miku:"Is it...really all my favorites?"}
Ichika wipes the tears away.
{Ichika:"Of course, would I lie to you?"}
Miku smiles.
{Miku:"I...I guess not…"}
Miku comes out to the hallway.
{Miku:"S-Sorry I'm such a mess."}
{Ichika:"It's fine, you should see my room."}
…
Miku:[I had put myself in a rot…]
{Itsuki:"Miku! I hear the bullying stopped!}
{Miku:"Yeah...Thank you, Yotsuba, I hear that you spoke to the principal."}
{Yotsuba:"Huh? O-Oh, yeah…}
{Miku:"Huh?"}
Miku:[I thought I had gotten better. My sisters had helped me...but it only got worse…]
…
{Miku:"Yotsuba's getting bullied now!? But why? She didn't do anything wrong!"}
Miku:[Because I couldn't stand up for myself...]
{Miku:"Yotsuba! Come on, let's get you-huh? Your ribbon...it's all torn...Don't worry, We'll fix it, we'll clean it...just please...don't hate me…"]
Miku:[I hated myself. I hated how I couldn't fight back. I hated how I always hid behind a mask. I hated everything! I hated it, but I couldn't stop doing it. I was nothing but a coward, happy to be behind everyone, as long as I didn't stand out, nothing would hurt me...My sisters were better at everything. But...we were never the same. Ever since our mother's death, it was as if we were destined to be separated in one way or another.]
{Nino:"Is Miku still holed up in her room?"}
{Itsuki:"Yeah, she's been doing that a lot."]
Miku:[I had begun playing the games Yotsuba had lent me. Those were my paradise. I was a hero, my mind had begun to waver outside the real world. I thought I could use that as a gateway to my sisters as well...]
{Yotsuba:"...Huh? You're...You're wearing headphones?"}
Miku:[I continued to become a different person. I couldn't bear to hear people saying bad things about me or my sisters...but I knew I couldn't do anything...I ran away. I had begun to cover my ears from the world. If I didn't hear it, I would never know. I began to distrust anyone...Anyone who my sisters didn't like, I wouldn't like either. I trusted their judgement, they were my precious sisters...I was content with being a background character, I was content with looking at their achievements, I was content with looking at their backs. So then...what changed?]
…
…
...
{"I just thought I wanted to start trying seriously."}
{"I want...I want to try cooking."}
{"Failure is the stepping stone to success!"}
{"You got it!"}
{"Doesn't love make you blind?"}
{"I'll find a way for him to fall for me."}
{"I want to do this as Miku."}
Miku:[I...I already know the answer to that...The light that guided me...It was you. You lit the way for me to begin my journey. But, I needed to take the steps needed to get there by myself. Haha, you really went and brought out the best in me... I won't forgive you for that, you villain.]
…
Producer Oda:"Ichika-chan, it's your turn."
Ichika:"R-Right…"
Before Ichika went into the recording room, she turned back one last time.
Ichika:[Fuutarou...Miku...I believe in you.]
…
Yotsuba:"Miku!"
Nino:"Get moving."
Itsuki:"You can do it."
Fuutarou:"I believe in you."
Miku:[It's up to me to take that step forward. I'm Miku, not my sisters, nor the same Miku I was before, I'm the me that exists now, and I'll surpass my own limits!]
Fuutarou/Itsuki/Nino/Yotsuba:"You can do it!"
Miku:"Now matter what!"
End of Chapter 13