The revelation lingered long after the conversation should have ended.
The three students had already left the quiet stairway behind.
The afternoon sun slowly drifted lower in the sky.
Golden light spilled across sidewalks.
Long shadows stretched over the pavement.
Students passed by in groups.
Some laughing.
Some talking about homework.
Others discussing weekend plans.
The ordinary rhythm of after-school life continued around them.
Yet for the three walking together—
Everything felt slightly different.
Because they had just learned something they never expected.
Hikari.
The proud, stubborn, competitive girl who never seemed afraid of anything.
The girl who could confidently challenge entire teams.
The girl who always appeared strong.
Had been carrying around a secret.
Not because she was ashamed of it.
But because she was afraid.
Afraid of being judged.
Afraid of being compared.
Afraid of not being enough.
The realization made the walk strangely quiet.
Kazuha walked beside Hikari.
Ruko walked slightly behind them.
For several minutes—
Nobody spoke.
Each lost in their own thoughts.
Eventually—
Kazuha broke the silence.
"So..."
Hikari glanced toward her.
"So?"
Kazuha smiled softly.
"What exactly is your goal?"
The question hung in the air.
Simple.
Direct.
Honest.
Hikari blinked.
Then looked away.
The evening breeze gently lifted strands of her hair.
For a moment—
She appeared uncertain.
As though she wasn't sure whether to answer.
Then—
Slowly—
She spoke.
"My goal..."
Her voice was quieter than usual.
Not weak.
Just thoughtful.
The kind of voice people used when talking about something truly important.
She looked toward the horizon.
Toward the distant city skyline glowing beneath the sunset.
Then continued.
"I want to become a face in the game."
Ruko looked up.
Kazuha listened carefully.
Hikari smiled faintly.
The kind of smile that appeared when someone talked about a dream.
A genuine one.
"I want people to recognize me."
"Not because of my sister."
"Not because of someone else."
"But because I'm me."
The wind carried her words away.
Yet neither listener missed them.
Hikari continued walking.
Her eyes focused somewhere far ahead.
Somewhere only she could see.
"I want people to see my cosplay."
"My videos."
"My gameplay."
"My ideas."
"And smile."
The answer surprised both of them.
Not because it was ambitious.
But because it was so simple.
There was no mention of fame.
No mention of money.
No mention of sponsorships.
No mention of popularity.
Just—
Making people smile.
Hikari laughed softly.
A nostalgic sound.
"Honestly..."
Her gaze drifted upward.
Toward the sky.
"I think it started years ago."
Kazuha tilted her head.
"Years ago?"
Hikari nodded.
"Back in middle school."
Her expression became distant.
Like someone opening an old photo album.
One filled with memories.
Some painful.
Some precious.
"I tried out for the volleyball club."
Kazuha blinked.
"You played volleyball?"
"Tried to."
The emphasis was important.
Because Hikari immediately laughed afterward.
A self-deprecating laugh.
One filled with old embarrassment.
"It was a disaster."
"I wasn't athletic."
"I wasn't fast."
"I couldn't jump very high."
"And my coordination was awful."
"So..."
She shrugged.
"I got rejected."
The memory clearly still lingered.
Not because it hurt anymore.
But because it had mattered at the time.
A younger Hikari.
Working hard.
Trying her best.
Only to be told she wasn't good enough.
She smiled bitterly.
"I remember walking home afterward."
The street around them seemed to fade.
As if everyone listening could see the memory.
A younger girl.
Holding back tears.
Walking home alone.
Wondering why she wasn't enough.
Wondering why everyone else seemed better.
Wondering if trying had been pointless.
Then—
Something happened.
Hikari's smile softened.
"I got a notification."
Kazuha listened quietly.
"A streamer I followed uploaded a video."
"He kept losing."
"What?"
"He was terrible."
The statement came with complete confidence.
Kazuha burst out laughing.
Even Ruko chuckled.
Hikari ignored them.
"He lost over and over again."
"He complained."
"He blamed his teammates."
"He blamed lag."
"He blamed everything except himself."
"He was completely ridiculous."
The image was easy to imagine.
And apparently—
Very funny.
Hikari continued.
"Then another video appeared."
"A compilation."
"Funny moments."
"A group of friends playing together."
"They were horrible."
"They kept failing."
"They kept making mistakes."
"But..."
Her smile grew.
"They looked like they were having so much fun."
The warmth in her voice became unmistakable.
For a brief moment—
The confident Hikari disappeared.
Replaced by a younger version of herself.
A girl sitting alone in her room.
Watching strangers laugh.
Watching strangers enjoy themselves.
Watching strangers share happiness.
And somehow—
Feeling a little better.
"A bad day became a good day."
She laughed.
"Not because my problems disappeared."
"But because someone made me smile."
The answer was simple.
Almost disappointingly simple.
Yet somehow—
It felt incredibly powerful.
Because everyone understood.
Those small moments.
Those unexpected videos.
Those random people online who unknowingly made difficult days easier.
Everyone had experienced it at least once.
Hikari looked ahead again.
"I want to do that."
The words carried conviction.
Not uncertainty.
Not hesitation.
Conviction.
"I want someone who had a bad day."
"Then watch one of my videos."
"And smile."
"Even if it's just for a little while."
Kazuha's eyes softened.
Ruko remained silent.
Listening.
Understanding.
For the first time—
They weren't seeing the loud Hikari.
Or the competitive Hikari.
Or the stubborn Hikari.
They were seeing the dream hidden underneath.
The reason she worked so hard.
The reason she cared so much.
The reason losing followers hurt.
Because every follower represented a person.
A person she hoped to reach.
A person she hoped to entertain.
A person she hoped to make smile.
Then—
Her expression changed.
The warmth faded slightly.
And something heavier appeared.
Something familiar.
Doubt.
She looked down at her phone.
The picture still displayed on the screen.
Her.
And her sister.
The contrast between them felt impossible to ignore.
Hikari's voice became quieter.
"I want to become like her."
Kazuha immediately knew who she meant.
There was no need to ask.
Hikari stared at the photo.
"The mage prodigy."
The words carried admiration.
Respect.
And pressure.
A lot of pressure.
"The perfect Mage Queen."
Her grip tightened slightly.
"The Rotation Strategist."
The title sounded almost legendary.
Because in many ways—
It was.
Her sister wasn't simply successful.
She was exceptional.
The kind of person people remembered.
The kind of player who shaped metas.
The kind of player aspiring competitors studied.
The kind of player impossible to ignore.
And standing beside that kind of person—
Could make anyone feel small.
Especially family.
Hikari smiled.
But it wasn't a happy smile.
"I want to become someone like her."
Silence followed.
The wind gently brushed past them.
Cars moved in the distance.
The city continued breathing around them.
For several moments—
Nobody answered.
Then—
Ruko spoke.
His voice wasn't harsh.
Wasn't comforting.
Wasn't dramatic.
Just honest.
"Hikari."
She looked over.
He met her gaze directly.
And said:
"You're not her."
The words immediately caught her off guard.
Her eyebrows furrowed.
"What?"
"You'll never be her."
Kazuha blinked.
Even she looked surprised.
Ruko continued.
Calmly.
Without hesitation.
"No matter how hard you try."
"No matter how much you practice."
"No matter how many videos you make."
"No matter how much you admire her."
"You'll never become Matsuri."
The words should have sounded cruel.
Yet somehow—
They didn't.
Because there was no mockery.
No judgment.
Only truth.
Hikari stared.
Speechless.
Ruko looked toward the sunset.
Then back at her.
"Because you're you."
The evening breeze swept through the street.
For some reason—
Everything felt quieter.
"You'll never be her."
"So stop trying."
"..."
"Become someone who shines your own way."
The words settled heavily between them.
Not advice.
Not encouragement.
Something simpler.
A perspective.
One Hikari had never truly considered.
Because ever since childhood—
The comparison had always existed.
The prodigy sister.
The talented sister.
The famous sister.
The successful sister.
The impossible standard.
For so long—
Hikari had been chasing that image.
Trying to catch it.
Trying to become it.
Trying to prove herself worthy of standing beside it.
Yet maybe—
That was never the answer.
Maybe the answer wasn't becoming another Matsuri.
Maybe the answer was becoming the first Hikari.
The thought hit harder than she expected.
Much harder.
For a moment—
She couldn't find words.
Couldn't find a response.
Couldn't even find a counterargument.
Because somewhere deep inside—
A part of her knew he was right.
And that realization scared her.
Slowly—
Hikari looked away.
Toward the road ahead.
Toward the fading sunlight.
Toward a future she still couldn't fully see.
The silence remained.
But it no longer felt uncomfortable.
Just thoughtful.
The kind of silence that followed after hearing something important.
Something that needed time.
Time to understand.
Time to accept.
As the three continued walking home beneath the golden evening sky—
Hikari found herself holding her phone a little differently.
Not as a reminder of who she wanted to become.
But as a reminder of who she already was.
And for the first time in days—
The pressure weighing on her shoulders felt just a little lighter.
The next morning arrived beneath clear skies.
Sunlight streamed through classroom windows.
The sounds of students filled the hallways.
Another ordinary school day had begun.
Yet for the members of the Gaming Research Club—
Something felt different.
Not because of tournaments.
Not because of practice.
Not because of Melodious.
But because one particular person seemed noticeably lighter than before.
Hikari.
The change wasn't dramatic.
Most people probably wouldn't notice it.
She was still competitive.
Still sharp-tongued.
Still stubborn.
Still capable of arguing with almost anyone.
But the tension that had wrapped itself around her during the previous week seemed weaker.
Not gone.
Just lighter.
As though someone had finally loosened a knot that had been pulled too tight.
Even if only slightly.
By the time club activities began, the entire team had gathered once again inside the Gaming Research Club room.
Computer monitors illuminated the room.
The familiar sounds of keyboards filled the air.
Game clients loaded.
Practice matches began.
And immediately—
Risa resumed her battle against Melodious.
A battle she was currently losing.
Spectacularly.
The passive reset.
Again.
Risa stared at the screen.
The screen stared back.
Neither side appeared willing to surrender.
Across the room, Kana glanced over.
"Missed the beat again?"
"Correct."
Another miss.
Another reset.
Another failure.
Kana winced.
"How many times is that now?"
Risa adjusted her glasses.
"I stopped counting."
Everyone froze.
Ruko slowly turned.
"...You?"
"Yes."
"...Stopped counting?"
"Yes."
"...That bad, huh?"
"It is statistically depressing."
The room erupted into laughter.
Even Risa seemed slightly offended by her own performance.
Melodious danced across the screen.
Musical notes floated around her.
Abilities activated.
Stacks appeared.
Then immediately vanished.
Then appeared again.
Then vanished again.
At this point, Melodious herself probably wanted a different player.
Unfortunately—
Risa refused to give up.
Because once she committed to something—
She became terrifyingly stubborn.
Another team scrimmage began.
Everyone focused.
Everyone prepared.
Everyone—
Except Kazuha.
Because Kazuha somehow managed to make the exact same mistake three times in a row.
"Hikari left."
"Hikari left."
"Hikari left."
"HIKARI LEFT."
The enemy ambushed her.
Again.
The resulting disaster unfolded exactly as expected.
The team fight collapsed.
The objective disappeared.
And everyone immediately knew who had caused it.
Kazuha lowered her head.
"...Oops."
Hikari slowly turned toward her.
The room instantly became quiet.
Because everyone knew that expression.
Everyone knew that look.
The dangerous one.
The one that usually preceded an explosion.
Kana visibly scooted her chair backward.
Risa calmly adjusted her glasses.
Ruko prepared for impact.
Then—
Something unexpected happened.
Hikari smiled.
A very sweet smile.
A very gentle smile.
A very terrifying smile.
"Kazuha."
"...Y-Yes?"
"Come here."
"..."
"No."
"Come here."
"..."
"No."
Hikari stood up.
Still smiling.
The smile somehow becoming even scarier.
"Kazuha."
"..."
"You're really getting on my nerves."
The words sounded cheerful.
Which made them significantly more frightening.
Then—
Hikari lunged.
"WAHHHHHH!"
Kazuha screamed.
The next few seconds descended into complete chaos.
Hikari wrapped her arms around Kazuha.
Kazuha immediately attempted escape.
And failed.
Completely.
Then the tickling began.
"KYAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Kazuha nearly fell out of her chair.
"H-HIKARI!"
"Yes?"
"I'M SORRY!"
"I know."
"I DIDN'T MEAN TO!"
"I know."
"PLEASE!"
"I know."
"FORGIVE ME!"
Hikari's smile widened.
"No."
"KYAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
The entire clubroom exploded into laughter.
Kana was crying.
Actual tears streamed from her eyes.
"This is the funniest thing I've seen all week!"
Risa nodded.
"Agreed."
Kazuha desperately tried escaping.
Hikari continued tickling her.
A battle for survival unfolded.
Unfortunately—
Kazuha's chances of victory remained approximately zero percent.
Eventually—
She broke free.
Barely.
Like a prisoner escaping captivity.
Immediately—
She sprinted toward the opposite side of the room.
"HIKARI IS TRYING TO KILL ME!"
"GET BACK HERE!"
"NO!"
The chase began.
The clubroom transformed into a battlefield.
Desks became obstacles.
Chairs became cover.
Kana became collateral damage.
At one point Kazuha literally ran around Ruko's chair twice.
Hikari followed directly behind.
Both moving at speeds inappropriate for an indoor environment.
Meanwhile—
Risa calmly walked toward Ruko.
Completely ignoring the chaos.
As though this were perfectly normal.
Which, admittedly, it was becoming.
She stopped beside him.
Adjusted her glasses.
Then quietly asked:
"...Did something happen?"
Ruko looked at Hikari.
Looked at Kazuha.
Looked at the ongoing chase.
Then smiled slightly.
"No."
Risa stared.
"You are lying."
"Probably."
"...Interesting."
For some reason—
Risa looked satisfied.
As though she had already reached her own conclusion.
Then she returned to Melodious.
And immediately missed another beat.
"...Unfortunate."
The lunch period arrived shortly afterward.
The club members gathered together inside the cafeteria.
The usual lunchtime crowd filled the room.
Students chatted loudly.
Tables were occupied.
Food aromas drifted through the air.
Eventually the group found an open table near a window.
Lunch trays settled onto the surface.
Conversation resumed.
The meal itself was fairly ordinary.
Rice.
Soup.
A vegetable dish.
And unfortunately—
Carrots.
Lots of carrots.
Bright orange.
Impossible to miss.
The kind vegetables loved.
And many students hated.
The group began eating.
At first everything seemed normal.
Then Kana noticed something.
She blinked.
Then looked again.
Then pointed.
"Huh?"
Everyone looked over.
Kana's finger pointed directly at Hikari's tray.
Specifically—
The growing pile of carrots sitting neatly off to one side.
Every single carrot had been removed.
Every single one.
Like they had been exiled.
Banned from existence.
Kana tilted her head.
"...Hikari?"
"What?"
"Why are all your carrots over there?"
Hikari looked down.
Then immediately looked away.
"...No reason."
Kana narrowed her eyes.
"There is definitely a reason."
A silence before Hikari finally responded
"...I hate carrots."
The confession came instantly.
With absolutely no shame.
No hesitation.
No embarrassment.
Just pure conviction.
Kana blinked.
"...Seriously?"
"Yes."
"That much?"
"Yes."
Kana laughed.
"They aren't that bad."
"They are."
"No."
"They are."
"No."
"They are."
Kana pointed at the vegetables.
"They're healthy."
"I'd rather die."
The answer came so quickly that everyone froze.
Kana stared.
"That escalated quickly."
Hikari crossed her arms.
"I stand by my statement."
At that moment—
Risa entered the conversation.
A mistake.
A terrible mistake.
Because when someone mentioned nutrition—
Risa became dangerous.
She adjusted her glasses.
Then began.
"Actually, carrots provide significant nutritional value."
Kana immediately smiled.
Here we go.
Risa continued.
"They contain vitamins A, K1, and B6."
"They contribute to eye health."
"They support immune function."
"They possess antioxidants."
"They improve—"
"I DON'T CARE."
Hikari interrupted immediately.
Risa blinked.
"But the nutritional data—"
"I DON'T CARE."
"The statistics—"
"I DON'T CARE."
"The vitamin content—"
"I WOULD RATHER PERISH."
Kana nearly choked laughing.
Meanwhile—
Ruko had stopped listening.
Because something unexpected had happened.
A memory.
A small one.
Yet powerful enough to freeze him.
Years ago.
A different conversation.
A different voice.
A familiar laugh.
A multiplayer game.
And someone complaining endlessly.
"Why does every Sakua have a carrot themed skin?"
"Because it the easter theme skin."
"Then they chose the wrong vegetable"
"You really hate carrots that much?"
"I would rather lose ranked points."
The memory felt vivid.
Painfully vivid.
Because he remembered exactly who had said it.
Mitsuru.
The same stubborn hatred.
The same dramatic exaggeration.
The same immediate rejection.
For a brief moment—
The cafeteria noise faded.
And all he could hear was that distant memory.
Then—
Reality returned.
Kana's voice pulling him back.
"Huh?"
Everyone looked toward Kazuha now.
Because Kana had noticed something else.
"...Wait."
"What?"
"You haven't eaten your carrots either."
Kazuha froze.
Immediately.
The reaction alone answered the question.
Kana pointed.
"Aha."
"You don't like them too?"
Before Kazuha could answer—
Ruko spoke.
"She's allergic."
Silence.
Instant silence.
Kana's eyes widened.
Risa blinked.
Even Hikari looked surprised.
Kazuha awkwardly raised a hand.
"...Yeah."
Kana immediately lowered her finger.
"Oh."
A pause.
Then:
"That is a significantly better reason."
"I know."
Kazuha laughed nervously.
"If I eat one of them I would end up in the clinic for the whole day"
The tension disappeared almost instantly.
Conversation resumed.
Food continued disappearing.
Laughter returned.
And for a little while—
Everything felt normal.
Just friends sharing lunch.
Just teammates spending time together.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Yet as Ruko watched the group laughing together—
His gaze briefly shifted toward Hikari.
Toward the untouched pile of carrots.
And once again—
That memory surfaced.
Mitsuru's voice.
That old conversation.
That familiar complaint.
For reasons he couldn't explain—
The similarity lingered in his mind.
A tiny coincidence.
Probably meaningless.
Almost certainly meaningless.
And yet—
Something about it refused to leave.
Leaving him quietly staring at his lunch tray.
Lost in thought.
While around him—
The noisy chaos of the Gaming Research Club continued exactly as always.