Report 81

Plot
Chizuru tells the dejected Rena she is getting involved in the situation between Honoka and her for selfish reasons: she wants them to be friends again. Chizuru then directs Rena to think what is it that she wants, warning her against isolating herself from her friends, as she knows the consequences from experience: it will only get harder to relate to anyone, she will only be waiting for her student life to end, and there are no second chances in case she realizes in the future she has made a mistake.

Chizuru further tells Rena that what she herself wants is for them to go to the tournament and for her and Honoka to be friends again, and to have lunch at school between the three of them again. She then turns the question to Rena, forcing her meet her eyes as she asks her to tell her what is it that she really wants.

Slumping on the floor, Rena admits sheepishly that she also wants to go to the game. However, she is too ashamed of herself for multiple reasons: for not being able to reach Honoka's level of skill after boasting on the day they first met that she would eventually surpass her, for saying nasty things to Honoka, and for skipping two weeks of practice after scolding the other team members for running their mouths instead of putting in the work in order to compete with Honoka.

Tormentedly, Rena wonders why is everyone so nice to her despite the way she has been acting and why is it that even she herself still has not given up, Chizuru says she suspects it is because everyone loves her, adding that she is a little envious of Rena for that. Arata also steps in to note that nobody is going to blame Rena for skipping practice because of her injury, and that Honoka also wanted them to play together but could not bring herself to talk to Rena since she was the one who caused her injury.

Chizuru then notes that since everyone wants the same thing there is no problem and they should get on their way, extending her hand to Rena and suggesting they run to the tournament together. As Rena takes Chizuru's offered hand, remembering the evening she and Arata fell down the stairs, she notes to herself that once again she is being saved by Chizuru and Arata. Arata notices that he has has received a series of messages from Kazuomi, letting him know that the Aoba team is losing, and they instantly get out and run in order to make it in time before the match ends.