Summary
Asami is so distraught seeing the other girls suck-up to Nanaya that she runs outside, throwing her precision cutter aside. She was the one who cheered for Nanaya's success in the past, they just ridiculed her.
The following day Asami's mother checks up on her but Asami refuses to go to school, staying in bed and refusing to say anything else. Just then she gets a text message and to her surprise, it's from Miki. She hopes that it is an apology, but its more salt in the wound. They include a happy picture of themselves while telling her that because she no longer exists at school there isn't any point in her showing up.
At school, the girls discuss their plans of targeting a cheater who deserves punishment and set up the divination board. They teasingly remark that Nanaya ended up being mean like them, and consider sending Asami another message. Nanaya bluntly tells them not to bother and to get on with the fortune telling, much to their confusion. She then goes on to bring up a rumor she heard about the paper, how someone stepped on it once and later suffered a heart-attack. This startles the group for a moment and they recall hearing similar rumors, then they turn their attention to the deceptive duo, who were the ones who forced the coin to move rather than let it naturally. The duo feverishly deny having done anything wrong, and the coin hasn't damaged the paper.
Asami is enraged and she throws her phone down and helplessly cries again. She didn't come to school today, so they had no reason to keep harassing her. She doesn't understand what she did to make them lash out at her like this, and she wishes that time returned to the first day of middle school. Miki and Shio approached her to reveal that there was two open spots in the club Hiroto is in, and even though all three of them wanted it, the duo refused to let Asami try by reminding her that they saw him first. She decided to dismiss the notion, not willing to stick up for herself. This memory makes Asami realize that she hasn't been able to properly express her true feelings. Back then she let their opinions outweigh her own, and she always waited for someone to help her.
School is over and the girls prepare to hold another divination session to decide which girl is the most popular with boys right now. As they are about to start they make a remark, only to express shock when Asami walks into the room. She ignores their cruel remarks and calls them out for being mean-spirited and willing to hurt someone they were supposedly friends with. They are nothing more than a couple of liars. Miki and Shio deny anything of the sort and demand Asami not speak to them as several more students appear having found out Asami showed up. Asami grabs the divination paper and momentarily locks gazes with Nanaya as the others warn Asami not to be reckless with it. Hiroto shows up as Nanaya asks Asami why she isn't being a coward like before, but Asami refuses to say anything before she rips the paper into several pieces.
Everyone stands back in fright as Asami becomes light-headed and passes out. In the distance she can barely make out a ghostly figure.
Asami awakens in the nurses office, where the nurse informs her that anemia caused her to faint. She asks Asami some questions but she's too focused on trying to determine why she isn't dead. Just then her elbow bumps something and she finds a note from Nanaya, and to her shock she finds a divination board inside, completely in one piece. It occurs to Asami that the other one must have been fake and she asks the nurse if she knows where Nanaya is. She is dismayed to learn that today was her last day there, because she is transferring schools, she just left to be picked up.
Rushing outside, Asami quickly stops Nanaya to speak with her. She asks if she swapped the papers earlier and Nanaya confirms that she did. Asami correctly deduces that Nanaya pretending to befriend those girls in order to get the real divination board. Nanaya agrees, but she only did it because she refused to let those petty girls win. She didn't expect Asami to rip it up before her though. She goes on to ask if Asami can be strong without her and hands over the divination to her, causing Asami to cry as she thanks Nanaya for everything. They exchange farewells and go their separate ways.
Since then Asami continues to think of Nanaya. She doesn't believe thanking her was enough, and she will never forget having met her. In the school yard she digs a hole to bury the divination board in hopes of keeping others from suffering. Then she pulls out a shoujo manga magazine and flips through it until she finds Nanaya's first published work. A comment was left by her stating that it is dedicated to the person who always supported her, and how she hopes she will be the first one to read this story.
She eventually returned to class, much to everyone's shock as the ghostly figure from before observes her. Asami has decided to continue looking forward rather than linger in the past; even if she might feel alone she knows that she truly isn't anymore, and she can become stronger.
She is connected to this vast world.
Tropes
- Disproportionate Retribution: if the first chapter didn't make it obvious then this one should help bring it home. Miki and Shio are basically tormenting Asami because Hiroto took interest in her; and even after he dumps her they continue to treat her like garbage because they can.
- Driven to Suicide: Asami hates who she has become, and she's lost everything precious. She rips up the divination board knowing the risks.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: By standing up for herself Asami was able to overcome bullying and will grow up to be a stronger person. It's also a Happily Ever After for Nanaya, who was able to get something she made published.
- Fake Defector: Nanaya only went along with the other girls as part of a plot to switch the divination board with a fake so that she could dispose of the real one.
- Hope Spot: A momentary one for Asami when she gets a text from Miki.
- Never My Fault: Miki and Shio deny having done anything wrong. Besides being called out by Asami, nothing else happens to them.
- The Power of Friendship: Nanaya claims she isn't doing anything to help Asami, but it's obvious they care about each other. Asami cheered for Nanaya's success and in turn she encouraged her to keep moving forward when she needed it the most.
