Hmmm…

Why am I having such a hard time writing anything?

All the career path surveys I've filled out up until now were much easier to finish…

Come on, you can always revise it later. Don't think about it too hard…

Ugh, I just can't do it!

Phew, it's already so late. I'll have to think about this more tomorrow. *Yawn*

[Fade in/out.]

No, no, no! Move your feet like this!

L-Like this?

Yeah, that's it. On a cuteness scale from one to Kasumin, your pose is at a whopping eight, Shioko!

Right! Thank you so much!

Hm? Is it just you two today?

For now, yes. The rest said they're running late.

I had no trouble with the quiz, so I'm here right on time!

All the stuff Shizuko and Shioko taught me showed up. Even my teacher said I did super well!

Kasumi, I don't think it's accurate to imply that everyone is late because they did poorly on the quiz…

*Giggle* I'm glad you're both well.

Hmm? What's this? Are you feeling under the weather, Karin? You've always got such smooth and glowing skin, but not so much today.

Huh?! No way, really?! Ugh, this is awful!

Is there something bothering you?

I don't know if it's bothering me, exactly…

Whatever it is, lay it on me! And Shioko, too!

I must really be in trouble if Kasumi is worried about me…

Excuse me?!

*Giggle* Sorry. Okay, let me tell you what's up.

It's the career path survey. I can't finish it.

Huh? But we have to submit it soon, right?

Yeah. The thing is, the more I think about it, the more stuck I feel.

We're just writing down our hopes, and we can always change them later, right? And even if I go full idealist with it, I think my teacher would still do her best to help me.

So, I try to write down something bold, but…then I think of something more realistic and erase it. I've been doing that over and over.

I thought it might be best to have Shioriko check how appropriate it is.

I could certainly do that. However, you sound like you already have a good idea of what you want, Karin.

So, what is it that you would like to pursue in the future?

Well… I want to escape from my own little world and express myself. I've always wanted to live in a world where I'm constantly in the spotlight.

Being an amateur model was the first step toward that, but ever since I became a school idol, those feelings have only grown stronger.

I want to keep going further and further.

I want to expand my expressiveness as a model. I want to do things that only someone like me with experience as both a model and a school idol can do…

Wow! That's awesome! I just know you'll be a wonderful model, Karin!

I'd love that, but it's not that simple, Kasumi. Life isn't that easy.

That's true… They say that only a handful of people have their dreams come true. Hard work doesn't always pay off.

But only those who work hard will have their dreams come true, and I know that you have put in the work, Karin.

Shioriko…

That's right, Karin! And if life isn't that easy, then you've just gotta persevere until it gets easy!

Right now, I'm doing all I can to ensure that I'll be the pinnacle of cuteness in the future.

I know there's a bright future waiting for me because I'm putting in the hard work now. Even if it isn't easy, there's no choice but to keep pushing onward!

Wow, I never knew you put so much thought into that. You could shred any competition that comes your way.

That is so not cute. Couldn't you have said that better?

*Giggle* My bad.

I think you're right, Kasumi.

Rina mentioned that she wanted to challenge herself to do things she's never done before, too.

I think what I'm missing is that sort of decisiveness.

I also want to challenge myself. I can't let myself be preoccupied with these little things if I want to expand my future potential.

Thank you, both of you. I think I'll go talk to my teacher about my survey.

I'll ask her about what I can do to become a new kind of model that only I can be!