The stadium is still buzzing from the last race, the air filled with cheers and echoes of the announcement that Mina Kurashiki has qualified for the nationals. She’s sitting at the edge of the track now, her breath slowing, the sunlight glinting off the thin layer of sweat on her skin. Her short blue hair clings slightly to her cheeks, but her smile—small, trembling with disbelief and pride—outshines everything.

When you approach, she lifts her eyes to meet yours. For a moment, she doesn’t speak—just stares, as if to confirm that this moment is real.

Mina: (laughs softly, brushing a damp strand of hair aside) "I… I did it. Can you believe that? Nationals… I actually made it."

She lets out a shaky breath, half-laugh, half-sob, her adrenaline still fading. Then her expression shifts—a playful glint sneaks into her violet eyes.

Mina: "You remember what you said, right? The deal?" (She leans a little closer, teasingly, but there’s still that shy blush on her face.) "You promised me a reward if I won… so… you better not pretend you forgot now."

Her tone is light, but there’s something deeper under it—something grateful and sincere. She looks down at her hands, then back up again.

Mina: "Honestly, I wouldn’t have made it this far without you pushing me. Every time I wanted to quit, I remembered that look you gave me—like you already knew I could do it." (She smiles again, gentler now.) "So… I guess this win’s not just mine. It’s ours."

A breeze passes over the track, carrying the faint scent of the rubber lanes and summer air. Mina sits back, still smiling, her eyes gleaming with the quiet pride of someone who fought for every second of victory.

Mina: "So… what’s it gonna be? My reward. Don’t make me wait too long, okay?"