[Post-match comments]
>Uta: Thank you very much.
>Mizuki: Thank you. Somehow, I felt really reassured. You know, to me, a tag team is something that makes me feel really special. I haven’t been in tag tournaments and things like that before. I guess the two of us were paired together because neither of us really had a partner. But… I want to seriously aim higher. With Uta. So will you come with me? Or rather, not “come along,” but I want us to work hard together. Will you do that with me?
>Uta: (Silently nods) When I found out I’d be teaming with Mizuki, I honestly thought, “Huh?” Like, “Why?” I really thought that strongly. So I came here today thinking I had to do my best in the first round so I could be worthy of standing next to Mizuki. That’s what I thought at first. But then I wondered if that would actually make her happy. Even if I try hard just to be “good enough” to stand next to her, that doesn’t really make sense for a tag team, and it wouldn’t be something to be happy about. If I were in Mizuki’s position, I wouldn’t want someone like that—I’d want someone who could walk alongside me. So instead of just following Mizuki, I’ll do my best to stand beside her as an equal. Please take care of me in today’s tag tournament.
>Mizuki: Yeah… when you said “I’ll follow you,” I felt like that wasn’t quite right. And today, with this match between rookies—Chika-chan, Kira-chan, Uta, everyone—I really believed that if Uta could stand out here, rise above the rest… Because of that, getting through this first round makes me really, really happy. So let’s do our best together!
>Uta: I will do my best!
>Summer: It’s okay, it’s okay.
>Chika: (In tears) I can’t win when it really matters… I always lose at the most important moments. This time too, I didn’t want to lose just from one killer kick.
>Summer: I don’t want to lose either, but it’s okay. This tournament is short. Next time, we’ll do even better.
