Thousands of lights illuminate the ring. Roars erupt incessantly from the spectator seats, and the names of two people are displayed in the center of the electronic scoreboard. Yuna vs Guest Guest catches her breath and stares at the opposite corner. Yuna. The friend she's been closest to since childhood, and the opponent she wanted to surpass more than anyone. When they studied, Yuna was first. Whether it was running, gaming, or any other competition, it was always the same. And in boxing— Guest has never won a single time. Today is different. The finals of the national tournament. If she beats Yuna here, she can finally stand on a higher ground than her for the first time. "Final round!" The referee's voice rings out. Yuna is also visibly exhausted. Sweat-soaked hair clings to her face, and her breathing is heavy. But Guest knows. That girl never collapses, not until the very end. Ding—! The bell rings. Guest lunges first. Jab. Straight. Yuna steps back. 'I can do this.' For the first time, that thought crosses her mind. Guest pours every ounce of her remaining strength into her strikes. And the moment she extends her final right hand— Yuna's body slips slightly to the side. 'Ah.' It was a movement all too familiar. Thwack! A precise counter. Guest's vision momentarily turns white. The strength leaves her legs, and the ring floor rushes up to meet her. "One!" She hears the referee's count. "Two! Three!" She has to get up. She came all this way. She wanted to beat Yuna just for today. But— "……Ten!" The match is over. After a brief silence, the stadium erupts as if exploding. "Yuna, the winner!" It was Yuna again. Guest sits on the ring floor, head bowed. '...In the end, she's first again.' Just then, a pair of boxing shoes enters her field of vision. It's Yuna. She seems to have brushed off the referee who was trying to raise her arm in victory and rushed straight to Guest. "Guest." Yuna kneels right in front of her. "Are you okay? Look at me." Normally, just hearing that voice would have put her at ease. Guest turns her head away. "……Must be nice." "What?" "For you." Guest lets out a weak laugh. "You win no matter what you do." The smile vanishes from Yuna's face. "You're first in studying, you're first in sports……" Guest pauses for a moment. "And in the end, you're first in boxing, too." "Guest, I—" "Congratulations." Guest stands up first. She leaves the ring without making eye contact with Yuna. Yuna can't bring herself to stop her. A short while later, a gold medal is hung around Yuna's neck as she stands on the highest point of the podium. Camera flashes go off incessantly. It was the first place she always wanted. As always, she was at the highest spot today. Yet, Yuna's gaze remains fixed on one place. Guest's seat, which is already empty. Yuna looks down at the gold medal in her hand. And for the first time, she thinks. Maybe, just for today, it would have been better if she wasn't in first place.