4 The Argument

*This is an extra chapter*

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Niranan entered the stadium, not knowing what kind of face she should make.

"Sherry, congratulations on getting second place!" Niranan smiled at the girl in front of her.

"I see you're here. What? Are you gloating at how I got beaten by a first year?" The brown haired girl glanced coldly at Niranan, still feeling hurt over what had happened between them.

"Of course not!" Niranan replied, not knowing what she could do to make friends with her again.

"What are you doing here?" A voice came from behind her.

A reddish purple haired girl walked in together with a pale blonde haired girl. The former glared at Niranan as she walked towards Sherry in a protective stance.

"Tian Ming! Courtney! You guys came!" Niranan beamed as she really missed these girls.

"Stop faking it! In reality, you can't wait for us to get out of your sight, right?" Tian Ming continued to glare at her.

"Girls… just… what do I have to do to make you forgive me? You know I didn't mean what I did last year, right?" Niranan felt hurt at how her friends glared at her.

"Forgive? If you hadn't gone and acted on your own, all of us would've stayed friends. Did she do something to you, Sherry?" Tian Ming turned to looks at Sherry.

"Tian Ming, it's fine. She's didn't do anything to me yet."

"Tian Ming, what did you think I was going to do? Do you not trust me that much? What about our friendship, all the time we spent together, did it not make you trust me at all?" Niranan sniffed, feeling betrayed.

"Sigh…" Courtney let out a sigh.

Courtney was someone who was usually quiet and aloof but even she was getting tired of all this mess.

"Courtney, what about you? Do you not trust me anymore?" Niranan asked, tears dropping down her cheeks. During their time as Saint Queen candidates, she was the closest to Courtney and Courtney knew why she did what she did 2 years ago.

"No comment. I just think that you guys need to talk it out." Courtney replied as she walked over to a small table at the corner and gestured for everyone to sit.

"..." All of them followed her silently but Tian Ming and Sherry chose to further their seats away from Niranan.

Niranan noticed this and felt even more hurt but she was at fault for not talking to them properly too.

"..." All of them sat down but none started the conversation.

Unable to bear the silence, Courtney spoke up, "Sigh… So this whole mess started because 2 years ago, I was about to graduate so you guys wanted me to win, right?"

"It was already your last year so the two of us wanted you to win. The rest of us still had another chance so…" Tian Ming trailed off.

2 years ago, the three of them, Niranan, Tian Ming, and Sherry had talked to each other and decided to let Courtney win the competition. Courtney was the only third year at that time and it was also the first time she was in the competition. The three of them wanted Courtney to win as her last memory at the academy.

However, just before the competition began, Niranan suddenly said that she was going to go all out and compete fair and square for the title. Tian Ming and Sherry were confused but as the event already began, they couldn't talk it out.

Tian Ming and Sherry acted according to plan and didn't do their best, just so Courtney could win.

As close friends who have been living together for half a year, Courtney could tell that the two of them went easy on her. Courtney didn't like how the two of them went easy on her so she decided not to go on stage when it was her turn to perform.

As a result, Courtney lost by default and next was Niranan's turn. Niranan went on stage and performed her best, and won the whole competition.

After the competition, the four of them got into a heated argument. Tian Ming and Sherry, not understanding why Niranan had suddenly changed her mind, felt betrayed and decided to cut their friendship as of then.

Niranan only wanted to compete fairly because it was Courtney's last year at the academy. She thought that by going easy on her, Courtney wouldn't be satisfied even if she won.

Courtney, the heart of this argument, decided to stop being an idol after the competition. Even though she understood both sides, she couldn't find it in herself to want to continue on this path if it meant her friends going separate ways.

A year later, Tian Ming and Sherry even decided to not enter the competition because they didn't want to meet Niranan again.

"I know we all agreed to let her win, but would Courtney really be satisfied with that?" Niranan said as she glanced at Courtney.

Being the one closest to Courtney, Niranan knew what Courtney was like. She knew that Courtney would be angry at them had they went easy on her.

Tian Ming looked at Courtney, still feeling apologetic. Courtney was someone who valued fairness and everyone knew that. Still, the both of them had gone easy on her.

"Courtney… The both of us only wanted for you to have good memories since it's your last year…" Sherry spoke up.

"...I understand both sides, but you two going easy on me made me feel like you two underestimate me, you know? It was like the both of you thought I couldn't win with my own without you guys going easy on me," said Courtney.

"We're sorry… but you know that we didn't mean that at all, right? We believe in your abilities." Tian Ming and Sherry apologized.

"I know. I wanted all of us to do our best so we wouldn't have any regrets. Niranan, thanks for not going easy on me, but why didn't you stop these two before the competition? If you did, then we wouldn't have gotten into an arguement." Courtney said as she questioned Niranan.

"I… Part of me also wanted to go easy on you, I guess. I wanted you to have good memories too… I'm sorry." Niranan answered as she hugged Courtney.

"Okay, you've all said your sorries! I forgive all of you! Now let's group hug~" Courtney gestured for the other two to join the hug too.

The four girls hug each other as tears flowed.

"Courtney, will you go back to being an idol now that you forgive us?" Tian Ming asked. This was what worried her the most. Their argument had actually made Courtney give up on her path.

"Hmm… I might not go back immediately. I've found new paths I want to venture in. Maybe after I'm bored, I'll go back to being an idol." Courtney replied back.

"Okay…" Tian Ming said, as she felt a huge weight on her heart being lifted.

"Wipe your tears! It's time to celebrate! Our Sherry got secone place! We need to celebrate!" Courtney tried to make everyone return to their cheerful self.

"Oh, we're doing a party for Vanessa at her house! Do you want to celebrate together with her?" asked Niranan.

All of them were familiar with Vanessa since Niranan liked to take her along whenever she's out.

"Sure!" Sherry replied with a smile. The group of four then took off to celebrate at Vanessa's place.