Looking at my widening world... <br>There were girls prettier than me, cuter than me. <br>Smarter girls, more talented girls. <br>Girls who somehow drew people in. <br>Charming girls. <br>Charismatic girls. <br>Girls talking about their own unique dreams <br>that they had discovered for themselves. <br>They were shining so brightly <br>and dazzling to look at. <br>There were so many of them. As for me... <br>I just went to school every day. <br>Played with friends, <br>did my homework, sometimes skipped it. <br>My grades were average. <br>No special hobbies, no unique traits. <hr> The gorgeous kimono I wear. <br>The obi. <br>Every valuable thing someone had given me. <br>If I were to strip them all away, <br>one by one, there would be nothing left. <br>Nothing at all. <hr> I just happened to be born into a family <br>that ran a kimono shop in Asakusa. <br>Because I often wore a kimono, people paid attention to me. <br>That was all. <hr> What I realized was… <br>All of that. <br>None of it. <br>Not a single bit was ever my own strength.