Yuka, shaking, opened her opticomputer placed outside her holographic pod.
Squinting, she first checked her score and saw it was [100], then looked again with wide eyes and found it still perfect.
Struggling was futile; she had to enter the third round of the competition. Pretending to be weak was so hard.
Yuka sadly walked out of the holographic pod. Ayoi and Alex, waiting outside, knew something was wrong from her sad face.
Ayoi quietly asked Yuka, "Did you advance again?"
Yuka slowly nodded.
Ayoi and Alex patted her shoulder.
Yuka sighed, looking at them - one red-faced, the other biting her lip and pinching himself.
Yuka said helplessly, "Just laugh if you want."
Ayoi and Alex already had grins but didn't dare to laugh too loudly, bending over and covering their mouths, trying to keep their laughter quiet.
