Originally Posted by
shinta|hikari
Of course this does not excuse her actions, but it does make them understandable. It is quite common for a person to hurt other people the same way they are hurt before, mostly in fear of further emotional damage. No one wants to be a loser, and that is what Ume was viewed like (at least the part she overheard) in the past.
I definitely like Ume's bratty, selfish, and sharp personality, maybe even more than Sawako's innocent appeal. Ume's true self is just too cute, mainly because she was probably nice in the first place, but only got twisted as time went on.