Nearly a week had passed since the new semester had started. Takiyo was lonely as ever, and Yuko was trying as hard as ever, though she had a strange way of showing it. She never left her chair during the day, unless they had to change classrooms, yet she would try so hard to engage in any conversation anybody started with her.

Michi hadn't smiled at Takiyo that way since the first day. She only smiled at him momentarily at times when they happened to see each other at home, since they were neighbours.

However, Takiyo had made no effort whatsoever to make friends, and everyone could figure out by now that he didn't want any. The only person who ever talked to him was Arisu, who once showed him the correct way to the science lab when he got lost.

Yuko always had a different nature when she was with only Ren and Arisu. She was more playful and teasing and blunt. She seemed to be able to talk to them in a very straightforward manner. She was an entirely different person from the nervous, stuttering mess she was when talking with any of her other classmates.

Takiyo tried his earnest to ignore her, and directed most of his aura towards her, firmly asking her to not even try to look at him. Ren would smile at him sometimes if they ever made eye-contact.

He didn't want to make friends. He didn't need friends. There's no point. If only that stupid girl beside him could know that.

***

It was lunch again, and Yuko was once again engaged in conversation with Ren. Ren was extremely popular and sociable, but he always seemed to keep Yuko as his first priority.

"Oy, Ren!" A boy appeared in the doorway of the classroom. He beckoned Ren over.

Ren glanced at Yuko, smiled, and then went over to talk with him, leaving Takiyo and Yuko practically alone. Takiyo had finished his lunch and light novel, and was sitting with his head in his hand, looking the other way. Yuko glanced at him nervously, and then at her lap.

Sh*t, Takiyo thought, annoyed. What's with this awkward atmosphere?

He slowly glanced Yuko. She was staring nervously at her lap, and Takiyo's eyes followed hers, and saw her gripping the edge of her skirt tightly. Takiyo's eyes widened. For some reason, he felt an instant connection.

She was also struggling. She wasn't getting everything easy.

"Um..." he began, but was surprised at his mouth for speaking. His brain screamed at it to shut up, but his mouth stubbornly continued. Yuko looked up at him, scared. "I-I'm Hamasaki Takiyo," he said.

"I-I know!" Yuko said quickly. "I remember from the self-introductions!" She seemed determined to make him realise that she knew his name at least.

"Oh..." Takiyo trailed off. His mouth seemed to have stopped, leaving his brain to do some quick thinking to get him out of this situation. When he was silent for very long, Yuko looked down at her lap again.

"Y-you're...?" His mouth started on it's own again. It seemed to be fixed on having him converse with her.

"N-Nishikawa Yuko!" she replied quickly and breathlessly.

"Ah..." Takiyo said, mouth abandoning him again. Again, Yuko glanced down at her lap. This time, his mouth didn't betray him. It wanted him to process it's intentions for himself. He and his mouth had become two separate entities.

"Um..." This time Takiyo started of his own accord. He slowly turned to entirely face Yuko. Yuko looked up once again, surprised at his movement. Takiyo took a deep breath, and finally voiced his deep desire.

"W-will you please be my friend?" he asked loudly and quickly. He immediately went red, very aware of what he had just said. Yuko stared at him, surprised. Takiyo quickly turned away.

When Takiyo looked back at her, Yuko was smiling. She looked very happy. She nodded.

Takiyo also tried to smile in response, but all it felt like was a muscle spasm.

"Th-then, can I call you Takiyo-kun?" she asked eagerly.

Takiyo whipped around to look at her, surprised at her straightforwardness. Her eyes seemed to be shining. Takiyo diverted his eyes and muttered, "Okay, I guess."

Yuko beamed, and then turned away, smiling at her lap. According to Takiyo, it was a little creepy, but he just turned the other way. To his surprise, Michi was looking at him, shocked. Since when did she randomly end up looking at him? Where did this sudden attention come from?

Michi walked over to him, followed by her friends. She grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Takiyo-kun," she said seriously, looking him directly in the eye, while Takiyo blushed and looked away. "Did you just make a friend?"

Takiyo nodded.

Michi screamed in delight. "Oh my god! Yuko-chan, you're so lucky!" she told Yuko. Yuko looked surprised at being addressed again. She smiled awkwardly, and returned her gaze to her lap.

"Hey, Takiyo-kun." Michi put her arm around his shoulders. "Interested, huh?"

Realising what she meant, Takiyo pushed her away, and said firmly, "No!" Also, Yoichi was glaring at him, and began to make his way over to them.

"Eh... Really?" Michi asked, disappointed. By then, Yoichi arrived and swept her away, shooting a look at Takiyo.

Takiyo quickly turned to talk to his new 'friend', only to see Ren had returned.

"Ren!" Yuko said happily. "Guess what? Guess what?"

Takiyo was suddenly embarrassed. "Shh!" he hissed, but Yuko continued anyway with the excitement of a child showing off her new toy.

"I made a friend. Takiyo-kun." She pointed at Takiyo, and Ren looked at him, and smiled widely.

"Really, now?" Ren said. "That means we're friends too."

"Huh?" Takiyo looked surprised. Was making friends honestly that easy?

"Hey, hey, what's with the excitement?" Arisu appeared between Ren and Yuko.

"Yuko made a friend," Ren said.

"Huh? Really, Yu-chan?" Arisu asked, delighted.

Yuko nodded and pointed at Takiyo.

"Hamasaki-kun?!" Arisu squealed. She took his hands and squeezed them. "Yay, that means we're friends now!" Then she looked at him directly. "Then can I call you Takin?"

"What's 'Takin'?!" Takiyo yelled.

"Well, it's difficult to call you 'Takiyo-chin', so it's easier to say 'Takin'!"

(Note: '-chin' is also a Japanese honorific that can be shortened to the form you see above, used by people who are especially close. In this case, Arisu is a very straightforward person, so she is teasing Takiyo.)

"Huh?! Nobody is calling me Takin!"

"Takin!"

"Oy, shut up!"

But Arisu only laughed. She stuck out her hand and said, "Let's all be friends, Takin."

Takiyo thought for a bit, then shook it.

"Yeah, sure..." he said in a dismissive voice.

***

That day, when Takiyo went home, his father asked his daily question.

"Did you make any friends today, Takiyo?" He said it in a bored voice, not expecting much after asking this question so often.

"I did," Takiyo replied, taking off his shoes.

"Mmm..." His father flipped through the newspaper. Then he realised what Takiyo had said. "Wait, really?" he asked, staring at his son, but he had already gone upstairs.

He rejoiced, and Takiyo could hear him celebrating and calling out to his mother. "Riko! RIKO! Takiyo made friends today. He made friends!"

Takiyo finally smiled. Maybe things would be different. Maybe friends wouldn't be the way he had thought.

And so, a new friendship was born.

A life-changing friendship.

Authors Note:
Lol, that was so cringy, but I promise I'll write better next time! >:-3