Was That A Hallucination?

“Nazumi-san! You’ve got to hear this! ...I’m finally friends with Yuyo! Even better, I’ve become her best friend!” With great excitement, Kyashii shares this tidbit with Hana.

“Yuyo? Are you referring to Shibasaki-san?”

“Oh! Yeah. That’s her first name. Isn’t it great? We now refer to each other by our first names too!” Kyashii couldn’t help but stare in Yuyo’s direction. And quite to her surprise, Yuyo was also looking at them with a curious expression on her face.

Kyashii waved at Yuyo with a flourish, her smile expanding.

“Heh... Look at that enormous grin on your face, Mikami-san. You look as though you’re gliding through the air.” Hana has a sly smile on her face as she looks at Kyashii. It’s obvious to her how happy this girl is about having Yuyo as her best friend.

“Right~? I finally had the chance to be friends with her. Though it wasn’t that easy since she seemed pretty intimidating at first, I’m glad things worked out in the end. I suppose I should thank Minori as well.” Kyashii glanced at Minori’s seat briefly.

“In just a short time, you’ve made two new friends, right? It must be a lucky day for you today, Mikami-san.”

“Yeah... I’m over the moon.” Kyashii smiled endlessly.

“I’m happy for you, Mikami-san.” Hana can’t look away from Kyashii. Now that Kyashii has succeeded in making friends with the stoic Yuyo Shibasaki, she’s curious to see how far things go from here.

It has been a few minutes since classes ended, but Kyashii hasn’t gone home yet. Aika convinced her to join her in checking out a couple of school clubs, to which she reluctantly agreed.

Haah… I was hoping Yuyo, and I could walk home together. But this… Umph!

Kyashii heaved a sigh as she sauntered behind Aika, who was cheerfully striding towards the sports club.

“Are you planning to join the sports club, Hoshino-san?”

“No, not yet! I just want to see if there are any cute boys around. If so, I may consider joining.” Aika grins at her.

Kyashii awkwardly laughed. “Ahaha! Do you mean you want to chase some hot guys?”

“Well… Mikami-san, we’re in high school now, so there’s that. We need to start looking for cute boys right away.” Like other high schoolers, Aika also wants to date a cute boy. Bringing Kyashii along is brilliant since she’s attractive enough to catch the boys’ attention while simultaneously breaking out of her shell.

“You should also join if there are cute guys. Let’s find a boyfriend this semester~! What do you think, Mikami-san?”

“Aahh… I… I d-don’t think I’m interested in getting a boyfriend anytime soon, Hoshino-san.”

“Eeh?! Why not? Come on, Mikami-san. High school means doing stuff like this. It’s going to be a lot of fun~…” Aika peeked into the school gym.

“I d-don’t know. Maybe I’m not just ready to date yet.”

Nevertheless, Kyashii is confident that she doesn’t want to get involved in a romantic relationship just yet. Although she’s been confessed to by a lot of boys in her middle school, she has no desire to date them.

It’s not that there’s something wrong with me. Right now, I’m not interested in dating anyone. Getting a boyfriend isn’t my goal right now. At this point, all that counts to me is strengthening my friendship with Yuyo.

Yeah, that’s it!

Kyashii smirked despite herself. The mere thought of realizing that goal gives her an unexpected burst of energy.

“Really? That’s a bummer, Mikami-san.” Aika pouted at Kyashii. She was hoping to get a partner in chasing boys and having endless conversations about them, but it looks like Kyashii is not hot on the idea.

Kyashii only offered a bashful smile to Aika.

“Oh, well… It can’t be helped. Then let’s check a few other clubs. There’s no cute guy at the gym right now. How boring... Has the cute guys left for the day already?” Aika sneered.

Is she really that serious about chasing after boys?

A sense of uneasiness is gradually settling in at Kyashii. She would rather not give the impression that she’s also chasing some guys.

Haah... I just want to go home already.

“Oh! It’s Shibasaki-san!” Aika cheerfully exclaimed. “Hey, Shibasaki-san~!” She rushed to Yuyo, who had just walked out of the literature club room.

“Oohh~!” A surge of energy flooded Kyashii as soon as she saw Yuyo.

I thought she’d already gone home. Hmm… Did she sign up for the literature club?

“Hello. Are you two looking to join a club as well??” Yuyo asked Aika, who was beaming warmly at her. She then moved her gaze to Kyashii and sent a winsome smile toward her.

Uwaah! That’s the second time I got a gentle smile from her today. Oh, the bliss!

“Yeah… I was hoping to see some cute guys so that I would be motivated to join. But I haven’t seen any of them in the gym today!!” Aika whined.

Yuyo simply chuckled in response to Aika’s utterances. “If you want to see them, try peering at the track field. I believe the sports club is holding their first activity there today.”

“Ehh?! Really?! I guess we’d better get going then. Let’s hurry up, Mikami-san!” Aika’s smile gains a hundred levels of motivation.

“Ahh! Anou… Hoshino-san, I think I’ll stay with Yuyo for now. I need to tell her something important.” Kyashii looked at Yuyo with an uneasy smile.

Please play along, Yuyo... Please let me stay. I don’t want to get dragged into any more boy-hunting quests! Kyashii’s trying to send a telepathic message to Yuyo, who’s just staring at her with stern eyes.

“Oh… Is that so? Well then, I’ll leave you both now. It’s time for me to check out some hot guys and potential boyfriends. Kyaah! I’ll see you tomorrow, guys!” Aika sprinted towards the track field area in high hopes of finding herself a boyfriend.

Yuyo then turned to Kyashii as they walked. “So, have you joined any clubs yet?”

“Huh? No. Wait… That’s what you’re asking?”

“Why? I don’t think what you said to that girl was true at all. I didn’t say anything since it seemed like you were begging me to bail you out.”

Wow! Is that really how fast she can pick things up? And wait… 'that girl'? Kyashii thought Yuyo’s reference to Aika was a bit strange.

“Yuyo, you don’t mean to tell me that you don’t know that girl’s name, do you?” Kyashii squinted at Yuyo.

“Uhrk! Uhm… Ha-ha! Something along those lines.” Yuyo chuckled gawkily as her gaze shifted away from Kyashii. 

“What?! You just had a conversation with her, and she even gave you her name yesterday.”

“Well... Have you memorized all your classmates’ names?”

“That’s ‘our’ classmates for you! And no, I haven’t!”

“See? Not even you remember all of our classmates’ names.”

“Hmph! But that’s because they didn’t introduce themselves to me.”

“A number of people came up to me yesterday and introduced themselves. There’s no way I could ever recall each and every one of them.” Yuyo shrugged.

“Ohh! Right... I see.” Kyashii suddenly remembered Yuyo was indeed talking to random people since yesterday.

Wow... Thank goodness she remembered my name!

“In that case, I think I’m glad you remembered my name, Yuyo.”

“Hmm... It’s always been easier to recall bad things than good ones.” Yuyo shot her an irritating smile.

“What?! What are you on about? I didn’t do anything bad to you yesterday. Well… Umm... Maybe I was just being botherso—” Kyashii paused when she realized what she was saying pretty much echoed what Yuyo was implying. But other than that, she can make out Yuyo’s mocking grin as it is aimed squarely at her. “Waahh! At the very least, I haven’t done anything bad, like really bad!”

“You know, bothering others is still bad.” Yuyo let out a short, grating laugh.

“Hmmph!”

Arrggh! How come she’s this annoying? Where is that cool girl on the train from yesterday?

Kyashii’s mental image of Yuyo in the train is starting to disintegrate at a subatomic level. It’s gotten to the point that she questions whether or not that incident really occurred. This person in front of her right now is nothing like the girl she saw on the train yesterday.

Was that a hallucination?! An illusion?  

Wait… Did my own eyes dupe me?!

“So, why are you strewn over the hallways if you aren’t joining any club?”  

“S-Strewn over?! Me?! You’re strewn all over the hallways too!” Kyashii grew increasingly irate at Yuyo.

“I’m not. I just joined the literature club. See?” Yuyo showed Kyashii her membership form with smugness.

“Heeh... So, you like to read?” Pretty much instantly, Kyashii’s irritation vanished into thin air. Her initial agitation has morphed into curiosity about Yuyo.

“Uh-hmm... Though in terms of genres, I’m more into psychology and mystery. Unfortunately, since this school has no book club, this is the closest thing I could find.”

“Ohh… People who enjoy reading are quite remarkable. I’m not particularly fond of books or reading.” Kyashii said despite herself.

“You don’t have to say it. Reading doesn’t seem to be something you enjoy.”

“Ehh? You can tell?”

“Sort of… Besides, I think a pretty high schooler like you will be more interested in fashion or romance stories than books.”

“Honestly, I don’t know which one are you trying to do. Is that a compliment, or are you saying that pretty faces are always up to no good?” Kyashii let out a glare at Yuyo. She’s conflicted about Yuyo’s remarks. Could it be just her or Yuyo casually saying things without malice?

“Ehh? I’m not doing either.” Yuyo chuckled softly.

“That really doesn’t make it sound any better! You know what… Did someone already tell you that you’re rude?!” Kyashii growled. Yuyo’s nonchalance on things is endearing only when she doesn’t follow it up with pesky remarks. 

“Hmm… None that I think of. Maybe you’re the first?” Yuyo isn’t lying, though. She can’t think of a single person who has said she was rude.

“Really? Are those people around you blind?!”

How come they overlook Yuyo’s indifference? Plus, she’s pretty much a bully!

Or, wait... Is it because she doesn’t li-like me at all?! Could that be it?

“. . . .“

In less than no time, Kyashii suddenly tears up at the thought that she’s the only one Yuyo treats harshly.

No… Wait… Why does my heart feel like it’s bursting over this trivial thing?!

But... But I can’t help it! Why do I feel this way? 

Confusion-ridden, Kyashii’s lower lip trembled as her mind tried to make sense of why there was a lot of emotion going on inside her at the moment.

“No... It could be that I’m now comfortable being around you, Kyashii. Quite comfortable that I can let this side of myself show.” Yuyo turned to smile at her.

“Huh?!”

“We’re best friends now, right? So I guess it’s okay for me to share my flaws. Hmm… Maybe that’s why I get such a kick out of teasing you.”

“Ehh?!” 

But of course! This is what I mean... It’s the best way to build a closer relationship with a friend. You’ve got to show who you are!

Yeah! How could I not think of that?! Oh, my goodness! I’m so glad Yuyo truly considers me her best friend!

And so, it just took a nanosecond for Kyashii’s mood to change from depressed to uplifting.

“What’s with your reply?” Yuyo’s brows knitted. “Aren’t best friends supposed to be like this? Hmmm... Or am I completely off base?” Her fingers were on her lips while she looked up, wondering if she had messed up. Yuyo did some research about what it means to be best friends after their lunch break, so she’s somehow confident she isn’t doing anything wrong in the general run of things.

“No! Nooo... It’s fine! I agree with you! Best friends are like this. Yeah... I’m fine with you being mean to me. …Ah! I mean, it doesn’t matter what your flaws are. You can show them all to me! I’m more than happy to be the one who knows you better than anyone else, Yuyo!” Kyashii’s gleaming eyes look at Yuyo with her fists clenched.

“Uhh… Yeah..” Yuyo looked baffled by Kyashii’s reaction. It makes her wonder if this girl is up to some tricks again.

“Alright~... Anyway, do you want to go home together?”

“Sure, why not...”

Yuyo’s genuine regard for Kyashii as a best friend makes her ecstatic. She initially thought Yuyo was merely going along with it since she had just forced her into the role of a best friend. Still and all, it appears that Yuyo is giving their friendship a great deal of thought.

Hmm~... Be it what it would, I’m glad I’m growing closer to Yuyo.