Epilogue: Best Friends In Another Lifetime

Yuyo’s POV

“Yuyo! Look at those lovely spring roses!” Kyashii was enchanted with the rose garden here in Nagai botanical garden.

We made plans to check out this botanical garden, and today is that day, so here we are. Even though I had little interest in gardens or flowers, I was hard-pressed to say no when she seemed enthusiastic about inviting me.

“And oohh~... The hydrangeas are in full bloom too. June is really the perfect time of year to see flowers like these, isn’t it?” Kyashii’s eyes are as bright as shooting stars as she stares at the dazzling flowers around us.

“When you invited me here, I assumed it was because you’ve always had a fascination with flowers and plants. However, looking at you right now, this seems to be something you’ve seen for the first time.” Seeing her eyes light up and how her hands are tightly clasped together as she admires the flowers makes me smile along with her. I guess I’d rather watch her reactions than look at these flowers.

“Ehh? You can tell?!” She smiled bashfully.

I snorted. “I told you that you’re not that hard to figure out. Hmm… As I look at you right now, I can see a child in you who seems as though she just received a candy treat.”

Her smile went away all of a sudden. “Just for today, would you mind not being so mean to me, Yuyo Shibasaki? If you keep at it, I’ll throw you in that water lily pond!” She snarled.

I can’t keep my laughter in check. “You’re terrible. I’m not being mean at all. I just think that’s how you look at the moment. And I’m not trying to tease you. In fact, seeing you look like that makes me smile.”

“H-Huh?! R-Really?” She sounded embarrassed.

“Yes, Kyashii-chan. Well, for one thing, I find it fascinating that others see you as a mature person, while I see someone completely different. Hmm... My habit of keeping an eye on you might have something to do with that impression.” I made my way to the water lily pond with a wan smile.

“Huh? I seemed grown-up to other people?” Kyashii was following me a few paces behind.

“Yeah. Some students had a favorable impression of you as a mature high schooler.”

“Eh?! Really?”

“Uh-hum… And guess what?”

“What?”

“At times, I wish I could set the record straight about the wrong thinking others have about you.” My gaze lingered at the pink water lilies floating all over the pond. There is something quite exquisite about them.

“Huh? Wrong thinking? I thought you said they regard me as mature?”

“That is exactly what is wrong. It’s completely inaccurate since you’re not mature at all. Where in the world did they get that impression? Hmm… It’s funny how physical appearance can be deceiving, right?”

In a blink of an eye, Kyashii has a firm grip on my shoulders as she stares me down with a death-dealing glare.

Ah-re?!

It just took me half a second to get the chills from all her stares. The mere sight of those eyes makes me feel threatened.

“A-ha-ha! I’m kidding! I’m just kidding, Kyashii! Of course, I would never say such a thing. And you’ve also got some serious maturity under your belt. Occasionally, maybe? Ha-ha…” A nervous chuckle passed through me. My athletic abilities aren’t as good as Kyashii, so I shouldn’t ignore a threat to go swimming in no time. “Please, the pond is off-limits to pushing. I don’t want to risk getting wet right now. I’m sorry!”

“Huh?! Ah...” She shot me another glowering look before releasing her grip on me. “You’re such a jerk, Yuyo. Hmmph! I can’t quite put my finger on what I l-liked about you.”

Did her face just turn red?

“That’s why we are best friends. We get along because we like one another. And I think the hallmark of our friendship is the mutual fondness for one another.” My retort was smug.

“What’s the deal with that irritatingly flawed logic?”

“Flawed? What are you saying? I devised those thoughts by myself, and I found them to be perfectly logical. Besides, I can tell you the same thing. For the life of me, I don’t know why I’m best friends with you. You’re a real pain and pushy.”

“What... Are there any other things you want to complain about me? Come on, spit it out. Hmmph!” Her expression hardened into a sneer.

“Why, you’re going to fix them?”

“No… Why should I?! I can torture you with my flaws! Take it as retribution for all your bullying to me!”

Pfft! She sure can be pretty feisty at times.

“Isn’t it pointless to spit them out then? Besides, I have no problem with your imperfections, which means you can’t torture me. I think I’ve gotten used to them by now.” I said with a smile.

Earnestness radiated from Kyashii’s eyes as she stared at me. “Do you really mean that, Yuyo?”

“Yeah... It’s tough to put into words, but it feels like I have known you for years, Kyashii. Hmm… It’s weird, isn’t it?”

“Umm...” Suddenly speechless, Kyashii gazed at the ground. I also find her cute when she’s like that.

“Because of that, you can’t be my best friend unless you like me, okay? You’d better get used to me by now.” I cracked a grin. “And if there comes a time that you decide you no longer want me to be your best friend, just let me know.”

“There will never be a time like that! You can put that idea to rest right now!” She glared.

“Heeh... What a bummer. I was hoping to test out if I can be your sworn enemy at least once.” I shrugged uselessly.

“Gaahh! It’s hard to catch a break from your taunting!” She emitted a curt grunt. “You can be my best friend and my worst enemy at the same time! No… In fact, you already are!”

My laughter bubbled up. Call me mean-spirited, but I love seeing her reactions like that.

“Alright. I won’t spoil our hangout any further than I already have.” I’ve had my fill of teasing her. “You might get tired of hanging out with me if I keep at this.”

“Hmmph! Thank goodness you know that.” She scowled. “Umm... Yuyo, does that mean you’d be down to hang out in new places with me?”

“Hmm… Depends. Why?”

“Depends?! Don’t you think the only answer to that question is yes?! We’re talking about spending time together with me, your best friend!”

“Why did you ask me when I don’t even have a say? You shouldn’t even bother asking me; you’re always insistent on things anyway.” I arched a brow at her as I puffed up my cheeks.

“Hmmp! Whatever! I’ll still let you know what I’m thinking.”

“And that is?”

“Since your birthday is in March and mine is in January, why don’t we celebrate both of our birthdays at the same time by going to amusement parks like the Multiverse-all Studio or Dizzylandu on your birthday? We should start saving money right away. How do you feel about it?”

“I make it a rule not to celebrate birthdays so I can avoid awkward social situations,” I said with a straight face. Actually, that is indeed the case. As far as birthdays are concerned, I find them to be a major bother, and I’d rather not celebrate them.

“Wha—! But I’m your best friend! It should be fine to celebrate it with me, don’t you think so?!”

“Nah… I make no exemptions.”

“You! …What kind of a jerk you are!? Forget it! Oh my gosh! You’re such an insufferable girl!”

I couldn’t stop myself from laughing again.

“Instead of going there on particular occasions such as birthdays, let’s go whenever it’s convenient for us. There’s no need to commit to specific dates, okay?” My head shakes. She’s pretty hung up on small details, isn’t she?

“Huh?! Really?! You mean that?”

“Yes, Kyashii-chan...”

“All right, let’s start saving! We’ll go to either one of those places one day. It’s just you and me, okay?” Kyashii’s face lit up with a cheerful smile.

“Alright... Let’s do that.” The infectious quality of her beaming smile has spread to my own lips.

I can tell Kyashii isn’t much of an outdoorsy type, and the same goes for me. Yet when we’re together, we seem to do things effortlessly we wouldn’t do on our own. Every little thing seems natural to us as long as we do things alongside each other.

Perhaps it’s because we’re best friends that I feel that way, but sometimes, I wonder if Minori was right when she said Kyashii and I are soulmates. As I looked for information about soulmates, a part of me imagined that Kyashii and I had been best friends in another lifetime before we were reborn into this life.

Heeh~... I get a little giggly remembering my weird thoughts.

Nevertheless, that may seem like a semantic quibble for me, but I think it’s acceptable to fall for something as inconsequential as that sometimes.

Who knows, it might be true after all, right?