Forgive me. I just wanted a side project that would take care of my other writer's urges (plot bunnies? I'm unfamiliar with this stufff...).
01. I just wanted someone to notice me.
"Yumi-chin, wait up!" Kanbara's voice rang out through the school hallway.
A few first years stepped closer to the walls nervously as the girl hurtled by, but the rest were used to it by now. The senior with short red hair was known for being energetic and friendly, and rarely had she ever caused any accidents.
Yumi merely stopped and took a step to the side, allowing other students to pass by her. She had already reached the school entrance and was one foot-length away from exiting the building. She turned around to face the inside of the school and waited. A shock of red hair and a wide grin should be appearing any moment now.
"Wahahaha. You never waste a second, do you? By the time I left the classroom, you already had your shoes and coat on!"
Yumi gave a small smile, knowing her friend meant nothing by the comments.
"I'm afraid I don't have the social grace that you do, Kanbara, so I thought I'd let you handle the rest."
The mahjong club president hurriedly went to her shoe locker and changed into her outdoor shoes, talking while she did so and waving to those that she knew passing by.
"Ah, man! It's easier on me if you just tell me to hurry up. I feel like a bad friend when I let you walk home alone."
"We walk home together everyday. There's no harm doing things differently once in a while," she stated rationally, but her friend made an annoyed face.
"Friendship is important, and I don't want to make you feel like I take you for granted," Kanbara insisted as they made their way past the school gates.
Yumi blinked once in surprise, but otherwise her expression remained as neutral as ever. "I see."
"Kajiki-san," a voice called out from behind them. Both girls turned to look behind them.
Yumi recognized the approaching figure as one of her classmates, but she couldn't quite remember the name. It was barely on the tip of her tongue, but she had been so wrapped up in mentally going over the day's lessons and conversing with Kanbara (the latter of which had become second nature to her at this point), that she had to struggle to place it.
"Aya... -san, was it? I'm sorry, but what can I help you with?" She asked politely as Kanbara watched the two of them with friendly curiosity.
The girl facing the two of them seemed upset, but not enough to warrant tears. If anything, she seemed as if she was restraining herself from bursting in anger or... disappointment? Yumi was having trouble reading the emotions on her face. This was why she disliked associating with other students; they were always dishonest and emotional.
"Y-You didn't keep our promise! Did you even remember what I wrote in your shoe locker this morning?" Aya's voice accused, a slight tremor of hurt evident.
Yumi blinked again, indeed recalling a letter in her shoe locker that morning, but she had assumed it was some sort of prank or an outburst of teenage hormones that she didn't think anything of it and promptly recycled it. That was careless of her, but then, that had never happened to her before. Who would take notice of her, the plain class representative?
"I apologize, but I don't recall making a promise. Is there something I can do to make it up to you?"
It occurred to her that she could be falling into a trap where the girl would ask something outrageous of her, or twist things to make her seem the fool, but those things were unlikely. She was a normal girl with a normal family. She had no particular connections; only a decent work ethic and minimal social skills. If possible, she didn't want any unnecessary tension between her and her classmates.
"My... My feelings... return them to me! It's not like I want to feel this way, you know!"
At this, Yumi faltered in utter confusion. She was making less and less sense. Or maybe Yumi misunderstood the situation entirely? She took a quick glance at Kanbara, but her friend's small smirk wasn't very encouraging.
"I... What? Maybe we should go somewhere to talk things over. Clearly I've misunderstood something." When things go wrong, always be the first to apologize and make a rational offer. At the very least, it will make the other party seem petty and foolish.
The other girl turned bright red and began stuttering.
"I-I can't d-do that! It's t-too emb-b-arassing!"
Gone was the aggressive girl, replaced by a shy and demure little lamb. The sudden transformation made Yumi want to simultaneously laugh and shake her head in exasperation. Teenagers were truly dishonest.
She placed what she thought was a disarming smile on her face and walked forward, resting a hand on Aya's shoulder bracingly. When the other person was down, it was time to build back their self-confidence and make them see things your way.
"Then what do you propose we do? Being angry at me means that I've failed my duty as a class representative, and I want to help you. Will you please tell me how?"
"I... I can't! Forgive me!" The other girl ripped herself away from Yumi's grip and ran in the opposite direction, leaving the two friends alone on an otherwise empty street.
"Wahahahaha! That was amazing, Yumi-chin! I thought you said you were bad with people, but you practically made that girl melt at your feet!"
The purple-haired girl turned to look Kanbara in the eye. "I feel like someone just shoved me into a shoujo manga."
