They were a strange trio, that was certain. All so different from one another that had they been seen separately in the hallways at school and did not hang out together, no one would guess that they would get along.
With Shizuka Doumeki at the height of popularity as the best archer in their school and a very cool, quiet, calm young man. Himawari Kunogi being neither popular nor unpopular. And Kimihiro Watanuki at the bottom of the social totem pole and labeled as a bit of a weirdo.
There was one thing in common among them that no one would notice though. Before finding each other, not one of them had a truely close friend whom they could rely on and talk openly with.
Doumeki, for instance, never grew close to any of his classmates because he did not feel they saw him for who he actually was. All they saw was what they wanted to see, an accomplished athlete. Sometimes they treated him like one might treat a professional athlete and it made him feel as though they were putting him too high above themselves. Himawari treated him life a friend, not someone she admired. And Watanuki seemed to have no reluctance to tell Doumeki precisely what was on his mind, regardless of how Doumeki took it. And Doumeki loved every second of his time with the two.
Himawari had a curse. She caused pain to those close to her, and so she was always careful of how close she let people get. She was polite to all, but avoided spending too much time in others company. She was terrified she would hurt them. But Doumeki was completely unaffected by her problem. And it seemed that so long as she was in his company, Watanuki was also unaffected. And later when she would tell Watanuki of her problem, he would smile and accept her and promise to be more careful. And say that he was happy to meet her. It was something no one else had ever said to her. And so she remained with them, happy to have found people who cared for her so much.
Watanuki saw spirits. They were always trying to eat him. And nobody wanted a friend who would roll around on the ground, screaming and flailing as though some unseen being was assaulting him. It frightened people and so he was deemed strange and no one bothered to speak to him. Except Himawari who believed him when he told her that he did what he did because of spirits. And Doumeki who's own grandfather had seen them, had no trouble believing that the same could be true for Watanuki. And in turn, Watanuki cared very much for both of them, in very different ways. Himawari being the girl he loved with all his heart, who brought a smile to his face just by being there. And Doumeki being somewhat like a big brother, constantly being around when Watanuki didn't want him there and picking on him, but in the end also making sure that nothing bad happened to Watanuki.
They were, indeed, a very strange trio. But all three had found what they truely wanted in their little mis-matched group. They had found true friendship. And that was what mattered.