The new student in her class, Kirishima Touka as she introduced herself to the whole class as was obligatory, was a bit of an anomaly. This was what Yoriko subconsciously decided on that day as she mindfully noted on her bold stance, upturned head and glaring, defiant eyes. The dark pools of anger seemed to become deeper and deeper the more Yoriko looked, fascinated. It was only the first day and she was already enthralled.
Yoriko doesn't mind bullies. It's fine. People deal with them everyday. They're just a regular part of life. They're also just humans, like her. It doesn't matter. They're insulting her visage, body type, fashion skills, her family but that's okay. She knows she's not that much of a looker. It's also undeniable that her family's not that involved in her own affairs. She's used to this. It's fine. It doesn't matter. She doesn't mind. It's fine.
She still hates crying, though.
Ah great. They noticed and now they're insulting that too.
This just made her cry harder. It was gross and she wished that the floor would swallow her up.
It would be nice to disappear once in a while. Wouldn't it?
She felt bitter. She hates feeling bitter. So bitter.
"Hey, you okay?"
What.
They were gone. No longer in front of her. In their seats. Kirishima Touka was in front of her, looking angry and terrifying and nervous and fidgety.
Yoriko feels dumb. What just happened?
She's no longer crying but her face feels sticky and gross so she runs a hand over it.
One of them was glaring at Kirishima Touka furiously, sporting a bruise on her right cheek.
Kirishima Touka notices where she's looking and glared right back, somehow managing to make them snap their heads back and cower in fear.
Kirishima Touka unabashedly flips them off and curses like they do in those weird American movies Yoriko watches when she's bored.
Yoriko suddenly has an idea of what just happened.
Oh.
Yoriko feels her eyes watering up again.
"H-hey! Uhh. Don't worry! Everything's okay now!"
Kirishima-san is awkwardly patting her head, fidgeting nervously.
Yoriko can't help it. She laughs.
She immediately feels horrible afterwards and finds herself apologizing profusely. Her face is warm and sticky and gross. Kirishima-san looks embarassed and offended and shit she really messed up, didn't she?
But then she looks determined and it's almost scary how quickly she can switch moods like that.
To Yoriko's surprise and befuddlement, she finds a hand being offered to her.
"It's Touka. Kirishima Touka."
Yoriko lightly considers telling her that she already sorta knew that but then decides to take the chance to amend the situation.
"Y-Yoriko. Kosaka Yoriko."
She takes the hand with her un-snot covered one and shakes it twice.
Touka blushes almost happily. Yoriko feels warmer than she ever had.
The moment ends when the bell rings and Touka impressively docks into the seat right in front of her right before the teacher arrives.
They speak again at lunch and Yoriko is horrified at the single jam bun her new friend is having and silently vows to bring food for her next time.
They walk home together, exchange phone numbers and Yoriko's grinning like an idiot when she finally returns home.
She feels sweet and she's happy.
Kirishima Touka's an anomaly, laced with secrets Yoriko wonders whether she will ever be confided with. Blacked out with so much anger and aggression and this somehow endearing defiance to the world around her.
There's this odd looming sense of danger around her that encourages everyone to stay away.
That is, everyone except Yoriko, of course.