Toshiro and I are not the same for a lot of obvious reasons. I make friends like the kid next door makes really big bubbles with double bubble gum. It's what we're good at. He can't make friends as easily as I can because he's so shy or because he thinks they're scared of him. I see the bright side of everything, I guess. I'm not always trying to think negative. Toshiro always expects the bad. Always, like all the time. You'll never hear him respond optimistically.
"How do you think you did on your test?" I asked.
"I failed." He glowered.
"But you told me you studied real hard, remember?"
"Yeah, I did, but I think I failed anyway." He said.
I sigh. "You always think like this."
He only shrugs.
I laugh all the time because it's fun. It feels like all my problems run away because it can't stand seeing me so happy. Toshiro laughs but not because he wants to. They're always fake and never sound like he's having a good time. They're forced and have no confidence. I just never heard him laugh with all his heart before. I always smile. I even smile for no reason. If only Toshiro could do the same. He never wants to smile. I can't even force him. He thinks smiling is stupid, he never tells me why, he just thinks it is.
We're not the same in so many ways but that's okay. We don't care. We learn to accept each other. I remember sitting with Toshiro outside in the backyard staring up at the night sky. The moon looked really bright along with the stars. I wanted to say something but I didn't want to sound stupid because I know Toshiro would say it was.
"If only we could touch the moon." He said.
I look at him but he's too busy looking up at it. He reaches his hand out and pretends to grab it and with the corner of his lips, he smiles, but I don't see it because I reach for the moon too.
"I was thinking the same thing." I said.