FRIENDSHIP, n. A ship big enough to carry two in fair weather, but only one in foul.

The sea was calm and the sky was blue;
Merrily, merrily sailed we two.
(High barometer maketh glad.)
On the tipsy ship, with a dreadful shout,
The tempest descended and we fell out.
(O the walking is nasty bad!)
—Armit Huff Bettle

--The Devil's Dictionary

"Ne, Yuushi, we'll always be doubles partners, right?" Mukahi asked one day.

Oshitari looked at him for a moment. "Of course we'll always be doubles partners. What made you think we wouldn't be?"

Mukahi shrugged. "I dunno."

Oshitari stared at him.

"Okay, fine, I do know. I saw this like, really random movie one day and it was really sad and angsty."

"Oh? What happened?"

"So like, these two girls were friends, right? But then one of the girls got like, really angry or something and then they weren't friends anymore."

"Well, that's just a movie. It won't happen to us, because this is real life."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Oshitari was having a bad day. He found out he had gotten a 87 percent on his last math test, and he knew his parents would be steaming mad when they found out. He also found out that someone had vandalized his gym locker, so now he had no place to put his gym clothes and was forced to ask Shishido if he could use his locker. He had to turn down three girls who had asked him out, so now he felt even worse.

"Ne, Yuushi, can you help me with my math homework?" Mukahi asked, bouncing towards him.

"Not now, Gakuto," Oshitari replied.

"Why not?"

"I'm busy right now. Maybe later."

"Ok, fine. But I don't really see you doing anything. Are you just busy thinking or something?"

"I'm having a bad day right now, and I'd rather you not talk to me."

Mukahi eyed him suspiciously. "Is it girl problems?"

"No."

"Are you PMSing?"

"Gakuto, be realistic."

"Okay, fine, so you aren't PMSing. Did someone kill you?"

Oshitari sighed, trying to keep his cool. "Does it look like I'm dead to you, Gakuto?" he asked, raising his voice.

"Okay, okay, so someone didn't kill you. Jeez, you don't have to yell so loudly."

"Then just leave me alone."

Mukahi glared. "No."

"Why not?"

"We're friends, aren't we? So we should be able to tell each other anything, right?"

"I'm not in the mood to talk right now."

"You're never in the mood to talk, especially when you're being bitchy. What, do you think I'm just too stupid to understand your problems?"

"That's not the problem!" People within hearing distance of the two stopped and stared. Oshitari lowered his voice. "Gakuto, I don't think you're stupid."

"Then what's the problem?" Mukahi demanded.

Oshitari shook his head. "I just can't talk right now. Can't you understand that?"

"No, I don't think I can."

"Then maybe it would be better if we weren't friends anymore."

"What brought this up?!" Mukahi asked. "Why are you telling me we shouldn't be friends all of a sudden?"

"Because obviously we can't cooperate with each other."

"You promised." Mukahi said quietly. "You promised that we would always be friends. You promised."

Oshitari was silent. It was true; he did promise.

"But apparently, promises were never meant to be kept. Fine, you'll have your way. We aren't friends anymore, Yuushi. Not even doubles partners. I'm resigning from the tennis club, so you won't catch my stupidity. Who knows, it might be contagious." And with that Mukahi walked away.

I promised…