Haruka sat awkwardly as Kyosuke handed her a rice ball when he sat down beside her. There was an awkward space in between them.
"You wanted to talk to me, Kuga-san?"
Kyosuke was silent and Haruka sighed, deciding to eat her rice ball before she ended up squishing it in her hand.
"Why do you like me?"
Haruka nearly choked on her snack and she coughed, wiping the sweat from her brow when she swallowed her food. Kyosuke's question was unexpected and it had caught her completely off guard.
"I don't like you."
"Hm."
Kyosuke was unconvinced but he didn't press her for an explanation.
"I don't like you. I just think that you need a friend. I mean, obviously you have friends because you were at the mall the other day with your two friends. I don't know, I guess...you're interesting? Fascinating? I don't think I like you but maybe I'm more...attracted to you?"
Kyosuke smiled slightly; rather than an explanation, it seemed like Haruka was talking more to herself than to him.
"Heath and Tomoe said I should give you a chance. What do you think about that?"
"A chance? For what?"
"To be friends."
Haruka perked up at Kyosuke's suggestion but she took a deep breath and calmed herself down; she didn't want to be rejected a second time.
"Is that something that is possible? Between the two of us?"
"I don't see why not."
Haruka jumped up and she fought the urge to point an accusing finger at the boy.
"But you're the one who rejected me! You said we weren't friends!"
"Because we're not friends and that's the truth. However, we can be friends if that's where you want to start."
Haruka sighed and sat down in defeat, leaning back on her hands and looking up at the sky that was colored by the setting sun. It seemed there was no use in trying to argue with Kyosuke.
Kyosuke stood up.
"Do you not want to be friends, Watanabe-san?"
Haruka turned her eyes to the boy standing before her. She held her hand out to him.
"Friends?"
He took her hand and pulled her up.
"Friends."