Chapter 47: Shall we officially become good friends?

Although she had somehow ended up promising to play with Emi, Ishikawa Yuka didn’t actually have a plan in mind.

What exactly should they do?

She hadn’t thought about it at all.

Perhaps it would be best to leave the arrangements to Emi, taking the opportunity to experience how the girls of Ōka Academy usually spent their time.

She had zero experience in “being a girl”—that phrasing was a bit odd, but in short, she didn’t even understand the daily life of an ordinary girl, let alone a young lady of high society.

Consequently, she had no idea how to handle the sense of distance in social interactions, what topics to discuss, or what games to play.

It might be a good idea to let an older senior guide her.

The experience she gained would surely be helpful in the future.

However, going out to play with Emi wouldn’t directly help resolve the issue with Marina.

Since the date with Emi was set for later, if she waited until afterward to ask Marina, she would have to wait quite a while.

It seemed she had to consider these two matters separately.

“Mm… yes! Brother!”

“Hmm? What is it?”

Inside the returning car, Yuka decided to consult her brother, Yota.

Although there was a difference in gender, he was also from a high-society family and attended Ōka Academy; his words should have some reference value.

“Brother, how did you make friends back then?”

“……Hmm? Friends? A way to make friends?”

Yota looked at her with a strange expression.

What did that look mean…?

“Yes. If… if I want to become friends with someone, what should I do?”

Although her brother was staring at her oddly, there was no turning back now.

Since she had already asked, it would be worse to stop halfway; she might as well get a clear answer.

“Mm… well… wouldn’t it be fine to just say ‘Please be my friend’?”

‘Brother… did you really use lines that only appear in anime, manga, and games?’

‘I haven’t said that once in two lifetimes…’

‘Ah! Could that be the reason I had no friends in my past life… Shut up!’

And it wasn’t just her; Emi had also mentioned never saying such things.

Come to think of it, the vast majority of people probably haven’t said it, right?

They neither said it to others nor heard it said to them.

Usually, friendships form naturally without realizing it; there is no need to make a specific declaration.

That was precisely why it was so difficult.

That’s right—under normal circumstances, people become friends naturally through repeated meetings and conversations.

One never consciously thinks about “wanting to become friends with him.”

Once you start thinking about it intentionally, it feels incredibly difficult, and you don’t know what to do.

“Brother, have you ever said anything like that before?”

“Eh? No? Why would I have ever said that?”

‘Hey! You haven’t said it, yet you’re suggesting I do it?’

‘What is with this brother?’

“Friends aren’t something you get by thinking ‘I want to be friends with this person.’”

“That’s why I’ve never said anything like ‘Please be my friend.'”

“That’s true…”

Yes… that was usually how it went.

If both parties intended to become friends, it would happen naturally… and if it didn’t, it meant the other party actually…

“Well, don’t overthink it. Friends are made before you even realize it.”

‘Ah… does Brother think I’m some pathetic loner without friends? Is that why he’s asking me such a sad question…?’

“Take me, for example. Even in the sixth grade, there are some classmates whose existence I’m aware of but aren’t particularly close with.”

“But even with people like that, it’s possible to suddenly become friends.”

“And there are others who have been together for a long time but didn’t hit it off immediately; it took a long time to slowly become friends.”

“Thinking too much, or trying to force a fixed pattern, will only backfire.”

“Just let nature take its course, and one day you will become friends.”

“Brother…”

Is Yota really just a sixth-grader?

How can he say things that sound like a life mentor?

By comparison, it would be more believable to say he was a reincarnator just like her…

But putting that aside for now… Yuka understood what her brother meant.

It was true that sometimes, thinking too much would lead one into a dead end, making things even more confusing.

Perhaps she should listen to her brother, stop overthinking, and let nature take its course…

****

She said she wouldn’t think about it or be intentional, but she simply couldn’t do it…

She had intended to treat Marina naturally today, but the more she thought that, the more she cared, and she couldn’t be natural at all.

As expected, it wasn’t working… her near-zero social skills left her completely at a loss at a time like this.

Walking into the classroom with a restless heart, she saw Marina sitting quietly in her seat as usual.

‘Don’t care… be natural…’

“G-G-G-Good morning, Ma-Ma-Ma-Marina.”

“Yuka? What’s wrong?”

“Eh? N-Nothing is wrong?”

“……Is that so?”

‘Waaaah… Marina is looking at me like I’m some kind of creep…’

Her voice was high-pitched and stuttering; the level of suspiciousness was off the charts.

And that perfunctory denial was completely unconvincing.

She was being treated entirely like a suspicious individual.

A complete failure…

“Yuka… if something is wrong, you can tell me anytime, okay?”

“Just chatting or whatever, I’m always willing to listen.”

“After all, we… are friends, right?”

“Ah…”

As Marina spoke, her eyes, gazing seriously at Yuka, were filled with genuine worry.

Could it be… that she was the only one who felt a sense of distance?

Had she built that wall herself?

Had Marina actually wanted to be her friend all along?

“……Hehe. That’s true, isn’t it.”

“Yes. It is.”

Yuka smiled slightly, and Marina returned the smile.

‘Good… I must invite Marina to lunch today.’

“Marina, would you like to have lunch together today?”

“Eh…? But…”

‘Ah… Marina averted her gaze, looking a bit hesitant.’

She was likely being considerate of Shoko and the others.

During this period, Yuka and Marina hadn’t had lunch together.

The reason was that ever since Yuka became well-acquainted with Shoko’s small group, she had always dined with them.

Shoko’s group and Marina’s group didn’t have a very good relationship.

Initially, it could even be described as quite bad.

Now, although the two leaders, Shoko and Marina, could converse normally, they basically never acted together.

There was likely also consideration for the other girls in their respective factions.

Even if there was no hostility between the two leaders, they couldn’t be close alone if the members of their respective sub-groups were hostile toward each other.

Of course, the two leaders could reconcile and order their faction members to get along.

But the two of them weren’t that close yet themselves.

While they didn’t go out of their way to be hostile and would greet each other when they met, it stopped there; it wasn’t a particularly close relationship.

This was something that had to be resolved as well…

It was all her fault for letting things be, thinking that since Shoko and Marina’s groups didn’t get along, she would just leave it…

The Lady Yuka in the game Love 100% was supposed to lead both factions and unify them.

That was why those two, and their factions, could get along harmoniously.

But she hadn’t done that… because she was unwilling to live like Lady Yuka, she had tossed this and that—everything—aside, resulting in this mess.

In the end, wasn’t her current situation self-inflicted?

If she didn’t take the initiative to reach out to others, how could she make friends?

While saying “because that’s how it is in the game,” she herself was acting against the game’s plot; how could things develop according to the game?

“I have some things I want to say to you. Let’s eat together today, okay?”

“……I understand. Let’s do that.”

‘Great… I made an appointment with Marina.’

She would have to let Shoko and the others know later.

If she didn’t say anything, they would surely wait for her to eat together as usual.

Facilitating a reconciliation between Shoko and Marina was indeed something that had to be done in the future, but for today, she would just have a good talk with Marina.

After waiting through the morning in a state of restlessness, lunch break finally arrived.

Yuka had already informed Shoko and her group and made the appointment with Marina.

As soon as the lunch bell rang, she invited Marina to head to the cafeteria together.

After having lunch together like old times… she suppressed her excitement and waited for the right moment.

“Um… would you like to go to the Salon to talk?”

“Alright. Let’s go.”

Marina seemed to have anticipated Yuka’s invitation to the Salon and agreed without hesitation.

It was indeed difficult to have a proper conversation in such a crowded place.

There might be people in the Salon as well, but it was said not to be always full, so they would check first.

If no one was there, they would talk in the Salon; if there were people, it wouldn’t be too late to change locations.

They arrived at the Ōka Association Salon and pushed the door open; today it appeared to be empty.

It was perfect for Yuka.

She and Marina went inside and sat down.

Talking near the door would make it easy for sound to travel outside, and they would be discovered immediately if someone came, so she chose a seat as far inside as possible.

“So… what did you want to talk about?”

This time it was Marina who took the initiative to ask.

Yuka bowed her head to her.

“I’ve always wanted to become friends with Marina. But I was wrong.”

“Eh? Um…?”

Yuka’s sudden apology left Marina looking a bit confused, frozen and unsure how to respond.

“Marina told me ‘we are friends.’ We were already friends long ago.”

“But in my heart, I unilaterally built a wall that didn’t even exist, arbitrarily believing we hadn’t become friends yet.”

“I am truly sorry! Marina already treated me as a friend, yet I chose to feel distant and believed there was a barrier!”

“……You dummy…”

As Yuka bowed in apology again, Marina whispered a sentence softly.

What did she just say?

“Please lift your head, Yuka…”

At Marina’s urging, Yuka lifted her head.

Wait? For a brief moment, did Marina’s expression look as if she were about to cry?

…Was it an illusion?

Looking now, she had her usual expression again.

It was probably just her imagination…

“Yuka… well then… shall we officially become best friends starting now? Wouldn’t that be fine?”

“Marina…”

She actually forgave such a foolish person… she was willing to erase the barrier Yuka had felt… she was willing to let this moment be the start of their true friendship…

Just as she had said this morning, Marina likely always considered her a friend.

Furthermore, the one who first said “we are friends” was Yuka herself.

It was after she had been told by Shoko, ‘Since you’re Marina’s friend, at least listen to her speak,’ that she had personally said it to Marina…

Yet she had felt distance and a barrier on her own… even though Marina had always considered her a friend… she really was a huge idiot…

Some people have outward personalities that are easy to read, while others are internal and hard to fathom.

Shoko belonged to the type with clear attitudes that were easy to understand.

By comparison, Marina did not easily reveal her stance and was difficult to see through.

She should have known that… yet she knew nothing about Marina.

“I’m sorry, Marina. From now on… I will never doubt the distance between us again.”

“This time… let’s truly become best friends.”

“……Mmhmm.”

Yuka and Marina gripped each other’s hands tightly.

It was all because of her own foolishness that Marina had suffered unnecessary hurt.

She would never repeat such stupidity again.

This time she would never trample on Marina’s feelings.

This time, they would truly become friends.

“Ah! Right! Well then, to celebrate us officially becoming best friends… let’s go out and play next time?”

“Eh… mm… okay… sure.”

Marina’s gaze flickered for a moment, but she soon turned back and nodded to Yuka.