"We're going to give Nora-chan a makeover!"

"E-Eh?"

Sakigamiya-san smiled brandishing her assortment of beauty products.

During our long weekend, Sakigamiya-san and Hono-san visited Kou-san's house, which I had recently moved into.

It's a funny story, really... Kou-san had spent most of her points and wanted to buy the house. However, she couldn't afford it, so she began searching for people who would pay half in exchange of living with her.

At the same time, I wanted to move out of the dorm rooms and was pouring over apartments, but the monthly rent wasn't very good... we talked briefly while in the real estate office, and she suggested us living together.

It made sense, since I was one of the few people in E Class with a reasonable amount of points left, around 90,000, and among all the boys, I was probably the most sensible last resort due to my personality. Kou-san said she couldn't rely on anyone else but me since none of her friends had the points necessary to pay for the other half.

Of course, I was scared... a boy and a girl living together seemed a little... perverted. However, the deal wasn't bad. We'd split the pay in half and the house we considered was far away from most other people, which is what I wanted. The single payment was much better than paying rent each month, so...

I reluctantly accepted the deal, and we began living together... at first, it was really embarrassing and I never left my room unless it was important, since I didn't want to disturb her. Though, Kou-san encouraged me to come out more often so she had someone to talk to.

As an extrovert, she actually feels more tired when she's being quiet and not doing anything. It was the opposite of me, since I'm an introvert. However, if we were going to live together, I thought it'd be beneficial to form a good relationship, so I started to be less anti-social.

One thing led to another... and we began referring each other by our first names, Kou and Takayuki. It was the first time I got permission by anyone to call them by their first name. It was also the first time I let anyone use my first name...

It was like making myself vulnerable, which I didn't like... yet at the same time, I kind of liked the feeling of Kou-san calling me by my first name... it made me feel closer to her. It might've felt weird at first, but now it feels... natural.

She introduced me to her friend group, and they welcomed me with open arms. I was really surprised since... most girls would laugh or bully me.

Admittedly, I was... really happy, because for the first time... I had a lot of friends... and a lot of reasons to smile.

It was all thanks to Kou-san... the first person to show me proper kindness. I was scared and worried at first... but now I'm glad that I accepted her offer.

That's why... when Sakigamiya-san, Hono-san and even Kou-san wanted to give me a makeover... I felt like I had no choice but to accept it, because I owe her everything.

"U-um... a makeover?"

"Yes, yes! Nora-chan, you've got such a cute side to you, but you never utilise it! I want to draw out all the cuteness from you!"

Sakigamiya-san was boldly making statements like that. I didn't believe it though, I wasn't cute at all...

"Umm... but isn't my current self fine?"

"No, no. Nora-chan, you can definitely improve your appearance. Your hair isn't combed properly, your skin looks pale, and you're wearing sweatpants. We'll transform your image, I promise!"

Hono-san pointed out my flaws. I agree with all of them... I'm not very good at taking care of myself, since I don't find it necessary... I'm bad at picking out clothes because I have no fashion sense.

"So, how about it, Takayuki-kun? Is it okay?"

Kou-san smiled. It was hard to refuse, especially when she was looking at me like that...

"Umm... well... o-okay... you guys can do a makeover..."

I gave in reluctantly. Sakigamiya-san cheered.

"Alright! Firstly, let's get you cleaned up. Kou-chan, could you help Nora-chan wash his hair? I want it to be thorough, so his beautiful locks are as soft and smooth as possible!"

Kou-san... washing... my hair...?

N-no way, that's too weird...

"Of course! Let's go to the bathroom!"

Kou-san grabbed a towel from the sides and a bottle of shampoo.

"I-I can wash my own hair, it's okay!"

"Let Kou-chan do it. I want to make sure your hair is perfect to style!" Sakigamiya-san said.

"B-but..."

"Having someone else do it for you usually makes it cleaner too. You haven't washed it in awhile, right?"

Kou-san ran her hand through my hair. I flinched as she touched me.

"Yeah... it's all clumped together and oily. C'mon, it'll only take ten minutes at most. Don't worry!"

While she might've been excited to do it, I wasn't really... the idea of having her wash my hair, it was a little... wrong.

Like... she shouldn't be doing this thing... because we're friends, not... um...

Kou-chan grabbed my wrist and dragged me upstairs to the bathroom.

"A-ah!"

"Sorry, I had to wake you up from that daze, he he."

We entered the bathroom, and she closed the door behind us. I could feel my heart beat getting faster... for some reason, I felt scared... that I was here with her alone.

Kou-san began filling a tub with water, and pulled up a stool. Patting it, she called me over.

"Sit here."

I shuffled over, and sat down. She took off my glasses, put the towel around my shoulders, and washed her hands.

"Isn't this nice?"

"I-it is...?"

"Of course! Whenever my mom washed my hair for me, it always felt good."

Her mom washed her hair for her? Isn't that... strange?

"R-really? I don't know, washing my hair... feels more like a chore than anything..."

"I mean when someone else does it. You get to relax as all your troubles melt away."

I've never had someone else wash my hair before though... I've always washed my own hair.

Kou-san wet her hands and placed them on my head. I flinched again.

I'm no good with people touching me... it scares me.

"Oh, sorry. Did I scare you?"

She giggled, gently working her hands into my hair.

"N-no... it's just... never mind..."

I tried to relax, even though my chest kind of felt funny... Kou-chan was separating the clumps in my hair the best she could. I wanted to apologise for being so troublesome...

"You've looked really stressed lately. Is there anything troubling you?"

"S-stressed? Do I really look that way?"

"Well, the bags under your eyes are getting worse. You're getting enough sleep, right?"

After wetting my hair and separating it, Kou-chan squeezed shampoo onto her hands. It was the type she used, not my brand... the apple scent of it reminded me of her.

"Um... I've been getting less sleep. I stay up... about an hour longer than usual... to study more."

"Your health's more important than studying though. You should take a break from it, you're already good enough."

She worked the shampoo into my hair, massaging it into my scalp. I guess it does feel good... the way she did it was gentle, but it felt like all the dirt and grime was being pulled away.

I didn't understand what she meant by saying that my health was more important... it was the other way around. Studying and getting good grades was the most important thing. If I didn't, then I'd be worthless.

"Good enough... but I need to be better than that. I need to be... getting the best grades."

"You already are, silly."

Kou-chan laughed, continuing to work through my hair. I closed my eyes as the suds began running down my forehead.

"Ah, sorry... I'm being careless, aren't I? This is my first time doing it for a boy, so... I'm a little nervous."

She collected the suds and brought it back on the top of my head. She was now working down, massaging the back of my head.

"T-this is the first time someone did this, so... I feel the same way."

"Your first time? Didn't your mom wash your hair before?"

"N-no...?"

Kou-san stopped moving her hands. I looked up, and her eyes were wide.

"Umm... so your dad did it, right?"

"N-no? I've always washed my hair by myself..."

"Seriously?! Your parents never did it for you?!"

"Umm... yeah."

Her eyes softened, and she continued to work the shampoo in.

"That's... kind of bad, you know."

"I-it is? I thought it was normal..."

"I don't think it's normal... if you ask Alice-chan or Ria-chan, they'd also say their parents washed their hair too when they were small."

So I was the weird one... I'm not surprised though. I've always been strange and different to other people, so... that's why I was easily picked on. My interests aren't like everyone else's... and my personality wasn't like everyone else's...

I would cry over the smallest things, and it's super embarrassing. I'm not a very strong person either. I'm really pathetic, aren't I...?

"You know, Takayuki-kun... the more I learn about your life, the more I wonder about who you really are. I-if that makes sense!"

"Do you mean... what happened in my life?"

"Well... something like that. I know that... you were badly bullied throughout school."

"...I-I don't want to walk about it."

Kou-san rested her hands on my head and smoothed out my hair to get rid of the excess bubbles.

"Neither do I. Those girls... they really were something else. Although, your family doesn't sound much better, which has me... curious."

"You've always been like this, Kou-san..."

Even though she's immature, Kou-san's been the type of person who wants to know as much as she can, especially when it comes to her friends. Though, she doesn't have a good memory for it.

"I'm too interested in other people for my own good, aren't I? I'm going to rinse it off now, so if you could just lean forward into the bathtub, it'd be great."

I nodded and tilted my body so my head was over the bathtub. Kou-san hummed as she began pouring warm water over my head.

My heart beat got faster... it was scary when she did that. After two or three times though, it became relaxing... since it felt like a weight was being lifted from my head.

There's... one thing that I've tried to ignore, because Kou-san made my life here a lot better.

It's that... she and me come from the same middle school.

When I got my invitation for GEN Academy, I wanted to go so I could continue my older brother's legacies, and because... it would let me escape from my past.

I wanted to go to a school far away so no one recognised me, so no one would bully me again... but that couldn't happen when I saw that Kou-san in the same class as me. She definitely knew who I was, because we were in the same class back then.

The worst part, she wasn't just a nobody in the class who I never got to know. She was friends with... a girl who used to bully me a lot. Her name was Fuyukichi Asami-san.

Since she was friends with Fuyukichi-san, she was there when I was being bullied... and even took part in it...

Which is why... it was a difficult decision to go live with her, because those scars from back then never went away... and still don't go away...

I stayed in my room all day because I was afraid of Kou-san...

It makes me feel stupid for doubting her so much. I don't know what happened over the spring break, but... ever since coming here, Kou-san has never treated me badly once. All she wanted was to be my friend.

She's clumsy, she's silly, she's foolish, but she's an honest person... so her sincere apology to me about what happened in our school... healed some of the wounds on my heart.

It's still difficult to move on from those days, and I still feel conflicted about how I feel towards Kou-san, but... I'm glad that she's become a better person since then.

"Done!"

After rinsing my hair with the water, Kou-san began to dry off the excess using the towel around my deck.

"T-thank you..."

She placed my glasses back on my face, and removed the towel.

"Let's get you dried off."

"O-okay."

We went downstairs, where Sakigamiya-san took care of my hair. She used a hair dryer, blow drying it while using a comb.

"Wow, Nora-chan has really silky hair. I'm kind of jealous."

She laughed as she combed my hair. I didn't notice it until now, but my hair had become quite long. I could see strands fall around my cheeks and feel bangs brush near my eyes.

"I think I know the perfect style for you."

After drying my hair, Sakigamkya-san sat in front of me, and began parting my bangs.

"U-um... what are you doing?"

"Is it okay if I cut it a little? I want to make your hair look more even."

I wasn't too sure at first... but I trusted Sakigamiya-san, because she has better fashion sense than me. It was a bit scary to cut my hair, but I had to be brave, since this was also a part of the makeover process.

"O-okay."

"Thanks! Just take off your glasses and close your eyes for a bit, I want to trim away some of the excess..."

I did as was instructed, and Sakigamiya-san began snipping away at my bangs. She went behind me as well, cleaning up the back of my hair too.

"That looks a lot better. You're much cuter with a parting, don't you agree guys?"

Sakigamiya-san called for Kou-san and Hono-san's opinions.

"Wow, Takayuki-kun, that looks great on you!"

Hono-san nodded in agreement, taking out a pocket mirror for me to look into.

"Definitely! Take a look!"

I was really surprised at how a little trimming made a huge difference. Sakigamiya-san was really good at this.

I was pleased with my new hair style, though I did look more girly... especially since Sakigamiya-san combed my hair so it was more straight than usual.

"Don't put on your glasses just yet, because Ria-san's going to put some makeup on you!"

"M-makeup?"

I wasn't a girl, this was completely unnecessary...

"Trust me, it'll help you look better. We're trying to bring out the cutest side of you as possible, so your face needs some work too."

"U-um... t-this is too excessive... isn't it?"

"Not at all. It's just another step towards looking pretty. Ria-san's very good at putting on makeup, so you'll be in safe hands."

Sakigamiya-san tried reassuring me, but I was beginning to worry over what else they would do. My chest bubbled up with embarrassment, because makeup was something girls used, not guys...

"I'm not going to go overboard, don't worry. Your face is already better than a lot of girls."

Hono-san laughed and sat down in front of me, taking out her makeup kit. I looked at it, and bit my bottom lip.

"W-well... if you insist..."

It was a hesitant agreement. I didn't feel confident about the results of this.

"Thanks Nora-chan. I'll be gentle."

"P-please do."

"Will you two pick out outfits for him to wear in the meantime?"

Kou-san and Sakigamiya-san nodded.

"Sure! Let's get some good ones, Alice-chan!"

"We'll be back in a little bit."

They went upstairs to get me a change of clothes as well. Honestly, they didn't need to, but seeing how far they were going, I didn't have the courage to stop them anymore...

After all, they were doing it for my sake... even if it was a little embarrassing and scary, they just want the best for me...

"I'm going to put some moisturising cream on your face first, is that alright?"

"U-um, yes..."

Hono-san gently applied the cream on my face. I squeezed my eyes shut as she did, her soft hands smoothing it all over my cheeks.

"How has the makeover been so far?"

"It's been... fine."

"Are you having fun? We'll wait for the cream to dry before putting the makeup on."

"Fun? Well... a little bit I guess... as long as you guys are enjoying yourself, it's fine."

Hono-san laughed a little.

"Honestly Nora-chan, you always a look of worry on your face. You can relax, we want to do this for you."

Hearing those reassuring words made me feel better a little. Though, I was wondering why they were doing it for me. I didn't do anything special to deserve this.

"Um... Hono-san."

"Hm?"

"Why... are you guys going so far... for me?"

"So we can make you cuter!"

"Um... is that it?"

"That, and it was Kou-chan's idea. She wanted to make you cuter."

"Why would she want that...?"

"I don't know, but I agree. You already act cute, so your appearance should reflect it."

Hono-san opened up a palate case. Using a brush, she got some of the makeup on it.

"Is it really okay...? To be cute... because I'm a boy..."

"You shouldn't let something silly like gender stop you from being adorable. I think some girls are jealous that they're not as cute as you."

When Hono-san was saying that, I started feeling bashful, since she was openly calling me things like "cute" and "adorable". I don't think it's right, but... I kind of liked it...

"One thing I'm jealous of is your pink cheeks, Nora-chan. I have to put blush on, but you don't need it since your cheeks are always warm looking. I hope you don't have a cold or something."

I never notice it, but I blush a lot without realising... probably because I get embarrassed easily. Whenever I touch my cheeks, they usually feel hot.

"I want to cover up those bags under your eyes... they look quite severe."

I nodded and closed my eyes. Hono-san worked underneath them, putting some form of makeup on it. I think it was different than the powder, because it felt more wet than dry.

"That's better. Can I put some mascara and eyeshadow too?"

"U-um... just a little..."

"Of course. I think a warm colour would suit you... close your eyes again."

As I did, I felt a brush go over my eyelids. It tickled, but I tried staying still.

"For the mascara, when I put it on your eyelashes, make sure to blink."

I did as I was told as Hono-san applied the mascara. It felt dangerous, since it was so close to my eyes, but she was careful not to cause an accident.

As she pulled away, Hono-san looked at my face and covered her mouth.

"Cute...!"

"R-really...?"

"Yes, yes! Wait, there's just one touch left."

Hono-san took out a roll of lipstick from her pocket.

"L-lipstick?"

"Yep. Your lips are quite pale, so this neutral colour will help brighten it."

That wasn't my main concern... my concern was that lipstick was the one Hono-san used normally... if she used that on me, wouldn't it be... an indirect kiss...?

"U-um... Wait, Hono-san... isn't that... u-um..."

"Is there something wrong with it?"

Hono-san looked at her lipstick.

"Well... if you put it on my l-lips, then..."

"Don't worry about that kind of trivial thing. Lipstick is lipstick. Purse your lips for me."

Reluctantly, I followed her instructions. Hono-san took my chin, and applied it thinly. It was warm and tasted of cherries.

"Rub your lips together, like this."

I mimicked Hono-san and could feel the lipstick spread out.

"Perfect! Let me put your glasses back on, and..."

I blinked, adjusting my vision. As I opened my eyes, I stared at myself in Hono-san's hand mirror, surprised at the transformation I'd undergone.

"A-amazing..."

Even though I was scared of makeup, Hono-san did it in such a masterful way, where even though it was subtle, it drastically changed my appearance. I felt my heart thump at this new me.

"Oh wow, your nails are also nice too. Is it okay if I paint them?"

Hono-san took my hand and began examining my nails. I didn't mean for them to be nice, I just haven't found the time to cut them so they grew long...

"S-sure..."

At this point, I couldn't refuse even if I wanted to... I was in way too deep.

"I'm here with the outfit— Nora-chaaaaaaan!"

Sakigamiya-san leapt from the stairs and rushed to me, holding me by the shoulders.

"Oh my god, I nearly didn't recognise you! You're so beautiful now!"

"U-um... umm... I-I am?"

"Let me see Takayuki-kun too!"

Kou-san shoved Sakigamiya-san out of the way.

"Kyaaaaaaa! Cute, too cute!"

She began squealing at my transformation. I didn't think it was worth all the noise...

"Ria-san, you really are a makeup master!"

"Ria-chan, teach me your secrets! I wanna apply makeup like that too!"

"Jeez you two, don't detract from the star of today. I'm sure your outfits perfectly match with Nora-chan's new beauty."

"Of course. Me and Alice-chan think this will suit you!"

Kou-san handed me a pile of clothes.

"Afterwards, I'm going to paint your nails like I promised."

"Now go, Nora-chan, change into those clothes."

Sakigamiya-san hurried me into next door, where I changed into the outfit they chose.

Except... while the shirt and cardigan was fine, and the long socks and shoes were nice...

The skirt... was really confusing.

Was this an honest mistake... or some kind of way to mock me...?

Or maybe... they really did want me to wear it...

Still, it was uncomfortable... I've never worn a skirt, yet... here was one in my size...

...I slipped it on with shaking hands.

It felt really wrong to wear this... like a taboo...

It was a long skirt that went down my knees, so it didn't feel perverted, but...

I'm a boy... I shouldn't be wearing this...

I want to cry... my chest felt anxious and panicked...

I curled up in the corner, shaking...

"K-Kou-san..."

I weakly called for her, thinking I was going to break down into a mess.

"Is there something wrong, Takayuki-kun?"

I heard her call for me on the other side of the door.

"U-um... this outfit... it's... weird..."

I began to choke up under the pressure.

"Do you not like it? Can we see?"

"W-well... um..."

I hugged my body, feeling my chest tighten and it becoming harder to breathe.

"Do you need help, Takayuki-kun?"

I nodded, but Kou-san wouldn't be able to see that. Instead, I went and pushed the door slightly.

I peeked through the gap to see Kou-san standing there, waiting for me.

"Do the clothes not fit?"

"N-no... they fit me..."

"That's good. What's the matter then?"

"It's... the skirt..."

Kou-san's eyebrows furrowed. I closed my eyes, trying not to cry. I didn't want to ruin Hono-san's makeup that she worked hard to put on.

"Me and Alice-chan both thought you'd look good in it. Can we please see?"

"B-but..."

"Please?"

Kou-san gently pried open the door, pulling it open.

I stood there, looking down at my hands holding the hem of the skirt.

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!"

Kou-san screamed in delight.

"Too cute! Takayuki-kun looks super duper cute!!"

"W-wait..."

I felt embarrassed, but it hurt less seeing her happy reaction.

"Wow, that does fit him!"

Sakigamiya-san was also surprised over my new look.

"R-really? This... fits me?"

My shaking heart started to loosen and relax.

"This is perfect! You guys picked out the perfect outfit for him!"

Hono-san clapped her hands together excitedly.

"Now, let's add the finishing touches, okay?"

"O-okay..."

I wasn't completely comfortable in these clothes, but after seeing their reactions, it made me feel a little better. It kind of... made me a little more confident. That they were complimenting me, I mean...

Hono-san took my hands and began painting light pink nail polish on it. Sakigamiya-san was adding a few accessories in my hair. Kou-san was fixing the collar and frills on my outfit.

Seeing them work so hard for me... I wanted to show my gratitude, even if it wasn't worth much. I've always had difficulty speaking my true feelings, which is why... it took a lot of courage to thank them.

"Umm... everyone... umm... t-thank you..."

Kou-san laughed, finishing fixing my outfit.

"You don't have to thank us. It's just what friends do."

I like those words...

"Yep, I'm glad I was able to do this makeover on you, Nora-chan."

"Okay, finished! We just need to wait for it to dry now."

Hono-san had painted my nails really beautifully. Even though I wasn't very interested in it at first, her craftsmanship made me appreciate these trivial things more, and how far the girls go to make themselves more presentable.

"Ahh, I'm so excited! Takayuki-kun, can I take a picture of you?!"

"Same here, I wanna take a picture!"

"Umm... o-okay..."

I looked away slightly as Kou-san and Sakigamiya-san took out their phones and pointed them at me.

"Oh, keep that pose and face! It's super cute!"

Sakigamiya-san took multiple photos of me. This was something I didn't really like, since it made me anxious over my appearance...

I remember that during picture day, when they were taking photos of our face, I couldn't look at the camera directly no matter how hard I tried, so they settled on the best shot where I wasn't looking at the camera.

"Nee, Nora-chan, take your glasses off. I wanna see you without them."

I did as Hono-san instructed, and she squealed.

"Yes, I'm so taking a photo!"

The girls began bombarding me with photographs. I feel like they were going a little overboard...

Becoming the centre of attention... it was definitely weird. It's something I've never experienced before. I usually stand around in the back, not participating in anything because of the way other people treated me.

Today, I... I'm grateful... that they did this.

"Takayuki-kun? Are you okay?"

I blinked my misty eyes.

"O-oh... sorry... I ruined it..."

I wiped the tears out of my eyes.

"It's alright, we have photos anyways. Let me send you some." Hono-san said.

"Here."

Kou-san handed me a tissue. I used it to wipe my eyes slightly. There was Hono-san's mascara on the tissue...

"Nora-chan, is it okay if I post the photos on the 1st Year forums? I wanna show everyone the makeover we did this weekend!"

"U-um... you can, but... please don't include my name..."

Privacy was really important to me. If anyone in D Class found out about this, they'd bully me over it for sure...

"Sure, I'll keep you anonymous. Thanks!"

Sakigamiya-san began tapping away on her phone with a smile. I got a notification from my phone, showing that both Kou-san and Hono-san sent me their photos.

I looked at the new me and smiled. It was so different to the old me, it felt like... the fairy tale Cinderella. I saved the photos, as a precious memory of what happened today.

"Uwa, my post is already gaining tons of attention!" Sakigamiya-san said.

"This is blowing up scarily fast..." Kou-san said.

I opened the school app and went to the forums. On the front page was Sakigamiya-san's post, with the "TRENDING" tag on it. I opened it, and looked at the post. There were already 85 views, which was more than half of our year group.

Sakigamiya: Me, Hono-san and Kou-san did a makeover on one of my friends this weekend! Pretty impressive, isn't it?

It had two images attached. Me with glasses on, and me without glasses on. It was an innocent post, but was gaining a lot of traction. I scrolled down to the comments, where I found some embarrassing things...

Some of the comments were harmless, but some were crude.

John: Mans was trying to find a post on fried chicken but ended up on here and read Tanaka's comment. Wtf? (81 upvotes) (Most upvoted)

Mitsuba: WHO IS THIS GIRL?! YOU GUYS GOTTA TELL ME (66 upvotes)

Mitsumori: Who's this person (64 upvotes)

Kazuraba: Cute! Good jobs guys ❤️ (42 upvotes)

Ichinose: I love that nya (41 upvotes)

Ritaka: DM me her number (39 upvotes)

Ryouta: I feel like I've seen this person before, but don't recognise them because of the makeover. (24 upvotes)

Matsushita: Amazing! Not even I can tell who she is! (22 upvotes)

Sugiura: Imma sketch this and post it later (20 upvotes)

Yamamoto: Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!! 💕💕💕 (19 upvotes)

Horie: Cute ❤️ (15 upvotes)

Kinoshita: Adorable... I wanna hug them...! (14 upvotes)

Yoneda: Omg, you should've got me involved too!! (10 upvotes)

Tanaka: With glasses? Cute. Without glasses? Erotic. (10 upvotes) (Most downvoted)

Igarashi: Saved and made my wallpaper. (3 upvotes)

Kawaguchi: Lol good one! (1 upvotes)

Yukimura: 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻 (0 upvotes)

Ishima: Is this one of our classmates? Kinda looks like one lol (0 upvotes)

Koishi: Looks like a boy. (-39 upvotes)

"They're really going crazy over you, Nora-chan."

Sakigamiya-san laughed and patted me on the head.

"We should do this again some time! It was fun!" Kou-san said.

"Definitely. I want to try more styles with Nora-chan!" Hono-san said.

"How about it?" Sakigamiya-san said.

I thought about it quietly.

It was an embarrassing process, but I felt happier today than I have been in a long time. Being able to spend time with friends... being able to look better... being able to feel a little more confident...

There might be some things I don't like, but... above all that, I... like spending time with them outside of school. It makes me feel less lonely, even if it's exhausting sometimes.

That's why I decided...

"S-sure... we can."

It was a selfish choice, for no one else's sake but my own.