Her words were soft, yet they were like a pebble tossed into a still lake, sending ripples through Sakura's heart.
Friends.
Airi Sakura stared blankly at Kushida.
The offer had touched the softest part of her heart.
She had always longed to have friends.
She longed for someone to eat with, chat with, go to the convenience store with, and share the little things in life.
But she was shy around people, struggled to express herself, and always felt she wasn't good enough, interesting enough, or likable enough. So she had always kept to herself in class.
She thought things would always stay that way.
But now, Kikyo Kushida stood before her, gazing at her with bright eyes and asking, "Can we be friends?"
Sakura's ears turned red again.
She nodded gently, her voice barely more than a whisper.
"...Mm."
A smile bloomed across Kushida's face. Then she threw her arms around Sakura, her voice full of excitement.
"That's great! We're friends now!"
The sudden hug left Sakura flustered. She froze in place, but the corners of her mouth lifted ever so slightly despite herself.
Watching the friendship quietly take shape between the two, Lin Mu thought, Kushida, you really don't miss a single chance to make a friend, do you?
He spoke up at just the right moment, trying to ease Sakura's nerves with a lighthearted tone.
"Don't worry. Kushida's great at making friends. You can learn from her about how to get along with your classmates."
He paused, then added in a deliberately serious tone,
"Otherwise, you might end up evolving straight into a shut-in, Sakura."
It was a little harsh, but there wasn't any malice in his voice, just the teasing that came with friendship.
Airi Sakura blinked, then blushed again.
She hurriedly nodded, though she still