Friends

Ever since I met Mahito, life had felt so much fuller.

I no longer went back and forth between school and home every day like an empty shell following a preset program.

Mahito gave me direction.

He made me feel "special."

He gave me... power.

Perhaps this was what it felt like to be accepted.

It turned out that when someone truly saw you, understood you, and even expected you to become "something," being alive could feel so different.

People began to have things to look forward to.

I looked forward to where Mahito would take me tomorrow, what he would teach me, and what kind of "new world" he would show me.

Then I met someone else I could truly call a friend.

Yuji Itadori.

At first, I only forced myself to approach him because Mahito had told me to "pay more attention to people wearing this kind of uniform."

I was actually terrible at starting conversations. At school, I barely spoke to anyone.

I avoided eye contact whenever I could and stayed alone whenever possible.

But I tried to do what Mahito told me.

Yet after getting to know Yuji Itadori, I realized-

He was so different.

Different from the people at school, different from Mom, and even different from... Mahito.

He understood me so well, and he was so kind.

His kindness wasn't deliberate or charitable. It was as natural as sunlight falling on you.

You didn't have to thank the sunlight. It was simply there, warming you.

That day, Itadori and I sat side by side on the stone steps beside the stream in the little park.

"What movie did you see at the theater that day?" Itadori suddenly asked.

He had just been making a call, apparently to someone named Ijichi, but they hadn't answered.

After hanging up, he wandered over and sat beside me quite naturally, as though we had known each other for ages.

I didn't really have anything to do, but with Itadori sitting beside me, I stayed.

"It was an old movie they were screening again," I said. "You wouldn't know it even if I told you."

With a movie like Worm Man 3, probably no more than one person in a hundred would recognize the name.

Most people would frown just hearing the title and say, "What's that disgusting thing?"

But Itadori didn't seem to mind at all.

"That's fine," he said, turning to look at me, his eyes full of curiosity. "Tell me."

His expression was earnest, without any indifference or disgust. He simply "wanted to know."

So I told him.

"Worm Man 3."

Instead of looking confused as I had expected, Itadori looked thoughtful, as though... he had seen it?

"Oh." He scratched his head and smiled a little sheepishly. "That one was super boring. It got me hit a bunch of times."

Hit? Why would watching a movie get him hit?

Although I didn't understand what Itadori meant, he seemed to have seen Worm Man 3 too.

A strange excitement welled up inside me, as though I had found someone like me.

"Yeah," I couldn't help chiming in, speaking a little faster than usual. "If gore is the main selling point, they shouldn't be trying to do anything beyond that. The director tried to squeeze in too much philosophical thought and completely ruined the pacing."

I paused, then continued, "But the second one was pretty inter-"

"But the second one was pretty interesting." Itadori said what I had been about to say before I could.

The instant he said that, I froze.

Then an indescribable joy welled up from deep inside me.

I could even feel the corners of my mouth rising on their own.

So Itadori had seen these movies too?

I was so happy.

I couldn't help talking more.

Actually, I had always had plenty to say. I simply hadn't had a reason to say it or anyone to say it to.

Speaking at school only earned me ridicule or indifference.

But here, in front of this person-

"Exactly. Only the second one has a way to enjoy it," I said.

Itadori tilted his head. "A way to enjoy it?"

I ignored his confusion and kept talking, immersed in the joy of having "someone who understood."

Perhaps that was a bad habit of mine. Once I got excited, I couldn't stop.

"Itadori, have you watched the whole Worm Man series?!"

There was an eagerness in my voice that even I didn't notice.

"Hmm... more or less." Itadori thought for a moment.

"But the third one was kind of incomprehensible."

"Right!" I almost slapped my thigh. "That monologue went on for a whole ten minutes! The camera was right up in his greasy face, and the lines were so pretentious they made you want to fast-forward!"

"And the effects were worse than in the first two," Itadori added.

"Using practical props actually gives it more of a cult feel." I nodded. "That scene in the second one with real earthworms and slime was great. It was disgusting, but honestly disgusting..."

Just like that, we started talking.

It was the first time I had met someone who seemed to be on my wavelength.

It was normal to talk a lot, right?

I didn't know how long we had been talking before I suddenly realized that I had been doing all the talking, while Itadori listened, occasionally chiming in, a smile on his face the entire time.

There was no impatience, nor any expression that said, "What are you even talking about?"

We were just... chatting.

Chatting as friends.

"Itadori," I suddenly asked, looking at him, "do you like watching movies?"

"Uh..." Itadori scratched his cheek.

"For a lot of reasons, I've been watching movies like crazy lately. Not at the theater, though. I've been watching them on videotape at... this place."

Everyone had their own reasons.

I wouldn't pry too much.

Just as Mahito never asked why I hated school, I never asked why Itadori had to watch movies "for a lot of reasons."

"I see..." I said softly.

"I think it's better to watch interesting movies at the theater.

"The big screen, the surround sound... you can't get that kind of immersion at home. Though watching online really is convenient."

"When was the last time I went to the movies...?" Itadori tilted his head back in thought, then looked at me, his eyes bright.

"Take me along next time there's a good movie."

There it was.

An invitation.

Was this... an invitation from a friend?

I didn't understand.

But an inexplicable feeling welled up inside me, a little ticklish and warm, as though something were breaking through the soil.

Was it happiness?

"Sure," I said, my voice quiet but certain.

"Contact details? Here." Itadori casually handed over his phone, unlocking it and opening the page for adding a new contact.

I took the phone, my fingers pausing over the screen for a few seconds before slowly entering my name and number.

Junpei Yoshino.

Save.

When I handed the phone back, Itadori glanced at the screen and smiled.

"All right, now we have each other's contact details," he said, slipping his phone into his pocket. "Call me next time there's a movie you want to see. I'm pretty free lately."

I looked at his profile. The sunset fell across his orange hair, edging it in warm gold.

So the future could be something to look forward to?

Looking forward to "watching a movie together next time," to "talking again," to "seeing each other again."

How nice...

Just then, a familiar voice came from behind us.

"Oh? Junpei?"

I turned around and saw Mom standing at the top of the steps with shopping bags in her hands, surprise on her face.

She seemed to have just finished grocery shopping. Green onions poked out of a bag.

But what I noticed was something else-the cigarette between her fingers, still slowly burning.

"Mom..." I said instinctively.

"What a surprise to run into you here." Mom came over, her gaze settling on Itadori beside me, and gave him a gentle smile.

"Is that your friend?"

There was a barely perceptible note of delighted surprise in her voice.

It seemed to be the first time Mom had seen me talking so happily with someone, and in a park, under the sunset, like an ordinary high school student.

I felt a little embarrassed, my cheeks warming slightly.

"We just met," I said, a little more quietly than before.

I felt embarrassed to call him a "friend" and was afraid I might be getting ahead of myself.

But Itadori picked up the conversation naturally.

"Even so," he said, turning to Mom with a brilliant smile, "I think we can be friends."

He said it with such certainty and ease, as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

His personality was completely different from mine.

Was Itadori the kind of person who spoke his mind?

No, it wasn't just that. He was... candid.

He didn't hide anything or beat around the bush. He said what he thought, and when he wanted to make friends, he said, "I think we can be friends."

Mom's eyes curved into crescents.

"Really? Make sure you get along." Then, as though suddenly remembering something, she moved the cigarette behind her back.

But the gesture was far too obvious.

I couldn't help pointing it out.

"Mom..." I looked at her fingers, where a thin wisp of smoke was still rising. "Didn't you say you were going to quit?"

Mom froze for a moment, then let out an "Ah!" and hurriedly stubbed the cigarette out in the portable ashtray she carried.

"Sorry, sorry." She smiled a little sheepishly. "I promised not to smoke in front of you... I got tired from walking earlier and couldn't resist lighting one."

She put the ashtray back in her bag, then looked at Itadori again.

"By the way, what's your friend's name?"

"Yuji Itadori!" Itadori immediately gave his name, then pointed at the shopping bags in Mom's hands. "Ma'am! Green onions really don't suit you."

The remark came out of nowhere, but Mom understood it.

She laughed, her eyes curving.

"Oh, you noticed?" Mom lifted the shopping bag a little higher, revealing the green onions inside.

"I'm determined to be a woman who doesn't suit green onions."

The two smiled at each other, having a baffling conversation I couldn't understand at all.

But the atmosphere was lovely.

Very warm.

Afterward, Mom invited Itadori over. "Junpei hardly ever brings friends home. Would you like to stay for dinner tonight? I bought some nice beef."

I had wanted to object.

It was too sudden, too embarrassing, and the house was such a mess...

But Itadori didn't seem to mind at all.

"Is that really okay?" His eyes lit up, and his stomach let out a perfectly timed, drawn-out growl.

Itadori held his stomach and smiled sheepishly.

"Ah, looks like I really am hungry."

Mom laughed too.

"Then it's settled. Junpei, bring your friend home. I'll go ahead and get things ready."

She left first with the bags, her steps light.

I looked at Itadori. He was rubbing his stomach with an expression that said, "I'm saved."

"Um..." I opened my mouth. "My place might be a little messy..."

"That's fine." Itadori patted my shoulder, his smile as brilliant as ever. "As long as there's food. I'm starving."

And so, that evening, Yuji Itadori came to my house.

That dinner with Itadori was probably the happiest dinner I had ever had.

Mom made hamburger steaks, simmered vegetable soup, and even cooked extra rice.

Itadori ate three big bowls of rice, praising her between bites. "Your cooking is so good, ma'am!" He kept making Mom laugh.

My friend was by my side, and so was my family.

Laughter filled the dinner table.

I was so happy.

So this was how life could be.

So being alive could feel this warm.

Afterward, I walked Itadori to the station. The night wind was chilly, but I felt warm inside.

"Thanks for today." Before entering the station, Itadori turned and waved at me. "The food was great, and I really enjoyed talking with you. See you next time, Junpei."

"Yeah." I nodded. "See you next time."

I watched him walk into the station, his figure disappearing into the crowd, and stood outside for a long time without moving.

The phone in my pocket vibrated. I took it out and saw a message from Mahito.

"Did you have fun today, Junpei?"

I stared at the screen, my fingers hovering over the keyboard for a long time. In the end, I replied with just one word.

"Yeah."

Then I put my phone back in my pocket and looked up at the night sky.

There were no stars to be seen at night in Tokyo, only a sky stained dark red by the lights.

But for some reason, the night sky seemed especially bright tonight.

My friend was by my side, and so was my family.

I was so happy.

Truly.

So happy.