It wasn't like she had never had friends before. She had lots of friends. At least, that's what she liked to tell herself. In fact, on some level or another, she knew just about every other girl in the school. She had spoken to all of them at least once, and she would help every club and every person at every chance she got. She even knew the names of just about every student on campus. It was her code, after all.

Half of them didn't know her name. Nearly half of those left only knew her "name" as the Jersey Club girl. Only a small group of those remaining really knew her that well at all, but even then, they had their clubs and she had hers. They met after school, they did things as girls and friends would do, but in the end, the time would come when they would graduate, and while she would go on to help the people at her university, they would still likely keep in contact no matter where they went...

All around her, she saw relationships forming that would last for years. It was hard not to, barging into tightly knit groups on a regular basis whenever the call was raised for help. She was like a superhero that way.

Often she would be asked to join another club, but she would refuse every time. They'd look dejected, and she could get hopeful — sometimes even make an offer, but her offer was usually laughed off as the thankful girl left.

As if their superhero enjoyed doing this alone. As if the thought of giving her help or giving her company was just a big joke to them.

It hurt, sometimes. Other times it was just part of the job.

All the same, she would smile back, just glad she could have helped... But it was a smile that was still tinged with just a bit of disappointment.

You see, she wanted someone to join her club.

To be more precise... She wanted someone to join her.

But Madoka got over it.

It just wasn't in her to hold on to things or to brood about them. Besides, there was always someone else to help, and she couldn't do her best if she was feeling down!

Maybe next time someone would say yes when she asked! Everyone couldn't turn her down, could they?

Ironically, not a single person enrolled in the entire school would ever take her up on her offer.

She still believed all the same.

Someday... Someday for sure...

Someday she wouldn't be alone anymore.

Madoka just knew it.

So she kept smiling.

She smiled when her classmates laughed off her requests.

She smiled when her classmates left her alone to clean up the classroom.

She smiled when her classmates stopped remembering she was still a person beyond the girl that fixed everything.

Because when those people finally came for her, when those people finally joined her, she wanted to be able to hold her head high and welcome them with open arms.

So she kept on smiling.