Disclaimer: I don't own The Wallflower

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I was crawling closer to the screen--I couldn't miss the part where the exceptionally radiant best friend of the main character gets guillotined--when the door opened. Judging by the sounds of the door and the number of steps, I could tell it was Kyouhei without looking. I relaxed. He'd been coming in more often lately to, well, I wasn't really sure why he'd been coming in. At first I protested, for his radiance was throwing off my macabre "balance"; but then gave in with a shrug--it took far too much energy to shoo that guy off. After all, he was probably my most equal opponent out there (I still need to find a loophole in his drop-kick...). He surprisingly wasn't that annoying either. Instead of sputtering a bunch of nonsense and complaining, he mostly kept to himself. He just napped on the floor, flipped through a book...I concluded he was pretty much harmless. Sometimes he brought food too. I looked over at him--pinching my nose just in case--to check...

Nope, no food.

The light from the television flickered against him while he was laying on his back with an open magazine resting over his face. His shirt was slightly pulled up revealing some skin...I wiped my nose. Only a few drops of blood escaped this time though; good. I turned my focus back to the television screen. Oh! this is the part where the funny guy's hand gets lacerated...

"It's comfy."

I flinched.

Kyouhei rolled over onto his side.

"The dark, it's comfy."

I fought the urge to say "no duh".

"No, I mean," He said, reading my mind, "It's just...usually dark has this bad connotation, like it's dangerous, or scary...but when you think about it maybe it's the opposite. You can't fear what you can't see. It's like death--why should we fear death when we don't really know what'll happen? The dark is kinda...safe. In the dark, I can't see anyone's expression, and they can't see mine. I don't have deal with what what I can't see. Ignorance is bliss right? This dark, It's like a comfort blanket, or like...freedom."

He rolled back onto his back.

At first, I was shocked he'd just spilled so much out at once, but then, as I contemplated his words, I found I agreed. I was still organizing my thoughts when, suddenly, Kyouhei sprung off the floor. I braced myself. He was definitely not being like the dark now. Just what was this guy up to? I watched intently as he went over and stood next to Hiroshi-Kun.

"Ne, Sunako, who are you more friends with: me, or Hiroshi-Kun?"

"Hiroshi-Kun." I said, narrowing my eyes, was this some kind of trick question?

Kyouhei sighed.

"Whatever...make sure you make fried shrimp tomorrow."

He curled up back in his spot.

I wondered what it was he was getting at. I was beginning to feel so confused, that I decided to go to sleep so I wouldn't have to think at all.

I turned off the television.

"Hey, I'm going to sleep," I said, inviting him to leave.

"Un."

I crawled into my bed.

He didn't leave.

"Che, whatever, that creature will go eventually." I thought. I closed my eyes and began to calm my fast-moving mind. A good half-hour must have passed by. Finally, I was drifting off--the line between reality and dreams growing hazier...

"Ne, Hiroshi," Kyouhei said to the doll.

My eyes flew open.

"I think Sunako is my best friend."

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My heart, my brain, my blood, my nerves--all of it stopped for one whole second. I listened to his footsteps as he walked out of my room. When the door was shut, I sat up from the bed.

What was going on? I'm his best friend? I'd never considered anything like that before. In fact, I don't think I'd ever had a best-friend, well, that was human...Why would he say something like that? What even is a best friend? Suddenly, moments from the past crept up out of nowhere before I could stop them:

When he said, "He's not the only guy out there."

When he got drunk at christmas.

When he got me out of the burning house.

When he was hit by the tree in the snow.

When I made at least 50 fried shrimp so he'd come back.

When we had nabe.

When he rescued Hiroshi-Kun.

When he splashed me in the face at the water fountain.

When we fixed the video rental store.

When I tried to make western food.

When he said, "it doesn't matter what you wear, just go with what you like."

When we fought over chocolate and wound up in a typhoon.

When I tried to get the bat but fell on him instead.

When he turned into Ranmaru.

When we went to the public bath.

When he got hit by glass.

When I stopped him from cutting his face.

When we went to get amasake.

When I went to his room.

When we looked at constellations....

I was feeling the strangest sensation.

Maybe he is my friend.