"MISS SONIAAAAA!" the outgoing boy screamed delightedly as the two of you passed.

"Souda!"

"Yo!" he greeted.

"Perfect timing. I have a question for you!" you interjected, taking him by the arm and steering him away from the princess.

"And I have an answer! Well, I mean, I might. I guess that really depends on the question," he beamed with that infectiously happy smile.

"I was thinking... I kinda want to branch out my tastes in manga. Do you have any Shonen recommendations?" you explained, trying to subtly walk him in the direction of the library in the hopes that....

"Sure! Let's go to the library and see if we can find any!"

...in the hopes that that happened. Being Sonia Nevermind's best friend, you had made it your job to distract Kazuichi Souda when he became fixated on her. Their interactions were never particularly pleasant, to say the least. He was trying, and you understood that very well. He genuinely thought that he was being very caring towards her. But he didn't really know who she was as a person, and based on his obvious discomfort when you brought up horror movies she was interested in, he didn't seem interested in finding out. This was damaging for all parties involved. It was damaging to Sonia, who'd always been bitter that people frequently assumed things about her based on her appearance and status. It was damaging for Kazuichi, who'd gotten shut down and hurt dozens of times. It was also damaging for...

Well. That didn't matter. As someone who was close to both of them, it was your goal to keep them as happy as possible. And if that meant coming up with excuses to get him alone every time you saw him-- If that meant even sabotaging your bike so that he would fix it, or asking for help on homework you understood perfectly— it was worth it, no matter how exhausting it could be. And spending time with him made you happy.

He searched through the thick stacks of books, looking for any traces of manga in the place. You glanced around as well. You squatted down to inspect the lower shelves. Suddenly, pink strands of hair framed your face as he set his head on yours.

"What are you doing?" you whisper fondly.

"This," he responded. He gave you a nice, warm hug from behind. His arms were steady and strong.

"Love ya," you murmur.

"Love you, too. It doesn't look like there's any manga in here. Sorry. I'll text you a list of manga that I think you'd like, though!" he vowed.

"Alright. That works for me. Thanks, dude!"

The two of you rose to your feet. As you left the library, he gave you a playful wink as he ran off. You decided to get some lunch before heading back to Sonia. The warmth of his hug still lingered on your shoulders. You sighed, casting one last glance at the boy, easily distinguishable from the rest of the students because of how bright his outfit is.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are you feeling alright, [Y/N]?" the princess asked as she nibbled on french toast, "You have not seemed yourself since yesterday."

"I'm okay."

"I apologize in advance, but... I do not very much believe you."

"No, no. I just realized something stupid, that's all," you admitted, pushing the eggs around on your plate.

"If you do not mind me asking, what did you realize?"

"I don't know how you'll feel about it."

"Surely, I will not judge you! You are my best friend, after all!" she balled up her fists in determination.

You avoided making eye contact with her. "I think I like Kazuichi." She grabbed your hands and looked at you, blue eyes wide and starry. You were a bit taken aback. "You're okay with it? You don't think he's like a horrible, shallow person or something?"

"Neither of us have made an effort to truly understand one another. He may act incorrigible to me, but I have been avoiding him with all my might. I have never even asked why he treats me the way he does. I do not see who he is through your eyes. But I trust in your astute skills of judgment! If you have feelings for him, I will choose to believe that he is good for you!" She delivered this message with fervor and passion, just as any leader would. Your spirits started to raise a little, knowing you had the support of your friend.

But then they all crashed down again. "Sonia... he's never come for me. Every time we see each other, it's just been because I swooped in to save you. Who am I kidding? You're a beautiful blonde princess. I'm just a Reserve Course student. I never had a chance."

"MISS SONIAAAAAA!" the familiar voice rang out.

"Souda!"

"Yo!"

"I have some extra pocket money! I'll spot you some if you wanna go buy some dessert!" you distracted him effortlessly.

Before you could lead him off, however, Sonia stood up. "Kazuichi Souda, sit down!" she commanded, pointing to the empty seat at your table. Without missing a beat, he sat, squealing lightly. You shook your head no at Sonia, suddenly frantic. But her resolute gaze willed you into submission, and you sat down, too. She took the same position, moving her hair behind her shoulder. "You have been haplessly pursuing me for far too long, and I was too cowardly to take care of the situation myself. Someone better for you is right here, and you haven't—"

"Hey, hey, hey! Wait, stop!" Kazuichi called out, entirely red in the face. "M-Miss Sonia, can we get some privacy? Me and [Y/N], I mean." Sonia's fiery expression softened. She gracefully ascended from the chair and walked calmly from the dining hall.

You felt mortified. "I'm so sorry!" you apologized, burying your head in your hands.

"Hey... it's okay. You know, it was pretty obvious, after a while. Even I'm not that stupid," he chuckled softly.

"But I promise, I really DID want to spend time with you. I always do! Even if it was just about Sonia—"

He slid a manga in your direction, a rosy blush covering his cheeks. It looked totally brand new.

"It— It kinda stopped being about Sonia a while ago, [Y/N]. I saw that you were just trying to distract me. But I got to know you a lot in the process, and honestly? It seriously threw me off. Each time I called out 'MISS SONIAAAA' at the top of my lungs, I got less excited to see her and more excited to be whisked away by you. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I like you, [Y/N]. Sorry for not saying so earlier. It could've saved you a lot of grief. B-But I didn't realize..."

"I didn't realize either, actually, until very recently. But yes. Yes, of course I like you! I just honestly can't believe this is real. I'm just a Reserve Course student!"

"That doesn't matter! That's never mattered. What matters is that you're kind, and mature, and smart, and a fucking blast to be around!"

"You're wonderful, Kazuichi Souda."

You reached your hands across the table, resting them on the manga. Your fingers intertwined. And you both started to cry, flooded by joy and relief. It was perfect.