* * *

“So you guys had an argument?”

“A little bit. I should apologize first, right?”

“Apologize if you mean it.”

Inside the swaying bus, she was recounting what happened in her class to Maru. The argument started when her friend borrowed her manicure. Even close friends have these moments, no? She felt like she needed to say sorry but dreaded taking the first step. She felt some of that dread lift off her shoulders as she spoke to Maru. She now felt that she could approach her friend.

“There’s nothing more than this, right?”

“It’s not like I’m person who dutifully stores past slights. This sort of thing rarely happens. I usually resolve it right then and there.”

“Yeah, you do tend to do that.”

At that moment, the bus came to a screeching halt. Her body started to sway to the point of losing control despite tightly grasping the overhead handle. Right when she was about to collide with the guy next to her, Maru grabbed and supported her arm.

“Be careful.”

“… uhuh.”

She looked at her right arm. Maru, who was looking out the bus window without a care in the world, steadfastly held and supported her. She felt like there was a safety net wherever she went with him. It was these little things that Maru was always good at.

“Karaoke this weekend?”

“I can’t this weekend....