A lot of time had passed, I would say. Actually, I had no idea. Was what happened actually real? Or was it once again, just an old trick played on me by my mind? I did not know where I was, and I did not want to know. It was pitch black, for the sole reason that my eyes were shut. Opening them seemed like an arduous task, so I preferred not to even attempt it, probably to escape the harsh truth that I desperately hoped was not one.

I heard unfamiliar steps, then a door closing. Did someone just leave this room? Was I not alone?! I started to think something definitely was not right - as if that was not obvious already - and my heart began to race. Maybe I’m in a hospital… I did have a rough fall just before… Hopefully it is not something too serious, I do not think I am hurt anywhere… No one seemed to be here anymore, the heavy pupils of my eyes began to get lighter as I managed to slowly open them… There it was, a room. Not a completely white and bleak one, with weird and scary electronics all over the walls, but a pretty cheerful and colorful one. I was not placed into a hospital, but moreso, a bedroom. Now that I think about it, I could have come to this conclusion earlier if I had noticed how comfy the bed I was lying in was. This room… I have never been in it before… Have I been kidnapped?! I-I doubt so, surely a kidnapper would not put me in such a bright room… Plus, it’s not like I’m a child anymore. I quickly put this worry aside as to not let it get to me, yet I kept getting more and more intrigued about this room. It was not Ribbon-chan’s. Not that I have been in her room often, but I know that it was even more colorful than this one, a bit too much even. It was a little smaller than hers too, yet there were things that I recognized which also were present in hers, such as a plushie of an anime character she liked. Maybe I passed out close to Ribbon-chan’s new home? She did go to a faraway school, but perhaps she got an apartment close by? I never asked her about it, I really should pay more attention to my friend…

… … …

“Hey ▋▋▋▋▋▋▋, wake up and stop asking yourself so many questions! Good grief, you’re always like this, I keep telling you to eat properly, yet you still feel all light headed because you never listen to that~ What would you do without me really… I’m worried you know!”

“AH!!” I inadvertently yelled as I suddenly woke up. I guess I fell back asleep after all that wondering…

“Are you okay??” exclaimed Ribbon-chan, probably surprised by my sudden onomatopoeia.

“Y-Yeah, I guess s-... HUH?!” I uttered a loud sound once again, as I was unsure of what was laying in front of me. After blinking a few times, my eyes started to get less blurry, and my vision showed me something I could have never expected: Someone sitting on a chair next to this mysterious bed. It was not Ribbon-chan, nor my mother or even a hospital nurse! I felt like I was going to pass out yet another time, but I clenched my fist, and did my best to stay in this world this time.

“G-Good morning, Sara…?” I said while slowly sitting up.

“Hey, don’t push yourself now” replied Sara, with the same stoic look on her face as always. “You really fell hard back there, are you okay?”

“ I guess so, I do not really remember what happened. I think.”

Ah. The same silence as before. A heavy, horrible silence, it felt like the wind passed through the room. Sara… I really cannot tell what she is thinking from the look on her face… Sometimes, she even looks kind of scary. Maybe she only took me in because she would be in trouble for the group project without me…? Hopefully one day I’ll be able to come normally, as a friend, or something. Sara was looking intensely at me, I felt like a bug on a tree being observed by kids waiting for the right time to swing their net at me. Perhaps she actually was worried about me? I absolutely cannot tell by her expression. I tried reassuring her, hoping this was the case:

“I-I am fine, really, this is not the first time this has happened. Something about iron, and all that.”

“I can go grab you a chocolate bar or something, isn’t that how you can feel better? My sister had this problem when she was younger, I remember something about that.” Sara replied, with a monotonous tone of voice

“No no, it is okay, I would not want to be even more of a bother to you. Though I appreciate it nevertheless.” I was yelling to myself internally as those words escaped my mouth. Whenever I talk to someone, for some reason, I always am peculiar with my speech. While yes, using correct English does seem like a nice thing, it sounds super awkward out loud! I keep hearing people at school speak with words I barely even understand, I guess this is what is ‘cool’ nowadays, I wish I could too… But I cannot help talking like this when under stress, so pretty much all the time. Ughh, Sara is looking at me even weirder now, I really lost my chance to actually become frien-

Suddenly, Sara chuckled “Pffft! I-I’m sorry I couldn’t help it! What are all these weird faces you keep doing? Are you thinking that hard about what to say to me? You really are a strange one…!”

She read me like a book. At this moment, I felt a shock in my chest, locking me into place. I was surprised and stumbled my words:

“Y-Yes? NO I mean! I am just a little still out of it? Maybe?” I took a deep breath, then sighed. “Look, I really am sorry for everything, for now and for before. I really should know better.”

Sara looked at me, tilting her head to the side.

“What are you talking about? I can’t recall you doing anything wrong? Are you certain you’re feeling better?”

Ah, that same feeling as before in my throat. I have to hold on this time.

“Yes, for sure.” I said, then looked down. “I really am sorry.”

Sara put her hand on my back, which made me twitch.

“Hey now, I’m still a bit confused, but it’ll be fine. There probably aren’t any big problems if I don’t even know about them.”

Ahh… How could you say that to someone you’ve barely even met… You really are cool, you know? I wish I could be more like you, strong, independent. I wish I could have said that, but even those are assumptions made from nothing. She may barely know me, but so do I.”

Sara tilted her head down even more, probably to be on level with mine. I could see that she actually looked worried this time. Yet, the warmth of her hand was comforting.

“I should be the one that is sorry, for taking you home like that. I saw you pass out outside and I panicked on what to do, and since my apartment was really close, I thought taking you there and letting you rest was the best course of action. Sorry if that made you uncomfortable.”

Sara and I both stared at each other. I wanted to tell her that I don’t hold anything against her, that in contrary, I was extremely happy that she would be this considerate of me. Her face really is pretty, so mature. Seeing her this close…

“This really isn’t going anywhere with the both of us acting like that, is it?”, she exclaimed, “Look, you’re already in my room, and you told me you were better, so maybe we could already get started on our project?”

She read right through me again… That way of knowing what I am thinking… It makes me uneasy, just like when Ribbon-chan would do it. Deep in my thoughts were words similar to ‘I will do my best for us, Sara.’ but that would be too corny to say now, would it not?

“W-Wait, what is the project even about?! I can’t find my notes back!” yelled Sara, all panicked.

I was glad to finally be able to get a glance at this side of her, and I could not wait to see more.

“Do not worry, I should still have mine deep in my bag!” I yelled back, with a cheeky tone.

All of a sudden, the biggest, brightest smile I had ever seen on someone’s face was directed at me. For once, I smiled back.

The stars, the wind and the sky,
After a while, all decided to humble the cloud’s sorrow.
The rain, once lost in its cry,
Had finally begun turning into the brightest of snow.