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The morning started same as ever for Yomi, with the same friends as ever greeting her as she walked into class.
“Good morning Miss Yomi!”
“Mornin’!”
“Good morning.”
However, something felt off. Her classmates seemed to be unchanged... Chiyo... Osaka... Sakaki... But Tomo seemed to stay qui-
Wait.
Tomo got to class on time?! before Yomi?! Not even greeting her with obnoxious bragging or annoying jokes?! The hell?! She was just sitting there, staring at her unopened book, looking strangely out of it.
The calm of the classroom was interrupted by the noise of what could easily be mistaken for a stampede thudded towards the classroom. “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnddddd on time!!” Kagura’s voice and sprinting footsteps could be heard from across the hall before she skidded in front of the door. “Haha!” She cheered triumphantly. Her bravado broke as her eyes fell to Tomo’s desk. “What?! How’d she get here before me?!”
Despite all the fuss Kagura was making and continued to make as she marched up to Tomo’s desk, Tomo didn’t react at all for a few painfully silent seconds. Once she finally did react, she merely gave Kagura a blank, uninterested gaze.
Yomi cautiously moved towards Osaka and Chiyo, her eyes still on Tomo. What could be up with her? Was this some kind of joke she was setting up?
“Um, Miss Yomi? You’ve been looking at Tomo for a long time...” Chiyo spoke up. “You noticed how weird she’s acting too, didn’t you?”
“Mhm,” Yomi hummed with a nod. “Usually by now, she’d be running laps around the classroom yelling, or rubbing it in everyone’s face how early she is.”
“Maybe some aliens came to her house and put a bug in her brain last night...” Osaka suggested dramatically.
Chiyo gasped. “Oh no!! What do we do?!”
Of course, Yomi knew that wasn’t true or even remotely possible, even as her two friends continued to desperately plan on how to rescue her from the scary brain bug. Something might be actually wrong with Tomo. Maybe she was sick? Or was having family trouble? Yomi wanted-no. Needed to find out what was wrong. But she couldn’t do it in front of everyone... What could she do?
The day passed slowly for Yomi, her mind constantly on Tomo. Not one noisy outburst during class, not one competitive match over something meaningless. Nothing. It was almost as if Tomo wasn’t in class at all.Shouldn’t that be a relief? Things were peaceful. She didn’t get a single headache all day. But she hated it. It was... boring. Yomi was bored. But more than that, she was getting more worried with each passing minute.
The weather was lovely, meaning PE would be at the track outside. Usually, this would be the time Tomo would loudly challenge someone to a race, but today she seemed to isolate herself, doing half-assed stretches off to the side. Yomi decided she would test something to see if Tomo really was as off as she seemed.
“Hey Sakaki, can I ask for a favor?” She asked as she walked to her taller classmate’s side. “Tomo’s been acting so weird... Could you try asking her to race you and see if she reacts?”
Sakaki nodded, seeming to understand why Yomi made such a request. She quietly went over by Tomo and was silent for a bit as Tomo looked at her before finally muttering, “...Race me...”
More silence. Tomo stared for a moment. “...Sorry. I’m not really in the mood today.” She replied dryly.
Yeah. Something was wrong. Big-time wrong. But then again, there were just too many people around for Yomi to ask what it was that was wrong. She felt powerless. She missed the usual Tomo. What did she have to do...?
PE ended and lunch began, giving Yomi another opportunity to do one last test and see what was wrong with Tomo. “Hey Tomo, think you could get me some bread?” she asked.
Tomo looked at her blankly. She wasn’t even touching her own lunch, just staring down at it blankly. “Can’t you get it yourself?” She replied, her voice dull and monotone. Not a tone Tomo used at all.
Yomi sighed deeply. Alright. Enough is enough. “Tomo. Meet me on the roof as soon as you can. Please.” Without even checking to see if Tomo followed her, she turned and made her way to the roof.
The air was crisp. Clean. Refreshing. Enough to relax Yomi, and hopefully relax Tomo as well. Yomi stepped towards the gate and stared out into the city below. Tomo was always so loud and energetic. Sure, it got on Yomi’s nerves and It drove her crazy but, it was Tomo. She loved Tomo...uh, Tomo’s energy. She hadn't had such a miserable day at school in years. Tomo... Tomo was what brought light to her otherwise dull days. She needed the real Tomo back.
In the time she spent reflecting, she didn’t hear the door to the roof open or, Tomo walk up behind her. It wasn’t until she heard Tomo speak up with a quiet “Hey,” that she realized she was no longer alone. She turned around and sighed, ready to face whatever she needed to doto get her friend back.
“Tomo. You’ve been acting weird all day. I...I’m worried. Did something happen at home?”
“Nothing happened,” Tomo said, staring at the ground next to her and rubbing her neck. “I’m just kinda tired. That’s all.”
“You’re hiding something.” Yomi observed. She knew her friend’s quirks enough to know Tomo’s habit of rubbing her neck when lying. “Tomo. Please. I’ll say it again: I’m worried. If something’s wrong, I want to know. You’re always energetic and now-”
“And don’t you find it annoying?!” Tomo snapped, looking at Yomi. “Don’t you just want me to shut up?! Hell, you say it all the time!!”
The words made Yomi fall back a bit. Was this... her fault? Did she cause this? Was she too harsh lately? She hurt Tomo... she hurt her best friend. she ruined everything. Tomo would probably hate her - “I’m sorry... Tomo I’m really sorry I-” her voice broke as she failed to even remotely control her tears. “I don’t mean to be so harsh I won’t say it again just please be yourself again I’m sorry...”
“Yomi...” Tomo stepped closer. “No Yomi I’m sorry it wasn’t you I promise. It wasn’t you at all.”
“Th...then who...” Yomi’s demeanor changed. The tears stopped and she straightened up a bit. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. “Who was it? I swear when I find them...” The pure unbridled rage was clear in her voice.
“Don’t do anything...” Tomo protested. “It was just a couple of guys we went to middle school with. I ran into them at the park last night and as soon as they got away from me I overheard them talking about how annoying I am...” Her breath shook as silent tears hesitantly pooled in her eyes. “I thought maybe you all would get sick of me like they did...”
Without a second’s hesitation, Yomi put her hands on Tomo’s shoulders. “They’re wrong. You’re amazing, Tomo. Sure you’re loud and an idiot and piss me off sometimes, but that’s what I love about you.” She found tears welling up in her own eyes again. “You light up every room you enter with your energy. You make my days exciting and fun and bright and it’s amazing. Anyone who can’t accept that is at a massive loss. Because your real self is amazing and I love every bit of it.”
Tomo stared at Yomi with wide eyes. “Y...you mean that...?” she asked.
“Of course,” Yomi replied with a genuine smile. “You’re amazing just by being yourself.”
In mere seconds, Tomo’s entire attitude changed. A grin spread across her lips, the same grin she always wore when getting on Yomi’s every last nerve. “Hehheh, well I am pretty damn great if I say so myself! So what if some dumb boys don’t get it?”
Usually, this would be the part where Yomi would tell Tomo to shut up or get over herself but this time, she’d make an exception. She simply smiled fondly, too relieved for words to express it. There she was. The girl Yomi cared about more than she could put into words.
“Aw look at you staring? Could it be you’ve fallen for me?!” Tomo teased.
“Shut up,” Yomi said, failing to hide her laughter or the light blush on her cheeks. “Let’s get back. Lunch is almost over and I doubt you’ve eaten yet.”
“Last one to the classroom has to pay for bread!” In an instant, Tomo dashed off to the stairs.
Yomi however, stayed put for a second, watching Tomo run with a smile. There she was.
The Tomo Yomi loved more than she could ever say.