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Madoka was swinging on the swing, eating a chocolate bar. It was fun at first, but it was starting to get boring. Her friends were all busy with other things, so she was playing alone. Hitomi was busy with piano lessons and Sayaka was too busy hanging out with Kyosuke. Madoka was pretty sure she had a thing for him, but couldn’t understand why.
She was too caught up in her own thoughts to notice a small group of boys approaching her. They were similar to her in age, but they looked bigger and meaner.
“Hey girl, get off that swing set! This is our turf!” One of the boys yelled, he seemed to be the leader of the group.
Madoka was just about to obey—thinking that fighting back wouldn't be worth it—until she saw a girl from a distance shout something.
“Leave her alone!” She stomped towards the group of boys and Madoka.
“Oh yeah? What are you gonna do about it?” The leader said, now more hesitantly.
She grabbed a stick off the ground and broke it in half. The boys faltered.
“D-don’t think this is over. We’ll get you eventually!” One of them said. The group ran away, leaving Madoka and the other girl alone. She approached Madoka and sat on the swing beside her.
“Thank you. For saving me, I mean.”
“No problem. It didn’t take much to scare those kids. They’re probably all bark no bite.”
“You… you didn’t have to do that. It was really nice of you.”
The other girl flushed and rubbed the back of her neck.
“Like I said, it was nothing! The strong have to take care of the weak, don’t you know?”
She eyed the chocolate bar in Madoka’s hands.
“Plus… I’m pretty hungry. I wouldn’t mind some chocolate as compensation for protecting you.”
Madoka nodded and bit off a piece of chocolate from the bar with her hand, giving it to the hungry girl. She snapped some of the pieces off by biting into them.
“Um, by the way, what’s your name? I’m Madoka Kaname.”
“Kyoko Sakura! But you can just call me Kyoko, I don't mind.”
“If that’s the case… You can call me by my first name as well.”
The two girls sat in an awkward silence for a moment, with nothing else to really say.
“You’re not from Mitakihara, are you?” Madoka broke the silence.
“Nope! Kazamino, but we moved here a few weeks ago. My dad found work at a church in this city, says it’s ’a good opportunity’.”
“Kazamino? That’s nice… I’ve lived in Mitakihara my whole life, I can’t imagine being somewhere else.”
“Eh. It’s an ok city. You should feel lucky that you're stable enough to live in the same place for your whole life.”
“I’ve… never really thought about it like that. I guess you're right, Kyoko. Hey, you’re smart, strong, and kind! I bet you’ve made tons of friends so far.” She smiled.
“What? Oh- shut up!” She said, shaking her head, holding back a giggle. “Don’t be dumb, I’ve only moved here a few weeks ago. Making friends is… well I haven’t really made any progress in that department yet.”
“I can be your first.”
Kyoko turned her head to look at Madoka, still munching on the chocolate.
“I’m not some charity case.” She looked away.
“I know! I really do want to be friends with you Kyoko, believe me. You’re cool, intelligent, str-“
“Jeez! I get it, I get it, you’re embarrassing me now,” she interrupted, scrunching up her face.
“So? We’re really friends now?”
“Well, what do YOU think?”