she’s beginning to think that the majority of this city has lost their minds. never before has she been surrounded with so many people who will dive into conversation with a stranger─ and with her asocial demeanor, no less-!!
eyes lock onto the girl, who’s replied with a smile despite maki’s own harshness. why, she wonders? maybe it’s her lack of exposure to people so willing to show kindness to others─ or her deeply rooted mindset that people will detest her once they learn the true harukawa maki. she inhales deeply, ready to turn and make a hasty retreat─ the thoughts provoked all too uncomfortable.
❝ i don’t have friends. ❞ she states indifferently. but there’s a part of her, perhaps small and unknown, that is uncertain of that. maybe she does, they just aren’t here. that she knows of. this girl, though, maki’s sure she has a bustle of friends that would be more than happy to go out with her. truthfully, she’s reminded of someone she knows, who was equally as kind.
maki watches as the green article is stashed away. it’s now that she’s ready to turn and leave, putting the encounter behind her. surely, after all that, maki can’t be of interest. her foot moves slightly as she’s ready to spin into a turn, until she’s spoken too once more. maki blinks in utter disbelief. compliments. unfamiliar and, in maki’s opinion, undeserved. they’re the one thing that always manage to catch her off guard, since they’re so uncommon─ rightfully so. and yet, here was a complete stranger, who’s gone out of her way to do so despite her rudeness. maki’s taken aback.
❝ i-… ❞ fingers thread through her long hair, something of a tic for her. ❝ no. you picked it out, anyway. ❞ an uncharacteristic huff escapes, maki mentally cursing herself for breaking her facade, ❝ besides… the whole ‘girly’ thing doesn’t really suit me. ❞ she adds in a softer tone. it’s not that she hates cute things, she’s just.. never found the chance.
❝ shouldn’t you get it? isn’t that the whole point of shopping, anyway? ❞ she hopes to direct the conversation elsewhere. someone’s advice echo in her thoughts; about being more open with herself and other people. but could she, really…?
“ ...You’re not used to this kind of thing, are you. ”
Something soft and vaguely curious settles like mist over her gaze, steeping her features in a subdued wonder. I don’t have friends, she says — it feels sad, in a way, like it’s not so much that she doesn’t have them so much as she can’t. The sense of finality hovers in the air unspoken, and yet... How could anyone accept such a lonesome fate?
“ If you don’t believe ‘girly’ things suit you, that’s totally okay. We each have our own tastes, ” she states gently, lifting the sweater like a good luck charm. “ Even so, wouldn’t it be nice to wear something that showcases your personality a little more? I just don’t think our uniforms do either of us justice. ”
As if to prove her point, she tugs at the cuff of her own blazer. Stiff, cold, unyielding — if feelings were fabrics, then she would hate to be associated with a school uniform. " Plus, shopping isn’t only about buying gifts for yourself. There’s a certain charm to shopping for other people, too! Like when Christmas rolls around, and you have the opportunity to choose gifts for your loved ones — that’s really as fulfilling as it gets. ”
“ Oh, jeez! Sorry, I didn’t mean to be so overbearing. It isn’t my right to dictate your life decisions or anything. What I’m trying to say is... It might not hurt to give this a try. ” This, as in touring rows of woven scarves and mushroom berets and skirts that have gone out of season. Monika welcomes it all with a sweeping flick of the wrist, and she hopes that maybe — just maybe — this girl will have a chance to enjoy herself. “ We could even, like, go shopping together, if you want? Just for a little while. ”
