ただの友達 | y. okkotsu

one

You knew him ever since you were kids.

You knew him as the kid next door, and often you catch him staring at your house as he sat on the wooden swing they had on their porch.

When you would go out before, he would go back inside his house in the politest way possible, even bowing in his place before hurriedly scrambling to the door.

A shy kid he was.

But on a rare occasion, when his eyes were distantly placed on the cloudlessly blue sky, you ran quietly to his house, nearing the porch where he was located.

When your slippers loudly creaked against the unsteady stairs of their porch, the boy snapped from his trance, shocked to see you right in front of him.

Nervously gulping, he stood still and stared at you.

If you knew better, you would have backed away in an instant after seeing his terrified expression, but you were just a little 6-year-old kid whose desire was to befriend this boy, your neighbor.

"Hello! I'm [l/n] [y/n]! I live next door!" You greeted with a smile, extending your tiny hands towards to black-haired boy.

His dark eyes widened, unknowing what to do. Should he greet back? Or maybe, he could get away with this and ignore you. But the delighted brightness present in your eyes while waiting for him to shake your hand made him choose the earlier option.

"I'm Okkotsu Yuta. I... I live here...?" He said unsurely, holding your small and soft hands with his slightly bigger ones, shaking it, and smiling back once he felt a little more relaxed.

"How old are you?" you asked, taking a seat beside him on the swing, making it jiggle and rock back and forth.

"I'm 6. H-how about you?" He asked nervously, swinging his restless feet forward and back, mimicking the swing's movements.

"I'm 6 too! Obaachan said that I'll be transferring school this coming school year since I'm a big kid now! Are you gonna transfer schools too?" You asked him, eyeing him curiously as you watched his every movement.

"Me? I'm staying at the same school. But I think that I'll go to a different building of the school now."

"That's cool! What's your school, Yuta-kun?" you turned to him expectantly waiting for an answer.

"Shogakko Elementary."

"Wow! We're gonna go to the same school! Let's be friends 'kay?"

He smiled at you, his set of white, shiny teeth showing as his mouth turned upwards. "Okay!"

~

On the first day of classes, you woke up early and prepared for school. You and Yuta promised to walk together every day, that's why you excitedly prepared yourself on the first day you would be doing the routine. Through mere luck, the two of you were classmates that belonged to class 1-1.

Exiting the house, you found Yuta sitting in his usual spot on the swing, wearing his uniform with a backpack strapped on his small back. You saw him and waved, catching his attention and making him turn to you. You too were wearing your uniform of the same color scheme as his, holding your lunchbox in your left hand, your back also carrying a small backpack.

He hopped down from the swing and ran quickly to you, almost tripping clumsily along the way. "Be careful!" You chuckled a little at him as he arrived at your side. The two of you walked to the school not far from where you live, your small feet skipping happily along the sidewalks.