"What do you say? Is that a "no" from you?"

"Hmm...uh..."

It didn’t made sense in the first place. Who would outright say “would you be my friend” in front of someone they barely knew about? Why does she want to be my friend? And most importantly, why me? I’m not exactly friend material for your information. Definitely.

As much as a pain this was, I couldn’t really not give an answer back. However, at this point, I had no answer for that yet, so I simply said, “I don’t know.”

“What do you mean?”

“I told you I don’t know.” I repeated hastily as if I knew what her next question would be. This was probably the most I’ve spoken with someone in a while. I wonder if she will help me break an all-time record. Not that it was a good thing at all.

This time, she looked at me in a way I couldn’t describe. Was it sadness, dejection, or what? I had no clue. Either way, all I wanted was to get out of this situation as soon as possible because I might get a headache and it hurts.

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She moved in a bit closer but not as close as before. Then she looked me in the eye, but they'd move down along with her head a beat later. What she said next, however, surprised me yet again.

“Is…it because I’m a human?”

“What?” I furrowed my eyebrows at her question. I was in awe. That idea had never come to me—Not once at all.

I understood that humans were a minority in this nation. In fact, she was the first human I’d encountered ever since I was born in this world, but I’d never really cared that much. That’s all, really. If this was what she was having trouble with, then doesn’t this clear the reason why she came to me in the first place? The rest of our class pretty much had at least one friend and already formed groups by now with the exception being me. I was fine with it, though, since I’m used to it.

But what about her? Did she have trouble making friends? Is that why she chose me since I was always alone?

That was probably it. After thinking about it more, it made perfect sense to me.

“I’m not forcing you to be my friend or anything. It’s just that…I’m lonely and have no friends in this nation…,” she said. See. I was right on the mark— “And….I've been thinking of gloomy thoughts lately…!” she said loudly as if she was confessing to a crime, she was guilty of.

***