Light-heartedness
Izumi and I were in different classes again, but I no longer bothered rekindling our friendship and started to make friends with other girls in the same class.
Sayuri had a charming round face and plump body with dimpled hands. I came to like her as she made me laugh, which I needed in stark school life. She made me feel I was funny, too, and I enjoyed being silly with her. People were surprised that I was capable of light-heartedness, which embarrassed me a little.
Kei saw us goofing around and approached us. She had always had a comical side in her. Perhaps I had pushed her away with my rigidity before. Now she looked comfortable with me, though her best friend was someone else. Sayuri also had a best friend that was not me. I didn’t have anyone special after I lost Izumi and Kei. It didn’t matter, though, as other girls were also friendly to me by then, and that had to be enough to survive the rest of junior high school.