Archive of Our Own ^beta

"Ahhhh, what a great day for a walk in the park after school, right~?" Marin says to her girlfriend, Shouko, one day.

Shouko only nods her head. Classes have ended 15 minutes ago, but Shouko received a text from Marin a few seconds after the bell rang, inviting her to take a walk in the park. Shouko immediately accepted the invitation and now, the two are enjoying the fresh air and the sun shining above them.

Marin links arms with her beloved, resting her head on Shouko's shoulder. She giggles and looks up at the beautiful dark haired girl. Komi smiles a small smile, her almond shaped eye showing. Both share a combination of happy and quiet giggles and continue their lovely walk.

All of a sudden, Shouko turns her head to take notice of a petite girl with very long, waist-length, charcoal-blue hair and light blue eyes. She looks like a student of another school. She is reading some kind of big red book. Shouko begins to get curious and slowly approaches the small and cute girl.

"Eh? What's up, Shouko-chan?" Marin questions as she follows her girlfriend until she sees the smaller girl as well.

Shouko doesn't find it within herself to speak, as per usual, so with a couple light taps on the shoulder to get the small girl's attention, Shouko holds up her notebook.

"Do you mind if we sit here with you?" She flips a page. "Are you waiting for someone?"

Somehow, the smaller girl is sweating and blushing. She seems to not want to speak either. Instead, she holds up a book, flips through some pages and points to a phrase. Marin takes a closer look.

"Let's see...'She sat by herself with nothing to do but read books," Marin looks up at the girl. "Is this what you're trying to say to me?"

The petite girl nods and points to another phrase. "Apologies. The way of conversing must be difficult for her."

Shouko blinks twice as she stares at the petite girl. Deep inside, she is feeling that she's found someone that's in the same boat as her.

"Ohhhh, now I understand~!" Marin says. "You're just like Shy Baby over here! Damn, I never even realized we'd run into someone that's so similar~!"

Komi trembles with her bug eyes appearing, clutching her notebook. The tiny girl blushes as well. Shouko quickly jots something down and shows the girl.

"Would you mind if we sat next to you?"

The little girl shakes her head and frantically flips through the pages to point at a phrase. "It would be an honor.”

While Shouko sits down to the little girl's right, Marin plops down on her left. Seeing the little girl up close has made Marin squeal with joy.

"Ohhh, you're just as cute and tiny as Sajuna-chan~!" the gyaru says.

The little girl tilts her head in confusion.

"Ah, she's one of my friends!" Marin says. "She lives with her younger sister, Shinju-chan!" She clears her throat. "Oh, speaking of names, I'm Marin Kitagawa!"

Shouko holds up her notebook. "I'm Shouko Komi."

"And what's your name little one~?" Marin says.

The petite girl holds up her student ID.

"Ahhh," Marin says. "You are Shizuka Yoshimoto, huh? Wait...you're in high school!?”

Shizuka nods and puts her ID away. She holds up her book again and points to few phrases.

"Forgive my appearance." "This is the real me when I communicate to you as well." "It just came naturally at a young age."

Shouko nods and jots something down. "Where you always like this?"

Shizuka nods. She points to another phrase. "I never talked to people who I call a friend. This here is my favorite item. I carried it from an early age."

Marin tilts her head. "So...let me say this in English: You were carrying that book your whole life just to speak to others like that?"

Shizuka nods.

“I know,” Marin says. “Why don’t you become best friends with us? Sounds simple right~?”

Shouko nods in agreement, holding up her notebook. “I would like to be your friend.”

Shizuka blushes, lets out a soft squeak and flips through some pages to find a phrase. But Marin gently puts her hand on the book.

“First rule of friendship,” The blonde says. “Proper communication. Here, I know this app to help you.”

Shizuka looks over to see what Marin is doing. In a few taps, she sees an app that says “Text to Speech”. Marin gives her toothy grin, showing it to the petite girl. Shizuka nods and installs the app.

Once it’s done, Marin nods and types in a few words. “Here. Highlight the text and press this button.”

She presses the speaker button and a female robotic voice is heard.

“Let’s be friends.”

Shizuka brightens and eagerly types in a text. Marin giggles at the petite girl’s eagerness to learn.

Shizuka presses the speaker button. “It’s so nice to have good friends.”

Marin and Shouko look at each other and share some soft giggles.

“Ohhhh how can you be THIS adorable~!?” Marin hugs the petite girl. “Come here, Shizuka-chan~! My Shy Baby #2!”

With Marin rubbing herself against the tiny girl, Shizuka is unable to type in anything. Instead, she looks toward Shouko, who has her bug eyes showing and holds up her notebook.

“Nothing you can do here.”

Shizuka blushes and just lets Marin cuddle her happily like a teddy bear.

*A Few Days Later*

"Meet my friends~!" Marin says one day after school. She, Shizuka and Shouko exchanged numbers before they parted ways a few days earlier. "Shizuka-chan, meet Sajuna-chan and Shinju-chan~!"

There is a petite girl, the same height as Shizuka with light brown hair. And a tall and busty girl that looks just like the petite one.

"This is what you were bragging to us about?" Sajuna asks.

Shizuka squeaks and frantically types in something. "Nice to meet you. My name is Shizuka Yoshimoto."

Shinju lets out her own adorable squeak. "I-I'm....I'm, umm....! I'm Shinju Inui...! Onee-chan's little sister…!"

Shizuka just stares at the tall and busty Inui sister. "She's tall."

Marin giggles. "I know, right~? Girl, I was surprised when I found out about it too!"

Shinju walks toward the petite girl. "Ummm...uhhh...w-would it be alright, if...if i took a picture of you? I'm a photographer, you see?" She points her camera.

"Eh...?" Shizuka squeaks. She clutches her phone.

"I-I don't mean to be creepy or anything!" Shinju waves her arms wildly. "It's just that uhhh..."

"Let's give her some space, Shinju," Sajuna says. "If she doesn't want a picture, don't take one.”

Shizuka lets out a precious whine. Marin pets the petite girl with a nervous smile.

"I guess all the excitement got to Shinju-chan, huh, girl?" she says to Sajuna.

"It's what she does when she meets new people," Sajuna shrugs.

Shizuka just smiles nervously. Meeting new people...making new friends for the first time in her life...it has been the greatest thing in her life. She's so happy.