Friendship

Large, shiny windows covered the walls of this humongous hallway, barely obscured by red curtains embroidered with gold that hung at the side. You could see the amount of effort someone had probably put into designing the place.

And in the middle of this large hallway, there was a single tea table with two chairs that looked like it was meticulously carved by the same person that decided that designing a hallway was worth it. On those two chairs, my friend and I sat. My friend was dressed to look while I only wore a pair of pyjamas. So, like usual, I was severely underdressed.

Can't even look good in my own dream, I hate this society.

I swung my legs slightly, kicking the red carpet. It was soft, so soft that it felt unreal. Opposite me, my friend took a small sip of her tea, her demeanour so graceful that I felt the urge to just stare and stare and stare for eternity.

Distracting myself with a cookie, I munched on it. Spending time with my friend was always the best, considering the fact that she never lied to me or made me feel bad about myself. Well, she did, just in the way that made absolute logical sense.

A while passed in this beautiful silence, before she moved. Pouring us both a cup of tea, she spoke.

"So, what have you come here for this time?" Smooth, soft words came out of her mouth. She had one of the best voices in the world and I really enjoyed it.

I took the newly filled cup into my hands, blowing on it to make sure that it wasn't hot enough to scald. Emptying the cup almost immediately after, I replied her. "Friendship."

My friend looked at me, tilting her head. Seeing her confusion, I elaborated.

"What do you think of friendship? In general?"

Every time I came here in my dreams, it was always because of a question. Things like 'what do you think of this drama?'. She was used to this as well, answering in the most apathetic voice I have heard.

But this was the first time I was asking such an odd question.

My friend added a cube of sugar into her tea, stirring it lightly while thinking. In the meantime, I filled up my teacup again, blowing onto it.

She laughed as I finished my fifth cup of tea, indicating that she was done thinking. I stared at her, preparing to hear her thoughts on the matter.

"Now that is a hard question to answer. Let me see…" She taps her chin.

Seeing her hung up on this question was kind of surprising, given the fact that she solved questions that even computers couldn't answer with ease. Her next words though, sent my heart into a sort of complicated state that I couldn't describe without a dictionary.

"It's the most stupid thing I've heard about."

"Why?" Surprised, I nearly spilled my tea, barely catching it at the last second. I had honestly thought that she would say neutral again, considering the fact that she always seemed to have a neutral standpoint on everything due to her constantly calculating mind.

She stared down at her teacup. The tea had completely cooled down at this point, yet she still took a sip, which was really unlike her. She hated cold tea.

"Honestly, if you examine it closely, does any part of making friends make sense? Only humankind or animals with self-intelligence, with their needlessly complicated rituals and society cues would make friends. It's always been like that."

She has a point.

"For example, if you're dead broke and are friends with A, who is needlessly nice and B, who has a ton of money and is willing to spend."

Taking a cookie, she popped it into her mouth.

"But then A and B have a fight and you have to pick a side."

"What would you do?"

I paused, my teacup at my lips. All of a sudden, the tea tasted bland and unappetising.

"One has connections and money while the other only has kindness. Don't tell me you need to think about this." My friend hissed out.

After all, we both knew what choice we would've picked.

So, I didn't bother to reply, instead remaining silent. Seeing that, my friend giggled softly, raising the tea pot and filling her cup with steaming hot tea.

"You see what I mean? Everyone says that oh, they're best friends with you, or that they would never betray you, but is that really true?"

"Can you really, without a doubt, say that you know for certain that they would never betray you?"

My friend seemed to be waiting for me to say something in defence. In response to her expectant gaze, I only lowered my head. Now that I think of it, I really wonder what I was thinking asking this question. It was a stupid one.

In a quiet voice, I spoke.

"Then what about me? Are we… friends?"

Really, wonder what I was going for asking that question. Perhaps I have gotten too soft in this world, too happy.

She answered casually, as though her every word wasn't about to shatter my world and rebuilt it again.

"Like I said, I'm a human too. If you get in my way, I can't be sure I won't hurt you."

Noticing my hesitation, she added another sentence.

"However, there are exceptions."

"People with big hearts that would help others at the cost of their lives." She laughed, as if this was all a big joke. Her sharp eyes told another story, staring into my soul as if criticising me.

I wanted to question that gaze, but she looked away before I could get a better glimpse, stating. "I'm not that type of person, but as long as I live, I'll try to keep you safe."

Somehow managing to end it off on a good note, she finished her piping hot tea, the pot finally empty. The plate filled with biscuits were also empty, telling me that it was nearly time to go.

Shaken, I was torn between asking if that was the truth or not.

She had never lied to me before, but I wasn't sure if she wouldn't forever. But knowing her, she probably would ditch me somewhere, lying on the ground broken and dead if she could.

That's if you looked on the surface.

Meeting her apathetic eyes that held contempt for the entire world, I spoke slowly.

"Don't worry, I'll still take care of you."

She lets out one of those laughs again, shaking her head as if in disbelief at my idiocy. All those calculations later, she still couldn't convince me to stop while I still could.

Because even if the whole world falls, I'll forever be one of those big hearted people who would do anything for one person.

Even if you ditch me one day, I'll find you again. Even if you betray me, I'll never give up.

The world started to blur before my eyes, obscuring her facial features.

But somehow, I seemed to sense irritation and a bit of guilt from her, as though she was annoyed at herself. I didn't comment, only waving.

After all, wasn't that why we could only meet here?