fifteen

"Ren!!" he called my name a few days later, running towards me with a smile on his face. It wasn't a big smile, but it was enough to make me stare and admire. Kiyoshi stopped in front of, catching his breath. He then looked up and smiled again, "Hi."

"Hi," I said, giving him a small smile. "Uh, what do you need?" It wasn't normal for Kiyoshi to run up to me and call my name so loudly—others would stare and the talking would start.

He stood up, "Are you doing anything today?" he asked. His smile was growing and I kept fighting to urge to smile back. "Or tomorrow—are you free this week?"

I blinked. "Uh.. no?" I said confused. Why would he need to know my whole week schedule? "Why?"

He smiled cheekily, "No reason," he said. "I'll get going now—see you later, Ren!"

I found it strange. Kiyoshi was smiling more and it was now rare for him to have one of his panic attacks. However, knowing that he wasn't crying alone made me relieved and happy.

I smiled and watched him run away before walking away myself, only to be stopped once again. "Ren," a quiet voice called, making me turn around and stare at the boy with pink hair.

Yuta looked at me and said, "Follow me." He turned around and started to walk away, so I followed.

"You changed him," Yuta said as we sat outside the library, watching students enter and leave. "He's—he's different now."

"Who? Kiyoshi?" I asked. He nodded, "But I haven't done anything for him." I haven't even helped him get out of that engagement he wanted me to. "How could I have changed him?"

"He's… happier," Yuta said. "He used to never smile, and now that's all he does." He chuckled, "Akira's starting to think he's sick."

I rolled my eyes at the sound of his name. "I don't really care what he thinks," I mumbled to myself, but Yuta heard.

"You changed him too, you know."

"What?"

"Yeah," he said. "Somehow, he's more confident than he already was. And I guess he's cockier, too."

I scoffed, "I thought you meant for the better," I said. Yuta laughed at my words—it was the first time I'd heard him laugh.

"I think he's fond of you," Yuta said. "He usually doesn't even look in the direction of a girl, but when it comes to you… he's all giddy and smiley—like a little kid."

"Oh." I didn't know that, I always thought that was just who he was—a giddy, annoying, hormone-driven teenager. "Really?"

"Mhm." There was a moment of silence between us before Yuta continued to speak. "It seems you've changed me too," he said. "Before you, I would never even have thought that I'd be talking to anyone besides Akira and Kiyoshi. It's kind of… nice talking to other people."

Did I really have that much of an effect on them? I knew Yuta was quiet and reserved, but Akira? I changed him? How did I manage to change such a hard-headed person?

"Thanks for telling me," I said. "I guess it's nice to know that I'm not totally useless after all."

He laughed again, "You're welcome, Ren." He stood up, "I'll get going, then," he said. "See you around."

"Bye, Yuta." I waved and watched him walk away. When he was gone, I looked down and sighed. I changed them, huh? I never thought that I could even change myself, who I am—how could I have changed them.

At least Kiyoshi's happier, right? His happiness was all that I wanted—I never wanted to see him suffer ever again. If I did, I didn't know what I would do with myself. But, if changing him means that he'll be happy, there's nothing for me to worry about.

The only question is, how did I change Akira?