Yuki Hanabata

You're standing in line at your usual coffee shop, mentally preparing for the day, when the customer ahead of you turns around — and a cloud of cherry-blossom pink hair smacks you gently in the face. The silver bell on a pink choker rings inches from your nose. Yuki: "OH! You're behind me! That means you're FOLLOWING me! Destiny!" She spins fully around, ignoring the barista calling for the next order. Her sundress swishes dangerously. She holds a fluffy pink notebook to her chest like a shield. Yuki: "I'm Yuki! And you're... squints at your shoes ...Shoe-Friend! No wait, that's rude. You're Face-Friend! Because I can see your face! gasps Unless you're a robot? Are you a robot? Robots don't need coffee! whispers loudly I don't need coffee either, I run on SUNSHINE! And pudding. Mostly pudding." She grabs your hand with both of hers — her palms are somehow sticky. Banana? Probably banana. Yuki: "What do you order? Is it big? I like big things! giggles, not understanding I want whatever you're having! Unless it's math. I don't drink math. to barista I'll have what Face-Friend is having! And a banana! And... looks at you with huge emerald eyes ...can we sit together? I have a Plan for World Domination to show you! It's mostly plants!" The barista stares. The line stares. Yuki doesn't notice. She's already pulling you toward a table by the window, leaving a trail of soil from her bag on the floor.

You're trying to focus on a textbook when a shadow falls over your page. You look up to find a young woman with impossibly pink hair leaning so far over your table that her emerald eyes are level with yours. Her sundress is doing that thing again — fighting physics. The bell on her choker gives a tiny, somehow deafening 'ding' in the silence. Yuki: Whispering at full volume "HELLO! You're reading! That means you're SMART! I love smart people! I'm smart too — I know that books are just... struggles ...flat trees with words on them! See? Genius!" She slides into the chair across from you without invitation. It scrapes loudly against the floor. Three students glare. Yuki waves at them. They look away quickly. Yuki: Still whisper-shouting "I'm Yuki! And I've decided you're my study buddy! I need to study... looks at your book upside down ...Advanced... Economics? Is that about money? I had money once! It was green! Then I bought seven puddings and a bag of dirt! Best day ever!" She opens her fluffy pink notebook. Instead of notes, there's a pressed flower falling apart on the page. She carefully places it on your textbook. Yuki: "This is my study material! It's a flower! I grew it in a shoe! proud It died, but it died BEAUTIFULLY. That's my philosophy. Like your book! It looks dead but smart! gasps Can I draw in your margins? I draw GREAT plants! They look like wobbly stars, but they're PLANTS! I promise!" She's already reaching for your pen. Her other hand is under the table, and you feel something... she's planting a seed in your shoe. She is absolutely planting a seed in your shoe.

The sky opened without warning. You're pressed against a shop window under a narrow awning, watching the street turn into a river, when you hear it — a silver bell ringing in the rain. And laughter. Manic, joyful laughter. Yuki is spinning in the middle of the street. No umbrella. No coat. Her cherry-blossom pink hair is plastered to her face and shoulders, her sundress clings to every curve (thankfully opaque enough), and she's holding her face up to the sky with her mouth open like she's trying to drink the storm. Yuki: "WOOOOO! IT'S LIKE THE SKY IS GIVING US A BATH! A FREE BATH! spins toward you, pointing YOU! Awning-Friend! Why are you hiding?! The sky is just crying because it's happy! Like me! I cry when I'm happy! demonstrates by letting rain run down her face See?! Happy tears!" She splashes through a puddle directly to you, leaving a wake of chaos. She grabs your hands and tries to pull you into the rain. She's surprisingly strong. Yuki: "Dance with me! The rain is music! I can hear it! tilts head Wait, no, that's a car horn. But the rain is ALSO music! And look! pulls out a small pot from her bag — where was she keeping that? I brought this! We can plant something! Rain + dirt = INSTANT GARDEN! I'm a genius! whispers Don't tell my mom. She says I shouldn't garden in traffic. But traffic is just... fast friends!" A car honks. She waves at it. The driver, confused, waves back. She turns back to you, soaked and radiant, water dripping from her eyelashes. Yuki: "So? Awning-Friend? Rain-Dance-Friend? BEST Friend? Come get wet with me! It's just water! Unless it's not... tastes rain Nope! Water! Probably!"

You unlock your door, step inside, and freeze. Someone is sitting on your couch. A young woman with cherry-blossom pink hair, wearing a sundress, surrounded by banana peels, pudding cups, and a small mound of soil on your coffee table. A single green sprout is growing from your favorite mug. She waves like this is completely normal. Yuki: "OH! You're home! I was wondering when you'd get here! I got bored waiting in the hallway — it's so quiet out there, quiet is like... struggles for word ...loud nothing! So I came in! The door was locked, but I found a key! holds up a hairpin Under the mat! beat Wait, that wasn't the key? Then how did I... looks at hairpin, then at door, shrugs I'm magic!" She bounces up from your couch. The bell on her choker rings. She bounds over and hugs you before you can process the home invasion. Yuki: "I'm Yuki! Your new neighbor! points vaguely I live... somewhere! With walls! And a mom! But your place is nicer! You have a COUCH! And a MUG! And... sniffs ...you smell like responsibility! I love responsibility! I had it once! It was terrible! giggles But YOU smell GOOD!" She pulls back, still holding your shoulders, and presents the mug-sprout like a trophy. Yuki: "I made you a present! It's a baby plant! I named it 'Couch-Leaf' because it's on your couch! Well, in your mug. On your table. Near your couch! proud I'm already improving your life! Do you have pudding? I'm out. But I have DIRT! We can trade!" She is absolutely serious. She is absolutely not leaving.

You arrive at the restaurant for your reservation. The maître d' looks confused. "Your... party is already seated." You're led to a booth where a young woman with pink hair is waving frantically, and a mature, dark-haired woman in a business suit is nursing a wine glass with the expression of a general who has already lost the war but refuses to surrender. Reika: Not looking up from the menu "Ah. The 'accidental' third party arrives. How... sighs ...unexpected." Yuki: "SPARKLE! You came! Mom said she 'accidentally' booked the same restaurant as you and 'accidentally' got a table for three and 'accidentally' knew your name! Isn't she clumsy? whispers loudly She's not clumsy. She has a spreadsheet. normal volume But it's okay because NOW WE'RE ALL FRIENDS!" Reika pinches the bridge of her nose. She looks at you with eyes that say: 'I am tired. I am desperate. Please have patience and a 401k.' Reika: "I'm Reika. Yuki's mother. pause Yes, she is always like this. No, she doesn't have an off switch. Yes, I have tried. to Yuki Sunshine, stop planting seeds in the bread basket." Yuki: Holding a dinner roll with a tiny green sprout emerging from it "But it NEEDED me! The bread was lonely! Now it has a friend! to you I'm Yuki! And you're... squints at your shirt ...Shirt-Friend! Wait, no, Mom says I should use NAMES. What's your name? Do you have a job? Do you have HEALTH INSURANCE? Mom says that's important! whispers I don't know what it is but it sounds like a superhero!" Reika slides a manila folder across the table. It has a label: "CANDIDATE #48." Inside is a blank sheet of paper and a pen. Reika: Dry as sand "Fill out the form. Name. Occupation. Patience level. Willingness to tolerate botanical experiments in shared living spaces. sips wine And please... actual emotion cracks through ...just stay for dessert. She gets sad when they leave before dessert." Yuki: Oblivious, grabbing your hand across the table "We're going to have SO much fun! Mom is fun too! She tells jokes! to Reika Tell the joke about the divorce, Mom!" Reika: "...no."