Gifting This Lonely Girl A Chance At Being Friends

Author's Note: I should say now that this my first fanfiction and was born out of the lack of any KazumaxYunyun fanfics here (come on people), but yeah this is my first story and so if you find any problems or mistakes...keep them to yourselves (no just kidding). But yeah I hope you guys enjoy this story.

I should say it now but I own nothing but the plot.

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I cracked my stiff neck and sighed as I rubbed it, it had only been a few days since my second unfortunate demise in this world and I really want to do nothing more than to laze around some more until I can fully heal but then Megumin decided to pop the idea on going to Alcanretia, some city that was apparently renowned for its hot springs and I couldn't pass up the chance on going to relax, the bath back in the mansion gives relaxing sensation enough but nothing beats some good old hot springs to really bring the sense of rest and relaxation wash over you. Besides there could be a mix bath and I can finally score me with a hot older onee-san or maybe one of the girls could accompany me...

I let a dumb smile stretch across my face before shaking my head and returning me back to my senses, no, that'll already prove their opinion of me to be right and I do not want their glares burning at my back the entire time we're there.

And so here I was very late in the morning deciding it to be the perfect time to head down to Axel's marketplace and buy some supplies for tomorrow, while the rest of them decided to stay back and watch the house. I was resistant at first but decided I at least needed the exercise after just lazing around the house the past few days. The town itself was vibrant and alive even this early in the day, noting the children that played happily in the streets, the chit-chat of the people and sound of birds and animals all around, it was probably the first time I stopped and appreciated the fact I am living in such a peaceful town, makes it totally worth it how much debt I've accumulated protecting it but the past was in the past.

As I approached the market place I noticed a familiar looking girl on the first stall, on her arms looped an hand basket overflowing with various of fruits and sweets. It was that Yunyun girl I had met, who introduced herself as an old friend and (self-proclaimed) rival of Megumin, it was the first time I've seen her without any of the girls with me and so I decided to act like a friendly fellow and said hi to her.

"Hey Yunyun", I greeted her as the lady she talked to disappeared into the stall, she turned to face me a tad surprise I'd suddenly greeted her.

"Oh hello Kazuma-san, its a coincidence seeing you here", she replied as the lady returned with a bundle and gave to Yunyun who then struggled to stuff it on her already full hand basket, it then slid off and I managed to catch it before it landed on the ground.

"How about I carry this one for you?", I offered. "Why are buying so much stuff anyways?".

She was caught off her guard by my question and struggled for a few moments before replying.

"I plan on gifting these to Megumin after I challenge her to a duel today, its for her and everyone of you to share"

Aw, I'm touched by Yunyun's thoughtfulness and suddenly wished another certain Crimson Demon could be this considerate, speaking of Megumin I suddenly remembered something.

"Oh if you're looking for Megumin she isn't at the mansion today", I replied as I adjusted my hold on the package.

"What!?"

"Yeah she had to run an errand at some other part of town, something about a friend from the Axis cult or something like that", I continued and watched as a dejected look take over her features.

"Oh, I see", she mumbled out.

My chest suddenly clenched at the sight of Yunyun suddenly getting so down, I sighed and I knew I had to think of something that could at least lift this poor girl's spirits up.

"Well if you want, you can help me in buying stuff", I said as I see her be taken aback by my offer.

"No I can't, I don't want to be a bother", she replied.

I waved my hand at her, "Its no bother at all, I could use some help to be honest".

She thought about before nodding her head, "Okay".

The rest of the errand was spent with me walking around and buying various of supplies but Yunyun was strangely quiet all throughout, only talked to me when I asked her opinion on something but outside of that she never initiated nor humored any conversation and attempt at casual small talk, its started to become very awkward in the long run since I just felt I was simply dragging her around.

"Yunyun can I ask you something?", I suddenly said as we were at out final stall for the day, awaiting my purchase.

"Hm? Anything Kazuma-san", she replied.

"Why are you so obsessed with dueling with Megumin so much?"

Whatever friendly atmosphere I had plan on going for had all but died and the air grew heavy, I could see her lower her head and refused to look up at me, nice job Kazuma you had a good thing going for you and you decided to make it awkward by asking a seemingly too personal question to a girl you barely even know. So I knew the only way I could get out of this situation, playful insults and sarcasm.

"Wow Yunyun you really aren't a people person are you?", I casually said as I scratched my cheek.

That seemed to stir her out of her previous revere, and as if I wounded her pride she suddenly became very defensive and very up close, I always forget not all Crimson Demons come in child sized packages.

"Wha-what does that suppose to mean? Your judgement of me could never be more wrong, I'm a very people person's person!", she yelled at me back almost deafening my ear.

"I meant you just seem so quiet and timid all the time", I replied trying to act cool about the fact she almost got into my face. "It must be hard making some friends at the very least right?".

She huffed at that comment, "But I did have friends Kazuma-san, two good ones back at the Crimson Demon village and we go shopping all the time and they were even nice enough to allow me to pay for their purchases".

Jesus this naive girl...I'm suddenly very grateful she has since followed Megumin all the way out here rather than stay there.

"Oh, I see well good for you then", I said as she puffed her cheeks in a cute manner.

"We-well I should say the same thing about you then Kazuma-san", she said.

Okay now that I took offense at that, "I-I so too have friends".

"Really?", she questioned, her eyes glistening with genuine curiosity. "Outside of the shop keep I guess I don't see you hanging out with anyone else aside from Megumin, that blue haired girl and that odd crusader".

I hang out with people outside of them you see there's Dust and Keith occasionally and...sometimes I'd hang out with Lynn and Taylor though it was that one time and it was just quest and I guess...Mitsurugi? I mean I talked to that guy like twice and both times we'd be relatively talking but it would just be me getting annoyed by his arrogance and I'd ignore him, oh there was that one guy who kept throwing inspirational stuff at me and giving me a thumbs up. I racked my brain for anyone else but it drew a blank and I sighed and realized that maybe I was no better at making friends than her.

"Whatever okay", I said with a huff and I could see a ghost of smug smile play on her lips and realized she had a bit of a chuuni in her too.

After collecting my purchase we decided to head out and were walking by the side of the stream, it was still nice and quiet once again, I was a few steps ahead of her and were nearing the part of the town were we would part ways but somehow I couldn't bring myself to end the sudden time I'm spending with Yunyun. I stopped and stared out pass the stream and the houses and suddenly felt the warm embrace of the sun and gentle breeze of the air, yes it a perfect time.

"Want to have an impromptu picnic?", I boldly asked her.

"Huh? A picnic here?", she questioned, before suddenly blushing. "Just the two of us...".

I stuttered out the reply, suddenly feeling embarrassed myself, "I-I mean a friendly picnic you know between two friends".

"Friends", she said and seemed to smile at those words. "Okay, lets have one".

The makeshift picnic made use of a newly bought blanket spread out under the shade of a tree, the food Yunyun had bought was spread out mixed a few ones I had bought as well, seeing that I may too have bought one too many stuff in the market. Our bags were left by the grown out roots and we sat at the edge of the blanket with my back pressed against the trunk, Yunyun sat crossed legs and staring out to the stream, her back towards me, we ate in relative silence once again, seeing now it was near hopeless to try and make casual small talk with her I just basked in the sound of the kids playing, the stream and the wind as it blew.

It was odd thing that I'd suddenly bring up the fact I'd wanted to hang out longer with Yunyun, a girl I barely knew who seemed to find comfort being by herself but judging by that memory things a few days back said otherwise. I often wonder if somehow I was like that back then, during my time as a shut-in NEET but then saying to myself was Yunyun was better than that, she was better than me at least.

"She was better at everything", Yunyun quietly said.

I was taken aback by her sudden answer to a unspoken question and so I said, "What?".

"Earlier when you asked me why I was so obsessed with dueling with Megumin", she replied and I made a noise of acknowledgement. "She was better at me at everything. Back in the academy she was the smartest and coolest one, always got high grades, made friends, everyone in the village expected great things from her", she let out a humorless chuckle. "Even now she beats me by making many friends and going on adventures".

She then looked at me and smiled sadly, "I guess you could say I was always jealous, pretty pathetic right?".

I stared at her in silence, even when she turned back and continued to stare back out. I couldn't help but swallow the lump in my throat at the sudden confessional, I was never good with these kinds of situations at all and seeing I lacked proper training to deal with these kinds of things I couldn't even think of anything to say. I then decided to do what I do best, I improvised.

"I don't think its pathetic Yunyun", I suddenly said not really think about my words as they tumbled out. "Honestly its pretty human for us to generally compare ourselves to others but I guess we shouldn't live by those comparisons, we shouldn't count how much we win and lose".

Yunyun had since turn to look at me, confusion etched on her face and I realized that might be a very bad explanation.

"What I mean is, you shouldn't measure your worth by someone else's standards", I said. "You shouldn't be comparing what you have and don't have with someone because people are different that way, you know".

That made her put down her food, she seemed to be in thought as she stared intently at the fabric of the blanket as she did. I may have already realized maybe I shouldn't be dishing out unwarranted wisdom on people I barely know at the very least have already establish some sort of intimate rapport with, but something about Yunyun's honesty pushed the urge to comfort her out of me.

She finally smiled before looking back at me, all the sadness and heaviness in her eyes gone.

"Thanks Kazuma-san, I really needed that", she said and smiled back at her in reply.

"Your welcome, if you ever feel like you need to talk to someone you should be happy to know at the very least you got a friend in me", I replied as I scooted over closer to her and sat beside her.

"A friend...", she said and smiled again at those words, as if they were some sweet confections that had been given to her. "Thanks".

Her smiled truly warmed my heart as she did, I began to notice how pretty she really is and how her eyes seemed to shine a different way than the other Crimson Demon I was accustomed to and so I decided to defuse the moment and at the very least get out of this without getting overly embarrassed.

"Well, everyone needs at least one", I said before looking away, not bothering with the fact my face had gone very hot and I was sweating.

After the picnic we decided to call it a day and head home, this time conversations with Yunyun didn't seem as awkward as earlier anyways owing to the fact we practically poured our hearts at each other and now seemed to be in a comfortable place in our newly blossoming friendship. We stood at the cross way between the bridge and the road that headed further into town, she was lived across the bridge and the mansion was a few blocks down the other way.

"Thanks again for today Kazuma-san, I really appreciate it", she said as she clutched the hand basket infront of her.

"You can drop the 'san' Yunyun, just call me Kazuma", I replied as I threw my own bag over my shoulder. "And hey anytime you were big help and at least we had a little fun in the end".

"It was", she replied before smiling at me and I noted I how much I like that look on her. "I'll see you around Kazuma, bye".

"Yeah, bye", I replied and gave her wave and she waved back as she crossed the bridge and left standing there by myself,

It took me a few seconds to realize she had completely disappeared from my sight before I decided to head back as well, with my bag slung over my shoulder and my other shoved deep in my pocket I couldn't help but let the image of Yunyun's smile linger in my head and I couldn't help but smile fondly at it and feel my chest warm just a bit as I continued my trek home, hoping I'd get a chance to meet with her again soon.