So, like...

I'm talking about a person who associates with her despite not being required to. I can't buy that her feeling guilty about causing their deaths is on the same level as them actually getting killed.

wow it's almost like the story is not the focus of this game

NPCs talk about how Link went into the Korok Forest at a young age. It makes sense, since even as a child, he was getting into fights he shouldn't have.

>She's never shown to have actual friends
Out of everything you see in game, you can at least agree that Urbosa is a close friend of Zelda. At least the games seems to imply they've known each other for a long time.