vol. 3 ch. 4.2

It's the next day after school.

After Tsuwabuki Fest, the first president's meeting under the new system is about to start.

Yanami and I watched the passing students in the corridor before the conference room.

Komari still hasn't shown up yet.

"...Right, I still haven't talked to Komari."

Yanami shot me dumbfounded gazes. I looked away.

"There are many chances to talk. It's like putting a light novel away for a while after buying it."

"Why would you buy a book you won't read?"

It's because I want it.

"Anyway, I'll talk to Komari if she happens to go by. I've brought a box of desserts as well."

"...Desserts? We aren't in the working class."

Really? But Chiebukuro says you should bring sweets when apologizing. [TL: It's a Q&A website run by Yahoo Japan.]

Yanami gazed at the paper bag in my hand.

"Ah, aren't these financier cakes? You can't be helped. Let me keep them for you, okay?"

"Why? Hey, Yanami-san, don't pull it. It's not the time to open it yet."

Is this girl one of those big vicious dogs?

Just as we fought over the paper bag, a pair of white eyes sparkled lazily between us.

"Be quiet…in the corridor…"

"Nya!?"

Yanami and I jolted at Shikiya-san's sudden appearance.

"Senpai, why are you here…?"

Right, this girl is a student council member. The president's meeting is the council's job, after all.

"Sorry, have you seen Komari from our club? She should be attending the meeting."

"Komari…? That tiny girl…?"

"Yes, she's still not used to occasions like this. I hope you can help her out if something happens."

"Help her out…"

For some reason, Shikiya-san glanced toward Yanami and nodded.

"There are…all sorts of…struggles…between…guys and girls…too…"

There aren't.

Shikiya-san patted my shoulder before wobbling into the conference room.

Did she really understand…? I guess not, right…?

Yanami had remained silent until now. She mumbled.

"That person seems a bit scary."

You should be less upfront about it. She's our senpai, after all.

…The starting time is closing in. All the students participating in the meeting are rushing into the conference room.

There's a petite girl mixed between them. It's Komari. I dashed before her. Komari freaked out and stopped.

"Komari, can you please wait for a moment?"

"W-What…?"

Komari is hugging a stack of papers before her chest. She looked at me with startled eyes.

"Uh, well, …I want to say sorry for what happened."

"I-I'm going to the meeting now. L-Leave this later."

Komari left me behind and charged into the conference room.

"Ho, you're rejected. Komari-chan is still mad."

Yanami shrugged as she enjoyed the sweets.

"...Yanami-san, what are you eating? Did you open the dessert box?"

"It's fine. I just took one."

"Ah- you can't just-"

Suddenly, Komari's scared face flashed in my mind.

What's the point of giving Komari desserts if she's afraid?

Did Yanami gobble up the desserts because she wanted to tell me that…?

"Why are you looking at me? Are you about to cry? Do you want me to let you sob in my chest?"

Bits of the cake are still sticking on Yanami's lips. She took a second one and tilted her head.

…Yep, I'm overthinking.

Our conversation stopped when the door to the conference room closed.

The president's meeting is starting.

*

It's been 15 minutes since the start.

I raised my ears at the conference room door and carefully listened to the noises inside.

The student council has finished reporting, and it's the clubs' turn. It's almost time for the Literature Club to speak.

It's nerve-wracking. Yet, I suddenly heard rustling noises.

Yanami reached her hand into the paper bag with desserts.

"Yanami-san, this is really the last one. I'm being serious, okay?"

"Alright, alright. Don't talk to me like I'm a foodie."

Inside the room, the Handball Club has just finished their report.

"Well, the Literature Club is next. Please present your activity report."

The voice is the vice president of the student council, Tiara Basori.

I slightly pushed the door and peeked inside.

"Hey, lower your head a little more."

Yanami leaned on my back. She's hot and heavy.

Ignoring the touch behind me, I turned my attention back to the conference room.

Komari stood up clumsily inside the room. She almost knocked the foldable chair on the ground.

Looking at the notes in her palm, she's running out of breath with every word she speaks.

"I-I'm K-Komari from the L-Literature C-Club…"

…Nice, do your best. I subconsciously clenched my fists.

She couldn't continue. Komari started coughing quietly. There are bottles of water on the table. She tried to take and drink one, yet she dropped the cap amidst the haste.

The plastic bottle cap is rolling on the ground at the center of the room. It's surrounded by a square of tables.

Chika Komari- fell into complete silence. This is bad.

During this time, Shikiya-san snapped out of her dazedness and spoke up.

"Chika Komari…from the Literature Club. …Nice to..meet you…"

Is she trying to bail her out? Komari repeatedly nodded with a pale face.

Vice president Tiara-san glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Well, please continue with the report."

"Ah, y-yes…!"

Komari hastily grabbed her stack of papers, yet she lost her grip under sheer nervousness.

The papers were scattered across the ground. Komari froze once more.

Tiara-san spoke up again.

"Literature Club, are you okay?"

"Eh, ah, yes, well."

"Please sit down if you can't continue with the report."

Upon hearing that, Komari immediately attempted to pick up the papers.

"No, well, p-please wait…"

"Sorry, time's running short. Well, the next one is the Broadcast Club-"

…I couldn't help but close my eyes.

Regrettably, Komari's challenge failed.

The other participants may find this slightly puzzling. That's all.

This scene will be swept to the corner of their memories after a few days, possibly even forgotten by everyone-

However, …this isn't the case for Komari.

I'm afraid this will forever be engraved into Komari as a painful memory.

I opened my eyes. Komari is still standing there quietly.

Yet, I can feel something is about to collapse within the petrified girl.

Of course, this could be just my unilateral opinion.

However, seeing Komari being like this before everyone is the absolute last thing I want.

At that time, I forced Komari to come to a compromise.

It's just in case. I thought I wouldn't be wrong compared to Komari.

-I was wrong. Sorry, Komari.

At the next second, I opened the door determinedly.

All eyes within the conference room gathered upon me.

I entered the room and stood next to Komari without thinking anything else.

Komari looked at me upon my sudden appearance. She's bewildered.

Obviously, I didn't consider any consequences.

After that, I yelled the following sentence out.

"-Sorry, I'm late. I'm the president of the Literature Club, Kazuhiko Nukumizu."

Confusion enveloped the room.

Tiara-san frowned. She glanced at the document in her hand.

"Your name isn't on our list. Have you completed the procedure for replacing presidents?"

She glared at me without even attempting to hide her extreme hostility.

During this time, the silent student council president spoke up.

"We can take care of that later. Please continue."

"Yes, thank you very much."

I sighed in relief. However, Komari is glaring at me this time.

"...N-Nukumizu, w-why are you here?"

"Anyway, leave this to me for now. Borrow me your draft."

I reached my hand out. However, Komari just lowered her head. She's trembling.

"...Komari?"

"A-Are you kidding me!?"

Suddenly, Komari threw the draft to my face.

"Hey, wait-"

"T-Then how should I f-feel about this t-then!?"

She threw the plastic bottle at me afterward before barging out of the conference room.

The whole crowd went silent upon seeing this.

I picked up the plastic bottle on the ground as I stroked my wet hair upward.

At least throw it to my face after closing the cap…

"Are you…alright?"

Even Tiara-san gave me sympathetic looks.

"I'm fine. I'm starting the Literature Club's activity report."

I smiled again and clenched the draft dripping with water tightly in my hands.

*

The president's meeting is over.

I don't even have the strength to stand up. I'm just sitting alone in the empty conference room dazedly.

"You messed up, Nukumizu-kun."

Clack. Yanami put a foldable chair next to me and sat down.

…Yeah, I messed up again, right?

I leaned on the table. Yanami patted my back.

"But this can't be helped, right? Here. I've left the last one for Nukumizu-kun."

"...Why is there only one cake left?"

Yanami started opening the package when she sensed I wouldn't take it.

"Komari-chan's failure is swept away if Nukumizu-kun becomes the bad guy. Also, I guess that girl's resentment toward Nukumizu-kun more or less covers up her agony."

Yanami held the cake with her lips and tore it into two.

"But Komari-chan must feel very upset from Nukumizu-kun forcing yourself to be the bad guy. Alright, there's half left."

After saying that, she shoved the remaining half of the cake into my hand.

…Why did this girl push her half-finished food on me?

I remained still. Yanami gave me a mischievous look.

"Nukumizu-kun, you don't need to feel 'Yanami-san ate half of this…' right now, you know?"

Uhh, …I simply don't like tasting other people's saliva.

Ah, sheesh, it's too much of a pain to think about everything. I shoved the cake into my mouth.

"Anyway, let's chase after Komari first. Where did she go?"

"She ran away too quickly. I didn't see her."

"Got it. Well, let's search for clues together now…"

"Wait, Nukumizu-kun. Aren't we splitting? You're going with me?"

"Uh, but I really don't know what to talk about when I'm alone with Komari. So…"

Yanami shot me cold gazes without saying anything.

"Well, …actually, I was just hesitating for a bit. Yeah, alright, I'll do my best."

I stood up determinedly to avert her eyes.

*

The sun is setting. Darkness is consuming the evening.

I stepped outside the west building and looked at the moon above the sky.

Club room, Komari's classroom, library, possible sink locations…

I've searched everywhere, yet Komari is nowhere to be found.

Her bicycle is still in the parking lot. She should still be somewhere in the school. The only spot left is-

"...The girls' toilet?"

It will be bad if she's there. No, don't tell me now's the time to cross the boundary…?

I'm growing restless. A tall boy appeared from the corner of the school building.

It's the previous president Tamaki-senpai. He raised his hand and dashed toward me.

"Senpai. Actually, well-"

Tamaki-senpai nodded to signal that I didn't need to continue.

"I've heard the details from Yanami-san already. Koto and Yakishio-san are helping out as well. Don't worry too much about it."

"Yes, sure…"

I couldn't face his pupils. I lowered my head subconsciously. Tamaki-senpai gently put his fist on my chest.

"Thanks, you have done well."

Did I do well…? Like that?

Perhaps he just said that to comfort me. But either way, I feel much calmer right now.

"...I'll go look for Komari."

"Sure, I'll search for clues as well."

After bidding farewell to Tamaki-senpai, I headed to the outskirts of the west building.

Right there, the old building is standing in the darkness.

…How did I forget about this place?

Perhaps I subconsciously avoided this place due to my fear of facing Komari.

I took a deep breath and entered the emergency stairs of the old building.

*

The first time I came here was to eat Yanami's handmade bento.

After that, I always come here whenever I want to chill alone. Komari started showing up every few days sometime after.

By the way, why does she always come to the same floor as I do if she keeps dissing me?

Upon entering the stairs, the fluorescent lamps lighted up with a "ka-chak" sound.

These are the only light sources within this gloomy corner near the old building.

I slowly walked up, step by step.

"...You're here."

Komari appeared on the second floor's platform.

Her petite body is standing there alone under the cold fluorescent lights.

"W-Why are you here…?"

"I want to talk to Komari."

I stopped approaching Komari.

There seems to be an invisible barrier that prevents me from getting any closer.

"Komari, that was…"

"W-Why did you do that…?"

She lowered her head. Her voice barely squeezed out.

"Sorry, even though I was probably being nosy, I…"

"Y-You are!"

Komari raised her head. She shortened the distance that I wasn't able to step in.

"W-What was that!? I-I could've done that alone! H-How would I know if I-I didn't try!?"

Komari's cheeks look pale. She's shaking and running out of breath.

"W-Why is it always N-Nukumizu-"

Her voice is coarse. She's choking. Komari took out her phone.

Without recovering her breathing, Komari stopped tapping the screen wholeheartedly.

A refreshing notification sound that doesn't match the current mood at all plays from my phone. I took it out. The screen shows Komari's message on Line.

Why is she texting if she's in front of me? I couldn't hide my confusion as I opened the app.

Komari's holding her phone tightly with her trembling hands. Her eyes are filled with tears. Her fingers swept around the screen as she kept clicking it.

Komari's words flooded the Line chat.

-Komari wasn't trying to avoid it by using her phone.

Instead, she decided to convey her feelings with words and face me with her sincere side.

The messages popping out of the screen is purer than her words. It's Komari's sincere feelings.

Come to think of it, this girl is only ever really mean to me.

She always looks displeased, yet she immediately holds the bottom of her clothes whenever she's worried.

She likes eating cheap bread during lunch. She always gives me her feedback every time she reads my novel-

…She sometimes chuckles cheerfully.

Although she's a petite girl filled with anxiety, she works very hard.

Komari's finger stopped.

Her parched lips mustered up a very faint voice.

"I-If we will be saying goodbye sooner or later, …p-please stop being so nice to me."

-I'm an idiot.

I misunderstood. I thought Komari and I were the same.

I'm okay with being alone. It's more like I enjoy being by myself.

But she's not. She's very lonely when there's no one with her. She wants to be with someone else.

Not being together upset her. She's an ordinary girl like this.

She's just a girl holding her phone tightly as her tiny shoulders shiver like that.

I wanted to say something. My finger is wandering on my phone.

I'm not responding to Komari verbally.

Komari wiped her tears with her sleeve after my message slipped into the chat. She looked at it.

Komari stood still for half a beat. She raised her head and looked at me sheepishly.

"W-Well, what does t-this mean…?"

…Eh? What do you mean by what does this mean?

It seems that some explanations are necessary. I cleared my throat and faced Komari again.

"In other words, hmm, well, …I guess I quite love it."

"Fueh!?"

What's with her surprised voice? Is she trying to be cute?

"Ah, no, I mean, well, I quite love Komari's novels."

"N-Novels…?"

Komari suddenly dropped her jaw deflatedly.

"Well, yeah. Look, I'm not good at writing novels. The Literature Club's activities can't go on without Komari. As long as you're creating, I'll be on your side, even though I'm not very reliable. So, Komari…"

I remembered Komari's words again.

"Don't say you're alone anymore."

Silence ensued for a long time.

Komari lowered her head quietly. She put her hands with the phone before her chest.

"...R-Really?"

"Hmm?"

"I-I mean w-what you just said…"

At this moment, light footsteps can be heard downstairs.

Is something coming up? A tanned body flashed from the corner of my eyes when I thought about that.

"This is what you get for bullying Komari-chan!"

"Eh!?"

My body didn't even have time to prepare. That person suddenly flashed behind me and wrapped her arms around my neck.

My body still remembers. This way of strangling is-

"Y-Yakishio! L-Let go…"

"I can't believe you're bullying Komari-chan! Nukkun, I'm disappointed in you!"

Shit, I can't breathe. I prepared myself to face death. Then, Komari hastily came and stopped her.

"N-No, …I-I wasn't bullied."

"Eh, you weren't?"

Yakishio let go of her arms. I finally slipped out.

"Y-You…almost choked me to death."

"It's because I heard Nukkun and Komari-chan were arguing. Also, I thought you did something to Komari-chan after seeing you two's conversation on Line."

I felt like somebody threw a bucket of sewage onto my head.

…Hmm? Hold on. What did Yakishio just say?

During this time, Yanami appeared from the stairs as she was catching her breath.

"Remon-chan, …listen to me properly…"

Yanami was shaking. She leaned on Yakishio.

"Sorry, sorry. I couldn't wait for another second after hearing their voices."

"Please hold on for a moment. How did you two know about our conversation on the phone…?"

Yakishio showed me the screen of her phone confusedly.

"It's because you two have been chatting in the Literature Club's group."

"Fueh?"

Komari screamed again.

She freaked out and clicked on her phone. Yakishio immediately hugged her tightly.

"Komari-chan has always been worried. It's okay now. You won't be alone anymore. We'll forever be your friends!"

"Ugh, well, it hurts…"

Komari is struggling before Yakishio's chest. I feel like a burden has been taken off my shoulders.

"...It looks like you two have talked properly."

Yanami tidied her messy hair as she stood next to me.

"I guess. Even though I don't know whether Komari has accepted it, I guess we have told each other what we need to."

Komari isn't left behind for the Literature Club.

Instead, the Literature Club is left behind for Komari. This feeling is entrusted to me.

…We have caused such a stir just by conveying our thoughts to each other.

But, in a sense, this fits our style.

"See? I'm right. You will definitely receive Komari-chan's feelings as long as you are serious about being considerate to her."

Did this girl ever say that…?

"Well, I'll leave the details out for now. Anyway, thank you, Yanami-san."

Facing my sincere gratitude, Yanami first displayed her surprise before smiling.

"Don't worry about it. This way, your super attractive consultant Yanami-chan's mission is complete."

…Even though I've told Komari she won't be alone anymore, I've forgotten about these girls until then.

Yakishio and Yanami are her real partners in the Literature Club as well.

Of course, there will be a day when they grow distant from each other.

Even if relationships don't change, high school life will eventually be over one day.

We continue our lives while holding on and repeatedly letting go of each other's temporary connections. I have a feeling that while this is lonely, it's not all sadness…

As if she's breaking my melancholy thoughts, Yanami hands her phone to me.

"Eh, what's wrong…?"

"I've checked you two's conversation. Don't just let Komari-chan says everything. Nukumizu-kun should say something, too."

"...I did answer, you know? This should be enough, right?"

Even though it was short, sending out an entire paragraph isn't what I like either. Also, should I say I'm a bit embarrassed?

"Ho, there's a continuation after that? Let me see."

Yanami scrolled down the screen nonchalantly. Her face suddenly stiffened.

"...Uwah, what did you even say, Nukumizu-kun?"

"Eh, what's wrong?"

"Wait, there's no excuse this time, right!? You're indeed saying that, right?"

Yanami shoved her phone to me.

The screen is showing my message.

…? I didn't say anything weird.

"This means I'm planning to stay at the Literature Club and not quit…"

"Ohh, …Nukumizu-kun, are you a natural airhead?"

Yanami looked at the sky dumbfoundedly.

"I really don't understand what you mean. Did I sexually harass her again? #MeToo?"

"...Sheesh, that's why I don't like this part of you, Nukumizu-kun."

Yanami shrugged before going to Yakishio and Komari. They are still cuddling intimately.

"Hey, Komari-chan. That's what Nukumizu-kun said-"

"R-Regrettable. T-The new president is a guy like this."

"If Nukkun's the president, make sure you do it properly, okay?"

Eh, 3 vs.1 is so unfair. Even though I don't think I can win a 1 vs.1 either.

By the way, what did they just call me…? I trembled as I raised my hand.

"Well, about being the president, can I really do it?"

The three girls exchanged glances. Then, for some reason, they burst into laughter.

What is this? Is this the so-called tyranny of the majority?

Komari left the girls' circle and took a step toward me.

"N-Nukumizu, y-you have to take up responsibility a-after promising it."

"Eh, in other words…"

Komari raised her head. She looked at me with a shy smile between her hair.

"You can't run away, okay? I'll leave this to you- Prez."

Epilogue: At the Platform on the Emergency Stairs, 4th Floor, Old Building, Tsuwabuki High School

Cheerful laughter echoes on the stairs below.

Koto has read the record in the Line chatroom countless times. She covered her eyes full of tears.

"I'm so glad. …I'm so glad for this…"

Koto Tsukinoki and Shintaro Tamaki are standing shoulder to shoulder on the platform of the stairs.

The kouhais' conversation from below keeps churning more tears out of Koto's eyes.

Tamaki gently patted Koto's head.

"You did your best. You must have held in for a long time, right?"

"We don't need to worry about Komari-chan anymore from now on. That's what Shintaro thinks too, right?"

"Well, yeah. Lower your voice, Koto. Everyone will hear it."

"But I, …but I'm really happy."

Koto's nose twitched.

"I hope Komari-chan can be independent or talk to others properly. I just keep thinking about those things…"

Tamaki handed her some paper tissues. Koto blew her nose.

"But those were just answers I had assumed to be right and forced onto Komari-chan."

A cute kouhai used to be worrisome. However, right now, she has partners she has searched for using her own powers. Nothing makes Koto happier than that.

"That girl is much stronger than I've imagined."

"...Komari-chan is determined. Also, it's relieving to know Nukumizu is here too."

Koto showed a slightly surprised expression upon hearing this name.

"Ho, you think of him very highly."

"Nukumizu's actually unexpectedly reliable. He's very calm even when I'm talking to him. I can't believe that he's actually younger than us."

"...Indeed, Nukumizu-kun is a strange boy."

They first met during the new semester in April.

She tricked him into writing his name on the application form at that time. His membership in the Literature Club was merely symbolic.

She didn't expect him to come when she asked Komari to remind him.

"At first, I just thought he was a lazy ghost member. I thought I needed to thank the gods when he actually showed up."

Koto leaned on the railing of the stairs.

"All of the first-year girls here stand out a lot, aren't they? Yet, there's a colorless and tasteless Nukumizu-kun mixed between them. I was really worried about him."

"...Are you even praising him?"

"I am praising him tons. In other words, Nukumizu-kun is an…'interesting man', you know?"

Koto said that jokingly as she leaned on Tamaki, wanting to be spoiled.

"However, I still want to know whether he's worthy enough for us to entrust Komari-chan to him. A man can't be decided on a whim, okay?"

"Alright, let's leave Komari-chan to Nukumizu. Those two will get along well."

"You sound like those two are going out."

"Who knows? But it's better to leave her to Nukumizu-kun than some weird guy, right?"

"...You think you're her ex-boyfriend?"

Koto pretended to throw a tantrum and turned around.

"I can leave my Komari-chan to him if he's the guy. That's how I feel."

"Well, I guess that's true."

Tamaki answered jokingly as well. Koto stared daggers at him.

"Hey, Shintaro! You really didn't do anything to Komari-chan, right?"

"I didn't. Hey, be quiet-"

Koto pulled Tamaki's tie before he could even finish. She closed his lips with hers forcefully.

"Koto! We're in school, okay!?"

"I'll be quiet if you shut me down with your lips, right?"

Tamaki covered his flaring cheeks.

"You dummy. …You-"

"I wonder who you are when you have such a dumb girlfriend?"

Koto chuckled.

Perhaps they have heard the commotions here. Lively chatters can be heard below.

"Look, everyone heard it now…"

"Isn't this nice? It's better to share the happiness with everyone."

Koto smiled as she turned around and looked at the stairs.

Nukumizu must have said something unnecessary again.

Yanami yelled at Nukumizu. Her voice echoed throughout the stairs.

"That's why I don't like this part of you, Nukumizu-kun!"