Komi Komi Literature Club!

Chapter 3: The Guest

After gathering her things at the end of the school day, Komi began making her way towards her shoe locker. It had been a couple days since she had made the resolve to attempt to join the Literature Club, but she was still working up the courage to actually go...

She was again reminded of her hesitancy in this matter when she passed a school bulletin board and noticed the familiar Literature Club flier placed on it. Komi stopped and turned towards the board, staring at the flier for a few frozen seconds before approaching it to look closer.

"Write the way into your heart."

There was that phrase again – inviting her and taunting her at the same time. She still hadn't discovered for herself what it meant, and that was no one else's fault but her own. She didn't want to be too hard on herself, but it was difficult not to when acknowledging that simple fact.

"Excuse me. Sorry." A girl scooted past, coming up next to her in front of the school bulletin board. Her sudden appearance made Komi flinch in surprise. She stepped away and turned to look at her...

She recognized her! She said her name was Monika, right? Yeah! She was one of the girls who had given her the flier to the Literature Club and invited her to come, the one that Yamai was talking about.

Komi swallowed nervously and began to shake a little. She wanted to find a way to start a conversation with her, but like so many times before, she had no idea what to do. Monika, who was taking a few moments to write some things down on her paper, didn't notice Komi staring at her until a couple seconds later.

"Have we met before?" Komi wrote down on her notebook and held it up for Monika to read. Monika's eyes furrowed strangely at this weird and unexpected greeting, but she answered the question nonetheless.

"'Have we met before?' Um...I don't think we have. But I've heard of you before. You're Komi, right? Komi Shouko?" She asked.

Komi gasped a little and nodded her head quickly.

"Thought so. Yeah, a lot of the students here talk about you, haha. You're pretty popular from what I hear." Monika said with a little laugh.

Komi stared intently at Monika. She really wanted to deny that statement.

"Um...yeah. I'm Monika. Nice to meet you!" She introduced herself and offered a handshake. Komi stayed frozen for a little bit before finally bringing her hand forward and shaking hands with her in an overly gentle way.

"It's nice to see you again, Monika. Are you on your way to the Literature Club meeting?" She asked. Internally, she was proud of herself for being able to get right to the point.

"Oh! Yeah, haha, I am! How did you know about that?" Monika asked.

Komi turned back towards the bulletin board and rested her finger on the flier posted there. Monika eyed it for a moment before nodding in understanding.

"Right! Yes! Actually, the others are probably waiting for me. I should get going!" Monika realized. She started to move away, but then stopped and turned back.

Komi was still standing there by the bulletin board, her body turned halfway towards Monika. She took a few seconds to write down one short question. She blushed in embarrassment as she turned the notebook around and held it up in front of her face so that only her eyes could be seen peeking over it.

"Can I come and visit?" Komi requested.

"...y-yeah! Totally! I'll show you where it is." Monika said, gesturing for Komi to follow her. Komi nodded quietly and held her notebook down at her waist as she followed.