Komi Komi Literature Club!

Chapter 4: The Interruption

"Last day of the school week: poem day." Monika thought to herself as she began setting up the classroom for the Literature Club meeting. It wouldn't be long now before the other girls would start coming into the room.

"Hey, Monika!" Sayori greeted her as she entered the classroom. Monika flinched in surprise, standing up straight and turning her head to look at her.

"Hey! You got here fast, haha, you startled me." She said, putting a hand on her chest.

"Heheh, sorry. I'm excited!" Sayori exclaimed with a giggle and a big smile, "Today's our first official club meeting with Komi: our newest member!" She pointed out.

"Yes, I know. I gotta admit, I'm a little nervous about it."

"Nervous? Why?" Sayori inquired, tilting her head to the side a little as she set her backpack down on the nearest desk.

"I don't know. I guess I'm just hoping she brings something positive to the group dynamic. Everybody seems to like her, but she gives off this...odd vibe, I guess." Monika shared her personal feelings on the matter.

"Well, of course! She's nervous too, you know," Sayori pointed out. "That's probably why she's been acting the way she has." She reasoned.

"Talking by writing in a notebook?" Monika brought up, raising her eyebrow slightly.

"Hey, you're saying all this stuff and we haven't even had the club meeting yet." Sayori pointed out, wanting to come to Komi's defense.

"Well...yeah, you're right. I'm getting ahead of myself. She deserves a fair chance before I start making any harsh judgments," Monika agreed. "Just like the others." She added.

"There ya go! Here, let me help you get everything set up." Sayori offered...

Sayori was right about one thing: Komi was very nervous too. She was watching the clock, noting whenever a significant amount of time had passed – that meant that it was getting closer and closer to time for the club meeting.

As she saw that the hour was drawing nearer, her heart began to beat faster and faster, to the point where by the time the last class of the day was underway, she was shaking anxiously in her seat.

"Looks like Komi is really worried about her club meeting. I hope she'll be alright." Tadano thought to himself, watching Komi's anxiousness grow as more and more time passed.

Finally, the bell rang, and everyone started to get up. Komi sprang to her feet, grabbed her things...then sat right back down...

Maybe if she left too early, she would be the first to arrive. She didn't want to put any undue pressure on Monika, who was likely the one primarily responsible for making sure that things were ready on time...

But then again, she should be as prompt and on time as possible in order to show that she's taking this new commitment seriously, right? If she showed up any later, it would make a bad first impression...

"Komi!" Naijimi came trotting over to Komi's desk, "We're going over to Nakanaka's house to study! You wanna come with?" Naijimi offered.

"Eh?" Nakanaka, one of their mutual friends who sits more towards the front of the classroom by the windows, grunted in confusion and lifted her head in surprise. Upon realizing what Naijimi was saying, she turned in her chair to look back at them.

Komi said no to Naijimi's offer by silently shaking her head.

"What?! Why?!" Both Naijimi and Nakanaka exclaimed at the same time.

"I'm sorry, but I have a club meeting to attend. I must get going now. If you'll excuse me." Komi explained herself politely before standing up once again, grabbing her things, and finally leaving the classroom. The students still in the room watched her make her exit.