Transition and Restart, book one: Arrivals

Chapter three, 2016, beginnings, part four

Noriko stapled a pamphlet to yet another billboard. With the headship leaning heavily on the student council Urufu-kun's and Kuri-chan's meting the council had been a mere formality.

"Join the Himekaizen Cultural Exchange Club," the pamphlet read. "President Ageruman Kuritina welcomes you to taste high school life in exotic Sweden." After that the current members were named along with what position they held in the club. At the bottom, prominently displayed, she found her idiot brother. "Club Mascot," was printed in bold letters beside his name.

They would get their new members. Noriko knew that. With her brother backing the tragic and beautiful heroine there was no stopping them.

The teachers hadn't taken any action when the bullying of Kuri-chan started, and none when it escalated. When it finally culminated in a physical assault and the exceptionally public aftermath it was already much too late to put the lid back on.

Kuri-chan could ask the principal to bring stars down for her, and he would only ask how many she wanted.

And I wouldn't care, but you're taking my star from me. That was, she had to admit to herself, not entirely true. To claim ownership of her star she should at least confess first. And confessing wasn't her strongest subject.

Sure, she had turned Yu-kun down in middle school, and that creepy Takemoto, but that wasn't the same as doing the confessing.

Anything else and I could just have studied harder. But this? Noriko shook her head and went for the next billboard. Her feet tapped gently on the floor. Tapped lonely on the floor. There were almost no students in the corridors during club hours.

I'm so small, and she's so, large? No, that's not it. She's bright like the sun. Nothing can shine beside her. Life just wasn't fair. But Noriko hadn't been truthful. Ryu could shine almost as brightly as Kuri-chan. Would he help me? I don't think so. He doesn't seem to care much for Urufu-kun.

She arrived and brought out her stapler.

"Is that tomorrow?" she heard a question behind her when she had fastened the pamphlet to the billboard.

"Yes, Thursday and Friday at five, and Saturday at two," she answered.

"Is it true that Wakayama-san is a member?"

"Yes." Why ask for club activities when you can ask for my moronic brother instead?

"Awesome!"

Sometimes I wonder if they used two different entrance exams for this school. Noriko stared at the girl. It was their school uniform. She must have passed the exam.

Himekaizen Cultural Exchange. Right! It's going to be exchange all-right, but 'culture' will have just about nothing to with what's going to be exchanged.

Noriko bagged her stapler. That was the last pamphlet, and she could go back to their club room. Why did I suggest I join the dating central? As a bean counter to boot. She pouted. At least I get to be near him.

Noriko started climbing the right wing stairs. Tap, tap, tap, went her feet. Dok, dok, dok, went her heart. I'm lost, went the thoughts in her head.

She left the stairwell at the third floor and turned left into the endless corridor that connected the right and left wings. Among all the doors there was one with a sign that still read: "Sengoku Cultural Studies."

When she arrived she was met by minor chaos.

"What do you mean it's too late for the sister club?" That was Ryu.