Communication 5: Stage fright 😨

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Lunchtime. Library.

???'s POV:

"Oh! It's a new volume." My name is Himiko Agari. I'm a very nervous person... so, whenever I feel like I'm being watched, I can't do anything right... And at this very moment, I'm... being watched by my classmates Komi and Tadano...


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WHEN A PERSON HAS EXTREME SOCIAL ANXIETY, ALSO KNOWN AS SOCIOPHOBIA, THEY STRUGGLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS.

KEEP THIS IN MIND: THEY ONLY STRUGGLE. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO FORM LONG-LASTING CONNECTIONS OR FRIENDSHIPS.

Narrator's POV:

After Agari had dropped the books from the shelf, she calmed down and started picking them up.

Agari: 'Speaking of those two... Komi is very pretty, smart and popular, Tadano is rather average, but he seems like a nice guy too... but neither of them act all important... They're always so confident, quiet, reserved, and just so cool!' Komi and Tadano have been keeping their eyes completely on Agari, while she kept on thinking on how wonderful they are.

Agari describes herself as someone with bad eyes, doesn't have a cute face,  chubby, short legs and gets excessively nervous. She kept on asking herself why those two kept looking at her, scared of doing something wrong. Agari crouched because of the nerves, worrying Tadano and Komi on the act.

Time lapse:

Agari decided to go to the bathroom. For her, it's like her very own personal space.

Agari: 'Ah... I could spend the rest of my life here...' She thought to herself, but then noticed how someone was in front of the door. 'THEY'RE THERE!!' Komi went to check if she was alright but froze. Tadano obviously didn't enter the girls bathroom.

Agari started to mentally apologize to Komi and Tadano thinking about what she have done to make them mad, that they were going to kill her, and kept on thinking that she'll do whatever they want in exchange of her forgiveness. Komi obviously didn't listen to anything she said, but left, thinking that she wasn't there, or didn't want to talk to them. Agari was relieved just by hearing her footsteps fading.

Agari decided to leave, but was stopped by the head teacher, who asked her to tell the class that the next P.E. Class will take place on the gym. Agari wanted to refuse, but couldn't because Tadano and Komi were watching her, and she thought that they were going to kill her yet again.

Agari: 'Oh, no, what should I do...? I got assigned a task. My stomach hurts.' Agari started hallucinating, an angel who looked just like her gave Agari the determination and calm to tell the class about the next P.E. Class. Surely nothing will go wrong, right?

Agari: "PA!"

The class: "...Pa?"

Agari: 'WHAT THE HECK IS PA!?  WHY DID THAT SOUND COME OUT OF MY MOUTH!?'

The class: "Uhh.../Agari?/Hey, you okay?/What did you just say?"

Agari just wanted to disappear, but Komi and Tadano were at her right, which made her scream. The rest of the class didn't understand what the hell was wrong. And then...

Agari: "SIXTH PERIOD P.E. WILL BE AT THE GYM TODAY!!!"

The class didn't understand absolutely anything about what was wrong with Agari. As for her, she got rid of the weight of responsibility thanks to Tadano and Komi.

Henry: "Um... Guys, what happened?"



Let's go back 20 minutes...



Najimi: "So, Komi, Tadano, I guess what I'm trying to say is that you can't be friends with everyone. That would take you for ever! There are even those who would never be compatible with you."

Henry: "Just tell me, where did this idea came from, Najimi?"

Najimi started to pull something from their back.

Najimi: "I gathered the names of all my childhood friends, in my case is the whole school, who possess qualities that are really close to you guys'! Let's select our next friend candidate from this list!" Just like Najimi said, they have showed the trio a list filled with every single student from the school, which impressed everyone.

Najimi:  "Our first candidate... Himiko Agari, who's from our class."

Henry: "Oh, the one who got all nervous during the self-introductions." Henry remebered her and felt pity for how embarrassed she must have felt when everyone laughed at her day 1.

Najimi: "That's right! She's a very sweet person, but gets easily stressed with interpersonal relationships." Najimi started also saying the symptoms she gets when she gets anxious. Henry felt even worse for her, but Tanado and Komi felt a strong kinship with her. Najimi wanted to show them their next candidate, but Tadano, Agari and Komi disappeared, and then, the situation went to the beginning of this chapter.

Back to the present.


Henry: I see... So none of you were able to speak with Agari? Henry asked Komi and Tadano to write on the chalkboard, like day 1.

Tadano: Yeah, we're feeling quite dismayed...

Henry: Oh, don't worry! There's still a chance!

Agari suddenly entered the classroom.

Agari: "Um... You see.... Komi, Tadano... it's just that... since you were starting me a lot today... I... I was really scared to death!" Such words surprised Tadano and Komi. They didn't expect to scare Agari. Henry, on the other hand, isn't quite surprised at all...

Agari: "But... even though I have no clue of your reasoning behind watching me... thanks to you guys, I was...  able to change a little bit!" The three of them got really happy to hear that.

Henry: 'Okay, now's our chance!' "Hey, Agari? You three seem to get along pretty well, how about you become friends with each other?" Henry was confident. But Agari couldn't see herself being friends with the most popular girl in the school.

Agari: "WHAT!? NO! NONONONONONONO! IT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" Tadano and Komi started to feel very bad... "Oh, but... I... I'd be happy to be treated like Komi's doggie!"

Tadano, Komi and Henry:

And with that... Komi and Tadano made another friend... or dog rather...

Tadano-Kun and Komi-san can't communicate and I'll help them! (KCC AU)Where stories live. Discover now