Joining the Literature Club was a bad idea.

[Kenji] Ninth Lunch Break: Double Booked

Thursday noon.

The girl sitting in front of me turned her chair around to eat her lunch on my desk again.

"Nishimura-san, do you visit the library often?"

Hiroko Amagami smiled at me as she brought out her lunchbox. "Because I don't know the way there." She adds, tapping my shoulder. I brought out my own lunchbox and smiled back at her. "I completely forgot about the library thing."

Amagami frowned and hit me with her chopsticks. "Bad Nishimura-san." She pouted. "Well, you forgot about your math homework earlier, so I wouldn't blame you that much." I gulped when I remembered how the math teacher scolded me earlier. "...yeah."

I continued eating my lunch while looking at the cityscape. Amagami kept silent for the remainder of the lunch. I also kept silent, like there was this awkward atmosphere on my desk or something.

I finished my lunch before Amagami did hers and stood up. "You don't mind if I went and to the bathroom, right?" I asked her. She looked up at me and shrugged. "Of course not." I nodded and walked out the classroom out to the hallway filled with second-year students. I walked through the crowds, heading for the restroom.

When I finally reached the end of the corridor where the restrooms were, I saw a bunch of students gathered around the entrance. Most of those gathered there were girls. But why would a bunch of girls do outside the entrance to the boys' restroom?

"...you saw him, right?" I heard a girl whisper beside me. "Eh?! Who?!" The girl beside her whispered back. "The massive fighter, Jugemu." The first girl said, her tone scared. "...Touka, who's Jugemu?" The second girl asked. The first girl facepalmed and just put her hand skirt into her skirt pocket. "Nevermind, Kano."

There was more commotion and confusion until a voice shouted from behind me.

"Clear the area!"

I looked behind me to see a tall guy with a red armband around his right arm. If my memory serves me correctly, he was also the guy who scared me off last week. He wasn't wearing his trenchcoat nor his gasmask, but I knew it was him because of the reddish-brown hair and the paintball gun. "Disciplinary Committee chief coming through-" He said as the crowd parted for him to enter the restroom.

I was convinced that something serious had happened inside because of the arrival of the school's Disciplinary Committee. I turned around and walked away to the stairs before lunch ends.

I headed towards the second floor restroom, running because I was afraid that the bell might ring any second now. When I reached the restroom, I quickly did whatever I had to do.

Once I got out of the restroom, I was relieved to know that the lunch bell hasn't rang yet. I walked back to the stairs, hoping that I could get back to the classroom so I could maybe talk to Amagami some more before the lunch ends.

"Boop."

I almost jumped in surprise when someone suddenly poked my back. I turned around and saw a short girl with brown hair and green eyes looking up at me. "Good thing I found you." Akiko giggled. "Should I just wait for you at the school entrance later or..?" She asked with a smile.

...meet up?

...later?

"Nishii are you free tomorrow?" I remembered what Akiko asked me during the confusion of yesterday's club meeting. A question that I accidentally and unknowingly said yes to. Which means that my schedule for today has been double-booked between Akiko and Amagami.

"Where are we going anyway?" I asked her, hopeful that I could just leave Amagami in the library and delay Akiko's invitation for a while.

"Well, I thought I might be able to reintroduce you to my sister at the public library."

...I am fucked.

No, wait, there's still a way to turn this around. "Akiko, can you go ahead of me then?" I said. Akiko looked away from me for a while before looking back at me. "Well, why not?" She chuckled. "I'll just meet you there then, I guess." She smiled at me before walking away to her classroom, probably.

I sighed as I walked back up the stairs. Library visit with Amagami, library visit with Akiko... THIS ISN'T A HAREM-GENRE ANIME FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! Why am I sandwiched in this double date phenomenon?! I'm not a freakin' protagonist- Well maybe I am, just maybe. Readers, am I a protagonist?

When I got back to the classroom, I was tapped by Amagami on the shoulder. "What took you so long?" She asked. I looked at her and sat on my chair. "Commotion near the bathroom. Took too long." I lied, even though it technically wasn't a lie. "Oh, okay." She nodded and started getting stuff from her bag.

Okay, time to strategize. Akiko will be waiting for me at the library. I'm going to walk to the library with Amagami, not going to let Akiko know that she's the-

Wait wait wait.

Why am I treating this like an actual harem scenario? They're both just friends as far as I'm concerned. It's okay for me to let them meet each other. I'm so stupid for treating this like a cliche scenario.

New strategy! Let Amagami and Akiko talk to each other. Then talk to Akiko's sister so I can probably remember who she was.

That sounds like a better strategy. I smiled as I looked at my desk then towards the cityscape outside the window. "Platonic date is a go." I said to myself as I looked at the clouds over the horizon.

"Nishimura-san, did you do your English homework?" Amagami suddenly turned around and asked me.

"Of course I did, Amagami-san." I grinned confidently as I put my bag on my lap to bring out the piece of paper that I wrote my homework on. "You see, Amagami, English is one of the subjects I actually pay attention to." Partly because the English teacher is cool but scary sometimes. "Which is why I do my ho-"

I suddenly remembered that I left it on my study desk at home after playing games last night.

"You forgot it, didn't you?" Amagami facepalmed.

I nodded.

"He's going to kill you." She said before turning around.

...I know.

"And also, Hiroko is fine."

...I also know.