Author's notes: sorry that it took too long to be published, but there were some problems with my schedule (even had to rush things a little, sorry). My goal is publishing one chapter per week and I hope I can achieve that, however, there's a high probability of it being one chapter per two weeks…

CHAPTER I: Our Club

It's been a week since I left the hospital. My body's still a bit weak, but the doctor told me that some light morning exercises would help me in my recovery. That'd be great if I was the sportive type, however, I must admit that it could be good for me, I mean, maybe I end up enjoying it and hit the gym for once. It would be great to have a good build and all. Who knows I might get a girlfriend? Until then, I should just start with some simple exercises.

"What time is it?" I mumbled while I lazily stretched my arm to grab my phone to look the time.

6 : 52 a.m.

"You got to be kidding me…"

Lady Luck was not on my side today. I set the alarm for '7:00' and for some reason I managed to wake up just a few minutes before it. Obviously, that didn't make me happy at all it's just got me frustrated and annoyed by the fact that I could only lie on my bed without sleeping.

Each second seemed like an eternity for me. Oddly enough, I wished for the alarm to go off as soon as possible, but it simply went slow as if trying to torture me. Part of me was screaming for motivation to get up while the other part was struggling to go back to sleep.

Beep dee dee! Beep dee dee! Beep dee dee!

Finally, the alarm on my phone went off. Officially, it was the first day of the Third Term, although it was on its second week already. I knew that it would be a hellish term because of all the missed classed and I needed to catch up with everybody as soon as possible. Despite that, I was happy to go back to school and my daily life. Endless homework and studying sessions were nothing compared to being in a hospital.

I took a long and deep breath as I sat up on the edge of my bed to stretch up my body. Some joints made funny noises like an old person, but that could be explained due to my lack of exercising. Maybe my body wasn't used to moving yet, I think. That aside, my routine followed as always.

Brushing my teeth, taking a shower, putting my uniform on, having breakfast then leaving home. Straightforward like that and with sparing time before the bell at 9:00… That could be the case if it wasn't for a little detail: Sayori.

"(sigh) She's late…" I said. The word 'again' was almost a must, but since it was my first day, then I couldn't say much, although I was damn sure she was late everyday in this past week.

"Wait for me, Reiyaaaa!" a girl who was behind shouted as she ran towards me.

"You are late." I stated as my steps went faster.

"Jeez! You were going to leave me behind!" she pouted.

"Well, I don't want to be late for my first day."

"Eh? So, you became Mr. Goody Two-Shoes?" she teased me while covering her mouth with her hand to hide her smirk.

"T-that's not it!" I stuttered in defeat. She got me there, I must admit it. "I will let that pass since you brought me homework last week… not letting you copy it though."

"What? Meanie…" she pouted. "I brought your homework the entire week."

"Yeah, and it was mostly full of sketches and silly drawings [of food, I think]"

"Hehehe… I was a bit hungry during the classes."

"Because of that I had a hard time figuring out the subjects."

"Let's leave it all behind and begin a new period of our lives!" she proudly exclaimed as she looked up in her speech.

"Nice try… still not borrowing my notes to you."

"Eh? After all I said and done for you? You're a meanie person."

We laughed it off and kept on our way towards school. For some reason, it was good to share some laugh with a friend. Sayori and I have been friend since we were children, and that's lasted throughout all these years. It's those cases of "long-term friendship" that allows you to be like siblings.

Honestly, that's the case for her, but for me, everything is new. All my memories before the accident are blurry and confusing as if my brain's trying to block it. According to the doctor, it is like a post-traumatic amnesia due to my head being hit hard. He also said that I might recover some of them under the right conditions, however, I should avoid strong mental stress for some time, at least until I make some good new memories, or it could have the opposite effect and make me forget even more.

What made me more uncomfortable was the fact that he said all that with a serious face the whole time as if my mental health was hanging by a thin line. Maybe I should be cautious and play safe for the time being. No more scary games and movies for me.

Sayori saw me spacing out and probably figured it out what I was thinking. She knew about my memory loss and even so, she treated me like she always did – I suppose. Perhaps talking about it became a taboo for everyone who knows me since my parents have been treating me the same way as well. Doctor's advice? Who knows.

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It was one hell of a first day! Classes were brutal! Well, mostly because I'm a week late, although it shouldn't feel so hard, in my opinion of course.

There were a lot of people asking about me things like "how I was", "if there were any scars in my body" – which surprisingly didn't – and "how it happened". Those questions were the most common but there were so many that I couldn't keep track of them or if I actually could give them a proper answer. Weirdly enough, none of them asked or commented about my memory loss.

My theory was confirmed. There was something wrong. I don't know what the doctor told my parents, but if no one is talking about it then Sayori must said something which made them take it as a "taboo topic". Maybe I will try figuring it out, but not this soon. Probably after I managed getting more information on it. I don't want to step in anything that might prove to be dangerous or put all my parents' efforts to make it secret into the trash.

At least, it was time to go back home. The club activities were starting and I'm not in the mood to reject an invitation to any club.

"Reiya!" Sayori shouted as she dashed into the the classroom towards me. "Ready to go?"

"Of course! I was just about to go back home."

"Jeez! You forgot?!" She frowned as in a disappointment gesture.

"What are you talking abou…" I started saying and then remembered. Damn it, I thought. "I'm visiting your club, right?"

"Yes, you dummy!" she jokingly scolded me with a smile as soon as she realized that I quickly remembered it. "One of the members even made cookies knowing that there'd be a new member!"

"New member?" I asked not understanding why she talked like I was already a member. "I said before I was only giving it a look!"

My words were empty for she grabbed me by my wrist and dragged me all way to the club classroom. Surely, I could just stop and stand still because I was stronger than her and it would be an easy feat, but I let my strength go as I kept thinking of those cookies and that I could find some beauties there. I sold myself for something so low…

As soon as we got into the club's classroom, Sayori introduced me:

"Hey, guys! This is Reiya, our newest member!" she first presented me to a girl with green eyes and coral brown hair. "This is Monika, our club's president!" she proceeded to pointed to another girl with purple eyes and hair whose face was showing shyness and she seemed to be distant while surprised with my presence. "This is Yuri, our vice-president!" finally she pointed to a small girl who also had eyes and hair of the same color, but it was pink this time. "And this is Natsuki, the one who made the cookies for you!"

"W-w-what are you talking about, Sayori!" Natsuki stuttered while her face was red. She tried hiding it by turn her face, but it only made she look cute. "I only made them because I wanted to, not because of some stupid new member or anything!"

I admit that I expected the club to have more girls than boys since it was supposed to be about literature and stuff – for some reason, I don't think guys are into that kind of thing, me included. That's because we mostly like to ready some unusual kind of literature. That said, I wasn't expecting the club to have so many beautiful girls, in fact, all of them are!

"Good to see you again, Reiya!" Monika said before giving me a sweet smile.

"Good to see you too!"

"You know each other?" Sayori asked surprised.

"Yep. We were in the same class last time… we didn't talk much though." I stated, but it would be more accurate if I told them that we barely shared a conversation. She was, and still is, popular that I could not manage to get close to her.

"That's great!" Sayori happily shouted in excitement. "It must be fate playing a role here!"

"S-so, Reiya…" Yuri shyly began her first attempt of a conversation with me. "What do you like reading?"

"Hmm… Manga?" I knew that question would eventually come, but not so soon. It got me off guard and I answered it to seem like a joke, but it didn't convince her.

"Oh… not much of a reader, I presume…" she spoke sadly as she gazed down.

"But that can change!" I don't know why I was trying to impress her, but her gaze earlier broke my heart and made me feel guilty, I think.

"Don't rush it, everyone!" said Monika stepping a bit closer to me as if standing for me, the newest member. "You see, Reiya, Natsuki keeps her manga in our club room.

"M-m-m-" flustered, Natsuki was stuttering while her mouth was stuck between Monika and Manga.

"So, you like it too?" I asked her, but she seemed too focused in Monika to hear what anyone has to say.

"Manga is literature as well!" Natsuki finally shouted as she tried to chase after Monika who was giggling all the time while avoiding her.

"Did you like it, Reiya?" Sayori asked just before jumping in front of me with a large smile that waited for a positive answer.

"Hold on, everyone!" I raised my voice trying to not be rude. "I never said I'd join the club!"

Silence. The only thing that could be heard. Every club member was static and had a clearly surprised expression on their faces. They all let their shoulders down almost like a crushing news was shoved on the face of their hopes and dreams.

For a moment, I felt like a huge jerk and could even picture myself as the bad guy from some story. It definitely was not fair! How could I reject the hopes and expectations of those cute girls? I'm not the type of guy to enter a club only because there're cute girls – I must admit that as a man, I hope there are cute girls, but that's it, hope not condition.

It breaks my heart seeing them sad, but what can be done? I barely read any books last year, and the previous one as well. How am I supposed to join the Literature Club? It'll be a joke…

Guilty… Guilty… Guilty… The feeling goes on and on. Seconds passed. Maybe even less than that, but the moment is an eternity of despair. Their said puppy eyes were stabbing me like sharp knives.

"(sigh) Okay…" I muttered almost regretting it. "I should give it a shot… I'll join the club."

Everyone quickly got happy and they cheerfully hugged each other like they'd just accomplished something big. Perhaps it was true, and I've just sold my soul for these cute girls' smiles.

"I'll get the forms for you to fill in!" Monika said as she rushed outside the room. Was she worried that I might go back on my decision? Smart move.

In the meantime, we ate the cookies Natsuki had made. Some were left for Monika to eat as well, and we did make a great effort to not eat them. I don't know if she is aware of how good her cooking skills are, but if she keeps it going the way it is, then I think she won't have any problems living alone or married in the future. We complimented her and the reaction was obvious. Natsuki blushed and said the exact phrase I had in mind: "o-of course I'm good at cooking! This is a piece of cake for me!"

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Monika didn't take long to get back, but it was enough for us to share a bit of a conversation. And even with the little information I got from them I could realize their overall character… Yuri was the type of shy girl which can be warm and gentle if you get close enough to her. Natsuki is the kind of person who's cold and arrogant-like on the outside, but inside she is cute, girly and shy. And then there's Sayori who is, well, Sayori. The only one whom I could share a proper conversation until now was Monika.

I signed the forms and handed them to Monika who warmly smiled at me and said:

"Well, Reiya… Welcome to our club!"

That phrase was the beginning of new stage in my life and I'm sure good things will come from this!

End of Chapter I…