Shoko Komi's Ultimate Challenge
by Ulquiorra9000
Communication 1: getting an idea
Back in April, Shoko Komi had resolved to make 100 friends this year no matter what, and it all started when that nice boy Hitohito Tadano approached her and saw her for who she really was, not who everyone thought she was. Even now, several months and many friends later, it was still such a special moment in Shoko's heart. She thought about it almost every day!
But still...
Class was finally over, and Najimi was already gathering another squad to hit up the arcade and have a good old time, studying be darned. Other friends were gettng together too, and it seemed like everyone had somewhere to be or someone to meet, even Hitohito.
"I've gotta run a few errands for my mom," Hitohito explained as he slung his school bag over his shoulder with a friendly grin. "Sorry, I have to go. See you tomorrow, OK?"
Shoko nodded timidly as her best friend exited the classroom. Slowly, Shoko gathered her stuff and headed to the shoe lockers, her brain chewing on a topic that had been at the back of her mind for weeks now.
Sure, Shoko had made a bunch of new friends, especially with Hitohito's help. But if Hitohito hadn't approached her on that fateful April day after class, would Shoko have come this far on her own? Probably not! She'd still be stuck at square one, and without Hitohito Tadano's and Najimi's assistance, Shoko would never have gotten the ball rolling. This was all thanks to them. Shoko had just accepted their help, unable to help herself when she needed it the most.
A tiny part of Shoko felt terribly guilty about that, she realized as she walked her usual route back home, painfully aware of all the intense glares fixed on her. Even with her dream in mind, she had been helpless until she got help from her first two friends, and she owed them. And she owed herself. What to do?
"Welcome back, Shoko dear," Shuko Komi said warmly as Shoko dejectedly slouched into the house. She clicked off the vacuum cleaner. "Oh my, you're looking a bit down. Did someone tease you at school today?"
Shoko quickly shook her head. Her friends always treated her well, no problems there. This was an internal affair, and only Shoko could fix it. For once, she didn't want to keep relying on everyone else.
"Oh. All right. Well, make yourself comfortable until dinner," Shuko said as she put away the vacuum. "Perhaps you could catch up on homework?"
Actually, Shoko didn't have any homework to do, so she put away her stuff, got changed, and tried to distract herself with the TV in the living room. A cooking show, hidden camera shows, weird game shows, a documentary about Mars, a sitcom... hmmmmmm...
Then Shoko flipped to another channel, one about a Japanese Olympic athlete who had overcome incredible odds in the recent Games and won a gold medal in her sport, despite her disadvantages in life.
Shoko imagined dog ears perking up on her head, and she excitedly leaned forward on the couch, staring intently at the TV. This was incredible! That young woman wasn't much older than Shoko was, and she had faced such hardships, according to this documentary. Shoko almost felt silly, silently complaining about her woes while this star athlete challenged herself to do the impossible and amazed the nation in the process. And she was really beautiful, too, with long silky hair...
Shoko actually felt proud tears well up in her eyes, and she wiped them away before her mom rushed over to comfort her. What was this sudden burning feeling in Shoko's heart? It was like something was straining to break free and take flight! And it was such an exciting feeling...!
She had an idea.
Shoko shut off the TV and raced through the house, finding her mom in the laundry room. She motioned rapidly, asking a rather personal but intriguing question. She had always wondered about this.
"Oh! How did I win your father's heart?" Shuko gasped and went pink, putting a hand to her heart. Steam puffed out of her ears. "Oh my, my darling daughter asks such naughty questions! Aaaaaaaah!" She clapped her hands to her cheeks, clearly lost in memories.
Shoko pumped her fists under her chin, eyes wide, eager to hear this tale.
"I'll spare you the more intimate details, but to put it simply..." Shuko had a fond look on her face as she went a shade pinker. "Masayoshi... your father was so terribly shy when we started dating in high school. It was the early '90s, things were a bit different then... well, I knew he was the one for me, and I challenged myself to make him prove he loved me too. I could see it in his eyes, and how he made all these romantic gestures for me." She held up a finger and beamed. "Suffice it to say, Shoko, I bravely took a chance on our love, and it worked! That's how every good love story goes. It's a game, and though you won't always win, you'll definitely never win if you never play."
She stood there for a few seconds, watching her inquisitive daughter. Then she gasped even louder and went two shades pinker. "D-d-did someone ask you out, Shoko? Did you say yes? Am I about to meet the boyfriend? Aaaaaaahhh!" She hopped up and down in place, like an excited middle schooler.
Shoko went bright red and motioned "no" with her hands, then bolted out of the laundry room, trying not to picture Hitohito's plain but friendly face. Hitohito Tadano was one thing... but Shoko was thinking big here, and before she could get anywhere with Tadano (if at all), she had to conquer herself first! That was for sure!
Dinner was a bit awkward for the Komis early that evening, with Shuko stealing covert glances at her daughter and husband and chuckling to herself. Shoko could imagine the question marks floating around her father's face while Shosuke apparently didn't notice. For her part, Shoko merely slouched in her seat, trying to look smaller so no one would notice her as the gears kept turning in her mind. She was almost there... but...
After dinner, Shoko waited until her mom was brushing her teeth upstairs and therefore couldn't interfere, and then Shoko found her father and made a few inquisitive motions. Just how did the shy Masayoshi end up with the lively Shuko Niimi way back when?
Masayoshi went faintly pink as he silently told the story of how his teenage self found something new and dazzling in the Niimi girl's eyes, something bright he had never seen before. It had been scary for him, but enticing too, and he realized that he'd been living a timid and predictable life all along. He had to challenge himself and take a chance on something new! And how often did pretty girls like Shuko show such obvious interest in him, anyway? So, Masayoshi had braced himself for the challenge and took the dive, and the rest is history. They were married one summer day in 1997, and Shoko and Shosuke were born a few years later. Such a story!
Why did Shoko want to know, anyway? Masayoshi wondered politely.
Oh, no reason, Shoko assured him, and she wordlessly wished him good night and headed upstairs to her room, her mind buzzing excitedly. Was this it? Had Shoko found what the most insecure part of her soul needed? She brushed her teeth while thinking it over, browsed a light novel while pondering it, idly scrolled through her flip phone's contacts list while contemplating it, and later, she lay in bed staring at the dark ceiling, she finally reached a conclusion. It was so obvious, Shoko actually made a little smile to herself.
Back in April, she had challenged herself to make 100 friends, and so far, she had relied mostly on Hitohito and Najimi to make that dream a reality. Now, she was ready to lead the way, but only if Shoko could forge herself into the kind of brave girl who could get things done, no matter how scary and challenging they were.
Shoko reached up towards the ceiling as though to grab it. She resolved, then and there, to create a second list alongside her ever-growing friend list. Starting tomorrow, she would challenge herself in every way she could think of and check off those accomplishments on her list, and become braver, smarter, stronger, and better for it. She had the heart of an Olympian! She just had to take her position at the starting line and run, for all it was worth.
It was decided. Shoko clapped her hands over her face, her gut churning with mingled anxiety and excitement. Could she do this? Was she really going to do this? When the sun rose tomorrow, the games would begin! What would Tadano and Najimi think? Or Himiko or Nene?
Shoko rolled over, closed her eyes, and willed herself to relax. One way or another, she would find out soon enough!
