Hunger

Chapter 4

Another day, another poem exchange over with, Naota thought while putting his notebook away. It had been a smooth two weeks for the Literature Club. Yuri was correct in her assessment and it was becoming a little easier to write and share his poetry with the others. Unfortunately it still felt like he was going through the motions every week, and he still hadn't written anything he was really all that proud of.

He made sure to give a little of his time to Yuri every week. He had begun reading her hand-me-down copy of The Portrait of Markov in his spare time. The two would have weekly discussions which usually ended with Yuri explaining the hidden symbolism in some scene and Naota being left in awe at the young woman's perceptiveness. He could only wish that some of that talent would rub off on him eventually.

Naota also grew to appreciate the work Monika and Sayori put into the club. Monika looked after all her club members carefully and tried her hardest to help them improve. She would even find challenging passages to print out and read together that they could discuss afterwards. No matter what they did together she seemed to always have a tip or hint on how to improve his work.

Sayori was the ever glowing ball of sunshine of the club. Whenever someone was unsure about their poem she would always have a positive point of view to approach it from. She was also always on call to assist Monika with whatever tasks needed to be sorted out. Naota wouldn't admit it outright but he was glad to trade in his hermit ways if it meant walking home with his close friend everyday. Her goofy jokes and joyful personality was quickly becoming his favorite way to unwind after a long day.

Finally there was Natsuki. Not much had changed these past few weeks with the fiery pinkette. She still cast weary glances his way whenever they worked together. She always had a snappy remark at the ready when he tried to bridge the gap between them. Even when he shown concern for her when her stomach growled or when he found her passed out while reading one of her manga her tone was never friendly. Secretly Naota admired the passion Natsuki brought, but he wished it wasn't pointed at him so often.

"Alright, everyone," Monika spoke aloud, breaking Naota out of his thoughts. "We have one more point of order before I let you all go today." A few of us traded intrigued looks, it wasn't often our club had official duties to worry about. "As some of you maybe aware the club festival is a few weeks away and now that we have enough members we're expected to host some sort of activity this year."

"Really?" Yuri asked aloud, the mere idea of hosting an event causing her to become jittery. "What would be our purpose in doing so?"

"The same as every year, to show the school what our our club does and to hopefully pull in a few new members." Monika explained.

"Do we even NEED more members?" Natsuki asked, seemingly disinterested in the whole concept.

"Well it would be nice if anyone else wants to improve on their literary skills knew we existed." Monika countered.

"Yeah Natsuki, the more the merrier!" Sayori backed Monika up like a good vice president.

"You say that but we don't even have this moron fully trained yet!" Natsuki gestured to Naota.

"Hey..." Naota weakly complained.

"Whether we get new members or not the school expects us to host something this year. So if anyone has an idea the floor is open to you." Silence fell upon the room as Monika looked out at her club expectantly.

"We... could..." Naota began to think aloud, "check out our favorite books from the library and give reports on them?"

"That's something I suppose. I was thinking of something that might be more fun for our guests. We'll stick it in the maybe pile." Monika wrote down the suggestion in her note book.

"Yeesh Naota," Natsuki sneered. "Maybe I'm not the only one who doesn't care if we gain any more members." Natsuki added with a chuckle.

"Yeah? And whats your grand idea?" Naota challenged the shorter girl.

"Don't look at me, I think the whole idea's stupid." Natsuki shrugged her shoulders, washing her hands of the situation.

Yuri suddenly sat straight up in her seat, an epiphany suddenly hitting her. "We could do recitals of some famous literature from history!" Yuri quickly shied away after her noticed all her fellow members staring at her.

"Not bad..." Monika mused. "But at that point we might be stepping on the Drama Club's toes a bit."

"Oh... never mind then..." Yuri said as she deflated in her seat.

There was a few beats of silence before Sayori spoke up. "We could do what we always do."

"Explain." Monika commanded with a hitched eyebrow.

"Well we could spend a few weeks working on poems and share them with our guests."

"Hmm that's not bad..." Monika said while thinking on the idea.

"And we could hold an open mic for anyone interested in sharing some of their writing." Sayori added.

"Alright I'll sleep on these for now and let you all know when I've made a decision. Good job everyone, except Natsuki."

Natsuki only stuck her tongue out at her club president, which in turn earned her one back.

"Well that's all I had for you guys today, I guess your free to do whatever for the last twenty minutes."

The group fell into their normal patterns. Yuri was nose deep into a book, Natsuki retreated to her closet, Sayori used the time to catch up on her first hour work which she slept half way through. Naota was going to follow suite and get a head start on homework. He was interrupted when a loud exasperated grunt came from the closet. He watch with interest as Natsuki stomped out of the closet and went to the front of the classroom. She angrily grabbed the teacher's wheeled office chair before she shot Monika a heated stare.

"Yes?" Monika asked once she noticed Natsuki's stare.

"They got moved again!" Natsuki complained.

"Well I'm sorry about that but I'm not president of this room all the time." Monika pointed out.

"Well maybe your just not trying hard enough." Natsuki replied sarcastically.

"Right..." Monika said dismissively. "Just be careful in there."

Just like that homework became the least interesting thing in the world, if that were even possible. Naota rose from his seat to check out what Natsuki was doing. Peering into the closet he found the shorter girl standing on the swivel chair. She was reaching as far as she could to the shelve above her where her Parfait Girls box set had been moved. Naota watched in worry as every little unsteady movement threatened to send the pinkette to the ground. When watching her struggle became too much he finally entered, grabbing the arms rest to steady it. Things calmed down until his arm accidentally brushed a bare part of Natsuki's leg.

"Eiii! What was that?" Natsuki asked in a slight panic, unable to fully turn around with the heavy load in his arms.

"Relax Natsuki it's just me." Naota tried to calm his fellow club member.

"What are you doing!? Watch were your touching!" Natsuki commanded, blushing and trying not to panic further.

"Relax! Relax!" Naota pleaded, the chair becoming harder to control with Natsuki's wiggling. "I'm just trying to make sure you don't fall and snap your neck!"

Natsuki looked down to Naota and for a brief second she gave a warning stare. The momentary peace was soon broken when she realized the position the young man was in.

"WHERE ARE YOU LOOKING?" Natsuki suddenly shouted accusingly.

"What?" The chair suddenly coming back to life as Natsuki resumed panicking.

"Quit looking! Quit touching! Get out! Get out!" Natsuki shifted her weight to one foot, using the other to kick and prod Naota's head.

"Stop that you're gonna fall!" Naota tried to warn before taking a brown loafer to the side of the head.

The impact of the kick finally got Naota to break his grip on the chair as he put his arms up to guard his head. The next kick finally sent the chair rolling on impact and Natsuki finally lost her balance. Naota watched as the girl fell in slow motion.

With a painful crash the two were on the floor, manga scattered about them. The commotion was enough to grab the attention of the other three members. Monika, Yuri, and Sayori peered in to the small space, Naota still in a daze on the floor while Natsuki knelled nearby gathering and looking over manga.

"Oh my gosh are you guys okay?" Sayori was the first to speak.

"I'm alright I think." Naota said, only experiencing a little pain as he stood back up.

Natsuki stood straight soon after, her face still red and heated. She glared a death glare at the lone man in the room before reeling back and punching him as hard as she could in the upper arm. "What's with you?!" She shouted. "I thought you weren't a pervert!"

"I'm not!" Naota tried to rub the pain way from his bicep. "I didn't want you getting hurt."

"Yeah right! You saw a chance to perv on me and you took it!"

"This isn't some stupid plot point from a manga! I was just trying to help!" Naota did his best to defend himself.

"I knew having "King Perv" in this club was a huge mistake." Natsuki threw her hands in the air,

That's all I'll ever be huh? King Perv? With both inner and outer voices turning on him it wasn't long before Naota ran out of patience. "You know what? Forget this!" Naota huffed, pushing past the spectators and leaving the closet. "I'll be waiting out front Sayori." Naota said before leaving the classroom.

Natsuki just shook her head disapprovingly, as the rest of of the club looked on in awkward silence.

True to his word Sayori found him waiting near the front gate. She approached carefully as a embittered tone marred his features. "Hey buddy are you doing okay?"

Naota took a deep breath. "Yeah it's okay, I'll heal."

"That's good." Sayori followed Naota's lead as he started walking. "Do you want to talk about it? Need to get anything off your chest?"

Naota's first instinct was to brush his childhood friend off with another reassurance that he was fine. Instead he decided to try and vent a little. "I think I'm done with Natsuki." He quietly admitted.

"What?" Sayori's face instantly turned to worry. "What do you mean 'done with Natsuki'?"

"I just don't think we can be friends. I've tried my hardest for the last few weeks but I just don't think we're compatible enough to be friendly to one another."

"Does that mean your leaving the club?" Sayori fretted.

"No...no I wouldn't do that to the rest of you. But I think the best I can do with Natsuki is be amicable."

"Oh Naota..." Sayori worried aloud. "Please don't use today as an excuse to be a hermit."

Naota chuckled. "You worried I'm gonna crawl back to some hole in the wall?"

"Yeah I am." Sayori sighed. Her despondent look quickly vanished as she form a new idea. " I know! Where do you usually eat lunch?"

"No where specifically really. I usually just find a quiet room somewhere."

"Why don't you eat with me and Monika sometime? We eat in the lunchroom with a few other friends." Sayori suggested.

In truth Naota still didn't care much about making a bunch of new friends. But Sayori had been mostly right on how good the club was for him so far. "Sure, sounds like a plan." Naota agreed.

"Good, and don't forget to bring something tasty for lunch." Sayori cheered.

Naota could only laugh again, shooting Sayori a skeptical look. "Why would Sayori want me to bring something tasty I wonder..."

"I just want you to be happy and full I swear." Sayori waved her hands in front of her, as if she were waving away his suspicion.

Naota only laughed even harder. "Thanks Sayori."

"For what?"

"You always know how to lift me up when I'm feeling down. I'm glad to have a friend like you." Naota smiled for the first time in the last hour.

The compliment made the girl beam with a big grin. She silently waved goodbye as they reached Naota's house.

The next day Naota rushed to the lunch room as soon as his English class was over, lunch bag in hand. He never liked eating in the lunch room, things were too chaotic, too loud. He'd rather eat in peace and quiet, or gently chatting among a few friends. He had a promise he had to keep however. That and he earnestly thought it might help him forget the whole Natsuki situation for a while.

It wasn't long before he spotted Sayori as she excitedly waved him down to a table on the opposite side of the large room. As he approached she motioned to the seat across from her, which he quickly took. Like she promised Monika sat in the seat next to her. A boy with dark, slicked back hair sat next to Monika, and on Naota's side sat a blonde girl with a pixie cut and a long red haired girl.

"Naota! What tasty treat did you bring me today?" Sayori greeted as her friend sat down.

Naota retrieved his lunch from its bag with a flourish and a eye roll. "Tada! Chicken Ceaser Salad!"

"Ewwww, leafy greens?" Sayori pouted.

"Hey now, veggies are good for you, your body would thank you if you traded in some of your cookies and cakes with something green for once." Monika pointed out as she forked a a bite from her own salad.

"I'll have you know I get plenty of greens in my diet. There's mint ice cream and mint cupcakes..." Sayori countered, earning a laugh from the table.

"How has your day been so far Naota?" Monika asked as the laughter died down.

Naota opened his mouth to answer, pausing a moment when her heard the two girls next to him whisper to one another. "Fine so far, boring as ever."

"Well just make sure you keep with your studies. I can't have you coming to the club if you're slipping in other area's." Monika said, ever the serious one.

"Hey if Sayori can manage it I'm sure I can." Naota declared.

"So mean!" Sayori stuck her tongue out between bites of her sandwich.

After chewing a few more bites of his lunch something else came to Naota's mind. "Yuri and Natsuki don't eat with you guys?"

"Yuri finds somewhere quiet where she can eat at read at the same time." Sayori explained. "I have no idea what Natsuki does."

Naota nodded, it was probably for the better Natsuki wasn't here right now anyways. Once again hushed words and giggles were shared between the two girls next to him. Naota tried to brush off the annoyance and went back to his lunch.

A few more moment s of peaceful eating passed when the phone of the dark haired boy went off. He set aside his meal to check his text.

"Now Drama club is canceled again?" He exclaimed in disbelief, setting down his phone. "This is like the third time Anya's changed her mind! I'd pay money at this point to know what she's thinking."

"I think every man in the world pay money to know what women are thinking." Naota laughed, earning scowls from his fellow Literature Club members.

Again there were barely audible whispers coming from the two girls at his side.

Having enough of whatever was going on to his side Naota decided to speak up. "I'm sorry did did you guys say something?"

The two girls looked at each other before the blonde spoke up. "Even with the ability to read minds I don't think it would help you at this point." The blonde scoffed.

"Yeah, your only hope is to go after girls from other schools at this point." The red head added.

Monika shot the two a chiding look, to which the blonde shrugged and replied, "He started with the sexist remarks."

I can't even eat lunch without catching flak from people huh? This was a stupid idea, things haven't changed at all, Naota thought bitterly. Why did I even bother?

Raising from his seat Naota quickly thought of a excuse. "Hey I forgot that my chemistry teacher wanted to see me about something. So I need to head out." He didn't wait for a response before discarding his lunch and leaving the small group.

After depositing his Tupperware in his locker the lonely young man took to the halls, walking with no where in mind as he stewed in his self pity. After turning a random corner his thoughts were interrupted by loud voices and a familiar head of pink hair. Down the hall, by the vending machines two boys cornered Natsuki, who for some reason was in the process of standing up from being on her hands and knees.

"Used to being in that position? I gotta say suits you..." The first boy snickered.

"Yeah, I can think of some more useful things you can do down there other than scrounge for change." The second boy added.

"Dude, you'd probably get some poor person disease from Cinderella here." The first boy elbowed his friend.

"More like SHIT-erella, right?" The two cackled at the lame pun.

Natsuki balled her fists and clenched her teeth. "Why don't you get the fuck away from me before I neuter the both of you?" She quietly theatened.

The two goons didn't seemed very fazed by her outburst, but decided to start leaving anyway. "Whatever bitch! Come find us if you wanna earn some change!"

Naota waited a moment for the boys to leave before he approached Natsuki, who still shook with anger.

"What have you been doing back there? Enjoying the show?" Natsuki snapped as she noticed her fellow club member.

"No, I just know that you're more then capable of handling yourself." Naota rubbed his bruised bicep to illustrate his point.

The two shared a moment of silence, both refused to look at one another.

"So what was all that about?" Naota finally asked.

"Not..nothing really. I dropped my change somewhere earlier and those two caught me looking for some underneath the machines. Then they decided to be ass-hats about it

"Having a vending machine lunch today?" Naota asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's really not any of your business but it's shopping day and I didn't have anything to bring to lunch today." Natsuki half lied. In truth it was rarely shopping day at her house.

Naota hand's disappeared into his pockets, emerging once again with his wallet. He fished out a five dollar bill and offered it to the girl.

Natsuki eyed the offering with minor disgust like it was an insult. "What's this supposed to be?"

The events of his lunch had already taken it toll on Naota, he didn't really have the energy for another fight right now. "This is..." he thought hard for a moment. "an offering, and an apology. And one last attempt to help a friend before I give up." He stated curtly.

Natsuki looked to the bill and then back to Naota. Honestly she couldn't say she felt much for the young man in front of her. He just kind of bumbled his way into a small aspect of her life. He seemed honest in his efforts when he tried to connect with people. He still needed some work on his social skills was all. Although she hated to admit it, something slightly bothered her when he mentioned this was 'one last attempt.'"

In a move that surprised both of them Natsuki's hand shyly and slowly grabbed the offering in front of her. "Thanks, I owe you."

Naota just nodded and gave the girl some space while she made her selections. He spoke up when he saw she was done. "So where do you usually eat?"

"Follow me I'll show ya."

The two ended up in the school's courtyard, there was a large, decorative fountain in the center. With benches scattered about it was usually a popular place to hang out, but with the approaching fall weather more and more students elected to stay inside. Naota noted that the sun was still strong and warm today, so the two should be fine as long as they stayed in the light.

Natsuki must of thought the same thing as she chose a spot away from the fountain but still in the sun. She wasted no time and opened her bag of chips as soon as she sat down. "What about you?" She asked between bites.

"Hmm?"

"Did you eat something for lunch?" Natsuki asked, trying not to show too much concern.

"I ate a little, I was actually eating with Monika, Sayori and their friends..." Naota trailed off.

"Oh yeah? Why aren't you eating with them now?"

"They started judging me based on some stupid rumor and I just had enough of that crap."

Natsuki swallowed the food in her mouth hard. She had brought up those rumors when they first met hadn't she? "That sucks." She said sheepishly.

Naota rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Before we met what did you exactly hear about me?"

Natsuki finished the bag of chips by this point. She set the trash aside and moved on to her granola bar as she tried to remember. "You dated Megumi last year, right?" She asked between bites. She already knew the answer. They were one of the first official couples in their grade. Natsuki was sure she'd seen them leaving the school hand in hand a few times.

"Yeah..."

"Well I heard the reason she broke up with you is because you kept asking her to do something dirty with you. Like really pervy stuff." Natsuki admitted, giving Naota the side eye.

Naota exhaled hard, dismayed by the audacity other people had to spread such baseless rumors. "That's not fair." Naota said quietly.

"What's not fair?" Natsuki asked.

Naota hung his head as bad memories slowly resurfaced in his mind. "I don't even know why she broke up with me."

"What do you mean?" Natsuki forgot about her food for a moment as her interest piqued.

"We dated for a few months last year and I thought everything was going great. Then spring break comes along and she wouldn't call me back or even text me. The next time I see her she's with another guy." Naota recalled.

"Really? You were ghosted?"

"Pretty much..."

"Damn, I didn't think Megumi the type to do that." Natsuki pondered, finally breaking into her granola bar that she bought. "I guess rumors are just stupid in general."

Naota looked to the young woman in disbelief. "Really? After weeks of giving me crap that's your stance now?"

Natsuki's face lit up like a fire upon being called out like that. "Well... your not gonna believe the stuff those guys earlier said about me right?"

"Of course not."

"Then maybe I should take a page from your book and give you the benefit of the doubt when it comes to this rumor crap." Natsuki shrugged.

Before the conversation could carry on the school bells rang. Lunch was officially over and it was time for students to get to their next class.

"Crap!" Natsuki didn't notice so much time had passed. The last of her granola bar was devoured in seconds. "Thanks again, remember I owe you!" She said before jetting of towards her next class, leaving a befuddled Naota in her dust.

After weeks of trying to make a connection with the pink haired woman to no avail... Did that just happen?