Shoko Komi's Ultimate Challenge

by Ulquiorra9000

Communication 15: tell a story or two

"Heeeeeey, Tadano! I've got an idea!" Najimi Osana cried one day in homeroom. They skipped right over to Hitohito's seat, all smiles. "This time, I'm positive you can make it to the mall with me and my friends tomorrow. And we'll get ice cream! And take a billion selfies! With the right filters, even you can look good!"

Hitohito grinned. "Sorry, Najimi, but I'm booked. Literally."

Najimi's face fell. "Huuuuuh?"

"Once a month, I volunteer to read to the kids at the local library," Hitohito explained. "It was my mom's idea, and it's actually pretty fun. The kids think I'm a great storyteller."

Shoko made a tiny smile at this pleasant thought. How wonderful, Hitohito taking time to make kids happy like that! But as for Najimi...

"Bleh!" Najimi blew a raspberry. "Fine, I'll play DDR and the claw game without you. I won't give you any of my prizes even if you beg!"

Hitohito gave his friend a knowing look.

"Oh, fine. I'll give you one," Najimi conceded. They turned to Shoko. "Hey, Komi. Can you make it? Come on, girl, live a little!"

Shoko anxiously twisted her hands in her lap, unsure whether to make her next big move. This was scary! But then she saw the cheerful look on Hitohito's face, and once again imagined him reading to a group of cheering kids. She made up her mind at once.

I'll go with Tadano, Shoko declared with her notebook.

Najimi stared. "What now? You're goin' to the library?!"

I want to read to the kids, too! Shoko nervously stated. It will be my new challenge. I must read at least one story the kids like!

Hitohito beamed. "That's a great idea, Komi! I look forward to it."

Shoko nodded, and then she saw the crafty grin spreading across Najimi's face. Uh-oh.

"It's a date! Woo-hoo, would ya look at that!" Najimi clapped their hands together, and Shoko jumped. "Well, don't let me get in the way, lovebirds! Have fun getting dirty in the library. Heh heh heh..." They skipped off again to find someone else to pester.

Shoko glanced away from Hitohito, but not before she saw the bright red blush on his face, and Shoko felt her face grow warm, too. She clapped her hands to her cheeks and stared at the corner of the room, wondering if she had gone too far this time. Was she ready for a date?!

Hold on, this wasn't a real date; Najimi was just messing around. But what if it was a warm-up for real dates in the future? Shoko was super excited about it... and apprehensive, too.

One challenge at a time for now.

*o*o*o*o*

Shoko Komi liked how quiet libraries could be; she could easily lose herself in a book there, and she already knew that from experience, in fact. But this time, her visit to the public library would be a unique one. Today, she will entertain a crowd of youngsters and capture their imagination with her tales.

If she can manage to speak! Stay cool, Shoko...

"All right, kids! Say hello to Mr. Tadano!" the kind librarian said when everyone got together, and the kids cheered. Hitohito sat on a fold-out chair with a few children's books in hand, while two dozen kids sat in a cluster in front of him. Meanwhile, Shoko stood by Tadano's side, her heart thumping with mixed excitement and anxiety. There were so many eyes fixed on Hitohito! If he messed up, so many people would hear it, and there would be no going back. And what if -

Hitohito got started.

"Story #1: The Tanuki's Gift," Hitohito said cheerfully. He cleared his throat. "So, there was once a Buddhist priest who spent his days praying in his little hut by the road, and people gave him gifts to support him. One cold evening, a tanuki visited, and the priest welcomed it inside. The next night, the tanuki visited again, and the priest welcomed it inside to stay warm. From that point on, every winter night for ten years, the Buddhist priest welcomed the tanuki into his hut to stay warm by the fire and sleep."

Shoko felt chills go down her spine as Hitohito captivated her with his words. Not because a children's story was that exciting, but because of the way Hitohito told this story, with palpable enthusiasm and good humor. Shoko could tell just how much Hitohito enjoyed entertaining these kids, and his every word seemed to glow with that benevolent passion. Incredible!

"After ten years, the tanuki asked the priest how to repay him for his kindness," Hitohito continued. "The priest said that he wanted three gold coins to pay for enough prayers to get into Paradise, so the tanuki left. For a long time, the priest didn't see the tanuki again, until it came back with three gold coins it had made from gold ore. The overjoyed priest realized that, more than coins, he wanted the gift of friendship, and that's what the tanuki had given him. The end."

Hitohito paused for dramatic effect, and the kids clapped and cheered.

"I want a tanuki, too!" one little girl declared.

"Dummy, you can't keep them as pets!" a boy said snidely.

"Can too!" the girl insisted.

Shoko had no idea who was right.

"Okay, story #2: The Tale of the Lucky Cat," Hitohito announced, and he told the story, once again earning a round of cheers at the end. Then the moment came: Hitohito stood up and offered the book to Shoko.

Shoko made a little gasp and stared at the book, her heart racing even more. What if she wasn't ready?
"I know you can do this. I believe in you," Hitohito told her with a quick smile.

With trembling hands, Shoko accepted the book, delicately sat on the fold-out chair, and nervously toyed with her hair a bit to buy time. She was intensely aware of everyone watching her, including the librarian; what if Shoko messed up? So many people would hear it, and there would be no going back. And what if -

You can do this, Olympian.

Shoko took a deep breath, chose her favorite story, then imagined herself actually visiting the fairy tale world, watching the characters in action. She wasn't sitting in a library; she was in the story, surrounded by fantasy. She just had to describe what she saw.

"There... ahem... there was once... an old wood-cutter and his wife... who lived in a village by a stream," Shoko slowly and carefully said. In real time, she could see the storybook tale unfolding around her like magic. She could do this! "And they found a giant peach floating down the stream one day, and brought it into their house. A boy emerged from the peach, and the wood-cutter and his wife named him Momotaro, the boy of the peach..."

And on she went, spinning the tale of Momotaro the strong hero who volunteered to visit the island with his monkey, dog, and pheasant friends to slay the monsters there with his sword and return peace to the land. By the time Shoko finished, she forgot that she was actually in a library surrounded by youngsters, and she jumped out of her seat when the kids erupted into cheers.

"She's even better than Mr. Tadano!" a boy declared.

"You're just saying that 'cause she's so pretty!" a girl teased him.

"Am not!" the boy cried, going pink. A few other kids laughed.

She did it! Shoko sighed with relief and put a hand to her racing heart, hardly daring to believe that she had just told her favorite story from her childhood to a group of kids she had just met. She never would have dreamed of this a month ago! She almost wished her mother had been here to see this, since Shuko loved to read stories to her daughter all the time, years ago. Maybe that helped Shoko do the same for these youngsters now.

Anyway, that was all in the past. Time for another story! Shoko volunteered to read another, the story of the crane girl, and she once again earned a round of cheers and applause. Shoko felt numb with excitement when she finally stood up and handed the book back to Hitohito, who was all smiles before he resumed reading to the kids. He had plenty more stories to share.

"That was seriously cool, Komi," Hitohito said excitedly when he and his friend headed home from the library half an hour later. "You've come a long way since that day we became friends. Remember that, when we 'talked' on the chalkboard? I'm really proud of you."

Shoko nodded modestly. "Th... thank you, Tadano," said softly. "I had... I had fun today."

"Me, too. It feels good to give back to society," Hitohito said fondly. He went pink. "Okay, so, um... see you at school tomorrow!" He waved and hurried down a side street to his home, and Shoko took another direction to walk home as she checked off today's challenge. She would never forget the look on those kids' faces, not ever. Perhaps she once looked like that when Shuko told her stories in her childhood. She hoped so.