Shoko Komi's Ultimate Challenge

by Ulquiorra9000

Communication 38: how I see you

Shoko Komi thought it was no big deal to return Ren Yamai's silk handkerchief one day in homeroom, but her yandere friend had other ideas.

"Oh my gosh, girls! Look! My handkerchief... blessed by Komi!" Ren made a face of sheer ecstasy as her giggling friends watched her rub it all over her own face with trembling hands. Ren was practically salivating!

Well, that was enough of that. Shoko scampered back to her desk and took her seat as Hitohito Tadano watched with more than a little amusement. And concern.

"Ren Yamai... she really likes you, huh?" Hitohito said with an awkward smile.

Shoko nodded, unsure what else to say. Ren Yamai's expression said everything Shoko needed to know! But wait a minute...

"She didn't bother you, did she?" Hitohito asked.

Shoko whispered "no," then gasped in shock when she saw the warm, cheerful expression on her friend's face. Hitohito's admittedly plain face looked so... comforting, so compassionate. How did he do it?

In math class, Shoko actually tried not to laugh when Najimi made a bizarre expression with a loud "bleeeeeeh!" to break the silence, and later, in gym class, Rumiko Manbagi looked so annoyed and exasperated when she complained about the chores her mom kept making her do at home. Then Shoko spotted the smug arrogance on Nakanaka's face when the latter boasted about her new cosplay Tweeter account, and a challenge took place in Shoko's mind.

Shoko examined her own reflection in the girls' bathroom mirror and brushed aside her bangs. She leaned closer, trying to see if she could read her own expression. But she didn't see much aside from her typically blank, calm look. It was a lot like Shosuke's, honestly, and Shoko always wondered what her little brother was thinking. Time to set an example with this new challenge:

Practice ten facial expressions!

"Hey, Komi. What's new?"

Shoko squeaked in alarm and whirled around to find Nene Onemine barging right in, a cheerful look on her face. How much did Nene see? She had to get out of here!

"Whoa, whoa! You don't have to look so scared, Komi. It's all right," Nene assured her, gesturing with both hands. "I won't bite. I ain't Ren Yamai, haha!" She beamed.

Inspired, Shoko turned around and tried to recapture that feeling of awkward alarm and shock. Hmmmm, maybe like that... raise the eyebrows... adjust the lips...

"Did I scare you that much? Sorry, Komi," Nene said. She gently took hold of Shoko's shoulders. "Are you having a rough day? Are you on edge?"

It was so nice of Nene to ask! But Shoko was already over the fright. She just wanted to capture that expression, and now she had it! Shoko even clasped her hands under her chin, acting like a terrified maiden to complete the look. She looked like a T-Rex was about to gobble her up!

That made 1/10. Shoko admired her handiwork, then relaxed her face and scribbled a note for Nene: I'm practicing making ten different expressions, Nene. I decided to try fear first. How did I do?

Nene read the note, then beamed once again. "Wow, Komi! That was awesome. You're like an actress."

What should I try next?

Nene gently patted Shoko's heart. "Whatever you feel in here, Komi. Or whatever expressions your loved ones make."

Komi nodded and took her leave. Time for nine more!

*o*o*o*o*

"Shoko, dear, could you help me prepare dinner?" Shuko Komi called out later that evening at home. "I'm a bit overwhelmed in here! And Shosuke, could you get out the bowls, plates, and cups? Thanks, dear!"

Shosuke was unreadable as ever as he sullenly got up from the couch to help his mother prepare for dinner. Shoko, meanwhile, gladly joined her mother in the kitchen and helped chop up some vegetables.

"Shosuke's always so moody, isn't he?" Shuko joked as they prepared dinner together. She made a bright smile. "But I'm happy you're so glad to help me, Shoko. I like a go-getter!"

Shuko looked so radiant! Such genuine happiness! Shoko remembered Nene's words, then took a deep breath. This wouldn't be easy...

She tried a smile, and -

"Oh my, Shoko! Is that a grimace?" Shuko asked as she added chopped vegetables to the boiling pot of water.

Shoko gasped and worked her face a bit more. She tried to picture her own mother's warm happiness and enthusiasm, then made a face to match. Oh, this felt really weird! But Shoko was sure she got it this time. She beamed radiantly, just like her mother.

Shuko gasped and nearly dropped her ladle. She blushed. "Sh-Shoko! What a beautiful smile! I... I don't think I've ever seen you like this before!" She clapped a hand on her cheek.

Shoko dropped the smile before her facial muscles got a cramp. "I just wanted to try it, mom," she explained in a half-whisper.

That was when Shoko actually dropped the ladle and wrapped her daughter in a tight hug. "Shoko, you look so beautiful when you smile like that! Can I see that smile again sometime? Please?"

This made 2/10, and Shoko managed another half-smile as she answered, "Okay, mom."

"Sometime" came pretty quick.

"Dear, Shosuke, you won't believe what Shoko did earlier," Shuko said excitedly when the four Komis tucked in for dinner.

What did she do? Masayoshi's expression wondered politely.

Shuko giggled. "Show 'em, Shoko."

What, right now?! But... no, this is challenge time! And Shoko's own family would understand, right? Shoko took a deep breath, then managed that smile again.

Ah, what a radiant smile. You look just like your mother when you do that, Shoko, Masayoshi thought proudly. I hope you smile like that when you graduate high school. It'll be a proud moment for all of us.

Shoko turned to share that smile with her brother, who froze in shock like a deer in headlights. What the...? he clearly thought.

Shuko giggled again. "Isn't that something, Shosuke? You try it now!"

Shosuke rolled his eyes and kept eating. No way, mom.

"Do it, and I'll give you double dessert!"

Shosuke paused again, clearly thinking it over. Then he turned to his mother, twitched his lips, then smiled.

Shoko was reminded of that 1990s movie where the killer robot tried smiling when that boy asked him to. It... didn't work.

"That's... good," Shuko said with a slightly forced smile in return. "Perhaps you could practice in front of a mirror. Have fun with it!"

Shosuke mercifully droppeed the smile and resumed eating. Masayoshi, meanwhile, was a master of smiling with his eyes, so he had no need to bother practicing.

Shoko's face was already sore when she went to bed, but she took that as a good sign. This was working!

*o*o*o*o*

The next day in class, Nakanaka Omoharu was in a sour mood, based on her dragon force's moodiness, so Shoko approached her with a note: What's wrong?

Nakanaka made a bitter sigh. "I tried a new cosplay and posted it online, but these creepy jerks made fun of me and said it was trash! Ruined my whol evening! I couldn't even enjoy playing Swamp Bros. against the AI!"

Shoko, who had already challenged herself with cosplay twice now, sympathized with Nakanaka like never before. Instead of comforting her friend with another note, Shoko patted Nakanaka's back and offered a warm, caring look of compassion. She tried to put I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you feel better onto her face, and...

Nakanaka's un-eyepatched eye glittered with joy. "K-Komi, I'm so glad you understand! My dragon force is reborn!" She clapped a hand to her heart.

Shoko made a modest smile and returned to her desk, where an amazed Hitohito gave her a look.

"Whoa, you're on point today," he commented.

Shoko gave him a Shuko Komi-style smile, and Hitohito nearly jumped out of his seat in shock.

It was working!

Next, at gym class, the pink-haired Makeru Yadano stomped over to Shoko and pointed at her. "This time, I'm gonna crush you at volleyball, Komi!" she declared. "I bribed the gym coach with a stick of gum so we'd be on opposite teams! Prepare for destruction!"

"Oooooooh. You gonna take that, Komi?" Netsuno Chika asked. Even Nene and Kaede were watching with interest.

Shoko clenched a fist and pointed right back at Makeru, straining herself to look intimidating and fierce for the first time in her life, as though saying I challenge you right back!

Makeru stumbled back, eyes wide in alarm. "Wh-whoa, cool it, Komi," she cried. "It's just a game! Haha..." She turned and wandered off.

"Holy cow, Komi! Up top!" Netsuno offered a high-five that Shoko timidly returned. "That was 600 degrees, easy! I just witnessed your war face!"

War? Shoko was a lover, not a fighter! But this did make 4/10, and she wasn't done yet!

Next, at lunch, Shoko found Ren Yamai talking about her weekend plans with her friends, and then Ren spotted Shoko.

"Komi! Come join us!" Ren cried, waving her over. So, Shoko bashfully joined them, only for Ren to boast some more about those awesome weekend plans.

"Now it's your turn, my princess," Ren told Shoko brightly. "What are your weekend plans? What does my favorite girl do with her free time?"

Shoko noted the smug, cocky look on Ren's face and decided to borrow it. She took a few seconds to prepare, then put on a face that haughtily declared Hmph! Wouldn't you like to know? Then she turned and walked off.

"Whooooooo! Did you see that, girls? Komi's got a special weekend planned! I'm not worthy to hear about it!" Ren cried excitedly behind Shoko's back. Then a boy from another class approached Shoko.

"Hey, um, have you seen my pencil case? I dropped it... never mind!" The boy took one look at Shoko and scampered off.

What the...? Shoko felt her face, then realized she was still wearing Ren Yamai's smug, arrogant look! Eeeek! Shoko put her face back to normal and shook her head to clear her mind. Enough funny faces for today. She'd do the rest tomorrow!

*o*o*o*o*

And sure enough...

"You sure look like you're ready to ace this test, Komi," Shinobino whispered to her in math class when the teacher passed out today's big algebra test. "I wish I had your confidence!"

Shoko's confident expression was a success! Then she played soccer with her class outdoors for PE, only to slip on the damp grass and flop onto the ground, so she made a furious scowl despite feeling only slight annoyance. Then, at lunch...

"Oooooh. You look like you're floating on a cloud, Komi," Kaede said dreamily when they met up in the lunch line. "You're totally at peaaaaace..."

Shoko Komi's "dreamy, vaguely happy" expression was a slam dunk! Then...

"Ah! So my comedy routine is amusing! Very good! Swell! So grand!" Naruse Shisuto declared when Shoko made a polite laugh and a deeply amused expression while Naruse shared his not-so-great jokes with her. Naruse evidently dreamed of being a stand-up comedian, but for now, Shoko would just cheer him up by looking like she was laughing. But she needed one more facial expression to practice...

She was out of ideas!

Shoko kept brainstorming, but when class let out, she was stuck at 9/10, and that just didn't feel right. She needed last-minute inspiration! Anywhere! Somehow!

"Hey, Komi. Going straight home?" a pleasantly familiar voice asked.

Shoko whirled around to find Hitohito Tadano standing there, grinning happily in the late afternoon sun as a light breeze picked up. He seemed eager to hear Shoko's answer.

Shoko felt her heart skip a beat, and she clapped a hand to her mouth. What was this feeling? It was...

"Yes. I'm going home. See you tomorrow," Shoko said when she lowered her hand. She couldn't help making a friendly face to match Hitohito's own, and to her surprise, two third-year girls passed by and whispered to each other when they saw Shoko. They broke out into giggles and hurried along.

Hitohito took a step back, his eyes wide, and he went red as a tomato. "I'll... see you tomorrow, Komi! H-have a good evening!" He also hurried along, leaving a very confused Shoko behind.

Then Shoko reached up and felt her face. Ah-ha! So that was it. This was Shoko's 10th and final expression, and oh my... what an expression it was! This face positively shouted its message from the rooftops!

Shoko squeaked in alarm, shook her head, and hurried home. Challenge complete! Now to get home before her overwhelmed heart exploded with joy!