After performing their respective poems for the day, the members of the Literature Club gathered around Monika. Natsuki leaned up against the desk next to Yuri and crossed her arms, shooting a dissatisfied squint in Sayori's direction. Sayori, oblivious to the look she was receiving (or maybe she was just trying to ignore it), bounced back and forth on the balls of her feet excitedly. Yuri remained seated at her desk, but looked rather uncomfortable at the prospect of having three people standing over her.
Sayori smiled sweetly at Monika, who, try as she might, couldn't find it in her to meet her eyes. How on Earth did she do it? Monika had clearly upset her yesterday, so how could she smile so warmly today? Had she gotten over it that quickly? Or was she just that good at concealing her true emotions from others?
Monika decided not to think too hard about that last thought. She cleared her throat and began to speak.
"Okay, everyone!" she said with a snap of her fingers. "I've got a special assignment for you all! It's about the festival on Monday."
"Oh, yeah, that's Monday," Natsuki said. "Wait, does that mean that we have to do stuff over the weekend?"
"Don't worry, it'll be a breeze," Monika said. "Your job is to bake as cupcakes. We need a lot of them, and in as many different flavors as possible, too…do you think you can handle that?"
Natsuki smiled. "Naturally! I'm a pro at baking."
Monika chuckled. "If you say so. Now, Yuri," she said, turning to Yuri. "You have really pretty handwriting. Do you think that you could work on the visual decorations like posters and streamers?"
Yuri nodded without picking her eyes up from her desk. "Yes, I believe so."
"Perfect!" Monika clapped her hands together. "That leaves me and Sayori to work on the poetry pamphlets together. I assume you're okay with designing them?" she asked, addressing Sayori.
Sayori nodded and struck a pose. "I'll grab the reader's attention and never let it go!"
Monika chuckled. "Then I'll help to print and organize them with you. And…well, I think that's it!" Monika huffed and smiled, more than a little relieved that she was able to get through that little speech without any major mishaps. "Of course, everyone will also have to work on their performance poems, so good luck with those, too. But with that, this meeting is – "
"Hey, hold on a minute!" Natsuki shouted. "We're performing?"
"Well…yes, naturally," Monika replied. "Every club has got to get up on stage and do something for the finale, so it would stand to reason that – "
"I'm not doing that," Natsuki said firmly, cutting Monika off for the second time.
"Um…" Monika fidgeted awkwardly. That was awfully up front, even for Natsuki. "C-Could you maybe, um, reconsider? For the good of the club?"
Natsuki's frown deepened. "No."
Monika gulped. "If it's an issue of confidence, I'm sure you'll do just fine."
"I could if I wanted to!" Natsuki snapped indignantly. She sighed and looked off to the side. "Just drop it, okay? I'm not performing and that's that."
"O-Okay," Monika said. Should she press her further? She really didn't want to upset her friend, but at the same time, they needed as many people to perform as possible. But while she was still considering her options, Yuri raised her hand tentatively.
Monika looked at her. "What is it, Yuri?"
"Um…" Yuri mumbled. "I'd rather not perform as well, if that's okay…"
Monika slumped over. "You too? But you have such a great speaking voice when you get into it!"
"I just…" Yuri trailed off and looked away, lost for words.
Natsuki rolled her eyes. "You're getting worried over nothing, Yuri. You'd do fine."
"I-It's not that, I just…" Yuri blinked and looked up at Natsuki. "You really think I'd do okay?"
Natsuki's cheeks lit up bright red. "I – um – shut up." She crossed her arms and turned pointedly away from Yuri.
Monika gave Natsuki a curious look before turning back to Yuri. "Well, Natsuki seems to believe in you, and I do, too."
"And I do, three!" Sayori said, pumping her fists up into the air. "You're the queen of epic poetry! If you performed on Monday, people would pay attention to us for sure!"
Yuri shrunk down in her seat. "Please don't speak so loudly," she said firmly.
Sayori, surprised at Yuri's sudden reaction and response, fell silent. Yuri sighed.
"It just…wouldn't be good," she finally managed. "I don't have anything that's worth reading right now. And if I were to try writing something specifically for the festival, it wouldn't turn out good."
Monika frowned. "Because of that other poem that you're working on right now?"
Yuri fidgeted and nodded.
Monika sighed. "Do you think there's any way that you could finish it for Monday?"
Yuri whined and hung her head. "I just don't know anymore…"
Sayori leaned over the distressed girl apprehensively. "Hey, Yuri, it's okay. You don't have to do it if it's this hard for you."
Monika gazed down at Yuri sympathetically. "Sayori's right. But…we do need as many people to perform as possible."
Sayori looked up at Monika with an expression that was somewhere between worried and tense. Was she trying to tell her something? Monika looked at her vice-president questioningly, but continued anyways, looking back at Yuri, who was sinking farther down into her chair with every passing second. "It's your decision, Yuri. I'll only ask one more time – can you finish your poem by Monday?"
Yuri mumbled incomprehensibly, and an awkward silence ensued during which Sayori shot Monika a stern look. Monika raised up her hands and mouthed "What?" in her direction.
"I think you could do it…" Natsuki mumbled, arms still crossed, body still turned resignedly away from the group.
All three club members turned to Natsuki in surprise. "W-What?" stuttered Yuri.
Natsuki scowled. "Well, I was just thinking, when you get really inspired about something, you just write and write until you drop dead. So I said, I think that you'd be able to do it! Don't make me repeat myself!"
Yuri looked at Natsuki almost reverently for a moment before nodding to herself. She took a deep breath, and when she spoke again, her voice was steady and sure. "Okay. I'll have my poem finished by Monday."
Monika smiled. "That's the spirit! And Sayori and I will perform with you, right?" Monika looked at Sayori, who nodded and smiled cheerily. Monika's own smile wavered. It was like those weird looks that she'd received a minute ago hadn't even happened.
Monika shook off her uncertainty and clapped her hands together. "Awesome! Then we're done for the day. Good luck with all of your assignments, everyone, and I'll see you on Monday morning!"
Her club members nodded and went their separate ways, except for Sayori, who hopped over to be closer to Monika.
"You seem really excited for the festival," Sayori said, still grinning.
"I guess you could say that," Monika said with a nervous smile. "Do you think that went well, just now? Giving everyone their assignments?"
"Mhm!" Sayori said with a quick nod. "By the way, are you doing anything this afternoon?"
"Um…no, not that I know of. Why?" asked Monika.
Sayori's smile didn't waver. "Let's walk home together. There's something I want to talk to you about."