Chapter 3: Clubroom Antics

*Ring* *Ring* *Ring*

Ugh... another day of waking up to that stupid alarm. I know if i don't use it I greatly risk over sleeping, with my mom not being around to help me wake up. But still, that alarm is loud and jarring. I slump out of bed and get my school attire ready as I go to the bathroom. I check my phone to see if there are any new notifications and there are some new messages from the group chat.

...Oh yeah! The group chat. I felt too distracted to really bother paying attention to that. But now that I'm feeling relaxed, lets see what's going on. ...It would appear that all these messages were sent yesterday evening.

Natsuki: Really Sayori? You brought him into the group chat?

Sayori: Uh, yeah. What's wrong with that?

Natsuki: It's just that... I dunno. I'm so used to the club being a girl only thing. It's weird now that a boy has joined.

Monika: It's only weird if you make it weird. :)

Yuri: Honestly Natsuki, I'm surprised you're not excited to talk to him. I did catch him saying that he reads manga.

Natsuki: Don't say that in this group chat now that he's in it!

Sayori: Please, Natsuki. At least try to make friends with Markus. I know it may seem difficult for you but all of us believe in your abilities to interact with our new club member.

Yuri: I concur. I don't like seeing fighting in the clubroom...

Natsuki: ...Alright, fine. But I'm not promising that I'll enjoy it.

Monika: Just promise that you'll try. That's all a club president could ask.

Is it too late for me to reply to this conversation. I mean maybe it is but I should make my prescience more known in it. I'll shower and contemplate this decision.

After walking down the stairs, phone in hand, I open the group chat again and begin typing.

Markus: I'm down to hang out with you in the club Natsuki. If you're feeling up to it that is.

I set my phone down to go grab a quick bite to eat. Honestly, today seems like a toast day. Something quick and easy. I turn back to my phone to see a new notification.

Natsuki: Alright, see you at the clubroom then.

Sayori: See Natsuki. Isn't it fun to do something nice and caring?

...No response from Natsuki. That girl is very mysterious isn't she. I have no idea what her problem even is with me! Then again, I have to question this about everyone I tried to be friends with in my past. I shudder at the thought.

It's okay. I never have to go back.

I take some deep breaths and march out the door with my backpack. After taking a turn off the front yard, I begin my stroll to school. Such a peaceful day might I add. A gorgeous sky with little clouds littering the sky. Quite the sight I must-

"Hey Markus!"

"Ah!" I yelp and turn to my right and I see Sayori walking next to me.

"Bet you didn't expect to see me, did you?" She says with her usual cheery smile.

"I mean, uh, maybe? I have no idea what time you leave for school."

She giggles a bit. "It's not off the norm for me to oversleep actually..." Her smile falters a bit. "But ever since the new year started, I've been motivated... a little anyways."

"Well that's good." I say to reassure her. "But have you ever considered getting a alarm clock? I promise you, those things are cursed in a good way."

Her smile returns to normal. "Believe me, I tried to get a clock. But for some reason they all don't work for me."

"...Did you try plugging it in." I say in a attempt to make a joke.

"You're so silly Markus!" She giggles behind her hand. Now I'm a little flattered she found it funny. But also, my joke felt lame anyways so... I guess I'll take her response for now.

I look at my the time on my phone. "We got 20 minutes to make it Sayori. Let's get a move-on!" I hasten my steps with her trailing next to me. There's something about Sayori that's so... unique. ...Wait, am I feeling envious? I mean, I wouldn't rule that out entirely... But there's something about her ability to speak openly without fear of anything. Its honestly a really respectable trait. And it is sure as hell endearing.

We climb the awful staircase and enter the school. While my memory may not be the best I remember my first class is on the second floor, east wing. Seems like I can make it on time.

I turn to face Sayori. "See you in the clubroom?"

Her eyes lit up. "Yeah! See you there!" I raise my fist up for her to bump it. After our exchange we head off to start the agony that is school.

Three, two, one... I count silently in my head as I know the last bell is about to ring. And now it's off to the club for me. After yet another painful hike up the stairs I turn the corner and see the door. This school isn't as confusing to navigate as I thought.

The first one to greet me today was Monika. "Hey Markus! Glad to see you didn't run away on us."

"Nah." I wave my hand dismissively. "I have a feeling this club will be a lot of fun." She smiles sweetly at me. Dang, that constant sheer beauty that resonates off of her... The fact that she is such a caring and sweet individual is a little... nice I suppose.

As I go to take a seat, Yuri walks up to me. "Hello Markus." She said with a little bit of shyness in her voice.

I smile at her. "What's up Yuri?"

"Well, I can understand how difficult it is to join a club that doesn't exactly line up with your hobbies. It can a feel a bit scary, not knowing what will happen." She shudders a bit. "S-so I realized that I didn't w-want you to feel left out so I b-bought you something." She goes into her backpack and pulls out a book. The novel in question has a menacing eye on the front cover, with the words 'portrait of markov.' I'm guessing this story revolves around horror?

"Yuri, thanks! I will definitely give this a read."

She lets out a breath she's been holding and calms down. "I'm glad." She turns away slightly and plays twiddles some of her hair between her fingers. "I-if you wanted to even, we could... Discuss it?"

This is... How is this girl accidently being so cute? There's only so much I can take before I pass out on the floor. "I would love to discuss it with you."

"Oh no you don't." I feel someone grabbing my arm and I see its Natsuki dragging me to the back of the clubroom near the closet. "Remember your promise, Markus?" Oh yeah, we were going to hang out today weren't we?

I turn to the direction that Yuri is at. "Sorry Yuri, I have prior obligations." I shoot her a sympathetic smile.

"It's quite alright Markus." She looks away and hides behind her hair.

I speak up again. "If you want to I can read some on my own time and we can discuss it."

Her eyes lit up at that prospect. "That would be... most lovely." I can't help but notice her face turning red behind her hair. I smile softly at her shyness and I turn to Natsuki.

"Well then, what did you want to do?" I ask her politely. She goes into the closet to retrieve a colorful book with four girls on the front page all striking a cutesy pose.

"So you read manga, right?" She looks expectantly at me. Now I do read manga in my spare time, its just that I only ever read the Pokémon ones. Also, why is she asking me this? Does that mean...?

"Yes I read manga." I reply. "I'm a little shocked that someone like you would."

Her eyes narrow a bit. "What is that supposed to mean, dummy?"

Ah crap, now I feel embarrassed. "Oh, u-um, I didn't mean for that to sound rude. It's just I've never met anyone that would read manga. All because people have this mindset that its for children or something..."

"Exactly!" She exclaims. "Manga is for everyone, not just for kids."

Monika, who is sitting in a desk nearby over hears this. "Natsuki, we have this discussion time and time again. Manga is by definition, literature. It doesn't mean it's true literature."

"Yes the hell it is!" She says while putting her hands on her sides.

Yuri glares at Natsuki. "Watch the language, please..."

Natsuki turns away and grumbles under her breath. "Sorry, I guess."

I shrug. "It's fine, all is forgiven." I look at the closet and I see a few box sets. "Wow, that's a decent collection of manga you have in there."

"Yeah... It's whatever, I guess." She replies looking down at the floor.

You know, seeing all this manga in here has me wondering. "Hey Natsuki, if you don't mind me asking, why are you keeping your manga collection in here?"

She looks up at me and doesn't know what to say. "I just want my manga easier to access, that's all, okay?" She says with a bit of a voice crack at the end. I then see her walking to the windows and sitting on the floor. "Now sit here so we can read this!" She seemed eager to shift topics like that. But if she doesn't want to say what her reasons are, then why should I pry?

I sit on the floor with her and examine the manga. "Parfait girls, huh?" Due to the artwork on the cover, it makes the manga seem a little 'moe.'

"The series starts off slow but it's only because of character introductions and whatnot." She explains. Gotta say, it's kinda cute how excited she is to share this. I wonder if she would be happy if I shared my manga with her.

A little time has passed and I must say, this manga has been... intriguing. Dare i say, I'm looking a little forward to reading the rest of it. So far parfait girls is about these four girls in high school, who all have a thing for baking. There is also a new student who joined the school, and all four girls get jealous, wanting his affection and without anyone else interfering.

"This is actually pretty good so far. Thanks for recommending me this Natsuki. And I can't help but notice how the similarity you have ...Um, Natsuki? I turn and see that she fell asleep and is leaning into my shoulder a little. Wait, she wanted me to read this, so why is she very clearly tired? So many questions I've had to ask myself today, it hurts a little.

Soon after, a towering figure stands over us. I look up and see Sayori. "Hello Sayori. What's up?"

She giggled behind her hand. "Well, I saw that Natsuki decided to take a power nap." She stated glancing at her. As if Natsuki couldn't get any cuter, her sleeping form amplifies things greatly. And she also doesn't snore loudly, yet another positive.

"So..." Sayori put both of her index fingers together. "Now that you have some spare time, wanna tag along so we can get some work supplies."

I raise a eyebrow. "What work supplies."

"It's for the school festival that's coming up. While we are allowed to advertise the club during orientation, the festival serves as a 'open house' experience." She says with much enthusiasm. "It gives us a big opportunity to properly show people what literature is about."

I stand up from the floor leaving Natsuki sleeping there. Somehow I didn't disturb her from her slumber but hey, if she's tired then so be it. I feel a little bad abandoning her to do this task with Sayori but if we are only going to be gone for like, five minutes then I doubt she would hold it against me.

"Shall we then?" I gesture towards the door.

"We shall! She merrily skips out the door and down the hall, humming a little tune. I for one, am victim of that. Whenever I play a video game and the composers do such a good job at the games original soundtrack, its hard not to hum to it.

"So what exactly are we getting?" I ask her.

"We need poster boards for advertising, markers for decorating, glue sticks and glitter for a little bit of 'effect.'" She waves her hands for dramatic effect, causing me to chuckle a little bit at her antics.

"Why not re-use the poster that was used at orientation?" She looked a little downcast when I asked that. "Oh, uh, sorry I asked that."

She shook her head. "Its fine... All I can wish is that people were a little more open-minded." We walk into the first empty classroom we see and start snooping for supplies.

I pull out a few giant sheets of white construction paper. "Found some poster sheets."

She comes up to me holding glue sticks and the glitter packet, while having the box of markers under her arm. "And I found the artistic weaponry." She says with a grin. "Watch this." She holds up a glue stick and holds it like a gun. She positions it near her eye. "Pew! Pew! Its like its a weapon now!"

Does Sayori always have this child-like innocence about her? It feels refreshing to see someone making a mundane task, like getting supplies, much more enjoyable. "That's cool Sayori. Now that we have everything, lets head back.

"Yep!" Sayori turns around and without looking, she trips on a chair making a hard crash on the floor. "Ouch!" Her head smacked the desk after tripping.

I immediately crouch down and examine her injury. "Are you okay!?" I ask in a slight panic. "That looked painful."

Sayori, despite being in pain, was putting on a smile. "It's all good Markus. These things happen... more often than you know." She says that last part quietly while looking away.

"Alright, just hold tight, I'll be back in a minute." I sprint out into the hallway and dash to the vending machine. Something cold is just what Sayori needs to quell that soon-to-be bruise on her forehead. I grab a apple juice from the machine and make my way back.

Back in the classroom I left Sayori in, she's trying to stand but is struggling due to her headache. "Here." I hand her the juice. Its not a ice pack but it'll do.

"Ooohhh~." She leans back a bit after accepting the cold embrace of the drink. "It feels nice."

"Good." I say with satisfaction. "Anything to help a friend, you know?"

"Hehehe... friends..." She looks away with a blush. I have to wonder whats going through her mind right now. She finds the energy to stand and starts drinking the juice. "How did you know my favorite juice is apple flavor? Did Monika tell you?"

I shake my head. "Nope, just sorta guessed." Me and her clean up all the spilled supplies and we make our way back to the clubroom. Despite Sayori falling, she still retains that energetic aura. Its quite admirable to see someone shake off an embaressing moment like that.

We enter the clubroom with Sayori making our prescene known. "We're back!"

I barely get a second to think when I'm thrown to the wall by Natsuki. "What the heck Markus!" She yelled. "You left me sleeping on the floor!"

Sayori tries to cut in. "Sorry Natsuki. We were only going to be gone for a few minutes. But my unfortunate klutziness got in the way..." Sayori looks a little sad when she said that.

Now Natsuki looks a little sorry. She steps back away from me. "I'm sorry for blowing up... again."

I reassure her. "It's fine Natsuki. If it makes you feel any better, I was reasonably enjoying Parfait Girls."

Her eyes light up. "Really?"

"Yeah. All four of the girls have such different personalities. It makes it seem worthwhile to see how fun their interactions are."

She puts her hands on her sides and smirks. "See, told you I have good tastes in manga." I don't remember her saying that. "Take this as a lesson straight from the literature club: never judge a book by its cover!" She looks proud that shes teaching me something that I probably already knew anyways. But given that it's Natsuki we are talking about here, I shouldn't take away what makes her happy. If she wants to feel proud by lecturing me, then fine I guess.

Monika stands up and faces all of us. "Okay everyone. We got thirty minutes left. Now would be a good time to show each other what poems we made."

...After everything that has happened today I completely forgot about presenting poems. I did finish mine but I'm still a little nervous. I pull out my poem and look around the club room. Sayori and Natsuki are already conversing with each other over their written works. Yuri looks silent as she's writing something down. Perhaps some finishing touches? And then there's Monika who pulled out a black composition notebook. I'm guessing that's where her poem is at.

I walk over to Monika. "Ready to share poems?" I ask her.

She looks sweetly at me. "Just remember to say calm." She said. "I remember when we first shared poems with each other. It was... a little embarrassing. But it was the type of barrier that we all learned to get past soon." She scoots a little closer to me. "And I'm sure you will also overcome that barrier. Sometimes, talking about your feelings is a good way to let loose and free yourself. A moment like that is something that everyone needs at some point."

I nod and hand her my poem. Time to mentally prepare myself for the criticism I'll be getting.

That was a experience and a half. Its only 5 more minutes until I leave the club. But I gotta say, it was sorta nice being able to share my poetry. Monika was right, it felt right to share what I wrote.

Speaking of her, she offered me some valuable tips. Apparently, everyone has their own writing style. Even when two people share the same style, their choice of words and rhythm of the poem is slightly different. She basically said that I should stick to how I would like to express myself. As for Monika's writing style, its very... freeform. I haven't read much poetry but it was still one of the most unique pieces I've ever read before. Despite her giving me good feedback, I often find myself lacking the words to describe something other than 'its good' and whatnot.

Then you've got Sayori. She loves to write about bittersweet things. And even though it was a little obvious that she wrote it at the last minute, it was still a good piece regardless. If there's one similarity that we have, its that we both are pretty bad at giving feedback. But hey, we at least enjoyed each others poems.

Natsuki, as expected, loves to write about cute things, using simple words to get her meaning across. For someone who is a little more... slower than the average human, It felt nice to read her poem because the meaning was easy to get. In fact, that's why she didn't really like my poem that much. It's all because mine was 'too cryptic' for hers. To each their own I suppose. But hey, I'll still value her criticism to make a better piece for next time. Natsuki would love to see me prove her wrong I'll bet.

Yuri's Poem was like a polar opposite to Natsuki. She wrote her piece with the theme of horror in mind, with letting the reader try to decipher their own meaning from the poem. God, I wish I could write like that. Natsuki may of said that my poem felt cryptic, but it needs to be crafted in the right way to execute it properly. And Yuri does a fantastic job at that. Her feedback for me involved talking about how a better flow of words can lead to an easier time for readers to follow. So long as there's a good flow, you don't need to meaning of the words to be obvious.

Well, anyways, I sling my backpack on and head out the door. I notice Sayori right behind me. "Ready to head home?"

It felt a little sudden that I'm now walking home with someone I recently met but after today, I learned that Sayori is really good company. "Yep. See you tomorrow everyone!" I wave at the other club members who are also packing up their stuff. Never would I ever think that I would be excited for a extra curricular activity, but here we are. I know I may look silly having a grin on my face as me and Sayori are walking down the street, but that's just how it is.

Sayori breaks me out of this train of thought. "You okay Markus?" She asked with a smile.

"Yep. Just looking forward to the future." We reach our houses when Sayori turns to hers.

"Today was so much fun Markus! We need to do this again!"

I look at her with a raised eyebrow. "We are doing this again. Tomorrow in-fact. And presumably every day until the school year ends."

"Oh... Yeah, I forgot." She nervously walks up her porch. "Bye for now!" She waves frantically and steps into her house. I walk up to my house and embrace the cool air air-conditioning.

"I'm home!" I yell out. My mom is in the living room watching the news.

"Hey Markus. How did your second day go?"

"Meh." I shrug remembering how much of a slog it is. "Very boring. Much education."

She laughed a bit and shook her head. "I meant the club sweetie."

"Hm... Well for starters, someone in the club is actually into manga." I say, still in a little disbelief.

"Good for you! I knew you could find someone out there that would like manga."

"It's not about finding someone. It's about actually seeing someone." I know there's manga enthusiasts on message boards online. Honestly, I've perfered face-to-face interaction.

"Well, It's still cool to see." My mom says gently. "Anything else that has happened today?"

"We shared poems today." I say slightly shy.

"My son is well on his way to being a poet I see." She says teasingly.

"Yeah, okay. But what if I just want to write and present stuff with the other members?"

"Love letters perhaps?" She moves her eyebrows.

"MOM!" I yell with a blush taking over my face. "It's clear that-"

I'm cut off by her laughing. "Hahaha... Sorry Markus. It's just fun to tease you sometimes." I bet my mom could make friends with Natsuki real quick. "So long as you're having fun, then that's what matters.

"Yeah totally..." I say heading off upstairs to cool off. I normally don't lose my cool like that but sometimes man...

I open my phone to see the group chat, only to see a conversation already in the works.

Yuri: Hey Markus, I know I gave you a book today, but for tonight can you not read it. I was thinking of reading it together in the clubroom. Just so I can see your first impressions.

Natsuki: Uh-huh. Sure...

Yuri: Hey! Is it unfair for me to want to spend a little time with him.

Natsuki: I had no idea you felt that way about him

Yuri: Honestly, I have no idea what you're talking about

Natsuki: I can feel the lie from the screen

Time for me to chime in here.

Markus: I would love to begin reading this story with you. Seems like good fun Yuri

Yuri: Thanks for being so considerate Markus

Markus: No problem

I turn away from my phone and stare off out the window. A day with Yuri tomorrow? I'm feeling a little warm inside again. Just like how I was hanging out with Natsuki and Sayori today. Life seems to keep getting better and better.

Just have to keep moving forward.