Chapter 3: Day 2
You open your eyes.
Sunlight pours into your room through the window.
Your mind wanders to the 3 girls of the literature club. Your heart beats faster as you think of them.
You can't wait to spend more time there.
Today was going to be a special day.
You enter the classroom. You're a bit late so the girls have already all started.
As you leave the doorway the club leader Monika's eyes immediately land on you. You feel she hadn't moved at all, but instead she had been staring at the doorway long before you entered.
She must have been excited to see you. She smiles. "Hi again!" Monika says. "Welcome to your second day of the literature club."
You smile back. Of course you wouldn't leave the club.
Yuri looks at you, her purple eyes meet yours. Her long hair reaches all the way down to her waist. Contemplatively, Yuri says, "I'm really glad you're here. I have a feeling you will like it."
"You're here again?" Natsuki joins the conversation, She pauses. "Well, uhm…" it's like the girl lost her train of thought. "Just don't screw around, okay?"
"Hush Natsuki," Monika says. Your eyes cross hers. They are deep green, it feels like they can look right through you. "I am sure our friend here will do the best he can do."
Everyone starts doing their own thing.
Yuri hands you a book, it's called Portrait of Markov. She seems a bit dazed, as if something is troubling here.
"It's short and interesting enough to keep your attention, not that I think you wouldn't enjoy it otherwise," Yuri adds. "You haven't read it after all,"
Yuri leaves you alone and sits down on a chair, staring at her own copy of the book. She appears to read it.
You wait for Monika to formally start the club, or to announce some kind of schedule, but instead all the girls just go their own way.
You see Monika writing down ideas for the festival. Monika notices you looking and winks at you.
Yuri buried herself in a book already. She is sitting hunched over, her long hair draped over the desk. She is talking to herself as the finger trails over the page.
Natsuki is rummaging through her own stuff in the closet, she is sending you thoughtful looks.
You keep observing everyone, until you drift off into sleep.
When you open your eyes again you see green eyes looking back into yours.
"You didn't just fall asleep, did you?" Monika's face is close to yours. She pulls back her head and laughs. "Oh, and here I was hoping we wouldn't bore you."
You stammer an excuse.
Monika sighs. "Fine, I won't tell the others," she gives you a playful smile. Now you two share a secret. "But this is the last time you can fall asleep." She blinks. Then taps her chin.
She rubbed her head before turning to face the room again.
"Okay everyone!" Monika says all of a sudden. "I think it's a great time to share poems."
From their own spots in the classroom Natsuki and Yuri reluctantly stop their own activities and pull out their own poems.
You can't help but to stare at your own poem tentatively.
You feel rather embarrassed when you think about it. But it came straight from your heart, and that's what counts right? And if it makes the girls happy, you'd sacrifice some dignity for it.
"Well, let's share poems!" Monika calls out.
Phew, you let out a breath you didn't notice you were holding. You never could have guessed that reading poetry could be that intense.
Your eyes glaze over the girls present. You can't help but feel that they judged your poem, and by extension you.
Well, it's a literature club after all.
Yuri and Natsuki are still reading each other's poems. Their expressions are etched into their faces.
Natsuki was reading the poem, slightly clenching her free hand and burrowing her brow with confusion.
Meanwhile Yuri read the poem with only a smile.
"Well, I think the choice of words is good," Natsuki eventually answers as she puts down Yuri's poem on the desk.
"I like the theme of giving up," Yuri looks at Natsuki. returning her sheet of paper in kind. "It works despite the cute words you chose to use."
Natsuki appeared to be caught off guard by this.
"Well," Monika interjects herself. "That's really great to hear. I think we can all learn something from each other here, right?
"That will be my lesson for today, Try to learn from each other and improve your own writing via your friends."
Monika smiles sweetly at you, as if she understands your feelings perfectly.
You can't help but to feel your heart flutter.
After a minute Yuri comes into the room again, holding a tray with a tea set. She carefully places it down on the table and you all make your way over to it.
"So, everyone's read each other's poems, right?"
"It was alright," Natsuki says.
"I enjoyed it to some extent," Yuri agreed.
"Glad to hear you all enjoyed it." Monika turns to you. "Especially you. I know it's quite a lot to take in all at once. But we want to help you get familiar with the club."
You awkwardly thank her.
"I am glad everyone enjoyed today so much," Monika put her hands together. "Let's do the same thing tomorrow."