Slow days were common for the Service Club, unfortunately, today wasn't as slow as I would like it to be.

Our newest customer was a sight to behold. If I didn't know any better, I would have assumed Yukinoshita had reproduced via osmosis. Seeing as no one could ever love that horrible woman once they learned her rotten personality.

Our client had not looked away from her lap for a while now, not that I could blame her, they were some very nice…

…Putting that aside, any attempt to look at us would lead to immediate failure, and it didn't help that Yukinoshita was clearly getting impatient.

Seeing as she wouldn't speak, Yuigahama tried her Raijuu powers on her, but still failed.

"Komi Shouko, correct?" Yuki-pedia at it once more, God…Where does she store all of this information? "What can the Service Club do for you?"

Staring at the girl in anticipation, we wait for her to answer.

"..."

The only sound that could be heard were the cicadas outside, and the ticking clock on the wall.

Whether the silence got to her or not, I wasn't sure, but she immediately bolted up and ran out of the Service Club.

"...Haaa." Sighing, Yukinoshita shakes her head disappointedly.

"With an icy tone like that, why wouldn't she run off?" Complaining I may be, not because I wanted to work, but to annoy the devilish woman keeping me from leaving.

"Strange. I was under the assumption that she had noticed your lustful gaze, Hiki-creepy-kun." She bites back, clearly unimpressed.

"Says the one who knew exactly who she was, tell me, who's the actually creepy one here?" At my words, both of my clubmates looked at me in shock.

"...Hikki, you don't know who that was?" Why, of course not, Yuigahama. I have better things to do, than to remember every student enrolled into Sobu.

"No." I reply, finding myself growing increasingly uninterested in this conversation.

"Ehh? Komi-chan is totes, like, the new Yukinon…Oh, uh, I mean…"

I give an uninterested grunt as I go back to my book and leave those two to sort it out. 'Another Yukinoshita? God, help us all if that truly is the case.'

Lunch Break

Grabbing my Max Coffee from the vending machine, I immediately opened it and drank. '...How I've missed you, Max-chan.' Cradling the can like a baby, I feel myself grin from elation.

"Gross." Ignoring the disgusted remark from the passerbyers, I head for my lunch spot so that I may enjoy my alone time with Max-chan.

Arriving at the holy ground that I call my spot, I find it desecrated by another. Making eye contact with the one responsible, recognition is shared between us. '...What's Yukinoshita 2.0 doing here?'

Fortunately, our staring contest is cut short as she…starts shaking? 'She's not going to blow up is she? I guess that confirms my Yukinoshita's robot clone theory.'

Raising my eyebrow, I clear my throat to get her attention. "...You alright?" A loner I may be, but I am still very much a gentleman, you know~? '...Where the hell did that come from? How gross and fake.'

Now stock still, she crane her head in my direction. "Woah!" Caught off guard by the look of absolute horror on her face, I subconsciously take a few steps back. 'Don't worry, me. At times like these, you must stay true to your way of life!'

"...I–I'll leave you…b–" Taking another step back, I feel my body freeze as we make eye contact again. Standing up, she reaches into her school bag as she approaches at a slow but menacing pace.

'Ah. This is it. I was so hard to look at, that she'd rather kill me.' Accepting my fate, I close my eyes.

…

Instead of the horrible feeling of impalement, the sound of flipping pages and scribbling reaches my ears. Opening my eyes, I come across a sight that I am too undeserving to look at.

Hiding her face behind her notebook, Komi-san's notebook has the words 'I'm sorry for yesterday' written on it.

'...That's it? No knife to the throat? No pepper spray in the eyes? …My imagination has been running way too wild recently.' Shaking my head, I cross my arms so as to not let myself be bewitched by this girl's…charm. "Right. Is that all?"

Her hands suddenly start shaking, but not as badly as before. Turning her notebook around, she starts writing again, this time slightly longer than before.

I would like your h-help with something.

'She stuttered while writing? Actually, this girl hasn't even spoken a word yet. Am I really that horrible to talk to?' With a small blow to my pride, I click my tongue. "...Yeah? Ask us during club hours, we're off during class time." Completely untrue, but I'd rather not deal with her right now.

With a violent shake of her head, she starts writing, again. '...This is getting old, fast.'

Only you, the others are too intimidating!

'Funny. I'm not exactly a teddy bear, quite the opposite actually.' Unimpressed, I just shrug. "Sorry." Not. "There's a process to these things."

Her hands start to shake again, but this time, I don't believe they are for the same reason as before. Gripping the notebook in a singular hand, her arms drop to the side as she bows her head.

"P-Pl-Please…"

It was no louder than a whisper, and if the winds were to blow, I'm sure I would have dismissed it. But…

Her hand gripped tightly onto her notebook, the page slightly crumpling from such a grip. The shakiness when she spoke, hit one of my unfortunate weaknesses. '...I hate it when girls cry…'

"...Fine." I don't know what she needs a loner like me for, but this way I can get a few points in the competition and get ahead of that Yuki-onna.

Looking back at Komi-san, she's already standing up straight and wiping away at the corners of her eyes. '...I knew it.'

"So? What is it?" I don't imagine it'll be easy, considering her supposed popularity. Her answer comes in her flipping through the pages in her notebook. 'Pre-prepared? At least I don't have to wait long.' Focusing on the page she shows, I can't help but stare at it in incredulity.

I want to make 100 friends.

'She came to me for help on this?' The irony would be funny, if I wasn't already suspecting her of messing with me. "Funny. Is that all?" No longer taking her seriously, I debate on whether or not I should just leave.

She starts flipping through pages, I roll my eyes. Placing my hand on her notebook, she flinches in surprise, probably disgust too. "You're obviously capable of talking, so stop playing up this act." She doesn't respond as she averts her eyes. "Assuming that your request is real, which I doubt, you are more than capable of doing that by yourself. In fact, I will only serve to be a hindrance. So, let's end this farce before it can begin, yeah?" Removing my hand from her notebook, I turn around and start walki–

"I…I can't! …N-Not an a-act…"

Stopping in my tracks, I turn back to the now crying girl. '...It's not an act..?' Realization dawns on me as I realize the issue. 'She can't communicate verbally without nearly breaking down…

I really am an idiot.'

Handing her the milk tea, I sit down beside her on the steps. Looking away, I apologize once again. "Sorry."

Feeling the notebook's edge bump into my arm, I read it.

It's fine, it's my fault for creating a misunderstanding and not being clearer.

"It's really not, I was the one who assumed you knew who I was, if anything it's my fault alone." Before she can write anything else, I continue. "Now that you know, do you still want my help?" I ask, awkwardly scooting away from her.

Yes. In fact, we can be each other's first friends!

"Sorry, but no." Noticing her disappointment, I stand firm…I do…somewhat. "Our club's motto is, 'We will not give you the solution to your problem, we will simply give you the means to do so'. Understand?"

With a slow, but understanding nod, she doesn't push it.

"Anyway." …Ugh, I hate that I have to start the conversations. "Who's your first friend target?" Looking back at her, she blinks in rapid succession, as if I hadn't spoken Japanese just now. "Seriously?"

Sorry.

"Tsk, don't apologize." Crossing my arms, I try not to let my annoyance show. "...Actually, I might know someone who'd be a good first friend."

To Be Continued…

Oh, no… What am I doing?! I already have enough work on my plate!

This suddenly came to mind recently as I just started Komi can't communicate recently. Cute/10.

Mostly a side project that I will spend some time on. Hopefully people like it, yeah?

Other than that? Go ham on the reviews, insult me as much as you'd like, praise me, whatever.

Bye-bye.