Making up for lost time
- Chapter 2 -
~The First Request~

2-1
~ The Case of Ayame ~

I've always believed that I was the least interesting person in existence. I had nothing that I could say I was really good at, not like those kids who are really talented at sports, arts, or academics. I've thought that maybe, it was thanks to my shyness, but I'm beginning to think it's also because of how boring I am compared to everyone else. That's how I've been treated by everyone else—like air in the room.

My mother thinks otherwise. She knows my shortcomings but keeps pushing me into situations that ultimately fail. I don't know if she truly understands what my life is like. She's so busy with her work that she never has any time to pay attention to me. She works as a local events planner, putting together big events like conventions, parties, or weddings. She tells me she's fairly sought out after, which is her excuse for having her attention elsewhere and not paying attention to me.

She often says that I could follow in her footsteps, which is hard for me to believe. I'm the least interesting person I can think of, and she thinks I would be great at planning a party? Does she forget how horribly shy I am?! Why does she think I can do what she does, and worse, think I might even be better than her? My mom is crazy! Even though I denied it, she went and suggested—rather—made me take part in the culture festival committee as practice.

I already told her that making friends in high school was enough, I didn't need to do anything unnecessary like help put together the festival. I refused, and it wasn't like she could force me to sign up anyway, it was my choice to not do it if I wanted to. How could she possibly make me volunteer? That's what I thought at first anyway.

I don't know how she did it, but she somehow swayed the teachers into signing me up without my permission...! How?! Who does my mother know!? If my mom has these kinds of connections, I'm really scared! She wasn't lying about her number of friends…

That's how I wound up in my current predicament, anxiety ridden and worried for my life inside the committee room. The student council president, Shiromeguri Meguri, stood at the front of the room. She began the meeting with selecting a chairman, and afterword began splitting us into different groups.

I'm super glad there was no way I could be the chairman; they were only asking for volunteers from the second years. It's such a scary job! I'd rather be one of the grunts at the bottom so I could avoid unnecessary trouble.

A paper with group roles was passed around. There was the advertising group that handled all of the PR for events, clubs, and classes. The volunteer group which handled the stage events, the treasurer group which dealt with the festival finances, the health & safety group which was obvious, the item management group, and the historian group.

Awawa… what to do… I don't know which of these I would be best suited for. They all seem like I would have to deal with people regardless of what I have to do. The advertising group is definitely a no-go! Someone who's as invisible as the air can't do a job like that. Maybe Isshiki-san, but not me! If there was any group that I could easily join, I figured it would be the volunteer group.

I took my time trying to decide, but it ended up being too long. I wasn't paying attention to the room around me, and while I was thinking, everyone decided where they wanted to go and the groups were already formed.

"We're a little short-handed on the advertising group…" Sagami-senpai, the selected chairman, folded her arms. Atsugi-sensei who was off to the side, noticed that I hadn't raised my hand to join any of the groups.

"Fujiwara-san, you'll have to join the advertising group!"

"Wawa—wa?!" Was he paying attention?! I couldn't say anything, and he took that silence as acceptance. I was forced into the advertising group. This got bad real fast, why do I hesitate at the worst times?

~ x ~

We had our little advertising group meeting, and it was decided who would do what. The other members forced the worst possible job onto me, which they felt was bothersome to do themselves. Handing out flyers to the students, which included handing them out to strangers too. But even the students were strangers to me, so technically the job was: hand out flyers to strangers and promote the festival.

I sulked in my chair. This group was the bane of my existence. While the others did easy things like come up with slogans and design the posters, I laid my forehead against the table in complete agony.

"Excuse me, are you alright?"

I felt a tap on my shoulder. "Hm?" I raised my head to see who was the source of the soft voice that called out to me.

"W-What…" I instinctively lost all train of thought. Standing next to me, was Shiromeguri-senpai. Sh-She noticed me? I-I'm a total ghost though...!

"Are you not feeling well? Do you need to go to the nurse?" She said with a worried face. Shiromeguri-senpai of all people is worried about me. Ah—is this what it's like to be helped by her? I almost forgot she would treat everyone else like this too. I knew I wasn't special at all.

I couldn't look her directly in the face, I'm still as shy as I've ever been. Not to mention I'm at a complete loss for words. I continued looking down at the table.

"Hm? Oh, are you having trouble with your group work?"

I stiffened completely. She was spot on. I didn't say anything, but awkwardly nodded my head yes.

"I see. I think I get it."

"Huh?"

"You're shy, aren't you? I see on the list here that you were selected to promote the flyers, but that's really difficult for you, isn't it?"

"A-Ah... yes…."

"Then that's okay, don't worry! I'll help you!" She happily put her hands on my shoulders.

"Wh-What?!"

"I'll even help you with your other tasks too, so don't worry about it!"

What is going on?! Why is she being so helpful to me? I have to know!

"Shi-Shiromeguri-senpai, why are you helping me with this...?"

"Why not? The others pushed this work onto you, and I have a lot of free time, so it doesn't hurt me much. Is it not any good?"

"W-Well…"

It was normal to push work onto me, but I felt bad for involving senpai in my issues. But I can't just brush her off…

"I'm sorry for involving you with this." I deeply apologized in front of Shiromeguri-senpai.

"It's alright! Raise your head up! So, we've got a deal?" She held out her hand.

I cautiously reached out and accepted the handshake.

"P-Please and thank you..."

"Right! Um, what is your name?"

"O-Oh right... Fujiwara Ayame—is my name."

"Oh! What a good name! Ayame-san, I look forward to working with you!"

~ x ~

Another day, it was time to hand out the flyers to the students as they left the school. G-Goodness this is harder than I thought! All I'm doing is standing out in the open shaking like a scared dog. The more I was nervous the more embarrassed I got.

"Ayame-san, what are you doing?!"

"Eh...?" I turned around to see Meguri-senpai rushing up to me.

"You went ahead and started without me! I thought I said I'd help you?" Meguri-senpai was pouting.

"Oh y-yes well…. One thing led to another…"

She sighed. "I'll take things from here."

With pamphlets in hand, she began to work her advertising magic. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have senpai here to help me…

"Senpai, thank you for the help. I don't know what I did to deserve it…"

"Sure, that's what friends are for!"

"F-F-Friends...? Are you saying...?"

Meguri-senpai smiled happily without saying another word. Somehow, I managed to make my first friend in high school.