Komi Komi Literature Club!

Chapter 26: The Cafe

Today, Komi had a mission.

Since joining the literature club, she was always taking advice and recommendations from other people in the club: advice on poems, advice on what to do, and advice on what to read. Komi was determined to contribute something to the dynamic too.

So today she was making another visit to the library in hopes of finding her own book to recommend to the club.

Fired up now with her fists balled and her cat ears atop her head, Komi left her house and walked over to the library. She took in a deep breath before walking in through the front doors and making her way to where the novels were.

Komi's fingers lightly danced across the different titles, tapping each cover one by one as she read the titles in hopes that one would call out to her. Not being very experienced in reading books of these kinds, all of the names felt very vague to her.

There was some kind of saying or idiom that could apply to this specific situation, but Komi couldn't recall it at the moment.

But that's when Komi saw her standing in an aisle on the other side of the library, delicately pulling a white book down from its place on the shelf, all the while appearing flamingo-like with her graceful stance and her perfect posture.

Monika's presence was being strongly felt in the poetry section.

It was odd to see how different her sense of style was from the other girls – Natsuki liked skirts, Yuri liked sweaters, and Sayori liked anything baggy and comfortable. But Monika was dressed up in jeans, sneakers, and a red shirt.

Now Komi's focus was thrown off, and she grew nervous. Obviously, she should go and say hello, right? But how should she approach? Should she go now? Should she wait until Monika was done? Wouldn't it be rude to not say something?

Komi finally decided to make her way to the other side of the library, her nervous shaking growing and becoming worse with every step she took towards Monika. She made it to the entrance of the poetry section when Monika turned towards her.

"Hm? Oh, Komi! Hey! Didn't expect to run into you here!" Monika greeted her with a light giggle, quickly tucking the white book that she had picked out underneath her right arm.

"Mm...mhmm." Komi managed a quiet hum, nodding and waving to her.

"Were you here looking for a book too? Anything specific?" Monika asked.

"Mhmm...mm mm." Komi nodded her head in response to the first question then shook her head in response to the second question. However, Monika did not understand this and just assumed that Komi was changing her answer on the second question.

"Haha, well if you need any recommendations, I'd be happy to help." She offered.

"Mm mm." Komi shook her head at this.

"Oh...uh, alright then." Monika said awkwardly.

Komi shook nervously, realizing that the conversation was starting to decline. She looked around frantically for a few moments before noticing the book that Monika was holding. She pointed to it and looked at Monika inquisitively.

"Oh, this? Um...it's a poetry book – just a small little collection, that's all." Monika said, showing her the front cover of the book. She seemed strangely embarrassed by this. However, Komi found this intriguing, looking at the book with more interest now.

Without her notebook, Komi briefly found herself to ask anymore questions. Then she remembered her cell phone in her pocket. She pulled it out and began to send a text message to Monika, who was waiting awkwardly and watching her fumble with trying to type a message out.