"Haruka-san... is an idol?!" I exclaimed in disbelief, my eyes widening as I gazed at my new phone, realizing that Haruka-san is my generation's top idol.
"So Haruka-san is the number one-ranked idol, huh?" I murmured to myself, lost in thought while making my way to school.
I rested my hand on my chin, contemplating, *How should I interact with her moving forward?* Just then, I shook my head, reminding myself that her celebrity status shouldn't matter. Haruka-san is still Haruka-san. If she didn't want to hang out with us, she would have said so. At least, that's what I told myself, even with the overwhelming realization my friend is a legit celebrity.
"Wait. Then those photoshoots were..."
Just as I began to process this new information, my train of thought was interrupted by Mocha-san, cheerfully calling out to me.
"G-Good morning, Master!" she greeted, happy to see someone she knows on the road.
"Ah, yeah. Good morning," I replied, my voice a bit distant, still seemingly lost in the reality that Haruka-san is an idol.
Mocha-san pondered silently, *What could he possibly be thinking?* She couldn't shake off the feeling I could have been scheming something, looking so distant.
[After school, as the final bell rang, the echoes of laughter and chatter filled the hallways.]
Aria-san, Mocha-san, and I headed to our usual spot: the newly appointed clubroom where we would be operating as the Special Service Club starting today.
When I slid the door open, Mocha-san and I were shocked to see the room completely transformed. It was clean and spacious, with new furniture that starkly contrasted with the dusty cluttered storage room we last used. The entire space legit seemed to have undergone a renovation, complete with a personalized kitchen, a sofa set, a working desk, and—was that a coffee maker I see in the corner? Everything appeared brand new, even the walls radiating freshness, the air smelled of paint.
"Who could have possibly done this?" we wondered in disbelief, suspicious of the sudden transformation of the room.
Aria-san broke the silence, a sly smile playing on her lips as she sank effortlessly into the soft embrace of the sofa. "So they managed to finish it on time, it seems," she said with an air of nonchalance, placing her leg on top of the other.
Well, that answered our question. Absurd, but believable, given who Aria-san was.
Curious, I glided my fingers across what seemed to be the president's desk— big, intricate in detail, it resembled something befitting royalty. A king's desk, perhaps? It certainly matched the elegant aura of the newly renovated room.
As I settled into the plush red cushion of the president's chair, I couldn't help but grin, resting my hands together. This spot felt like it had been crafted just for me. *I feel like a final boss. Kukuku,* I thought to myself, reveling in the playful notion.
*What could he be thinking now?* Mocha-san mused, suspicious that I might really be plotting something again.
After observing me for a few weeks, Aria-san seemed to have noticed my fondness for the throne. I had no idea; I just thought she liked fancy things.
While Mocha-san and I admired the meticulous renovations, a timid knock resonated on the door, catching our attention.
My face perked up; I thought this might be our first client.
"Come in," I said, granting permission to whoever it was standing outside.
The door slid open gently, revealing a girl who cautiously stepped in, her gaze scanned the room, surprised to see there's a room like this in the old school building. Timidly, she asked, "Um... s-sorry to bother you. Is this the... Special Service Club?"
[Our first client arrived]
"Please... take a seat," Mocha-san said warmly, gesturing towards the inviting sofa.
"O-Okay," the girl replied hesitantly, settling herself in the chair opposite Aria-san, as unease crept into her posture.
Mocha-san really had become accustomed to servicing people after working at the cafe.
I then introduced ourselves, "By the way, I'm Yukiya Saito; this is Aria Tamami-san, and over there is Mocha-san," I introduced my fellow members. Aria-san didn't react much, while Mocha-san waved hello.
"So, what can we do for you today?" I asked, sensing the weight of her presence; she undoubtedly had a request in mind, clutching the paper we pinned at the announcement board.
The girl's voice emerged, barely above a whisper, "Y-You guys accept any request, right?" she asked.
With a serious expression, I smiled gently, placing my hands together. "Depends on the request," I replied, attempting to project calm confidence.
She took a deep breath as she finally expressed the purpose of her visit, "I... I want to learn how to make friends!" she requested.
I blinked, Aria-san raised an eyebrow, and Mocha-san stared from the distance, preparing coffee.
"That's... not a usual kind of request," I remarked, a hint of intrigue lacing my tone.
Hastily, the girl replied, "I-I know it's weird! It's just... everyone already has their own circles. I try to talk, but my words come out wrong. And then it's quiet again."
Mocha-san couldn't help but empathize as she offered us freshly brewed coffee. Aria-san, too, particularly aware of the struggle for honest communication, nodded in agreement.
I replied, aiming to reassure her, "T-That's not weird at all. That just means you seek more power- Ah, I mean. Connection with others can feel empowering." is what I said, almost letting my chuunibyou side slip out.
The girl just nodded in silence, not sure about what I was talking about.
Aria-san crossed her arms, inquiring, "So basically you want advice on socializing?" lifting a cup of coffee, blowing for it to cool down.
"N-Not advice. I want to *learn.* Like... how do you even start?" the girl responded, her tremulous voice betraying her resolve, yet her eyes radiated quiet determination.
I thoughtfully placed my hand on my chin, mulling over a solution to her dilemma.
"Then let's start simple," I suggested, pointing at my eye. "We'll observe people first and see how they connect."
"Tomorrow. Lunchtime. Courtyard. Make sure to survive until then," I instructed her calmly, setting the stage for our observation exercise. In reality though, I was just buying time for myself. Unable to relate to her troubles, thinking *Isn't making friend come naturally though?*
With a puzzled expression, the girl replied, "Excuse me... What do you mean by survive?" The confusion in her voice was evident, clearly baffled by my phrasing.
"Ah—never mind that. Just meet us during lunchtime," I brushed it off, hoping my chuuni side had remained unnoticed.
With a soft smile, I asked, "By the way, what's your name?"
"M-my name is... Nana Nishimura," she replied, her cheeks flushing a shade of pink as she introduced herself.
And with that, we welcomed our first client, Nana Nishimura-san, who sought our help to learn the delicate art of making friends.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And so tomorrow's lunchtime arrived. The courtyard is bustling. Students sit in groups, laughter and chatter float through the air. The four of us stood under the cherry blossom tree whose leaves occasionally drifts down.
"By the way. What made you seek out our help. I-I don't mean to be rude. But, to seek for other people's help, it takes a lot of courage." Mocha-san inquired mindfully, cause if it was her, she doesn't think she would go through it, having her pride and all.
Nishimura-san stared up in the blue sky, calmly answering "When the teacher told us to pair up, I was there, unable to move, waiting for someone to come and talk to me... That's when I realize *Ah, I don't want to get used to this feeling* I want people to come and talk to me. Then one fateful evening, I happen to come across a poster, about a club that handles even non-curricular problems pinned at the announcement board. It was as if the world was giving me a sign that, Ah- it's time for me to change." Nishimura-san's gaze return to Mocha-san, looking determined. "So, here we are. I don't want to waste this opportunity."
Overhearing their conversation, I cut in and exclaimed, "That's it!" which surprised Mocha-san and our client Nishimura-san.
"T-That's what?" Nishino-san replied in surprise.
I then replied "Aren't you having a normal conversation right now?" I tilted my head as if the answer was that simple.
I then continued, waving my finger as I explained, "You may start with something simple — a greeting, a question about classwork. Small gestures accumulating meaning."
"Small gestures..." Nishimura-san tilted her head looking puzzled.
"Yeah! Like, *Hey, want to walk home together?* or *Did you understand that question in math?* Simple things!" I replied, prompting some stuff I learned from Ayaka.
Nishimura-san nods slowly, her expression softened. The light leaking from the leaves catches her hair, a quiet shimmer of hope.
"You get what I'm saying?" I inquired as I glimpsed our client gain a little bit of confidence.
"I, I think I get it now..." Nishimura-san replied, as though coming to a realization.
I then gave out my first order, "For your first assignment, talk to that girl sitting there and become his friend!" I ordered, pointing at a random girl sitting alone on the corner.
"Eh? Couldn't we at least start from people from my class?" Nishimura-san's questioned my instruction, wondering how it would be beneficial to her to befriend a random person.
"Just do it. It'll be fine." I gave her a gentle push, driving her out from the shade of the cherry blossom tree.
...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
**[Mocha's POV]**
Later that afternoon, during the brief interlude between classes, the classroom buzzed with meaningless chatter. And Hitomi-san and I were no exemption.
"I see. So that's what happened..." Hitomi-san mused, her fingers resting thoughtfully on her chin as she assessed the situation surrounding our first client, Nana Nishimura-san, in her mind.
"So why do you think he would do that?" I asked, curiosity piqued. *If the goal was to make friends, why not choose someone from the same class?* It seemed so much more convenient to build friendships with those who share your timeline and experiences. In other words, *a classmate.*
Hitomi-san's expression shifted to a sly grin as she replied, "It's to escape her character role."
"Character role?" I tilted my head, perplexed, trying to grasp the concept she was alluding to.
With a spark of enthusiasm, Hitomi-san delved into an explanation. "Everyone has a role they play in a social setting. These roles aren't purposely assigned; rather, they form organically from group dynamics, personal reputations, appearances, interests, and the intricate web of the school environment." She then continued, "Once people decide, 'you're the shy one' or 'you're the sporty type,' every action you take is filtered through that lens. Breaking free from such a role risks embarrassment or rejection, which is something most teens instinctively avoid."
With an all knowing gaze she post a philosophical question, "If you act a certain way, and people treat you like that kind of person, then it loops back and you keep acting that way. What do you thing you should do in order to fix that?"
A light bulb went off in my mind as the realization struck me. I murmured, "To find someone who has yet to form an impression of you..."
As if remembering something just now "Ah. And also..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
**[Yukiya's POV]**
A few days after our first request. Nishimura-san, our first client, stopped by our clubroom, giving us thanks.
"I'm just glad it worked out in the end," I said, waving her off with a warm smile as she exited the clubroom, her footsteps echoing softly down the hallway. *But for real though, I just pointed at some random girl in the corner, praying it would all work out. I guess it really was just that simple.*
As the door clicked shut, I could feel Mocha-san's piercing gaze on me, her expression a mix of admiration and intrigue. She seemed to be mulling over something that Hitomi-san had mentioned just the other day.
"Also, the person Yukiya-kun picked for this experiment was not so random at all. Nagi Kusonoki-san, a Minamigawa Middle School graduate, from the same batch as Yukiya-kun."
Mocha-san's eyes widened with realization. "Then does that mean Yukiya-kun already knows this person?"
"Not entirely," replied Hitomi-san, a knowing gleam in her eyes. "But from what I've gathered, she enjoys reading, watching movies, and listening to male idol music. Doesn't that sound familiar?"
"T-That's exactly the things that Nishimura-san likes." Mocha-san gasped, her voice a mix of disbelief and excitement, as though the person her master picked at the time was purposely picked for the two to share common grounds.
Hitomi-san then placed her hand on her chin, then she added, "This also works out for Kusonoki-san. At lunchtime, I always spot her eating alone at the same spot. She doesn't seem to have that many friends, going as far from her middle school days. Yukiya-kun may have also probably noticed this. I'm sure he picked her specifically with that information in mind."
Hitomi-san, ever the observer, placed her hand thoughtfully on her chin. "This also works out for Kusonoki-san. At lunchtime, I always see her sitting alone at the same spot, a book in hand, lost in thought. She doesn't seem to have many friends, even from her middle school days. Perhaps Yukiya-kun noticed this. I'm sure he picked her specifically with that information in mind."
...
*What is it?* I mused, catching Mocha-san staring at me with an intense curiosity.
*At moments like this I should give a cool quote after reaching the conclusion of this episode.*
Clearing my throat, I let out the these word, "People don't need to be fixed, just understood."
A wonderful quote if I say so myself—though it carried no profound meaning, it felt fitting in this instance, especially since Nishimura-san had finally found someone she could connect with.
And so, that wrapped up our first request, centered around a timid girl seeking to learn how to make friends in a world that often felt isolating.