Service Club, Again
The Service Club was quiet. Too quiet, really.
Yukinoshita Yukino sat in her chair, posture perfect, flipping through a book as though she were allergic to small talk. Yuigahama Yui, across the table, looked like she'd been sentenced to a silent retreat against her will. She shifted, fiddled with her phone, chewed her lip, and finally couldn't take it anymore.
"U-Um, Ras-kun," she said suddenly, eyes darting toward me. "Don't you think we should, like… advertise the club? You know, hand out flyers or something?"
"Flyers," Yukino repeated, her voice flat. "Yes, because desperate people who can't solve their own problems definitely want their incompetence broadcast across campus."
Yui flinched. "Geez, you don't have to say it like that…"
I leaned back in my chair, tapping the table with my knuckles. "She has a point, Yui. People don't usually admit they need help until they're cornered."
Yui pouted. "So what, we just sit here forever?"
"That's what clubs are for," I said casually. "Endless sitting. Sometimes standing. Occasionally snacks."
She blinked at me, then giggled. "You're kidding, right?"
"Mostly." I glanced at Yukino's book. "Though Ice Queen over there might make us freeze before boredom does."
Yukino's eyes flicked up briefly. "If sarcasm were a skill, you'd be a prodigy."
"Finally," I said, deadpan. "Recognition for my talents."
Yui laughed again, the tension easing for a moment.
The door slid open then, and a girl peeked in. She wasn't timid like the last one; she was more embarrassed than anything. "Um, is this really the Service Club?"
"Yes," Yukino said. "What's your problem?"
"That's… blunt," the girl muttered.
"Get used to it," I told her with a small smile. "Consider it part of the service."
The girl blinked, then actually smiled back. "Well… okay. It's kind of dumb, but… I don't know how to text my crush without sounding weird."
Yui gasped, nearly knocking over her chair. "Oh my gosh, that's not dumb at all! I totally get that!"
"Pathetic," Yukino said, expression unreadable.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "So, this is our great mission? Tech support for teenage romance."
"Hey, don't say it like that!" Yui protested. "This is important!"
"Life or death," I murmured dryly.
The client flushed. "S-So, what do you think I should do?"
Yukino sniffed. "If you must humiliate yourself, be concise. Overexposure through messages is a display of desperation."
"That's… terrifying advice," the girl muttered.
Yui leaned forward eagerly. "No, no, you should just send a cute emoji! Or ask something simple like, 'Did you do the homework?' That way you have an excuse to keep talking!"
I sighed, leaning back. "Or, and here's a thought, just say what you actually want to say. Without overthinking. If he likes you, he won't mind. If he doesn't, an emoji won't save you."
The girl blinked. Then slowly, she nodded. "That… makes sense."
"Of course it does," I said. "It's the only answer that doesn't involve emotional terrorism or stalking disguised as homework questions."
"Hey!" Yui puffed her cheeks, but the girl laughed, bowing gratefully before leaving.
Silence returned, heavy but less suffocating.
Yui exhaled happily. "See? That was fun."
"That was tragic," Yukino corrected.
I smirked faintly. "Depends who you ask."
---
After School
The sun had started its slow descent, painting long shadows across the courtyard. Students trickled out in groups, laughing, calling to each other.
I adjusted my bag and headed toward the gate.
"Ras-kun!"
The voice was soft, but carried easily. Totsuka Saika jogged up, her smile warm enough to melt winter.
"Heading home?" she asked.
"Yeah," I said. "You?"
"Practice in a bit. But… I wanted to thank you. You've been kind since you arrived. A lot of people talk, but you actually listen."
"That's a low bar," I said lightly.
She laughed, covering her mouth. "Maybe, but… it still matters."
Her gaze softened, almost uncertain. "Sometimes I wonder if people think I'm too soft. That I smile too much. Like I'm pretending."
I looked at her. "If being kind is pretending, I'd rather live in a lie."
Her cheeks pinked slightly. "You always know what to say, huh?"
"Don't tell anyone," I said, "or they'll expect it all the time."
She laughed again, lighter now.
From the corner of my eye, I caught movement. Hachika stood half-hidden in the corridor shadows, eyes fixed on us. Her usual dull gaze sharpened briefly before she turned away with clipped steps.
"…Looks like the wind's picking up," I murmured.
Totsuka tilted her head. "Hm?"
"Nothing," I said, smiling faintly. "Just talking to myself."
We walked together for a few more moments before parting ways.
---
Awakening
This night, it was just like any ordinary night before... or it should be.
This time, I took out the "book" from within myself; it was a solid blue-coloured book with glitter sprinkled that glowed with a purple hue. and it was this book that actually come as I came and born into this world...
Yes, I was more of a reincarnator rather than a soul-snatcher or a transmigrator.
And this book is the "golden finger" that I got.
It collect the emotions of the reader, and convert it into points for my own use.
It should have been like a system, but this is more like an shopping app on a book, lol!
what a weird UI.
but what can I say, this thing got things goin'!
I've started writing in middle school, started off with a glimpse of work, and a flash of inspiration... but it was of actually a highly-emotional wrecking works of Giant-like Authors!
It was not a 'flash of inspiration' but the start of memory awakening! The works of: "Anohana" and "Your lie in April" were made, for the suitable work for this world... And it gain and collect rich emotions from the readers.
After "Copy-Pasted" works from previous world.... the books has already a huge upgrade...
And me of pre-awakening also gained a comprehensive-level of strength through it.
I was gonna write about Junji-Ito collection to engage in a more banter with the readers, and gained a huge "shock" and "dimension-reduction" attack towards the reader. But thinking that I'll gonna be asked to drink a coffee with a Therapist, Imma pass on this one. lol.
----
That night, my room was quiet except for the faint scratch of pen against paper. The Book lay open on my desk, pages glowing faintly as I wrote the draft of I Want to Eat Your Pancreas flowed onto the paper, each line carrying weight.
Then the glow shifted. Brighter, sharper. Glyphs I hadn't written etched themselves across the page, curling into a circle.
I set the pen down, watching. The air trembled faintly, and the circle lifted from the page, hovering in front of me.
A portal.
I stared for a moment, then exhaled slowly. "Well. That's new."
The glow pulsed, insistent.
cue to my curiosity, and faith upon my own power. I stood, adjusted my uniform sleeve, and stepped forward. "Let's see where this goes."
The circle expanded, swallowing me whole.