chapter thirty-five!
GAUCHE
MINA FEELS THAT it's fair to say that the guitar club wasn't exactly sought-after by the mass population of Karasuno students— well, all it really took was a glance behind the door's narrow window to see the poor state of the room, the lack of equipments and the fact that there's only five people involved in this club. That was the minimum amount of members needed to start up a club! And if someone were to ever quit, that'd mean they were going to be disbanded in less than two weeks. Now that Mina thought about it, no wonder why their club President, Fujie, sobbed like a baby when she joined the team the day before it was going to be handed over to the Paranormal Investigating Club.
Those people were carrying talismans they purchased from shrines and all sorts of junk to detect apparitions in rumoured locations or whatnot. But with the guitar club's revival, albeit hanging on a thin thread, the paranormal team was forced to withdraw their application for a club room and resulted to them recalling McDonald's as their rendezvous point.
While those previous troubles may have been resolved, that didn't mean there were new ones brewing along the lines— like this moment, for example.
Inside the shabby club room, barely anyone spoke a word. There were sighs, head-scratching movements, and any other actions that depicted distress. Even Mina couldn't help but sigh along with how somber the mood was. She wasn't even down in the dumps or anything, but she was merely following along with the flow!
The problem was— they needed new people. They didn't care who it was, but if they were first-years, that much was enough to last the club's tradition for a bit more time. But the thing is, with the recruitment process, they needed a publicity stunt that would surely blow the socks off of everyone; including the teachers so they could increase the club's budget. They weren't going to mooch off through rentals anymore if they were to succeed.
And besides, the club members were perfectly good people! Their President, Fujie, was quite a capable person albeit being a little ditzy. On the other hand, Bunta might've came off a little nerdy, with his round spectacles and bowl-cut that told people he was explicitly into intellectual stuff and nothing else— and he is that. That's what he was; nerdy, but he's nice! And that's all that matters—right?
As for Goichi— Mina purses her lips. Normally, she wasn't one who put people in their stereotypical molds but when it came to him, she didn't even know if he belonged here. Compared to the regular pubescent boys that filled the majority of Karasuno's population, Goichi was quite muscular. He was the well-knit, athletic type that seemed more befitting for sports like American Football, but he ended up here with them. Girls tried their hand at joining the club due to him, but he was nothing more than a naive meathead.
So, they quit.
How he ended up here, she didn't know.
Lastly, Maiko was the only third-year along Fujie. Mina didn't know much about the older girl since she was a little tough [ her words and actions towards men speak great volumes ] but she's nice too! A bit harsh but she means well—probably.
"What if we do busking?" The second-year Bunta, suggests with a raise of his hand.
Everyone's gaze settles on him, blinking like they might've just found some hope in that suggestion.
"Busking where? Outside Mitsui Outlet?" Another second-year, Goichi, pipes up quite naively.
The third-year Maiko on the other hand, frowns as she slaps the male by his arm. "That's a stupid question-! Of course not, we're doing it at school! We're trying to get more members from our school, remember?"
"You didn't have to hit me, you know..."
On the other hand, their President who's been pondering over the suggestion this whole time, hums and turns to them.
"That's a good idea! With the school's Cultural Festival coming up, we'll be sure to make a good impression on our students and to public visitors alike! Good going, Bunta!"
Hoorays erupted around the room and resulting with Mina forcefully having to stand up and join their jolly chants around the table, hands knitted together while they sung praises about the idea. She on the other hand, was out of the loop. That was it? It took them the whole two hours to figure out an idea, the whole club session to figure out what they should do to gather applicants for the club. Mind you, no one spoke during that period, not even ideas tossed around or banters to either approve or disapprove something; but this one idea has connected all of them out of the blue, after a solid two hours. No pros and cons discussion, no back-up plans, no nothing— it was go big or go home with this idea.
They were quite the... carefree people, she thought.
Either way, this should be the end of it—right?
THAT WASN'T THE END TO IT.
Mina believed that the club was going to go back to its regular track, practicing and teaching each other techniques amidst preparations for the Cultural Festival but it seems like she landed on a mine. In her grasp was a popsicle stick with the word winner written vertically. The more she stared at it, the more she felt like she was getting mocked by the irony of it. Before the club ended a few days ago, Fujie proposed they choose someone to sing for one of the songs, and because everyone averted their eyes, there was no choice but to allow their luck to decide their fate instead.
It seems like Mina had the short end of the stick.
"—ee-san? Lee-san?"
The girl awakes from her trance, looking up from her notes to see Yachi standing beside her with a concerned look painted on her face. Mina takes a gander at her surroundings and it dawns to her that she's still in the classroom, lunch hours decreasing the numbers of people inside the room. She shoves the item under her desk and straightens up before giving her full attention to the blonde girl.
"Yachi-san!" She greets. "How you are here today?"
Yachi's brows furrow slightly at the question like she wasn't sure if they were on the same page.
"Y-You said you were going to show me your notes in Biology..? U-Unless, you're not up to it, then it's fine, I don't mind! There's still next time—!"
"Ah, no!" Mina reaches for the frantic girl's hand before she could dash out of the room. "I-I totally remember! Please, sit down, Yachi-san!"
Glowing warmly from embarrassment, the blonde girl mumbles excuse me before she settles down in an empty seat, placing down her items carefully on a small portion of Mina's desk as to not take up a lot of space. The Korean girl didn't seem to mind though, merely sifting through her books and notes under the desk. Then, she pulls out her notebook and hands it to Yachi who so graciously took it with both of her hands, as if the item was rare and precious.
It was only after summer when Yachi and Mina's friendship blossomed. It wasn't through anything special; it's just that Mina realized how the blonde girl was in a class higher than her's and she found it quite fun to have a study buddy. Tsukishima was one of the candidates she thought of for this position but he wasn't exactly someone who enjoyed the company of people— and plus, he was always on the verge of spilling out her secret when she's around. She was better off ignoring him for the rest of her time here than giving in to his childish tactics.
Plus, Yachi was hundreds— no, thousands of times better than him! She was cute, nice [ albeit a little jumpy ] and smart. There was no way Mina was going to let an opportunity to befriend someone like her, pass through her hands.
"... -akes four iodine molecules for thyroid to create thyroid hormones, right?"
Yachi glances up from the notes, only to see Mina staring heavily at her notes. The blonde wonders for a bit if she was too focused on the topic but the brunette doesn't say a word; she just stares as if the paper was an abyss.
"...Lee-san?" She waves a hand cautiously in the girl's line of vision.
The latter blinks owlishly and turns to the girl who looked at her with concern evident in her features. "Are you really okay, Lee-san? You've been in and out of it for a while now."
As she was about to respond, the blonde girl leans forward by a bit, her hand cupped around her mouth and she whispers, "Are you and Kageyama-kun... having dating problems?"
Whoa—what?
Quite the ungraceful snort escapes from Mina, stifling her giggles behind her hand as she waves off the confused expression her friend makes. Of course not, the silly goose! She finds it adorable how Yachi was growing serious with the topic but it wasn't even a cinch close to being a problem with her relationship.
"U-Um..!"
"N-No problem with Tobio-kun," The brunette eases up from her fit of laughter. She takes a quick inhale and exhale before continuing, "Just—I think I am a little tired. Ah, Cultural Festival coming up soon, yes? Yachi-san, what is your class doing?"
"Oh! Right now, it's a tie between a horror house or a pancake café, but Class Three is probably thinking about doing the horror one," A small sigh of relief escapes her lips. "I-I mean, there's nothing bad about the horror house but I feel like eating desserts is better, you know!"
The girl continues on, talking about their class and what she thinks of the whole thing quite animatedly. There was a sense of adoration in Mina's heart as she stares at the enthusiastic girl, like Yachi was some cute little child she would like to have in the future. Maybe that was a little too much, but she wouldn't deny how adorable the blonde girl was, especially when excitement glimmers in her eyes.
"O-Oh, sorry! I got too excited about the festival. What about you, Lee-sanㅡ"
"Mina." The said girl interrupts.
Yachi blinks. "H-Huh?"
"I want to be good friends with Yachi-san," She states with a soft smile. "So, please call me Mina."
Similar to fleeting time, so was Yachi's expression once she heard Mina's words. Her features switch from one to another in a span of seconds and it's quite the spectacle. The way the blonde girl's eyes carry a twinkle in them, then it glosses over as her cheeks bloom bright red before she purses her lips when she shyly looks down to her fiddling fingers.
"...I think I'm dreaming right now." She mumbles.
As Mina tries to get a good look of her face, the girl's head shoots up abruptly that it sends the Korean girl backwards in her seat. But more than the heart attack the surprise gave, Yachi's face was more than enough to give another round of heart attack. Eyes glossy, tears welling up around the rims of her eyes, cheeks flushed and she bites down her lips hard like she's trying to keep it all together. Now, the brunette didn't want to look like she was bullying a classmate but it looked exactly just that. Her eyes frantically scour the room for anyone paying attention to them when Yachi pipes up.
"I-I know I'm nothing special just like Townperson B, but thank you for wanting to be friends with me! I always wanted a friend to talk about stuff with, l-like girl's talk and that kind of thing where you do sleepovers, s-so..! If you don't mind, M-Mina-chan-!"
With the blonde girl's outburst, it wasn't surprising that people's attention was now averted to their direction. Mina immediately pulls out her handkerchief from her pocket and softly pats the girl's tears away to rectify this situation.
"Yes, I am Mina," She gives her a pearly white smile as she points to herself and then to Yachi. "And I call you Hitoka-chan— is that okay?"
"D-Definitely!"
"No more crying in public too, please."
"O-Oh, sorry."
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
this chapter was more
of a filler than anything
lmao i know i didnt expose
yachi in the earlier chapters
so this one was dedicated to
their growing friendship
and im a sucker for
these things its like
reply 1988 again gosh