Komi Shouko (Komi Can't Communicate)

“Komi-san?”

An uncommunicative girl suddenly had reality rush back to her. The thoughts she was lost in scattering to the wind as she tried to register what was happening to her.

It was lunch time, she was sitting at her normal desk as everyone went about their business. She’d just finished eating and was watching the two people in front of her chat away before something had stolen her thoughts. Something that was different and a little confusing.

In front of her were her two very first friends, Tadano and Najimi. Both were looking at her with smiles, though one was a more sympathetic smile than the other.

“Komi’s daydreaming~” Najimi sang, the eternal childhood friend never afraid to make fun of anyone and everyone. “Such a rude girl you are, what are you dreaming about while we’re trying to pick a lunch game?”

The shy girl shook her head violently at the suggestion that she was being rude (Najimi knew this, obviously). But instead of writing something down to respond, she looked down at her pen.

It was a strange item. Komi was fearful that someone had put it in her case by mistake. It wasn't something she'd seen before so she knew it wasn't hers. A lot of her stationary took on the appearance of her, thin, pretty and elegant. This pen was bulky and rugged, like if Katai was a pen.

“Hm? Is that a new pen Komi-San?” Tadano asked, looking down at the slightly fancy marker that the girl was staring at.

Najimi just gave him a side glance, “Man… you notice the weirdest tiny details about her don’t you Tadano?”

He blushed, looking away from his long time friend to put the attention back on Komi. “S-so, is it new? I didn’t think you used such bulky stationery.”

Komi was about to write out ‘It appeared in my pencil case, I’m not sure where it came from’ but Najimi stole it from her hand almost immediately. The girl flusteredly tried to get it back but the smaller Najimi just kept out of reach. “This is perfect!” The friend declared, “We’ll use this to play our lunch game!”

Both Komi and Tadano were a little confused, but neither were turning down the idea straight away either. Though their confusion rose when Najimi began writing in secret on the back of their hand.

“You better not be wasting all of Komi-san’s ink.” Tadano warned, but before he could save the pen a hand was shoved in his face.

On it was a small picture of Najimi, or the best facsimile that could be drawn in such a small time.

“Ta-dah!” said Najimi proudly, “Let’s have some fun drawing on each other! Here you go Komi-san, you draw Tadano-kun on Tadano-kun next.” The pen quickly flew over to the quiet beauty who fumbled with the airborne projectile before catching it.

Tadano sighed at his friend’s enthusiasm, “You don’t have to draw on me if you don-” He stopped when he saw the girl’s face, Komi very clearly looking excited and eager to draw on her friend. “O-Okay then…” He mumbled, grabbing his sleeve and bringing it up so she could draw on his forearm.

Not even realising the slightly awkward closeness she was now sat at, Komi got in the zone to quickly start doodling. Ignoring the way Tadano bit his lip and squeaked quietly at the pretty girl touching his arm. Ignoring the way Yamai was biting holes into her top in jealousy. Ignoring Najimi’s laughter at Tadano’s predicament.

She just wanted the drawing to look good.

And it really wasn’t.

Once she was done a wave of depression washed over her, the larger nub on the end of the pen made it very difficult to draw any detail so the lines were far too thick. And with no way to erase a mistake it was mostly just a Tadano-esque ball of black.

Najimi laughed again, but her longest friend was a little more supportive. “I think it kind of looks like me.” He smiled, clearly lying but she did appreciate the effort. “Why don’t you sign your work? That way I can at least claim I have a… K-Komi-san original.”

The depression had lifted, Tadano’s expert tact in situations coming through again for her to nod and write her name down quickly.

Komi Shouko’s

Well, she wanted to add the word ‘Art’ to the end there, but was interrupted when the end of lunch bell rang out.