It took two weeks for the Literary Club to fill up by four more people. At the first general meeting, the newcomers were surprised at the size of the club room, and decided to clean it up. The club was on the first floor of the school, and from the window there was a view of the back of the school grounds with the athletic and soccer fields for physical education.
The kids had time to get used to the quietness of the literature club. In the middle of the classroom was a rectangular table near which they mostly gathered. Akiko and Tomoyuki were the only people who started the conversation during the gatherings. They pulled Ryou and Yumiko up to them, so they didn't sit around with monotonous views either. Glenn came to the club less often than everyone else. Ryou managed to get a little closer to Tomoyuki and Akiko in a short time, and he had a positive and reserved relationship with Yumiko. Yumiko found it interesting that Tomoyuki had an open style with no preconceptions, and sometimes she found it difficult to talk to him, which resulted in her suppressing her emotions with calm and indifference.
One clear day, high school students from Yumiko's parallel class were having gym class.
"One-two! One-two! One-two!" was heard the stern and commanding voice of the gym teacher, leading an even jog with the class in a traffic circle. At the exhausting run, Tomoyuki, who was thrown into a sweat, noticed the open window of the literature club.
Yumiko was sitting alone in the club room with the window open, finishing her homework previously assigned by the teacher in class. Tomoyuki grasped the window with his palms and called out to Yumiko.
"Oh, hello, Yamashita-kun. You're in sports uniform."
"Haha. I have two hours of gym today. By the way, why are you here alone?"
"Hayashi-kun is talking to the teacher about some business right now, and Akiyama-chan decided to have lunch with her friends."
"Wow! You're so sensible," Tomoyuki replied, to which Yumiko peacefully shook her head.
"I was only wondering why they were absent."
"By the way, Glenn-kun hasn't come to the club in days. He must have found a girlfriend, naughty boy."
"I don't know why he doesn't come."
"Mm, well," he said, swaying his body fretfully, "If even you don't know, I wouldn't know a thing about it."
"I'm leaning on his busyness. He works in his spare time."
The blue-eyed guy was unaware of this news, for Ryou had never had to tell him before. Wiping the sweat from his face, he complained about the hot weather.
"By the way, Sato-chan. I often notice Glenn-kun in the bathroom during recess. Do you know what this has to do with?"
Yumiko shook her head and looked at her workbook again. With the fingers of her right hand, she periodically twirled her pen.
"Maybe that's how Glenn-kun sneaks schoolgirls into the bathroom," he said jokingly, grinning widely. "Who knows."
Yumiko smirked back at his joke, and planted her cheek on his left hand.
"And to be honest," Tomoyuki continued, with a bored sigh, "I don't know what's on his mind at all."
The taciturn Yumiko nods and agrees with his words.
***
In the middle of the school day, Tomoyuki and Yumiko were alone in the circle room. Asked why Sato-chan always seems busy reading books and writing down educational assignments.
"Don't you ever get bored with such chores?"
"Not at all," replied the maiden politely. "I feel much more relaxed about my own work."
"Are you really so clever! Aiming for a prestigious higher education?"
"That's right."
"Are you thinking about your future, Sato-chan?"
"I do, and a lot," Yumiko said. "I used to do nothing but sit alone near my desk. I didn't know it could be more fun to be in company with people."
"I guess you think so because 'this' company of people consists frankly of perfect friends for you?" ranted Tomoyuki, in a cocky and boastful tone.
Yumiko giggled back. "You really are good guys."
"What-oh, I didn't hear that, did Yumiko start to be frank?!"
"Stop it," the girl replied embarrassedly, with a slight chuckle.
Tomoyuki finally realized Yumiko's point of view and outlook on life, and to him she seemed nothing less than a good-natured and determined girl, whose companionship provided a satisfying aftertaste. Yumiko, who had previously seemed cold and untouchable, unwittingly opened up to Tomoyuki from a different side, one that no one had noticed before.