39 I don't understand you Komi-san
"God I shouldn't have worked out that hard." I said to myself with a hefty amount of regret in my voice as I dragged my body towards my class.
It was way past the beginning of class and I was walking through the school at a comfortable pace. Each stride I took shot a wave of pain in my muscles.
My bones rattled with each step I took and exhaustion was looming over me, ready to take over my body and shut it down completely.
{Yeah, you did not take that burst of motivation all that well.} the author said in amusement.
'You can't blame me. I was in the 'zone'.' I said just as I reached my class.
I slide open the door rather forcefully and when I looked inside, there were students siting orderly in their seats. There was a strange silence as I just stared at them.
My eyes first fell on Komi and I think I saw her perked up like a cat when she saw me. Then my eyes drift across my classmates before my eyes finally fell on the teacher.
'Ooops.'
"Ah, glad to see you made it Fujita." The teacher said. He looked like the typical nice middle aged teacher and from his tone I could tell that he was not angry.
"So what excuse do you have this time." He said with his arms crossed.
I just stared blankly at him for some time before I widen my eyes exaggeratedly and looked towards the classroom clock.
It was 15 minutes past the start of the shcool.
"No way, my wrist watch is 30 minutes late!!!" I said, aghast.
The students immediately began murmuring to themselves.
"That's a new excuse!!"
"A good one at that."
"I thought he would say he got lost on the path of life again."
"He's handsome, who cares!!"
I looked around with deadpan eyes.
{Bruh.} the author said.
"Quiet down people!!" the teacher shouted and silence prevailed once again. Then he turned to me.
"You are really bad at acting Fujita, you should stick to sports. Besides that, you don't have a wrist watch," The teacher pointed out in amusement and the others alughed.
"Try to be on time tomorrow. Go." he said and I go.
I went to my seat which was in the back and as I was sitting down, I turned to Komi and said, "Good morning."
She paused for a long time and then she turned to me. Her eyes were aloof and it felt as if she could see everything which was me.
Her perfect impassive face worked well to conceal any thoughts or emotions she might have. It gave off the feeling of supernatural and almost divine feeling.
Though I know she was just an extremely shy girl with insecurities, it was hard to believe that when she was looking at me like this.
She nodded slightly before turning forward again.
'I can't read her at all.' I thought to myself in defeat.
I had watched the first episode of her anime last night and knew exactly what kind of person she was and also knew that her problem and anxiety were real.
Though I would've loved to watch more episodes, but the author had said, '{What? You think it's easy to send videos across different universes? Especially if the said video is about the world you are living it, it is a taboo and I had to go through some shit to send you this so be happy. It's not like I could send you a link or something, this shit is more complicated that you would ever imagine.}'
So I could only watch episode one.
And he was right and I didn't really know the implication of such things.
After watching the episode, I immediately searched the main character and when I realize that he didn't exist. I decided I would help this perfect girl instead of him.
But now that I was actually dealing with her, I am not sure I want to go through such trouble.
{Bro you have to do it!! She's a waifu, I won't let you throw her away. We need her, we need to save her.} the author said, almost sounding like a man of righteousness.
'Well, it won't hurt to give a try I guess.' I said and observed Komi secretly as the class went on.
And as if feeling my gaze, she turned to me and looked at me with her deep eyes. I didn't look away and met her gaze.
After some time she began vibrating in her seat and I couldn't help but be amused as I now know that it was just her being extremely nervous.
Though it did not look that way in the slightest. Even though I predicted what was happening inside, I still could not read her at all.
But I would need to learn to do that. School is quite boring anyways so maybe she would be able to entertain me.
And I will be helping her in return.
---__---__---__---__---__---__
"So you can't speak at all. How does that work? Or should I ask how does that not work." I said to Komi who quickly wrote something on her notebook to reply my question.
She wrote elegantly and swiftly which looked oddly cinematic in my eyes. She was truly an exceptional being.
(When I try to speak, I freeze.) she showed me her notebook before turning the page.
(And while I freeze, people get scared and run away.) another page.
(I don't blame them.)
(I am weird afterall.)
I looked at her carefully, her expression was still that of a doll and people would most likely not believe her. But I knew it was true.
"You are not weird. You are just..." I said, trying to come up with another term. Anything at all.
"....a little weird." I failed to find another world.
Because it was true, there are people who are completely mute and people who have extreme social anxiety. But none of them could be compared with Komi.
She was a in a different league all together. Afterall even a a mute can still make sounds for others and a person with social anxiety could still greet a person.
But the thing that made her most different is she wanted to speak. She wanted nothing more than to talk with others but she can't.
It was like she was purposely made to be like this which was true in a way I guess.
"But don't worry, no one hates you or anything. In fact it's the opposite, people adore you." I said, I didn't know it but I expected her to feel depressed with what I had said.
I couldn't read her at all.
(Don't worry.) she wrote.
(I understand. Before I met you, everyone ran away.)
(You are the only one who stayed while I freeze.)
She wrote something quickly again and she paused. She was reluctant to show me what she wrote but after a while she rubbed it off and write something new.
(Thank you.) It was written clearly. But I was able to see the traces of what was written before she rubbed it off.
('Can we be friends') it was still visible if you squint your eyes a little.
My heart melts when I saw that. She was covering her face with her notebook so I couldn't see her impassive face so maybe that's why.
A desire to help her out and befriend her bubbled in my heart. Like the desire to pick up a lost cat in the street.
It was the second break and almost everyone was out of the class currently so it was just me and her and one student who was at the very front.
I got up from my seat and pushed down her notebook so I could see her face.
"No need to thank me." I said, "You said you wanted a hundred friends right? I am not sure if I would be able to help you with that much but we could try."
I put my hand forward and pat her on the head. I find great pleasure in deforming her perpetual hairstyle which the world nevermind tempered.
As I rubbed her soft and plentiful locks, I didn't know if it was my imagination but I saw her blushing.
[IMG : The cover.]
'Probably my imagination.' I said to myself.
I wished I could have Tadano's special power right now. I wanted to be able to communicate her with all my heart but....
'I don't understand you Komi-san.'
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[3rd POV]
Komi-san was happy.
She was happy because Fujita was talking to her
While everyone got intimidated by her and run away, Fujita would stay and be unbothered. Maybe it was because he was strong.
She liked that about him. She liked Fujita.
She couldn't talk to him as expected but he allowed her to write out her replies. She was very happy that he allowed her.
She was sure that it was bothersome for him to wait and read out her replies. But he did it anyways.
Fujita was a nice guy. Even with her negative points in socializing, she could tell that he was a good person.
Though she almost did something horrendous. She tried asking Fujita to be her friend.
She didn't know what she was thinking at the time. She had learned that even if she wanted to be people's friend they may not want to be hers.
But luckily she was able to stop herself.
She was happy because Fujita promised to help her make friends. But she made sure to understand him though.
He said he would help her make friends but he didn't include himself.
She didn't know if she was correct but she thinks he was going to help so that she could bother others and not him.
Still it was so nice of him to be willing to help her.
.
.
.
.
.
Though she really wanted to be friends with him.
She would do anything.
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