Awake

"Uwah, are you sure we should be talking about that?" Matsu looked around vigorously to make sure no one was around.

"We're alone right now. No one's going to bother us." Misei stood strong against their efforts of beating around the bush. "And besides, when else will we have an opportunity to talk about this?"

"True." Erina relented. "But, is this really the best time? When he's hurt?"

"I already said he isn't injured." She argued. "And we can just talk on the way." Misei ushered them to walk with her, taking a rather scenic route to the nurse's office. "So, I assume we're all going for similar reasons." She started.

"I just wanted to make sure he's okay." Erina responded, she kept picking at her hands to stay occupied.

"Why?" Misei questioned her. "Why do you continue to deny your feelings? It's the complete opposite with Yogi."

"I'm… I'm not denying anything. I like Yogi, not Arata, after all."

"Hmm? You also like Aono?" This was news to Matsu. "But you kissed Arata?"

"Yes, along with myself." Misei said. "But I also still have feelings for Yogi."

"So that's how it is." Matsu clenched her fists. "Then, how come you both want him?" She was getting upset, gritting her teeth. "I only like Arata, I've always liked him. So why are you both butting in?"

"I'm sorry." Misei apologized. "But the reality is that you can't really control your feelings."

"I already said that…" Erina would continue to deny it to them. Conflicted over the decision she made that day.

"It's not fair." Matsu wasn't expecting any competition with any of them. After all, both these girls were popular with boys. So would Arata prefer them over her? Should she have confessed earlier, or would that have been too soon? "You already have Aono, so why can't you both stick with him?" She said in frustration, pouting.

"It's just how life is." Misei answered. "And besides, that's not how it works anyway." Admittedly, she didn't know how love worked. Only what she could feel when she was with those boys.

Now they had reached the nurse's office. The nurse quietly sent them to Arata's bed, where he was resting. Very little sound came from him. Other than the very light breathing he was making.

"So that's his sleeping face." Misei commented, as she ran her hands through his hair. He didn't react to her, showing he was really out cold.

"Arata, when will you wake up?" Erina asked, as if he could respond. Holding onto his hand, checking his pulse.

"I already told you, he's just tired. Why do you continue to act as if he is severely hurt?"

"Yes, he's passed out from exhaustion." Nurse Mino informed them. "But this is not the first time he's been here due to medical reasons." The first time was when he hit his head with that hammer. It nearly gave him a concussion, and he was lucky to avoid real injury from that incident. "I'm concerned about his health if he gets unlucky again."

"…" There wasn't any response to that statement, other than the hope that he wouldn't get hurt again.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you all worried." The nurse put her hands up nervously. "I'm sure he'll be okay. So you can all rest easy on that." She left them, so that she could attend her other jobs. Meanwhile, they all looked intently at him.

"I can't take it!" Matsu rushed up to him, shaking him violently. "Why won't you wake up?!" This display was of a ridiculous nature.

"Kusano, please don't disturb him!" It took both her and Erina to rip her from his sleeping body. Which somehow didn't react to her actions. "I know you're worried, but that's only going to hurt him more than help." She scolded the girl.

"I just want to hold him, is that so bad?" She asked her. "Actually you know what? I'm going to kiss him." There was no actual benefit to doing that. Not for him at least. But being bright was never Matsu's strong suit.

"W-why would you do that?" Erina asked her, nervously sweating at the thought of seeing that. She already had to bear seeing both her and Misei back at the festival doing that. Yet she wasn't sure why she felt so strongly about that. She never felt that way with Yogi.

"I mean, he's sleeping." Matsu was unaware of the issue they were taking with this. Just that she thought she came up with an incredible idea. "So maybe he might wake up if I kiss him, like that story."

"That's hardly appropriate behavior." Misei reprimanded her. "Nor should that have any possibility of working."

"Well you can't stop me." Technically she could, but she hesitated. Using that opportunity, Matsu went right over to his side. She bent down close to his face. Their lips were just mere centimeters apart, when the unexpected happened.

Arata's head shot straight up, colliding with her, knocking her backwards down to the floor. He immediately slammed back down to the pillow before picking himself up in his bed. His hand covering over his forehead, the area of impact.

"Tch, tch. That really stings." His eyes shot open, remembering what happened before he passed out. "Everyone, please we need to..." He pointed out to nothing, then realized his surroundings were not as he would've thought they should be. "Huh?"

Instead, Arata saw that he was lying on a bed, in the nurse's office. On his left were both Erina and Misei. Both were dumbfounded as to his sudden burst of energy. On his right, and on the ground, was Matsu. Who was covering her face. Both because of the pain, and the embarrassment of what she was about to do.

"Arata, please calm yourself." Misei put a hand over his arm. "You fainted, and we took you here to recover."

"I passed out?" Arata then realized what occurred before it was lights out for him. Saddened by the thought, he laid back down on the bed. Laying on the side facing away the two girls, and covering himself with the blanket. "Then, I failed."

"Don't say that." Erina sat down on his bed. "Actually, we don't know how it's going. But we found a way to do the show without you."

"Then how did you get someone to-"

"Akaki offered to take your spot."

"Yes. And Akiba has taken Yuki spot as well." Misei informed him. Those two? It made Arata crack his first real smile in a while. He was proud of that boy.

"I guess that worked out." He was unaware of how things went with the news club. To him, it didn't sound like it was going to have a positive ending. "We should go see how it's going."

"Are you sure?" Misei asked him. "Don't you still need rest?"

"I won't be able to sleep after that." He was referring his rather rude awakening. "Besides, if it's just watching, then I can do at least that." Arata got up from his bed, where he was surprise attacked by Matsu.

"I'm so happy you're awake." She was much more cheerful now, hugging him tightly. He sighed, lightly returning it. But how much longer was he going to ignore her feelings? Until she confessed, he could put it off, but that wasn't very fair to her at all.

"Yeah, we should all get going." He gave himself a nice long stretch to loosen his stiff body up. With that, they all returned back to the library.

It wasn't a mistake for him to return. Arata was able to catch the tail end of the show, it pleased him to see both Akiba and Akaki on stage. That was a much more welcome change that he would've expected.

That look on Akaki's face, is that what he felt when he was with her? Was that the feeling of love that Arata was searching for? Or was he even looking for that at all? Right now, none of that mattered.

Since he came so late, the showing was already over. Given the look on the faces of the crowd, it was clear that this was very well received. The audience gave a standing ovation.

"Arata, you're all right." Yogi and the rest were happy to see him, as he entered backstage with the three girls.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." He replied. "And I'm sorry about that."

"Don't apologize, part of it was our fault too." Akaki told him, giving him wink as well. Arata smiled back at him, understanding the message in it.

"I just talked with the faculty." Misei informed everyone. "And they told me that the library will continue to be funded." The group cheered, this was a rather good achievement for them all.

"Of course, they also asked if we could hold these types of shows each week. It appears a lot of students want to make stories of their own." Hifumi told them once they finished their cheers. "As the only member of the library committee, it would be too challenging to do it, so if anyone would like to join me."

"I'll do it." Ichiri jumped at the opportunity. "Of course they'd need someone like me to direct."

"I'd like to join as well." Yurime offered. Arata looked at her sadly, assuming that things didn't go well with the news club. "Of course, I still have my duties at the news club. However, I think that some promotional work would come in handy."

"Huh?" He had a look of bewilderment on him.

"Oh yeah, you don't have to worry about the request anymore." Susa told him. "We're back to full strength now." The way those three acted. It was a complete turnaround from what he felt before passing out.

"That's great." He beamed with joy. That was two jobs he was able to take care of. "Then I guess my job as secretary was somewhat successful after all." He laughed.

"If everything's done here. We should all get something to eat!" Yogi wrapped his arm over Arata's head. "I'll pay for your meal too."

"I was planning on sleeping at home." He chuckled. "But I won't reject the free food."

"Speaking of eating." Misei walked up to the two. "Are you still going to join us for lunch tomorrow? To see off Rukaya and Rakuyoshi?"

"Of course." He replied to her, getting out of Yogi's grasp. "After all, it's only respectful that I do that for the people I'm replacing."

"That's good to hear." She smiled. She was going to make a big decision at that lunch, and she wasn't going to be the only one doing so.