Short Stick

"So why are we all here?" Arata asked. He was called over by Yogi to meet him behind the school. It seemed that everyone else was invited too. That would include the library committee and gardening club as well. However, there was one person missing out of all of this. One that made him a little surprised for their exclusion. "And where's Akiba?"

"Right, you don't know." Yogi explained it to him. As it would turn out, her birthday was coming up. Since it also was near Christmas, the group agreed that it'd be a shared party among all of them.

"Huh, that's interesting." He commented, noting that when he thought about it. Arata had no clue when anyone's birthdays were. "I didn't realize that we cared about birthdays so much, mine's was just last week." There was only one person outside his family that knew that, but she wasn't here at the moment.

"Oh, it's just… Did you just say your birthday was last week?" Yogi asked.

"Um, yeah? I didn't think anyone cared about birthdays that much, so I didn't bring it up back then."

"You see, the reason we do this with Akiba." Misei spoke up. "Is because of how close it is to Christmas, if we had known, we would've included yours as well."

"Yeah, we're really sorry Arata." Erina followed up. "Maybe we can make it for both of you?"

"Nah it's fine." Celebrating his birthday wasn't a big deal for him. Usually that just meant having dinner with his family, which is why he didn't bring it up to them back then. Akiba was the only one of his friends to know, and that was because she tried messaging him back then.

"Great, then we should get down to business." Misao took command of the operations here. "You see, we're all here so that we can get things ready for the party later tonight."

"We're planning it the day of?" Arata asked. If it was for a birthday/Christmas party, he was going to have to find a way to get a gift.

"Sorry, since it was common knowledge for all of us, we forgot to tell you. Everyone else has gotten their things ready." That was disappointing to hear for him. Now he was going to be behind all of them. "Anyway, we already have the place reserved. So it's only a matter of getting everything set up just the way it needs to be."

"Perfect." Akaki said, he was the one most excited for this. For obvious reasons from Arata's point-of-view. "Then, after school we'll get started."

"Yeah, sounds good to me too." Arata followed up.

"Not so fast, we still need someone to buy us time." Misao knew that in order for this plan to work. The birthday girl was going to need to be distracted from them.

"Exactly." Yogi pulled something out of his pocket, a bunch of sticks. "Go ahead." No one did anything, they only stared at him. "Aren't we going to draw straws?"

"Why do you have a bunch of sticks with you?" Misao asked.

"Hey look, you never know when you need to draw for times like this." Yogi chuckled at what he believed was common sense.

"Right…" Arata replied. "And I guess the gardening club and library committee aren't a part of this." He confirmed that those people would not be candidates of the distracting job. It would be weird if any of them suddenly took an interest in her when they didn't really hang out. "Speaking of, why are you all here?" They were invited my Yogi, who just thought the more the merrier. Despite the fact that pretty much all of them had next to no relationship with Akiba.

"I'd love to go to Akiba's birthday party." Matsu beamed. "She's one of the nicest girls at school, so it'll be a lot of fun." Arata had a nervous grin from hearing that. That statement was true for most people, but he had seen some of the things she had to say in their messages. One would say that they were far from kid-friendly. Maybe even not safe for the ears of most adults.

"Yeah, plus it's a Christmas party too. So that makes it double fun." Ichiri was quite the fan of the holidays, so there was no way she'd miss a party that included her friends.

"Are we going to pick our candidate, or are you going to continue this idle chitchat?" Misao was losing her patience with them. Arata returned back to his task, everyone grabbed a stick.

The moment he took his piece, Arata already knew who was going to be the distraction. That would be him.

"Ha!" Erina laughed out loud at him. "Yours is so small."

"Wow, it is really small." Matsu pushed herself into this conversation.

"Yeah, I didn't think it was possible to be so small." Misei commented.

"All right, all right. I get it." He responded with irritation. "I got the short stick, haha real funny." For some reason, the way they referred to it made him feel self-conscious.

"Perfect, then we have everything set up now." Misao would've preferred him being with them. That way, she could've helped set him up with Misei. Then again, it might be better that way, since competition was going to get in the way. This silent war was still going on between her and some of the others.

"You could say that." However, in his mind. Arata was already thinking of a way to get out of this. And his perfect target was in front of him. "Hey, Akaki. I got something to ask you."

"You want me to take your place?" Akaki asked, once the pair were alone. It was clear to him what was to be asked of him.

"Yeah, of course." Arata thought this was a perfect idea. A little alone time between childhood friends. Why wouldn't he help give them a little push? "Come on, I know it's not easy. But I thought you wanted her attention?"

"I'd love to…" He scratched the back of his head. "But I actually can't." He explained that there was a special gift he was planning on getting her. That movie that they've discusses about before. The one that the two played the main roles in the library had just released on Blu-ray. Unfortunately, it was not out in this town yet. So he was going to have to make a quick trip to the next town over, which he confirmed on having. Shouldn't take more than an hour, at most.

Admittedly, he wasn't sure if it was something he would be into. But their little performance did grab his attention. It was something she had been hoping to see, so perhaps…

"I got you." Arata pointed to his temple as a sigh of showing how good of a plan that was. "Just promise me you won't back out, and I'll do my best."

"Great." Akaki gave him a thumbs up and smile. However, just as Arata was about to leave. There was still one last thing for him to tell the boy. "And, um, thanks."

"It's not really a big deal or-"

"I mean with Akiba." He corrected the misunderstanding. "You really don't have to do all this. Everything you've done."

"Eh." Arata responded in a bashful manner. "It's kind of what I do."

"I could help you, if you ever need it." Akaki offered. "If there's a girl you like…"

"I don't have a girl I'm into at the moment." He responded. Those there were some that he certainly gained the attention of. Misei, Matsu, and even Hifumi. Those girls likes him and he hadn't given a proper answer. Yuriko was still on the fence for him.

"Really?" Arata didn't know it, but everyone else was aware of his date with Misei. So a statement like that was surprising for Akaki. "But what about Misei?"

"Oddly specific name to say." Arata raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "What makes you think she's a girl I like?"

"Right, she said not to say it." Arata rolled his eyes, how this kid kept any secrets was beyond him. "Sorry, she didn't want us to bring it up, but we all know you two went on a date."

"I guess it's only because we're not still dating after that." He sighed. "But to be honest, I don't know what it feels like to... like someone. You're better at that than me."

"Hmm, how about I'll tell you why I..."

"Fell for Akiba?" He could sense the apprehension from his hesitation. "Sure, but I gotta get going. I'm going to need some time to come up with a plan to distract her."

"Right." The two separated and went about their day as usual. Soon enough, school was over, and Arata was on the hunt for his target. Unfortunately, he had yet to come up with something to convince her not to look for the others. Maybe she might've had some plans he could insert himself into.

"Hello." He said to her once he found her waiting out front. She was standing alone, wondering where the others were.

"Have you seen Yogi?" She asked. Obviously, he sat next to the boy. So of all people, Arata should know where he was. That was the truth, but Arata wasn't about to just tell her that. "Or anyone else?"

"Um… No, I guess I haven't." He said. "Actually, I was looking for you."

"You were?" She had a quizzing look on her face, wondering where this change came from. "Why?"

"I was just wondering if you had any plans for today, that's all." That seemed to enough to satisfy her, but Akiba was still weary of his motives. She knew he was lying, because what he said about not knowing where Yogi had to be a lie. They literally sat next to each other. Unless they got into a fight, which it was clear they didn't, Arata should know.

"I was actually about to go shopping." After all, it was her birthday and her parents had given her some shopping cash as a gift. Something that she told him, which Arata immediately knew the true reason for. Her family was obviously in on the surprise party, and wanted to keep her busy for a little bit. Silently, he thanked them for giving him this opportunity. Now it was his job to keep her busy on this little shopping excursion.

"Mind if I tag along?" He offered. Now she knew something was up, but Akiba was willing to play this game.

"Sure." She allowed it. "If there's anything you're interested in, then we can check it out together. I don't mind."

"Gee thanks." With the holidays so close, he wasn't expecting her to follow him on what he might want. Especially since he was excited over the new merchandise in anime themed with Winter and Christmas. But that offer also made him feel a little shy. He already felt judged from the last time he shared this with some girls. However, he wasn't sure how Akiba would take that.

"Great." She smiled, hiding her true intentions. "We should get going before it gets too dark, you know because it's getting darker earlier these days."

"R-right." And so the two left the school ground. Off to where she planned to going, just with one more person in tow.