Manga Club President

Just like the day prior, the library was empty and desolate. Aside from the few goody-two-shoes students studying as if midterms weren't months away, the solace of this quiet room was something many people who attended this school came to appreciate. Being the only modern building in the entirety of Shishigami High, it was something of a sanctuary for people such as the handsome faced Kuromoto Nishi. Despite having a club room of his own to indulge in his otaku fantasies, he frequented the school library's manga section in hopes of discovering a hidden gem. The young man was prideful in his knowledge of obscure media, ranging from popular authors lesser known works to manga not even the most seasoned of veterans would have the slightest clue about. To put it simply, Kuromoto Nishi was a bona fide nerd.

It took less than 15 seconds for Nishi to navigate the luxurious space and into the manga corner. He knew a shortcut. The usual routine started with taking an immediate left upon entering the library, followed by a straight path, past the water fountain, and into the science fiction section. Once at the end of that aisle, it was a 5 second stride to the right and he would be at the young adult corner, which contained the hundreds of manga titles he so adored. Rather than traversing the labyrinth that is the non-fiction section, Nishi much prefered his lazy path. Yet, in the midst of his usual route, a sudden object of sorts had ended up tipping over onto the carpeted floors. Accompanied by a squeak and the sound of fluttering paper, Nishi had assumed he must have knocked over some kind of new book stand. Embarrassed, he hesitated to look down. Disturbing the peace of this quiet sanctuary was something he loathed even thinking about. It was a horrifying thought, having to face the library committee and risk potential escortion out of his beloved oasis, it pained him greatly. Before Nishi could even take a glance at the mess he had made, he heard a soft, high pitched voice from below.

"Ouch!! That really hurt."

Was that a girl? Nishi, with a lightning fast whip of his neck, was met with the gaze of an innocent child. She couldn't have been older than nine or ten. Surely, this was somebody's lost kid scrambling around the school library. At the very least, Nishi could lay the blame on this little girl. Was it the right thing to do? Definitely not. But he was willing to take drastic measures to ensure he was a friend of the library committee, as being labeled a nuisance would hurt his perfect regimen. Now gazing down at the fallen child, he knew he had to act quick. This whole situation was his fault, after all.

"Gosh, I'm so sorry. Here, can you stand? Are you hurt?" Nishi extended his large hand towards the confused child.
The bright haired girl looked up at Nishi in a daze, clearly struggling to understand how she ended up on the floor with a sore bottom.

Having gotten her bearings, she gratefully accepted the large hand to assist her back to her feet. With a swift motion, she was back on her toes, as if she were a weightless doll. Standing at a cute 4 feet and 4 inches, the child had to crane her neck upwards to meet Nishi's gaze. Handsome, tall, and downright masculine were acceptable features to describe Kuromoto Nishi. Being ranked number 4 in the school's unofficial list of 'Hottest Studs at Shishigami High School', there was no denying that this young man was attractive. Tall, with a decently toned body, even with a pair of thick framed glasses, he was downright hot. 

Words hadn't even been able to escape the child's mouth before the stud himself squatted down and started gathering the pile of strewn books. As expected, being in this corner of the library had to have meant she was checking out the vast manga titles. He thought it was nice to see a fellow otaku, and at such a young age too.

"Oh, no. You don't have to." 

The child pleaded as the kind man handed her a pile of miscellaneous shoujo manga. They weren't your typical children's shoujo either, which had caught Nishi's attention for a brief moment. No, they were much more mature titles. Regardless, he knew he had to speak up, this was his chance to prove himself as a responsible young adult.

"No, it was my fault. I should've watched where I was going. I'm just glad you aren't hurt."

With a bright smile that could light up the darkest night, Nishi had made her soul swoon. This child had fallen in love. She hardly had the time to process she was now clutching the once scattered books close to her chest. Never before has there been such a heart racing, jaw dropping moment in this little girl's life. The red thread of fate, love at first sight, head over heels- call it what you will, she was feeling all of those and more. Managing to squeak out a few words, she couldn't have sounded more childish.

"Th-thank you, my knight in shining armor!"

Nishi raised an eyebrow with a half smirk on the corner of his lips.

"Knight?"

She was blushing furiously. If you held a tomato next to her cheeks, the tomato would be a lighter hue. Beating herself up silently, she managed to squeak a little bit longer.

"N-no I didn't mean tha-.... Um. I was just... Basically."

Nishi's half smirk turned into a sweet, gentle smile. Placing his hand on her head and giving it a few pets, he felt proud of himself. He read in a manga somewhere that little girls really like head pats. Surely, this child would be more comfortable in the presence of a brave, strong student.

"Are you waiting for your sibling? Which class are they in?"

Nishi sounded very sure of himself, almost cocky. He was determined to show this lost child kindness and compassion. Suddenly met with a confused, furrowed brow, Nishi watched the girls face contort in confusion.

"Sibling? I'm a student."

How could he miss such a crucial detail? She was indeed wearing the school issued uniform of Shishigami High. Dumbfounded, astonished, stupefied- call it what you will, he was feeling all of those and more. With wide eyes, Nishi did a double take. The words just couldn't be found. How could such a tiny girl be the same age as him? He knew he was tall, he was used to looking down at most girls around campus, but this was a whole other level. He quickly removed his hand, feeling completely flustered by his actions. Stuttering out with a shaky voice, he was embarrassed.

"My mistake! It's just that you're so..."

Should he say it? There's no way she hasn't heard it a million times before. She had to be very aware of her size by this point in her life. Would it be considered offensive? Even if she somehow hadn't been aware she was tiny, it's not something you can just bring up without sounding a little bit rude.

His suspicions turned out to be true almost immediately. The girl's face contorted in a pout. Her cheek slightly puffed and her lips pursed.

"I get that a lot." 

She managed to speak in a normal voice for the first time during this encounter. It was clear Nishi had struck a nerve. He knew he had messed up, and the guilt was starting to eat at him. Nishi prided himself on the fact he was a skilled conversationalist. If there were ever a time he could charm his way out of an awkward situation, it was definitely right here and now. Quickly, he averted the subject towards anything else he could land his eye on. With desperate urgency, Nishi pointed to the books clutched to her chest, he spoke out with a confident tone.

"Shoujo manga? You have good taste. I'm a fan myself."

"Yes! I just absolutely adore shoujo manga! What's your favorite?!"
It was like the girl was a sleeper agent and her code word was "Shoujo Manga". Her eyes lit up with a newfound passion as she asked that question. Where the hell did that pout just go? Is she really so infatuated with shoujo manga her brain reprogrammed itself to forget about the offensive height comment? Regardless, this was Nishi's chance to skillfully avoid hurting her feelings. He wasn't about to let this slip by.

"My favorite? I'd have to say Nana by Ai Yazawa. Or, maybe Cardcaptor Sakura by CLAMP."

 Nishi managed to muster out just enough to capture this little girl's heart. There was no mistaking it now, she definitely had such an obsession that she was willing to completely disregard the previous awkward encounter.

Beams of light and stars practically sparkled out of her big, round eyes. Her soft, rosy cheeks contrasted her pale skin beautifully, as if she was a perfectly painted porcelain doll. The way she spoke was cute. She gestured in an animated fashion that could make hearts race. Despite her ability to charm, she was about to unleash her ultimate attack. Endless chatter.

"Oh, I just love Nana! There's so much drama and romance packed into the story. It really sucks you into the world that Ai Yazawa is trying to portray! You can really feel the emotion of the -..." 

Blah blah blah. On and on and on. The flood gates had burst open and the dam was gushing faster than the poor Nishi could escape. Swept away by the force of the tidal wave, Nishi could do nothing but withstand the barrage. His head was spinning, his lungs felt tight, the hair on the back of his neck stood up. She hadn't even gotten around to talking about Cardcaptor Sakura before Nishi knew he had to do something about this verbal assault.

"You know, you should come visit my club room sometime. I'm the president of the school's manga club."
He managed to sneak in those sentences between the girl gushing about Hachi and Takumi's relationship. Once more, he could see stars sparkling in the girls bright eyes. Was she going in for the kill this time? Nishi could only gulp in anticipation.

"Manga club?! You're in the manga club?! I would love to-" 

She stopped herself. The sudden shift in atmosphere left Nishi feeling a little curious.

"Is something wrong?"

 He could sense she was hesitating to say something rather important. He stood by patiently, feeling a little bit saddened by her soft expression gazing at the floor.

"I'm not sure I would be a good fit. I get shy around people I don't know very well. What if they call me a freak and a midget? I'm not sure I could handle anymore bullying."

 With a bow of her head, the girl showed signs of trauma and rejection.
Nishi felt a pang in his chest, sensing her fear of exclusion. He had much preferred the hyper assault of words from just a few seconds ago. Once again, he knew he needed to control this situation quickly. Without hesitation, he patted her head once more, this time giving her scalp a gentle scratching from his fingertips, her hair a slight ruffle. The handsome, gentle smile from earlier returned to his face.

"Everyone is really friendly in my club. I've known them since I was a kid. You'll fit right in, I promise. There's even another female if you don't feel comfortable with just guys." He spoke softly, waiting for her gaze to meet his once again.
Once it finally did, he could see a glimmer of hope in her skeptical eyes. He felt a surge of protectiveness upon seeing her innocent expression. Nishi offered a nod of assurance, encouraging her to trust in his words, that despite not having known eachother for long, he was being honest with her.

She bowed her head once again in resignation. Nishi could feel his heart sink a little bit as she lowered herself.

"I'm sorry..." she managed so speak barely above a whisper.

With newfound resolve, and a better understanding of her situation, Nishi confidently placed his fingers under her chin, tilting it up to meet his gaze. To some, this would be considered a romantic gesture. To her, it was beyond intimate.

"Please, just come check it out... Miss?"

 It had just dawned on him he hadn't even gotten her name, let alone introduced himself.

"Tanaka... Tanaka Shina... My friends call me Tan-Tan..." 

Her cute face bore a sweet, innocent smile. Her eyes half lidded and her cheeks faintly pink. She was the epitome of beauty in this very moment, leaving Nishi starstruck for what seemed like an eternity. Even her name was soft and cute. She used the 'Tan' from Tanaka and the suffix 'Tan' a more playful take on the suffix 'Chan' meaning 'Friend'. He realized he needed to speak. Collecting his thoughts, he cleared his throat, using his butter-smooth voice.

"Kuromoto Nishi. It's a pleasure, Tan-Tan."

He could hear a quiet whimper of affection in her throat as he used her nickname. The sound of it rolling off his tongue sent a shiver down her spine. Imaginary flowers bloomed around the two teenagers, capturing the severity of the situation. These two were undoubtedly, wholeheartedly in love.