Rewrite

Two weeks had passed. Two weeks since the fateful day that Nishi and Tan-Tan had mailed their manuscript to the publisher's office. Fourteen days since the stress began. Every single day became tense as the manga club members sat idly by, avoiding eye contact with their anxious president. Each time they picked up a new volume to read, they made a conscious effort to keep their heads down.

The first brave student of the group to speak her mind on this warm summer evening was Minami. She couldn't bear to see her best friend sulk any longer.
"I'm sure the letter will come today, Nishi."

Her soft eyes glistened with sorrow. Gently taking Akinari's hand off her hip, she sat next to Nishi, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"...if...not...enough..."
His voice was barely above a whisper, grumbling beneath his breath.

"What's that, Nishi?"
She gazed up at him.

"What if it's not good enough."
He repeated slightly louder, still holding back.

"Stop saying things like that! That manga was a freaking masterpiece and you know it!"
She looked slightly irritated at his constant doubting. She stood up, angrily scoffing down at him.
"This isn't like you at all! The Nishi I know wouldn't let this kind of thing get to him!"
She clenched her fist tightly, her hand shaking with anger.

"How can you even say that, Minami?! You all put so much effort into making this dream of ours come true!"
He stood up beside her. He looked like he was about to explode. Tan-Tan and Akinari exchanged shocked glances, unsure of what to do about the escalating situation.

"Because, I'm your best friend! If you keep sulking, I'm going to kick your ass!"
She stepped forward, her hand roughly clutching the collar of his shirt.

"Just.... stay out of my business!"
His hand slapped her wrist, prying her fingers off his clothes.

"Nishi?! What's gotten into you?!"
Minami's eyes softened again, sensing there was more behind just his worries about some manga contest.

"Leave me alone! You always butt into things that don't concern you! It's annoying as hell!"
Nishi's eyes widened. He immediately regretted his words, and it showed on his face. He gasped and reached a hand toward his friend.
"W-wait. Minami, I didn't mean-"

Tears filled her bright yellow eyes. The deafening sound of a slap echoed through the clubroom. Nishi's head shot to the side, the feeling of his stinging skin hadn't even registered as the pain in his heart was far greater.

Minami let out a sharp gasp, her tears trickling down her pale cheeks. With a frantic jolt, she rushed out of the clubroom, slamming the door behind her.

"Minami-chan!"
Tan-Tan jumped up from her seat, immediately chasing after the crying girl.

"Nishi... that was pretty messed up."
Sakai Akinari stood beside him, his own eyes filled with a burning irritation.

"Not you too, Aki."
Nishi grabbed his backpack, unable to look his friend in the eye. He grunted and stormed out of the clubroom in a stupor.

"You better apologize to my girlfriend, Nishi, or I'll never talk to you again!"
Akinari's own voice shook with emotion. He didn't want things to end like this, but he knew there was no getting through to Nishi until he had calmed down.
"Do you even hear me, Nishi?! I'll walk away from this clubroom forever!"
He shouted at nothing. Nishi was already gone, and there wasn't a single thing he could do about it.

Sitting outside the courtyard, Tan-Tan had her arms wrapped around the pretty redhead. She gently played with Minami's hair; a comforting gesture to help ground her amid the unexpected turmoil.
"I'm sure Nishi-senpai didn't mean that, Minami-chan. He's really banking on this contest."

Minami sniffled, wiping her nose with the back of her hand.
"I can't believe he would say that to me. I've been his number one supporter since we were five years old."

"Minami-chan, calm down. I know I haven't known him as long as you two, but Nishi-senpai would never do anything to hurt you."
Tan-Tan offered her handkerchief to her friend.

"Minami, Tanaka-san, are you two alright?"
Akinari rushed beside them, kneeling down to examine his tear stained girlfriend's face.

"Sakai-senpai... Where's Nishi-senpai?"
Tan-Tan looked up at him, immediately understanding the severity of the situation. Akinari's eyes were burning with rage; she had never seen this kind of expression come from him before. It sent a chill down her spine, and she stepped back to let the couple have a moment together.
She felt out of place, like a third wheel. This was an issue regarding childhood friends, not just extracurricular club members. She tried to make an Irish goodbye, but her arm was tugged backward.

"Tanaka-san, you can stay."
Akinari gave her a gentle smile.
"Minami needs you, too."

"But... I'm just a newbie."
She shifted her hand to her elbow, clutching it nervously.

"You're not a newbie anymore, you're our friend."
He pulled her into a group hug, allowing himself to open up more than usual. She had never seen this side of him before, it almost scared her. This must be the soft side that Minami fell in love with; after all, even Tan-Tan found his sympathetic side kind of attractive in this moment.

"I should text Nishi-senpai..."
She gently pulled away from the embrace, her fingers shaking around her cell phone. She bowed her head as she took her leave, allowing the two a moment of intimacy in these trying times.

"Tan-Tan-chan!"
Minami shouted from a distance as the little girl walked away.
"Thank you!"

Tan-Tan smiled and waved, continuing her stroll. Her hands hesitated as she typed a heartfelt message into the text prompt. The message read:
"Nishi-senpai, can we talk? I'll be waiting at Shigeo Beans until 7:00 PM. Please, come meet me. -Shina"

She sat alone at the coffee shop for quite some time. Her hands remained wrapped around the warm mug containing her favorite matcha latte. Each chime of the doorbell caused her to jolt from her trance, but Nishi never came. All the way until 8:00 PM that night, she had her eyes glued to the world passing by outside the window. Her mind was spinning in a daze, she couldn't believe how much she had witnessed between the club members earlier that day. Would things ever be the same? Regardless, she headed home with a heavy heart.

She slipped her shoes off and trudged into the kitchen. Her mother, Aya, was waiting in front of a now cold dinner.

"Shina! Where were you?! I was worried sick!"
Aya jumped to her feet, immediately wrapping her arms around Tan-Tan head.

She could do nothing but whimper against her mother's chest, her tears soaking through the fabric.

"Shina? What's wrong?"
Aya gently tilted her chin up, taking a worried look at her now sobbing daughter.

"Mommy... Nishi-senpai... Minami-chan... They-"
She began bawling, her screams muffled by Aya's breasts.

"Oh, sweetie. It's okay, Mommy's got you. Let it all out."
She petted her daughter's bright silver hair, allowing her to catch her breath before speaking again.

"They got in a fight. It was so scary. I don't want to lose them as my friends, Mommy. I'm so scared, I don't know what to do."
She settled into her seat at the dinner table, still surrounded by Aya's warmth.

"Sometimes, friends get into arguments, sweetie. I'm sure Nishi and Minami will make up soon."
Aya slid a plate of omurice toward her, gently peeling the shrink wrap off the top.

"Can you put a ketchup heart?"
Tan-Tan's puppy eyes silently pleaded at her mother.

Aya couldn't help but let out a giggle. She grabbed the ketchup bottle, putting a big, red sauce heart on the omelet.

"Let's say a prayer for Nishi and Minami, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy. Thank you."

They clapped their hands together, internally wishing that the two would have a healthy reunion in the near future.