Chapter 4: — "A New Friend Perhaps?"

The final bell rang, and the corridors emptied as students rushed out, their chatter fading into the background. Sakura clutched her bag tightly, heart pounding in her chest. Today was it, today she would finally try to join the art club, just like Haruto had suggested.

“Haruto,” she called softly, falling into step beside him as he started walking home. “Did… did you join the art club too?”

He shook his head slightly, a faint sigh escaping him. “I wish I could. But… I’m usually busy at home. There’s just not enough time for clubs or extra activities.”

Sakura noticed a subtle tension in his tone, something almost like… suspicion? Worry? But she didn’t press. Instead, she swallowed nervously and asked, “A-are you sure I should join? I… I don’t know if I’d fit in… or if people would judge me.”

Haruto stopped and looked at her, his expression softening. “Sakura… the art club is different. Nobody there will judge you. There’s a teacher who supervises, and two students who help out, they’re really nice. No bullying is allowed.”

Sakura nodded slowly, letting his words sink in. Her chest felt lighter, even though her palms were still sweaty. Determination bloomed alongside the nervous flutter in her stomach. I can do this… I’ll try…

“Go on,” Haruto said with a small smile. “I’ll be around if you need me, but for now, this is your moment.”

Sakura’s lips curved into a tiny, tentative smile as he waved goodbye. He turned and walked off, leaving her standing in front of the clubroom door.

She stared at it, foot tapping anxiously against the floor. The door seemed enormous, the unknown beyond it intimidating. But her heart thumped with cautious excitement.

I can do this… I have to try…

Taking a deep breath, Sakura reached for the handle, fingers trembling slightly. The door didn’t seem so scary now, it was the doorway to something new, maybe even a place where she could truly belong.

Sakura pushed open the art club door and froze. Every eye in the room turned toward her.

Her stomach flipped, but almost immediately, the students smiled warmly at her. The tension in her chest loosened slightly.

“Hello!” a cheerful voice called. “You must be the new girl Sakura right?”

Sakura couldn't even form a sentence at that time. She just nodded shylym her anxiety flaring up.

The teacher at the front of the room smiled kindly. “Welcome to the art club. Would you like to join us?”

Sakura’s lips trembled as she responded, her voice slightly shaky. “Y-yes… may I… join the club?”

“Of course!” the teacher said kindly. “We’re happy to have you.”

Sakura let out a quiet sigh of relief. “Th-thank you…”

Two students, a boy and a girl who seemed to help run the club, gestured for her to sit next to a lively girl with bright eyes and a welcoming smile.

“This is Ayaka,” one of the students said. “She’s super friendly and loves to chat with everyone, especially about drawing.”

Sakura’s stomach twisted. She looks… really cheerful… what if she’s going to tease me or bully me like everyone else?

Taking a deep breath, Sakura slid into the seat next to Ayaka.

“Hi! I’m Ayaka,” the girl said brightly. “Don’t worry about a thing here. Art club is all about having fun and sketching. You’ll fit right in!”

Sakura’s jaw went slack. She’s… actually nice? She opened her mouth, trying to respond, but only a stammer came out. "I-I-I... a-always—

Ayaka laughed softly. “Hey, it’s okay. Take a deep breath. Speak like you normally would. I’m not gonna judge you, I just want to encourage you.”

Sakura nodded, breathing in slowly. “I… I’ve always… liked sketching… in my notebook…”

Ayaka’s eyes lit up. “Really? Can I… see them?”

Sakura froze. “N-no… it’s… it’s embarrassing…”

Ayaka leaned closer with a teasing grin. “Come on! I won’t make fun of you, I promise. I just want to see your talent!”

Sakura hesitated, then slowly opened her notebook. Ayaka snatched it gently, flipping through the pages with an exaggerated gasp.

“Oh wow…” Ayaka whispered, her eyes wide. “These are… phenomenal… absolutely beautiful!”

Sakura’s heart skipped a beat. Someone actually… praised my drawings? She felt herself blush so hard she thought her ears might catch fire. Her mother had always praised her, but this… this was someone her own age. A student.

Ayaka flipped through several pages, eyes sparkling. There were anime and manga characters, and even drawings of Sakura herself looking cute and kawaii. “Sakura… these are amazing! You’re definitely meant for this club!”

Sakura’s hands gripped the edge of her desk, her chest pounding. “Th-thank you…” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Ayaka handed the notebook back. “Seriously! I can’t wait to see what else you can do!”

Sakura’s face burned, but inside, her heart was leaping. For the first time in a long while, her anxiety felt a little lighter. Someone else saw her work, appreciated it, and welcomed her. She really did… belong here.

Ayaka leaned on her elbow, still beaming after having flipped through Sakura’s sketchbook. “So Sakura... How long have you been drawing like this?”

Sakura fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve. “S-since… um… I was little. I just… never really showed anyone before.”

“Why not?” Ayaka tilted her head, her ponytail swaying. “If I could draw like this, I’d be showing off all the time!”

Sakura’s face burned. “I-I just thought… people would laugh at me… or call me weird…”

Ayaka’s expression softened. “People who’d laugh at this are blind. You’ve got real talent. Honestly, I’m jealous.”

Sakura’s eyes widened. “J-jealous? But you’re… so confident and… and outgoing.”

Ayaka laughed. “Ha! Outgoing, sure. But I can’t draw a straight line without my hand wobbling. Don’t let my talking fool you, I came here to improve. You, on the other hand… you’ve already got something special.”

Sakura blinked, stunned. No one had ever said something like that to her before. “Th-thank you… Ayaka…”

Ayaka grinned. “Hey, that’s what friends are for, right?”

“F-friends…?” The word left Sakura’s lips almost in a whisper.

“Yeah!” Ayaka nodded. “We’re both in the art club now, so we’re teammates. And besides, I like you. You’re honest. That’s rare.”

Sakura’s chest tightened with a strange warmth. She lowered her gaze, clutching her notebook like it was a treasure. Friend… she just called me her friend…

Trying to calm the rush of emotions, Sakura quickly blurted, “Wh-what about you, Ayaka? Why did you join the club?”

Ayaka leaned back with a thoughtful smile. “Me? Hmm… well, I’ve always liked drawing little doodles during class. My teachers weren’t exactly thrilled about that.” She giggled. “So when I got here, I figured… why not put that doodling energy into something useful? I thought maybe I could meet people who liked art too. And… now here you are.”

Sakura couldn’t help but smile, though it was small and shy. “That’s… nice…”

Ayaka leaned closer, teasing. “Wow, Sakura smiled! I thought you were all shy and serious, but you’re actually really cute when you smile.”

Sakura turned red instantly. “C-c-cute?! N-no I’m not!”

Ayaka laughed, waving her hand. “See, that reaction is cute too!”

Sakura covered her face with her hands, hiding her burning cheeks. What is this feeling? She’s teasing me, but… it’s not mean… it’s warm.

The bell signaling after-school club dismissal rang, breaking their little bubble. Students started packing up, but Ayaka glanced at Sakura again.

“Tomorrow, sit with me again, okay?” she said cheerfully. “We’ll draw together. I wanna see what else you’ve got hidden in that sketchbook of yours.”

Sakura hesitated, then nodded softly. “O-okay…”

As Ayaka packed her things, Sakura sat frozen in her chair, her heart still pounding. For the first time since transferring, she felt like maybe, just maybe, this school wouldn’t be so lonely after all.