The Manga Club Is where my romantic comedy begins

Choosing a club shouldn't have been this hard. There I stood, squinting at the colorful array of flyers on the bulletin board as if they held the secrets to the universe. It was like each club's offerings were having a showdown for my attention, all competing to become the grand plot twist of my high school escapade.

Ah, yes, this is where the tale of my normal high school life begins—except it's anything but normal. Caught up in my family's ludicrous troubles, I should've been six feet under by now. Trust me, being the offspring of a yakuza bigwig isn't as glamorous as some might think.

I scratched my head, utterly adrift amidst a sea of extracurricular possibilities. Science club? Nah, too many equations. Chess club? Well, I had a PhD in strategic losing... I mean, strategizing. Drama club? My idea of drama was more like two characters passionately debating whether pineapple belonged on pizza.

And then, a beacon of hope emerged from the chaos—the "Manga Club Sign-Up Day" flyer. It practically winked at me, promising camaraderie with fellow enthusiasts. Plus, the club boasted a few past competition wins according to the flyer. Decision made, or at least tentatively made. After all, I'd spent more time doodling in the margins of my notebooks than not, and regardless of my family's shenanigans, I always managed to sneak in some manga drawing time. Even with a six-foot-tall guardian goblin with a katana and fish tattoos lurking around me at all hours. Seriously, no privacy whatsoever.

I ventured into the clubroom to test the waters. The first meeting felt like stepping into a parallel universe, albeit not quite the one I'd anticipated. The room was buzzing, charged with creativity, but my gaze was inevitably drawn to my senior, Satsuki Nato. Now, I can't say I fully caught a glimpse of her face since her...um... "prominent attributes" practically commanded attention. How could I focus on anything else with those big distractions bouncing around?

Just as I was about to dip my metaphorical toe into the pool of artistic camaraderie, a voice punctured the air. “So, what’s your favorite manga, newbies?” The voice was none other than our big-breasted senior.

"At the moment, I'm hooked on GTO, but I also dabble in manga creation and—"

"Drawing manga, how adorable, junior. Just so you know, I've been churning out manga for ages and even snatched a competition win," she proclaimed, dripping with condescension and boasting.

I couldn't help but fire back, "You're quite the condescending queen, aren't you? Aren't girls with such, um, substantial qualities supposed to be airheads? And for heaven's sake, you didn't even introduce yourself properly, idiot!"

Rolling her eyes, she declared, "Well, I'll have you know, my name is Satsuki Nato, and mark my words, I shall ascend to the pinnacle of mangaka greatness!" She stood there, finger pointed at me, her "assets" almost toppling everything around her.

"Greatest mangaka, huh? Are you auditioning for a Shonen Jump protagonist role? You're aware of how insanely challenging that's gonna be, right?"

Turning the tables, she asked, "So, newbie, what are your dreams?"

Having not really contemplated it before, I confessed, "I just want to create something that helps people escape their dark moments, you know, like manga has done for me."

Satsuki smirked, "Well, well, well, aren't you the noble newbie? Maybe someday, you'll be my loyal assistant."

"Sure, in your wildest dreams. And by the way, I'm not 'newbie.' Name's Kazuki Sato."

"Alright then, newbie, looks like we've got some 'names' to conjure up (storyboards)."

"Sure, let's see if you can keep up."

Satsuki and I dove into crafting our individual storyboards for a snappy 8-page manga, ready to pit them against each other. No way was I gonna let her "mega-breast" advantage win this battle.

As my pencil danced across the page, the door swung open, halting my creative flow. I blinked, freezing mid-sketch. My eyes fixed on the source of the disruption—a girl with hair as fiery as her enthusiasm, her eyes practically sparkling with energy. She was like a walking, talking embodiment of a shoujo manga cliché.

"Hope I'm not too fashionably late. Is this the legendary manga club I've heard so much about?"

Shaking my head with an amused grin, it was like watching a real-life enactment of a manga scene, complete with dramatic timing. I returned to my sketch, determined to pour my artistic spirit into my work. My inner master simp tingled a little as I stole a glance.

The girl introduced herself, "Akari here, a manga fan and aspiring artist. I'd love to join the club."

"Yes, this is the club," I chimed in, brimming with excitement. Maybe this was the start of that romantic high school adventure I'd daydreamed about.

"We're definitely the club," I continued, slightly drowning Satsuki's pessimistic remarks with my own commentary. "Feel free to ignore my somewhat airheaded sempai. Her head's usually up in the clouds due to gravitational forces."

"My head isn't full of air, and this is my domain. You can't just let anyone waltz in."

I quickly pulled Satsuki aside, whispering as Akari looked on, puzzled.

"So, Satsuki, here's the deal. I've been here a while, and I've yet to spot any other club members. What's the story?"

"Turns out, I'm the one and only!"

"Why do you sound so proud of that, you knucklehead? Don't you know we need at least three members to keep the club going?"

"Well, yeah, but... I just don't feel like it, okay?" Satsuki mumbled, twiddling her fingers.

"Let's give her a shot. She seems nice, and her genuine interest in manga is evident," I suggested.

Akari caught wind of our hushed conversation, chiming in, "I can hear you guys, you know."

"Guess I wasn't exactly stealthy," I conceded. "Welcome to the club, Akari."

Satsuki, unable to resist the urge, had one final question, "Before you're fully indoctrinated, newbie, let's see if you're worthy. What's your favorite manga?"

"Oh no, not this again. I apologize in advance, Akari."

Akari laughed it off, saying, "No worries, I can handle it."

"So, Akari, spill the beans. What's your favorite manga right now?"

"Right now, I'm all about 'Erased' and 'The Promised Neverland.'"

Satsuki's excitement erupted, almost erasing the memory of her earlier reluctance to let Akari join.

"Oh my stars, we're gonna be best buds! I adore both of those. Sailor Moon and Demon Slayer are also right up my alley, and—"

Satsuki sprang to her feet, enthusiasm erasing her earlier hesitation about Akari joining the club.

"Oh my god, we're gonna be besties for sure! I'm totally into 'Erased' and 'The Promised Neverland.' And Sailor Moon and Demon Slayer? Absolutely!" As Satsuki launched into her otaku fervor, I zoned out, contemplating what the future might hold for our club. Could there be a budding romance between Akari and me? Or perhaps I'd unwittingly stumbled into a situation worthy of a harem anime? The possibilities had my heart racing; I could hardly contain my excitement.

"Hey, Kazuki, why the drool? Are you alright?" Akari's voice snapped me back to reality.

"Eww, pervert," Satsuki chimed in, punctuating the moment.

I quickly scrambled for an excuse. "Oh, uh, sorry about that. I was just... reminiscing about the amazing lunch I had. Yeah, that's it."

The school bell rang, signaling the end of the after-school club activities. We exchanged parting words.

"See you tomorrow, Akari!"

"Bye, guys! Don't forget to catch up on the latest 'Crimson Shadows' chapter!"

"Later, everyone!" I called out, making sure Satsuki didn't forget to exercise caution while crossing the street. "And nice meeting you, Akari. See you tomorrow."

As I muttered the title "Crimson Shadows" to myself, curiosity gnawed at my reserved nature. I cast a fleeting glance at Akari as she bid us farewell, wondering if she'd be a significant part of the upcoming chapters of my life.

Just as I turned to leave, a familiar voice sounded behind me—none other than Satsuki, our senior club member with a whirlwind of energy and assets.

"Hey, I'm not an idiot, you know. I can cross the road without getting run over. And don't forget, I'm expecting to see you at tomorrow's club meeting!"

With her words echoing in my mind, I exited the club room, newfound determination bubbling within me. Little did I realize that joining the Manga Club would ignite an unexpected journey, blending laughter, camaraderie, and a healthy dose of quirky characters.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the campus, I found myself walking home, lost in my thoughts. Akari had distracted me, and before I could greet her, she slipped into the backseat of a luxurious Mercedes, accompanied by four well-dressed men adorned with tattoos. My past experiences whispered caution, but I held off jumping to conclusions. As she got into the car, I caught a fleeting glimpse of her eyes, an emptiness lurking within them.

Questions swirled in my mind. Who was she, and who were those individuals? Could her father be part of some prestigious company? The thoughts refused to leave me as I made my way home, hinting at the enigmatic tale that lay ahead.