This Girl Won't Let Me do My Job

In the end, I wasn’t able to come up with an idea. It’s not from a lack of my own creativity, it's that all the good ideas have already been thought of.

Hold on, isn’t that a lack of creativity on my part then?

Nah, I think if those good ideas weren’t written already I would’ve been able to think of them on my own. But there’s only so many ways you can write about high schoolers falling in love.

“Yo, Makoto.”

“Hm?”

I had been lazily resting my head on my fist, staring off at nothing in particular. It’s times like that in places like school that you can conjure up a best-seller idea.

Unfortunately, a certain Takachi wanted my attention.

“Wanna eat lunch with Sato-kun and I?”

“Ah, no, not really.”

“Whaat—? Come on Makoto, what else are you gonna do? Stare off into space some more?”

That’s what I wanted to do, now you’re making me feel self conscious about it!

“Fine… I’ll join you guys.”

He flashed me a cheeky smile.

The three of us joined together at one desk near the classroom’s windows. Takachi and Sato each had their own bento’s while I was content with nothing.

It was scary how quickly the two of them fell into flowing meaningless conversation. There was perfect chemistry there, it was kinda freaky.

Each time someone talked my eyes would dart over to them then back to the other. Was I invited here to eat with them or spectate?

“Here, open up—” Sato picked up a part of his rolled omelet between his chopsticks.

“Ahh~” Takachi leaned forwards and enclosed his mouth around the food.

What’s going on here?

“Mmm, Sato-kun, your mom’s cooking is the best as usual.”

“Hahaha, I wouldn’t say that… whenever we cook together I think yours is really good.”

“Even better than your mom’s?”

“Ehh~ I don’t know if I’d go that far.”

No seriously! What’s going on here!?

In the midst of… whatever this was… a girl trotted up to the three of us. Her bow was green meaning she was a first year. I’ve never seen her before, do they know her?”

“Matsushita-kun, you said you’d eat lunch with me today.”

“Ah, sorry. I really spaced out on that one. How about tomorrow?” Takachi scratched the back of his head.

“Geez, fine. Promise though, don’t make plans with anyone else.”

“Yeah, of course.”

The girl slapped Takachi on the back a few times. “Seriously, you’re always so forgetful.”

“Is sorry not good enough for you?”

“No. I won’t forgive you until we eat together tomorrow.”

Ow… Ow… I’m in physical pain. This actually hurts, I’m getting a weird burning sensation in my chest. Is this a heart attack?

At least this confirms that Takachi and Sato aren’t… you know… Not that that’d be a problem though!

The girl departed after a little more back-and-forth, finally allowing me the opportunity to ask—

“Hey, who is that?”

“Oh, that’s Nao Yoshioka. She’s a first year.” Takachi replied in a very casual manner.

What is this? Trying to act like all that flirting didn’t just happen.

“Yoshioka-san… How do you know her?”

“I went to one of my sister’s Basketball practices and Yoshioka-san is on the team as well. After that, she started showing up in the classroom during lunch to talk with me.”

Your aura is truly incredible Takachi. “So, do you like uh, like her or anything.”

“Nah, not at all. She’s just my junior.”

“She’s annoying, that’s what she is.” Sato spoke up.

“Woah, what’s the hostility about?” Takachi turned back towards him.

“She should be making friends with girls in her grade. Not guys in the grade above. What if she met the wrong people?”

“But she didn’t. She met us.”

Sato grumbled something and shook his head.

***

“Kiyotaka-kun, I never knew you worked in the library.” The girl with golden hair commented.

“Technically I don’t, but some teachers seem to think just because I’m in the writing club I can be pushed around.”

“Are you sure it’s that, or is it because you don’t stand up for yourself?”

“Shut up…”

“Anyways~” Akimoto let out an exaggerated sigh. “You should hurry up. I wanna go to the clubroom.”

This. This is the type of comments she makes that cause my blood to boil. I was tasked with reshelving a bunch of recently returned books. No biggie, right? I’ve done it before and it usually only takes thirty minutes.

However, I’ve been at it for over fifty.

“Hey, interesting idea, Akimoto-san, maybe if you didn't sit in the book cart and insist on checking out half of them, I’d be done!”

“Hey! Don’t yell at me… I’m doing my best to help.”

I began rocking the cart back and forth.

“H-hey!” She gripped onto the sides. “Stop!”

Feeling generous, I obliged. “Get outta the cart.”

“Aww come on, aren’t I being cute or something? I’m like a nerdy library girl, in a pile of books being all shy and mysterious.”

Akimoto opened up the biggest book she could find to a random page.

Don’t patronize actual mysterious nerdy library girls! They are a rare dying breed! It’s always been my dream to meet one, and you’re ruining it.

I tipped the cart further and further to one side—I’ve had enough.

“Wait wait wait! No no no—”

With a heavy sounding thump, Akimoto was dumped out of the cart and onto the floor. It’s hard to feel sorry for her, not for any particular reason, just in general.

Also, white lace. Nice.

“Ow… Was that really necessary?”

She rubbed the back of her head where it bumped the floor. After a moment she extended that same hand outwards towards me.

“Huh?”

She made another little motion with it.

Akimoto was clearly signaling for me to do something… but what…?

“When a girl extends her hand like this she’s asking to be helped up.”

“O-oh… right, of course.”

As I went to meet her hand with mine, I hesitated. Wouldn’t this be like holding hands or something? Are my hands clammy right now? Will she feel uncomf— No, stop. It’s Akimoto.

I regain my composure and help her up. She brushes herself off and we efficiently finish reshelving.