Art club President Hako

"What am I carrying, rocks?!"

After school, I got stopped by a teacher and was told to deliver something. So now I'm making my way to the art club, carrying a surprisingly heavy box full of art supplies.

"How troublesome," I think to myself as I open the door to the art club. Immediately, my eyes get hit with reddish-orange tones, burning my retinas and making me tear up in pain. I try to wipe the tears, but with all that movement, a brush falls from the box and rolls on the ground.

...

"Great."

While searching for the brush, I see a figure sitting by the window on a barstool—a cute girl covered in paint, nodding her head back and forth.

She appears to be dozing off. Is she a club member? Tachibana-sensei told me the art club was empty.

"Uhm, excuse me?" I say quietly, even though my intention is to wake her up. Her body moves like a tree on a windy day.

That's an incredible display of balance, to be sleeping while sitting. Reminds me of a chicken.

"Sensei told me to deliver some—"

"Umumununu~ ahehe."

She makes weird noises while swinging her arms around as if she's trying to reach for something. I take a couple of steps back, trying to avoid being grabbed.

What could she possibly be dreaming about? She's drooling a lot.

My eyes scan the room in search of a place to leave the box, but I get drawn to a mysterious canvas covered with a blanket.

"It's enormous..." I murmur to myself.

"Wanna take a look?"

"What the?!"

A voice makes me jump. The "sleeping" girl whispered in my ear, catching me off guard and almost making me drop the box.

When did she wake up? She was like a log when I turned my back.

"Uh... sorry to interrupt. I came here to deliver some art supplies."

She still has drool on her face. Her eyes start to shine while she grins from ear to ear.

"Thank you~ Subaru-kun!"

She said my name...

I stand there in silence for a couple of seconds, which feel like an eternity, while she takes some stuff out of the box. I want to ask her how she knows my name, but my brain stops working due to not being used to interacting with people. Even less if they're of the opposite gender.

"Alright, I'll leave it to you."

"Hold it right there, Subaru-kun."

She said my name... again.

"What is it?"

"There's something I need to ask you. Something only Subaru-kun can help me with!"

"Eh? Why me?"

Mind you, I have no connection to this girl... None. Zero.

"Fuh-huhum. You see, Subaru-kun, it is no coincidence that Onee—" Cough "—Tachibana-sensei sent YOU specifically to deliver our art supplies~"

She slipped.

The girl walks around me with her hands behind her back like some sort of cartoon villain.

She's making me nervous...

Suddenly, she stops and points her finger directly at my face.

"I need you!"

"Huh?"

"Subaru-kun, I need you~"

"...."

What?

"'What?' is what you might be thinking right now."

Nailed it...

"Subaru-kun, I need you~"

Is this a love confession?

"Y-you need me?"

"Correct."

She points again at my face, uncomfortably close.

"I need those eyes of yours."

"Eh...?"

Huh... I think I'm lost.

"Yes, Subaru-kun, I need those captivating eyes of yours."

"Captivating, you say."

"That's right, and they're very important for my soon-to-be MAGNUM OPUS!"

This must be some kind of joke.

"Hahaha," I let out a monotone laugh.

"That's a good one. Now, if you'll excuse me—"

"No! You can't leave!"

She quickly places herself between me and the door.

"I said, if you'll excuse me..."

"No! Nononono."

I try to open the door as she desperately tries to stop me.

"Hyah~"

What the hell was that?

"Ahn~ No~ Subaru-kun~"

"Oi. What do you think you're doing?! Don't make those strange voices! What if someone passes by?"

I'll be arrested for assault. My face all over the news. No future!

"Are~arere? What could you possibly mean by weird voices?"

She's a demon...

I struggle with her for a while until I hear someone approaching from the other side of the door.

"Hako, you there?"

Suddenly, the door I was trying to push through opens up, making both of us fall.

"Ahck."

As I look up from the ground and see a familiar silhouette.

"Tachibana-sensei?"

"Ah, Onee-chan," said the girl with a nervous tone in her voice.

"Onee-chan?"