I didn’t expect to spend Friday afternoon in the ‘Big Glass’, but here we all are, sitting on these pristine chairs. The Travel & Culture Club. Outside, all you could hear was the laughter and chatter of people who had the weekend to look forward to.

As for us? We were at the whim of Aya-senpai.

I was the first person in the classroom. Aya-senpai called it ‘one of the spares’. That’s not a nice nickname but then again it’s a room, not a person. I’ll be offended on the room’s behalf. No one should be called a spare. Everyone has their contributions to give.

Except, Aya-senpai was probably right in her description. This room serves no current function in school and is just empty. Its location wasn’t particularly well coveted. We were facing the road, with one big window welcoming in the afternoon light. At least it was a contemporary room, fitted with school amenities such as… a smart screen. I don’t think I’d make a good estate agent.

By the way, I lied about being the first. Sayako was with me, but she went and took a toilet break before entering, leaving me standing in a room filled with nothing. To the 3rd year students walking past, I must look like a fool.

Finally, Saint Yusuke and Minoru-san came, despite us all four being in the same class. They’re surprisingly on good terms with each other. Me and Minoru would’ve probably been friends with each other in a more ‘natural sense’ than what actually happened.

Everyone started coming in. Sayako returned. The lonely room suddenly became a party. Although Minoru made a comment about how big the room is, I suppose to different observers, it’s not really a party.

Sakura and Sora, the two mascots of this club, entered. Bunny Sakura. Have you ever heard of the idea of 'nominative determination?’ It’s the observation that people gravitate to jobs with appropriate names. It’s not the same, but Sakura’s personality really does not match my view of people called Sakura. I mean, her name is literally spelt out in hiragana too. It’s slightly childish, and yet she gives off this aura of… how do I put it? It’s too cliché to call her an ice princess, so let’s just say she’s unapproachable.

Aya and Kazumi-senpai appeared with Tateishi-sensei. Minetaka-sensei always walked in. I guess all of us were here.

“Honzo, you still want some of that?” Sayako asked whilst pointing at my mochi.

Yes, I love mochi. I don’t care what you think.

I responded to her. “Sure, Saya-chan. Have two.” I grabbed the mochi and placed it delicately onto her palms. Is this a ceremony?

The ever so positive Aya-senpai raised her voice, with such command and strength.

“Hello, Travel & Culture Club! Everyone! I have good news. This room is now the official clubroom. We will be here every Friday afternoon! And to top it off, we have an unofficial member, our very own student council president, here too!”

Kazumi, with her slightly deep voice, said “Everyone, hello. I’m sure you all know me, maybe some know more than others?” She gave me a rather ‘you know’ look.

“I know we’ve met last week, but this will be the official welcoming of the Travel & Culture Club. Consider me a member, everyone.” She continued.

I'm guessing Kazumi is a member of the Culture Club? I’m not sure how she could juggle that, student council work, exams, and a modelling career? It doesn’t matter. I assume she can handle that, she keeps surprising me with her competency in practically everything. A renaissance woman. She’s also been here in every single event so far. I don’t know why she needed to reintroduce herself, but fair enough.

Kazumi gave a slight bow and then the two teachers entered in. Minetaka-sensei spoke first.

“Hello, everyone! I’m Minetaka-sensei. I’m the homeroom teacher for Class 2-B, as well as a science and PE teacher. I’ll be assisting Tateishi-sensei from time to time, but consider me as another advisor. I’ll be all in your care, everyone.”

Nice introduction. Good job, Minetaur.

Tateishi-sensei finally spoke. “Hi, everyone. I’m not going to introduce myself since you all know me by now, and I’ve already had a quick aside with Minoru-san, who is our latest member!” A few claps came. Minoru-san gave a quick introduction, and Aya’s eyes lit up when she heard that Minoru called himself “A Cambodian-Japanese person born in America. Hence the name, Kikuchi Minoru.” Next, Tateishi-san concluded Minoru.

“I’ll give it to Aya-senpai now.”

The childlike Aya-senpai jumped out into the front and quickly set up a table in the middle. She told us to get some seats from around the room and sit down. We all just did that.

In her fine and dandy tone, she said “As this is now our official clubroom, I have a new idea that might make our club stay alive for years to come! I say every month, we invite a representative of one of the many nationalities in Nagoya, and they can hold an event in our clubroom describing the culture, food, etc and make it open to everyone in the school! How about that?”

Where does she come up with those ideas? And it’s not really bad, either.

I raised my hand up, and she acknowledged me. The words seemed to barely escape my mouth.

“When is the first one going to be? What nation is going to be represented first?”

Aya-senpai pondered for a few seconds. She sat down and put her hands on her cheeks. I guess this is her way of thinking deeply? It’s almost as if I was seeing a skit. Osaka is a 2-hour drive that way, Aya-senpai.

“How about in two weeks' time, on Friday lunchtime? I don’t think we’ll get many people after school, as it seems most people would rather go home. And how about… Cambodia gets represented first? Considering we already have Kikuchi-san here, I think it’s only right for his nation to be represented first.”

Minoru-san nodded and said, “That sounds nice.”

Aya seemed to be the only one who really was into the club. She said that it’s ‘our’ club, but she’s the one who takes initiative and command. But that’s also because most of us don’t really care about exploring other cultures. I don’t know why the first-years are there, but they don’t seem to be interested, Kazumi is there probably because she shares the same values as her. Sayako, me, and Yusuke are only there because we kind of had Aya’s immovable force push us here together. Minoru… see yesterday.

Whatever. Suddenly, we were discussing potential plans for cleaning up the room. Aya-senpai suggested having a board by the side of the door with “cool things that we might be gifted, once we help out around town.” She then told us that she has plans on making the club help out other communities, like last week, on an irregular basis.

Come to think about it, why did the first years join this club and agree to do that? What a baptism of fire. They had literally been in this school for a week. Then again, it already felt like by the second or third day of the year, the school equilibrium was already reached. Quite the adaptive bunch of students.

“Hanzo! Come down on the ground!” Sayako commanded me. She was sat cross-legged. “It’s surprisingly comfy.” She continued. I was bewildered. How is sitting on a carpet comfy? I’ll play along, I guess.

As I sat down, I realized that she was right. Then she suddenly started 'playfully' hitting me. This is ridiculous. Yusuke and Minoru are watching us. Lord give me strength, how do I put up with this. Well, I do know, because I don’t really mind it. Kazumi suddenly dragged me towards some fallen chairs and tables, so that we could fix it up. Good job, Kazumi-senpai! Although, I’m sure a certain part of me definitely did not mind Sayako doing that.

Honestly, not a very romantic place to flirt. The carpet of a room that’s been empty since it was made and is just used as storage. Unless romance was not the intention but rather something sinister. I'm going to get murdered, aren't I?

“Honzo-kun, could you take out the top chairs in the first stack to make it easier for us to move them into the next room?” She asked.

“Okay? Sure thing Kazumi-senpai.”

Chair after chair, I was doing hard labour. I did not undergo safe-carrying training. Should I sue the school for labour malpractice? All those negative thoughts went away when I saw the fruit of my harvest. After we cleaned the room, everything seemed like a fresh new canvas. The Culture Club, the artists ready to paint it full of life and culture. Aya-senpai said we were all done. She stood on a table. Another poor safety practice that I need to report to my manager.

“Above all, I just want this place to be a safe place for everyone in school. Whether Japanese or not, whether any characteristic you have! I just want to make school a better place.” We all clapped. Yusuke cheered both sarcastically, but he definitely also meant to raise the mood. All of us were tired. I actually wanted to walk with Sayako but she said that her parents were going to pick her up since she had some event she had to attend.

Without any care in the world, she hugged me pretty tightly. Yes, your feelings got across. I guess I’ll have to accept it until we can accurately describe what we are to each other. Because, if I’m being honest, Sayako is really just a very close friend that I don’t mind her being touchy or personal with.

Au revoir with her, and Yusuke who said that he just wanted to go home. Don’t blame him. Sadly, Minoru and I were being held hostage by Minetaka-sensei. Aya, Kazumi, and Tateishi-sensei were still talking about the future direction of the club at the same table that Aya stood on. I don’t think I’d put my hands there for a while.

“So Minoru? How do you feel about the club?” The ‘second club advisor’ spoke in a hurried low-key fashion.

“Me? Well, I don’t certainly mind it. It honestly beats spending a day with you two.” Minoru jokingly said.

I don’t care if he said it as a joke, it’s on sight for me now. I’m lying. If it was on sight, my face would have eaten the ground like a buffet. He would’ve done some nutty combination of attacks on my chest and face, leaving me permanently disfigured.

To counter his joke, I said “Yeah, because you are still spending a day with us two but with more people.” I think he realized what he said.

“Whatever,” Minoru-san responded. “It was better than I expected. I don’t mind hanging out with the third and first years. I’m usually with my friends in other classes or soccer.” Then he clicked his fingers. “Speaking of soccer! How are you going to balance coaching the football team and this?” He asked Minetaka-sensei a question.

“It’s easy. I just don’t go often here and focus on football. I’ll obviously be here, just not regular.”

I said “How are you going to look over me and Minoru?” like I’m an interviewer for a job.

“I trust Tateishi-sensei. She’s a good teacher and also your homeroom teacher, too.”

True.

“Well anyways boys, please do take care of yourselves. Especially you, Minoru. Remember, that the next transgression you do will likely kick you out permanently. I don’t want that to happen. Not even because of football or anything, but because you deserve a better life. I’ll see you around Honzo too.” He waved goodbye and that just left without much fanfare from the other three at the table.

Us two? Well, we just stood there awkwardly. None of us really wanted to speak. Maybe a few utterances, there and there, but we just stood looking at our phones. I was waiting for Kazumi-senpai because she shouted at me to wait for her. Not inconvenient at all.