The worn-out handle of the door turned easily enough, and I pushed the door inward, it felt heavier than your average doors and the fact it was not a sliding door unlike other rooms sparked my interest before my attention turned to the views in front of me. The first thing caught my eyes is the magnificent view of the cityscape of Tokyo from the drop-down windows. One of the winding windows that can be opened is letting in fresh air into the room, not the smell of gum trees or grass like home, but rather the air tasted like a megacity. The second thing caught my eyes are the brown industrial sized rectangle table in the middle of the room that can seat about 12 people comfortably. It is a simple meeting room table that you would see in any meeting rooms. This room was probably one of the old meeting rooms before the school took over the building and decided to keep the original purpose until these lots in front of me decided it to be a fitting club room for the multimedia production club. It is truly an amazing sight everyone around the desk, with their books opened from different subjects and everyone focusing on the homework that was handed down today.

Michelle and Matt had joined them at the right side of the table and waved me to sit in between them both in the middle of the table. Everyone is here except for Suu, which I assume will take his seat at the far side of the table when he shows up, as he always does. I can imagine him rearranging the student council room to resemble one of those animes, maybe he even where a golden chain.

The chair I sat in is unreasonably comfortable, unlike the cushioned ergonomic mass-produced chairs in the classrooms, this one is constructed from timber and covered in too many layers of cotton. It even has armrests! And they are cushioned as well! It makes a student like me oddly restless. Next to me, Matt and Michelle unfold their textbooks and exercise books unto the table.

‘Have you got all your books?” Michelle asked, pointing at the English textbook she is reading

“I believe so,” I replied as I rummages in my bag, and there it is, Suu have packed all my books last night, “Sometimes I think Suu will be a great mum.”

I pulled out the English textbook out and placed around the table…..and undid the plastic wrapping around it……. So I was dozing off in Ellen Sensei’s class and didn’t even bother to read the textbook. I feel somewhat guilty about that, maybe I should apologise next time, maybe.

“Alright then, let's dig into it shall we?” Matt declared as if we are having a nice meal with great companions, did I hear the sarcasm? With him, it really is hard to tell.

“Daiichi, would you mind passing me your Japanese answers please?” Tomo asked with the usual high charisma smile while reaching out his hands across the table, which Daiichi without question handed him the completed exercise book. Tomo studied a little, handed back to him and wrote down all the answers on his own book.

“I’ll have a look at your Physics answers when you are done.” Was Daiichi’s reply, with a smile on top of course.

The plates of answers were passed around on the meal table while I tried to ignore the Christmas family dinner and focused on my own work, Hamlet was it? I remembered most of the quotes from my previous school. Besides Shakespeare was somewhat of a good read, despite him can’t even spell his own name. English was the only subject that left me homework, which means I should get this done in a Jiffy….

“Matt pass me math please.”

“Oh, so that’s how you do it, not that I will remember.”

“I’ll borrow that too.”

“…….”

“Wait a minute, this is blatant cheating,” finally I couldn’t hold my discomfort and blurted out, “we are just copying each other’s homework’s,” I stated, using inclusive language as not to offend anyone too much, always use inclusive language. All I got in return is blank stares, even Daiichi, who I trusted to have the most Common sense! He just looking at me like I just stated the obvious. I simply stared back at them, not sure what to say.

Everyone was silent and looking at each other, wondering how to address the Kelly in the room, and no I haven't eaten too much last night. Finally, Chihiro closed his books and manage a smile, the ones where you tried you damn hardest to squiz all the sarcasm out of. “You are correct, this is called cheating in the classrooms.”

I wholeheartedly agree.

“But think of it this way,” He continued with the seriousness “if we all do our own share of work, it would have taken us hours instead of minutes to complete this homework, which most of them we will never use or see in the world out there.” He gestured out of the window of office buildings of the big co-operations that lined the cityscape.

I pictured all the people in the offices of those buildings, with all the different departments with very specific tasks, I think Chihiro is trying to get to deep and profound.

“What we are doing should be called co-operation, not cheating. But the education system is a poor reflection of society and real life.” He finished matter of factly, as if this is the truth in life.

@[email protected]

@[email protected];

Deeeeeeeeeeeeeep.

My head hurts a little.

Should a high school kid really say something so dark and not bat an eye while doing so?

What kind of high school kids should be saying something with such conviction and seriousness?

How far are we going to take this elite otaku joke? I remember Suu saying something about the people here being unique. I couldn’t agree more with that statement.

“Don’t worry, we all make a few mistakes here and there on the difficult questions anyway.” Shion added, “That way at least the teachers are happy to not report to the parents, not like they will care about our grades anyway.”

“Stop stop,” I took off my glasses and leaned back on the comfortable chair, the setting is messed up, these people should be full of youth and enjoying their life to the fullest, playing around with soccer balls and chasing after girls, not that they need to chase very hard with their charisma stats. “My reality is a little shattered right now.” I joked.

No no, I am losing my character. I am the one who should be the realistic one, maybe this whole high-school-last-year-youthfulness is getting to my head ever since this morning. I would usually put up an invisible barrier whenever I transferred, be nice to people and not get attached, think level headed and be nice to everyone while not getting too close. I was pretending to be that agreeable good girl again, I am simply falling into the old routine, if it was any other group it would be best practice, follow the game guide and walkthrough down-left-down-left-A-B. With these people it is somehow different, they think like I do, I was simply underestimating them and using my trained prejudice.

“No, never mind, that was a joke, you guys just pulled me back into my own reality,” I observed wholeheartedly as Michelle pats me on the head, I think my mum will be a better JK than I will ever be. “Could someone pass me the English sheets please, there are a few things I need to check.”

I feel the tension in the room eased a little. Feel like the Christmas Family dinner could go on a little bit peacefully.

“uh, I don’t think we have any English Sheets on the table.”

“oh, did someone eat it all?” Continuing with the whole dinner setting.

“Suu usually the one good with English, you really don’t want to copy any of our stuff.” Matt offered a pointer.

“Not even Tomo?”

“Nope. Being in japan too long, speak no English.” Was Tomo’s replied with a perfect impersonation of a Japanese old man that can’t do English. “The difficult parts anyway, just think of me as the kid in school that is bad at Japanese.” Which made a lot of sense, English could be difficult even to the native speaker.

I put my book on the table, “I am done with mine anyway, but be warned I take no responsibility what so ever if all of my answers are wrong.” bringing my Christmas cake out for the family to share, although I have more faith in my cake than the book laying in front of me.

“Finally! Someone who can take the role of our English “advisor”!” Was what I heard from Daiichi as he scanned my workbook. “These answers are promising.” When did he grab it? As he shared it around the table while everyone had a quick glance at it. What is this, a company discovered the next best idea? It sure looks like one on this meeting table.

The “board room” was full of happiness and great vibes as Suu opened the door without knocking and everyone looked his way.

“Sorry I’m late, had some urgent council business to take care of.” Suu apologised as he made his way to the chair opposite of me on the other side of the table.

“Suu. you are fired.” Daiichi spoke, “We have found your replacement.” Didn’t expect that joke to come out of the Daiichi out of all people. “Kelly will be our next English advisor.”

“Do I still to get keep my position as anime advisor?” Suu asked with a serious face as he sat across from me, not on the far side of the table.

Daiichi got up from his current sit and walked towards the windows and replied: “Of course, no one would ever take that position from you.” And then sat down on the head of the table comfortably as the president of the Multimedia production club. Right, Suu is the evil student council president that wants to shut down the club and Daiichi is the Club prez, I had to remind myself of the light novel setting I created in my head.

“Congratulations on your promotion Kelly.” Suu faced me and offered to shake my hand, all business-like. I am sure he doesn’t really give a damn about me just stole his job. I took his hand and shook it. There were sarcastic claps all around the room, joining in Daiichi’s joke. Seems like this party has some odd sense of fun, not that I mind it or anything. “Your legal guardian must be proud.” At that I burst into laughter, are we still running with that joke? Even in light novels jokes like this gets old.

It seems everyone has done with their co-operative efforts with the homework, the table has been cleared from the Christmas family dinner, plates that were passed around had been collected and everyone else has produced a laptop from their bags. It looks like the school prescribed one. Suu signal to my bag and I soon caught on his meaning. I checked my bag again and there it is, a thin laptop that looks like a book was in there, how did I miss that? I hope I didn’t damage it when I dropped my bag this morning. Not sure if it will be a worthy sacrifice for that apron. I took it out, it is surprisingly light and turned on just fine, booted in no time, one of those Ultrabook on the markets I assume. It prompted me with a password, which I instinctively put in. Keeping the password the same all the time is big “non-non” kids, I repeated that in my head as I pressed enter on my 5-year-old password. The desktop with the school logo showed up. I looked up at Suu, seems like he had remembered my passwords too and already had the laptop set up. The curse of childhood friends can be scary.

“Suu, I assume you were held up because of the club proposals today?” Shion asked.

“Yeah, there are a few clubs that had some curious ideas, such as the PC club, they wanted to create a product where you can wireless charge your laptop.”

“Isn’t that a good product?” Chihiro asked, obviously interested in the topic

Hold on, why are they sounding all business like, I thought we are just going to watch anime and play games on these laptops.

“It is, we simply had a discussion of how to monetise it, and how much funding I need to give them. Other clubs are the usual things, but I think the tennis club will do fine this year in the tournaments.” What does the tennis club have to do with this? Let's hope it's not some foreshadowing

“Alright, leave those decisions to the student council, how did we go with our budget this year?” Michelle got to the point.

Michelle, not you too, I know that you guys are all elite Otakus but this might be too real to handle right now.

“Nothing much, I had to give the funding to the other clubs first otherwise they will come to me with complaints of my bias.” Matt nodded in agreement while listening to him. “Maybe we can do one of those money funding events like animes, something about yakisoba or cake?” Good old Suu, no matter what he is doing he is still an anime addict.

“Rejected.” Was Daiichi’s response with a kind smile

“Why”

“Because you just want to try out one of those events in anime and we don’t have time for that.” Was Matts answer.

“Anyway, we get the same funding as last year, plus whatever the club made last year we have about 1.5million yen.”

“Not a bad number.” Matt Nodded

Suu continues as I am counting all the zeros in my head, “Also since we got no good candidates from this year, it will be the final year for Multimedia production club, it’s better to invest all the funds in a big project.” Suu stated without the least bit of sadness in his voice. I thought we would act all sad and emotional, like one of those animes where the club is in ruin and the main character must save it.

Wait! That’s twenty thousand Australian dollars! having just done my conversion

“About fifteen thousand Americans.” Tomo chipped in with the more popular currency.

“Ok, give me a second.” I closed my eyes and place myself into this anime setting. “ok go on.” It worries me how everyone is used to large numbers like this, it is certainly the first time I heard a club had this type of funding, and if I remember correctly, the clubs have to at least make it back to keep in operation.

“That sounds like a good enough number for any project this year,” Matt observed, as he plotted something on a large spreadsheet next to me. It seems like he is the treasurer of the club. “Although we might have to do some coding in-house, you think the PC club can spare a few computers for us? I am sure Chihiro and Shion can’t stand rendering on this machine.”

“I just don’t want to break school property, I am sure this laptop will fry.” Shion offered as Chihiro nodded in agreement, I don’t want to know what they are going to do on this high-end laptop.

I looked around the room, it was just a few minutes ago everyone was copying each other’s homework like naughty high school students and here we are having a serious conversation about how to invest 1.5million yen. Not to mention that everyone is on the same page. How far are we taking this light novel setting or are we just going to keep rolling with it? No Kelly, you got to understand this isn’t a "setting" and you are in on it too. I just want to roll around and watch anime and read Otome manga and that’s why I joined this club. Michelle sensed my discomfort grabbed my hand, I felt somewhat better. Are all girls like this? Not sure if I can ever reach her Otome level. I let myself to be led back to the conversation by Michelle.

“Suu, aren’t you retiring as student prez in a few weeks. How is training for the young ones.”

“Oh they will do fine without me, they already do anyway. The school had truly voted some talented people last year.” I wonder how did Suu get voted in the first place, probably because he is popularity.

“I don’t know why Matt had to give up his votes to me, he was winning the seat two years ago.”

“I needed time with all my galges, and the family is really giving me a hard time with all the business operations.” Answered Matt, “Plus you had nothing better to do.”

“Yeah, but I needed time with galges too. Plus, your family will be proud.”

“At least you don’t get to called out last minute to a business meeting every so often.”

“True.”

“Plus, you had fun anyway. I dear say none of us really needs good things on their resume.”

I started to understand the situation now, Matt was voted number one in front of Suu, Matt does look like he had a better business mind than Suu, but because of his family and his hobbies, mostly his hobbies he had given his Votes to Suu.

“Plus I get to abuse Prez powers and made this club.”

“Using the word abuse is an understatement.”

“We need a flashback episode on Suu and his joyful friends on creating this club.” I butted in, very interested, it sounds like one of those episodes that will be very touching. I can imagine young Suu in his shorter form trying to gather enough members for something he's passionate about. We can even turn it into an anime and make money out of it.

“Whatever you imagining is probably far from the truth,” Noticing my self-indulgent face Daiichi correct me.

“It’s more like this, let me paint you the mental picture” Begins Tomo’s Storytelling, I can imagine he somehow pulls out a Lyre and telling the epic of Suu and his merry friends while plucking the strings. This is going to be good.

“It was two years ago during the start of the first year of high school when the cherry blossoms had fallen and died, the trees turned green and we had the first year as student prez.”

Somehow I get this boring and bleak picture in my head, where are the cherry blossoms, where is April, where is youth?!

“And then Suu found out individually that we are all hardcore closet otakus and made us sign the form to join the club because he needed people to work on his visual novel project. The end”

“Eh”

“So we were blackmailed into this club.”

“Eh”

“Come on, it wasn’t blackmailing.” Correct Suu, “It was a more of a very good business offer.”

“Eh”

“Whatever it may be, we are now all good friends, I think it was a good thing,” Daiichi added, dragging the group from the darker part of their pasts.

“Plus you had fun anyway.” Smirked Suu, since when was he such a dark character? And that response is getting out date, fast.

“Jokes aside, it is good to be here.” Tomo finished.

“Eh!>?”

“We were invited, not blackmailed.” Correct Michelle “Who knew our popular Suu is such a lost cause just like Matt.”

“Oi, It hurts more especially when it's true.”

“So our school was doomed from the beginning anyway.” Michelle Concluded, “By the way Matt and I go way back, our family has….dealings with each other.”

No, I don’t want to know what type of dealings, but I made a mental note to ask Michelle on a later date.

“Ok ladies and gentlemen, enough happiness, we got a meeting to finish.”

We are in a meeting? I was promised manga and anime.

“so what are our plans this year? Another short anime film?”

“I rather try something different,” offered Michelle, “Something more Normie Friendly.”

“Normies should all just die.”

“Whatever you guys decide let us know,” Chihiro spoke with his hand up along with Tomo and Shion, It looks like they are the supporting trio, “Make sure it’s challenging.” A highly skilled support trio.

“We don’t have to worry about making money this year remember?” Suu stated, “As long as we make back the club budget it would be good enough, I rather create something more targeted to us.”

“us” as in the degenerates of society.

Finally, this sounds more like a high school club, I put my arms on the table and rest my chin on it, the support trio already started a video game match of some sorts on their laptops and is oblivious to the conversation at this end of the table. Daiichi seems to be typing down all the ideas the other three are firing at him.

“I want to make a galge with lots of cute girls! The ones where you focus on character development rather than just empty stereotype.” That was Suus Voice

“Can’t we have a good light novel with engaging storytelling? A brilliant and heartwarming high school rom-com that even the filthy normies can enjoy?” That was Michelle

“Normies should just go die.”

“I rather do an anime or manga, something that is orthodox and secure.” That was Matt

“I want to roll around and read manga and watch anime.” It was all I could offer. The chairs are getting too comfortable and I am slowly drifting into sleep.

“…Yaoi….”

Yaoi? That had my attention, I believe it would be Michelle giving wonderful suggestions, I kept my opinions to myself.

“Well, we have enough males in this room to voice act them all.” Was Michelle’s second argument.

Go on girl, let them know what is truly pure and beautiful in this world.

“I can’t go against the idea, it will definitely be profitable, especially all the fan service drama CDs afterward.” Go, Matt, show some support and gender equality, I will for sure ship you with Suu I promise.

“But I rather have some Females, I don’t know if I can work on something that I can’t appreciate.” Was Suu’s Plea

“How about both? And we leave the choice to the players?” That was prez Daiichi, “An RPG where you can choose your own gender? Make it a fantasy action RPG and you can have all the cute characters you want.”

“Wait a minute, you can play as a guy and hit on the guys in-game right?”

“You can play as a girl and hit on other girls right?”

These filthy Otakus are getting worked up and showing their true colours, Sasuga Prez.

“And we can have pretty cut scenes and brilliant storytelling with great character development.” That was Suu, totally took interest.

“I heard RPG and Game.” Tomo turned his attention to the executive group, “I’m interested.”

“Kelly, as our English advisor, you got anything to add?” Daiichi turned to me for the final confirmation.

“As long as I get to read mangas and watch anime and roll around I got no objections.”

“Deal.” Was Daiichi’s answer “You can be the researcher and checker for our next project.”

“Eh.”

“Suu you can write the stories, Michelle and Matt in charge of character designs, I’ll focus on the gameplay while Tomo, Chihiro, and Shion can have fun coding whatever abomination we dream up.”

“Yes, sir!” Was the parties reply. While I question my decision in signing to this club, should I resign at this minute?

“Prez you can be pretty scary,” I stated

“I was simply trying to work a solution that can make everyone happy.”

“That is the scary part, not many can make everyone happy.”

“Really? It is not that hard if you know what everyone wants.” He gives me an innocent grin

“I hope you are not one of those characters that control everything from the shadows.”

“Why would I? That sound tiering, all I want to do is roll around reading mangas and watch anime.”

“Sounds good.”

“But looking at these guys made me realise its more fun to work on something we all love. After all, we are just some high schoolers trying to enjoy their last year of high school.”

“No, I think its too late to even say that.”

“The high schooler part?”

“Yeah, that part.”

I think I know why Prez is Prez, no one else would be able to manage us lots like Daiichi.

It’s weird, it only been less than 8 hours since I met all these people, yet I found myself oddly at peace, I don’t have to put on barriers and pretend I am just a normal JK, I can be who I am around these people and be at ease, just like how they act around me. Ok, that’s enough of me getting warm and fuzzy on the inside for one day.

“Alright, everyone does their own research about their parts and we meet here after school to compile our plan. Today's meeting is dismissed.”

“Yes, Sir!.”

“I am going home.” I got up and packed everything in my bag, the comfy sits and my jet lag is making me tired, it looks like I haven’t fully recovered from yesterday’s flight.

“But we just started, this is when we watch anime and read manga and roll around.”

I am not sure how we are going to roll around this meeting room but let’s not imagine that.

“I’ll walk you home,” Suu got up with me with his bag already packed.

“I guess I’ll go too then,” Michelle and Matt got up too.

“What’s this, we all walking Kelly home?” Tomo observed.

“Seems like it.” Daiichi already packed his bag too and, walked around the room, closing all the windows and shutting all the power points. Sasuga prez

Somehow instead of the go-home club, I joined the walk home with Kelly club.

“I’ll be fine on my own, you guys go back to the club activities.” Feeling bad for everyone just to walk with me.

“Don’t stress it, we got nothing better to do anyway, apart from Matt, his busy.” Great, more people who sound like Suu.

“I am busy, but Since the club finishes early I got some free time on my planner.” Matt pulled out his phone and looked at his planner, it does look very packed. Dinner with the board of directors at 6 was in red. Sorry, Matt, I shouldn’t have peeked, I regret it on multiple levels.

“Alright then, walk Kelly home club is ready for its first activity.” Announced Shion

“You want me to get funding for this club?”

“No Suu, please refrain from doing useless things just because it amuses you.”

“But.”

“No, let's go. Time is ticking.” Matt stopped Suu halfway and Lead the party out. Daiichi is the last one, he checked the room one last time before locking the heavy club room door. Isn’t it nice to have responsible people around?

We walked the same streets this morning, with me at the back this time, dragging my feet a little. Michelle and Matt by my side, they really do get along very well. Too tired to make any witty stabs at people, I walked in silence. We are really an odd group, multi-cultural and eccentric, not to mention charismatic, especially Matt, Shion, and Tomo, they are a head taller than the passer-by. And I have only just noticed that everyone speaks Japanese in public. Even though they are quite comfortable with English at school. It’s their way of being considerate, looking different is already somewhat discomforting, the last thing we need is to look like a tourist group.

Just how many languages do they speak? I know Suu speaks about three or four, it's not uncommon in our environments. Even when we are far from our homes and travels through the world all the time it is a life that I still call blessed. Kelly, enough sentimentalism today. I smiled, I think I really found a foothold in this world.

I took out my phone and text mum on ‘lane’, “Thank you mum, I think I’ll have fun.” And then added, “Can’t promise my study scores to be good though.” Especially if we are “co-operating” on our home works and assignments.

“Oh that’s right, we need to add Kelly to our ‘Lane’ group,” Michelle observed

“We have a group?”

“Of course we do, here’s my number add me first so I can drag you in.” Michelle’s number getodaze!

For once I am happy to add someone’s number on my phone, usually, I don’t bring up the topic and people just let it slide, I don’t want to get involved with more social burdens.

I quickly added her, and soon enough I received an invitation to “The official multimedia production club of Shinjuku international high group.”

“Does the name have to be so long?”

“of course, no other idiots will name their group so long, that said, when you get a notification you will instantly know it’s us.”

“Smart way to be dumb.”

“The best way.” Chihiro Agreed.

I was escorted all the way to the entrance of my apartment building by the “walk Kelly home club” and all its members, Suu had instructed me to set the alarm clock earlier because we need to see Sachii onee san in the morning first before heading to class, I also realised I need to pack my lunch and all. I can’t have these guys feed me all the time.

I waved goodbye to them all and headed up to my apartment, had some leftovers from last night, damn it Suu if I get fat it's your fault. I went cleaned myself and changed into my pajamas that I pulled out from my suitcase. As I plugged my phone into the charger I saw there were two unread messages, one is from my mother with an anime cat purring happily and the other is unmistakably from “The official multimedia production club of Shinjuku international high group.” With everyone talking about what they are doing, Matt had a photo of the dinner party with the board of directors and Michelle had a photo of Matt taking that photo. Chihiro and Tomo were posting some games. The message was marked seen by everyone apart from Suu, too busy with his galge I assume.

I put the phone down and checked my alarmed and rolled into bed, the last thing I remembered was thinking I need to be up early tomorrow.