(In the school literature clubroom…)

Monika: “There! Everything’s all set up for today’s meeting. Now we just need Yuri.”

Natsuki: “Ugh, typical Yuri. Always taking her sweet time. I swear, she gets lost in her own head more than anywhere else.”

Sayori: “Maybe she’s just really focused on her book again! You know how she gets when she’s reading something she loves.”

Monika: “That’s true, but we can’t start without her. I was really looking forward to discussing the new poetry prompts we prepared.”

Natsuki: “I know, right? I spent hours coming up with some fun ideas—ones that aren’t all gloomy and existential like Yuri’s usual stuff.”

Sayori: “I think it’s great that we all bring different styles to the table! Maybe we can help each other try new things.”

Monika: “Exactly! If only we could pull Yuri out of her literary bubble for just a moment.”

Natsuki: “You mean her ‘mysterious darkness’? Honestly, sometimes I think she’d prefer running away to some fantasy world where everything is dramatic.”

Sayori: (giggles) “But that’s what makes her so special! I mean, I love how passionate she gets about her writing.”

Monika: “We just have to remind her that we can have fun with poetry, too. It doesn’t always have to be serious.”

Natsuki: “Yeah, but her serious stuff can be really hard to get into sometimes. I mean, I appreciate depth as much as the next person, but I just want to have some fun with this club!”

Sayori: “What if we did a fun challenge? Like, we each write a poem in a completely different style and share them at the meeting! That way, we can encourage each other to step outside our comfort zones!”

Monika: “That sounds like a fantastic idea, Sayori! It might even make Yuri see that poetry can be lighthearted too.”

Natsuki: “I’m down for that! I could totally whip up something cute and playful. Just wait until you see what I come up with!”

Monika: “Great! And maybe we can even take turns guessing which style each poem is inspired by.”

Sayori: “Oh, I love guessing games! It’ll be like an adventure through poetry!”

Natsuki: “As long as none of my poems are accidentally labeled as ‘Yuri-style.’ I don’t want to hear anyone saying my work is gloomy!”

Monika: (laughs) “Don’t worry; we’ll keep track of who wrote what. Now, let’s see if we can get Yuri to join us. Maybe one of us could go check on her?”

Sayori: “I can go! I’ll bring her some snacks too! That way, she’ll be extra happy when she gets here!”

Natsuki: “Perfect! Just make sure she doesn’t get too wrapped up in her book and forget about us!”

Monika: “Alright, Sayori, it’s all up to you! We’ll be waiting here. And who knows? Maybe this will be the push Yuri needs to break out of her shell a little.”

Sayori: “Okay! I’ll be back soon!” (exits the room)

Natsuki: “I really hope she doesn’t take forever. We have so much to do!”

Monika: “Just give her some time. Once Yuri is here, I know she’ll get into the spirit of the meeting. We just have to make her feel included.”

Natsuki: “Yeah, yeah… Just as long as we’re not boring, I’ll be happy! But…” (rubbing her belly) “Sometimes even I don’t know how I’m going to balance school, the club, AND taking care of a baby. Sakura’s not even born yet, and I already feel like I need a million more hands!"

Monika: “I can’t even imagine how stressful that must be, Natsuki. But you’re doing an amazing job. Just remember, we’re all here to support you. We can figure out ways to lighten your load.”

Natsuki: “Thanks, Monika. It just feels like there’s too much to handle sometimes. I love being in the club, but with everything else going on, I worry I might not have enough time for it all, especially now that I’m going to be a mom soon.”

Monika: “I completely understand. It’s a big change, and it’s normal to feel overwhelmed. Have you thought about maybe delegating some tasks or finding ways to balance your time?”

Natsuki: “I guess I could try that. Maybe I can ask for help with planning bakery sales for the festival. I could really use some extra hands, and it could be fun to work on it together.”

Sayori: (returning with snacks) “I found Yuri! And I brought cookies!” (sets the plate down excitedly) “I told her we’re starting a fun poetry challenge, and she seemed really interested!”

Natsuki: “Really? That’s awesome, Sayori! It sounds like you did a great job convincing her.”

Monika: “I can’t wait to see how she reacts to our different styles! This is a great opportunity for everyone to share and learn from one another.”

Sayori: “And I made sure to tell her that she doesn’t have to write anything gloomy if she doesn’t want to!”

Natsuki: “Let’s hope she takes the bait. Okay, so who’s ready to have some fun?”

(As Yuri enters the room, holding her own book, she looks a little curious about the lively setup.)

Yuri: “Hello, everyone. I… uh, hope I’m not too late…”