"You've sure warmed up to the plants huh?" said Aiko from behind Robinn, leaning over her shoulder, her small white ponytail drifting faintly in the warm wind.

  Robinn looked up at her from the patch of peppers she was tending to. The soil was damp and smelled earthy, the peppers shining under the afternoon sun. "Oh, club president. Hey," she blurted out on instinct. Not startled, just caught off guard by her upperclassman appearing without warning.

  "I wouldn't say I've warmed up to them," she followed, wiping a bit of dirt off her fingers.

  "Well you're doing a pretty good job at least," Aiko said with a smile. "And I didn't expect you to volunteer for a second time this week. Thus I assumed your love of plants finally sprouted." She backed up a little, her gloves still caked with dark soil that matched the stains on her denim overalls.

  Robinn shook her head slightly and turned back to the peppers, continuing her careful adjustments around the stems. "Shoji couldn't make it today, so I thought I'd fill in for him."

  Aiko’s voice shifted, the tone sliding toward something too entertained to be innocent. "You do know today's the day that all of us in the club usually have meetings on, right?"

  Ever since she joined, the older girl seemed to enjoy messing with her.

  Robinn froze. The small trowel in her hand paused mid-scoop. She spoke slowly. "No, I did not." She turned to the president with a suddenly polite smile. "Well... seeing as you're here, I'm not needed at the moment right?" She stood up quickly, brushing her knees off and already beginning to walk toward the shed. "I'll just leave and come back next week then."

  A hand landed firmly on her shoulder. Robinn stopped and looked back at a gleeful, teeth-showing Aiko.

  "Robinn... Stay this time won't you?"

  A tense half-second hung between them. Robinn caved first. "Fine, but I get next week off." She said it quick, like ripping off a bandage. No need to get on the president's bad side.

  A short while later, the entire club was gathered, minus Shoji. They sat around the picnic table at the edge of the garden under the old shade tree. Its branches filtered the sun into shifting shapes over the table. Ibara and Yui sat side by side, quiet and oddly synchronous. Robinn and Aiko took the opposite bench. Robinn and Yui shared the same blank, observant expression, though Yui’s came from nature and Robinn’s from strategy. Ibara fluttered her eyelashes in the dappled sunlight, her vines swaying faintly. Meanwhile Aiko somehow had the goofiest grin in the garden.

  "Alright! Let's start this club meeting off right!" Aiko said, clapping her hands together with explosive enthusiasm. The sharp sound startled Ibara, her shoulders jerking as she snapped back to reality.

  Robinn stared at her upperclassman, trying to decipher what exactly was about to happen. What did they even do at these meetings? Talk about which plants they handled? Discuss materials and space? Plan for new seasons? There were so many predictable possibilities, and she would not be interested in any of them.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Aiko spoke again, posture softening, confidence still obvious. "How was everyone's week? Do anything new?"

  That question blindsided Robinn. Completely not what she expected.

  Yui raised her hand slightly before speaking in her steady monotone. "I went to the beach with friends."

  Why are they talking about their personal lives? Robinn thought as her focus drifted. Isn't there important club stuff to discuss? She zoned out as Aiko asked about Yui’s beach trip. Why was she here again?

  Gardening club was originally because U.A. forced first years to join something. But enforcement was barely real. She could skip forever and the teachers would never care. That had been her strategy back when they were attending classes. But summer brought too much free time. She had forgotten how boring free time could be. And she could not train nonstop without burning herself down to dust.

  Besides, going to gardening club or at least setting foot on campus once a week seemed to make the people around her happier. Like smiling. A small, strategic gesture that changed the way others perceived you, even if it was not natural.

  Her name snapped her back into the moment.

  "Hey Robinn, so what have you done all summer? Since this is your first time coming to one of these," Aiko asked, leaning forward and propping her chin on the heel of her palm.

  Robinn cleared her throat, using the tiny pause to sort through what she'd actually done. "I guess I just trained and studied most of the time," she said, adding a sheepish look she had practiced.

  Ibara glanced over. A small spark lit behind her usually serene eyes. Robinn caught it. Probably leftover resentment from their Sports Festival fight.

  "Really? That's all you did?" Ibara said with a tone Robinn immediately disliked.

  Robinn scratched her chin, making an actual effort this time. "Oh yeah, I went on a hike."

  Aiko seized the opening like a shark smelling blood. She leaned forward more, eyes bright. "Oh yeah? Did you go alone or with someone? How was it?" Her cool persona slipped. Clear as day. She loved gossip. The idea of uncovering pieces of Robinn’s private life thrilled her.

  Robinn gave her a brief glare before something near the garden entrance caught her eye. A small movement.

  She turned, and the other girls followed her gaze.

  Principal Nezu stood there, paws folded politely, humming as if he had been waiting long enough to enjoy the weather.

  Aiko’s eyes widened for a breath. She straightened her spine and stood up so fast the bench creaked. Her entire demeanor shifted into formal mode as she hurried over.

  "Principal Nezu, hi! What can the gardening club help you with this fine afternoon?" Her voice became painfully professional.

  Nezu blinked as he spoke. "Ah, Miss Tatemae. Nice to see you." His gaze drifted to the picnic table, where the other girls were openly staring.

  "Do you need to discuss budget reports? I already have those papers on hand if you need them," Aiko said, drifting toward frantic territory.

  Nezu shook his small head. "No, that is not it. You do not need to worry about those until the second term starts." He peered past her to the table again. "I was actually hoping to talk to one of your members. Would you mind lending me Miss Reibach for a moment?"

  Aiko visibly relaxed. She glanced back at the table. "Oh, that's all? Sure, yeah, take her." She raised her voice. "Hey Reibach, to the principal's office with you."

  Robinn nodded, stood up, and waved goodbye to the girls before walking off with Nezu.

  The other three watched her leave with a mix of disappointment and frustration.

  Aiko strutted back over, elbowing Ibara as she dropped onto the bench again. "Well looks like mystery girl remains mystery girl." She sighed dramatically. "And I was really hoping to get some stuff out of her."

  Ibara clasped her hands together. "It is very rare for Robinn to show up. Let us pray that she is not doing any sinful acts."

  Her strange wording barely fazed the other two. They were already used to it.

  Yui looked toward the garden entrance, expression unreadable. From the little she had seen of Robinn, she felt they were surprisingly similar.

  "Meeting's over. Go water some plants," Aiko said, lowering her face onto the table and sighing into it.

  Author’s Note:

  Summer "fun"