If you haven't played the game yet, I highly recommend that you do first. This story contains spoilers.

Somewhere in 2029...

It's been five days since I started playing - no, living through it all. I was there when Yuri and Natsuki had their argument, when Monika shared her Writing Tips, and in addition I had to sit down and compose a real poem. I admit, living through it all was fun.

I heard that you could change the game's event entirely if you wanted. Personally, I decided to go with the natural flow. Save for that one thing I wanted to change.

I waited all night for the sun to rise. I couldn't afford to sleep. Festival Day held utmost importance in this game, ironically not for said Festival. It happens on this day. I won't let it.

When sunlight finally entered my window, I swipe a knife from my nightstand. It's the one Yuri brings over to MC's house, and I've successfully convinced her to leave it with me. I get up and bolt to Sayori's place. As soon as I get there I take advantage of the house's open door and rush upstairs to her room. I don't hesitate like MC did. In what I felt was a quick motion I slammed the door wide open.

In front of me was the haunting image that successfully snapped players out of the game's cutesy façade. Sayori was at that point a lifeless corpse hanging from a noose. Or at least she appeared dead. If you played the game you'd know from Monika that Sayori suffocated. See, the way she hung herself was incorrect and it led to a more painful death. Had MC decided to be more conscious of his friend's depression, he could have saved her.

The visual novel shackles are gone. I can change the outcome! I grabbed the fallen chair below her to get my self closer to the noose. I raise her body up with my arm to give her some air. With my other, I fish the knife out of my pocket and begin cutting the rope. It takes a few seconds, but I manage to free Sayori and carry her to her bed. I placed two fingers on her neck to feel for a pulse. I felt it. A few moments afterwards I saw her chest rise and fall. She was still breathing!

It didn't take long for her to slowly rise up. "Lee? " she called me. I responded with a tight embrace. "You stopped me."

I let go to face her. "I had to. I get that you're depressed but you can't go! You're not in this alone okay? We're a couple now and ... you can't go do this!" I didn't anticipate these words come out of me. I must've felt strongly about Sayori. More than I have admitted in the past.

I observed her ocean blue eyes stare at me idly. Her lips split into neither a frown or grin. She was speechless.

"You aren't alone, but it's not just me who's here for you. Talk to any one else in the Club! Believe me when I say that they're all going through something. You're not alone, feeling hurt and misunderstood. We're here for you. For each other."

Suddenly I felt her lips press against mine. I kissed back as Sayori placed weight on my chest, inviting me to lie down on her bed. We kiss passionately for a few minutes before she breaks away from me. At last I saw a tiny grin on her face. I smiled back.

She whispered something in my ear that sent a shiver throughout my body. "Get off the bed Lee, I wanna show you something cool." There was a lack of a sultry tone, but it still was enough to make me follow. Like how she always was. As I stepped off the bed to turn and face her, I saw something that made my heart beat pound harder.

She was holding the knife.

"Sayori? What the hell, drop it right now!" Defiantly, she pointed the knife towards herself. I noticed her face empty and emotionless as it was before.

"It didn't occur to you that I can't take it? I planned and intended to die." She stated almost matter-of-factly. "I get that you love me but it isn't enough. I can love you all I want but I'll never feel the sad thoughts vanish. I can't change. I want to but can't."

The words stung as I felt my heart sink. It's painful to feel heartbreak, that's for sure. But being accepted but coming up short? Now that's excruciating.

I tried to find words while I kept my eye on the knife. "If I'm not enough, then what about your friends in the Literature Club?"

"Friends? And what made you think that?" She stated in this insulted tone.

Her eyebrows tightened. The once calm ocean in her eyes was a storm. On the other hand I was puzzled. How were they not good friends?

"You can't be this clueless can you?" After I remained silent again, she looked away from me.

"All they could talk about was you. You know, that's what convinced me to go through with ending it all. You're the only thing that the Club can focus on!" She paused, probably expecting her sadness to take control. In its place stood rage.

"And me? I'm just the stepping stone to your heart. Doesn't matter who - Yuri, or Natsuki, or Monika- all they talk to me about is you. Just you! How cruel is that? I thought they were my friends." Those ocean blue eyes dripped tears down onto Sayori's face. I was at a loss for words again.

I felt a pang of guilt grow in my gut. Before I could say anything a glint of light from the blade reminded me that Sayori was still holding a knife. I felt my foot take a step forward. And another. Until I was an arms length from Sayori.

"We can still find you help Sayori. It's not too late." I felt a sudden force knock my body backwards. What I thought was a hug was not what it seemed. My vision started blurring. She stabbed me in the heart.

Sayori yanked the knife off my chest. She looked me in the eyes. "This is the only way I'll get any help Lee. I won't suffer any more. Now leave me be."

The last thing I saw was Sayori stabbing herself in the chest. Unsatisfied with just one stab, she pulled the knife out and stabbed herself again. Just before my vision went blank I heard her collapse.

I recalled something I told myself all those years back, when I failed to save Sayori the first time:

Did I just play the game? Or did the game play me?

A/N:

Yeah... this game man. A real rollercoaster of emotions. But if you took away the parts that shocked you, made you sad even, it wouldn't be the same experience. It was a fun ride, and proof that some stories don't need a happy ending to be enjoyed.

Anyways, leave a review, tell me what you like/disliked about the story. Thanks for reading!