Author's Note: Hi again! Before I say anything else I just wanna answer a guest review by Sleepy since I can't directly reply to guests... to answer your question, Sleepy, since I originally wrote just a one-shot, I didn't plan introducing the other girls or how Monika got here, and I don't think I will. I know other fics go into these aspects, as well as Monika getting recognized, but I just kind of figured this would just be more focused on the relationship between the Monika and the reader, since that's what I personally enjoy about these kinds of fics. I figure it's better not having to fuss over real world problems. But yeah, thanks for the review! Thank you to everyone who's left one, and thank you to everyone who's following the story too! I really appreciate it and I'm glad to hear people are enjoying it.
But yeah... I know I keep saying "OKAY WE'RE ALMOST DONE" but I swear this time for sure we're almost done. I think the next chapter will be the last. But! Hey! I'm sappy and I'm also all over the place, so I already started writing up a quick little epilogue! So I mean, if you really want more, there's gonna be just a little bit more! Haha. I honestly was also thinking about writing some quick blurbs to stick in the epilogue chapter. Ya know, just like little things that I want to write but don't have any place in the story for. I haven't written any yet, but I saw a one-shot on AO3 the other day about the dokis at the beach, and I was like... oh, god. Why don't I write about Monika and the reader going to the beach? I love the beach. So yeah, I'll probably write that... it's so funny too because my friend Kyle was poking fun at me about writing this fanfic so he wrote up a little me/Monika at the beach thing and it... it made my heart melt... so I think I'll do one too hahaha I'm ridiculous. OKAY SORRY FOR RAMBLING! I hope you enjoy your dinner with Monika. :3
"What do you mean you gave our table to someone else?!"
"That's just what I mean, Miss. We accidentally gave your table to another party."
I turn away from the dapper man standing behind the hostess stand and groan.
"We're very sorry. Would you like to put your name down for another table? Right now, the wait time is about three hours."
Hearing this, I turn to Monika, who stares back at me nervously; unsure of how to respond. I bite my lip. I really wanted to treat her to a nice meal, but the moment we got here Monika's stomach had already started complaining. I couldn't help but snicker as I parked the car, the sound of the engine humming suddenly being replaced by a protest from her middle. I didn't want to make her wait any longer. I glance back at the man and shake my head dismissively.
"No, thank you."
With that, Monika takes my hand and we make our way through the sea of people standing in the lobby. We eventually burst through the front doors and back out into the brisk evening air, quietly walking away from the crowd.
"I'm sorry, Monika." I finally sigh as we come to a stop, about twenty feet away from the restaurant's entrance. Even this far down the sidewalk people are standing around, waiting patiently to get into the place.
"It's okay, we'll come back some other time." She reassures me, giving my hand a quick squeeze before she wraps her arm around mine.
Despite her holding me, I can still feel the frown on my face as I stare at the pavement.
"Don't be upset, sweetie, we had such a great day." She continued, quickly picking up on my disappointed expression. "I'm so glad we got to spend it together."
Monika was right. I had a great day, and I was glad we got to spend it together, too. Without realizing it, I'm smiling again. I get confirmation that I'm looking better when Monika suddenly chuckles quietly, gently squeezing my hand once more. I look back up to meet her smiling face, a tender look in her eye. I purse my lips, suddenly remembering our current situation.
"I'm sure it'll be crazy trying to get in anywhere else at this hour." I grumble, running my free hand through my hair, trying to think of what to do.
Before my hand can even reach the back of my head, a dumb idea hits me.
"Hey, Monika," I start, pulling my arm with her closer to me, "there's another restaurant just up the street— I know that place won't be busy. Want to try there?"
Monika, who always seems excited about anything I suggest, quickly grins at me and agrees. Without a second thought, the two of us, hand in hand, start walking again.
"...So," Monika pops a fry into her mouth, "this is real food, huh?"
"Is it as good as the other food you've tried so far?"
Monika mulls over my question for a moment, picking up another fry.
"It's not bad." She tosses the fry in her mouth.
Her delivery kills me. I immediately burst out laughing, quickly turning away and covering my mouth. I can hear Monika start to giggle along with me. I'm not sure if it's because my laughter is contagious or if it's because she thinks I'm being cute, but it's nice to laugh with her.
I had taken her to a small burger place up the road. Although the food wasn't anything spectacular, it always filled you up, and they were rarely busy. Monika ordered a veggie wrap, and I got a burger. Thankfully, Monika understood that I wasn't about to go cold turkey. Getting two large orders of fries, we spilled them out on the tray and set them in between the two of us. The two of us looked out of place sitting here; dressed up nice and fancy for the occasion, like we were supposed to be having a candle lit dinner with five-star meals on porcelain plates, but instead we were sitting in an old wooden booth painted a painfully bright red and casually munching on greasy french fries.
"Well, I'm glad it's not terrible." I laugh, reaching for a fry.
"Anything we do together is nice," she tilts her head, "you know?"
I grin at her and nod.
"Yeah, you're right. This is nice."
It's only been an hour since we sat down, making it about seven in the evening, but because of the season it's already pitch-black outside. The large glass windows in the little restaurant give us a clear view of the night sky and the bright city lights sitting underneath the stars. We casually cackled on about things, reminding each other of all the little things we saw or did during the day. We comb over every little bit; the funny moments, the awkward interactions with strangers, the times where we would endear each other. Sighing, I finally catch my breath; my stomach hurting from how much I had been laughing. Or was it because of the food? We sit quietly for a moment, before a pang of something, some emotion I felt often but didn't know how to describe, suddenly hits me. I stare at what's left of the pile of fries and breathe deeply.
"Hey, Monika," I start hesitantly, looking up at her, "why... did you fall in love with me?"
She gives me an exacerbated look.
"What? I'm just asking!" I offer her an innocent smile.
"I really wish you wouldn't say things like that." She says with a dejected sigh. "Do you not believe me when I tell you that I love you?"
"N-no, of course I believe you, I just— I don't know, Monika, I... I'm new to this." I purse my lips, looking away. "I mean, I'm just some timid girl. I don't really stand out and I— I... it's just that... no one has ever cared about me this much before. I just wanted to know why." I glance back to gauge her reaction. "That's all."
Her expression softens. I can feel embarrassment welling up inside me, seeing the pity in her eyes.
"Well," she reaches her hand out, placing it on top of my own, "I do care about you." She holds my gaze, breathing in before speaking again. "And if I'm the first person to care about you like I do, then I want to make sure you know how I feel."
She gives me a reassuring smile that immediately puts my mind at ease. I can't help but smile back at her. The two of us sat there, quietly smiling at each other for a few seconds, before Monika picks up the conversation again.
"So," she grins almost too excitedly, "does that make me your first girlfriend?"
"Yeah, uh... I've never dated anyone before now." I involuntarily make a sour face, thinking back to high school.
She chuckles softly; probably at my reaction.
"If it makes you feel any better, I've never dated anyone either."
Although part of me isn't surprised to hear this, I look at her questioningly.
"Yeah, I just wasn't interested in dating. I wanted to focus on more important things." She pauses, her expression focused; almost like she was looking for the right words. She makes eye contact with me before speaking again. "Did you know you were gay when you were in high school?"
"I... didn't want to be," I laugh timidly, "so I just assumed that I just wasn't interested in anyone."
"I never really thought about it, but," she glances away, a fond look on her face, "maybe that's why I wasn't interested in dating either."
I chuckle, a much more genuine sound than my last little pitiful laugh.
"What?" She asks, smiling.
"You were suddenly interested in boys when I came along." I answer smugly.
Monika raises her eyebrows and her mouth gapes slightly, looking like I had just deeply offended her.
"I was only interested in him because he was you!"
"I know, I know, I'm sorry!" I try but barely manage to say through my laughter.
We're quiet for a moment, the only sound being me trying to stifle my hysteric giggling with my hand that Monika wasn't holding.
"We got off track!" Monika suddenly exclaims throwing her hands up.
I burst out laughing again; watching her laugh along with me while she tried her best to regain her composure.
"Okay," her giggles persisted despite her trying to sigh, "why did I fall in love with you." She restates my question before thinking for a moment. Monika sits there, quiet, staring intently at the tray in front of her until she looks up, meeting my gaze. "In retrospect, I guess that, at first, I loved the idea of you." She pauses, before quickly backtracking, "But, as soon as I started learning more about you, the real you, I knew that I did love you."
I swallow, feeling that familiar heat start to creep up my face. Although my life's story wasn't on that computer, there was plenty of stuff for her to go off of. Pictures, videos, music, notes and memos; just little bits and pieces of who I was and what I liked.
Including a few things about her.
"Part of me was afraid that you hated me, but... I knew that you cared about me, even just a little bit. That's what pushed me to want to know more about you. And when I did learn more, I was really excited." She pauses, smiling. "Just like I thought you would be, you were a kind and considerate person who really did love me," her eyes flicker away momentarily, "and the other girls, too. I knew then that you were the girl I wanted to be with. I knew that I loved you."
I could feel my face burning now as Monika finished her thought with that sweet smile.
"So... do you mind if I ask why you fell in love with me?" She asks as she crosses her arms and slides them onto the table, leaning forward; a curious smile on her face.
I figured that would come next. And it was only fair, answering the question myself. I knew why I loved her, and what I loved about her, but it would be hard for me to tell her.
"Uh, well," I took a moment to gather my thoughts, "I... you always made me so curious. The moment I saw that I couldn't interact with you like the other girls, I knew I wanted to know more about you. I was... kind of scared, n-not of you, but what was happening with the game." I speak quickly, trying to avoid offending her. I breathe in for the first time since I began speaking. "But then, when you started talking to me, I," I purse my lips, "I just became so... infatuated with you." I admit, my face growing hotter by the second.
Monika's face seems to light up too. I quickly open my mouth to explain myself.
"I— I mean... the fact that you said that you loved me— not the character in the game, but me... it just... it made me so happy. I never felt like that before. You always had something interesting to say. I felt like we looked at things in the same way, and I just liked the way you thought. I liked that you wanted to talk to me. I liked the idea that you liked me. I just... I liked you." I bite my lip involuntarily, trying to stop myself from spilling my guts completely. I breathe again. "You're a good person, Monika. And you were right— I loved you and the rest of the club. I fell in love with you, so hard."
Monika leans forward slightly as she sighs, smiling affectionately at me. My face can't get any hotter at this point.
"It makes me so happy hearing that you love me like I love you." She laughs bashfully, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "And I'm so glad that you liked our talks. You were always such a good listener... but it's so much nicer getting to have actual conversations with you."
I smile and nod in agreement before timidly starting up again.
"I'm sorry for asking about it, but I'm... happy that I did."
"I'm glad we talked about it, too."
Again, we're quiet. Smiling fondly at one another and enjoying the moment before the large machine hiding behind the counter suddenly roars to life, breaking the silence and startling both us. Monika and I look over, watching as the owner of the restaurant stood in front of the machine and watched as it made an obnoxiously loud whirling, mechanical noise; quickly mixed something inside a large, stainless steel cup.
"You know," I begin, immediately recognizing what the machine was for, "their milkshakes are actually pretty good. Do you want to get one, Monika?"
She turns back towards me, her eyes sparkling excitedly.
"Oh... I would actually love to try something sweet." She grins, biting her lip. "Will you share it with me?"
"Sure, I'll have some." I reach into my wallet for some cash.
"Good!" Monika chirps as she claps her hands together. "I don't want to have it all to myself."
"Do you mind getting it? I'll clean up our food." I ask as I pull out a twenty and extend it in her direction.
She glances at the money before quickly looking back to me, taking it from my hand with a child-like smile.
"I can do that!" She states proudly before she slides out of the booth and bounces to her feet. "Is chocolate okay?" She turns to ask.
I can't help but smile at her excitement.
"Yeah, get whatever you want."
She narrows her eyes at me.
"I don't want to get something you won't like."
"No, no— I like chocolate! I promise!" I chuckle, sliding out of the booth.
Monika grins at me.
"You really are the perfect girlfriend."
With that, she turns back and makes her way over to the counter. The perfect girlfriend. I shift my attention to what's left of our food, tossing our trash onto the tray, my face burning again. Once I have everything together, I walk the tray over to the garbage bin on the other end of the restaurant and discard it. I turn to face our table again, my eyes meeting Monika's as she casually walks over to me, a smile on her face, with a large cup and a single straw in hand. She's going to try that again. I smirk, giving her a look.
"What?" She giggles as she saunters up to me.
I reach out and pluck the straw from her hand.
"Did they run out of straws?" I ask playfully, tearing off the top of the wrapper.
"No, they just gave me one." She counters with a blatantly mischievous smile.
"Uh huh." I smirk as I stick the opened end of the straw in my mouth and aim it at her, quickly blowing a small puff of air into it, sending the rest of the wrapper off in her direction.
The little paper wrapper gently hits her squarely on the shoulder. Monika, her expression being reflexive before registering what I had done and shifting into laughter, waves her free hand at the wrapper as it's already half way to the floor.
"Hey!" Monika laughs, balling her hand into a fist. "What was that for?" She closes the distance between us and lightly pounds her hand into my chest once before leaning into me.
I chuckle, straw still in my mouth, as I catch her, wrapping an arm around her waist.
"For being coy." I reply, taking the straw and sticking it into the lid of the cup.
"I'm not being coy," she glances away shyly, "I just like sharing with you, that's all." Her eyes meet mine before she turns to go take a seat at the booth.
She might have been teasing me, but it wasn't hard to tell that she was being sincere. I could feel my stomach drop slightly from embarrassment. Before following her, I pick up the discarded straw wrapper and toss it in the bin behind me. Once I settle in the seat across from her, she points the cup in my direction, offering it to me.
Without taking the cup from her hands, I lean across the table and take a sip. The milkshake is smooth, and very sweet. Almost too sweet. As I start to pull away I notice that Monika's staring intently at me.
"Sorry," I chuckle, "it's just really good."
"No, it's not that! I wanted you to have some. I'm... glad you like it." She sputters as she brings the cup closer to herself. She stares at it before taking a long sip.
My face lights up. I try to look around anywhere else, but seems like everywhere I look my eyes still catch her. She continues sipping on the shake, her eyes closed.
"So?" I ask timidly. "How is it?"
"It's so sweet." She sighs as she finally pulls herself away from the straw, a placid smile on her face. I can swear I can see her cheeks turning pink. "Want some more?" She offers the cup to me again.
I swallow. Hesitantly, I take the cup from her this time. Bringing the straw to my mouth, I take another sip. This time it's too sweet. I can feel the space behind my forehead tighten as I take a few generous sips. Eventually, I have to breathe; breaking away, I take a deep breath, exhaling with a content sigh. I look back at Monika as I hand her the cup. I definitely wasn't seeing things. Her face is turning red now. Without looking away from me, she takes the cup, moving it close to her chest.
"That's a good milkshake." I mutter as I glance away, pulling my elbows up onto the table and awkwardly resting my chin on my hand; partially covering my mouth.
All Monika can do is give me a quiet "Mmhm" in response as she returns the straw to her mouth and continues drinking.
After a few seconds of silence, I glance back in her direction. Monika's determined eyes are directed at the table in front of her, focused on her thoughts. She looks completely and utterly embarrassed. I suddenly find myself smiling at her. She catches my gaze and returns my smile, straw still between her lips. I laugh quietly.
"What's so funny?" She grins, pulling herself away from her shake.
"Nothing, it's just," I lift my face from my hand, crossing my arms, "it's cute, you're trying to tease me but now you're getting embarrassed too."
Her face, which had cooled down by this point, starts to shift shades again. I smile, trying to contain my laughter.
"I'm not trying to tease you!" She squeaks, a hurt expression on her face. "And I'm not embarrassed, I'm just— okay, I guess I am, just a little bit." She looks away, taking another sip. "Don't pick on me."
"I'm not picking on you!" I say, unable to keep myself from laughing. "I just think it's cute. I think that you're cute."
She glances back at me, a small smile on her face.
"I guess I shouldn't be talking— I think you're cute when you're embarrassed too." She mutters with the straw in her mouth.
"See? See?!" I exclaim, gesturing at her with my hands open and palms turned up.
She bursts out laughing, and soon I join in. I can't remember the last time I laughed this much. After talking for a while longer, we notice that the staff are starting to clean up the dining area. Finishing off the shake, Monika and I get up and clear out. Stepping out into the night, Monika and I instinctively huddle together; trying to keep warm. Thankfully it wasn't too cold, but it was cold enough to an excuse to be near one another.
"Before we go home," I start as I wrap my arm around hers, "would you mind if I took you somewhere?"
At first, she looks surprised; but that look is quickly replaced with a delighted grin.
"Of course I don't mind," she tilts her head slightly, "where do you want to go?"
I return her smile.
"I want it to be a surprise."
Our destination isn't far from here; downtown is so compact, you can get almost anywhere just by walking. With Monika's hand in mine, I lead her about two blocks up from the burger joint. We take a left, and we're here. The local performing arts center.
I didn't come to this theater often, but I knew enough about it to know that there was a beautiful grand piano displayed in the lobby, which was played during events and shows. On most nights, though, the poor thing would sit there quietly, looking pretty in the corner. I also knew that, on quiet nights like tonight when the center wasn't being used, if you asked someone at the front desk nicely they would give you the key and let you play the piano for as long as you'd like.
Monika could only stare in awe at the large building as we walked up to the glass doors. Untangling myself from her, I walk up and hold the door; Monika offers me a quick nod and whispers a "thank you" as she walks past me. Following her inside, I motion towards the front desk and she quickly trails behind me. I notice her glancing around, the piano catching her eye as I wait for the young woman at the desk to finish what she's doing. Monika stands behind me, staring at the piano, while I speak to the woman attending the desk. She gladly hands me the key and I thank her.
"Monika, sweetheart." I say as I turn towards her, taking her hand once again.
Before turning her attention back to me, she grips my hand.
"Is that why we're here?" She points to the piano with her free hand, a small smile on her lips.
"Yeah," I hold up the key, "I thought that maybe we could play for a little bit."
We head over to the other end of the room where the piano sat, Monika still following tucked away behind me. As I unlock and lift the fallboard, I watch Monika timidly take a seat on the bench; a bemused expression on her face.
"That song you were working on," I recall as I take a seat next to her, "did you ever get to finish writing it?"
Monika had mentioned not getting the chance to finish her song while she sat there in her classroom. But, if she managed to get a hold of all the information on my computer, she might have found a way to finish her song, right?
"I did, actually." She mutters, her eyes fixated on the piano; staring intensely at the keys. "It's just that— those last few lines. I guess I'll have to rework them now." She laughs quietly.
Now I feel stupid for bringing her here. I hadn't even thought about those last few lines of the song and what they meant to her. I nervously grip the plush seat beneath me. So, so stupid. After a few seconds of silence between us, I lift my hand to find the right key, I play the first few notes of a familiar tune. My fingers clumsily pick at the keys, until I stop, and pick up at another part that I knew how to play. Picking out the key, I press down.
"Every day," I mutter as I tap the key, "I imagine..." I stumble on the chords, my hands and mouth unable to work in tandem, "a... future where..."I let out a defeated groan as my hands slide off the keys before turning my attention to Monika again. Her gaze is now fixed on me; her eyes wide and cheeks turning a slight pink.
"Sorry, I, uh," I rub the back of my neck nervously, "I might have heard your song on the internet..."
"Oh... so you know how it ends, huh?" She sighs, turning her head back down.
"I-I'm sorry, Monika— do you want to go? I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought you here. I just wanted to hear you play something."
"No, no!" She quickly looks back up at me, shaking her head. "Don't be, it's okay. I'm glad we're here. It means a lot to me that you'd want to hear me play... it's just that—" she looks away again and shifts around, tucking her hands underneath her knees, "I, uh... since I had some time on my hands, I wrote those lines just in case that if, one day, you got bored of me, I could tell you that I... I understood your decision."
The resignation in her voice makes my hair stand on end. That would explain why she finished the song in the first place.
"Monika— I never wanted that." I scooch closer to her.
She timidly glances back up at me.
"I would have been okay with it. I was okay with it." She swallows, trying to keep her composure. "More than anything I wanted you to be happy."
"I was happy." I say gently. "I never wanted you to leave me. I needed you, and now..." I take a deep breath, my chest tightening, "now you're actually here."
Monika repositions herself so she's facing me; reaching out and cupping my hands in her own. I take her hands willingly.
"I've never been so happy." I whisper.
She purses her lips as they turn into a soft smile.
"You're too good for me."
"I wish you wouldn't say things like that." I imitate her tone, pulling her hands closer to me.
Her smile broadens as she laughs quietly.
"I would have stayed like that with you. I wanted you to be happy, too." I breathe, gently moving her hands back towards her.
"I'm glad that we don't have to stay like that anymore." She says with a relieved sigh.
"Yeah," I smile affectionately at her, "me too."
Again, we're quietly smiling at one another. Both breathing steadily, hands clasped together. As she begins to turn back towards the piano, I release her hands.
"You know how you said I saved you, sweet pea?" I ask with a grin.
"Yeah?" She matches my smile when she hears me call her by this new nickname.
"You're really the one who saved me."
"Oh, don't be so dramatic."
"No, it's true!"
She giggles lightheartedly at my insistent tone. I bite my lip, still smiling, before speaking again.
"Monika."
She stifles her laughter and looks at me with a gentle, questioning expression.
"I mean it. You really did."
Monika blinks, looking at me with a bewildered expression. Not even a moment later that sweet smile and fond look in her eye that I'd seen so often these past two days returns to her face. She moves herself closer, leaning her shoulder into mine. Closing her eyes, she sighs.
"I'm glad we have each other."
I lean my head against hers.
"I am too."
About a minute or so passes before I pipe up again.
"You don't have to play your song, but," I turn my head to look at her, "could you teach me how to play the piano?"
She picks herself up, smiling at me.
"You saw how bad I was— I need lessons." I continue, moving my hands back to the keys.
"I'm still learning too!"
"Well then I'll get you lessons and then you can teach me."
With a smirk I turn my attention to the piano and randomly start picking on a few keys. Monika laughs, clearly amused with how fresh I was acting.
"You weren't bad, you know. I'm kind of surprised you knew the song so well."
Her sincerity suddenly makes me a lot less cocky.
"I listened to it a lot." I mutter as I involuntarily go from picking to gently tapping on the keys.
"Oh?" Monika turns her head down, trying to hide her blush. "I'm kind of embarrassed now— you know, since you had to hear the ending."
I take a deep breath, collecting myself so I can keep up my confident attitude.
"It's a wonderful song. You have a very beautiful singing voice."
Her blush deepens.
"You think so?"
"Of course I do." I reply frankly as I move my hands and play another little tune; a few chords from a video game I played when I was a kid.
I fumble again, noticing Monika out of the corner of my eye watching my hands and smiling. After messing up one too many times, I sigh again and let my fingers fall flat on the keys.
"Here," Monika giggles, lifting her hands and readying them on the keys, "once I get a chance to rework the song, I'll play it for you." She glances at me affectionately, smiling to herself, before returning her gaze to the keys in front of her. "But for now, I'll show you what I know."