Hello again, fellow readers and writers! First, I'd just like to apologize for the massive delay. Several things have been going on and I'm still in the process of forming a proper writing schedule, but I'm back. Suffice to say, I'm a tad worried about this chapter's quality compared to the others; as far as I can remember, I've never had such a large gap between writing chapters before. That being said, thanks for bearing with me! As usual with this story, let me take a little time to address the most recent reviews!
Celgress: I hadn't even considered that potential Yandere Simulator reference, but hey! You're certainly welcome; I'm glad that you're enjoying the new characters and what they bring to the table! I hope to give them (and the preexisting characters, of course) the writing and development that they deserve in the near future.
Recurring Guest: Wow, thank you so much! I'm honored that you think so highly of my humble little story. I'm especially happy that you've detailed why you like the characters as much as you do; knowing this makes it easier for me to remember to maintain consistency when it comes to writing them. Incidentally, there is anin-story reason as to why M.C. is only ever referred to as M.C., but I think it's a little early to be giving that away.
Thanks again for reviewing, you guys; feedback is what really allows me to grow and develop as a writer, and I hope to grow and develop this story and others as I do! As always, I absolutely welcome any questions, comments, concerns, thoughts, and things of that nature; let me know what works, what doesn't, and what I can do to improve my writing style! Now that I've taken up enough of your time, let's get on with it!
Friday, 6:45 PM
If there was one word to describe the Doki Doki Karaoke Bar, it would be flashy. The music was blaring, neon and strobe lights were nearly everywhere you looked, and many a young person was out on the dance floor having a good time. Most of our group was currently sitting at a table not too far away from the dance floor, having ordered some sodas to kick off the weekend.
"I dare say this club veers a little on the gaudy side," Akira remarked in his usual quiet tone, our group barely being able to hear him over all this noise. The fact that it was Ryu's turn to sing karaoke wasn't exactly helping.
"I don't get it. I mean, Ryu's probably never even been to Alabama," Makoto sighed, pausing to sip his drink. "You're definitely not wrong about this place though, Akira. This really isn't my scene…"
Sayori spoke up, her smile growing with every word. "I dunno, I kinda like this place! It's so… lively, you know?"
"Heh," I chuckled. "That's definitely one way of putting it…"
After what seemed like an eternity, Ryu finally finished his song to energetic applause and made his way over to our table, waving at his admiring fans all the while.
"Did you guys see me up there? I was on fire!" he cheered, his hands behind his head as he grinned.
"I think my brain is gonna be on fire after tonight," Makoto huffed. "Why did I agree to come here again?"
"Cause Sayori loves this place!" I chimed in over all the noise. "And we all know you wouldn't wanna disappoint her, right Blue?"
"Shut up, M.C.!"
The group shared a laugh at our sour friend's expense, Sayori giggling bashfully and looking away. As I saw Makoto's cheeks light up, I smiled; even I could tell that their relationship was more than meets the eye.
Sipping my drink, my thoughts shifted to the Literature Club and Monika. Honestly, it almost seemed like I was never not in the club or doing something club-related, so this was definitely a change of pace. Still… I couldn't help but wonder why Monika didn't wanna come with us tonight. She told me she was busy, but… with what, exactly? It's Friday night!
"Alright, you cool cats," a smooth voice spoke through an unseen intercom, "time to shake, shake, shake your groove things and celebrate good times. Come on!"
On cue, a familiar funky song began playing throughout the building, prompting many young adults to return to the well-lit dance floor.
"Ooh! I love this song!" Sayori piped up, standing from her seat abruptly and grabbing Makoto's arm. "C'mon, Mako, dance with me!"
"I don't dance," the blue-haired boy replied flatly, "and please let go of my arm."
"C'mooooon, please? Just this once?"
"Absolutely no-"
One look into her sky blue eyes was all it took for Blue to change his tune, an action he was sure to regret later.
"... Fine."
Akira covered his mouth and giggled as Ryu and I high-fived each other, cheering as our two lovebird companions made their way to the dance floor.
~You know this Doki is for real~
Not wasting any time, Sayori began pulling all sorts of crazy dance moves, some of them not even being in time with the music. Makoto merely folded his arms coolly and began tapping his foot, trying to get into the groove. I chuckled to myself as I continued to observe them from our table.
~I used to put my faith in writing~
~But then my chance to get to him just slipped~
~I tried to grab hold of my future~
~But then I threw all caution to the wind~
"Y'know," Ryu began, leaning back in his seat with an oddly thoughtful expression on his face, "I really don't remember that being how the song goes."
Akira nodded before slightly shrugging. "Still, I have to admit that it is catchy… if a bit topical."
"Glasses, buddy," Ryu sighed, "I have no idea what this has to do with ointment, but-"
"No, I meant… never mind. And don't call me Glasses, please."
"Aw, why not?" Ryu whined. "You let Natsuki do it all the time!"
As the two began to bicker, I turned my attention back to the dance floor.
It was then that my jaw dropped.
"Yo, M.C.!" Ryu called, concerned. "What's… up…?"
The words escaped all three of us as we stared at the dance floor, not believing what we were seeing. Amazingly enough, it almost looked like Makoto was having fun! Sayori was in front of him doing a move reminiscent of milking a cow, and our normally-moody friend was pointing his arm back and forth in the air like something out of an old movie.
"Ohohoho," Ryu chortled, whipping out his phone with a stupid grin on his face. "I can't believe this! This is just too good!"
Akira merely continued to observe the dancing duo, awestruck. "Superb technique…"
Shaking my head, I sat back in my seat and sipped my drink contentedly. Now this was something you didn't see every day. If only Monika could see this…
Monika's P.O.V.
I sighed as I laid on my bed, clutching my heart in slight pain. This new world that I had created was certainly something to marvel, but I had never used my powers for something this grandiose before...
"Monika!" a voice called from downstairs. "Will you be eating with us?"
"I'll be down shortly, Mother!"
Of course, she wasn't really my mother; I knew as much. Part of being the President of the Literature Club gives you a certain sense of awareness that no one else seems to possess. Or, if the others are aware, they're certainly good at hiding it. These people I called Mother and Father; before I started tampering with the game's files again after rebooting for the umpteenth time, they didn't even exist. Even Natsuki's father didn't truly exist until now, and he was actually mentioned in the base game. Still… If I could give M.C. the parents he deserves, why not try it on myself as well?
Sighing, I waved my hand and materialized a glass of water and a bottle of pills at my desk. The strain of sustaining such an expanded world was sure to take its toll on my physical form, maybe even my mental state as well. With any luck, I should at least be able to keep it together until I can make everyone happy...
"Monika! Your dinner is getting cold!"
"I'll be there, Mother!"
Getting up, I looked out my bedroom window and blinked, causing a white butterfly to materialize on a nearby tree branch.
I just need a little more time, M.C.…
Just… a little more…
M.C.'s PoV
The weekend was over before I knew it, and I found myself back at the Literature Club after school on Monday. I had no recollection of what I even did on Saturday or Sunday, but I'm sure it wasn't anything too important. How important could something be if I had forgotten it, right?
"Alright, everyone," Monika called cheerfully, walking to the front of the room. "I have a special announcement to make!"
Everyone remained silent. Or, in Sayori's case, tried to stop from squealing in excitement.
"In case any of you have forgotten, the school's big festival is coming up next week! Now, I know we've kinda discussed this already, but I have decided to fully commit the Literature Club to participating in the school festival next Monday!"
The room froze.
"Splendid!" Akira broke the silence cheerfully, an innocent smile on his round face. "I've always wanted to… wait, what!?"
"Are you freaking kidding me?!" Natsuki exclaimed. "We've never even done that in front of each other! You wanna get the whole school in on this?!"
"M-Monika!" Yuri admonished gently. "Y-you can't be serious!"
"Why are you acting so surprised?" Makoto questioned, genuinely confused. "Did we not have this discussion last week?"
"Guys, c'mon! It'll be really neat, I promise!" Sayori chirped, trying to reassure her friends. "We can take turns and really show everyone the joys of poetry! Doesn't that sound fun?"
Ryu stepped forward, carefree as always. "Well, I for one think it's a GREAT idea! We can make something spectacular of this club yet! Think about it, you guys! This is our moment of glory!"
"You do realize this includes you too, right?" Makoto snarked, looking unamused.
"Pffft! Of course I knew that!" Ryu exclaimed boisterously. "Do you think I'm an idiot or something?"
"Yes."
"Why, you little - "
"Well, we've off to a great start already," I sighed.
Monika paused for a moment before giggling, covering her mouth with a dainty hand. "Well, it's nice to see that someone is interested. How about you, Makoto? What's your take on this?"
"A horrible decision, really," Makoto droned, rolling his eyes. With a toothy grin, he continued, "But I can think of worse ideas, I suppose. Count me in."
"Thank you, Makoto," Monika said with a smile. "... I think."
Sayori could hardly contain her joy as she bounced up and down, clapping her hands together gleefully. Monika and I shared a laugh as the others looked at Makoto; Ryu grinned and gave him a thumbs-up while the other three looked about as confused as I did. When did Makoto become so… agreeable?
"Well, you know how I feel already," I spoke up, trying not to think too hard about this whole thing. "When do we start?"
"Ahaha! Glad to hear that you're eager," she smiled, winking. "We can all start practicing reciting our poems tomorrow. It'll just be the eight of us here, so there's no need to fear judgment!"
"Guuu… fine," Natsuki huffed, looking away while folding her arms.
"... Alright," Yuri conceded quietly, nodding.
"Well… I suppose there's no alternative," Akira added. "I shall endeavor to do my best."
"Wonderful!" Monika cheered. "I knew you guys wouldn't let me down. In the meantime, let's all split off into our pairs for the day!"
"... Wonderful," Monika sighed, handing my paper back to me. "Absolutely wonderful. I'm starting to think you've got a real knack for writing, M.C.!"
"Monika, you flatter me," I chuckled, shaking my head bashfully. In truth, I don't even really remember writing this one. "If anything, I'd say you're the talented one here. You're a strong writer and a musician to boot!"
This comment seemed to make her slightly nervous, as her gaze shifted off to the side.
"G-goodness! I wouldn't go quite that far," she laughed awkwardly, her cheeks tinted pink. "Still… thank you, M.C.. It really means a lot to hear you say such nice things about me…"
"Hey," I replied with a smile, "I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true…"
Time seemed to stand still as our eyes met, her lovely green eyes shimmering with life. Breaking the intimate contact, my eyes darted all around the room, desperately searching for something to talk about. Anything to make things less… intense.
"What's the matter?" Monika inquired innocently, blinking. "It's just me, you know…"
"Ah… ahem," I coughed, trying to clear my throat. "Right. So, uh… I suppose you have a poem for me?"
"A-ah! Right you are," Monika exclaimed, apparently having been caught off guard. She also looked slightly disappointed for some reason, but I decided not to pry. With a polite smile, Monika handed me her poem and I began to read it to myself.
The Lady Who Knows Everything
An old tale tells of a lady who wanders Earth.
The Lady who Knows Everything.
A beautiful lady who has found every answer,
All meaning,
All purpose,
And all that was ever sought.
And here I am,
a feather
Lost adrift the sky, victim of the currents of the wind.
Day after day, I search.
I search with little hope, knowing legends don't exist.
But when all else has failed me,
When all others have turned away,
The legend is all that remains - the last dim star glimmering in the twilight sky.
Until one day, the wind ceases to blow.
I fall.
And I fall and fall, and fall even more.
Gentle as a feather.
A dry quill, expressionless.
But a hand catches me between the thumb and forefinger.
The hand of a beautiful lady.
I look at her eyes and find no end to her gaze.
The Lady who Knows Everything knows what I am thinking.
Before I can speak, she responds in a hollow voice.
"I have found every answer, all of which amount to nothing.
There is no meaning.
There is no purpose.
And we seek only the impossible.
I am not your legend.
Your legend does not exist."
And with a breath, she blows me back afloat, and I pick up a gust of wind.
"Geez," I muttered, eyeing the words on the page strangely. I knew that Monika was a talented writer, but this was something different altogether. I felt several emotions rushing into my soul all at once; confusion, sadness… fear? What did any of this even mean?
"M.C.?" Monika spoke up, looking worried. "What's wrong?"
"Ah… yes!" I exclaimed, trying my best to look natural. "Nothing's wrong… Why?"
Monika closed her eyes, breathing deeply. "Oh, dear… I knew I should have written a better poem than this!"
"N-no, no!" I attempted to console her. "It's good! Like, really good! I'm just a little taken aback is all…"
"Oh, good," she sighed in relief, a gentle smile making its way onto her face. "I was worried it was a little too on the nose…"
"Uh... what?"
"N-nothing, nothing. So… you really liked it, then?"
"Honestly," I began, smirking, "you could write an entire poem consisting only of the word 'dogshit' and it would still be better than anything I've written."
"Language, M.C.," Monika scolded with a frown. "I really wish you wouldn't put yourself down like this. I really do see something special within you. A light in the darkness, even…"
"W-wow… I don't think someone's ever said something so nice to me before," I said earnestly, looking her in the eyes. "Not sure I deserve that kind of praise, but... Thank you, Monika."
"You're welcome, M.C.," she nodded in return, smiling. "You know, that reminds me…"
"Yeah?"
"It's just always puzzled me that you're the only person in the school that goes by initials rather than an actual name," Monika mused, a finger to her chin as she appeared deep in thought. "I was just wondering if I could call you by your first name."
"I…"
I froze, unsure of what to say. As far as I could remember, my name had always been M.C.; at least, that's what everyone has always called me. Hell, even my parents call me M.C.. I hadn't really considered it before, but… was it possible that M.C. wasn't actually my real name at all? I guess I could ask Mom and Dad about it later tonight...
"It's fine, you don't have to answer," Monika sighed, shaking her head with a smile. "I guess that was a little forward of me, wasn't it? Ahaha… In any case, you'll always mean something to me no matter what your name is."
"Ah… w-wow," I coughed, fighting an oncoming blush. "Thanks again, Monika…"
She grinned, her emerald eyes radiating with light. "Anytime, M.C.. Anytime."
"... Huh," Sayori mumbled, tilting her head adorably.
"What do you mean, 'huh'?"
"... Heh. Hehehe!"
"What?" Makoto asked again, this time more peevishly.
"It's just," Sayori giggled, "this seems slightly happier than what you normally write, Makoto! I'm beginning to think Friday's dance session was on your mind when you wrote this!"
"Oh, god," the blue-haired boy groaned, his face in his hand. "I thought we agreed never to talk about that again…"
"Why not?" Sayori inquired, an innocent look on her soft face. "I thought you danced really well! You looked amazing!"
Makoto's face flushed as he tried to come up with a reasonable response. "I… uh… Thanks. You too, I guess…"
Sayori giggled, her soft voice filling the air. Internally, Makoto was cursing himself; why did he constantly let her talk him into doing these embarrassing things?! If it were, M.C., or Akira, or literally anyone else, he wouldn't have even gone to the bar in the first place. So what made Sayori so special then? Was it her sparkling ocean-blue eyes that did this to him? Was it the way that her adorable red bow shifted slightly every time she moved too much? Was… was he falling for her?
'That can't be right,' Makoto told himself in his head. 'I… she… we couldn't. I couldn't. I'm no good for her... She deserves someone who can give her the world. Someone like-'
"Hey, Mako?"
"Y-yeah?"
"What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing!"
"Oh, really?" Sayori challenged, smirking with a raised eyebrow.
Makoto looked rightfully disturbed; when had she learned to do that?
"Y-yes, really. Now can we please drop it? And no more talk of dancing!"
"Okay, okay! Sheesh," Sayori said before sticking her tongue out childishly. "I was only teasing anyway…"
"Good…"
"..."
"... What?"
Sayori was briefly caught off guard by this before realizing that she had been staring at him again. She couldn't help it! Even though he'd refuse to admit it, Makoto took care of himself nicely; his dark blue hair was slightly long for a guy, but he managed to comb it in a way that looked rather neat. His eyes reminded her of chocolate, like the kind that Natsuki would use for her baked goods. She'd really have to ask her to bring some to school tomorrow…
"Hey!" Makoto called, waving a hand in front of Sayori's face to regain her attention. "Don't you have a poem for me or something?"
"A-ah!" Sayori blurted, "O-of course! I have it right… here…"
Makoto sighed as he watched the girl search in her book bag fruitlessly for the poem. Looking over, he could see that the bag was rather messy and unorganized; not surprising, given how her room looked...
Sayori eventually gave up with a huff. "Dang! I was so sure that I had packed it this morning!"
"Let me guess; you left the house late again?"
"... Maybe…"
"Oh, good grief," the boy sighed, a hand to his forehead as he closed his eyes. "Am I gonna have to start dragging you out of bed every morning?"
"You say that like it's a bad thing!" Sayori protested, pouting adorably. "Besides, you're usually up really early anyway, right? So it's not like you'd have to get up even earlier…"
Makoto sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time today. "Sayori, having to rely on someone else to get you out of the house on time typically is a bad thing. Even so…"
"Mako…?"
"I… guess I could swing by sometime," Makoto coughed, a hand rubbing the back of his head as he looked away. "Y-you know, just to make sure you're alive and on time for school."
"You… you mean it?" Sayori asked, beaming. She hadn't actually expected him to do it; hearing that he actually cared about her this much touched her in a way she had never imagined before. And yet…
"I-I mean, you really don't have to do that," the girl backpedaled, blushing while wringing her hands. "I know you're probably busy, so you don't have to inconvenience yourself…"
"You just said that it wouldn't be a huge deal for me," Makoto pointed out, shrugging. "Besides, I don't really mind…"
"O-oh, yeah. Right… ehehe," Sayori laughed awkwardly, shaking her head. Meeting his gaze, she continued, "Thanks, Mako. It's nice to know that you care so much about me…"
"D-don't get the wrong idea," the blue-haired boy argued, "I'm not just doing this for you, you know!"
"... So you're at least partially doing this for me?"
"Yes- I mean, no! I mean… augh!"
"Hee hee… thank you, Mako. I look forward to getting up on time from now on…"
"Yeah, well," Makoto huffed, the corners of his mouth curling up. "You're welcome."
"..."
"... W-well? Um… how is it so far?"
As Natsuki scrutinized the poem in her hands closely, she felt herself growing more and more nervous by the second. It wasn't like she couldn't understand the words; it was just… Glasses! Everything about him was annoyingly prim and proper, even his writing style. It made Natsuki feel… inadequate? Like she wouldn't be good enough for him. Not that she wanted him or anything of the sort, though…
"... Yeah," Natsuki said with a nod, handing the poem back to Akira carefully. "It's okay, I guess…"
Akira's hopeful face faltered slightly. "Ah… I see. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disappoint…"
"No, no, it's good," the pink-haired baker sighed, shaking her head softly. "I didn't mean it like that. I just meant…"
"Mm?"
"... Forget it," Natsuki huffed, looking away.
"Natsuki, I implore you," the black-haired boy began, his tone of voice almost desperate. "If something is troubling you, I wish to help in any way I can…"
"I… you… guuuuu!" Natsuki shrieked, frustrated. "Why do you have to be so perfect, Akira!?"
"... Me? Perfect?" the boy asked, looking genuinely perplexed. "I'm afraid I don't understa-"
"You!" Natsuki exclaimed, throwing her hands up into the air before gesturing at Akira. "All of you! You're so… sophisticated and junk! And your writing matches you to a T! What are you trying to pull here?"
"I assure you, I am not 'trying to pull' anything," Akira debated, "and I'm certainly far from perfect."
Natsuki rolled her eyes. "Oh, please! I bet you're a model student; straight A's and everything!"
"W-well, it's not as if I can just get those marks by doing nothing. My parents have me on a very strict studying schedule. Between that and my homework, it almost feels like I don't have time for any of my passions anymore. Video games, anime, manga… they're all just 'childish distractions' to them."
"... Oh," Natsuki mumbled, looking down. "... I'm sorry."
"You're fine," Akira claimed with a small smile. "I know that my parents are only hard on me because they care. 'Tough love', I believe it's called?"
"Heh," Natsuki chuckled bitterly, holding her arm. "Yeah…"
"I'm sorry," the bespectacled boy sighed. "Truly, I am. I had no intention of upsetting you, Natsuki."
"Will you stop apologizing already?" Natsuki groaned. "I feel like we've had this conversation before!"
"A-ah! Sorry…"
"Akira."
"E-eep!" the boy yelped. "N-no more apologizing, got it."
"Great!" Natsuki exclaimed cheerfully, beaming. Her fang was on display, causing Akira to chuckle quietly to himself.
"Cute…"
"What did you just say?"
"N-nothing," Akira answered promptly, a shaky hand moving to adjust his glasses. Naturally, he was quite taken aback by the small girl grabbing his wrist instead.
"Here," she started, gently taking his glasses off with her free hand, "let me take care of these."
Carefully setting the spectacles on a nearby desk, she took off one of her hair ribbons and tied it to both of arms of the glasses.
"You know, you really need to get a better fitting pair," Natsuki complained, handing the glasses back to him. "It really drives me nuts how you always do that!"
"I hadn't realized," Akira gasped, putting the modified glasses on his face. A perfect fit. Looking back at Natsuki, the boy began to chuckle.
"What? What's so funny?"
"It's just… your hair!"
"Huh!?"
Sure enough, one of Natsuki's "puffs" had come undone, leaving the other one pitifully lonesome atop her head.
"Grr," Natsuki growled, shutting her eyes to try and hide her embarrassment. "I hope you're happy with yourself, Glasses!"
"I'm sorry," Akira apologized, bowing, "I could just give the ribbon back-"
"Keep it," Natsuki denied with a hand wave, "I've got plenty more at home."
"... Thank you, Nat," Akira said with a grateful smile and rapidly reddening cheeks. "I suppose I'll have to repay the favor sometime."
"Don't mention it," the girl winked, removing the other ribbon and placing it into her blazer's pocket. Akira blinked in surprise, not used to seeing her with her hair down.
"Now then, don't you want to read my poem, smart guy?"
"Y-yes, of course!"
Reaching into her bag, Natsuki pulled out a poem she had written the night before. To her surprise, this poem was far more emotional than she had remembered; it almost read like a love letter! Thinking quickly, she instead opted to pull out an older poem that she had never shown Akira before and handed it to him instead.
"Oh, thank you," Akira said with a smile before reading the poem to himself quietly.
I'll Be Your Beach
Your mind is so full of troubles and fears
That diminished your wonder over the years
But today I have a special place
A beach for us to go.
A shore reaching beyond your sight
A sea that sparkles with brilliant light
The walls in your mind will melt away
Before the sunny glow.
I'll be the beach that washes your worries away
I'll be the beach that you daydream about each day
I'll be the beach that makes your heart leap
In a way you thought had left you long ago.
Let's bury your heavy thoughts in a pile of sand
Bathe in sunbeams and hold my hand
Wash your insecurities in the salty sea
And let me see you shine.
Let's leave your memories in a footprint trail
Set you free in my windy sail
And remember the reasons you're wonderful
When you press your lips to mine.
I'll be the beach that washes your worries away
I'll be the beach that you daydream about each day
I'll be the beach that makes your heart leap
In a way you thought had left you long ago.
But if you let me by your side
Your own beach, your own escape
You'll learn to love yourself again.
"... Huh," Akira mumbled, his face heating up once more. "I wasn't expecting this one to be quite so… romantic, in tone…"
"Huh?" Natsuki inquired, clearly confused. "Lemme see that real quick."
Taking the paper from him, Natsuki's face began to match her hair and her eyes widened as she scanned the poem.
'This wasn't much better at all!'
"Oh, god," Natsuki groaned, a palm to her forehead. "What have I done…?"
"I'm not entirely sure what the issue is here," Akira remarked earnestly. "I actually thought this was quite good!"
"... Really?" Natsuki asked, turning to face him. She was still humiliated, but this seemed to soften the blow at least a little bit.
"Absolutely," the boy nodded, smiling brightly. "Why, the way you wrote this poem, I'm inclined to believe that you meant every word! That's how convincing it is."
"Huh… I guess it is pretty good, isn't it?" Natsuki beamed confidently. "Yeah! Good!"
"Indeed," Akira affirmed. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were actually in love when you wrote this poem. Or, at the very least, infatuated."
"Aha… wouldn't that be something," Natsuki remarked, chuckling awkwardly. Luckily, Akira hadn't seemed to notice and instead began rambling on about his passion for literature and how she enthralled him with every word. The girl immediately became lost in her thoughts; what if he was right? What if she has started to fall for him? They hadn't even really known each other that long, but… there was just something about him that made him stand out in her eyes…
"... In fact, I dare say that the rest of the club should read this poem and take notes," Akira finished, snapping Natsuki out of her thoughts instantly.
"W-what?! No!"
"Ah… you're right," he sighed, "I hadn't even stopped to consider your feelings on the matter… my apologies, Natsuki. It really is quite good, however."
"Yeah, well, thanks," Natsuki huffed, looking away, "but I'd really prefer if we kept this a secret between the two of us, alright?"
"I…"
Akira's words became caught in his throat as he looked Natsuki in the face; her normally tough expression had faded considerably, and she almost looked… insecure? Embarrassed? Vulnerable? Akira had to admit, she was quite adorable either way. Not that she wasn't normally, mind…
"You have my word, Nat. I won't tell a living soul."
"Thank you," Natsuki smiled, breathing a sigh of relief inwardly. "It'd really mean a lot to me. And hey, maybe we can keep reading Parfait Girls sometime soon?"
"I'd like nothing more, Natsuki."
"Hmm," Yuri mumbled to herself as her eyes waltzed across Ryu's poem. Tilting her head, she giggled at the last verse.
"Oof… that bad, huh?" Ryu chuckled, bracing himself for the worst.
"N-no! Not at all," Yuri blurted. Seeing his astonished and slightly amused facial expression, she continued, "Ah… sorry… It's actually not that bad at all, really! It's just… in that last verse, you used the word 'defiantly' when I think you meant to say 'definitely'."
"Aw, nuts," Ryu sighed, slapping a palm to his forehead. "I knew I should have gotten that dictionary!"
"Hee hee… it's a common mistake, really," Yuri giggled. "Don't worry about it. Even the most accomplished of writers slip up from time to time, so someone of your literary prowess shouldn't be too concerned."
"Heh, thanks! … Hey, what's that supposed to mean!?"
"A-ah!" Yuri exclaimed, the blood rushing to her ordinarily pale face. "That's not what I meant to say… I just meant that, you know…"
Ryu casually waved his hand, grinning. "Ah, don't sweat it. I knew what you were trying to say. Just wanted to tease you a little, that's all."
"Goodness, Ryu," Yuri began, chiding him gently, "you really shouldn't toy with a girl's emotions like that…"
"Heh… sorry, Yuri. Couldn't resist. You're just too cute when you're flustered," Ryu claimed with a wink.
"I…"
Yuri's mind was all over the place. Before meeting Ryu, she could never recall meeting a boy who was so brazen in his words and actions… And yet, this breath of fresh air was all too intoxicating...
Yuri cleared her throat, taking the time to choose her words carefully as her face grew warmer. "Thank you, Ryu. You're very… nice…"
Ryu raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Ha! First time I've been called that. Usually I hear the words 'dashing', 'handsome', and 'dashingly handsome'."
"Ahuhu… I'm sure."
"Yeah- HEY! Are you using sarcasm on me?"
"Am I?" Yuri questioned with a good-natured smile.
"Tch. Now who's teasing who?"
"Who's teasing whom, Ryu."
"... What?"
"Er," Yuri paused, fidgeting. "Perhaps that's a lesson for another time… In any case, you've yet to read my poem, so…"
Procuring her poem from her book bag, the shrinking violet handed it to Ryu with a polite smile. Returning the gesture in kind, Ryu held the poem in his hands and began to let his eyes roam the page.
Ghost Under the Light Pt. 2
The tendrils of my hair illuminate beneath the amber glow.
Bathing.
In the distance, a blue-green light flickers.
A lone figure crosses its path - a silhouette obstructing the eerie glow.
My heart pounds. The silhouette grows. Closer. Closer.
I open my umbrella, casting a shadow to shield me from visibility.
But I am too late.
He steps into the streetlight. I gasp and drop my umbrella.
The light flickers. My heart pounds. He raises his arm.
Time stops.
The only indication of movement is the amber light flickering against his outstretched arm.
The flickering light is in rhythm with the pounding of my heart.
Teasing me for succumbing to this forbidden emotion.
Have you ever heard of a ghost feeling warmth before?
Giving up on understanding, I laugh.
Understanding is overrated.
I touch his hand. The flickering stops.
Ghosts are blue-green. My heart is amber.
Ryu let out a long whistle, his blue eyes considerably widened. "That's, uh… quite a poem you got there, Yuri. Color me impressed."
"Really?" Yuri pondered, a strange look on her face. "You… you really liked it?"
"Sure did!" Ryu piped up. "There are so many words I've never even seen before. You must be really smart!"
Yuri was taken aback by this and her face reddened considerably. Swallowing, she replied, "A-ah… well, I don't know…"
"I mean it!" Ryu protested, making her jump a little. "Only a genius could use this many big words and still have it all flow the way it did! I could actually see the poem in my head!"
"Or, y'know," he chuckled, "at least the parts I could understand, anyway."
"Ryu, you're much too kind," Yuri said softly, looking away with a gentle expression on her porcelain face. Her violet eyes seemed to glimmer with radiance as she spoke, and Ryu felt himself growing more and more intrigued with the lady in purple. "Still, I'm quite glad to hear that you enjoyed my poem."
"Hey, I'm quite glad you wrote it," Ryu quipped, hands behind his head as he grinned.
The odd pair shared a laugh before falling quiet. Yuri nervously fidgeted with her long hair as Ryu coughed, desperately trying to think of something to say. Anything.
"So, uh…"
"Hmm?"
"Hey, so… I've been thinking," Ryu started, being honest with himself. "I'm not very good at these 'literature' and 'book smarts' things, but... I'd kinda like to be. I was just wondering if you'd be willing to teach me some things about writing poems sometime."
"Y-yes!" Yuri piped up, causing Ryu to flinch. Seeing this, she backpedaled, "I-I mean, of course. I'd like nothing more than to help a fellow student improve upon their writing techniques. Perhaps we can also keep reading Portrait of Markov while we're at it?"
"Ah…"
In truth, Ryu had been slightly hoping to avoid the novel. The very day Yuri gave him that extra copy, Ryu got curious and skipped ahead a couple of chapters just to see if anything interesting had happened. He wasn't a smart man, but he understood what he read and it terrified him. Needless to say, sleep had eluded him that night.
"I'd love to!" Ryu exclaimed, lying through his teeth with a smile. Yuri seemed to love the novel, so it only seemed polite to indulge her interests. Maybe the novel wouldn't scare him so much as long as she was by his side…
"Great," Yuri claimed with a smile. "Perhaps we can do this sometime this week? I know we usually share poems around this time, but I think Monika might be willing to make an exception or two. It is for the benefit of the club, after all."
"Sounds good to me. Believe it or not, not a whole lot of people would be willing to do this for me, so… thanks."
"You're most welcome, Ryu."
M.C.'s PoV
"Alright, everybody!" Monika spoke up, calling everyone to the center of the classroom. "How was today's session?"
"Hey, wait a minute," I spoke up. "What's with the sudden change in catchphrase?"
"Huh? What are you talking about? I don't have a catchphrase…"
"Yeah, you kinda do," Ryu backed me up. "You usually say 'Okay, everyone!'"
"Hey, I don't sound like that!" Monika argued, frowning.
"I thought it was pretty close, actually," I teased her, smirking.
"Really, M.C., don't encourage him," Akira chided. "I'd certainly say today went well, in any case."
"Tch… easy for you to say," Natsuki scoffed, folding her arms and staring at the floor.
"Woah! Natsuki lost her puffs!" Sayori exclaimed, her face full of wonder.
"My WHAT!?" Natsuki asked, her cheeks tinged pink before she remembered her good deed. "Oh, yeah. But why do you have to call them that?"
"Cause they're small and cute," I chuckled, joining in the fun. "Like you!"
"I… you guys… ugh! I'm leaving!" Natsuki yelled, grabbing her things and leaving in a huff.
"Aww, Natsuki!" Sayori called as she ran after her friend, exiting the classroom. "Come back! We love you!"
"We sure do," Ryu affirmed, nudging Akira with her elbow. "Isn't that right, Glasses?"
"Stop that."
"Children, the lot of you," Makoto groaned, rolling his eyes. "Can't even control yourselves for five minutes."
"That's a lot of talk coming from Mr. Friday Night Fever!"
"WE AGREED TO NEVER SPEAK OF IT AGAIN."
As the trio began to squabble amongst themselves, I walked over to Monika and Yuri. "Geez, these guys…"
"I dunno, I think it's kinda cute actually," Monika laughed. "I can tell that deep down, they really care about each other. I hope it lasts for years to come, wouldn't you agree, Yuri?"
"Indeed. Friendships that last beyond high school are rare, but… perhaps we can all be the exception and not the rule."
Seeing my idiot friends argue and banter with each other, I couldn't agree with them more.
"I sure hope you're right, Yuri…"
