Yuri stared into the illustrated eye on the cover of the new copy of Portrait of Markov that she had purchased yesterday. Tapping her fingers against the novel's spine, she took a deep breath and swallowed her nerves before turning around. "H-Hi, MC!"

"I... Um..." She looked back down at the book cover before bringing her head up again. "Yesterday, y-you said that you read a few horror novels. And I know that you said they were all spooky and stuff, but..."

She paused to take another deep breath to help herself calm down, and to try and think of what to say next. "Well... Um... I was wondering if you'd l-like to read this one...?" Yuri held out the gift in front of her as her voice began to trail off.

"And... maybe we could..." She shyly stared off to the side while she still held the book out, her voice barely louder than a whisper. "Discuss it to-together..."

She took a peek out from under her bangs. "If you'd l-like to... of c-course..."

Staring at her, the only reaction Yuri's cat had was to plop down onto its side, beckoning Yuri to pet his long body.

"No good, huh?" Yuri asked, smiling sadly. Running her long, slender fingers through her cat's black fur.

As she listened to him purr, Yuri began to re-evaluate her approach to giving MC her gift.

"Maybe I should just put it in his shoe locker..." Yuri mumbled to herself, scratching her cat's chin.

"No!" She yelled out, chastising herself. "I need to... follow Dr. Alexander's advice."

Thinking her approach over, Yuri walked over to her work desk and opened up her laptop. She muttered to herself as she typed into the search bar. "What to do when you are nervous about talking to..."

Yuri found her words caught in her throat as she read the text of the autocompleted search suggestion. "You're c-cr-crush..."

Shaking the blush off of her face, Yuri continued to type what she originally intended to. "Someone." Hitting search she began to read some of the automatically compiled suggestions.

Feeling her cat rub up against her legs as she sat at her desk, Yuri absentmindedly began petting his head as she read aloud. "When you're nervous about talking to someone or in front of a crowd, simply picture whoever you're talking to in their und-"

Feeling her blush return tenfold, Yuri began stammering out the rest of the word on her computer screen. "U-Un... Under... U-Underwear...?!"

Slamming her computer shut, Yuri felt as if her face was on fire. "I-I couldn't... I-I wouldn't... p-picture M-MC in his..."

As she tried to speak, she felt her heartbeat grow faster and faster, her mind becoming awash in far too many emotions to think clearly.

Standing up from her desk, Yuri tried her best to think about something else. "Sch-School! I'll... I'll just get ready for school."

Beginning to make her bed, her cat leapt up on top of the mattress and began chasing the blankets that Yuri was fixing.

Usually, Yuri would laugh and play along with his feline antics. But as she tried to concentrate on her bed making, the image of MC's muscular body in nothing more than a pair of boxer shorts kept plaguing her.

The thought of him seeped into her mind, making its way through the gaps between all of her other thoughts.

"A-A cold shower, th-that'll... that'll..." Yuri attempted to come up with a solution to the idea that was exciting her, seemingly always in the periphery of her thoughts, regardless of what she tried to think of.

Feeling herself begin to grow unable to think of anything besides MC's body, Yuri felt as if there was a growing pressure within her head.

She needed a way to release it, she knew how to release it.

Looking over to her bookshelf, among all the novels she had collected and read throughout the years, sat an intricately decorated silver knife, with etchings of waves among the handle.

Walking over to the bookshelf and taking the beautiful knife in her hand, Yuri stared into the gentle blue tint of the blade. And rolled up her sleeve.

...

Feeling the sensation of her phone vibrating under her pillow, Natsuki slid her hand underneath the pastel pink cushion and turned the alarm off.

Listening to her surroundings, she could hear that there was no one else in the house, Papa had to get up early for work, afterall.

Content that she was alone, Natsuki threw her matching pink blanket off of herself to begin the process of getting ready for school.

As her feet made contact with the cold floor, Natsuki tried to lift herself up out of bed, but the sight before her made her weak in the knees.

Her door, a pure white piece of wood decorated with cute painted figures and Natsuki's name on the exterior, was gone, unscrewed from its hinges.

As she stared at the empty doorframe, Natsuki tried to think of what she could have possibly done to upset Papa.

"The house is clean..." She said to herself, counting on her fingers to make a mental checklist of what she may done to lose her privacy privileges.

At the thought of privacy, Natsuki suddenly realized what she had done wrong. "Papa doesn't like it when doors are closed..." She muttered, bringing her knees up to her chest to get her bare feet off of the freezing floor.

...

Monika blankly stared up at the off-white ceiling of her livingroom, regaining her focus as she felt the endless void of noise begin to retreat into the far reaches of her mind.

"Must've fallen asleep." Monika said to herself, throwing the pillow she had used to press up against both of her ears to the other side of the room.

Slowly lifting herself up on the couch, Monika got onto her knees to reach behind the furniture and retrieve her white ribbon.

Gripping it in her hand, she shifted to sit back on her behind, her stocking covered feet making contact with the floor.

Standing up as she tied her coral brown hair in a ponytail, Monika walked up to the calendar on her wall. Pulling a red pen out of her blazer, she clicked the small heart on top of the writing utensil to extend the point out of its plastic sleeve.

With two quick, dismissive swipes, Monika crossed out the past day. Clicking the pen again, she placed it back into her blazer pocket.

Counting the days as she stared at the bland calendar, Monika pressed her finger to Monday, tracing around the sloppy circular marking she had made several weeks ago after looking into the hole in her wall.

Just barely parting her lips so that her words could escape her mouth, Monika gently whispered. "Just six more days..."

...

Entering the bathroom closest to her room, Natsuki removed her flannel pajamas that were decorated with little cats playing with equally small strawberries. Folding her clothes, she laid them down on the counter next to the sink.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Natsuki tried to manage a weak smile at her reflection, but failed to do so. The large bruise on her right forearm was nearly gone, but smaller marks were sprinkled throughout her body.

Covering her small breasts with both of her hands, she slid her hands down her body. Her fingers making contact with each of her ribs as she made her way down to her slightly swollen gut. Feeling pain as she pressed onto her belly.

Looking herself over one final time, Natsuki turned around and stepped into the shower. Staring up at the showerhead, she sighed as she wrapped her fingers around the faucet. Tensing her body up as she rotated the handle clockwise, she felt a surge of cold water spray onto her body.

Gasping as the freezing water made contact with her pale skin, she turned around to allow the liquid to pelt her entire body.

Turning back around, Natsuki turned the shower back off once she was all wet. Holding herself as she began to shiver, she reached out and picked up the lone bar of soap from the shelf next to her.

Lathering up the white rectangular bar, Natsuki placed it back down where it belonged and started to clean her entire body. Covering herself from her face to her toes in white, sudsy bubbles, she reached out to grip the shower faucet again with her eyes shut to avoid getting soap in them.

Finally grabbing ahold of of the handle, she turned it on once again to feel the cold water run down her body and remove the soap from her body.

Turning the shower off for the day, Natsuki stepped out onto the bathroom floor. The cold air of the room and the freezing floor making Natsuki even more uncomfortable than she was when the water was assailing her senses.

Holding her arms close to her body as her teeth chattered, she stared back into the mirror. Managing to make a weak smile as her body shook, she reached out and wrapped her pink towel around her body.

At least she was clean. If she wasn't clean she wouldn't even be able to respect herself. And if she couldn't respect herself, then no one would.

...

"You don't have to walk me the whole way like this." Sayori shyly said, her arm interlaced with MC's as they walked to school together.

"True, but I want to." MC replied, carrying both of their school bags in his right hand.

"...Okay." Sayori whispered, enjoying the contact between them.

"Besides, I'd never forgive myself if you fell and got hurt." MC said, glancing down at Sayori on his left side.

"If that happened, I'd probably have to carry you to school." MC joked. "And I know how you feel about that."

"What?!" Sayori gasped, turning her head up to look at MC. "I don't mind being carried!"

"Really?" MC questioned. "But you hate it when I pick you up."

"Well that's..." Sayori began, starting to feel a bit flustered. "That's just because you lift me so high up."

Still staring at him, Sayori continued. "I wouldn't mind if..." She began nervously playing with a few strands of her hair with her left hand. "If you carried me..." Her voice trailed off to little more than a whisper. "Against your chest... or something..."

"Good to know." MC nodded, unable to hear the last part of her statement. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

"Yeah." Sayori agreed.

"How's your head feel?" MC asked, concern laced throughout his voice.

"It's okay." Sayori replied, gently rubbing her forehead, but still wincing slightly when her fingers made contact with the sore spot.

"Happy to hear it." MC said at the news. "But if it's okay with you, I'd at least like to walk you to your first class to make sure you get settled alright."

Quickly turning her head to look back up at MC, Sayori nervously cleared her throat. "T-To my first class?! Bu-But MC, if we're seen walking like this through school. People will stare at us and think we're a... a..."

Waiting for her to finish her thought, MC met her gaze. "A what, Sayori?"

Unable to look him in the eyes as she said it, she tightened her grip on his forearm before continuing with a pout. "A... couple... or something..."

"Oh, is that all?" MC asked. "Well, I wouldn't mind that."

"HUH?!" Sayori blurted out, her eyes nearly the size of dinner plates after hearing what he had just said. "Y-You r-really mean that?"

"Of course." MC responded. "What you think is far more important to me than the opinions of a bunch of strangers. If some people neither of us know think we're dating just because I'm helping my best friend, that doesn't bother me in the slightest."

"O-Oh..." Sayori breathed out. "That's what you meant..."

Feeling disappointed, she let out a quiet sigh. Sayori felt like just curling up into a ball and laying on the ground for the rest of the day.

"Besides." She heard MC start to say, sliding his arm out from her grasp and wrapping it around her back, bringing her into a close side hug. "Whoever's worthy enough to have you as their girlfriend would be the luckiest guy in the whole wide world."

Feeling a smile begin to tug at her lips, Sayori beamed. She had so much that she wanted to say to him, but she settled for wrapping her arms around him tightly as she pressed the side of her face into his large pectoral muscle. With a smushed face, Sayori gazed up her best friend. "Thanks, MC."

...

Walking Sayori into her first class of the day, MC helped her sit down at her desk as other students in the classroom stared at them.

"How're you feeling, Sayori?" MC asked, placing her school bag's handle into the small hook on the side of the desk.

"I'm fine, MC. Really." She said, looking up at him from her desk.

"Alright." He replied. "I'll be back to walk you to your next class. So just wait for me here, okay?"

"But our next classes are on the opposite sides of the whole school!" Sayori blurted out, seeing everyone else in the room whispering about the two of them. "I don't wanna make you late." Looking down at her lap, she shook her head as she looked back up at MC. "I don't wanna be a burden."

Kneeling down so that he was about eye level with her, MC smiled kindly at her. "Hey, hey." He tenderly brushed a few locks of her hair to the side so that he could see her forehead. "You could never be a burden Sayori. You're my friend, and this is what friends do for each other."

"B-But..." Sayori began, looking back at everyone that was talking about them.

"Besides, walking you to class couldn't make me late." MC confidently pointed at himself with a thumbs up motion. "I'm quite confident in my speed, you know."

"Alrighty..." Was all that Sayori managed to say.

"Alrighty." MC echoed, patting Sayori on the shoulder before standing back up. "I'll see you later, Sayori. 'Kay?"

"Okie Dokie." Sayori nodded back. "Seeya later."

Sayori stared at MC's broad shoulders as he walked out of the classroom and waved at her before disappearing from her line of sight.

Sitting quietly for a moment, Sayori then lifted up her school bag and unclasped the straps to take out her notebook.

Overhearing the other students in the room begin to make up rumors about her and MC put a knot in her stomach.

As she tapped her bright blue pencil against her notebook, she tried to distract herself by doodling. She didn't like people that spread rumors, that was something bullies did.

Drawing one of the few things that made her feel genuinely happy, Sayori made a small chibi style doodle of MC. Giggling to herself as she looked at the little version of her big best friend, she wrote the initials MC over his head.

Tapping the eraser of her pencil onto her bottom lip, Sayori then drew a chibi version of herself standing next to MC, holding his hand while wearing a bright smile on her face. Above her head she wrote her own initials, HS, and then put a plus sign between their two names. Then, putting the finishing touch onto her doodle, Sayori drew a heart around the two of them.

Smiling as she looked at her completed doodle, Sayori suddenly remembered that she still needed to write her poem for club later today. Flipping to the next page, she brainstormed for a bit before starting to write her poem.

Hearing the teacher start to speak, Sayori absentmindedly paid attention to his lecture as she continued writing her poem.

"Alright, class." She heard him say. "I hope everyone studied for tomorrow's test."

Her pencil point broke as she applied too much pressure onto her writing utensil. Hearing the rest of the class groan at the prospect of tomorrow's test, Sayori looked up to the front of her classroom with a worried expression on her face.

...

While making her way to her final class of the day, Yuri heard a loud gasp from behind her. "Hello, Yuri~"

Hearing Monika's voice startled her as she turned around to greet her fellow club member. "H-Hi... Monika..."

"Are you looking forward to sharing poems today?" Monika asked, before immediately answering her own question. "Because I am! I'm so happy that we're able to do something like this as a club." She happily said, before adding on something she remembered. "Especially with our new member!"

"Y-Yeah..." Yuri quietly agreed. Yuri smiled a bit, happy that MC was in their club as well.

"Are you reading that book again?" Monika asked, pointing to Yuri's open bag.

"H-Huh?!" Yuri looked down at her bag. "O-Oh... Um... N-No, I'm not..."

"Really?" Monika responded. "Then why-"

Stopping herself short of asking Yuri a question, Monika's eyes lit up and a huge smile graced her features. "You got it for MC! Didn't you?!"

"Wha- W-W-What?!" Yuri asked, feeling her hands begin to sweat. "W-Why do you... s-say th-that...?"

"Cause you were asking what he likes to read yesterday, silly!" Monika answered. "So it only makes sense~"

While Yuri continued to stammer, Monika leaned closer to Yuri and whispered in her ear. "Say~ Do you have a crush on him, Yuri?"

Her voice finding itself lost in her throat, all Yuri could do was stand there with a partially opened mouth as her face turned into a shade of bright red.

"You should totally ask him out, Yuri!" Monika continued. "I mean, take it at your own pace, of course. But you should definitely give him that book after club today." She gave Yuri a wink. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you two get the room to yourself."

"I-I..." Was Yuri all managed to say before Monika kept offering romance advice.

"But you should definitely let him know you're interested in him, I don't know if he's still single, but you should act quick." Monika paused for a moment to think. "Just tell him you think he's handsome, Yuri. What's the worst that could happen?"

"H-He could..." She swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat. "He could... h-hear me..."

"Oh..." Monika responded, a worried expression on her face. "Yuri if you need to tal-"

Before she finished her sentence, Monika noticed the hall clock out of the corner of her eye. "Uh-Oh! There's only about five minutes before our next classes begin."

Turning her attention back towards Yuri, Monika began to make her way to the end of the hall. "My last period is a study hall, but I don't want you to be late for your class on my account. Seeya later, Yuri!" Monika happily waved.

Nodding back at her, Yuri offered Monika a far more reserved wave. "B-Bye..."

As she saw Monika walk to the end of the hall, Yuri let out a sigh of relief. She hadn't been mentally prepared to see Monika so unexpectedly.

Yuri had especially been unprepared for Monika's questions regarding her feelings about MC.

Looking over to the ladies' washroom further down the hall in the direction of her class, Yuri rubbed her fingers against her sweaty palms, deciding to go and wash up before class.

...

Entering the women's washroom, Yuri walked over to the row of sinks and turned on the water. Letting the water run over her clammy hands, she looked up at the mirror and noticed a full bucket of water in the corner of the room.

Ignoring the bucket, Yuri turned off the faucet and picked her bag back up. But as she was about to leave, Yuri felt anxious over Monika's excitement about her present to MC.

"I-I'll just do some square breathing." Yuri muttered. Walking over to a stall near the end of the washroom for some privacy. Removing her balzer and hanging it up on a hook in the stall, Yuri sat down on the toilet seat and began breathing.

Inhaling for four seconds, Yuri opened up her bag to look at the copy of Portrait of Markov that was intended for MC. Holding her breath in for another four seconds, she opened the book up to a random page in the middle of the book and lovingly felt the pages. Exhaling for eight seconds, Yuri felt herself calm down a little. "Maybe... Maybe, Monika's right..."

Hearing a knock at the stall door caused Yuri to jump slightly. "O-Occupied." She stammered out.

Wiping her forehead after being startled, she looked back down at the book in her hands. "I... I should give it to him." She awkwardly smiled to herself.

As she tenderly turned the page, she heard a knock at her stall once again. Opening her mouth to let whoever was outside the door know that it was occupied, before she had a chance to speak she heard someone yell from outside the stall. "Edgy bitch!"

Shocked at the insult, Yuri froze where she sat as she felt water get thrown on her from outside the stall. "A-Ahh..."

Hearing something metal hit the floor outside, and several people running out of the bathroom while laughing, Yuri looked at her soaking wet clothes. Tugging at her sleeves, she tried to wring out some of the water.

As she did so, she accidently knocked her school bag off of her lap and onto the floor, looking down at the ground, she saw that the book she wanted to give to MC was completely soaked with water.

Yuri felt her entire body begin to shake as she leaned over to pick the book up off the wet ground. Thumbing at the pages, they were ruined, absorbing a massive amount of water the moment it had hit Yuri and her belongings.

Closing the book with an audible squish, Yuri stared into the illustrated eye on the cover of the now water damaged copy of Portrait of Markov. The eye appeared as if it was crying, and as Yuri's fingers shook against the novel's spine, she watched as her own tears fell upon the book.