Hello again, readers! Did you miss me? Look, I'm really sorry; due to various factors, I ended up getting hit pretty hard with schedule slip. Not helping is that I'm going on vacation about a week from now and won't have my computer with me as a result. I'm hoping to have Chapter 11 up by then, though. This chapter is probably one of the longest I've ever written, and I kinda struggled here and there with it as a result, but I'm overall satisfied with the result. Before we get into it though, let me respond to the reviews the story's gotten since then!
Celgress: I'm glad you enjoyed! One of my favorite things about writing this story is having banter between the characters, so it's always a good day when it makes someone laugh. :) I'm glad you enjoyed Chapter 9; here's to many more!
Guest: Thanks! I tend to upload the chapters as I write them, but this could possibly change in the future. In any case, I'm glad you liked it!
As always, I appreciate any and all feedback that you guys leave me; let me know what works, what doesn't, things like that. I love receiving questions, comments, concerns, criticism, and the like because it lets me know how I'm doing on certain things (i.e. Am I giving characters enough screentime and development? Are characters behaving consistently and in-character? Am I being descriptive enough to paint a vivid picture?).
In any case, I think I've taken up enough of your time once again; let's get on with the story!
Thursday morning arrived faster than I was hoping it would. Mostly because Ryu kept spamming the group chat all night, but also in no small part due to the fact that I would be working with Monika for the club's school festival exhibit. The fact that she didn't go into detail about our specific job made a chill run down my spine. Everyone else's task seemed relatively straightforward; what could she possibly have in store for us?
"M.C.! Your breakfast is getting cold!"
"I'll be down in a minute, Mom!"
Putting my tie on and giving my hair a once-over in the mirror, I smiled to myself and made my way downstairs into the kitchen. As usual, Dad was serving breakfast as Mom sat at the dining table, newspaper in hand.
"Oh, you look so handsome today, sweetie!" Mom cooed, looking up from her paper with a smile.
"Mom, please," I groaned. "I'm not a kid anymore."
"Okay, okay… It's just, your father and I rarely see you anymore, you know," she explained. Turning to Dad, she added, "Right, dear?"
"Aiko," he sighed as he finished setting the table, "M.C. is right. This is his last year of high school we're talking about; he's nearly a grown man! Why, I remember at his age…"
As Mom and Dad went back and forth swapping childhood stories, I ate my breakfast in silence. Eggs, toast, bacon… simple, but satisfying all the same.
"... Isn't that right, M.C.?"
"Er," I stalled, having tuned them out awhile ago. "Uh… yeah. Right."
"See? I told you so," Mom said, grinning triumphantly at a defeated Dad who merely sank in his seat. "M.C. is a mama's boy!"
"Hang on, I didn't agree to that," I argued.
Suddenly, I remembered something from a few days ago that had been kinda bothering me.
"... Say, Mom? Dad?"
"Yes?"
"Go on, sweetie."
"... What's my name?"
"... What?" Dad asked, fixing his tie.
"What are you talking about? You've always been our little M.C.," Mom replied coolly.
"Well, yeah, but… what does it mean? What does it stand for?"
"It means that you're a very special boy who asks too many questions this early in the morning," Mom answered, getting up and kissing me on the forehead. "Now, your father and I have to leave for work in a little bit, and you have school."
"Ah… right," I sighed.
"Have a nice day at school, son," Dad called, taking the dirty dishes from the table to the sink. "Say hello to Sayori and her folks for us!"
As I grabbed my things and left the house for the day, I couldn't help but feel strange. It was true that my parents and I had sorta drifted apart during my high school years, but… I don't ever recall them being quite so… dismissive.
"Good morning, M.C.!" Akira greeted politely as I exited the front gate, Ryu standing close by. "I trust you slept well?"
"More or less. What about you, Akira?"
"I suppose I could have gotten a little more sleep, but I'm not one to complain."
"Yeah, yeah," Ryu yawned, shaking his head. "Where's Blue? I haven't seen hide nor hair of him this morning."
"Perhaps he's already made it to school," Akira suggested.
"Hold on a minute," I muttered, looking through the fence that divided my house from Sayori's. I thought I saw something moving, but I couldn't be too sure.
"What? What's the big ide- mmph!" Ryu began to ask before I clamped a hand over his mouth and gestured for him to look towards the sight. Akira cautiously joined us, and it was then that we could all see Sayori exiting her house, Makoto closely behind her.
"Act natural, guys," I whispered, letting go of Ryu once I was absolutely sure that he would cooperate. As Sayori and Makoto left the front gate, the three of us walked up to them nonchalantly.
"Heeeey!" Ryu cheered, hands behind his head as he grinned like an idiot. "What were you two doing in there, eh?"
"Ryu!" Akira and I yelled.
"What? You guys know how I am; this is natural for me!"
Sayori blushed and wrung her hands bashfully as Makoto slapped a hand to his forehead.
"Of all the- Nothing happened! I was just getting her out of bed, that's all," Makoto explained peevishly.
"Getting her out of bed, or into it?" Ryu teased.
Both Makoto and Akira's mouths hung agape at the comment, the two hardly believing what they were hearing. Sayori merely giggled and shook her head as I eyed my friends strangely.
"It's nothing like that, Ryu! Don't be gross," she chided in a bubbly voice. "He really was just making sure I was awake and ready for school. Honest!"
"Uh-huh, yeah," Ryu said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Sure, Sayori."
"Ehehe! C'mon, you guys!" Sayori called, darting ahead of us. "Don't wanna be late!"
"M-mind yourself, Sayori!" Akira called, rushing after her. "Always look both ways before running across the street!"
"Oh, geez, these two," Makoto sighed, flipping his hair moodily. "Well, I guess I'd better go make sure they don't kill themselves."
"Woah now," Ryu started, standing in front of him. "You can't just walk off without spilling all the juicy details, Blue!"
"W-what juicy details!?" Makoto spat, losing his cool composure as the blood rushed to his face. "We didn't even do anything, you moron!"
"Ryu, c'mon," I interjected, turning to walk towards the school. Smirking, I added, "It's none of our business who Sayori or Makoto chooses to sleep with."
"But I didn't sleep with her! There was no sleeping involved!"
"Oh, I bet there wasn't," Ryu joked.
"Argh!"
"Blue, c'mon," Ryu pleaded as we sat at our usual lunch table. "Tell us what went down!"
"Nothing went down," Makoto snapped. "Now can we please talk about something else?"
"Hey, man. No need to get so defensive."
"Maybe I wouldn't be if you would stop badgering me about it!"
"Alright, Ryu, that's quite enough," Akira reprimanded softly, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Makoto is correct; he's entitled to his privacy as are we."
"Thank you, Akira," Makoto sighed, a small smile of relief on his face. "If only we had a way to funnel some of your smarts into this oaf here."
"Hey! I am not an elf!"
"That's not what I… never mind."
I couldn't help but laugh at this. They were a strange bunch, but entertaining all the same. I wonder if the girls have similar meetings when we're not around…
"Where's Sayori anyway?" I asked. Barring that one incident a couple of days ago, I can't recall her ever missing lunch.
Makoto hummed thoughtfully, picking at his food with a plastic fork.
"Something up, Blue?"
"... No, it's nothing," Makoto replied, shaking his head.
By this point I was sure that even Ryu could tell that something was up, but nobody decided to pry further. We had all been with Sayori when we had arrived at school, so surely she was still around here somewhere…
I sighed as I sat in a stall in the girl's restroom, hugging my legs to my chest. Mako had been so sweet this morning; I couldn't find it in myself to get out of bed, but when he texted me and told me that he wouldn't go to school without me, I…
Sniffing, I shook my head and smiled. Maybe getting out of bed in the morning was easier when you have a friend or family member relying on you, but Mako…
"I don't get it," I argued in my head, struggling to make some sense of it. "You have it so easy; you have parents who love you and provide for you, friends who are willing to put themselves in harm's way for you, and the means to treat your condition. Why are you like this, Sayori?! WHY?!"
"Maybe it's just not that easy," I whispered, my voice quivering. I felt a tear roll down my cheek; I was used to it at this point, but it was never something that I looked forward to. "Maybe there really is no cure. Maybe I should just…"
I was snapped out of my thoughts as I heard the restroom door open. Sounds of laughter followed, but it wasn't the good kind; I could tell.
"Did you catch the bangs on that one?"
"Yikes, what a drab."
"Eee hee hee!"
I hugged my legs closer to my chest and shut my eyes tightly, praying for them to go away. I wasn't the only one who had endured Mizuki and Runa's abuse, but it still hurt more and more with each passing day.
"Stupid… weak… ditzy… useless… childish…"
"Can you believe that Monika has the nerve to show off her little literature club at the school festival on Monday?" I heard Mizuki ask. "Like, who honestly wants to waste their free time talking about books?"
"That nerd, Yuri, for one," Runa giggled. "No wonder she joined up with that club; I seriously doubt she'd be welcome anywhere else with that stuck-up 'better than you' attitude."
As both girls giggled maliciously, I felt my mouth twitch in… anger…?
"I guess you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?"
I immediately clamped a hand over my mouth, not believing what I had just said.
Apparently, neither could they.
"... Oh, really?" I heard Runa retort, her heels clicking closer and closer to my stall. "I bet it's real easy for this little eavesdropper to talk behind a closed door, isn't it?"
I said nothing, but grit my teeth.
"C'mon, Runa, she's definitely not worth the trouble…"
"Sorry, who was it that decided to start messing with that Sayori brat in the cafeteria? Why are you choosing now to back off, Mizuki?"
After some squabbling, Runa sighed.
"I know it's you in there, Sayori," she said, "and if it were any other day, I would make you eat those words. Fortunately for you, I have bigger fish to fry today. Be seeing you!"
Just like that, the duo walked out of the restroom, the door shutting behind them. I sighed, letting go of my legs and sulking on top of the closed toilet. Putting my head in my hands, I felt the tears coming back. It just… it hurts, all of it! It hurts… so, so much…
The end of the school day finally arrived as I packed my things and departed for the clubroom. The other guys and I still hadn't heard from Sayori since her disappearance at lunch, and I was starting to grow a little worried. Luckily, those worries were put to an end as I walked into the classroom and saw her bright face surrounded by some of the others.
"Hi, M.C.!"
"Sayori! Where were you at lunch?"
"Ah," she paused, looking bashful. "I just wasn't feeling well…"
"That time of the month, huh?" Ryu asked nonchalantly. This earned him some dirty looks, even from Sayori. "... What? I was just askin'..."
Sayori sighed. "No, Ryu. It was nothing like that and even if it was, I definitely wouldn't tell you of all people."
"Harsh…"
"Anyway," Sayori continued, shaking her head, "I probably just ate something bad last night. That's all."
"I believe I have some medicine in my backpack should you need it, Sayori," Akira offered quietly.
"Aww, Akira! You're too sweet," Sayori giggled, "but I'm actually feeling much better now. Thank you, though!"
"Y-you're welcome!"
Looking around, I asked my friends, "Say, where's Monika?"
"She told me she'd be a little late today," Sayori explained, shrugging. With a teasing smile on her face, she added, "Maybe she does have a boyfriend!"
"Not funny, Sayori."
"What's with this language?!"
Our little group of friends turned to see Yuri and Natsuki standing a fair distance away from us, apparently having swapped poems while waiting for the rest of us to arrive. Yuri seemed a little nervous as Natsuki's face showed signs of confusion and irritation.
"Ah… w-well…"
"Hm… yeah," Natsuki said, handing the poem back to Yuri. "It was definitely fancy, I guess."
"Ah… thanks. Yours was… cute…"
"And what is that supposed to mean?!"
"Great," Makoto snarked. "Nothing says 'successful organization' like infighting."
"I just," Yuri paused, considering her words carefully as she handed Natsuki's poem back to her. "The choice of language, I mean. I was just trying to say something nice…"
"Didn't sound all that nice to me," Natsuki huffed, folding her arms.
"I have a bad feeling about this," I muttered.
"Well, I might have a few suggestions to offer, actually…"
"Thanks, but no thanks. I like my writing style just fine," Natsuki asserted, smirking. "Besides, Glasses over there seemed to enjoy my poem just fine!"
"Why me?" Akira moaned.
Continuing, Natsuki said, "I think I might have a few of my own suggestions to make, though…"
"Pardon me, Natsuki, but I've spent a long time establishing my writing style," Yuri rebutted in a dignified manner. "I suspect that it will remain how it is for quite some time until I find something decidedly inspiring. Which, at present, I have not. I'll also have you know that Ryu happened to enjoy my poem as well."
"Ha! You tell her, 'Ri," Ryu chortled.
"Don't encourage them, you moron," Makoto scolded as the rest of us continued to watch the scene unfold.
"Oooh! I see you've taken quite a shine to Ryu, haven't you?" Natsuki teased childishly, a knowing smirk on her face.
"H-huh?!"
"Aww, hell yeah!" Ryu cheered, perhaps a bit too loudly as they turned their heads towards him. "Uh… sorry…"
"A-anyway," Yuri stammered, "that's not what I was trying to get across at all…"
"Tch, okay," Natsuki scoffed, standing from her chair. "I'm sure you're totally not into him just like your writing totally isn't pretentious."
"Oh, shit, here we go," Makoto groaned, a hand over his face.
"If my writing was pretentious," Yuri argued, rising from her chair, "I would go out of my way to make every single word overly simplistic and cutesy while arguing that there's a deeper meaning behind it all!"
"Ooooohhh!" Ryu cried. "She told you, Nat!"
"Shut up, Ryu!" Natsuki cried angrily. "Well, you know what? I'm not the one who started stuffing their bra after the boys joined the club, alright?!"
"N-Natsuki!" Yuri cried, her arms flying to her chest as her eyes widened in embarrassment.
"You mean," Ryu mumbled, "they weren't real?"
"Is this really the time to be bringing this up?" Makoto snapped. "Who the hell cares?"
"Uh, hey, ladies?" I began. "I think we should all just stop - "
"Not now, M.C!"
"Okay, geez," I replied. "Sor-ry…"
By now, the tension in the room had reached an all-time high. Natsuki stood with her fists clenched as Yuri took deep breaths, clearly annoyed. Akira fumbled with his hands, looking as though he wanted to say something, but stayed silent.
"Sayori," I pleaded, turning to her, "I think you're the only one who can talk both of them down to normal. You have known them the longest, after all."
"B-but, M.C… !"
"No buts!" I argued, getting behind her and pushing her towards the scene. "Now work your magic!"
"Ack! Okay, okay," Sayori agreed, though not before elbowing me in the ribs. "Meanie…"
Clearing her throat, the girl in the red bow began to speak to her companions. "You two need to just relax, okay? We're all friends here, aren't we?"
"No," Makoto said from behind them. "I don't even think all of us have even spoken to each other more than once or twice."
"Hush, Mako," Sayori ordered, holding a finger in his general direction. "Sayori time. As I was saying, there's no reason for us all to fight even though we're so different. Sure, Natsuki might use smaller words, but she can still paint pretty pictures in our heads, can't she?"
"... I suppose," Yuri concurred quietly, nodding.
"Ha! Told ya," Natsuki gloated.
"Now, Natsuki," Sayori admonished softly, "you and I both know you said some things too."
"Yeah, but - "
"But Yuri has a good writing style too! It might be a bit harder for people like Ryu and I to understand," Sayori elaborated, "but that's not to say that it's bad in the slightest! She uses such a large amount of big words, it's like I learn something new every day when I read her poems!"
"S-Sayori," Yuri gasped.
"It's true!" Sayori protested firmly, smiling. "Also, Natsuki's cute and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that! And Yuri's boobs are the same as they've always been. Big and beautiful! So let's all just stop fighting, okay?"
Sayori was met with complete and total silence. Everyone's jaw including my own had dropped with the exception of Ryu who was trying (and failing) not to laugh and Makoto who folded his arms and smirked.
"What on Earth did I just walk into?" Monika asked, standing frozen in the doorway with an amused yet bemused look on her face.
"I honestly have no clue," I sighed with a shrug.
"It was funny, though," Ryu said.
"Shut up, Ryu…"
"Well, in any case," Monika continued with a raised eyebrow, "today would be as good a day as any to officially start working on our tasks for the festival! It can even be something as simple as just getting with your partner and planning things out for the weekend!"
"Wouldn't literally any other day before today have also been a good day to start working on something that needs to be completed in roughly three days' time?"
"Makoto! I'm glad you're so eager to get started on making fliers with Sayori!" Monika perked up, a familiar glint in her eye as she raised her finger.
"Where on earth do you keep getting these crazy interpretations from?!" Makoto blurted, suddenly getting very defensive.
"Isn't it obvious?" Ryu butted in. "You're totally into her, dude!"
"I am not!"
"Then how come we saw you leaving her house this morning, huh?"
"Wait, wait, wait," Natsuki spoke up, clearly confused. "How long has this been a thing?"
"Since this morning, actually," Akira replied. "It came as quite a shock to the lot of us, really. Although, with the benefit of hindsight…"
"G-goodness," Yuri gasped, her face reddening at the various thoughts in her head. "I had no idea you two were so scandalous…"
"This is a nightmare," Makoto groaned, a hand over his face while Sayori giggled endlessly.
"Guys," she said between laughs, wiping a tear away, "it's not like that! He just stopped by to wake me up, that's all."
"Exactly," Makoto huffed. "Thank you, Sayori."
"Oh, dear," Monika chuckled awkwardly. "I seem to have opened the proverbial Pandora's Box on that one. Sorry, you two."
"Hmph."
"No problem, Moni!" Sayori chirped before abruptly grabbing Makoto's hand. "Should we head on over to the library then?"
"I-I guess," the boy in question answered, hastily taking his hand from her and putting it back in his pocket. Sayori looked slightly disappointed, but quickly perked back up.
"Great! We can design and hopefully print out the fliers there. Let's go!"
Saying goodbye to everyone, the strange pair left the room.
"That's the spirit, Sayori," Monika said with a smile. "That's the spirit…"
"Alright! Let's get started on our job, Glasses," Natsuki cheered.
"Pardon my rudeness, Natsuki, but… how are we to bake cupcakes here at school?"
"... Damn," Natsuki cursed, frowning. "You got me there…"
"My supplies for the festival are at home as well," Yuri explained, wringing her hands. "I could bring them in tomorrow, but…"
"Hm… yeah," Monika agreed, "I can definitely see how this could be an issue. In any case, maybe the four of you can just relax here for the day while M.C. and I work on our task, okay?"
"Works for me," Ryu grinned, winking. "You two have fun together, yeah?"
"Dude, c'mon," I groaned.
"What? What'd I say?"
"Not to worry, Ryu," Monika reassured kindly, "I understood what you meant. If nobody has any further questions for me, I think we'll be on our way. It would be a good idea to start talking about your jobs, but we still have tomorrow and the weekend to get it done, so… No pressure! Dismissed!"
As our friends moved to opposite sides of the room to discuss, Monika grabbed me by the hand and led me out of the room.
"Y-you know," I coughed, trying to take my mind off of the physical contact, "I honestly still have no idea what we're doing."
"Patience, M.C.!" Monika remarked with a smile as she turned back to look at me. "You'll know in due time."
After what seemed like an eternity, we finally arrived at a familiar location; the music room Monika had led me to last Friday.
"Heh… I probably should have guessed," I chuckled. "But… what does music have to do with poetry?"
"Music is poetry," Monika stated matter-of-factly as we entered the empty room, "and poetry is music."
"I don't follow," I remarked as she turned on the lights.
"Ahaha! Well, you are kinda new at this whole thing," she pointed out. "Want me to show you some small examples?"
"Yeah!"
Sitting at the familiar ebony piano in the middle of the room, Monika turned her head in my direction and smiled. I took my seat nearby and watched her eagerly. Monika sat up straight and cleared her throat before playing a few chords, reciting verses as she did so.
~When you're with me~
~It's all just so clear~
~You fill me with glee~
~You dispel my fear~
~If I must leave~
~Or one day die~
~My happiest moments~
~Were of you and I~
As Monika continued her performance, I felt my heart pang. The choice of words wanted to sound happy, but there was just an underlying theme of sadness throughout the rest of the poem. Even the music itself seemed to falter here and there, some notes just sounding out of place compared to the others. Worse still, Monika now seemed to be crying, a few tears falling from her eyes as she finished the song.
"O-oh… wow," she sniffed, trying to wipe them away. "Ahaha… Sorry… Not really my best performance…"
Without thinking, I sat down next to her and hugged her tightly.
"Wha- M.C.?!"
"I thought you sounded fine," I assured, pulling her closer. "Please don't cry, Monika…"
"Ahaha… Silly M.C.," she whispered, turning her head away from me. "You just don't get it…"
"Maybe I could," I suggested, letting go of her, "... if you'd let me in."
"Eh?" Monika questioned, turning back to me with puffy, confused eyes.
"You don't have to do this alone, Monika," I offered, smiling sincerely. "I'm not sure what's going on in there, but… you don't have to be alone! You've got the club! Sayori, Yuri, Natsuki… everyone. And, for what it's worth, that includes me too. You don't have to suffer in silence any longer."
Gently, I moved her hand towards her face and wiped a tear away with my thumb.
"M.C…. thank you. I think that's the nicest thing I've heard in a very, very long time," Monika whispered, a ghost of a smile on her delicate face. "But… I can't. Not yet. I'm sorry..."
"I understand," I nodded solemnly. I wasn't sure if this was about her inner demons, our current standing, or both, but I knew one thing for sure. "... You're definitely worth the wait, Monika."
"Stop it," she giggled quietly, smiling. Sniffing, she added, "Still… Thank you, M.C.. That really means a lot to me. I promise I'll tell you someday, but… I just need more time."
"You're welcome," I smiled back. "So I guess this is our 'secret project' for the festival?"
"The piano recital, or the crying?"
"Uh… the first thing."
"Heehee… yes. Don't worry; I already talked to the Music Club about it; we're all on good terms, and they'll even let me borrow the piano on Monday."
"That's great," I affirmed, grinning. "But… how are we gonna get this huge thing back to the clubroom?"
"Maybe we can get Ryu to help," Monika giggled once more, her sweet voice music to my ears.
"Haha! Well, he definitely has the build for such a task…"
"One-hundred… one-hundred and fifty… two-hundred!" Sayori cried as she leafed through the stack of fliers on her desk. "Wow, Mako, we sure work fast!"
"I mean, designing the damn things was probably the hardest part," Makoto shrugged. "In no small part due to your constant indecisiveness regarding which font and color to pick…"
"Meanie," Sayori huffed, sticking out her tongue childishly. "... Do you think we made enough?"
Makoto looked utterly flabbergasted, his jaw dropping uncharacteristically. "Enough…? Enough?! Sayori, this is a school festival, not a city-wide attraction! How are we even going to get all of these posted around the school before the festival? To say nothing of how much smarter it would have been to put these up around school a week or even a few days ago as opposed to the day before the festival!"
"Ah-ah-ah, Mako," Sayori corrected, wagging a finger and winking. "Two days before the festival. Not including the weekend."
"... Unbelievable."
"Oh, you worry too much," Sayori chided with a hand wave. "Besides, we can still get these up before tomorrow!"
"Sayori, I'm both envious of and concerned about your optimism," Makoto deadpanned, his face in his hand. "I just don't see how we can do this…"
"Oh, geez! Where's the uplifting Makoto from this morning?" Sayori teased, shuffling the fliers.
"Ah, c'mon, I thought I told you not to bring that up…"
"Ehehe! Sorry, it's just…"
My alarm clock went off for what felt like the millionth time as the sunlight broke through my curtains. I groaned and reached over to shut off the alarm clock, my eyes still closed. It was a school day, of course, but… I just couldn't get out of bed. It was like my brain was stuck, unable to move my legs over the side of the bed and let me stand up.
'Sayori, c'mon! You've got everyone relying on you back at the club,' I tried to reason with myself, but it was just no use. My eyelids were too heavy and my heart was even heavier. It's not like there's anything I can do that Yuri or Natsuki can't do better anyway…
I was taken out of my thoughts by the sound of my phone buzzing. Groaning again, I turned to face my nightstand and picked up the phone, seeing that Makoto had texted me.
Makoto: Morning, Sayori. You up?
Smiling slightly, I texted back and a conversation started.
Me: Kinda… ehehe…
Makoto: "Kinda" isn't exactly a good answer for a school day.
Me: Mako, I'm exhausted… Can't I just sleep in today?
Makoto: And miss history again? Not with that letter grade you're not.
Me: Okay, okay, fine… Meanie.
Putting down my phone, I dragged myself out of bed and began to get ready for the school day, showering before getting dressed and combing my hair. It was still kinda messy as always, but at least I had my usual red bow to distract people from it a little.
I had finally sat down to eat breakfast when I got another text.
Makoto: Hey, I'm outside.
Rolling my eyes, I got up and opened the door to his familiar blue hair.
"You could have used the doorbell, you know," I joked, smiling.
"Ah… yeah, I guess," he coughed, looking away. "So… you ready?"
"Almost… wanna come in for breakfast?"
"I already ate, thanks."
"Still… I'd appreciate the company," I mumbled shyly, opening the door a bit wider.
"Suit yourself," Makoto sighed, following me inside and shutting the door. "Sleep well?"
"No," I sighed. "You?"
"More or less."
The room was mostly quiet as I ate my cereal, Makoto sitting aside from me and reading something on his phone.
"So, uh," I coughed, trying to break the silence. "How're your parents, Mako?"
"They've been better, I guess," he shrugged, sighing wistfully. "You'd think fourteen years would be enough time, but..."
"Huh?"
"... Forget it," Makoto chuckled darkly, staring down at the table.
"Mako, I - "
"It's fine. Really. It's… it's no big deal."
"Okay… but I'm still here for you if you wanna talk, you know?"
"Likewise, Sayori," Makoto smiled, looking at me with those beautiful brown eyes of his. "Now and always."
"Hee hee… you sound just like you did when we had that pretend wedding when we were kids!"
"Oh, you just had to bring that up, didn't you?"
"Ehehe!"
A few more minutes had passed before I had finished my breakfast, cleaning up. I made my way over to the front door, Makoto already holding it open for me like a gentleman.
"After you."
"Heh… thanks, Mako."
"Ah," Sayori sighed dreamily, her hands on her rosy cheeks. "I remember it like it was just this morning."
"It was this morning, dummy," Makoto protested, his face heating up. "You literally just said that!"
"Geez, Mako, I was just kidding," Sayori huffed.
Before he could respond, Makoto found about a hundred fliers being forced into his hands.
"Here! We can do half and half and meet back at the clubroom," Sayori said, standing up with her stack and beginning to walk out of the mostly-empty library.
"This is so ridiculous," Makoto whined. "Do you honestly expect to get this all done today and make it back to the club before the meeting is over?"
"Less talking, more walking, Mister!"
"Ugh…"
"Okay, Glasses," Natsuki stated, clapping her hands together with a smile on her face. "Are you ready?"
"Affirmative," Akira nodded with pencil and paper in hand.
"Good! Now, in order to make cupcakes, we're gonna need the basics; eggs, flour, sugar, butter, milk, baking powder, that kinda stuff."
"Logical," Akira mused, jotting the ingredients down.
"However," Natsuki continued with her finger in the air for dramatic effect, "everybody knows that the best part of the cupcake is the frosting!"
"I'm more of an icing fellow, myself…"
"Hey! Who's the baking expert here?"
"E-eep! My apologies…"
"No, don't… forget it," Natsuki sighed, frowning slightly. "Anyways… you just leave the frosting business to me. I'll whip up some of my own if you can get the other ingredients, okay?"
"Of course," Akira agreed with a smile.
"G-good!"
Natsuki would never say it aloud, but seeing Akira's innocent smile made her heart skip a beat. The girl quickly shook such thoughts out of her head before Akira spoke up.
"Oh, wait. What flavor of frosting are you planning on making for our guests?"
"Hm… tough call," Natsuki muttered, finger on her chin. "I'll get back to you on that. One last thing; obviously, we're gonna need a kitchen with a working oven if we want to succeed. Can… can we do it at your place?"
"W-what?" Akira questioned, his eyes widening. "My house…?"
"Y-yeah," Natsuki said, rubbing her arm and looking away. "If you're cool with it, that is…"
"... Yes, I don't mind," Akira sighed. "My parents might be a little apprehensive seeing as I've never had a girl over before, but…"
"H-hey!" Natsuki protested, her eyes wide as her face flushed. "D-don't get the wrong idea, Glasses. It's not like we're going on a date or anything…"
"Oh… ahaha," Akira chuckled nervously, tugging on his collar as he too blushed. "I'm sorry, Natsuki. I certainly didn't mean to imply…"
"You're fine," Natsuki assured, folding her arms and looking away from him in an uncharacteristically shy manner. "So… is that a yes, then?"
"Certainly. I'll just have to let my parents know in advance. I'm sure there won't be any trouble, though…"
"Great! So… Sunday?"
"Splendid! Perhaps we might even be able to read more Parfait Girls afterwards."
"Ha! You read my mind, Glasses," Natsuki laughed. "You read my mind…"
"Alriiight!" Ryu cheered, already getting pumped up. "Let's do this! … Er, what are we doing again?"
"Hee hee… well, I had planned to make some decorative banners for the festival," Yuri explained, "but I'm afraid I didn't bring all of my materials with me today…"
"Aw, nuts," Ryu sighed, snapping his fingers.
"It's alright, Ryu. We still have plenty of time to get things done..."
"Yeah, fair enough… So, got any ideas as far as designs? Cause I was thinking dragons. Lots of dragons."
"That's, um," Yuri paused, deliberating. "... Well, it's very you, Ryu."
"Isn't it?" he bragged, flexing.
"Goodness," Yuri sighed, shaking her head with a smile. "You're certainly a lively one."
"Heh, thanks. You're not so bad yourself."
"Hee hee… Ever the flirt, I see."
"Ah…"
For a few moments, the pair went silent. Yuri looked away and began playing with her long hair as Ryu desperately scrambled for something to say to her. Anything. After a few more moments, he finally decided on something.
"So," Ryu started, sitting at a nearby desk. "You, uh… wanna read more Portrait of Markov together?"
"Yes!" Yuri exclaimed suddenly, startling Ryu. Composing herself, she said, "Ah, s-sorry… I got a little carried away there. I'd love to, Ryu."
Without another word, the strange pair sat close to each other and began reading the novel in silence, this time using Ryu's copy. With every passing page, the blonde boy felt himself growing more and more nervous. Nobody had died yet, but there were certainly a few close calls. Not to mention the mere concept of the religious camp itself, what with its deranged experiments…
"Whew, I sure am tuckered out after all that reading," Ryu claimed, chuckling awkwardly.
"Oh?" Yuri asked, blinking in surprise. "But we've only read a couple of pages so far…"
"Ah… well, you know…"
"Ryu, it's perfectly understandable to find this type of material disturbing," Yuri sighed, smiling somberly. "It's… something of an acquired taste, honestly. If you're scared, we could always talk about something else - "
"This again? I'm not scared!" Ryu yelled, causing the girl to flinch. "Er… sorry, heh."
Yuri hummed thoughtfully for a moment, looking down at the open novel. Drumming her fingers, she remained quiet for several minutes before speaking again.
"Well… why don't we talk about our other interests?"
"I mean, I guess we could," Ryu said, "if you really want to. Wanna go first?"
"Certainly," Yuri perked up, smiling. "I'm admittedly a bit of a bookworm, but I quite enjoy painting and playing the cello in my spare time as well. Not to sound pretentious, but I've always considered myself passionate about the arts…"
Yuri spoke for quite some time, Ryu never once taking his eyes off of her. He could see a clear shift in demeanor; the ordinarily reserved Yuri became much more open and sociable when discussing something that she enjoyed. Her violet eyes brightened with every sentence, and she wore a genuine, delicate smile on her porcelain face. Ryu didn't even mind that he wasn't familiar with half of the words Yuri said; just listening to her soft voice was enough for him.
"... But anyway, I think I may have rambled a bit too much again," Yuri apologized, smiling bashfully. "S-sorry…"
"Huh? Oh, no, you were great!" Ryu exclaimed. "Um… I mean…"
"Hee hee… What about your interests, Ryu? I take it you're more of a sporty type?"
"No doubt! Soccer, baseball, swimming, track… if it involves physical activity and sunlight, I'm your man," Ryu asserted, flexing while admiring his physique. "I'm kind of a big deal, you know."
"Is that why I didn't hear much about you around school before you and the other boys joined the club?" Yuri challenged in a teasing tone.
"Not cool, Yuri."
"Hee hee…"
The duo shared a laugh, Yuri covering her mouth politely while Ryu delivered a hearty chuckle. Ryu hadn't known Yuri to be the teasing type, but he could definitely get used to this…
"So… if you don't mind my asking, Ryu," Yuri paused, "what made you become so invested in sports to begin with?"
"Ah, the million dollar question," Ryu sighed, his eyes closed as he reclined in his chair. "Ya see, my dad was a real athlete in his day. Like, the best of the best. I honestly can't remember a sport that he didn't excel at."
"He sounds quite healthy," Yuri noted, looking at Ryu intently.
"He sure was," Ryu affirmed. "One day, he met the woman who would become my mom at a tennis match. The game ended in a tie, they went on a few dates, and I was born about nine months after their wedding. For a time, things were good."
"Oh, dear," Yuri sighed, eyes closed. "I'm sensing that this is the part of the story where tragedy sets in..."
"It's no big deal, really," Ryu said, shrugging. "He ditched my mom for another woman, that's all."
"Ryu! That seems like quite a big deal," Yuri raised her voice before suddenly clamping a hand over her mouth. "I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean - "
"Nah, you're fine," Ryu chuckled. "It was years ago, I had plenty of time to shake it off. From that day on, though… I've made it my life goal to surpass him in anything and everything. To take all of his accomplishments and leave 'em in the dust."
"Goodness," Yuri sighed wistfully, looking at him with a saddened gaze. "I can't imagine how that must have felt for you and your mother. I'm so sorry, Ryu…"
"Hey! Don't you dare pity me," Ryu argued, folding his arms. "Besides, my mom didn't raise me to let my feelings hold me back. She's a strong woman, and she raised a strong man."
"But…"
"Yuri," Ryu stopped her, smiling. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, but really; I'm fine. In fact, I've never been better! Just being here with you, and all my childhood buddies… I think this is the happiest I've been in my entire life. So don't sweat it, yeah?"
"Oh… w-well, if you insist," Yuri relented, playing with her hair as her face flushed. "Goodness…"
"What? What'd I say?"
"When you say that you're the happiest you've been… do you really consider my presence as having contributed to that?"
"No doubt," Ryu affirmed, winking. "I've met plenty of girls in my day, but none of them have made me feel quite like how you do, Yuri."
"R-Ryu!"
"Ha… sorry. I mean it, though. You bring out a certain side of me that I've never really known before. Hell, you make me actually want to read books instead of just using them as paper weights! Er, not that I use paper enough to need 'em. Now, Akira, on the other hand…"
"Heh… well, that's certainly a lot to take in," Yuri said, fidgeting with her hands as she looked at him shyly. "I appreciate your kindness, Ryu…"
"Likewise, Yuri. Likewise…"
~For you see, it's destiny~
~You and I were meant to be~
~Now here this, my final plea~
~Stay here forever with me~
I applauded heartily, standing up as Monika took curtseyed. Even though I was the only one in the room, she had really put her heart and soul into the performance as if I were an actual crowd of spectators.
"Ahaha! Thank you, thank you!"
"You're welcome," I smiled. "Man, you were amazing, Monika. I could really feel the love in your performance."
"Heh… well, that was the idea, M.C.," Monika chuckled, her cheeks slightly pink. "In any case, I'm glad you enjoyed it. A little more practice, and I'm sure to perfect it!"
The two of us shared a laugh before being interrupted by a slow clapping sound. Turning around, we could see a familiar red-haired girl standing in the doorway.
"Brava, Monika," she jeered, still clapping mockingly. "Brava, indeed."
"Oh, god," Monika muttered, her eyes closed. Forcing a smile, she continued, "How can I help you, Runa?"
"Oh, don't mind me. I just so happened to be walking by and decided to drop in," Runa replied with a smirk. Sauntering over to the center of the room, she went on. "I see you've brought your little boy-toy here as well. He's adorable, isn't he?"
"Excuse me?" Monika shot back, her face reddening as her fists clenched.
"W-well, I don't know if I'd quite describe myself as adorable, but…"
"M.C., please…"
"Yes, M.C., please. As in, please seek out better company," Runa taunted, gazing into my eyes with those piercing red nightmares of hers. Batting her eyes and twirling a strand of long hair with her finger, she continued, "Maybe you should consider spending less time with her and more time with me."
"Stop it," I snapped, glaring back at her. "Monika's a great girl; she's smart, talented, beautiful, and kind above all else. I don't know what happened in your shared past, but just look at the present day and you'll see it to be true."
"Oh, M.C.," Runa sighed, shaking her head and throwing her hands up. "You poor sap… I'm not surprised you haven't figured it out by now. Monika does have a nasty habit of keeping her friends in the dark, after all."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"We should go, M.C.," Monika sighed, grabbing my arm and beginning to walk out of the music room. "Good luck with your exhibit at the festival, Runa."
"You can run," Runa shouted after us, "but the truth will hunt you down!"
"Shut up, Runa!" Monika yelled back over her shoulder, dragging me away from her faster than before. We had made our way outside of the building and into the orange sunlight before Monika spoke up. "I'm sorry you had to see that side of me, M.C.."
"Hey, it's fine," I reassured her with a smile. "I think anyone would snap having to listen to her for long enough."
"No, that's not what I… never mind," Monika sighed before returning the smile. "I appreciate you keeping me company, though. If it were just Runa and me in there, I'm not entirely sure what would have happened… In any case, I'll text the girls and let them know that the club is dismissed, okay? Sayori can lock up the room."
"Alright," I shrugged. "Good thing I brought my bag with me…"
"Ahaha… Well, thank you, M.C.," Monika said before abruptly leaning in and kissing me on the cheek. "I really appreciate you working on this with me."
"H-hey, no problem," I coughed. "No problem at all…"
"Hehe," Monika giggled, turning to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow, M.C.!"
I watched Monika leave, her long hair swaying in the breeze as she strided away confidently. I held a hand over my heart, a slight frown on my face. I was now confident that I had feelings for her, but… What was Runa talking about? What could she have possibly meant by "the truth"?
"It's probably nothing," I said aloud to no one in particular, taking a seat at a nearby table and texting my friends. "Runa's just jealous…"
Even so, a small voice in the back of my head was telling me that dark days were ahead of us all...