"You what!?" Monika stood up from her seat, causing the other members to look at our direction.

"Pipe down!" I loudly whispered to her. "I haven't told anyone!"

Monika covered her mouth then sat down again. "Sorry. Wait, you haven't told anyone?"

"Yeah, why?"

Monika looked away for a bit. "I thought you told Sawako already."

Was that… Jealousy? She was jealous of Sawako?

"Nononono!" I shook my hand in front of my face. "I'm not even sure if I could tell her."

"I see." Monika smiled at me. It felt like a genuine one. "Well, I'm glad you told me."

I can't help but smile back at her. "Me too."

"So. Are you guys dating already?" Monika asked with a curious face.

"Well… No…"

"Huh? What, did he reject you?"

"No… He's waiting for the right time to reciprocate my feelings."

"How sweet~"

"I know right?"

We giggled a bit. I'm glad that Monika wasn't like her game counterpart. It just shows that she's actually friends with Sayori.

"Anyways, wanna read my poem?"

Something I still don't understand was that Monika's poems were still the same ones from the game. So far, she wasn't showing any signs of being conscious about the game and I think she's being genuinely worried about me. Sayori, rather.

"Your poem is too deep for me, Monika," I said to her. But it really wasn't since I knew what they're supposed to mean.

"Are they? Maybe I am just spouting nonsense." Monika giggled.

"Then your poems must be the best nonsensical ones!" I really am just forcing compliments now.

"That's so like you, Sayori."

And so I traded poems with everyone, mine being bland as a glass of water. Of course, the poem I gave Shinji was anything but bland. It was a little cheesy, sure, but I gave my all with it. I just hope he likes it. He better.

"Okay, everyone!" Monika clapped her hands. "Let's decide what everyone will be doing this weekend."

Everyone gathered up near Monika, standing next to the teacher's desk.

"For the festival?" I asked.

"Duh," Natsuki retorted. "I already know what I'm doing!"

"That's right," Monika agreed, "Natsuki will be making cupcakes but we might need a lot of them, and different flavors… Can you handle that all by yourself, Natsuki?"

All of this dialogue was deja vu to me.

Natsuki grinned at Monika. "Challenge accepted!"

"As for myself," Monika continued, "I'm going to be printing and assembling all the poetry pamphlets. Sayori will be— Oh, right."

"What?" I asked.

"It's fine." Monika waved. "You have to practice with Sawako, right?"

"Oh. Yeah."

"As for Yuri, she'll help me instead with the printing. Is that okay with you, Yuri?" Monika asked.

"I-I guess so..." Yuri mumbled.

"Then it's decided then." Monika smiled.

"Um, then what about the decorations?" Yuri asked.

"Huh?" Monika caught off guard by Yuri.

"Are we just really having the room as it is?"

"R-right!" Monika agreed, sounding a bit unsure. "Of course we need decorations. Yuri, you can make the banners and decorations to help set the atmosphere."

Wow, I guess Monika wasn't really as perfect as everyone thought, not even in this world's version.

"Atmosphere?" Yuri mumbled again. "Um… About that… I… " She then gave a determined look. "I love atmosphere!"

Yuri's expression changed as she stared at the floor in focus and nodded to herself.

"Your mind's already racing, I see," Shinji commented.

"That's great!" Monika happily agreed. "That'll be wonderful help, Yuri." She then faced Shinji. "That just leaves you, Shinji."

"The only useless member here." Shinji said.

"That's not true!" I immediately retorted. "You're very helpful in so many ways that you don't know."

Shinji looked at me with much surprise and then just smiled at me. "Of course you'd say that, Sayori. I'm the one who woke you up whenever you overslept."

"That's not what I meant!"

He then petted my hair. "Yeah, I'm just messing with you."

I just pouted at him. How can he tease me and still be a wonderful person? Then I noticed everyone looking at us, smiling.

"What?" I asked.

"You guys are like dating, aren't you?" Natsuki smirked.

"Huh!?" I blurted.

"W-well, if you don't want to be open about it, we wouldn't ask. Some couples are like that…" Yuri looked away.

"Yuri!?"

"Ahaha~ I guess you two just go well with each other." Monika commented. "That's not a bad thing, you know."

"Shinji! Say something!" I pulled his sleeve.

When I looked at him, he's just blushing red like a hot metal! "Shinji!"

"Okay, that's enough teasing for the two. Let's get back to deciding what Shinji will be doing for the weekend," Monika said.

"I wasn't teasing, you know," Natsuki mumbled.

"Me too," Yuri added.

"Wait, what am I gonna be doing?" Shinji wondered.

"Both Natsuki and Yuri have some pretty heavy tasks to handle." Monika turned to Shinji. "It would probably go a long way to give one of them a hand. You could always help me out as well. I would be really appreciative of that."

"Oh." Shinji just looked surprised. "That's… "

"I suppose I wouldn't mind a bit of help… " Yuri looked away again.

Natsuki crossed her arms. "Well, even if you don't know how to bake, there's always some dirty work I could give to you."

Wait they're making him choose!? Like in the game!? I thought they already said we're like a couple or something!? I gotta do something because if I don't, those CG arts will happen. They're already going back to the original dialogue too so I might as well alter it.

"Why don't we all help out each other?" I suggested.

"Huh?" Everyone looked at me funny but I pressed on.

"There's only like five of us here so we should be helping each other with times like this."

"What do you suggest then?" Monika asked.

And I obliged with an answer. "We should all do our tasks at Shinji's place!"

"Wait, my place?" Shinji pointed at himself.

"Yeah! That way, when Natsuki's waiting for her cupcakes to bake in the oven, she can help out or if Yuri's done, she'll help. Plus, we'll be able to check each other's progress!"

"That's not a bad idea, actually," Natsuki looked at me with a surprised look. "I never thought I'd hear that from you, Sayori."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Sounds like a plan. What do you guys think?" Monika wondered.

"I think that's a great idea." Yuri agreed.

"Wait. So everyone's coming in my house this weekend?" Shinji scratched the back of his head.

"Yep!" I said.