Were it not for the current lack of ideas and motivation to write for this story, I would've gotten a lot more out by now. Other projects have just been on my mind, as of late. Sorry, folks.

And yes, this is the start of another mini-arc, as well as one of those little relationship challenges I wanted to try to account for in this story. I hope it works.

"So, how are you and Monika doing?" Sayori inquired as she skipped alongside MC.

"Pretty good," MC remarked. "You know, Sayori, she's really quite something."

Sayori nodded, her infectious smile infecting the late afternoon with unbridled joy. "Yeah, and that something is the best club president ever!"

"Eh, not exactly what I had in mind," MC clarified with a shrug. "You're not wrong, though."

"Oh, when am I ever wrong?" Sayori smirked playfully. "Hehe, just kidding."

For a moment, Sayori went quiet. MC, unsure of where to continue the conversation, waited patiently for his not-quite-childhood friend to find something else to talk about. In the meantime, he made a mental note to hang out with the other girls more, as Monika's shenanigans had kinda gotten in the way of truly knowing his other fellow inhabitants of this world.

Suddenly, Sayori's eyes sparkled with playful mischief. "So, Valentine's Day is coming up. Got any plans for a, er, hot date?" she inquired, jabbing MC in the ribs.

MC blushed slightly. He stopped walking, instead devoting all of his energy to averting sly Sayori's gaze. "S-Sayori. We've. . . Only Kissed."

Sayori grinned from ear-to-ear. "And slept together. Monika told me herself."

MC hesitated. "I mean, we have, but not in the way you're implying."

It was lie, of course, but one that MC felt justified in making. After all, what right did Sayori have to be asking questions this, well, intimate? None at all, that was certain.

Sayori chortled. After a moment, she burst out into uncontrollable laughter, having to stop and lean against the wall in order to collect herself. "C'mon, MC. You don't need to lie to me. I'm happy for you two, you know? And besides, aren't those things supposed to be a sign of just how much your relationship has grown?"

Even when breaking the game's script, Sayori still proved to be very naive and optimistic in the realm of love. Regardless, MC had to inwardly admit that she wasn't wrong, at least until this very moment. His mind swam with shock. How could Monika so freely tell somebody else about something so personal? His angry glare was enough to stop Sayori's reveling. Instead, she awkwardly chuckled and began to play with her fingers.

"Well. . . It's true," she pouted. "At least from everything that I've been told. Besides, Monika told me she never felt as close to you as she did then. . . Why are you looking at me like that? Shouldn't you be happy?"

MC shook his head. There was no use in getting angry at Sayori until he at least knew all of the details. "It's fine. . . I think it's fine, anyway. You mind if I ask you something?"

"Fire away!"

"When exactly did she tell you all of this?"

"A few days ago," Sayori admitted. "I just asked how you two were doing, that's all."

"Did you, now?"

"I swear!" Sayori defended. Her smile was gone completely now, and she was looking him straight in the eye. Either Sayori had become a very good liar as of late, or else she was telling the truth."

MC sighed. He felt the heat rising in his cheeks as he buried his face in his hands. "I can't believe she just told you we. . ."

"Made hanky-panky?"

"Yep," MC finally confessed. "We made a lot of hanky-panky."

A smile returned to Sayori's face, but it was not at all similar to the mischievous grins she had been flashing sincerely. Instead, when MC removed his hands from his face, he found a supportive warmth in her eyes.

"That's nothing to be ashamed of," Sayori offered. "She loves you, MC. She loves you a lot. Don't you love her, too."

"I do!" MC answered adamantly. And it was true. "She'd have to do a lot more than this to lose my love. Heck, I reached out to be her friend even after she kil-"

His eyes widened as he realized what he was about to say. Sayori didn't know; she couldn't know. How would Monika react if he told Sayori the truth about what happened in the game?

But now Sayori was curious. She cocked her head in confusion, scanning his face for any context clues. Luckily for MC, Sayori was not a master detective. "After she what now?"

"Never mind that," MC stated with a dismissive wave. "It involves something personal between Monika and I, something I don't want you knowing."

Unlike Monika, I know when to shut my big fat mouth.

The thought had just barely passed through his head when realized just how spiteful it sounded. Instantly, he mentally kicked himself for even allowing such a thought to pass. Monika was his girlfriend! He loved her! But. . . he just felt so angry over hearing that his most intimate moment with another person had become public knowledge.

Sayori's skeptical gaze softened. "Are you OK?" she asked, placing a hand on MC's shoulder. "You look like you have a tummy-ache."

"I'm fine," MC lied. "It's just. . . I, uh. . . I need to talk to Monika about some things pretty soon," he explained with a sigh. That was true, even if it was vague. After coming to that conclusion himself, MC tried his best to let his current feelings pass out of his mind. He eyed Sayori and offered a playful smile. "C'mon, it's getting late. You wanna come over to my house and play Sorry or something? I'll let you get first pick on which pawn color you want."

He started walking before she could provide any answer, but even though she followed him, she remained silent. They walked like this for about a quarter of a block before MC looked back. Sayori was staring at the ground, frowning. She didn't even notice him stop, so she bumped into him. Looking up at him, she quickly averted her gaze. Her expression suggested shame.

"I'm sorry I made you mad," Sayori offered. "Really, I mean it."

A pang of guilt washed over MC's mind. There was no use in getting angry over all of this, at least not now. If Monika overshared, what gave him any right to make Sayori feel like this? She was still his friend, even if the childhood aspect of it was merely a plot point of the game's story. He patted her on the head, offering her a gentle smile.

"No need to apologize. I overreacted, too. This is just something that's hard to take in so suddenly, that's all."

"You're not mad?" Sayori probed.

"I'm not mad."

Suddenly, Sayori sprang up, becoming her usual cheerful self once more. "In that case, I call the red pawns!" she declared before breaking into a fierce sprint.

"H-hey, wait for me!" MC shouted as he chased after her.