AN: Hey guys! Here's where the story really begins. Dont worry. That odd back and forth perspective between the Player and the MC/Cody is over. The Player's job is done. He set the stage, and there's no stopping the train now! Also, if you want mood music, feel free to play Ohayou Sayori!
A brown haired, golden eyed young man stepped out of his house, giving a bleary-eyed glare at the sky, as if how dare it be a sunny, warm day in early September...he shook his head, locking his front door and adjusted the strap on his shoulder that held his book bag steady….he glanced toward the sidewalk and glanced at his watch, then his neighbor's house. "Hmm. She's not up yet…?"
His Neighbor. She was more than that. His childhood friend, Sayori, lived there..though, he reflected, it had been several years since he could call himself her friend. They had drifted apart...partially due to the drama and hectic nature of High School, though he knew, a lot of the blame fell squarely upon his own shoulders. He had just...stopped caring, diving headlong into video games and anime, they had stopped spending much time together, and over the past couple of years, her texts...most of which had gone unanswered, had finally trickled to basically nothing. He closed his eyes...shaking off this feeling of intense, unmitigated guilt. As he turned toward the street to begin the lonely walk to school, a melodic, if somewhat breathless voice called out to him, forcing him to come to a halt, turning to face the oncoming storm.
"Heeeeeeeey! Wait up!" Sayori was a young woman, with gentle features, big, expressive blue eyes, and a mop of strawberry brown hair, topped with a bright red bow. She collided with his chest, making them both stumble back as her hands flew to his lapels with a cry of shock, as his arms snapped up to her shoulders to steady her. "Ah! Sorry! I didn't expect you to stop!" She felt her eyes prickle, tears beading up at the corners, already worrying that she'd annoyed her oldest friend….
"Sayori...you overslept again, didn't you?" he grinned softly, releasing her shoulders and resting his free hand on his hip, taking in her appearance, noting the messy hair, toothpaste stain on the collar, and her school uniform blazer unbuttoned. "It looks like you dressed yourself in the dark."
"Meanie…" she stammered out, poking the tips of her index fingers together, a nervous tick she's had since childhood, lowering her head, slowly rolling her eyes upward to look at Cody with a pouty expression, lips pursed and tilted downward. "I dressed up fine….I just...like the rumpled look. Its the height of fashion!" she perked up, eyes widening, lips forming a tiny "o" shape as she grinned triumphantly.
"Well, Miss Fashionista….you're wearing mismatched shoes." he deadpanned, golden eyes narrowing from the wide grin splitting his lips. Even as he said that, he regretted it somewhat...she looked so adorable making her "I win" face. It was almost a crime to let the wind out of her sails….but sacrifices had to be made.
"...Aw man...well...why did you stop anyway? You never wait for me…" she trailed off, as a hurt, bittersweet smile crossed her expressive face, wringing her hands faintly as she looked down again, worried she'd asked too much, and even as she reached the conclusion that she had, she opened her mouth to apologize...to ask him to just ignore that comment...to..do anything, he replied with a smile that staggered her on her feet.
"I...felt like walking with my best friend." he blinked, wondering internally just where that came from. He was annoyed with Sayori's childish antics, wasn't he? Where did that sudden wash of warm, fond feelings come from when he referred to her as such...he couldn't lie...he -had- missed her. And having someone to walk and talk to was great….he hoped he'd chosen wisely in his reply...as it seemed to have stunned Sayori to the point that she was staring, mouth opening and closing like a disturbed fish.
"B-but you...I…" She finally closed her mouth, giving the boy a small, sad smile. "You...dont have to….I mean..you dont have to wait for me. It's fine…" She trailed off as he turned to face her more directly, shaking his head as he noted the look on her face.
"I wanted to. I...Well. We can talk about that...after school, if you want?" He gave her a smile, not his usual cheeky grin, but a full, warm smile, brown hair falling in his eyes as he looks at Sayori, who's face pinkened under his gaze, raising his hand and extending his pinky to her. "Pinky swear."
"You..want to hang out?" For a single instant, Sayori's eyes closed, biting back the tears that threatened to spring forth as she took a deep breath, then slowly opened one eye, then the other. "T-that would be great Cody! Yeah! It'll be just like old times!" she raised her hand and curled her pinky around his, flashing her thousand-megawatt smile. For just an instant...had Cody looked worried? No. Must've just been a trick of the light…
"Great. I want to talk about some stuff with you." he nodded, lowering their hands and turning to walk toward school, until resistance made him look back at her, then down to where their fingers were still joined….eyes going wide as Sayori's followed, jerking his hand back as if burned, and nervously running a hand down the back of his head. "S-sorry." he winced...he'd outgrown his stutter in the eighth grade...why now...
"Wawawa-" she flailed a bit as she bounced back. 'We...were kinda sorta holding hands….w-what is with him...what...I dont…' she internalized her minor panic attack as she shook her head and chose to defuse the situation...by skipping ahead of him a few paces, before spinning on her heel, hands clasped behind her back, bending forward...it was a pose she'd seen Monika assume when she was trying to be cute and disarming at school….she'd done it to the teachers when they asked to form the Literature club…"Sooo...Have you thought about joining any clubs yet?"
"Clubs?" Here it was, the pivotal moment...Cody was still aware of what's going on. For now. He could fell his memories of the...past fading. He was going to get his second chance, without any foreknowledge, but for now….He would abuse it as long as he could. He already changed the script so to speak, so we're already in new territory. "I suppose not. Why, have any suggestions?" he tilted his head...as he got flashes of a memory of a classroom. Four girls standing with hopeful smiles, looking at him to accept the invitation…
"Welll….I happen to be the Vice President of the Literature Club. You could check that out!" Sayori noticed Cody seemed more attentive than usual...there were some moments like he almost seemed robotic...just..going through life as if someone else was driving the boat...but now, he seemed more...alive. Like he had shrugged off a weight on his shoulders. She dared to hope. A single ray of sunshine piercing the rainclouds as she saw him shrug and give her that small smile she missed so much over the past few years.
"I..suppose I could check it out. I mean..I read a lot of Manga and Comic books….they're literature..right?" he aped Natsuki's usual argument for this, noting the way Sayori's eyes lit up when he spoke….this time. Things were different. They would be different. No matter what. The Literature club would be a place of Happiness, Friendship and Love. He would find a way to help all four of his friends. Sayori. Natsuki. Yuri. Monika. He looked up, realizing they'd made it all the way to school while walking, and with time to spare. "Wow. We made good time." he tilted his head, looking up to the school...specifically a classroom on the fourth floor, with two narrow windows, a full body shiver running through him.
"...We did...guess we need to go to class now, right?" She turned to face him...something had changed in him...something had changed in -her-. She felt it. Something was different...something wonderful. She felt like she -could- be hopeful, even if it was just a little bit. Maybe the rainclouds weren't going to be so bad today..
"I mean, we're kinda early. We could go get a snack first?" he tried testing the waters, though the moment he mentioned a snack, he was thrown off balance, stumbling back against a trash can as his arms came up to catch the flying girl as she pounced, giggling as she hugged him tightly enough that he -swore- he felt his spine pop a bit. "Okay! I guess snacks it is!"
Sayori released him, blushing faintly. She couldn't believe it...something was just -too- off about this all. It was too sudden. He had basically ignored her for years...not that she blamed him of course...but all of a sudden...this morning...her whole world view changed in an instant. She had her childhood friend back. Who knew how long it would last till he got bored of her. Of course he would. Then he'd leave her all alone again. Alone with the rainclouds. But for now...for now she could enjoy this. This day. This Hour. This moment. This one perfect moment, where she felt warm, and happy, and his smile blew the rainclouds away. Even if it was just for a little while. "Pop tarts!"
"Pop Tarts huh?" Cody fished in his pocket, coming out with a few coins as he walked over to the vending machine, he'd seen the storm of emotion behind Sayori's big blue eyes. They were too expressive for her own good. A poet might say they were the window to the soul….well..hers were a bay window that covered the whole front of the house. You could see every thought she had. And he winced as he bought the frosted strawberry pop tarts with the tap of a button...facing away from her he could close his eyes a moment, taking a sharp breath. He could see the pain. How had his past self missed it. She was living every day in absolute misery….and he had contributed to that. He bought himself a bag of chili-lime peanuts and turned around, holding the foil wrapped pop tarts out to Sayori. "Here you go, Sayori."
"Yay Pop Tarts!" she snatched them, ripping the foil open, taking a big bite out of one of them. "So...you...really want to come by the literature club after school? It'll be really fun I promise…" Her already soft voice trailing off almost to a whisper...because...she had to confirm it. To prove to herself that this wasn't all a dream. This was real. This was happening….her heart would shatter if it was. This was too cruel…
"I pinky swore, didn't I?" Cody replied, in a tone that would brook no argument, as if a pinky swear was truly a soul-binding arrangement. Which, in this moment, it was. Nothing would stop him from his plan, he told himself. As he replied, he saw tears glisten in the corner of Sayori's eyes, as a huge smile lit her face up. He'd never get tired of that smile. That sense of wonder at the world that so long ago had made them become friends in the first place. She could always make him feel better with just a smile...the bell however, chiming overhead left little time. "Meet me after class. I'll just follow you there, okay?"
"Y-yeah! Great!" she turned and stumbled as she ran into a 6th year student, apologizing profusely. "I'll see you then!" she had to get away, to collect herself. She felt like for once...everything was coming up Sayori. She adjusted her backpack and after a few steps, she hazarded a peek back over her shoulder...to find Cody where she'd left him, staring after her with a strange look on his face. A somewhat wistful smile, and sad eyes….but..something else...determination? She wasn't sure. But when he caught her eye he turned to walk off to class...her heart sinking for an instant until he raised a hand over head, waving over his shoulder with one pinky extended. Her cheeks felt warm, and she couldn't stop the smile that curled her lips.
AN: The walk to school went a little differently. Where will it go from here? Who knows! We'll just have to see, now wont we? In the next chapter, we have the fateful turning point. The introduction to the Literature Club. Stay tuned, and Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story. 3rd Chapter Should be up later today once I take a little break! Gotta strike while the irons are hot!