ACT 1 - CHAPTER 1: NEW DAY
Simplicity is a lie. Anyone who claims otherwise is a liar.
Sure, life can have its simple moments, and one could boil their fifty-plus-something years down to a quick summarization, but then you're basically getting the back of a book cover without any of the pages. Instead, take time to flip through each one and see how much you can learn; you'll find that a quick story doesn't so easily define people.
Everyone goes through ups and downs, builds perspectives that aren't of our own brewing and melding. Circumstances can get in the way of decisions, feelings come and go, and it is nobody's job to have complete control of the world they live in.
That's why I've taken to the background, lived in my own little world, let its denizens run to and fro. Long as I've gotten food in my stomach, a family that loved me unceasingly, and a future to look forward to, nothing was amiss.
Now, about that first objective: Food.
I was one of the last students to arrive in the cafeteria for our lunch break. Rather than bug my mother to slap a sandwich together, I let her know this morn my lunch period would consist of whatever the kitchen came up with. Truth be told, I wanted that faithful carton of chocolate milk. Getting it was my goal, and it was reached today.
Killed two birds with one stone. Mom needed not to worry about my hunger, nor did any classmates I'd come across this afternoon.
Oh, if simplicity was that easy to obtain…
Somebody spun me around and pinned my back to the freezer the moment I let it shut. "If you know what's good for you, you'll give that last box to me," he murmured.
I didn't know this kid my senior, this tall and buff leather-jacket-donned man full of himself. Others from my previous class called him Connor due to his renowned skillset. He played captain for the school's basketball team and was one of the debate club members. His strength, looks, and intellect were nothing lazy by any means. I could go on and on, but the gist of him was his reputation. The only thing that was missing was social etiquette, blocked off by a wall of egotism.
Never cross Connor's reputation the way I chose to.
"L-look," I grunted in protest, "There should be another case coming through soon. Please let me go-"
His knee caught me in the gut and my legs wobbled from the sudden blow, visible to everyone around us and his lackeys. My head lurched forward as I wheezed like a crow. Getting a whiff of that leather and the slight hint of booze made my head spin.
"No, you look," Connor yanked little aching me to the floor, making sure my feet gave way for him to assert his dominance. "Things would usually go my way, but we could pretend nothing ever happened between the two of us. How does that sound, Na-o-mi was it?"
I coughed right back at him, "You're mad! Wh-why didn't you just leave me alone in the first place?"
The brown-haired aggressor backed off a smidge, looked behind him at the two buddies suddenly behind him, and darted his similar hazel eyes right back at me. "'Cause, you don't know yours as much as you think you do."
"Tell him to do the initiation, man!" his allies urged. "Yeah, the ritual!"
Unless this was a simple shrine attendance, I knew I was screwed. I watched him chuckle maniacally, with a light hint of tease. "Hmhmhmm… Good idea." He agreed with them. "Twenty-four hours from now you'll be here with a cup of spit. If not, it won't be yours we're messing with. You got me?"
No, I didn't get him. I was floored, kneed in the gut, and threatened in a multitude of ways. My life in the background was disrupted, and I've felt the urge to cry and vomit simultaneously – all in the span of sixty seconds.
'Screw complexity,' I thought to myself, something hot and wet streaming down my face.
"Jeez, get off him before I report you to the student council. You know better."
All eyes whirled toward coral brown locks and shimmering emerald eyes. They could be recognized from the opposite end of a hallway, and the pristine voice in tow calmly enforced action, something the school idol could do much better than the peer holding me hostage.
"M-Monika!" My bully yanked himself away from me and adjusted his footing, now poised like a militia member. "It's not what it looks like at all, I swear! H-h-he just-"
"Just what now?" The woman herself strolled past a couple of tables in approach and slowly leaned forward, feigning innocence with that slight smirk of hers. Her hands folded behind her back to complete her trademark pose. No one dared to defy Monika; her fans would retort against anybody without hesitation.
"Just… M- urk, nothing!"
Connor threw his fists downward and turned around, motioning for his friends to follow him out of the lunchroom. One of the lackeys longingly looked toward the sandwich bar before scurrying along with the others. As for me, I found myself lost where I've crumpled. All the attention once centering me slowly dissipated, evaporated like rising water droplets.
I glanced towards my savior, who was politely encouraging people to give her space for but a moment. Fair enough; I wouldn't've wanted any such adoration… far too much to keep up with.
But then our eyes met, and I couldn't stop myself from burrowing into that shiny gaze.
It's not like I didn't want to.
Her kind smile melded into something softer, "I think I need a breather; would you care to join me?" More genuine, more real.
Her left hand reached out to me, and something within me felt comfortable taking it, so that's what I did.
Monika led me down some hallways, up a couple of stairs, and stopped at a doorway once we reached the third floor. I watched closely as she dug around in her satchel for a set of keys. One of them unlocked the entry into what I figured was an ordinary classroom. No rooftop – that was another floor from here – and no closet (praise the Lord, for that certainly wasn't an area with much breathing room).
But being in a classroom left me unenthusiastic. "Oh," I deadpanned, "Forgot how adamant the others said you were towards studying."
"Ahaha!" She let out a soft and hearty chuckle, setting her satchel down on the teacher's desk before walking into what I assumed was the closet. "I'm not here to study. I've got that in a few more periods, uhm…."
"Naomi's the name. Pleasure is mine." I attempted to fill the stumbling block in her words and took a seat at a desk. My fingers fumbled with the crevice of the milk I was blessed to bring with me; I've suffered too much for a measly eight ounces of drink.
"Yeah, Naomi." The name effortlessly rolled off her tongue. "No need to be so formal around me. Did you get something to eat yet?"
I shook my head despite being obscured from her sight in the closet. "Y-No, but you don't have to go out of your way for me. This is more-"
A protein bar and two cupcakes were placed in front of me. An odd combination of foods, yet it was easy to admire the design of the latter treats. White frosting and small chocolate chips blended to resemble a cat's face if you looked at it correctly. I lifted one of them and undid the wrapping before taking a slow bite.
Flavor exploded in my mouth.
"These are really good, thank you!" The frosting, coupled with the cupcake's almost perfect texture, made for a fulfilling snack to eat. My mother's chocolate chips held the lead for nostalgic bias, but those delicate morsels never sent me to Flavortown. It seems Heaven's kitchen had a new chef!
While I relished in the simple things, but a moment, Monika spun around one of the desks and attached it to mine from the front, forming a makeshift table. She then sat down before opening a bento box of her own. "Don't thank me," she said, "a Literature Club member made them for our meeting today."
"O-oh, you sure I'm okay having them?"
"Yep, she'll live." She scooped some rice into her mouth and swallowed it quickly. "I'll even tell her that you liked them… unless you wanna do that yourself!"
The cupcake I chewed on almost lodged itself in my throat. I forced it down frantically before washing it down with the last of my milk before replying to her. Up until now, I was pretty eased thanks to Monika's generosity, but "Are you asking me to join her club? Her literature-liter… I've read some books before, but h-ho-honestly, I'm not the greatest person to discuss them with."
"You don't need to join. But I've got this feeling that you'd fit in pretty well with them."
"Really? How so?"
"Let me ask you something, Naomi," the white ribboned school idol pushed her box a little to the side, now fully engaged in our current topic of her choice, "what is literature to you?"
Unlike her, I didn't easily come up with an answer. When the word came to mind, I thought about the textbooks from elementary school and all their grueling assignments. All the work we were assigned, all the various studying components. Literature time was an unwelcome time unless I could read for my own pleasure.
Things changed, however. I've discovered over the years that words do matter in ways beyond what little ole me understood. Spoken-word, poetry, prose, scripts, music… they acted as a foundation of interpretation. It's…
"It's a platform," I whispered carefully.
"A… a platform?" She folded her hands together and rested her chin in the middle like a hammock.
"A platform to engage with an audience's mind. Kind of like a platform for musicians. That's what I'm good at, yeah. Literature and music can't be too different from each other, right?"
Monika studied me as I slowly finished my first cupcake. Her expression was scrutinizing, as in picking apart everything that stumbled over my mouth. Her eyes weighted upon me in resemblance to the pressure Connor exuded against me. I couldn't take my eyes off her, yet I knew whatever I did wouldn't influence her studious behavior.
Quit looking at me.
How was I supposed to act? One moment I'm her chummy pal who did me a solid, and the next I'm evaluated for a verbal examination. We have never spoken with one another, yet she gave me more freedom to converse than any teacher in the school has. For heaven's sake, this situation was ridiculously absurd.
My voice pierced through the quiet, "Is everything okay, Monika?"
"Yeah," she mumbled softly, "give me a moment."
I went ahead and gave her the time she needed. The second cupcake mocked me from my right, so I stuffed it and its granola friend into my backpack before resting my head on the desk. The opportunity for a Rordon Gamsey replica was officially scarce, and that cupcake was coming home with me.
Monika's done more than enough for me already, so it was only fair to be questioned like a potential club member. It was the least I could do, much better than collecting my own saliva for a stupid jock's namesake and silly games. But the way today has treated me left me confused.
Stressed.
And the silent moments between dragged on for hours and hours. At this point, I couldn't tell whether throwing in the towel and joining the going-home club was the smarter thing to do. Wouldn't the Literature Club be another obstacle to a peaceful life? Would my presence disturb the members who're probably experts in about everything having to do with paper and pen?
Something warm set itself upon my head. My body tightened up, ready to dive and duck and dodge and dip at anything awry—no more humiliation for me.
Slowly and gradually, fingers glazed across my scalp…
Round the back, back around
Covering space and expanding out
Closing in then pressing down
Your palm is soft, just like the sound
It's reaching to the top of my neck
Then pulling back to settle in
You glide along to cup my cheek
And you lift my chin
"Naomi, I don't think you're wrong, okay?"
My face felt dry in a couple of places before realizing I was shedding tears once more. How embarrassing, but no. I was not being humiliated by the one lady who could make my school life a true living hell.
"O-okay." I croaked.
"Good." Monika removed her hands and lent me her handkerchief. What she gave it to me for was obvious. "You're passionate about the fine arts without a doubt. While music isn't a form of literature, there are plenty of elements interconnecting the two. Perhaps we can spin this argument both ways."
I nodded along to her suggestion, "What does this have to do with me joining the club? You know how many people would sell their homes to be in the same room as you!"
"Ahahaha! Let's just say…" Her eyes squeezed shut, and her arms fumbled against her temples as if rubbing the explanation out of them. "You don't seem like them. I don't want people to join a club because I'm part of it. This isn't an 'Observe Monika Club,' period. Sure, you're probably a little curious about how I – of all people – chose to be part of something so small. That doesn't matter though; I can tell this club is something you'll be able to invest in!"
"Who else is there?"
"Natsuki, Sayori, and Yuri."
All girls, and yet none of their names rang a bell.
I timidly tested my anxieties, "They aren't too judgmental, are they?"
"They'd better not be. Besides, the Literature Club is meant to be a place where you can grow your passions. The only way someone can dissuade you from doing so is over my dead body."
Bold she was, but Monika's smile was gentle and sincere, kinda like the rays bouncing off the bow holding her long hair in place. Dutifully decorating her ponytail without forcing a direction to sway. She carried herself well, more than I could ever hope to walk in her shoes.
I was not eager to join a club; nobody told me to do so. In fact, I would have been content with my daily routine of being home before sunset. At home, I would confidently write my music, play my piano, and receive reliable criticism from my mother and father. They knew what's best for me.
Dad's voice echoed through my mind, however, "The Literature Club? You know, that's not so bad." I imagined him sipping a cup of coffee over a newspaper, his dark and buttered voice glazing across my French toast.
"Alright, I'll give it a shot."
The remaining school hours passed by me like a blur. When focused on my studies, lectures, and class assignments, time seems to have no preference for my senses. I will sometimes complete all my tasks in the wee minutes between transitions, not caring to speak with any of the classmates chattering around me. Keeping to myself was considered the top priority in light of recent events, but the occasional glance and whispers throughout the halls made such efforts fall short.
Word got around the school quickly about my encounter with Connor, but the talk was all about Monika and me.
"Did you see her take his hand?"
"No way, the foreign student of all people?"
"And she stood up against Connor like she always came first!"
"Awe, c'mon. Why's it always the odd ones who get a shot with her? Should I dye my hair?"
"Don't overexaggerate, Eli, it's blonde with an unnatural green tint."
"But still. He wasn't worth the trouble. Get the Student Council rep someone who can be confident or something!"
I tilted my head towards the gossipers on the other side of the room. How dare they disrespect my recessive genes of all things! They looked back at me with wide eyes as if they forgot I existed.
A suppressed sigh fell from my lips. "Just… could you not? At least around me?"
"I'm so sorry! If I had known you…."
As if.
Therefore I liked home life better than school life. You usually know what you're walking into when it's your mother and father. However, the classmate next to you can be kind one moment and stick it to you the next.
The bell rang before I could get another word in, but what I said would not have mattered. So I whipped my backpack over my shoulder and marched out of the room before anybody else, pulling out that protein bar Monika handed me during lunch. I had that second cupcake near the end of that hour and didn't want my remaining snack to melt on the walk home.
I sent a quick text to Mom with my other free hand, so she knew of my latest endeavor. We liked to keep frequent tabs on one another, for the city was big, and safety in the newish country was important to the both of us. By the time the bar was finished, and I received a reply on my phone, I was next to the classroom where Monika and I hung out. My hand reached for the doorknob, the slightest of nerves making my fingers tremble around the handle.
A strong and arrogant voice interrupted my attempt from the other side, "Seriously? You brought a boy? Way to kill the atmosphere."
So much for "not being too judgmental," Monika. I felt my heart sink from the weight of those words. The girl didn't even have to say my name, and I knew she was talking about who joined the lady's endeavor. I turned around, ready to call quits for today and join the Going Home Club, but higher powers had a different plan in mind.
One of the loose straps on my backpack looped around the door handle and pulled against me. I felt my feet give way for the second time in three hours and tripped onto the floor face first. I wheezed in pain, thinking that the slapstick couldn't get any worse, but the door desperately wanted to fly open and jab into my waist. An agonizing shout escaped me.
"I swear, 'cause every single day Sayori tells me about- oh…."
I flopped to my side to see what monstrosity would mess with me next, my eyes firstly landing on a pink-haired shorty. The anger from her ruby red eyes subsided when she got a good look at my predicament, and she stumbled back apologetically. Soon after, she regained composure and averted her gaze from me. "I-it's not like I meant to do that, guys."
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Are you okay?!" Another lady swooped around the doorway and stood above me, two hands hanging down in front of my face.
"Yeah," I groaned in reply, grateful for someone's encouragement, "Just give me a boost please."
Rather than do as I requested, this girl with a red bow wrapped her arms under my pits and hoisted me up with a swinging motion, an action that got me curling up in laughter – I was ticklish there!
"Thank you. You must be strong."
"Ehehe~!" a mischievous giggle met me in return, "Shhh… it's magic!"
I played along with her, "Haha, sure. So, may I come in or do you not allow boys? Monika told me-"
"Don't worry about what I said earlier," said the pink one, "It was just something to do with... with… Just get in here!"
BowTie galloped back in the classroom, with Pinkie and I in tow. The whole gang was here, from what I could see. Four women, including Monika and a raven-locked woman, were scattered about the room.
"Ah, what a nice surprise!" My inviter had papers dispersed on the teacher's desk, but she paid them no heed with my return. "A pleasure to see you again, Naomi! Didn't think I'd see you today with how much I begged."
I scoffed, "Pah, you did no such thing, Monika. Thanks for having me."
"Welcome to the Literature Club N-Naomi," the lady in the back of the room put down her book and shuffled toward us, "this is your first time here, right?"
She looked taller than I expected, and she held herself with quite the overcorrected posture. My tone changed to something more polite in accommodation. "Basically. A pleasure to meet you, ma'am."
"Heh… heh… L-likewise. I'm Yuri" Her cheeks reddened up the slightest bit, and her arms quickly went to her long hair. I had a difficult time figuring out how long it was, even more reason to excuse my eyes having been mesmerized.
"Ooh, this is gonna be so great!" The girl who helped me to my feet was directly behind me, bobbing up and down with joy, uncontainable. "We're getting two new members!"
I opened my mouth, "Tw-"
"Haven't I told you enough, Sayori? Quit calling me a new member!"
How did I not see him? Directly behind the doorway against the wall was one boy with a dark brown shaggy cut and golden irises. His arms were crossed in absolute defiance towards her assumption, but his stance seemed too tense for the situation. We were surrounded by four beautiful women, for Pete's sake!
"Sorry about that, Makoto," Monika grabbed everybody's attention, lifting a finger toward the ceiling, "it's been a while, hasn't it?"
Thank you for reading my first installment into the DDLC franchise! "Doki Doki Literature Club!" is not owned by me, Ikarosu. It belongs to Team Salvato.
Regardless of whether you're new or have gazed at this chapter and its previous installments a zillion times, I would appreciate a review of any reasonable length! I could write all I want, but having no audience reaction would kinda suck eggs. Y'all know what to do!
Happy reading, folks.
OoOoOoO
Edit 1: November 12, 2020 - Deleted a repetition and attempted to fix random italics.
Edit 2: March 4, 2021 - Fixed some sentence fluency, nerfed the story's potential edginess factor.
Edit 3: May 14, 2021 - Completely redid the chapter to make it read in past-tense. Used the rewrite to clarify and revitalize Naomi's perspective. Chapters 3-4 have yet to receive similar treatment.