(Sunday, 10:15AM; Sayori's House; Akihito's PoV)

While I'm trying to pick myself up, I can hear Sayori scurrying around. It's as if she's trying to hide something. When I'm back to my senses I try to see what Sayori is doing-

What the fuck? WHAT THE FUCK?!

Aki: "SAYORI WHAT IS THAT?!"

I see Sayori holding a hangman's noose. Why would she be having that?!

Sayori: "IT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!"

Aki: "THEN WHAT IS IT, HUH?! ANSWER ME SAYORI! WHAT THAT NOOSE DOING IN YOUR HAND! IN FACT WHY IS IT IN YOUR HOUSE?!"

Sayori doesn't say anything. She drops the noose and breaks into tears. I catch her just before she falls to the ground. Her tears are uncontrollable. She tries to speak but she can't get more than two words out.

Sayori: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-"

Aki: "Sayori it's okay, just calm down and we can talk it out."

We're both on our knees, Sayori's crying in my shoulder, and I have no idea what the fuck to do. I decide the best option is to try and calm her down before asking anything more. Is her nightmare related to this?

Sayori: "A-Aki?"

Aki: "Yes?"

Sayori: "There's something I need to tell you. I've been keeping this from everyone for my whole life."

My mind is racing with a million thoughts. What is she talking about?

Sayori: "Aki, whatever I'm about to say, you have to promise to not tell anyone."

Aki: "B-but Sayori I-"

Sayori: "Promise me."

Aki: "Okay, I promise."

She takes a deep breath, and carefully chooses her words.

Sayori: "Aki, for most of my life... I've been… dealing with depression."

No... this can't be real... THIS CAN'T BE REAL! I slap myself in an effort to wake me up from the nightmare I'm having, but it doesn't work.

Sayori: "This isn't a dream Aki. This is real. I don't know when it started or why it started, but I've been having it for a long time."

Now I'm the one to break into tears.

Aki: "This can't be real... everything was fine up until a few days ago... so why?"

Sayori: "That's what I've been asking myself as well."

We stay silent for sometime, with only our small sobs being heard. After a few minutes, I speak up.

Aki: "Have you... have you ever tried therapy or antidepressants?"

Sayori: "I tried a therapy session once a few years ago."

Aki: "How did it go?"

Sayori: "I didn't like it, so I never went back."

Aki: "Would you... would you consider going again?"

Sayori: "Maybe... I'm still scared to go again."

Aki: "What if I went with you?"

Sayori: "No. I won't make you do that."

Aki: "Sayori please, I don't want to see you suffer like this. I'd you won't let me go with you, at least promise me you will go."

Sayori: "...I'll consider it."

Aki: "T-thank you Sayori."

We manage to calm down after everything that just happened. We both stand up, and I pick up the noose.

Aki: "Sayori, I'm going to throw this away. Do you have anything else that... needs to be disposed of?"

Sayori: "N-no, that's all."

Aki: "Alright then. I'll head outside, and you can get ready."

Sayori: "What do you mean?"

Aki: "We're gonna go around town. After this whole… incident, we need something to take our minds off of it."

Sayori: "O-okay..."

I walk out Sayori's room. I walk downstairs and I approach the trash can in the kitchen.

Wait, I shouldn't throw it away here. She can just dig it out of the trash can here. I need to throw it away at my house. I walk back upstairs and knock on Sayori's door.

Aki: "Sayori?"

Sayori: "Yeah?"

Aki: "I'm gonna go back to my house and change. I don't want to look like I just came out of the shower."

Sayori: "Hehe, alright. I'll come to your house once I'm finished."

Aki: "Cool, see you then."

I walk out of Sayori's house and go to my house. First thing I do is go straight to the kitchen and throw away the noose. Then I head upstairs to my bedroom. I wasn't lying when I said I was gonna change. I find a casual t-shirt and some jeans, which should be good for today.

I head back downstairs and walk out of my house. Sayori's already waiting there for me, and it looks like she's already back to her cheery mood. Not wanting to delay any longer, I quickly lock my house and head out with her.

Sayori: "Sooo, where do we go first?"

Aki: "I don't know, I didn't think I'd get this far."

Sayori: "Haha, very funny. How about the arcade?"

Aki: "Sure, it's been a while since I've been there anyway."

We both head to the arcade in town. It's not super big, but they have a lot of different arcade games. We each get an arcade card and look around to see what games we can play.

Sayori: "Ooh, what about that one?"

I turn to see what Sayori was pointing to, and it looks like it was the skee ball machine.

Aki: "Sure. Wanna see who can get the most points?"

"You're on!"

We head to the machine, and Sayori lets me play first. I play my game and... 8,000. I think that's good.

Aki: "Alright, your turn Sayori."

Sayori: "Amateur."

Aki: "What was that?"

Sayori: "Watch me."

To my surprise, Sayori get a frickin' 14K.

Aki: "How did you get this good?"

Sayori: "Let's just say I visit this place often."

Sayori looks at me with a smug look on her face, but she doesn't know that I have an ace up my sleeve.

Aki: "Alright then. If it's gonna be like that, then I choose that game."

I point to the basketball game. Sayori turns her head towards the game, and her smug face is gone in an instant.

Aki: "Where's that smug face now, huh?"

Sayori: "Oh come on Aki! You know you're better at basketball than me!"

Aki: "Hey, you were good at skee ball and I didn't even know."

Sayori: "Fiiine, but I'm picking the next game!"

Aki: "I'm fine with that."

We both head to the basketball game. Since there's two machines, Sayori and I can both play at the same time. What's even better is that the machines have a versus mode.

We both swipe our cards, and grab a ball. When the buzzer indicates the beginning of the game, we both start shooting. As expected, Sayori is missing most of her shots. I, on the other hand, am making basket after basket. The game quickly ends, and I win by a landslide.

Sayori: "No fair! You had more experience than me!"

Aki: "Like I said earlier, the same thing happened with skee ball."

Sayori: "Hmph. Fine, you win. Onto the next game!"

We both take turns choosing games for us to play. Sayori goes for the casual games, like the wheel spin. I choose the more skill-based games, like the clown knockdown game.

Once our cards tell us our balance is over, we head to the prize section. Sayori gets a ton of candy, and I get an elephant plushie.

Sayori: "How come you're getting the elephant plushie?"

Aki: "So that Mr. Cow can have a friend."

Sayori: "Whaaaa! You're getting it for me?!"

Aki: "Yep, here ya go."

I hand Sayori the plushie, and she hugs it with all her strength.

Sayori: "Aww, it's so cute! I think I'll name it... Mr. Elephant!"

Aki: "That's all you can come up with?"

Sayori: "Hey, it's my plushie so I get to name it."

Aki: "Alright alright, Mr. Elephant it is."

We both exit the arcade and think about where to go. In the middle of my thought process, Sayori's stomach growls.

Sayori: "Ehe- guess I'm hungry..."

Aki: "Wanna go for lunch then?"

Sayori: "Sure!"

We head to a small restaurant in the city. It's not that crowded, but it's a really good place. I know this because I've been here many times.

Aki: "Aki, nice to see you again!"

Sayori: "Hey there, just thought I'd drop by for lunch."

Aki: "Alrighty then, who's this with you?"

Aki: "This is Sayori, my best friend since childhood."

Sayori: "Ooh, that's cool! You both can sit over there, I'll get you guys menus."

We both head to the table the waitress assigned us. It's right next to the window, so we can get a nice view outside. A few minutes later, the waitress brings us the menus. We place our orders and wait for the food.

We both talk about our time in the arcade while we wait for the food. Once it arrives, we dig in. It's just as good as I remember. We both finish our food quickly, I guess we were really hungry. I'm about to pay when Sayori stops me.

Sayori: "Aki wait, I'll pay."

"Sayori it's okay, I can-"

Sayori: "Aki. Let me pay. You've already paid for a lot of stuff today. Let me at least do this."

Aki: "But-"

Sayori: "Please?"

Aki: "...okay. You can pay."

Sayori: "Thank you."

She pays for the food and we head out.

Sayori: "Where to next?"

I really don't understand her sometimes. One minute she's all serious, and the very next minute she's all happy and back to normal.

Aki: "I have an idea."