That very same morning, Shujinkou finished packing his bag and strapped it in his back. Even though it's been hours since he's learned it, the young man mind was still stuck on the massive revelation he discovered the night before.

There are alternate realities out there. It's unbelievable. I know it's everywhere in shows and books and everything but for it to actually be real…

I wonder if there's a alternate me out there. I wonder what he'd be like. Maybe there's an me that's a secret agent or maybe there's a me that's in a fantasy world.

What if there's a world where fictional characters are real.

That question even more questions to his curious mind. The idea of some of his favorite fictional heroes being real excited his inner child.

In no time, that excitement was substituted with surprise and confusion once he heard the door bell. HE quickly walked down downstairs and opened the front door.

"Hi, Shujinkou."

In front of him was Monika smiling and waving at him.

"Hey, Monika," he replied. "What are you doing here?"

The girl before him simply giggled. "I think you're forgetting 'Prime'."

"Oh! You're the other…! I mean…"

"You can just call me Monika since the other me isn't here right now."

Shujinkou scratched his right cheek. He was sure he was going to somehow mess up and confuse the two sometime soon. But that wasn't the only thing on his mind.

He actually found it ironic. The burning question in his head was triggered by her clothing, the same indicator that she was different from the Monika he knew when they first met.

"Hey, Monika…"

"Yeah?"

"How come you're wearing our school uniform?"

Monika glanced at her current outfit, similar to how she did it yesterday.

"Well, actually it's mine; the one I came here with. It's a good thing they're the same here. But to answer your question, I asked the other me if I could go to school in her place today."

"Huh? Monika's letting you pull the ole twin switch?"

"Mm-hmm. The difference being that someone's trying to do something school related other than get out of school."

Monika giggled as she recalled how she convinced her other self to let her go to school in her place.

Not too long ago…

"You want to go to school in my place?" Surprise was evident by the tone of Monika's voice as she repeated her double's question.

"Mm-hmm," Monika Prime nodded her head. "I want to see how different your school is from mine."

"I don't know. Isn't that impersonation through a twin switch? Those usually don't end so well."

"True, but you're forgetting something, Monika: twins are two separate people who just happen to look the same. We're literally the same person with different origins but are still very similar. I'm pretty sure I could pull off being you for a day."

"It still seems deceitful. I would be lying to everyone for the day."

"Please, other me. I'm not trying to take your place, I'm just curious."

Monika bit her lip as she tried to weigh the pros and cons of the situation. On the one hand, her other self wouldn't be stuck in her house all day, especially considering that she's currently stuck here.

On the other hand, if they were somehow caught, it could potentially have major consequences.

Then again, like Monika said, we are pretty much the same person. The only difference would be things like our memories and experiences. It's very likely she could pull it off.

"Don't forget, there's someone who can keep an eye on me to make sure that I'm not being too obvious that I'm not you," Monika Prime added.

That was true and a fact that did offer Monika some comfort.

"Well… Okay."

"Thanks, Monika."

Back in the Present…

"And that's how it happened," a knowing smile crossed the spatial visitor's face. "Confused?"

"Confused? Not really," Shujinkou contemplatively scratched his right cheek. The scenario was strange but it was believable that it would be the only circumstance that Monika would avoid school that wasn't an emergency.

"By the way, where's Sayori? I figured you two would walk to school together."

"Actually she went to school ahead of me today."

"She went to school ahead of you?" a surprised and ponderous look was on Monika's face as stared at him.

"She does that sometimes. I think it's because she's planning for something."

"So, it's not often?"

"Not all the time."

"Does she ever have to catch up to you when you start walking to school?"

"Only at the start of the semester."

"That's surprising?"

"Is your Sayori different?"

"Well, my Sayori had a tendency to sleep in for reasons…" a dark look hung over Monika's face, surprising and slightly worrying Shujinkou; though her slight giggle afterwards alleviated that tension.

Was she trying to scare me? Shujinkou averted his gaze as he pondered the likelihood of that possibility. Her earlier dark expression would be understandable considering what he had learned about her. I wonder if this Monika came from a really dark dimension.

"Shujinkou?"

"Hm?" brought out of his thoughts, Shujinkou could see the interest on Monika's face.

"The other me told me that you don't go into your head as much as you used too."

"It comes and goes."

"Really?"

Shujinkou could tell the level of interest rose just by looking into her eyes. It somewhat reminded of how Mali looked at him when she promised to stop pulling pranks around the school.

He could understand Mali's reasons, but he couldn't see why an alternate Monika would have an interest in him.

Though it may be because she's trying to learn about someone she doesn't know.

"I guess sometimes you like to think about things deeply," Monika noted.

"I guess that's a way to put it."

Monika smiled, the interest in her eyes seemingly going away. "So, shall we get to school?"

"Right, school…"

In the midst of a small-scale multiversal crossover, school seemed like a weird thing to worry about. Then again, considering the scale, he knew there was no reason to avoid it.

As they walked to school, Shujinkou asked one of the burning questions in his head. "Are you sure you're okay with going to our school? It may not be exactly the same as yours."

"Don't worry. Monika gave me all the info I need," Monika assured him. "Plus, I have friend who could help me in a pinch, right?"

"I'm not really that good in those situations…" he weakly chuckled as he scratched his right cheek.

"I don't know. You helped out a pinch yesterday remember?"

"I did?"

"Mm-hmm. You're the one who gave a convincing argument as to why I'm not a crazy twin or look-alike. That helped out a lot."

"I was just being honest."

"And it helped in a pinch. Oh, that reminds me, do you think that you could keep me being from another reality a secret from your friends for now?"

"Um…" Shujinkou anxiously scratched his right cheek. He feared that this would lead to lying but at the same time there was no way to prove such a claim without both Monika's being in one place. "…Yeah."

…

The final school bell rang throughout the school, signaling the end of another day academic learning.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Shujinkou turned around and was greeted with the sight of Kiyoko rhythmically tapping her pencil on her desk.

"You looked like you had something on your mind all day," she said.

Shujinkou didn't know what to say. He was still conflicted over lying over something complicated even though the complication would be hard to explain. Plus, he already promised the other Monika that he would keep it a secret.

"I was just wondering how someone was doing."

Shujinkou was surprised how vague, yet truthful his answer was.

"Sure, they're doing fine."

Shujinkou appreciated Kiyoko not diving further into the topic. It was sometimes easy to forget that was one of the reasons he always found her easy to talk to.

The two then stood up from their seats and walked out of the classroom together.

"Heading to the club?" Kiyoko asked.

"Yeah," Shujinkou scratched his right cheek. "You want to come and visit?"

"Sorry, but I got things to do today. Maybe next time?"

"Can't promise, but I hope. See ya, Shujinkou."

With a wave goodbye, Kiyoko took off and disappeared in the crowded hallway. Now alone, Shujinkou walked one of the nearby windows and took in the scenery as he wondered what to do next.

Now that I think about it, I wonder if Monika knows where the clubroom is. Wonder if she had one in the dimension she came from or if her version of the club still uses the classroom. Is she even president of the club there?

She knows a Sayori from her dimension. Wonder what's the difference between her and the Sayori here. Also wonder if there's a Natsuki and Yuri there and if they're any different.

Is there a me there?

"Penny for your thoughts, Senpai?"

A sharp chill darting up his spine jolted Shujinkou back to reality. He tried to catch his breath as he turned around to find Mali standing behind him.

A sense of guilt built up in him for having such a reaction in the first place.

"What's wrong, Senpai? First you're friendly and now you're scared?"

Mali giggled as she watched Shujinkou look away in shame.

"But that's not what's caught my eye. Here I was wondering how Senpai was doing and here I found him deep in thought looking all serious. So, what's going on in that head of yours, Senpai?"

"I was honestly just thinking about life."

"Life?" Genuine curiosity rested on the first year's face.

"Yeah, like… You ever wonder if there's anything more out there. Like there's more to the world, the universe than we know. Like one day everything you understand about life can change in an instant."

"Wow, Senpai… Did one of your friends confess to you and you just can't fathom why?"

"Wh-?! No! No! That's-! We're not like that!"

"Really? That's the only life-altering thing that I can think of that would make Senpai so contemplative like he is."

Somehow that seems even more unlikely than multiple universes…

"Shujinkou!"

His and Mali's attention were drawn to the sudden voice calling the young man's name. Walking through towards them was Monika.

"Hey."

"Hey, Monika. How was your day?"

"Pretty educational. But every day reminds me of why I appreciate my friends."

Her eyes were then drawn to Mali.

The first-year student had an inquisitive look on her face as she just stared at Monika. In response, Monika waved and greeted her with a simple, "Hey, Mali,"

An innocent smile crossed Mali's face. "I never realized Ms. School Idol could be so devious."

"Excuse me?" Monika replied.

Instead of elaborating, Mal turned her gaze to Shujinkou and asked, "Senapi, can I come with you to the club?

"Huh? You really want to come?"

"Senpai wanted me to get along with his friends. How will I be able to do that if I don't have the chance to be around them?"

"That's true…" Normally, Shujinkou would be compelled to ask Monika for permission considering how Mali's last visits turned out, but that Monika wasn't here right now. "Sure."

A bright smile stretched across her face. "Great! I'll be sure to remember that."

"Huh? You're not coming now?"

"I didn't say today, Senpai." Mali giggled innocently as she suddenly skipped into the distance.

"The other me wasn't exaggerating, Mali really is an expert at unnerving others," Monika noted. "Just her stare made me a little uncomfortable."

"Yeah… But she can be nice when she wants to," Shujinkou insisted. "She is the one who found us our current clubroom after all."

"Hmm… What's your relationship to Mali?"

"Um… I was assigned to watch her to keep her from pulling more pranks throughout the school. She eventually agreed to stop and now… Um…"

Shujinkou struggled to figure out how to describe the relationship they had. He wasn't sure what Mali viewed him as.

"Now we're acquaintances."

"I see…" Monika giggled as she walked ahead of him.

Moments later, the two stood in front of the door that led to the clubroom occupied by the Literature Club.

Anxiety slowly built up in Shujinkou as he watched Monika reach for the door handle. Would his friends notice some discrepancies between the Monika's just by being around her?

Shujinkou noticed a solemn expression resting on the visitor's face. He assumed it must be a little awkward preparing to meet alternative versions of people you know.

"Here goes," she said.