Monika stared intently at her phone. She felt nothing but intense regret as her eyes zeroed in on the name at the top of her contact log.

Next to name was a number: 10

That was how many times she called Shujinkou in this evening. But despite all her attempts, she was only able to reach his voicemail.

"I'm pretty sure Shujinkou's mad at me right now…" Monika lamented.

"I'm fairly certain that he isn't."

A hand soon placed a cup of tea in front of her. Monika appreciated Yuri's attempt to comfort her, but she knew her was just saying that. It was clear from Yuri's face that she wasn't sure how Shujinkou felt towards anything right now.

"I concur with Yuri," a playfully posh voice interjected.

Claudette soon stepped out of the kitchen, extending her pinky as she took a sip of her tea. The voice, complimented with her refined movements and actions was a very roundabout way of how highly she thought of Yuri's tea.

"Besides, didn't you once tell me that Shujinkou never gets mad?" she recalled.

"Not that I ever seen, but…"

Monika's mind flashed back to her brief conversation with Shujinkou earlier that day. Her vain attempt at trying to dissuade him from doing anything that could make his current mental state worse not only failed, but also resulted in him revealing something eye-opening.

"Did he yell at you?" Claudette questioned.

Her younger cousin shook her head. "No…"

"Did he look at you with disdain?"

"No."

"Okay… What did he say?"

"Can't tell you."

"So he threw something in your face."

Claudette paused and thought about what she said. "I only met him twice and that just doesn't sound right."

"I agree with that, Monika…" Yuri said. "I don't feel like he was trying to do that at all. I feel like he was just stating his reason why he couldn't stop. That said, it's very possibly that he believes in the possibility that he did in fact throw something personal like that in your face out of spite."

"Oh… I get it now…" Claudette sat down next to her cousin and looked deeply into her eyes. "It's not so much that you're worried that he may be mad at you; it's that you're frustrated with yourself too right?"

Monika remained silent. "…I definitely feel like I said a really ignorant thing. Wouldn't it make sense if I said something that hit too close to ho-?"

Claudette instantly clapped her free hand over Monika's mouth.

"No, no; I'm stopping you right there," she said. "You're doing that high schooler thing."

Unable to speak, Monika could only ask for clarification using her eyes.

"You're taking a situation and molding it to justify your feelings. To clarify, you've been feeling down and frustrated lately too, but some part of you is telling you that you shouldn't. So, another part of you is desperately searching for something to justify those feelings and clearly you took the thing with Shujinkou as your justification."

Claudette removed her hand from over Monika's mouth. "Your response?"

"Even if I said wasn't that bad, I don't really feel like I was any position to say anything," Monika sighed. At least Shujinkou is trying to do something about everything that's happening… like usual."

"Yeah, from what I hear, it sounds like he's being pulled every which way. It would make sense for him to be a bit 'off' like you two have been saying," Claudette noted. "After all, he's only human; there's only so much we can take at once all alone."

She then took another sip from her cup exchanging glances with Monika and Yuri.

"Anyway, carry on."

Claudette extended her pinky and took another quick sip as she walked upstairs.

"…I'm still amazed by how confident her every movement is," Yuri thought aloud.

"Really wish I had that right now…" Monika chuckled softly. "I could really use it."

She could feel her mind once again harkening back to the events of this afternoon before suddenly hearing a knock on the front door. Opening it, Monika couldn't help by be surprised by who was on the other side.

"H-Hey…" Shujinkou awkwardly waved his hand with an equally awkward smile on his face.

It was just being there was struggle for him, but it wasn't just one he faced himself.

Despite her best efforts to avoid doing so, Monika's response was still a timid, "Hey…"

She didn't know what else to say beyond that. She was afraid that she could say something that would make him walk off again.

Stuck in the awkward environment that their pause created, Monika could on respond by scratching her right cheek, unintentionally mirroring Shujinkou's current response.

He could only look on in surprise over Monika copying his instinctual cheek scratching habit.

"Sorry. I just felt like doing that," she explained with a chuckle.

"I get that. For me, it's pretty much instinct," Shujinkou chuckled. "Migatte no Goku'i: Cheek Scratching Edition."

"Well you definitely mastered unconscious movement for that action."

It was brief, but for a moment Monika felt at ease around Shujinkou.

"Monika… I'm sorry for what I said earlier," Shujinkou apologized. "You were just worried about me and I threw something really personal in your face…"

"It's no big deal; I probably spoke out of turn myself." Monika assured him. "Anyway, did you find anything?"

"I didn't really look today; I spent the afternoon moping around until something happens like usual. Surprisingly, something actually did."

Shujinkou then produced the briefcase Mali gave him earlier from behind his back. "Mali found something."

Monika felt uneasy being in the presence of the briefcase. Something about it was as strange as whatever she found off about Shujinkou.

"Oh. Guess it's a good thing you decided to put you faith in Mali then," she said.

"Yeah… Um… Can I come in and show you?" Shujinkou meekly requested.

"Of course."

Monika could feel Shujinkou's anxiety as he stepped inside. She didn't think it was possible for him to be any more anxious, but was soon proven wrong the moment he laid eyes on Yuri.

"H-Hey, Yuri…" he once again awkwardly waved his hand with a just as equally awkward smile.

"Hi…"

A concerned look landed on Yuri's face, something Monika could empathize with.

Shujinkou looked at her, then at Monika, then at the briefcase in his hands. With a defeated sigh, he sat down, clutching the briefcase tightly against his chest.

"So… I'll just give it to you guys straight…" he said. "Mali found documents detailing what's going on and it's in this very briefcase."

"Documents? Why would there be documents about… whatever's going on?" Monika queried.

"…I feel like you would have to read it to get the answer, so…"

Though reluctant, Shujinkou opened the case and handed two sheets of paper to Monika and Yuri.

"I warn you, it's pretty unsettling…" he added.

Monika agreed with his Shujinkou's comment; what she saw was unsettling. But it wasn't because of the contents on the page.

"Shujinkou… This paper is blank…" Yuri said.

"What? It… It can't be. I spent all evening reading every one of them," he sputtered.

"Well, what I'm looking at isn't blank but it's really hard to see it," Monika chimed in.

Shujinkou scratched his right cheek in silence.

"Can you two show me what you're holding?" he requested.

The two turned towards the paper they were holding towards Shujinkou. Despite what they said, he could see the contents on each perfectly.

"I can see them just fine." He noted.

The girls exchanged confused glances with each other and switched documents. Despite the change, the results were still the same.

"Okay, what about these?"

Shujinkou reached into the briefcase and pulled out another document for all to see.

"I don't see anything…" Yuri replied.

"I can kinda see it if I look hard enough," Monika answered.

Shujinkou quickly grabbed another document. "And this one?"

"Same."

"Ditto. Wait…"

Monika crawled towards the document and squinted her eyes.

"'Natsuki keeps disappearing during vital moments'?"she read aloud.

Monika and Shujinkou both felt a chilly sensation after that line.

"So… I'm the only one who can clearly read this stuff…?" he murmured. "Well, I guess Mali can too since she found these."

Monika noted the worried look on Shujinkou's face as he snuck a peek at Yuri.

"So, what did you learn from reading the documents?" Monika asked.

"It'd take forever to explain everything but the important parts are that I know what happened to Sayori and Natsuki," he announced.

For the second time that night, Monika briefly felt relieved. But like before, it didn't last long. Shujinkou's melancholy attitude wouldn't allow it to.

"There's more… I'll spare the suspense and just say it all at once." Shujinkou took a deep breath. "They were kidnapped and the people who took them are after you two too!"

Everything was quiet. Monika couldn't speak for Yuri, but she was sure that the only reason she wasn't screaming in fear and confusion is due to sheer shock. Maybe she didn't completely register what she was just told.

But even though she was just told that she had a target on her back, she felt her worry over her friends overpower her own fears. At least, that's how she felt now. It's easy to do that when nothing happened yet.

"Um…"

Shujinkou gathered all the documents and stuffed them back into the briefcase. He then closed it and stood up.

"Sorry to be the bearer of bad news and run but I gotta take this to the police now," he said. "I just figured you guys deserved to know beforehand. I guess I could've just called but I was planning on you guys reading it first…"

Shujinkou awkwardly scratched his right cheek as he exchanged a final glance with his silent friends.

"…'night." He solemnly stated before leaving.

…

"Yuri?"

Monika slowly turned her head to her right. Lying across from her was her guest.

"You awake?" she asked.

"Yes…"

There were a lot of things Monika wanted to ask right now, but the one she wanted to ask the most was, "How are you feeling?"

"I would suppose I feel the same as I've felt for the longest time…" Yuri sighed. "Metaphorically speaking, I've always felt like I put a target on my back, often because of how I used to convey my thoughts and feelings. Not to mention, since last year and especially the beginning of this one, I was worried about a more troublesome target…

To be honest, being told outright I have one is both scary and relieving because I at least know it as a fact."

"But why us?" Monika asked aloud. "That's something that's been bothering me since Shujinkou told us. He had a briefcase full of documents that have information about what's going on and he said that he spent all evening reading them. Comparing the quantity of documents to the quantity of information he gave us, even if shortened, it just doesn't match up.

I feel like if he did read all those documents, then he would have to have the answer to that single, but important question, right?"

The sound of stagnant air was the only comment to her deduction.

"…Good night," Monika softly mumbled.

The next morning...

A tired yawn slipped past Monika's lips as she followed Yuri downstairs.

"Wow, guess you didn't get much sleep, huh?"

Sitting nearby with phone in hand was her elder cousin, Claudette.

"Not really…" Monika weakly chuckled.

Claudette stretched her arms and yawned. "Me neither. I spent a good portion of the night practicing my bat swinging skills. My arms could use a rest. Anyway, you two need to get to school fast or something?"

"Well, there's not really a rush; why?"

Claudette simply pointed past her. Turning around, Monika was stunned to find Yuri already halfway out the front door.

"Yuri!"

Monika quickly followed Yuri outside. She desired to know how her friend was feeling but she knew it would be pointless to ask.

Monika suddenly felt a shiver to go down her spine after that thought. Looking ahead, she found Shujinkou walking towards them with a dark expression on his face. It was rather intimidating.

"What's wrong?" Monika instinctively asked.

"Nothing worked…" he groaned. "They couldn't see what was on the documents and the handwritten and typed copies I spent all night making were written off as me making stuff up."

"Really? You'd think they would at least consider your evidence considering it's the only clue in the first place."

"You'd think, huh?" Shujinkou chuckled.

It was then when Monika felt a strong urge to step back. His laughter, coupled with his shaking body made it clear that Shujinkou was very close to blowing up at the nearest person or object.

"…Even when I do the right thing and even take the precautions to make sure it works, it doesn't work," he groaned. "Now all I got is the location to Sayori and Natsuki and you two are still targets and there's nothing I can do about it!"

Shujinkou gritted his teeth as he clutched his briefcase tighter.

"Nothing…" he wailed.

"Aw… Senpai's still so down."

As if out of nowhere, Mali dropped down in front of the three.

"What happened, Senpai? Didn't those documents help lead you to the best possible outcome?" she asked.

"They would if it wasn't for the fact that we seem to be the only people can read them and the police won't even consider me trying to convey it them…" he sighed.

"The authorities were useless? What a surprise," Mali giggled. "What now, Shujinkou? You know what's going on and you can't get the help of our so called protectors. What's Shujinkou to do now?"

"Hire Big Boss if he was real…" Shujinkou joked with a forced chuckle.

He then went silent and looked down at the briefcase.

"I guess the only thing I can do know is tell everyone I know what's going on and hope for the best while dealing with the fact that I'm well aware of where our friends are at and just wait for the inevitability of something bad happening and hat I can't prevent because I'm a normal high schooler that suffering from something from he can't understand and what's worse, his friends are suffering for it because he just can't stop doing that no matter what he does and just…"

Shujinkou violently shook his head.

"Where'd that come from?" he wondered aloud.

"Senpai, you really seem all over the place mentally and emotionally." Mali noted.

Shujinkou solemnly scratched his right cheek.

"I gotta figure something out someway to use these documents! They're the only way to save them!" he declared.

Shujinkou then walked away at a break-neck speed.

Monika wanted to go after him, but she was stopped by two reasons. The first was that Yuri moved before she did. The second was the sight she noticed from the corner of her eyes. She could see Mali giggling her way.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"Just thinking about the irony. I worked so hard to find those documents for Senpai but it's almost useless since we're the only ones that can read them, which is pretty strange in itself," Mali explained with a smile.

"You don't seem particularly disappointed." Monika noted

"If I didn't enjoy twist of fates like this then I'd be like Senpai; always wearing a sad face. Besides don't you think it's interesting too? Only Shujinkou and I can read those documents and yet you're able to somewhat read them. Another strange thing on top of something already strange."

Monika agreed with that sentiment. Strange and out of nowhere events things had been occurring one after the other for seemingly no reason and her being able to somewhat read what only Shujinkou and Mali could seemed more disturbing than the previous ones.

"Then again, is it really surprising that Ms. School Idol can do something so strange but amazing?" Mali continued. "Maybe Shujinkou being able to do the same is the strange thing. Or maybe he can do it because Shujinkou is the odd one out."

"What do you mean he's 'the odd one out'," Monika questioned.

Mali simply giggled. It was clear that she was enjoying Monika's confusion.

"The odd one out. Does Shujinkou really matter in the grand scheme of things? Maybe that's why he having trouble solving things," Mali theorized. "Then again Shujinkou has to be the one to save the day because he's Shujinkou. That's why I find these current events interesting."

Monika felt weary. Mali's interest in what was currently happening was almost scary.

"You don't agree?" Mali questioned. "But it's part of the human condition, right; the desire for conflict, to want to see someone struggle so valiantly to win the day. Sure you want them to be happy but that's always secondary to seeing their desperation and pain towards getting there. You should know that well considering what you're into. Stories always have their characters go through that."

"I don't think using fictional characters helps aid your point, Mali. Reading the struggles of those in fiction isn't the same as enjoying a real people's struggles," Monika argued.

"Is it though? Then why is there often such a correlation. Why do people always look to stories for comparisons to their lives and to draw solutions from them? In reality, it's a really good aid; just apply that feeling to real life and you'll see why Shujinkou has to be the one to save the day."

Her comments made Monika feel even wearier.

"Mali… You don't have some kind of part in what's going on right now, do you?" she asked.

"Why would Ms. School Idol ask that?" Mali asked back, perplexed.

"Something about Shujinkou has been off since he fell on his head… that's what we've been going with but before that happened he had a conversation with you. Then you disappear for a little while and come back with evidence of what's going on, but somehow only you and Shujinkou can clearly read it. And the way you're so invested in Shujinkou finding some way to 'save the day'… It's just very suspicious."

Mali smiled her usual innocent smile.

"Why Ms. School Idol, that's such an accusation," she replied. "I've done nothing but help Senpai like any good Kōhai would. Right now especially, I promised Shujinkou that I would help him towards a resolution and I promised myself that I wouldn't let anything super bad happen to him. If something were to happen to him, that would be disastrous, wouldn't it?"

Mali giggled once again. "Almost as disastrous as Shujinkou not saving the day."

Every word Mali had said has done nothing but make Monika even more cautious of her. Despite claiming to help, she didn't deny having a hand in what was happening.

"Of course, where does that leave Ms. Club President?" Mali continued. "Senpai is just a normal club member and yet he does more than the founder and president. Isn't it your responsibility to keep your club together? But instead of doing that, you rely on the one that doesn't look like the literature type and didn't want to be there in the first place.

I may have said that Shujinkou doesn't do much but you make him look really active in comparison. Even now, he's driving himself crazy to protect his friends while others do nothing but wait on the sidelines. This just proves that his potentials do nothing but push their problems on him, fueling his almost martyr complex. That's pretty harsh to do to someone you claim to love."

Mali's words weighed heavily on Monika's heart. She had already felt that way for a while, but always buried those feelings. She had called herself out on it before, but hearing it come from Mali hurt even more.

"Though if Ms. Club President was just letting Senpai be the 'heart' of the club just so he can feel like he's not out of place, then now would be a good time to drop the act. After all, Senpai could use all the help he can get since he's on a strict countdown."

Mali pulled her phone out of her pocket and smiled.

"Then again maybe all his struggles are pointless anyway… Especially on the strict countdown he's on."

"What countdown?" Monika queried.

"I told you there's a special correlation between real life and fiction right? There's a lot of literature where the protagonist you follow is on a strict time limit and no matter what they do, they hardly ever stop the antagonist from achieving their goals. They always come so close but no matter how desperate and no matter how much they struggle, it either doesn't work or it somehow plays into the opposing forces hands or they have a backup that only works even if it bears no connection to the previous plan or makes the first one ludicrous.

Either way, the possibility of thwarting the first stage is very low, something that happens in real life too right, President of the Literature Club?"

Monika took a step back. She couldn't explain it, but the pressure she was feeling from Mali was almost suffocating. She felt a strong urge to leave well enough alone, but she had to ask something very important.

"Mali… What do you know that I don't know?"

Mali tilted her head, clearly intrigued by her question.

"Kinda weird hearing you say that. I thought Monika knew everything, or at least aware of what's happening," she said. "For once Senpai isn't the one in the dark. In fact, he's well aware of what's going on. But then again what's the point of you knowing it? Monika doesn't usually have things go her way, right? No matter when, no matter where, no matter the situation/scenario; things just don't go Monika's way."

A single tear crawled down Monika's left cheek. As she wiped it away, she couldn't help but wonder what led to it. She felt her heart ache, but not because of current circumstances. Whatever was causing her to feel this way had to be something else entirely.

"Mali…"

Turning her attention back to Mali, Monika was stunned to discover that she was no longer around.

"Wow. She's got quite a tongue for such a tiny girl, doesn't she?"

Monika turned around. Walking her way was a strange and overly suspicious man. He was tall, scruffy and well-built.

"A lot like that other tiny girl, er… Natsuki I just think," he continued. "Sharp tongues hidden by innocent faces."

Monika didn't say a word; it took everything she had to resist showing how she felt on the inside: terrified.

"Can't even get out a, 'What are you talking about?' That's different." The man said in a jovial tone of voice.

"…What have you done to my friends?" she finally asked.

"Nothing. They're just chilling out, waiting for me to complete the set," the stranger answered. "We can make this a whole lot easier if you just come along; definitely would be good for my time schedule and for you to avoid what happened to the bubbly one. Seriously, you should be glad I was the one to come to you."

"But I don't even know who you are?"

"Is that some roundabout start to you getting my name? No need. The name's Akui; nice to meet you."

Monika slowly tucked her hands into her jacket pockets and sighed. All she could think about was Mali's talk of how thwarting stage one of any event was almost impossible. That's what the chances of escaping felt like to her; it would be impossible.

"Why? Why are you so interested in taking us like this?" she solemnly asked.

"Like what?"

"One by one. Is it convenience or are you trying to scare us?"

Akui shrugged."It can be both."

"Why are you even taking us in the first place? What did the Literature Club ever do to you?"

"Your little club? Nothing; I'm not even interested in the set itself. I'm mostly doing this because I know how much you mean to your shared boyfriend."

"Shujinkou?"

Suddenly, Mali's words regarding Shujinkou having to save the day made perfect sense. She knew there was something personal happening in the background.

"Why would you-?"

"Uh-uh," Akui interrupted. "That's enough questions. We wouldn't want to ruin the surprise, would we?"

Suddenly a baseball bat swung through the air and across Akui's face, knocking him downto the ground.

Monika could only watch on in shock as Claudette daintily stepped over his body.

"Wow, you're right, wouldn't want that surprise ruined," she casually stated as she approached Monika.

"Claudette?"

"Overheard what Shujinkou said last night and earlier," she explained. "Now you know why I had trouble sleeping."

Before another word could be said, Claudette was lifted into the air by her bat. Quickly twisting her body, Claudette was able to land on her feet as she was thrown to the ground.

"You're pretty good," Akui complimented.

"Made sure to prepare myself for handsy people," Claudette explained. "Just didn't expect to use it to protect my cousin who probably ran off by now leaving me here to hold the line as little cousins do."

Monika understood Claudette's unsubtle hint but-

"I hope she didn't. No idea what that would mean for the friend's safety." Akui replied.

Hearing that froze Monika in place. She was already reluctant to leave her cousin, but hearing that guaranteed she couldn't.

"That's low," Claudette chided

"Gets the job done and like I said: I'm on a time limit here." Akui said.

"Fine…" Claudette violently pried her bat out of Akui's hands and stepped in front of Monika. "Guess I'll just have to show my little cousin what I do to people who threaten her and her friends, after all."