I was already finished with this chapter weeks ago, but I wanted to make sure nothing was wrong before I published it. I'm also making a mod based off of this story. I posted a preview already on YouTube

watch?v=Mb5nl0hYsgQ

Enjoy Chapter 2

It took me about ten minutes to shower and get some breakfast. I made scrambled eggs and toast after I was done. Nothing too fancy, but I needed something that would give Meiji's body energy. I brushed my teeth and combed my hair so I looked decently presentable. Meiji was silent through all that. As I grabbed a small backpack and placed keys, wallet and both my and Meiji's phone in a smaller pocket, I heard Meiji say Hey, um, I'm sorry about my outbursts earlier.

"No, don't be. I'd be scared too if I were in your position. Also, thank you for believing me about this world being a game."

Well…I don't quite believe you yet, I heard him say. Actually, I don't want to believe it.

"That's understandable. But I promise that it's the truth. I wouldn't make something that silly up in this situation."

I guess not…okay, I'm ready.

"Good." I head towards the entrance, put shoes on and stepped outside. A cold late autumn morning breeze immediately washed over me and I inhaled out of reflex. The air smelled fresh and clean and I could hear the sound of a few birds chirping nearby. The sky was crystal clear and a bright cheery blue; the sun was bright but due to the time of year it was cold. Shivering I looked around and noticed that there was a coat hanging on a hanger next to the door. "This yours?"

Yep.

I put it on and then locked the front door, slipped the keys back into the small one strap backpack I'd found in Meiji's room and walked out into the street. When we got onto the street, I turned and took a picture of Meiji's house from the angle it was seen as in the game. "So, where's Sayori's place?"

A couple seconds away. Look up and slightly to your left.

I looked and to my surprise I was greeted with the scene from the very first moments of DDLC. I pointed towards the large house that, if one was looking at the game background, would be the one most visible. "That one, you sure?"

Yep. Why?

"No reason." I quickly took a picture of the house and then walked up to the front door. "I can just enter, right?" I asked as I walked up to the door.

Yeah, I did it all the time. Her family almost never keeps her door locked.

I turned the handle and threw the door open. "Sayori! I'm here!"

I heard a rustling from inside. A woman walked out into the hallway. She could have been Sayori's older sister. She had longer hair than Sayori, but I saw a blue bow in her hair. Her eyes were a deeper shade of blue than Sayori's but her smile was an instant reminder of Sayori to me. "Meiji-kun, nice to see you. It's been a while."

"Ah, um yeah. Sorry for not stopping by more often," I said a bit, putting my hand behind my head nervously.

That's Sayori's mother. I just call her Fujioka-san, Meiji said.

"What are you doing here?" Sayori's mother asked.

"Heh, well I invited Sayori to spend the day with me," I said. "I hope that's alright. It was a spur of the moment thing."

"Oh my," she said, smiling kindly. "Well, she's still in her room. I don't mind as long as you bring her back at a good time."

My cheeks flushed. "I wouldn't dream of anything else."

"Good." She walked over to some stairs. "Sayori! Meiji-kun is here!" I heard shuffling from the upstairs area.

"Coming!" a new voice shouted from upstairs. Judging from the jump in heartbeat I felt, I guessed who it could be. I turned to face the newcomer. She looked even better as a normal person. Her hair wasn't pink, but instead it was dark shade of brown, darker than Meiji's anyway. She was wearing a magenta hoodie with light green sleeves and a pair of black jeans. Nothing like her casual wear in the game.

"Hey Sayori, it's been a while," I said, utilizing the sudden nervous feeling I felt from Meiji into my own performance. I smiled sheepishly. "I hope I didn't wake you. I know how you like to sleep in."

Sayori's mother giggled. "He's got you pegged, sweetie."

"Moooom! Meanie," she said. That last word was directed at me as she gave me a frowning glance.

"I'm kidding," I reassured her, reaching over to ruffle her hair. "But seriously, I hope I didn't wake you up from a nice dream."

"Nope! I was already awake," she said cheerfully.

Same old Sayori, I heard Meiji say.

Yeah, no kidding, I said in my head without thinking.

Hey, I heard you!

For real? Good to know we can talk without us looking like a loon, I replied.

"Lemme just grab my things," Sayori said, walking over to a chair and grabbing a small brown purse which she slung over her shoulder.

"Let's go," I encouraged her. I looked over and bowed at her mother. "Thank you for letting me borrow your daughter, Fujioka-san."

"Ara, ara," Fujioka-san said, putting a hand to her cheek and smiling knowingly. "It's like you're taking my daughter out on a date."

"Eeeehhh!?" Sayori's face went completely red.

I felt my cheeks run hot, mostly from Meiji. "Aaah, um…it's not really a date," I said. I felt my own nervousness mixing with Meiji's, but I struggled for control. "C-Come on, Sayori."

"Ehehe, alright Meiji," she said, slipping off her slippers and into a pair of pink shoes. I opened the door for her and she stepped outside after grabbing a light pink coat. "Thank you."

"Not at all."

"Have fun you two," Sayori's mother said. I could hear the amusement in her voice as the door shut behind us.

"S-Sorry about Mom," Sayori said after a little while of walking in silence.

My mom's a bit like that too, Meiji said. When she isn't worrying about me.

"Don't worry about it," I said with a small smile. "I know how it is. Now, let's just enjoy the day, shall we?"

Her eyes widened in excitement. "Yes! Where are we going first?"

"Well, since I'm guessing you haven't had any breakfast yet, why don't we go get some food?"

I knew that was the right call because I immediately saw Sayori begin salivating. "Yes please!"

I know a good memorable place where we can go. Just follow my directions.

Alright, but let's make this fun. "Perfect. Now I want you to close your eyes."

"Eeeh? How come?" she looked a bit confused now and nervous.

"I want it to be a surprise." I took her hand. "I'll lead you."

Sayori's cheeks flushed a bit the moment I took her hand but she nodded. Closing her eyes, she said, "I'm ready."

Keep going straight for two point four meters, then turn left, Meiji said, his voice imitating that of a GPS.

You cheeky bastard, I replied in an amused tone, but I followed his instructions. As we walked, I took in the scenery before me. It appeared as if this neighborhood was a bit higher up than the rest of the city, probably a middle-class neighborhood. On the first turn I got a good vantage point of the city. It looked a bit smaller than most metropolises, with only a handful of skyscrapers in the distance. The neighborhood itself appeared to appeal to the better off, with most of the houses being two stories with an occasional three-story house. I listened as Meiji led me down the streets towards a more business-oriented section of the suburb, making sure I kept an eye on Sayori. Soon we came to a small café. "Here we are," I said, "open your eyes."

She did so and they didn't stop opening. "You…you remembered?"

"I remember a lot of things," I said. "Come on, let's get you something to eat."

"Cinnamon buns!" Sayori eagerly said as she ran towards the doors.

She loves the buns from here, Meiji said.

Now that makes sense. Good call dude. "Slow down there!" I chased Sayori into the café, which at this time was a bit busy. There were a few people sitting down, drinking coffee and talking among themselves and the line was a bit longer than I'd have liked, but it wasn't unbearable. "Damn, maybe we should have been here sooner," I said as I joined Sayori, who had already secured a spot in line. "How many cinnamon buns do you want?"

"Three!" she said, holding up three fingers eagerly.

I looked over at the display and saw that the buns were massive and practically covered in glaze. "Really? Are you sure?"

"Mmhmm!" She was already salivating.

"Anything to drink?"

"Chocolate milk," she giggled.

Same old Sayori, Meiji said.

"Same old Sayori," I repeated, messing with her hair.

"Hey! Meanie…" she puffed her cheeks and looked at me with a pouting expression.

"Alright, sorry." I held my hands up.

"I'll only forgive you if you get me four buns," she pouted, looking away.

"Four?! Sayori, are you sure you can eat that much?"

"Yep!"

I sighed. "Fine, four buns. Hey, there are a couple of people ahead of us still," I said. "Why don't you go find us a place to sit while I get the food? No point in us both standing in line."

"Alright!" she practically bounced away towards a small two-person table near the window closest to the entrance. I took this chance to take a good long look at the café. The ceiling was slanted with a few ceiling fans slowly turning, which allowed for a gentle breeze to blow through the café. The lighting was warm and inviting and the soft music playing through the ceiling speakers was a gentle Japanese sounding instrumental. The counter had three cash registers, which surprised me. In my experience, the more registers, the more business a store had. There was only one woman at the register, her fingers flying across the screen as she took orders. The counter had a display which showed many kinds of pastries. There were breakfast sandwiches, bagels, donuts and the infamous cinnamon buns. Hey, do you drink coffee?

Yes, and black, please.

I wasn't a coffee drinker, but I wasn't in my body either. I figured he enjoyed the taste and perhaps I would too since I had different taste buds. When it was my turn, the young woman at the counter greeted me. "Welcome to Café Forté. What can I get for you today?"

"May I have four of your cinnamon buns, a tall hot chocolate, the sausage breakfast bagel and a medium black coffee please?"

Large please.

Your digestive system is going to hate us in the morning. "Sorry, make that coffee a large please."

"Of course! Is there anything else?"

"Nope, that should do it, thank you," I replied.

"Would you like us to heat up the cinnamon buns?"

Sayori used to love getting them heated up, if I remember right.

"Yes please."

"Great! Your total will be 3094 yen." Her cheerful behavior was infectious and I returned the customer service smile I was getting from her with a small one of my own. I paid for the food, which was considerably less than I was expecting, considering the fact that the cinnamon buns were almost as big as Sayori's head. I stepped to the side and waited for my order to be processed. The orders ahead of me grabbed their coffee and rushed out. I don't know much about Japanese culture, but do people in offices really work on Sundays? I asked Meiji.

If they need to. Mom and Dad work Sunday through Thursday but that's because Friday is the only day Mom can go visit Aiko at her college campus.

Oh yeah, tell me a bit about your sister. What does she look like? What's her major?

An image of a pretty cute girl with long twintails popped into my mind's eye. She had brown hair and eyes like Meiji. Her twintails were tied very low down with red ribbons. The image Meiji imagined was of her in the Sakura High school uniform, only her blazer was tied around her waist. She was also decently well endowed, about the same as Sayori was at least if not more. She was quite beautiful. She's a lot more of a free spirit than I am, Meiji said. Her major in school is Linguistic Communications or something like that with a minor in Library Studies. She was the president of the literature club when she was in high school before it disbanded, after all.

Wait, she was in the literature club? A twinge of fear shivered up my spine. Why was it disbanded?

All the members graduated.

I nodded with relief. Makes sense.

"Sir? Here's your order," a voice pulled me out of my internal dialogue.

I turned and saw the cashier looking at me expectantly. On the counter was a tray with two paper coffee cups, the breakfast bagel and cinnamon buns, the last two wrapped up neatly.

"Ah, right, thank you," I said as I took the tray.

"You're welcome and enjoy!" She walked back to the register and took the next order to a young-looking couple who had just walked in.

I carried the tray over to where Sayori was staring wistfully out the window. I approached quietly, wanting to see for myself what her expression was. Her normal smile was gone, replaced with a blank stare. She was leaning against her hand while the other one was resting on the table. I…guess she really does have depression… Meiji said, sounding regretful.

Don't worry, we can help change that. I placed the tray down loudly. "Wakey wakey, Sayori! All our food is here and ready," I busted out an impromptu rhyme as I sat across from her.

"Uwaaah!" She jumped, startled at my sudden presence. "Ah, Meiji? Sorry. I was spacing out."

I reached over and flicked her forehead a bit. "Try not to do that so much," I chuckled.

"Ow! Meanie…" she pressed her fingers together and looked at me with a frown.

"Well, this meanie just paid for four of those cinnamon buns you like so much," I said, revealing the heavily drizzled and now freshly warm buns.

Her mouth opened and she began to drool. "Itadakimasu!" she said, grabbing the first bun and taking a massive bite out of it. I chuckled, ripped off a small portion of another one and took a bite. I immediately understood her enthusiasm for the buns. I might have had different taste buds now, but I knew that the protagonists love of sweets was legendary. The buns were, to my surprise, somewhat crisp on the outside, with a heavenly soft and warm center. The glaze only enhanced the experience of the little bit of bun I got.

"Man, these are good. I regret not getting one for me. Although knowing you, you'd just steal it from me."

You know, you're doing a good job of imitating how I'd tease her at least, Meiji said. I almost heard the chuckle behind those words.

I try.

"If you want, I can split one with you," Sayori said, suddenly looking nervous.

I shook my head. "No, I don't want to deprive you of the experience of devouring such delicious goodies." I took a bite out of my breakfast bagel. "I've got my own food here, so don't worry about me."

"Alright," she said a bit uncertainly. I took a bite of my food. The bagel was one of the plain ones, and inside was a square of scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese and a round sausage patty. The bagel was just as savory and full of umami as the bun was sweet and fluffy. The food in this world is a lot better than mine.

Or maybe we Japanese have a better handle on food than you fat Americans, Meiji said in a teasing tone.

Oy! Not fair! I am not fat!

Who says Sayori is the only one I get to tease?

You sneaky little devil. I took a sip of the coffee once it cooled. I wasn't a coffee fan, but with these new taste buds I began to see why Meiji liked it black. It had a bitter taste, but in an enjoyable way. You know, it's a shame we're only a couple years too early for Bang drinks.

What are those?

They're an energy drink that becomes popular around a year from now. They don't taste at all like energy drinks.

Are they good?

Very. I continued to eat and wash the bagel down with sips of coffee. Sayori was already on her second bun, her face all messy and sticky. I chuckled and handed her one of the damp towels the restaurant gave us. "Wipe your face," I said teasingly. She stopped and blushed. Taking the towel from me, she wiped her mouth clean then resumed eating, just as quickly getting her face messy. I decided to ignore it until she was finished. What would you do in a situation like this?

Ask her how she's been. The last time we really ever talked was a few months ago when she was first talking about forming her club. Or ask about her club.

"Hey, how's your club been?" I asked after washing down a bite of bagel with some coffee. "It's been a while since we've hung out like this and we hardly ever get to see each other at school."

"It's going great!" she said, her mouth still full. She took a sip of her hot chocolate and swallowed it all. "We started a month ago after our president quit her last club. Our club president is a really good leader, and the other members are pretty cool in their own way."

"You're vice-president of the Literature Club, right?" I asked, knowing full well she was.

"Yep!"

"So, what do you guys do in the club? Do you sit in a circle and read books aloud? Do you discuss your favorite books and the merits of each?"

"We mostly just do our own thing. Natsuki reads her manga, Yuri reads bigger books, Monika spends a lot of her time trying to come up with activities for us to do together but she also writes sometimes too. Last week we read a book Yuri recommended called Sense and Sensibility. That was fun, although Natsuki didn't really think so."

"Wait, did you mention Monika?" I tilted my head curiously.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I did. Do you know her?" Sayori looked puzzled.

"Well, does she have long hair, a white bow, green eyes?" I asked. "Because if so, I do know her. She and I were in the same class last year. We didn't talk much."

"Uwaah! Really?!"

I chuckled at Sayori's cute reaction, and felt my heartrate increase. I…guess I really do have a crush on Sayori… Meiji said.

Good to hear. Let's turn the charm up to a ten. "So, what did you think of the book you guys read last week?" I asked. It had been a few years since I read that particular Jane Austen book.

"Willoughby is a meanie!" Sayori said, scowling. "The way he leaves Marianne is just stupid! All for money?"

It was starting to come back to me now. "Don't you remember when Willoughby came by to see Marianne when she was sick near the end of the book? Remember that talk he had with Elinor?"

"Yeah, but he didn't have to be so mean!" she puffed her cheeks out.

"Yeah that's fair. Who's your favorite character?" I asked.

"Marianne," Sayori said with a smile. "I was happy when she ended up with the Colonel."

"Mine is actually Edward," I said. "I admire his loyalty and his refusal to bow to the pressure he was put on when his engagement to Lucy came to light."

Sudden realization came to Sayori's eyes. "Wait…you read Sense and Sensibility!?" She said that so loud that other café patrons looked over at us curiously.

"Whoa, calm down there," I said.

"Bu-but…I thought you only read manga?" she asked.

If I remember right, Mom has a copy of that book somewhere in the house, I heard Meiji say. And a movie version.

Thanks! "I saw the book on the kitchen table a couple weeks ago. Mom likes those types of books and I guess curiosity got the better of me. It's not something I'd normally read, but I actually did enjoy it. Speaking of, I should look to see if there's a manga version."

"There's the Meiji I know," Sayori giggled as she dug into her third bun.

Good save. I'd have never read such a story myself.

It was part of a college class a couple terms ago, I replied. You should really give it a read sometime. "So, what else have you guys been doing?" I asked, finishing my bagel.

"Oooh! We tried reading some short stories, but that didn't quite work out as Monika hoped. Natsuki wasn't much of a fan of the ones Yuri picked and Yuri didn't like the manga Natsuki hoped to read."

"Good to know someone in that club has the sense to realize that manga is literature," I said.

Damn right!

"Ehehe, you'd like her," she said. Her tone had a hint of strain in it, as if she was forcing her smile.

"Sounds like it, if she's half as awesome as you are."

I don't like the way she said that.

Me neither. "Where do you guys meet up?"

"It's in a classroom for third years," she said.

"Whoa, an entire classroom? Isn't that a bit big for only four people?" I asked.

"That was where the old literature club met," she explained, "and when Monika went to apply to restart the club, she was told there were no normal clubrooms available anymore."

"Well, a nice big space only means there's more room to grow," I said.

"Yep! So, what about you? What have you been doing?"

I felt a wave of guilt wash over me from Meiji. "Nothing much, I'm afraid," I said. "School, anime, manga, games and sleeping in on the weekends, that kind of thing."

"That's not good! You need to be more active."

"I know, that's why I wanted to do something fun today. I just woke up and felt…different."

No shit, I heard Meiji say dryly.

"Different how?"

I looked thoughtful, as if I was trying to compose my thoughts. "For the longest time I felt like I was a puppet on strings, just following a set schedule. I'd get up, go to school, come home, do homework and watch anime or read manga, then go to sleep. It's gotten monotonous."

Speak for yourself! I enjoy it…kind of.

"When I woke up this morning, I had a realization. I don't want to let my last year of high school be as dry and boring as the others. I want to have fun with my friends. You're the only real friend I have, and we've been drifting apart slowly. I decided that, starting today, I wanted to reconnect with you and try and make other friends too."

"I'm happy to hear that!" she said excitedly.

"Good. Now finish up your bun. We're going to have a fun day today. And starting tomorrow, we're going to hang out like we used to. After your club, of course."

I hope you know what you're doing.

Believe me, so do I. I need her to invite me to the club after all. I can't change too much yet.

"You don't have to go to all that trouble," she said, looking away slightly.

"Hey, I like spending time with you." I began cleaning up my side of the table. "You still going to finish that bun?"

"Oh yeah!" She picked up the last bun, but to my surprise she broke it in half, handing me the bigger piece. "Here you are."

"Huh? Are you sure?" She nodded and extended it more towards me. I took a hold of it and took a big bite. The sweetness overwhelmed me this time and I had to balance the sweetness with the coffee's bitterness. Finally, though, the table was clear of all the food. "That was delicious," I said.

"Yeah it was," Sayori said, rubbing her stomach and looking quite satisfied. "So, what next?"

I looked at Meiji's phone. The time was now a few minutes past eleven. "Why don't we go walk off all the calories we just ate, then we can go to the arcade."

"Yay!" She wiped her face.

"I'm gonna clean up and meet you outside."

"Alright," she said, standing and rushing to the exit. I threw out the garbage, placed the tray on top with the others and followed. Sayori was on her phone busily texting someone. The day had gotten a bit warmer but with the cold of late autumn still hanging in the air.

"Who are you texting?" I asked as I joined her.

She quickly hid her phone. "Se-cr-et," she said with a mischievous grin.

"Hmph, fine with me," I said, pretending to be hurt. I couldn't be too sure, but I guessed she was texting someone from the Literature Club about me joining.

"Eh? Meiji, I didn't mean…" she looked away.

"Heh, I'm kidding. I'm not the kind of guy who'd pry on your secrets," I said quickly to reassure her. "So, shall we go to the park?"

"Yep." She fell into step with me and silence fell. I felt my heartbeat increase once again.

When we arrived at the park, I found myself standing near a small set of stairs which led down to the park. It was a simply laid out area with a moderately sized man-made lake in the middle of it. I saw a field on the other side of the lake that was empty of people but that had two soccer goal posts set up presumably for warmer weather. Around the lake was a pathway with benches scattered about. Down the stairs and a bit to the right was a large roofed area with a plethora of vending machines. Most of the people gathered at the park were there. To my left was a small hill with a number of trees that covered a few picnic tables, a few of which were in use by families and couples.

"It hasn't changed at all," Sayori said, once more with a wistful tone as we began walking down the pathway.

It really hasn't…

"Well, I will say the company changed. They got cuter," I said, giving Sayori a smile.

I'd never say that!

But you would love to, right?

Uuuu…it's embarrassing.

She likes it, though. Look.

Sayori's face had gone red and she had a small smile on her face. "C-Cute…?"

"Yeah, you're very cute. It's one of the things I like about you. That and how silly you are. I miss it."

"Ehehe, thanks."

Jackpot! We just scored some points with Sayori!

But it's not me doing it…

I inwardly sighed. Don't worry, we'll tell everyone. And I know you really want to tell Sayori all of this, so it is you telling her in a sense. Don't worry. Sayori isn't the girl I'm after.

Really? Who are you after?

Se-cr-et, I said, imitating Sayori for a bit. "So, you've barely scratched the surface. How have you been personally?"

"Eh? I'm doing great!" She held up both her hands and smiled at me.

I knew that was a lie, but I couldn't let her know just yet. "I'm glad to hear. How's the rest of your family?"

"They're doing great too. Dad's off on a business trip right now and he won't be back until after the festival sadly. Oh! And Mom's pregnant!"

My jaw nearly dropped. "Wait, really?!"

Holy shit…

"Sayori, that's fantastic!" I caught glances of confusion from everyone else nearby. Feeling embarrassed, I lowered my voice. "You're gonna have a new little brother or sister, that's amazing."

She giggled. "I'm happy too!"

"Do you know when the baby's going to show up?" I asked.

She looked away and frowned, as if trying to remember something. "Um, I can't remember. April, I think?"

"Good!"

This is huge news. I hope we survive this…I want to see the little guy or girl.

We will, bro. "Well how about school? Keeping up with your studies?"

"It's going alright, but I should be asking you that question," she said, giving me a slightly accusatory glare.

Heh, you're busted dude.

Oh, shut up!

I raised my hands. "Heh, you caught me."

"Honestly, I'm worried about you. You spend so much time inside with your manga and games. I'm worried you won't learn how to socialize or have any skills before college. If you're not careful, you'll become a NEET! Your happiness is important to me, you know." She puts her hands on her hips and leans toward me, glaring.

"Aahaha, yes I know. That's why I wanted to do something today to start off a brand new me."

Har har.

"Ehehe, I was surprised when you invited me out. You haven't in a while."

"Yeah, well I aim to change that." Silence fell again as we began to walk around the park. Suddenly an idea struck me. Hey, how good is your singing voice? I asked.

What? Why?

Sayori seems like the type who likes when guys sing.

I…I do okay at karaoke I guess…why do you ask?

Just watch. I pulled out my smartphone. Sayori looked over at me curiously. I wanted to sing an uplifting song, so I searched through my karaoke playlist, finally finding a short but upbeat tune from my childhood. The moment the music began playing I began to sing.

"There's a spark inside us,

that we can all ignite,

and all that's dark inside us,

will flicker into light.

"There's a power in every breath,

there's a power in every note,

a power that starts within the heart

a power that rises through the throat.

"And when it sails up through the air,

more beautiful than any prayer!

This power can right all wrong!

And it will always thrill the ear

of those who have the power to hear

the magic of a song.

"All that's strong inside us,

that tells us wrong from right,

becomes a song inside us,

to chase away the night!"

I got a few strange stares that made me and Meiji feel self-conscious, but I enjoyed seeing Sayori so enraptured as I sang and moved around her a bit, focusing the song on her. It was almost like a musical number had broken out. A few children began following me as well. When I finished, I heard a round of applause coming from behind me. Turned out I'd gathered a few more followers than I'd realized. It was my turn to be fully embarrassed.

"You can sing? And you sang so well!" Sayori said, clapping with the rest.

I blushed heavily and scratched the back of my neck. "Y-You think so?"

"Where did you learn that song?"

I smiled. "I found an old cartoon called The Princess and the Goblin when looking for anime with goblins, so I watched it."

"Sounds cool! I want to watch it now."

"We can watch it together sometime, if you want," I said. I saw her blush a bit at that. While she was distracted, I said to Meiji Alright, you know her better than I do in certain areas. You ask something you want to know.

Ah, I, um…ask her if she still does yoga.

…Really? Alright. "Hey, on another note, didn't you used to do yoga?"

"Yeah I did."

Once again, I was surprised. That wasn't mentioned anywhere in either the game or the DDLC wiki. I maintained my calm and made sure not to show the shock as I asked, "Are you still doing it?"

"Mmm…not as much. Since I joined the literature club I haven't had as much time." She looked a bit sheepish and pinched her stomach. "I'm getting a bit flabeeeeheeeheeeheee!" She dissolved into laughter as I began poking and prodding at her stomach. "Meiji, stop! You know I'm ticklish there!"

I wasn't the only one laughing. Meiji was clearly laughing his ass off as well. I continued for a few seconds before I stopped. I grinned. "Well you don't feel flabeeeheehee," I teased. "Or flabby for that matter. You're fine. I'm sure you've put just as much work into your club as you do during yoga."

By this time, we had walked around the park once. As we passed the vending machines, I heard a stomach growling. Looking over I saw Sayori blushing and holding her stomach. "Ehehe, guess those buns weren't enough."

"Let's get something to eat then," I said, diverting over to the vending machines. Sayori ran ahead of me and began surveying the machines. I began taking more notice of the world around me. From my perspective, the line between reality and wherever I ended up didn't even exist. There were brands here that I knew were in my world, like Fanta, Pocari Sweat and Ramune among others. I rubbed a nearby table that had a little bit of dirt on it, rubbed it then looked at my fingertips while Sayori was looking for something to eat. The dirt looked incredibly real and I felt it between my fingertips, watching the excess fall to the ground gently. I gently pinched myself and felt the slight pain. Everything around me felt so realistic. Looking back, I saw Sayori standing in front of a vending machine that apparently could provide a hot pizza within minutes. I could see her salivating as I walked up. "Found something interesting?"

"Look at this! This is new!" Sayori exclaimed, pointing at the machine and nearly jumping up and down like a little kid.

"Ahaha, calm down. I'll get it for you." Before she could protest, I put in the required amount and began to wait for the machine to create the pizza. I meanwhile grabbed a bottle of Calpis, a small sandwich and some chips from another couple of machines. I sat down on a bench nearest to the pizza machine with Sayori, who would steal glances at my food. Sighing as if I was acquiescing to her, I turned the bag of chips her way. She gleefully began eating. Any other questions?

Ah! He sounded startled. Sorry, I was reminiscing. Here.

I was presented with a memory involving this park. I watched as Meiji and a childhood Sayori, at that time with longer hair, ran around the lake while four adults, two of whom I recognized as Meiji's parents, sat at picnic table and talked. I watched as Sayori stumbled and skinned her knee near a tall tree near the lake. She began to cry and I watched as Meiji rushed to her side faster than the second woman at the table who I recognized as Sayori's mother. I was so busy watching that I didn't initially hear Sayori calling out to me. "Huh, what?"

"You okay? You were spacing out."

"Ah sorry. I was just thinking back to when we were kids and we came here." I noticed that Sayori now had her pizza and was chowing down on it with gusto. I looked over at the lake and spotted the tree where Sayori had fallen. "Hey, there's that tree where you fell back when you and I were kids," I said, pointing to it.

Sayori looked to where I was pointing and smiled. "I remember that…" her voice was softer now, more reminiscing. "This place didn't used to be so crowded."

"You sound like an older adult when you say things like that," I teased.

Good one! Meiji sounded proud of my friendly jab.

Sayori frowned at me but blushed a bit. "Meanie…"

"Oho? A meanie, am I?" I held up both my hands and made tickling motions. "Uahahaha!" I laugh a bit maniacally but in a playful manner.

"Aaaah! Not the tickle monster again!" Sayori put on a fake appearance of fear and trembled, putting her hands protectively over her sides. We both started laughing mere seconds later, however. "Ahaha, thanks Meiji, I needed that laugh."

Even I could have guessed something was wrong just from that sentence…I think, Meiji said.

I can feel your guilt, but we can get through this.

Alright…

"Good. I like seeing you laugh. Makes me feel happy knowing I could help make you happy in even the smallest ways," I replied.

"You're too nice, Meiji…" she said in that same soft tone.

"I learned from the master," I said, making an exaggerated bow towards her. I laughed along with her and then let my face fall a bit. "Seriously, Sayori, you're the one who's been too good to me. More than I deserve…" I could literally feel the guilt pouring off of Meiji, but I shot him a quick virtual hug along with the words It's alright, if anything else I forgive you. What I'm about to say is not a slight to you in any way. I know you're a good person.

"Meiji…?" Sayori looked over at me with concern. "Are you alright?"

I took out a handkerchief from my pocket and dabbed a bit at my eyes, which now were starting to tear up. "Not…as much as I'd like. I…I've been a terrible friend these past few years."

"What do you mean?!" Sayori looked more concerned now than before.

I took a deep breath to help calm me and Meiji down. "Sayori, when was the last time we ever did anything like this? Just you and me, best friends, hanging out together?" I cringed at my use of the word hanging out, realizing I'd used it a couple times earlier.

Sayori came over and sat next to me. I felt a comforting hand on my back as she ran it up and down. Looking over at her, I saw a small but caring smile on her face. In that moment, Meiji and I both saw someone mature and caring trying to cheer up someone she loved. Any hint of her normal childish behavior was gone, replaced with a mature and caring attitude which reminded me a bit of her mother. "Meiji…don't look so down. You didn't do anything wrong."

"But I did," I insisted, utilizing Meiji's guilt mixed with mine at lying to her. I needed to sound convincing. "Friendship is a two-way street, and you've put more work into walking that street than I have. I woke up early this morning and realized what a jerk I've been to you."

Certainly feels like you're blaming me… Meiji said.

Look dude, we all make mistakes. Do you want to make this up to her?

…Yes…more than anything…she's my best friend and the girl I'm in love with…

Let me handle it until we find a way to let you take control.

Alright…I hope I'm right in trusting you.

Me too, I thought to myself.

"Meiji…I forgive you." The maturity in the voice of someone normally hyper and childlike was a welcome surprise, but what was even more of a surprise was the sudden tender hug that Sayori gave me. Meiji's and my guilt spilled over and I allowed myself to softly cry. I also tried to release my terror and anxiety about being brought to the game. She held me close, running her hands up and down my back. "Shhh…shhh…everything's okay…"

After a few minutes I stopped crying and sat back up, dabbing at my eyes. "I'm going to make it up to you, starting today. And tomorrow, I'll wait around to walk home with you after your club ends."

Her eyes lit up and I saw her smile return. "You mean it?! You'll wait for me?"

"Sure, I will. I miss walking home with you."

"Yay!" She finished up her pizza and held her stomach, looking very satisfied. "That was so good!"

"Good to know. I'll try it sometime. Come on, we should head to our next venue. The arcade!"

Sayori bolted from her seat and rushed off. I quickly threw the garbage away and ran after her, but by this time she was nearly out of sight. She must really love the arcade.

Oh yeah, she does. When we were younger our parents would give us each about two thousand yen each and we'd go nuts there. She especially loved the racing games. She always kicked my ass at those though. I wonder if our usernames are still listed in the Fast and Furious racing games…

You've got those here too!? Oh, hell yes! I pumped my legs harder, but it was obvious pretty quickly that Meiji's body wasn't as in shape as mine was. I slowed down but not enough to lose Sayori. Eventually we reached the arcade. I had visited Japan back in reality with Harv and Jamie and it looked remarkably similar to the few arcades I visited with my friends. I saw Sayori sitting at the Fast and Furious game, looking at me expectantly. I walked over to a change-making machine, put in a thousand yen and, after taking and counting the change to make sure I wasn't shorted, I turned. She was still waiting. I made a show of cracking my knuckles and neck, then walked over and sat. "Let the rematch of all rematches begin," I said.

"Prepare to lose again," Sayori said, grinning wickedly.

Whoa, this is a new side to her I never expected.

She's weirdly competitive when it comes to arcade games.

Fair enough, I replied as I logged into Meiji's account. I saw that Meiji had put all the upgrades in every car. Jesus Christ…how much money did you sink into this game?

More than I want to admit… he sounded sheepish.

"Ready?" Sayori asked, grinning.

"As ready as I'll ever be. Let's go!"

In total, I probably sunk about five thousand yen of Meiji's money into the matches. I'd lose some, Sayori would lose others, but we were evenly matched. We playfully trash talked each other and generally had a good time. It helped that I knew how to drive, though. When I looked at my phone, I realized it had gotten later than I expected. "Oh damn, it's late. I should get you back before your parents kill me."

"One more please?" she gave me puppy dog eyes.

"No. I'm tired and it looks like you are too. I don't want you oversleeping and being late to school."

She looked a bit embarrassed but nodded. "Let me use the bathroom really fast."

I used the bathroom as well and when we both were ready, we headed out. The sun was just beginning to set. The weather was cooler and Sayori was shivering despite her own coat. I chuckled when I saw that and handed her my own coat. Wordlessly she took it and wrapped it around her. "Hey…Meiji?" She sounded unsure and a bit nervous.

"Yeah?"

"Did…you mean what you said when you said you'd wait for me tomorrow?"

"Of course, I did," I said. "I miss having those walks together, and I don't mind waiting. Might give me a chance to do homework."

Ugh…homework…

Better there than home.

"Homework? That's unusual for you." Sayori looked at me suspiciously.

"If I did homework at home, I wouldn't. Too many distractions."

She smiled. "That's the Meiji I remember." I could almost see the wheels turning in Sayori's mind. She was a lot shrewder than I remember her being in the game. Then again, I remembered she was good at handling people, especially her best friend. "Promise me you'll wait?"

"Promise."

"Yay! I can't wait!"

At that point we'd reached Sayori's house. The sky in the west was a deep crimson and the lights in the houses were coming on. "Well, here's where I leave you until tomorrow," I said. "Remember, don't be late getting up. I want to walk with my bestest friend in the whole wide world."

She blushed once again and began heading inside when she stopped and, almost reluctantly, handed me back the coat. "Almost forgot it," she said.

"Ah, thank you. Have a good evening."

"You too." She waved at me as she entered her house and shut the door.

That…was a good day I gotta admit, Meiji said as we walked back to his house. We didn't do as much as I was expecting, but it was still fun, even for me as a spectator.

"Good, I'm glad you had fun," I said softly as I walked through the gate to Meiji's house. "We should try and get some sleep though. There's school tomorrow."

Come on, man, at least let me watch a little anime, Meiji said.

"I…oh alright, we can do that. Somehow my laptop from my world made it here and I have some anime on it we can watch. Only a couple of episodes though, and then we should sleep."

Deal!

When we got back to the room, I managed to hook up my laptop screen to his TV and we watched the first few of episodes of One Punch Man. Meiji seemed to thoroughly be enjoying that one and I was glad to indulge. I looked at the clock after episode five and realized it had gotten later than I wanted. "Damn it, we should be sleeping now."

Aw come on, one more episode.

"Now I see why Sayori is so worried about you," I said as I began to shut my laptop down.

Fine fine, but we're finishing it tomorrow.

"Fair enough." I pulled out Meiji's phone, plugged it in to be charged and began setting an alarm. "What time do you set your alarm?"

Six forty-five.

I set the alarm for six thirty instead as I didn't want to be late, making sure it was set to AM and for the following morning, then placed his phone and my smartphone on the end table next to his bed. I changed into the pajamas I'd found myself wearing earlier that day and climbed into bed. "Goodnight."

Goodnight. And with that, he was out like a light. I searched for the school uniform and found it hanging up in the closet. After assuring myself that I was ready for the day, I closed my eyes and let sleep take me.

Next Chapter, new characters!

morbiusgreen