Authors Note: Whew! Longest chapter to date! This was sort of a pain to write (and there are parts that I'm probably going to revise later), but I just had to post this today and not keep you all waiting any longer! I hope you enjoy!

…

The first few raindrops splattered against my face, polite wet kisses rolling down to my chin. I stepped away and glanced up, greeted to angry storm clouds swirling above, pushing away the once bright sun from earlier today. The sound of thunder boomed in my ears, and spread out across the foyer I could see students glancing up in alarm and starting to rush away, hoping not to get caught up in the storm.

Within seconds, a steady rainshower was beating down on the campus. The rain dripped down in streams from the tin roofing of the breezeway. The cool air rushed against my face, a harmonic and refreshing feeling. I stood by the entrance to the foyer, protected under the metal roofing of the walkway. 'Good thing I have my umbrella with me'. I thought, thinking back to the umbrella I had packed away in my bag this morning, in preparation for a possible storm (that's what the forecast said, at least). I leaned against the wall for a moment, listening to the rain drum against the roof. I scrolled through my phone, finally getting to check the notifications that had built up in the seven hours it was shut off.

Another treacherous school day had finally ended, and I was ready for my second meeting with the Literature Club again. With Ms. Gojo being absent the last period, it gave me time to fine-tune my poem. After working and reworking it, I finally felt it was adequate enough to show to everyone.

I shoved my phone in my pocket. The rain showed no sign of stopping as I started to walk through the breezeway, careful not to get caught by the constant sheets of rain. As I stepped into the seniors building, a gust of wind swung the door open and practically slammed the door on my back. 'How bad is it gonna get?' I thought as I made my way up the stairs.

I stepped into the classroom. The room was artificially lit, with the storm now blocking out the sun's natural light. It felt rather homely. I looked around and saw Yuri sitting at her usual spot, nose deep into her ominous book. Sayori was at the desk closest to the teachers, scrolling through her cherry-red cased phone, a white pair of headphones snaking up to her ears. It didn't seem like either noticed me enter.

And tucked away in the back was Natsuki, worriedly looking at the rain lashing against the windows, her arms folded against her chest. I could see a cluster of papers sitting on her desk, with her binder opened up. Is it her poem?

Monika was noticeably absent.

I cleared my throat. "Hey, where's Mo-"

Sayoris face snapped up at the sound of my voice. She slammed her phone down on her desk. "Kazuma, your here!" She got up and dashed over to embrace me. I gingerly returned the hug. Is she gonna do that every time I show up? It's almost embarrassing. Ah, whatever.

From the back of the room, I could see Natsuki longingly staring at me. We locked eyes, and she quickly looked away, a trace of red outlining her cheeks.

"It's good to see you again, Kazuma. Glad to see your holding up your promise to the club." Yuri said from her usual spot by the door, glancing up from her Portrait of Markov book.

Speaking of Yuri's book of choice, I did some light research on it, and as it turns out, the plot is very...dark. Much darker than I expected.

To sum up, it's about a high-ranking Nazi medical official who, after World War II, went into hiding and kidnaps various Jewish people to torture and experiment, as a sort of demented 'coping' mechanism for Adolf Hitler's defeat. I spoiled myself a bit, and in the end, the official gets what's coming to him by means of execution, with the story ending on a 'happy' note (if you can call it that), but the reviews that I read said the book makes you reflect over the crimes against humanity the Jews (and other groups) suffered at the hands of the Nazi's during the war.

Now, what does this say about Yuri's personality? Nothing, I guess. After all, she did say she was interested in psychological elements and all that, so a book like the Portrait of Markov would be right up her alley. Still, that doesn't mean it's kinda fucked up. I wonder what the other book she mentioned is like...

I heard a flurry of footsteps outside in the hallway, and a few beats later Monika stepped through the door, the ribbons in her hair slightly disheveled. "Sorry I'm late everyone! I hope I didn't keep you all waiting." She said, her voice rushed and almost panicked. In her hands I could see what looked like music sheets for an instrument. I wonder what she was doing? Monika set her bag down atop the teachers desk and started to put away the papers in her hand.

"Ah, hello Monika. We were wondering where you were." Yuri said, getting up from her seat to lean up against her desk. From the back of the room, I saw Natsuki walk over to join our circle, taking a spot next to Sayori.

Sayori giggled. "I guess you decided the club was more important than your boyfriend after all!"

Monika looked up from her bag and blushed beet red, clearly embarrassed by the notion. She stammered, "B-boyfriend?! What are you talking about, Sayori?!"

"Well, what else would have made you late? Were you just caught up in the crowd, or were you too busy," she made a kissing gesture with her hands "getting busy?" Sayori burst into laughter, Natsuki sharing the laugh. Yuri joined in with Monika's awkward embarrassment. I couldn't help but smile.

Monika shot her a look, her voice now laced with annoyance. "Well, if you must know, I had study hall for my last period and I just...lost track of the time. That's all. No boyfriend." She said with a definitive air.

Natsuki looked confused. "That doesn't make sense. You would've heard the bell, at least."

Monika gave a dismissive wave. "Well, I was in the band building working on my piano skills, and the bells in there aren't as loud as the ones on the rest of the campus. I didn't even know the bell had rung until one of the directors told me it had."

Sayori's face lit up. "You play the piano? I had no idea!" She said, eager to hear more.

Monika smiled. "Ah, well I've only started just recently. I've been having private lessons at home, but I've gotten permission from the orchestra directors to use their piano here to practice with during school. I think they think that me using their piano means that I want to join their," She made a gesture with her hands, "club."

She continued, "But joining them would mean not having time for you all, so don't get too worried, ahah!" Monika said, a warm smile on her face. There's something about that smile that just puts me at ease. It's almost entrancing.

"Still, that's so cool! You have to play something for us sometime!" Sayori continued, genuine happiness tracing her voice.

Monika gave an airy laugh. "Well, I wouldn't call myself the best, but I am in the process of writing a song that I'm trying to get done before the fes-" Monika stopped, and muttered something.

Sayori gasped, and slapped her hands on her cheeks. "YOU'RE GONNA PLAY AT THE FESTIVAL!? THAT'S SO AMAZING!" The bow-headed girl squealed.

Monika smiled, appreciating the genuine praise. "Yes, I thought that a song for the school to hear would really set us apart from the rest of the clubs' events. A sweet, rememberable song will show everyone how creative and fun our club can be for them. I've been working on the song since last week and I'm very close to finishing it."

I spoke up. "I think I speak for everyone when I say I'd love to hear a snippet of it before the festival. Unless you want to really keep it a surprise, that is."

Monika sat down in the teachers chair. "I should have it done by at least Sunday, and I'll play a portion of it for you all before the festival on Monday morning, if you all come in early." She paused. "But just the music, though! No lyrics. That's gonna be the big surprise."

Monika clapped her hands together. "Well, let's get down to it. Time to share poems, everyone!"

…

Sayori's poem was a little more 'meaty' than her first, with an actual narrative to it. To summarize, it was about a girl whose mind is a collection of bottles, with her 'happy thoughts' (she wrote that a lot) being stored in the bottles in her head. With fluffy kittens and balls of sunshine galore, it was oozing with cuteness, but the words almost reminded me of something Yuri would write (or read) in terms of vocabulary, but much, much brighter in tone.

I set the paper down on her desk, pushing it back to her.

"What did you think?" Sayori said, not hiding her excitement to hear my thoughts.

I took a breath. "It was very...emotional? I think that's the right word. There was a lot of symbolism in it and…" I waved my hand, trying to grasp my meaning. "such. It was good, is what I'm trying to say, hah." Christ, could I have said that any more awkwardly?

Sayori adjusted the bow in her hair. "I know exactly what you mean! Thank you, Kazuma. Your thoughts means a lot to me." She said, her voice sweet as ever. She pointed at the sheet of notebook paper in my hand. "Can I read yours now?" I silently handed her the paper.

Sayori snatched the paper from my hand and started to analyze it. But as she read it, I couldn't help but feel there was something...off about her today. It made no sense considering her bubbly spirit today, and she looked as normal as ever, with her lazily unbuttoned blazer and her messy hair, but the way she carried herself seemed...shifted. I couldn't quite place it. It was like someone else was piloting her body and mind, even though she acted like her usual, happy self.

After she gave me her thoughts on my writing (her critiques just as sparkling and overjoyed as her last one), I dared to ask the question. "Sayori, is everything alright? You seem...disconnected."

"Hm?" Sayori looked at me, a mask of confusion on her face.

"Are you feeling well?" I repeated.

"Of course!" She gave me a bright smile. "Why, is something wrong?" She said, a look of worry on her face.

I shook my head. "No, everything's fine. It's just...I don't know. You seem out of it. Did you wake up late again today?"

Sayori glanced down at her phone (I think she got a message, but I couldn't read her screen well), then back up to me, her eyes parted. "Yeah."

I sighed. "Sayori…"

She cut me off. "I'm sorry! My alarm clock stopped working last night and it didn't wake me up in time. I got here as soon as I could...right after I ate breakfast, eheh." She laughed awkwardly, doing that cute little finger tap again.

I thought about what she said for a moment. Is she lying? It's kind of hard to tell. Even if she is telling the truth, something needs to be done about her constant tardiness. There's nothing more embarrassing than losing credits just because you couldn't be bothered to show up on time. What does it say about your character?

"Tell you what," I said. "How about instead of just us walking to school together, I wake you up on time as well? I could give you a wake-up call every morning and tell you to get up, then I'll wait for you outside."

Sayori gave me a quizzical look, as if I just told her I had a time-traveling DeLorean. After a beat, she put her hands together. "I'd love that! It would keep me on my toes." She paused. "But, I feel like it would be too much trouble for you..."

I gave her a dismissive wave. "It's no trouble. I always get up early in the mornings anyway. And I'd do anything for a friend."

Sayori reached over from her seat and pulled me into a tight hug, which felt nice but holy shit her heads maybe just a little too close to my-

"You're too nice to me, Kazuma. What did I do to deserve you?" She said, her voice slightly low.

I chuckled a bit, and broke off the hug. Monika gave me a odd look before laughing and returning to her laptop. Yuri and Natsuki didn't notice (I hope). I thanked Sayori for her critique and took my paper back. I turned on my heel and took a deep breath.

Next, Monika.

…

"Great to see you again, Kazuma! Ready to share poems?"

Monika's poem was again both abstract but also definite at the same time. It was about a woman who 'knew everything' and wandered the Earth, silent with her so-called expertise of the universe. It ended on a rather mystical note, with the woman declaring that there is no meaning to life, and that in of itself meant everything. It was very...wispy? That's a word that came to my mind.

I set the paper down, and saw Monika's beautiful emerald eyes watching me, monitoring my movements. "What did you think? I'm all ears."

"It was good. I especially enjoyed that sort of twist ending with the woman revealing the true meaning of life and...whatnot. Very nice." I said.

Monika's smile persisted. "I'm glad you enjoyed it! I was hoping the ending would have that sort of effect on the reader, having it built up like the true meaning was something powerful but ultimately it was nothing." She pointed at the paper clutched in my hand. "Yours is probably better, though."

I handed her my paper. Monika started to read it, her smile unfading. A minute later, she handed it back to me. "I thought it was good! It's very unique and it wasn't afraid to discuss generally untouched territory with it's overall theme. You should be proud of it, Kazuma." She said.

I was slightly taken aback that someone like Monika seemingly enjoyed the poem (unless that was fake praise, a real possibility. She is supposed to make everyone happy, after all.) "Really? To be honest, I'm not very happy with it."

"Oh?" Monika said, raising an eyebrow. "Why not?"

My mind flashed back to last night with the first Parfait Girls volume, and how I had spent almost half the night reading (and rereading it) and then doing some follow up background research on it. When I realized it was almost 2am, I ended up rushing out a poem and going to bed, so it was a good thing I had that free time last period to do some heavily needed adjustments to it.

"I was just distracted, mostly. I couldn't really think clearly. I think that my poem isn't as...organized as it could be." I barely managed to say.

Monika paused, soaking in my comment. She collected her thoughts, her finger tracing the edge of the silver laptop. "Well...consider this another 'Writing Tip of the Day'. When your writing, the outside world can often be a distraction. Internet, phones, all that. Your mind is always looking for a way out to do something more", she made a gesture with her fingers, "'fun'. My advice?"

To make her point, she pushed her laptop away. "Shut everything electronic off and focus only on your writing! And only take a break when you have something written down on that paper! If you constantly take breaks, you'll never write the end."

Just like her last writing tip, Monika's advice was extremely helpful. I should probably use that advice with tonight's poem…

"Thank you, Monika. That's really helpful." I said, my voice earnest and appreciative. Monika gave me a sweet smile. "No problem! As club president, it's my job to help everyone. Always remember you can come to me for advice on anything, and not just about literature. I'm always here for guidance if you need it!"

I thanked Monika for her critique (and honest advice) and picked up my paper with a smile. I turned and saw Yuri sitting at her desk, having just finished sharing with Natsuki.

I walked towards her desk.

…

Yuri's poem, like her first, was dripping with symbolism from beginning to end. This time, it was about being trapped in a nightmare where you are pursued by faceless demons, but you ultimate wake up to realize they are not real. At least, not in the way they are depicted. Very metaphorical, and applicable to real life.

At least, that was my interpretation of it.

"What did you think, Kazuma?" Yuri said, looking up from her Portrait of Markov book.

I glanced down at the paper again. "It was nice. I liked how the message could be applied to real life, with the demons representing people who you think are nice but actually are someone else."

Yuri gave me a lighthearted smile. "Ah, I'm glad you enjoyed it. That's isn't exactly what I had in mind when I was writing, but it's fairly close."

'Is this what's going to happen everytime we share work?' I think in the back of my head. I give Yuri my honest thoughts about her work and she tells me it's not what she was thinking of? When am I ever gonna get it right in her eyes?

I hold my paper up. "Would you like to read mine now?" I said.

"I'd be delighted to." Yuri said, gently taking my paper. Her eyes started to quickly skim the paper, trailing down to the bottom. I peeked at my phone while I waited, and quickly put it away when Yuri looked up.

Yuri picked up her ballpoint pen and tapped it against her lip, staring down at the paper, lost in thought. What was she thinking? She picked up the paper and looked down through it again, still tapping her pen.

Twenty seconds or so passed in absolute silence.

I couldn't stand it anymore. "...yes?" I said, uncertain.

Yuri was surprisingly blunt. "It has a very good concept, but it does leave a lot to be desired from me. For instance, you could have used some more stronger and emotional vocabulary at the part describing the environment, as these words fall flat and seem boring. Also, the ending, while left to be open-ending, would have worked better if you left a definitive answer…"

'So much for being delighted to read it' I thought sarcastically. Yuri continued to drone on, talking about metaphors and word usage and other interesting/non-interesting things. As much as I didn't want to admit, Yuri was beginning to bore me just a tad. Not that I was intentionally ignoring or trying to disrespect her, but I was just eager to share my poem with Natsuki (and spend a bit more time with her). And as much as I appreciate criticism, there can be too much of a good thing, right? I felt myself starting to drift off, and I shifted in my spot at the desk in front of Yuri's.

I glanced over to Sayori, busy sharing her poem with Monika. Sayori sat turned at her desk while Monika leaned against the wall. Given that it was just us five and the air conditioner was off, it was fairly easy to hear their conversation.

But they weren't talking about their poems. They were talking about something else.

"I'm just worried we won't be able to compare to everyone else's events. We do have a lot of good things going for us, but what does everyone else have going for them?", Sayori said, her voice slightly quivering.

Monika sounded indifferent. "What's there to worry about? We're gonna give it our all and do our best. Even if we don't get a single new member, at least we can say we tried."

Sayori reluctantly agreed. A pause.

"You know, Kazuma still hasn't been told what his role in the festival is yet." Sayori said.

I shifted in my seat, now all ears.

Another pause.

"I was going to tell him to pick who he wanted to work with tomorrow, after the meeting. Any one of us could use an extra set of hands." Monika said.

"He's probably gonna pick Natsuki. Her jobs the most exciting." Sayori said. I couldn't help but notice her voice was a bit more quiet now, like she didn't want her (or me) to hear. Did she notice I was eavesdropping?

"Oh? What makes you say that?" Monika replied.

"Oh, it's just a feeling. I don't mind if he doesn't pick me. I just hope he's happy and comfortable with-"

"Wouldn't you agree, Kazuma?" Yuri said.

My mind snapped back to reality. Shit, what was she saying? I should've kept an ear open for her.

I nod politely. "Yes, absolutely."

Yuri smiled. "Thank you. I'm glad you agree."

I stood up and thanked Yuri, even though I may have just sold my soul to her without even knowing. I looked across the room and saw Natsuki sitting alone. I felt a pang of sadness. Why is she always the one seemingly left out?

Time to fix that.

…

Natsuki was back to looking out the window, watching the sheets of rain patter against the window panes. I cleared my throat, and she looked up at me.

"H-hey…" she managed to say. She pushed a loose strand of her pink hair behind her ear. I sat down on the desk in front of her. "We haven't shared poems yet." I said, my finger tapping my paper. Natsuki opened her binder and unclipped the clean sheet of paper, handing it to me.

I took her poem and started to read.

Alone

By Natsuki Tamura

Alone

An endless numbers of people
Lines and rows of faces everywhere
We see so many, and meet a lot
But only a handful care

How can we be utterly crowded
How can we be surrounded

By people
everyday
everywhere

And still be so

Alone?

I rubbed a fleck of dirt from my eyes, and handed the paper back to her. "Wow, that was... great. It was short but it had a lot of, uh…" I made a fist and shook it, "power to it, y'know?"

Natsuki flinched at my fist, which made me pause for a moment. Did she think I was going to hit her? I could never and would never do that to her, or any girl for that matter. I should apologize.

"Oh...sorry. Sorry." I muttered.

Natsuki glanced away from me. "It's okay. It's not your fault."

Natsuki added, "Thanks for saying that."

An awkward silence. Why the hell is it always me who makes things so weird?

I shifted in my spot. "Uh...did you want to read mine now?" I held my paper out to her.

Natsuki took the paper and starts to read, sitting up in her seat. I lean by the desk next to her and wait, my eyes drifting to the windows. The rain still drummed against the windows, but it seemed more muted than earlier. 'Hopefully it'll clear up by the time the club ends.' I think to myself.

A minute passes. She has to have read it at least twice by now. It's not like I wrote a novel or something, it was only 8 lines long. Natsuki keeps staring at the paper, her eyes going up and down the paper. What is she looking for?

She finally clears her throat.

"It...it's…"

I give her a confused look. "It's what?"

Her feisty demeanor returned. "Why can't you just suck at writing? My poems were supposed to impress you, not the other way around!" She almost yells.

Wait, what?

"Y-you wanted to impress me?"

Natsuki blushed, a color so deep it almost matched her hair clip. "W-well…" she reaffirms her voice. "And what, let Yuri wow you more than me? Obviously I'm trying to impress you!"

I pause, trying to find my bearings. She's trying to impress me? But wait…

"Well, what's wrong with me trying to impress you, then?"

"N-nothing! I...umm…." She looks back at my paper, as if anything has changed in the one minute she read it.

The paper slid from her fingers, gently floating to the flood. She quickly stood up from her desk. "I-I need to get some water!" she declared, and quickly walked out of the room. Yuri and Sayori glanced up in confusion. Monikas eyes follow Natsuki out the door, and she glances in my direction.

She closes her laptop, gets up from her spot at the teacher's desk and starts to walk towards me.

'Ah, shit.' I think.

"Kazuma, is everything okay? What happened?" Monika said, taking another glance at the door.

I start to sweat. What the hell am I supposed to say?

"I don't know, honestly. We were just talking about our poems and she got really embarrassed for some reason…" my voice trailed off, getting quieter with every word.

Monika bent down to pick up the fallen paper,dusted it off with her hand. "Well, maybe she was just nervous around you, is all."

I paused. "N-nervous?"

Monika shrugged. "Well, you are the first boy in our club, after all. Or maybe she was just nervous about-"

A hand reaches out and snatches the paper from Monika's. "You shouldn't mess with things that weren't meant for you, you know! You have an awfully bad habit of doing that!" Natsuki barked at her club president. Neither of us noticed her enter.

"Oh? Sorry, I didn't know Kazuma wrote it just for you." Monika says with a sly grin.

"Ngh!" Natsuki cries, caught in her own words. "Th-that's not what I meant! You know what I meant!"

Monika paused, thinking about something. "Wait, what did you mean by 'I have a bad habit of doing that'?" Monika says, her smile gone.

"Like my manga set! Why do you keep messing with it!?" Natsuki retorted, voice still laced with annoyance.

Monika pauses. "You think I'm doing it just to mess with you? The teacher specifically asked me to move them to make room for her materials. This isn't just our clubroom, you know."

Natsuki stammers, once again beat. She didn't have a defense. "W-well, just tell me where you put it next time! Last time it wasnt even in the closet!" She said, pointing to a tall bookshelf standing outside the closet door. "It was all the way up there, out in the open! Where people could touch and mess with it!"

Monika sighed and spread her hands. "I only do what the teacher says. She told me to put it there. I'm sorry for not telling you in advance, but I do what she says."

Natsuki scoffed and gave a dismissive wave. Monika just smiled. She walked away, leaving me and Natsuki alone.

…

Natsuki gave a huff, and looked at me.

"And what about you? Do you have my manga?"

My mind snaps back to the Parfait Girls, a surprisingly good read despite it being mostly filler. Natsuki was right.

"Oh, right." I say, reaching into my bag. I pull out the book and hand it to her. Natsuki quickly takes the book and flips through the pages, looking for tears. She shuts it and flips it over. She squints at it. "Wait...did you clean it? It looks immaculate."

I give a slight grin. "I said it would be in better shape then when you gave it to me, didn't I? I always keep true to my word."

Natsuki blushes. "You um...you didn't have to do that, you know."

I give a wave. "Don't worry about it. Just wanted to show my appreciation for you loaning it to me."

Natsuki smiled, showing off her adorable little fang.

"Now, did you want to start reading the next one today or...?"

Her face lights up. "Oh, yes! Come with me." she grabs my hand and pulls me into the closet. She quickly looks around, but becomes almost disoriented. "Where is it…" I hear her mumble before she looks up at the very top shelf.

And there, sitting next to a stack of textbooks, was the Parfait Girls boxset.

She cursed. "Seriously, Monika! At the very top!?" she yells, echoing out to the class. There was a pause. "I didn't put it there!" Monika replied with a light giggle.

Natsuki growled, and tapped her foot angrily. She looked around, opened up the cabinet. She sighed and slammed it shut. Natsuki looked at me and walked out of the closet. I lingered by the door, watching her. What the hell was she doing?

Hopping across the room, Natsuki walked to the teachers desk and grabbed the leather chair and quickly started to push it across the room to the closet. From their spot by the class door, Yuri and Monika humorously watched her roll the chair across but said nothing. Sayori didn't even seem to notice, her focus on eating what looked like a cookie.

I raised a hand up. "Natsuki, this is too dangerous. Just let me get them..." I reached a hand to the shelf to grab them, but Natsuki quickly slapped it away. "I can get them myself!" she said, her voice sharply rising with every word. She pushes the chair into place and wobbly started to climb it, clutching the shelf for support.

She turns and looks at me.

"Well don't just sit there, help me!"

Women.

She pointed down to the armrests on the chair. "Hold it in place while I grab the set."

"Natsuki, I can get it down for you. You don't have to-"

"I can do this myself! I don't need help!"

That's why I'm holding the chair for you, right? Why the hell are girls always this complicated?

I sighed as I got a better grip on the armrests. Natsuki tiptoed as she tried to grab the boxset, grabbing the lower shelves to not fall over.

I glanced up.

Holy shit.

Nononononono not looking nonopenooonuhuh. Noooooooo.

Natsuki's legs wobbled, and she shifted on her feet to get a better standing on the chair. Reaching forward, she grabbed the manga boxset with both hands and lifted it above her head. "Got it!" She said, her voice triumphant.

The momentum of her lifting the box above (and behind her) caused her to lean back.

"Natsuki!" I yelled.

The girl yelped as she struggled to find her footing. Gravity ultimately won, and the pink-haired girl lost her balance, the chair sliding out from beneath her feet. The girl fell into my arms as I tried to break her fall. I fell back-first on the tiled floor and tried to shield her with my body. The books landed and slid around us.

I opened my eyes up.

Our noses were almost touching. Natsuki's eyes were still shut so she didn't notice. I quickly reeled back and stood up, dusting myself off. I extended an arm out to help her up.

She started to sob.

She sat up on the ground and pulled up her sleeve. I looked at her arm and saw an ugly looking bruise about the width of an orange start to form, welting by her arm joint. Discolored shades of purple, green and puke yellow started to form.

"Oh Christ. Oh my God are you okay? Oh God let me take a loo-" I started to say, voice panicking.

Before I could finish, Monika hastily rushed up to us. Sayori and Yuri trailed behind her.

"What the hell happened?" She snapped.

Natsuki turned to look up at her. Monika instantly saw the bruise and gasped. "Oh my God, Natsuki!" She said, her voice slightly panicked but trying to keep a calm tone.

Monika started to help Natsuki up, her voice sweet and calming. "Come on baby, let's get you cleaned up." She looked at Sayori and Yuri, both standing awkwardly a few feet away, unsure of what to do. She made a nodding gesture, and the two girls followed behind their club president. "It's okay, it's okay...", Monika kept repeating, rubbing Natsuki's hair, trying to calm her down like a parent would a crying child.

Monika looked down at me. "Kazuma, please be so kind as to clean..." she made a gesture to the fallen books. "this up."

And with that, the three girls walked out the clubroom, leaving me lost and confused. I didn't look up to check, but I sensed that someone had lingered by the door, giving me a judgemental look before leaving. Probably Yuri, or Natsuki herself.

'This is it', I thought. This is what ruins my standing with these girls. Yuri, Natsuki, Monika, hell probably Sayori think I'm some sort of monster now. God damnit. God damnit.

Anger washed over me, loathing myself. So much for trying to make friends, Kazuma. How the hell does anyone recover from this? You might as well not bother showing up tomorrow.

I looked down at the scattered books, spread out across the floor. I sighed and started to pick them up one by one, placing them in a stack on one of the desk seats.

I grabbed one of the books (volume 2, the one I was supposed to read next) and flipped it over.

"Oh no." I said to myself.

The books cover was bent at an odd angle, with the laminated plastic now bent white at the crease line. I gingerly tried to bend it back into place, but it just started to crack.

If Natsuki is as crazy as she seems about the condition of her books, she's gonna ring my mind raced.

What do I do? They'll be back any minute.

I zipped open my bag and carefully placed the book inside, pushing aside a few papers and folders to make room for it.

I hastily zipped it up just as the door clicked open, and the three girls entered. Natsuki's sleeve was pulled up, and I could see gauze wrapped around her arm, with what looked like an ice pack pressed under it. Yuri and Sayori were talking to Natsuki, but I couldn't make out what they were saying.

I felt awful.

Monika walked up to me. "Uh, Kazuma…" she started. "Do you think you and I could have a private chat for a sec'?"

'This really is it', I thought. This is her telling me not to come to the meeting tomorrow. God damnit. God damnit.

"Sure." I said, my voice said weakly. Monika gave a weak smile and started to walk to the door. I held my head down slightly, like a dog punished for peeing on the carpet.

I didn't check, but it felt like three sets of eyes were staring at me, none of them thinking happy thoughts.

…

Monika and I stepped outside. I glanced out the wide windows of the hallway, facing towards a parking lot (and further beyond, the town of Ichikawa). The rain seemed to die down a tad, but light sheets of rain still drummed against the windows.

The door clicked shut.

"Monika, I can explain-"

Monika raised up a hand to silence me. "There's no need. Natsuki explained everything. She was trying to get her manga set and she fell, and you tried to cushion her fall. Just an accident."

"Is she alright?" I said.

Monika shook her head. "Fine for the most part, just that bruise she got from the fall. Yuri wrapped it up as best she could. It should do until she gets home." She paused. "But it did look painful."

"Oh Jesus." I said, turning away to face the window. I ran my fingers through my hair.

"It's not your fault, Kazuma. It was an accident. These things happen." She put a hand on my shoulder "Listen, your not in trouble. But I do think you should talk to Natsuki and say...well, something. It would be very awkward if you didn't."

I sighed.

"Okay?" She said, reaffirming. She patted me on my shoulder. "Just don't worry about it. I don't hate you. Yuri or Sayori understand it was an accident. Just don't worry. Everything's fine."

She opened the classroom door, and I followed behind her. Monika clapped her hands together, trying to take control of the still-awkward situation. "Ah, alright everyone. I think we can call that a day. Now I want everyone to write at least one more poem before we start working on the festival. Okay? Good. Good."

Yuri grabbed her bag, waved goodbye to us and walked out of the door, once again reading her Portrait of Markov book. Monika walked over to the teachers desk and started to pack up her things. She looked up and me, and shifted her eyes to Natsuki. I knew what that meant. 'Go talk to her'.

Sayori walked up to me, a smile on her face. "Hey...did you still want to walk home? I have an umbrella we can share.", She said, raising up her polka-dotted umbrella.

I walked up behind Natsuki, slowly putting away her binder into her bag.

"Uhhh...just, hang on a second." I put a hand on her shoulder and walked to where Natsuki was.

"...Natsuki?" I said quietly.

Surprised, she turned around to face me. Her face had a dreadful expression, like she knew this conversation was going to happen. I felt 10 times worse now for forcing this on her.

"Uh," I fumbled with my words. "Could we talk in private for a minute? Like, downstairs or somewhere?" I nervously tapped my fingers together, almost like how Sayori does.

Natsuki shifted on her feet. "S-sure."

She and I both walked out the door.

…

The rain still continued, but it didn't seem as bad as it was earlier. Natsuki and I sat down on the stairs facing the entrance of the seniors building, watching the rain fall against the floor-to-ceiling windows of the lobby.

I coughed.

"Natsuki…" I started, unsure of what I wanted to say. "I'm truly sorry about what happened back there. I didn't mean for it to happen."

Natsuki waved her hand. "You don't need to apologize. It's not your fault. I should have just let you get the stupid books."

My mind crawled back to the damaged book, and I felt a shiver run up my spine. I had to tell her, no matter how she reacts or if she blames me.

I took my bag off my shoulder and unzipped it, reaching for the damaged book. I pulled it out and showed it to her, the cover facing her. "I know you don't want to hear this, but it would be wrong to not tell you." She looked at me. I revealed the damaged book, resting in my hands. "One of the books got damaged. I, um…I tried to get the fold out of the cover, but it didn't fully come out. I'm truly sorry."

Natsuki gave a light gasp, and I could see tears start to swell in her eyes. She turned away, covering her face with her hands.

I followed her, putting a hand on her back. "Oh no. Look, I'm really sor-"

She cut me off, her voice choking. "I-it's not t-that..." she started, tears tangling her voice like barbed wire.

"Natsuki…" I started, but my voice fell silent.

"It's j-just...things are r-really hard for me r-right now...and you've just been so n-n-nice to me...and I've been n-nothing but r-rude to you and…" she started to cry.

I turned her to me and embraced her, my arms wrapping around her. I gently stroked her hair, trying to soothe her like Monika did.

"Natsuk, it's okay. I understand. Your going through some stuff and you don't have anywhere to vent at." I said, eyes now level with her. Those beautiful pink eyes stared into mine, and I felt my heart rate speed up.

"I just want to say that...that I'm here for you if you need someone to talk to you. I know it's only been a few days, but I do care for you and want to see you happy.

Natsuki wiped away the tears from her eyes, sniffling.

"But, um...in the meantime."

I reached for my wallet and opened it up, and took out a slightly crinkled 2000 yen note (equivalent to a 20$ bill in USD) and handed it to her, the bill folded in my fingers.

"For a replacement copy."

Natsuki seemed taken aback, staring at the note. "Kazuma, you really don't have to..." she objected. I pushed the note into her hands, closing them on the note. For a moment, our hands were almost intertwined.

"No, I insist. And don't worry about paying me back, it's on me." I said, pulling my hands away.

For a moment, I thought she would start crying again. Then, without warning, Natsuki embraced me in a tight hug, her arms wrapping around my chest.

"Th-thank you." I heard her mumble through my blazer, voice muffled through my shirt.

She released me, but I felt the sensation of her warmth still clinging to me. I never wanted to let her go.

She sniffled again. "W-well, now that you have the next volume, you can start reading it." She stammered. "I-if you wanted to."

I smiled. "It'll be the first thing I do when I get home."

A smile returned to her face. "And then we can read the next one together tomorrow."

My heart pounded in my chest. "I can't wait." I said, trying to sound as relaxed as possible.

"Okay..." she lingered. She shifted on her feet. "You can go now if you want. I was gonna wait for the rain to stop."

"Why?" I asked. It could be hours before that happens.

She turned away, embarrassed. "I forgot my umbrella."

I dug into my bag and pulled out the umbrella I had packed away. I handed it to her. Natsuki stared at the umbrella, and gently took it in her small hand. She looked up at me.

"Don't worry about it.", I said. "Just bring it back tomorrow."

"I will.", She said, her voice now quiet. I smiled, feeling much better about myself now.

"Okay….bye.", She said waving. She opened the umbrella up and opened the door. I could hear the rain outside now, the sweet smell of the condensation flushing in.

And with that, she turned to face the storm.

Everything in my mind and body screamed 'Walk her home, you fucking idiot. Make her feel safe.', but I knew Sayori was already waiting for me to walk her home upstairs, and I couldn't just leave her hanging like that. Maybe I can walk her home tomorrow, but not today.

And as I watched Natsuki step out into the rain, in the back of my mind, the perfect idea for a poem started to bloom.