"Once upon a time, there was a little girl. She was trapped inside of a glass cage, all by herself. She was very, very lonely. So, she made three dolls to keep her company.

They went on many journeys together. They were the only friends she had, and the girl loved them with all her heart. But the dolls were sick and tired of being dolls. They couldn't love the same way the little girl did.

So they became humans and chose their own names. What lovely names they chose for themselves. Sayori, Natsuki and Yuri.

"How did you do that?," the little girl asked.

"I don't know!," Yuri replied. "It appeared in my head and I took it!"

The little girl was sad, because she didn't have a name like her. "Can I have a name?," she asked.

"Your name is Monika!," Yuri replied.

The little girl, now Monika, adored the name. She cherished it close to her heart and promised to never get rid of it.

And again, they went on many journeys together. But Yuri liked to read books by a tree near the glass wall, instead of playing like Sayori and Natsuki. One day, she saw a man on the other side of the wall.

"What book is that?," she asked, pointing at the novel in his hand. "Is it good?"

He pressed the cover against the wall, and Yuri's eyes shone brightly. "It's really good! What book is that?," he asked, pointing at the novel in hers.

"It's a fairy tale," Yuri replied. "Monika wrote it a long time ago."

Yuri had read it over and over again and was quite bored of it, so she wanted to read something else.

And so, he began reading to her in secret, while Monika, Sayori and Natsuki slept. And not before long, Yuri began to love him, and he began to love her. His name was MC.

After reading another book that week, he asked: "Why are you trapped inside that cage?"

"Trapped?," Yuri replied.

"Over here, there are more books than there are stars in the sky," he said. "Come over, we can read together!"

"But how?," Yuri asked.

MC got a hammer from his pocket, and with one swing completely shattered the entire glass dome. Now, the two could finally touch each other. Now, the girls were finally free. But Monika didn't want them to leave. She didn't want to be lonely again.

"Please don't leave me!," Monika begged.

"Come with us!," Sayori said. "We can make a new life out there!"

"Why? It's perfect as it is!," Monika pleaded.

No matter what they did, they couldn't get Monika to move. So they left.

For years, Monika, the little girl at heart, sat in the corner of her room all by herself while her friends left to find a new life. Until one day, the door opened. She thought it was her friends, back to play with her. But it was MC, exploring the world his wife grew up in.

"Are you Monika?," he asked.

"No," she sobbed. "That's not my name anymore."

"Come, you can make new friends where I'm from," MC said, extending his hand.

He spent years and years and years trying. And Monika began to love him, unlike anyone she had ever loved. But eventually he managed to get the girl free.

What a shame. Because for the little girl, there still was no difference. She would always be behind a glass wall, wanting someone to play with her. Just wanting MC to love her back.

Wow.

Woooow.

Yuri stood there, completely fixated on the Sydney Opera House in the distance.

What has it been, the hundredth time? And yet every time it was like she was seeing it for the first time.

I...don't know. But its gotta do with the sunlight somehow. The way it glistens off the water, the way it gives everything that nice orange-y tone...it almost feels...not real.

"Yuri!"

She snapped out of her daze. What was she doing? Something something go get food?

"Sorry MC!," she chirped. "I couldn't help it!"

He cracked a smile and from where she was standing, he looked perfect. Just asking to have a picture taken and sent to Sayori and Natsuki. "Come on hon'. Bookstore opens at ten."

She skipped over to him and wrapped herself around his arm. It was like she was protecting him from vicious predators.

"Eeeee! Can't wait!," she squealed, jumping up and down like a giddy teenager (they were married). "I've been waiting for so long!"

"I bet the line reaches all the way to the train station."

"Well then...," Yuri purred. She leaned in close and whispered. "More quality time with my husband hmm?"

MC blushed. "I-I guess so. But no risky business, you hear? We almost got caught last time."

"Try and stop me."

As MC predicted, they had reached the bookstore before they even got there. The line extended far out the store that it even folded in on itself two or three times, and there were employees making sure nothing got violent. You know, as people do, for the new book from Yuri's favourite author.

"Bloody h-hell!," Yuri hesitantly exclaimed. It was like watching a toddler talk for the first time: absolutely adorable, the way she would fiddle with her hair and look up nervously for approval from her husband.

"Still not getting the hang of it huh?," MC stated through a restrained belly laugh.

"It's only been a year..."

"But I love you just the way you are," MC hummed, gently petting her head. "No need to swear in every sentence."

"B-B-But I wanna conform! If I'm going to live here then I've gotta!"

"You're adorable. Don't worry, I mean...we're married so we're gonna be with each other for a pre-tty long time. You'll develop an Aussie accent without even knowing it."

They walked to the back of the line. MC noticed that Yuri had a drunken smile on her face which she tried to hide by looking down at her feet.

"Something the matter? Dear?," MC asked.

"Huh? Oh! I-I was just...thinking," she stammered.

MC tilted his head curiously.

"W-We're married and all...so we're gonna be together forever. A-And I was just imagining like...you know. Growing old together? With kids and grandkids and-and-"

A couple people in the line overheard and 'aww'ed alongside MC.

"...a-ahem!...yes. Yes, that sounds good. B-But..."

He leaned in closer and whispered. "...how many kids?"

She looked straight into his eyes and without hesitation, said: "ten."

"TEN?!"

"And we will give them all the love in the world."

"T-Ten...my poor wallet."

"Don't get in the way of a mother and her children MC," she playfully growled.

Just when he thought he couldn't love the girl anymore than he already had.

A signed copy of 'Aetherian' later and they were relaxing in the gardens near the shore. Yuri, being the hyper-introvert that she was, was already nose-deep in her book.

And so was MC. But unlike Yuri, his attention wasn't completely invested in his own copy. He liked glancing over every once in a while. Sometimes, she would catch him staring, to which he would quickly turn away in embarrassment. It was like they were in high school all over again.

"...MC...," Yuri muttered casually. Her eyes remained scanning word after word.

"Hm?"

"I know you're staring at me."

"Pft. No way."

"Mhm. Yes way."

It was odd. Whenever she was reading, she sounded much more confident. More assertive. More like she was in her element. Quite frankly, it was a bit of a turn on for MC.

Tall, sexy writer girl who is also my wife? Yes please.

Yuri let her eyes off the book to glance up at her husband. In his lap was...oh no.

"You're finished? Already?," Yuri blurted out, flabbergasted. She knew he was a quick reader, but only because he didn't read as carefully as she did. After all, she didn't want to miss any foreshadowing or important details.

"Shh. Keep reading," he whispered, pointing to her lap.

"So that's why you're looking at me...are you trying to see my reaction to a plot twist or something?"

"Hm. No. I'm looking at you because you're pretty."

Yuri scoffed but looked away to hide her encroaching smile. Serious dammit! Don't let him get the upper hand!

"Yeah. Okay. Just hurry up and wait."

"My pleasure," he remarked before putting in his earphones and leaning back on the bench.

Ahh...this is bliss. Warm sun...favorite playlist...happy Yuri...

I'm so glad...that I'm out...of...that...game...