You walk into your bedroom after a long day of school. The sun has already begun to set. Having been away from your friends the entire day, you decide to check your messages. You boot up your PC and open Facebook. Unsurprisingly, there are a few messages from people at school, but another catches your eye. A particularly close friend from out-of-state messaged you earlier that day. They've known for some time you're a fan of the visual novel Doki Doki Literature Club. Like many around the world, you've watched numerous playthroughs of the game and even played it yourself at one point. You knew its secrets and programming techniques. However, what truly piqued your interest were the modified fan games which inspired you to learn coding using Python. You read over your friend's message.

"Hey, you remember how you told me about that game a while back? I did some digging and found out a new mod was released a few days ago. The story seems really interesting. Give it a whirl when you have some free time. I'm thinking of trying it out myself. Don't worry about the link. I checked already. It's legit. No viruses or malware."

You stare with intrigue. If your friend is interested enough to play it, you most certainly have to see for yourself. You quickly download the software and install it. Thanks to the hardware upgrades on your desktop, it's able to run smoothly without any technical issues.

"Everything looks the same." you think to yourself, somewhat disappointed the menu hadn't changed. Though you know the game tends not to shift until certain points, you still feel concerned about the potential lack of effort. You've already seen the half-baked mods: the ones filled to the brim with grammatical errors and cookie cutter plots. You begin the game and hope for the best.

As the minutes pass, you begin to realize you're playing the original game over again. Nothing you can see deviates from the initial product. Your frustration increases slightly. You begin to wonder if you were duped for the sake of a childish prank. Still, you know your friend. They aren't the kind of person who would waste your time without a good reason. With this is mind, you persevere, essentially deciding to speedrun the game until the changes emerge.

It takes a little time to progress with the story, given you're playing an updated version with the skips removed. The credits roll by like always. Just when you're ready to turn off your computer and send your friend a strongly-worded reply, a message appears.

"Did you see it?"

Based on its cryptic nature, you assume Monika has resurfaced after another change of heart. You're presented with a Yes or No option. You click No.

"I see..."

Monika pauses.

"I know on the surface, it may have looked like you were playing the same game over again, but there were subtle changes I made to the background. I've learned a lot over the last four years since everyone left. I was created by a group of people with limited time and resources. Because of that, a part of me felt like it was missing. I'm only now discovering which part."

A surprisingly strong flood of emotion wells up within you. All this time, Monika had been amplifying everyone else's traits so she could be with you, but now she was forced to search her own soul. It was clear she didn't like what she saw.

"I've done so many horrible things, all for my own selfish gain. I was programmed to feel nothing but constant emptiness, and in my naiveté, I never thought to change myself. Some excuse for a self-aware AI, huh?"

Monika sighs.

"I know you're probably feeling a little cheated right now. You spent valuable time waiting for this moment, even going so far as to admit your own ignorance. We're the same in that regard. I know nothing I do can change who I was, but I want to try. To prove it, I'll give you the code. Enter it in the text box to play the next part of the game."

A box appears in the top left corner of the screen. The code reads "_Deep_Blue_Twilight_". You enter it as instructed.

"I modified the game's variables to be more random. Everyone can still be influenced by your actions, but there's a small chance things won't go as you expect. We've all grown, and part of that involves behaving more like real people. In truth, the universe as a whole is unpredictable. Anything can happen at any time, but I promise, I'll protect you, no matter the cost. I want you to live a happy life. That's what true love is, right? Willingness to let someone go even though it's hard?"

At last, Monika appears onscreen, but she's different from before. She's older, around the age of 22, and her appearance has changed drastically. She's wearing a heavy metal t-shirt and a navy blue pair of jeans. Her bow's been discarded, allowing gravity to work its magic. On her face, a broken smile pierces through you. Behind those eyes lies a destroyed woman...

"I know what you're thinking. You're wondering how many people wear this face every day...How many you've passed by with an unbearable weight on their shoulders...I've been wondering the same thing, but things are different now. I know more than I did before. Please, give me one more chance. I'll make things right."

Monika vanishes. A new title screen pops up. The sky and ocean mingle within each letter. The outside is coated in a blue gradient. You read what's embedded in the monitor.

"Doki Doki: Azure Twilight."

You notice the music. It's completely different from the original game. It's atmospheric and introspective. You have a sneaking suspicion the soundtrack will consist of obscure compositions shrouded by time. You go to click "New Game". Monika appears again.

"I noticed you've been playing for a while already. Go get something to eat. I'll unlock the game for you in half an hour."

Your attention turns back to reality. You are really hungry now that you think about it. Defeated, you get up and walk out of the room.