"So, you said we were going to a bookshop first, yeah? So where is it?"

"Well, It's not too far, it's just down the road. There you go, you can see it now."

I'd been there a few times before, usually about once a week. Mostly it was just to buy a book I'd been thinking about. However, they knew me well enough that I could hang out there occasionally. The man at the counter nodded at me as I entered, then went back to serving his customer. I went to my favourite corner of the shop - the fantasy section. I brush my finger over the spines of the books, searching for one that I like the sound of. Suddenly I find one that piques my interest. It's a fantasy romp, but it also has a romance plot. In fact, it's a story where a young boy is transported into a fantasy world. It's almost like an anime turned into a novel.

I begin to read through it out loud, although quietly so that I don't look too odd. Monika seems fairly into it.

"I never thought you were into this sort of stuff Euan."

"What do you mean? What idea did you have of me?"

"Well, your room has a bunch of posters in it, but nothing about relationships. And your figurines that you have are all fighters and the like. I just didn't realise you liked reading about love." I was surprised, but come to think of it, she was right. For a long time, I'd never liked romance stories. They'd always felt just boring and too emotional to me. But recently, I'd gotten way more into them. Well, romance anime, at least. I thought back to when I first started watching them.

"Well… I suppose it was because of you. It was after I played Doki Doki Literature Club that I really liked the idea of two people falling in love and coming together. Maybe I'm not so different from Mai after all."

I continue reading, until I've finished the first few chapters. We're enough into it that I decide to buy the book, and place it into my bag, to buy later. I look along the shelves to see if there is anything else I might enjoy, but nothing catches my eye. I look at my watch, and realise how late it is - it's almost 7:30, as we spent an hour reading the book.

"Hey Monika, you want to get going? It's pretty late."

"Yeah, alright."

After I pay for my book, I leave and start heading to the park near my house.

"You know, It's kinda lucky how near your house everything is."

"Well, that's why I really love living in the centre of the city. I know that some people like being away from the hustle and bustle, but I think it's nice being able to go pretty much wherever I want in just a ten minute walk."

When we arrive at the park, I bring out my food and the picnic blanket. It's a fairly small park, so nobody else is there. I place my phone so that it's tilted up so that Monika and I can see each other. I start on the meal we made together this morning, and I'm surprised by how good it is, even though it's cold. As I'm eating, Monika speaks up.

"You know Euan, I just realised, I don't know very much about you. I mean, even though we've been together these past few days, we haven't really talked much. Even before I came to life, you only told me little bits about your day."

"Well… I suppose you're right. What do you want to know?"

"Well… Why don't you tell me your interests? What sort of stuff do you like to do?"

"Of course, you have to start with the most embarrassing one first, heh. Well, the easiest way to say it is that I'm a massive nerd. Ever since senior school, I was always into video games and anime and books and stuff like that. In school, I spent pretty much all my time reading one book or another. Because of that, I didn't really have many friends. Even the friends I did make I drifted away from, because I was just more into it all than them, and too introverted. So I was kinda alone during most of school after that." I realised Monika was looking at me with great sympathy in her eyes.

"Euan that's...really sad. I'm sorry."

"What are you talking about? It's not like I was ever bullied or anything, I was just by myself. And that was fine. I enjoyed being on my own, I liked my own company by that point. Haha, I suppose you could say my best friends were me, myself and I."

"Don't you think you maybe only enjoyed your own company, because no-one else was with you? Maybe you became so introverted and antisocial because you weren't interacting with anyone?"

This gets to me. Maybe she has a point… Is it just a self-perpetuating cycle of being alone, and not meeting new people? Am I a massive introvert because of my own actions?

"Well, It's fine now. I have great friends at university, all the friends I could ask for! I'm alright now. Are you feeling alright Monika?"

"It's just… I know that feeling of being alone, with nobody who's your friend. It's such an awful feeling, to be isolated from others. It's horrible, to have nobody to turn to."

"Monika… I… Are you okay?"

Monika smiles, and her voice is cheery "Yeah! I'm fine, that's all in the past! You need to keep telling me though!"
"If you're sure… Well, yeah, like I was saying, I'm into lots of shonen anime, Like Death Note and stuff like that… although I suppose you don't know what that is... but I also kinda like anime about relationships, although that's pretty recent. And it's sorta the same with movies and books. I play loads of video games too, althoughit's not always than big action releases."

"And you've never been out with a girl, Euan?"

"Are you kidding me? No girl has ever even asked me to be their partner for a group project, let alone ask me out on a date. And there's no way I would ask a girl out. I can only imagine how that would end."

"What are you talking about Euan? I'm sure it'd be fine if you asked a girl out!"

"Are you sure? Let's have a rundown of my qualities: I barely talk to anyone, I'm below-average in looks on the best of days, especially when you look at the clothes I wear. Yuri could take notes from me on how to be bad at talking and so, my popularity is basically at absolute zero. I'm into weird, fringe anime and video games, so I spend all of my spare time alone rather than getting out there and interacting. Really, I never interact with anyone outside of my friend group, and I don't think I've ever been to a party in my life. The last time I asked a girl out, she said no before I'd even finished the sentence. So yeah, that's probably how well it'd go if I-"

"EUAN, STOP!" Monika shocks me out of my monologue. I see her eyes are wet with tears again.

"I told you earlier, I don't like it when you say those things, so just stop it, okay? If that were true, I wouldn't be with you would I? You told me a few days ago why you love me, so it's time for to return to the favour. Maybe then you'll stop saying those horrible things about yourself. So, let's see: Firstly, you're not bad looking Euan. Personally, I think you look amazing. Your hair is the same beautiful brown as mine, and the messy look it always has is so cute. Your blue eyes are the same - They make me want to just be with you, and hug you while looking at them. And as for your interests, I really love the sorts of things you do. I never said it in the game, but I also love anime, and of course I love books. And I don't mind that you're secluded and not talkative, it means that when you do talk you really mean what you say, and that you always say things that are truly meaningful. Do you think, with all that, you really stand no chance at going out with a girl? Listen to me when I say this: There's dozens of reasons for people to love you, okay love? So the only reason you've never been out with someone is your own self-doubt. You're too scared and unconfident to ask a girl out, so you never did, and that made you feel worse because you were lonely. That was the only thing stopping you - not your looks or your interests. I would say yes to any boy like you who asked me out in a heartbeat, okay? So just… Stop it, okay Euan? I feel so bad for you when you talk yourself down like that. I don't want to hear it any more."

I'm silent for a moment as I digest Monika's words. Finally, I find the strength to speak up, and I swallow.

"Thanks Monika. That was really… really nice." I suddenly realise that I'm silently crying, even though I don't mean to. "I'm sorry I made you sad Monika."

"It's alright Euan. I'll always be here if you need me. You just need to do something for me, okay? Stop thinking so lowly of yourself. You have plenty to love about yourself - all the things I love about you."

My voice breaks as I try to change the subject.

"Okay Monika…. Thank you. You know I find it kinda hard to believe that you've really never had a boyfriend before, with how great you are. I mean, you're smart, athletic, strong-minded, and you look beautiful. Surely you got loads of boys asking you out. Don't you remember any of them or anything?"

"Well I… " Monika looks confused "I don't really remember… Now that I think about it, I can't really remember much from before the game. I have vague memories, but not much else… Like, I can remember that I had parents, and a house, but I don't remember anything specific about them. There are a few things a remember quite well though."

"Oh really? Like what?"

"Well, let's see… I can remember our first ever club meeting well… and I remember meeting all the girls, and when they came to the club… In fact, I think I can only really remember all the times I spent with the girls."

"Really? What was it like when you met them for the first time?"

"Well, I was actually friends with Yuri before the club started. We met in our second year. I remember meeting her perfectly. She was sitting on her own, reading in the cafeteria during lunch. I'd noticed before that people occasionally bullied her because she always had her nose in a book. Never anything really intense, just teasing really, but it still happened. So I sat next to her, and asked her about what she was reading. After that, I sat next to her a few times a week, and we talked about books. Then, when I started the Club, she signed up immediately."

"What about the others? Natsuki and Sayori?"

"Natsuki and Sayori… well, I'll just tell you about setting up the club. That'll tell you all about how I met them."

QUICK AN: So I know the ending to this chapter is kinda sudden, and seems out of nowhere, and that's because it is. This is the first part of this chapter, and there's still about another half to come. However, I already waited two days later than I wanted to to release this, so I felt it was just better to split it in two, and release them separately. However, the good news from this is that the next chapter should be out in the next few days, since most of the work for it is already done. However, don't bet on that, because it still might end up being longer than I planned. Whatever happens, it should be out soon, so watch this space. And as always, thanks for reading!