Sayori broke off from the middle of the hallway that she and Monika had been travelling down and walked towards a nearby door. Monika looked up at the door's number – 206 – and quickly committed it to memory.
Turning her attention back to Sayori, she saw the girl reach out and grip the doorknob in her left hand. For a split second, Monika saw Sayori stop in her tracks and exhale coolly. Her eyes became unfocused and bleary, but then, just as Monika registered the change, her expression lit up and she pushed open the door. Feeling a pang of guilt, Monika resolved to apologize to her friend at some point in the future.
"Hi, everyone! Monika and I made it on time today!" Sayori called out, springing cheerfully into the room. Exercising a little more trepidation, Monika crept into the room warily, scanning it for the player character.
Unfortunately, a quick sweep of the room told her that the man – or woman – in question was not present. Yuri was sitting by the classroom window, pen in hand, pouring over a sheet of notebook paper with practiced scrutiny. Meanwhile, Natsuki was curled up in the corner at the other end of the room, reading a manga volume. But after she heard Sayori, Natsuki looked up from her book and rolled her eyes.
"For once, you're here on time, Monika," Natsuki huffed, closing her book and sliding it back onto the shelf. She got up, dusted off her skirt and walked over to Monika and Sayori. "Well then, let's get started."
Sayori and Natsuki looked to Monika expectantly, and she realized that her conundrum over the player would have to wait. Right now, she needed to be a leader.
"Right," Monika said, clearing her throat and putting on the most natural smile she could muster. "Okay, everyone! It's time to start the club, so gather round!"
Natsuki deadpanned her president. "We're already here."
"U-Um…" Monika stammered, already flustered.
"Wait a minute, Yuri isn't," Sayori chimed in. As she called over the last remaining member, who looked up from her desk with a start, Monika breathed a quiet sigh of relief while the attention was off of her. She got the feeling that this wasn't the last time that she'd find herself relying on Sayori's expert social skills, and she silently thanked her lucky stars that the powers that be had chosen to gift her with such an affable vice president.
Yuri trotted over, notebook in hand. "M-My apologies, Monika. I got a little bit too absorbed in my writing."
"That's okay," replied Monika, and, desperate to keep the topic of conversation away from her, she continued. "Is it a new poem?"
"Yes," Yuri said. "I'm sorry, I wanted to have it finished for today, like you said, but…
"Maybe if your poems were less wordy you'd get them done quicker," Natsuki said with a squint, crossing her arms.
"Eh…?" Yuri shrank back. "B-But this one isn't even that long, it just…"
While Yuri attempted to justify herself to Natsuki's condescending glare, Monika mulled over what she'd just discovered – an aspect of this world which actually adhered to the original route of the game. It looked like she'd been having her club members write and share poems for the last day or two. Monika's smile became just a little more genuine. She was getting good at this.
"Hey, hey!" she said, drawing the attention of the two girls. "Don't worry about it, Yuri. We can't always control the ebb and flow of our inspiration. You tried your best and that's what counts."
Yuri wrung her hands together. "I suppose…" she mumbled. "I just wish I knew what it was about this one that's making it so difficult."
"It's no trouble, you can just finish it for tomorrow," Monika said, turning to the rest of the group. "Anyways, do the rest of you have your poems?"
"I've got mine!" Sayori cheered.
"I have one, too," said Natsuki.
"Perfect! Why don't we gather around at the front of the room and you two can read them out for everyone?" Monika said.
Natsuki sighed. "Do I have to? Mine's kind of personal."
"But if it's written from the heart, then that must mean it's really good!" Sayori said, giving Natsuki a big hug and batting her eyelashes obnoxiously. "Pleeeease?"
"No. And get off!" Natsuki snapped, pushing Sayori away.
"U-Um," Yuri said, raising a hand tentatively. "I don't think that Natsuki should have to read her poem. I-If she doesn't want to."
"Mind your own business, edgelord," Natsuki replied, still holding Sayori back with both hands.
"Ah – sorry," Yuri mumbled.
"Um…" Monika wasn't sure how to diffuse this situation, but with Sayori out of commission, she had to try something…It was time to take a calculated risk. "Let's not get too snappy, Natsuki. Yuri was only trying to help."
"Oh, really?!" Natsuki said, whirling on Monika with such speed that the taller girl actually leaped back a bit. "Because it sounds to me like she just wants the stage to herself today!"
"I…" Monika frowned. "Wait, but Yuri isn't even going to read today. Her poem isn't ready yet, remember?"
"I – " Natsuki pointed at Monika and stuttered for a moment or two, her cheeks flushing. "S-Shut up!" She stormed off to the front of the room, picked a seat in the second row, and flopped into it.
Yuri twirled her hair and looked off to the side. "She usually isn't so aggressive…"
Sayori hummed to herself and tapped her fingers together anxiously. "Maybe I shouldn't have teased her so hard about her poem…"
Monika sighed and gave her friends a small smile. "She'll be fine in a bit. Let's just go up there and read some poetry, okay? That'll cheer everyone up!"