I opened my browser to the daily news, if there is any. I'm still aware that this isn't my world, so I didn't expect any significant news anyway.

I was right, most headlines were all about celebrity mishaps, charities, gossip, and what not. There was no mentions of any other country, such as the U.S, Canada, Mexico, and such.

Where is this memory taking place anyway...? Maybe it's best that I don't question it.

I brought my fist up and rested my chin on it. I began thinking...

Why?

I never thought I would ever think this but... to be or not to be? Those words I passed off as a joke in Shakespeare, now have a significant impact on my life right now. I never thought it would strike me down, ever in life... I've never been so stressed in my life. I know that quote is about suicide and it's contemplation of it, but I mean it in context of Tommy... I shouldn't dare to think of such betrayal.

I looked at Tommy, who was dozing off again.

It's best that I help him. I know I've went through this before, but how much can a man take, before he breaks?

At this point, the song has ended. So I switched out for a classic rock song. The song I played was Free Bird, by Lynyrd Skynyrd. The calm guitar playing and somewhat fitting lyrics to my situation made me experience tranquility.

I reminisced about a memory back at home.

It was senior year. Me, Tommy, Gabe, and James were all hanging out in the schoolyard. We just came back from a senior trip, so the sun was just setting. The color of the sky was a beautiful amber color. It made me feel all optimistic and nostalgic. Just a month more, till graduation and the last day of school. More of our other friends were with us, chatting and gossiping about the news and the events senior year.

"So, we made it?" I started.

"Yep." Tommy took a long sip from his Arizona. "That we did. V̤͍͈̯a҉͎ļ̥̱̥̦̠ that we did."

"Yoo! We all changed so much from freshman year though! Right James?"

"Yeah, Gabe. We all changed."

"I remember when we all were sitting in lunchroom, not being able to talk to each other after class!" I stated.

"Right? It was awkward as fuck! We were trying so hard to relate each other. My god, it was a shit-show." Gabe agreed.

"It was. Remember when I said that day?" James asked.

"Oh yeaaah!" Tommy jumped. "Didn't you say to V̤͍͈̯a҉͎ļ̥̱̥̦̠ that you lost your memory card, so you couldn't play Assassin's Creed II?"

"Haha! I was like, the fuck? Assassin's Creed II didn't even have a memory card to support saving!" I replied.

"Damn, I fucked up that day..." James concluded.

"Yep, that you did." Tommy said.

We continued to discuss about what during our time at high school. To fights we had, that made sense at the time, only to be seen as petty and overall stupid. To projects, such as poster board, presentations, and acting.

We had a hell of a time acting. In a project, all four of us decided to make a parody about Hamlet. We exaggerated each character's personality and plot to an extreme degree, to the point it can't be taken seriously. We were chosen as a candidate for best acting in that project of all time, in our school. But we got 2nd place, the first place being a unoriginal trailer of King Lear. All they did was re-enact the first two scenes of the book, like all the seniors at the time. We juniors at that time, held no sway in the elections.

Either way, we had fun in the acting project.

Our conversation came to inevitable lull. I decided to ask the question that shouldn't be asked.

"So uh... guys." I asked with anxiety. They all perked up to my strange behavior, all of a sudden. "I don't want to be that guy, but..." I took a deep breath.

"Are we all gonna keep contact with each other, after all this? After college?"

They all rose an eyebrow.

Gabe was the first to respond.

"Boi!" He did the sign to me. "Of course we are you fucking dumbass!"

James joined in. "Yeah, you twiddlefuck! What do you think? We're gonna ties and say: 'I don't know you people.' to when we meet up?" He shook in mock disgust.

"Yeah V̤͍͈̯a҉͎ļ̥̱̥̦̠, this isn't middle school!" Tommy agreed.

I shuddered at the name of "middle school."

"Alright! Jesus, I just wanted to make sure... So let's put them up." I placed my hand in the middle. "To brohood!"

"Are we really doing this V̤͍͈̯a҉͎ļ̥̱̥̦̠?" Gabe questioned. "Like seriously dude, what is this a movie or some shit?" He put his hand in.

"Alright fine." James put his hand in.

"Tommy? Are you going to put your hand in?" I asked.

"No. I don't know you people."

"Damn! Y'see Val! This is all your fault!" Gabe joked.

Tommy put his hand.

"To brohood!"

We all pushed our hands up into the air.

...

"Let's never do that again."

I opened my eyes, I felt like home again. Then I saw everyone... their unrealistic hair and eye colors, smooth faces, unproportioned facial features...

I'm ain't in Kansas anymore.

I let out a sigh, the guitar solo was just about to end, so I unpaired my headphones tucked them in.

I hate this. I hate this all. But there's nothing really I can do, but wait and see.

I looked around the room to see if anyone was ready. Turns out, everyone was doing their own thing. Sayori and Monika were talking, Yuri is binge-reading the book, and Natsuki is checking on her mangoes, or whatever.

It didn't take long for the conversation between the two girls grew more audible.

"People won't go our clubs since they think literature is too hard to read and needs lot of thinking. We are gonna look really lame, Monika..."

"But we can't just give up! The festival is our chance to show how great literature can be all about!"

The festival? Didn't Monika want to talk to me about that yesterday?

"All we have to do is, show that literature can be very free-form. That way, it can speak to their creative minds."

"Ummm... That's true, but people will bias be about the literature club anyway. We need people to show up in the first place."

"So what do you think, Sayori? Should we get people to come in by using food?"

"Mhm! We use the power of cute kitten cupcakes!"

"Hehe! Natsuki would love to make those cupcakes."

"Yep! That's how I got Tommy to join in the first place!... I'm still hungry."

"Ahaha. We still need to work out the details of the event itself..."

I bobbed my head in amusement. Hmm, that's nice.

The two finished their conversations and went their separate ways. Monika sits on the teacher desk and begins doing paperwork, while Sayori has this mischievous smile on her face. She seems to walking towards to the sleeping Tom.

Tom didn't sense her presence and continued sleeping. So, Sayori went to his ear blew into it.

"Aah!" That woke Tom up, he rubbed his ear. "What the heck, Sayori!"

"Sorry... No wait a minute, I'm not sorry at all!"

"What?"

Sayori put her hands on her hips. "You think this is my fault? It's yours for sleeping like that! This isn't a napping club! It's a literature club!"

"Huh... does our school have a napping club...?"

"Lemme guess! You stayed up late again, didn't you?"

"Uh... no?"

"Don't you dare lie to me, mister! Now that you're in my club, you're going to have less time for games and anime! You aren't going to be a N-E-E-T!"

"Sayori! Don't say that out loud!"

I saw him glance towards me. I quickly faked a pose to which I was in deep thought.

He sighed in relief.

"Well I'm right though."

"Yes, Sayori. You are right. You always look out for me, besides Val."

I tensed up in mention of my name.

"Aww... you and Val are actually besties! That makes me sooo happy!"

"Yeah, yeah... Well what about you?"

"Eh?" Her demanding posture diminished for the second time today.

"You look out for me, but you don't look out for yourself. For example, you still are oversleeping every day, aren't you?"

"Wha?! No... not every day!"

"Don't you lie to me, missy!"

Haha! The tables have turned!

"How many times did you wake up by yourself, this week?"

"Um... I don't know..." She tapped her index fingers together.

"Knew it."

"Aw c'mon! Don't be like that Tommmmmy!"

He shook his head. "Well you should know. It's written all over you."

"Eh? What do you mean?" Sayori looks around herself.

"You were in a rush this morning. See!" He pointed her at hair. "Your hair sticking out around this area..." Tommy begins to run his fingers down her hair.

Wow, what a friend.

"Gosh, Sayori. You need a brush for this."

"M-my hair is j-just really hard to g-get right..."

"I doubt it, remember when we were kids? Your hair was long and beautiful."

"Y-yeah..." Her face burned. "You used to play with my hair all the time when we got bored..."

"Anyway, there's more. Your bow isn't straight, and there's a toothpaste stain on your collar right... here." Tom then wipes off the stain.

"T-Tom... No one would ever notice that..."

"Yeah they would. But no one say anything, they don't want to embarrass you. However, I don't care."

"You're such a big old meanie..."

"But, I'm the big old meanie who wants to take care of you."

I can't help but comment, this is ridiculously cute.

"And this big old meanie wants your blazer buttoned up." He sighs. "Seriously, Sayori... why do think you don't have a boyfriend yet?"

"Wha-what?!" She stomps. "That's super mean, even from you!"

"Yeah well, once you see how much better it looks, you'll like it."

"Hehe!"

"What's so funny?"

"It's funny that how weird it is to have a my best friend who does these kind of things."

"Huh? What are you talking about? Argh... Stop saying that! You're making me feel weird, meanie..."

"Ah... I'm happy we're still friends. Aren't you?"

"Yeah, I guess..."

"Careful Tommy, I think that button might come off!"

"It looks like it... Why is this one so hard to close...? Tommy struggles to close the button near her chest. "Does this blazer even fit you properly?"

"Yeah... It did when I bought it."

"Sayori... Hey, what are you smiling about?"

"Yay! My boobs got bigger again!"

What the heck? I shot a glimpse to how weird of her say that, only for to quickly return to my thinking position.

"Sayori! Don't say that out loud!"

"B-but... my boobs got bigger!"

"Sayori!" Tommy finished buttoning up the blazer. "There we go! You look so much better now! Uh..."

Sayori didn't look like anything from before, rather she looks like a woman now. I couldn't recognize her. The most amusing thing is, that Tommy was practically drooling over the sight of this.

He quickly wipes the drool from his mouth.

"It's so hard to breath like this! It's not worth it at all!" Sayori unbuttons all the progress made from Tommy. "Phew! I can breath now! I feel so freeeee!" She twirls around.

"Well there goes my work..."

"So Tommy, if I keep it unbuttoned then I won't get a boyfriend, right?"

"What?! What kind of logic is that? That doesn't even make sense! And you make it sound like a good thing!"

"Well..." She taps her chin in thought. "If I did have boyfriend, then he wouldn't even let do things like this! Besides, you take care of me better than everyone else! That's why I'm keeping it unbuttoned!"

"Sometimes Sayori, I don't even understand you..." He brings Sayori into a hug.

I face-palmed on what was going on here. It's so obvious! Like how can Tommy not see that?!

"Huh?" Both Sayori and Tommy turn their heads towards me, apparently noticing my irritation. He lets go of the Sayori, as if she was on fire and she adjusts herself for a public appearance.

"Is there something wrong, Val?" Sayori asks.

"Uh... no, no. I was just reading something that I didn't quite understand, but now I get..."

"Oh, okay!" They walk off to separate ends.

Is this why this memory was repressed? Lost love? But that doesn't explain why this world is so... anime-like... Gah. Just let this damn day end! Wait... do I have to anything after school?

I pondered for a half second before realizing...

Shit! I have to go to the movies with... Yuri!

I glimpsed to Yuri, to which we make eye-contact for a split second, before she ducks behind her book.

This isn't going to go anywhere.

I pull out the book that I got from Yuri yesterday, and I walked towards her. She seemed oblivious to me and continued reading, however her body language gave away the fact that she was nervous.

"Yuri... you can't drop the act now."

"Wh-what act?" She put down her book.

"The act, where you pretend that you didn't look at me and I have to call you out, act."

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean do that... It just that I'm always nervous when I'm around you..."

"Huh? What do you mean, by 'always nervous'? I thought you know I'm friendly, I would never hurt you!"

"I know, I know! It's just that... I really l-"

"Yo Val!" Tommy called out.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"You got a pencil I can borrow?"

That's random...

"Yeah, hold on." I took out a pencil from my pocket, since I have consecutive classes that require writing. "Here." I tossed him the pencil.

"Thanks!"

"No problem."

"Now, Yuri. What were gonna say?"

"Uh... um... don't worry about it. I'll tell you when I'm ready..."

"It's fine, Yuri. Now, you wanna read the book together?"

"Yes, please!"

Is it me, or did she sound a lot more enthusiastic than before?

"Okay before we dive into the book, can you give a brief abstract of what I'm going up against?"

"Hm hm, it sounds like you are going fight something, Valkyrie."

"Yup. When I read something like horror, I like to know what to expect."

"Very well, bXkgZGVhcg=="

"Huh? What was that?" I could have of sworn I've heard something...

"O-oh u-uh, I j-j-just said v-very well." Yuri's cheeks were red and she was playing with her galaxy purple hair.

"Oh okay."

"Basically, it's about this boy in high school who moves in with his old-time friend... But as soon as he does so, his life gets really strange. He gets targeted by three different female assassins, who they try to seduce him in school. And during this, his life breaks apart, he loses his mind and can't differentiate on what's real and what is not. No matter how he hard tries, he destroys all relationships and falls to insanity."

This sounds awfully familiar, again I can't place my hand on it! Damn.

"If you don't mind me asking... This sounds a lot like Shakespearean literature, especially his tragedy plays."

Yuri giggles. "I thought you read things like this as breakfast. Did I assume wrong?"

"No! I actually like this sort of thing. The hero rises and then falls from grace genre, is always interesting to read. I will most definitely enjoy these stories, this is professionally written, for god's sake!"

"Ah. I hope so. It's just that these stories just force you to take a look at life, in a new perspective. When horrible things happen it's not because someone wants to be evil...-"

"It's because they have their own agenda to accomplish, some will do whatever it takes to finish the job, no matter what." I interrupted. "Ah! I'm sorry, Yuri."

"It's okay, you said it better than myself. A lot better actually. Anyway, when you think you can relate to the protagonist or characters... they are actually the naïve ones for letting their morals interfere with the so-called villain."

"Exactly! That's good a analysis, Yuri."

"Thank you, Valkyrie. I wasn't r-rambling was I?"

"No... I was interested to what you said! Everything you say, makes me think more highly of you. W-well in terms of your thoughts..."

"Hoo? That's all you think highly of, Valkyrie?" Yuri then leans in forward to me, her eyes had that strange vibe again. It was smaller and focused. They were interested in me...

"Yep." I ruffled her soft hair. She closed her eyes and smiled. "Prove yourself, to be complimented further." I jokingly say.

"I will."

"Anyway, wanna read the book, together?" I take my book and readied myself to read.

"Yes... Together." Yuri quickly puts her book into her bag and slides her seat next to me.

She's really close.

"Uh.. Are you sure...? I hoped that she would back off just a bit...

"Yes! I am!"

"Okay... I've never did this with anyone. Uh! You know... reading with someone. I thought we were going to read using both books..."

"I thought doing that too, perhaps it's better that we use your book instead. Just the two of us. Reading. Together..."

I felt my spine lock up when she said that.

"Okay... just tell me if I end up distracting you or anything."

"Hm hm hm... I'm pretty sure, that won't be the case."

"Alright..." I opened the with two hands on each side of the book and started the prologue... I can feel Yuri's presence over my shoulder as we both read. I don't like this at all...

In the corner of my eye, she's not actually looking at the book. It looks as if she was looking at me...

Is she checking me out?!

Yuri leans towards me, to the point where our shoulders are touching. She lies her head on my shoulder. I can't even tell if she's looking at me or at the book.

I don't even care at this point. Just go with the flow.

I try my absolute hardest to focus reading, but Yuri's soft and silky hair on my shoulder was getting the better of me.

We are so close together...

The warmth from Yuri's face and her steady breathing was making me uncomfortable. Or so I thought.

The way I held the book was awkward due to the fact she was leaning with her body weight. My elbow has sunken by the weight she exerted.

Aw shit... What do I do?

Yuri takes my arm and wraps it around her sides. She cuddles up closer towards me and takes a whiff.

The Hell's wrong with the girls today? Why she smelling me?

"Aaah."

Okay... then.

"Are you ready to turn the page?"

"Ah yes! Sorry Yuri, I got distracted." Even though she's the cause, I turn the page and continued to finish the first chapter.

This character reminds me of myself a bit... He's having a hard time distinguishing what's real and what's not, like me... He's targeted by three assassins... Three of which 'exist' here... And it seems like he's falling to the pits of insanity...

We make it to the end of the chapter. Yuri leans up to my ear and whispers,

"Do you wish to continue, Valkyrie?"

"I'm good. I'll read the next few chapters, so I'll text you when I stop. But for now, let's discuss the book-"

"Hey! Are you two done 'reading'?! I need Val for something!" Natsuki impatiently yells.

Yuri picks up her head and possessively squeezes my arm. "No we are not. We were going to read and discuss the book, but your incessant yelling has ruined the mood!"

"In-in-incessant?! Rrrgh!" Natsuki balled her fists and bared her teeth. She was ready for a fight.

Both girls were glaring and growling at each other.

Time to step in.

"Enough! Both of you!" This surprised them both, and they backed off from each other. "Look Yuri, I promise that I'll read with you tomorrow. But can you please let me help Natsuki with whatever she needs?"

She closed her eyes and lets out an agitated sigh.

Yuri releases my arm.

"Very well. We probably will have time to read after we come back from the movie, is that right, Valkyrie?"

Oh shit! The movie! I totally forgot about that!

"Yeah we will..." I stood up to face Natsuki. "Alright Natsuki, what did-" she yanked my arm and dragged me into the closet.

"Hey! What's the big idea?! Oh-"

Natsuki was the embodiment of rage. Her posture was intimidating and her face is a scarlet red from frustration. She was breathing raggedly.

This does not look good.

"Natsuki, please calm down." I said in understanding and reassuring tone. "Is there something wrong?

"RAH!" She punches the wall, with a frightening amount of force. I could've sworn there is a dent on the wall.

Jesus Christ, all mighty!

"My god! Natsuki is your hand okay?!"

She didn't give a response.

"Fucking Yuri... She sometimes pisses me off so much..."

"Hey... let it all out." Natsuki glares at me, it look as if she was gonna throw a punch at me.

To my surprise, she hugs tightly. Despite the height difference, the hug was comfortable. I patted her back to calm her down, to which she buried her face onto my chest. I heard her audible sniffs, which made me feel bad. I wanted her to feel better...

"There, there. It's alright."

After a while, she eventually calms down.

"Thanks, Val..."

"No problem, that's what friends are for. Now what's up?"

Natsuki tensed up and started to play with her fingers in anxiety. "I... uh... needed..." She then gained a wind of confidence. "Needed help with my manga collection! Monika keeps misplacing my stuff, it's never in the same spot!"

"Uh. I don't know anything about mango collections..."

She giggles. "You should read manga, Val. I think you might like them."

"Nah. I'm good. I'm more of a comic book, sort of guy."

"So what? If you like comics, then you'll like manga!"

"Nope. I'll stick to comics."

She points a finger at my chest and presses on it menacingly. "You. Are. Going. To. Read. One. Okay?"

I decided to toy with her. I smirked. "No."

In an instant, her face transformed into a scowl. I regretted my actions. The scowl frightened me, she walks slowly up to me, to which I back up slowly against the wall of the small closet. It didn't take long until I got pinned against the wall.

"Okay! Alright... I'll read your dang mangoes alright!"

This appeased Natsuki to a degree. But she still kept the scowl.

"Damn it, Val! It's man-ga!"

"I know, I like calling them mangoes."

"Whatever! Now help me sort my collection!"

I groan.

This is gonna take awhile.