(Thursday Morning, 5:30 am)
Two days have gone by in a flash since that accident occurred. No interesting development has happened in the span of those two days, perhaps the most interesting moment is when Yuri asked me about mental illnesses like self-harm and violent tendencies but she brushed it off and basically ended any chance of me talking about her problems. Thankfully, she wants to talk with me more today about those kinds of stuff.
I look at my alarm clock, it's still 5:30 in the morning. Monika lay beside me and her arms are intertwined with mine. A peaceful smile is spread across her face, I'm careful not to wake her up since it's so cute! I kiss her softly on her forehead, she let out a soft whimper but went back to sleep. I get out of my room and begin to make my way to the basement that Akami-sama made a few days ago. But before I could open the door, Maido stops me. Her steely gaze causes me to shiver a little bit. Her grasp on my shoulder implies that I'm about to trespass some sort of sacred place for her.
" What do you need, Yoku? If you need knowledge, please ask me. I have memorized all books Akami-sama has collected." She said as she lets go of my hand and gestures toward the sofa. A tray with two cups of hot tea sitting atop the coffeetable. I smile and we both take a seat.
" Okay then, how do you deal with a psychopath having a crush on you?" I ask as I take a sip from my tea. She ponders for a while before giving an answer.
" Knowing you, I'd deal with girls like that by putting my foot down and letting her know that you don't see her as a lover." I nearly spat out my tea at her response.
" What the- Why?! Won't that put you and everyone in danger?!" I say with a baffled and curious tone.
" Well, I believe that won't be dangerous. Since the girl may be violent because of her obsession with you, she may break down once she finds out her efforts are for naught-"
" You're not helping." I cut off Maido, her words are placing heavy guilt on my heart.
" Well, suit yourself. It's better to comfort a broken hearted girl than suffering from the consequences of your inaction." Maido says as she sips the tea.
" Gee, thanks mom!" I say sarcastically at Maido.
" Hey! I'm still young you know! 27 billion years in god years is just 14." Maido says as she lets out a giggle.
" Grannie." I said with a smirk on my face. She fumes at this.
" Brat." She huffs out. A moment of silence is shared before we burst out laughing.
" Anyways, I've reheated the pasta, readied your clothes and readied your bath. Oh, and I think Natsuki still hasn't bought new pairs of underwear." The last part causes me to tense up. I forgot... I didn't allow Natsuki or the others to leave the house during sunset or night time. I think it was Tuesday evening when I implemented that rule.
Flashback Starts
"Ok, so you guys are probably wondering why I made everyone to run here from school and why I didn't permit Natsuki from going shopping." I say as we all huddle together in the living room.
" T-T-That's right! You damn jerk, you better give me a good reason not to beat the shit out of you right now! I've been enduring this damn bras that are now a size too small for me!" Natsuki shouts out as she covers her chest. A quick glance and one could easily tell that she took off her bra the moment she got home.
" Hah, one word... Yuri. Not the damn lesbian kind of Yuri, so put away the "Citrus" manga I just bought, Natsuki! I'm talking about the one in the literature club." I said out loud as I look at Natsuki. She puts away the bag that I bought earlier before going home.
" With her... problem, I think you have all been marked as some sort of 'rival'. Going out even as a group is really dangerous now. For now, why don't you wear the ones Monika gave you yesterday." I smile at Monika, knowing those were new and fresh pairs due to her coding it into the game.
" F-Fine! Anyway, how will you even deal with her?! Do you know just how dangerous she is to herself and you?!" Natsuki pouts as she tries to hide her worries.
" He's Yoku for damn sake! If he can save the two of us, then I believe he can save Yuri as well!" Sayori says optimistically. Her energetic and hopeful smile calms Natsuki down a little.
" Yup! Darling here would surely help Yuri with her problems, right?" Monika hugs my arm and snuggles against me. I smile and at her head a little. Lately, she has been more clingy and territorial when it comes to me. She's just probably saying to Yuri that she owns me and that she should take a hint.
" Ugh... Get a room! It's disgusting seeing you two act lovey-dovey with each other. Anyways, let's eat! I'm starving!" Natsuki dashes off to the table as Maido places the vegetable curry on the table along with some fried chicken for the girls.
Flashback Ends.
A soft kiss pulls me back to reality. Green eyes gaze deeply into my own, brown hair served as the curtain to separate my view from the rest of the world. Monika smiles sweetly as I cup her cheek.
" Did we wake you up?" I ask with a soft and warm tone as I kiss her cheek.
" Nah, I was woken up by the lack of warmth from the pillow beside me. Anyway, why don't you call the girls so we could eat. Muah~" Monika kisses my cheek and pulls away from me. I nod and I immediately follow her command.
I left the house and went over to Sayori's. Before I could enter, I could hear the sound of a guitar being played in a sweet melody, a flute being played in an upbeat tune and a kitten meowing cheerfully. I enter the house to see Natsuki, Sayori and NyanNyan on the floor and playing music. They stop in surprise as I lean on the door way.
" Hehe, that's a nice little band you got there. Food's ready, you guys go finish up your song if you want to." Before they can say anything, I close the door behind me and leave them be.
I turn around and begin heading home when the door flies open and Natsuki and Sayori comes rushing out whilst carrying NyanNyan. They immediately run ahead of me and dash towards the house that is filled with food. This is a morning routine that I've grown fond off, and deep down in my heart, I hope this doesn't change at all.
( Thursday Morning, 7:40 am)
After the usual routine in the morning, we arrive at school twenty minutes before the bell rings. I separate from the group as I head towards my classroom, but out of the corner of my eye, I see a young teacher runningrunning towards me. I turn around to see Miss Yuna catching up to me amd smiling.
" Yoku! There you are! Sorry if I haven't been able to talk to you... anyways, I have something important to tell you." She pauses for a moment and starts scanning the area for someone, before looking back at me.
" No... it's too dangerous here. I'll just go to your house later, okay?" Miss Yuna says with a worried and scared tone.
" Whatever you do, stay safe. I feel some sort of foreshadowing or a red flag when doing this. You know, like those in anime. Bye Yoku." Miss Yuna pats me on the shoulder before leaving. I am confused by what she said, but I still continue to my classroom.
The day passed by like the other days, except this time, I didn't spend lunch time with the others. I told them in advance that I'd be spending lunch alone with my thoughts. I look outside the clear window beside me. I could see the tennis court from here and on it a bunch of people are having a match. Beside it is the covered court on which a group of friends is playing basketball and having fun. I smile as I look at the youthful scene. I look back at my phone and continue to write something on it.
After dismissal time, I was about to head to Sayori's room when I received a call from Monika.
" Hey!~ Sorry Yoku, Sayori and Natsuki would be going with me to the mall today. We'll be skipping club for today and you'll be in charge for now. Anyways, you better not do something with Yuri! Thanks, bye!" The phone clicks and the call ended. Man, Monika is a handful sometimes. I walk to the club room and open it's doors.
Amy and Yosuke aren't here... oh right! Those two were sent on an errand by the teachers, so that means... I look around the dimly lit room and find Yuri sitting in a lone chair and reading her book.She does not notice me as I place my stuff down on the table beside her. She only notices my presence when I sit beside her. Her face turns red as she gets flustered. It seems having me in such a close distance causes her to lose her composure.
" Hi! Mind if I continue reading with you?" I ask nicely as I lean closer to her. Her hands shake as she begins to mutter something.
" Y-Y-YES! I... I appreciate it..." She smiles sweetly as she shows me the pages.
We begin to read in silence, just like the past few days. We read in silence, Yuri constantly glancing at me before turning the pages. The room is empty so we could hear the sounds of our own breathing. Yuri's breathing is now getting faster and her heart beats quicken. From time to time, she would open her mouth to speak but no words would come out. A few more minutes of this happening and I finally address the issue.
" Yuri, if you want to say something, please say it. I know you've been wanting to get something off of your chest." I say as I finally look her in the eyes. Her violet eyes dart away from my concerned gaze.
" Its... about my hobby... my guilty pleasure..." Yuri timidly says as she turns her head away from me and curl a strand of her hair in her fingers.
" Hmm? Why? Is it something bad? Do you... want to show it to me?" I try to say in an empathetic manner. This is it, the moment that I've dreaded yet prepared for.
" If... If... If I show it to you, promise me you won't leave me." Yuri says with a sad voice. A moment of silence fills the room, Yuri hesitates at first as she places her hand on her sleeve.
Yuri took a deep breath, then begins to fold the sleeve of her blazer. A bloody bandage covers the entirety of her arm from the wrist up. I sit there silently, taking the entire scene in. She then begins to take off the bandages, revealing deep scars that gets bigger the farther up you look. Yuri is holding back her tears, for her, this is like showing your naked body to someone. The courage needed to confess something like this is colossal, yet here she is, undoing the bandages that she has been using to hide her secrets. Finally, she stops undoing the bandages and places her arm on the table.
" Remember when I told you that I'm infatuated with knives? How I have kept knives as a collection and a hobby? This... This is the reason..." She says with a faltering voice.
I say nothing and continue to stare at the scars that run up and down her arm. A few of them are still fresh, yet most of them have already healed. Yuri must've thought I am judging her and being repulsed by her due to my silence and blank stare. She begins to cry and tears slowly streams down her face.
" Am... Am I horrible? This, this... I know it's disgusting to look a-"
" Geez, a cut is still bleeding, you idiot! Hold on!" I said as I stand up and dash towards the closet. I grab the small first aid kit inside and made my way over to her.
" And stop misunderstanding me. My silence doesn't mean I'm judging you, it means I'm taking in this enormous pile of information you just dumped on me and I'm currently processing it in my mind." I say as I take a sit and hold her arm. She lets out an 'Eep' at the sudden contact.
" Hmm, we need to disinfect this. Hold still, this might sting a little." I begin to take out some disinfectant and swabbing the area. She winces at the slight pain this brought.
" You... You don't... hate me? Shouldn't you leave some... freak like me behind?" Yuri wipes away some of her tears with her free hand. I shake my head and let out a sigh.
" Why would I hate you? You're my friend, and as I see it, you need some help withwith your problems." I finish cleaning the cut on her wrist. I then begin to cover it with bandages.
" Besides, if I am not able to help you, I would've failed as a friend... There! All done! Ehehe~" I pull away my hands and show her the fresh bandage that is covering her wound.
" Yoku... T-Thank you... I... I..." Before Yuri could even finish, she begins to cry.
" You know, you really need a new way to vent out your... hold on... I've got an idea!" I said before rummaging trough the contents of my bag. Akami-sama, let me show you what being creative is.
" Yuri, give me your hand." I say as I wipe away a tear from her face.
" W-Why?" She asks as she shows me her arm.
" I'll show you a trick... Everytime you feel the urge to cut yourself, why don't you do this instead." I gently hold her hand and run the pen across her wrist. Black ink can be seen in the midst of all her scars.
" Huh? Heh?" She looks at the marking on her arm. The black line now dripping slightly due to the ink.
" Instead of cutting yourself, why not writing a line on it instead, okay? The moment I see a new cut on your arm, I'll be sure to scold you for it... okay?" I say as I stand up and look at her.
" Don't... make me worry about you... I don't want to see anyone get hurt anymore... okay? If you need help with this, I'm not gonna turn you down... okay?" I smile weakly as I pat her head. Yuri stares intently at me, her glistening, violet eyes giving me a look of happiness and... lust?
" Yoku... Thank you... I'll... I'll treasure this pen for the rest of my life!" She says as she firmly holds my hands.
" But you know... I also think it's time you should reveal some of your secrets, Yoku~" Her cold empty eyes are now transfixed on me. Her breath is now quickening. Her grip is tightening.
" I already know, Yoku... about you and Monika..." She says as she stands up, frowning at me.
" Uhm... Uhhh..." I say as I try to pull away my hand from her.
" I know... about how obsessed she is with you! Tell me, have you answered her yet?" She has a grin on her face, a terrifying grin. Damn it... If I say anything she doesn't like, she may do something horrible here... Fuck! Monika, Akami-sama... I need help.
[ Just say no. For your sake... Let's just deal with this later.]
Monika! Man, what a pain! It's like lying about us... Ugh, forget it! Ahhh fuck!
" Yuri! No! I haven't given her an answer yet, so please! Let go of my arm!" I say as I yank away my wrist from her grasp. This pulls her out of her trance and immediately, she begins to stammer.
" I'm... I'm... I'm sorry... I didn't mean to... Ah... I'll just leave!" She sys as she quickly takes her bag and book and dashing out of the room.
I let out a sigh and I take my stuff. I close the door behind me as I leave and I begin to think about the shit I have to deal with tomorrow. I was walking in a fast pace quietly, deep in my thoughts when I bump into someone. Man, I wish I bumped into a girl, it would make the impact less forceful. Wait a minute, I look up and saw that it was Miss Yuna... covering her chest.
" Oh, uhm... err... I apolog-"
" N-No! It's my fault, I wasn't looking to where I'm going... Ehehe." She says as she relaxes and rubs her head.
" Anyways, let's get going?" She says as she dangles her car keys infront of me. I nod in response and we begin to walk trough the corridors.
" Yoku... It's about Yuri, and her family." She says after a long moment of silence between us.
" What?! Why? Did-"
" Ssssshh!!! She might be following you... keep it down." She cuts me off and she begins to quicken her pace.
" I'll continue in the car and at your place, but for now, let me just say... We might be dealing with a top-tier Yandere. Why? Well let me just say, Yuri may not even be her real name."