Memories are unreliable. What you think you remember, is likely warped by emotions to make the experience more memorable.

They are usually looked back on with either nostalgic fondness, or bitter regret. I don't do either, I didn't particularly feel nostalgic about my past memories, but they are what shaped me into who I am, so I don't wish to have done it differently.

…Could I really say the same now?

That memory was clear as day, and I would give anything just to have done something, anything to stop it from happening, or to change the outcome.

Conclusion? I…

…I don't know.


The image was burned into my retinas, Sayori, hanging from the ceil– "Blegh!" Emptying my stomach's contents onto the club floor, I feel the tears already falling.

Feeling my stomach continue to churn, I start to feel like absolute shit. Turning back to the one responsible for me feeling this way, a guilty look greets me.

"Why?" I ask, my voice coming out in a pained whisper. "Why show me that?"

Monika doesn't answer, not immediately. Walking around the table, she…hugs me? "I'm sorry." Realization dawns on me as I break out of the embrace.

"You…" Taking a few steps back, away from her, I look at her in frustrated confusion. "Why the hell didn't you help her?! You were there, so why..?"

A bittersweet smile appears on her face, as she averts her eyes. "You may not believe me, as it sounds too convenient, but I can't. If I were to bring up Sayori's issues up to her, she'd ignore it. Almost as if I never said it to begin with."

"...What?" I didn't know what to say or make of it…

"That's why I said, "You're the only one who can save them…", so please…Save them." Bowing her head, she makes her request.

I couldn't answer her. No matter how hard I tried, my cold hard logic had no effect on my spiraling emotions. "Why me?"

"Because you're real." She answers, straightening herself as she looks back at the table. "And your arrival here made us real, or the closest thing to it at least. If I had to hazard a guess, only real things can change us." She pauses, as she starts giggling to herself, though it didn't have an ounce of joy inside. "...How very cruel, no? Even now, we aren't really real." I'm unable to see her face, but I could only assume she was going through something far worse than me.

"..."

"I'm sure you noticed it this morning. This world is collapsing, buildings and people are fading from existence, slowly but surely everything here will disappear." She says, nonchalantly turning back to me.

"...What?"

"...I guess I have a lot to explain…Or actually, maybe not." She starts approaching me, fingers raising up towards my face.

"Wait! Don-" My resistance can't even begin as her fingers hit me, and I immediately lose my sense of balance.

Tap.

"If it all becomes too much for you…

Don't worry. I'll fix you."


Day ?

Regaining control of my body, I look around for…"This is…my room? Then…It was all a dream, right? Right?" Standing in a hurry, I nearly fall to the ground again from the mental exhaustion.

With my bedroom wall as support, I walk out into the hallway and head for the room adjacent to mine. Opening the door, I call out for… "Komach–"

Nothing. The room was uninhabited, and probably hadn't been entered in a long time. With a defeated feeling in my heart, I allow my body to give out.

The pain in my legs was nothing compared to the pain of having my hopes completely crushed once more. 'Is this my punishment for not being a raijuu?'

"That's not even funny, dumbass." I berate myself as I pull myself up from my own self wallowing. Walking out the room, I make my way downstairs.

Shuffling into a pair of shoes, I walk out of my home while still in my pj's. It doesn't take long for me to reach the house next to mine.

Inserting the key I used before, the lock clicks as the door unlocks. Walking in, I continue going further as I leave the door open with the key still attached.

Stopping at the door from…at the door to Sayori's room, I hesitantly reach out to the knob and twist. Preparing myself for the worst, I push the door forward. "Sayo-"

"H-Hachiman?!" With both her hands reaching behind her, towards her bra's hooks, her face heats up at the same time as mine. "...W-W-What are you doing here?! Out, you perv!" Slamming the door shut, I am able to save myself from her wrath…for now.

'Damnit Zaimokuza, you just had to suggest an ecchi dating sim, didn't you?'


Sayori's Room

Now face to face with her, I'm left conflicted on how I should feel. Relief at the fact that she's alive, or embarrassed that I had just walked in on her changing. 'Both. Let's go with both.'

"Dummy, pervert, Hachiman." With her arms crossed, Sayori refuses to look me in the eye.

"Oi. My name isn't an insu--Whatever." Damn coincidences, and their effect on me. "Listen, I uh…I didn't mean to…you know…"

"...I guess you still suck at apologies…dummy Hachiman." Now looking her in the eye, she quickly breaks off her eye contact, and with a small blush, possibly still embarrassed from earlier. "...S-So? Did you need something?"

Ah. Looks like my carelessness has caught up to me again. "...Yes…It was… see you." I mumble the last part, as even I don't know what I said…Yep. Totally.

"What? I couldn't hear you." She leans in closer, straining her ears, which only makes it worse for me.

"...I wanted to see y-you."

"Oh…I guess you couldn't live without me, could you?"

"..."

"Hehehe…Don't you worry, Hachi-chan. I'll still be your childhood friend no matter what happens."

Finding the wall next to me more interesting, I gave her a shaky response. "Y-Yeah…"

"Hachiman? What is it?"

"Tsk. We…We're going to be late." Regaining control of my emotions, I look back at her with possibly glossy eyes. "Wait for me, yeah?"

"...Okay. Don't take too long, or I'll leave you behind."


Sobu after-school, Class 2-F

–Time loop/Bad end reset (Likely)

Due to this world being a (former?) game, I will continue to reset to day 1 until I reach a proper ending (Still to be seen, but makes the most sense), as seen by today being the same class lesson as my first day here.

…I saw her hanging there. There's no possible way she'd be walking around today.

–This is my new reality/stuck here

(Not enough evidence to confirm or deny)

–How to get back home?

Reach an ending. (To be seen)

Find the one who brought me here. (Unlikely)

–Who was there with me in Sayori's room?

Are they the one who brought me here? Save them? Who is 'them' exactly? I'm the only one..? (Not enough infor–

"Hachiman? Whatcha writing?" Slamming the notebook shut, I throw an annoyed look at the peeper.

"Oi. Mind your business, woman." Shoving the notebook into my bag, I start to leave.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Catching up to me, Sayori starts to poke my side, much to my ire. "Oh…I get it. That was your diary, wasn't it? What? Don't want me to peek at your secrets?"

"...Exactly." I sarcastically confirm. "Don't you have somewhere to be?" I ask, not showing her my interest.

"Nope! Monika canceled club activities for the week, something about the upcoming winter festival. It was quite the surprise too…Natsuki and Yuri were super duper mad…" Her eyes lose their glimmer as she mentions the last two.

Putting that information away for later, I address the unmentioned. "What about you? How do you feel…about it?"

"Hm? Oh uh…I'm annoyed too, you know? But, I know we don't need the club for us all to be friends."

"...Is that right?"

"Yep! …Hachiman?"

"Then you're free? Want some saize?" I uncharacteristically invited her.

"Same as always, huh? But, free food is the best food! Let's go!" Spoken like a true Hikigaya…Honorary in this case.


Loop 2, Day 5, Lunch

Sayori: I got called to the faculty office. Eat without me, kay?

Staring at my phone screen for a moment, I sigh with a mumbled, "idiot". Getting out of my seat, I put away my phone and start heading for my spot.

Ducking into the crowd of students on their way to the school cafeteria, I activate 'stealth hikki' so that no one stops me.

Arriving at my destination after a short walk, I found something very wrong. Someone was occupying my spot, and it wasn't the airhead I had gotten acquainted with recently.

Caught in a staring contest with the intruder, her emerald green eyes stare into my own eyes curiously. Though our contest is cut short as she starts giggling. "Hehehe…Oh, man. What happened to your eyes, Hikigaya-kun?"

At the sound of her voice, I feel the hairs on the back of my neck start to stand. "You…"

"What is it? Don't tell me you don't recognize me, Hi-ki-ga-ya-kun~?" Standing up, she gets closer to me, close enough to feel her breath on my neck, as she whispers my name in my ear.

Though I only felt an increasing fear with each syllable of my name.

Backing up, she giggles again. "...Sorry, sorry. It's been a while, hasn't it?...Hikiga–"

"Why were you there? Why didn't you save her?"

The smile she had on disappears, as her expression gets serious. "...Despite the state you were in, you still remember my voice? I'm not sure if I should be flattered or not."

"Do you th–"

"Now, now. No one is joking here, I'm well aware of the severity here. In fact, it's you who doesn't know enough to understand. Ah, but don't worry. I'll tell you…

…Everything."

To Be Continued…


Short Omake 1 - Taking after the one she loves.

When confronted with the hypothetical of a situation where one could be a hero, most would respond with a confirmation of taking action, and taking up the mantle.

Hikigaya Hachiman, was not most. He knew the weight carried by "heroes", and wanted nothing to do with it. However, in a situation where he couldn't refuse, he was the very best hero.

At least, I'd like to think so. It's why I chose him after all.

Source: The weeks I've spent observing him.

'…Hm, when compared to his monologues, it's basically night and day. I guess I need to practice more often.'

Omake End.


Short Omake 2 - Curiosity killed the…

"You damn glutton! Let…go!" Stopping the airhead from taking a bite of his food, Hachiman tries to break her hold over his plate of dinner.

"No! I'm still…hungry!" In an instant, she uses her chopsticks to grab a piece of the food prepared by Hachiman.

Noticing the stolen piece, Hachiman places his hand over Sayori's mouth in a vain attempt to stop her. "Have some shame! You just a--argh!"

Chomp.

"Wha-What is wrong with you, woman!? Are you some rabid dog off the street?" Inspecting his now slightly bleeding hand, Hachiman clicks his teeth in irritation.

"…Know what? Fine, eat the damn food." Walking out the room, in search of bandaids, he leaves a now guilty Sayori behind.

'I'm sorry, Hachiman. But this is my only chance to do this!' Getting out of her chair, Sayori starts to dig into Hachiman's bag in search of his notebook. "Ah! There it is."

Flipping through the pages, Sayori lands on the one she saw before on Monday.

Omake End..?


These omake are canon-ish.

Was planning on making 2 more short omakes, but…Nah. I'll do that next chapter.

Which is…not even production at this point.

Putting that aside, I love making Hachiman suffer if you couldn't tell.

I only plan on making 1 to 2 MORE flashback chapters, of which will be hell for our resident loner.

I'm building up a lot of mystery around the world around them, eh? I hope it pays off, since I'm basically throwing shit at the wall hoping it sticks.

Now I'm sure you're wondering why I included the scene of Hachiman walking in on a changing Sayori. And let me just say this.

Yes, Hachiman walking in on Sayori is necessary to the story.

That was sarcasm.

Now, Hachiman accuses Zaimokuza of suggesting an ecchi dating sim, even though ddlc is most definitely not one. Why? Because he didn't even play for longer than a minute.

Review Time. Yay.

Saif Omar: How dare you? Pan-san and 8man are in a loving relationship and YukinoSHITa is clearly trying to get in the way of that. (lol)

Thanks! :)

Eisenhower Haloway: …Eh? Who are you, and why are you stalking my creative process?

G0dz1llex: Unfortunately, I couldn't deliver on my promise. But the next one…yep.

89ingenting: Not enough suffering. He needs to suffer more.

MeetraSurik8: First, I'll address my warning. Yeah. I get it might have sucked a little, but…it was the first very serious chapter. So, I hope you and everyone understands. There will be no more warnings. Like I mentioned, this is still a DDLC fic.

Yes, I like to make 8man suffer. How did you know?

The omake was good, but yeah Yui was basically not there, cuz…I was in a hurry, you know~?

Review Time Over.

If I missed anything, please say so and I will respond in the next chapter. Other than that, Buh-Bye!