Boy's Restroom
Turning the faucet, I lean down and cup the cold water in my hands. It didn't take long for the water to fill my hands, and start overflowing and seeping through my fingers into the sink.
Splash…
I let go.
My hands were shaking, the remaining freezing cold water dripped down from my hands and into the ceramic sink.
The sound of the water dripping down from my hands never reached my ears as the faucet stayed on.
Cupping my hands once more, the water begins to fill agai-
…splash.
I let go again. This time however, I reach for my face and the freezing cold water remnants keep my exhaustion at bay.
Standing up straight, I finally close the faucet.
Looking at the mirror opposite me, cold, dead eyes stare back. The boy in the mirror had a bad case of bed hair as even his signature ahoge was missing under the mop he called hair. He also had bags under his eyes that were easy to notice, and was likely from lack of proper rest.
Though even I did not recognize the boy in the mirror. Not anymore. I imagine no one in this world did.
The Genuine Route
Entering the clubroom, I notice how empty it currently is. I noticed Monika was still in her classroom when I walked by, so it was unsurprising to not find her here, but neither Yukinawa-senpai or…
"...ng! Almo…"
I hear a muffled voice from the clubroom closet in the back. Against my better judgment, I approach the open door to the club's storage room.
It was a small room, made even smaller by the giant shelf in the back. No that's not right, It was an issue with perspective. With the pink haired shorty reaching for a box on the top shelf, I had assumed the shelf was larger than it actually was.
I couldn't hold back the grin as I watched her make futile efforts to reach the top shelf, even while on the tip of her toes.
Call me sadistic, but I was justified in my enjoyment of her suffering.
"-Almost…" She strains out, finally reaching the box, even if only barely. Her grip on the box was pitiful at best, and would likely only result in the box falling on her and…possibly hurting her in the process.
Standing right behind her, I push the box right into its place. "Wha-Woah!" Which in turn spooked her, causing her to fall backwards into me, but seeing as I expected it and prepared myself for the impact. "-oomph…" We were both fine and still standing, though she was leaning onto me, which I instinctively flinched at.
Separating myself from her once she could stand properly, I glanced out the door to make sure no one else saw us.
Thankfully, no one else had arrived yet, but I wasn't really counting on my luck to hold out much longer. Turning back to face her, the absence of a light in the room made it hard to see her expression, but the minimal amount of light coming into the room was more than enough.
Since she hadn't punched me again, I could only assume she wasn't angry…at the moment.
"...Why did you-?" This timid school girl punched me? Where's the abrasive brat hiding?
Trying to think of a response other than 'I need to fix your issues so I can get home', I just breathe out a sigh.
Walking past her, I reach up to the box she was previously reaching for, and I lift it off the shelf. Placing at her feet, I look back at her. "Before you butt into other people's business and jump to conclusions…" I pause, losing my train of thought. "Just talk to Sayori first." I strain out.
I don't give her a second glance, walking out of the clubroom closet, finding a seat to read my light novel.
Starting at the beginning of the novel, a frown creeps onto my face. All of the words on the page all seemed to jumble together and I soon started feeling dizzy.
Reaching over to my left arm, I pinch it tightly, warding off a good amount of my tiredness.
Slide…
Somehow, the door to the club opened the moment I pinched. Quickly, I play it off by crossing my arms, dropping the book onto the desk in the process.
"Ah…" In came Monika, with Yukinawa-senpai in tow. "Hikigaya-kun, you're…early."
Turning to the clock on the wall, I scoff. "Class ended twenty minutes ago, you're late."
"Ehehe…I guess so." She smiles, before turning to her left, straight towards the closet door. "Oh. Excuse me, you two." She looks at me briefly, but soon makes her way towards Hara.
Which left both Yukinawa and I alone, well, not necessarily considering the others would probably hear us if we spoke loud enough.
Meeting her eyes, she immediately breaks eye contact. Unsurprising, but also annoying. Without any other choice, I have to start the dialogue between us.
"Yo, Yukinawa-senpai." I greet her, much like I would my former clubmates.
Her eyes widen at my words, before she just turns her face away from me. Her long unnatural purple hair covers her face, which I can't help but frown at. '...How the hell does she expect me to do this?' I curse.
"A-Ano..? H-H-Hikigaya-kun?" She stutters out, not showing her face to me.
"...Yeah?"
"W-Would you like some tea?"
"...Sure." I nod.
Completely turning away from me, I hear a muffled noise come from her side of the room.
'...Probably just my imagination.' Breathing out a yawn, I notice movement in my peripherals. Gazing over to my right, Hara has already taken a seat in one of the many desks already laid out.
Our eyes met briefly, but she soon hid behind the manga in her hands. 'Hm? I recognize that cover, that's par-'
"Focus, Hikigaya-kun~" Glancing back to my left, I suddenly feel my cheek get pulled. "Don't forget what I told you."
Pushing her hand away, I scoff at her chiding words. "This isn't exactly helping either."
"Perhaps, but…No, nevermind."
"Monika?" Yukinawa-senpai mutters, approaching from behind Monika with two styrofoam cups in hand.
"Right, well don't let it get to you, Hikigaya-kun." She suddenly says. "I'm sure Natsuki will come around some day, just wait and see. Anyway, I'll leave you two to it, I have some club president things to do." Both her tone and look irritated me, but I just nod, focusing my eyes on the senior student.
Now sitting where Monika was previously, it's just Yukinawa-senpai and I, with two cups of tea on the desk between us.
Taking the offered cup, I start to blow on it.
"Ah. D-Do you not like h-hot things? I'm sorry, I should have ask-"
"No, I do. My tongue is just sensitive."
"Oh." Taking a sip, the warm liquid soothes my dry throat.
"It's good." I mumble, taking another sip.
"Th-Thank you, Hi-Hikigaya-kun." I just nod, noticing the book I had dropped on the desk, and so did she. "Ah, is that yours?" I would have immediately answered if I wasn't busy cursing my luck as I read the title of the novel.
'Reincarnated in another world as a fish'
'Who the fuck would read this shit?!' Me, that's who. "Yeah…" I shamefully strain out.
"Erm…You certainly have peculiar tastes." Translation; You have shit taste.
Taking the moment to shove the damn book into my bag, I fake cough into my fist. "Yeah…" I repeat.
"Ah! Please don't take it the wrong way! I just meant…e-everyone has to start somewhere, right?"
This is…
"Thank you for the tea, senpai, but…Was there something you needed? I don't particularly care for sma-" Biting my tongue, I take a moment to recompose myself. "I don't mind us talking together, but I'm sure there's a reason why this is the Literature Club." I clench my fist under the desk, a myriad of negative thoughts and emotions swirling inside me.
I really hate this.
The Literature Club
Club had ended. The sun had already begun to set, its bright orange rays peering into the clubroom.
Monika and Yukinawa-senpai had left, leaving only two. "So?" I ask, not showing my annoyance at doing something so tedious.
"..." The pastel pink haired girl across from me frowned, but I imagine it's because of me. "...Fine, but you better not do anything weird!"
"...What? Why the hell would I? …Know what? Nevermind." Waiting for her to get ready, we both finally leave the club room and subsequently the school grounds.
'...Wait, no one locked the clubroom…I guess it's not my problem.' The walk itself is quiet, but even I can't help but notice how Hara would shiver every now and then.
If I were a better person, I may have offered my coat and scarf to the obviously suffering girl, even if the former would look ridiculous on the short girl, but I am not. "Here." Unwrapping the scarf around my neck, I offer it to her. I'm not a good person, but I am a gentleman, though my mom and sister are partially to blame for that.
She looks at it, and then at me, each with wariness and a hint of disgust. "Hah?"
"No? Fine." Retracting my offered scarf, I'm suddenly stopped by a grip on my arm.
"I…I'll t-take it, b-but you better not get any weird ideas!" A real piece of work, this one.
Giving it to her, I refrain from scoffing at her as she wraps it around her neck as quickly as she can. 'Right.'
We continue walking through residential streets as we finally pass the keiyo line. '...It's honestly scary how similar this world looks to mine.'
As cold as the walk was, she thankfully didn't say anything else for the remainder of the walk.
Sayori's Home
At our destination, we're both standing just outside of Sayori's place. Hara hadn't looked at me since we'd arrived, and she was now fidgeting nervously.
Breathing out a sigh, I turn around and make my way to the gate. "I shouldn't be around for this. Do your thing." Walking out onto the street I lean onto the fence surrounding her home.
'Not like she'd want to see me, anyway.'
To Be Continued…
Extended it a little, now the ending isn't so abrupt either.
Expect a whole lot of Natsuki next chapter. Maybe, who knows?
I've always had the hardest time writing Yuri. Because she isn't just some crazy one dimensional yandere, well none of the characters from ddlc are one-dimensional, but that's not what I mean.
It's probably because I can't place just how unstable and obsessive she currently is. Something to think about.
Okay. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask, I'll try to answer.
Guest Reviewer Says: 1) Please stop the omakes, feels like you've written more omake than actual story.
2) If ya don't like American Education then frick off.
I Respond With: When I first read this, I will admit that I was annoyed by it, but the more I read it, the harder it was for me not to burst out in laughter. We've got ourselves an honest to god, true patriot here.
I'll just start on his second point and discuss the first one later.
I am a born and raised Americano, in the good ole state of Texas. I have gone through the entire twelve years of Elementary to High School, and am now in college working hard to get a bachelor's in none of your beeswax, I'm already telling you all a lot, so I want a bit of privacy and anonymity. So let's say I have 15-ish years of American education (With Kindergarten included), I can critique the damn system all I want.
Rant over. I guess, I was more annoyed than I thought. Anyway, onto the Omakes, and this is for everyone, not just this guy.
The Omakes are here to stay, of course, but they will be less frequent. Most of the time, I write them out of impulse, for example "Books and Ice don't mix, but Books and Loners do" is something I made on impulse, unlike the two parts valentine's omake, which was made during Valentines and White day.
The reason I make them, and include them, is to not have you all in the dumps. The main story doesn't have much in fluff, because it isn't that type of story, and the Omakes are the only way to include more of it.
So, No, Random Guest, I won't stop writing Omakes, and I won't stop complaining about the American education system, especially when I have been forced to have an English class for the past decade and a half.
MeetraSurik8 says: Not much to say about this chapter except that you knocked it out of the park. The beginning exchange between 8man and Sayori was gold. It was written so beautifully, bravo my guy. The way you show 8man's self-loathing while doing something he's so fundamentally against is great, I know I've said that you write that stuff really well but WOW, you just keep getting better. I also liked the exchange between 8man and Natsuki too, I really like that (no pun intended) you don't pull punches when writing Natsuki, most people will tone her down so that she is more likable but at the end of the day she's (for lack of a better word) an asshole and what you wrote is something she would absolutely do. Keep at it, I can't wait to see what's next.
I Respond With: I'll develop an ego if you keep saying these things, you know?
Me aside, and focusing on Natsuki. She's complicated. I imagine she treats people rudely or meanly to keep her distance. Either that or she doesn't know any other way to respond to things.
In the game, if you appeal to her she'll blush and act like a girl her age would, but when you ignore her in favor of Yuri? (Who she already has a hard time dealing with, if we're talking just DDLC, and not plus, because that's a giant can of worms I'd rather not get into.)
She gets angry at you for choosing Yuri's side. Hell, she doesn't even entertain exchanging poems with you by the 2nd or 3rd time.
…Basically, my point is…Wait, What was my point?
Natsuki isn't an asshole. She isn't perfect. She is flawed, like every other Doki. My guess is, most of her behavioral issues come from her shithole of a father.
bluecookie420 says: Hachiman says he feels bad for leading Sayori on, when in reality bros going to fall himself (relatble)
Monica says save them without including herself- how cute, she's just like Hachiman
also wut- i thought Hachiman already knew of the club members- silly me was that a loop?
I Respond With: Unfortunately, I can't get into your first two points because…spoilers.
But, Regarding the time-line. Let me explain!
Chapter 1-4, and the beginning of Chapter 5 and 6 are all what I will now dub the FINAL LOOP. The Final loop is at a stand still since Hachiman is now experiencing his "Lost" Memories. (The word "lost" is subject to change.)
The rest of Chapter 5 is Hachiman's first ever loop, and an absolute failure at that. With Sayori…You know, hanging around.
The rest of chapter 6 and onwards is loop 2, and is still ongoing as Hachiman tries to find out what exactly he needs to do to get himself home.
Basically, what we are currently seeing is a flashback. Hope that clears it up.
Other than that? Sorry for the short chapter, but Bye.
