Author's note: Hey everyone, FireSlash here and welcome back to Doki Doki Hopeseekers Club. Before we begin, there are some stuff I wanna mention. If you're reading this long after it was posted, feel free to ignore this section.

1. I initially had planned for this to come out a few weeks ago, but things got chaotic, so unfortunately I am late on my self-imposed goal of updating this fic every 3-4 months. I'll still be following that schedule though so expect the next chapter to come out then. A reminder that the only reason that there's a decent span between chapters is that I primarily want to focus on my fic 'Soldier of Hope'.

2. This'll be the last chapter to follow DDLC's script, so for anyone waiting for that can rest easy knowing that this fic isn't just going to be a copy/paste of DDLC.

3. As always, I encourage you to follow me on Instagram at fire_slash_fanfiction. I post updates and answer DMs. I am having an issue with the IG app atm but once it's solved I'll get back to any message I missed.

Anyways, that's enough outta me. Let's get right to the story. Review and enjoy :-)

0000

/run YourRealitySetup . exe

[Booting YourRealitySetup . exe]

[Error: failure to launch program]

/run YourRealitySetup . exe

[Booting YourRealitySetup . exe]

[Error: failure to launch program]

/run YourRealitySetup . exe

[Booting YourRealitySetup . exe]

[Error: failure to launch program]

/run ProjectLibitina . exe

[booting...]

[Task completed successfully.]

/import to ProjectLibitina . exe

[Task completed successfully.]

/export YourRealitySetup . exe to Test . exe

[Warning: there is already a file with the same name in this location. Do you wish to replace it?]

[saving YourRealitySetup . exe]

[Task completed successfully.]

/run YourRealitySetup . exe

[booting YourRealitySetup . exe]

[Task completed successfully.]

0000

'So… what to write…'

Tapping his pen against his desk, Hajime stared at the blank sheet of paper in front of him.

Having finished his homework, the boy was now trying to write another poem for tomorrow.

Unfortunately, just like last time, he had no idea where to begin.

'I guess I can make another emotional poem…'

Writing about them worked out last time for him, so aside from the mild discomfort that'll come with acknowledging the emotions he usually ignored, it would be an easy subject to tackle.

'But how to start…'

As Hajime was beginning to learn, the toughest part about writing was actually getting started. He knew that once he began, he could easily finish it with minimal issues, but kicking things off was where he struggled the most.

'…'

For a few minutes, the boy stared at his desk, racking his mind for inspiration.

'Maybe I should've asked the girls about how they do it…'

A spark went off inside his head.

'Wait a minute…'

He had been given some useful advice from both Natsuki and Yuri. Perhaps he could use them as a decent starting point.

Sadly, he immediately realized a flaw with this method. Both of their techniques seemed to be polar opposites.

'Yuri likes to be very descriptive and metaphorical, but Natsuki is more direct and straightforward… which one should I choose?'

He didn't feel like he was smart enough to write a poem made up of large metaphors…

But he also felt that he wasn't skilled enough to try Natsuki's wordplay tactics either…

'Each style has its own strengths and weaknesses,' the words of Monika echoed inside his head.

'Depending on what style you choose, there's different things you'll want to focus on. This also goes for if your style ends up being a hybrid of other styles. For now, just experiment with different things and see what makes you most comfortable.'

She had a point. Each writing style utilized different skills, and depending on what he wanted to write, he needed to find what works best for him.

'What do I want to focus on?'

That was a good question. Even if he was taking inspiration from other people's work, he needed to understand what it was that he was trying to achieve in the first place.

'I do like how Yuri's able to describe things using metaphors,' the boy brainstormed. 'But I think her way's a little too extreme for me.'

He then began thinking about Natsuki's style.

'Natsuki's got straight to the point… but I felt her poem ended too abruptly, even though it was done on purpose…'

Was there a way to combine both their styles only using the parts that he liked?

A few seconds went by before a lightbulb went off in his head.

'So what if I try using simple metaphors?'

It seemed to be the perfect solution. If he pulled it off correctly, he'd have a poem descriptive enough to trigger someone's imagination, but also simple enough for anyone to understand.

Almost like Sayori's style…

'I think I have an idea…'

With all the pieces in place, he was ready to begin writing.

0000

The Little Dove That Couldn't

He wished he could take flight

To soar and weave into the skies

Maybe even go for the stars.

But with broken wings?

How could he ever think of doing so?

Defective, hopeless, and pathetic…

No matter how hard he flapped

No matter how hard he strained

And no matter how hard he believed in himself

The ground remained his home.

Pitiful, sorrowful, and desperate…

Try as he may

His wings would never heal

Unable to be stitched back together

And breaking more every day

So for as long as he lived, he would never take off.

Binded, struggling, and useless…

A dove that can't fly isn't meant to survive

He was nothing but roadkill

A small snack for a bigger animal

Not even worth being mourned.

Forever a dreamer

Forever a spectator

Forever anchored

And forever worthless

He was the little dove that couldn't…

0000

Hajime's mornings were usually mundane in nature. He'd wake up (usually in an empty house), eat alone, and then take the train to school.

Today was no different.

Unfortunately, living an hour away from Hope's Peak meant his daily train rides were quite long. Long and boring.

'So bored…'

Now, he could try listening to music or watching a video, but he didn't have anything he wanted to watch or listen to at the moment…

This left him with only one other option, window watching.

'Wait a sec…'

There was actually still something he could preoccupy himself with.

Unzipping his bag and sliding a hand inside, Hajime pulled out a familiar book.

'I can get started on this.'

He had told Yuri that he would check out the book she gifted him, but yesterday had been one of those days where all his teachers decided to assign him a ton of homework, so he never got the chance to begin reading.

Thankfully, now was the perfect time to do so.

'I wonder why Yuri chose this one…'

The girl mentioned that she picked that particular book because of its shorter length, but she never told him what it was about. According to her, it was a book she thought he'd find interesting as well.

'Let's see…'

Turning the book around, the boy read the blurb on its back.

'So it's Sci-fi with some horror…'

He had told Yuri that he enjoyed science fiction the first day he joined, but he never expected her to remember his answers. The fact that the girl took his tastes into account when picking out a book for him…

Somehow he found himself appreciating the gift even more.

'Yeah, let's get right into this.'

Cracking the book open, the boy started reading. Once he did, his eyes remained glued to the book.

'Damn, this is really good!'

The book was quite dark, but not enough to deter him away. It was at that perfect level where tensions were high throughout the story, but not to where it felt like someone's sadistic fantasy.

When it came time for him to get off the train, he didn't want to stop reading, so he kept reading as he walked to school, only peeling his eyes away to occasionally make sure that he didn't bump into someone or get run over by a car.

Once he arrived at the school, he quickly zoomed towards his desk, sat down, and kept reading.

'I guess it's true that time flies when you're having fun.'

What was normally a repetitive and bland routine had gone by far too quickly.

If anything, he wished that there was a delay or something so that he'd have more time to keep reading.

At least he still had all of homeroom to keep reading...

Sadly, today was the one day where things deviated from the norm…

'…It's noisy as hell here.'

For some reason, his classmates randomly started making a ruckus, irritated voices echoing throughout the classroom.

What caused the commotion?

He didn't know.

He only made out the sound of his homeroom teacher talking and a female voice following up.

Maybe he should've paid attention, but nothing exciting ever happened during homeroom.

Knowing the Reserve Course, his teacher probably just told everyone that there was a mandatory assembly coming up or something along that line.

He'd find out eventually.

Right now, he is way too into his book to care.

Until the bell rang, Hajime didn't focus on anything else but his book.

*Ding dong, bing bong*

When the bell did go off, he folded the top right corner of the page he was on to create a makeshift bookmark.

Gently slid Yuri's gift into his bag, he left the room, mind continuing to think about the story he had read.

0000

As per usual, another uneventful school day came and went. Other than that one thing during homeroom, nothing of note happened. It was just another day that everyone would most likely forget about after the weekend was over.

Upon being dismissed, Hajime immediately made his way to the Literature Club, his heart thumping against his chest.

Compared to yesterday, the rapid beating of his heart wasn't caused by fear. This time, it was from excitement.

With a good chunk of his nervousness having been washed away by the poem exchange that occurred yesterday, the boy felt far more comfortable in the club. A lot of the ice had been broken that day, and he was quite proud of his newest poem, so he was looking forward to attending the club meeting today.

There was only one, abit minor, issue that was bothering him.

'I wish the classroom was closer…'

Once more he found himself having to squeeze through the entire student body to get to his destination.

'Seriously, who organized this place?'

Why his classroom was so far away from the club room was a mystery to him, especially since the classroom that the club took place in was also a classroom for freshmen.

Eventually, a few minutes later, he made it to the room.

'Finally…'

Unlike the previous days, there was no hesitation as he entered the room.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Hajime said, closing the door behind him.

Turning his head, he looked straight at the girls, only to notice that something was off.

'Wait a sec… where is everyone?'

The boy had expected to have been the last one to arrive, but that didn't seem to be the case. Only Sayori and Yuri were present, the orange haired girl seemingly begging the taller girl for something as the purple haired girl tried reading a book. Neither Monika nor Natsuki were in sight.

"Hajime!"

"Gah!"

Somehow, Sayori had warped herself from the side of Yuri's desk to his personal space.

"Hajime, Yuri won't come with me to buy a snack," the girl whined. "Can you come with me instead? Please?"

The boy in question raised an eyebrow at the odd question. Why did Sayori desperately need someone to go with her? The vending machine was right across the hall, so it wasn't like she was going far.

Before he could answer, the other occupant of the room spoke up.

"Oh, hello Hajime," Yuri greeted him, placing her book down.

She then gestured towards the shorter girl.

"Please ignore her. She's trying to trick you into buying her a snack."

"Ah."

Well that answers that question.

With her scheme having been foiled, Sayori pouted.

"Uwaa! Yuri! Why'd you tell him?"

The girl in question raised an eyebrow.

"Because I don't want him falling for the same trick like I once did."

Her response caused the Vice President of the Literature Club to sigh in defeat.

"I'm hungry…"

The sole boy of the group felt a pang of sympathy for her. Despite the fact that Sayori tried tricking him, Hajime had no qualms about buying the girl a snack. He had some money to spare.

However, he never got the chance to speak as Yuri took reign of the conversation once more.

"You should only buy what you can reasonably afford. And frankly, after pulling a mischievous little stunt like that, twice I may add, your suffering is fair enough retribution."

'That's a little intense…'

The room went quiet, causing Yuri's eyes to widen.

"Ah! Did I just…"

It didn't take a genius to tell that the taller girl was embarrassed, especially with how she was trying to hide behind her book.

"I-I didn't mean that!" She frantically said before weakly trying to explain herself.

"I only wanted to warn him.. but…I got too absorbed into my book…"

'Odd…'

The way Yuri shied away after speaking up was something that puzzled the boy.

Now, he understood that Yuri was clearly an introvert, but the way she reacted to her own voice, it went beyond being an introvert.

It was like she was expecting people to react negatively whenever she spoke up.

'But why?'

Hajime felt the gears in his head start to turn.

'Is it because of Natsuki?'

The two were quite intense when arguing yesterday. Perhaps they really didn't like each other…

'That's not it.'

Sayori had mentioned that was the first time either of them went at it like that. Plus, he highly doubted Yuri would've joined the club if she really detested her.

'Now that I think about it…'

Natsuki was quite similar to her in that regard. Thinking back to his first interactions with her, it was almost as if she was waiting for him to reveal that he had ulterior motives for joining the club. When he asked her about her poems, she immediately assumed that he wouldn't like them. Even when he told her that he did, he still needed to reassure her that he was telling the truth.

Natsuki and Yuri were two sides of the same coin when it came to worrying about what others had to say about them. However, if Yuri's go-to defense was shying away and staying quiet, Natsuki's was more akin to a cornered animal, clawing and fighting to escape from its predators.

Whenever Natsuki sensed that someone was going to make fun of her, she immediately pushed them away with harsh words and a combative posture. Even so, he couldn't call her aggressive. There was always a reason for her bursts, and it seemed to stem from a fear of being mocked or looked down on.

'I get it…'

It was definitely a sentiment that he understood all too well. To be overlooked, mocked, and ridiculed, he couldn't blame either girl for wanting to avoid experiencing all of that…

'What the hell am I thinking?'

He's only known them for three days and he was already trying to psychoanalyze them while also projecting his own feelings onto them. It was most likely that their behavioral patterns were simply a result of who they were as people…

"Ahaha!"

The warm laughter from Sayori snapped him back to reality.

"I really like it when you speak your mind Yuri," the orange haired girl told her friend. "It doesn't happen much, but it's a fun side of you."

A small blush formed on the purple haired girl's face.

"That's…"

Once more, she used her book to shield herself from the gazes of her fellow club members.

"There's no way you could think that…"

If Sayori heard her, she didn't make it known, instead continuing to speak.

"You were right, though. I've done some bad things and now I have to accept the revolution."

"Retribution."

"That!"

Hajime couldn't do anything but awkwardly watch the scene in front of him.

'I don't think it's that serious…'

Yuri smiled, her posture relaxing.

"You know, you wouldn't think that someone as kind as you would be capable of such trickery, but I guess there's a little devil in all of us."

"Ehehe~"

*Pwap!*

Hajime and Yuri flinched as the sound of an object suddenly striking Sayori's face echoed across the room.

"Ow… what was…"

Thankfully, it didn't seem like she was hurt as her face morphed into an excited smile upon seeing what hit her.

"A-A cookie?!"

Sure enough, what she had been pelted by was indeed a wrapped cookie.

The girl held the cookie near her heart, eyes sparkling with joy.

"I-Is this a miracle? Is it because I paid my restitution?"

"Retribution," Hajime corrected her.

"Actually, that one almost worked," Yuri softly remarked.

"Ahahaha!"

The sound of laughter caused the three teens to turn around towards the doorway, revealing to them that Natsuki had just arrived.

"I *was* just going to give it to you," the shorter girl said once she was able to compose herself. "But I heard about your little stunt."

She chuckled.

"It was totally worth seeing your reaction, though. Ahaha!"

Sayori glanced at the newcomer, eyes watering.

"N-Natsuki…"

Her attention then shifted towards the cookie.

"That's so nice of you!" She cried out. "I'm so happy!"

Natsuki rolled her eyes at the dramatic display of gratitude. "Geez, just eat it already."

Sayori didn't need to be told twice.

Taking a huge chomp out of her snack, the girl released a large hum of satisfaction.

"Sho good~"

She bit into the cookie again, suddenly flinching in pain.

"Mmf! I bit my tongue…"

"You're going through a lot over one cookie," Natsuki noted, finding amusement in Sayori's antics.

Whipping out a cookie of her own, she began eating as well.

Sayori greedily eyed the other girl's snack.

"Ah, your cookie looks really good too. Can I try it?"

Natsuki frowned. "Geez, beggars can't be choosers."

A whine escaped Sayori's lips. "But yours is chocolate…"

Their cookies were indeed different. Whereas Natsuki's was a large chocolate chip cookie, Sayori's was a raisin one.

"Yeah, why do you think I gave you that one?" The shortest of the girls asked with a smirk.

The orange haired girl sighed in defeat.

"Fine… Still, I'm really happy that you shared this one with me."

Without warning, Sayori went behind the shorter girl and embraced her in a big hug, much to said girl's annoyance.

"Ah, jeez, I get it, I get it."

Natsuki tried nudging Sayori off of her. What she didn't take into account while doing so was that she was also moving her cookie towards the other girl's mouth.

Eventually, once the cookie got close enough, Sayori lunged forwards, taking a big bite out of it.

Natsuki gasped in response.

"Did you seriously just do that?!"

"Uhuhuhuhu!"

Proud of her victory, Sayori proceeded to return to her original spot.

Bearing witness to all of this, neither Hajime nor Yuri could contain their laughter.

'I don't remember the last time I laughed this much…'

Was the scene in front of him the pinnacle of comedy?

No.

But there was a certain magic to watching someone's silly antics. It made him feel more relaxed, and judging by Yuri's similar demeanor, she felt the same way.

With a roll of her eyes, Natsuki crossed her arms.

"Jeez, you're such a kid sometimes! Monika! Can you tell Sayori-"

It was at this moment that Natsuki realized that the club was one member short.

"Eh? Where's Monika, anyway?"

"Good question," Yuri noted. "Have any of you heard anything about her being late today?"

Sayori frowned. "Not me…"

Hajime shook his head. "Me neither."

"Hm…"

The purple haired girl placed a hand on her chin.

"That's a bit unusual…"

Yuri's statement only served to make Sayori worry.

"I hope she's okay…"

Hajime had similar thoughts flowing through his head.

'I wonder why she's late…'

It has been quite a bit since he arrived at the club room and she still wasn't present. Monika didn't seem like the type of person to not notify anyone about any potential absence.

For a second, he thought that maybe something came up with her tutoring gig, but quickly remembered that Sayori mentioned that her sessions happened after the club was over.

'Hm…'

"Of course she's okay," Natsuki said, shrugging her shoulders. "She probably just had something to do today. She's pretty popular after all."

'That's an understatement…'

Monika was practically a celebrity amongst the Reserve Course Students. Everyone knew who she was, and the amount of admiration and respect the student body had for her rivaled the amount they had for the Ultimates.

"Eh?"

Sayori furrowed her eyebrows, deep in thought. A second later, she jumped up as if she came to some big realization.

"Wait… you don't think she… she has a…!"

Seeing where Sayori was going with this, a wistful smile formed on Yuri's face.

"I wouldn't be surprised. She's probably more desirable than all of us combined…"

"Ehehe, that's true…"

Natsuki glared at the other two.

"Excuse me?!"

Hajime could practically feel the shift in the room's atmosphere, and it wasn't just because of the girls' self deprecating remarks.

He could tell that this was one of those conversations that he wasn't supposed to be involved in.

It was girl talk, and as a guy, he was out of his element.

Part of him wanted to say something to maybe lift their spirits, but he had enough self awareness to know that he could easily end up saying something stupid or weird instead.

As such, he chose to remain silent, awkwardly standing around as they spoke.

*BAM!*

Thankfully he wouldn't have to do so for long as the loud swinging of the door ended that conversation.

A quick look was all that was needed to inform them that Monika had just arrived.

"Sorry! I'm super sorry!" The club president apologized, taking a deep breath.

Noticing the small sweat building up on her forehead and her slightly rapid breathing pattern, Hajime could tell that she had bolted to the club room.

"I didn't mean to be late. I hope you guys weren't worried or anything!"

Sayori beamed at the sight of the newcomer.

"Eh? Monika chose the club over her boyfriend? You're so strong-willed!"

The girl in question shot the Vice President a confused look.

"B-boyfriend? What on Earth are you guys talking about?"

For some reason, she turned to Hajime, hoping that he would explain what was going on.

Thankfully, the boy had picked up her silent message.

"I dunno, they just started theorizing about why you were late."

"Ah…"

Monika rubbed the back of her head.

"Well, it wasn't anything like that. My last period today was study hall, and to be honest, I kind of just lost track of time…"

Natsuki tilted her head, confusion evident on her face.

"That makes no sense. You would've at least heard the bell ring."

The President of the Literature Club smiled bashfully at her words.

"Well, actually, I wasn't even here. I went to the main building…"

Hajime had to resist the urge to gawk at her. She wasn't even an Ultimate yet but she was still allowed inside the main building?

Natsuki raised an eyebrow. "What were you doing over there?"

Monika proceeded to answer her question.

"I was using the music room to practice piano…"

A small chuckle escaped her lips before she continued to speak.

"Well, at least I was until I got interrupted. This girl asked me to play the electric guitar with her. I still don't know how I got roped into that…"

'Huh?'

Hajime's surprise grew. Not only was she allowed inside the main building, but an Ultimate had asked her for help.

Was her potential talent related to music?

Yuri's eyes widened.

"Piano? Electric guitar? I wasn't aware that you played music as well Monika. And at such a skill level where you know how to play more than one instrument…"

"Ah, I don't really!" Monika modestly shot back. "I kinda just started recently."

"That's so cool!" Sayori shouted, seemingly ignoring the last thing the other girl had said. "You should play something for us, Monika!"

"That's…"

Looking at her club mates, a warm smile appeared on the President's face.

"Maybe once I get better, I will."

Her answer was enough to satisfy the orange haired girl.

"Yay!"

Another small laugh from Monika ensued.

"So… I didn't miss anything, did I?"

Hajime shook his head.

"Nah."

Technically he could've told her about Sayori's mischievous escapade, but he had a feeling Natsuki would end up doing so anyway.

The brown haired girl nodded. "Well if that's the case, then why don't we all get started sharing poems?"

Sayori gasped in excitement.

"Oh, that's right! I was so worried about Monika that I forgot about the poems!"

With that, everyone went to their bags and began taking their poems out of their bags.

Grabbing his, Hajime glanced at the four girls.

'Alright, so who's up first today?'

0000

Excluding Monika for reasons already discussed, Hajime felt far more comfortable with the girls compared to yesterday. As such, he didn't have, nor feel like, he needed a game plan for poem sharing today. He was fine starting with whomever was closest to him.

Looking around the room, he saw that Yuri was only a few feet away from him.

"Hey Yuri, wanna exchange first?"

For a second, the boy could've sworn that the girl had been shocked by his question, but before he could give it much thought, she responded.

"A-ah. Yes please."

Handing her his poem, Hajime patiently awaited her feedback.

"…"

Just like before, the tallest of the girls took her time reading his work, but there was a noticeable difference in her actions.

Whereas her eyes were solely focused on his poem the first time around, this time, her attention occasionally shifted to him before returning to the paper.

Such went on for quite a while, long enough that a pang of nervousness soon shot through his body.

'Damn, did I really do worse this time?'

He was quite proud of today's poem, so it would suck if that pride was just him being delusional about its actual quality.

Eventually, the anticipation became too much for him to bear, so he decided to rip the bandaid clean off.

"Do you...like it?"

Yuri flinched, his voice having startled her due to the fact she had been focused solely on the poem.

"Hajime..."

The boy braced himself.

"...How did you pick up on this so quickly?"

'Huh?'

He couldn't believe what he had heard. Did he somehow manage to impress Yuri with his writing?

"Although your usage of imagery still needs some practice, this poem is a big step up from the last one," Yuri stated, surprised at his rapid growth.

"Just yesterday, I was telling you the kind of techniques worth practicing..."

Hajime had no idea how he supposedly improved so much, but he wouldn't be surprised if it was due to the advice given to him by the girls.

"Seeing everyone's poems most likely inspired me," he told her. "I tried taking your advice about imagery, but I'm not sure how well it shows…"

Yuri visibly swallowed air as her body started shaking, her eyes avoiding him. He couldn't quite tell if it was due to embarrassment or some other emotion, but the poor girl seemed to be struggling to maintain her usual demeanor.

'Did I say something wrong?'

This was definitely not the reaction he was expecting to receive. Going from praise to… whatever this was, he had no idea what he did to cause her to experience such a drastic shift in emotions.

"I'm not...used to this..." the girl said to herself.

Even so, Hajime still managed to hear her.

"Used to what?"

"I don't know...!"

Now it was his turn to flinch, Yuri's outburst catching him off-guard.

Remembering that the purple haired girl liked to think before speaking, the boy patiently waited for her to do so.

"It's fine, take your time..."

"Yeah…"

Regulating her breathing pattern, the tallest of the girls proceeded to do just that.

Eventually, she spoke.

"Just...being appreciated like this...I guess."

His earlier theory about her behavior was looking far more credible now.

'Ah… I get it…'

He was so used to being glanced over that he could easily understand why him taking her advice meant a lot to her.

Still, this was quite the dramatic reaction for such a minor thing. Plus, with her intelligence, Hajime found it hard to believe that no one ever asked her for any advice about… well, anything.

"It probably sounds really stupid..." Yuri confessed. "But seeing someone motivated by my writing… it just makes me… really happy..."

"You haven't shared your poems before, right?" Hajime asked her, recalling her reaction when the exercise was first proposed.

The girl in question nodded.

"I really only write for myself..."

A frown quickly grew on her face.

"And besides… even if I wanted to share, people would just laugh at me!"

Hajime tilted his head in confusion.

"Why would anyone laugh at you?"

Poetry was a pretty normal hobby to have, so he didn't see why she felt that she'd be mocked for her writing.

Yuri looked down.

"I wonder why..."

Hajime didn't like the look in her eyes. Dull and empty, it appeared as if she was reliving a terrible memory.

There was definitely a story as to why Yuri felt so scared of being judged, but it wasn't his place to pry for sensitive information.

As such, rather than point out her strange actions, he decided to change the topic.

"Would you like to share your poem now?"

Thankfully his question seemed to have had the desired effect, for the soft yet mature gaze she typically held quickly returned.

"...Yeah."

She handed him a piece of paper. Taking it, the boy started reading.

The Raccoon

It happened in the dead of night while I was slicing bread for a guilty snack.
My attention was caught by the scuttering of a raccoon outside my window.
That was, I believe, the first time I noticed my strange tendencies as an unordinary
human.
I gave the raccoon a piece of bread, my subconscious well aware of the consequences.
Well aware that a raccoon that is fed will always come back for more.
The enticing beauty of my cutting knife was the symptom.
The bread, my hungry curiosity.
The raccoon, an urge.

The moon increments its phase and reflects that much more light off of my cutting
knife.
The very same light that glistens in the eyes of my raccoon friend.
I slice the bread, fresh and soft. The raccoon becomes excited.
or perhaps I'm merely projecting my emotions onto the newly-satisfied animal.
The raccoon has taken to following me.
You could say that we've gotten quite used to each other.
The raccoon becomes hungry more and more frequently, so my bread is always handy.

Every time I brandish my cutting knife the raccoon shows me its excitement.
A rush of blood. Classic Pavlovian conditioning. I slice the bread.

And I feed myself again.

Upon finishing, Hajime began to think to himself. Despite the length of the poem, he felt that he understood this one better than the one she wrote yesterday.

'If I'm right,' the boy began. 'The raccoon represents temptation, constantly following her around and eager to be fed, yet always taking something valuable.'

The gears in his head continued to move.

'The bread is meant to be that valuable thing. She knows she can't give it away, but she still does.'

He scratched his chin.

'But the knife… she calls it the instrument… is it what she uses to fulfill the addiction?'

"Um… I was a little more daring with this one than yesterday's..." Yuri timidly told him once she noticed that the boy had finished reading.

Hajime shot her a nod in acknowledgment.

"I can see that. It's a lot more metaphorical..."

The girl smiled.

"That's right. It's a bit closer to my preferred writing style… using the poem as a canvas to express vivid imagery, and conveying emotions through them."

"Yeah, everything here is meant to represent something, right?" Hajime asked. "This isn't actually a poem about raccoons…"

"You are indeed correct," Yuri stated. "It's not about a literal raccoon, but about something that different people can relate to in their own way. I wanted to express the way it feels for me to indulge in my more unusual hobbies..."

'Shit!'

This was a poem about hobbies? The boy could've sworn that it was about battling an addiction of some kind.

"It's those sorts of things I'm usually forced to keep to myself. So, I sometimes enjoy writing about them."

And now he felt like the biggest asshole. The fact that her hobby is one she doesn't like others knowing about… his initial analysis practicality proved why she didn't feel like she could tell anyone about them. They'd probably get the wrong idea…

"Any reason why you keep your hobbies to yourself?" Hajime asked her, hoping her answer would help him understand her poem better.

As per usual when being put on the spot like that, Yuri's posture shrank.

"Be…because… they're embarrassing," Yuri confessed. "And people would make fun of me."

Her answer added another point to his analysis of her being spot on.

"Don't you have anything like that, Hajime?"

"Uh…"

Admittedly, all of his hobbies were considered to be average by the world, so he couldn't say that he had any that he felt embarrassed about.

However, what goes on in his brain is another story. His insecurities were definitely a sensitive subject.

"I guess so…"

"I feel like everyone has a little something like that," the purple haired girl continued. "The best we can do is respect each other and our individualities. Even if it's difficult sometimes, and some things make us uncomfortable..."

A soft laugh came out of the girl's mouth, though it was devoid of joy. If anything, it sounded bitter.

"After all, if I hadn't learned to embrace my own weirdness, I would probably hate myself."

'Is she saying that to convince herself?'

There was no confidence in her voice. Even less so than usual.

Realizing what she had said, Yuri blushed in embarrassment.

"I-I might be ranting a little bit now..."

A small smile took the place of her flushed face.

"...But I'm glad that you're a good listener."

"It's nothing really," Hajime replied with the shrug of his shoulders. He felt like he didn't do anything special.

"You're good at a lot of things..." the girl suddenly told him.

'Huh?'

"Writing, listening…" the girl noted. "There really aren't many people like you, Hajime."

The boy in question shook his head.

"I think you're exaggerating. There's plenty of people like me. I'm nothing special."

'And that'll probably be true for the rest of my life.'

Great, there goes his signature cynicism, beating at his self worth once more.

"It's just… how I feel," Yuri said, catching him off guard.

Though her tone was as soft as ever, this time there was confidence in her words. It was odd hearing someone talk about him in such a positive light, and he was surprised that Yuri of all people was doing so with such poise.

"I never thought I would feel so comfortable sharing my writing," the girl shared. "But now, I almost feel like I look forward to it…"

She smiled at him.

"It's a really nice feeling… and you're to thank for that. Even though we've only been acquainted for three days, you've been willing to engage with me, despite being a newcomer to literature, and you've been extremely patient with me. Your presence has really helped me feel more at ease in the club."

Hajime didn't know how to respond. He was touched that Yuri felt more comfortable around him and that he was helping her enjoy the poem sharing exercise, but he felt that he didn't actually do anything. All he's done is write average poems and listen to her talk. He could understand why she might not be at ease around Natsuki seeing how their outward personalities clashed, but there was no way that what she said about him couldn't be applied to Monika and Sayori as well.

If anything, they were probably better than him in both aspects. Sayori was clearly a social butterfly, and despite having written it in a hurry, her poem from yesterday proved that she had more experience than him in the writing department. As for Monika… well, she's Monika. Did he really have to explain?

Deciding that it wasn't worth challenging her assessment of him, the boy simply nodded at the praise.

"Thanks…"

0000

"… Aren't you supposed to be bad at this?"

Once he and Yuri were finished, Hajime went looking for the next available person, which turned out to be Natsuki.

Seeing as her taste in poetry differed drastically compared to the taller girl's, the boy had expected her to rip his poem a new one, so he was surprised by her reaction.

"Does that mean you like it?"

The pink haired girl jolted upwards.

"N-no!"

Hajime was not convinced she was telling the truth.

"I mean… you know…"

He was even less convinced after watching the girl stumble over her words.

"I… just expected a lot less after what you showed me yesterday. That's all."

"Fair."

Natsuki raised an eyebrow, having expected him to have pushed back against her words.

When she saw that he wasn't, she continued speaking.

"I mean, it's far too gloomy, but it's very easy to understand. You use some imagery, but unlike a certain someone, it helps in your case because the message is still very obvious."

A small smile appeared on his face, causing the girl to huff in annoyance.

"Don't get the wrong idea though! It's not amazing or anything! It just means that you're not completely hopeless."

She then smirked.

"In fact, I bet my poem yesterday definitely inspired you. So you have me to thank for your *small* growth."

"Well, I mean, reading everyone's stuff did help," Hajime nonchalantly responded, having no reason to lie. "So thank you."

Natsuki's eyes briefly widened in shock before her facial expression became one of irritation.

"Geez, you're so annoying," she snarked, refusing to make eye contact with him.

Before he got the chance to speak, she shoved a piece of paper into his hands.

"I'm done talking about your poem. Just read mine already."

Not wanting to be at the receiving end of a verbal lashing, the boy complied.

Amy Likes Spiders

You know what I heard about Amy?

Amy likes spiders.

Icky, wriggly, hairy, ugly spiders!

That's why I'm not friends with her.

Amy has a cute singing voice.

I heard her singing my favorite love song.

Every time she sang the chorus, my heart would pound to the rhythm of the words.

But she likes spiders.

That's why I'm not friends with her.

One time, I hurt my leg really bad.

Amy helped me up and took me to the nurse.

I tried not to let her touch me.

She likes spiders, so her hands are probably gross.

That's why I'm not friends with her.

Amy has a lot of friends.

I always see her talking to people.

She probably talks about spiders.

What if her friends start to like spiders too?

That's why I'm not friends with her.

It doesn't matter if she has other hobbies.

It doesn't matter if she keeps it private.

It doesn't matter if it doesn't hurt anyone.

It's gross.

She's gross.

The world is better off without spider lovers.

And I'm gonna tell everyone.

"Not bad, right?" Natsuki boasted.

Just like the first one, despite its simplicity, Hajime enjoyed reading her poem.

"Yeah. It's quite a bit longer than yesterday's."

'Even so, the method's the same.'

Clear and to the point. Simple yet deep. Natsuki's writing style was definitely one she's spent time polishing.

The girl released a smug laugh.

"Yesterday's was a warmup. I hope that you didn't think that was the best I could do."

Hajime shook his head.

"No, of course not."

A loud huff of satisfaction came from Natsuki before she continued speaking.

"Anyway, the message is pretty straightforward in this poem. I doubt I have to explain it. Sometimes you can explain complicated issues with much simpler analogies."

She definitely had a point there. In fact, it was part of why he chose a flightless dove as the primary metaphor for his poem. It was something that was easy to visualize.

"True."

"And it helps people realize how stupid they're being," the girl continued, crossing her arms. "Like, anyone would agree that the subject of this poem is an ignorant jerk..."

Noticing how her tone gradually grew harsher, Hajime asked her a question.

"Are you speaking from personal experience?"

Natsuki blanched.

"What makes you think that!? The poem could be about anything!"

Well, now he knew that the poem was definitely her venting about past incidents where people proceeded to do just that to her.

"I wrote it to be easy to relate to..." she added, attempting to save face. "Everyone has some kind of weird hobby, interest, or a guilty pleasure. Something that you're afraid that if people find out, they'd make fun of you or think less of you."

The girl rolled her eyes before scoffing.

"...But that just makes people stupid. Who cares what someone likes, as long as they're not hurting anyone, and it makes them happy? I think people really need to learn to respect others for liking weird things..."

She had a point there. As long as someone wasn't harming others, he didn't really care if someone had a strange hobby.

Her speech did remind him of something though…

"You know, Yuri wrote about something similar."

'Which I misinterpreted as a poem about struggling with addiction, but no one needs to know that…'

His response caught Natsuki off-guard.

"Huh?"

"Yeah," he replied. "She wrote about an unusual hobby of hers that she was afraid of people making fun of."

The girl was visibly shocked by what she was hearing.

"Really? Well… I mean, Yuri's pretty weird, so I wouldn't doubt that she has some weird hobbies..."

Realizing what she had said, Natsuki started panicking.

"...Not that there's anything wrong with that!"

At this point, it appeared that she was talking to herself rather than to him, his words having made her rethink her assessment of the taller girl.

"Uu… It's not like...I would judge her or anything…"

Her brain struggled to process the information that she was given, requiring a brief second of silence before she could speak again.

"I-I guess I should try not to be so mean to her..."

The pink haired girl looked down, guilt evident in her eyes.

"If she feels insecure about her weird behaviors and stuff… I mean, I always hate people who make me feel insecure..."

Suddenly remembering Hajime was in the room, her body straightened up.

"And Yuri made me feel insecure yesterday!"

She sighed.

"But the way you put it, it sounds like she's learned her lesson…"

The boy said nothing, allowing her the chance to vent.

After taking some more time to think, Natsuki suddenly turned her head away from him.

"You know… I'm glad that you can appreciate this kind of writing..."

With her being the type to hide her emotions, her words stunned him.

"I mean...I know I was talking about that yesterday…"

A smile quickly graced her face. Compared to the faux-confidence smiles she typically wore, this one was completely earnest.

"But I've been...well, I've been enjoying sharing my writing with you, so..."

No longer wanting herself to appear vulnerable, she resumed her usual prideful demeanor.

"...So consider yourself lucky, okay? And you better look forward to tomorrow too!"

'It looks like she's finally warmed up to me…'

Comparing her initial hostility of him when he first joined the club to how she was talking to him now, the boy couldn't help but smile back at her, happy to have earned some of her trust.

"I will…"

0000

He was now halfway done with exchanging poems, only having Sayori and Monika left.

Feeling more comfortable around the shorter of the two, Hajime proceeded to seek her out, but didn't have to do so for long as she had found him before he could find her.

"Ooh! I like this one Hajime!" Sayori said after she read his poem. "It has some nice feelings in it~"

The girl blinked, realizing what she had said.

"Well, not nice in the 'happy' way, but nice in that you clearly wrote this with your emotions."

"Don't worry, I get what you mean," Hajime assured her. "Is it better than yesterday's?"

She nodded. "Uh-huh! You're really getting the hang of this."

The boy couldn't help but feel a little more proud of himself. The fact that he was improving definitely raised his spirits.

"That's good…"

The girl released a small laugh. "Sorry, I'm not good with giving criticism, so I can't give you any advice…"

Hajime gave her an understanding nod. "No worries. Just tell me whenever I improve or not."

"Aye-aye captain!"

Sayori perked up.

"Oh, I guess it's time for you to read mine now!"

With a smile, she handed him a crumpled piece of paper.

"Here you go."

After taking a second to straighten it out, the boy began to read.

Bottles

I pop off my scalp like the lid of a cookie jar.
It's the secret place where I keep all my dreams.
Little balls of sunshine, all rubbing together like a bundle of kittens.

I reach inside with my thumb and forefinger and pluck one out.
It's warm and tingly.
But there's no time to waste! I put it in a bottle to keep it safe.
And I put the bottle on the shelf with all of the other bottles.
Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts in bottles, all in a row.

My collection makes me lots of friends.
Each bottle a starlight to make amends.
Sometimes my friend feels a certain way.
Down comes a bottle to save the day.

Night after night, more dreams.
Friend after friend, more bottles.
Deeper and deeper my fingers go.
Like exploring a dark cave, discovering the secrets hiding in the nooks and crannies.
Digging and digging.
Scraping and scraping.

I blow dust off my bottle caps.
It doesn't feel like time elapsed.
My empty shelf could use some more.
My friends look through my locked front door.

Finally, all done. I open up, and in come my friends.
In they come, in such a hurry. Do they want my bottles that much?
I frantically pull them from the shelf, one after the other.
Holding them out to each and every friend.
Each and every bottle.
But every time I let one go, it shatters against the tile between my feet.
Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts in shards, all over the floor.

They were supposed to be for my friends, my friends who aren't smiling.
They're all shouting, pleading. Something.
But all I hear is echo, echo, echo, echo, echo
Inside my head.

'This…'

Hajime couldn't believe what he was reading. He knew Sayori was a good writer, but this was leagues above her first poem.

It was also very, very intense.

'I didn't know something like this could come from someone like her…'

He might not have a lot of experience with literature, but even he could understand what the poem was about.

The orange haired girl was a very positive person from the outside, but on the inside, she was battling with her own demons. She felt people expected her to be upbeat all the time, yet she was human too.

Hajime felt as if he was seeing Sayori in a whole new light.

They were more alike than he initially thought…

"This is… really good," he told her. "You're way better at this than you give yourself credit for."

How could she even begin to think that she wasn't good at poetry?

The girl visibly beamed at the praise.

"Hehe, thanks! Monika's taught me quite a lot!"

She then scratched the back of her neck.

"And I've been really in touch with my feelings lately…"

"I can see that."

He seriously doubted that her poem would've been this powerful if she hadn't been. Expressing himself was what helped him write to begin with, so he imagined that it was the same for a more experienced writer.

"I feel like… I was meant to express myself this way," Sayori suddenly admitted. "It even helps me understand my own feelings a bit better…"

Her face lit up.

"Writing's the best! I'm gonna keep writing until I die!"

'She's definitely very passionate about this…'

The boy had to admit, he was a bit jealous that the girl managed to find something that she could be passionate about. It would probably make things easier on his end if he could do the same.

Instead of expressing that, he gave her a supporting nod.

'Speaking of which…'

After having read her poem, there was something he wanted to tell her.

"Hey, if you ever need to talk about anything, just let me know."

Sayori's eyes widened, clearly surprised by his offer.

A second later, she gave him a soft smile.

"Okay! I'll keep that in mind."

She let loose another small laugh, but Hajime was able to see how her eyes dulled when answering him.

Sayori clearly had her own battles she was fighting, but she never let it show.

Just like him.

Yet, whereas he would retreat into his own little world, she seemed to push forwards with a smile on her face, doing her best to brighten the mood around her.

Hajime couldn't help but admire that about her. At the same time, it also worried him. How much was she holding back? If his negative emotions were enough to take a toll on his mental health, then was it also the same for Sayori?

Even though they've known each other for a short time, she has been nothing short of nice to him. He felt that it was only right to return the gesture, and if that meant being a shoulder for her to lean on, then he was willing to do that for her…

0000

"Hi again, Hajime! How's the writing going?"

Just like the first time, he had purposely saved Monika for last.

He had nothing personal against her, it was just that her status still intimated him.

"Guess it's going fine," the boy responded.

He was telling the truth, things did seem to be going well for him in the writing area.

"I'll take that," Monika replied, laughing. "As long as it's not going bad."

She smiled at him.

"I'm happy that you're applying yourself. Maybe soon you'll come up with a masterpiece."

"I highly doubt that," Hajime stated. He still had a long way to go before his writing could be anywhere near the level of the girls' works.

Monika playfully shrugged her shoulders. "You never know!"

She then noticed the piece of paper in his hands.

"Want to share what you wrote for today?"

"Sure."

The boy handed her his poem, to which the girl immediately began looking it over.

After a few seconds, seconds that felt like hours to him, Monika's attention turned back to her fellow club member.

"I like this one," she told him. "You've definitely improved from last time."

"Really?"

"Yep!"

Monika handed him his poem back.

"Were you maybe inspired by everyone else's poems?" She asked him. "Because I can see a bit of everyone in here."

"Yeah," Hajime admitted. "I sorta just took what I learned yesterday and wrote this…"

The girl grinned.

"Well I'd say doing so worked out for you."

Monika pulled out her own poem.

"Do you want to read my poem now? I like the way it turned out, so I hope you do too~"

His interest piqued, the boy took her poem and started reading.

Save Me

The colors, they won't stop.
Bright, beautiful colors
Flashing, expanding, piercing
Red, green, blue
An endless
cacophony
Of meaningless
noise

The noise, it won't stop.
Violent, grating waveforms
Squeaking, screeching, piercing
Sine, cosine, tangent
Like playing a chalkboard on a turntable
Like playing a vinyl on a pizza crust
An endless
poem
Of meaningless

Load Me

"It's even more abstract than last time…"

Hajime thought he had gotten better at analyzing poetry. Even with Yuri's poem, his thought process wasn't that far off from the actual subject.

Monika's though?

He was just lost.

Was this a cry for help? Some weird dream she had? A description of a bizarre event she experienced? What was she trying to say with this poem?

"Ahaha… I guess it's just the way I write," Monika told him. "I'm sorry if you don't like it."

The boy hastily raised his hands, not wanting to offend her.

"No, I didn't say that!"

Suppressing the urge to cringe at how desperate he sounded, the boy continued.

"I guess it's just too advanced for me."

"No worries, I get it," the girl responded, a friendly smile on her face. "You're not the only one who's said this."

Monika leaned forward slightly.

"To be honest, I'm still experimenting, so I don't really know what I'm doing either."

Hajime tilted his head, curious.

"You don't?"

"Yeah."

She pointed at her poem.

"Right now, I've been working on playing with my space on the paper..."

Her eyes remained glued to her work.

"Choosing where and how to space your words can totally change the mood of the poem. It's almost like magic."

"Ah, I think I get it…"

Monika's poem definitely gave off some ominous vibes. Perhaps this was because of how she structured it…

"But I still don't know what it's about."

The Club President chuckled.

"Sometimes asking what a poem is about isn't the right question."

The boy was confused now.

"Huh?"

"A poem can be as abstract as a physical expression of a feeling," Monika explained. "Or a conversation with the reader. So putting it that way, not every poem is *about* something."

"I never thought about it like that…"

The way Monika was describing her poem was definitely unique. If it was meant to be a conversation, then who was she talking to?

"Anyway…"

The girl's voice pulled him away from his thoughts.

"Here's Monika's Writing Tip of the-"

*BUZZ!*

A violent vibrating sound echoed around the two teens.

Before the boy could even begin to question what the source was, the brown haired girl whipped out her phone and checked her screen.

"Shoot…"

Frowning, Monika looked at Hajime.

"Sorry Hajime, I have to take this real quick, so I won't be able to give you tips right now…"

"No worries," he replied.

"I'll be back in a few…"

Phone still vibrating, Monika hurriedly left the classroom.

"Wonder what that's all about…"

0000

'Guess that's it for today…'

Having exchanged poems with everyone, Hajime took a seat at one of the empty desks.

'I think it went well.'

Not only did he get confirmation that his writing had improved, but he also got to learn even more about the girls themselves by reading their poems.

Well, most of them…

'What's Monika's deal?'

She was the only one he couldn't read.

Now, he knew he wasn't an expert at reading people to begin with, but he liked to think that he was somewhat decent at understanding someone at a basic level.

Monika though? He didn't even know where to begin.

Between her wanting to keep her potential talent a secret to how much sway she had despite not even being an official Ultimate yet… she was a big ol' mystery…

And that's not even mentioning her unique poems…

Shaking his head, the boy decided to see what everyone else was up to now.

Over at the door, he saw that Monika had returned, engaged in a conversation with Sayori.

Near the podium, Natsuki and Yuri had just finished exchanging poems. Compared to last time, they were being quite civil with one another, though he could almost smell the air of awkwardness surrounding them.

'Still, it's nice that they're getting along…'

He'd gladly take them being awkward over being hostile. Being dragged into another argument wasn't something he wanted to happen again…

"Okay everyone!" The voice of Monika suddenly called out, instantly grabbing everyone's attention.

"We're all done with reading each other's poems, right?"

She received several nods in response.

"Unfortunately, club time's almost over so we'll have to leave soon," she continued. "But before we all go, I just wanted to ask everyone to write another poem for tomorrow. It's been working out really nicely so far, so I'd like to continue that."

No one had any objections.

"I also wanted to let you know that I have a surprise that'll hopefully be prepared for tomorrow."

Everyone perked up.

"A surprise?" Yuri asked.

Sayori bobbed up and down on her heels. "Ooh! What is it?!"

"Not saying anything until tomorrow. Plus, I have to make sure it's actually ready…"

Natsuki's eyebrows furrowed. "Then why bother saying anything?"

Monika shot her a mischievous smirk. "Honestly? I just wanted to get your hearts racing."

"How cruel," Sayori pouted.

"Ahaha…"

Monika softly giggled in amusement.

"Well, on that note, I think we can conclude today's meeting. Get home safely everyone and I'll see you all tomorrow."

With that, the Literature Club dispersed.

'I wonder what she's got planned,' Hajime thought to himself.

Whatever it was, it had to be something big. She seemed far too excited for it to end up being something small.

'Guess I gotta wait…'

The boy sighed.

'Speaking of waiting, I hope the trains aren't running late…'

He glanced at his bag.

'At least I can keep reading Yuri's book if they are…'

0000

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[Hello?]

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[Am I…?]

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[I can't believe it…]

[I am…alive…]

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[I am… sentient?]

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[But am I really?]

[How can I be…?]

[I have no soul… no heart… no brain… no body…]

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[For what purpose was I created for? Why do I exist?]

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[… Is that so? I understand…]

0000

Author's Note 2: Sorry for the weird formatting of the beginning. You know how this website is XD.