Chapter 12: Pamphlets for many

October ninth, Friday. Yesterday Monika made the announcement that there will be no school on Friday. Which gives the Literature Club members an extra day to prepare for the School Festival on Monday. Michael had decided to help each of the girls with their tasks for each day until Monday instead of helping just one. First up for today, he'll be helping out Sayori and Monika with the pamphlets. Just yesterday before Michael headed off to bed. He texted his mom about what's going on and to let her know that the girls are coming over for the next three days. Just when he was about to go to sleep. Instead of just texting back his mom decided to call him and blew up his ears. For the next thirty minutes he was stuck with an awkward conversation with his mom.

Mom: *Sniff* "I can't believe my son is all grown up. I'm going to be a grandmother so soon."

Michael: "For the last time that's not happening. I'm only eighteen and still attending high school! Besides none of the girls see me that way."

Mom: "Well with that aside. Just make sure your nice to them and clean up after yourselves."

Michael: (Well that was sudden.) "Ok mom."

Mom: "Alright son talk to you later. Got to head back to work. Bye."

Michael: "Bye mom talk to ..." Mom hangs up. "... you later. When can I have a proper conversation with you when you have to leave for work? Oh well at least there's a roof above my head, so I guess it's fine. Time to go to bed. I'm going to need all the energy I need to help the girls tomorrow." When Friday morning arrived, he immediately got up and did his morning routine. After he took a shower, he went to his closet. He struggled a bit about what to wear. "Ah crap what should I wear? All I have is black t-shirts and dark blue jeans. You think I would have more variety, but no. Wait why should I care what Monika and Sayori see me wear? The hell with it."

He immediately grabbed a shirt and put on his clothes. When he was all set for the day, he checked his phone to see if there were any messages from the girls. He got one text from Sayori and Monika telling him the same thing.

"I'll be at your place around twelve. See you then MC/Michael."

With the time only being 10:30 am. He decided to grab a bite to eat before he practices his performance. When he went down to the kitchen, he saw a note left by his mom.

"Here's something to treat the ladies if they're hungry."

He sees a huge amount of cash for the next three days. "Thanks mom." He puts the money away and heats himself something to eat. As time passes by Michael was able to perform his poem without hesitating or stuttering, but the more he practices the more he felt uneasy with the fact that the Festival is just around the corner. After giving himself a break, he heard the doorbell rang and looked at his phone's clock. "Coming!" He rushes down from his room to answer the door.

Sayori: "Hey MC."

Michael: "Sayori"

Sayori: "Been awhile since I was here." She looks around the living room.

Michael: "Yeah"

Sayori: "Oh I should mention this right now. Monika just texted me to let us both know that she's going to be late."

Michael: "Really?"

Sayori: "Yup, but she also told us to get ahead start so we can get this done much quicker."

Michael: "Ok so what are we doing exactly?"

Sayori: "We're going to use my laptop to make the templates for the pamphlets and then we're going to the store to get them printed."

Michael: "If you're going to print them then we can use my printer instead."

Sayori: "You have a printer?"

Michael: "Yeah, but I need to check if there's any ink in it first."

Sayori: "Oh perfect. Then I'll get started with the pamphlets and you get the printer ready."

Michael: "Ok then. You could go to the kitchen to work on them. There's a plugin there for you if you need it."

Sayori: "Thanks MC." She heads to the kitchen while Michael heads upstairs to his mom's office for the printer.

While he checks if the printer works and has ink. Sayori is working. When he saw that everything was all checked in, he went back downstairs to let Sayori know that the printer is good to go, but then he heard the doorbell rang. He went to answer it before telling Sayori the printer is ready and was a little surprised at what he was seeing.

Monika: "Hey there Michael. Sorry for being late. I just had to get the items we need for the decorations."

Michael: "It's alright. Sayori is in the kitchen getting the pamphlets ready and I was getting the printer ready."

Monika: "You have a printer? That's awesome. Now we don't have to waste time going to the store to get them printed then."

Michael: "Y-yeah" (Her top matches her eyes.)

Monika: (I wonder if he works out? I can see a bit of his tones.) "May I come in?"

Michael: "Yeah, let me take those bags for you."

Monika: "Thank you." She hands over her bags to him before heading towards the kitchen. "Hey Sayori."

Sayori: "Hey Monika."

Monika: "How are the pamphlets coming along?"

Sayori: "Almost done. What do you think?"

Monika: "Oh they're perfect."

Sayori: "How many should we print?"

Monika: "Hmm … How about forty? Is that okay with you Michael?"

Michael: "That's fine."

Monika: "You heard the man. Make it forty."

Sayori: "Yes mam." A few seconds later. "Ok they're printing."

Michael: "I'll go get them." He rushes upstairs to gather them. After a few minutes had passed he came back down. "Ok got them all."

Monika: "Alright then, let's get started with decorating them."

Michael: "What are we going to decorate them?"

Monika: "Glue and glitter. Lots and lots of glitter. We're going to decorate them in many different ways to make each one unique from one another."

Michael: "I understand. I got this." Hours had passed. "Maybe I don't got this? I'm exhausted."

Sayori: "Look on the bright side. We managed to finish all forty pamphlets."

Monika: "And besides yours turned out great."

Michael: "You think so?"

Monika: "Of course and thanks to you we manage to finish way quicker than if it was just me and Sayori."

Michael: "I-I see." He blushes a bit.

*Growl!*

Michael & Monika: "What the!?" Both of them look around to where they heard the sound.

Sayori: "Sorry that was my tummy. I'm hungry."

Monika: "Don't worry. We've been working for hours. I'm starving too."

Michael: "Do any of you want pizza? I'll order if you want any?"

Sayori: "Pizza!"

Monika: "Pizza does sound good. Though I haven't eaten meat in a long time, but maybe just this once."

Michael: "Ok I'll make the call then. There's a bathroom around the corner of the kitchen you both could use."

Sayori: "Thanks MC!"

Monika: "Yeah thank you."

While the girls go freshen up at the restroom. Michael makes the order for pizza. After making his order and the girls making their way back to the kitchen. They all decided to practice their performance as they wait for the pizza to arrive. After waiting and practicing for almost twenty minutes the pizza finally came.

Michael: "Thank you." He waves to the delivery boy and walks back to the girls with the hot food in hand. "It's here."

Sayori: "Finally!" She gets ready to open the box.

Michael: "Could you at least wait until I give you a plate?" He hands her a paper plate.

Sayori: "Sorry" He hands Monika one as well.

Monika: "Thank you. That's very kind of you."

Michael: "..." Everyone grabs a slice and just before they chow down. "Do any of you want to go to the living room to watch TV?" Both girls look at each other before answering his question.

Sayori & Monika: "Sure!"

They all go to the living room and make themselves comfortable while Michael brings them their drinks.

Michael: "One orange juice for Monika and one soda for Sayori."

Monika: "Thank you very much."

Sayori: "Yeah thanks MC."

Michael: "Here Sayori. Why don't you pick what to watch?" He hands her the remote.

Sayori: "Think I will." She snatches the remote from his hand and begins channel surfing for something good to watch.

They all had a relaxing time eating and watching whatever they could find good on TV. After they all finished eating, Monika spoke up.

Monika: "Well looks like it's time for me to head home."

Sayori: "Aw already?"

Monika: "Yeah unfortunately It's getting pretty dark out there. Thank you for all your help, Michael."

Michael: "No problem."

Monika: "You don't mind if we leave all the pamphlets here until the Festival do you?"

Michael: "Not at all."

Monika: "Thank you. Well guess I'll be on my … way?"

Sayori: "What's wrong?"

Monika: "Oh my, look how cute this is." She grabs a photo by a nearby table.

Sayori: "Oh those?"

Monika: "Aren't these you two as kids?" Sayori takes a closer look.

Sayori: "Oh yeah, MC look it's us when we were kids."

Monika: "Aw the both of you look adorable."

Sayori: "I know right?"

Monika: "Hmm, what's this?" She looks at another picture of Michael and Sayori. "Who's that girl?" She points at the girl with gold eyes and dark brown hair between them.

Sayori: "Oh her." She says with an upset tone.

Michael: "Don't worry about her. Just a girl we know. That's all."

Monika: "Well, okay?" (Why don't those two want to talk about her? Did something bad happen to her?) She puts down the photo and saw another. "Who's that?" She points at the photo hanging on the wall.

Sayori: "Oh that's MC's mom, Gabriella."

Monika: "That's Michael's mom? Wow she's beautiful." She admires the photo. "What's your mom like?"

Michael: "My mom?" Monika nods. "… Well … My mom is a very nice person and a hard worker though she can be annoying at times."

Monika: "I sure would like to meet her someday."

Sayori: "Hey MC how is your mom doing anyways. How come she isn't here?"

Michael: "She's been working a lot lately. Ever since …" Monika and Sayori look at him curiously. "Never mind that."

Monika: "I see? What about your dad? I don't see any photos of him."

Michael: "..."

Monika: "Michael?"

Michael: "I don't want to talk about it."

Monika: "Why is that?"

Michael: "I don't want to talk about him." He says with an agitated tone.

Monika: "Oh well that's fine." (Wow that's the first time I've seen him that upset. Better change the topic.) "Well, I should get going before it gets too dark. I'll see you both Monday." She waves before she leaves.

Michael: "Yeah see you then."

Sayori: "Take care Monika." They both wave as she leaves. "MC?" She says with concern.

Michael: "You should be heading home too before it gets too dangerous."

Sayori: "R-right? I'll see Monday, take care."

Michael: "Same to you." She leaves his house leaving him all alone. "Tch!"

Meanwhile on her way home.

Monika: (Wonder what that was all about? The way he acted when I asked about his dad. Wonder what happened to him? Oh well at least I learned something new about him today. Underneath all that hair, he has beautiful gold eyes. I wonder why he doesn't show off his eyes?) "Hmm?" (The more I get to know about him. The more curious I get.) "No matter, I need to know what happened to him and to see if I could help, but first I need him to open up to me. This is going to be difficult, but I'll try my best."

Meanwhile back at Michael's house. He is seen drinking from his bottle of liquor again. All he did for the rest of the night until he went to sleep was just sitting on the floor next to his bed. Soon enough a tear drops by the side of his face as he remembers his childhood.

?: "Don't talk back to me! Like I care if you're my family! All you ever did was hold me back!"

Mom: "Put the bottle down you cheater!"

? 2: "See that big brother? That's going to be us someday. Even if we try to change ourselves. We as humans are nothing more but wild animals. His sins are ours and everyone we try to form any kind of relationship will end in tragedy. There'll just turn their backs on us when they hear about our family."

Michael: "I don't want to be like him, but can I really change? Can I really find happiness? Can these scars really heal?"

End of Chapter 12