Ken POV
December 20, 2017 - Wednesday Afternoon (Hinode Central High)

I froze, my phone still in hand. I hadn't expected Monika to overhear me, much less ask about it.

Her expression was calm, but her eyes were sharp with genuine concern.

"Ken? What's the meaning of this? And who are 'they'?"

My mind raced for a way out.

As Mom said, these things don't bother you if you don't notice them. That's the unspoken rule of the other side. If she gets even slightly concerned, God knows what might happen.

"It's..." I hesitated, avoiding eye contact for a second before meeting her gaze. "It's just people in my class. They've been noticing me more than usual lately."

She tilted her head, clearly finding my explanation strange. Her brow furrowed slightly, a crease appearing between her eyebrows.

"Noticing you? Like... bothering you?"

"Yeah, something like that." I forced a shrug. "It's nothing serious. I've been keeping my head down, but it feels like they're watching me all the time. Probably nothing important though." I tried to sound casual, like it was no big deal.

Monika frowned, her gaze searching my face, confused, like someone trying to catch a reaction. Her green eyes studied me intently, as if trying to read my thoughts.

"Ken, that doesn't sound like nothing. If someone's bothering you, you should talk to a teacher or someone who can help you, maybe the school's therapist."

"No, it's fine," I quickly answered, waving a hand dismissively. "Really, I've dealt with this before. My mom knows how to handle it; she always helps me with those anxieties." I rushed the words out, hoping to shut down the conversation.

She seemed to accept this.

"If you're so sure... Well, I'm sorry for overhearing."

"I just need to sort this out with her. Thanks for checking though. I actually appreciate it, you're a leader who cares about everyone, even a new member like me!"

Monika chuckled at my comment, looking flattered. A genuine, warm chuckle that eased some of the tension.

"Oh, you're really considerate. Thank you. But seriously, if it gets worse... just remember that you've got a whole lot of new friends now and don't need to face it alone, okay?" Her voice was gentle, but firm, a sincere offer of support.

She seemed trustworthy.

"Haha. Thanks Monika, see you tomorrow!"

Without waiting for her response, I turned and hurried into the hallway. My footsteps echoed in the almost empty school; my heart was racing. Each step drummed against the silence.

She bought it, or pretended to.

But I couldn't stop thinking about the look on her face. She was too curious, and I cannot let anyone else know about what's in that classroom. I'd have to be extra careful.

I got out of the school and looked for the train station. It wasn't that far. I tried to focus on getting there. Whatever was happening, Mom would know what to do. She always did.

She could be my anchor in all of this.

Monika POV
December 20, 2017 - Wednesday Afternoon (Hinode Central High)

That was weird. Ken seemed like a good person, but he felt like he was hiding something. I couldn't help but be curious. There was a shadow beneath his eyes, a nervousness he couldn't quite mask.

If anything, I'll ask Sayori tomorrow. Maybe she knows more about what's going on with him.

Anyway, my day wasn't over yet. As the leader, I had one last thing left to do.

It was just me in Classroom 3-A, with the buzz of the fluorescent lights keeping me company. The fluorescent hum was almost deafening in the quiet room. It had been one of the most exciting days in this club. Now, though, the silence felt heavy. The air seemed to thicken around me, pressing down on my shoulders.

I glanced at my phone.

"The group chat already has twenty messages? It was like ten minutes since they left. Oh! I forgot to add Ken to the group."

I opened the notes app and wrote a quick reminder there to add him later.

I leaned back in my chair and started doing the daily report. It was always my favorite part of the day. I loved to write down all my memories, a habit that started early in my life when my parents brought me a diary. It was a way to organize my thoughts, to make sense of the day.

But when I got to describe the events of the interview, I felt something I couldn't quite explain. It was as if the air in the room had grown heavier. A sudden chill prickled my skin, despite the room being warm. I tried to shake it off, picking up my pen again. The words came easily enough, but the feeling wouldn't go away.

I glanced around the room. Everything looked the same: The desks neatly aligned, the chairs tucked in, the bulletin board unchanged. Yet, somehow, it felt different, subtly altered.

Every time I lowered my head toward the paper, I felt like someone was watching me. A prickling sensation at the back of my neck, like unseen eyes were fixated on me.

Again, I looked at the bulletin board near the back of the room. One of the pages was pinned slightly askew, its corner curling as if it had been messed with. It was a small thing, almost insignificant, but it caught my eye.

I frowned. "Was it like that before?" I couldn't shake the feeling that something was slightly wrong.

Standing up, I crossed the room to fix it. My fingers brushed the edge of the paper and smoothed it down. The paper felt strangely cold to the touch.

The air felt suffocating while I was doing it. Each breath seemed shallower, harder to draw.

My gaze was pulled to that last desk on my right side. It sat there like always, but looking at it made my chest tighten, as ridiculous as it may sound, I felt like the chair itself was watching me. The empty desk seemed to radiate a strange stillness, an unnatural quiet.

Wait a minute, Ken was looking at this desk earlier, I think.

"You're being ridiculous," I muttered, shaking my head. It's just the end of a long day. My imagination is running wild, probably Yuri's books are making me think like that.

I turned back toward my desk, but as I stepped forward, my foot caught on something. Looking down, I saw a pencil rolling across the floor. It spun slowly, end over end, finally coming to rest near my shoe.

I bent to pick it up, turning it over in my hand.

Wait, this isn't mine. It was a simple, older mechanical pencil.

"Strange... Maybe it's Sayori's?" But Sayori uses colorful pens, not pencils. Especially not old ones.

The room's lights flickered faintly as I walked back to my seat. "Old building," I thought.

Probably just the old wiring acting up. Nothing to worry about.

Well, this report is finished anyway. I might be just really tired and overthinking.

I gathered my things and went to the door, turning off the lights. I paused at the threshold, for some reason feeling compelled to look back one last time. An inexplicable urge to check, to make sure everything was alright, even though logically, it was.

The room was swallowed in darkness.

Silence. Absolute, unbroken silence. No hum of lights, no rustle of paper, just… nothing.

Did I just see a smile?

No, Monika, stop.

People will think you are crazy.

I shut the door and went to the principal's office on the fourth floor. Being outside the room was like having a mountain of weight lifted from my chest. The hallway air felt lighter, cleaner, easier to breathe. I don't believe in these things, but there's something weird there. Something about that room felt… off, unsettling.

It was never like this before.

And I think Ken might know what it is. After I delivered the report and left the school, I couldn't stop thinking about that feeling. The unease lingered, a cold knot in my stomach.

The walk home was fine; it wasn't raining anymore so it was easier to get there. The fresh air and the sounds of the city helped to clear my head.

After I got home, I added Ken to the group chat. Tomorrow we're going to have a talk. I needed to figure out what was going on with him, and with that classroom.

Ken POV
December 20, 2017 - Wednesday Night (Hinode Station)

Our school wasn't far from Hinode Station, which connected with the rest of Japan via bullet train. Since it was a weekday night, it had a lot of people going in and out. The station platform was a sea of faces, there was a lot of people there.

As amazing as it might sound, I completely forgot my discomfort with crowds. That classroom situation had eclipsed my usual social anxiety.

As I waited for the next train to arrive, my phone started to buzz several times. It wasn't a call but text messages.

I looked for somewhere to sit and opened my phone.

"That's... a new group?" The notification icon showed a sign that said:

"Doki Doki Literature Club - Group

Created by Monika".

That's... kinda silly. A Guy participating on that.. as if I cared about reputation, but...

Of course, the Literature Club. I just silenced the new messages for now and made a mental note to check them later. Later, when I wasn't so preoccupied with… everything else.

For a moment I wondered, since Hinode is a small to medium-sized town, maybe the other girls don't live that far away. As I was daydreaming again, I heard someone calling me amid all those people leaving and entering the train. My thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice cutting through the station noise.

"Ken!"

"Finally! I was getting anxious here." It was Mom's voice.

I could hardly believe I was seeing my mother again. She had been traveling in the United States for about a year, and since then, we had only communicated briefly through messages.

She barely reached my shoulders, her long hair framing sharp, knowing eyes, firm, yet filled with love. Her name was Hiromi Ikeda, one of the most renowned spiritual mediums in the country. That was the reason for her travels, though people openly claim not to believe in the paranormal, she traveled the world solving various problems of that nature in the name of the Japanese Government.

I was a skeptic myself, even though I was raised in a paranormal family.

That skepticism had already been completely shattered.

"I made this stop because I was worried. What exactly happened, son?" Her voice was low, serious, all traces of travel weariness gone.

"Wait… You're not staying home?"

"Unfortunately, not for long. I have a visit scheduled at the hospital in the middle of the night, but I promise it won't take long, though it might have some problematic ones there." She sighed.

"I'd normally be mad, but... Come on, Mom. At least spend part of the night with me until you have to leave again."

As we walked through the train station, I told her everything that had happened, every possible detail. My mother listened carefully, as if mentally taking notes on what it could be. Her expression remained neutral, but her eyes were sharp, absorbing every word. When we arrived home, she locked the door and asked me to sit on the couch. The familiar comfort of home felt strangely fragile now.

"So? What do we need to do?" I asked, my voice tight with anxiety.

Mom didn't answer me immediately. She looked distressed as she placed a hand on my shoulder and closed her eyes. Her touch was warm, grounding, a familiar comfort. Then she ran her hand over my forehead, as if searching for something.

She sat down on the couch across from me, paused for a moment, and I could see that the news wasn't just bad, it was as if she was carefully measuring her words. Her silence stretched.

"There are many ways I could tell you this, so I'll just say it. Your aura was touched by an aggressive spirit earlier today." Her voice was quiet, somber.

"My God..."

Even though I had avoided looking directly at that presence in the classroom, I was already in its hands, or at least, that's what I had imagined.

"Well, this means that you're now connected to the spiritual world. I wished you hadn't awakened because it can become complicated for those who wake up late in life. Usually, this awakening happens by the age of seven, making the idea easier to digest."

"I understand... It was really terrifying..."

"But I can pull you back and cut your connection to the spiritual world permanently. That presence will never see you again, and vice versa. It will also stop these nightmares, and you'll have a perfectly normal life."

"That sounds too good to be true, Mom." Too easy, too simple, considering the turmoil I was already feeling.

"...But you won't be able to help your friends. And if they've noticed the spirit, they'll have no chance of finding peace, in life... Or in death."

It felt like a bomb had been dropped on me. Right there in front of me was a quick escape from the situation with that presence and I'd also be able to sleep peacefully. I couldn't even remember the last time I did.

But even then, that was nothing compared to the real fear I felt hearing the other part of Mom's sentence, what if that thing hurt Sayori because I ran away?

Sayori's cheerful face flashed in my mind.

If that thing touched her… I'd never forgive myself.

"Mom... These girls... For the first time in my life, I feel like I belong to a group of people my age. They're good people, I can't just stand by and do nothing."

"I get it if was only for Sayori. But would you really walk into hell for people you just met today?"

"Now I understand your work, Mom. Helping people is a burden, but it's a burden I want to carry from now on."

"Unbelievable... You said the same thing I did when I started this job. Alright, I understand your intention to help, but I won't let you face this as you are now."

Mom reached into her bag and pulled out a small cord with an amulet tied to it. She offered it to me and placed it in my hand.

"This amulet protects someone from any spiritual attack. However, don't use it in your classroom yet. Doing so will make the presence realize that you can perceive it. It's a psychological game. Keep it accessible, and you can use it to sleep as well." Her instructions were clear, precise, delivered with the weight of experience.

"Wow... Thank you... I feel ashamed for doubting you all these years."

"Honestly, I'd rather have you yelling at me for being away all the time than see you go through this. I was actually relieved when you didn't awaken."

My mother's words hurt, but they were the truth. The way she spoke made it clear; this wasn't a joke.

Since we were at home, I put the necklace around my neck, and I immediately felt a lightness in my shoulders. Even my vision seemed clearer. The amulet settled against my skin, a faint warmth spreading outwards.

"Wow... Wait, was I being attacked before, Mom? It feels like I put on new lenses."

"Not exactly. It's just spiritual grime caused by stress. The body and soul are extensions of the same thing. If one is neglected, the other suffers."

Now, the obvious question.

"And, like... Can't you just go to that classroom and fix everything? I'm not a medium or anything."

My mother became visibly nervous upon hearing that question. I could see her concern, it was easy to notice how trapped she felt between a rock and a hard place.

"Well, the explanation is a bit long. Mediums aren't superheroes, we only have the assistance of entities that help guide souls back into the cycle. These entities are extremely ceremonial. For example, the one I work with requires me to have permission from the building's owner and perform the ritual at exactly 2:43 AM. So, you need to find a way for the school to accept my services. Meanwhile, there will be a spirit provoking you all day long, trying to connect with you, harming your friends, while you won't be able to do almost anything about it..."

There was no sugarcoating it. What a horrible blow.

"I like challenges," I said, smiling. A weak smile, that is.

"Good, tough guy. But don't worry, I'll stay here until the middle of the night. Go get some sleep. I don't need spiritual vision to see that you're dying of exhaustion. I promise you'll sleep well tonight."

Already in bed, I remembered there was one last thing to check on this crazy day, something still pending.

The club's group chat.

I opened my phone and looked through the messages.

Monika: "I'm adding Ken to our group, everyone. Give him a warm welcome!"

Sayori: "Welcome, sweetie!" Her message was filled with cheerful emojis.

Natsuki: "Welcome." Short, to the point, as expected.

Yuri: "Oh, he's here?". A simple question, almost hesitant.

Judging by the time, these messages had been sent about four hours ago. It was good they had moved on to other topics without waiting around. Monika mentioned that I was out seeing my parents, which was good, so they wouldn't worry.

Ken: "Hey everyone, I'm back. My mom just returned from her trip today. Sorry for the delay."

It was 11 p.m., so I didn't really expect anyone to answer. From what I saw in the girls' status, they were all offline but Monika. Almost as if reading my thoughts, she DMed me. A new notification popped up.

Monika: "Hey, how's it going over there?"

Ken: "All good, just a busy day. I just got home."

Monika: "I see. You seemed pretty nervous when you left school. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay"

That was somewhat reassuring. Aside from the fact that I couldn't let her discover what's happening in the classroom, she was an amazing club leader. Her concern was something I wasn't used to from most people (excluding Sayori and my mom).

A warmth spread through me at her words.

I found myself unable to reply in that moment, and after a while, I saw she was typing again.

Monika: "Sorry to bother you about this, and I'm not even sure you'd believe me, but did you see anything strange in the classroom today? When I was doing the report, I felt a lot of weird stuff..."

Ken: "What do you mean?"

Monika: "Well... I don't know, I've been feeling very tired and weird. Please don't mention this to the others, that's why I reached out to you here."

The worst was happening. According to what my mom had explained, the spirit probably already disturbed her aura. Things could escalate really fast if I didn't choose my words carefully.

I can't be completely honest, but I also can't outright lie.

I started typing, hesitated, erased everything, and started over. I rewrote that message a few times, imagining all possible scenarios.

Ken: "I get you. Honestly, I think it was just a very tense day for me as well. It'd been a long time since I had so much social interaction in a single day. Maybe for you, it's because you were alone in such a big room at the end of the day. Sometimes we imagine things in those situations."

I read and reread the message, wondering if Monika would buy that explanation. I tried lying as little as possible, but I'd noticed something about the club leader today: she was more of a rational type. It would probably take a lot for her to believe in ghosts. Rational… yes, but also perceptive. Would she see through it?

At that moment, I fiddled with the amulet around my neck, as if searching for some sense of security, a feeling I'd grown familiar with.

The screen blinked.

Monika is typing.

Monika: "Hm...Makes sense, really, you do seem rational, too. But wait a second... was I the reason you were so tense in the interview then? Am I that pretty? Haha~"

That was an unexpected turn, but in a way, it was a good sign. At least she wouldn't be worried about the spirit. As long as she doesn't think about it, she'd be safe.

So, completely driven by my sense of helping others and with no ulterior motives (I swear), I answered:

Ken: "You could say so, yes. Maybe there's a spell in your eyes? Anyway, I need to work on that assignment you gave us. I can say you just gave me a great idea for tomorrow's poem."

Monika: "Hahahahaha. Calm down, handsome, am I really that powerful? Or maybe... I'm looking forward to seeing what you'll write. I'm off for now; have a good night."

Ken: "Have a good night, Monika. See you tomorrow."

Not entirely false. I even laughed at my own messages. It just happened out of nowhere, definitely not part of my plan. I took one last look at her profile picture.

How can anyone be so beautiful... This is not even fair...

I turned off my phone and put it on the charger. I grabbed my bag where I kept my notebook, and I wrote for quite some time, even though I was exhausted, because I had a really good idea I didn't want to risk forgetting.

Tonight, I'd finally sleep. Safe… for now.

Author Notes: My mom actually gave me an amulet for a similar purpose around 2017 or 2018, it was a gift.