Our Reality (Doki Doki Literature Club!)

Shujinkou's Duty

Moments Earlier...

"Oh yeah... I was supposed to give Natsuki her manga," Shujinkou recalled as he walked towards the school.

He had planned on using it as a gamble to talk to her but, in the end, it proved to be unnecessary.

"I'll just put it with the rest of her collection. That's probably what she would want me to do," he sighed.

In any other scenario, he should feel somewhat relieved. His friend didn't hate him and said the exact words to partly assuage his worries.

So, why am I still worried? I honestly don't know how fathers are supposed to be, so I don't know how far stuff like this would go.

If this was on TV there probably would have been a gasp track, a daughter and father fight about trust and privacy and eventually reconciliation. Does that actually happen in real life?

Shujinkou continued to mindlessly walk forward until he felt something quickly wrap around his feet. Once he was properly constricted, Shujinkou was suddenly hoisted into the air and left dangling upside down.

"Not again..." he softly murmured.

Shujinkou had a pretty good idea who set up this ensnarement trap and sure enough, she soon approached him. Her curious eyes scanned her victim from head to toe and soon a smile crossed her face.

"Senpai's still not paying attention to his surroundings," Mali said. "Senpai's still not taking his current circumstances seriously enough."

"Am I really supposed to be looking out for a snare trap though?" Shujinkou questioned, mustering up the best laugh he could manage.

"Maybe, Maybe not. But you never know, Senpai. You never know how someone will carry out their revenge and since Senpai took the credit for finding the photographs, he's a prime target."

"Do you really think Akuma would come back now that he's on the run?"

Mali giggled at his response. "Revenge is a powerful motivator that often obstructs logic, Senpai. Besides, isn't the possibility the reason you've been keeping an eye on your most physically developed potential?"

Shujinkou remained silent. He knew he didn't have to say a word for Mali to know how right she was. Asking in the first place may have been a vein reach for the situation to just go away.

"Poor Senpai, he has to keep an eye on one of his potentials while he's on the fence with another of his potentials, even after finally talking to her behind the gym," she mockingly sympathized.

"Wait, were you there the whole time?" Shujinkou gasped.

"Ah, so you did go back there to talk with the potential you're on the fence with."

"Ah-!"

Shujinkou felt like crying over how easily Mali made him confirm her suspicions.

"What happened to make you look so displeased, Senpai?" she continued to question. "Did she cut you out of her life for good or something?"

Shujinkou shook his head. "Not exactly. We just talked."

"Oh. Talked about how her dad manhandled you and would've went further given the chance?"

"I don't think it would've gone that far; it was just a misunderstanding."

"How can Senpai say that?" Mali asked with fake worry. "You couldn't even make a straight face saying that. I honestly don't know whether you're trying to convince me or yourself."