Our Reality (Doki Doki Literature Club!)

The Only Part 6

Sitting on a bench in the local park, Monika had just finished doing something she figured she wouldn't have done.

"So, let me get this straight... Shujinkou saved you guys at the warehouse by going on a rampage?" Fuyu repeated.

Monika nodded her head.

"And at the hospital, after being mercilessly beaten by Akui, he suddenly turned it around and proceeded to effortlessly manhandle him and Akuma before suddenly passing out."

Monika nodded her head once again. She knows how crazy the story sounded and the borderline dumbfounded look on Fuyu's face was expected.

"Hard to believe right?"

Monika knew she didn't need to ask, but she had to say something to try and break Fuyu from her stunned silence.

"...I can see why Mali was so vague in her description of the events," Fuyu said. "It's one thing to say Shujinkou risked his life to save you guys, it's another to say Shujinkou led a successful one-man charge and played human paddleball with a gruff criminal."

"Only one of the reasons I never told anyone the specifics of what happened," Monika admitted. "Except for Claudette since she was there for the first part."

"And this was what Shujinkou being 'off' led too?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Wow... I already felt like I was harsh with him earlier..." Fuyu lamented. "This is kinda helping my case of how I would say the wrong thing due to ignorance."

"I'm sure you were just trying to do things the proper, right way. Shujinkou tried that too, but it didn't really work."

Monika closed her eyes, recalling all the strange things that happened during the incident. These almost supernatural moments occurring during a dark time made one hunch feel like a fact.

"It really feels like no matter what any of us could have done, there was nothing that could stop events from playing out like they did," Monika admitted. "And after..."

Monika couldn't find it in herself to finish her thought.

"And everyone else... Couldn't everyone be taking time to themselves?" Fuyu asked.

Monika solemnly shook her head. "No... Everyone explicitly made it clear that that wasn't the case... I tried to fill the missing void, tried to do something but... I should have known that I would be unable to do it."

"Why not?"

"Because..."

Monika bit her tongue.

"What does it matter? After all, what am I supposed to do when your friends are so serious about staying away that they'll look at you like you're a threat?"

"They... really looked at you like that?" Fuyu marveled.

"They looked at me like Shujinkou did at Akui and Akuma when he lost himself. It hurt of course, but now I realize that that's how much they want to move on," Monika let out a sad laugh. "And at this point, it feels like I'm the only one trying to hold onto something that's gone. I realized, but didn't want to admit it until now, that I have to move on too."

"Move on how?"

Monika dug into her bag and pulled out her letter.

"By giving you this; an official letter to disband the Literature Club."

"Snatch."

A hand reached forward and effortlessly took the letter away from Monika.

"Claudette!?"