Open My Eyes To You | Natsuki x Yuri DDLC

Always On Your Side

(The surname given to Yuri and her family was found on the Doki Doki Literature Club Amino page; not my idea!)

After wandering aimlessly through town for almost an hour, Natsuki and Yuri had begun heading to the latter's house; they were only a block away now. Yuri lived in a suburban neighborhood similar to Natsuki's, but definitely more upscale than hers.

"So...what are your parents like?" Natsuki asked Yuri. "Are they like, really sophisticated?"

"Likely not as sophisticated as you're imagining," Yuri answered. "But my mother is still a bit more...elegant, you could say, than my father. She's the one I adopted my mannerisms from, and the one that introduced me to tea."

"So she's a lot like you?"

"Well..." Yuri awkwardly wrung her hands, which were still sporting Natsuki's gloves. "I tend to be a bit more...mannered than her. So think of her as like me, but...less pretentious all the time."

Natsuki knew even subtle self-loathing when she heard it. "Hey, the way you act doesn't bother me at all. There's nothing wrong with being so well-mannered."

She glanced sideways at Yuri. The violet-haired girl was staring at the snowy sidewalk, biting her lip. It was clear she wasn't convinced. It'd probably be better to just change the subject.

"What about your dad? You said he wasn't as elegant as your mom, right?"

"Y-yes, that's right. Even so, he's a quieter man, but very warm-hearted, and a bookworm. He got me reading when I was little, and later introduced me to horror. He's always enjoyed horror and thriller novels."

Natsuki smiled. "He sounds a lot like you, too."

"Yes, I suppose the person I am now is a bit of a combination of my parents. Which is a common phenomenon, of course." Yuri looked at her. "Are you like either of your parents?"

That question made Natsuki's heart ache a little, but she put on a proud grin. "Nah. My personality's all me."

"I'm not surprised," said Yuri, smiling faintly. "You always seemed like your own person to me."

"What do you mean?"

"You never let other people dictate who you are. You're just..." Yuri seemed to be at a loss for words, which didn't happen often. "...undeniably you," she said at last.

Natsuki made a thoughtful noise, pondering that for a moment. "I guess that's true. I just hate when those idiots and jerks at school try to tell me how to live my life. It pisses me off, you know? Like, so what if I'm really into manga? It's not hurting anyone, so why do people have to be so..." She cut herself off with a sigh. "Sorry, I'm done."

"Don't apologize," Yuri replied kindly. "Like you said, it...pisses you off." At that, Natsuki couldn't help but laugh a little. "I'm not sure if you knew this," she went on, "but...I've always admired that about you. How true to yourself you are, that is." Her smile turned wistful. "You make it look so easy."

"It's not," Natsuki admitted. "It's really hard to be so unapologetic about it. And the teasing really sucks some days. But I'm not backing down. They won't get the satisfaction of making me."

"I wish I could be even half as steadfast and determined as you," Yuri murmured. "As you already know, I'm...not very open about my interests. All the judgemental glances and snide comments are just overwhelming. It makes me so anxious."

Natsuki knew there wasn't much she could say to comfort Yuri. There was no easy fix to social anxiety. But the least she could do was be someone Yuri didn't have to worry about judgement from.