Doki Doki Literature Club - The Taste of Sunshine

The Harder We Fall

Friday night.  Just saying it will pull the most reclusive person from their shell and get them talking about fun things that they might be interested in doing.  Whether it be going out to dinner or a movie, or staying home and watching some TV or playing some games, it is a near universal truth that Friday night's typically hold something for everyone.  So why was it that on this particular Friday night, rather than being out to do something enjoyable together, Genji and Monika occupied a corner booth at the local pizzeria & arcade hangout, Cheese Wizard's Pizza Palace, feeling as if the world had just ended?  The place was one of their favorites growing up, and still a popular spot for kid's birthday parties, couples going on dates, and a regular hangout for countless others in the area.  In the span of a week and a half since being back from the ski trip, Monika had been contacted by New Briar Police Department and asked to come in for questioning in relation to the Sawa Higashi homicide investigation.  She had stalled as long as she possibly could but now had to finally go in to speak with them.  The second part of this one-two punch was Genji unloading on her the revelation of the history that Sayori had with Sawa, her expulsion from her previous school, the previous suicide attempt...it was just hitting her all at once and to a lesser extent Genji.  He took a long sip of his drink and then looked over to Monika.
    "I just don't get it...how did they make the leap to you all of the sudden?  You know throwing that blazer button in there was a stupid idea, we shouldn't have ever done that" he said as he adjusted his back against the wall, his legs stretched out on the seat of the booth.  Monika mirrored how he was sitting on her side of the booth, together they absentmindedly were watching the countless patrons enjoying the array of arcade games, skee-ball machines and tangled mass of plastic tubes for children to climb into and explore.
    Monika took a bite of her slice of pizza, trying to think of the best way to respond.  She and Genji had ordered a medium pizza to share, and even though it went against her diet completely, Monika had eaten over half of it so far by herself with plans to order more.  At this point she didn't care about her training, she didn't care about what she should and shouldn't be eating, all she was focused on was the fact that she had somehow become a target of the police investigation into Sawa's murder.  She had tried to hash out several ideas already of what she might say, explanations for anything that she could potentially be asked.  At the same time she wondered what the viability was to simply run.  That would keep Sayori safe permanently, if she were to just get in her car and go.  That was her nuclear option, but it wouldn't work unless Genji came with her, she couldn't leave the other half of this mess behind...but considering his engagement to Sayori, the likelihood of it being a realistic option was almost nonexistent.
    "It seemed like a smart idea...it would have just pointed the police in the wrong direction.  And I really don't need you telling me what was or wasn't stupid, we're both in this in case you've forgotten" Monika said to him.
    "I...yeah, I know that" Genji said, "Look, we can handle this.  We did it before and we can do it again.  You're not in this alone, alright?"
    She gave him a bittersweet smile.
    "You're too kind to me Genji.  Even when we were little kids, you've always looked out for me...how did we end up at this point?" she asked as she sighed and took a drink from her cup. 
    Before he could answer there was a loud ringing in the air of a prize alarm. A little girl of about ten years old had just hit the jackpot on a game where she had to hit a large button in front of her to stop a light traveling in a circle around a track.  If the light stopped in between two glowing rings, it awarded the player a mountain of prize tickets to use toward grossly overpriced goodies at the prize counter.  To the bewilderment of the pair, she came over to their table and measured out a healthy number of tickets and then gave them to Genji.
    "There are for you so you can get a prize for your girlfriend" she said with a smile before she skipped off to join back up with her friends.
    It took a moment before both of them began to laugh.
    "Maybe there's enough here to get you a new eraser from the prize counter" he said.
"Aw, you're thinking of me, how sweet" Monika said laughing, using her hands to make the shape of a heart over her chest, "I'll treasure it always Genji"
"Yeah yeah, shut up" he said with a smile before turning his attention back to his food, setting the tickets aside on the table.
"How did we end up at this point?" he said, echoing Monika's previous question, "Well that's easy, this is what happens when we care so much about someone that we're willing to take a bomb blast for her"
There was a drawn out silence between the two as they continued to eat and watch everyone around them.
"What if we get in the car and just go.  We leave tonight and never come back, start a brand new life somewhere, new names, the whole nine yards" she finally said.
Genji began to laugh.
"Oh yeah, I don't see a single problem with that!  It won't look suspicious at all, our families won't ask any questions...and Sayori?  She won't mind either.  We can get a beach house along the East Coast and it'll be clear sailing for all three of us from there.  That may be the best idea I've ever heard" he said sarcastically with a laugh and rolled his eyes, turning his attention back to his food.
"I was just trying to help" Monika finally said.
"Yeah well, it was a stupid idea..." he said before catching himself, "I'm sorry I didn't mean that...I just...this isn't a good situation.  I don't think we're at the point of needing to run away in the middle of the night just yet but...alright, yeah.  You know what, if that's what it takes to protect Sayori...we can run away" Genji said.
Monika looked at him for a moment and then blinked a couple of times.
"You're serious?" she asked.
"Yeah...if it protects Sayori then...she'd be hurt if I left but at least she'd be free.  She would get over it...meet someone new...have a family...as long as she's happy in the end, I'm fine with it" he said, sounding sad.
"I...well...we aren't at that point Genji, let's not think about that" she said.
Genji watched her as she was nervously chewing on the straw for her drink.
    "What is it?" Genji asked.
    "Hm?" she asked, as she began to drink her soda.
    "What are you thinking about?" he replied.
    "Do you wonder what would have happened if we hadn't shown up that day?" she asked.
    Genji thought for a moment.  This was something that he'd considered many times in the past when reliving those pivotal moments.
    "I think she'd have still killed Sawa...but I also think she'd have gotten herself caught almost immediately...at least I think she would have..." he said and then trailed off.
    "What do you mean?" Monika asked.
    "It's something that her dad said on Christmas.  When he was telling me about having to write a check to clean up Sayori's mess, and then Sayori confirmed it later when we talked...I wonder if her family would have paid off the right people to make the murder go away" he said.
    Monika looked at him and then rolled her eyes and took a drink of her soda.
    "Come on Genji, her family has money but her father isn't some mafia godfather" she said with a light laugh.
    "No, he isn't...but...something about him and the whole situation felt off.  I feel like there is more going on with him that even Sayori is letting on.  Both of her parents were incredibly abusive from everything she's told me.  Sayori taking her anger out on someone else isn't unheard of but she's done it two times in a way that resulted in either serious injury or death.  I just...I can't help but feel like her family knows more than they've ever let on about her and have covered for her every step of the way.  The way her father acted, it was more like someone who is there to clean up her messes than a father who loves her.  Do you mind if I ask you something, but it needs to stay between us, ok?" he asked her.
    Monika nodded.
    "She said she couldn't remember the name of the girl she injured and got expelled over, and she seems wholly oblivious to Sawa's death...almost like there is a black hole where those memories should be.  I just...there are two possibilities here I think.  The first is that she really doesn't remember, and the trauma was so bad that she's blocked it out completely, which means if she does ever remember it could be really bad.  I mean even if you and I were there to support her...I don't think we would be able to help her contain that, I really worry about what she might do" he explained.
    "That's...yeah, I don't know about that honestly..." Monika said, "And the second possibility?"
"What if she has always remembered?  What if she's always known what she's been doing and pretended to not remember, and played both of us into taking care of her and trying to cover for her?" he asked.
    "Sayori?  But...why would she do that?  There's no way, I absolutely don't believe that and can't believe that you'd even suggest it!  She's your fiance!" Monika said firmly. 
    "Because you and I are the first person to ever really care about her.  And I think she'd be willing to do anything she had to in order to maintain that.  Think about it, you and I worry about her like a mother and father would.  Sayori's never had that..." he said in a hushed tone.
    "You know what I think?" Monika began, and then lowered her voice so others couldn't hear, then motioned for Genji to lean in.  Leaning forward, the next thing he felt was a sharp sting on the side of his face from Monika slapping him.  "She wouldn't do that, got it?" she snapped at him.
    "Yeah, whatever" Genji said to her at sat back.  "You know, you're a real fucking bit..." he began, but they were cut off again by the same little girl who had given them the prize tickets earlier.  She was back, this time with her older sister who Monika immediately recognized.
    "Oh shit, I thought my sister was fucking with me, but here you are!  Biggest cheat on the circuit " the young woman said. 
    Yui Takao, they'd never fought but had encountered each other numerous times backstage on the independent fight circuit.  Known for scoring countless first round knockouts (many within ten seconds), Yui's ego was as big as a planet and she wasn't afraid to be a bully or
rally others against those she didn't like.  Monika, unfortunately, was one of those who Yui had a major problem with.  It was never fully made clear why she didn't like Monika, some guessed it could be because she'd had a streak of success and was a threat to Yui in the rankings, others felt it could have been because Monika had handily beaten two of Yui's close friends.  Whatever the case was, Genji could see that there was about to be a major problem if he didn't intervene.
    "Hey!  I...um..." he started, completely unsure of how he was going to handle things as he stood up.  "I'm a big fan!  I've seen so many of your..." Genji continued but was cut off Yui.
    "How about you shut the fuck up" she said to him coldly then turned her attention back to Monika.  "Nowhere to run now baby girl, I warned you what I was gonna do if I saw you again"
    "Guys, come on...this is a kid's pizza place...you can't be serious!  This is ridiculous, Monika, let's get out of here" Genji said in protest.
    "It's ok Genji, this won't take long" Monika said as she got up and stepped up to Yui, only inches from her face.  The two locked eyes, this was only interrupted by Yui's little sister pulling at her arm.
    "Not in here...you'll get in trouble..." she said.
    "That's fine, the parking lot works fine for me" Yui said, still looking at Monika.
    "Don't worry, I'll make this quick" she responded.
    Monika and Yui immediately made a beeline for the exit, followed closely by Yui's little sister and Genji.  Once outside the crisp January night air bit at them.  Yui took off her jacket and handed it to her sister to hold, Monika did the same, giving her things to Genji.
    "You wait right there bag boy, and don't even think about getting involved" Yui snapped at Genji. 
    There was a bench bolted to the concrete sidewalk in front of the restaurant, Genji motioned for Yui's little sister to sit down on it as he joined her.  He was absolutely freezing, and his evening was about to go from bad to worse now that Monika decided she needed to have a fight with someone in public.  What in the world was she thinking?  This wasn't her.  He understood her wanting to get into fighting, and her joining a competitive fight circuit...but this?  Just having a parking lot brawl because some hot head provoked her?  No, this wasn't the Monika that he knew. 
    "You don't have to do this Monika, let's just go!" he shouted to her as she and Yui squared up, ready to fight.  This hadn't gone unnoticed by patrons in the restaurant either, some of which were now coming out to watch the spectacle.
    Genji hadn't heard exactly what was said next.  To him it looked like Yui had begun talking, with Monika firing back, the two forehead to forehead trying to push the other back before Yui shoved Monika.  In retaliation Monika immediately came across with a right cross, to which Yui immediately countered with a left hook.  Stunned, Monika took a step back, staggered, before being hit with another left and then a right uppercut from Yui. 
    "What is she doing?  She isn't a brawler, that's never been how she fights!" Genji said.
    Yui strafed to the right, her back to a minivan that one of the families in the restaurant had driven.  This time Monika switched back to her formal training and attacked with a high kick, it was delivered with such rage filled force and recklessness though that it was telegraphed enough to give Yui time to dodge.  The sound of glass shattering could be heard next as Monika's kick shattered the passenger door window of the minivan.  This left Yui with the opening that she needed, striking Monika across the side of her face with a stiff elbow strike, sending her to the pavement.  A gash was now open across Monika's cheek, and there were enough bystanders videoing the fight on their phones that Yui knew it was time to leave.  Surely the police had to have been called and would be arriving any moment.  Grabbing her little sister, the pair took off to the far side of the parking lot where they made their getaway in Yui's car.  Monika on the other hand was being attended to by Genji.  Helping her back to her feet, he put her arm around his shoulder and walked her to the bench that he'd been sitting on for the duration of the fight.
    "Wait here, I'm going to go back in to get some water, ice and napkins so I can clean that wound" Genji said.
    As he ran back inside through the crowd of people, Monika sat back in a daze, her head still spinning from being hit so hard.  While he was gone, a patrol car pulled up and two officers got out, one of which began talking with the crowd of people who another began talking with Monika.  Genji had only been gone for a few moments but when he was ready with everything that he needed he came back outside to find that Monika had been placed in handcuffs and was in the back of the patrol car, while the officers were taking statements from witnesses to the fight.  Pushing his way through the crowd, Genji made his way to one of the officers.
    "I'd like to provide a statement on what happened" he said, hoping that it might be the miracle Monika needed right now to get her out of the back of the patrol car. 
    While they were all too happy to take Genji's statement, they were not about to let Monika go.  The fact of the matter was that she was a participant in a fight, and caused damage to another person's vehicle during the course of the conflict.  As they were wrapping up, Genji could distinctly hear one of the officers calling in to dispatch to send a patrol car to pick up Yui.  The way that he talked about her with dispatch signaled that the police were familiar with her, especially after Genji heard him say "Yeah, again" while talking to the dispatch operator.
    With nothing left that he could do, Genji finally went back home.  Tonight was one of the rare times that he was thankful that Sayori wasn't over.  Her father had left again on business so she had her house all to herself again, and while she was hopeful to see him this evening after his time with Monika, Genji texted her that he wasn't feeling too great and would be over in the morning.  Without changing, or even taking his shoes and jacket off for that matter, Genji laid down on his bed and fell asleep, in the back of his mind beginning to worry that the police investigation could be the beginning of the end for everything.  Before he knew it, he drifted off beyond the wall of sleep, and thankfully for Genji tonight, he was able to enjoy a dreamless rest.
    Saturday morning arrived before anyone could blink.  Monika awoke in a holding cell at the police station, Yui in the cell right next to hers.  For a moment she'd forgotten that she'd been arrested the night prior, she cursed herself for letting this happen and knew that her family was going to be furious with her.  Sitting up, she heard footsteps coming down the hallway. 
    "Hey, let me the fuck out of here!" Yui shouted at the detective that walked by her cell.
    "Don't you worry, we'll get to you soon enough" he said to her, cup of coffee in his hand as he walked past and stopped at Monika's cell. 
    She looked up to see that it was Yuri's father.  He looked at her and shook his head, then called down the hall.
    "Open up cell two" he shouted to the officer who was at the control desk.
    There was a loud metal clunk sound followed by the cell door swinging open partially.
    "Let's go Monika" he said, the look of disappointment written all over his face.
    Without a word, she stood up and walked out, following him back down the hall.  Any chance that she had of showing that she had no violent tendencies, that there was no way she could be linked to anything having to do with Sawa, had just flown out the window with one terrible decision.