Our Reality (Doki Doki Literature Club!)

The Absent Part 5

"Hiro... Hiro..."

A sweet and enticing smell filled Hiro's nose as she slowly welcomed the new day. Floating in front of her was a freshly made bowl of oatmeal.

"Mom...?"

Her mother was kneeling in front of her. There was a certain sparkle in Hisa's eyes as she sat down beside her daughter.

"You should really consider bringing a pillow with you if you're going to keep falling asleep alongside Shujinkou's bed."

"Aha... By the time I do that, he'll be awake already..." Hiro chuckled as she accepted her mother's offering. As she took her first bite, she finally noticed the article of clothing her mother was wearing. "Mom, why are you dressed like that?"

"This?" Hisa stood up and used her arms to guide her daughter's attention up and down the business suit hidden under her robe. "It just so happens that I have an engagement today."

"You do? Where?"

"Oh, something I was hoping to be a surprise," Hisa admitted with a small sigh. "Anyway, I won't be around for a good portion of the day so... Don't go inviting any boys while I'm gone."

"Mom..." Hiro covered her surely red cheeks.

"C'mon, you knew that was coming after finally properly introducing your boyfriend to me," There was a brief teasing smile on Hisa's face, but it soon vanished. "You are still thinking of ways to break it to your son, right?"

"I actually was going to bring it up before but..." Hiro snuck a quick glance at her sleeping son. "Events happened."

"Yeah... And now we have to think of giving him a hero's welcome when he wakes up."

"I'm not too sure Shujinkou would want something like that..."

"I'm pretty sure it's going to happen either way. If he wakes up with something positive like that, then why not?"

"Well, Sayori and Monika did say that the whole hero part wasn't exactly a pleasant experience for him."

"Right..." Hisa awkwardly scratched her right cheek as she recalled hearing that unbelievable tale. I believe it, but still...

"Mom?"

"...Still, you know that the girls are still probably going to put some positive spin on that. Whatever happened, they do acknowledge that he still saved their lives. And Shujinkou will of course say, 'It wasn't really much' and Sayori will of course stomp out him trying to downplay whatever impressive thing he di- Then again... Sayori was pretty upset by the whole thing too..."

Hisa continued to furiously scratch her right cheek at a speed that made Hiro wonder if her mother would inevitably draw blood.

"...Never mind, best just leave it to the people that were there," Hisa conceded.

"That does sound best." Hiro agreed.

Hisa somberly scratched her right cheek. "...You know, it really does make a person feel bad when they're outside a problem that directly affects a loved one and this latest thing is partly the ongoing saga of something that's been haunting Shujinkou since his birth."

"I'm not sure it's fair to blame Jomei for this just because someone he knew from the past decided to act out the way he did," Hiro argued.

"I really hate that you have a point there," Hisa sighed. "I'm just frustrated that not only did my grandson and Sayori and they're friends not only went through such a harrowing experience, but it was also for such petty and really creepy reasons.