Our Reality (Doki Doki Literature Club!)

A Very Special Perspective

Hey there, just giving an update an update to show I'm still alive. I know it's been a while since I last updated (which is partially sad given the title of the last chapter...) but things have been busy as usual lately. I've been drawing, helping my family, working and catching up on my massive catalogue of video games. Also, I've been working on getting back to more light-hearted tales after the oppressive tone I created 2 years ago. (...That was 2 years ago... I've had Shujinkou out of commission for two years... I've been dealing with this single arc, well actually two, for two years...! What is wrong with me?!)

Anyway, it's not like I haven't been writing while I was gone. Sad to say, the following weeks have been nothing but working on a potential chapter and then having to gut it due to reasonings I may explain later. Just know I wasn't happy feeling my time being wasted for several attempts in a row.

But hopefully I can tide everyone over with something I've wanted to do during the early stages of mentally plotting the Devil's Night arc. I've actually struggled with the initial climax and while I truly believe the way I went about it was for the best, I've wondered if I could try and do a marriage of concepts and final result.

During the leadup, I've deliberately tried to keep scenes exploring Shujinkou's thoughts and feelings out of the story for as much as I could after "Shujinkou's Duty". So, I thought it would be fun to see if I could write his perspective and overcome some of the challenges I had writing the initial climax at the same time.

Without further ado, here's a special perspective chapter.

...

"Aww..."

In the depths of his despair, Shujinkou heard a voice. It was a playful, almost mocking response and yet it did provide a small amount of relief.

Shujinkou weakly looked up, his eyes tearing up even more once he confirmed that it was Mali who was looking down on him.

Despite his disheveled appearance and pained expression, she still found it in herself to smile her usual innocent smile.

"Senpai's even sadder than usual. What happened?"

It was like she was taunting him, forcing him to recount the ways he made everything worse.

"I messed up. They got everyone and there's nothing that can be done now... I'm hurt and not even sure the police will believe me about knowing where they are even if I tell them what happened..." wailed Shujinkou. "They didn't give me a chance before..."

"Don't tell me you're giving up. It's unbecoming of Shujinkou to give up at a point like this."

"But what can I do? I don't think I can even stand, and I was taken down so easily."

Mali kneeled down close to Shujinkou, her smile growing wider.

"It's true that the odds are stacked against you, but that's usually when Shujinkou shines right?" This is about the time Shujinkou comes in and saves his potentials," she encouraged.

"I'm just a kid, Mali. I'm not going to get some heroic second wind. I can't do anything," Shujinkou said with a sniffle.

"Really...?"

Mali gently removed Shujinkou's hand away from his wound and just as gently placed hers over it. In an instance, it was like the pain was never there.

"How-?"

"Looks like I'm going to need to get more involved than I thought, Senpai," Mali cheerfully interrupted.

Shujinkou stared at Mali. The way he felt now was the same when we woke up in her care or when she caught him in her trap.