Implemented Childhood [ DDLC fanfiction ]

Chapter Eight

Monika got to school with her friends as usual. However, she noticed that Yasuki isn't at school. Glancing around she'd wait for him at his table. Her mother did prepare two bento for both of them. Unfortunately, the school bell rings and he still hasn't shown up.

Monika thinks to herself that maybe it was a normal fever that caused him not able to go to school that day, so she tries not to be too concerned about him. Not that he's gone forever—just a temporary thing.

Haruhi glanced at Monika's frustrated expression, glancing away from his fingers clenches.

During lunch, she ate with Yumi and the other girls. Yet the whole time she's thinking if she should make an excuse to her mother, or share her extra bento with one of her friends so her mother wouldn't question it.

After school leads out Monika walks out of the building with her friends. Her eyes automatically glance at the fences. Glancing back to one of her friend hoping they would distract her from what she was thinking.

The group dispersed at the same crosswalk leaving Haruhi and Monika walking alongside each other. Awkwardly--the whole time--they didn't even say anything until Haruhi says, "See you tomorrow." And Monika waves goodbye to him without giving him the same response. He left Monika walking home alone.

Before she reaches her apartment, she'd turned around walking back to that same park where she saw the two kids her age, playing. Standing in the middle of the playground she would glance around. Instead of waiting for something to jump out of the bushes like a cliche story she decided to sit down on a swing. The sky is still blue and clear, so it would still be safe being alone.

Monika sets her backpack in front of her and opens it, taking out the extra lunch box she didn't even touch since the morning. Suddenly a girl walks up to her.

"Are you alone?" She asked in a gentle and calm voice.

Monika lifts her head to see a girl with purple hair and... really chubby cheeks which makes her look really cute. Looking at her size she looks kind of fat. "Uh, yeah. I'm alone."

"Can I sit next to you?" She would ask.

Monika nods as a response. The girl anxiously sits at the swing next to her. They didn't talk after she sat so the silence slowly occupies the atmosphere. Then Monika goes back to staring at the bento.

"Aren't you going to eat that?" She would ask, as soon as she does she would apologize. "I, I'm sorry! I just couldn't help myself."

Monika smiled. "Yeah, you can have it. As long as you give me back the bento."

The girl nods and took the box lunch from her hand. She used the chopstick Monika provided for Yasuki. She watches the girl eat the food in the bento, she looks... delighted.

"Did you made it?" The girl asked.

"No, my mother made it. It was supposed to be for someone else, but I guess you need it more than he does." Monika tries not to sound pessimistic.

"Eh?" The girl stops eating. "This is for whom?! A-another b-boy? S-sorry if I took it without any respect!"

Monika giggled. "It's fine, he didn't show up to school today so you can take it." She glanced at the girl's shy expression.

"I'm still sorry though. I knew I shouldn't have looked at the bento for too long." She seemed like she is about to cry.

"H-hey! Don't cry! I wasn't being too mean, am I?" Monika's brow furrow in guilt. Also thinking that she apologizes a lot. 

The girl shook her head. "No, you weren't mean at all. I'm sorry for exaggerating the situation. It's just I've been trying to starve myself so I would lose weight."

"No! You're not fat at all!" Monika looked at her body size. "Whoever called you that doesn't know at all--I mean, I may not be able to relate to your problem, but I might be able to help you."

"You're willing to help me?" The girl beamed at her.

She nods, even though she knows nothing about that girl she felt like something is pushing her to help. Although the girl doesn't seem to be a threat. Monika thinks back, drawing something off her memories.

"Here's the thing! Don't starve yourself, just try to maximize the amount of food you consume and then drink something healthy! Like," Monika glanced at a nearby vending machine. "Something healthy like tea!"

"Thank you!" The girl neatly placed the bento and chopsticks down at Monika's lap. "I'll take your advice for it!" As happy as she is, she runs off the playground and waved goodbye to her.

Monika's eyes wander in a random direction. Her eyes follow the lines of bushes, then to the woods beyond those bushes.

What the hell is that?

Quickly she put the bento back into her backpack and leave the playground as well. Even after she left the park she still gets the weird feeling like someone is following her. She quickens her pace and instead of going to her apartment, she rushed to Haruhi's house since her parents won't be home until very late at night.

"Eh? Why are you here?" He looked at Monika's clothes. "You're still in your uniform?"

"There's no time to talk! I need to use your phone, there's a stranger following me." Monika grabs their house phone and called the police.

Haruhi's mother peeked out the window through the curtain. "There's nobody out there."

"But you can't be too sure. There's definitely someone following me. Whoever it is probably isn't a good person." Monika puts down the phone after calling. "Now we just wait, the police can investigate the neighborhood."

Haruhi watched her sitting down on the sofa, slowly scrutinizing it he realized that she is scared. He felt eager to comfort her that the stranger won't harm her. Then again he couldn't bring himself to touch her hand. Haruhi averts his eyes. 

What's wrong with me?