Our Reality (Doki Doki Literature Club!)

Cardboard Box

"This place is ginormous," Fuyu thought as she finished another walk throughout the resort.

Something she liked to do whenever she visits a new place was to explore every nook and cranny so she would always be aware if something was off, like when a single cardboard box she noticed during her second walk has somehow moved from the potted plants over to the bench that rested next to the back entrance. She finds the skill necessary for her job as Student Council President.

Giving into curiousity, the young girl calmly approached the box and opened it.

"Hey, Shujinkou," Fuyu waved.

"H-Hey, Ms. President," Shujinkou stammered. He already felt terrible and the last thing he needed was for the Student Council President to find him hiding out in a box.

"Call me Fuyu," she replied.

Shujinkou stared at the giggling girl in front of him and thought back to when e first met her in the Council Office. The ice queen personality she displayed at first, then the sudden change a completely opposite one always make him wonder which side of her was the real one.

"So... Who are you pretending to be? Fuyu asked. "Solid Snake, Naked Snake, Venom Snake or maybe Raiden?"

"I'm not pretending to be anyone right now," Shujinkou sighed. "Wait a minute... How do you know those four?"

"Well, I only played every game in the franchise. Including the spin-offs," Fuyu smiled. "I assume you did too since you're hiding out in a cardboard box."

"Actually it's kind of a coincidence that I'm a fan that's hiding out in a cardboard box," Shujinkou sighed once more.

"Oh..." Fuyu looked around the surrounding area then turned her attention back to Shujinkou. "So what are you doing in this cardboard box?"

"Thinking..." he solemly answered.

"About what?" Fuyu asked.

"You don't want to know," Shujinkou shook his head. "Besides you probably think it's weird to talk to another student who's currently sulking in a cardboard box."

"Now that you mention it, it is kind of weird," Fuyu nodded her head in agreement. "Luckily, I have the solution to that."

Expecting that solution to result in Fuyu closing the box, Shujinkou would have never have guessed that she aforementioned solution meant was to join him in it.

"Uh..." He was rendered speechless as he felt her shoulders touch his. The situation he suddenly found himself in was almost more than he can bear.

"You know, the two of us in this box is like the two date missions in Peace Walker," Fuyu pointed out.

"Please don't compare this situation to those two missions," the flustered male quickly replied. A single sentence has made the situation even more uncomfortable.

"Then it's like any mission where two players are using the Love Box to sneak past enemies," Fuyu changed her answer, yet it still didn't make the situation any less uncomfortable. "So what were you thinking about in this box?"

"It's not important," Shujinkou shrugged.

"I can tell something's bothering you, you know," Fuyu said. "If you want to talk about it, I'm here to listen."

Shujinkou immediately averted his gaze. He wasn't really sure if he wanted to talk about what was bothering him.

"I promise whatever you say won't leave this box," Fuyu pledged. "I swear on the honor of Student Council President."

Shujinkou turned his gaze back towards Fuyu and was surprised by the sincerity in her eyes. It's not something you see often from someone you don't know very well.

"Have... Have you ever felt yourself longing for something and yet have a slight resentment towards that very same something?" he asked.

"Well, I think everyone feels that way sometimes," Fuyu replied. "My mom says it's a natural feeling humans have."

"Really?" Shujinkou eyes lit up with curiosity.

"She's all about the human psyche," she casually shrugged. "So what are you longing for that you also have issues with?"

"It's, uh..." Shujinkou silently scratched his right cheek. "It's Jomei. My father."

"You call him by his first name?" Fuyu was surprised to learn that. Because she was always around her mother when she was younger, she knew a first name basis relationship with parents meant one of two things. "Huh..."

"It's kind of a whole thing," Shujinkou sighed. "Am I crazy for feeling this way about him?"

"Well, I can't exactly answer that question since you haven't exactly told me what your issue is with him," Fuyu pointed out.

"How can I explain it..." Shujinkou wondered aloud. "You can say that we're like Snake and Big Boss."

"You want to kill each other?" Fuyu's eyes widened with surprise. Shujinkou wasn't sure if she was serious or not.

"Okay, bad comparison," quickly retracting his last statement, Shujinkou wracked his brain around trying to find a way to explain his emotions. "It's kind of like... He, uhm..."

Shujinkou silently scratched his cheek once more.

"You know, I kinda really don't want to talk about it," Shujinkou sighed. "I just want to forget about it entirely."

"Hm... Okay," Fuyu smiled. "But if you ever do want to talk about, I'm always willing to lend an ear."

"Thanks, Fuyu," a small smile crept onto his face.

"No problem," Fuyu happily replied.

Meanwhile, Natsuki laid spread across her bed, constantly playing back the scene from earlier in her head. She and the others had just caught a glimpse of Shujinkou's father, Jomei.

He had slick jet black hair and matching eyes that were filled with the confidence his son himself lacked. But he wasn't alone. Seeing his father's arms wrapped around a woman he never met before caused a look of surprise and confusion to form on the son's face. Natsuki kept her eyes trained on Shujinkou as he slowly and awkwardly made his way to Jomei. Once close enough, Shujinkou started to open his mouth until his father passed him by without even a first glance. The last thing she saw before he quickly left was a hurt face.

"Dang..." Natsuki muttered.