Our Reality (Doki Doki Literature Club!)

Floating Lights

"Uh..."Shujinkou's cheeks burned bright red as he desperately tried to keep his eyes glued to the ground. But no matter how much he tried, he couldn't help but look up to catch another glimpse. It was like he was drawn in by a magnetic source to behold something that would have been impossible to behold before the school year begun. "This is too much..."

Any other male his age would have considered himself lucky to be in the position he currently found himself in, but Shujinkou could not help but feel extremely uncomfortable over being at the beach with his friends in their swim suits.

"All right, our spot is finally set up," Monika happily announced.

"I mean they're my friends... I can't look at them like that..." Shujinkou thought.

"I seriously still can't believe you guys convinced us to go to the beach," Natsuki complained.

"I mean, how would I feel if they were looking at me like that...?" Shujinkou asked himself.

"How could we go on a summer trip without going to the beach?" Sayori argued. "The experience wouldn't be right without it."

"Then again, that probably wouldn't even happen to me. It's not like I'm my father..." Shujinkou solemnly admitted.

"It's just that..." Natsuki exchanged glances with the group, before she lowered her head, giving her a chance to look at her upper torso. "What's there to even do at the beach?"

"He was always a 'ladies' man'. We're complete opposites when it comes to girls," Shujinkou continued.

"There's lots to do on the beach and it's a good way to kill some time until this evening," Sayori happily answered.

"The closest I am to being like that is that all my friends are female," Shujinkou thought.

"But don't you think the attire that we have to wear at the beach is a little... revealing?" Yuri worried.

"Then again, it's not like I want to be a ladies' man anyway. That's just not me," Shujinkou concluded.

"Honestly, it's not as revealing as anything as some of the cosplay outfits that some wore at the convention," Fuyu pointed out.

"Wonder why he was here anyway? Should I tell Mom and Granny Hisa?" Shujinkou wondered.

"Speaking of which," Sayori turned her gaze to her pink-haired roomate. "Natsuki, you should have brought your crown with you."

"Yeah, I don't think I'm going to wear that while here..." Natsuki crossed her arms as she thought of the reason why. "I really don't need to give that Xemnas guy an indicator of where I am."

She then shifted her gaze towards Rei and remembered how the silent girl performed during the event. "Not to mention, I only won because Rei just gave up during the semi-finals."

"So, what are we going to do while here?" Kiyoko asked.

Natsuki glanced down and, with a look of disbelief, watched Kiyoko stretch out on her towel. "You ask that and yet you look like you're not going to want to move from that spot."

"Well, I do want to make sure I get some downtime at the beach," Kiyoko chuckled.

"Hmm... Shujinkou?" Sayori glanced at her childhood friend, finally realizing that he was lost in his own thoughts. "Shujinkou!"

"Huh?" his train of thoughts brought to an abrupt stop, Shujinkou glanced up at his friends. Such a sight brought back the awkward feelings he left behind earlier. "Oh... um... Did anyone need something?"

"Are you okay, Shujinkou?" Yuri worriedly asked. "You seem a bit distracted."

"Or at least as distracted as you were earlier this year," Natsuki added.