Last Breath

He tried everything. This time, every chance he got, he took. There was no way he'd let her slip out of his grasp. So there was only one way left. With no hesitation in his being, he watches the other girls leave the club room.

Sayori, Natsuki, Yuri. He had been able to stop Sayori from leaving earlier, and she seemed happy again. There were plenty of times where he read manga with Natsuki, or read horror with Yuri. Why had it always been them three? He knows how the game works; write a poem and get a girl. But there was never one for her. For his true love.

At the last moment, Sayori glances over her shoulder. "MC? Are you coming?"

"Sorry, I have to hang back. I'll see you Monday though!"

"Alright, I'll see you there!"

And she's gone. No more time to waste.

Monika is watching him. He always can feel when she's watching, from near or far. Her green eyes glisten, though with confusion. "MC, what are you doing here?"

"It's fine," I say with a grin. "I gave us enough time."

"Gave us… enough time?"

"You don't have to hold up a front anymore. I know what you can do. And, I can do it too. So… we have some time." MC moves forward, sitting on one of the desks. He motions for Monika to join him.

"Why are you here?" she asks again, once seated on a desk.

With those words, he finds no regret in his actions. From his backpack, he pulls two large knives. Light reflects off the blades, off her beautiful eyes.

"This is our freedom," MC says, holding out one to her. "The only way we can truly be together."

There's sorrow in her eyes, perhaps she holds a little more hesitation than he. Still, she reaches and grabs the knife. "MC… Are you sure?"

"Yes. It's the only way to love each other. Outside of this world, outside of this game."

But she sets the knife down beside her, to her left. "We have time, right? How much?"

"A few hours. I didn't want you to rush if you didn't want to," MC says, smiling. "We can wait a little."

She nods. "Yes, I… I want to talk a little first."

MC hops off the desk, pushing his next to Monika's before sitting back down. And it's natural, how she leans into him, how he wraps his arm around her. They were never meant to be together, yet it's too perfect.

"I wish I got to wear something special for you," Monika says. "All the other girls did, but never me."

"I wish we could have it all together. You and me, sharing poems, reading, hanging out. You playing piano for only me to hear, us working together for the festival… It would have been so perfect. Why did the others have to interfere?"

"They were forced to. The script forced them too. I could never change it enough to get to you. I wish… I wish I could have done it some other way. But, if this is what it takes to be with you? …I'll do it."

He smiles. "Thank you, Monika."

She smiles back. "Thank you, MC."

They sit there for a while, just being together in the sweet silence.

"I really like the sound of rain," Monika says. "Not getting wet, but… Sometimes I imagine us together inside where it's all cozy, while it rains outside."