Goodnight, and Have a Pleasant Tomorrow // Sayonika

Prologue // Confessions With the Literature Club

   Monika walked into the classroom of her club to the front of the room. She cleared her throat, which prompted everyone to look at her.

"I have something to confess," she said. "We're not real... Just computer programs. Game characters. It's complicated."

   Everyone's expressions changed. Yuri pressed her lips into a thin line, simply speechless as she tried to comprehend what her president had just stated. Natsuki just turned her head away from Monika. Sayori looked down, on the verge of tears.

"No.. You're lying," she said in a sickly sweet voice.

"I wish I was. I really, really do," Monika replied solemnly.

"Then why is everyday so hard?!" Sayori practically yelled, tears coming out of her eyes.

Monika was taken aback. She didn't want one of her club members, one of her friends, to be upset. "I-I don't know.."

   The club fell silent. No one dared to say anything, just letting everyone cool off.

   Yuri had something clutched in her hands, looking down at it. She spoke up after a while, not moving her line of sight.

"Well, I've had this problem for a few months now." the tall girl says. "When I get excited, I impulsively cut myself."

   Yuri places what was in her hands, a knife, on the desk. She rolled up her sleeves. There were dozens of cuts up and down her arms; some were scabbed over, and some looked freshly opened. "Oh my gosh, Yuri," Monika said. She looked inside her bag for the first aid kit she kept at all times. Upon finding it, Monika made her way towards Yuri with a small bottle of rubbing alcohol and bandages. "It's gonna hurt, just deal with it," Monika stated. She pressed a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol to the wounds that looked fresh and put bandages on them, as well. "Have you considered seeing a doctor? People have told me they help," Sayori asked. Yuri shook her head. At least Sayori had apparently calmed down.

Monika finished bandaging Yuri. "Natsuki? What about you?" the purple-haired girl asked.

   Natsuki paused, considered what she'd say, and said it.

"Well... I'm not biologically a she-? I'm a transgirl." Natsuki said quickly.

   Sayori looked around at the other girls. They didn't do anything. She abruptly stood up and gave Natsuki a firm hug. "It's okay. I accept you. Everything will be alright." she whispered in the smaller's ear. The other two girls also stood up and joined the hug. They all whispered words of encouragement and acceptance to the bubblegum-pink haired girl. Natsuki ended up sobbing, as she didn't think it would end up as well as it did. The other girls let go of the hug when they noticed this. "Now, is anyone else going to admit they're part of the LGBT+ community in ways we don't know yet?" Sayori jokingly said. A slight snicker, including Natsuki herself, came from the club.

   Sayori finally spoke up about her faults.

"Right, I guess I have something to admit, too. For a while now, I think about 7 or 8 years, I've had pretty bad depression."

   She shrugged it off like it was nothing. Looking around, Natsuki hugged Sayori after no one else would. It wasn't like her to be so caring and empathetic, but she thought she'd return the favor that Sayori had shared with her. Everyone else joined the hug and didn't let go for a while.

   The club meeting continued on with a bit more understanding of each other. The club separated a few hours later. When she had got to the sidewalk to walk home, Sayori had heard her name being called. Turning around, she saw Monika running towards her. "Sayori! Sayori! Wait up!" She did as she was told, and waited for Monika. When Monika got to Sayori, she spoke.

"Sayori! I'm glad I caught you! Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to go out for ice cream or something like that on Saturday, er, tomorrow." Monika said out of breath.

"Yeah, sure, I'd love to. I don't have any plans for tomorrow, anyway." Sayori said with somewhat fake enthusiasm that Monika didn't completely pick up.

"Oh, okay cool. Pick you up and around, what, 2?"

"2 sounds nice. See you tomorrow." a small smile found Sayori.

"Yeah! See you tomorrow!"

   The girls exchanged goodbyes and went their separate ways. 'Tomorrow' would be an interesting day.