Chapter Text
FOREWORD
Before you hop into the story there are some small things to address! Most of these are just small head cannon things and the strange format of the story!
MUSIC
I made a music playlist for the story that includes tracks from the game’s soundtrack as you read! It’s not necessary I just thought it would be fun and it also has to do with why the fic was originally formatted like it is! However you will have to loop the track on Spotify so it doesn’t go to the next song before the scene is over, this wouldn’t be a problem if every time you go to a new track Spotify didn’t disable loop so you will have to reloop the track every time a new song is indicated. If you want the playlist it will be linked at the start of chapter one!
HEAD CANNONS
The main head cannon is that despite the fact DDLC+ says that all the characters are 18 years old or older for plot purposes “and silly purposes :)” I aged down most of the characters.
Natsuki: 16
Yuri: 17
Sayori: 16
Monika: 18
All other head cannons are addressed during the fic so they don’t need to be defined here!
FORMAT
The reason the story is formatted like a script is because I originally planned to make a mod for the original game but changed my mind. But in my opinion it just gives leeway for group reading and I don’t think it takes you out of the fic at all either!
CLOSING
But with that all defined I hope you enjoy The short end of the stick, Natsuki’s story!
-Doki Doofus
Chapter 1
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6TAs68Q9Rs6RREqxJVY9Gb?si=kkRtjY6kTBKL04Ww6gZF0w
1 -music key: My confession
“Remember girl, be back by 5 pm or you will be locked out”
Those were the last “loving words” my dad said to me this morning! He always has had such a way with words! I especially enjoy the use of my name “girl”, you know the one my mom gave me before she left! I’m so pissed at him, If I wasn’t in the middle of the cafeteria I could scream! Yeah have fun on your little “business trip” with your “secretary” and leave your daughter alone to fend for herself!
My eyes water and in my anger my hand forms a tight fist, suddenly my knuckles feel wet, I look down to see the tiny children’s juice box I was drinking squeezed out of my hand from the death grip I had on it.
Natsuki: Shit.
I wipe off the table with my sleeve and dry my hand on my skirt. I quickly look around the room to see if anyone saw my accident, thankfully no one was looking or cared. I glance over to where Sayori would be at the table, but all I’m met with is an empty seat where her grinning face would have been. All I can infer is that she's out with some kind of illness or just, sadly, couldn’t get out of bed. I really hope it’s not the second.
All things considered, I'm actually kind of relieved my dads leaving, it means I don't have to deal with his shit for a good week. I go back to eating my lunch, the aforementioned juice box, and a bag of peanuts I got from the vending machine. It's not the worst lunch I have ever had, it’s the best the couch cushions can provide.
After finishing my “feast” I let out an agitated growl.
Natsuki: This is so stupid! You know where you want to go.
I stand up and throw my peanut wrapper and juice box into the garbage and exit through the large metal doors of the cafeteria into the hallway. I look at my phone's clock.
Natsuki: I have a good 20 minutes left to get some good studying in for those stupid mid-year exams next week.
I pull my math textbook out of my locker and start walking the halls. All I need now is somewhere quiet. I sigh.
Natsuki: You know where you want to go…You know who you want to be with.
I stopped in the middle of the hallway, my subconscious seemed to have guided me to the exact location that I both dreaded and desired. My hand rests on the edge of the wall and I peer around the corner. Yuri sitting and reading a book larger than most of my textbooks combined. She looks so consumed in the book I could probably just slip beside her and she wouldn’t notice. I retreat back behind the wall and take a deep breath.
Natsuki: Get it together Natsuki, it’s just the girl you have a massive crush on! No problem, go over and act naturally.
I start walking over to the stairs but two steps in I trip on a floor tile. As I fall three things happen almost simultaneously, I first shoot my arms out to regain my balance, then my textbook dropped with a loud Bash on the floor that echoes throughout the whole empty hallway, and finally, Yuri jumps, scared out of her book world by my display of both sound and stupidity! So much for acting naturally.
Yuri looks at me wide-eyed and shocked. Embarrassed I stand up straight and put my arms down to my sides and brush off my skirt as if nothing happened. Yuri calms, then gives me a warm smile.
Yuri: You could have just tapped me on the shoulder if you wanted my attention, Natsuki.
I blush, then return the smile and start walking over to the stairs, watching where I’m going this time.
Natsuki: But don’t I just make our interactions so much more interesting this way?
I laugh then sit down on the stairs by Yuri she giggles and then looks at me.
Yuri: Well if you keep making our interactions more interesting you might just give me a heart attack.
Yuri puts her hand to her heart in mock pain and then laughs to herself. We exchange one more glance and open our individual books. I flip to the section for the mid-year exam but my head pounds as the words blur in my head. Addition looks like alone and fraction is just father. I rub my temples and the words return to normal but the headache stays. Moments pass in silence when Yuri surprisingly breaks the silence.
Yuri: Hey um… Natsuki.
Natsuki: Yeah?
Yuri: Are you okay? I MEAN, you don't have to answer if you're not comfortable, I was…I just noticed you were…
Yuri looks back down
Yuri: I don’t know, I’m sorry for bothering you.
I looked downwards also, I didn't realize that Yuri could see right through me. I wish I could just keep all of my anger bottled up so it doesn’t affect her, the last thing Yuri needs is for me to vent about my “daddy issues” to her.
Natsuki: You weren’t bothering me, I wasn’t really reading this anyways.
I close my math textbook, keeping my thumb in it to keep my place.
Natsuki: I’m just kind of stressed…about mid-year exams, you know?
I let out a sigh. I don’t feel the best about not telling Yuri everything but I really don’t want her to be worrying about me.
Yuri looks up and nods then gives me an understanding smile.
She looks out the window in front of us. Her eyebrows lift, and a small smile appears on her face but she quickly collects herself and shakes away whatever fantasy she drifted into and looks at me.
Yuri: Well, would you like me to help you study a bit?
Yuri has a faint blush.
Natsuki: I mean, I wouldn't mind the help…Unless you make it weird or something.
Yuri giggles
Yuri: Well, I'll try my best not to make it weird.
2 -music key: My Feelings
I reopen my book to where my thumb was. I look over at Yuri who is just sitting in her original position not moving, she clears her throat.
Yuri: Can I, um… get closer to you? So I can see the book.
Yuri gestures to the space between us.
Natsuki: Oh! Um yeah, I guess.
Yuri fills the gap and holds one side of the book. She starts speed-reading the section. Once finished she has a look of confidence.
Yuri: I remember this section, I should be able to help.
I let out a relieved sigh.
Natsuki: You’re a lifesaver Yuri!
Yuri smiles.
Yuri: I haven’t helped you, yet.
Yuri starts to explain the section, occasionally looking up at me for confirmation that I understand, I then nod in response so she would know if I got it.
We start moving faster through the book. Yuri finishes her explanation of the section, gives me an example, checks for a nod from me and we flip the page. Occasionally I will ask a question.
Then we hit one of the main sections that I was having trouble with. Yuri starts to give examples for the section, but then without checking for a nod starts to flip the page.
Natsuki: Uh, wait.
I go to stop her hand, but my hand just hovers over hers. I'm left speechless as my throat tightens, and my heartbeat quickens. I've never felt this way before it's strange. Yuri looks at me confused and flushed but I'm just frozen looking at her.
Yuri: Natsuki? Are you okay? Do you need to go to the nurse?
I snap out of my daze and pull my hand back to my chest.
Natsuki: Oh-um yeah I'm good just…math isn't my strong suit.
My heart sinks into my stomach.
Yuri looks concerned and continues to flip the page. I don't feel like talking about that section anymore so I let her start talking about the next one. I'm supposed to be focusing on this math but all I can do is look at Yuri.
Yuri: Natsuki, With this section, it's important to focus on-
3 -music key: Poem Panic!
My daze is immediately broken by the pure shock of Yuri’s palm extending onto my forehead.
Natsuki: Uah! Yuri?! What are you doing?
Yuri: I'm checking to see if you have a temperature, You seem fine…Are you sure you’re oka-
Yuri quickly realizes that the situation we're in is, obviously, super weird and doesn't know how to react besides the obvious retraction of her arm from my forehead which doesn’t seem to pass her mind. We just end up looking at each other in awkward silence
Natsuki: Yeah um… I just have a lot on my min-
The school bell blares, releasing us from each other’s gaze and a flushed Yuri pulls her arm away, closes the book, and quickly stands.
4 -music key: Daijoubu!
Yuri: Oh! Um, I have to go Natsuki, I have to get something done in my next period, but-
Yuri looks at the tiles on the ground.
Yuri: I always enjoy it when we talk and I’m sorry if I made this weird or uncomfortable.
I smile.
Natsuki: No you didn’t make it weird… well the forehead thing was kinda weird but I appreciate the concern.
I laugh and Yuri lets out a sigh of relief and then stands there blank-faced like she’s forgotten something.
Yuri: Oh! Class! Bye Natsuki!
Yuri starts running away but quickly looks back at me, smiles, and gives a pleasant wave. I waved back, blushed, and reached down to grab my book.
Natsuki: Wait! Yuri!
I notice now that Yuri grabbed my Math textbook in the rush and I now have her dense Fantasy novel. But by the time I called she was already gone.
Natsuki: I guess I'll have to give it to her next time I see her.
I Lift the book into my arms and walk back into the hallway. At this point, more students are filling the halls as I make my way to my locker making maneuvering with the massive book difficult but eventually make it to my locker. I open the lock with my teeth, having no free hands, and dump the book into my locker.
Natsuki: Now I just need to make it through two more classes.
I say to myself then grab my grammar books and make my way to class, easily winding through the halls with my newfound lack of a three-hundred-pound book.
Once at grammar, I sit down at my desk in the far left corner of the classroom. Grammar is an interesting class not because of the content of the class but the people in it. For some reason, my eleventh-grade class is morphed with Monika’s twelfth-grade class, so if you really strain your ears you can pick up on some senior-class tea.
As the other students file into their seats the bell rings and Monika bursts into the classroom. She apologizes for being late to the teacher and sits down in the last available seat, which happens to be diagonally right from mine, then puts her head into her arms and immediately falls asleep. Someone has been burning the candle at both ends it seems. I take this opportunity to see how many pieces of paper I can stack on her head till she wakes up or the teacher notices. This number turned out to be thirteen and it only ended because the bell rang waking Monika from her slumber. When I saw her start to wake up I quickly snatched all the papers from her head and stuffed them into my book. Monika looks around confused as I slip out of the classroom.
I open the door to the hallway and see Yuri standing across the aisle, she’s completely zoned out but is patiently waiting for me. In her arms, she’s holding my Math book to her chest and grasping it like if she lost it, it would be the end of her world.
Natsuki: Hey, Yuri!
Yuri’s daze is broken and she waves to me. Yuri walks over to me and holds out the book.
Yuri: I’m sorry, I must have taken it in all the…confusion.
Natsuki: Don’t worry about it, That class was before lunch, I didn’t need it anymore. But I appreciate you bringing it back.
Yuri: It wasn’t a problem, I just switched to study hall in room 307 next period so I knew I had to walk through here anyway.
Natsuki: Study hall with Mr. Syare?
Yuri: Yes.
Natsuki: That’s my next class. We can walk together…I guess.
I add on and I guess to make it seem like I’m not excited.
As we walk our hands occasionally sway, making our fingers brush against each other and, despite both being blushed, act like it didn’t happen.
We arrive at my locker and I pull out the massive novel and hand it to Yuri. The weight that stumbled me has no effect on Yuri who holds the books with one hand at her side. We stand by the locker for a moment.
Natsuki: We better get going, huh?
Yuri: Oh, yeah.
5 -music key: Play with me
The study hall class isn’t far from my locker so we get there before the bell rings. The classroom is mostly empty so finding a seat isn’t hard. Yuri sits down at the desk by me.
I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be doing because I never actually study in this study hall and Mr. Syare doesn’t really enforce not having our phones so I and Sayori normally send each other funny pictures during class.
I consider sending something to Sayori but I’m not sure what her condition is and I don’t want her to accidentally hurt herself trying to see a picture of a silly blurry dog with the caption “You”.
I look over at Yuri who’s reading which reminds me of something. I open my phone's contacts, and all of my contacts have a picture from a terrible image of said contact and a goofy name, Except Yuri and My dad who just have the default phone icons and their names. I grin and stand up.
Natsuki: Hey Yuri.
I whisper and Yuri looks up. When she does I snap the picture from an upward angle so her forehead and eyes are really big. I start quietly laughing. Yuri tries to grab the phone.
Yuri: Natsuki! Let me see that!
I turn the phone so Yuri can see it but can’t grab it, when I did this to Monika she took the phone and deleted the picture so learned not to let the victim get too close. Yuri looks at the goofy picture and blushes.
Yuri: That’s a terrible picture of me! Why would you want that?
Yuri looks actually confused which makes me laugh.
Natsuki: It’s kind of supposed to be terrible, it’s also for my contact info.
Yuri thinks for a bit.
Yuri: So whenever I call you this is the picture that will show up?
I smirk.
Natsuki: When did you call me?
Yuri blushes.
Yuri: I-mean if I call you. That picture will show up.
Natsuki: Yup.
Yuri takes a thought then puts her hand to her side and looks at me.
Yuri: What faces was everyone else making in their pictures?
I recant everyone's terrible pictures but Monika’s current profile comes to my mind.
Natsuki: Remember when Sayori made those muffins?
Yuri grimaces.
Yuri: The ones that made Monika throw up?
Natsuki: I got a picture of Monika right after she threw up.
I grin with pride over my accomplishment and Yuri’s hand still hovers at her side.
Yuri: What face did she make?
Natsuki: Oh! It was terrible! It looked like this.
I try to replicate the terrible image of Monika when suddenly Yuri’s hand that was hovering at her side quickly shoots into her skirt pocket and pulls out her phone then before I can react, snaps a picture of me replicating the terrible Monika image.
Yuri: And now that’s your contact image.
Natsuki: Hey! You tricked me!
I try to grab the phone but Yuri stands and uses her height to just hold the phone out of snatching distance.
Natsuki: Well now that’s just mean.
Mr. Syare: Sit down, girls.
Mumbles Mr. Syare from behind a newspaper. I and Yuri sit back down but are still mock glaring at each other. Yuri looks down at her phone and starts typing.
Yuri: What’s your opinion on “Cupcake Goblin”?
I can’t decide if I hate that name or love it, but to not let her think she won I say as bluntly as I can muster,
Natsuki: I hate it.
Yuri: Then that’s your name now.
Yuri saves the contact and slips her phone back into her pocket.
I open to the contact page.
Natsuki: What’s your opinion on….
I try to think of something to combat Cupcake Goblin then Yuri’s joke from the stairs pops back into my mind.
Natsuki: “Heart attack in progress”?
Yuri nods.
Yuri: I like that, I’m going to make that the name of my Autobiography.
Natsuki: pfft, It’s not fun if you like it! I’ll have to come up with something later.
Just then the dismissal bell rang.
Natsuki: Freedom!
Yuri laughs at my declaration and we grab our books and leave.
Natsuki: Guess we better head up to the literature club.
Yuri: Honestly I’m kind of tempted to go home right now…
Natsuki: Did you drive here?
Yuri nods.
Yuri: Fuzayi got a new car for work so she gave me her old one.
Natsuki: Fuzayi?
Yuri: Oh, um my Mom, sorry.
Yuri looks sorrowful, so I make a joke to lighten the mood.
Natsuki: Did you name it, the car that is?
Yuri's sadness changes to confusion.
Yuri: I mean, I know the brand?
Natsuki: No, Like when captains name their ships.
Yuri: Oh, not yet.
Yuri laughs and looks down at her shoes and blushes.
Yuri: Maybe you could help me name it sometime.
I blush.
Natsuki: Uh, yeah that would be fun.
Natsuki: I would personally go with the S.S. Natsuki.
Yuri and I laugh and start walking up the stairs to the second floor. Once at the literature club door I swing it open and enter.
6 -music key: Okay Everyone
The classroom is completely empty so Yuri sits down at her usual desk and I start my way over to the back closet when Monika suddenly bursts into the room with, like at least 3 bouquets, she pushes the door closed with her back then fixes her now frizzy hair and starts walking over to the front desk when she notices me and tosses one of the bouquets in my direction and sits down.
Monika: Merry Christmas Natsuki.
As she folds her face into her arms. I read the note attached that States “Dear Monika, Will you go to the formal with me?” Signed by some senior guy.
Natsuki: I completely forgot about that dumb formal, it's just a stupid social event for those who are popular enough or lucky enough to get a date. Plus! It just distracts everyone from those stupid mid-year exams they make us take.
Yuri pipes from behind her book.
Yuri: I always thought it was kind of romantic.
Yuri: I mean if I ever went… or got asked.
Yuri mumbles that the last part
Monika: Trust me, It's not all it cracked up to be Yuri.
Monika looks up and looks at Yuri.
Monika: I'm expected to go with one of these popular guys when I don't want to go with any of them.
She slumps back down and starts looking through a vanilla folder she brought in. She starts talking but is clearly more focused on the contents of the folder.
Monika: Oh-Um, club announcements, I’m super tired and don’t forget the, um, secret Santa thingy that’s on Monday. You guys can like…Mingle amongst yourselves now, I don't want to seem like I'm a bad president, but I'm just kind of tuckered out.
Yuri: We understand Monika.
Natsuki: Well if you're not doing your job that's your prerogative
I shoot her a smirk but she doesn't seem to find it very funny.
Natsuki: Um…ok I guess
I snap a picture of sad Monika then start walking back to the closet and sit down. I reach into my backpack and pull out the new issue of the Manga I've been collecting, but as the warm air conditioner kicks in my tiredness sets in I slowly drift into a deep sleep.