Chapter Text
Another eventful day at Literature Club started, school festival is soon to come and they all are busy with preparations. Natsuki took the role of a baker once more, her cat-like cupcakes winning the hearts of female students. Well, maybe expect for the tall and brooding girl who always gave her teasing hell on how childish it seems and that she should just make them plain. She always ridiculed her and now she cant even attend the most important meeting of the year. Pathetic.
"Earth to Natsuki?" the leader of the club waved her hand in front of the shorter one with a small chuckle.
"Quit the teasing, what do you want?" she folded her arms defensively, raising one eyebrow as she looked up. Monika looked into her eyes before answering.
"Is Yuri going to make festival posters again? She hasn't been at school those last few days so.... maybe you know?" she asked politely, giving her a knowing look at the last part of her question. Monika knew how close they really were, at least to some extent. This question wasn't about the festival preparations, it was about Yuri's well-being.
"And how would i know?" She furrowed her eyebrows in annoyance, avoiding the topic of Yuri's absence. This is the last thing she wants to think about now. Monika just sighed with mild disappointment at her response but decided not to push it further.
Monika probably saw through her tough exterior, a self-made cover to hide her worriness about anything. Natsuki disliked it.
As to escape the uncomfortable conversation Natsuki decided to make some tea for everyone. This reminded her of the taller one once more. She can't escape it and it annoys her to the core.
From the back of the class Monika gave her a look full of pity. A pity she hated so much. It's the same look her mother used to give her, when her dad punched her, kicked her. Oh, she would never step in to save her daughter, even when her pink eyes were pleading for some form of release from this hell on earth.
Further on, Natsuki avoided the eye contact with Monika for the rest of the club meeting.
She brought everyone tea. Sayori joked about how Natsuki should invest into crime novels now that she took the initiative of making tea, like Yuri always did. Natsuki only rolled her eyes not being in a mood for any banter that day. Why is everyone mentioning Yuri? It's not the first time she's absent. She couldn't focus at all, words of Monika and Sayori sounding like some incoherent mumbles in her head. She hoped that the unhealthy amount of sugar in her tea would help with dissociating and make her more present, but it didn't.
She kept stirring her tea. If she stirs it enough, will her thoughts stop stirring as well?
When their meeting finally ended, Natsuki rushed out of school, hoping Monika wouldn't catch her to have a talk. Fresh breeze of early autumn hitting her back, sending a small shiver through her spine.
Her walk home felt like a russian roulette. Is he home or on another work trip? Luckily, opening the door felt like a big relief.
He is not home.
Her pink bag landed somewhere on the floor. She made herself some instant noodles with soy sauce and watched her favorite anime, considered childish by many, until she eventually fell asleep on the couch, still wearing her uniform. Tiredness and stress finally getting to her.
-
Natsuki woke up from her nap in the middle of the night, sweaty, she glanced down at her wrinkled school uniform and ignored the state of it. Anime being a pleasant background noise for her peaceful slumber. Her gaze focused on the screen for a moment, watching the slowburn between two highschool girls finally reaching its climax. She has seen this scene multiple times now, yet it's still her favorite.
Her eyes closed once again, letting herself get the rest she deserved and desperately needed.
-
As she opened her eyes in the morning, the first five seconds felt light, until the weight of stress hit her. That was reckless. If her father came home and saw her sleeping on the couch instead of her own bed, he would've made her regret this choice.
Natsuki ironed her uniform, pink hair tied into the same little ponytails she always wore. She took a red apple from the kitchen and without repacking her school bag she left the house in a hurry.
Once at school, she couldn't focus on her classes, not when the purple haired girl was missing from school again. Who does she think she is? Skipping all of their classes without a word. She didn't even attend their afterschool literature club meetings that were so important to her, leaving Natsuki to deal with the annoying questions Monika asked. Something was terribly wrong, again.
She had to check on her today, it was way too long now.
Natsuki knew how bad it really gets and a small part of her, in the back of her mind, secretly hoped that Yuri didn't do anything reckless and that she won't be the one to find that out. Skipping classes seemed rational to her in this scenario but the consequences were too much for her, like a punch to the gut.
"Miss Amai!"
She heard a loud, authoritive female voice calling her. Natsuki looked up from her desk, realizing that the whole class is looking at her judgmentally. It seems that her name was called out multiple times in a row but she was too lost in her thoughts to even realize, yet alone answer. Everything is turning against her lately.
"This is quite ridiculous of you, ignoring me with the grades you have" Natsuki forced an eyeroll back. Leave me alone you old hag.
"Happens to the best of us" she kept her voice steady and calm, fighting a losing battle with her own attitude. If she says too much detention is guaranteed, and she can't afford staying in detention again. She has to check on Yuri today. She has to take notes for Yuri.
Mrs. Suzuki, her mathematics teacher, looked at her coldly and tapped the board with a small piece of white chalk. An equation. A hard one at that. Natsuki reluctantly walked up to the board, quietly thanking Yuri for teaching her this specific example few months back, on one of their studying sessions she forced her to attend. What a nerd.
Natsuki was surprised when she got it right, and so was her teacher, but she wouldn't admit that.
She sat down, enjoying the silent win on her side. Keeping the track with what was on the board earned her a few weird looks from other students. She was known for doing nothing but reading mangas during classes, the sight of hard-working Natsuki was rather rare to encounter.
-
The final bell rang and she stood up with a long sigh, packing her stuff in a flash, she left the school ditching the club meeting without a second thought. She had her priorities. Natsuki took the same route she always did, passing the very familiar tree lined street lacking the usual vividly green leaves turning them to gold during this season. Yuri's favorite season. Perfect for a crime novel and tea as she would always say and force the pink haired girl to read them. Natsuki secretly enjoyed it acting all fussy. The annoyed and impassive act is wearing off as she gets closer to Yuri's house.
Is she okay? I have to hurry.
She quickened her pace a bit, finally stopping by the familiar two-story blue house. The code to the gate was still the same, door unlocked, so she let herself in. Inside it was dead quiet, she looked into the kitchen noticing a growing mountain of empty ramen cups and several dirty mugs left with unfinished black tea. She sighed quietly and just went further into the house, the silence was almost deafening. Natsuki slowly went up the stairs, looking to her side at the photoframe of overjoyed parents alongside little Yuri. Her smile brighter than ever, long purple hair tied into two small pigtails.
Its such a shame they died so early.
Natsuki exhaled shakily, getting more nervous the closer she got to her final destination - small bedroom at the end of the hall. Her hands a bit shaky as she placed them on top of the handle. She gently opened the door, expecting the worst.