Chapter 4. The Apology

TW: Probably some Swearing.

[6:55]

Monika's P.O.V.

Knock knock..

The front door was knocked.. I wonder who it could be..

Knock knock..

"Coming..?" I went downstairs. Apparently nobody's here.. Except for the knocking noise...

Knock knock..

Who could possibly knock at this kind of hour?.. Besides, it is raining so.. I don't think it's the mailman.. Or maybe it's Natsuki.. Or perhaps Yuri..? The door kept on knocking..

Knock knock..

..I slowly opened the door as it creaked..

"..Hello..?" I took a peek.. Wait a second.. "Ah!—"

...Sayori..?

It's Sayori.. Apparently she didn't put on her hood which made her hair a little wet.. Also her clothes are kinda saturated too.. She's also panting like she's exhausted or something.. Was she in a rush again?.. I didn't expect her to show up already.. Which made me think why she wanted to..

"Uh.." She looked away at me.. Then she would awkwardly smile.

"..Hey again.. Monika.." She started to wave at me.

I felt my heart pounding like crazy. I can't stand to bear looking at her.. Shit.. She just looks so.. So... Sigh. I don't know.. What am I waiting for?.. I should let her in.

"Oh!.. Sayori.. Uhm.. Y-You can come in." I politely welcomed her.

"Okay! Thanks Monika.." Her tone was bright.. But also off.. She went inside, and I locked the door. Sayori would then take off her shoes.

"I honestly didn't expect you to be here.. You know you should've texted me something.. Ahah.."

"I know, that's mostly because I kinda wanna talk to you in-person."

"Really..Is that so?.."

"Yep." She answered.

It became silent.. I started to stare at her.. It's like my eyes are focused on Sayori.. As the world slowly turns into black.. It's like she's just.. So pure to me. I don't know why but.. I felt it deep inside..

"So.. How did you come here? Did you use a bike? Or.."

"Oh no, it's easy, I just ran from my house to here."

Ran?! Man, then she must've been a really good runner. I wonder if she joined track and field...

"I see.." I guess it kinda makes sense why she looks exhausted.

"Do you wanna come upstairs..? I'll make some tea if you want to.."

"Sure!.. But.. No thanks. I'm fine without tea eheh.." ..Something's definitely off about her.. We both went upstairs. Then we went into my room.

"Woah.. Your room is cleaner than mine!.." Sayori commented.

"Yeah, it's always been like that." I slowly shut the door. Then she started to take off her hoodie and place it on my bed. Looking sorrowful. The atmosphere changed a little gloomier.

"..Sayori?.." I look at her with a worried face..

"...I'm so fucking stupid.." Her voice started to change..

"I—.. I just.. Can't even stand to think.." She gripped her fists.

"Sayori I—.."

"I'm sorry.." She... Was apologizing to me?..

"Sayori wait.." Then she turned to me.. Looking more regretful.

"I really am, I didn't mean to, I just don't know what to do I'm.." She's.. Crumbling.. Was she talking about what happened to us at her place?..

"Sayo—"

"I shouldn't have kissed you!.." Her tears started to fall.. She gripped her fists more, starting to shake. Making me more anxious..

"..I didn't mean any of this.. I was just.. Selfish of myself and it's just bullshit!.. And it's all my fault.." Her voice started to get weak..

"Like.. I didn't know what I should do.. Or what I wanted to say.."

"Sayori.."

"And I don't want to be awkward about it because I thought you didn't want to respond to me if I gave you my text and-"

"Sayori.."

"I just thought we could at least still be friends for once and forget about the nonsense that's happening to us but—.."

"Sayori!.." My voice raised.. However, I did catch her attention to me.. She started to calm down.. I cupped her face, and stared directly at her.. Then I shut my eyes, making our lips meet each other again.. I wanted her to stay like this.. I don't want any regrets.. I just wanted it to be normal.. I then wrapped my arms around her, as I felt her arms wrapped around mine as a return. Well, here we are again.. It's like we're back from where we started. I started to let go for a little breath..

"..Monika.." Sayori wiped her tears..

"Sorry again.." I said to her, trying not to glance away..

"I was just.. Confused and.. Shouldn't have run away.." I hid my tears, sighing.

"Like.. I was hesitating and didn't think about going back.. It's like I can't forget about it.."

"You were.. Scared?" Sayori questioned me.

"..Yeah.. I was scared.." I nodded.

Sayori held on my shoulder..

"..I hope you can forgive me about what happened.." I kept on apologizing..

"..I forgive you." As Sayori looked at me.. My heart was fluttering.

She was smiling at me.. Which made me slowly die happy. In a good way.

"..Do you wanna.. Hug it out?.. I mean- I know it's a very dumb question but-"

"Oh- no! Of course I wanted to.." ..She said yes.. It's like she felt happy about it.. I didn't expect her answer to be like that, but who cares. I started to spread my arms, then gave her a very warm embrace.. She decided to hug me back, squeezing me. After hugging it out, she put on her hoodie.

"I should probably go now.. Thanks for understanding.."

"Wait.."

Sayori stopped.

"..Do you need an umbrella?.. I know you can run by yourself but.. You probably might get very soaked later.."

"Oh!.. Uhm.. Sure thing! I'd appreciate that.."

I opened the door to my room and we went downstairs.. I decided to grab one of my umbrellas from the rack that's next to the coats. It was the reddish-maroon one. The one that I used when I was fourteen. I handed the umbrella to Sayori.

"Thank you again. I promise I'll return it later when the skies are back to normal." Sayori owed me.

"Alright." We walked down the hall as I opened the front door. It's still raining but it's fine. We both put on our shoes. Then we started to go outside since we don't mind the rain.

Sayori went off and opened the umbrella and stepped outside. It's been a while since I felt the drops on my head. I opened the gates at my house. Sayori would then start to go forward and glance at me.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye. See you on Monday?"

"Mhm!" She nodded. Then waved at me. As she leaves.. Watching her go.. I sighed again. As I started to go and slowly close the gates to my apartment. Then I heard footsteps.

"MONIKA WAIT!.." I heard Sayori's voice again.. I started to open the gates as she went in. She huffed.

"Woah, Sayori, did you miss something?.."

She tried to catch her breath and said this.

"Hah.. Actually, yeah."

..Did she lose something in her room?.. Or— Hold on..

She's grabbing my shirt?! Wait what's going on?! And she pulled me in closer.. Huh?! Then gave me a kiss on the lips!—.. Oh my god this can't be happening.. Did she really leave something? Or is this a sick joke?!.. I decided to kiss her back.. Her lips were softer than before.. We were sharing an umbrella, as she let go of me.. As she lets go, I can see her face filled with joy and energy again.. Just like how she was before..

"Okay.. Bye!.." She would then turn completely excited. And ran away. I touched my lips and started to beam like an idiot.. Why am I blushing so much worse than before?.. I thought to myself. Dear god she must've really been something else. I started to close the gates, go back to my house running upstairs and closing the door to my room, walking normally. I flopped down on my bed and rolled around, squealing with pleasure and excitement. This wasn't a dream..

No One's P.O.V.

Monika and Sayori were totally crushing on each other.

Even right before that kiss even happened. They can't believe they actually did it to their school crushes. As Monika started to shriek in excitement, Sayori started to get flustered, hugging her cow plushie in embarrassment and staying still. And just like that, they became friends, to crushes.. However, they still need to take time to be more than that..

They're not just partners yet. They need to take some time to think about that after they recover from what recently happened which made them both really unstable and unsettled for themselves. They had to have something to stop this. They had to have something to get used to, or get fixed from....

And they had to look for that one thing they needed the most.

..—which is indeed love.