The final bell of the school day rang, and the hallways of the school quickly emptied, leaving the literature club room in near silence. Students dispersed, their chatter fading as they headed home, leaving only one student behind Yuri.
She was the last one remaining in the clubroom, just as Monika had asked. The day’s work was over, but Yuri had been assigned the task of cleaning up the room before heading out.
She gathered the cleaning supplies from the back of the room, her movements slow and deliberate. Her fingers curled around the rag, and she started with the desks nearest her, the soft sound of the cloth against the wood filling the quiet space.
The light from the window grew dimmer, casting a soft orange glow as the sun started to set, casting long shadows across the room. The usual chatter of the club members was gone, and it felt strangely still almost too still.
Yuri was too deep in her thoughts to realize the footsteps approaching until they were unmistakable. The sound of the footsteps echoed in the hallway, growing louder, then softer again as they drew closer. She looked up, startled when Monika appeared in the doorway.
“Oh, Monika,” Yuri said, almost breathless, her voice soft. “Hi. I was just cleaning like you told me to.”
Monika stepped into the room, her posture casual, but there was something about her expression that made Yuri uneasy. She gave a small smile, but Yuri couldn't help but notice the tension in her shoulders.
“Hello, Yuri,” Monika said, her voice lighter than usual. “I see you’re still hard at work.” She glanced over at the desk Yuri was cleaning. “Good job. But, uh, I actually had something else in mind when I asked you to stay after school.”
Yuri tilted her head slightly, feeling a pang of confusion. “What do you mean?” she asked, not entirely sure what Monika was getting at.
Monika's eyes darted toward the door, and then, with a slow motion, she locked it. Yuri’s heart skipped a beat, and she couldn’t help but wonder why she would need to lock the door now. The unease in the room seemed to shift, growing heavier.
“Uh, Monika?” Yuri asked, trying to keep her voice steady. “Why are you locking the doors?”
Monika didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she leaned against the door she had just locked, her posture relaxed but somehow still commanding. There was something almost off about the way she was acting. She had never seemed this... distant.
“Well, there’s another reason I wanted you to stay behind,” Monika said, her tone quieter, though it had a certain edge to it that made Yuri feel even more out of place. “I wanted to talk to you, Yuri. We’ve hardly had a real conversation lately. It’s been busy, I know, but I thought... I thought it was time we catch up.”
Yuri shifted on her feet, still scrubbing at the desk she had been working on. The words hit her like a weight, and she couldn’t quite place the growing discomfort in her chest. It felt strange, the way Monika’s words hung in the air. Why now? Why so suddenly?
“I... I’m not sure what to say,” Yuri admitted, avoiding Monika’s gaze for a moment. She kept scrubbing the desk with more force than necessary. Her knuckles were white against the cloth as she tried to ignore the subtle tension hanging between them.
Monika’s eyes softened, but there was something restless behind them. She seemed to be thinking about something, a frustration that had built up over the past few weeks. She crossed her arms, her lips pressing together briefly as if struggling with what to say.
“Things have been so chaotic lately,” Monika began, her voice tinged with annoyance. “New schedules, new teachers... And some of the people in my classes are unbearable. I just don’t know why the school can’t just make things simple. But enough about me—” She paused, as if switching gears in her mind. “I want to hear about you, Yuri. How’s everything going with you?”
Yuri could feel her stomach tighten. She wasn’t sure how to answer. Talking about herself, especially her personal life, had never been easy for her. She wasn’t accustomed to speaking about anything outside of books and club activities, especially not with Monikawho was always so composed and confident.
“I... I don’t really know how to answer that,” Yuri said, her voice quieter now. She didn’t meet Monika’s gaze, focusing intently on the desk she was cleaning. She was reluctant to say more, unsure of how Monika would react to what she might say. She hadn’t really made any new friends, and nothing about her life had really changed. School had been... a blur.
Monika watched her, her eyes narrowing slightly as if she could sense Yuri’s discomfort. “Come on,” she said, her tone more insistent now. “You must have something to tell me. New friends? Relationships? A new crush, maybe?”
Yuri’s hands stilled for a moment, her heart rate quickening as her mind raced. The question hit her harder than she expected, and she couldn’t even bring herself to answer right away. Why was Monika asking her these things?
“I... I don’t know if I can talk about that,” Yuri murmured, feeling her face flush, even though she was trying to avoid the conversation.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she wiped another desk, her movements slow. She could feel Monika’s eyes on her, waiting for a response, but Yuri just didn’t know how to respond to such a personal question.
Monika raised an eyebrow, her lips pressing together for a moment. “Not even a little bit? I thought you were always so open with me. You’ve never been shy about these things before.”
There was a hint of frustration in her voice now, something that was hard to ignore.
Yuri felt her throat tighten, and she fought back the urge to say something in response. It wasn’t like she didn’t trust Monika; it was just that this was too personal. She didn’t know if she could tell Monika everything, especially when she wasn’t sure how she felt about it herself.
“I... It’s just that... I don’t think it’s something I should talk about,” Yuri said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t really know what to say.”
Monika’s expression softened again, though there was still an underlying sense of impatience. She glanced around the room, her eyes narrowing as she took in the darkening atmosphere of the club room, the soft hues of the setting sun casting long shadows. The light in the room was fading, and the last rays of sunlight created a dim, almost eerie glow around them.
“I get it,” Monika said, though her voice was a little more sharp than before. “But I’m honestly surprised. I thought you would have someone by now. You’re one of the prettiest girls I know, Yuri. How is it that you’re still alone?”
Yuri’s eyes widened at the compliment, but she quickly looked down, unable to meet Monika’s gaze. “I’m... I’m not pretty,” she muttered. “I’m not... like that.”
Monika let out a soft sigh, a mix of frustration and amusement. “You really don’t see it, do you? You’re beautiful, Yuri.” She let the words linger, and for a moment, Yuri could feel the weight of them, her heart pounding in her chest.
The silence stretched between them, broken only by the soft sound of Yuri’s rag against the desk.
The air felt thick now, filled with a tension that neither of them could easily escape.
The last desk was the one Monika was sitting at. Yuri hesitated, glancing at it for a moment before looking away, unsure of how to approach the task.
“Monika, I need to clean that desk,” Yuri said quietly, her voice trembling slightly.
Monika didn’t budge. She stayed seated, watching Yuri with an almost unreadable expression.
“No, Yuri,” she said, her voice low and firm. “You’re not cleaning anything until you tell me who your crush is.”
Yuri’s breath caught in her throat, and her body tensed. She wanted to say something, anything, but the words just wouldn’t come.
She stood there, frozen, unable to move or speak, her heart pounding so loudly in her chest she was sure Monika could hear it.
Monika leaned closer, her eyes narrowing as she watched Yuri carefully.
The atmosphere had shifted, and Yuri could feel it now, the growing pressure of Monika’s words, her gaze, and the unsettling silence between them.
“I think I have a pretty good idea who your crush is,” Monika said, her voice almost a whisper. “It’s me, isn’t it?”
Yuri’s heart skipped a beat, and she felt heat rush to her cheeks. She wanted to deny it, but somehow, she couldn’t. The words were stuck in her throat, and before she could stop herself, she whispered, “Yes... it’s you.”
Monika’s lips curled into a small, satisfied smile. She didn’t move immediately, but the air between them seemed to hum with an intensity Yuri couldn’t escape. Monika didn’t need to say anything more the tension was enough.
And then, slowly, Monika leaned forward, closing the space between them.