A/N:I've been thinking of fixing this story so much that it kinda prevented me from continuing so I'm replacing all the old chapters with newer ones so it can flow together better. For new readers, this is mainly focusing on Natsuki and her abusive home life as well as her relationships with the other girls. No MC in this one, or murder/self-awareness, just a story about the girls trying to help each other and possibly play matchmaker.

Prologue

"Okay, well, that's it for today's club meeting!"

Natsuki always dreaded hearing that sentence, she had hoped their latest activity would have dragged on until four or five. The days club assignment consisted of preparing for the winter festival with their usual responsibilities switched thanks to their ditzy vice president. Instead of baking this time around, her job was creating the banners and decorations which was usually Yuri's jurisdiction. It wasn't too hard to do but she had protested nevertheless. She was the only one who could actually make anything sweet and edible!

Natsuki dropped the construction paper she was trying to cut into snowflakes onto the pile on her desk and looked at the others who paused at the announcement. She resisted the urge to sigh and protest but that would make it too obvious.

Thankfully, she wasn't the only one displeased with their short time.

"Aww but I barely got to work on the pamphlets!" Sayori pouted getting up from her desk holding a sheet of paper with what looked like a crudely drawn deer on the front. She had given herself Monika's usual job. "I was going to draw some reindeer's and snowmen on the front."

"I suppose assigning the jobs and sharing poems took up a bit of time than we anticipated, I couldn't get much work done on the song either.." Yuri quietly spoke as she stayed sitting at her desk before putting her own items away. Her job was to create a song for them to sing that would go along with Monika playing her piano.

"Oh... well, thankfully the festival's not until Friday! I can finish up baking treats by then." Monika, their club president, assured them with a smile as she began packing up her own belongings into her bag. "I know this is bit of more homework than usual but remember tonight's assignment, everyone!"

"Eh? We still have to make a cruddy poem even when we have to get ready for the festival!?" Natsuki couldn't help but protest loudly making them all turn to her. "We should at least get a break from it until the festival's over, Prez." She didn't mean for it to come out rudely but she felt overwhelmed at the thought of creating all the decorations/banners at home where they could easily be seen by her father. She could get away with baking easily since she used the schools cooking class equipment but taking stuff home was out of the question!

He didn't know she was part of the Literature Club and she never wanted him to know. Everyday, before heading out, she would tell him that she had to go to the library after school to study for tests or work on projects that didn't exist so she could avoid going home right after. In actuality, the school library closed right at 3 but he didn't know that and would never question her as long as her grades were perfect.

"I can't really work on much at home." She added more gently, looking straight at Monika.

"I thought you enjoyed writing the poems, yours are always so nice..," Sayori seemed to pout even more but paused for a moment as if realizing something and smiled at her. "Buuut you don't have to do them if you don't want to!"

"I think only the club president can decide that," Yuri spoke up softly but faltered under Natsuki's glare. "T-Though I suppose it would be fair to take a break from writing considering the limited time we have to work until the festival.."

"..." Monika glanced between them for a moment before reaching the same conclusion and pretended to sigh. "I guess I was unloading too much on you all, huh? It would be pretty tiresome to do all that, especially when you might have to do other work outside of the club." She mused with the same calm smile she always wore on her face yet Natsuki could see it seemed a little strained.

Feeling a bit more relaxed at the others cooperation the younger girl gave one of her usual grins, "Good to see you all will listen to me when I'm right!" She didn't mean it in a obnoxious way of course but showing her appreciation was a bit difficult to say the least.

Only then did she begin to clean up and get her own stuff ready, not noticing the glances she was receiving from Monika and Sayori. By this point, everyone was in the process of packing and cleaning up.

The pink haired girl didn't want to go home just yet but with the club being over and the others leaving soon... what other choice did she have? Gathering up the scraps of paper she had no use for, she wondered about alternative places to go for a few hours. The park maybe? Go walking around the shopping district? She didn't have money of course but she could always just window shop.

"Would you like some help?" A soft voice broke her out of her thoughts and she looked up go see Yuri, a bit shyly, offering to help. The older girl was still pretty hesitant to talk to her despite having them know each other for a few months and their friendship was still relatively tense at times. She supposed she couldn't blame her, the younger girl wasn't exactly the easiest person to get along with, not that she'd ever admit it.

"Sure, whatever." She shrugged trying to act indifferent but felt grateful for the help and watched as Yuri helped her throw the rest of the scraps away, she even showed her where to keep her already finished snowflakes and supplies.

"I really like how you made your own interpretation of these snowflakes, especially when we had so little supplies on hand. Kind of like you put a bit of yourself in each one.." The dark haired girl held one of her snowflakes up with a smile before pausing and second guessing herself. "S-Sorry, I'm rambling a bit."

Yuri was probably the only really mature and most devoted to the clubs subject out of all of them, Monika being the second, and it always frustrated her how the older girl felt too shy to really speak her mind. She had her passionate moments where she could speak without any stutters or hesitation but Natsuki only saw that side of her when they shared poems, or when they fought. Their writing styles clashed every so often which would result in an argument that never lasted long due to Sayori making them realize how dumb they were being. Even if Yuri always seemed to act 'fancy' with everything, she appreciated her very much.

There were times she wanted to talk to the older girl about the faded cuts she'd seen on her wrists, she'd caught glimpses of them throughout the last month, but at the same time it wasn't any of her business. In an attempt to help she did treat Yuri more nicely and hear her out during poem sessions.

Natsuki never wanted the girls to know about her secrets, especially her father, so it made no sense to bother them about theirs. At least that's what she tried to do up until two week's ago.

"Nah, it's fine. And I totally did, we'll have the best decorations out of all the clubs!" She asserted confidently knowing that her style of writing never failed her but she faltered a bit hearing the other girl laugh. "W-What's so funny?"

Yuri played with her hair and looked down for a moment, "Rest assured, I wasn't laughing at you, I... just think it's very delightful you're so in touch with your style. It takes a while for people to really find their own." She gave her a small smile causing the shorter girl to feel flustered at the compliment?

"Natsuki, could you come over? I'd like to talk to you once everyone leaves, if that's okay." She jumped hearing Monika's voice so close and turned to see the club president with the usual calm smile on her face.

"Well I better g-go, see you tomorrow." Yuri, not wanting to eavesdrop, grabbed her things and left the classroom in a matter of seconds with a giggling Sayori following behind her.

The younger girl couldn't help but feel disappointed that their chat had ended so quickly before feeling confused, after all, she was going to see her tomorrow for club. Turning to Monika she couldn't help but feel like the other girls attention was just like a mother's with how she constantly hovered and took care of them with a gentle smile. She jokingly wondered if she had a mothers intuition as well.

"What's up?"

Monika seemed to hesitate for a split second before speaking, "...I know this is none of my business but I was just wondering how everything is at home since last time we talked." She spoke slowly as if deciding to be careful with her wording.

Two weeks prior, after another incident at home, Monika had seen a few of her real bad bruises on her arm right before club started and basically forced her to talk once they were alone. Well, it wasn't exactly forced but at the time Natsuki was a mess and had felt absolutely awful that she just vented to Monika privately about her father.

She wished she could take everything she said back, venting had been a mistake. She wasn't in the mood to talk about her shitty relationship with her father with one of her friends. It was pretty nonexistent at times, which was just as bad, but it was better than getting new bruises or injuries she'd have to find excuses for. It wasn't a good life but it wasn't too bad that she wanted to get anyone involved, she only needed to survive for one more year before she was legally allowed to leave and live on her own.

"...It's fine," Natsuki couldn't help but feel a flare of anger. Just because she talked to Monika one time about her problems didn't mean she was now her personal therpist. "Is that all you wanted to talk about?"

Monika looked a bit let down by her words before putting on a stern look, losing her smile completely. "I just want to make sure you're okay. You just sounded worried earlier and I was concerned-"

"Well, don't be! This is my business and I don't want to talk about it here or ever." The younger girl snapped before going over to her desk to get her things to leave. "Just because you're the club leader that doesn't mean you can get anything out of me."

She was blowing this out of the water more than she should have, she knew this, and she could of just taken it into consideration that her friend cared about her but she was already so pissed off. The club room was her only place she felt truly safe in and talking about the reason why she hated going home ruined it completely.

"I'm not trying to, Natsuki, I just want to know you're okay. This reaction isn't really convincing me, so please just let me help you!" Monika frowned almost speaking in a pleading tone, her eyes showing just how concerned she felt. A moment of silence passed between them before the older girl spoke again with a softer voice, "You could always tell the others and stay with one of us. Please remember, we're always here for you."

Natsuki felt a mixture of emotions flow through her but the fight in her had slowly begun to fade, making her truly feel like a jerk. "...I'll think about it," She muttered mostly to herself before leaving the classroom. Monika didn't follow nor call out to her.

As she walked, she could already hear her father's words pounding away in her head knowing he was right, "You're a burden to everyone around you."