Heeey everybody! Your responses have been AMAZING and FANTASTIC, once again. Really, if I didn't have the encouragement, it'd be harder to justify writing these, so thanks so much! I've gotten a few reviews that have made me involuntarily YELP with excitement at this point, no joke. Looking at you, Mr. Blight. :)

Sorry that this one took quite a bit longer than the Sayori one, but... well, to be frank, this one was way harder to write, due to total lack of inspiration. The crucial idea that brought it all together really only came to me yesterday. And then it somehow ended up just slightly longer than Sayori's chapter, which is crazy!

The finale (for now) with Monika will ideally be released on a shorter time-frame, mostly because I had her story's outline in my head before I even wrote Yuri's, so getting it down should be easier. Enough comments have asked for continuations to some of these stories that I am considering (not promising) epilogue chapters that take place a bit farther in the future!

Hope you enjoy! ;D and please leave a review if you do!

You've been walking through these woods for... how long? You couldn't say. There's been no sign of human life, not that you've been able to see, and it's getting late. You aren't even walking on a trail. You've just been wandering through the trees and moss, trying to find something, anything to give you some sense of direction. But the world feels untouched by humanity at-large.

You feel like you should be panicking, or worried, or running, but those states of mind feel alien to the sights around you, as if nature itself is blocking out any fears you might be mustering. The last few drops of sunlight shine through a few tufts of cloud cover far away, bathing everything in a soft orange glow. The summer wind whistles through the leaves, carrying a sound, almost like a whisper. This doesn't seem like a place where anything bad could happen, to anyone.

You've been able to hear water rushing for a while now, and have been heading toward the noise, hoping to find a river, or stream, or something like that. Waterways lead back to humanity eventually, kind of like roads. Instead, when you finally burst out of the foliage into a clearing, you're confronted by a sheer cliffside about a hundred yards off, divided by an almost unnatural waterfall, towering so high over the surrounding woods that you wonder how you ever missed it. It's like the whole world bent into a sharp 90-degree angle thousands of years ago, creating a mountain-face so vast, and tall, and totally incomprehensible to human perception.

But despite the majesty of it all, that's not really what you're focused on. Because at the side of the cascading river below the falling water, a girl is laying in the grass with her eyes closed, her form like a speck of dust against the gargantuan rock formations and rushing torrents that surround her. Her ears are covered by one of the biggest pairs of headphones you've ever seen, nearly dwarfing her head. She's short, a bit younger than you, but not too much. She's got bright pink hair, and...

C'mon, you know who it is. How could you not? Suddenly, you remember that you were never lost, that you were meeting Natsuki here, far away from everything else (and everyone else, too). She doesn't notice as you approach, and you can see a plastic container of homemade cupcakes sticking out of her backpack, and a couple manga volumes you don't recognize. But given Natsuki's taste, you doubt they'll disappoint.

You'd thought she was just resting her eyes, but you're quickly realizing that she's sound asleep. Did you really keep her waiting that long? She's so peaceful, and you hate to wake her up, but you think she'd be way angrier if you let her sleep though such pretty sights while you took them in alone.

You reach down to lightly grab her shoulder, wanting to ease her back into consciousness gently, and the whole world is shaking and shaking and shaking and SHAKING AND SHAKING AND SHAKING AND SHAKING AND

*gasp*

You fly backwards as you jolt awake, toppling to the floor in a heap and taking the desk you were sitting in with you. As you recover from the ensuing head trauma as your unguarded skull bounces off the tile, your eyes start to refocus on your surroundings. You're... in the clubroom?

...Of course you are. Just another dream, way too good to be true. Still, some things haven't changed all that much in your transition back to reality, as you look up and notice that Natsuki is definitely towering over your sprawled out, pinned-under-a-desk body. She's clearly trying not to laugh at your ungraceful flop, but eventually a snicker does start to escape her lips. It feels a little cruel, but you know there's no malice in it.

"You should watch where you sleep." she manages through the giggles.

"Very funny. Mind helping me up?" you manage, a bit sardonically, but still with a smile, despite the residual ache in your back. You really went down like a sack of bricks.

She starts to reach down to free you, but she's intercepted by Yuri and Sayori rushing in from either direction, pulling you back to your feet.

"You okay? That looked like it hurt!" Sayori worriedly inquires, as Yuri seems to be giving you a combat medic's body-check from all sides.

"Yep, just a nasty awakening. Did I really just fall asleep?" You're not all that surprised, actually. You've been feeling a bit wiped out the last day or two, for whatever reason. "How long was I out?"

"Oh, not THAT long. Maybe... twenty minutes?" Monika chimes in from across the room. She seems more bemused than anything else, but it's not like you were expecting her to rush over or anything. "We were all arguing about about whether you were actually out cold-"

"So I decided to check! And WOW, you were freaked out." Natsuki interjects, still with a smirk on her face.

"Saying you 'checked' might be a bit of an understatement, Natsuki. From how fiercely you seemed to be shaking, I doubt anyone wouldn't have reacted just as strongly." Yuri chides a bit.

Natsuki has no response besides another giggle. A few days ago, you might have been more upset with her, but after that rigorous cupcake-baking session last weekend, you feel like you've made a real connection with her. You haven't spent any more time together outside of school since, but you've become text-buddies in the meantime. You're really amazed at how quickly the two of you have befriended each other after a little rough-patch at the beginning. Of all the girls you'd met, you really hadn't expected she'd be the one you'd get to know the best. You'd been really skeptical when Sayori had wanted you to join the literature club, but getting to know Natsuki has made all this worthwhile by itself...

...and by "getting to know", you mean "falling totally head-over-heels for". Nobody you've met has had such an immediately entertaining and engaging personality. You totally underestimated pretty much everything about her at first, seeing her as just another slightly annoying pink-haired girl in your life.

But just underneath that shell, you've discovered a rich depth of passion about almost everything in her life. She has a powerful personality, whether it's her devotion to baking, her strict belief in "simple" writing styles, or her unapologetic endorsements of anything and everything she enjoys, especially manga.

But more often than not, strong-spirited people like Natsuki can be overpowering in conversation, rarely letting others get in a word edgewise. In contrast, she's also proven to be an extremely easy person to talk to. You never feel like she's not listening to you, or she's uninterested in what you have to say, or that REALLY thinks she's better than you, beyond a general arrogance she projects when others are around.

Just as much as she fascinates you, you interest her as well. Maybe that's just because your poetry always seems to wildly impress her, but it still feels good to have someone take a keen interest in you. Especially someone as IMPOSSIBLY cute as Natsuki, though you try not to say it too often, knowing that her common perception as "cute" really bugs her.

You only woke up right at the end of club time, so you start to gather your things. Tomorrow's the weekend again, so you're sure not to leave anything vital behind. Right before you depart, the girl of your literal-dreams grabs you by the shoulder.

"Hey!... Um..." She seems a bit unsure for a second, but redoubles her efforts. "Think I could come over tomorrow? I mean, you offered and all, and we could finally make some real headway into Parfait Gi-"

"Sure!" you blurt, a little too overeager. You've been waiting for her to ask ever since she last came over, so you really couldn't help yourself.

"Oh! G-great!" She responds, a little taken aback at your enthusiasm. "Ah... do you think you could actually take the next few volumes with you, then? You know... with my dad, and everything..."

Hrm. Right. Natsuki's dad. You've heard quite a few stories about him at this point. Not what you'd call a lenient parent in any way, shape, or form. One or two of the anecdotes you've heard from her over text seemed really shocking, particularly when coming from a teenage daughter, but you've bitten your tongue in passing too much verbal judgment.

You agree to hash out the finer details of your meetup over text, same as last weekend, and head your separate ways. On the walk home, you can't seem to escape Sayori's repeated sing-song rendition of "You and Natsu, sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" She's had you and Natsuki figured out since nearly day one, and though you've vehemently denied her allegations, the fact that you get so flustered whenever Sayori brings her up in that light seems to have been proof enough. She's been nothing but excited and encouraging, but that doesn't mean she's above poking fun at you.

As you settle in at home, you're really, genuinely thrilled about Natsuki coming over again so soon, though you try to disguise your excitement a little bit in your texts back-and-forth that evening.

...

"Sup?" Natsuki's greeting is identical to her last visit, you notice as you welcome her inside.

You'd describe the following afternoon as absolutely lovely, if a bit tense on your part. You've had your share of close-encounters in the romantic sense at this point that might've led somewhere... more, had they gone uninterrupted by ovens or a particular neighbor, but no such opportunity presents itself this time, despite your wishes.

You speed through a couple volumes of Parfait Girls, munching through the baked snacks she brought with (scrumptious as always), and you use some extra time to display your own personal collection of favorite titles from over the years. Natsu seems really interested in a few of them, and you nearly offer to let her borrow whatever she likes, before you remember that she couldn't take them home, even if she wanted to.

Much sooner than either of you would have liked, an alarm goes off on her phone signifying that she needs to get moving, immediately, if she's to be home on time.

As she's rushing down the street, you're still a bit frustrated. This can't be ALL the time that the two of you get. Time to be a little bold.

"Hey, Natsuki!" you shout down the road, and she twirls around to face you across the distance. "Want to do this again tomorrow?"

There's a pause for a bit, but eventually a "Sure!" echoes back to you, and she starts back for home again. You're not sure, but you could swear she's got a bit more of a skip in her step now, which, y'know, is ADORABLE.

...

Sure enough, you spend the day after that together as well. The two of you sort through your manga horde, sampling a few chapters of anything interesting to her, and mocking a few comically bad volumes you forgot you even owned. It's not too different from yesterday, but what else could you ask for? Things are pretty perfect the way they are, even if you've still felt unable to come straight out with your real feelings.

Still, all good things must come to an end, as she heads home yet again... honestly, you wish she could stay forever. Hours dissolve into minutes when you're together, and you get so depressed every time she has to go.

...

The weekend's over. As you shower for school, the hot water suddenly stings your back, and you jump out from under the spray. Examining in the mirror, you discover a long purple bruise down your left shoulder-blade.

It's pretty nasty-looking, and as you wrack your brain for a cause, you remember the topple you took the other day in the clubroom. You guess the injury's effects must've been delayed, or something. It's not that bad when there's not scalding water on it though, so you just decide to grin and bear it. You lower the water temp a bit and finish your morning routine as well as you can, more focused on Natsuki than the wound.

...Would it be a step too far to ask her to come over again today? It'd be the third day in a row you spend together out of school. These last two days have been some of the more enjoyable in your life, just being alone with her. You don't want to seem overenthusiastic and drive her away, but... you really want to spend more time with her. You make the mistake of consulting Sayori on your dilemma before school, and she threatens to invite Natsu over herself if you don't, egging you on.

When you muster up the willpower to ask, Natsuki seems a little spooked. "Um... yeah, I'd like to, but... hold on."

After a few minutes of feverish texting (with her dad, you imagine) she, still a little hesitant, walks home with you and Sayori. You're getting more and more concerned about her dad the more time that goes on. Her earlier mentions of him have been casual, a little dismissive... but for a second just now, she slipped a bit and revealed what you'd describe as a hint of genuine fear.

That afternoon, the two of you have an intensive poetry session, each writing and rewriting, offering critique and praise in equal amounts. You've traded a few poems in the club, but this is a new level of insight into her writing process, and you gain a whole new appreciation of the amount of skill and nuance and thought she pours into every single word. She's wrung more words out of you in a single night than you've written in months.

"You- you're really, absolutely amazing at this. I'd only seen your end process, but actually seeing you work is truly stunning, Natsu."

"Well, what else would you expect from the best?" she asks, her tone dripping with pride, but her voice softens as she speaks. You had your back to her when you first spoke up, so you swivel around in your office chair to investigate. Her mouth is hanging open, just a bit, and her pink irises seem firmly locked on your shoulder.

Before you can ask her what's going on, she rushes over and grabs your arm, gently but firmly straightening it out and spinning you back around, as you realize she's looking straight at that big bruise you discovered earlier this morning, which had been very slightly exposed at your collar. It aches a bit as she stretches your arm, and you instinctively let out a groan of pain.

"H-h-how'd this happen?" She stutters a bit.

"Oh, don't worry. I think it's from when I fell backward in my seat the other day, in the clubroom, remember?"

Her eyes fall a little bit. "You mean... when I shook you awake?"

"Ah... yeah, that was it." You pray she doesn't feel guilty. "It's fine, reall-" You spin around again and realize you're talking to an empty room. Less than a minute later, Natsuki marches back in with a rag full of ice cubes, and pulls the shoulder free of your shirt despite your protestations.

"You should be icing this every day if you want it to heal in any sort of reasonable amount of time, y'know. Have you been?"

"I really hadn't even noticed it until this morning-"

"Jeez, you dummy. You need to take better care of yourself when stuff like this happens." She lays the cool cloth against your shoulder. "There. You should really have store-bought cold compresses ready to go, but this'll have to do. Is that better?"

"...yeah." It's more that a little embarrassing to be so suddenly exposed, but you can't deny that it feels nice to have the cool ice against the bruise, gently but firmly pressed into the skin. This is... you haven't really seen this side of Natsuki before, but you haven't really been physically injured in front of her either. At least, not this visibly.

After another minute or so, she lifts the rag and pulls out a tiny squeeze bottle of... something? You don't recognize it, so it definitely isn't yours. She squeezes a bit of the contents into her palm, warming it just slightly. "...Anyway, this is aloe vera. Works great for bruises. Gonna try to be gentle."

Before you can protest, she's rubbing it into the dark spot, in small circles. The pressure stings a little at first, but eventually the sensation of her fingertips carefully and methodically gliding across your shoulder more than compensates for any discomfort. It feels... really, REALLY good. Natsuki definitely knows her way around a bruise. The scent of the aloe is perfectly calming, and you're putty in her hands. You look back, and her pink brow is furrowed intensely at she treats you. You sink back into the seat as she finishes up and reapplies the ice for just another minute or two. You had severely underestimated the level of discomfort you were in, but your whole shoulder feels loosened up and free where it had felt tight and strained, and you're only realizing the difference now.

"Now, you're gonna feel tempted to scratch it or rub it more or anything else like that. DON'T. Overstimulation slows down the healing process for a bruise. Only ice, okay?" Her eyes are locked into yours now, serious as a shark.

"Sure, sure..." Natsuki really seems to know her stuff about this, but you didn't think she was into medicine or anything like that.

Her expression brightens a bit, and suddenly, without any warning and seemingly without thinking, she leans down and places a tiny kiss right in the center of the contusion, before looking back at you, a cute smile beaming at her job-well-done. The two of you just lock eyes for a moment, before suddenly there's a dawning look of realization on her face as it glows bright red, and she twirls away in embarrassment. "L-lets get back to the poetry." she stammers.

You don't want to press any further, so turn back to your papers, but after a few seconds, you realize you'd forgotten something. You whip around in your chair again.

"Thanks, Natsu."

She gives a nod in your direction, before focusing back her work, a hint of pink glow still emanating from her cheeks.

...

And she comes over again the next day, and the day after that, and soon you don't even need to ask. She follows you and Sayori every day of the week, and still makes time on the weekends as well. You're surprised that it's become so easy for her after the concerns she had about her dad the first few times, but anytime you think to ask, she's quick to deflect your concerns with a "Yeah, it's fine, don't worry."

Lately, she's back in baking mode, and whereas the last time you baked together was very utilitarian, for the festival, she's now having a lot more fun in showing you the ropes methodically. Soon enough, your kitchen is fully stocked with baking supplies the two of you picked up on a shopping trip to the supermarket together, Natsuki pointing out all the best brands, teaching you the distinctions between types of flour, yeast, milk, eggs, etc. It puts such a smile on her face when you show an interest, and you try your best to be a worthy pupil to the master. She also made you buy those cold compresses she was talking about, as well as an extra loose ice pack or two.

One evening, the two of you are flipping through a volume of Parfait Girls as you wait for a sheet of chocolate-chip peanut-butter cookies to finish in the oven. The drama has escalated on-page, as Minori has fallen head-over-heels for another character, the climax of a long-building subplot between the two.

Natsuki's focus on the events unfolding is absolute, and... you can't resist. She doesn't even notice as you lean toward her, your lips only an inch from her ear as you suddenly whisper "Hey!"

When she turns her head toward you in surprise, you steal a kiss, lips making contact for only half a second before you pull away mischievously.

You're grinning ear to ear as she becomes increasingly flustered, her face glowing brighter than you've ever seen it. You can tell she's trying to come up with some barb or retort to shoot back angrily, her eyes darting around in their sockets in manic thought, but she's drawing a blank due to the shock of the moment as you start to giggle.

Suddenly, she springs out at you, and for a second you're worried she's about to claw your eyes out in a rage. But then, her soft lips meet your own again, lingering just a second or two longer than your kiss did before she pulls back, her fangs exposed in a wicked grin of her own.

"There! Now we're even." she puffs triumphantly.

She's still practically got you pinned, her small frame pressed against yours. You can feel her breath on your face, sweet like sugar. She smells just a little like strawberries, and she's... so... close...

You lock her lips with yours again. Natsuki half-recoils, but after a tense few seconds, slowly leans in, wrapping her arms around you. It feels like an eternity, but eventually she does pull away, only to start lavishing your face in kisses, covering every inch of skin with rapid-fire pecks, overpowering you with affection before returning to your lips again, pressing in with ravenous zeal. You feel drunk, almost, everything else a secondary concern as the last barrier between you two finally shatters.

This goes on for minutes, wordlessly, the drama of the manga forgotten in the heat of the moment, until eventually you're both woken from the daze by the chiming of the timer in the kitchen. You're quick to spring up, moving the cookie sheet from the oven to the stove top. When you return to the couch, a warm cookie in hand for her to judge your work by, she's still sitting, the reality of the kiss slowly sinking in. You hand her the cookie, gooey and sweet, and she takes a nibble absentmindedly. Eventually, after a few seconds' chewing and a swallow, she turns back toward you.

"It's delicious... I..." her gaze falls, "I feel like I really belong here, with you. I've never really had that before, with anybody. I mean, everyone in the club is great, but... you're different." She seems painfully nervous, despite the intimacy from just a few moment's prior. Great, now you're blushing too. "You really are so, so incredible, Natsu. Getting to spend time with you... it's the best part of my day, every day. I don't ever want this to end." Finally, she summons up her strength, locks her pink eyes with your own, and forces the words "I think... I think I love you!" from her lips, nearly yelling, her cheeks beyond red. Before you can even respond, she throws herself at you once more, the faint taste of peanut-buttery crumbs still on her lips as she overpowers you again, as if she was trying to prove what she had just said was true.

When you finally part again, you tell Natsuki the truth.

"I think I love you too."

...

It's Monday, and it's been... a month? Maybe a month and a half? Either way, it's been about that long since you two became an official couple, and you haven't spend a single day apart since. You've gone on your share of adventures, dates at the bookstore, the arcade, the amusement park, as well as your share of days in, just relaxing like you used to. Every day is a new fantasy.

It took a week or so before you were comfortable telling the rest of the club, and whereas Yuri and Monika were a bit surprised and congratulatory, Sayori was absolutely ecstatic. You've had to keep it on the down-low elsewhere, wanting to keep the chance of her dad finding out at a minimum. It's been at least a month, and you've still never seen her house, even from the outside. She's been extremely cautious, and barely even pays you mind in public.

It's still tough, only getting to be together so many hours of the day, but you make it work with your endless texting in the meantime.

You're actually heading to the clubroom right now, eager to see her face for the first time in... around sixteen hours, which is just WAY too long to go without her.

You open the door, and... she's not there. Which is weird, because she's very rarely a latecomer. You bide your time, twiddling your thumbs, making small-talk with the other girls, staring at the clock, waiting for her to SHOW UP already.

But more and more time passes, and Natsuki's still not anywhere to be seen. You shoot her a text, but it goes unanswered. You ask around, and none of the others have seen her at school today.

Eventually, club time ends, and though you wait around for another ten minutes, you and Sayori eventually depart without Natsuki in tow. You've walked home without her hundred of times in the past, but it feels very strange to have her not at your side.

Once you're home, you begin to realize how little you actually did with your free time before you met Natsuki. You text her again, and when that fails, you give her a call. No answer. You feel like you're going nuts, and eventually you resort to sitting on your front stoop, hoping that maybe she'll just walk by, apologizing for being late, and everything will be fine.

But that doesn't happen, and once the sun goes down, you eventually force yourself back inside.

It was the single longest day of your life.

...

But the next day is worse. Still no sign, no message, no Natsuki. You don't want to kick up too much of a fuss publicly, still wanting to keep your relationship nice and hidden, but without her around, a massive piece of your own personality is gone too.

You're empty, just going through the motions. You didn't think you could possibly become so attached after so little time, but Natsuki made it impossible not to be.

You wait for her again out front, but she still never comes.

...

The third day, you feel like you're slipping, and though you try to hide it, Sayori notices all too clearly, and you end up staying an hour or two at her house after school just to have something to occupy your mind. Still, it doesn't bring Natsuki back, and you have half-a-mind to walk straight up to her front door, consequences be damned, and get a straight answer. But you don't want to put her at risk... and you're not really sure where she actually lives anyway.

This is hellish.

...

The fourth day without Natsuki, you start baking like a madman, using up half the supplies in your kitchen just to have something to do, something to remind you of her.

You text her a picture of a cupcake with pink frosting you've just finished, made in her image. It doesn't even deliver this time. You're too scared to call to see if the line even rings.

...

On the fifth day, you see her, down the street, walking toward you. You run for her, faster than you've ever run in your life, but before you can reach her, you feel the ground shift under your feet, and the world is shaking and shaking and...

You're lying on the floor of your kitchen. You smell smoke. You blearily look up and catch a few tufts of pinkish hair in the corner of your vision. But when you crane your neck in excitement, the world clearing up a little, you see it's only Sayori, spraying a fire extinguisher at the roaring, flaming mouth of your oven with extreme prejudice.

Oh god, you passed out with something in the oven! You watch her strangle the flames, snuffing them out with the last few blasts of extinguishing-foam, before slumping to the ground, catching her breath.

"You could've gotten yourself killed!" Sayori admonishes, harshly. "You're lucky I stopped by to check on you!"

You try to apologize, but the words get caught in your throat. All you can manage is a sob.

You feel so absolutely pathetic. Five days without Natsuki in your life, and already you're an unsustainable mess.

Sayori scoots over a bit, comforting you as you weep on the hard tile floor.

Something's got to happen.

...

It's Saturday, which is just GREAT, because now you don't even have school to distract you. Sayori has been keeping tabs on your activities ever since the near-disaster of last night, checking in with you every half-hour at least, making sure you're okay. You're really grateful to have such a supportive friend so close by.

You just putter around, trying to put your attention anywhere but on your slowly building fear that Natsuki is never coming back. You thought maybe this'd be the day you heard something, but it's nearing midnight, and still she's all but vanished from the world.

You've been trying to focus on a favorite anime you've got a month's worth of backlog on, and then you hear it.

A knock. Just one, but clear as day.

You pause the show, and look at the door for a long time, and eventually figure you must've imagined it.

As you go to resume, you hear knock number two. Just as clear as the last, but a bit weaker.

It... It couldn't be. You try not to get your hopes up as you make your way to the door.

You pull it open. Natsuki is standing there, but not for long, as she topples into your arms almost instantly, as if she had been leaning on the door for support. You freeze for half a second, unable to believe what you're seeing, before you guide her inside and slam the door behind you.

She looks like a victim in a particularly gruesome horror film, almost every inch of visible skin covered in a patchwork of deep purple bruises, both eyes black as midnight and severely swollen. She's still managing to support her own weight, but her legs are shuddering, threatening to fail her at any moment. She's in her uniform from school, partly ripped and worn. It looks like she's been in it for a long, long time.

You give a quick glance at the outside world through a window, looking for a car or some other transport... but there's nothing. Could she have really walked here like this?

You've literally never seen a person in worse shape, even if she's not bleeding. You sweep her off her feet and carry her to your couch in a adrenaline-fueled burst of lucidity in the face of what you're seeing.

What...

What are you supposed to do?! You don't know how to handle this kind of thing!

"S-s-sup?" you hear escape her lips, weakly, as a pained grimace flashes for half a second on her face at the sight of you.

"God, Natsuki, what the hell happened? How bad is it?" is all you can manage. You have a thousand more questions, but these are the most important.

"D-dad... I've been lying to him, every time we were together... had to make up a new story every time... he-" she pauses as she starts to cough. You grab a tissue and hold it to her face on instinct, and sure enough, there's a spatter of blood on it when you pull back. But she's quick to continue. "I hesitated, and he took my phone... saw your texts... knew I lied... k-kept me like this all week... did..." You can see her eyes closing, and you get the distinct feeling she REALLY shouldn't be passing out right now. You grab her gently, not wanting to hurt her any more, and yell her name a few times before the puffy lids peel back open at you. "S-sorry..." she whispers.

"Don't you dare apologize." You hate to leave her side, but you jump to your feet. "I'm calling an ambulance."

You reach for your phone, but she snatches your hand with a death grip, beyond the strength you thought she could muster in this state of injury, and a firm, clear "No."

You can see red rings cutting deep into the skin around each wrist, and the image of her hands tightly bound with rope suddenly burns your mind's eye.

After a few tense seconds, she continues "It's-ngh... nothing serious. It's all external. No broken bones, no cuts, no teeth lost. D-does it that way on purpose, so I can heal over without anyone knowing."

"Natsuki, I can't let this happen again. We need to tell someone."

She tries to smile again, "You... you're so nice to me... but I've tried that. You don't know this, but my dad... he's a real big-shot. Got friends in high places... Nobody can touch him... Especially not me... You call an ambulance, and all it'll do is make everything so, so much worse."

What do you do? You can't call an ambulance. YOU don't know how to help her... You can feel your eyes tearing up at the sight of Natsuki, battered and beaten like this. Are you really so helpless?

This is your fault. You go into her club, fall in love with her, and this is the reward she gets. You couldn't protect her, couldn't help her. She's so perfect, so skilled and talented and passionate and wonderful...

And this is what you brought on her.

C'mon, think... THINK!

Okay, the couch is NOT the best place for her, and you'll have more time to feel guilty later. You scoop her up again in your arms, prompting a quick yelp of pain. You try to be as gentle as possible you carry her to your bed, tucking her under the covers and propping her up into a sitting position with pillows. You rush down to your kitchen, snatching up whatever food you had laying out and filling her a large glass of water.

Back upstairs, you slowly lift the glass to her mouth, giving her a careful, steady supply to help her rehydrate. You think that's important, probably. You don't know if she's in eating shape at the moment, so you leave that to the side for now.

After a few minutes, you're confident she's stable, at least... what now?

Sayori!

You call, but it seems she's asleep, so you make sure Natsuki is comfortable before you dash out the door, screaming Sayori's name as you hammer on her front door. As soon as she opens it, you're rushing back to your own house, confident she'll follow.

Sayori's petrified for a second when she sees Natsu's shattered form, same as you had been, but having her there to help proves to be a great comfort to your increasingly strained, broken psyche. She darts back home for a few minutes, and returns with a hastily-gathered care package, including a bottle of pain relievers, something you failed to even consider in your panic.

You both help Natsuki get a few down with a little more water, and you run downstairs to retrieve the store-bought ice-packs you'd gotten on her advice, ages and ages ago. In the meantime, Sayori pulls out some old pajamas she'd grown out of, closer to Natsuki's size now, and carefully helps the battered girl out of her tattered uniform and into something more comfortable.

For the next hour or so, you and Sayori apply the cold compresses carefully and methodically, asking Natsu where she hurts the most, and treating accordingly, while keeping her limbs elevated with more pillows. Eventually, she think's she's strong enough to eat, and you help her nibble on a few cookies while Sayori continues applying the ice.

You want to hug her so, so badly, but you know it'd hurt much more than it'd help.

Eventually, Natsuki really wants to sleep, so the two of you keep watch quietly as she dozes off, making sure she keeps breathing and doesn't seem too strained. It's at this point that you take the time to relay everything you know to Sayori, why you can't get any other help for her.

"I just feel so trapped. The only place she can go is back there, back to him, and if she doesn't, we're all gonna get it, big time... and it's all my dumb fault." You hate yourself almost as much as you love her.

Sayori's deep in contemplation, far more serious than usual, but suddenly something seems to click in her head. "...I've got an idea, but let's not worry about anything but keeping her comfortable for the moment."

Faster than any of you expected, the sun is rising, and Sayori thinks to shoot Yuri and Monika an S.O.S over text. Within the next hour, Yuri is bounding up the stairs with fresh, clean rolls of gauze and elastic bandages. You gently wake Natsuki, and the three of you carefully wrap her arms, legs, and neck in a protective layer of cotton.

Monika shows up not too long after with a blessed, blessed bag of breakfast sandwiches from a fast food joint to feed your tired stomachs. All four of you are fawning over Natsuki now, and soon enough, she's convinced the rest of you that she's in walking shape.

You'd be lying if you said you weren't worried as she went to take her first steps, but if she was strong enough to walk here at midnight, she must be strong enough to move now. You recall the first time she came to your house, lugging that heavy sack of cupcake supplies the whole way here. She really is the strongest person you know.

As Natsuki heads off to your bathroom, there's a pall over the rest of the room. It's been a rough evening and morning, to say the least, but you've pulled it off so far. So...

"What's next?" you ask, looking for ideas.

"It really is a bit of a pickle. Send her home, we lose. Keep her here, we lose." Monika sighs, propping her head up on a fist. She's kept her cool better than anyone else, for sure, but you can tell she's just as distressed as the rest of you.

"Maybe we go back home with her... teach him a lesson..." Yuri suggests, coldly and directly, a steely gaze in her eye.

"That's... not going to solve anything in the long run, Yuri." You chide, cautiously. The severity's new on her, but you'd be lying if your own blood wasn't boiling red-hot after all this.

"We don't have much time. Natsuki's dad might not even know she's gone, or he might be expecting her to come crawling back. Worse, if he's figured out where you live from those texts, he might be on his way here any second, or maybe he sent someone else. Cops, or something. Whatever we do, we need to do it fast..." Sayori adds.

But you're still no closer to a solution. The four of you rack your brains further, but you're still short on ideas before Natsuki's return. She strides back in, surprisingly confident on her feet, and drops down on the bed, throwing back a few more pain relievers as she lands. You're astounded by the amount of pep in her step, after such an ordeal.

"Natsuki... what can we do?"

She smiles. "You all... You really are too nice to me. I'm sorry, I really am, but... there's nothing anybody can do. Nowhere to go but... home." She winces just a bit with that last word. "If I'm lucky, he might just make me switch schools... again."

This seems to pull something out of Sayori. "Oh! I was thinking earlier... Have you ever thought of running away?" she asks, not realizing it might come off a little condescendingly.

"Pffft." the old sarcastic Natsu rears her head for a second, falling into old routines despite the injuries. "Only every day of my life. But... what then? My... my dad has control of my finances, so I'm broke. Out there alone, I wouldn't last a week."

Sayori's disheartened a bit, as are the rest of you... except Monika.

"What if you weren't alone?" she offers, simply.

"Um... Are you offering to run off with me, Monika? Cause, like, you're a good friend and all, bu-"

"Oh, not me, no." and Monika's gaze turns slowly to you, and everyone else follows. They're... oh.

Oh...

It sounds crazy, but...

Could you?

Would that be okay?

Skipping town with Natsuki... maybe for good? You've got a decent amount of cash stored away for college. At least, that's what it was intended for, but it could last you a good while on your own if you spent it right...

You don't exactly have a lot of responsibilities holding you back here. You're no great student either... but it's a huge step to take so suddenly.

"...how would we, even?"

"I was going to suggest the train. Pay with cash, can't be traced. Could get you a decent way's away from here in a day, and you could figure it out from there... um, if we are talking about this for real." Sayori adds, having seemingly put a lot of thought into this

You look at Natsuki. Her expression is mixed. She's not looking expectantly, but... there's something there, in her eyes, that says she wouldn't dismiss the idea out of hand. But then, whatever expression was there is dashed by a wince of pain as Sayori accidentally makes the bed bounce just a bit under her...

To think anyone would do this to her. That anyone would look at her perfectly pink eyes, shining with passion for the world around her, and want to blacken them... god, you can't even imagine it.

You can't let her get hurt again.

"Ah... could we get a second, alone?" you ask, as politely as possible, and the other girls are quick to file out.

You kneel right next to Natsuki, taking her hands in yours, looking her straight in the eye.

"If you want to go, I'll follow you in a heartbeat." You squeeze her hand, but she doesn't recoil in pain. "If you'll have me, I'll never leave your side again."

"But... we'd have to leave the club... leave everyone else. I don't want to force yo-"

"Don't think about me. This is about you."

"...I need to think about it."

"Take all the time you need." You didn't expect her to have an answer right away. You turn to the door. "Hey, guys, you can come b-"

"-Yes!" Natsuki yells, cutting you off. Your gaze flies back to her in shock as she throws her bruised, bandaged arms around you. "Let's... let's go for it. Things can't get much worse here as it is."

"Do... do you really mean it?" you ask, a little incredulous at how quickly she's made up her mind.

"Yeah. Definitely."

...

The next few hours are full of heartache. Natsuki makes the formal announcement that you two are leaving the literature club, and even Monika can't help but shed a few tears as you all start coping with the realization that you might not see each other for a long, long time after all this.

But you act quickly, knowing time is of the essence. Sayori and Yuri pack your bags and get Natsuki prepped for travel while you send Monika to pick up the farthest train tickets she can afford, and you go empty your bank account for the journey ahead. You offer to pay her back, but she refuses, knowing you'll need the cash more.

Sooner than anyone could've expected, the full literature club is gathered on the platform for the last time. Yuri and Monika say their teary goodbyes, but Sayori sticks behind just a bit longer.

It's the first time you've noticed, but... jeez, she looks absolutely wrecked. You didn't realize it... but you're leaving her behind, for a good long while at least. She won't be your neighbor for the first time you can remember. It stings, more than a little. Before you can say anything, she wraps you in a bear hug, and you can feel tears against your shoulder as you return it.

"Are you happy?" is all Sayori asks.

"Absolutely. I'm... sor-"

"Don't be." She lets you go, her smile poking out through her tear-streaked visage. "Keep Natsu safe... and keep yourself safe too."

"You too, Sayori."

...

And just like that, you and Natsuki are on your way to who-knows-where, each with an arm around the other on the hard plastic seats. All around you, businessmen, commuters, and travelers alike crowd the car. You don't know what the future will bring. For the first time in your life, the future is unclear and mysterious. It's terrifying, not knowing where you'll end up.

But what's even more terrifying is the idea of going back, of letting Natsuki slip away into the dark. You look down at her, but she's already dozed off, still sleep deprived. As she leans into you, her bright pink hair tickles your chin, a serene smile on her face despite the extent of her still-healing injuries, everything seems perfectly clear. Maybe you're just a couple of dumb teens running away together. Maybe they'll catch you in a week and drag you back home. But somehow, you know you'll both be alright.

It's a long ride from here to elsewhere, and you're pretty exhausted from a long night of healing, so you let your consciousness slip away against her too.

...

In your dreams, you're back in that forest.

But as you approach the waterfall in the clearing, Natsuki isn't waiting for you there in the grass.

You're worried for a second, but then you remember she's been walking beside you the whole time, her hand in yours, her backpack still full of those same cupcakes and manga from so long ago. She's beaming with excitement and joy, exactly how she's supposed to be.

She settles down on the riverside, and you're quick to join her there. Despite the rushing water's roars, the world remains peaceful and still around the two of you.