A/N: when I first began writing this, I didn't expect it to go as long as it did. It starts off a little weird and slow but it picks up. I hadn't written anything for a long time when I started this story, so please enjoy my cringey old writing. Feel free to review on any chapters. (Note added on June 30, 2018)

"Heeeeeeeeeyyy!" My neighbor and good friend Sayori is calling out to me, completely oblivious to the attention it could draw to us. She's been acting a little weird lately, but I guess she's one to go through phases like that. She'll obsess over something and then drop it in about a week.

"Haaa... you were about to leave me weren't you!" She accuses, out of breath and panting.

"Well, if you didn't oversleep every day I wouldn't have to." I can't help but loose a single chuckle at her. It's not like she's a bad person, but in general she's very irresponsible.

"Meanie..." she mumbles, tip tapping her index fingers together. I can't stand that. Sure, it's cute but after the thousandth time it's more tiring than anything. Not like I'd ever tell her that anyway.

"But... at least today is a special day!" What did she mean?

"What do you mean?"

"Today you said you'd find a club to join! At school, I mean."

Did I say that? Geez, I hope not. It might have been one times where she rambles on and I go to auto-response and just let it slip my mind. Sighing, it looks like I don't have a choice in this. But maybe I can try...

"I never said I'd join a club!"

"Ehh? Yes, you did! I remember you said it just yesterday."

Worth a shot, at least. "Okay. After school, I'll try to find a decent club to join. Will it make you happy?"

A soft "Yaaay~!" is all I get in response as we continue walking, now bordering the school property line. She walks with her hands out with excitement in the air by her empty head. It's her signature fashion. Again, I do think it's cute, but I've seen it too much not to be sick of it; a melancholy thought. It's gotten to the point where I almost find it annoying. She's more of a little sister to me than a friend. We part our separate ways and find each our own class, much to Sayori's poorly-hidden chagrin. See, when I said she'd been acting weird lately before, I meant she has been trying really hard lately to... how do I say it? "Appeal" to me. Not your average fawning-over, but more like a close and almost scrutinizing attention to detail about everything about me. She probably thinks it's for my own good, I can't help but get the feeling something's wrong with her. I have a good idea about how Sayori thinks. First and foremost, she's usually unpredictable. I wouldn't be surprised if she forgot to show up and take me to see the clubs like I remember her now saying during our "talk" yesterday. I can only imagine what deeds she has in store for my poor soul. Knowing her, it's probably a full sized school tour with an hour-long explanation of each club room and activities. Hooray.

The day passes as it usually does, but the atmosphere is... different. Everything is the same, I chat with friends, buy lunch and eat, learn and forget everything. My routine stays the same. Yet somehow I suspect it's the creeping dread of knowing I'm going to get railed by Sayori for my lack of motivation at the end of the day while she drags me around against my will. Speaking of motivation, I can't find any. At all. The very prospect of finding a room in which I can waste even more time at school sickens me to my core. "A promise is a promise. Besides, she is your friend after all. Betraying her like that wouldn't be fair." That's all the reasoning I can muster while I space out in class, which, as Sayori is pointing out to me, is empty.

"Wha- oh, hold on I wasn't listening."

"I said the class is empty! Are you coming with me or not?"

I sigh again. "... Alright, let's go."

Touching her fingers together again, she giggles and I know she has something awful planned. "Actually..." she whispers. I lean in to listen. "I wanted you to join... my club."

Her club? "I didn't know you started a club."

"Ahaha~! Yep! This is why I was so excited when you said you'd join one."

"... Because you thought I'd join yours?"

"Ehehe! Well, come with me!"

I almost reluctantly follow. A promise is a promise. Maybe I should pay closer attention to what I say, even if it doesn't seem important. By now, we've taken a flight of stairs up into the third-year section of the school. I've only been here once or twice, as I'm a second-year at... here. Here... wait, what was our school's name, again?

Anyway, that's not important. A short walk is all that separates us from the club room. I'm stopped short and am told to wait outside for a second. She beckons through the window and I come in. Two others are there, eager to meet me. That is, eager until I come in.

"Is this who you brought?" A pink-haired girl scoffs at me. Sayori only bounces in excitement next to me. I stumble for words in this situation...

"N-Nice to meet you two..." Pink Hair scoffs again but one with purple hair is more receptive. Sayori finally pipes up and eases the tension.

"This is Yuri..." she points to Purple. "And this is Natsuki." Pink harrumphs at me and doesn't look at me.

Natsuki, as she is called, sits at a desk and her attitude alone permeates the room. "Just get on with what you wanted to tell us."

Sayori looks nervous. "Erm, well... this is what I wanted to tell you. Now that we have a new member, we can become an official club!"

No good news for Natsuki, but Yuri seems content with it. She looks like she wants to shake my hand, but is choosing not to. She just smiles with a small blush and whispers an indistinct greeting. At least one of them is happy.

Sayori stands at the teacher's desk and addresses us. "Okay, everyone! I need to talk to our new member privately, so would you please wait outside for a sec?"

No complaint is heard and the others step out. Before the door even closes Sayori walks, almost sprinting toward me with vigor I've never seen in her before.

"Hey. Hey you." I step back, in shock. "I wanted to thank you for what you did."

Joining her club was that big of a deal to her? "Oh, well you kno-"

"No, no. Shut up. I wanted to thank YOU for getting rid of her. Monika, I mean."

"I don't know any Monika..."

"Now that she is gone, I'm club president now. I know everything she knew. I see what she saw. And I don't like it. I want to be closer to you. The you behind you, I mean."

What is going on here? "Sayori, is this some kind of joke? What is thi