soulmates ➸ j-mei-

★chapter 3 - hate is a strong word

"I'll go make some tea," Yuri said, getting up.

"Y-Yuri?" Natsuki exclaimed, already surprised.

"I believe that's Yuri-senpai to you," Yuri said in her soft voice.

"W-What? No!" Natsuki crossed her arms.

"I was joking, Natsuki. I don't mind if you call me Yuri," the purple haired girl offered a smile.

"Baka! I don't want your stupid tea!" Natsuki said, stomping her feet.

"Alright, club. Since it's Friday, its a free day. I'm still working on getting new members, so we can be counted as a real club. Make sure to remember your poem for Friday," Monika said, grinning widely. Sayori jumped up excitedly, so she and Monika could discuss plans.

"Did you know about this?" Natsuki asked.

"About what?" Yuri asked, once again shy.

She's so confusing. Natsuki thought.

"Did you know that I would end up being in your club?" Natsuki raised her voice. Yuri flinched at the volume.

"Only when you mentioned Sayori," Yuri answered quietly, turning her attention back to her thick book.

Natsuki stomped and turned away. "Ugh, I hate you."

Yuri watched through her eyelashes as the pink haired girl walked away to grab her manga. Natsuki didn't like her, did she? Yuri cursed herself for being so stupid- for hoping she could make a new friend.

Natsuki sat on the other side of the club room. Her legs were curled to her chest as she read her manga. Monika and Sayori came out of the closet and stared.

"Seriously? You guys decide to sit on opposite sides of the club room?" Sayori groaned.

"I've been sitting here the whole time," Yuri said.

"Well, I don't like her," Natsuki said stubbornly.

"I-I have to g-go to the bathroom," Yuri said and ran from the club room.

Monika sighed, looking at her newest club member intently. This girl could make or break the club. For a year, it'd always been just Monika, Sayori, and Yuri. She didn't want this girl to ruin the club that she had worked so hard on starting.

Monika broke the eerie silence that swept over the club room. "So, Natsuki. Why did you want to join?"

Sayori forced me. "Oh, well. I like poems and Manga," Natsuki said dismissively. Suddenly, she became defensive. "I know what you're thinking. You might think Manga isn't literature, but I do. It is literature!"

Monika was taken aback from the small girl's outburst and defensiveness. It was odd since Natsuki was so small.

Arms snaked around Monika. Sayori was resting her head on the President's back. Monika turned around and chuckled at her friend. Sayori was always so cuddly, even as a friend. It made Monika wonder how she'd be as a girlfriend.

What was she thinking? She was the president of the literature club, and she's having romantic thoughts about her Vice President? She needed to stop. She removed Sayori's arms and walked to the door. "I should go get Yuri."

Natsuki had just been thinking about her outburst. She wanted to apologize. Not to Monika, but to Yuri. She felt bad since Yuri was being so sweet to her. She'd helped the pink haired get a ride on the bus, she'd helped her after she fell, and she helped her get away from the bullies.

"I can go," Natsuki said quickly, jumping up, completely forgetting about her manga. Monika nodded, confused. Natsuki took this chance to pad down the hallway toward the girls' bathroom.

-

-

Yuri stood in the stall, annoyed with herself. All she wanted to do was make a new friend, and she already screwed that up. Normally, she would be completely fine with this predicament she found herself in. But like she said earlier, this pink haired girl was different.

She pulled out a knife from inside her sock. She always kept it there- just in case.

Yuri was about to press the sharp knife into her trembling wrist. She was breathing heavily. The blade left a satisfying red cut on her arm. She breathed heavily, soaking in the pleasure of release.

The bathroom door creaked open, and Yuri slipped the knife into her blazer pocket. "P-Please, don't come into my stall."

"I-I won't," Natsuki, the voice she hadn't expected, rang out through the bathroom. She had expected Monika or Sayori. She even thought it was more probable that a random student would enter. But no. It was Natsuki.

"Yuri, I came to say that I'm sorry," Natsuki said. Yuri gasped internally. Those words sounded so foreign coming from Natsuki.

"O-Oh," Yuri said, not knowing what else to say.

"Just 'Oh?'" Natsuki grew annoyed. "I come to apologize, and all you say is 'Oh!'"

"S-Sorry, I just d-don't know what else to say."

"Girls, we're about to close. Can you stop arguing and come back to the room?" Monika asked, poking her head into the bathroom.

Natsuki growled and walked off while Yuri regained her composure.

The tall, purple-haired girl waited a few seconds before turning and leaving the bathroom as well.

"I am just ready for this day to end," Yuri mumbled. She was suddenly glad that schools starting day fell on a Friday. It was weird, sure, but she was grateful.

Yuri entered the club room, and Monika was just getting started with explaining to Natsuki their poem "tradition."

"-come back with a poem. Ah," Monika turned to Yuri. "You're back. Don't forget your poem, Yuri."

Yuri and Natsuki nodded. Sayori just stared out the window, seemingly nowhere.

"Okay, you guys can go, then."

Yuri grabbed her bag and waited for Natsuki, figuring she once again needed a ride. The short girl emerged from the closet and grabbed her bag. "Why are you just standing there?"

"Don't you need a way to get on the bus?" Yuri asked.

"Oh, yeah," Natsuki said quietly.

Yuri dropped some change into the shorter girl's palm. "That's the exact amount you'll need to get on the bus."

"T-Thanks," Natsuki smiled happily.

Then, she did something that surprised both herself and Yuri. She wrapped her arms around the taller girl's waist. She rested her head on Yuri's chest.

This caught Yuri by surprise. Nonetheless, she returned the hug. After Natsuki realized what she had done, she pulled away and ran off, leaving behind a shocked Yuri.

"Yuri?" A voice behind her startled her. "Is that you?"

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