Yuri checked the time. Her phone was bright, and she squinted her eyes. It was 4:58, Natsuki should be here soon. That is, if she even got here on time. Yuri concluded that Natsuki was usually a person to get late.
Yuri's conclusion suddenly was held back as she heard a knock on the door. She flinched.
Okay Yuri, you can do this. It'll only be 5 minutes at the max. You've lied to people about this before, how hard can it be with Natsuki? Yuri told herself this, but kept feeling a pit in her stomach. Natsuki was usually a person to see right through someone, and Yuri didn't enjoy that at all. She liked to be alone.
Nonetheless, Yuri opened the door to be greeted by the hot headed pink haired girl. Her eyes were... cold? Angry? Yuri couldn't tell. She let herself in, and threw her backpack on the couch along with herself.
"Come here," Natsuki said, patting the seat next to her. That was usually a welcoming thing, but the way she said it sent shivers down Yuri's spine. Yuri sat next to her.
"Um, so... you wanted to ta- AUK" Yuri was cut off as Natsuki gripped Yuri's arm.
"Let me see your arm. Please." Natsuki said, not looking at Yuri whatsoever, just staring blankly at her sweater sleeve.
"Natsuki... no." Yuri tried to move her arm away but was surprised at how tight her grip was. She wouldn't let go, no matter how much Yuri would struggle. "Natsuki! I'm alright, quit it."
"If you are really alright you would show me your arm without struggling. I know something is up, Yuri. I'm not an idiot." Natsuki let out a shaky sigh.
"Natsuki, I promise you that I am alr-" Yuri was too late, Natsuki rolled up her sleeve in a quick motion. Yuri couldn't move, time seemed to have slowed down.
Natsuki stared down at Yuri's arm for a moment. Scars were ripped all over her arm, new and old. Natsuki growled and pushed Yuri's arm away from herself.
"I fucking knew it." Natsuki stood up and started to walk to her bag.
"Wait, Natsuki, I can explain!" Yuri cried out, but she knew she couldn't make an excuse. This was way too obvious to make an excuse for. Yuri felt her throat go completely dry.
Natsuki didn't answer, she was just shuffling through her bag. She grabbed something, and started approaching Yuri. Yuri flinched as Natsuki sat next to her. She caught her eyes and Yuri felt like her whole entire body would crumple.
Natsuki's eyes were nothing more than pure, pure sadness. Her once sharp look was completely melted, Yuri felt it burning at her heart.
"If you're going to do something like this, at least take care of yourself." Natsuki opened her hand to reveal a roll of gauze. "Let me see your arm again." Yuri tentatively gave Natsuki her arm.
Natsuki started to slowly wrap the gauze around Yuri's injured arm. The room was filled with awkward silence until Yuri heard Natsuki give out a sniffle. Yuri took her other hand to push Natsuki's head up to look at her.
Natsuki was crying.
Yuri was certainly taken aback, she had never seen Natsuki show any other emotion besides anger, let alone her crying. Her eyes were puffy and red, tears streaking down her cheeks. Parts of her hair were sticking to her tear stained cheeks. She let out a sob as Yuri looked at her.
"Why. Why would you do this to yourself and not tell anyone?" Natsuki trembled, but kept wrapping the gauze slowly and carefully. Yuri felt her tender hand brush past with each line of gauze.
Yuri knew she couldn't explain it in a simple sentence. She couldn't flat out tell Natsuki why she did this, or how depressed she actually was.
Many thought Yuri to be a person to be afraid of, or a person to be picked on. Her family was always away and she had always been a lone wolf. Not that she always wanted to be a lone wolf, hell, she would do anything to have a good friend she could tell anything to. She felt so lonely. So, so lonely. She didn't know how to deal with her pain, and this was the only way she knew she could actually feel something other than that lonely tug at her heart.
She joined the literature club to find a safe space to enjoy a book, and to possibly make some new friends. Sayori was always loud and cheery, quite the clumsy person but altogether a good friend. Yuri appreciated her, but she always felt awkward to how shy she was compared to the loud happy go lucky girl. Monika well... Monika was popular to say the least. She knew Monika cared for her, and she really was a sweet girl, but she knew she shouldn't butt into her clique. She would be the odd one out even more than she already was. Natsuki was simple. They weren't alike in any way, complete opposites and tended to fight over the smallest things. Yuri normally was a calm person, but Natsuki would get on her nerves like no one else would.
Yet here Natsuki was, crying and tending to the scars she had created.
"I'm sorry. I didn't want you to see me like this." That was all Yuri was able to choke out.
Natsuki tied the gauze and looked at her.
Then Natsuki gave her a hug.
Yuri broke down in that instant. Everything that she had been feeling felt like it had just broke from her body. She cried profusely as Natsuki wrapped her arms around her body, and rested her head on her chest. She will probably be able to hear how hard my heart is beating...
Yuri returned the hug, coiling her long arms around her back and set her head on top of Natsuki's. She wasn't sure the last time she had cried like this. It felt relieving, but at the same time, the most tiring thing she would ever do. The person she thought hated her two days before was now hugging her and letting her cry on her head.
"I'm sorry I was always an asshole. You know, I don't always mean it." Natsuki seemed to have stopped crying, but she didn't let go of Yuri.
"I thought you hated me." Yuri let out a faint laugh, but it was crackly.
"I thought YOU hated me." Natsuki giggled back. "I just... I have a hard time showing emotions."
"It's alright." Yuri sniffled. "Now, I'm sure you don't appreciate me getting my tears in your hair." Yuri let go, and just stared into Natsuki's eyes.
"I don't mind," Natsuki mumbled. "I just want you to be alright. What can I do?"
"I'm not sure right now, to be honest. I guess just... just keep helping me like this. Just you being here makes me feel a lot better, I really needed to cry like that." What was she saying? Yuri blushed profusely as she realized what she said. "I-I mean, if you want to. I know this can be a lot." Yuri put a piece of her hair behind her ear awkwardly.
"Yuri! It's fine, I didn't come here just to shit around." Natsuki laughed. "I knew something was up, I just don't know what to do." Her laugh subsided. "I guess I'll just tell you that I really don't hate you. It may seem like it, but I didn't always mean it."
"Well, we are complete opposites. I wouldn't blame you for being angry with me sometimes. I can be a pretty terrible person..." Yuri stopped as Natsuki gripped her hand, her face turned scarlet.
"It was my fault. I was an asshole to you from the start." Natsuki's gaze was boring into Yuri's as if to say; you can't change my mind.
Natsuki jumped as her phone rang.
Natsuki let go of Yuri's hand, and grabbed her phone from her back pocket. She cleared away a notification for an alarm that Yuri read as "Get Home."
"I gotta go right now, I'm super sorry. We can talk tomorrow at the club if you want." Natsuki quickly grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder. "Don't hurt yourself, okay?"
Yuri nodded as Natsuki headed out of her house.
She felt her heart pang as the door was shut close.
Dear Diary,
Finally, it's Friday! TGIF, am I right? I hate school a lot, but I really do miss the literature club over the weekend. Plus the fact that Papa y'know... Whatever, I'm getting off track. Hopefully I'll be able to make cupcakes or something to waste my time. I wonder if Yuri likes cupcakes? I hope so, if not that would be really really sad (and kinda angering, but I pledged to myself not to be too much of an asshole to her). I'll bring her some anyways, if she doesn't eat em I will. I'll probably make extra for Sayori, and try my best to make a vegan one for Monika. I always leave these off when I have to hurry to the club, don't I? Well, once again I'll have to leave it on this note. Until next time.
As soon as Natsuki walked into the clubroom, she was met by a hug. Yuri was pretty much smothering her.
Yuri squashed Natsuki, then lifted her into the air for a moment, laughing. Natsuki turned red from both embarrassment and pain. She was tightly hugging each and every bruise that Natsuki had from her dad. Natsuki gave a weak wheeze, and Yuri instantly put her down.
"Oh my God, I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" Yuri's confidence seemed to immediately crumple. "I was just really thankful for you talking to me. I wanted to give you a proper hug."
"I'm fine, Yuri." Natsuki smiled, but she felt her bruises searing.
Both girls panicked as they heard an ear splitting scream.
"WHAT!" Sayori practically burst herself through the clubroom door. "YURI ARE YOU FEELING ALRIGHT?"
"Huh?" Yuri seemed completely oblivious.
"You... I watched you two from the window with Monika. At first I thought Yuri was strangling Natsuki like a python because Natsuki looked like she was dyin but then Yuri let down Natsuki and Nasuki SMILED. You guys HUGGED. Natsuki SMILED about it." Sayori was completely breathless.
Monika smiled from the window, and let out an excited wave.
"Also, Natsuki, I told Monika about your-" Sayori stopped, looked at Yuri, winked, then looked back to Natsuki. Yuri looked at Natsuki with a confused face, and Natsuki just looked back at Sayori with a red face.
"No, I just felt to give Natsuki a proper hug after..." Yuri stopped, her face becoming red again. "Ah, nothing. Nevermind."
"What! You can't just leave me hanging here!" Sayori whined. "Ugh, whatever. At least you guys don't hate each other anymore."
"I never hated her, Sayori. Yes we disagreed on things but I didn't want to stab her or anything. Jeez." Natsuki rolled her eyes. Sayori put the back of her hand on Natsuki's forehead as to check for a fever.
"Sayori, I'm sure they're fine! No need to fuss." Sayori hadn't even noticed that Monika had entered the clubroom. "I'm glad you two have gone to good terms, though." She smiled widely. Yuri gave an awkward thumbs up in response, and all three girls giggled in response. Yuri nervously laughed along with.
The giggling subsided as MC ran into the club room, he was gasping for breath as he sat down his stuff at a desk.
"Sorry you guys, I had a math test. Guess I was the last today," he managed to splutter out.
"Ugh, maths the worst!" Sayori was immediately beside MC, patting his back. "Did you know that Yuri and Natsuki just hugged? Crazy right?"
MC blinked in surprise. "I thought that they were doomed enemies!"
"That's what I thought too!" Sayori was practically yelling now. "Oh, I'm so happy that they're friends now!" Yuri looked to the ground, and Natsuki swallowed uncomfortably.
"Doesn't look like it quite yet," MC chuckled.
"Hey! Don't be mean! They're trying their best to be friends and that's what matters!" Sayori playfully punched MC's arm, but MC let out a faint "ow," before massaging the place he was hit.
"Well club, since it's Friday you guys can do whatever you want! Don't forget your poem for Monday, though!" Monika smiled, and put her arm around Sayori. Sayori giggled as her face turned a light shade of pink. Natsuki checked her phone, and her eyes widened. It was 4:46!
"Well, I should probably get home," Natsuki mumbled. "My dad is gonna kill me if I'm any later!" Natsuki let out a nervous laugh.
"Awh, already?" Sayori pouted. "Well, see ya Natsuki, have a good weekend!"
"Yep, gotta go!" Natsuki quickly grabbed her bag and waved all the other group members goodbye.
Natsuki shuffled to her front door and quickly yet quietly unlocked the door. Her heart dropped as she saw her dad awake, in the kitchen. He swiveled his head to the sound of Natsuki closing the door behind her.
"You're late once again." He snarled.