Akira Kagurazaki II

Monika's home was a spacious villa owned by her parents, her mother was a famous writer in both literature and movie scripting. Her father on the other hand was a business man who goes on trips quite frequently. When he'd do so, he'd leave enough money to Monika for a while week. Monika's mother went to America for a few days to test out the new movie script she wrote on demand.

Having no one else to invite home, Monika invited her boyfriend ―Akira― to her place for a nice dinner and perhaps some romance ?

"Dinner will be ready in a minute sweetie~!" Monika shouted from the kitchen.

While Monika was cooking, Akira wandered around the house. He was amazed by how big it looked on the inside compared to the outside. Monika was lucky to have such rich parent but kinda unlucky when it comes to their presence.

Even though Monika warned her boyfriend about entering her chamber, Akira still took it with a grain of salt and went there by curiousity.

*Switch!*

Akira turned on the switch to Monika's room. The paint on her walls was pink. A bed on the corner of the room. A desk on the other corner, with an opened but shut down MacBook and a few books, as well a lamplighter.

Akira walked towards the bookshelf, which took more than one half of the right wall. He took a moment to stare at her collection of books before picking one. The book was a poem collection written by famous Robert Frost of the 20th century.

He picked another, the book was yet another collection of poems written by William Shakespeare, Victor Hugo and René Descartes.

"This is amazing. Not just English but even French poems, didn't expect Monika to be a fan of Hugo... His poems are way too sophisticated for a normal teenager or even adult..." Akira mumbled.

He put the books back to their positions. But unexpectedly, a note fell out of one of the books. "Oopsie..." He picked up the piece of paper, he opened it and got surprised to see it was a poem written by Monika. It was written for Akira Katsuragi !

"A poem... for me?" He asked in surprise.

❝I think about you in the morning,

Hoping that you, find me charming.

I think about you in the afternoon,

Hoping that I, can meet you soon.

I think about you in the middle of the night,

Hoping that you, understand my plight.

I just can't stop thinking about you,

I just hope one day, you end up liking me too.❞

A happy smile formed on Akira's mouth,

He opened the book to find a second note, it was another poem for him. He couldn't deny being very happy at this moment, he impatiently opened the note to read what charm she had written to him.

However, this note had a 'negative emotional aura' to it. It seemed almost unhealthy. His brows curled up on his eyes as he read the text, written in a bold font with a red crimson color.

❝This depression,

From my secret obsession.

Because my mind is always,

Hooked on you.

Dragging me down,

Into the ground.

But I can't get over you,

No, no I can't.

I'll be your soft and sweetie,

So be my strong and steady.

From the instance we meet,

I knew I loved you honey.

I make cuts

With broken glass,

Not on my wrists like others

Because I don't want them seen.

(...)

The blackness always,

Ends up surrounding me.

When the redness,

Is around me, when you leave me.❞

Well this... Was anticlimactic. Akira found a third note but he didn't dare reading it now because it looked even MORE TERRIBLE than the second, with literal blood stains on it.

Monika was suffering. Suffering alot from what can see. He made up some courage to read the torture Monika in inflicting to herself but before he could do so, he heard footsteps coming upstairs.

Alarmed, he quickly hid the notes back in their places or atleast where he thinks they were and hid behind the door after turning off the light.

The lights got turned on suddenly, he slowly looked and saw Monika just looking around. She went to the bookshelf and rearranged the moved books. She proceeded to take a small paper sheet then left the chamber.

"Sigh... That was a close one..." Akira sighed. When she left the corridor and back to the kitchen, he went to the bathroom and acted like nothing had happened.

Akira walked back to the first level of the house back into the lobby. He went to the kitchen and saw Monika making food happily. She was wearing a pink apron while moving the tomato sauce for the lasagna in the pressure cooker.

She hasn't noticed Akira's presence yet. Without making a sound, he slowly walked towards her then hugged her from behind, while pressing himself on her back gently.

This sudden contact startled her for a second, "Kyaa!... A-Akira? Jeez you scared me for a second there haha~" She laughed after a quick second of surprise.

Akira hugged her even tighter from behind and pressed himself on her more intensely. He didn't speak a word and that made Monika quite skeptical.

"Is there something the matter sweetie?" She asked, with concern clear in her voice.

"I'm sorry Monika." He apologized.

"Wh—What are you apologizing for you didn't do anything at all!" She spoke.

"You must be feeling brocken. Yet, I didn't notice it... How you always smile in front of everyone to cover up the sadness deep within you."

"...What're you talking about all of a sudden...? I'm perfectly fine!" She reciprocated.

"Is that so? Then why do you have these—" Akira gently caught her right arm to not hurt her then lift the sleeve a bit, this revealed a few wounds made by self-mutilation.

Tears appeared in Monika's eyes. Akira caught her then hugged her tightly, placing her head just a bit above his shoulder. "Please stop hurting yourself. It breaks my heart to see you do this to yourself..." He said, with a slight frown.

"...I... I just—" She mumbled in failed excuse.

"You know you'll always have me by your side. You don't have to act up anymore. I accept you for who you are even though some may think you're twisted or brocken. I'll be your strong and steady." He said.

"....And I'll be...your soft and sweetie..." She said, remembering that quote from the poem she wrote.

Silence lasted for a bit, then Monika left the hug with no longer teary eyes but in a relaxed mood and frowning eyes yet sunny sensation. She held his hands then said softly, "Thank you Akira~... Thank you alot." She hugged him with closed eyes the continued, "You're the best person I ever met~ You're all I could have wished for~..." She said.

He hugged her back then stayed like that for a dozen seconds until she felt better.

The two helped in finishing dinner preparation. It only took them a quarter of an hour to finish it together. "It's ready~!" Monika said as she opened the oven and pulled out a hot steaming lasagna prepared with loove~

Akira took the plates from the kitchen and spread them around the table, alongside the bread, ustensiles and drinks.

The 18 years old teenage girl put the lasagna on the table, Akira cut it then gave Monika the first slice. The two enjoyed eating that fruit of their cooperative work, she had cooked lasagna many times but Monika could say, without doubt, that this was the best lasagna she ever had.

After dinner, they watched a movie, a thriller romance movie, during the which they held hands non stop for fourth minutes. At the end, it felt weird separating, as if there was some sort of connection linking between the two.

"I had the best night with you, Akira. Thank you so much for all what you've done~" Monika thanked him.

"It's okay. I can't deny either that I've enjoyed my stay with you. I'll be heading to my place now, so see you" He said.

"..."

"?...Is there something you want to say before I go?" He asked.

Monika tensed up for a second. She did indeed have a request for him but in her eyes it was quite selfish. But after hearing those pleasant words about how he'll always be by her side, she had to try.

"Anoo... Could you please stay by the night? It gets very lonely and scary in here..." She said, with her index on her chin and slightly looking in a different angle with a small frown.

Akira looked underneath and saw her pressing on his sleeve with her index and middle finger, it just showed how much the poor girl was horrified of sleeping alone in a big place.

"Of course I'll stay with you. Not just tonight but every night until your parents return. I can only imagine how scary it is to sleep in a place this big" Akira replied.

It's like stars lit up in Monika's eyes. She couldn't believe it. Her cheeks blushed slightly and she jumped on him in happiness. "Thank you sooo muuuch~!!" She cried happily.

He just head patted her while taking her back inside.