Chapter 38

Monika knocked on Sayori's door about half past noon that warm Saturday afternoon.

"Hey, Moni!" Sayori greeted cheerfully, jumping into Monika's arms as she hugged her tightly.

She seems normal now... Maybe I was wrong..?

"Hi, Sayo! Are you ready?" Monika asked as they pulled apart.

"Yup!" Sayori gestured to the pale yellow backpack on her back.

"Okay. Let's grab Yuri and Ski and get moving, then!" Monika kissed Sayori's cheek.

The younger girl ran towards the car, waiting for Monika to catch up before tossing her bag in the trunk.

She (quite literally) jumped into the passenger's seat, quickly buckling.

"Let's go!" Sayori triumphantly thrust a fist out the window.

Monika giggled as they started towards Yuri's house.

"Do Nat and Yuri know each other's coming?" Sayori asked softly as Yuri approached from her place on her porch.

"Nope." Monika held a finger to her lips as she winked.

"This is gonna be good, then." Sayori giggled maniacally.

"Hey, Yuri!" Sayori waved.

Yuri nodded in greeting as she walked to the rear of the car.

Yuri closed the hatch of Monika's trunk, sliding into the backseat.

"One more stop before we hit the road." Monika announced.

"I thought it was just the three of us?" Yuri said, confused.

"Nope. Natsuki texted ten minutes ago that she's coming too." Sayori smiled, bouncing up and down in her seat with a wide grin.

Natsuki's coming?! I-I'm not ready for this!

"I-I see..." Yuri's cheeks flushed softly.

Sayori giggled from beside Monika, who smirked silently.

"Naaaaatsuuuuukiiiii!" Sayori ran full speed towards the girl standing at the curb.

"Lay off, Sayo!" Natsuki tried in vain to push the girl away.

Natsuki forced back the smile trying to etch across her face as Sayori pulled away and tugged her towards the car.

"Alright alright." Natsuki swatted Sayori's arm away, tossing her grey gym bag into the trunk with the others.

"Oh... H-Hey, Yuri." Natsuki said, startled as she opened the door.

"H-H-Hi, N-Natsuki." Yuri glanced the opposite way, out her window.

Natsuki eventually clicked her belt in place as Monika drove off yet again.

"So Nik, where we headed?" Natsuki asked, leaning forward a bit.

"No idea." Monika shrugged.

"You mean to tell me you call me at 3:50 in the morning, on a whim, get me to ask my dad for permission, and all just to say you had no plan." Natsuki said flatly.

"Yup." Monika answered simply, her eyes glued to the road.

"Unbelievable." Natsuki shook her head as she sat back against the seat, crossing her arms with a huff.

"C'mon, Nat! It'll be fun!" Sayori chirped.

"It would be less fun if you were in a bad mood..." Yuri chimed in.

"Shuddup." Natsuki grumbled, glancing out her window as she blushed at her own behavior.

~~~

"We're here." Monika pulled into a parking lot.

"'Hotel Inn'?" Sayori read aloud quizzically.

"Yeah. I read about it online. It's got a pool." Monika said.

"How many stars?" Natsuki said jokingly.

"Four and a half." Monika said matter-of-factly.

Yuri hummed in excitement, glancing up at the tall, four story building.

"Let's grab our bags and get checked in!" Monika said.

Everyone grabbed their luggage as Monika lead them inside.

"Hi! I set up a reservation online? Monika Park?" Monika said to the receptionist.

"Okay. It seems you already paid, so just sign your name here and I'll grab your key card." the woman said.

"Thanks Miss..." Sayori tried to catch a glimpse of her name tag.

"Ohara. Kanan Ohara." the woman with long purple hair answered cheerfully as she returned with the item.

"Thanks." Sayori grabbed it as Monika handed back the clipboard.

"Third floor! Alright!" Sayori and Natsuki cheered in unison, rushing up the stairs as Yuri and Monika lagged behind.

"It's so big!" The two soon-to-be juniors cried in unison once more as they threw the door open.

They each raced to one of the two beds, Sayori belly flopping and Natsuki backflipping onto each.

"Calm down, you two!" Yuri chuckled from the doorway, carrying both her bag and Natsuki's.

"Yeah. We have this room for three days, you know." Monika smirked, hiking Sayori's bag higher on to her back alongside her own.

"Sorry..." Sayori giggled, pressing her finger tips together.

"My bad.." Natsuki blushed.

"It's okay. Sayori, wanna hit the pool?" Monika asked.

"Yeah! C'mon, Nat!" Sayori grabbed her bag and friend, taking both into the bathroom.

"Sayori! I didn't bring my swimsuit!" Natsuki was heard through the door.

"I know! Because I did!" Sayori said triumphantly.

"What the- How did you get my old bikini?!" Natsuki shrieked.

N-N-Natsuki in a b-b... A bikini?!

Yuri swallowed dryly.

"You okay there, cous?" Monika nudged Yuri in the arm with her elbow.

"Huh? Oh, um, yes. Perfectly fine." Yuri nodded.

"Then let's get changed before they finish and try to come out here!" Monika threw Yuri her black, long-sleeve surf top and grey boardshorts.

~~~

"Pool time!" Sayori burst open the bathroom, a timid Natsuki following behind.

Sayori wore a sky blue one piece with a peach outline, topping it off with some green swim goggles atop her head.

Natsuki covered her stomach with her arms, giving full view to her pink bikini with black polka dots.

"Great!" Monika said, adjusting the strap of her half-length neon green top, which was paired with neon green bottoms.

"I look ridiculous." Natsuki deadpanned.

"You look fine, Nat! We'll be the only ones there, anyway!" Sayori encouraged, patting her friend on the back.

"I-I think you look great, N-Natsuki..." Yuri said softly, clutching a few strands of her violet hair as she tore her eyes away.

"R-Really?" Natsuki blushed, making Yuri blush deeply as well.

"Yup! Let's go, everyone!" Monika pushed the two young girls towards the door, Yuri on her heels.

~~~

"You're dead meat, Yuri!" Sayori squealed after being splashed by the taller girl.

Yuri quickly swam away as Sayori chased her, giggling wildly.

"Yo, Nik." Natsuki sat on the ledge beside the brunette.

"Hm? Oh, hey, Ski." Monika answered.

"You okay? You looked more excited than Sayo to swim here, but you've just been spacin over here the whole time." Natsuki pointed out.

"I'm fine. I was just thinking." Monika said.

"About what?" Natsuki asked.

"School." Monika said.

Liar. You were thinking about Sayori again.

"Oh yeah. Next year is you and Yuri's last year, huh? Then you'll be off to college." Natsuki nodded in understanding.

"Yeah." Monika said.

"Ya know something? I think I'm gonna miss seeing you and Yuri's faces around school." Natsuki admitted, glancing towards the other girl, who was winning a splash fight against Sayori.

"I'm gonna miss you too, Ski." Monika smiled.

"But let's not dwell on that right now. That's still a long time away." Monika chuckled.

"Okay. So, ya getting in the pool?" Natsuki smirked.

"I guess, wh-" Monika was cut off as Natsuki roughly shoved her over the edge into the water.

"Natsuki!" Monika screamed as the cold water froze her.

Natsuki laughed loudly, running to a cannonball a few feet away.

"Moni!" Sayori swam over, popping her head above water to loosely hug her girlfriend.

"Nice of you to finally join us." Yuri said sarcastically.

Monika rolled her eyes, flipping her cousin the bird behind Sayori's back so the younger girl wouldn't see.

~~~

"Let's head back, everyone. The pool's about to close." Yuri announced as she returned from the bathroom.

Everyone reluctantly filed out of the pool, stretching.

"Shit, I don't have a towel." Natsuki grunted.

"Y-You can use mine, if you want.." Yuri offered.

"T-Thanks." Natsuki took the offered towel, glancing towards it's owner as she dried her hair.

Lavender...

"Nat, don't sniff people's stuff." Sayori whispered with a grin.

"I was not!" Natsuki whispered back, lightly slapping Sayori's forearm.

~~~

"Who's sleeping where?" Yuri asked once everyone was in their pajamas.

"I call Sayori." Natsuki and Monika said in unison, each grabbing Sayori by an arm.

Sayori gave Yuri a 'help me' glance as the two girls began arguing and tugging against the poor girl.

"R-Rock paper scissors?" Yuri suggested.

"Rock, paper, scissors!" the two said in unison.

"I win!" Monika hugged Sayori, sticking her tongue out childishly to Natsuki.

"I-I guess that leaves us to the other bed..." Natsuki mumbled, glancing up to meet Yuri's gaze.

"Y-Yeah..." Yuri nodded.

Sayori and Monika climbed into their bed, snuggling close together.

Yuri sat on the bed with her legs crossed, fidgeting her hands nervously.

Natsuki hesitantly climbed onto the opposite side, facing towards the middle of the bed and Yuri.

"J-Just so you k-know... I-I um... May move around in my sleep..." Yuri admitted softly, blushing deeply.

"O-Oh... Um.. O-Okay." Natsuki gulped, blushing to the tips of her ears.

"Goodnight, everyone!" Sayori chirped.

"N-Night.." Yuri muttered.

"N-Night, Sayo." Natsuki stuttered.

"Sweet dreams, cutie pie." Monika nuzzled her nose to Sayori's, making her lover giggle happily.

Sayori gave her a quick kiss before dozing off.

Monika stayed awake, plauged by worrying thoughts.

What if... What if she does have suicidal thoughts? C...Can I stop them..?

"Petals..?" Sayori tilted her head up, making the hand in the girl's hair abruptly stop petting.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Monika whispered, as not to wake the others.

Sayori shook her head, wrapping her arms tighter to pull Monika closer.

"I just wanted to thank you." Sayori said, resting her head on Monika's chest.

"You're welcome, baby." Monika smiled.

"Monika?" Sayori called again.

"Yes, raindrop?" Monika cooed.

"I love you." Sayori admitted softly, snuggling closer to the brunette.

"Love you too, my little cloud." Monika said sweetly.

Hearing no response, Monika assumed she was asleep once more.

I hope she stays this happy... At least a bit longer...

Monika slowly drifted to sleep as well, holding her lover close as their breathing and very heartbeats became one.

~~~

(One. I love KanaMari so fite me. Two. Natsuri.)