Rei was in his bedroom, throwing a hoodie on over a dark blue shirt. Seeing as it was Fall, it was only right he'd dress a little warm.

Ichika, Rei's roommate, was sitting on his bed with a grin. He wanted to tease his best friend, but he knew it wouldn't get far.

"Don't you think it's a bit too simple? She didn't immediately call it a date." Ichika asked.

"It's not like I have anything snazzy. My mom doesn't take us to her job's banquets, so best I've got is a button-up shirt," Rei replied. "Besides, I'd rather not look like I'm trying to hard..."

Ichika nodded with approval after Rei turned back to him, blatantly checking him out.

"You know my verdict. Now it's all up to her. Got to say: I am jealous." Ichika teased.

"We live together, you can't possibly be that jealous." Rei mused, grabbing his wallet from his dresser and waving to Ichika as he left his room.

~•~

Rei arrived at the nearest shopping mall, overlooking the massive complex due to the sighting of the date in question.

Monika sat up from the bench outside of the entrance, and perked up seeing Rei. She waved him over, and he walked up to her with a smile, albeit, still confused at the sudden gesture.

I mean, a date after they just met. Who wouldn't be.

"I see you look good in whatever you wear." Monika complimented, catching him off guard.

'So forward...' Rei thought with a blank stare, unable to comprehend the sudden interest in him. His best bet was being honest, he thought that's what she'd like.

"You look nice as well. Your sweater compliments your eyes." Rei replied, albeit more formally than he'd have liked.

"No need to be so stiff," She caught him. "I just wanted to take this time to help get you any supplies you need, and get to know you better." Monika explained.

"You don't mean you'll pay, right? I can handle that since I'm the one work-"

"Nope. Not a chance. Now let's go." Monika smiled, grabbing his hand and forcing him to follow after denying his willingness to pay.

Her intentions were blunt, but he was a bit stubborn when it came to finance.

•

Picking out a basic case of painting supplies, Rei was about to head to check out but Monika grabbed him by the hood and yanked him back, walking pass him with a case two times as large and expensive.

•

Rei looked at a small set of brushes, obviously much cheaper to the large detailed and gold-lined ones to their right.

Rei was about to grab the cheaper ones, but Monika grabbed his hand with a calm smile.

Rei slowly looked over and saw she was motioning her eyes to the bigger pack. Rei, as stubborn as he was, continued to move his hand towards the smaller pack, but her grip completely stopped him.

Rei sighed as she guided his hand to the more expensive set of brushes.

•

Rei watched as Monika paid for the two unnecessary pricey items, and looked back at simple sketchbook on a shelf. He was running out of pages in the last one, so he decided to take the initiative and replace it now.

Reaching for the simplest one, he suddenly stopped feeling a very intense glare. Without missing a beat, he moved his hand to the larger book with more pages and picked it up.

He walked over to Monika and added the sketchbook to the pile, making her smirk grow smug.

"That'll be all." She told the cashier.

•

Rei sat on another bench with his hand over his face, exasperated at her tenacity and overbearing will to get the best quality for him.

'It's like she's doting on me. I can't complain, but this goes against my morals. We just met...' Rei thought, but watching the girl beside him eat a pretzel-bite from near by place.

She held out the container to him, and he gladly ate one, noticing she had scoot closer.

'Heh. He's as entertaining as I thought he'd be.' Monika thought, having the time of her life with him. 'He's unlike all the others. He's so different from boys his age it's refreshing. Maturity at its finest.' She cooed to herself as he grabbed another bite.

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask..." Rei began, but fell silent pretty quickly, seeing the knowing smile on her face.

"Three reasons," She held up three fingers.

"You're smart." She put one down.

"You're cute." She put another down.

"And know what you're doing." He rose a brow.

"What does that mean? Like, career choice?" He asked in confusion. "No, that's not it... You mean my compass, don't you?" Rei asked, referring to his moral compass. His decision-making.

"I knew you'd figure it out. Just like how you didn't like Akira at first glance." Monika said with a sudden blank face.

"He doesn't seem right. He's not a bad person, but he seems almost indecisive and aloof. Like he doesn't want to do anything in life." Rei admit.

"Why does that make you upset?" Monika pressed.

"I use to be that way. But I can't fault him for it. Which is why I showed respect. He may not have the push he needs to find reason to pursue a path." Rei replied.

"So it's from experience. What brought you to pursue art?" Monika asked, letting the rather rude topic of Akira Hanumura die out.

"Ichika." Rei said bluntly. "Ichinose?"

"I'm not gay, but I have to admit he's a cute guy. Just decided to draw him one day in my depressive slump. It sucked. But Ichika was flattered, and pushed me to keep going. So I did. Further than I'd have ever imagined." Rei answered, taking the last bite since Monika was entranced by his voice.

"Basically. Akira seems like the person to make mistakes and take others down with him. How can anybody like someone like that..." Rei shrugged.

"Sayori does."

"Aimoto? Sounds about right."

"What do you mean?"

"They come off as childhood friends. It's been a month since school started. You don't just do that for a friend, but Akira didn't seem attached enough to be a significant other." Rei deduced.

"You impress me more and more. Spot on." Monika mused, placing the empty container into the trash can by the bench by leaning over.

"Wait. This distracted me from my original question." Rei realized.

"Oops." Monika said placing her arm around his waist.

"I know you answered why you're interested me... but I have suspicions about why this far, so soon. It seem illogical." Rei wondered, making sure her hand didn't venture further.

"Oh. This is faith." Monika answered, standing up but making sure to grab his hand and lead him up as well.

"Lets stop by a cafe on the way back and get some real food."

"Way back?" Rei asked.

"As your senior, I have to get you back home safely. And don't even think about paying me back in cash. I can tell you how to do that when we get to the cafe." Monika responded, letting Rei grab the three bags before leading him away.

~•~

Due to the convenience of a cafe so close to his house, Rei had dropped off his supplies to Ichika, and the two were now seated, awaiting the only waitress of the small and cozy establishment.

Monika recognized her, and the waitress her, but the girl didn't want to speak out about her seeing a boy, and would ask later.

Monika calmly stared into her cup of coffee, and Rei was silently awaiting her "request" that she'd ask instead of paying her back.

Rei crossed his arms, and Monika chuckled to herself.

"I'm sorry. It's amusing watching you bottle up the nervousness of anticipation." She apologized and picked up her spoon, swirling the image of the cat in her coffee.

"I don't mind. As long as you're content." Rei nodded, making her cover her mouth and look away.

'He's just too perfect. It's ludicrous...' Monika cleared her through and turned to Rei with an affectionate smile.

"Go out with me, Rei Shizukesa." Monika asked, flustered on the inside, but her calm smile hid it well.

Rei was taken aback. The interest was one thing, but how fast doesn't one take this? Is this normal? It can't be!

Rei answered honestly. He wasn't stupid by any means, and knew better than most.

~•~

Rei was walking through school to get to his second class of the day.

Per usual, he was walking alone and silent as ever. He didn't mind being alone, and it often made him more aware.

For example, he was now aware of all the stared and murmurs of the people around him- directed entirely at him.

To test this theory however, Rei stopped walking, making everyone gasp.

'Uh... okay.'

"Hey." Rei called out to the nearest group to him, making a girl in the trio jolt in shock.

"Y-Yes?" One of two boys asked.

"Are you all talking about me? Did I do something?" Rei asked in confusion.

"W-Well. Nothing wrong. It's just, we heard the news." The same boy nodded. "But is it true?!" The girl suddenly butt in.

"Is what true?" Rei asked.

"That y-you... you're... That you're going out with Monika Koide?!" The girl asked, making everyone hold their breath.

Rei internally rolled his eyes, 'is she... the school idol or something? I didn't know she was so popular...'

Rei answered, "Yeah. I am."

Everyone began shouting and talking much louder, making Rei take his leave. Jealous, envious, yet some elated stares followed Rei's fleeting figure.

•

Sitting at the end of a table in the cafeteria, Rei silently ate his lunch as the muffled bite deafening sound of the student bodies talking drowned out the footsteps headed his way.

The sudden lack of this muffled chatting caught Rei off guard, and made him look around to see if there was a commotion.

He didn't expect it to be him.

'Uh o-' "Good morning, Rei." Monika greeted, Yuri quickly taking a seat across from him.

"G... Good morning, Monika." Rei greeted, smiling, albeit weakly due to the stress of being the center of attention.

"I hope this hasn't been bothering you. It blew up ever since Irina saw us yesterday." Monika explained.

"The waitress? She did look shocked to see you yesterday." Rei had noticed it the moment she saw Monika.

"Yeah. She was quick to ask questions after we parted. All the eyes on us... It's kind of thrilling, is it not?" Monika asked.

Rei took one glance at the face she made while saying this.

"It seems we both don't enjoy this." He said, smiling to himself.

"Apologies. Good morning, Kuroyanagi." Rei said, receiving only a glance at the apology. "Good morning, Shizukesa." She replied, indifferent to the greeting.

Rei noticed she looked upset when she greeted him, but could tell that she was looking past him.

"Good morning, Monika, Yuri, Shizukesa!" Sayori greeted, sitting beside Yuri, with Akira sitting beside her.

"Morning everyone." He greeted, seated with a small container of food, a bento.

Everyone looked at Rei's lunch, and then back to Akira's...

They both had bentos...

'How weird...' the girls thought.

Natsuki had silently arrived, seeing as her closest friends were gathered, and waved to everyone as she sat beside Monika.

'The gang's all here.' Rei thought with a small smile.

~•~

After sketching at the club room table, two hours had passed. The girls had been discussing the creation of a new anthology, and even got a few books in the new record Yuri brought.

Rei was sketching a few of the covers that he looked up on his phone, incorporating new poses of characters and placement of items and backgrounds to blend into each other.

Monika watched with interest alongside Natsuki, to Rei's surprise.

Ichika was surprisingly engrossed in a book Sayori recommended, and hadn't spoke since receiving it.

Rei yawned as he spun his pencil around, adding a finishing touch to a character from a manga Natsuki had requested.

"Woah... you nailed that. It looks so cool." She complimented. "Thanks. This character was pretty fun." Rei replied, making Natsuki smile since he appreciated her pick.

"It's only right since he's from peak fiction." Natsuki smugly shrugged, making Rei laugh.

Everyone grew quiet as the door to the club room opened, revealing Akira, here to pick up Sayori.

"Hello again, everyone." Akira bowed.

Rei waved, and the others gave their own greetings of sorts. They were all familiar with him, but only Sayori seemed close. Ichika didn't bat an eye however.

Sayori quickly closed her book, and tapped Ichika shoulder, and waved, saying he could keep the book. Ichika gasped and wiped a non-existent tear away as Sayori ran over to her friend.

Monika suddenly motioned Rei to look at Yuri.

Rei gave an inconspicuous glance at Yuri just as she watched Sayori walk away with Akira. Rei saw three key emotions.

Jealousy.

Anger.

Malice.

Rei didn't specifically know if it was directed at Sayori, but the glare she gave the back of her head made it more apparent.

Rei turned to Monika, but saw she held up her phone.

'My final request: Help me fix this club.' Monika showed with a straight face, worry hidden behind her blank expression.

Rei looked down at his sketchbook, and Yuri finally looked forward, spotting Rei's tight grip on his pencil.