Rei sat in his homeroom, bandages on both hands, his neck, both cheeks, the left side of his chin, and a small bandaid across the bridge of his nose.

He was the talk of the school for a week after the incident, seeing as the stains on the bandages implied the severity of his injuries.

After receiving improper medical attention— Rei didn't want to get his mom involved— he dealt with the pain silently, his hands getting the worst of it.

He couldn't draw for awhile, so all progress on the banner was postponed.

Rei sighed, staring up into space blankly.

Despite stopping Yuri from trying to kill herself, he wasn't exempt from classwork. They made all his work digital, not that he minded, since typing was the only way now.

•

Rei walked through the halls to lunch, again hearing the chatter of the school all wondering how he got his injuries. No one dared ask. After all, he himself felt a bit traumatized.

He never thought she'd actually do it, so the scar that'd be on his hands and neck let him realize what he got himself into.

'Damn, that woman needs a therapist. And I'm not up for that anymore.' Rei thought, incredibly annoyed.

"Speak of the Devil—"

"I said I'm sorry... I'm trying to make it up to you." Yuri frowned as she walked with him. "I'll do anything you want for a month."

"Leave me alone for a month."

"Anything but that." Yuri glared, and groaned, "Ugh! You're not making this easy."

"Rich coming from you..." Rei replied, walking faster, but she wasn't letting up, speeding after him.

"I said leave me alone. I'm done trying to fix whatever the hell is wrong with you." Rei spat harshly. "No, no! It's working, I swear. I want to make it up to you more than I want to f—... be in a relationship with Hanamura." Yuri stopped herself from revealing her intentions, but Rei knew what she wanted to say.

"You're sick... and I'm no vaccine." Rei scoffed, taking a seat at his usual table.

"But I want you to be my vaccine. You've made me realize that I've... taken things to far. I need to take a step back—"

"A leap."

"—Take a leap back, and start from square one. With him, and you." Yuri finished.

"Wow... that's great and all, but I want nothing to do with you. So, do whatever you want. Suffer by your lonesome, or hurt yourself never knowing just how far Hanamura is out of reach." Rei muttered glaring at her with a tinge of hatred.

Yuri wasn't fazed, and kicked his shin, making him yelp as Monika, Sayori, and Natsuki arrived.

"The hell is your probl—" Yuri shoved food into his mouth, fooling everyone but Monika.

~•~

Rei skipped club, seeing as he was useless without his hands.

He wanted to play video games, but of course that was just as difficult— frustrating him quickly.

He felt useless, so after doing his homework he tried to pass out on his bed, music playing through his earbuds low enough to not disturb him.

His limited serenity was ruined when Monika opened his door. Shocked, Rei sat up but Monika shook her head and sat beside him.

"What's up? How'd club go?" Rei asked.

"That doesn't matter. How are you? Yuri told me about everything that night. Apparently you passed out from the shock soon after." She revealed.

Rei thought about it, and wasn't able to bring himself to tell the truth, the best he could muster was a guilty smile, and showing his hands, wrapped in bandages. Monika let out a shaky breath, ten times more guilty than he could ever feel.

Even she didn't think Yuri would have gone that far. She thought her docile act around Akira was just an act but it was an illusion. That was her keeping up appearances— showing restraint. She was simply unable to be that way in front of him, but push her buttons enough and she snaps.

Monika swiftly and suddenly crawled over Rei and gazed down at him, placing her right hand in his left one. Rei was a bit flustered by her suddenly sitting on his lap, but he certainly wasn't complaining.

"Please, allow me to make it up to you." Monika said with a smile.

"Uh, while you don't have to... this development is making me curious." Rei admit, letting out an embarrassed gulp.

Monika could only giggle, slowly digging her free hand into her pocket. Rei rose a brow as she leaned in to him, planting a long kiss on his lips.

"Lets just call it a massage." Monika began to smirk as she slowly revealed what was in her pocket.

"Oh..." Rei was slowly losing his cool. "Oh fuck." He said with widened eyes of disbelief.

"Don't worry. We're about to." Monika joked, before slowly pushing him down into the bed...

~•~

Rei woke up in the same disbelief as before.

Monika was more than prepared, because not only was she awake before him, she was in her school uniform, sitting at the end of the bed.

It was the next morning, and it seemed that even despite her taking the wheel, Rei was in no shape to last the entire night.

He wasn't embarrassed in that regard, seeing as he did almost die not even two days ago.

He was more embarrassed that he looked like a dumbass the entire time. He was inexperienced after all. Monika wasn't physically experienced, but Rei was fooled.

Rei sat up quickly and rubbed his eyes, before checking under his blanket to see if he was dreaming.

"No... no fucking way..." Rei muttered in shock.

"Someone's happy." Monika teased, glancing back to see his surprise.

"I just can't believe I'm not gonna die a virgin." Rei admit, making Monika clamp her hand over her mouth. She tried her best to stop laughing, and Rei was shaking her head in annoyance.

"I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't know you thought so low of yourself. You should have some confidence." Monika chuckled.

"I have plenty. Just not in the sex appeal category." Rei said crossing his arms.

"My mom always told me that I wasn't one to keep up with appearances, so she had little faith in my sex life. Now I've got bragging rights." Rei smirked, making Monika stand up and smile.

"I'm glad you're feeling better. I know for sure I am. I can't wait to see what you can do at full health." Monika walked to the door, before pointing to a bag at the side of his bed.

Rei shooed her away, but she gave one last remark before heading downstairs.

"I'm trying to hear those cute ass moans again." She gave him a grin, winking at him as she departed.

"Stop destroying what masculinity I have left, you succubus!" Rei shouted, hopping out of bed to hurry to the shower.

~•~

The pep in Monika's step as she walked beside Rei down the halls only brought along jealous, curious, and confused onlookers.

Rei didn't look anywhere near as depressed as the day before, so a single thought ran through the student body.

'They definitely fucked...!'

Monika pecked Rei on the lips as he reached his class, before nudging him into the room and moving on to her own. Rei shook his head in amusement, but he heard the sound of half his class clicking their tongues.

"You all are as bitter as ever." Rei muttered to himself.

Rei lazily sat in his chair, but he was shocked to see that Natsuki was quick to walk up to his desk.

"Sup, Gushiken?" Rei asked, leaning back in his chair with a smile.

"I won't be outdone, so try this." Natsuki set a cupcake on the desk rather aggressively. Rei observed the color of the cake and icing, and recognized it immediately.

It was a Neapolitan cupcake, with half chocolate and vanilla cake, and strawberry icing.

Rei nodded, and took the chance at such a good looking breakfast, seeing as he rushed out after Monika.

One bite in and he knew he was defeated.

"I'll give you this one..." Rei admit, making Natsuki shake her head smugly. "Who would've thought? It's only right. Lets see you top that." She smirked.

"I won't go down here. I'll show you why they call me the Pastry Professional." Rei glared playfully.

"Who the hell calls you that?"

"No one— but they will!" Rei declared, making Natsuki snort and walk away.

Rei chuckled at himself, and sighed, happy with how things were—

•

Until Yuri was standing outside of his classroom for Lunch.

Rei would've balled his fists in annoyance, if he could, but he instead, completely ignored the students wondering why the beautiful upperclassman was waiting outside the first years class.

Rei sped by but Yuri caught his collar, making him click his tongue since he couldn't escape to the wave of students rushing to the cafeteria.

"What. Now?" Rei asked with irritation, glaring back at her.

"I'm not done with you—"

"There you go again, not knowing when to quit." Rei stood there, ignoring the clench she had on his collar grow weaker.

"Listen the last thing I need, is for whatever I did to be in vain. You do the rest. I've done my part... even if it doesn't feel like it." Rei broke free and walked away, making Yuri just faintly reach out in shock.

She watched him walk away, and could only be irritated with herself for not excepting the right help sooner. She soon followed after, since she'd rather not cause a scene by being absent from their table.

~•~

Rei was standing in his last period, two minutes after the bell rang for dismissal.

'Do I even want to go back...? I'd be useless just sitting around. The phantom pains make everything so hard.'

Rei contemplated whether he skip club again. He was weighing heavier on skipping, since he didn't really want to see Yuri.

And so, he did just that.

He sat on his bed in boredom, and he was growing increasingly irritated with the coming routine and lack of motivation.

Not that he could do anything, but the uselessness he felt was getting to him.

Seeing as Ichika was nowhere to be found in his house, Rei assumed that he was hanging out with other students.

Rei decided to get a snack from down stairs, and decided cereal should suffice. However, fate had a much more tedious task that pouring cereal and milk.

Rei heard his doorbell ring, cursing to himself that anyone would dare disturb him as he satisfied his hunger.

Rei opened the door with a glare, but flinched and began to sweat immensely. Rei laughed hoarsely, but ended up going into a coughing fit as two people stared.

Sayori was standing beside his mother, a woman with a long, dull brown hair, reaching her lower back. Her eyes were on the lighter side compared to Rei's being nearly hazel.

The glare she dished back to him scared every fiber of pride he had in him.

Sayori watched the interaction with confusion, blinking repeatedly.

"H-Hey~... Mom..." Rei managed to wheeze out.

The woman let out a small breath of air, before walking forward and turning Rei around. She lightly kicked his rear to get him to move, before motioning Sayori to enter.

•

After helping his mom with her bags, Rei was eating his cereal with a wary glance towards his mother.

"Oh, right. What brings you here, Sayori?" Rei wondered.

"Well..." Sayori was also intimidated by the woman's silence. "I was going to ask for your advice on what a guy may like for a gift. The culture festival is around the corner and I want to get Akira something special." Sayori requested.

"If I'm being lazy and honest, I'm sure anything you give a guy will be of value. We aren't so complicated as to not appreciate a gift at face value— unless, you know. You give the guy coal or something. Or they're a dick." Rei replied.

Sayori was about to continue, but Rei did so instead.

"However, seeing as Hanamura is important to you, you want to be thorough. Can't blame you." Rei sighed, making Sayori smile at his reply.

"Just let me know what you have in mind, and I can give you pointers for what I believe someone like him would like." Rei could hear his mother shift from her position on the couch.

"Oh! That reminds me. Do you mind coming with me to get it tomorrow?" Sayori asked with a smile.

"...Wouldn't that look bad on both of us?" Rei asked, knowing she liked Akira, and he was happily tied to Monika.

"Well, I guess we need to be more inconspicuous then." Sayori laughed, but Rei groaned.

"Yeah, yeah. Just let me know when you wanna go." Rei gave a thumbs up, so Sayori smiled and stood up.

"See you then!" Sayori left, and Rei rubbed his temples.

"How was your business trip, Mom?" Rei asked, seeing his mom laying down on the couch in her dress shirt, tie untied and dangling loose against her chest, her skirt lifted slightly so she could move her legs enough to lie down.

"Fucking annoying. Waste of my damn time." She replied, sounding pissed.

"So two weeks wasted. Damn." Rei sighed in her stead.

"I've got to ask, Rei," his mom waved her hand to call him over.

Rei took another scoop of cereal into his mouth, chomped down and gulped before heading over to see what she needed.

As he approached the couch, he was suddenly grabbed by the collar, getting yanked down to her face.

"Who the hell hurt my son?" She asked with a glare.

"I got ahead of myself. Handling problems I thought I could manage." Rei replied, making his mom, yank his collar again.

"Ow! I ran into a girl like you! Sheesh!" Rei winced as she tossed his collar away.

"That explains it. Now elaborate."

"You're gonna wanna get comfortable..." Rei walked around the couch and sat down himself.

~•~

An hour later, Rei's mom was sat up, balling her fists, leaned over with her arms on her knees. She was blankly staring forward after he told her everything.

Everything.

"Yup... almost died." Rei shrugged.

Rei's mom was silent.

"Mom?" Rei asked with concern.

"How the FUCK did you get someone to have sex with YOU?!" His mom shouted.

Rei immediately clicked his tongue and walked away in annoyance.