The Absent Part 6

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"Fuyu?"

Monika's curious voiced echoed throughout the chambers of the student president. She found it strange; Monika was sure that this would be one of two places Fuyu would be on a day like this.

Could she...?

Monika slowly approached the desk on the other side of the room, taking care to make sure her footsteps were as quiet as possible. She kneeled against the side and took a peek under it.

Fuyu was sitting under the desk with a game device in her hands.

"I thought you already beat The Minish Cap already."

Monika's playful tease did little to phase Fuyu's clear dour disposition. Without even looking up, Fuyu replied, "It's one of my favorite Zelda games."

Monika slid closer to Fuyu and took a cursory glance at the screen.

"I remember I had to save scum the final gauntlet before the final boss," Monika recounted. "The invisible timer seemed to be a little too unforgiving."

"It can be for everyone's first time. I spent a little too much in the last room and was shocked to discover I was as on a real time limit."

Monika giggled, finally drawing Fuyu's attention away from her game.

"What's so funny?"

"Just that on a day like this, you're finally taking a break from your work."

"Leave it to you to appreciate that irony..."

Following that, the two heard a digitized sound of a bell toll. Fuyu hung her head in defeat, well aware of what just transpired in her most recent gameplay run.

"Sorry," Monika apologized.

"It's fine... Just another split Zelda timeline is all..." Fuyu sighed.

"So, is this what you were planning on doing all day? You're almost done and there's no post-game objectives."

Without saying another word, Fuyu dug into her jacket pocket and pulled out a cartridge: Yoshi's Island.

"Fuyu..."

"C'mon, Monika, you know I'd rather not go out there. There's a reason I'm sitting under a table."

"Is having your mother around really so bad?"

Fuyu visibly cringed at the question.

"Is it...?" Monika asked again in a quieter tone.

"Depends. What do you think the chances of her analyzing the whole school and giving her them their results would be just based off of last year?"

"Um... A pretty good chance?"

Monika vividly remembered what Fuyu was referring to. She recalled how red Fuyu's face was as she slinked off to hide under a cardboard box. The level of embarrassment she felt could not be understated.

"Okay, but ignoring that possibility, would you really want to spend this day hiding under your desk?" Monika argued.

Fuyu adjusted her glasses. "...Do you want everyone to hang out today or something?"

"Guilty."

"Okay," Fuyu stood up, dusting herself off. "I'll save us both the trouble and just skip to you convincing me to go."

Fuyu offered her hand to Monika and happily pulled her up the moment she accepted.

"By the way, do you think Rei will try to meet up with you here?" Monika asked.

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