(In the school literature clubroom…)

Monika: “There! Everything’s all set up for today’s meeting. Now we just need Yuri.”

Sayori: “I hope she’s not too nervous about sharing her pieces today. I really want her to feel comfortable!”

Natsuki: “Yeah, but if she doesn’t hurry up, we might end up starting without her. I mean, it’s not like she doesn’t enjoy writing or anything.”

Monika: “Come on, guys, let’s give her some time. Maybe she’s just caught up in her preparations.”

Sayori: “Yeah, you’re right, Monika. I just want her to know that we’re all here to support her.”

Natsuki: “Support? Sure. But can we at least have a time limit? I really want to read my new manga inspired poem today!”

Monika: “I promise we’ll all get a turn. But let’s wait a few more minutes for Yuri. It’s important to make her feel welcome. Also, thankfully, I made these chairs extra-comfortable. My back’s been hurting these last 7 months from how much my belly has been growing.”

Sayori: “Oh, Monika! You’re going to be such a great mom! And I think the comfy chairs will help everyone feel more relaxed.”

Natsuki: “Yeah, yeah. But if we’re waiting too long, I might just have to take a nap in one of those comfy chairs instead of sharing my poem!”

Sayori: “Natsuki! Don’t say that! You should share your poem. I can’t wait to hear it! Plus, it might help Yuri feel more at ease if she hears you go first.”

Natsuki: “Fine, fine. But I’m not going easy on you if you start getting all emotional or whatever. I don’t need that mushy stuff messing with my creative vibe!”

Monika: “You know, we all express our feelings differently. And I think that’s what makes sharing our work special. We can have fun with it or be serious, depending on how we feel.”

Sayori: “Exactly! Writing is like a way for us to share our hearts. And Yuri’s really good at that! I think she’ll surprise us all.”

(Just then, the door creaks open, and Yuri steps inside, her hands fidgeting with the papers she clutches tightly.)

Yuri: “H-Hi, everyone. I’m sorry I’m late…I was just, um, making sure everything was perfect.”

Monika: “No need to apologize, Yuri! We’re just glad you’re here. We were starting to get worried that you’d miss the meeting.”

Sayori: “Yeah! We really wanted you to feel comfortable sharing today. I’ve been looking forward to hearing your writing!”

Yuri: “Th-Thank you, Sayori. That means a lot to me. I hope…I hope my piece is okay. I’ve been working on it for a while, but I still feel so nervous sharing it.”

Natsuki: “You’ll be fine! Just take a deep breath. I mean, I guess your stuff is usually pretty cool…even if it tends to have a lot of flowery language.”

Yuri: “R-Right, I do have a tendency to write that way. But this time, I wanted to try something different. I hope it’s not too much of a departure from my usual style…”

Monika: “I’m sure whatever you’ve written is going to be amazing, Yuri. Just remember, we’re all friends here, and we’re excited to hear what you’ve created.”

Sayori: “Yeah! And if you start feeling overwhelmed, just look at us. We’re rooting for you!”

Yuri: “Okay, I-I’ll try my best…”

(Yuri takes a deep breath and steps to the front of the room, clutching her papers tightly, when Monika suddenly clutches her stomach.)

Monika: “Ow! Okay…that one was a bit stronger than usual. Sorry, everyone, just a little cramp.”

Sayori: “Oh no, Monika! Are you okay? Do you need to sit down?”

Natsuki: “Geez, you’re not going into labor or anything, right? You scared me for a second.”