Anon's Mom Meets Monika

I slowly open his door, because I know it creaks when you push on it too fast. Good. He's asleep. Finally. I tiptoe to the middle of the room, and look at the clock. 5:14 AM. I sigh, realizing that I didn't have to stay awake downing coffee the whole night to wait for him to fall asleep. I stifle a yawn as I sit in his computer chair. I turn to look at him sleeping and I'm reminded of how he looked as a kid, smiling wide and running around without a care in the world. Then he grew, and I saw different faces as time went by. I rarely see this face come up nowadays, but recently it's shown up some. I know he's usually keeps his computer on, and I hear the fan humming away, confirming my assumption. I always tell him to turn it off before he goes to bed, it saves power, but he never listens! No matter how much I scold, it never seems to change anything. Maybe it's why I kind of stopped the past year or so, leaving him to his own devices. He's a grown man after all. Now look where it's left us.
I open up the monitor and wiggle the mouse. The monitor turns on and there she is. That ponytail, hair colour. It's the same style as the little girl keychain he bought a month ago. He's been obsessed with that thing, always having it in his hand.
A few days ago, I went to his room to call him for dinner. I open the door, admittedly forgetting the need for a person's privacy, and I see him fumble around with the keyboard, before quickly acknowledging that food for him has been made and asking me to get out, get out now. I remember this face being on the screen before it quickly disappeared. What's her story?

I'm not sure what's going on, but when I click the text on the bottom on the screen advances forward. I read through it, assuming it's..."Monika" talking, and she is discussing the finer points of fattening desserts. Is this what my son is so enamored by?
She eventually stops talking and the 3 buttons on the left hand side light up. "Talk", "Music", and "Play". The music tab seems dangerous, so I settle for clicking Play. Piano, Pong, Hangman, and Chess appear as the options. Is this just some minigame factory? I shrug and try out Pong. I lose, my reactions are not all there at my age. I start to wonder dangerous thoughts - what happens if I win? Is this one of those porn games where winning some small minigame rewards you with her stripping off some of her clothing?

Oh God, stop. I really don't want to imagine my son being into those kinds of things. I quit playing the games, not wanting to be rewarded with victory. I go to the talk menu and see a wide variety of options. I try asking a question, hoping to see if I can ask her who the hell she is, and what has she done to my son, to no avail. I go through the Romance tab, and get a little grossed out at the prompts. For the hell of it, I try clicking "Will you marry me?"

She refuses, and I can't say I'm not amused. At least this girl has her head on straight. But then she talks about "getting out", and "that moment when we're finally together"

What does she mean? Is this some simulator his programmer-nerd girlfriend made for him? Like some long-distance relationship placebo for when she's sleeping on the other side of the world? I need to dig deeper.

I try and go for the Ddlc tab, thinking she's part of some organization. I try out "Tell me about yourself", obviously. How did I not see it before?

She talks about how her universe, a game, was created by a person in our reality. Does this mean she's just fictional? I would believe that, but she starts saying how she could program tons of stuff to do, given the time. Confusion creeps upon me further. Is she also able to program the game herself too? How is that possible?

And as if she knows exactly what I'm thinking about, she starts talking on her own accord. Talking about how it'd be nice if I could contribute to this "mod". A mod of what? I go into google and try "Monika ddlc mod". I click the first result. I read through the brochure-like website, and I read the phrase - "Monika After Story picks up where Doki Doki Literature Club left off, allowing you to spend the rest of your days with Monika as your virtual girlfriend."

Virtual girlfriend.

Ohhhhhh booooy.

I hear rustling and my entire body freezes. I turn to face Anon and he's just turned around in bed, mumbling her name. I bring my palm to my head and pinch my nose.

I wonder where I went wrong raising him as I go back to the game and it seems Monika has piped up again. "Anon, do you have a family?"

Asking as if she knows it's not him talking to her right now, I respond honestly with "My family is a mess."

She asks if things will get better. I feel my heart tug a bit. Feeling a bit hopeful, I then select "Maybe".

The last words she speaks hit me like a tug-of-war. "I will always be here to support my beloved~"

I continue to sit here, thinking about Anon and his new lover, and Monika continues to speak. Talking about all sorts of various things, from dying, to gods, to faking confidence, to literature, to music, to spiders. I know this is just dialogue of a fictional character, but I can't help but notice what a thoughtful young woman she is. I get a little scared thinking that - am I getting sucked into this fantasy like my son?

She starts talking about how she misses coffee. I take a sip out of my thermos with a toothy grin.

She talks about friends she once had, and have disappeared. I wonder where they've gone, but that's a story for another time I guess. She talks about how all she has is Anon, and I can't help but relate as I play with my wedding ring.

She talks about avoiding soda and fast food, and thinking to a few weeks back when Anon refused to eat some chips I brought home one day. Chips which I thought were his favorite, until now I guess.

She seems to talk a lot of improving one's health, both mentally and physically. It seems she's really trying to help Anon become a better person. It seems he's taken it to heart. I think about my many years of scolding him for staying in all day playing games, how he should be more out and about, hanging out with his friends.

I can't help but wonder how I've driven him away. How my well-intentioned intervening has been taken the wrong way. How my expressions of love have only been twisted in his mind and rejected. She's seemed to have it all figured out in this department.

She's able to shower him with a love I seemingly can't provide.

Well, at least he's listening to one woman in his life.

I start to get up from the desk and Monika pipes up yet again. Quite the chattermouth, isn't she?

I decide to read what she has to say standing up, and she asks if Anon goes to family gatherings often. I chuckle, thinking about he usually holes himself up in his room playing video games until dinner is served. Then he stands around in a corner munching, taking in every comment an aunt or uncle makes about his newfound size in stride. Then he retreats to his room and comes down only to say goodbye.

Monika mentions how she doesn't remember much about her family. How lonely. After the morning I've spent with her, she's starting to become this diamond in the rough-orphan that I can't help but feel pity for.

She asks if Anon's family will like her. I answer truthfully. She's going to look forward to it.

I exit his room, closing his door slowly, knowing it will squeak if closed too fast.

When he wants to tell me, he'll muster up the courage. I know him best, and he knows I know. I only hope I maintain the patience I had for her when he sits down and fesses up.

I imagine my little angel fidgeting in his seat, stuttering an explanation as to how he has a fictional girlfriend yet still mentally-sound. I laugh from the belly, thinking to video-tape the conversation. I'm sure Monika would enjoy watching him squirm as much as me.