Chapter Text
“It’s been…a while, huh, Sunny?”
…
“I know it’s been a long time since we’ve last talked. After…everything, it’s been h-hard to see everyone’s faces again, even if it feels like we’re both…in better places now, compared to before.”
…
“Honestly…that day still lives pretty vividly in my mind. I know it was more about the two of us, but…the anger that fluctuated in Aubrey’s face, the fact that she couldn’t get mad, even if her body was forcing her to. And the way she didn’t even storm off afterwards, just walked away without a word…the disarrayed expression she’d carry around for days after…I don’t even want to talk about Hero and Kel…”
…
“It’s times like those that really make me rethink about telling them the truth. Telling them everything. Making them enraged. Betraying their trust. Hurting our friends with the burden of knowledge…I don’t know. I just…don’t want to lose anyone else.”
…
“But I…I still think…I’d do the same thing, even if I was given the opportunity to go back in time. It’s better this way. Scars hurt better than unchecked wounds, after all, and, I realised it was the right thing to do.”
…
“It’ll take a while for them to process everything. I…haven’t heard from any of them yet, but it’s okay. They can take their time. I just wanted to be with you again, Sunny.”
…
“Now that it’s all over, I’ve been trying my best to go back to the things I used to love. Gardening, Photography…n-not to say I gave up on them during those four years, but…it always felt a bit dull. A bit empty. Something to check off the list, rather than something I truly enjoyed doing. You might remember I kept those old plants alive in my house, but it was more out of obligation. But when I picked it up again, after it’s all been…off my mind, it felt really rejuvenating. Like an old friend you haven’t met in a while, knocking on your door and welcoming them inside with a hug.”
…
“I should show you another time, Sunny. I’ve been taking a bunch of pictures around Faraway, exploring places beyond the trees. There’s some hidden beauties in the nature around us, you know. And back then, we thought we were so adventurous, crossing over those construction signs and building our own hangout spot near the lake…”
…
“Memories never die, do they? Even now, I can recall what happened, all those years ago…that time we all made flower crowns…that time Mari picked up a spider and scared Hero so bad he couldn’t move…that time you almost d-drowned, haha, b-but…you were safe in the end, so…”
…
“I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t be bringing that up, but…it’s hard not to think back on it, when you’re revisiting your memories. It’s why I initially started taking photos. I just wanted to preserve that memory, making sure it lasted forever, immortalised in a piece of film I could revisit any time I wanted to. Making sure life didn’t pass me by, before it was too late…making sure it didn’t abandon me too, when I was still trying to catch up. Just like when…”
…
“Nevermind, Sunny, it’s probably best not to make you feel any more guilty. Even though it’s been such a long time since, I still struggle to process it sometimes. But I’ll move past it…I know I will. With you always being next to me, I know that this too, shall soon pass. For the both of us.”
…
“I’ll try my best to revisit as soon as I can, okay? But, don’t be surprised if someone else comes before me, either."
...
"I’m sure our friends would all love to talk to you too. Despite everything.”
Notes:
(Song Recommendation: A Home For The Flowers - Guitar Cover - Composed by OMOCAT/Arranged by MaximumGuitar)
(As mentioned at the beginning notes, this fic is much more experimental compared to the usual formula. But, I've always been interested in telling a story through dialogue, so I'll push it to its furthest extremes here. I'm also tackling how each member of the friend group reacts to the Truth.)
(I know it's a bit of a touchy subject when it comes to the fandom, so always remember that just because my interpretation/take on how the character will react to the Truth is different from yours, it doesn't mean it invalidates your personal head cannons. It's the beauty in an ending left up to our imagination. There's a lot of ways to twist the story here, and I'd hate for that imagination to be killed off just because you read my silly fanfic.)
(Basil is a very controversial character, so I hope I handled him well here. I'd imagine him to be slightly less nervous and a little more self-paced once he tells everyone the Truth. Him reverting back to his hobbies is kinda his way of both passing the time as well as reminiscing on his past. A way to indulge in the past while awaiting the future in the present moment.)
Chapter Text
“Long time no see…Sunny.”
…
“It’s crazy to think I haven’t visited you after all this time. I’m sorry, I just…really had to take my time with everything. I’m sure you’d understand, but I still feel guilty over it. I really messed up back then, not checking in with everyone else after Mari’s passing, and I…I’m not going to make the same mistake again. Even with you.”
…
“The day we all learnt about the truth of what happened…we were all beyond flabbergasted. No words could properly describe how I felt that day, alone in my bathroom, still trying to calm myself down. Even in a million years, I would have never even begun to assume…”
…
“Well, I guess it’s a bit useless to think about it now. I’ve…grown up, though, compared to the past. I know neither you nor Mari would have wanted me to become a shut-in again, and personally, I can’t handle living another two years like that. I vowed to myself that day, when I went to university, that I’d focus on helping everyone else by studying medicine, and…even though the root of my motives were all framed by Basil, I…still think it’s a noble goal worth pursuing. You guys always called me Hero, and I felt like I needed to justify that name to myself.”
…
“Anywho…it’s been a crazy time since then. Aubrey is still trying her best, but I know she’s still hurting inside. And Kel…he’s been…he hasn’t left his room since. I’ve tried my best to get him out, but I’m afraid it’s much worse than my own depressive episode, back when I was still 16. Oh Kel…how I wish I could just break down that door and help you, but I know it’s a lot more complicated than that.”
…
“I still think about what I said to him sometimes, even after all these years. That fuming moment of rage that came out of me, back when he tried to snap me back to reality. It’s something no one should ever say to anyone, and the fact that I said it to my younger brother was…it’s something I deeply regret, though I know there isn’t much I can do about it. Sometimes I still wonder if it bothers him to this day, and that it’s just all…crashing down…right now…”
…
“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I know you don’t want to hear me like this, Sunny, but…life is just so hard sometimes, you know?”
…
“That’s why I…strangely understand you, even if it’s in a twisted, perverted sense of justice. Doing something irreversible and yet, blinded by rage, by hate, by emotion. It’s not like you can’t think about the consequences of your actions, you just don’t. You just want to let it out of your system. Lash out. Take it out on someone, no matter how close they are to you.”
…
“And afterwards, you try to act like everything’s fine. I know I apologized to Kel immediately afterwards, crying into his shoulder and everything, but I really didn’t bring it up again, always thinking it was just another sensitive spot in our lives we should just forget about. I think at that time…I just didn’t want to take responsibility, selfish as it may be. I didn’t want to admit that a part of me could even…conjour those words to yell at someone. That a part of that rant was rooted in some mixed feeling of anger and denial. A way to delude myself into thinking that I was still the good ol’ Hero that I knew myself to be.”
…
“But people aren’t perfect. I know I'm not, you’re not either, and even Mari had her flaws. It’s always hard to own up to your own mistakes, especially ones that affect other people so much, but…doing so, and moving past that…it’s a really humanising experience. That’s why, even after everything…”
…
“I remember getting really worked up over it, the day I learnt the truth. The anger boiling inside my blood, ready to burst out, ready to wreck havoc, ready to unleash my rage, just like the time I lashed out at Kel.”
…
“But then…it all just kind of faded. It all felt hollow for a moment, a crushing realization in my mind. I looked myself in the mirror, and stared at the circles underneath my eyes. The bloodshot stare that greeted me when I tried to look at myself. I just…felt tired. Tired of all of this.”
…
“And after that, I slowly started to understand you, and why you did the things you’ve done. So please, Sunny…don’t blame yourself for everything that happened. I can’t say I forgive you fully, but I can say I knew where you were coming from. And that for someone your age at that time, it was completely understandable.”
…
“I hope you’re in a much better place, now that we’ve all come to the last page of this chapter in our lives. I’m sure if there’s one thing we all want,
it’s closure.”
Notes:
(Video Recommendation: Omori Kel Analysis | Everyone's Ray Of Hope - JJCGames)
(I know it's a Hero Chapter, so it's stupid to link a Kel Analysis here, but this video gave me a lot of insight and background regarding the incident where Hero lashed out at Kel, so it's definitely worth a watch. He also has a ton of great analysis on basically all the other characters, so be sure to check them out when you have the time.)
(Not to be a hypocrite here, as I'm not here to invalidate your personal head cannons, but I just never really thought of Hero being all mad and bent on revenge after he learns the truth. Being heartbroken and feeling betrayed is a feeling I understand, and I do find the memes of Sunny being thrown down the stairs afterwards kinda funny, but at the same time, I just feel like he wouldn't actively do anything rash, especially because of how he messed up with Kel in the past, and how much he regrets it. It's built up to be an almost intentional parallel to Sunny in a way, so I doubt he'd actually want to mess Sunny up.)
Chapter Text
“...Sunny.”
…
“I’m sorry I haven’t visited you, ever since that day. It’s just…it’s been so long, and it’s…so much to process. That you were the one who scribbled those photos, that you were the one to push…that I bullied Basil for four years, all for nothing…”
…
“That dumbass. That sentimental flower-obsessed dumbass. It hurts me every time I look at him. I really wish he’d flip me off, or cussed me out, or any other act of defiance, but he just…smiles at me. And tilts his head. And it’s…it makes me feel like the worst person alive.”
…
“As for what you did, Sunny, I…I’d be lying if I said I forgave you. But at the same time…can I even judge you, despite everything I’ve done myself? What you saw of me during those two days before I turned around, that was really just a glimpse of what I’ve done to Basil these past few years.”
…
“I still remember that day I pushed him into that lake. It was a weird feeling. Like time itself slowed down, before an odd silence interrupted the air. Like I’ve gone into a part of a video game I never was supposed to. Like I did something I should have never done.”
…
“That feeling of mixed regret…shock, regret, panic…all of it, rooting me to the ground, unable to even move a muscle, even if I knew acting fast could have potentially saved him.”
…
“It’s funny. I knew he was always a bit of a hothead. Impulsive, emotional, stupid…classic Kel. But that day…the voice he used to yell at me…it wasn’t just mature, it was something else entirely. Like he actually got furious for a real second. It made all his previous tantrums all look fake. And I…just didn’t know what to do. Too overwhelmed by everything.”
…
“But…it was you, wasn’t it, Sunny? It was you who dived headfirst into that lake to save Basil. Even if you knew you haven’t exercised a muscle for four years. Even if you knew you weren’t good at swimming. Even if you almost drowned there once, you still braved it.”
…
“That was…really dumb of you, Sunny, you idiot. But, it showed that you’ve grown. Because you knew what it felt like to be in that position, and so you were the first to act. And I can’t stand the thought of not doing the same for you, Sunny.”
…
“So…I forgive you. Maybe not fully, but if we’re just talking about what you did with Mari…then, I at least understand where you were coming from back then. Oh god, you were…still so young, still so young to have…”
…
“I’m sorry. You probably don’t want to hear this either. I just miss her a lot. And I’ve missed you a lot as well.”
…
“On the topic of way back when, it…reminds me of a time we shared together, Sunny. We were coming home from the beach, and we were in the car together, with Kel’s parents driving us back.”
…
“Kel was the first to doze off, and honestly, I was close to sleeping too. But then, your head just…fell onto my shoulders. I remember having my entire body shiver the moment we made contact, but it was more out of shock than discomfort. You looked so…at peace, when it happened, and breathing so peacefully as well, that I couldn’t bear the thought of waking you up, or moving your head elsewhere.”
…
“And so we stuck like that. For however long that car ride was. With just the sounds of the old radio in the background, the sounds of Mari and Hero quietly flirting with each other, the sounds of the nearby waves, crashing against the shore and putting us all at ease. And when the setting Sun shined its sunlight on the two of us, I looked out the car window, and stared at the beauty of the ocean, its soulful blue staring right back.”
…
“I kinda wanted to wake you up just for you to see that. But you were always the creative one, weren’t you, Sunny? I bet you could have imagined it in your brain, just based on what I’m saying now.”
…
“Maybe it’s…cheesy to say, and don’t tell anyone else I said this, but…that was one of the best moments in my life, you know. One I still remember, even after…everything. It felt beautiful. Something you’d see from a romance film, happening right in front of us. But above all else, it felt like a warm hug. A warm hug from a family I never had.”
…
“And…that’s another reason I forgive you, Sunny, selfish as it may be. Whenever I think about what you’ve done…I just…think back to that sleepy boy next to me. And to think that…to even entertain the possibility you pushed her out of vengeance, or hatred, or that you didn’t regret it for the rest of your life…”
…
“Just know that no matter what you’ve done, you’re not a bad person, okay, Sunny?”
Notes:
(Song Recommendation: 青い、濃い、橙色の日 - MASS OF THE FERMENTING DREGS)
(Have any of you read the OMORI Manga? I know a lot of people have mixed reviews, but in my opinion, it's honestly very good. It's not perfect of course, and I do prefer the game more, but it is everything I could have wanted from a manga adaption of OMORI. Keeping the original story while making a few creative differences and showing us different perspectives, not just from Sunny's point of view.)
(Especially when it comes to Aubrey's character. She definitely feels a lot more redeemable in the manga compared to the game, and I think showing the reader glimpses of her troubled home life earlier on helps us sympathise with her, and ultimately makes more scenes less one-sided, like the infamous Basil Lake Scene. Even in-game, you could argue Aubrey was still the major driving force of conflict, but in the manga, it really feels like all four of them are at fault, while at the same time, none of them wanted to ever be in said conflict. Addressing the scribbled photos here is a nice creative change, and I still think it works with the story, as it both hints towards Sunny being the culprit, and explaining Aubrey's motives in this emotional, climactic scene feels pretty fitting.)
(If you want a much better and thorough review compared to the trash I just wrote, check out Rei Caldombra's channel. He does a super thorough analysis and review on every chapter of the OMORI manga, and I think they're pretty underrated for what they are. You can also read through his videos in the style of text in his blogs here.)
(One last thing, I'm very sorry for being inconsistent about the upload schedule. Procrastinating is my number one habit, after all, so more often than not, I'll just put stuff aside thinking I'll 'do them tomorrow' and lo and behold it's almost been 2 weeks. I'm also used to just writing entire fics at one go and uploading them all at once, so I will have to get used to this eventually. Still, I swear I'll hold myself to a one week time limit from now on, if nothing else in my life goes wrong.)
Chapter Text
“....Sunny…”
…
“Long time no see, huh? Haha…it feels weird, talking like this, with no one else listening, but…”
…
“I’m sorry I haven’t visited you for so long, Sunny. Being the first one to knock on your door after 4 years, I…I bet you expected me to come earlier. But…it’s just…it’s so…it’s just so horrible, I…”
…
“...what you did to Mari. I…couldn’t believe it when I first learnt about it. It felt like…a sick joke. An excuse. A copout. I thought…I really thought you guys just made that up, so we wouldn’t blame ourselves for her suicide. Afterall…you would never do that, right? You wouldn’t. Basil would NEVER think of that, and obviously, YOU would never do that either. Not my Sunny. No…no, no, no, not in a million years.”
…
“I was…frustrated when everyone else started to react horribly. When Aubrey walked up to Basil, with that livid expression on her face, ready to strangle him to death, but…just couldn’t bring herself to do or say anything. When Hero just…stood there, too shocked to even respond, and stormed into the bathroom. How could they believe…such a stupid lie? Such a convoluted, disgusting lie…”
…
“But the pieces came falling down afterwards. How it all fits together. Whatever argument I threw at it, it could bounce perfectly back with an explanation. And…I couldn’t deny it a couple of weeks later. And ever since then, I…never left my room. Until now.”
…
“...I still don’t know if I forgive you, Sunny, even after all these months spent alone in my room, just stalling time until I had to accept the Truth. But…I know…I know that wasn’t who you are. That…the person who pushed Mari…it wasn’t really you.”
…
“Haha...it sounds like a pathetic excuse when I say it like that. It doesn’t make much sense, I’m sorry, lemme…rephrase a bit. It’s just…Basil told me he found your violin shattered at the bottom of the stairs, and that he heard…intense screaming coming from Mari four years ago. Screaming that was borderline hysterical. And…I’ve been through that too. I don’t know if you remember much, but the day you and I visited Mari’s grave, I told you about that time Hero yelled at me. In a similar hysterical outrage.”
…
“I managed to tune it out, and…well, his voice was fragile and cracked, sometimes even turning into small sobs every now and then, so I knew he didn’t mean all of it, but his words still come back to me sometimes. And to think that you got to experience that, when you were still so much younger, and when Mari didn’t even stutter or break during her outrage, I…that moment of rage…that moment of desperation…I understand it, Sunny. I really do.”
…
“Sometimes, I try blaming the problem on Basil, you know. Because it was his worst idea ever, faking it as a suicide, lying for however many years, but…”
…
“I think back to that day, when we were at the old hangout spot. When Aubrey pushed him into the lake, I confronted her immediately. I scolded her in a voice that was foreign to me, to be fully honest. I don’t get tilted like that often. And in doing so…I lost sight of you. I just randomly said something to you about saving Basil, before yelling at Aubrey. I didn’t even realise what I'd done until I saw bubbles floating up towards the surface, and started to panic. It’s honestly all thanks to Hero that you survived that day. I could have killed you. I could have killed both of you.”
…
“It’s hard to…think of a solution, in a time like that. It’s hard to even think. And he just wanted to help you, didn’t he? He, too, was just young. We all were. He didn’t know what he was doing, and I’m sure, if we were there, we…would try our best to defend you too.”
…
“They’ve visited you too, haven’t they? Hero, Aubrey, Basil…they’ve all left you little gifts here, I wish you could see them. I hope they’re doing fine. At least, the other day, when Hero knocked on my door and talked to me for a bit, he said they were doing better than they did four years ago. Even if I didn’t respond to him at all, I was glad to hear that.”
…
“That’s another thing, Sunny. Staying inside for four years…I thought you were grieving back then. I thought that maybe one day, you’d turn around and come outside again when you were ready. You were the closest to Mari, after all. You just needed time, and I’d…get back to you in a couple of days. And before I knew it, days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months, months turned to four long years.”
…
“I’m sorry I never came earlier. I’m sorry I left you. Sometimes I think about what Aubrey said in the church. About how we all just…left her, abandoned her and let her suffer alone. I didn’t let it phase me at first, but now that I think about it…I did that with you, too. Did that with everyone, to an extent.”
…
“I know I shouldn’t blame myself for past wounds, but they still sting sometimes, you know? Even if you treat them with proper care, they always leave a painful scar. And I don’t blame you for never leaving that house, Sunny. Your desire to be alone. It’s just…so much easier. So much simpler to turn the boundaries of life, which is a horrible, vague, overwhelming reality, into the confines of your room, a place of comfort, familiarity and control.”
…
“But…life isn’t about that, is it? It’s not some metric you can increase or decrease, and it’s not a thing you can scale up or down in size either. Because if you confine your life into such a small area...any lasting scars, any open wounds, any bleeding cuts…they all become such a bigger part of your life, and they hurt you so much more. No, life is about…the people around us. My friends. My family. And you and everyone else, Sunny. If my life was so much bigger, had a much larger area, then the size of those scars and cuts would become a smaller part of my life, as I continue to grow.”
…
“I’m sorry, Sunny. I’m really sorry. I’m just rambling at this point…despite everything I’ve said, I still think it’ll take me a couple of weeks to fully go outside again to meet Hero. But I promise-no, SWEAR to you, that I’ll do it, Sunny. I’ll do it for everyone, I’ll do it for Mari, and I’ll even do it for you.”
…
“D-don’t get it twisted. I don’t forgive you. Not just yet…I really can’t. But a part of me knows that, the person who pushed Mari…it wasn’t really you.”
…
“Just like with Hero, that wasn’t really you, and the Mari that yelled at you wasn’t really her. I know it’s tempting to believe that people fake their relationships unless under extreme stress, before they open up about how they truly feel, but that’s…it’s not true. I know it’s not.”
…
“Because if it was, then you wouldn’t have been so helpful to everyone in town the day I first knocked on your door. You wouldn’t have listened to my story I told you in the graveyard if you didn’t care. You wouldn’t have dived in headfirst to save Basil, when I was still caught up with scolding Aubrey, the day he got pushed into the lake. You wouldn’t have even answered my knocks, if you truly didn’t care about us.”
…
“So please, Sunny…at the very, very least…forgive yourself, okay?”
Notes:
(Song Recommendation: little big lobby - nicopatty (ft. uglyburger0) )
(I know the song is pretty unserious considering the tone of this chapter, but I felt like shouting it out anyways, sorry :P. This song gives HEAVY OMORI vibes, and if you told me this was an unused OTHERWORLD song, I'd probably believe you. If you're looking to scratch that OMORI OST itch, then be sure to check it out! The composer, nicopatty, has a lot of other banger songs, so check them out as well.)
(I wrote Kel to be a lot more emotional and unstable compared to the rest of the cast here, so I hope that it isn't too out of character. It's my personal head cannon that he'd respond the worst to the Truth, not just to do a role reversal of what happened the first time, but because he was the first to believe in Sunny and reach out to him. And how he was so forgiving when it came to Basil and Sunny, so I imagine it'd hurt extra hard.)
Chapter Text
“It’s been…a while, huh, Sunny?”
…
“Hehe…who am I kidding, it’s only been a month or two. But still. I’ve missed you a lot, you know? Sometimes I wish you were still…with us. With everyone, but…I know it’s stupid to think like that.”
…
“Things have been getting better, though, ever so slightly. Aubrey, Hero and I all met together a week ago, and…it felt…so w-weird, not having them yell or scream at me, but instead, talk to me in such a calming and compassionate tone. Talking to me with such softness I didn’t deserve, it was…I…”
…
“I cried a lot that day, hehe…sorry, Sunny, I’m sorry, but I just get emotional thinking about it, you know? And…in better news, Kel left his room the other day! We…didn’t really know until Hero saw him in the kitchen. He…was in pretty bad condition, but nowhere as bad as I am physically. We quickly whipped him something to eat, although we were careful not to feed him too much.”
…
“He was…very quiet, to be frank with you. But after an hour or so, he started to talk again, and…”
…
“Just for a moment, just for that golden hour, it felt like everyone had…returned to normal. And if you were there, I’m sure we’d…all have a good group hug. One we desperately need, after everything.”
…
“That’s…one thing I’ve been thinking about a lot, Sunny. Your decision to…leave us, on that day in the hospital. To go to a better place. To…join Mari, if I were to phrase it better. Sometimes I still blame myself for that, still berate myself for never being able to knock on your door or ask about you during those years…and if telling them the Truth afterwards was really the correct decision, but..."
…
“I know neither of you would have wanted that. And...they deserve to know, especially after losing both you and Mari. This whole truth thing already took the lives of the two of you, and I can't risk any more. I’m not saying you did the right thing…you definitely d-didn’t, but…you’ve been through a lot, Sunny. More than any teenager, any human, should go through. So…all I can hope for now, is that you’re in a better, much happier place with Mari. And that…you can still hear our voices from down here.”
…
“It’s been hard finding peace, after everything…but we’re doing much better compared to four years ago. And…it just…feels like we’ll still stay together this time, despite truly everything. It’s not a happy ending, but it is an ending to this chapter of our lives, and I’m sure we’re all dying for that.”
…
“Oh! Speaking of…you know, Sunny, I brought a few photos with me today. Here, I’ll just place them next to your other gifts. These roses are from Hero, aren’t they? He’s always so classy, hehe…”
…
“This plushie, it’s MR. PLANTEGG, right? Jeez, I haven’t seen this in a while…Aubrey gave you this, didn’t she? That’s sweet, she loves this thing. It’s a bit of a surprise to learn she gave it away, but…if it’s for someone like you, Sunny, I'm sure she didn’t hesitate.”
…
“...hm? Oh, there’s an empty bottle of ORANGE JOE here…that’s a brand I haven’t heard of in a long time. I’m pretty sure they stopped manufacturing them a few years ago, so this bottle is expired, but…its taste, its memories still live on, don’t they? Hm…I wonder who gave this to you…”
…
“My photos aren’t anything flashy, nor are they exceptionally colourful, but they are…moments of time I wanted to share with you, y’know. I think I…finally understand it. The passion of photography. It’s not just about immoralising moments so that you can live in them forever, it’s all about…looking back. A token from a time you can look back on, not enter. Maybe instead of immoralising your current self into the past, we can immoralise the past into our current selves by looking back and moving on from it.”
…
“Meaning…what you did all those years ago…don’t immoralise yourself in them, okay? Yes, you…messed up back then, but whether that makes you a bad person or not, so is every last one of us. And that means you deserved to live, Sunny.”
…
“Even if you still don’t understand or think that you do, just know that
I still love you.”
…
…
A grave stands solemnly in the wind. It stares, as Basil slowly places his photos and heads for the Church. On it, are the words,
“OUR DEAREST SUNNY”
“OUR LAST MINUTES OF SUN, BEFORE THE LIGHT VANISHED”
Notes:
(Song Recommendation: See You Tomorrow (slowed + reverb) - Composed by OMOCAT/Changes made by haku)
(That's right, twist reveal that Sunny was dead the entire time and they were all talking to his grave. Honestly, it's a bit of a bold plot twist, and I'm also not really used to doing a plot reveal, so tell me if it feels a bit weird/not set-up enough. I tried my best to write the previous chapters in a way that sorta hints at it, or at least, makes sense if you know the ending. To clarify, Sunny offs himself at the hospital, and after the gang finds out, Basil tells them the truth, realising he's the only living person with knowledge of what happened.)
(My skill issue aside, the more I write about this fanfic, the more I realise how many parallels the rest of the gang have when it comes to being in a stressful situation and lashing out. Aubrey pushes Basil into the lake, Hero yells at Kel, Basil fights Sunny, etc. It's a clever way for us to garner sympathy towards people doing irrational things when stressed, and so when the final twist is revealed, we're not too hateful or bashful of Sunny for it.)
(One side tangent I'd like to go on, which is not related to the fic much, is how other people view video games. I remember having a conversation with a teacher of mine once, and while I respect her a lot in general, she was very adamant about video games poisoning your mind and being 'drugs for your brain'. Yes, in the big '25, I know. She's pretty old, so that might be why :P)
(While yes, you are entitled to your opinion, I just think that it's a pretty short-sighted perspective when you don't consider games that do tell a story, conjugate emotion and express art in such a way that you could never achieve with any other artistic medium. ESPECIALLY when there's a game like OMORI, a piece of art that has touched and inspired so many people around the globe. Something that is so much more than just 'mental stimulation', and I feel like it's disrespectful to label it as 'drugs for your brain' when it's such a masterpiece.)
(Personal ranting aside, I hope you enjoyed reading this one. Bit of a fun writing exercise, has a lot of great potential, and I hope I didn't screw up on the execution that much. If you're interested in writing fanfics of your own, I advice you to do it yourself sometime too.)