Undeniable Lies- Saiouma/Oumasai Fanfic

Chapter XIII- Midnight call

(TW: S*lf H*rm, read at your own leisure)

(Shuichi POV)

After the laughing settled we all went back inside the small building. Kokichi tried to catch up with his friends, he probably assumed a lot had happened over the three years.

Akio had started working at his aunt's restaurant and Himari helped a cousin who worked for a gaming company with stuff there. She had learned more about coding and Akio learned how to 'boil water without it catching fire' as he put it. Kokichi definitely had intriguing friends, but that's not surprising with who he is. If his friends were 'boring', he wouldn't keep them around. At least I don't think he would.

"So you two met during the ki- the game, right?"

I gave him a questioning glance, "How'd you know that?"

Himari spoke in a hushed voice, "W-word got around to pe-people in th-this city that com-coma patients were in a danganronpa g-game."

"As soon as we heard that, I texted Rika and Himari to meet here and we watched the game together. We had to know if Kokichi was in it. I don't want to admit it but-"

"He was worried."

"HIMARI? TRAITOR!" Kokichi chuckled at the comment.

"Well you're both wrong! We didn't meet there!" Why are you lying? Making eye-contact with him I asked what he meant. "You don't remember? We were both in the same building talking to each other when the earthquake started! Kaito was also there."

I wanted to think he was lying, but there was no hint of a lie in that statement even though it was said in his normal cheery tone.

"Sorry, I don't recall that happening."

"No worries Shuichi! It's fine!" Kokichi cheerily stated.

"So I was right! His actual name is Shuichi! You owe me five bucks Himari!" Akio declared with a victorious voice. Himari had fallen asleep on the floor which we all noticed at the same time. "Himari! You can't get out of this by sleeping you know!" Kokichi and I laughed while Akio tried shaking her awake but to no avail.

"I should be getting home now! It's almost noon already," Kokichi said with a hint of sadness. It was hard to pick out, but I could hear it.

Akio stared at Kokichi with a look of pity and Himari sat up with a sad expression. "You're going back to her?"

"Of course I am, she is my mother whether I like or not," He tried to talk in a joking tone.

Himari objected to that, "Sh-she's your f-foster mo-mom, ther-there's a difference." Foster mom? Right, he did call Alex his foster brother. How did I forget that?

"Do you want to go home Kokichi?" I asked.

He swayed his head back and fourth with his arms behind his head. "U-uh yeah." He's lying.

Akio sighed, "Just be careful."

"What is there to be careful about, it just my foster mom!" 

Akio looked at me then back at Kokichi, "R-right." Are they trying to hide something? "Just promise?"

Kokichi nodded, "Cross my heart and hope to die!"

"Th-that's t-too dark! N-no die-dying!" Himari demanded. Kokichi mouths an 'okay' to her and we walk out of the concrete block and continue down the dirt trail.

Kokichi was humming to himself as we walked until we reached the entrance to the forest once again. Even though he seemed to be acting like his normal self, if you can consider him normal at any point in the day, but his eyes looked slightly glazed over like he was deep in thought.