Undeniable Lies- Saiouma/Oumasai Fanfic

Chapter XXII- Unconscious Kokichi

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

(Shuichi POV)

About twenty minutes after leaving the house, I met up with Kaito in front of the grocery store. He was texting someone, by the smile on his face it was probably Maki.

"Oh Hey Shuichi!" He greeted me.

I waved, "Hey Kaito."

He spoke enthusiastically, "You ready to buy some school supplies!"

"I s-suppose so."

He patted me on the back. "Be more confident in yourself! You are my sidekick after all!"

We went inside the store and towards the 'back to school' aisles. The first thing we needed to get was three notebooks per person. So we'd need nine. I wonder how Kokichi is doing at home... I need to focus on getting the supplies.

I grabbed five notebooks and Kaito picked out four and placed them in a reusable bags my uncle bought a while back. The next thing on the list were pencils, ballpoint pens, glue sticks, calculators, and loose leaf paper. I got the pens, calculators and paper while Kaito got the other ones. 

"Hey Shuichi, I saw you at the fair yesterday with Kokichi," He mentioned.

My face heated up, "W-why didn't you say 'hi' or something."

"You two seemed busy. You guys a thing or what?" How can you be so blunt?

A smiled inched onto my face. "Y-yeah."

"Good to see you're happy. If he ever hurts you though, I know for a fact Maki-roll won't hesitate to choke him, I won't hesitate either."

I chuckled, "I'm glad you have my back, I don't think I'll need it though."

"We'll see, but not for now hopefully. Anyway, why are we getting an extra set of school supplies?"

"Actually it's for Kokichi."

He grunted, "Is he leeching off you to be lazy or something."

I chuckled again, "Not quite, he fell down some stairs today and hit his head pretty hard."

"Like when he fell through floor boards?"

"Exactly like that Kaito."

"How do you even know this anyway? Did he text you about it or something?" He seemed like he suspected something of me.

"W-well-" I guess the truth has to come out at some time. "He's staying with my uncle and I."

He took a step back, "Wha-WHAT? So he is leeching of you. Doesn't he have another place to go?"

I frowned, "He's not leeching off me." Some inner fury was bubbling up.

"Then what else do you call it?"

"My uncle adopted him okay?" I snapped.

He was shocked for a second at my sudden outburst then frowned and apologized, "Sorry Shuichi. I'm confused is all. Wasn't he living with his family before? How did you end up adopting him?"

I shouldn't have said anything. It wasn't my story to tell, "Forget it, please. I shouldn't have mentioned it. It isn't something I should tell you, if you hear it from someone, it should be Kokichi's free will. His own way, not gossiping behind his back. It's wrong."

"I guess you're right, so he fell down your stairs this morning?" I nodded. "What a clumsy guy." I agreed with him. "Is he like, sleeping or whatever?

"When I left, he was on the couch to watch television."

"Huh, I guess that would be best if he hit his head and all," Kaito deducted.