Two Birds

One Says "C'mon"

  (Deciding to give this another try? It's more likely than you think) 

 It isn't long before all conversation in the room dies down and then goes completely silent.

   She turns, a tray of food in hand, to find everyone staring at her with unreadable expressions. She ducks her head, flustered.

  "I'm sorry. I knew this would be a bad idea." She mumbles, racing towards the exit. But before she can get there, Oma stands up, waving his hands wildly. 

   "Hey, Shirogane! Come sit with me! We can be outcasts together!"

   The blue-haired girl freezes in her tracks before slowly turning back around.

   Oma is sitting at a table in the corner by himself, rolling a small orange back and forth between his hands. His shoulder-length hair is pulled back in a low ponytail, and he's wearing an oversized black sweater and jogging pants.

   Shirogane scans his face intensely before determining that he's being sincere. She sighs, trying to ignore the other pairs of eyes staring them down.

   She shrugs. "You know what? Sure."

   She sits down across from Oma, who takes one look at her tray and steals her toaster strudel. Shirogane sighs again and digs into her rice.

   "So, they all hate you because you played 'Mastermind'?" 

   "Among other things. . ." Oma replies around a mouthful of strudel. 

   "Yeah, I can imagine."

   "So I'd say we're pretty even when it comes to doing bad things. . .even though you were brainwashed into it. . .But still. So, Shirogane-chan, we should be best friends!"

   The girl raises an eyebrow. "Do you really think that would be a good idea, Oma-kun? We're all. . .for lack of better words, fucked up. I don't think a relationship between the two worst people from the killing game is the best idea."

   Oma snorts. "Come on; it's not like we're dating or anything. We can't all give each other uneasy looks forever." He replies in a sing-song voice.

   Shirogane glances around the room at all of the people gawking at them before returning her gaze to Oma. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. Sure, maybe you'll be forgiven one day since your heart was in the right place, but me?" She sighs, "I'll never be forgiven no matter what. Ever."

   Oma yawns, cramming the rest of his strudel into his mouth. "You know, Shiros, they know you were brainwashed. And once someone gets brainwashed, there's not really anything that can be done about that. So if one day I'm going to be forgiven, then you're going to be forgiven too."

   Shirogane's face goes blank, and then she smiles shyly. "Thank you, Oma-kun."

   The doors to the cafeteria open again, and Saihara enters, rubbing his eyes. Oma takes one look at him and flinches, recalling some specific memories from the Blackout light. Saihara is going to want to talk about it at some point. Try as he might, he won't be able to avoid it forever. 

   Saihara crosses the room, going to fetch himself some breakfast.

   "Be honest," Shirogane wonders, turning his attention back to her, "During the killing game, did you have a crush on Saihara-kun?"

   "What makes you think that?"

   "I watched you two on the cameras. All you did was either flirt with him or try to get under his skin. That seems like the way you-or, at least in-game you, flirts. So did you?"