Interrogation

"...and I'd appreciate it if we could go straight there after school."

He'd been rambling on for fifteen minutes. Even though he had his fair share of practice tolerating his wordy monologues- both from second grade and high school- it still irritated him.

'And why would I let you?'

"Because there's something I wanted to discuss with you," said Akechi as he followed Saiki, who was walking away. He figured it didn't matter if he walked away or not, since Akechi was going to follow him anyway. "I think it'd be best to speak to you in private, since it's a bit of an odd topic."

I don't know what you're talking about, and I don't think I want to.

School had let out, giving Akechi the perfect opportunity to bother him once again.

"I'm not sure if your mother will be home. She might intrude a bit on our conversation, and I'd rather she not. Of course, I don't mean that in a negative way at all, since I like your mother and enjoy her company as well as yours, since she's very kind-hearted. I only think it'd be best for us to talk about it on our own, preferably in your room, that way we're away from everyone else."

The way Akechi was saying it so vaguely left Saiki wondering what he meant, and why he was saying it so roundabout in the first place. He couldn't decipher his thoughts, and per usual, his curiosity got the best of him.

The walk from school was ten minutes, but Akechi could make it feel like ten hours.

******************

"Kusuo-kun? Do you mind if I ask you something a bit... personal?"

And of course, after following him all the way home, Akechi managed to weasel his way into his house, and upstairs, and into his room, because apparently Saiki had let his guard down and let him in, somewhat unintentionally. Saiki was sitting with his legs crossed on the desk chair, which had been moved to face the bed, where Akechi was sitting.

He checked his mind as much as he could, but his thoughts were zipping and zooming around, much too fast for him to be able to make out any words, let alone complete sentences.

What could go wrong?

'Sure.'

Akechi looked back up at him, his expression as blank and serious as Saiki's usually was.

"Do you have any more-than-platonic feelings towards me?"

...

'Excuse me...?'

Akechi placed his hands in his lap.

"Hmm, perhaps it's better if I'm more direct. Do you have a crush on me, Kusuo-kun?"

This is what I get for being optimistic.

'What are you talking about?'

"I've been watching you for a while. I've studied your habits, your mannerisms, and your lifestyle. That in itself is useful enough, but recently, I wanted to dig a little deeper. I've noticed a slight change in your behavior."

Saiki uncrossed his legs.

'What kind of change?' he projected bitterly.

"I know you. I know how you act, and I have several theories as to how you think. Of course, it'd be foolish of me to be so bold as to say that I can practically read your mind as it might seem I'm claiming, but I can assure you that this was not my intention. No, I'd rather be more modest, even though I know my predictions and theories are correct the vast majority of the time. Anyway, the way you speak to people, and the way you act naturally during the day varies depending on what you may be feeling on the inside. Really, a lot of your personality traits directly correlate to your emotions at any given time. Though you stay the same person and don't change into someone completely unrecognizable, you do act differently when you're happy, sad, stressed, etcetera."