Alternate (Shuichi Saihara x fem reader)

Chapter Two: Daily Life

Needless to say, I couldn't sleep that night. Kirumi and Angie died within hours of each other, both brutal as balls. I hoped that what Angie said about the killing game ending was true with all my heart, all while restlessly rolling back and forth to try and be remotely comfortable. Every time I stopped thinking, I heard Angie's scream, and every time I closed my eyes, I saw Kirumi's head. I hoped for some sort of incense or white noise, or goddamn anything to cease my insomnia. I continually checked the time, feeling like hours passed every time I looked away, but when I looked back it would be two minutes or so. At 1:54 am, the doorbell rang. I didn't want to answer it, under any circumstances. What if it was a killer? Monokuma? Angie or Kirumi? I shakily made my way over, taking my blanket with me, and opened the door.

No one.

"Who's there?" I asked, feeling annoyed and scared. "Who's—"

"y/n?" I turned my head down, and saw Shuichi. "What are you doing?" Now I was more annoyed than scared. Was this a prank? Did Kokichi do this?

"Someone rang the doorbell, when I answered, no one was there," I responded. Shuichi looked at me with shock in his face. "What about you?"

"Me too." He looked downwards. "Do you think Kokichi was pulling a prank?"

"Probably. We'll question him tomorrow, I guess." I sighed and turned to go back to my room, feeling exhausted, but I knew I wasn't going to be able to rest.

"Wait, y/n," he called. "Are you awake because you can't sleep?" I looked down at him. "I-I mean, I can't either, so I was just wondering."

"Of course I can't sleep," I grumbled. "No one should be able to after seeing...that." Shuichi went quiet.

"I know how you feel. When I first started my detective work, I wasn't able to sleep for days on end. And today, I feel like it's all restarting. It's bloodier, more brutal, and it's all happening so fast." He took a deep breath. "Do you want to talk about any of it?" He looked me back in the eyes, smiling faintly. "I mean, that's what would make me feel better, so..."

"Yeah, sure. Come on up." I walked back into my room, leaving the door open. Small footsteps followed me, and then he came in and closed the door. "What part should we talk about?"

"Ah, that's a good starting point. How about how you feel about Kirumi's death?" I actually had to think about the answer.

"It feels like, like, you know how, uh," tears started to well in my eyes as I recalled seeing her body. "It feels like I was the one who got beheaded." Shuichi looked at me with content, seemingly aware of what I meant, as vague as it was. "I wish I could've helped, you know? I wish I could've saved her." The water that had been building up in my eyes began to spill over, and I was unable to look at my comforter anymore. "I wish this never happened."

"I understand." He grasped my hand, attempting to calm my emotions. "I wish none of this was real; like it's some sort of fictional world. I wish Kirumi and Angie are alive in another world. Somewhere far away from here."

"That's a nice thought," I whispered. "Why don't we think like that? Like Kirumi, Angie, all of us, we're all alive in some alternate world, where Monokuma doesn't exist." For the first time in what felt like forever, I smiled. "I want to think like that."

"Credit Tsumugi for coming up with it," he chuckled. "I guess all her fanfiction writing gives her some really nice ideas." He laughed. I laughed. It was a nice time. "We should get some sleep, huh? It's getting late."

"Already? You just got here," I whined. "Come on, we don't have to talk about death and such anymore. I don't want to be alone." Now I grabbed his hand, and I looked him in the eyes — something I hadn't done since the Big Sad. "Please?"