Never Really There

Chapter Eight: A Difficult Truth

Today was the day. Shuichi was going to tell Maki about Kokichi and him, and he was slightly nervous, but also excited. Shuichi made plans to meet Maki at the park around noon, and it was currently 10:00 am. Kokichi protested and begged Shuichi to let him not go, after all he didn't want to die just yet. Yet somehow, Shuichi managed to convince Kokichi to come, though the liar wasn't happy about it. While the two boys waited for noon to arrive, Kokichi was ranting about DICE. "We have complete control over Japan, but soon we'll control the world!" Kokichi said that in an evil, yet childish tone. Shuichi knew that Kokichi was lying, but it was nice to see his enthusiasm when he talks about his organization. Shuichi didn't know much about DICE, other than the things that Kokichi says about them that may or may not be true. Soon enough, noon arrived and the boys were off to the park. Maki was already there, she was sitting on a park bench. "What was it you wanted to tell me?" Maki was slightly worried that it was bad news, but she didn't look worried. "So, I have a boyfriend, but you may not like who it is..." Maki was really confused at this point. It's not like it could be Kokichi, after all, he died in the game, right? "Congratulations, who is it?" Shuichi took a long pause before saying the name. "It's Kokichi..." Now Maki was extremely confused, that's impossible, Kokichi was dead. He died along the other 13 students who didn't survive the game. So how could Shuichi be dating him? "Shuichi, Kokichi is dead. You aren't dating him," Maki just said it as it was, or at least how everyone except Shuichi saw it. "He's not dead though. The game was a simulation." There was no getting through to Shuichi, he just didn't see it, he didn't see that Kokichi is dead. "He's standing next to me, can't you see him?" Kokichi simply looked at the ground and didn't want to say anything. "Nobody is next to you Shuichi, not Kaito, not Kaede, and certainly not Kokichi!" Maki was slightly yelling now, but she needed to get her point across somehow. "He is next to me! Kokichi say something!" Shuichi turned to look at Kokichi, his eyes still fixed on the ground. He didn't want to say anything, but that's because he couldn't say anything. "Kokichi, just say something! ANYTHING!" The purple haired boy still stared at the ground. "Shuichi, we need to get you a therapist-" "NO, HE'S RIGHT HERE, HE'S NOT DEAD! THE GAME WAS A SIMULATION!" Shuichi was trying to convince Maki, or maybe he was trying to convince himself that she's wrong. Finally, Kokichi spoke, "You know, she's right..." No, this couldn't be true. Kokichi had to be alive. The game never happened. Nobody died. But the more Shuichi thought about it, the more evidence that proved Maki is right came into sight. Shuichi couldn't help but cry uncontrollably. Kokichi didn't eat because he wasn't real. Kokichi's weight wasn't read because he was never there. People gave Shuichi funny looks because he was talking to air. Kokichi kept disappearing because he was a figment of Shuichi's imagination. A part of Shuichi didn't want to believe the game happened. A part of Shuichi that wanted to believe everyone was still ok. A part of Shuichi that missed Kokichi. But most importantly, a part of Shuichi that loved Kokichi. It all turned out to be his mind playing tricks on him, the real Kokichi was dead, along the other students who didn't survive. That's why he never bumped into Kaede, or Kaito. There was nothing Shuichi could do but accept it. Shuichi managed to calm his tears and say, "So I guess he was never really there..."