☆ opposites attract | saiouma fic ☆

twenty-nine | argument

☆

"So... to my knowledge, except for Maki, everyone's coming." Shuichi said, sadly staring down at his phone screen, Kokichi and Kaede standing behind him.

It was now the next day at school—the last class of the day, to be exact—and Shuichi finally gathered the courage to let them know who was coming to the party. He'd kind of been avoiding it due to his feelings being hurt by Maki, but there was no point in dragging it on any longer. If she didn't want to go, she didn't have to. There was nothing he could do.

"Jeez. I should've expected that..." Kaede sighed.

"Who cares about her, anyways?" Kokichi shrugged. He couldn't care less. "If she wants to be stubborn, that's her problem. It just means she'll be all be alone that day."

Shuichi shook his head. "I just feel like this goes deeper, and I'm missing something. She can't be this mad just because you hit Kaito with a ball, right? That's not like her."

"To be fair, Kaito has been slipping in and out of the hospital during the summer. It makes sense to be on edge, y'know? Especially because that's her boyfriend." Kaede suggested.

"But they cleared him, didn't they? So..." Shuichi mumbled, unable to find any reason or excuse for Maki's behavior. "Yeah. I don't know. I guess you're right, Kaede."

"Honestly, I don't get it." Kokichi said, subconsciously twirling a strand of hair with his finger. "You told me that she had rumors spread about her too when you guys were younger, right? So it makes no sense for her to believe all of this stuff about me."

"Yeah, that is weird..." Shuichi nodded. "I'll try talking to her about it, okay?"

Kaede then hesitantly glanced at Maki, who was sitting at the other side of the classroom, before looking back at Shuichi. "Are you sure? Do you want me to go with you?"

"No, it'll be fine. I'll be right back," Shuichi said, placing his phone down in Kokichi's hands so he could hold it for him while he was gone.

He walked up to Maki's desk, where she seemed to be angrily cutting something with scissors. She visibly tensed at the sense of Shuichi's presence.

"Um... Maki? Are you okay? You've been acting kind of... weird, lately." Shuichi asked sheepishly.

Maki continued to snip away, making no eye contact and keeping her head down. "Weird? What do you mean?"

"It's just... you seem more closed off. Like, angry, you know? If something's wrong, I want you to tell me."

"What? Because I don't want to come to your little tea party? I'm fine, Shuichi."

"No. This, the way you're talking to me right now. What's the matter?"

"Are you hard of hearing? I said I'm fine." She stated coldly. "You just ask... and ask... and ask. But I guess that's in your nature as a detective, isn't it? Stop."

"I just want to help, Maki."

"That's great. You can start by getting out of my face."

He'd known Maki for practically his entire life, but right now, it felt like he was talking to a stranger. She'd never talked to him like this, ever. Not even at her angriest moments.

"I—" Shuichi stammered. "No, Maki! Why are you doing this? Who or what is bothering you? Just tell me— please, Maki. You know I don't like seeing you upset. Please."

"What if something's wrong with me? Then what? Are you going to cry like you always do? Like you have since you were seven? Be my guest."

Those words were like knives through his chest. Not only did she say that, she said it all for their classmates to hear. He hadn't even told most of his classmates about the bullying he faced when he was a kid, but now they could probably guess.

"Yeah, I might." Shuichi broke the complete silence in the room, shaking. "Sorry. That's my fault for prying for an answer when you told me to stop, okay? I won't do it again."

Maki's eyes had a hint of regret for a moment, but she didn't dare apologize. "...At least you know."