Salty Petals (Kokichi Oma x Shuichi Saihara)

Chapter 1

Kokichi turned his head and looked out the window. He saw the clear blue sky pan across the whole window and saw barely anything else.

He sighed. I don't wanna have that nightmare again… he complained silently. Losing all those important to him. Watching so many of his friends die.

All for someone's entertainment.

It was called Danganronpa.

But alas, it was just a mere nightmare. It did not exist in the real world. Which was a huge relief.

Kokichi didn't cope well with death. He hated death in general.

He was lonely and hated by almost everyone.

Why? Because he lied so much nobody believed anything he could say. Lying was like a drug to him, and he couldn't stop.

But he started because he wanted to conceal his true self.

He didn't want anyone to know how he really was.

Especially one person, known by the name of Shuichi Saihara.

Ah, Shuichi. He was the only person who didn't appear to loathe Kokichi. Kokichi always felt fond of Shuichi--or, as he sometimes called him, “Saihara-chan” and occasionally “Shumai”--because he was actually willing to stick around.

But lately, these feelings of fondness have been...different.

Kokichi would grow red in the face talking to Shuichi and hearing the sound of Shuichi's voice gave him butterflies.

What was this feeling? Kokichi would wonder. He never knew what it was.

But, he discovered what this strange change of behavior in him was.

It was love.

Kokichi questioned the concept of “love” and never understood it until he experienced it. Boy, it was interesting, alright.

And he wasn't expecting to have love in this way. He always thought it would've been...a girl.

But, apparently not.

Shuichi didn't return Kokichi’s affection.

Sure, Kokichi never displayed any signs of affection, but that didn't mean Shuichi couldn't show any signs, either.

But there was a reason. And that reason’s name is Kaede Akamatsu.

Luckily, hanahaki was a myth. So Kokichi wasn't worried about getting it.

But if it was real, he would for sure have it.

Kokichi slid off the bed and rubbed his eye sleepily. He walked over to the window and looked out it again. It was nice to have a view from the room.

The door opened. “Feeling better, Kokichi?” a nurse asked.

Kokichi rubbed his head a faked a wince. “Not at all,” he fibbed, “my head still hurts like hell. Ugh.”

“Then get back in the bed,” the nurse ordered gently.

“That was a lie,” Kokichi said, grinning.

The nurse sighed. “I never know with you, Kokichi,” she said, slightly rolling her eyes. “You lie too much.”

“That's the point,” Kokichi replied. “I'm headed back to class.”

The nurse whipped out something wrapped in a paper towel. “Keep this ice pack with you,” she said.

“Fine,” Kokichi responded. He took the ice pack from the nurse and headed back to class.