✔️More Than a Game (Oumasai/Saiouma)

9- Ding Dong Dong Ding!

Saihara's POV:
Ding dong bing bong!

"Rise and shine, ursine!" exclaim the Monokubs as the morning announcement starts up. "Wake up, you bastards! It's 8 am!"

I let out a sigh as I get out of bed and start to get dressed. Today's the final day before the time limit. But oddly... I'm looking forward to it. Somehow, I have a feeling that the plan, me and Kokichi devised will stop the mastermind. Oh, right. Kaede also helped too, I guess.

One way or another, there's going to be less of us by the end of the day. I don't want to believe it, but I know no one wants to get us all killed. Just as I get my clothes on, someone arrives at my door.

Ding dong!

I rush to the door to see who rang the doorbell. "...Ah, Ouma. Good... Good morning." I wasn't surprised to see him, but... happy?

"Helloooooooo! Whatcha doin'?" Ouma asks, putting his hands behind his head as if leaning back on it.

"I was, ah, about to go to the dining hall. What else could I be doing?" I don't seem to understand what Ouma is getting at. He's probably trying to confuse me again. Before he can even respond, quick footsteps come up from the side of me.

"Shuichi!" Kaede exclaims, running up to me. "I came to your door and rang the bell, but you didn't answer. I was really starting to get worried."

"Ah, sorry. I was... using the bathroom." I explain as Kaede starts to pout.

"Hmph! Well, it looks like Kokichi got you out here anyway, so that works out just fine."

"Yeah, Kaede," Ouma says, trying to take some credit.

"H-Hey, don't be so mean about it, Kokichi. We're all trying to be friends and work together, remember?" Kaede says with a comforting and scolding tone at the same time.

Certainly doesn't seem like you want to be friends with Kokichi...

"Kaede, admit it. We're not going to make it all out of here alive," Ouma says, smile disappearing from his face. "At least one of us will be dead by the time this killing game ends."

"H-Huh? Why are you acting like this now? You're even helping us catch the mastermind!" Kaede asks in confusion.

"Well, duh, we should try. Whether you want to accept it or not- it is the truth. Lie about it all you want, but either way, someone will be dead by the end of today."

"K-Kokichi! Why are you saying that now, just as we're all getting our hopes up?" Kaede retorts with frustration. Suddenly, she looks at me with desperatjon. "Shuichi! You know how to resolve this!"

Huh? Why do I have to resolve this? Aren't we all in high school? We should know how to resolve this for ourselves! Sometimes... it feels like I'm just some protagonist of this crazy story.

Whose side are you on?
Kaede's
>Kokichi's

"Ah, um, Ouma... I have to say you're right. I know you only wanted to inform Kaede. But... you didn't need to be so up in her face on it."

"Sh-Shuichi! Why are you on his side!" Kaede says angrily.

"H-Huh? Ah, did I say something wrong?!" I ask in confusion.

"No, you were right," Ouma says with a smile. "Anyways, there's a reason we're all gathered together, right, Kayayday?"

"Why'd you start pronouncing my name like that?" Kaede asks. "Whatever, that's beside the point. We still need to get the cameras from Miu in her research lab."