✔️More Than a Game (Oumasai/Saiouma)

13- Two Motives this Time?

Saihara's POV:
Ding dong!

Ding dong ding dong ding dong ding dong!

"Ah!" My eyes open to meet the bright light of my room. "Wh-Who is it? Wait, I'm coming, I'm coming!" With the doorbell hurrying me along, I went to open the door.

Click!

Kaito barges into my room. "Hey, what are you doing? It's already morning!"

"K-Kaito? Ah... do you... need something?" I ask.

"Well, yeah! Food! I was gonna eat wth everyone else in the dining hall, but you weren't there... That's why I came o get you."

"Huh? But... I don't recall making any plans."

"You should be at the dining hall anyway. I mean, where else are you gonna eat breastfast?" Kaito asks me.

"Ah, I don't usually eat breakfast, so..."

"A-Are you serious? If you don't have breakfast, what do you eat in the morning?!" Kaito exclaims.

"Um...?"

"Ah, whatever! Let's get going! The others are waiting!"

"W-Wait! I'm not ready, I need my- Actually, nothing." I don't need that anymore. "Okay, let's go."

Me and Kaito head to the dining hall, where I brace myself for the stares I'll get. Everyone abruptly stops talking whenever I walk in with Kaito.

"H...Hi, Shuichi..."

"O-Oh, Shuichi..."

Everyone seems nervous to talk to me for some reason. Except, of course...

"You finally got rid of that emo hat! Is this cuz Kaede died or whatever?" Ouma laughs. A lurch forms in my stomach when he says her name. I still can't believe it... she murdered someone, and then got executed...

I try not to think about it as I look back up at everyone. Just because Kaede is gone, doesn't mean that any of these people are. "Hey, and you've got a little thingie on your head like her too! What are you, some kind of copycat?" Ouma continues, pointing to my ahoge.

"Ew! What a weirdo! You have an antenna!" Miu says in disgust.

"You do realize you have a double-antenna like structure atop your head too, right?" Kiibo points out.

"Wh-What?!"

"It's not called an antenna..." I mutter. "It's called an ahoge."

"How the hell did that go under your hat?"

"Ah... I'd rather you not ask any more questions about it..." I say as I laugh nervously.

I go sit at the dining hall table where Kirumi has already prepared food for everyone. Kaito sits on my left, and, as it turns out, Ouma on my right. I had sat next to where his food was, so that was his spot.

I reach for my chopsticks, until I hear the sound.

Boing!

It wasn't a scary sound. Quite the opposite, actually. I didn't realize where it was coming from, but when I heard it the second time, that's when I realized.