Beneath a Liar (Oumasai) [Discontinued]

Part 3:Trials in Life

   (Shuichi's POV)

   I can't believe I just told Kokichi that, I've only ever told Kaede and now Kokichi. I sigh.

   "Yes it does matter. You can't just brush something off saying it doesn't matter. You need to confront your fears. Locking it up doesn't do any good! Then again... I'm one to talk." I almost don't catch the last part. I look at him in surprise. Is Kokichi Ouma, off all people, giving me a pep talk?

   "Besides, I think you look even cuter when you take it off!" I blush. Did he just say I looked even cuter, as in he thought I already looked cute?  He seemed to realize what he just said as well because he blushed. "I mean, you should try a day without wearing it."

   "I don't know if I could." I say quietly. He stares at me and reflexively I pull my hat down to cover my face. He walks towards me.

   "Look me in the eyes." I freeze. Before I can react he snatches my hat of my head and hides it behind his back.

   "H-hey." I protest.

   He flings the hat on my bed. "You can take the weak route all you like, but if thats all you do you'll never get stronger." He walks past me and leaves the room, closing the door behind him.

   A little to late I call out to him. "Kokichi!" 

   I went to lay in my bed and think. His words ring in my head. "You can take the weak route all you like, but if thats all you do you'll never get stronger." I know he's right but I couldn't do it even if I wanted to. I'm just too weak. The way that Kokichi just was, he acted different then he normally did. He showed concern and tried to help me. It boggled my mind. I have never seen Kokichi act like that, and even though we were fighting I want to see that side of him again. I thought back to when I had entered the room and saw Kokichi wearing my hat on my bed acting like me. When I caught him he blushed beet red, and so did I. "He looked kinda adorable in that hat though." I say quietly to myself. Wait, did I just call him adorable? I blush to myself thankful nobody is in the room with me. Eventually I fall into dreamless sleep.

   The next morning I awake to the morning announcement. I walk over to Miu's research lab. She looks exhausted as she gives me the cameras and explains about the thirty second intervals in between shots. I thank her as and leave remembering asking her to make the cameras yesterday with Kaede. We ended up on our knees begging her. It was embarrassing but eventually, she agreed to modify the cameras. 

   I meet up with Kaede to go to the dining hall. I look across the room to see Kokichi looking disappointed at me for wearing my hat. I see the look in his eyes and try to resist the urge to pull my hat over my eyes ultimately failing.

   After breakfast, Kaede and I go to the library to set up the cameras. She trys to arrange some of the books on the shelf trying to fit a camera above the secret entrance. After a while I finally convince her to give up and we leave.

   I hope our plan works and that we can save everyone. I walk back to my room but realize I have nothing to do. Perhaps I could hang out with someone? Maybe I'll stop by Kokichi's room and be the one to surprise him for once. I knock on his door and he opens it to see me standing there. 

   "Shuichi! What a nice surprise. What are you doing here?" he says enthusiastically.

   "Well I just wanted to stop by and talk." I answer.

   "Even after last night? Wow, I must have really grown on you." he smiles. "Actually, I was just about to stop by your room, so feel free to come inside." As I enter I realize that the room looks almost exactly like mine with the exception of the colors. I notice a piece of paper on Kokichi's desk and walk over to inspect it. Kokichi walks over to the desk and stuffs the piece of paper in the drawer.

   "What's that?" I ask curiously.

   "Hmm? Oh that? Just some loose paper." he changes topic. "So, how was your day?" he says as he picks up a bottle of grape panta off his desk.

   "It was alright, I really didn't do much today, you?" I reply.

   "Kirumi helped me get my hands on some grape panta!" He exclaims.

   "Is that all you did today?" I ask.

   "Pretty much, I explored some more than chilled in my room. But the important thing is I have a grape panta stash! Nishishi, I'll tell you where it is but only you."

   "Why only me?" I ask confused.

   "Because you're my favorite!" Favorite? What does he mean by that? He smiles and approaches me with his hands cupped around his mouth. He leans in and whispers in my ear. "Let's just say it's near the same place your hiding things." My face goes pale. Does he know? And if so, how? He sighs. "It's boring in here, wanna go somewhere else?"

   "Alright sure, but where should we go?"

   "How about we hang out outside?" he suggests.

   "Okay." We head to the courtyard and sit down on the bench. It's getting dark and we watch together as the sun slowly leaves the sky behind. I look at Kokichi's face trying to read him.

   "Nishishi, you know you do that a lot." he says.

   "What?" I ask.

   "You analyze people. You know, I think you'll find that you'll enjoy moments like these a lot more if you stop trying to analyze the situation, and just enjoy it."

   I think about what he says. "Perhaps you're right." I look up at the sky to see the stars. "Wait a minute, how long have we been out here?" I ask.

   "About an hour or so." he answers. That means that we've just been sitting here in silence watching the sun set for a whole hour. Wow time fly's fast.

   "We should head back." I suggest.

   "Okay." We get to his room before Kokichi freezes. "I left my bottle of panta, I'll be right back."

   "Okay, I'll wait here." I say as he dashes out the door. Now alone I walk over to the Kokichi's desk. I look at the drawers. I really shouldn't snoop... Then again it's just a piece of loose paper, as Kokichi said, so I'm sure he won't mind if I peek. I open the top drawer and pull out the piece of paper to observe. It's a drawing of me and Kokichi. In the drawing Kokichi's wearing my hat while I stand next to him smiling. It's very detailed, it looks like he put a lot of work into it. It's a very good drawing. I put it back into the drawer and shut it.