Assassins, Detectives, and the Mafia

Friendships and Apologies

"You know, I miss you."

Maki's eyes are glazed over with a dull haze, wide and unseeing. She looks so pale against the sheets, skin nearly white and translucent.

Why won't she wake up?

"I miss you a lot, Maki. I know we used to fight, but I don't care about that now. I just want you to be happy..."

Kaede clenches the sheets of the bed in her fist, confused thoughts swirling around in her head.

Does she love Maki?

Memories conflict with each other, like balls hitting each other and rebounding.

She does... but there's still the problem of everything else.

The simulation was just that, a simulation. Real life is much more complicated.

Besides, she isn't that Kaede anymore.

That Kaede didn't wake up screaming in the middle of the night. That Kaede didn't remember dying (twice) and didn't remember how Maki lied to them at the start of the game. That Kaede didn't remember how Maki didn't even care when she died.

Warm hands close around her waist and she turns, meeting lime-green hair. Rantaro rests his chin on her shoulder, letting out a small puff of air as Kaede reaches up to cup the back of his head.

"I thought it was you," Kaede laughs. "You startled me."

Rantaro smiles, stepping away and pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket.

"I came to give you this," he seems to say, pushing it into her hands.

Kaede unfolds the paper apprehensively, obviously wary of whatever it has to say.

"Really?"

Her mood immediately seems to improve and she jolts to her feet, eyes sparkling. "We have to prepare something! Set up the beds! Cook things in advance!"

Rantaro nods as Kaede runs out of the room, pausing just an instant before following.

Hopefully things will go okay.

"Rantaro!"

The Ultimate Survivor pauses as Kokichi sprints down the hall, tackling him in a hug from behind. "I've been looking for you!"

Rantaro smiles, gently prying Kokichi off him and patting him on the head.

"Aww, but I wanna hug you," Kokichi whines, wrapping his arms around Rantaro's midsection. "You promised!"

Rantaro smiles weakly, and Kokichi eyes him with concern. "Aww, you can't be feeling bad, right? You said you were feeling better earlier..."

Rantaro offers him a small sigh, and Kokichi grasps his hand in return, dragging him down the corridor.

"Well, we're just going to sleep then!" Upon seeing Rantaro's confused expression he clarifies, "I mean I'm going to sleep with you!"

Ignoring the hot pink blush now covering most of Rantaro's face, he drags the explorer back to his room, smirking devilishly the whole way.

"This child is going to be the death of me," Rantaro thinks, smiling weakly.

Kaede sits in their 'living room' (really more so a collection of chairs than a living room because apparently TV is bad for them) mulling over what's set to happen.

They're bringing everyone else out of the Neo World Program.

...

This could either go really well, or really really bad. With all that's happened inside the program, being reunited with dead people must confuse them.

It confused her.

"Hey, Kaede."

Kaito falls unceremoniously into one of the armchairs, massaging the bridge of his nose. "Have you seen Kokichi and Rantaro? I wanted to apologize..."

Kaede looks up at him and smiles, relief evident in her warm gaze. "I'm glad you two can finally get along."

"I heard you were gonna yell at me earlier, and I probably deserved it." Kaito gives her a sheepish laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "After I saw what Kokichi did for Rantaro... he's really changed, you know?"

"I'm glad you realize that," Kaede smiles, clasping his hands in her own. "You should tell those two that. I think they're in Rantaro's room."

Eyes lighting up, she jumps to her feet, grasping Kaito's wrist firmly and dragging him out of the room.

"I'm going to make sure you don't back out!" Kaede grins amidst Kaito's protests.

Rantaro and Kokichi curl together under the covers, the former's arms wrapped around the latter's waist.

A lesser man would make a joke about how Kokichi is the little spoon, but Rantaro likes living.

He hazards a glance at the Ultimate Supreme Leader, only to realize that Kokichi is asleep. Possibly rocked gently to dreamland amidst the warm covers and Rantaro's arms.

...waxing poetic now, are we?

All the same, Kokichi seemed pretty shaken-up by what Kaito said. Maybe he's afraid of turning back into that Kokichi, the one who lied with every breath and rarely expressed real emotion.

He will never become that Kokichi again.

Rantaro can promise him that much. He and Kaede will keep the darkness away no matter what.

A soft knock on the door jolts him out of his reverie, and before he can move to answer it, it creaks open on its own.

"Hey," Kaito's soft voice floats through the air. He seems uncomfortable, refusing to meet Rantaro's eyes.

Then again, it could be because he's spooning Kokichi in his bed, the latter fast asleep.

"Hey!" Kokichi exclaims, bolting to a seated position.

Then again, maybe not completely asleep.

"What're you doing here?" Kokichi asks, tilting his head just slightly. "I thought you didn't want to see me..."

"I came to apologize," Kaito replies, staring at Kokichi. There's a real amount of remorse in his gaze, and that's why Rantaro lets him continue.

"To both of you," the astronaut clarifies. "I was a real jerk back there, and I'm sorry. You really have changed, Kokichi. And for the better, too. Rantaro, I'm sorry I grabbed you. I really shouldn't have done that. And if it's okay with you guys, I'd like to start over."

He offers a hand, smiling with all the bravado of the Ultimate Astronaut. "Friends?"

Kokichi smiles, softly but genuinely, and takes it. "Friends."