✔️More Than a Game (Oumasai/Saiouma)

38- Deafening Silence

Ouma's POV:

I hated not talking. Keeping my mouth shut was the hardest thing I could do, yet is was the only thing I could do at the moment. Besides, what would I say if I did open my mouth? More lies? More fake promises? I was too tired, too sick of the mess I had gotten into.

But we were living in the same house, and that was definitely a problem. Shuichi needs to get his own house! He needs to get his own life, for god's sake. He can't keep on living the same life I am. Problem was, every time I asked about a parent or relative he refused to talk about it. Surely his family situation wasn't worse than my own? Maybe I should ask again just to make sure-

Right.

I couldn't talk to Shuichi.

Now, of course there's nothing preventing me from talking to him. But I just couldn't imagine talking to him. With everything that's happened today, I was sapped of any motivation to tell my boyfriend anything. Besides, I don't want to keep starting conversations. Saihara needs to have a say in our relationship. 

Just then, my mom got home. I heard the front door open and shut. I wonder if she'll say anything to Saihara. I could just listen in to their conversation so that I can get answers from him without directly having to talk. It seemed like a good idea, but unfortunately the first thing I heard after my mom arrived was footsteps. Up the stairs towards me.

Oh.

 I hear a knock on my door. Odd, my mom rarely knocks. Maybe she's feeling nicer than usual? Yeah right, what am I saying? There's probably some other reason behind it.

When I did walk over and open the door, that's when I realized why.

It wasn't my mom at the door: it was Shuichi.

He didn't look his best; his hair was so messy I could barely see his ahoge poking through it, hiding in the midst of his dark navy hair. I noticed that he had also changed out of his uniform for what seemed like the first time in months, so he was only wearing a collared shirt and pants. Was it his, though? It definitely wasn't mine- I don't have clothes like that, and it wouldn't fit Saihara- so I couldn't imagine where he could've gotten it. Maybe at some secondhand store with the little money he did have. Speaking of which, does he not have any money? I thought Saihara's uncle or something was in a detective agency. Do those things not make a lot of money?

Oh, I forgot to say something else. When Saihara was at my door, he was in literal tears.

I refused to say anything. Like I said, I'm not talking to Saihara until he talks to me. I didn't want to initiate the conversation. But the detective refused to say anything, so I did as well.

What an awkward sight.

Me, the dictator, was staring at Saihara, the crying detective, silence filling the gap.

Also, I never said talking with eyes didn't count as talking, right? Because it doesn't. I could easily read the expression on the Saihara's cloudy eyes glazed with tears. He was obviously expecting me to say something. Ah, so this is how he's going to play the game, huh? Well, joke's on him! Because guess what? I didn't say anything! Nothing! And- plot twist- he didn't say anything either!

He literally just left after a minute or two of complete silence!

What the hell? I burst out into laughter as soon as I heard his footsteps fade away. What was the point of that? Before I could continue giggling like a little girl, a nearby beep invades my thoughts.

I walk over, confused, and turn on my phone. Huh. I got a weird text from this guy, some unknown number. Wait, what did they say?

Meet me at (address) at midnight today. You know why.

What the fuck? Why me? I text back,

Yo, i think you got the wrong number. im not a teen girl whos looking for trouble lolololololol

Oh, shit. I shouldn't have typed that at the end. Well, whatever. What's the worst that could happen to me? I clicked the send button. After doing so, I wasn't in the mood for waiting for the other guy to respond, so I decided I should better get to bed. Good sleep is important, anyway, according to everyone except me.

Soo, can you guess what I did next!

Yep! I went to sleep!

***

When I woke up, I felt something next to me and yelped as a I touched it. "AH!" 

Wait.

That "something" was Shuichi.

"Nnnnn..." he mutters incoherently. He must be still sleeping. Damn, I woke up pretty early! Maybe because I went to bed on time last night for a change. Wait, does my yelp count as talking to Saihara? I wouldn't think so, because it's not really a word. And he doesn't really know that I was addressing him because he was asleep. So I guess both of us still haven't said a word to each other since yesterday. 

Right. Yesterday.

I slowly lift myself out of the covers, and head downstairs. It must be a weekday, because Mom left for work already. I didn't really find it surprising I didn't know the day of the week. It was the summer. It's not like I needed it for anything, because every day honestly felt the same.

I head downstairs and decide to make breakfast. There wasn't much in the pantry except some cereal and pancake mix. Pancakes were a lot better then cereal in my opinion, but I wasn't in the mood for making pancakes. Besides, having to cook pancakes myself? Too much work for me. I poured the cereal and milk in a bowl and begin to eat. Soon into my breakfast, I hear footsteps, coming down the steps this time.

Like I expected, it was Saihara. It's probably going to really awkward if we're eating breakfast together without saying anything. Maybe he'll just get something and not eat breakfast. I didn't know too much about the detective's eating habits, but in the killing game I know that he didn't eat properly and always skipped eating in the dining hall, especially right after Kaede's death.

Well, I was wrong. Shuichi plopped down right next to me, got a bowl, and poured the exact same cereal and milk I was currently eating. What the hell. Is he trying to get me to talk again? Or is Saihara going to actually say something for once on his own? I just had to be patient.

After a few more minutes, I was sick of it. Fuck being patient. I had to say something. I was tired of the silence between us. And I had to apologize too. Saihara didn't know what happened between me and Kiibo, but I'm sure he had his suspicions by what he saw. Just as I turn to him and open my mouth, Saihara opens his mouth as well. 

We both say the same thing.

"I'm sorry!"

---

yeet

this is really short but i hope you like it

i think i'll continue regularly updating now!

bye!