Like Before (a pregame saiouma story)

Part 5

*third person*

The three of them split up to try and find Kokichi. Kaede and Kiibo looked in minor places. But Shuichi went to check his dorm.

*Saihara pov*

I gave a wish of luck to Kaede and Kiibo. I went off to Kokichi's dorm to see if he was there. It made the most sense to look there before anywhere else.

I walked over to Kokichi's dorm and heard what sounded like...

"Crying?"

Was Kokichi crying? He would never. Something had to be off. I knew that Kokichi was voted to get his memories back by Himiko and Maki. But I thought Monokuma would make an announcement to everybody if he did it already.

I walked over to the door. I was hesitant to knock at first. But knew that I would eventually have to. I go over and lightly knock on the door. I heard slight movement, but no clear response. I knock again but louder this time.

"Kokichi, are you alright?"

"P-please go away... I want to be left alone."

It was Kokichi. But it didn't sound like it. I was very surprised to hear such words come from him. He almost sounded timid, scared.

"Kokichi I just want to talk with you for a second. Can you please just come out please."

It went silent for a moment. But then Kokichi slowly cracked open the door and looked at me. He then gasps in shock.

"S-saihara!"

He studied me for a second.

"Kokichi what do you mean. You're normally not like this-"

I put my hand out, but he suddenly flinches back.

"A-ah, I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me! I d-didn't mean to do anything wrong! I swear!"

I was confused. I had no idea what Kokichi was talking about.

"Hurt you? I would never hurt you."

He looks up at me, tears in his eyes. Then he suddenly grabs me as tears fall down his face. I put my arms around him as he cried into my chest.  Something happened to him, but I had no idea what.

He looked abit different from the last time I'd seen him. For one thing he wasn't wearing his scarf like normal. He was abit paler and skinner, and he had some bandages on.

"Kokichi, what happened to you?"

He looks up at me confused.

"What happened? Did I change? I'm sorry, I can change back if you don't like me this way!"

"No no no, that's not what I meant. It's just, you weren't always like this. Just a couple of weeks ago you were... yourself."

"I-i, I don't know what you're saying. I've always been like this. You just don't like me, do you. You can admit it, I've heard worse."

"Kokichi, I think you've lost your memory."