The New Motive

Talking to Girls About Boys

"Ya know what?" Kokichi questioned as they continued laughing together.

"What?" he asked.

"You're cute when you laugh."

"I- I- well, um . . . It's n- not that- I mean-"

"But," the violette inturupted, "you should avoid covering your smile when you do it." He grinned. "And lose the hat."

"But-" Shuichi tried to say.

"Nope, no 'but's," Kokichi teased. Then he hopped off the bed and ran over and reached out to the taller and took his hat from him, jumping up on the bed, trying to keep it away from him.

"Hey, give it back," he said. "And stop taking my stuff."

"No thanks," he decided aloud, continuing to jump away from the bluette whenever he'd get to close. "Not until you can show me a smile without it."

"Ouma, come on. You can't be serious, right?"

"Oh, but I can. You can do it, Shu. Just once and I promise I'll give it back. 'Kay?"

"Ouma. Please."

"Not until you do it."

"Ugh, why do you have to be so difficult?"

"Why do you have to be so adorable?" After realizing what he'd said he blushed softly and Shuichi almost got a hold of his hat, but at the last second the violette pulled it away.

That wasn't the best idea, he soon found out, though, because as soon as he did this, Shuichi lost his balance, falling forwards and on top of his roommate who was now pinned to the bed.

The two stayed frozen like this for a short while before the taller smiled and blushed deeply, turning away slightly.

"See," Kokichi joked, "that wasn't so hard, was it?"

At that Shuichi reached over the other's head and grabbed his hat from the others hand, putting it on and pulling the front down to shade his hot face and rushing out of the room quickly.

He closed the door behind him and Kokichi sat up speaking to himself softly.

"Well that went well," he said, sarcasm laced in his quiet voice. Shuichi's breakfast sat on the table by the bed, probably getting cold by this time, alone and untouched and his books were still somewhat scattered, as well.

"Shit," Kokichi muttered to himself, "what's it take to get the guy to take a hint?"

. . .

"Just fuck him already."

"What? I- Irima! No! I can't just do that! Are you insane?" Shuichi almost shouted.

"Why the fuck not? You obviously want to. And I don't see him complaining. If anything, he's as annoyed you haven't made a move as I am," the Inventor said from behind the new exoskeleton of her latest invention.

"I said 'no'. I'm not sleeping with my roommate. Tonight's the last night anyways," he argued.

"Then you'd better get a move on. 'Cause let me tell you, I am not about to lose a whole twenty bucks because you feel like being a little bitch."

"Wait. What? Twenty dollars?"

"Uh, yeah," she said nonchalantly, as if it couldn't be more obvious. "Kiibot and I had a bet."

"On what!?"

"Well I can't just up and fucking tell you. That's concidered an interference. But . . . since I really want to win, I said I thought the two of you'd hook up and bang before this bullshit motive was over, but he thinks that you're both precious snowflakes or some shit and that you won't."

"What the hell!? You can't just do stuff like that!"

"Well, no shit, Sherlock, but we kinda already did. You know, in case you weren't paying attention."

"Oh, god. Why do I even ask you?"

"Fuck. Beats me. But, do me a favor and just do it so I can get paid, alright?"

"Yeah, sure," he muttered, leaving Miu's lab and wandering the halls again. "Like that would ever happen."

. . .

"Hey, Saihara. There you are," Kaede said, waving as she made her way down the hall towards him.

"Oh. Hey, Akamatsu. We're you looking for me?"

"Not exactly," she smiled politely, "I just happened to find you and realized we hadn't spoken in a while. How've you been?"

"I, . . . Alright, I suppose," he said quietly, a small and barely noticeable blush scattering across his face.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, really. It's just . . ." He trailed off.

"Yeah?" She spoke in a concerned manner that made Shuichi feel like it'd be rude not to tell her anything.

"It's just Ouma."

"Oh," she said, her smile fading as she suddenly appeared much less interested.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all," she tried to convince him, but he could tell that her mood had changed. "What'd he do this time?"

"It's not like that, I promise. It's just that . . . Well, I don't know exactly. It's kind of complicated."

"How so? If you don't mind my asking, that is."

"Well, . . . I can trust that this stays between just us, right?"

"Mm-hmm. I won't tell a soul," she said nodding somewhat more happily.

"That's good. I like to believe that I can trust someone in here. So," he sighed taking in a deep breath, ". . . I think . . . I," he bit his lip before continuing, not entirely sure about the whole situation or how much trust he could really place in her, "I think I'm gay."

"O- oh. Okay. Um, . . ." Now he could tell with certainty that she was upset. She didn't do a very good job at hiding it either, which kinda hurt. "So, . . . You like . . . other boys?"

"Well, yeah, . . . I think I like Ouma."

"Oh, . . . But there's so many pretty girls here and a lot of them a way more worth your time than he is. And I was just thinking that, you know, I mean I'm always an optio-" she spoke quickly, but Shuichi stopped her.

"Listen, I know, . . . Okay? I know there's other people. I know that you probably don't agree with my decision. I know you don't like him. And I know that you'd rather have that position."

"Then why-"

"Because I love him, Akamatsu!" The two just stood frozen where they stood for a few moments before Shuichi left, walking away quickly towards the rooms.

"W- wait, Sai- Saihara! Co- come back!" She yelled at him, but not moving from where she was standing, only reaching in his direction. But he was already gone.

And she knew he wasn't coming back anytime soon.