ShuichixKokichi‼️

Chapter Nine

Shuichi's POV

I sat in my seat of the classroom, a face full of grief. Why grief? I just figured out not even half an hour ago that my pretty-sure-crush is going to stay in my room for the night, THIS night. Tonight. Oh god.
I had about five to ten minutes to ponder on this, collect my thoughts, and accept it before class started. The bell that sounded gave us a fairly early head start to get to where we need to be after our free time. Arguably, this is my easiest class out of the entire day. It was simply a lecture class, very common for a freshman in college. It took place in a good sized theatre room with rows of seats for plenty of students, and a desk way up in the front of the room. I enjoyed it; it almost relaxed me after working all day on my main course. Simplistic note taking.
Maybe it'd take me off edge.
I sulked down in my seat and laid my arms on the desk, resting my chin on top of my right forearm. I couldn't help but let my worry filled thoughts flood my mind and assume the worst of the situation I was in. Surely I'd do or say something so stupid tonight that would make Kokichi never want to talk to me again. I began to bite my nails.
He likes pranks. What if he's not serious, he's actually pranking me? My heart sunk to the floor with that thought. Sitting back up, I looked down and put my hands in my lap, balled up, fidgeting with whatever I could, which was just the skin on my hands. Pinching, scratching, tapping, whatever I could do to move. I couldn't stop moving, I had to keep going.
My leg began to bounce quickly, though I wished it'd stop. I'm so scared. I-
"Saihara, you okay?"
My body ceased all movement from the recognition. I looked up to see the big, burly man himself, Gonta Gokuhara. Despite his appearance, he was very sweet and gentle. The human example of a gentle giant.
"A-ah, Gokuhara..yeah, I'm okay. I'm fine."
"Oh no, you upset! I see it on face."
I've heard quite a bit about Gonta in my short time of knowing him. He used to talk in a third person perspective no matter the subject and only recently began referring to himself with 'me, I, my', like everyone else typically does. People call him dumb, be he gets pretty decent grades if you ask me. And of course, he could see right through me.
"It's nothing to worry about, I'm just thinking about some things."
I tried to end the discussion of my well being there, but Gonta wasn't ready to quit. He was devoted to help people, to be a gentleman.
"I don't think so, a gentleman makes sure his friends feel fine, and that's what I do right now! Tell me Saihara, why are you troubled?"
Speaking of. Now I had to tell him, didn't I?
My leg bounced even harder than before and my stomach twisted and turned. I found it odd how I felt like I could barely breathe.
"W-well.."
I had to think of how to say this quickly and with as little detail as possible.
"There's this person I kinda like, and um, they want to spend the night in my dorm room tonight, a-and I'm not sure how to feel about it. I can't turn him down."
I spared a glance over to Gonta and his smile was incredibly wide. His eyes sparkled with a weird sense of joy. Did I say something to make him so happy?
"Oh, I see Saihara, you like boys? That's okay, I support!"
Did I say that?!
I could feel my cheeks warm up in an instant from his response and my heart stop. I couldn't believe I just mindlessly revealed that I'm into guys right then and there to my friend I didn't talk to all that much.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to tell you that, but that's not the problem here. I'm scared of doing something that'll make him hate me."
We sat there for a moment, neither of us saying anything after that. Maybe I made him feel awkward, but I didn't mind all that much. I was too anxious over the predicament I had got myself into. That's when Gonta spoke up, his voice filled with a good heart.
"My friend Korekiyo always tell me that emotion is beautiful thing, and to accept it. So I think you should accept it Saihara, and don't worry! I don't think he hates you."
The way he worded it was kind of off, but somehow put me at ease. I let out a sigh through my nose and swallowed hard, attempting to calm down instead of overthinking like I had been.
"Yeah, I- I guess you're right. Thanks Gokuhara."
All of a sudden he pulled me into a tight, back cracking embrace with my face pressed against his chest firmly. God, this man was a beast!
"You're welcome Saihara! Cheer up!"
He finally let me go and I had to hide the fact that I was gasping, afraid of hurting his feelings. After a few minutes of waiting the class finally started. Everyone including me got out our notebooks and immediately began writing down whatever we could from what our professor was saying. It also helped me feel at ease. And maybe Gonta really was right, maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.