Beneath the Mask [SaiOuma] (Kokichi x Shuichi fanfiction)

Chapter 1: Realization

- Shuichi, do you have a crush on someone?

I coughed up what I was drinking, startled by Kaede's question. Kaito started hitting my back, too hard to really be helping. 

-Don't die buddy!

-I'm -not dying... , I muttered, trying to catch my breath. After a while, I managed to mumble an answer: 

-O-Of course not... 

"What!" , Kaede shouted, hurting my ears a little. "You must have at least one person in mind."

"Yeah! There has to be one girl you'd like to bring on a date or something.", Kaito said before taking a bite in the same big hamburger he eats everyday. 

"Or boy.", Kaede retorted with a slightly reproachful tone. " I'm sure there's a least one person you can think of."

I could feel my cheeks heating up. "I... don't really know... Do you have someone in mind, Kaede?", I said, trying to divert attention.

"Hmmmm... Well Tsumugi has this kind of sexy aura around her. It reminds me the Oboe Concerto in D minor composed by Marcello. But... I'm not sure if I can call it a crush... Oh! And I think Tenko is really cute. I was really surprised when I met her. I always imagined Aikido Masters being huge guys, but she's like super cute! Also, ..."

She continued to talk, distracted by my question, but I didn't have enough brainpower left to keep up. This question really caught me off guard. It was almost scary how the timing was too perfect. I don't know how we came to this topic in the first place, but...

I was eating with Kaede, Kaito and Maki at the cafeteria, like the usual, Kaede and Kaito talking about nothing and everything while I listened and Maki ignored them. Except that I didn't really follow the conversation today, trying to think things through. To be honest, I'm not really sure, but I think the answer to Kaede's question may be yes. In any case-

-Hey! Shuichi, you're listening?

It was Kaede. I didn't even see her staring, even with her two inches from my face. I turned my head to see Kaito next to me, staring at me too. Even Maki was glancing at me, looking up from the book she was reading without stopping for a few days.

-S-Sorry... What were you saying?

They looked at each other before speaking up: "Are you not feeling well, Shuichi?", asked Kaede, a concerned look on her face. "Yeah, you seem a little out of it today. Are you sick or something?", Kaito inquired.

-I-I'm okay guys, I'm not sick, well at least I don't think so.

-You're sure?, Kaede replied.

-Yes, I guess I'm just a little tired today.

-Alright... but if there's anything we can do, tell us alright? 

-Yeah! Don't worry, I'm always here to help my sidekick!

-Thanks guys.

"Ah! It's almost time for class!", Kaede exclaimed." The first bell will ring soon. We should get going!"

We all stood up at once, in agreement with her statement, and gathered our things before heading towards our classroom.

*///*

 Our afternoon class was social studies. I couldn't concentrate on the teacher's voice at all. I'm usually pretty attentive in class, but hearing the same story for the fourth time this year didn't help me to stay concentrated. I do not say that Japan history is uninteresting,  but I don't really see the point in learning the same thing 8 times during our school years. In any case, the monotonous voice of our teacher, in addition to my current state of mind, didn't help me follow the lesson.