✧ Chapter 38 ✧
[ Alive, Holding On All Together ]
✧༺♥༻∞　　∞༺♥༻✧

Shuichi ran a hand through his hair, remembering that strange incident he had with Ouma today. The other boy seemed rather happy, but the look on his face said otherwise. He seemed to be holding something back, choosing his words carefully. The boy was probably planning something reckless again..

The detective was back in his dormitory room after another long day in class. Shuichi leaned against the door of his dorm room, reading the words carefully. He had found the purple piece of sticky note, slipped underneath his door.

"We need to talk. Meet me in the school garden, two in the morning. From, Ouma. P.S. Make sure you're alone."

Shuichi narrowed his eyes at the handwriting, frowning as he read. What did Kokichi mean? He wasn't being very specific.

And Shuichi wasn't sure if he trusted him.. but then again..

He felt his heart skip a beat whenever he heard Kokichi's name in his mind. Why was he feeling this way? He wasn't even supposed to be feeling this way!

Shuichi glanced at the clock on his desk, still holding the paper as the seconds ticked away.

It was nearly half past one, in the morning. Furthermore, he was supposed to be studying for his upcoming math test.

However.. this sounded urgent.

And Shuichi knew he couldn't really leave Ouma hanging around like this. Especially when there was a curfew in their school. No one was allowed outside in the halls or grounds when it was past ten.

No. Shuichi reminded himself again, turning away and stuffing the note deep into his pocket.

He grabbed his dark navy blue hoodie and put it on. Tugging on the sleeves and making sure he had his key card to his dorm room, Shuichi grabbed his backpack and unlocked the door.

Without really thinking too much about it, Shuichi headed to the garden. If Kokichi needed to talk to him, he might as well see what he needed.

... It shouldn't be a problem. Right?

✧༺♥༻∞　　∞༺♥༻✧

Shuichi trudged across the dewy ground, shielding his eyes from the slight drops of rain which fell on him. Why did Ouma have to pick such a timing.. he wondered.

He couldn't help feeling slightly worried, since he had never sneaked out of his room when it was past ten before. Overhead, the chilly wind blew, rustling the branches of a tree and filling the silence.

He was doing this because... well. He needed to tell Ouma off for making him meet this early in the morning. The detective stared at the stars in the sky, noticing that the constellations were back.

It's been so long since he's went stargazing. Maybe he should try it out with Ouma one day-. Why did his thoughts immediately think about that purple haired student? It was annoying..

Shuichi stopped walking and spun around when he heard a crack of a twig. Kokichi stood there, a few feet away and looking slightly surprised. He raised his foot, seeing the broken twig underneath. "Nishishi~! So much for being sneaky, eh, Saihara-chan?" he laughed, making Shuichi sigh.

"What do you need, Ouma? Why did you call me out this early in the morning?"

The other boy reached up to his head and played with a strand of his own hair. "I want to play another game. I'm bored."

"Another- haven't you played enough games Ouma?" Shuichi strode forward and held Kokichi's wrist up, to show the bandage around his finger.

The purple haired boy seemed surprised by the sudden contact, "I'm just lying. I just wanted to... talk." he smirked.

Shuichi didn't know why he hesitated at the word 'talk', but whatever this was, he couldn't help feeling curious. "About?" he slowly dropped Ouma's hand, "It must've been really urgent if you chose this timing."

The other student picked at the hem of his torn black shirt, complete with his usual black and white bandanna, white pants and black shoes.. he looked outstanding. The blue and purple socks didn't match, as per usual.

Kokichi gazed up at Shuichi with a wide grin, "Hmm.. we can talk about random things, really. However, now that we're alone.. there's one thing I want to ask you.."

"What is it?" Shuichi interrupted, letting his guard down as he became curious. The trickster smiled, "Do you trust me? I'm asking honestly here."

...

That was the same question Shuichi kept asking himself. Did he trust Ouma? Did he see him as a friend? Kokichi was the embodiment of lies. A schemer. A trickster. Detectives detested liars, didn't they? Shuichi looked back at the other boy's eyes.

But he was also a person he couldn't help befriending. He was funny, and playful and not to mention, caring. Even though no one else seemed to realise that. He had a childish soul, and a brave personality for standing up for what he believed in.

"Tell me why should I trust you, then." Shuichi replied him, sounding serious as Kokichi tilted his head, seemingly not expecting that answer.

"Why? C'mon Saihara-chan.. does everything need an answer? Does it? Does every small little question need a reply? If the answer is yes, conversations will go on forever. Eventually, someone has to stop talking."

"However, to answer your question," Kokichi smiled slyly, pressing his finger against his own lips, "I won't. Because you have to answer that yourself."

Shuichi shifted his gaze away from the other boy's, looking down at the ground with confusion. Did he trust him?

He remembered the games they played, most of them making the blue haired boy trust the liar. Even when Ouma was hanging from the ceiling by those wires, he trusted Saihara.

He couldn't help facing the shorter boy the moment he thought of the questions running in his mind.

Was it time for him to trust Ouma in return? Did he trust a liar.? Was he supposed to trust someone who was so different?

"I can see it in your eyes, Saihara-chan." Kokichi told him quietly, the two slightly apart. It was just like the day before, but now they were in the cover of darkness. No one could see them..

"Just trust me, alright?" Kokichi lowered his volume, his playful expression was now replaced with seriousness. "You want to find out everything? Every secret? Every lie? Every truth?"

Shuichi couldn't say a word, since the two were merely inches apart by now. Did he want to find what's going on? He wanted to stop the whole system. He wanted to feel love again. Even if he had to sacrifice everything along the way.

Kokichi seemed to notice the expression on Shuichi's face, since he became rather determined. "..."

Shuichi heard the purple haired boy take a deep breath and moved forward to press his lips against the blue haired boy's; a gentle, uncertain kiss.

The blue haired boy's heart started beating wildly, his body frozen with shock. But he would be lying if he said he didn't see that coming. His lips parted slightly as Ouma continued to close his eyes.

However, as soon as he realised that Shuichi didn't respond, Kokichi pulled away, breathless. His usually pale face was flushed with either embarrassment or the fear of getting caught. He started to smile, "I knew you.. didn't love me-."

Shuichi felt tears spill from his eyes as he grabbed Ouma and pulled him into a passionate kiss, this time, holding it longer. Around them, the sounds from the garden melted away, and was replaced by the sound of his heart beating at double time.

He felt the boy wrap his arms around Shuichi's neck, deepening the kiss. It seemed as if someone had opened his eyes, and made him realise what the detective needed was right within reach all along.

Shuichi pulled away, staring into Ouma's tearful eyes as he realised that the noise in his head wasn't the sound of his heart.

He looked up to see a figure, clapping loudly, a wide smile on their face and a Monokuma hoodie pulled low over their magenta eyes. Both boys could've pushed each other away, but instead, they held their hands together uncertainly.

"It's about time.." the voice started to say as the figure grasped hold of the front of his hoodie. "I was wondering how long I'd have to stay undercover.."

The person slowly pulled the hoodie back, revealing the smug smile of Rantaro Amami.

♥ End of Chapter Thirty-Eight ♥

A/N

(Looks like I lied again. He did have something to do with Chapter 36)