KOKICHI OUMA

"Ack- what the hell... you can't just go around sneaking up on people like that."

There, Kaede stood, staring down at me with a rather disappointed face. I arched an eyebrow, confused as to why she was reacting to me like this. She sighed, beginning to help me stack the shelves.

"Kokichi, can you tell me why you are avoiding Shuichi?"

I scratched my neck, taken aback from the unexpected question she gave me.

"What do you mean I'm avoiding Shuichi?"

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, leaning onto the shelf we were stacking. Usually when she gave me that kind of reaction she would start acting like my mom and would lecture me. So it was nothing too unexpected when she started advising me again.

"Kokichi, you are making it obvious... you just starting ghosting him throughout the whole week...,"

I looked down, running a hand down my hair and started to kick the marble floor. I just wanted to forget I ever knew Shuichi, but people such as, Maki and Kaede keep reminding me not to.

"I know, I just -- we are getting way too close and I don't want that... I just need space-,"

"What are you two sharing secrets about instead of doing your jobs?"

I turned around to see Maki and exhaled a huge pot of breath, clutching at my chest. I gave an exhausted smile, relieved it wasn't Togami standing behind me. Yes, Maki was just as ornery as Togami but she understood me easily.

"Kokichi has been avoiding Shuichi for whatever reason, and so I'm just trying to talk to him about it."

I glared at Kaede, sliding a finger across my neck as a threat, to which she abruptly flinched.

"Kokichi... that is not at all what I told you to do," Maki said in a disappointed tone that made me want to grind myself to pieces. 

"I know, I just got too scared and my only choice was to back away... plus, I'm not gonna compliment his ass!"

Kaede stared blankly at the two of us, palpably confused of the weird ass conversation we were having. Maki laughed, leaning her arm on the counter next to us.

"You know I wasn't being serious when I said that. But one thing I know is that you shouldn't just avoid him like this. It's wrong,"

"Who are you to tell me what to do? You aren't my mom."

She huffed, glancing at me with a face filled of demure.

"But I am the girl you've always come to first when you needed relationship advice."

"Relationship advice?" Kaede said, jumping into the conversation we were having.

She put a hand on her mouth, her eyes wide as if in thought. She looked down at me with a smirk before putting both hands on her hips.

"Kokichi has a little crush, doesn't he?"

"No, I-,"

"Yes he does, and he keeps cowarding about it," Maki said, glancing at me with a squint.

"It's not your place to tell her, Maki! Kaede is awfully horrible at keeping secrets,"

"Don't worry. I'll keep this one jeez, and I am not a liar like you when I say that."

I rolled my eyes, looking at Maki with a groan. I couldn't believe she'd just out me like that. What kind of a friend was she? She crossed her arms at me, a relaxed sentiment clouding her face.

"I just figured Kaede would be of a lot of help for you so I decided to trust her. I hope you can do the same Kokichi."

I ran a hand down my face, clearly dissapointed that Maki would do this to me but shrugged it off eventually.

. . . . .

I continued my work, Maki and Kaede doing the same and was ready to get another pack of snicker bars to stack before I was met by an envelope.

From: Maki

I want to apologize about the Kaede incident today, please meet me in the storage room.

It read.

I blinked a few times, blankly staring at the letter before letting a sigh escape my mouth. Then a thought trailed into my mind. Never would I ever have thought Maki would want to apologize about something. Wow, character development at its finest.

I began to head for the storage room, awaiting my apology and maybe a panta bottle if she's nice enough.

SHUICHI SAIHARA

From: Kaede
To: Shuichi

We should talk more about this problem you are having with Kokichi. Meet me in the storage room, alright?

I smiled at the note, feeling happy I was already making friends here. Even though I'd just met her today she seemed like a very nice person. I began to make my way towards the storage room, opening the doors to see... Kokichi?

There was no sign of Kaede anywhere, what was going on?

"A-ah... Shuichi! Nice seeing you here, heh...,"

I scratched at my neck turning away, quite nervous to even speak to him currently.

"Yeah, umm- why are you here?"

He seemed quite hurt from the question, making me want to instantly take it back. I sounded much more annoyed than I was which was exactly what I didn't want for it to seem.

"Umm, I just got this note from Maki telling me to meet her here...," He said, refusing to look at me.

"I got a note from Kaede telling me to meet her here..."

That's when the realization hit me. We got set up. And this was all Maki and Kaede's doing.

Why?

They probably wanted us to make ammends for a fight that hadn't even existed, but this wasn't the way to do it.

Moving out of that subject, I noticed something peculiar in Kokichi's appearance. He looked sort of out of it. His cheeks were a rosy, peachy red as much as he tried to hide it.

Was he sick?

"Hey, Kokichi are you ok? Your face is red," I said, before touching his forehead to check his tempurature.

"Don't touch me!" He said before smacking my hand away, his face only getting even more red.

I completely backed away, concernced where the sudden retort came from. He was acting more strange than usual around me. Now I really thought I did something wrong last week to ensue this sort of action.

"Ahh, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have-,"

"No, its fine! I was probably a little too close for your comfort."

It went silent, neither of us knowing what to say next. I hope you are happy Maki and Kaede because I certainly am not. I thought of a way to get us connected again. Maybe the visit to a cafe this afternoon after work? Yeah, that could get us in the motion again.

"Kokichi, do you want to go to the cafe near my house after your shift?"

"Sorry, I'm busy after work... I have to babysit my cousins."

I could easily read through the lie he created. He always looked away from me when telling a lie. It was a habit I quickly caught onto.

"No you don't."

"Huh?" He said turning over to me, still trying his best not to look at me.

"I said, no you don't. Are you lying to me Kokichi?" I said, walking closer to him to cup his cheek in my hand.

"No! Why would I lie about something as stupid as that?" He said, slowly moving my hand off of him and backing away into a cart, causing him to fall over.

"Ack-,"

I struggled to help him up, only to fall down with him. It almost felt forceful, as if he pushed me down with him purposely. But why so sudden?

That was out of my concern when I noticed the awkward position we were in. Me; pinning his arms onto the ground as he was under me. Our faces were both a full shade of crimson red. I wanted to run away, but I couldn't under all of this pressure.

Kokichi suddenly sighed, removing his hands from my grip, and cupping my face, bringing me into a slow kiss.

Word Count: 1369

CHAPTER DICTIONARY:

Ornery - Bad-tempered and combative.