AN: This chapter is pretty short, compared to the other chapters. Sorry.
There will probably be only one more chapter after this one, just saying.
Anyway, nobody wants to here my stupid voice. On with the chapter!

Kokichi watched the room door close behind Shuichi, the smirk slowly deforming. Sure, he was lying about not knowing his feelings, he said internally, but he still may not change. He may try to deny it. He’ll probably just ignore it, and not care. That’s how it always is with me, anyways. If people care for me in any way, they try to push it down and don’t let themselves care. Even if he is lying, he’ll believe in that lie, and think it’s true. He’ll ignore me, and stick with Kaede. But that’s...that’s fine.

Kokichi felt tears welling up in his eyes. I don’t deserve someone as amazing as Shuichi anyway. Kaede is one lucky girl. And she’s amazing anyway. She’s...perfect for Shuichi. I don’t care how much he loves her or me, he loves Kaede, and that’s fine. He can have her.

Kokichi was about to burst into tears when he heard a knock at the door.

“Kokichi? This is Kiibo speaking. Shuichi wanted me to ask if you needed any assistance. I would be more than happy to help.”

“Come on in,” Kokichi said, somewhat monotonous.

Kiibo opened the door and entered. “How are you feeling, Kokichi?” he asked. “Everyone is concerned for you, considering you did pass out on the floor with no warning.”

“I’m okay, I guess,” Kokichi lied.

“Are you sure?” Kiibo asked.

“I’m...not sure, honestly,” Kokichi admitted. “A lot is going on for me right now.”

“Do you feel well enough to go to class?” Kiibo asked.

Kokichi shrugged. “I guess.”

Kiibo pointed at the adhesive around Kokichi’s knee. “Is your knee okay? You appear to have injured it.”

“It’s fine, Kiibo,” Kokichi said, standing up off the bed. “It’s just a little blood. I’ll manage. I’ve been through worse.”

“Just be careful, Kokichi,” Kiibo advised. He stepped back so he wasn’t in Kokichi’s way.

“I will, Kiibo,” Kokichi replied, walking out of the room. “Th-thanks.”

“You are welcome, Kokichi!” Kiibo said, a gratifying smile on his face.

Kokichi exited the nurse’s office and walked past the others without even a glance. He limped slightly, but not too bad.

“Kokichi?” Miu called.

Kokichi said nothing and simply walked out of the nurse’s office without acknowledging anyone.

“Sheesh, what’s his problem?” Miu complained.

Kaede put her hand on Miu’s shoulder. “Maybe you should ignore that for now,” she said. “Kokichi seems to be in pain.”

“Shuichi seems to know what Kokichi is going through,” Rantaro said.

“What wrong with Kokichi?” Gonta asked. “Will Shuichi tell?”

“M-me?” Shuichi sputtered.

“I think I may know what’s up,” Miu mumbled. “But I promised not to tell.”

“Gotta go!” Shuichi exclaimed, sprinting out of the nurse’s office.

Kiibo sprang out of the room out of nowhere. “No running in the halls!” he shouted.

Shuichi ignored Kiibo and continued to run.

…

Kokichi continued his voyage through the halls and saw Maki in the hallway. She looked more sinister than the usual.

“What’s up with you, Maki?” Kokichi asked.

“I am going to kill you, Kokichi,” she said ominously. She reached into her bag and pulled out a sticky note with something written on it. It was that sticky note that he had stuck on her the other day, falsely stating that she had the flu.

“So you finally found it,” Kokichi said without a hint of worry. He reached into his letter bag and pulled out a Nerf gun he kept with him. He certainly didn’t have it for spontaneously shooting people with rubber bullets. “If you want to kill me, here you go.” He handed Maki the gun without a hint of hesitation.

Maki ripped the gun from his hands, so focused on killing Kokichi, she ignored the fact that he just pulled it out of his letter bag.

Her eyes appeared to be glowing from anger. She quickly aimed it for his face and shot. Out popped a rubber bullet that beamed him in the nose.

Kokichi smiled. “Nee-he-he,” he chuckled. “Did you really think I’d just so easily let you kill me?”

Maki’s hands shook, still gripping the gun, confused. “Wh-what?” she stuttered.

“You know that I hate the concept of death and killing, Harumaki,” Kokichi said, grinning. “As if I’d keep a real gun in my bag. I’m a master prankster. Check the label on the gun.”

Maki turned the gun and read the Nerf brand label on the side. She looked even more angry than before. “I...will...murder...you...Kokichi,” she said slowly, her hands trembling. She threw the gun at Kokichi, aiming for his face.

Kokichi simply caught the gun and then picked up the rubber pullet from the floor. He stuck the bullet back into the chamber and cocked the gun.

“Oh, you wouldn’t do that,” he said, “Imagine how many people would be so mad at you for doing so…”

He continued to talk to distract Maki, then he raised the gun and shot her in the eye. “Ha ha!” he shouted. He shoved the gun into his bag and ran away.

“KOKICHI!” Maki shouted.

A teacher walked up to Maki. “Harukawa,” he said. “No yelling in the halls.”

A bitter Maki held her eye and cursed under her breath.

Kokichi laughed, continued running, and didn’t look back.

His run sped up to a sprint, as he knew the class bell would sound shortly.

He made it to his class, bolting through the door, and slowed down to a walk.

Then he felt the pain in his knee as he slowed down, the knee he injured when he collapsed. His walk slowed to a limp, and he dragged himself to his desk.

“Kokichi, are you okay?” Kaito asked.

Kokichi shrugged and sat down. “My knee hurts,” he said, “but I just owned Maki, so there’s somethin’.”

Kaito scratched his head. “Huh?” he pondered.

“She’ll tell you later, I know it,” Kokichi said, smirking. Then the class bell rang.

Kokichi felt a finger poke his back. He turned around and looked at Rantaro. “What?” he asked.

“I’m gonna need to talk to you,” Rantaro said. “I’ve got a bit of a crushing thing on my hands.”

“You got feelings for someone, don’t you?” Kokichi asked, grinning.

“Yup,” Rantaro replied. “I’m gonna need your help.”

Kokichi nodded and turned forward again. Then his eyes widened and he gulped. What if it’s me? he worried. Or...even worse, Shuichi? Nah, no way. Rantaro wouldn’t betray me like that. But...he doesn’t know about my crush on Shuichi. Oh God, I’m terrified.

Kokichi began to hyperventilate, and he didn’t even notice. He was so in his head, panicking, he couldn’t notice or pay attention to anything else.

“Oma?” the teacher said.

Kokichi snapped back to reality, and he realized what was happening. “Y-yes?” he said, still hyperventilating.

“Do you need to step out for a moment?” the teacher asked.

“N...nah, I’ll be fine,” Kokichi lied.

“Are you sure?” the teacher warned, trying to be cautious.

Kokichi nodded in response.

The rest of the class period was not too bothersome.

After the class ended, Kokichi stood up from his desk and exited the classroom with Rantaro. “You wanted my help?” he said.

“Yeah,” Rantaro replied. “I have feelings for someone, but I kinda...can’t confess.”

“Oh, why is that?” Kokichi asked.

“They’re in a relationship with someone else already,” Rantaro answered.

The color vanished from Kokichi’s face and his breath stopped. “Oh...r-r-really?” Kokichi said nervously. “Wh-wh-wh-who is i-it?”

“You okay, man?” Rantaro asked. “You look like you’re about to faint.”

“J-j-j-just tellllll m-me wh-who it issss,” Kokichi said, struggling to speak.

“Why are you freaking out?” Rantaro asked.

“Tellllll mmmmmmeeeee whoooooo,” Kokichi coughed.

Rantaro blushed and he avoided eye contact with Kokichi. “Uh...it’s...A-Aka...it’s Kaede,” he said, embarrassed.

The color returned to Kokichi’s face and his breath returned to his lungs. He sighed a very loud sigh of relief. “Oh, thank goodness!” he exclaimed.

“Why were you so scared?” Rantaro asked Kokichi, covering his face so Kokichi couldn’t see how red it was.

“I...I have feelings for someone, too,” Kokichi admitted, “and he--they are already in a relationship, and I was worried you had feelings for the same person as me.”

“Did...did you say he?” Rantaro asked, uncovering his face, for the red had vanished.

“Uh...no!” Kokichi fibbed. “I said nothing of the sort! I’m--I’m straight as a pole!”

“Dude, you know I don’t fall for your lies,” Rantaro said, a smug smile on his face.

Kokichi’s face turned red. “It-it’s not a lie!”

“Yeah it is,” Rantaro retorted.

Kokichi hung his head in defeat. “Yeah...it is,” he conceded.

“So, who is it?” Rantaro asked.

“Wow, you're giving me a lot less of a hard time than Miu did,” Kokichi said.

“Miu knows?”

“She forced it out of me.”

“Whattaya mean, I'm giving you a lot less of a hard time?”

“Miu was teasing me when I confessed. I mean, she wasn't mean about it, but you were nice and easy. Miu was all like, 'Dude, you're gay? Who's the guy?’ It was annoying.”

Rantaro shrugged, since he did not know what to say in response. “Anyway,” he began, “who is the person you like?”

“I'll give you a hint,” Kokichi said. “This person is in a relationship with a person that a certain green-haired boy with many piercings has feelings for.”

“Sh-Shuichi?!” Rantaro exclaimed.

“Shh!” Kokichi exclaimed.

Then, feminine sobbing sounded from around the corner.

Kokichi and Rantaro rounded the corner and saw Kaede weeping into her hands.

“Kaede?” Rantaro whispered.

Kaede jumped up and lifted her head out of her hands. “Oh...hey, guys,” she said solemnly.

“What's wrong?” Kokichi asked.

“Sh-Shuichi…” she stuttered. “He's...he's been acting...weird. Ever since he left your room he's been out-of-character. He randomly started shouting at me, which is rare. He even...shoved me back. Then I retaliated and did the same. He then hissed and stomped off. Next period, he got into another fight with me and said he needs to 'reassess our relationship.’ I think that means... he's tryna consider if he and I should split or not. I hope...we don't split up.”

Kokichi blankly stared at Kaede, while Rantaro walked up to her and gently placed his hand on her shoulder.

“I'm... I'm sorry, Kaede,” Rantaro said quietly.

Kokichi still stared at Kaede blankly. He had no idea how he was going to respond.

“Goddammit!” a voice shouted from the other side of the hall. “Why are you such an idiot?! I told you to leave me alone, you stupid piece of crap!”

“Woah,” a voice that sounded like Kaito's responded. “You never act like this. Is something wrong?”

“Damn right something's wrong!” the other voice said.

Kaede peaked around the wall. Her head quickly darted back, as if she was afraid.

Kokichi's curiosity perked and he looked, too. This angry person shouting at Kaito was none other than…

Shuichi Saihara.

“I'm in a bad mood, okay?!” Shuichi shouted. “Go mind your damn business, you dumbass!”

Kaito had a look of terror in his eyes. “O-okay! I'm leaving! Sheesh!” And then Kaito turned around and ran away.

“Shuichi's been like this since second period,” Kaede said, wiping her eyes.

A look of worry, fear, and determination all mixed together crossed Kokichi's face. “I'll try fixing this,” he said.

“No!” Kaede said. “I don't want you to get hurt!”

“I'm gonna try,” Kokichi argued, and he walked toward Shuichi.

He silently stepped forward, a sinking feeling in his stomach. Why in the world was Shuichi acting like this? He isn't like this at all.

Kokichi gently and ever-so-slightly poked Shuichi's shoulderblade.

Shuichi turned around, a look of malice on his face and his mouth was foaming. He looked down and saw Kokichi. “Ha...ha ha…!” Shuichi laughed.

“S-Saihara-ch-chan…” Kokichi stuttered. “Are you...okay?”

“No... I'm not okay, Kokichi,” Shuichi replied, a large psychotic smile on his face. He put his hands on the sides of his head. “Run away, now, before I hurt you. I already hurt Kaede and Kaito. The worst part is... I have no regrets. Heh...ha ha…”

Kokichi stepped backward. “What's gotten into you?!” he exclaimed. “This isn't like you at all! You never behave in such a reckless way! What happened?!”

“Words...painful things have been spoken…” Shuichi replied, drooling. “I said to run away!” he pushed Kokichi backward and he fell to the floor.

“Run, Kokichi!” Kaede's tear-filled voice called.

“No,” Kokichi replied, and he stood up.

Shuichi's face was red, his mouth was wet and running, his eyes were wide and bloodshot, and his expression changed from malice to pure psychopath. He grasped Kokichi tight and started to laugh. “How...could you...ever think that I...would ever...hate you?!” he exclaimed.

His hands slowly moved up towards Kokichi's neck, but a loud CLANG sounded and Shuichi fell to the ground.

Behind him stood Maki, holding a frying pan. “There, got that over with.”