✧ Chapter 2 ✧
[ No Hope, a Lingering Thread ]
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"Hey.. wake up already."

Why.. did that voice sound familiar? It sounded so far away, yet so close to him at the same time. Was he dreaming? Or was he half asleep?

"Wake up. You're going to be late."

The same voice interrupted his thoughts again. But try as he might, Shuichi didn't seem to be able to wake up. What the heck-?

"Oh screw it." the voice huffed impatiently and Shuichi shot awake when a sudden burst of pain flared in his cheek.

"Ow!" he yelped, holding his face and looking up at the figure, who was illuminated by the sun behind them.

"Why did you do that for?" Shuichi demanded, narrowing his eyes.

The figure tilted their head, making the sunlight shine directly onto Shuichi even more.

The students at Hope's Peak needed to wear their simple brown uniforms, so of course Shuichi couldn't recognise anyone by their clothes. What he needed to look out for were their hairstyles.

And he knew that hairstyle anywhere..

"Ouma?" he muttered, "Ugh, answer my question would you?"

"Yep, it's me, the one and only," Kokichi squatted down in front of him, and flicked his finger against Shuichi's nose.

"Ow-! Seriously, stop hurting me!" he muttered, rubbing his nose now.

"I'm just waking you up, sleepyhead. You slept through Chemistry, and now it's time to get back to the dorms." Kokichi explained. "And to think I'd get a thank you for waking you up. Or else you'd get toasted by the sun overhead."

Shuichi dumbly looked up at the sun, which immediately blinded him and made spots appear in his vision,

"Jeez, you're so stupid sometimes, sleepyhead. Don't ever look at the sun, you'll burn your retinas or something.."

"Thanks for telling me after I stared at the sun." Shuichi grumbled, rubbing his eyes, trying to get rid of the spots.

"Hmph, well, I'll get going now. And if I were you, I'd probably do the same. Those ants are crawling all over you."

Shuichi looked down and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw huge black ants crawling around.

"Holy-!" he leapt up and swatted the insects away as Kokichi watched, with an amused smirk on his face. "Told ya!" he sang.

Shuichi glared at him, "Wow, thanks. You've been really helpful, Ouma. Now why don't you go bother someone else?" he grabbed his backpack and swatted more ants away.

Kokichi gave Shuichi a twisted smile, "Well darling, go buy a brain. I came here to help you and this is what I get. Nice."

Shuichi felt his heart skip a beat when he heard the word, 'darling'. He forced down his feelings and decided to turn it into hatred.

"Thanks for being so sarcastic, Ouma. With all due respect, I don't give a damn." Shuichi pushed his hat a little over his face and turned away.

His face burned with embarrassment as Kokichi laughed.

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"Hey sidekick- whoa.! Slow your roll kiddo, what happened?" Kaito asked as Shuichi barged into their shared dorm room, throwing down his bag.

"For the last time Momota.." He grumbled and promptly fell face first onto his own bed. "I'm the same age as you, so don't call me a kid."

"Something's made you mad. Do you want me to go beat them up?" Kaito offered as Shuichi covered his head with a pillow.

"Yeah right Kaito, you cant even go out to the boy's bathroom to go to the toilet late at night, much less fight somebody." Shuichi muttered, his voice muffled by the pillow he was hugging.

"Hey! That's a very.. yeah, I guess you're right," Kaito sighed, using his key card to lock the door, "Thanks for reminding me of how much of a loser I am."

Shuichi turned, sitting up. "Who called you a loser? I didn't call you that."

"Maki Roll did." Kaito sighed glumly, "She's stubborn and whatever, and I have no chance with her whatsoever. Especially if we're living in a place like this."

"Wait-" Shuichi frowned, holding up his hands, "You.. you're in love with Maki Harukawa?"

"Shhh!" Kaito waved his hands quickly, for once, looking absolutely terrified. "Don't.. don't let anyone hear!"

Shuichi immediately lowered his volume, "Kaito, that's.. really dangerous.! You can't love anyone. You'll get arrested!"

"You don't think I know that?" Kaito muttered, "I've been fighting down this feeling for months and it's worse than ever. I need to confess to her! But this stupid Disease.. as they call it.."

"You and I know what happened the last time someone fell in love with each other in school." he looked out the window, his reflection gazing back at him.

Of course Shuichi knew what happened. Everyone in Hope's Peak Academy knew what happened. It was such a thrilling story that none of them believed it at first.

Apparently, a guy called Nagtio Komaeda fell hopelessly in love with Hajime Hinata. The both of them loved each other, but then they had to be taken away and sent to the mental hospital.

No one had ever heard of them since.

Rumour has it that they've been working together to end the so-called Disease, but were both driven to the point of insanity till they had to be forcibly killed.

The last anyone had ever saw of them were on the newspapers, a warning sent for everyone.

Shuichi tried to get rid of the image of the two people, their hands tied together and a knife impaled directly over their hearts. Just like how the doctors at the hospital disposed of bodies.

Love was dangerous. And Shuichi wanted nothing to do with it.

"Kaito.. at least try to make some sense.. love can consume thoughts!" Shuichi told the other guy, who had moved away from the window and was sitting on his bed.

"I know Shuichi." he sighed, "But love isn't something I can control, can't you understand?" he sounded desperate, "I want to stop this feeling but it's difficult!"

"..." Shuichi went silent at that. He wanted to help Kaito, no matter what, but this was going to be a challenge.

"Tell you what," Shuichi finally got up and slung on his backpack, "I've got a plan. Follow me."

"What-? Saihara, you idiot it's nearly eight in the evening." Kaito stood up, surprised as Shuichi slung out his key card and scanned it, opening the door.

"Exactly, we can come back before ten, so let's go and don't ask questions." Shuichi reached over and grabbed Kaito's wrist, dragging him in the direction of the girl's dormitory building.

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"Shuichi!" Kaito whisper-shouted, the two boys keeping their voices as low as possible. "What the hell of you think you're doing?"

"I'm helping you overcome your feelings for Maki." Shuichi replied with a slight annoyance, watching as girls walked along the hallways, talking and laughing.

"What- you're expecting me to just go up to her and confess? That's suicide!" Kaito hissed, "That's like, sticking your hand in a blender! You don't do that!"

Shuichi looked at him, "Do you want me to call you a coward?"

"What?! No! Don't call me a coward, you're the coward!"

"Kaito, just stop panicking. I'll call her over and you can talk to her. Just be sure to keep your voice as low as possible." Shuichi reminded him.

"I think I'm going to be sick.." Kaito muttered, looking a little pale green as Shuichi rolled his eyes. "Just hold on, I'll find her."

"What's up?"

A new voice nearly made Shuichi jump out of his skin, and lose his nerve completely. He turned and came face to face with a pair of wide purple eyes.

"Hello again sleepyhead. Whatcha up to?" Kokichi asked with a sly grin.

... Damnit.

♥ End of Chapter Two ♥