✧ Chapter 3 ✧
[ Only Held to the Earth ]
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"Ouma- Jeez.." Kaito glared at him, "What the hell are you doing here you damn Lovesick person?"

"Lovesick? Hey.. that's not very nice." Kokichi frowned sadly, pulling a face at the two of them. "Says the two people hiding in the bushes and spying on girls! I ought to report this to Principal Monokuma ya know.."

"No!" Kaito and Shuichi exclaimed at the same time, making Kokichi shush them. "Man, you two are really bad at sneaking around. Why not you let me in on your grand scheme to get the girl?" he asked.

"Shut up already Ouma, I don't know what you're talking about." Kaito growled, looking over at where there were girls exiting the dormitory building.

"There's so much love in your eyes, it's making me sick." Kokichi giggled, ruffling Kaito's hair, "Soooo.. who's the girl who stole your heart?"

"Ouma, just shut up! We're going to get in trouble.!" Shuichi tried to make Kokichi lower his volume. Was this what Kokichi wanted? To get both him and Kaito into trouble?

No, Kokichi may seem like a major problem, but he wasn't that evil, was he?

"Then let me in on your plan! I can help! This is more thrilling than watching ants march by one by one, hurrah!" He sang as Kaito rolled his eyes, "Goddamnit, Ouma, how old are you? You're definitely not sixteen."

"Just.. don't get us in trouble, please." Shuichi told him as patiently as he could, going back to looking out for Maki.

"Then who are you looking for, Saihara-chan?"

Shuichi glared at him, the nickname jarring his mind a little and making him unable to think. What did Kokichi just.. call him?

"Don't glare at me like that, Shuichi, c'mon, I didn't know you'd like girls," Kokichi looked at his hand, a little strand of his hair waving in the humid wind, "I was disappointed."

"What-?" Shuichi heard himself say as Kokichi dropped his gaze from his own hand to face Shuichi expectantly, "Disappointing. That you like girls. I struck you as more of a boy/girl type."

"We're not even supposed to Love. What the hell are you talking about?" Shuichi felt his face heat.

Kokichi leaned forward, so that the two of them were merely inches apart. Shuichi held himself back, feeling a line of perspiration trickle down the side of his face.

"Hmm.." the other boy leaned away, "Shame."

"What's a shame?" Shuichi asked him, annoyed by his antics. But his heart pounding. Was he tricking him? Playing with his feelings? What the hell was Kokichi Ouma doing?

"Hey, space boy," the boy turned to him with a smug smile, "What are you going to do once you get your girl?"

"It's Maki Roll, she's not just some girl." Kaito glared at him defensively, but suddenly lost his anger when he processed Kokichi's question. "Huh.. I.. uh.. don't know what I'll do the moment I actually meet her.."

"You two are so dumb!" Kokichi laughed, "Don't you know what's planning ahead? Don't tell me you're thinking of just kidnaping Maki and just forcing her away-."

"I'm pretty sure she'll be the one who will tie us up and dispose us to Monokuma." Shuichi muttered, shuddering a little, "Seriously Kaito, I don't see why you like her."

"She's just brilliant.. and brave and strong and just so confident." Kaito smiled dreamily, making Kokichi roll his eyes to the sky, "You've obviously fallen in love, Momota-chan."

Shuichi felt his heart skip another beat when Kokichi called Kaito 'Momota-chan'.

And honestly, he felt a little jealous, but he forced down those feelings, his heart thumping wildly.

Crap. It was that symptom of falling in love. No no no no. There was NO way he was going to fall in love with Ouma.

"I'm just gonna wait here till she comes along." Kaito said, his eyes fixed on the double doors. Shuichi turned away from Kokichi as well, helping Kaito to look out for-

"There she is!" Kaito exclaimed as Maki Harukawa exited the girl's dormitories, thankfully alone.

"Kaito wait!" Shuichi gasped but the other boy didn't listen, climbing out of the bushes and just walking up to the girl.

"Oh no no, this is bad.." Shuichi muttered, covering his eyes. Kokichi watched skeptically as Kaito marched right up to Maki.

He knew he should stop him but.. Kokichi was curious.

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"What.. are you doing?" Maki asked, narrowing her eyes at the boy standing in front of her.

She knew him from her classes. Kaito Momota, self proclaimed Luminary of the Stars and weirdo.

He was always trying to impress her but what he didn't know was that she followed the school rules as best as she could.

Especially rule number one.

"... Get out of the way, Momota."

"Nope! Unless you say my full title, Maki Roll." the other guy said stubbornly, making her start to glare.

"Stop calling me Maki Roll, I'm not some little pet."

Kaito held up his hands, but not seemingly afraid of her. "Hey, don't need to be so rash Maki Roll, at least we know each other don't we?"

"Unwillingly. Now please move," she suddenly whipped out two knives, holding one in each hand, "Or I'll move you myself. In pieces."

"But I just wanted to tell you that I lo-."

Maki's eyes widened when the students around them gasped, looking at Kaito, who stopped.

There was a silence as everyone stopped talking, to stare at Kaito.

"He just.. someone arrest him! He has the Disease!" a girl with long blue hair pointed at him.

Kokichi grabbed onto Shuichi's arm, pulling him back. "Ouma! Let go!" he gasped, trying to get to Kaito, who was standing still.

"Saihara- just wait!" Kokichi protested, using all his strength to hold him back. "There's nothing you can-."

Just as he said that, a loud alarm sounded and a bear jumped out from behind a pillar, landing right in front of Kaito.

"Upupupu! Looks like someone said something that caught my attention!" the robotic bear laughed, raising an arm.

"T-this has nothing to do with you, you robotic freak!" Kaito shot back, pointing right at the principal with a finger.

"Oh no, looks like you made a terrible mistake, Kaito Momota!" Monokuma laughed again, holding his bear paws to his mouth, "Upupupu..."

"Whatever, I'm not going down without a fight! Bring it on!" Kaito threatened as students started to gather, drawn in by the commotion.

"This is what happens when you disobey a rule, students," Monokuma addressed the crowd. "So let this be a lesson!" he took out a remote with a big red button on it.

Shuichi stopped struggling as Monokuma pressed it. He watched as the front doors burst open to reveal a huge Beast Monokuma, which bounded over to Kaito.

No.. there was no way this was happening- not again!

But there was nothing Shuichi could do as he watched Monokuma swing out a long chain to fasten it around Kaito's neck. "Nyahahahaha!"

"Kaito!" Shuichi yelled but was immediately cut off by Kokichi, who had covered his mouth.

"Kaito Momota, Ultimate Astronaut and student of Hope's Peak Academy." Monokuma read the Student ID on the key card, "You are under arrest for breaking the first rule of Dangan Island! ITSSS PUNISHMENT TIME!"

Everyone watched silently as Kaito was quickly dragged away by the Beast Monokuma. Shuichi couldn't believe it..

He wasn't going to let Kaito get taken away. Not like his parents.. but there was nothing he could do.

Shuichi and Kaito looked at each other, even though they were a fair distance away from each other, he.. couldn't see a trace of regret, just determination.

"Now now, there's no need to cry or whine, students," Monokuma raised a hand, as girls burst into tears, shocked by the happenings.

After all, it wasn't everyday that someone had to be dragged away to be injected with the Reverse Serum or be killed. "This is life after all!"

No one dared to speak up, obvious fear in each individual's eyes. "Now, back to your classes! I'm sure you'll see Momota soon if he survives the serum."

It took a few more words of 'encouragement' from Monokuma, before the students started to move away, the incident fresh in everyone's minds.

Shuichi dropped to his knees, looking at the lush green grass beneath him. Kaito.. was gone.

Just like that. As simple as that.

Kaito was as good as dead if he got sent to the Heartbreak Hospital. Calling it that was a mere facade. It was really a mental hospital in disguise. The same place where every lovestruck individual went to.

"Why did you stop me?" Shuichi asked Kokichi, who was silently standing behind the boy. "Why?!"

"Like I said," Kokichi muttered, "There is nothing you can do once he's made up his mind. Words can't stop Monokuma."

"How can you be so indifferent.." Shuichi murmured, feeling tears pricking in his eyes as they clouded his vision. "Don't you care that he's practically as good as dead?!"

"Of course I care about him, Saihara! But if you're going to keep whining about him, you're not going to move on!"

The two boys stayed under the shade of the tree for long minutes. One standing, the other kneeling on the grass. The standing figure held out a hand for Shuichi to take.

Kokichi's eyes widened when the other boy swatted his hand away with a loud slap.

"I don't need your help, Ouma," Shuichi stood up by himself, his legs shaking. "I don't ever want your help. If you hadn't interfered, I would've helped Kaito prepare for this."

With that said, Shuichi turned and walked away, his fists clenched and tears streaming down his cheeks.

Kokichi let his hand drop to his side, feeling the sting of pain on his knuckles, where Shuichi had slapped him. But it wasn't as painful as the rejection he received.

♥ End of Chapter Three ♥