𝓛𝓮𝓽 𝓜𝓮 𝓑𝓾𝓻𝓷 || 𝓢𝓱𝓾𝓲𝓬𝓱𝓲 𝓢𝓪𝓲𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪 𝓐𝓷𝓰𝓼𝓽

Journey to Self-Worth

Shuichi opened the doors to the cafeteria, only to be met with shouting and the excited squeals from the other students.

"Oh! It's Saihara-chan!" a voice, Kokichi, called out, making the room's attention on him.

"U-Um, hi..." he said shyly, scratching his wrist. It was a nervous habit of his, that his uncle had advised against.

"What are ya waiting for?!" a blonde-haired inventor shouted, pointing to a pillow on the floor. "Hurry up, ya perv!"

Perv? Shuichi thought. Does she mean pervert? Great. This just goes to show how horribly they think of you, Saihara.

Shuichi sat down on the pillow Miu had indicated. Much to his bad luck, he had been placed next to Maki, the Ultimate Child Caregiver.

She's so intimidating... Shuichi thought, shivering slightly.

They waited for Kaede and a few others — Tenko, Himiko, and Korekiyo — to arrive, and then started the activity.

"So me, some of the girls, and Gonta were thinking, and we decided that we'd all get to know eachother better!" Kaede said, smiling brightly.

"Yeah! So you virgins better speak up!" Miu shouted.

"Shut up, you filthy cum dumpster!"

"C-Cum dumpster..?"

The activity was over, and it was just in time; Nighttime was soon, and Shuichi didn't want anyone to see him randomly standing in the halls awaiting his killer.

Shuichi unlocked his door, and waited in his room, listening to the very distant echoes of doors slamming shut. He counted the doors, and eventually decided to exit the room.

Shuichi stood outside his door, playing with his thumbs.

I mean, if someone really wanted to escape, Shuichi was right here and very happy to be killed.

"Shuichi?"

Shuichi flinched, turning to see Kaede walking towards her dorm.

"What are you doing?"

"O-Oh, Kaede—" he stammered, sweating. "I-I swear it wasn't anything bad, i-it's just that my, uh, room... Smells! Y-Yeah... It s-smells..."

Kaede sighed and walked up besides Shuichi.

"Shuichi, I can tell you're lying." she said, eyes firm yet gentle. "Tell me the truth? Please?"

Shuichi's legs shook and he considered the options.

If you tell her, you'll end up in some weird killing game therapy.

If you don't tell her, she'll be suspicious.

Just lie.

"I-I was waiting to see if anyone would commit a murder..." Shuichi said, surprised at how easily the lie rolled off his tongue.

"Oh..." Kaede said, her face gentle and caring. "You're so nice, Shuichi..!"

And with that, she walked away.

N-Nice..? he thought, shocked. Kaede Akamatsu, literal embodiment of hope, thinks I'm nice?!

Maybe...

Maybe I'm not so bad after all...