The Boy With The Blank Stare: Punishment Time

Chapter Twenty Eight: Vows

"Ouma I'm back- what did you do?" I asked. The kitchen was utterly destroyed and there seemed to be tomato sauce everywhere.

On the floor everywhere was flower petals. If it was meant to be a path they failed horribly and I could see the rest of the flower 'hidden' behind the couch.

What made things more confusing was the shoving I heard from down the hall and the quick closing of a door as Ouma showed up.

"Oh shoot I thought I had an hour left" he mumbled. I raised an eyebrow as he walked over, "so...what's with the flowers?" I asked.

"Hanahaki" Ouma said and my eyes widened, "but that's fictional-" I started to argue "it's a lie" Ouma grinned then paused for a second.

"I brought home takeout...want some?" I asked and Ouma nodded. I still don't know what the flowers are for.

I don't think I want to know.

Ouma and me ate some sushi I brought home before he stopped and I could see his hands were shaking. Ouma hasn't been this nervous for a while...since he moved in he's been a bit more laid back...

"Did something happen today? You've been really uneasy" I noted and Ouma just moved around uncomfortable in his seat.

"Saihara" he said in a serious voice.

"When you met me I was a person who couldn't even talk. Who couldn't accept anything going on around them. Who couldn't accept what the world around me became and what I lost.

"When I first met you...I was really confused by you...still am. Honestly I can't understand your curiosity. I kept analyzing everything you said and what it meant...and when you started talking to me...and actually knew sign language...I was shocked.

"I didn't understand why you wanted to know. Why everyone even kept what 'happened' from you. I actually wanted to stay away before you got to close...I mean can you blame me? You were getting close to being stalkerish." Ouma laughed nervously.

"In my defense no one would tell me anything. Also I am sorry" I quickly said and Ouma nodded and continued.

"Well I guess fate had different plans because next thing I know you're all of a sudden glued to me. And for some idiotic reason I let down my walls.

"Well you broke some first...then I for some reason let some down. Eventually I told you...heh...look I'm shaking...this is great. Exactly what I needed.

"I still regret putting you in this mess. I wonder if you would have liked who I was before all this mess? I kinda want to know what you actually look like. I know everyone from my class and stuff but I never saw your face.

"But you said you would stay...and that made this even MORE confusing and weird snd stressful and Saihara you actually made me FEEL things other than numbness and sadness.

"Then...well you actually had a lot of secrets to...how many skeletons are you hiding in yours by the way? It ain't fair you're dragging all mine out and I don't get to hear about yours." Ouma complained.

"Anything you want to know I guess and I'll tell you about." I promised him.

"And now we are at the sad part...the sidewalk episode..." Ouma reflected he looked really uneasy.

"I'm so sorry" I apologized.

"Nah it's fine...I was angry at myself more than you...kind of spur of the moment...just... Saihara I think I realized it when you were gone...but...

"I like you. Like...more than as...friends? Are we friends or just weird roommates?" Ouma asked.

"Both would be good descriptions" I assured him, "wait...repeat what you just said" I asked my eyes widening.

"Are we friends or just weird roomates?" Ouma asked and I sighed, "before that" I told him.

"Like...more than as...friends?" Ouma teased and I groaned, "why do you do this to me?" I asked.

"I love you too Saihara" Ouma said. He was a tomato with how much he was blushing. I've never seen him without this many walls and barriers before. He was actually showing me his vunerable side again.

And...he loved me...

Without another word I hugged him and I heard a soft oof from him as he hugged back and he laughed.

"Saihara I need to breath" he reminded and I quickly let go, "sorry..." I mumbled.

Ouma then took out a box and my eyes widened.

"Don't get excited it's just a promise ring." Ouma told me showing me two rings.

Each ring were identical with a silver band and in the center were the corresponding blue and purple gem.

"Harukawa helped me pick. She said the blue one was like your hair" Ouma told me.

"So...Saihara if you want to deal with me...the whole me..." Ouma started but I interrupted.

"Ouma I never felt this way about anyone. Of course" I told him joy overfilling me as we exchanged rings.

He had the blue and I the purple. Ouma didn't say anything for a bit, "you can call me Kokichi by the way" he brought up.

"Really?" I asked, "I never really cared about that anyway...I also don't really like my last name anymore" he admitted.

That confused me but I let it drop, "ok you can call me Shuichi" I told him, "ok Shumai" he joked.

RING

"Ugh at the worst time" I mumbled and picked up the phone, "hello?" I asked.

"Boss we managed to identify the blood, it belongs to Kokichi Ouma. We also found the remains of a baseball bat with the victims presumed blood. It was him. He did it."