My Dearest, Saihara-Chan

Chapter Twelve: Fun Times

The bodyguard stared at Kokichi, a horrified expression on what Kokichi could see of the bodyguard's face before they fell to the ground, blood beginning to seep out from their body. Kokichi stared at the bodyguard, his hand on the gun shaking. What has he just done? At least with Akamatsu-chan he had aimed to wound, not kill... but that time... Kokichi shook his head before looking around frantically. His mask, where is it? The last thing he wanted to happen was... the last thing... Kokichi covered his face with his hands, feeling his knees beginning to shake. The last thing he wanted to happen was... for his dearest, Saihara-chan to see...

Hey, I heard gunshots! What happened? Makoto's voice suddenly spoke through Kokichi's noisy thoughts. Kokichi shook his head, and forced himself into his Phantom Thief facade.

Eyyyyy, nothing too serious happened! Don't you worry, nishishi! Kokichi replied, his voice sounding forced and strained even to him.

Are you sure? What happened- Kokichi jammed a finger into his earpiece, shutting off Kyoko's annoyingly emotionless voice. God, he hated when people questioned him. Kokichi thought as he rubbed his aching head. That's going to leave a bruise or a bump or something isn't it...

"O..ouma-kun?" Kokichi's stomach dropped, dread filling every bit of his being. That... that definitely didn't come from his earpiece. Kokichi slowly turned to face the chair in the middle of the room. Shuichi was sitting there, facing Kokichi with an arm draped over the back of the chair, his eyes wide with shock and fear at the same time. Crap. When did he- when did he wake up?? "Ouma-kun? I...Is that you?" Kokichi swallowed, his heart thumping loudly, hoping that Shuichi couldn't hear it.

"Nishishi~ Eh... ya... ya got me!" Kokichi chuckled nervously. Shuichi stared at Kokichi with a strange expression on his face for a good minute. He looked like he was trying to believe that it was actually Kokichi standing in front of him.

"Ouma-kun!" Shuichi suddenly dashed into Kokichi's arms, shaking violently. Kokichi stared at Shuichi in surprise before wrapping his own arms around Shuichi in return, feeling the detective's fast heartbeat underneath his trembling back.

"H-hey, Shumai... it's ok... it's ok..." Kokichi stammered uncertainty in his words as he awkwardly squeezed Shuichi, his face growing annoyingly warm in response. His eyes landed on his mask, which was just under Shuichi's chair. Awkwardly, Kokichi scooted and reached out an arm, his fingertips brushing the very tip of the mask, hooking his fingers around the elastic that would go around his ears when he put the mask on. Kokichi glanced down at Shuichi, who had his face buried into Kokichi's chest, trembling like a leaf in a windstorm.

"Shumai!" Kokichi whispered. "We gotta go!" Kokichi attempted to move, and Shuichi responded well, thank goodness, moving with Kokichi. Kokichi carefully separated Shuichi's arms from around him, wishing that he didn't. Shuichi had his eyes squeezed shut, his face almost as pale as Kokichi's outfit, shaking uncontrollably. He looked simultaneously awful and amazing at the same time. "Cmon Shumai, let's go, you'll be ok if you come with me!" Kokichi promised, trying to get his words through. A minute passed, Shuichi's breathing slowly became more calm and regular as he slowly opened his eyes, though his gaze was still very unfocused.

"I-I..." Shuichi stammered shakily.

"If you can walk, then we gotta get out of here you stupidly amazing thing of a person!" Kokichi snapped, grabbing Shuichi's hand and trying to pull him out of the room, keeping his eyes away from the bodyguard he had killed. Shuichi's hand trembled in his, and annoying butterflies began fluttering around madly inside of Kokichi's stomach as Kokichi led the petrified Shuichi out of the room and away.

~~~

A bird twittered outside of a window, the sun shining brightly through the glass. The rays shone into the therapy counseling room, reflecting off of the plants decorating the room, the open window allowing a gentle breeze to flutter the curtains. Shuichi sat on a couch, staring at his hands that were in his lap, shaking ever so slightly. A kind young woman was talking to him. It's been three days since Shuichi has been rescued, and ever since then, Kyoko had forced him to take two weeks to recover before doing anything remotely related to detective work.