( :0 )
I put a firm hand on Kokichi's shoulder finally stopping him.
It was weird since it almost seemed like he was trying to run away. This detail won't go unnoticed. I made a mental note to ask about it. However, at the same time I placed my hand on his shoulder, I heard a voice. Lifting my gaze slightly higher I saw...
Rantaro.
"Rantaro?..." Kokichi said in a whisper-like voice.
Crap...how am I gonna be able to talk to Kokichi for information while the person I'm asking about is here?
"Uh- U-Um" I stuttered, unable to come up with anything to say in the current situation.
~Kokichi POV~
I gazed at Rantaro.
I was happy he was present but still, terror began to spread at the back of my head. I did my best not to visibly show it. It continued to reign there as long as Shuichi had kept a firm grip on my shoulder.
I didn't know what to do about this. My mind was cluttered in shambles, and the fear of screwing up wasn't helping me devise a plan for this at all.
It was great that Rantaro was here, but I was still nervous.
How should I act?
I began to weigh my options, hurrying, before my panicking completely brought my thinking process to a halt.
If I fake an act, I could make it out of whatever Shuichi wanted to discuss alive. I could tell Rantaro we were just chit-chatting and lie to both of them.
But that was the issue.
I was afraid to disappoint Rantaro since I had recently started being truthful to him. If I lied, to him of all people, I know he would be sad. There must be a way around that...
I looked at my other option.
If I went the other route and just tried to get out of there, Rantaro could help get me out of the situation, but since Shuichi is right next to me in terms of dorms so...that wouldn't stop him from trying to catch up to me another time. He would probably prepare even more for the next time as well and while I can't say I'm not curious about what he wants to say, the terror of facing him right now, unprepared to keep up an act was risky.
Also, it being Shuichi of all people killed that curiosity to talk easily.
'That won't work either...what else can I do?'
I was quiet. It was quiet. Too quiet.
'I need to get us out of this...'
'I have to do something...so what...'
'...What do I do...'
I looked at Rantaro.
'What do I do?'
~3rd POV~
Rantaro took a second to look at the situation.
Looking at Kokichi, then Shuichi, then Kokichi, and finally, back to Shuichi. He had a blank expression, one with no emotion. He stayed there for a second, almost weighing out his options on what to do in this situation.
Make no mistake, he wasn't ok with the scene, but he knew that Kokichi wouldn't want this to blow up.
He could see Kokichi was ever so slightly nerved about the hand on his shoulder just by looking at his face. It was obvious to him more than anyone that despite Kokichi who was gazing dead into his eyes, trying to play it off and keep it cool, this wasn't a good time for him to talk with Shuichi. Kokichi wasn't ready.
He could tell just with a glance that even though he was trying to hide it, Kokichi was debating on what to do and how to act. Rantaro didn't like that. He didn't want that...
But he didn't want this to happen either.
So he made a move first.
He walked up to them and placed a hand on Kokichi's shoulder.
Giving Kokichi a smile, he said, "Hey can you go wait inside for a bit?"
Then turning to gaze coldly at his former friend he finished,
"I'd like to talk to Shuichi for a bit."
