This Is Not Okay

This Is It

"Please stay still for a moment."

Shuichi's eyes fluttered open in the dim room, groaning as he slowly turned his head only to be told not to move again. Light peeked through the door, a lamp beside him slowly growing brighter which made it easy for him to adjust. He realised he was sitting in a chair with wires coiled everywhere like tumours. A helmet dangled above his head with wires coating the metal, previously jammed onto his head. The detective could still feel it after presumably months of wearing it. At least he was wearing his comfortable, casual clothing, even though he was disgustingly filthy.

Screens surrounded him, attached to wires inserted into his body. His blood pressure, pulse, and everything filled the screens for everyone in the room to see. He flinched when the chair beneath him began moving and massaging his body before the nurse turned it off with a huff. Perhaps that's why his muscles hadn't atrophied.

The nurse removed an IV drip from his arm, adding a final stick-on bandage that matched the patchwork where other wires had been. "I just have a few questions," they spoke. Shuichi flinched at the sudden noise but nodded, still too confused to understand everything happening around him.

"What's your name?"
"Saihara Shuichi."

"Date of birth?"
"Seventh of September, 2001."

"Occupation?" Shuichi stopped to think for a moment.
"Detective Assistant."

The nurse helped him stand and led him toward the door. Stumbling over his feet, Shuichi soon found himself remembering how to walk again as he placed his hand on the doorknob. He slowly pushed it open and shielded his eyes from the heavenly light on the other side as he stepped into the hallway. Able to adjust to the light, Shuichi stared down the hallway to see many doors opening.

All of his dead friends stepped out, equally as confused.

He gasped, a soft smile spreading across his lips as he shut the door behind him. Everyone cheered and couples (and a trio) ran to each other and hugged everyone as tight as possible.

Then Shuichi's smile dropped. He had no one running toward him. Everyone had a happy ending but him. Kagehara was gone. A tear slid down his cheek.

"Shuichi!" Akamatsu ran toward the man and hugged him, the two colliding with the wall. He didn't reciprocate. "Hey, what's wrong? We're all alive!"

Slipping out of the blonde's grip, Shuichi broke into sobs and slid down the wall, falling with a painful thud. "Shuichi?" Amami whispered as he knelt beside him.

"K-Kage... He's gone..." Shuichi whispered and hiccuped from behind his hands.

"Oh... Shuichi... I'm so sorry..." Amami sighed. He and Akamatsu hugged the mourning man. Normally, Shuichi would be embarrassed about crying in public, but right now, nothing mattered.

"Excuse me." A nurse interrupted the moment as others ushered the contestants out of the hallway. "You need to leave."

"Can't you see he's having a moment?!" Akamatsu snapped.

"I don't care." Shuichi wanted to laugh at how internally dead the nurse seemed, considering it matched him.

"You're a fucking asshole," Amami spat.

Shuichi sighed and stood on shaky feet. "It's fine," he whispered whilst wiping his tears. Ignoring everyone around him, he blindly walked to the hallway entrance in a numb trance. Nothing mattered to him anymore. He should've stayed in that destroyed academy with Kagehara.

As the fifteen ultimates walked through the halls, Akamatsu raced forward to hold Shuichi's hand. He didn't acknowledge her, but the contact comforted him slightly. The man forced himself not to pretend that Kagehara was the one holding him.