Love Is Pink Under The Moon

Chapter Twenty: The Thorns

"Chiasa...what did you f*cking do....?"

I tried my best not to be slouching as rage and betrayal flooded through my body as Chiasa looked at me petrified with Takashiro and Kazue nearby.

She tried to murder Saihara...she nearly killed him...

"Kichi!" She screamed getting up and she ran over grabbing my hand tightly as she started running us towards the door as I broke her grip off me. She looked at me shocked.

"You three wait here" I ordered. Chiasa looked at me frustrated, "but hes going to arrest you! We need to go!" She screamed as she kept trying to grab me, "I know he won't, so you three go" I told her. I glanced at Shumai. He seemed to be trying to stay out of the way.

"Kokichi you can barely stand-" Kazue argued, "get out NOW" I finally shouted. The three stared before slowly walking out as I faced Saihara.

"Do you actually trust me?" Saihara asked, I shook my head "course not. But I had to get them to leave" I said. Saihara looked down.

"You're the phantom thief" he said as fact. I nodded, "aww it took you so long to figure that out huh...?" I asked. Saihara shrugged "I had suspicions from the start but I thought it would be to obvious" he admitted.

"It was huh?" I asked as we sat down on the couch together, "she tried to kill you....?" I asked in disbelief. Saihara hesitated before nodding, "I dont know why, you didn't order that though huh?" He asked.

"Course not, my organization forbids murder....looks like she forgot that" I said bitterly, "you're going to arrest us aren't you?" I asked.

Saihara paused, "I dont know what I'm going to do" he finally said. I turned over to him, "I want a deal" I said, Saihara looked at me confused "what do you mean?" He asked.

I clenched my fist, "I lost, arrest me I dont care I just want you to let my organization go" I begged as I got onto my knees, "if you spare them I'll answer any questions, won't even lie just let them all go" I pleaded.

Saihara's eyes widened, "you really care about them dont you?" He asked. I nodded, realizing now I was beginning to cry "they're my family Saihara...and if you dare even hurt them I won't hesitate to make you suffer" I told them.

"I won't" Saihara promised, "can you start answering my questions now?" He asked. I nodded sitting back down on the couch.

"What are you sick with? That isn't just a cold I know" he asked. I shifted uncomfortably, "it's called Hanahaki, you probably never heard of it" I said.

Saihara's eyes widened "the unrequited love disease?" He asked. I looked at him surprised "you know about it?" I asked. He nodded, "my uncle had a friend who died from it...he told me...Ouma if you're sick with it why dont you just tell them your feelings?" Saihara asked.

You dense idiot...

"That's out of the question" I told him, "what about surgery?" Saihara asked, "isnt that usually an option?" He pointed out. "That's impossible for me" I told him.

"Why not? Ouma I dont want you to die-"

*COUGH*

*COUGH*

*COUGH*

I hunched over as I felt as if something was crawling up my throat and chest, flower petals scattering across Saihara's floor as I tried to breathe as I felt the flowers choking me Saihara started patting me in the back helping me get the last of them out.

The flower petals were covered in blood.

"Ouma, are you ok?" Saihara asked. I laughed sarcastically "what do you think?" I asked. He sighed.

"I'm going to die Shumai" I said seriously, "Im going to die any day now" I repeated to myself. It was still something I had yet to accept or process.

"You're not going to die-" he tried, "I need you to promise me, I just have one last request" I interrupted looking at him straight in the eye.

"No matter what....I want you to protect my organization....if you think the police are after them and I'm not around anymore tell them to get the hell away.

"Please...I dont want any of them to suffer" I begged, "even if you die?" He asked, "they'll suffer" he said.

"They'll manage..." I told him. He decided not to argue.

"How did you meet them...?" He asked, "why did you become a phantom thief?" He pressed. I sighed, "not all of us have cool uncles..." I told him.

"We're all runaways or orphans...we're just trying to survive and pay off the debt we owe, and we have debts to really bad people" I told him.

"So that's why those people attacked you?" He asked. I nodded, "they're some of the people we owe debts to" I explained. Saihara sighed, "I wish you told me..." he mumbled.

"We weren't that close in high school, remember?" I told him. "Why would I have told you? Especially when you arrive as the great detective coming to arrest us all" I groaned.

"This feels like some cruel joke..." Saihara muttered, "the world's a joke Shumai" I said getting up, "where are you going?" Saihara asked.

"I have three idiots waiting for us, and an escape plan to make" I told him. "You need to rest you're still burning up" Saihara nagged.

"I'll be fine" I promised. Saihara looked like he doubted that. I dont blame him.

"Please tell them Ouma...please live" Saihara pleaded. They looked ready to break down to. I paused, "I'm sorry Saihara" I apologized. Saihara looked down defeated as he handed me his jacket.

"Its cold outside and you're only outfit is you're uniform" he said, "thanks..." I said as I headed towards the door.

"I'll see you again right?" Saihara asked. I took a deep breath, why is this so hard?

"Of course" I told him as I clenched my fist.

The fist that inside has some thorns from a flower.

The thorns that meant soon the rose was about the grow inside of me.

The rose that would kill me.