#I love kokichi with every fiber of my being

[xshinina]

Is it kokichi appreciation time yet? I think it always is

And my lord I can not make colors work together, everything turned out to be so contrasting but I think the chaos kinda maybe works here??? Or am I just coping?

I made a more dim one just in case

[marysunshine23]

Okay, lemme explain.

S Rank - Best of the Best

Magical Miracle Girl Usami - I. Love. Her. Like... I feel like if I were a magical girl, I’d be Usami. I want to cosplay her. I just... I love her so much.

Nagito Komaeda - I mean... He’s clearly neuro-divergent, he’s chronically ill, he’s basically chaotic neutral, and I’ve loved him almost as long as I’ve loved the series. What can I say?

Angie Yonaga- PRAISE BE TO ATUA. She’s a vibe. I want to be her friend.

Kokichi Oma - A perfect example of “I initially hated him with every fiber of my being, but then he did a thing and now I like him”.

Korekiyo Shinguji - Similar to Kokichi, but the incestuous thoughts kind of... eh...

A Rank - I love them, but...

Ibuki Mioda - They did her dirty, I swear.

Mikan Tsumiki - I may prefer more masc-presenting women, but I would date her.

Kotoko Utsugi - I will protect this brat for the rest of my life

Monophanie - I dunno. I just think she’s neat. You know… besides the incestuous stuff…

Monomi - Monokuma did her dirty. And… again… incestuous stuff…

Aoi Asahina - I love her relationship with Sakura! But I also feel like she was just… token big boobs girl…

Miu Iruma - I love the spin of having a super-perverted girl. But also kind of the token big boob girl.

Hajime Hinata - Of all the protags, he just seemed the most fleshed out. Also. Tig o’ bitties on a guy

Junko Enoshima - Fun design? Check. Interesting Personality? Check. Would wear similar clothes? Check.

Kaito Momota - I feel like we’d be best friends.

Kiyotaka Ishimaru - He and Mondo are the best homo ship in the series fight me

Mondo Owada - He and Kiyotaka are the best homo ship in this series fight me

Rantaro Amami - He’s the midpoint between Nagito and Shun Kamiya from Tribe Nine and you can’t tell me he’s not

Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu - Severely underrated. And he and Peko are the best canon relationship in the series fight me

Peko Pekoyama - At first I thought she was just meant to be a sexy Sakura, but I felt like she was super underestimated as a rival and a character. And she and Fuyuhiko are the best canon ship in the series fight me

Sonia Nevermind - First of all, her name. Secondly, I love that she was just… always 100% herself. Like… she was a princess into horror shit. I dig that.

Sayaka Maizono - I kinda wish she was in the series longer. I just really liked her.

Mahiru Koizumi - She’s the mom friend and I love it.

Kaede Akamatsu - I wanted her to be the protag, is that so much to ask?

Gundham Tanaka - He’s the type of person we all wish society would let us be; absolutely unhinged and in our own world.

Gonta Gokuhara - Best bean.

Chisa Yukizome - Ultimate Mom is best.

Monodam - I mean, he had everyone’s best interest at heart.

Ruruka Ando - Excuse me, she makes sweets and she’s cute.

Yuta Asahina - Good boi. Possible sister complex.

B Rank - I mean, they’re good, but…

Kirumi Tojo - I mostly like her because of her design and her execution.

Leon Kuwata - Not gonna lie, he was my first Danganronpa crush. Had I not read his Free Time events, I might have ranked him higher.

Maki Harukawa - At first I was thoroughly pissed off that she was the Ultimate Childcare Provider, but then her true identity came through and I liked her a lot more.

Chiaki Nanami - She’d be higher but I feel like the developers got tired part way through per backstory and just threw something together

Himiko Yumeno - She did the whole “too much effort” schtick for too long.

K1-B0 - Underrated.

Sakura Ogami - Great character overall, but I feel like her design was just… 100% shock value.

Shuichi Saihara - Like… I’d be fine if the game started with him being the protagonist, but I’m still kinda peeved that they just threw him in last minute.

Tenko Chabashira - I’m sorry, misandry is not a personality trait or a quirk and the joke got old quick.

Tsumugi Shirogane - I hate her and everything having to do with the ending of this series.

Toko Fukawa - Why are people cool with her but not Miss Piggy? At least Kermit is into what Miss Piggy does.

Genocider Jack/Jill - Yandere.

Jataro Kemuri - He’d be higher if it weren’t for his voice.

Hiroko Hagakure - 

Akane Owari - Token Big Boob Girl mixed with zero impulse control. But her and Nekomaru are cute together so…

Celestia Ludenberg - 

Chihiro Fujisaki - Let our friend be happy, okay?

Nekomaru Nidai - He made me tired.

Izuru Kamukura - He’s fine. He’s mostly here because he’s in Hajime’s body.

Masaru Daimon - I’ve worked with children like him. They’re fun!

Monosuke - I like the mobster penny pincher persona that he’s got going on.

Monotaro - I liked him for 90% of the game. But then the incest stuff happened and… yeah…

Shirokuma - I knew he was putting on a ruse from the beginning, but I enjoyed him

Taichi Fujisaki- WHAT A GOOD PARENT.

Kiyondo - I think I prefer them in separate bodies, but it’s a sweet sentiment and an… interesting way to cope.

C Rank - They’re Fine

In C Rank, if I don’t mention them by name, it’s just “they’re fine”.

Kyoka Kirigiri - I wish we knew more. Like… she seems very two dimensional

Mukuro Ikusaba - I’m glad we had some time with her in the anime… but it wasn’t enough. More please!

Haiji Towa - The only reason he isn’t lower is that he got his comeuppance

Koichi Kazakura - That’s blond Johnny Depp and you can’t say he’s not.

Monokuma - I actually threw him in C because I didn’t know where else to throw him. I actually don’t have a lot of feelings about him as a character.

D Rank - Either I hate them or I don’t know them

I’m only elaborating on some.

Teruteru Hanamura - Perverted characters that are just there to be perverted are annoying.

Monokid - I absolutely hate that he represents the percentage of people that shit in the shower. Like… I’m so glad he died first. I hate him so much.

[stingiez-archive]

Author’s Note: Gonta is my comfort character so I will continue to write for him until someone submits a request otherwise!

Gonta Gokuhara x Reader Dating Headcanons!

— Literally the best boyfriend in existence,,, like literally the best EVER

— Calls you his butterfly or love bug!!!

— Cuddles are a MUST HAVE; you two have weekly cuddle sessions with a time, date, and everything

— Gonta is the perfect man if you happen to be short; he can reach for ANYTHING that’s high up (Kokichi can vouch for that, as well)

— Greets you every morning with a daily bug fact :))

— Has a monarch butterfly named after you :0

— Gonta will carry you without hesitation, as well!!!!

— Gonta is just,,, sigh,,,, a good boy

— A lil sad but Gonta worries sometimes that he can’t express how much he loves you cuz of how he speaks

— But you know from the bottom of your heart that Gonta loves you with every fiber of his being <3

[prompt-master]

No! Kokichi! I loved you! Just finished the chapter, thought it was very well done.

Yeah I miss Ouma with every fiber in my being his death geniunely makes me sad

[spdrvcd]

Little thoughts on Keiko’s impressions on various characters (not specific to any portrayals, ofc) because I’ve been talking about it with Cryptic on Discord:

Yuuji: would die for him and also kill for him. Yeah she thinks he’s stupid and weird for eating a cursed object but (eventually) she’s out here working with a curse for revenge and probable murder so what room does she have to judge??? thinks he’s sweet anyway even if she makes fun of him. Megumi: he intimidates her but she thinks he’s cool. wants to pet and hold all the shikigami. also looks up to him and admires him but you didn’t hear that from her. Nobara: keiko adores her and that is all there is to it! maybe she has a lil bit of a thing for her but it’s keiko so she herself probably doesn’t get that. stans nobara though. she’s a queen. Gojou: neither likes nor dislikes him?? respects him though. he’s just a little too loud for her liking, please spare her. also she’s scared of him the most when it comes to her binding vow/working w a curse.  Yaga: he’s like a dad/uncle kind of figure and she really likes his cursed corpses. wants to hold one. Nanami: absolute respect but he intimidates her too  Maki: also stans. but she’s kind of like megumi in that she intimidates keiko but she really admires her! would like to spend more time with her Toge: one that she isn’t so secretive about admiring/looking up to. wants to be like him! friends? tiny crush?? i don’t know but keiko has the social skills of a dead rat so good luck to her ig Panda: big and soft and warm. she actually opens up to him pretty easily. Yuuta: she’d probably be into him if she met him before he went abroad and she’s definitely curious about him from the way megumi and the second-years talk about him. would have been a little baby crush maybe??? but now with recent developments it’s more ‘you scare me but also fuck you i’m gonna throw hands if you come for yuuji’. and since she’s already been declared a curse user lined up for execution anyway, what’s the harm in doing exactly that??? Mai: keiko vc: stupid pretty zenin,,,, kinda wants to deck her for what she said about yuuji on their first meeting but is working on opening up to her again Todo: actually isn’t scared of him?? somehow??? but that’s probably first out of pure spite for their first meeting and then because yuuji said ‘oh he’s cool’ so she let it go Noritoshi: this one scares her! you’d actually for once see her visibly nervous and fidget-y around him Miwa: thinks she’s sweet and adorable, would probably be friends with her if given the chance Momo: also thinks she’s adorable but her attitude rubs keiko the wrong way so presently she’s kinda indifferent to her Kokichi: would also probably be friends w him if given the chance, and is admittedly curious about him Getou: keiko vc: fuck you and all the things you stand for, give my mother back Mahito: the literal worst she hates him the most Nanako & Mimiko: would love them and kinda hates that they’re running with Getou

Bonus under a cut bc OCs are canon in my fuckin house:

Kitiara / @needlxd: thinks she’s a badass, kindred spirits, wants to visit kyoto tech almost solely for her Hibiki / @muekura: parent unit. hitomi and shinji simply do not exist. Emiko / @yuugxn: kinda wants to kick her ass, but also tell her that she doesn’t have to hold herself to family standards bc look at all that got the hyodo family. stop limiting yourself woman keiko only wants to help Yasu / @yuugxn: literally the last bit of actual blood-related family she has but she doesn’t even know it until she’s already slated for execution??? keiko vc: bitch why didn’t you tell me sooner maybe i wouldn’t have started a murder campaign against what turned out to be my mother??? but also i love you  Tomeika / @eyescrsd: hates them, and then cares a lot about them, firmly believes they ruined her life in more ways than one but in the end at least she did her job??? would actually die for them by choice now though Getsumei / @anathxma: wants nothing more than to see him dead for all he’s done and is livid she didn’t get to do it personally. somehow only hates him slightly less than mahito, despite everything. it’s still hate with every fiber of her being though, and boy did she have a manic laughing fit when iyu dropped in to kill him herself.

[enigmaticvariation]

I haven’t played V3 yet, but I know I’m either going to love Kokichi or despise him with every fiber of my being. I’ll update you once I get the game.

[ryouverua]

Trial 6 - Revisionist History, Pre-Accusation (2)

AND WHOSE FAULT IS THAT?!

Trial: 1

So last time on YGO I was getting a bit full of myself because everything was pointing to me being right about the mastermind, and then I proceeded to get clothes-lined by Shuichi’s conclusion about the first trial:

Sweetcheeks is taking revenge on me for all the times I got ahead of him in the trials. It’s okay I’m here for it -

TFW you’re called on in class and you were barely paying attention to what was going on -

Also yes any excuse to beat down on the Monokubs I will welcome with open arms THANK YOU DRV3

“Also hey, player controlling me right now? Fuckin’ duh.”

It’s okay Shuichi, I’m more than happy to have been wrong on this one.

... which also could have doubled as planted evidence to frame Kaede as the mastermind I-I’M JUST SAYING okay maybe not 100% over it -

But okay, ‘I’m getting carried away. The important thing is that there is no doubt that this shot should be associated with Kaede. She and Miu rocked that pink look, after all.

whispers I miss you Kaede; I’d like to think you’re with us in spirit right now

MAN Sweetcheeks is making this look so easy in hindsight! When I originally thought it was just part of the frame job, I didn’t consider the implications of having a clean shotput there with the fiber. After all, if it existed, the bloody version complete with the fiber would have worked just as well!

I’M SHOOK

But... but Kaede didn’t know that, did she? That’s why things went the way they did. She believed she was the killer the whole time. And that’s part of the genius of the plan...

And what, she - they got away with it? With all the groundwork and clues pointing to Kaede, it was just fine for Monokuma to accept that wrong conclusion? Does that mean if they had ever come to a wrong conclusion in any of the other trials - well, wait. No, the actual killer would know that they had gotten away with murder....

....

What..... if Monokuma had pulled a similar stunt in a different trial, but executed an innocent person anyway? I wonder how the killer would react to the idea that they wouldn’t be freed after all - and how they would continue living with everyone with that hanging over their heads. Well, I guess we know how Korekiyo would probably deal with it, but what about Kirumi or Miu, for example? Would they kick up a fuss or accept it quietly and bide their time with the knowledge that there wasn’t any way to truly graduate? Hell, what if they had chosen Kokichi for the 4th blackened and Monokuma accepted the ruling, and a totally oblivious Gonta survived with the rest of the cast to Chapter 5?

sorry don’t mind me just speculating...

Tsumugi adored Kaede, but she just couldn’t bring herself to trust her, huh. Did she have back-up plans for all of the murder plans or just this one?

STOP KILLING THE ONLY TOLERABLE MONOKUB!!!!

BLOW YOURSELF UP NEXT TIME SMH

because he made a great play to steal her potential girlfriend in a super cute nail-painting scen - I-I mean -

yeah that seems more likely somehow

But Kaede folded first...

Are you telling me that after all that planning, all that work, all that effort, all that agonizing -

she....

SHE MISSED?!

The goal wasn’t to kill them off.... well, of course it wasn’t. Rantaro even aid at the beginning that if they wanted them dead they could have killed them off with the exisals. It was always about the game.

So the plan fails, and because Tsu - the mastermind was keeping tabs on Kaede and Shuichi’s plan (for obvious reasons! I wonder if she was ready to deal with someone else finding the door aside from Rantaro?) she was able to prepare a second backup shotput and take things into her own hands... with Kaede none the wiser that she had failed.

Attempted murder and murder by proxy aren’t considered equal - Chapter 4 was proof enough of that. And yet...

‘Played along’ - again, talking about him like he’s a completely separate entity and that he should be treated as such.

“The moment you let murder into your heart, you lost.”

Again, what if Kokichi had ended up taking the fall for Gonta’s murder and Monokuma let him??? What would have happened? Would Monokuma have executed him? Would Kokichi have protested at the last minute??? And Gonta wouldn’t know better - !

It was always just killing.

The wound he got when Kaede died healed, but it was never truly gone. It’s been a few weeks at most, and it got ripped open again during the investigation. I’ll probably end up making a few small asides about how he’s only bringing up Kaede over everyone else (including Kaito who! just! literally! died!) but at the same time, he’s probably reeling at the idea that he was tricked into sending her to die. It’s not surprising that she in particular is monopolizing his thoughts right now.

“AND UH EVERYONE ELSE TOO BUT I’M REALLY OVERCOME BY FEELINGS OF SUNK SHIPS’ PAST!” okay I see like I really couldn’t resist

You know what’s really awesome to see amidst all of Shuichi’s speculation? How helpful the rest of the class is being. They’re contributing now just like they were in the investigation, in big ways! Even Himiko, who is definitely out of her element, isn’t letting herself get distracted and is trying to keep everyone’s spirits up!

With that said... hehe ~

fml that was cute

I didn’t need to keep this screenshot but I love Himiko’s spell names lmao

GRHGRKGHK

Shuichi literally blocked out the Kaede twin!theory from his mind.

“Tsumugi please - We’re not actually doing this, right? Right???”

My cousins are twins too! CLEARLY ONE OR BOTH OF THEM MUST BE MASTERMINDING A KILLING GAME SOMEWHERE -

“And all twins have at least one evil person in the set! That’s, like, science or something!”

“Well crap - I’d refute that but without the solid backing of the Ultimate Genetist, can we really say that’s not true?”

The ellipses better be leading to a ‘fuck no’, Sweetcheeks.

To think that all of those awkward ‘Himiko has a small bladder’ jokes have l had to suffer through were leading to this grand pay-off.

‘Please tell me this isn’t the answer. Damn you Tsumugi, I’ll give it 5 minutes of my time at maximum, but I will be so mad if it’s the answer.’

That noise is totally Shuichi’s inner voice, master of deadpan and silent sassy killer, breaking free from the confines of his mind to dunk on Kaede!mastermind theory one last time.

AND DUNK ON IT HE DOES. And oh boy did Motherkuma really screw Miss Mastermind over, because that line about ‘visiting the room often’ knocks that 17th person theory straight out of the park.

And honestly? That rules out a ‘faked their death’ student scenario too, for the same reason.

.... Which, just like the above, rules out a hidden student theory for a fantastic reason that didn’t really occur to me as a fully-formed thought apparently because I was nodding along with Shuichi’s reasoning, lol. There’s no use for a classroom that hides its contents for someone who could have easily set up a hidden room for exclusive use in their hiding spot. Though with that said... why not have it in the mastermind’s lab? What was the point of keeping them separate?

“Crap, you weren’t supposed to see that. Why didn’t anyone tell me he saw that???”

.......... This....... really does make it sound like he hasn’t realized who the mastermind is................

What a totally unbiased bit of speculation, Tsumugi!

I would kill to know her thoughts right now. There are moments like this where she helps out, but only with information that seems to be inevitable or easy to speculate. She needs to maintain the image of helping out. And then, of course, there are her wilder diversions offered under the guise of speculation that she’s able to throw out with that same tone of voice! What is your thought process, girl???

I think there’s a deep part of himself that’s known this from the beginning. Even if he didn’t know it was specifically Tsumugi, he knew that one of the last four people here was the mastermind. And ruling Maki (who got tricked and almost became the blackened) and K1-b0 (who literally just went berserk and had to be talked down from destroying the whole school) out, well...

The fact that Himiko is trying so hard to keep them all together and cheerful, even ending her speech like this:

... is, uh, darkly hilarious.

A WITCH!!! wait wrong series -

AND SOMEONE WHO DIDN’T PLAN ON ‘DYING’... just sayin’

I mean, the rest of them can be friends right??? Just because one of them trapped the others in a strange place, stole/potentially overwrote all of their memories and made them kill each other - wait, this is coming out wrong -

“Seriously, I’ll take any leeway I can get here.”

“Well now that you bring it up, we never actually saw Kokichi’s body and he’s absolutely, totally, 100% a Remnant of Des -”

..... Oh thank god no one actually said this. I was kinda expecting Tsumugi to try this tbh. 8′D So, um, when exactly are we going to use his motive video then?

WE’RE NOT PLAYING DR1 DAMN IT NOT AGAIN

Which Shuichi knows. Oh, Sweetcheeks definitely knows. And he remembers....

Ooooooh this is it. This is it!!! We’re finally going to the trial 1 alibis! And I know a certain someone’s alibi that isn’t going to stand up to scrutiny this time... ~

“A nice hole that we can just thrust our big, hard truth into. That was for you Miu, RII (Rest In Innuendos).”

can you imagine if we just had a little tribute to every character we lost along the way in this trial GET ON THIS SWEETCHEEKS

I cannot impress upon you all how desperately I have been waiting for this moment - !

So I let all the dialogue play. Every little bit of it. And oooooh boy, seeing Shuichi react to seeing that certain obvious part stick out....... well.

You can tell I was looking forward to this part because I was literally screencapping every bit of her dialogue lmao while also trying to maintain proper, y’know, control of the reticle.

Yup...

How very ~convenient~.

WHICH KOREKIYO BROUGHT UP SPECIFICALLY.........

WHERE IS THE GOLD TEXT

V

FUCKING

COUNTER

BABY!!!!

If he wasn’t sure before... if he even had a hint of a possibility in his mind before... there is no way he doesn’t know now. There’s no way he isn’t sure now.

HIMIKO YOU CREATED THIS CHANCE FOR US!!!

“Wow, I’m really glad I didn’t go through with murdering you after all!”

Tsumugi is absolutely standing there sweating bullets, just wondering when the hell this was discovered under her nose. You really should have tried to stick with Shuichi to mislead him further!

YOU’RE DAMN RIGHT IT IS.

“No seriously, when the hell did you find the bathroom secret passage?!”

FML okay the fact that Himiko is still hoping she could find a way to defend Tsumugi is.... incredibly sad....

he placed a receipt in the doorway

he put tape on the windows

the entrance was sealed via detective’s authority

I wonder how she knew the right timing to go to the girl’s bathroom... maybe she had a similar alert set up for when Rantaro went into the library? She was only gone for five minutes - any longer would have been suspicious. Does she have a way of accessing the cameras outside of the lab, or am I just nitpicking something that has an explanation I’ve forgotten?

.... WHELP ANYWAY -

Come on, you’ve been so creative up until now - there’s no way you don’t have something else up your sleeve!

OI -

OI!!!! HAVE SOME PRIDE!

wait why am I getting defensive about this -

The ability to navigate truth and lies and know when to be relentless in pursuit of truth... is this the new Shuichi we’ve been building up to? It’s interesting, because there are similarities to the last trial where he wouldn’t be shaken off the path to the truth - but taking after Kokichi, he won’t let emotions sway him this time. Where he was gentle and tentative in Chapter 4, he won’t give an inch here.

DAMN BOY! HE’S COMING OUT SWINGING!

Neither of these two are clamouring to come to her defense, I notice.

speaking of people who can’t deal with much more heartbreak and betrayal, how about that ‘slowly slipping back into depression’ Himiko here -

“HEY DON’T INTERRUPT MY DEFENSE YOU’RE MAKING ME LOOK WAY MORE SUSPICIOUS!!!”

Er, well, about that next chapter...

What proceeded was probably Shuichi’s most aggressive, brutal and merciless Rebuttal Showdown of the entire game. Damn, Sweetcheeks!

....... yeah, they didn’t stand a chance.

“.... and it will require you all to test me and yourselves by finding ways to slip the word ‘birth’ in casual conversation around me. Or really awkward sentences! That’ll work too, I’m actually not that picky.”

LMAO WAY TO THROW HIM UNDER THE BUS

“EVEN NOW, IN THE FINAL CHAPTER OF THE GAME, ROBOPHOBIA PERSISTS - “

let tsumugi say fuck

Maki gives NO FUCKS

Actually, you gotta appreciate how Maki isn’t swayed at all. Right now Shuichi really needs that steady support by his side and, with so few options left, it looks like Maki is ready to act that way for him. 

NO THIS IS TOO SAD, EVEN WHEN HE’S CREATED AN AIRTIGHT ARGUMENT HE STILL HAS A SHRED OF DOUBT IN HIS ABILITIES AND DEDUCTIONS...

But... more importantly, he’s okay with being wrong. He’s not afraid of being proven wrong and being potentially embarrassed in front of everyone the way he was before. That.... takes a lot of guts, for someone as perpetually anxious as him. Good on you, Shuichi.

And Maki is with him 100%. I think she may have already accepted Shuichi’s deduction as the real deal, tbh.

but what is there left for her to defend herself with at this point

What is going on in your head right now -

quietly skips over the random interlude where Monosuke attempts to conspicuously disrupt the proceedings and gets blown up for his trouble -

Thanks, dude.

GREEN PUKE

WE ALL KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS thank atua

Also it’s interesting - they have a bit of a back and forth about Monokuma ‘loving’ the kids which, you know, has been of a running joke. But unlike during the rest of the game, he’s never actively destroyed them before... but he is now. Why? He brought them back to man the exisals and attempt to take the fight out of the students after the fifth trial, so why is he knocking them off one after the other like this? Sure they’ve been shown to be replaceable but...

Two different entities with different goals, I’m telling ya!

The moment of truth..... it’s finally here.

It’s. It’s finally here.

Well then.........................

here we go.

Looking like she would rather be anywhere but here...

How strange.... to see the accused so rattled like this. Not crying like Gonta, not angry or upset like Kirumi and Korekiyo - and just think of the last game too, where they were resigned, resolute or just accepting - she just looks.... scared in a different way. And decidedly not ‘mastermind’-like. So where are we going to go from here?

“Any last words?”

“Goku didn’t die for this.”

[gunpowderfics]

Caught In The Way You Got Me - Chapter 2

Warnings: None Rating: T+ Pairing: Momota Kaito/Ouma Kokichi Other: Fake Dating AU Note: Chapter 2 aka In Which Ouma Keeps Running From People. This took longer than I expected. Depression punched me in the face and I started an internship at a 3D printing business where I'm currently redesigning the website. So I've been left pretty exhausted. But! Here we be.

Also if you're looking for some sweet oumota jams my partner Vince made an A+ playlist

Constructive criticism and feedback are always appreciated!

Kokichi blinks slowly, lazily, letting the morning light spilling in through the kitchen window blind him in an attempt to feel more awake. He inhales, and the rich scent of coffee reaches him, enveloping him in a familiar comfort. Utensils click against each other as his roommate prepares them breakfast.

“I thought we talked about the whole no pants thing,” Shuuichi says, finishing up the omurice, being a little too careful about how he swirls the ketchup on, Kokichi notes.

“Ugh but it’s so hooot, ” he whines, pressing his face against the blissfully cool countertop. “Besides what does it matter. Not like you got the hots for me or anything.”

He can hear how the plate thuds against the counter, can almost picture Shuuichi just barely miss putting it down properly, and is sure that if he lifted his head he’d see the faintest pink on his roommate’s face.

“Nyeheheh. With reactions like that, Shuuichi, you really make a guy think otherwise.” Kokichi looks up at him, a big old grin on his face, but he was right. There’s a faint blush. “But I know, I know. You’ve got your heart set on that pianist from your English class and you still haven't thanked me for that elaborate plan so you two’d bump into each other at that party.”

“I, ah, yeah. Thank you, Kokichi.”

He sticks his tongue out at him before snatching the plate out of his hands and pulling it towards himself. “So, anyway , guess who I met at that shindig I went to last night.”

“Someone interesting?” Shuuichi offers, smiling awkwardly.

Kokichi pokes at his food. “Well duh why else would I tell you? Since when do I talk about boring people?”

“I guess you have a point.”

“It’s actually another person you’re kinda obsessed with.”

Shuuichi chokes on his food. “I-I don't obsess over people. You.. don't think I’m obsessing over Kaede do you?”

Kokichi rolls his eyes. “Of course you’re obsessed with her, you’re totally in love with her to the point it’s disgusting. But, nooo I’m referring to your little YouTube celebrity crush.”

He starts to shove the food in his mouth as he watches Shuuichi really think about who on Earth he can possibly mean. It’s always fun watching him think, the way his brows knit in concentration, his eyes intensely focused on one spot, his mouth slightly open. Kokichi sometimes wonders if, maybe in a different life, in a different universe, the feelings he used to hold for his old friend had actually resulted in a relationship.

But that's boring to think about.

“I’m.. at a loss, I’m afraid,” Shuuichi finally responds, bringing Kokichi’s attention back to this reality.

“Pfft, how poorly do you know yourself?”

“Cut me some slack, ok? I’ve been focused on school and--”

“Kaede”

Shuuichi frowns but keeps talking. “And I haven't really had time to keep up with my interests, so I guess I’ve.. kinda forgotten?”

Kokichi rolls his eyes and sighs. “You are so impossible sometimes, Shuuichi. You’ve even got some dumb motivational poster of his.”

The realization slowly hitting his roommate is almost as good as the desperation he was able to witness last night with “Kaito Momota.”

“Ding ding ding!” Kokichi dramatically throws his arm up with fork in hand, and does an over the top motion before pointing the utensil at Shuuichi. “We have a winner!”

Shuuichi is staring down at his breakfast in disbelief. “I knew he lived close to the area but I never thought…” He looks up at Kokichi and his hyena grin, and frowns. “No. You’re just trying to pull my leg.”

Kokichi’s face falls flat. “Boo you’re no fun.” He pokes at his rice omelet before pushing the plate aside. “But whatever! I’m gonna go out to eat. I’m like so bored of this food.”

“Kokichi wait--”

But he’s already dashing off to his room in search of pants.

In truth, he didn't mean to be rude to Shuuichi like that, he reflects as he takes the long way to his favorite café. It had just been so disheartening that his very first assumption was that he was lying to him. Sure, he has a habit of embellishing about his adventures, but when it came to things and people he cared about, Kokichi did his best to be genuine. They’re childhood friends after all. What does he gain from lying to him? He’s not even sure why he didn't just push through and go on with recounting last night. It wasn't the first time Shuuichi didn't instantly believe him.

“Stupid Shuuichi,” he mumbles to himself, kicking at some gravel that’d spilled onto the sidewalk. “Stupid Kaito.”

He spends the rest of the walk not really thinking, numbing any connection he feels to himself and the outside world, hardly registering the sun on his skin, or who he’s walking by as he makes his way to his favorite café. The only thing that breaks him out of this spell is the loud greeting he receives upon entering the café.”

“There ya are you tiny freak,” Miu calls out, leaning across the counter, pulling in the attention from the few customers there not only from the volume of her voice, but the volume of her chest threatening to spill from her top’s low cut. Kokichi’s sure if her manager was here she’d be fired, but the manager never seemed to come in. “Gawd what took you so long? Were you and your roommate jackin it together huh?”

“Only in your dreams, Miu~” He replies, forcing a smile. “Should you even be talking like that? You can't afford to get fired with a face like that.”

“Ah, cut the crap. No one here cares, right?”

None of the customers respond.

“Hey! You dumbshits! I’m talking to ya!”

Kokichi snorts, and before he can ask his usual question of how on earth she got this job, someone is tapping his shoulder. “Ugh what is it, don't you know it’s rude to--”

Kaito is standing behind him. Never before has he understood the phrase “knees weak, arms spaghetti” until this very moment.  The innocent, clueless look on his face makes him burn with something that he can't quite pin down as anger or attraction.

“Is she bothering you?” Kaito asks.

Miu responds. “Pft as if! He’s my best fucking friend. Who the fuck are you?”

“Seriously? Have none of you heard of me? Kaito Momota, Legendary of the Stars, Astronaut in Training, Youtuber?”

“Oh! You’re that ugly bastard Kokichi’s roommate is obsessed with.”

If the floor could open and swallow him whole that’d be great right now. But instead he gives both of them a nice, big, fake smile. “Ahaha, well, I guess I should get going~! Got a biiiig day planned and I’ve already wasted too much time talking to you losers.”

He tries to make an exit for the door, but Kaito grabs onto his wrist. The contact sends a jolt through his body and every fiber of his being is screaming at him to run.

But he doesn't.

“You haven't ordered anything yet,” Kaito points out. “And I still owe you for yesterday. I don't break promises you know. So I’ll buy your drink and then I’ll pay you.”

Kokichi sighs, and pulls free from the other’s grip. “Ugh fine.”

Every second drags on. The sound of their order falling from Kaito’s lips thuds heavily against his eardrums. Miu’s insults and weird innuendos drip like molasses over the situation. The exchange of wadded up cash and movements of hands is like watching paint dry. Jitteriness and the need to escape drench Kokichi’s senses.

When Kaito hands him his drink, he let’s go of the breath he didn't realize he was holding.

“Everything ok?”

“Yup!” He gives Kaito yet another big old smile. “Thanks for paying for my drink but I really gotta get going. Big day, like I said.”

“What about paying you for last night?”

Kokicihi thanks his lucky stars Miu is busy with another customer. He’s sure that she’d make a comment about him having a new side hustle as a whore. As if he’d sleep with someone as idiotic as Kaito Momota.

“Kokichi? Did you hear me?”

“Huh? What? Oh the payment.” He grins slyly at him. “That was a lie! Just like how I lied about not knowing who you are. That's what I do, you see. I’m a liar.”

Kaito’s stupid dumb purple eyes feel like they’re boring into him as the big stupid idiot stands there, staring at him, as if that's the hardest information he’s ever had to process. Kokichi loudly sips on his coffee, burning his mouth but ignoring the pain, but keeps himself rooted firmly in front of Kaito. Why aren't you running! Now’s your chance. You got a free drink now fucking leave before he starts--

Kaito opens his mouth. “So, why then? Why help me?”

Kokichi rolls his eyes. “Ugh I told you at the party, numbnuts, I was just bored ok?”

“You.. weren't using me were you?”

He snorts. “Oh that’s rich, coming from you. You’re the one who used me if we’re gonna go that route. Pretending to be gay cus you can't properly turn a girl down or tell her how you really feel. I bet you lied to me about how demanding she was because you didn't have the heart to be directly mean to an adoring fan, even though deceiving her like that is like waaay worse.”

“Why the fuck would I lie about that? The fuck is your problem?!”

Kokichi shrugs, and he’s not sure if it’s the coffee or the rush he’s getting from lashing out at Kaito, but he feels great . “Why wouldn't you lie about that? I don't know you, Kaito. Your own persona could be fake for all I know, though that honestly wouldn't surprise me. I mean, what internet celebrity isn't fake as fuck nowadays.”

Kaito’s snarling at him now, his drink dangerously close to being crushed. “Who the fuck do you think you are to be flinging this verbal shit at me, you fucking pipsqueak.”

“Why, I’m Kokichi Ouma, Legendary of Lies, and I’ll be leaving now. Don't bother me anymore. Enjoy your little fake celebrity life. I hope you get swallowed up by a black hole in space.”

With that, he turns on his heel and walks through the door, curious if Kaito is going to follow him. He’s on edge in anticipation, waiting to hear a shout, to feel a fist colliding with his back or his face, because Kaito Momota looks like a puncher, but nothing happens. The excitement, the adrenaline, all boils down to nothingness with each step toward home he takes, with each step that doesn't have Kaito hot on his heels.

There’s nothing but an empty feeling and a cold coffee.