I'll Save You ~ Amamatsu

Ch 4, Part 2

Kaede's POV

Ding dong, bing bong

Another morning here, just great..

I'm seriously starting to get tired of this..

I got ready for the day and left my room not long after. I went to the dining hall to find Angie there talking to Kokichi.

"Girl, didn't I already tell you this? I don't wanna join your dumb group." Kokichi scoffed.

Oh, this again.

"I know, but.. Well.. Oh, hey Kaede!" Angie waved to me as she noticed me in the room.

"Hey, what are you doing?" I asked.

"Trying to convince Kokichi again, it's not going too well.." Angie sighed.

"Um, you know I'm right here, right?" Kokichi said.

Angie ignored him and turned back to me.

"How do I convince him?" Angie whispered to me.

"Angie, you don't have to. I don't think he ever will if you keep bugging him about it." I whispered back. Angie sighed again.

"Hey, Kokichi, did you know Kaede is in the student council?"

Kokichi let out a laugh.

"No, she is not. There is no way she would do that. She knows better than that."

Angie bumped me in the shoulder as if begging me to say something. I just awkwardly smiled.

Kokichi's no dummy, though. I should've known that.

"..Wow, you actually did join? That's.. surprising.."

"I know, right? But you're close with her, aren't you? Sooo.. you should join!" Angie exclaimed.

Kokichi frowned.

"..Can I just take Kaede from you for a sec? Okay, thanks-" Kokichi said as he grabbed me by the arm and dragged me out of the dining hall.

We stood in silence for a few moments until Kokichi finally spoke.

"..Why the hell would you do that?" Kokichi asked.

"Do what? Join her student council..?"

"Yes, that, what else would I be talking about? Anyway- why?"

"Well.. I.. Um.."

"Look, if you feel bad for her, I get it, but you didn't have to join her dumb group-"

"No, that's not it, I.. really just joined because.. I guess I wanted to believe there was some hope left for us to work together and escape.."

Kokichi sighed.

"Do what you want, but you know she could be manipulating you, right? I wouldn't trust the people here so easily. Especially considering anyone could be the traitor. Even you." Kokichi said in a serious tone.

"But.. I trust you, so-"

"You can trust me all you want, but face the truth, I could still very well be the traitor. Nobody suspected Tsumugi, (well, most of us didn't,) and she turned out to be the mastermind."

"I know, but.. But.. You're very close with Shuichi now, aren't you? You guys trust each other, don't you?"

Kokichi's eyes widened for a split second, then he looked down and sighed.

"..Yes. But he's my only exception. I have no reason to trust anyone else after the mastermind reveal." Kokichi said harshly.

This is.. different. I feel like Kokichi has gotten colder and more distant from the rest of us, except Shuichi, of course. He's still causing trouble, yes, but.. I think he has more of a reason to do it now.. Because he barely trusts anybody anymore.