The Sound of Silence...(Saiouma)

Chapter 17~Can You Forgive Me...?

Kokichi's POV:

As I listen to him talk, I tear up some. I...I can't believe this. The guy that I felt like I could trust with anything...worked for Tsumugi...even back when we first met. He knew about how Kaito, who also works for her, treated me. He did nothing about it up until that day he...spied on me...like Miu did with her cameras. I should be angry...I should hate him after everything, but...I look down at him, seeing that he's laying his head on his knees. The way he sounded when he told me...I sadden some. Rantaro...

After a while of silence, Rantaro sighs and continues to talk, "Ever since that day...I would always try to find and hang out with you...every time we did...the more I learned about you...it made me want to forget about Tsumugi..." Rantaro lifts his head off his knees, "I questioned her motives and confronted her about it, but of course she just brushed them off and made excuses..." he says, making me look down some. He...genuinely wanted to be my friend...I smile some to myself. He didn't do it for her...~

Rantaro looks up at me, "I eventually told Tsumugi that I didn't want to work for her anymore...I didn't care about the money...all I cared about...was you..." he says, my eyes widening some, "Unfortunately...she used that against me...she told me that if I quit working for her...she would kill you. She had a reason to keep you alive, but if her plans went wrong...she wouldn't hesitate to track you down and kill you..." What...? A reason to...keep me alive...? I don't understand...what does she need me for...?

"I...I had no choice. I had to continue keeping an eye on you and feed her any sort of information that would be important..." Rantaro looks down some, "Everything...everything was because of me...sending both you and Shuichi to the library so Tsumugi would find out about Shuichi's love for you...Tsumugi going to the amusement park to find you two...Tsumugi listening in on our plan..." he tightens his fists, "Everything...was my fault...it was all me...I wanted to tell you so bad, but...I couldn't do it. I...didn't want to lose you..." I sadden some. Rantaro...

I slowly let go and start heading down the tree, Rantaro hearing me and quickly standing up, "Kokichi! Please be careful!" Rantaro says, me nodding and continuing down. When I'm almost there my foot slips, making me fall. Rantaro quickly hurries over and catches me before I hit the ground. Heh...this is dejavu...I'm still just as clumsy as I was back then...

Rantaro laughs some, "You were almost there~" he says, making me roll my eyes and smile some. Yep...definitely dejavu...~ Rantaro puts me down, looking down some, "Im sorry Kokichi...I'm so sorry...I'm such an awful friend..." he says, making me shake my head and hug him. Rantaro smiles some and hugs me back, "I know you think I'm not, but...I am. I let bad things happen to you...there's so much that I've hidden from you..." he lets me go and looks at me face to face, "I...I hope you can forgive me...even though I don't deserve it..." he says, saddening me some. Rantaro is...so genuine about all this...I can tell by the look on his face that he regrets everything...

I notice my notebook and pencil by the tree, picking up and writing something in it, "Rantaro...I should be the one that's sorry...I didn't take the time to hear your explanation...I jumped to conclusions..." I look down some, taking a breath before I continue writing, "I didn't mean it...what I said before..." I feel myself tear up some as Rantaro reads what I wrote. He sighs some, "It's okay...~ Even if you told me to never see or speak to you again, I'd do it anyways...you can't get rid of me that easily...~" he says, making me giggle some. I knew that already...~

Rantaro laughs some, "So...Kokichi Ouma...can you forgive me...~?" He says, making me smile and nod my head. Rantaro smiles happily, "Good...~" he takes my hand and starts walking back to the school, "Now let's head back to Miu's lab...I know you want to go find Shuichi, but you can't be reckless and go after him without a plan...and you can't do it alone." He says, making me look down some. He's right...we have to do this together. I tighten my grip on Rantaro's hand. Don't worry Shuichi...I'll find and help you...all of us will...~