|| The Disappearances || Kaito Momota x Kokichi Ouma

Chapter Three

Kaito opened his eyes and everything flooded back to him. Shuichi...He was gone. Kaito's childhood friend was gone. Shutting his eyes again, Kaito curled himself into a ball. Slowly, he became aware of what he was laying on. It should have been the hard, cold sidewalk behind the apartments. So why..?

Forcing his eyes open, Kaito sat up and looked around. He was in a house. Had someone found him? If they had, wouldn't they have just called 911? Or maybe they didn't know. Did they think he was some homeless guy sleeping on the side of the road? Getting more anxious by the second, Kaito stood up.

The moment he had a beeping sound echoed across the room. He looked over to see an alarm clock going off. Was it supposed to be set? Kaito looked around to see if anyone else was in the room.

"Kaito Momota! Turn that dam-I mean dang alarm clock off!" A voice called. Kaito froze. He recognized that voice. He hadn't heard that voice in years. Reaching forward shakily, Kaito pressed the third button on the alarm clock, the one that always turned his alarm clock off as a kid. It turned off.

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The fact that Kaito had managed to get ready for school at all was honestly amazing. After all, he had somehow gone back in time just after his best friend was murdered and the old lady next door called the police saying it was him. Not the most normal thing to happen in a day.

"Mom, what day is it?" Kaito asked. Akemi, Kaito's mom, gave him a surprised look.

"Monday, what day did you expect after the weekend?" She said, an amused smile on her face. Kaito shook his head.

"No like what day on the calendar?" Akemi looked over at the calendar hung on the kitchen wall.

"The 13th I think." Kaito followed her gaze to the month. February. Nothing happens around this time though, so why did Kaito jump back to here? Kaito looked around the house and even down at his height in an attempt to figure out what year it was.

"Kaito you should focus on your breakfast. You have to leave for school in a few minutes." Kaito hadn't even thought about school. Sure, he had known it was today, it just hasn't clicked that he was going to be in a classroom. Wait..! That meant, he could see Shuichi again!

Filled with newfound energy, Kaito stuffed down his food and chugged his drink before leaping towards the door, backpack in hand. Startled by his sudden excitement, Akemi leaped forward and threw Kaito his jacket as he leaped into the cold winter air.

"Have a good day!" Akemi yelled as Kaito ran off. Why had Kaito gone back in time? He didn't know. All he did know, was this was his chance. This was his chance to-!

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No way. He was a fifth grader. The kidnappings that his ruled his life and mind for all these years, it hadn't existed yet. He could stop them then. He searched his mind and was hit by one thought. The only victim of the kidnappings he remembered was Kokichi Ouma.

"I guess you'll just have to save him, then." The voice told Kaito. Kaito once again, listened.

"Oh hey Kaito!" A quiet voice Kaito knew all too well said from behind him. Kaito turned to see Shuichi Saihara. Normally Kaito could hold back any form of tears, but as a kid he was a mess. Rushing forward, Kaito engulfed Shuichi in a hug that only kids who hadn't seen their family in years could give. "Kaito!?" Shuichi gasped, surprised by the sudden affection.

"Have I ever told you you're the best friend anyone could ask for Shuichi?" Kaito asked. Shuichi smiled and shook his head, a small blush creeping up on his cheeks. "Well you are!" With that, Kaito grabbed Shuichi's hand and guided him over to the seats they always sat in during these years.

"Kaito," Shuichi whispered shyly. Kaito looked over in his direction. "You are too." Kaito mouth hung open slightly. He wasn't near the best friend someone could ask for. He let his friend die because he was too busy getting food at a nearby restaurant. He could have done something, but he didn't. Those words echoed in Kaito's mind as the bell rung and their teacher walked into the classroom.

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The day has gone by quickly and the teachers were quite surprised in Kaito's sudden raise in intelligence. One had even accused him of cheating. Hah, he showed them when he retook the test and just got a better grade.

While walking back home, Kaito passed the small park that nobody ever played in at this hour. That's when he saw them. Kokichi Ouma. When Kaito first passed Kokichi years ago, he always ignored him. He'd thought it was creepy for someone to be standing at the park staring at nothing when the moon was up. Some people even called Kokichi a vampire due to his pale skin, and habits of standing at the park in the middle of the night. Kaito had been dumb enough to believe some of those rumors. Kaito took a step forward, but immediately stepped back. He had no idea how to approach the boy. Thinking and coming up with a total of no plans Kaito gave up. He turned around and walked away. Not today, he would do it tomorrow, just not today.

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The next day Kaito sat towards the back so he could keep an eye on Kokichi. He wanted to have an idea of what the boy was like so he knew how to save him. Kaito just wanted an idea of Kokichi's background. Why? The voice in his head was telling him to.

The seat Kaito had chose was right next to Kokichi's. Shuichi and the two other girls they hung out with, Kaede and Maki, gave him a weird look upon seeing him sit somewhere else. They followed and sat near him though. Then Kokichi entered the classroom. When he saw the bundle of kids sitting near his normal seat his eyes widened an inch before going back to their normal size. He slowly walked towards his seat by the window and sat down. As he did the shorts of their uniform blew up slightly. Then Kaito saw them. Bruises.