A Mastermind's Mind

A New Type of Mind (Saihara Shuichi, Log 1, Chapter 1)

Kokichi Ouma was a paranoid, lying, and very cute asshole. Shuichi knew that. So did Maki, Himiko, Kiibo, and literally everyone else, really. The cute part to a lesser degree, but Shuichi had always noticed the little things more than big things. It was always what made him an ultimate, he liked to think. He noticed the way Ouma's eyes sparkled when he was excited, noticed the leader's minuscule blushes when a boy he fancied returned his flirts, noticed the rare, soft smiles he had when listening to everyone else.

Did he forget to mention? He forgot to mention. Shuichi was also very, very gay. Or rather, bi. He didn't understand the problem about boys falling in love with boys. It honestly wasn't much different than being in love with a girl, really.

He checked the time, and moved away from the computer room.

-

The dining hall was rather nice, to be honest. Even without Tojo-san, it retained its unnatural shine and lively plants. It was Shuichi and Harukawa-san's turn to cook, and Gokuhara and Shirogane-san's turn to wash the dishes. Of course, the dishes usually just.. replacedthemselves, but they went through all the trouble anyway to retain a sense of normalcy. Today, Shuichi offered to work on the drinks, and Maki the food.

"Ouma-kun, would you like anything?" The boy breaks from his thoughts, smiling up at Shuichi as the detective blushes slightly in embarrassment and wishes he had a hat as he realizes the obvious answer. "Erm, right, panta. Right." The leader stares at the detective before grinning as he asks for tea instead. "Lots and looots of sugar, Shumai! Oh, and surprise me, too!" Shuichi looks back for a moment, and very nearly freezes as he glances at Ouma's face. He realizes what he was doing, and Shuichi bites his lip before moving back into the kitchen, where Maki stares at the pink creeping down his neck before she says, "It was Ouma again, wasn't it." It's not a question. It's just a statement that has Shuichi hiding his face in his hands and nodding sheepishly.

Her expression darkens. "I'll take care of his drink." She says, discreetly moving to take out what he presumes to be a bottle of poison. "A-ah, no! It's fine," He replies, moving in front of the boiling kettle. "I-i just...got a bit..embarrassed. Really, I can take care of his drink!" The assassin looks at him before returning to her perch near the oven, a faint scent of nikujaga wafting into the air. He awkwardly turns around to drop some sugar cubes inside the empty cup, waiting for the water to quit boiling.

While waiting, he begins on the other's drinks. "Ginger tea for Himiko, water for Gonta.." He sets down two empty cups a few ways away from Ouma's cup, and fills two more with water from the fridge. "Water for Kaito, boba tea for Miu.." he prepares everything with a practiced ease. Maki glances back at him occasionally, checking on his progress as if to make sure the drinks weren't sabotaged.

Shuichi remembers Kokichi's face, the bags under his eyes, and the fatigued, more vulnerable demeanor the leader possessed, and hopes he's not making a terrible decision when he drops two white pills in the dark, sugary tea.

Everything is secured on a wide platter, and Kokichi's is placed on the far left. Shuichi smiles awkwardly as he sits the tea in front of him, and leaves as quickly as he can. This is alright. He can work with this.

The script might not be so knocked out of balance, with enough time.

-

Kokichi stood in front of his whiteboard, pondering for the one-hundredth fifty-second time who the mastermind could be. "Hmm..." he muttered, tapping his fingers to the pictures thoughtfully. "Maki would be too obvious.. so unlikely. Himiko is an idiot...maybe. Shirogane is also an idiot...but she blends in..maybe? Kiibo? No. Saihara-chan.." He thoughtfully tapped the picture, deep in thought. "He's carried us through all these trials.. but maybe it was to earn trust? ..keep the game going?" His stomach churned at the very thought.