Chapter Text
Kiibo slowly stirred himself awake, blinking his eyes a couple of times in the hopes of making his eyesight focus. Once it did, he realized that he was staring up at a pristine white ceiling instead of sea green--which could only mean that he’s not at home right now. Where could he possibly be? His entire body felt heavy and there was a dull throbbing on the back of his head. His eyes flicked to the machinery located on his right, the sound of steady beeping finally registering in his ears.
‘The...hospital?’ he slowly turned his head to the right, not wanting to aggravate the pain in his head. His eyes softened at the familiar sight of messy mauve-tinted hair cascading over his right hand.
‘Kokichi...’ He tried lifting his right arm so he could see for himself if the teen sleeping by his bed was real, but to no avail. He decided to focus on wiggling his fingers instead, seeing as lifting his arm was currently a pipe dream. It took him plenty of tries, but he finally succeeded in making his index finger twitch ever so slightly, which was enough to make contact with the soft dark locks that was Kokichi’s hair. He was able to confirm that the Kokichi sleeping beside him was very much real, and that he wasn’t hallucinating at the very least. Small victories, as they all say.
It took him a while to notice, however, that he was no longer staring at dark, purple tipped hair, but wide amethyst orbs instead.
“You’re...you’re awake!” Ouma exclaimed as he shot up from his seat too fast, making the chair he was sitting on helplessly fall backwards. His focus quickly shifted to the emergency button located not too far from his current position. He hurriedly moved to press the button to call for the doctors instead of leaving the room in fear that Kiibo would fall right back into his coma once left alone. He held his friend’s hand in both of his, “I-I called the doctors just now, whatever you do, don’t go back to sleep. Just keep your eyes open and stay awake for me, okay?”
Kiibo’s lips trembled as he struggled to open his mouth and speak, but no sound came out despite his attempt. Ouma expected this outcome, but nevertheless, he offered his friend a little smile and squeezed his hand. “It will be okay. I’ll be here with you until the doctors arrive. How about we talk for a bit?”
With new found strength, the albino squeezed the other teen’s hands back, albeit weakly. Ouma’s smile widened at his gesture. He began telling Kiibo about random things he’s experienced while he was on his way to visit him in the hospital that day, new hobbies he’s recently gotten into, the complicated dishes he’s learned how to cook on his own, and even brought his attention to the origami cranes hanging by the window. All in an attempt to keep the bedridden teen awake. As soon as the doctors arrived, Ouma gave his friend’s hand another reassuring squeeze before leaving the room to let the doctors do their work in peace.
The first thing Ouma sees upon stepping outside of Kiibo’s room was a distressed professor who was speed walking his way towards him with a paper bag in hand.
“I saw the doctors rushing to Kiibo’s room just now--” Professor Iidabashi asked, grabbing the teen’s shoulder with his free hand. “What’s going on? Did something happen to him?”
The dark haired teen shook his head, he honestly wanted to stop smiling, but he just can’t. He can’t, because-- “He’s awake.”
Apples spilled across the white-tiled floor when the elder Iidabashi dropped his earlier purchase out of shock.
------------------------------------------------------
From what the doctors told them, Kiibo scored a 10 in the Glasgow Coma Scale after waking up. Ah, to explain what that is, it’s a kind of test that doctors commonly use to help gauge the severity of an acute brain injury suffered by a patient. They use it to test their level of consciousness, their verbal response, and lastly, their motor response. They also use it to check whether a patient’s condition is improving or deteriorating after undergoing physical therapy. The lowest score a person could get on the scale was 3, while the highest was 15. The professor explained that getting a score of 9-12 in the scale classified the brain injury suffered as moderate. Which is actually a better result than expected, considering Kiibo had been in a coma for a little over a month. He was incredibly lucky that his condition wasn’t severe enough to leave him in a vegetative state despite his inactivity.
The news about Kiibo regaining his consciousness soon got spread out like wildfire in the entire school. Everyone who knew him--friends and family alike, were excited to visit him once he got moved out of the ICU and into another room where the number of visitors would be less restricted. No one minded the fact that he couldn’t speak for the time being since they all had plenty of stories to share with him; all he had to do was relax and let them do the talking. Although most conversations had to be cut short in favor of his scheduled check-ups and daily physical therapy sessions.
Things were also busier now that Kiibo was awake; there were a lot of adjustments to be made after all--his performance at school and his personal relationships, to name a few. However, Ouma still found time to visit him daily, and even brought some of his school notes with him during his weekend visits in order to bring Kiibo up to speed on the topics he missed while he was asleep. It was good that their teachers were understanding enough to give him some homework to make up for his absences just so he could advance to the next year level with everyone. The deadline was still far away too, which gave him more than enough time to recover from the effects of his coma first before he had to work on the special assignment.
Ouma took a deep breath before giving the door three steady knocks, gently pushing the door open afterwards. “Pardon my intrusion,” he greeted. “I brought some simple Math exercises with me today. I thought that maybe we can work on some of them together after we go over yesterday’s lesson again?”
It might be the pleasant weather, or maybe it was how the sunlight streamed into the room as the pale blue curtains of the room danced with the breeze...but having Kiibo smile at him in such a setting took his breath away. It was the albino’s stiff waving and his concerned face that snapped Ouma out of his reverie.
“A-ah, sorry, I didn’t expect the room to be this bright, so I had to wait for my eyes to adjust,” Ouma shook his head a little before taking the vacant seat beside the albino, who simply nodded with understanding.
Once he was settled in his seat, Ouma started unpacking the contents of his backpack on the bed. They settled into their usual weekend routine shortly after, with the mauve-haired teen re-explaining the lessons they covered the day before just to refresh both of their minds before they started tackling any of the exercises he brought with him. He would steal glances of the albino from time to time, the latter being too focused on answering the exercises to notice. Ouma silently berated himself for acting like a creep and resumed answering his own set of math problems. That’s when he remembered last night’s conversation with their classmates.
“Oh!”
Kiibo turned to look at his companion, tilting his head questioningly.
“I just remembered something, that’s all,” Ouma smiled. “Everyone wanted to meet up at the beach for Golden Week. We were wondering if you’d already be discharged from the hospital by then?”
The albino looked pensive as he started scribbling on his notebook, then flipped it to show his friend what he wrote. It wasn’t like his usual neat handwriting at all, but it was legible at least.
‘I’m not sure. But my therapist said that I’m making good progress.’
“I wonder if we could ask the hospital to release you early...Then again, your physical therapy is more important than going to the beach with us. Well, we can always go on another outing after you recover. It doesn’t have to be now,” Ouma smiled as he mussed up his friend’s hair. “I know you’re doing your best to recover.”
Kiibo smiled as he scribbled more words on his notes.
‘Actually, my father told me everything that happened while I was unconscious. Hearing about all the things you’ve done for me while I was in a coma made me want to get better as soon as possible. I made everyone worry because of my carelessness, too...Sorry.’
“Y-you don’t have to apologize! I was the one who volunteered to watch over you while your father was out of town--I wasn’t bothered at all!” stammered Ouma, cheeks now suffused with rosy red. “Besides...you’d be lonely if you didn’t have anyone to come visit you...” he murmured.
The albino returned his gaze on his notes, silently praying that his face isn’t emulating the shade of a ripe tomato right now.
‘Thank you, Kokichi.’
Ouma’s eyes widened in astonishment before he settled for a small smile. “You’re welcome.”
They wordlessly agreed to resume answering their respective exercises, believing that any other activity that doesn’t involve them addressing the awkward tension between them earlier is the better option. Neither of them wanted to be seen blushing by the other, after all. They started going over their answers together as soon as they finished their respective workload.
Ouma was in the middle of explaining the formula he used for a particular problem, when Kiibo suddenly grabbed him by the wrist in order to get his attention. Once the albino was sure that he had Ouma’s undivided attention, he tapped a particular part of the equation with his finger, mouthing out, ‘You got this part wrong,’ which reduced the shorter male into an embarrassed shade of red; prompting Kiibo to let out a breathy laugh, which made the other teen smile. Kiibo started writing notes on Ouma’s solution once his laughter subsided--bringing to his attention which parts he got wrong before writing down the correct formula to use for the equation next to the item in question.
“Huh? We were supposed to use this formula?” the dark haired teen asked as he looked over the corrections his companion made. He also took note of the other items Kiibo encircled, which were marked with a short note of, ‘use the same formula here.’
Ouma bowed his head in a mix of shame and defeat, “Urk...I’m supposed to be the one helping you with your homework...not the other way around...” he heaved out a sigh before smiling. “Thanks for the corrections, I’ll go fix it now.” He took a deep breath, and with the face of a determined warrior ready to enter the battlefield, he started working on the needed corrections.
Kiibo didn’t want to come across as some creepy opportunist by using this chance to just gaze at his object of affections unabashedly, so he decided to go over his own answers to check for any possible corrections. Or at least, attempt to. He still found himself stealing glances of Ouma from time to time though...
“You have to make a choice. It’s either you get out there and face the consequences of your actions, or you stay in this dark and boring place with me for eternity--thereby possibly losing your only chance of ever seeing Kokichi again. If you choose the wrong answer or anything remotely similar to it, I’m going to smack you with my coat until you surrender. The choice is yours, Kiiboo.”
“In other words, my only choice is to choose the correct answer?”
“Nishishi! That’s right! Now...your answer, Kiibo?”
“My answer is...”
Kiibo’s head perked up at the memory.
That’s...right. He’s been awake for quite a while now. What exactly was he waiting for? He promised him. He can’t just dismiss everything he’s experienced during his coma as nothing but a senseless dream. If Daikichi could see him right now, he would definitely scorn him from the afterlife.
He turned to face his friend, who was still engrossed in his work. Although he was still having trouble enunciating words during his sessions with his speech therapist...he has to say it. What he did last Valentine’s wasn’t even a proper confession! Love...is not something that can be simply measured or conveyed by chocolates. He knows that now. He owes Ouma a proper confession--not the half-hearted one he made on such a special occasion too.
Kiibo took a deep breath, tightening his grip on his pen to keep himself anchored. His lips trembled with hesitation, but he eventually managed to part his lips. He decided to start with something simple first before trying out a complete sentence, as suggested to him by his speech therapist. ‘Kokichi. Ko-ki-chi. Only three syllables. This should be simple enough.’
“K--” he used his free hand to massage his throat. He was still out of practice, but he can’t let this drag on any longer. It’s now or never, and never is clearly not the correct answer. “...K...Ko…”
Ouma’s head perked up at the sound of his voice, his hand pausing from its task of solving complex equations. He tilted his head, brows furrowed. He doesn’t voice out his question, but Kiibo could tell that Ouma was wondering if he was only hearing things or not.
“K-Ko..ki...chi,” Kiibo tried once more, slowly and steadily just so he could enunciate it better. At this point, he already had Ouma’s full attention, his shocked vivid amethyst eyes were now staring into his azure ones.
“Kiibo…?”
The albino reached for his hand, wrapping his fingers around the latter’s wrist. A silent plea for him to not look away as he stiltedly called his name over and over, not minding how his voice cracked in every attempt. It was rougher than how it was before, but it was still the same voice Ouma adored.
“...Kokichi.” Kiibo smiled triumphantly once he finally succeeded. “K-Kokichi!” He called one more time, smiling from ear to ear as he did so.
“Yes, Kiibo?” a smile crept across Ouma’s face, using his other hand to place atop Kiibo’s--a reassuring gesture.
“...L-lo...ve...”
Ouma’s breath hitched, eyes widening just as soon as he realized what Kiibo was about to say. It was as if he went back in time and was now forced to experience the same emotional rollercoaster he went through during Valentine’s Day for the second time. Images of that day started flashing before his eyes...that’s when he noticed the stark difference between then and now. No. This wasn't the same as last time at all. The lingering sadness and fear present in Kiibo’s eyes during that time were no longer there. All he sees now is his object of affections struggling to convey his feelings despite the difficulty caused by his coma. It was a heart-wrenching sight to behold, but the gesture only made Ouma fall deeper than he already was. He unconsciously held his breath for what was to come.
“I...love you. Ko...Kokichi...”
Looking at Kiibo’s eyes as he confesses, Ouma realizes, was a big mistake, as he felt hot tears roll down his cheeks. The latter hastily pulled his hands away to wipe his tears with his sleeve. ‘I-I was so shocked that I forgot to hold my tears back...how embarrassing!’ he mentally berated himself as he sobbed.
“Ko--”
“Unfair...you’re too unfair…!” Ouma hiccupped, burying his face in his hands as he started crying uncontrollably. “Y-you took me completely off guard…!”
Kiibo leaned closer, his brows knitted in worry. “Kokichi…?”
Slowly, he rose from his seat to engulf the worried albino in his arms, eliciting a soft gasp from the latter. “I’ve always known for a long time that I...that I was in love with you. But I was too stupid and cowardly to admit it, that’s why I kept pushing the thought away!” he whispered. He started sobbing again when he felt the albino gingerly return the embrace. “When...when you fell into a coma, I was just here waiting and waiting--hoping that you’d wake up soon. Hoping that I wasn’t too late...that I didn’t lose my chance to tell you how I felt.”
“S-so...rry, Kokichi…” Kiibo murmured his stilted apology, burying his nose against the shorter male’s shoulder. He felt Ouma’s purple-tipped hair brush against his cheek teasingly when the latter shook his head. ‘So soft...’ he thought.
“No…don’t apologize. It wasn’t your fault. None of this is,” Ouma sniffled. “You woke up and that’s what matters right now.” He smiled when he felt the albino nod against him--oddly enough, his own words filled him with courage. Carefully, he disentangled himself from the embrace and placed his hands on Kiibo’s shoulders. He probably looked disgusting from crying so much, but he couldn’t bring himself to care at the moment. “I know this is late, but...I love you too, Kiibo.”
Kiibo looked down, his cheeks were now dusted red and tears were starting to well in his eyes. The heavy burden he was carrying in his heart disappeared. All he can feel now was relief and pure unadulterated bliss. The moment would have lasted longer if it weren’t for the sound of hushed whispers Kiibo’s ears somehow managed to pick up.
“Do you think they’re going to kiss?”
“I don’t know, but I already have my camera out just in case they do.”
“Good job! I’m already filming, but a photo of that moment would be perfect for a photo album!”
Noticing that Kiibo’s attention was now elsewhere, Ouma followed his gaze and looked over his shoulder. His face turned beet red, mortified as he realized that they were being watched and the fact that he recognized just who their audience was.
“Ah. We got caught,” Ouma’s mother was in the middle of surreptitiously dropping her camera back inside her purse, a futile attempt of hiding the evidence. Professor Iidabashi on the other hand only chuckled as he tucked his phone inside his pocket.
“W-w-what were you two doing there?” the younger Ouma stammered, hastily wiping away any trace of his tears from his face.
“I’m sorry Koki!” his mother clapped her hands together as though in prayer and bowed. “I wanted to drop off some snacks for you two since I have a day off, and I just so happened to run into Iidabashi-san on the way to the hospital! By the time we arrived in Iidabashi-kun's room, you two were already having a moment and we didn’t have the heart to interrupt. You were just too cute!!”
Ouma buried his face in his hands, far too embarrassed to respond. ‘You still ended up interrupting it though!’
The professor let out a hearty laugh as he ushered the woman inside the room. “Isn’t that great, Kiibo? Your feelings have been returned.”
Kiibo merely replied with a nod, unable to formulate a response in a mix of embarrassment and his subsisting difficulty in articulating words.
“Ahhh! I feel so bad for interrupting such a precious moment between you too…” the elder Ouma wailed. “If I gave you some of my homemade cream puffs, will you two be able to find it in your hearts to forgive this foolish woman?”
“S-stop already,” stammered Ouma. “It’s okay, mom. We weren’t even mad anyway. Embarrassed, but not mad, right Kiibo?”
Kiibo nodded as he scribbled a few words on his notes before flipping it for everyone to see.
‘Cream puffs sound really good right now, actually.’
“Well then, how about we all take a break and eat them together?” the woman beamed. “Thank you for carrying them for me by the way, Iidabashi-san.”
“You’re welcome,” the professor returned the smile. “Let me borrow the bed tray for a bit. I’m sure you and Ouma-kun have done plenty of studying today as well.”
“A-ah! That’s right,” Ouma hastily gathered his study materials and gave the professor some space. Kiibo placed his notes next to him to make enough room for the box of cream puffs his father was carrying.
While it was embarrassing having their respective parent catch them in the middle of their mutual confession, both of them felt relieved that they had nothing to hide from each other anymore. They didn’t have to hold back on expressing their affection either as they held hands while their parents were too busy discussing adult matters--or so they thought. Both parents decided to feign ignorance however, since they already embarrassed their sons enough in one day.
“I think it’s about time we go home, Koki. It’s getting late,” the woman turned to look at her son, who was in the middle of trying to let go Kiibo’s hand without being caught. Which he already failed, but he didn’t need to know that.
“Ah, okay. Let me just get my stuff,” Ouma started shoving his things inside his backpack, his cheeks tinged with red. “I’ll see you next weekend, Kiibo. I’ll finish doing all the corrections tonight. Thanks for today.” He bowed.
Kiibo returned the bow but hastily grabbed him by the wrist before the shorter teen could walk away.
“Kiibo?”
“I wan...want to go. W-with you…” Kiibo looked down. “The...the beach.”
There was still a week before the scheduled outing--maybe Kiibo would be able to come with them after all? Ah, but he shouldn’t get ahead of himself. Kiibo’s recovery should be his top priority.
“Me too. But you should focus on recovering first, okay?” Ouma used his free hand to ruffle the albino’s hair. “I’ll see you later.”
“Let me see you off. I’ll be keeping Kiibo company for a little longer so I won’t be going home just yet,” the professor dusted his pants as he got up from his seat. “I’ll be right back, Kiibo.”
Kiibo nodded, smiling as he saw all of them off with a wave.
------------------------------------------------------
Ding! Dong!
Ouma took a step back, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he eagerly waited for someone to answer the door. It was now the 30th of April--just two days after Golden Week started. It was also the day where everyone in class decided to go on a little outing in Shirahama beach. Apparently Toujou-san had a villa nearby, that’s why they chose that beach in particular. He’s been to the beach with classmates before--but that was back in elementary school. He wasn’t able to experience this back in middle school due to his status as being the designated vulnerable and friendless punching bag for bullies, that’s why he’s both excited and nervous to be able to experience something like this again. Especially with Kiibo and his newfound friends by his side. He straightened his posture as soon as he heard the sound of the door being unlatched from the other side.
“Oh! You arrived earlier than I expected,” the professor chuckled. “Come on in. Kiibo will be ready in a few minutes.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m already here.”
Ouma craned his neck to peek inside, spotting his friend--his boyfriend, he mentally corrects, supporting himself using his forearm crutches. He was wearing a plain white round-neck shirt, a baby blue hoodie to protect him from the sun’s rays, and a pair of ash gray cargo shorts. In contrast, Ouma was wearing a purple polo shirt and cream-colored shorts.
“Good morning, Kokichi,” Ouma’s face dusted red when graced by the albino’s smile.
“M-morning…” he mumbled. A week had already passed after their promised confession. Kiibo had already regained his ability to speak coherently, though he tended to fumble on difficult words from time to time. He did mention that he was doing some tongue twisters to help remedy that particular problem of his. He also mentioned that he still needed crutches to support him since he still had trouble walking unassisted.
“Now, now, we shouldn’t keep your friends waiting,” the elder Iidabashi pushed the door open wider and handed the dark haired teen a white duffle bag. “You’re going to stay there for a night, right? Here are his clothes. The smaller necessities are stored in his crutch bag. Sorry for making you do so much, Ouma-kun.”
Ouma didn’t realize that he already spent a couple of minutes just ogling the younger albino until the professor’s voice snapped him out of his stupor. “I-it’s okay! I don’t mind at all,” Ouma beamed as he accepted the bag. “Let’s go? Mom is waiting for us back in the car.”
“Good luck at work, dad,” Kiibo bowed, hobbling his way out afterwards. “I’m going now.”
“Yes, yes. Now do take care and have fun you two!” the professor called.
“We will!” the teens responded in unison, laughing as it reminded them of something that happened once before. Ouma made sure to match his pace with Kiibo’s as they made idle chatter while on their way to the pearl-colored Honda Fit that is Ouma’s family car. He helped Kiibo get in the car before moving to the trunk to safely store the latter’s duffle bag inside. He got inside the car from the door opposite to Kiibo’s shortly after.
“Aww you look so handsome today, Iidabashi-kun!”
“T-thank you.”
“Can I snap some photos of you two before we leave?”
“U-um...”
“Moooom! We’re going to be late, stop stalling.”
She huffed, “You don’t have to be so jealous. It’s not like I’m going to steal him from you.”
The younger Ouma buried his face in his hands in exasperation. “Moooooooom!!!”
“I’m just teasing!” she laughed. “Are you two buckled up nice and tight?”
“Yes,” Kiibo replied, seeing as his companion is still refusing to lift his head.
“Alright! We’re going~” the woman chimed as she pulled out of her parking space.
The trip to Shirahama beach would take at most 3 hours--probably more if traffic was busier, that’s why Ouma had to wake up early, so they could pick Kiibo up and arrive at the venue at around 10 in the morning. The ride was fairly quiet, except for the occasional conversation Ouma’s mother would start whenever they’re held up by traffic or whenever they pass by certain landmarks as they strayed farther and farther from Tokyo’s busy cityscape. Though they did make a few stops to gas up and relieve themselves, and even buy some light snacks to munch on during the rest of the ride. Ouma ended up dozing off on Kiibo’s shoulder after finishing his snack, but the albino didn’t mind, opting to hold his boyfriend’s hand instead of waking him.
“I haven’t seen him this relaxed for years now,” the woman suddenly spoke up, eyes still on the road. “...I’m so happy that he was able to become friends with someone kind like you. Thank you for loving my son, Iidabashi-kun.”
“It’s...not something I should be thanked for,” Kiibo gave Ouma’s hand a little squeeze as he replied. “Kokichi is a wonderful person all on his own. Even I don’t understand how it took me a while to realize that I loved him, when he was always by my side all this time.” It was odd openly admitting his feelings to his boyfriend’s mother of all people, but there was something refreshing about it. He’s been bottling everything inside, but now he feels freer than before.
“You know what they say,” giggled the woman. “The closer you are, the less you see.”
Kiibo smiled, “I guess I can’t argue with that logic.”
“But of course!”
And with that, their conversation ended. There was nothing more to be said, after all. Kiibo felt tired, but he couldn’t help but stay awake and watch the various sceneries they zoomed past along the way. His father was a busy man, very protective too, which was why he spent most of his life homeschooled. He had to do a lot of convincing just so he could attend high school and meet people his age for once. Needless to say, he has never been to the beach before. Probably back when he was still an infant--when his mother was still alive--but that doesn’t count since he wasn’t aware of his surroundings then. This experience was all new to him. Being able to experience something new is honestly exciting.
His eyes widened as soon as he caught sight of pearly white sand and clear blue waters stretching across the horizon--they weren’t at their destination yet, but the view was still mesmerizing.
“It’s...beautiful.” He managed to whisper in awe.
“Right?” the woman laughed. “It’s been years since I last went to Shirahama beach; I used to go here with my friends back in university. I’m happy to see that it’s been properly maintained over the years.”
The car halted to a stop once they managed to secure a spot in the parking area. It was rather early, so there still weren’t much people around. “We’re here,” Ouma’s mother regarded the teens from the rearview mirror, mildly amused at the sight of their laced hands. “Mind waking him up for me?”
“A-ah, yes,” Kiibo flushed, unlacing his hands from Ouma’s and gave the sleeping teen a little shake on his shoulders. “Kokichi, we’re here.”
“Nnngh…”
Kiibo leaned closer and whispered in his ear, “Kokichi…?”
Ouma’s eyes snapped open, moving away in shock only to hit his head against the car door. “Ouch…!”
“Are you okay?” Kiibo asked, forehead creased with worry.
“I’m fine! I’m fine! I promise,” Ouma waved a hand, rubbing his head with the other. “I was just...shocked.”
“Good thing I packed a portable first aid kit in your backpack, you were always such a clumsy child,” the elder Ouma shook her head, her long ponytail swaying with her action. “Let’s take a look at your head before I leave.” She swiftly unbuckled her seatbelt and took out her son’s backpack out of the trunk, tapping her son’s side of the door and motioned him to get out of the car.
Ouma reluctantly let his mother give him a little check up, looking down in embarrassment as she began with her ministrations.
“Okay, that wasn’t so bad,” his mother smiled as she returned the first aid kit back inside the backpack. “Now try not to get into too much trouble. Mama worries.”
“I-I know already, sheesh,” Ouma huffed, cheeks tinged red out of embarrassment as he wore his backpack. “I’ll go help Kiibo out now.”
“I’ll take the rest of your things out of the trunk then,” she gave him a little pat on the shoulder before sauntering her way back to the trunk.
Kiibo already had his side of the door open, flashing the mauve-haired teen a grateful smile as he handed the latter his crutches. He carefully lifted his legs outside of the car one at a time, before gesturing for his crutches. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Ouma smiled as he handed him his crutches, freezing when he heard the telltale ‘snap’ of a camera not too far from them. Slowly he turned to look at his mother, the question remained unvoiced but the woman got the message loud and clear.
“Aww come on! You two are just so adorable. I just wanted to have photos to giggle at once I become a granny,” she huffed. “Let me have my fun, Koki!”
Ouma heaved a sigh, already used to his mother’s behavior. “...Okay, fine.” He wasn’t going to see his mother for a whole two days, she gets lonely easily compared to other parents since he was the only one she has at the moment. “Do you want to stay with us for a little longer? It’s only a matter of time before it’s noon. You’ll get hungry on the way back.”
She smiled as she kept her camera back inside her purse. “That’s okay, I wouldn’t want to get in the way of your outing.”
“Please stay for lunch,” Kiibo piped up. “Kokichi and I will worry if you leave now.”
The woman only had to take a look on both teens’ faces for her to change her mind. “...Oh, alright. I just can’t say no to your adorable faces,” she laughed. “I hope your friends won’t mind my intrusion...and speaking of your friends, how about we go meet up with them? Do you know where they are?”
“Ah! I should let Toujou-san know that we’re already here so she can tell us where her villa is,” Ouma swiftly sent a message to their group chat. “Done. Let’s go?”
After making sure the car was locked, they went on their way to the beach. Tenko bumped into them shortly after, having arrived only a couple of minutes later than they did. Apparently she rushed out of her car after catching a glimpse of them leaving the parking area, saying how she was relieved to see familiar faces as soon as she arrived. Ouma’s mother was flattered when the aspiring martial arts champion gushed about her youthful look, not expecting someone like her to be Ouma’s mother considering his usual gloomy disposition. Ouma was engaged in another conversation with Kiibo, however, so he didn’t really mind the exchange between the two ladies.
But all of their conversations ended as soon as they caught sight of the gorgeous view found beyond the parking area. Seeing the white sand and waters from up close was different from seeing it from the horizon. Not only that, the rock formations didn’t look messy or scattered, in fact, it even enhanced the beauty of the beach. They could even spot a small Shinto shrine standing atop one of the rock formations, which was accessible to the beach goers so they could take commemorative photos with it. Various food stalls lined not too close to the shore to avoid polluting the water, and there was a hotel strategically located near the beach for the convenience of weary vacationers.
“Yo.”
Their attention shifted to their vertically challenged classmate, who was wearing his favorite two-pointed hat, a royal blue shirt and black shorts.
“Hoshi-kun!” “Hoshi-san, good morning!”
“Morning. Toujou wanted me to lead you guys to the villa since she’s still in the middle of preparations,” Ryoma tucked his hands in his pockets. “It’s this way, follow me.”
A good number of their classmates were already at the villa, Kaito and Shuuichi, they later find out, were running late since they both got caught in traffic. Shuuichi was riding with him since he didn’t have his own ride. That aside, all of them expressed the same sentiments as Tenko upon meeting Ouma’s mother and were happy to have her around even if it was just for lunch. It was subtle but Ouma could tell that his mother was on the brink of tears, probably from the realization that he managed to become good friends with his entire class. And despite his earlier protests with having his mother snap photos of his classmates--especially of him and Kiibo, he was honestly glad to see his mother so happy.
“I’m going ahead now,” his mother said, giving his forehead a little kiss. “Make sure that you and your friends stay hydrated, okay? I don’t want any of you to suffer a heat stroke while I’m not around.”
“I’ll make sure to, mom, don’t worry,” Ouma let out a resigned sigh, giving her a hug. “Drive safely, okay?”
“I will,” she smiled. “Tell your friends I said thank you. I had a lovely time meeting them all.”
Ouma gave her a wave as she pulled out of the parking area, only returning to the vibrant blue and white-striped beach umbrella he helped set up once he was sure his mother was gone. The only person sitting underneath the umbrella was Kiibo, who was currently going through a word search book to help him pass the time. The mauve-haired teen took the space beside him and flopped on his back unceremoniously, instantly grabbing his boyfriend’s attention.
“Welcome back, Kokichi,” he smiled.
Ouma found himself returning the smile, “I’m back.”
Still a little tired from the trip earlier, Ouma opted to stay under the shade with the albino for just a little longer. Kiibo suggested that they play some games to pass the time while he rests, to which Ouma accepted. They went through each parlor game they knew where even two people can play. Ouma noticed how Kiibo’s lips would quirk a little in amusem*nt whenever they ended up throwing the same hand for rock-paper-scissors, and how eager he was to play tic-tac-toe for some odd reason, but he didn’t mind as long as Kiibo was enjoying himself. They soon ran out of games to play, prompting them to stop and just observe the people playing in the water in comfortable silence. What Ouma didn't expect Kiibo to do was for him to suddenly rest his head on the shorter teen's lap as though it was the most natural thing to do in such a situation.
“K-Kiibo…?”
“...You’re not going to join the others?” Kiibo shifted a little so he could take a better look at his boyfriend.
“H-huh? N-no...” Ouma looked up to watch their other classmates playing in the water. “Because if I go, you’ll be left all alone here...”
“Kokichi...while I appreciate your consideration, you shouldn’t have to stay behind because of me. You should go have some fun with everyone before the day is over,” Kiibo sighed. “Now, will you tell me what is actually bothering you right now?”
Ouma chewed his lower lip and looked down, ashamed that he's been seen through. “It’s just...it’s been a while since I went out with my classmates like this. I was actually excited about this trip, but now that I’m here, I can’t help but feel awkward and out of place…I wasn’t even this close with everyone back in our freshman year, so I’m not sure what to do.” His eyes widened when he felt Kiibo’s surprisingly cool hand cup his cheek.
“Everything will be okay. They’re our friends after all,” Kiibo smiled. “I’m sure everyone wanted to make more happy memories together, that’s why everyone was excited to come here just like we were.”
Shy amethyst eyes met with reassuring azure ones. “...Is it really okay?”
“No.”
“Huh?! But weren’t you just--”
Kiibo’s laughter snapped Ouma out of his shock. The hand that was cupping the mauve haired teen’s cheek moved to lightly tap the latter’s nose. “You need to put some sunscreen on first, you’ll get bad sunburns if you don’t.”
Ouma’s shoulders slumped as he heaved out a sigh. “S-so that’s what you meant…”
“I can help you with your back,” Kiibo sat up, offering him another smile. “Try not to overthink just for today. Just do what you want to do and have fun, Kokichi.”
“I’ll...I’ll try to have enough fun for the both of us,” The darker haired teen’s earlier hesitation was no more. “Thanks Kiibo.”
“You’re welcome,” Kiibo chuckled, giving his boyfriend's hair an affectionate ruffle. “Now let’s go get some sunscreen on you. I have one packed in my crutch bag.”
“Okay, I got it.”
Contrary to what is usually shown in dramas or anime, there was nothing lewd or scandalous about having the person you like apply sunscreen on your back. In fact, it helped him relax and forget about his earlier fears. Once Kiibo was finished, he applied sunscreen on the rest of his body and gave the albino a small wave as he went off. As soon as Ouma joined the others, Kaito and Angie were quick to welcome him with a big splash of water. They were loud enough for Kiibo to hear them shout out, “Welcome to the party!” in unison. Watching everyone get along with Ouma prompted the albino to smile.
‘He used to be awkward around the others whenever I’m not around. I’m glad that he’s starting to open up,’ he thought, his eyes lingering on his beloved before he deciding to entertain himself with one of the many novels his father packed for him to read.
--------------------------------------------------
Rantarou treated everyone to a soft serve ice cream for them to snack on while watching the orange sky slowly bleed to red, purple, then blue. After finishing their cold treat, they all walked back to the villa, looking forward to all the barbecue they can cook and eat. Kiibo was glad that he was allowed to help with some of the cooking, even though it was only something as simple as forming rice balls. He looked like he had a fun time teaching Kirumi and Himiko how to make a perfectly shaped rice ball. Kirumi seemed very pleased with the rice balls she made on her own.
Eating the dinner everyone helped prepare gave them a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment despite the little mishaps they encountered with the grill earlier. It was also a fun experience cracking jokes and laughing at them no matter how corny it is as they cleaned up after eating. Satisfied with the meal, it was time for a bath to wash off the scent of sweat and smoke from their bodies.
The villa had separate baths for males and females. Both were quite neat and spacious, much to everyone’s delight. The interior looked similar to the ones you see in public baths--the men’s bath had Mt. Fuji painted on the wall, while the women’s bath had cherry blossom trees decorate theirs. Surprisingly, the girls were livelier compared to their male classmates as they talked about their various experiences at the beach. The men were far more tired, what with all the preparations for dinner and running around they had to do for errands. Even the usually boisterous Kaito was quietly enjoying his bath.
After the bath, however…
“We should have a ping pong match!” Kaito grinned, back to his energetic self after a relaxing bath. “I saw a ping pong table earlier and I already asked Toujou if we could use it. She already gave me her okay so we can have a go at it no problem!”
“Sorry, Momota-kun, but Kiibo and I will have to pass on that,” Ouma bowed slightly. He had Kiibo’s arm over his shoulders to help him stand up since they left his crutches in their room so it wouldn’t get exposed to moisture. “We’re going back to our room first.”
Kaito rubbed the back of his neck, “I guess that can’t be helped. See you later then.”
“I’m sorry about this,” Kiibo bowed slightly. “But I hope you’ll have fun, regardless.”
“Don’t sweat it man. Just take your time getting better,” Kaito grinned, giving them a thumbs up. “I’m looking forward to battling Ryoma. I heard he’s a pro at ping pong too since it’s similar to tennis.”
“It may seem that way but it’s really not,” Ryoma shrugged. “But I accept your challenge.”
“Sweet!”
“How about I lend you a hand?” Rantarou walked towards the pair, with a towel draped over his shoulders. “You’ll get tired easily if you’re on your own.”
“A-ah...okay. Thanks, Amami-kun,” Ouma smiled, shifting his hold on the albino to make it easier for Rantarou to support Kiibo’s weight from the other side. Kiibo looked a little upset that he was being fussed over because of his temporary disability, which was something the taller male didn’t miss.
“It’s okay to depend on us once in a while, Iidabashi,” the chartreuse-haired teen replied, smiling as he occupied the side opposite to Ouma’s and wrapped Kiibo’s arm over his shoulders. “So don’t worry about it, alright?”
“Yeah!” Kaito called from behind. “And don’t think you can use Iidabashi as an excuse to skip out on our tournament, Rantarou! Only Ouma and Iidabashi get a pass.”
Rantarou chuckled. “Of course not. I’d never run from a challenge.”
“That’s the spirit!”
“Try not to get murdered on your way back,” Shuuichi’s remark prompted the albino to laugh a little. While his statement was a little off-putting, it was actually endearing albeit in a strange way.
“We’ll keep that in mind. Thank you, Saihara-kun,” Kiibo smiled, feeling a little better.
“Let’s go?” Rantarou tilted his head questioningly, to which Ouma and Kiibo simply nodded in reply. They made idle talk while on their way back to the room they all shared along with Gonta, which was momentarily interrupted by Angie’s excited outburst of “You guys are having a ping pong tournament?!” Prompting all three boys to chuckle fondly at their classmate’s antics.
“It seems like I’m going to come back to something wild,” Rantarou laughed. “Is it too late for me to just stay with you guys in our room?”
“After saying that cool line back there? Nope--” Ouma gasped as soon as he finished his sentence, ashamed for speaking so familiarly with him. “S-sorry...I didn’t mean to--”
“No, no, you don’t have to hold back around me,” the chartreuse-haired teen shook his head a little, smiling. “You have a point. I kinda dug my own grave earlier. Besides, Momota might end up banging at the door once he notices that I never came back.”
“I can...actually see that happen,” Ouma murmured.
“Right?” Rantarou let out a carefree laugh. “We just took a bath and just the idea of getting into an intense ping pong battle with Momota is already making me feel sweaty. I have many regrets, and this is one of them.”
“Good luck, Amami-san,” Kiibo chuckled.
“Thanks guys.”
Rantarou left with a wave of his hand as soon as Kiibo was safely settled on his bed. Kiibo and Ouma spent their first few moments alone just drying each other’s hair so they wouldn’t soak the sheets. They found themselves lazing around on the albino’s bed, still feeling drained from their day despite taking a relaxing bath. Ouma was combing his messy dark locks while Kiibo was fiddling with his phone with his head resting on his boyfriend’s lap. It still felt a little strange having Kiibo be this affectionate with him, but at the same time it felt just right.
-- iidabashibashi has changed his nickname to [kiiboy] --
“You changed your name,” Ouma remarked, leaning closely next to the albino in order to get a good look at the screen. “Kiiboy,” he read. “Huh. This doesn’t really sound like something you would come up with.”
Kiibo let out a gentle laugh, shifting in his position a little so he could take a better look at Ouma. “That’s because I wasn’t the one who came up with it.”
“Eh? Then who did? Is it someone we know?” curious amethyst stared into amused azure. “I don’t ever recall any of our friends calling you that, though…” he chewed on his bottom lip.
“It’s a yes and a no,” Kiibo started, only continuing once his phone was safely tucked inside his pocket. “Why don’t we take a little walk while I explain? My physical therapist recommended me to go on plenty of walks so I could get used to walking again. How about it?” he was already reaching for his crutches just as he offered the suggestion.
Ouma looked at his boyfriend out of curiosity before nodding. “That sounds good,” he smiled. “Let me help you with that.”
Kiibo returned the smile. “Thank you.”
------------------------------------------------------
The beach during nighttime was fairly peaceful. Melancholic, even. And only the sounds of the ocean's lazy ebb and flow; of their feet--with the addition of Kiibo’s crutches, as they strolled along the sand; and of their own hearts beating as they walked together side by side, could be heard. Their shoulders were barely touching, but they could feel each other's warmth just from their sheer proximity. Ouma closed his eyes as the night breeze gently caressed his already unruly hair. Even with his eyes closed, he could already tell that Kiibo was doing the same thing since his pace started slowing down.
“I dreamed of you.”
“Huh?” amethyst eyes snapped open in mild surprise. To which Kiibo only replied with a serene smile before opening his eyes.
“...You looked and acted a little different...but I’m sure that it was you,” he began. “...He called himself Daikichi, though.”
Kiibo began narrating his dream as they strolled by the shore at a sedate pace, only pausing once they found a good spot to rest. It was a rock formation located not too far from Toujou’s villa. The surface wasn’t too rough, so sitting on it should be comfortable enough. Ouma helped the albino settle down on the rock’s surprisingly smooth surface before occupying the spot beside the latter. It was low enough for them to be able to soak their feet in the cool waters of the sea, but high enough to keep them dry from the incoming waves.
“It feels nice,” Kiibo sighed in content. “I’m glad that I could come here with everyone.”
“Me too,” Ouma moved to stretch his arms then his legs--letting the waves wash the sand off his feet. “Toujou-san was nice enough to let us stay in her villa. She’s already done so much for us…I feel a little bad.”
“Well...her birthday is close, right? Maybe we could repay her on that day at least,” Kiibo hummed, wiggling his toes in the water as he did so.
“Oh right! It’s on May 10th, right?”
Kiibo hummed in affirmation. “Maybe we could discuss this with the others later once we get back. Preferably while Toujou-san isn’t around.”
“Yeah...” Ouma stared at his lap, head still spinning after listening to Kiibo’s story. He did some reading on comatose patients back when Kiibo was still bedridden to pass his time when he couldn’t bring himself to focus on his homework. That’s how he came across a thread in a particular forum discussing how waking up from a coma felt like. He found out that it was common for coma patients to have vivid dreams while in a coma. But how was he supposed to react after being told that Kiibo was dreaming of another version of himself? A version of him who was his exact polar opposite, the kind who called Kiibo all sorts of weird nicknames without a moment’s hesitation. Someone so confident, brave, and cunning…how could Kiibo think that that guy in his dream was him?
“It’s hard to believe, isn’t it?” Kiibo’s gentle voice snapped him out of his thoughts. The albino wasn’t looking at him, but Ouma could tell that this was something important to him.
“N-no, it’s not that I don’t believe you,” Ouma shook his head. “It’s...just a little hard to wrap my head around it, but I definitely want to know more about your dream.” He placed his hand atop Kiibo’s. “Please tell me more.”
“...Is there something in particular that you want to know about before I continue?” Kiibo’s posture slackened--no doubt relieved that Ouma wasn’t giving him the same response as his doctor.
“No, it’s fine. Please continue where you left off,” Ouma replied, shaking his head a little. “What...happened after you remembered?” His forehead creased in worry when he felt Kiibo’s hand tense a little under his own.
“...I panicked,” Kiibo replied as he adjusted Ouma’s hold on his hand so he could entwine it with his own. “Everything I experienced and felt before the accident suddenly washed over me--I got scared. But Daikichi was serious about not allowing me to stay there any longer than necessary, so he got furious. He even shouted at me, telling me how I needed to man up and return to you--to everyone. Nothing he was saying was getting through to me, so he grabbed me by the shoulders, looked me in the eye...and you know what he said?”
Ouma gulped. “What did he say?”
“He said...”
“Get your ass out of here and give Kokichi a proper confession, you coward! And limit your confession to three words without sacrificing your intended message while you’re at it!”
“When he said that, it felt like everything clicked into place,” Kiibo turned to look at his companion. “That’s when I fully understood why I couldn’t stay there. And that’s because I still had something important to tell you...Something that not even the most expensive chocolate in the world could ever convey no matter how intricate one may be.”
Ouma’s eyes widened in realization. “Then that confession in the hospital…”
The albino nodded. “I...didn’t know how much danger I was in back then until I spent a few days reflecting on everything I saw in my dream.”
“How were you in danger?” the shorter teen tilted his head questioningly.
“...When I finally made my choice...Daikichi started becoming translucent. I was gradually losing sight of him and I felt like there was this powerful force trying to pull me away. Daikichi told me that that was my exit. That I was starting to lose sight of him because I’m no longer in danger,” Kiibo replied. “I...didn’t want to leave him all alone in this dark place. I was starting to hesitate, but before I completely lost sight of Daikichi...I saw him. ”
“Him?”
“I saw another me,” Kiibo smiled. “...He was a robot, but he was definitely me. That was how I found out that you and Daikichi were the same person. You were the one who saved me, Kokichi.”
“Kiibo…” Ouma squeezed his boyfriend’s hand, unsure how to respond.
“The person Daikichi was waiting for all this time was in fact another iteration of me,” Kiibo continued. “When I saw him, I stopped hesitating. I may not know who he is...but I know that I could trust myself to take care of Daikichi...to take care of you. That’s when I woke up, and saw you sleeping by my bedside.”
“S-so that’s how it was…” the mauve-haired teen look at his lap, his cheeks suffused with red. But still he couldn’t help but worry for him.
Judging from the way Kiibo told him everything--while he himself called it a dream, Ouma could tell that it wasn’t just a dream for him--that it was something real for him. If what Kiibo is telling him was real...then that means the place Kiibo was stuck in was in fact, Limbo. The very idea that Kiibo was actually teetering between Life and Death the whole time he was in a coma frightened him.
But...if Kiibo could place his faith on a different version of himself...then surely he could do the same as well, right?
“Kiibo--”
“Huh? Iidabashi-kun and Ouma-kun? What are you two doing out here?” the couple’s attention shifted from each other to the new arrivals.
“Chabashira-san and Gokuhara-kun?” Ouma’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Weren’t you two in our room?” Gonta asked as he walked a little closer to the two.
“We were, but I was feeling restless after spending the entire day just sitting down so I wanted to take a stroll,” Kiibo replied. “Kokichi wassimply accompanying me to keep me out of trouble.”
“Yeah...what are you two doing out here, though? Wasn’t there a ping-pong tournament?” Ouma shifted in his position to take a better look at his other classmates.
Gonta moved to rub the back of his neck with his left hand, “There was...Chabashira-san and I were in the middle of a punishment game since we both came out last in the tournament for the men’s and women’s division. Both of us had to go through a test of courage. Everyone’s currently stationed in the forest to scare us but um...”
“...I...I got too scared from the second station and I ended up running away and Gokuhara-kun only ran after me. That’s how we got here and saw you two, actually...” Tenko played with the hem of her mint green hoodie. “It can’t be helped! I’m only good at martial arts stuff…”
“Tenko! Tenkooooo!!! Where are you?!”
The dark brunette’s head perked up at the sound of her best friend’s voice. “Himiko? Himiko I’m over here!”
Soon the rest of their class assembled on the shore of the beach, most of them looked out of breath and some even had leaves and some broken twigs stuck on their person. Saihara on the other hand was soaked in what looks like fake blood but that’s just typical of him at this point.
It took Ouma a while to notice that he and Kiibo were still holding hands until he realized that their friends were now looking at them after witnessing the tear-jerking reunion between Tenko and Himiko.
“I had a feeling that you two have been hiding something from us,” Maki huffed.
“W-what?”
“It’s okay Ouma-kun. I think everyone already knows that you and Iidabashi-kun were dating all this time. That’s why you were really upset during the accident, right?” Kaede smiled. “I want you to know that we don’t mind it at all! You two truly deserve each other.” Unbeknownst to her, Miu was muffling her laughter in the background. She knows. She definitely knows what’s up. She was the one giving Kiibo relationship advice in the first place.
“I-if you don’t mind me asking...” Tsumugi took a few steps forward, fixing her glasses before continuing. “H-how did you two realize that you loved each other? And when?!”
Kiibo and Ouma’s faces were now beet red as soon as they processed their classmate’s words. Boy do they have a lot of explaining to do.
------------------------------------------------------------
“Ouma-kun…?”
Kokichi froze in his place.
“O-Ouma-kun is that you…?”
No longer able to ignore the voice of the person he's been yearning for for centuries, Kokichi turned around ever so slowly. “...Kiiboy.”
Cyan lenses glowed in recognition. “I-it’s really you! But...but how…?”
Kokichi launched himself in the robot’s arms instead of answering his question. “Kiibo shut up. I was waiting for you for ages! How long does it take to scrap a robot!?”
“How rude! I’ll have you know that my remains were lovingly collected and repaired to restore my memory!” Kiibo huffed, unconsciously returning the shorter male’s hug. “I was able to be of help with Saihara-kun and the others.”
“...I know. I was always watching. You did a really good job,” Kokichi’s body trembled as tears streamed down his cheeks. “You ended the Killing Game for me, just like you promised.”
Kiibo’s frown eased at the sight. He tightened his hold on the supreme leader, rubbing soothing circles on his back. “You did your best too. That’s why I was able to do what I did. You helped me save them, Ouma-kun.”
“S-stupid robot…! Saihara-chan, Yumeno-chan, and Harukawa-chan already passed by here before you did. You’ve kept me waiting for so long,” Kokichi gave him a half-hearted glare. “Sometimes I wonder if someone like you is even worth waiting for.”
“I’m sorry...I didn’t have much choice in the matter. I was still needed even after Saihara-kun already died a natural death,” Kiibo heaved a sigh, his ahoge slumping apologetically.
“Nishishi...that was a lie. I’m not mad at you,” Kokichi grinned, moving a few steps back. “Hey, Kiibo?”
“Yes?”
The mauve-haired supreme leader pulled the robot into a kiss without warning, rendering the latter into a complete blushing mess.
“O-Ouma-kun…?!”
“You can ask me later,” Ouma licked his lips once they parted, he looked far too satisfied for someone who was crying a few moments ago.. “But for now...let’s go. This place is soooo boring you have no idea.”
Kiibo eyed the hand Ouma linked with his--he had so many questions running through his mind. But he couldn’t help but smile when he caught the supreme leader blushing as he squeezed the albino’s hand. “Okay. Let’s go, Ouma-kun.”
Bright amethyst eyes stared into equally happy cyan lenses. With one last laugh, Ouma shouted. “Finally, we’re free!”
The room wasfinally empty.
