Chapter 3
Hajime and the others stood quietly as monomi explained the rules and disappeared right after. Someone had to kill another and get away with it to get off this island, while the others died unless the others found the killer, then the killer died and the others continued life on the island.
Not to mention, somebody was working for Monomi as a traitor.
Everyone was looking around suspiciously, suspecting one another of being a killer or a traitor. Everyone except…
Hajime’s eyes locked with Nagito’s, who was looking more so confused and worried than suspicious. Of course… he seemed like the type to worry more than suspect others.
Awkwardly, Hajime moved to Nagito, gently taking it and squeezing it reassuringly. Nagito looked surprised, his face going a kind of…. Cute… Shade of pink. Of course, it’s not like Hajime thought that Nagito was cute. That’s weird.
Nagito looked away, squeezing back tightly and intertwining their fingers.
They stood like that for a while, even past when the others departed, until….
“Ah...Have we been standing here too long?” Nagito asked, looking around as he realized no one else was there.
“Ah-! Haha, maybe,” Hajime laughed awkwardly, letting go of Nagito’s hand unsurely.
“So...Uh...Murder, huh?” Nagito laughed nervously.
“Guess so” Hajime rubbed that back of his neck, “....Hard to believe, really.
“Mhm” Nagito nodded
“Wanna- uh- just come to my cottage and try to talk all this off?” Hajime suggested.
“Mm...Yeah, sure” Nagito nodded, and they walked to the cottage in (mostly) silence. When they arrived, they awkwardly on the bed… God, why did Hajime trust Nagito so much?”
“Nagito,” Hajime started, “Um...Where’d all those bruises come from?”
Nagito stiffened, “Um..Ah...Well….Ermm...I’m clumsy...And get hurt a lot...Haha…”
Hajime didn’t believe Nagito at all, but the idea of pressing the subject gave him anxiety, “Uhm...Ok..Can I ask why you’re, like, sixty pounds underweight? I mean- you’re ninety eight pounds and five foot six… That can’t be healthy”
Nagito flinched, “Err- health condition”
Yet another suspicious answer.
“Uh- anyway-” Nagito changed the subject, “You’re...Lucky, right? How does that work?”
“Ehh...It’s had to explai-ain…?” Hajime blushed heavily as Nagito placed a hand on Hajime’s and looked up with him with curiosity
“Can you please try?” Nagito asked loftily, his wide eyes shining.
Hajime didn’t know why he felt so flustered, Nagito had just put his hand on his, that’s all. He was just that interested. Not like it was weird.
“Ah...Well...Let’s see...It...It comes in like- like cycles? If something bad happens, something good comes out of it-” Hajime went even more red at the vicinity between himself and the shorter boy, as well as the intensity in his gaze.
“That is truly amazing…” Nagito murmured, probably not noticing how close he was.
“Ah- um...Nagito?” Hajime said after a few seconds.
“Hm?” Nagito blinked
“Can you...Um…” he gestured to the little space between them
Nagito yelped, “Oh, yes, I’m very sorry!” he moved back, his face pink.
“No it’s-” Hajime started, “It’s fine, really.
Suddenly, the monitor clicked on to show Monomi sitting at a table.
click“Ummmm...Is this working?” Monomi asked, “I’ll say it is! It is now 10pm, and nighttime has officially started! May the waves and crickets bring you sweet dreams!” click
“Ah...Would I be allowed to stay over, Hajime…?” Nagito murmured
“Ah- yeah, sure uhm- We could sleep together in a bed, I guess,” he shrugged, moving to go lay down.
Nagito hesitated, a bit more pink on his face, before moving to go under the covers too. Smiling, Hajime took off his tie and turned off the light, closing his eyes for the night.