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Kokichi Ouma.
Himiko wasn’t too sure what to think of the ultimate supreme leader.
Was he a friend? Or was he an acquaintance?
The violet haired male was considered to be a nuisance by most of his classmates, as well as the majority of the student body at Hope’s Peak.
No one was safe from his pranks, everyone was fair game to the short statured leader. However, Himiko had noticed that when it came to her being pranked specifically, Kokichi’s pranks weren’t as extreme like what the others faced.
She wasn’t sure why. After all they’d talk to each other occasionally when in class.
“Heyyy! Himiko!”
Himiko was pulled out of her thoughts upon hearing the familiar voice that belonged to Kokichi. She removes her gaze from her phone and turns towards Kokichi who was heading in her direction. She noticed a small box was tucked under his arm as he approached her.
“Nnn what do you want?” she asks, directing her eyes onto the box.
Noticing her curious gaze Kokichi holds out the box in front of her. Now being able to get a proper view of the box she noticed that the box was decorated with pretty paper. A plastic spot sat in the center of the box, revealing nicely decorated cream puffs.
“Would you like some of these?”
Himiko considers the thought for a moment before eyeing Kokichi with slight suspicion. “Did you do something to these?”
“Whaaattt?!” Kokichi exclaims in mock offense. “I’ll have you know that I had Kirumi help me make these. So again, would you like one?”
Well… hearing that Kirumi played a role in helping make the cream puffs made Himiko feel slightly better. And then there’s the fact that she did enjoy eating sweets… But she couldn’t help but to feel put off by Kokichi’s overly innocent smile.
She looks him in the eyes as she cautiously takes one, “Okay…”
Kokichi was practically bouncing at the moment. “C’mon c’mon try it! I want to know how you like it.”
Finally breaking eye contact with him, Himiko looks over at the freshly made cream puff she held. The dough was nicely soft and flaky, the pastry had a light coating of sugar on it, making it look even more appetizing.
Deeming that the pastry may be safe, Himiko took a medium sized bite out of it. Vanilla cream assaulted her taste buds, making her hum in content. This cream puff was actually good…
Her momententary bliss was short lived unfortunately.
A sudden burning sensation spread all over her mouth, making her gag. Her tear ducts filled up with tears.
“Water!” she screamed out desperately. Hopping to her feet, Himiko made a mad dash to the water fountain -- which was luckily close enough to her.
As she hungrily drank up the water, Kokichi’s laughter rang from behind her. His face was flushed from laughing so hard.
Once her mouth wasn’t burning as much Himiko gave Kokichi a glare. “What kind of evil person sabotages cream puffs like that?!”
“Well I am the leader of an evil organization for one,” he closes the box up the box, giving Himiko a mischievous smile. “And two, you shouldn’t trust a known liar like me too easily. But thanks Himiko now I know these will work on the others!” He runs off leaving an unamused Himiko.
A nuisance. Himiko decided. Kokichi was definitely a nuisance.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Himiko had animal care duty today, and she just so happened to be partnered up with Kokichi.
Speaking of the violet haired male, he was currently engaged with throwing handfuls of feed at the chickens.
“Kokichi, you’re not supposed to be doing that.”
“What?” he tosses another handful, “I am feeding them, right?”
Himiko snatches the bucket of chicken feed from Kokichi, nearly dropping it in the process due to it being quite heavy. “You hafta put the feed in the dispenser.” she struggles to raise the bucket off the ground.
“Need some help?” Kokichi asks, watching her with an amused smirk.
Himiko puffs her cheeks out, “No.”
Himiko continues to tug and pull at the bucket with all of her strength, resulting in her to tire out.
She turns her face away from Kokichi in embarrassment. She could practically feel him smirking from behind her as she spoke, “Yes… I’d like your help.”
Kokichi helps her lift up the bucket, and together they began to slowly pour in the feed into the dispenser. “Now was that so hard Himiko? All you had to do was ask.”
Himiko’s cheeks pinkened slightly, “Le-let’s just move onto the miniature horses next.” she grumbles.
As the two made their way to the miniature horse enclosure, Kokichi couldn’t help but notice how happy the horses seemed to be when they saw Himiko approach.
The mini horses brayed happily, pressing their muzzles against the gates allowing the redhead to pet them.
Himiko held a small smile on her face as she pet the three horses in the enclosure. “It’s been a while since I was last assigned to work with you girls huh?” she asks them, pulling out three apples from her jacket pocket. “I did bring you a treat this time.”
The horses happily took their individual apples from Himiko, with their tails swishing happily.
“You’re pretty good with animals Himiko.” Kokichi speaks up, looking rather impressed.
Himiko turns to face him, smiling proudly. “Of course, I work with many animals during my shows, so I at least need to know how to care for them.”
“Do you have any pets? It would seem like you would have one since you’re good with them.”
“Nyeh, well other than the doves and other small animals I have in my talent room… I do have a tiger cub at home that my mom is watching over for me.”
Kokichi’s eyes lit up, “A tiger cub?! Are you lying?”
Himiko grinned, “I’m not a liar like you Kokichi, see.” She pulls out her phone and shows him the many photos of her and her adored cub.
She felt a swell of pride overcome her as she watched Kokichi excitedly scroll through her pictures. Though she wasn’t entirely sure why…
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For the last couple weeks after having animal care duty together, Kokichi had begun to hang around Himiko a bit more often.
He’d always come into her talent room when she was in the middle of practice, which would cause her to mess up.
He’d ask her how to perform certain tricks, and Himiko would show him. She’d laugh at his failed attempts to each one he attempted to do. She had told him that magic wasn’t just a simple thing to do.
But that didn’t stop the supreme leader whatsoever. He vowed that he would learn how her “magic” worked.
Currently, Kokichi had barged in on Himiko who was in the middle of practice -- once again.
“Can you not do that?!” Himiko says with a pout, retrieving her startled doves and placing them back into their cage. “I’m going to get hurt one of these days if you keep doing that.”
“But you aren’t hurt right now aren’t you?” He asks with a grin, clearly not sorry about his sudden appearance. “Anyways Himiko I know how that item transfer trick-”
“Spell.”
“-spell works.”
Himiko looked at him with an amused grin, “Have you now? Are you sure this won’t end like last weeks attempt?”
The item transfer trick had Kokichi stumped since last week. Himiko made it look so easy to do. She holds out an item in front of her and drapes a cloth over it, and by time she removes it the item she was previously holding has been replaced with no sign of the previous item being there.
However this time Kokichi was sure enough that he learned of a way to do it -- even if it was done by unconventional means.
“I am a fast learner Himiko, just watch me.”
“If you say so.” Himiko tosses him a small red ball and a white handkerchief.
Kokichi catches the ball with one hand and rests it in his palm, while holding the white handkerchief with the other.
Shooting Himiko another smile, he drops the cloth over the ball and presses a hand over it. He continues to press until the lump beneath the handkerchief flattens, where he then removes the cloth and reveals a joker card lying in his palm.
“So what do you think?” He asks smugly, returning his gaze to Himiko.
The small magician held a neutral expression on her face, softly murmuring to herself.
“I guess you were good.”
“Guess-”
“You’d be good to those who know nothing much about how magic works,” she walks up to Kokichi and slips her hand into his jacket pocket, pulling out a small red ball.
Kokichi’s eyes widened in shock, making the redhead giggle. “I’m not called the ultimate magician for nothing. What you did was an amatuer move. You press the ball hard enough to have it pop out and slip into your pocket, while you have your card slip out of your sleeve and beneath the handkerchief as you remove it.”
“Huh you’re more intelligent than you look Himiko,” Kokichi mused, impressed. Earning an offended shout from Himiko. “One of these days Himiko I’ll master one of your ‘spells’.”
“I’ll be waiting till that day comes.” Himiko simpered, she had found the fact that Kokichi challenging her to become better than her at her talent amusing.
She had actually found doing this to be her favorite part of the day.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
“So…” Kaede begins, throwing curious glances to all of her female classmates sitting around her dorm. Currently they were finishing up their usual hang out day. “Do any of you girls have a crush on someone in our class?”
This was the question that unleashed hell.
Various reactions and shouts of denial spread across the room.
Like Maki who huffed out in annoyance and fiddled with one of her ponytails with a blush. Or Tenko who had a noticeable blush on her cheeks and was vehemently denying that she did not have her heart set on someone, but her denial didn’t help lower any of the others suspicions.
Then there were others who were more reserved in their responses like Kirumi who had not indicated whether she liked someone or not.
Like Kirumi, Himiko had behaved similarly to her. After all the magician knew she didn’t like anyone.
“Really Himiko? You have no one you like?” Tsumugi asks, cocking her head to the side.
“Are you lying Himiko? Atua says that you’re hiding something! How scandalous~” Angie titters.
Himiko shakes her head feverishly, tired of being asked. “Nyeh I really don’t.”
The others back down from prodding her with their questions though a few people like Miu, Angie and Kaede threw her knowing glances.
After spending an hour more with her friends, Himiko was the first to leave amongst them. Not that she didn’t want to spend time with them, but because she to go back to her talent room to feed her animals.
Hopping down the last few steps on the staircase, Himiko strolled idly to her lab while being lost in thought.
But since she was so wrapped up in her thoughts, she was unable to hear the sounds a footsteps rapidly approaching her.
“Gah!” Himiko grunts as she felt herself get tackled to the ground. Seeing as who was the culprit, it shouldn’t be a surprise.
Kokichi loomed over her with a smirk, he was straddling her hips, which made her blush slightly. If Tenko were here to see this, then Kokichi would most definitely be spending time in Mikan’s infirmary for a few days.
“Get off of me, you’re crushing me.” Himiko grumbles, wriggling beneath him in attempt to move him.
However, Kokichi did not budge one bit, much to her dismay. “What?! Are you trying to say something about my weight?” He asks in mock offense. “You’re sooo mean Himiko~” he whines as he lays himself on top of her.
Himiko’s blush darkens when she sees how close their faces are together. And to make things worse Kokichi seemed to have noticed it.
“Oh-ho~ what’s this? Little Himiko is blushing. Your face is as red as you hair.”
“Nyeh! Get off of me!” Mustering up all of her strength, Himiko knocks Kokichi off of her. Immediately after she reaches for her hat and covers her face with it.
“D’aww you’re too cute when you’re shy Himiko.”
Himiko jolted at his statement. C-cute?!
Deciding not to say nothing, the magician tightened her grip on her hat. Of course that didn’t save from Kokichi pulling right out of her hands. Causing her to make a squeak from the sudden loss of her hat.
“Didn’t your mother tell you it’s rude if you don’t look someone in their eyes while they’re talking?” Kokichi reprimands playfully.
Himiko’s heart hammered in her chest, she was sure that Kokichi was close enough to hear it.
And then it dawned upon her…
A wave a panic washed over her as she scrambled back to her feet and ran off.
She ran and ran, and she didn’t stop when she heard Kokichi call after her. She didn’t stop when she passed her talent lab. She just continued running until she couldn’t.
Himiko collapses on to the grass, panting erratically.
She lied earlier.
It suddenly feels like she lost the ability to breathe. Why? Why was it so hard for her to breathe?!
She does have a crush.
Himiko takes in a deep breath, and then breathes it out, and in and out, again and again. It helped slightly, her breathing was a bit better, albeit it came out in uneven puffs.
Kokichi Ouma.
Himiko has a crush on Kokichi.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ever since Kokichi last encountered Himiko in the halls, he noticed that her behavior around him has changed drastically.
She was more jittery.
When he’d come by to say a simple hello, or to spend time with her, she was unable to relax around him. Her leg would bounce up and down rapidly when he would talk to her during breaks in class, she would bite her lip and avert her gaze too.
He had also noticed that she was harder to come across too.
Usually he’d go visit her in her lab, either to mess around with her or to learn more of her tricks. And most of the time he’d go, she’d be there.
But now…
She was hardly ever in her lab.
He began to wonder what he did wrong to her during that day she ran off. He greeted her as usual and was just teasing her as always. He wasn’t acting out of ordinary with her, so why did she start avoiding him?
This was bothering him more than he’d like to admit. Personally he was enjoying messing with the short magician. And now with her just avoiding him like the plague…
Well one way or another, he’s going to get answers.
Even if he has to end up cornering her to the point where can’t escape.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Another day.
Another day without coming into much contact with Kokichi.
She could hardly believe it. She had a crush on him.
But even though she thought that avoiding him would help lower the overwhelming feeling -- it had only ended up making her feel worse.
Limiting contact pained her, she had enjoyed hanging out with him. But ever since she found out that she had a crush on him, she’d begin to feel too many things at once which would leave her nauseous.
She hasn’t been to her lab during the day time hours for a couple of weeks now. But she made sure to go very early in the morning and late at night. Those time slots were her best options since everyone -- including Kokichi -- would be asleep.
Each day was beginning to feel more and more strenuous. She wished that she were able to go back to hanging out with him without having a crush on him. She had missed spending time with him…
Slipping her key into the keyhole slot, she quickly let herself inside her dorm, feeling slightly relieved to be in the safest place for her to be in.
She throws herself onto the couch, wanting nothing more but to sleep.
“I can’t keep doing this…” she says aloud, it’s like no one else was here to listen out to her sorrows.
“Doing what?”
Wait…
Himiko quickly sits up, letting out a scream.
The last person she had wanted to see was sitting across from her on the floor.
Kokichi shot Himiko a gleeful smile and made a peace sign, “Yo~”
Seeing as Himiko wasn’t going to respond and was preparing to run out of her dorm, he quickly grabs her by wrist with a tight hold.
“Yeah we’re not going to be doing that anymore.”
“Le-let go of me!”
“Come on Himiko let’s talk.”
Himiko continues to struggle in his hold, with each pull becoming more and more desperate.
“Please! Ju-just let go!”
Not backing down Kokichi pulls Himiko into his arms, “What’s with you lately? Did I do something wrong?”
Himiko continued to trash wildly in his hold until she began to tire out. Seeing as she was winded Kokichi releases her.
“Again Himiko, tell me what’s wrong. What did I do wrong.” He asks her once again, with a hint of desperation in his voice.
Himiko heard the tone of his voice and felt her heart lurch. While she was busy running away from her problems -- no… feelings -- she went and ignored how her behavior would impact the person of her affections directly.
“You did nothing wrong.” she finally admits, her voice a mere whisper. “I-it’s all my fault.”
“For the last couple of weeks I’ve felt weird. My mind’s been fuzzy and my chest felt funny. I find myself looking forward to you coming to visit me in my lab. A-and when I’m around you my heart begins to pound a lot faster. I-I didn’t understand!”
Kokichi was taken aback by all she was saying. She has opened up quite a bit a few months after their class has been together, but she was still reluctant to reveal such heavy raw emotion like this.
Himiko sniffled slightly, “I didn’t know what these feeling were. They were scary, I’ve never went through anything like this. And i-it’s happening only when I’m around you.”
Himiko lifts her head up and locks eyes with Kokichi’s for the first time in weeks, her eyes glistened. She was close to crying.
“A-and now I know what’s wrong with me,” she takes a breath. “Kokichi I like you. As in I like like you. I find myself feeling a lot happier when I spend time with you. And these last few weeks I’ve been avoiding you because I was scared to face these feelings. B-but I was selfish doing this, because you thought you did something when you hadn’t done anything.”
“Kokichi Ouma. I-I have a crush on you!”
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Kokichi was at a loss for words for once. Reddish-brown orbs stared expectantly into his own violet orbs. Tears leaked out Himiko’s eyes, the redhead hasn’t even seemed to notice that she was crying.
Kokichi is a liar, despite being comfortable around his classmates -- he wasn’t comfortable enough to be completely truthful. He’d even lie to himself about his own personal feelings.
And now being in this situation…
Truthfully… Kokichi had feelings for Himiko. She was fun to mess with -- her reactions were the cutest! She was also a great performer too, he had fun trying to figure out how Himiko was able to do certain tricks.
Here he was. The girl he liked had confessed that she liked him. This would be considered to be an ideal situation to be in. But Himiko wasn’t supposed to be crying.
Without a word, he pulls Himiko into a hug. Allowing her to bury her face into his chest.
And then she wept. Kokichi let her. He petted her head soothingly and rocked her as she let loose of all the intense feelings she had built for the last couple of weeks.
Once Himiko’s crying reduced to sniffles, Kokichi pulls her away from her chest to look her in the eyes.
“Himiko. I like like you too.” He admits, his face did not hold the usual playfulness that she was use to. His face was neutral, a face he’d make on rare occasions when he’s being truthful.
Himiko blinked owlishly at him, her eyelashes heavy with dewy tears. “You d-do? H-honestly?”
Kokichi decides to respond to her doubts by leaning his face into hers and giving her a kiss on her lips.
The kiss started off awkwardly, being that it was their first kiss. But soon enough it began to click for the two of them.
This first kiss of theirs… was one full of passion and longing.
When Kokichi eventually pulled away, a heavy blush was settled on both his and Himiko’s cheeks.
A moment of silence passed hung in the room, neither of them knew what to say.
Kokichi eventually decides to speak up, finding their silence to be overwhelming.
“Himiko…” He starts off, he felt nervous. Usually he’d never show this much vulnerability to anyone. But Himiko wasn’t just anyone. “W-would you consider on being my girlfriend?”
Himiko’s breath hitched softly, her face warming up once more. She offers him a shy, tired smile. “If y-you don’t mind being my boyfriend.”
Kokichi smiles in return, his signature laugh coming out a bit shakily. “You do know what you’re getting yourself into right Himiko? If you get involved we me, you’re gonna have to get involved with DICE.”
“If that’s what it takes,” Himiko buries her face into her new boyfriend’s chest, “then I’ll do it.”
“Whelp Himi it looks like your stuck with me!” Kokichi says dramatically, falling onto the couch with Himiko lying on top of his chest. “Any future ruler of the world has to have a partner of their own. And since I’ll be taking control of the world by the reins, you will have a role in guiding it with me since you’re my queen.”
Himiko giggles and rests her chin upon his chest, “Whatever you say my king.”