Chapter Text
You stared at Teruteru's body in front of you. Blood coated the floor in a slick mess, and near a caved in spot of his head was something yellowish. It had the consistency of jello or pudding, and it took you a moment to realize it was his brain.
"Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit."
"What's wrong, [Prefix-Y/N]?" Kazuichi's voice came out of the shadows behind you. Suddenly, he was at your side, his arm wrapped around your back.
You looked at him and opened your mouth to speak, but before you could say anything, you froze.
Blood was flecked across his face. You stepped back in alarm and took in the full horror of Kazuichi's appearance. His neon yellow jumpsuit was soaked in blood. His hands were dripping red, as was the wrench gripped in his left hand. His pink hair was streaked with blood and his shoes were splattered like a painting.
"K-kazuichi?!" Your heart raced as you put the scene together. You backed up a few steps, and Kazuichi's cold smile crumpled into a scowl.
"Y'know, I liked it better when you called me 'Kaz'." He took a big step towards you and encircled you in his arms.
"Kaz." His name came out in barely a whisper. "Kaz, why did you kill him?"
Kazuichi looked down at Teruteru's lifeless body and shrugged. "Well, you didn't seem to like his advances very much."
"What?!"
Kazuichi glared at Teruteru. "Fucking bastard wouldn't leave you alone. Guessing your underwear, constantly making sexual jokes--" Kazuichi's hands curled into fists, the bloody wrench in his left fist still dripping onto the floor. "--I couldn't let him keep trying for you like that."
"Kaz, he hit on everyone!"
"Oh, so what, you're going to defend him? You did like it, didn't you? You were always laughing!"
"I mean, I laughed it off cause he seemed harmless. I wasn't...interested."
Kazuichi's face relaxed. "Good. So you could still be interested in me."
You looked into his eyes, shocked. "Is that...what this is about? You killed him so I wouldn't fall for him instead of you?"
"Well, yeah." Kazuichi looked equally surprised. "That wasn't obvious?"
"No! How on earth would that be obvious from you killing him?!"
"Why else would I kill him?!"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe to get your memories back and get off of this island?!"
"Why would I want to get off of this island when you're here?" Kazuichi pulled your shaking body close again. "And, what if my memories show that you actually hated me? Or even worse, that you were dating someone other than me?"
You didn't know how to respond. "Kaz…"
Kazuichi suddenly spun you to face Teruteru's body again. "I did this for you, you know! Is that not good enough? Should I kill someone else? What about Hajime? Or Tanaka?"
"Kaz, please stop!" You buried your face in his arms. "I don't want you to kill anyone else, okay?"
"Aren't you glad a total pervert like him is dead?!"
You didn't reply, just continued to stare at Teruteru's body. Yeah, you'd admit you didn't like him all that much, but to actually revel in his death?
"Kaz…"
"Yes, [Prefix-Y/N]?"
You swallowed. "We need to hide the evidence."
A wide smile burst across Kazuichi's bloody face. "You want to help me? So you like me, right?"
"Look, I just...I mean, you killed the guy for me. I feel like this is the least I can do." You started looking for a mop. You could dry it with a blow dryer and burn it later.
"That doesn't really answer my question." Kazuichi's thumb began to rub the head of his wrench. You eyed his hands nervously.
"Kaz, of course I like you. Now help me with that--"
"Prove it."
"Huh?"
"Prove you like me. More than just a friend. Cause I noticed you didn't make that clear."
You straightened up, the bucket dangling loosely from your fingertips. "How should I prove that?" You did very much have a crush on him. That wouldn't be a lie. But you've never had someone murder for you before.
Kaz stepped close and grabbed your arm.
"Kiss me."
"Kiss you?"
"Yeah, kiss me. You wouldn't kiss someone you weren't into, right?"
You could feel your legs shaking as you turned your body towards his. "No, I...guess I wouldn't." God, of course, you wanted to kiss him, but like this? You looked into his pink eyes, narrowed in anger and distrust. You gingerly rested your hand on his cheek, cupping his face and pulling it to yours. His lips were softer than you expected and tasted like blood. A jolt went through you. It wasn't supposed to be like thIs! You felt his shoulders drop under your other hand and tears began to well in your eyes. All the times you had fantasized about kissing him...none of them were like this. But now that it was happening...you pulled back and opened your eyes. Kazuichi's smile was bigger than you'd ever seen it - until he noticed your tears.
"H-hey, why are you crying? Wait, you don't actually like me, do you?" He clenched his teeth and fists and squeezed his eyes shut. "Why did you kiss me if you don't like me?!"
"N-no, Kaz, that's not it--!" You grabbed handfuls of his jumpsuit, begging him to listen.
He raised his wrench slowly, his hands shaking. "I should've fucking known! Why would someone so wonderful be into me that way?" His eyes flew open, bloodshot, and he pulled back his arm to swing.
"KAZ, NO! I LOVE YOU!" You flung your hands up over your face and shut your eyes, but there was no metal smash against your skull. Instead, there was a clatter against the floor. You opened your eyes and slowly lowered your hands.
"Y-you...love me?" Kazuichi's hands were empty, the wrench on the ground. "[Prefix-Y/N]...you really love me?"
"Yes." Your head spun, your legs suddenly giving out. You slumped to the floor. "This...wasn't how I pictured telling you, but I love you. I have for a while now."
He lowered himself in front of you. "Then...why were you crying?"
"Because this wasn't how this was supposed to go! We were supposed to be, I don't know, walking on the beach. Or I'd be helping you disassemble something. Literally anything other than...this." You gestured helplessly at Teruteru's body, then put your head in your hands, trying to contain your sobs. "Now either I have to actively vote to kill you or I have to die and condemn everyone else to die with me. I didn't want to make that choice, Kaz!"
He was silent for a moment. You took a deep breath and lifted your head. Tears had cut clean lines through the blood smears on his face. He put a bloody hand on youe shoulder, and you flinched. He winced. "I'm...really sorry, [Prefix-Y/N]. You're right."