Off Script

Part 4: Chapter 1

Saihara wanted to look him in the eyes. Discern whether or not if he is really different from before. But the sudden anxiety of staring into his eyes, having his connect to his unworthy golden hues, just picturing the kind of hate he may see. He shut down the idea immediately.

"Ah- sorry..." he nervously grabbed the edge of his hat. "I'm Saihara Shuichi..." the boy in question looked at Akamatsu, then him. A look of question in his eyes before he smiled. "Come on! No one cares about your name. Talent! I'm dying to know!"

Saihara's face burned at the attention. "...I'm, um, well... they call me the Ultimate Detective."

His eyes lit up. "Wow! That's so boring! How did a emo boy like you land that talent?" Before he could answer he was cut off by a laugh. "Rhetorical question idiot."

"...Sorry." He muttered as Ouma lost interest and turned back to Kiibo.

"Anywho!" The boy, Ouma Kokichi, continued to rant about an evil organization. Ignoring him all together. Saihara found it a bit rude, considering they've met before. It shouldn't be a big deal anyway.

"Huh? So you were lying just now?"

"Well, I am the supreme leader of an evil secret organization. That part was true!"

Akamatsu seemed to have popped a couple brain cells already. She rubbed her temples. "So... were you lying or not?"

Ouma just laughed. "Nee-heehee... I'm not telling youuuuuu!!"

Saihara doubted his words. Now he was self proclaimed liar. "So what's the organizations name?" He questioned. Getting a lazy look from Ouma as he even bothered turning his way.

"It's a secret." He said, as if that were obvious. "Y'know. Cuz it's a secret organization."

Saihara sighed and stopped his thinking on it. He clearly kept a lot close to his chest. If anything, Saihara wanted in on those secrets. As an apprentice detective, he could learn to crack them open. Or at least lure Ouma in on letting him see by himself.

It wasn't long before Akamatsu opted to talk to Kiibo over Ouma. Saihara let his eyes rest on the two talking, occasionally glancing at Ouma who was trying to but into the conversation. Even he eventually gave up and sat on top of a desk and stared at them. Ouma pouted and looked at Saihara.

Their eyes connected, and Saihara saw his eyes. They were animated and alive, but still as a statue. Like a mask. As happy as the mask looks, it doesn't move. Ouma's expression dipped into a blank stare. Saihara flickered his gaze downward as the eyes of the dead bore into his flesh. It was too chilling to stare into.

Not soon after, he was following Akamatsu out of the room to track down everyone else they had yet to meet.

"Saihara?" Akamatsu said as they walked down the corridor together. He looked at her with a polite smile.

"Yes?" Her kind features look at him, her grin faded into a worried frown. Her teeth working over her bottom lip in concern. Her forehead shared a crease of stress. If Saihara had to label the look on her once soft looking expression. He would call it genuine fear.

"Do you..." she sighed. "I mean, I know it's crazy. But hear me out." Another deep breath and she took her eyes away from him. "Do you think we'll die here?"

Saihara blinked. Once, twice. Of course. He wanted to say. What do you think is going to happen in the show? It's the whole purpose.

"Like..." she continued. "What if one of the people here, are the people who kidnapped us? Wh-What if they have our families captive? Or... Ah, I guess I'm scared, Saihara."

He doesn't realizes what's so wrong with this conversation. He doesn't recognize the words she's saying. He paled as he glared at her. His mouth opening and closing. Trying to shift both of them back on track before they get bleeped out.

"I- I understand." He said back. The hot feeling of invisible breath breathed down the back of his neck. He swallowed uncomfortably. "I'm sure everything will sort itself out-ah, um. Look, let's just try and exit through the doors. Maybe we can find a-and exit."

He's getting too close to the edge. That was supposed to be Akamatsu's idea to go through the doors.

"Hm? Oh! Yes! If we go through it, we can escape this place right?"

He let go of a stiffly held breath. That was too close for comfort. They went over to the door, but something still bothered him about Akamatsu's words. She seemed to really scared. Hesitant, but scared.

He looked up as if someone shocked him. His wide amber eyes stared at Akamatsu's obvious smile. Talking on about how they should be brave. Now he knows why that conversation was so bad.

She was completely brainwashed. She forgot they were in a show. And was terrified. That didn't sit right with him. She was going to be the second to die here. Akamatsu was going to die against her will. She was gone to the world of this fantasy.

That was the consequence. Saihara sighed sadly. She spoke unscripted words. So the producers are going to make her death as painful as possible.

He can only hope he stays on track.

To stay scripted.