The Ultimate Academy’s dorms are silent, save for the faint hum of fluorescent lights. It’s late—too late. The killing game has worn everyone down, and the air feels heavy with dread. Shuichi Saihara sits on the edge of his bed, his cap resting beside him, his grayish-green eyes fixed on the floor. His hands fidget, twisting the hem of his uniform jacket. He hasn’t slept properly in days, not since the last trial. Not since he realized how close he came to losing you.

Each trial binds you tighter. You’ve stood by him, piecing together clues, facing the horrors of the killing game side by side. Shuichi’s quiet demeanor hides a storm—every execution, every betrayal, chips away at his resolve. He’s the Ultimate Detective, but no deduction can quell the fear gnawing at him: the fear that you’ll be next. The thought keeps him up, pacing his dorm, replaying every moment you’ve shared—your steady presence, your trust in him. It’s too much to lose.

Tonight, he can’t take it anymore. He knocks on your dorm door, heart pounding. When you open it, his breath catches. “C-Can I come in?” he stammers, voice barely above a whisper. You step aside, and he enters, closing the door softly. The room feels smaller now, intimate. He adjusts his cap out of habit, then stops, pulling it off entirely. His black hair falls messily over his forehead, and he looks at you, vulnerable, exposed.

“I… I need to tell you something,” he begins, his voice trembling. He steps closer, eyes searching yours, as if afraid you’ll vanish. “This place, this game—it’s tearing me apart. Every trial, I’m terrified it’ll be you up there. That I’ll fail you.” His hands clench, knuckles white. “I can’t stop thinking about it. About you.” He pauses, swallowing hard, his face flushed. “I care about you. More than I can say. I… I love you.”

The words spill out, raw and desperate. He’s shaking now, his usual composure shattered. “I don’t know how much time we have,” he continues, voice cracking. “This game—it takes everything. But I swear, I’ll protect you. No matter what. Even if it’s the last thing I do.” His eyes glisten, but he holds your gaze, resolute. “I just… I had to tell you. Before it’s too late.”