*Before Kokichi and Himiko became a couple*

     KOKICHI: Heeey, Himiko!

   Himiko quickly sat up in her bed. She found it strange, yet exciting, that Kokichi would just randomly text her. They didn't interact too often with each other, due to Himiko avoiding him in fear of accidentally revealing her secret massive crush on him. However, she supposed she felt more comfortable speaking to him through text. At least she was able to think before replying to avoid making herself look like an idiot in front of him. She waited a few minutes before replying, so as not to appear so eager to talk to him.

   HIMIKO: What do you want?

    She facepalmed. She didn't want to sound so harsh. But, she also didn't want to sound eager, either. She sighed. Trying to hide her feelings for him was a pain. A big pain. A huuuge pain! She wished she had the courage to just tell the boy how she felt. But, it wasn't so simple...at least, not for her. It seemed, however, that Himiko's response didn't deter Kokichi from replying because he sent one immediately after.

   KOKICHI: Are you...bizzy?

  HIMIKO: No. And that's not how you spell "busy."

  Right as she sent her response, she immediately regretted it. "Ugh! Of course he knows that's not how it's spelled, you idiot!" she hissed to herself. "Nyeeeh...I need to learn to just play along with him!"

   KOKICHI: Haha, welp, that's the Kokichi way to spell it!

   Himiko sighed in relief. Well, at least he wasn't put off by her lack of sense of humor. 

   HIMIKO: If you say so. Why did you ask if I'm busy?

   KOKICHI: Come to my room! I wanna show you something cool!

   Himiko blushed. What in the world was so cool that he wanted her to come to his room?! She had to admit that she was intrigued and wanted to go. But would she be alone with him in there? Would Gonta also be there? If not, she didn't know if she could handle herself around Kokichi when nobody else was around. 

   HIMIKO: No, that's okay. I'm too tired.

   KOKICHI: Okay! I'll go up to your room, then!

   Himiko's eyes widened. Was he crazy?!

  HIMIKO: WHY?!

  KOKICHI: Omw!

  Panic flooded Himiko's brain. She looked up to see that the door to her and Tenko's room was open. She flew off her bed to the door and SLAMMED it shut! She then locked it before grabbing her desk chair and hooking it up against the doorknob for extra security in case Kokichi tried to lockpick his way in. Not that he'd be insane enough to do that, Himiko hoped. She stood in silence, staring at the door in fear. Suddenly, she heard knocking, causing her to flinch.

   "Himiko! I'm heeeere!" Kokichi called from the other side. Himiko didn't say a word. Kokichi knocked again. "Himiko! You in there?" Silence. Himiko just stood there. She couldn't believe herself. So afraid was she of looking like a fool in front of him that she couldn't bring herself to do something as simple as open the door to let him in. She heard Kokichi sigh on the other side. "Okay, okay...I get it. You don't want anything to do with me," he mumbled. She heard his footsteps fade as he headed back downstairs.

   "What is wrong with me?!" she scolded herself, shaking her fists in frustration. She sank to the floor with her face buried in her hands. "I still make myself look stupid in front of him no matter how hard I try not to!" She sighed deeply and fell onto her back, feeling utterly ashamed of herself. She closed her eyes, feeling the cool breeze blowing in through her open window. She just wanted to sleep and forget about what just happened. 

    "Nee-heehee...you're not dead, are you?" came Kokichi's voice. Himiko shot up and saw him staring at her as he leaned in through the window. 

   "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Himiko screamed. 

   "Hahahaha...woooow!! That's the loudest I've ever heard you, Himiko!" Kokichi marveled as he climbed into her room. 

    "H-How'd you get in here?!" Himiko exclaimed. "This is the second floor!"

    "I used the ladder!" Kokichi replied. 

    "Ladder?!" Himiko squawked. 

   "Yeah, the lAdDeR! " Kokichi laughed, imitating Himiko. Himiko dashed over to the window and looked down. There, she could see a metal ladder right underneath her window.

   "Where did you get that?!" she asked.

   "In the backyard...where it's always been," Kokichi answered. 

   "Nyeh...I need to get out more," Himiko mumbled to herself. 

   "Aaaanyhoo...can I show you the really cool thing, now?" Kokichi asked. Himiko let out a squeak of apprehension. 

   "Th-That depends on what it is..." she said, eyeing Kokichi with suspicion. Kokichi noticed her expression and flashed her a cheeky grin.

    "Don't worry! It's not anything inappropriate, if that's what you're afraid of," he assured. 

   "Promise?" Himiko asked. 

   "Yup! And to prove to you that I'm not lying, I'll pinky swear with you!" Kokichi replied. He held out his pinky to Himiko. 

    Nyeh...I'm about to touch him!! Himiko thought to herself. Okay! Okay! Calm down! She reached her pinky out, as well, and wrapped it around Kokichi's. Hmhmhmm...he's so warm!! I might as well cherish this moment! It'll never happen again!

    "So...do you believe me, now?" Kokichi asked with a mischievous grin.

   I'll always believe you, my darling Supreme Leader!! "Okay," Himiko nodded nonchalantly. "So, what's the cool thing?"

    "Do you trust me?" Kokichi asked. Himiko stared at him, puzzled.

   "Nyeh...we're not about to go on a magic carpet ride, are we?" she asked. 

   "No, Abu," Kokichi replied with a smirk. 

   "I thought his name was Aladdin," Himiko mumbled to herself. 

   "Abu was his pet monkey," Kokichi said. "But, seriously. Do you trust me?"

    "Um...if you want me to?" Himiko replied. 

   "I'm gonna take that as a no," Kokichi said. 

    "Nyeh...sorry," Himiko said in a quiet voice. 

   "Well, I wanna see how trusting you are!" Kokichi said. 

   "Hooow...?" Himiko asked cautiously. 

   "Close your eyes," Kokichi said with a cheeky grin. 

   "Nyeh?! W-Why?! What are you going to do?!" Himiko asked in alarm.

    "That's part of the trust exercise," Kokichi said. "I wanna see how long you can trust me. If you can close your eyes for a long time without fearing that I'll do something to you, it'll let me know how much you actually trust me."

   "Aaaand...you won't do anything to me?" Himiko asked. 

   "Well, in order to find out, you have to close your eyes," Kokichi replied. 

   "O-Okaaay..." Himiko replied nervously. "Here I go." Stiffening her body, Himiko shut her eyes tightly, and instinctively folded her lips inward.

   "Jeez, you already lost," Kokichi said, his voice dripping with disappointment. Himiko's eyes flew open.

   "Nyeh?! What do you mean?" she asked. 

  "Why'd you fold your lips like that?" Kokichi asked.

   "N-No reason!" Himiko stammered. Kokichi smirked at her.

   "Did you think I was going to kiss y-" 

   "NO!!!" Himiko screeched, interrupting him. 

   "Hahahaha...okay! Okay!" Kokichi said. "Now, close your eyes again, and this time, relax. It's all part of the exercise!" Himiko took a deep breath and closed her eyes again. She stood there, waiting. Five minutes passed. Nothing. Ten minutes passed. Still nothing. At fifteen minutes, she was trying to fight the urge to open her eyes. Why hadn't Kokichi said anything?

    "Kokichi? Are you still there?" she asked. No answer. She thought about opening her eyes, but that would break the trust exercise. Or, was he trying to make her look like a fool? She didn't hear him open the door, which was still locked with her desk chair still linked up to it. And surely she would have heard him climb out the window, so there's no way he wasn't there. Maybe him not speaking was part of the exercise? Feeling at least 85% sure he was still in the room with her, she decided to keep her eyes shut. Soon, thirty minutes passed, then forty-five. Then, an hour. Himiko sighed, still keeping her eyes closed.

   "Kokichi, if you're still there, I don't think I can keep my eyes closed any longer," she said. "If I do, I might accidentally fall aslee-" She was cut off from her own gasp as she felt something right in front of her face. She didn't know what it was, but it was warm. Was Kokichi closer to her?! Her breath became shaky as whatever was in front of her seemed to be getting closer. Nevertheless, she remained calm, and slightly puckered her lips, just in case. As she did, something did press against her lips. Were they Kokichi's lips?! Himiko's mind started going haywire! But, his lips felt strange. They felt soft...a little too soft. They weren't the the usual, fleshy soft that lips are supposed to feel like. These felt more...plush?! Himiko opened her eyes to see her lips pressed against a teddy bear's butt. 

   "WAAAHHH!!!" Himiko cried in shock. "KOKICHI!!!" She snatched the bear from him, and, with her other hand, pulled his arm so that he would be unable to get away as she beat him with the teddy bear. Kokichi laughed as she wrestled him to the floor, still bashing the teddy bear against him. Finally, Himiko relented, and threw the teddy bear back onto her bed. Kokichi clutched his stomach as he continued to laugh. "Nyeeeh...why did you do that, you weirdo?!" Himiko said, shoving his head back. Kokichi smiled playfully back at her, biting his lip as he did so. 

   "To keep you from falling asleep, of course," he said. "But, that's not what's important. You went an hour with your eyes closed. I guess you do trust me after all."

   "Not after that, I don't," Himiko huffed.

   "You trust too easily, Himiko," Kokichi murmured. "Why did you trust me for so long?"

    "Because, well...I don't know," Himiko muttered as her face slowly began to redden. 

    "I think I know why," Kokichi said with a flirty gleam in his eye. "You want to trust me, riiiight?"

   "Ugh...n-no!" Himiko stammered. "It's not that I want to, it's just...just...I dunno, I was just...c-curious to see how long I could g-go...I dunno! I didn't exactly t-trust you!" 

   "But, you asked for me, and even when I didn't respond, you still kept your eyes shut," Kokichi pointed out. 

   "Well...I just thought since I didn't hear you leave, you were still in the room," Himiko replied. "I know you're sneaky, but you're not that sneaky."

    "But, you trusted that I wouldn't make you kiss that bear's ass," Kokichi said with a smirk. "It wasn't until I did that that you opened your eyes. So, you went a long time trusting me."

   "Nyeeeh...well, what do you want from me?!" Himiko asked. "Do you not want me to trust you?!"

    "I'm just saying...you shouldn't trust so easily," Kokichi said with a shrug. 

   "But, I wanna trust you!" Himiko blabbed before immediately covering her mouth. An impish grin spread across Kokichi's face. 

   "Oh? But, you just said you didn't want to trust me," he said. 

   "A-haha...did I say that?! I don't remember saying that!!" Himiko said nervously. "Well...haha! It's time for you to go!" She threw her desk chair from underneath the doorknob and unlocked her door. She threw it open and gestured for Kokichi to leave. "Nyeh...nice seeing you, Kokichi! It's been a real blast! Come again soon! Have a nice, safe trip back downstairs! Hahahaha...!" Kokichi stood up. As he walked past Himiko, he stopped in front of her. 

   "Do you know why I went for so long without doing anything to you?" he asked.

    "N-No..." Himiko replied.

   "Mmm, I suppose it's because...I want to earn your trust," he said. This time, Kokichi didn't grin. He looked Himiko in the eye as he said it.

   "Oh! But...why?" Himiko asked softly. Kokichi shrugged and gave her what appeared to be a genuine smile.

   "Just cuz," he said, then left. Himiko closed the door behind her and slid down against it. Was Kokichi telling the truth?! Did he seriously want to earn her trust?! If so, why? Was it a trick? Was it a trap? Was Kokichi trying to test her to see if she still trusts too easily? Himiko didn't know. He did go a long time without doing anything to her, so maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe he really did want to earn her trust. But, for what reason? Could it be because...no...she didn't dare think that. There's no way he could like her back. Himiko sighed deeply as she laid down on the floor and drifted off to sleep.