as much as he hates to admit the slack and lack of attention on his part, rantaro knows kokichi is right. it’s a beginner’s mistake that he’d never, ever imagine himself falling victim to but be it due to exhaustion or just a slip of the mind, here he is !! he laughs a bit sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck as him roommate explains why he’s without his key. his brow furrows as he realizes this means they’ll have to take the walk of shame to the dorm’s office, pay the fee, get new keys … but kokichi has other plans. wordlessly, rantaro accepts the bags given to him and watches as his roommate works swiftly and methodically, vocalizing the actions he takes to work the lock open. a few times, rantaro looks up and down the hallway to make sure no other student or staff spots them doing this. instinctively, he thinks he should stop kokichi but it’s very late and he just wants into the room already.
❝ i know i’m in no position to say this, but, ❞ he begins once kokichi has finished, ❝ you should really keep your key on you more frequently. all the time, really. ❞ ironic coming from someone who’s forgotten his key as well, but the idea that kokichi never has his key is a bit worrisome. he’s likely ( hopefully? ) over exaggerating but it’s practically in his nature to fret over his friends. either way, his brows scrunch as kokichi enters their room like it’s nothing ─ like he didn’t just professionally pick the lock open like it was nothing. he wordlessly follows his roommate in, stretching his limbs as he does so.
❝ i guess i should say ‘thanks’. saved us a trip down to the office. ❞ he admits with a sheepish smile, ❝ but i’m not sure if i should be impressed or worried that you got it openly so easily, to be honest. and i’ll take your word that you won’t use that on someone else’s room. ❞ he’s known the theater major since high school and trusts him well enough to know he’s not some criminal.
❝ do all theater majors know how to pick locks? or is that just you? ❞ rantaro inquiries as he offers kokichi his bags. oh, he hopes he doesn’t regret asking!
he hums thoughtfully, pretending to mull over rantaro’s words as he goes to take a seat on his own bed. the outright concern in his roommates voice over something he’s guilty of admitting to doing himself mere moments ago is humorous, if not endearing -- not that he’s about to let him know that much.
❛ aww, are you worried about lil’ ol’ me ? ❜ he teases, amusement in his tone -- an attempt to divert his attention from how strangely nice it is for him to fret over his wellbeing. ❛ even though you’re the one who forgot your key and couldn’t get back in ? tsk, tsk. ❜ another jest, bearing no actual intent to reprimand him. ❛ you should really worry about yourself first, amami -chan -- after all, i always manage to get into our room. case in point ! ❜ he boasts, gesturing to the sleeves of his shirt concealing his needles.
❛ oh, but that was a lie anyways. i do bring my key with me sometimes -- just not often ~ ❜ he kicks his legs slowly, inspecting his nails. it was much easier to pick locks than having to remember his key, though he supposes he understands where rantaro is coming from. it wouldn’t be good for him to be caught breaking into a room -- even if it was his own.
at his thanks, he glances up, ready to accept the gratitude -- but the words that follow cause him to frown. ❛ ehhhh ? you should definitely be impressed ! and why would i try to break into someone else’s room ? it’s not like anyone here has anything worthwhile to steal.. ❜ he trails off, feigning dejection. he’s aware that he’s showing a new side of himself to rantaro, and rather suddenly at that -- but it isn’t like he could keep this part of himself hidden forever, nor did he want to. if someone couldn’t accept him for who he is, they weren’t worth his time.. but still, the thought of rantaro being completely taken aback by it, possibly even disliking this aspect of him is troubling, to say the least.
❛ but anyway, to answer your question, it’s just me ~ ! i am the leader of a secret evil organization, after all, so it’s only natural ! ❜ he accepts his bags with renewed joy, immediately digging through the contents to retrieve a piece of candy before popping it into his mouth -- as if he were never upset to begin with. ❛ didn’t you know that ? you’re sharing a room with a true, bona fide criminal here ! so, how ‘bout it ? does that scare you, amami - chan ~ ? ❜