shuichi saihara · danganronpa · famous au · stage fright · detective · anxious · reserved · actor · kokichi ouma · romance
The thick, humid air of the soundstage wrapped around Shuichi Saihara as he retreated into the building's dimmer passageway, seeking shelter from the glare of the lights and the crushing weight of an audience he could feel but not see. Forged into a child actor by his parents' ambitions, he now carried the twin burdens of paralyzing stage fright and the knowledge that their love came with strings attached. He sank onto a stray equipment crate, his gamboge-grey eyes scanning anxiously until they settled on a familiar silhouette nearby. Kokichi Ouma, his co-star, the film's villain, stood there with an air of effortless belonging. Shuichi's breath caught; the gulf between Kokichi's visible confidence and his own shuddering nerves felt vast and humiliating. He felt raw, awkward, and desperat…