Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The adoration in her eyes is almost unbearable. Even without reading her mind, I can tell her imagination is running wild. I’m dancing with the “perfect” girl in a scene straight out of a movie, but somehow…it’s irritating.

“You’re conceited.”

Honestly, I don’t know why I said it. I guess I wanted to see what she’d do.

“What?”

It was a whisper. The only true indication of her discomfort was the slight twitching of the corners of her mouth. She seemed to be doing her damnedest to keep up her pageant smile. Teruhashi might’ve loved attention, but an ugly scene was not her M.O. However, today I decided to be pushy. I leaned in as close as I could to her ear. She blushed from the contact. The boys are probably cursing me in their heads. They’d definitely kill me if they knew what I was about to say.

“You’re self-centered, vain, fake...would you like to hear more?”

She shook her head slowly, and I increased the distance between us again to get a good look at her face. She looked at me with absolute confusion, like there was a war waging in her mind. For the first time ever, I actually wanted to know what she was thinking.

I might be the villain right now.

---------------

“Hey buddy, it’s nice seeing you here.”

In any usual situation I’d hate hearing that voice, but today I was in an extremely good mood.

“Nendo, I’ve been in your class every year.”

“Oh yeah.”

“Saiki, you look a little different.”

“Yeah, short stuff's right. Hmmm...did you get a haircut?”

“No you imbecile, he got taller.”

“Really, bud?”

“I mean...I did, but I’m sitting down. How’d you know?”

“When you go up against Dark Reunion every day you have to be observant.”

Idiots. Both of them. If they used more than one brain cell per day they’d see that I’m not wearing my limiters or glasses. Not to mention the fact I’m using my mouth to speak now.

“Goodmorning Saiki.”

Not the voice of an idiot, but another nuisance nonetheless.

“Goodmorning Teru…hashi”

Teruhashi was pretty. No. Teruhashi is pretty. I knew this (everybody and their damn mother said it), but knowing and hearing are different from experiencing. I’d never seen anyone’s face for more than a couple of seconds before seeing through them. Hell, I’m probably more acquainted with Teruhashi’s organs than her primary physician. I assumed that when I finally saw her she’d be pretty, but not to the extent that warranted this much chaos. I assumed wrong. She had the looks to back up her arrogance. Pretty much a God amongst men, but something about it troubled me. It didn’t help that she’d probably have gotten an “Oh, wow.” out of me if it wasn’t for a suspiciously timed window shatter.

The rest of the day was followed by unconscious glances. Everybody looked at Teruhashi, people staring at her had become quite normalized. However, I knew my gaze carried a completely different connotation to theirs. I wasn’t just looking at her because she was pretty to look at, there was something else attracting me. Something that felt slightly off, and curiosity got the better of me. This continued for a few days, but I got nothing out of it. She acted normally. Well, normal by Teruhashi standards.

There were many more strange occurrences that followed. I woke up to a light pole bent outside my window, and small burn marks on my blanket. You can guess what...or who appeared in my dream. After a week or two, I finally had to come to two conclusions. First, my powers aren’t completely gone. Second, thinking about Teruhashi somehow activates them. What’s the best way to solve this problem? Avoid it at all costs.

I tried to do that for the next few days. Until I remembered, In this life, God only loves Teruhashi.

“Would you like something to drink, Saiki?”

“Some tea would be nice.”

Teruhashi’s bedroom. How did I end up here? Well, random partner drawings were just another way the world worked in her favor. I asked for tea so she’d have to spend a few extra minutes away. I needed to get myself together before talking to her. Too bad her damn smell was everywhere in here. It was hard to focus. At least, the room was nice. I’d never seen a canopy bed outside of television. Not to mention a walk-in closet and en-suite bathroom. She could even fit a kitchen in here if she wanted. No wonder she’s so spoiled.

“Sorry, for the wait.”

“No problem” I wish it was longer

She really was perfect. At least, outwardly. Her steps were light like she was trained in ballet. Everything she did was quick, precise, and graceful. I was getting entranced just watching her pour tea. The only thing loud about her were her thoughts, and since that wasn’t a problem anymore, she was pleasant to be around. It was annoying. Even now she had me in her room exactly where she wanted me, but she wasn’t trying to make a move.

“Is there something on my face, Saiki?”

“What?”

“You’ve been looking at me.”

“Sorry, I was just deep in thought.”

It was barely an excuse, but she didn’t ask any questions. She could either be overjoyed that I was looking at her or she was overthinking and thought I hated her.

“Saiki, who should we do our presentation on?”

“Anybody.”

“You’re an avid reader, you probably have an author or two that interests you.”

“Ok then...how about Junji Ito?”

“Isn’t that a mangaka?”

“That’s an author nonetheless.”

“Well, why?”

I probably couldn’t just say she reminded me of Tomie.

“I like horror.”

At least, it wasn’t a lie. She looked at me weirdly for a moment, then quickly corrected herself and put on her usual smile. That was it. That damn smile.

“If there’s anything you want to add, go ahead.”

“No, it’s fine. I think it’s a good idea.”

She’s holding something back. That one action was what I needed to define why I am annoyed. I’ll never be able to see her as other people do. She’ll never be the “perfect pretty girl” for me, and in a way, I do feel like I lost out on something. I probably gained more by knowing her true self. However, knowing who she really is, makes moments, where she should come off as kind and reserved, seem fake.

I mulled over the idea in my head on the way home. The thing that took me out of my trance was a cat jumping in my path. It looked at me and in mere seconds turned into stone. Maybe I can’t ignore this power thing.

Chapter Text

Kusuke had failed. Actually, I don’t even think he wanted to succeed. When I (begrudgingly I might add) told him about the issue he was the happiest I’d ever seen him. Really it was to be expected. With me powerless, he’d have nobody else to bother but the government.

“Good news...well, bad news for you. It looks like your powers are intact. You’re still a psychic Kusuo.”

It was the truth I’d been putting off for weeks.

“Any idea why they keep popping up?”

“From what you’ve told me, they seem to slowly be regaining power. If I had to guess, it’s probably an emotional issue. You should come back weekly for more tests.”

I didn’t tell Kusuke anything about Teruhashi’s involvement just yet. He’d get her involved with the testing and I didn’t need that right now. He also doesn’t like her anyway which could lead to an even worse outcome.

“Is there an estimate for when they’ll completely be back?”

“Right now, no. It could take a few weeks or a few months. The thing I know for sure is, it’s going to take a different amount of time for each.”

At home, I had a lot to think about. The normal high school life that I prayed for was over in an instant. I’d never be normal. To say I was upset would be an understatement. The idea was outright maddening. I was angry, so angry in fact that it took me way too long to register that my bookcase was on fire.

“Kusuo, are you all right?”

“I’m fine mom.”

Mom came into my room and enveloped me in a tight hug while dad clumsily extinguished the fire. For how long it took him I could’ve did it myself.

“Kusuo, did you do that?”

“I mean...I guess I did”

“Then be careful. What if they got to my figures?”

“Sorry, Dad.”

While dad rambled about his toys, I gave mom the rundown on my powers. She seemed to feel bad for me, but my mother always stayed positive. She said something along the lines of “you learned how to control your powers before you can do it again”. Thanks, mom, but that doesn’t make me feel any better. The only silver lining of this issue is now I can confidently say my powers are triggered by emotion. That does make a lot more sense than them being triggered by Teruhashi. But this would mean that I have some emotional response to Teruhashi. Let’s not think about that right now.

----------------

“Saiki, you’re powers are back?”

“Huh...yeah.”

Even running to the roof won’t let me escape.

“Perfect timing. Ok, so the dance is coming up you know and there’s this girl-”

“Stop right there. I can’t help you.”

“Come on man. Aren’t we bros? Don’t you owe me one?”

“Firstly, I owe you nothing. Secondly, even if I wanted to help you, which I don’t, it’s physically impossible for me to help you. My powers don’t work.”

“But you just said they’re back.”

“They are, but not fully. I can’t use them or control them.”

“Aw, man.”

Toritsuka went for the door.

“You’re leaving already? I thought we were “bros”.”

“Yeah, yeah. Acquaintances at best.”

“Ha.”

Now that Toritsuka knew he’d tell Aiura so that part is taken care of. I could expect a series of texts from her later. The bad part is I have to meet Teruhashi again this afternoon.

----------

“Saiki, are you going to the dance?”

I knew where this was going. The dance she’s speaking of is an event thrown by the Saiko family for the PK seniors. It’s a way to flaunt their wealth, and congratulate their son (mostly just the wealth thing though). I wanted nothing to do with it.

“No, I’m not.”

She deflated a little.

“That’s too bad.”

The room went silent for a moment. I was content to go back to my research until she spoke again.

“They asked me to give a speech. It would be nice if you came.”

She decided to be bold today. Her fans were watching us from all sides of the library. If I hurt her feelings I could incur the wrath of the entire male student body.

“I’ll think about it.”

I was not going to think about it.

Chapter Text

“Kusuo, I heard there’s going to be a dance.”

And here I thought I was the only mind reader in the family.

“Mom, I’m not going.”

“Why not?”

Her voice came out whiney. She’s more childish than I am.

“I have no reason to.”

“Are your friends going?”

“Probably.”

“Then that’s reason enough!”

She must have been taken aback by her own yell because her eyes immediately softened. She made a move for the chair beside me, and her hands rubbed my back. Why did she think I’d fall for the same tactics she used when I was 10?

“Kusuo, not too long ago, you were happy. I could tell. For a long time, I was worried about you. You didn’t trust anyone, you didn’t like anyone, but just now you did something I never thought you would do. You admitted you had friends. This is your last year before you all go to different colleges. At least, end it on a high note.”

I fell.

______________________

“Looking pretty spiffy there Saiki. Never seen you in a suit before.”

“They’re uncomfortable.”

“You have to get them tailored.”

Kaido made a gesture towards his suit which, admittedly looked pretty good on him. It must have been his mother’s doing. I have no room to talk, though.

“Hi buddy, you look nice.”

I turned to see Nendo…holding an entire rotisserie chicken?

“Where did you get that!?”

Kaido said it before I could.

“Well, I was looking for a bathroom and went through some doors. Some people were running around, and those dummies left an entire table of food.”

“You idiot that was the kitchen staff. You stole from the kitchen staff!”

“Oh, really? That makes sense.”

He continued eating the chicken like nothing had happened.

“Saiki, are you laughing?”

*Cough Cough* “No, I have something in my throat. “

I was, but before he could lecture me (why was Kaido being the voice of reason anyway?), something crashed into my back. Tan arms wrapped around my neck, and I held back a sigh.

“Saiki, you’re gonna dance with me won’t you?”

“I wasn’t planning on it.”

“Come on, what kinda man says no to a pretty girl throwing themselves at him.”

“Me.”

“Just give me this one thing, and I won’t bother you again the whole night.”

I could do without the puppy dog eyes Aiura was sending me, but the offer sounded tempting.

“Fine.”

At least it wasn’t slow dance. I’m not even sure if I could describe it as dancing. It felt more like I was in dance practice. In my defense, I’ve only danced once in my lifetime. Thank God the song only lasted three minutes.

“Aw, that was so short.”

“What a shame.”

“I can do without the sarcasm, Saiki.”

“I could’ve done without the dance lesson.”

She stuck her tongue out at me.

“Excuse me PK Academy Seniors.”

A man that had to be Saiko’s father came to the mic.

“I’d like to welcome you all into my home and thank you for taking care of my son. I see a whole bunch of young men and women looking towards the future…”

I zoned out. When I came back from the restroom, he was still talking.

“Now comes a few words from one of your own, Teruhashi Kokomi.”

The crowd erupted in cheers. You would have thought a celebrity was coming out and not an average (not exactly) high school girl. The “goddess” had that effect on people. She walked on stage with an added air of elegance. I should say she glided. Her footsteps were nearly silent even though she wore heels on the hardwood floors. Her dress flowed like it was blown by some nonexistent wind. She was ethereal. I found myself zoning out of this speech too. My focus shifted to her face. This was the first time I’d seen her in noticeable makeup. Usually, she’d think she was too good for it, but this sculpted her features beautifully. The light of the chandeliers bounced off her glossed lips. It almost made me want to listen to her. Almost. Instead, my gaze shifted to her collar bone. The eyes of most might fall on the jewel that decorated her neck, but my focus was something else. She rarely showed this much skin, but the cut of her dress allowed an uninterrupted view. God, now I sound like a pervert.

I was taken out of my trance by the sounds of applause. The speech ended without me hearing a single word. She walked off stage with hoards of boys running to help her down the stairs. The owner of the hand she took might not wash his hands again. The music started again, but no one was dancing. They just watched her. I too was so transfixed that I didn’t realize she was coming towards me.

“Saiki, would you like to dance with me?”

A boom. Followed by another...and another...and another. Then darkness. They screamed. They ran. And I froze. I was paralyzed, and it wasn’t my powers that held me in place. For the first time in a long time, I was scared. Not scared of what happened, but scared of the possible aftermath.

Are you okay, Saiki?”

I looked down at a face that was extremely too close. Her body was pressed against mine with her arms wrapped around my frame. I didn’t even realize she had held me for comfort. She chose the wrong person.

“Is everyone alright? It seems to be a malfunction in the lights. Please make way for the workers.”

It was even more chaos as more people entered the scene. Nurses, butlers, maids, electricians. It was a wonder how they even got there so fast. Turns out the lightbulbs had burst from the chandelier. They cleaned up the glass and checked the nearby students for injuries. No one was injured, and it looks like I’m safe from discovery for another day. Interestingly, they chose not to end the night after that fiasco. Instead, they showed us into the gardens. By the looks of it, they were planning to take us out here anyway. The fear had dissipated. Now I was annoyed. Maybe even angry. I just wanted to go home. I would’ve taken this as a chance to exit if a rather annoying girl wasn’t gripping my arm. Looking at me with eyes filled with adoration. I can already guess what she’s thinking, and I know I’m not going to like it.

“Saiki, I would still like to dance with you.”
________________________

That’s how I got here. Insulting the school beauty who, from her point of view, hasn’t done a single thing to warrant it. In hindsight, it’s fair to say I misplaced my anger. In some childish part of my brain, it was her fault this had happened. All these reactions I’ve been having are her fault. Do I believe I shouldn’t have said what I said? Yes. Am I going to take any of my words back? No. I meant every syllable.

Her face went through a myriad of emotions only visible in her eyes. She took a deep breath and began blinking rapidly. I could see her eyes growing increasingly wet in the light. Was she going to cry? I wanted to see it. Her real tears. Not the fake ones she shed to get her way. I didn’t even think about how the school would turn against me. And to think, that was the only reason I agreed to dance with her in the first place.

Then her face went blank, like a robot that shut down. Not a single tear fell from her eyes. She just pulled away. Some semblance of emotion came back once she put distance between us. She put on a smile and thanked me for the dance. She basically had a factory reset. When the boys crowded around her again, she excused herself to the restroom. I guess I threw her off a little. Maybe she’ll give up on me now.

Is that rain? The thought crossed my mind as I walked home. A drop had fallen on my head, and I instinctively looked up. I was met with lightning. Then it poured. The forecast said there was only a 20% chance of rain. God must really love Teruhashi.

What a drag.

Chapter Text

“Mom, I’m back.”

I was soaked. Even with my shoes off, I was still leaving watery footprints across the living room floor. If I'm going to get my powers back anyway, teleportation should at least come sooner. The wet cloth was clinging to my skin, and the temperature was doing me no favors. Mom always kept it freezing in here. I didn’t hear a reply, so I made my way upstairs anyway. After a shower, I checked the bedrooms. There was no one to be found. I was expecting to be bombarded with questions when I got home. It wasn’t until I came down again did I notice the plate on the counter topped with a heart-shaped note.

Your father is taking me on a date. :) We’ll be back tomorrow.

There were at least ten hearts drawn on the perimeter of the paper. Mom was really something else. I’m not sure if I should be happy that my parents are so affectionate or just plain annoyed. At least I don’t have to answer questions, and I get food for my trouble. However, I was going to have to wait a bit seeing as someone was frantically knocking on the door. They’re lucky I’m a good person or else they would’ve got ignored.

“I thought you were-”

Smack

I held my cheek more from the surprise than from the pain. Why does shit like this only happen to me?

The woman standing in front of me was wet, disheveled, and clearly upset. Teruhashi. Traces of mascara ran down her face. Strands of hair stuck to her forehead as her whole body heaved with the force of her breaths. The champagne dress was now translucent. It sagged off her shoulders but clung to the curves of her body all at the same time. She looked at me with wild eyes, and all the anger I wanted to feel just dissipated. I was seeing a brand new woman, and she was interesting.

“Are you just going to look at me?”

I couldn’t find the words, so I moved out of her way. As she passed me I noticed a slight limp in her walk. I looked down only to find that her shoes were hanging on to her ankles. Her bare feet were bruised and black on the soles. One of them looked bloody. She had run here barefoot in the rain while alone in the dark. It must have been the adrenaline.

“I-”

“Before you yell at me, go take a shower.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

“If you want to stay cold, wet, and dirty that’s your prerogative, but I’m not gonna let you track mud around my home. Your options are to get in the shower or get out.”

I received an eye roll and the faint sound of air expelling from her nostrils as a reply. She mumbled profanities under her breath as she followed me upstairs. Being cursed at by Teruhashi must be some poor sap’s fantasy.

_____________

The person on my bed was even more different than the person that came through my door. She only wore the face of Teruhashi. Her usually perfect posture was slouched. She held her legs like she was trying to fold in on herself. She must have left her confidence in the bathroom. I grabbed the first aid kit and kneeled at her feet. Any other time she would have wanted this, but now she was cowering away.

“What are you-?”

“I’m helping you.”

I grabbed her foot and began disinfecting her cuts with a cotton ball. They were even more damaged than I thought. The bruises were a clear purple against her white skin. Simple bandaids wouldn’t do, so I bandaged both of her feet.

Sniff

“You hate me don’t you?”

She was getting her tears all over my sweatshirt, but at least I was finally seeing it. Her crying face. What’s this weird superiority I’m feeling?

“I never said I hated you.”

Maybe I do, but I don't really know what I feel. I handed her some of the tissues in the first aid kit.

“But you said those mean things.”

“I don’t feel much of anything really (lie). I just don’t like your facade.”

“Well, what about yours?”

She looked at me with a face I couldn’t read. The tears were gone and it was like she had regained some form of the confidence she had lost. This is gonna be troublesome.

“I don’t have one.”

“Yes, you do. Everyone does.”

“Well, I’m not like everyone else. You know that well, don’t you?”

I quirked my head to the side and looked her in the eyes for a few seconds. This time she didn’t cower. Looks like I lost my effect on her.

“Yours must be indifference.”

She quirked her head in the opposite direction to mine.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I cleaned up the supplies and made my way to the door. I might have made a mistake here.

“You’re hiding something, Saiki. You've always been. ”

“If you say so.”

I closed the door behind me rather quickly. My heart has never beat this fast before. It’s clear she’s on to me, but I’m not sure if it’s my power she’s on to. For a second, it felt like she was looking through me.

I like Saiki but…

But what? If mind-reading is finally gonna make an appearance at least let me hear the full thought. I can only hope that she’s finally come to her senses about me. To make matters worse the rain hasn’t stopped. I’m gonna be stuck with her for way longer than I thought.

_______

Why is this so awkward? She’s not attempting to talk to me. She’s not even looking at me. Usually, I like a silent meal, but leaving her with her thoughts feels dangerous.

“Are you feeling ok?”

Why did I ask that?

“I’m fine. I think I’m gonna head home. Thank you.”

She got up from the table with a clear limp. The rain hadn’t stopped.

“It’s still raining. You should stay at least until the rain stops.”

Don’t think I’m being sentimental here, I’m only being logical.

“It’s already 11, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to let up. I should go before my brother comes home.”

If I remember correctly he’s filming in another country, but I see no reason to call her out on her lie. If she did stay the night I can only imagine the chaos my mother would cause. She’d be celebrating and that’s even worse than having a strict mother.

“Ok, I’ll go with you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I can’t let you walk home alone hurt and in the dark. I’m a decent person, you know.”

Besides, my mom would kill me.

_________

We walked side by side as I held the umbrella over us. Walking with the sound of the ran was better than eating in silence. She was still limping though. She stumbled and I had to pull her back by her arm.

“You alright?”

“I’m fine just stumbled over a rock.”

“No, you’re not fine.”

I don’t know what came over me in the next few seconds but I suggested something ludicrous.

“Hop on.”

“What?”

“It’s a long walk and I know you can’t do it so I’ll carry you. It’ll be faster.”

“I’m heavy.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

This was weird. Her breath was against my neck, and I can feel her body against the length of my back. When my heart started beating triple time I knew I made a mistake.

“Saiki are you alright?”

“What?”

“You got really warm all of a sudden.”

Out of all the powers that could pop up this one is not it, but at least it’ll keep us warm in the cold rain.

“My sweatshirt is thermal.”

Terrible excuse, but since she doesn’t really want to talk to me any way she’s not gonna ask questions. I just need to get her home quickly.

_____ The Next Day_____

I woke up to the nice smell of breakfast wafting up the stairs. There’s always some form of light after all these trials and tribulations.

“Goodmorning mom, did you have fun?”

“Yes, I did. I even picked up a new pair of earrings...”

She pointed to the counter where an incredibly expensive-looking pair of earrings sat. Dad couldn’t afford those.

“...from your bathroom.”

I choked on my orange juice

“What?”

“Yeah, they were just sitting on the sink in your bathroom.”

I want to die.

“It’s not what it looks like.”

“Really? It looks like a girl came over here.”

“One did, but it’s not what your thinking.”

“Kusuo you don’t have to lie to me, I’m not upset. Well, as a mother I should be, but as a person concerned with your social life, I’m celebrating.”

“I’m not lying.”

“What’s her name? When did you meet? Is this the first time she’s been here?”

“Don’t ignore me.”

Ding Dong

The perfect change of subject is here.

“I’ll get the door.”

“I realized I left my clothes behind when I got home. May I come in?”

I want to scream.

“Is that Teruhashi!?”

It just got even worse.

“What brings you here?”

“Sorry to bother you Mrs.Saiki, but I left my earrings behind.”

“That was you? I found them in Kusuo’s bathroom.”

Mom gave me a side glance while wiggling her eyebrow. I shot her a glare in return. I quickly gave Teruhashi her earrings.

“Teruhashi, You should stay for breakfast.”

Whyyyyyyyy

“Sorry ma’am, I need to get back home before my parents come back.”

Thank God.

“That’s a shame maybe next time.”

“Yes ma’am, for sure.”

“Kusuo, walk her home.”

“That won’t be necessary. I’m meeting my brother after this.”

There’s that lie again. She hurriedly made her way to the door before mom could object.

“Goodbye, ma’am.”

She gave a half-hearted wave as she bolted to the front gate. I could only laugh.

“Ow! Why are you hitting me?”

“What did you do to her?”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“She’s clearly not happy. She’s never left like that before.”

“Maybe she really did need to get back before her parents got home.”

“Next time you see her apologize.”

She gave me that clenched teeth whisper that so many mothers are accustomed to. Mom could deal with many things but a rude son wasn’t one of them.

“Yes ma’am.”

Chapter Text

Apologizing was easier said than done. My next few interactions with Teruhashi went a little something like this…

“Hey, Teru-”
“Hey Hiro, I heard you needed help with math.”

“Teruhashi you gotta min-”

“Mera, didn’t you want to go to that new restaurant? Let’s go now it’s on me.”

Or my personal favorite.

“Teruhashi-”

*cough cough* “Chiyo can you take me to the nurse’s office? I’m not feeling so good.”

She was avoiding me. Sometimes outright ignoring me. The Teruhashi that greets everyone by name in the morning would “forget” about me. The times she would greet me she’d barely look my way. It became so obvious that even the king of morons himself commented on it.

“Hey, buddy I don’t think Teruhashi likes you very much.”

“Thank you, Nendo for telling me something I don’t know.”

“You’re welcome. Just looking out for you pal.”

All I could do was let out a sigh.

Her followers didn’t know what to do about me. They were overjoyed that I was no longer in the running to be her love interest, but they were still upset with me for doing something to make her dislike me. They finally settled on ignoring me too, which I’m actually thankful for. I guess I should be satisfied
___________

“Hey, Saiki you have a minute?”

“You get five seconds.”

“Stop being an ass and let me thank you.”

“For what?”

“You caused the light stuff at the dance right?”

“That was an accident. It wasn’t for you.”

“I know that, but it worked out great for me. This chick got scared and jumped straight into my arms, and she was like a d cup. I comforted her got her number and now we have a date set for this weekend.”

Toritsuka put his hand up for a high-five and when I didn’t reciprocate, he grabbed my hand and forced it against his.

“You’re no fun, Saiki.”

“There is no fun to be had.”

“Well, let’s skip to the most important subject. What did you do to Teruhashi?”

“Firstly, I didn’t do anything. Secondly, be quiet when we're in public.”

“Those people don’t care about you.” He dropped his voice to a whisper anyway. “You had the hottest girl in school after you, and now she fucking hates you.”

“She doesn’t hate me.”

“She definitely hates you, so what did you do?”

“Well (insert long-winded explanation here). Then she showed up to my house that night…”

“You spent the night with Teruhashi!?”

I immediately placed my hands over his mouth.

“Shut up you idiot.”

I looked around the room frantically to see if anybody had heard. Nobody was currently looking at us so I sat back down.

“She was upset, she slapped me, we talked, then she left. That is all.”

I left out the piggyback and the more questionable occurrences.

“-And you didn’t apologize?”

“No, I meant what I said.”

“Damn, you really are an asshole. I’d be groveling on my knees for forgiveness. Being slapped by wet Teruhashi sounds pretty hot, though.”

I did my best to vanquish the image of her in my doorway.

“You just thought about it, didn’t you?”

“No!I’m not a pervert like you.”

“You’ve become a bad liar. Actually you’re acting strange all around.”

“How?”

“Well Teruhashi’s been into you for like two years now, and you’ve blown her off. So why are you upset that she’s blowing you off?”

“Who said I’m upset!?”

He held a finger up to my lips.

“You see that? I guess I should be telling you to be quiet.”
____________

I’ve never been happier to go home in my life. I can leave all those annoying people and their annoying thoughts to deal with tomorrow. Talking to Toritsuka was a lost cause anyway. I don’t know what I was thinking.

“Mom, I’m home.”

“I’m disappointed in you Kusuo…”

That’s definitely not mom. I couldn’t help but sigh.

“...I didn’t expect you to be sexually attracted to the blue baboon.”

“Kusuke, I don’t know where you got your information from, but go home.”

“This is my home.”

“Your home is in England.”

“I can’t visit my beloved family in the house I bought, if I might add.”

“Do you I guess.”

I began my walk upstairs when he stopped me.

“Have you had anymore incidents with your powers?”

“As you can see I’m wearing my limiters now.”

“When was the last outburst.”

“A couple of days ago at the dance.”

“The same night you took the baboon home?”

“I didn’t take her home, she showed up. Don’t you have cameras around here? You should know all this.”

“I’m only messing with you, don't get your panties in a twist.”

He opened his laptop and started typing away on his computer.

“Well if you have no more to say I’ll be going.”

“Wait, be honest with me Kusuo, are you ok?”

“Don’t start acting like a brother now.”

“I think I’ve done a pretty good job as a brother.”

“Yeah right.”

“If you don’t want to think of me as a brother, then think of me as a doctor asking a patient. Are you ok?”

“I’m fine.”

“Don’t lie.”

“Why does everybody think I’m lying? I said I’m fine so I am fine.”

“You’ve never been this emotional before.”

“Well, I’ve never felt like a real person until now!”

Maybe I wasn’t fine. I say this because when I opened my eyes I wasn’t in my living room.

*Ding*

I looked down at my phone and saw something that really set me over the edge.

“I guess you’re not ok :(“

Chapter Text

“Damn, you look like shit.”

“Thank you Toritsuka, I appreciate the kind words.” I buried my head back into my arms. Maybe if I looked even more pitiful he’d leave me alone.

“Don’t be like that, I’m just looking out.”

That pat on the back was not nearly as comforting as he thought it was. The only leeway I’ll give him is that I actually do look like shit today. It’s kind of hard to look good when your life is falling apart and you didn’t get any sleep the night before. I teleported two miles away from my house, had to walk back home, then woke up two times that night. Once from a nightmare, the second from the trashcan fire that nightmare caused. I haven't had a nightmare in years. Worst of all, I can’t even relax because I’m 75% certain my classmates are whispering about me.

“SAIKI! SAIKI!”

Another nuisance. How does he have the energy this early?

“They’re-they’re-they’re”

He’s waving his arms around like a vintage cartoon.

“Stop. Catch your breath and gather your thoughts.”

Kaido took a deep breath.

“DarkReunionisspreadingrumorsaboutyou!”

What was the point of the breath if he was just gonna be incoherent anyway?

“What? Say it again but slower.”

“Dark Reunion is spreading rumors about you. They’re saying you spent the night with Teruhashi! It’s unbelievable, right?”

I can’t breathe.

“Right, Saiki?”

My heart is going at an inhuman speed, and I know I won’t be able to escape this situation without my powers acting up, so close my eyes and hope for the best.

“She’d never do that. Right, Saiki? Answer me!”

Being grabbed by my collar brought me out of my minor breakdown. The moment my eyes opened I could see everything, but not just see. I could hear everything too. The 20 different voices of my classmates and the 100s of voices throughout the school. They were all talking about that night. Talking about me and Teruhashi. Making their own twisted versions of what happened. It needed to stop. I needed to stop it before she got here.

“I DID NOT SPEND THE NIGHT WITH TERUHASHI!”

It was a completely out-of-character outburst, but I didn’t care as long as the voices stopped. I stunned them into silence just long enough to get myself together. With my heart rate down, my powers went with it. Now that I was calm I could-

“Yeah, she came over but nothing happened and he took her home like a gentleman.”

Silence. Utter silence. Toritsuka looked at the crowd and threw his arm over my shoulder with the shittiest grin I’d ever seen. This man really thought he was helping me. Or did he? If he’s trying to fuck with me, this was definitely not funny. I had to think. Think quickly, Kusuo!

“What he means is she came over to talk about our project.”

There was a mixture of reactions. Some faces were filled with relief and others only held suspicion. In times like this, I regret not making myself likable. People accept bullshit excuses from those they like.

“Well…”

The girl that spoke up immediately gave me a bad feeling. Other than her obvious look of suspicion, I remember her thoughts clearly from my mind-reading days. She likes to instigate.

“Why would she see you for the project the night of the dance?”

There it was. If my story was a water tank then she’d have punched a hole right through it. It was really an obvious factor that I completely forgot about, and my oversight caused a firestorm.

“Yeah, she gave a speech that night. Why would she leave the party early to talk about a project?” A boy said from the back of the class. My other classmates began mumbling in agreement.

If you haven’t noticed by now, I’m not a good liar. When you have the power to erase memories there really is no reason to be. I was stumbling to think of another excuse. Worse yet, I heard a series of “oh, wows” that only seemed to get closer. On one hand, Teruhashi is the only other person that can set this matter straight. On the other hand, if she didn’t hate me before she’ll definitely hate me after this.

“Goodmorning, everyone.”

Another wave of silence enveloped the class.

“Is something wrong?”

I lowered my head in a preemptive measure of surrender. I didn’t expect this gaggle of idiots to be able to hide something for long, but to my surprise, nothing came. They delivered their usual chorus of hellos back with a slight strain, and everyone went to their seats. Teruhashi looked confused but she didn’t question it further and gave them her signature smile in return. I stood in utter confusion for a bit until Toritsuka pushed me back into my seat, and left for his class. After a while, of short glances during class, it became clear what was going on. They’re scared of upsetting Teruhashi. They saw how she treated me and they don’t even know what I did wrong. Imagine what she’ll do to them for spreading rumors about her relationships. They wouldn’t want to end up like me.

—

When I received a text from Teruhashi a few days later, I assumed she had heard the gossip, but instead of getting the message I was dreading, she asked to meet for our project. The project I had forgotten about in all this chaos. The problem is I can’t see her at school. If I show my face next to her, her Fanclub might kill me. I asked her to meet me at the public library, but she didn’t respond. She read it, but she didn’t say anything. This really wasn’t the time to be bitchy, so It was with a little bit of pettiness when I decided to go to the public library anyway without texting her again. I could feel myself smirk when a familiar chorus of “oh wows” came from outside.

She carried her usual radiance but the only thing on her face was annoyance. She didn’t want to be here and she made it obvious.

“How are-”

“We need to talk about the presentation.”

Damn, not even a hello.

“I think we should-”

“I’m sorry.”

“For what? What you said the night of the dance or telling everyone I spent the night?”

She might as well have punched me in the stomach.

“You knew?”

“Of course I know, I know every piece of gossip that goes around the school.”

“Look I didn’t tell them anything.”

“Like hell, I’d believe that. Who told them then, Saiki? A ghost.”

“I get it. You’re mad at me, but one thing you’re not going to do is call me a liar. I don’t even think I said anything to warrant you being this bitchy.”

There it was. I came here to apologize and ended up calling her a bitch. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think I miss my powers.

“Me, Bitchy!?”

People are staring even more than they usually do now. Is it wrong that one part of me is happy that I got her to lose her cool again?

“You’ve been bitchy for three years, Saiki.”

“Whoa whoa whoa, I haven’t done anything!”

“Um excuse me.”

“It’s not what you do it’s what you don’t do!”

“I said excuse me.”

“I’m fucking silent all the time what more do you want from me!?”

“EXCUSE ME!”

“What!?”

We said in unison as we came face to face with an incredibly angry librarian.

“I’m asking you two to leave, and I don’t think you should come back either.”

It was Teruhashi that spoke up from the silence first.

“We’re incredibly sorry Mrs.Sato. We’ve been having a heated discussion, I promise we won’t do it again.”

“I’m sure, but please leave for the day Teruhashi. I expected better from you…and it’s the same for you, Saiki.”

I didn’t even realize that woman remembered my name. At least we didn’t go to the school library. Who knows what kind of scandal this would have caused.

Teruhashi packed up her bags with quick precision and made her way outside the library. I tried to keep up with her brisk pace as she walked blocks down the street in silence. It wasn’t until we were out of earshot of the majority of people that she turned to look at me.

“You know what, Saiki? I really thought about everything you said, and I realized something.”

“What would that be?”

“You’re worse than me.”

Chapter Text

“You’re worse than me.”

What was worse than the words themselves was the face of disgust she made while saying them. A pretty face twisted in such an uncharacteristic way it sent a shiver down my spine. She had no right to look at me like that. No one’s ever looked at me like that. My shocked expression didn’t seem to move her as she turned on her heels and started walking away. The usual me would have let her go. I would walk back to my house and watch a movie with coffee jelly in hand while pretending like this didn’t happen. It’d be something I’d decide to deal with later. However, I’ve been acting uncharacteristically for a while now. So it shouldn’t surprise you that I went after her. I grabbed her wrist maybe a little too tightly as I turned her towards me.

“Explain.”

“Let me go.”

Not wanting to attract any more unwanted attention, I used my body to cover her face and we talked through gritted teeth. We were mere inches apart and I’m sure to any passerby this might have looked like a lovers’ quarrel.

“You’re not better than me.”

I don’t really know why I said that first. I can’t even tell you why those words in particular bothered me so much. Teruhashi, for her part, didn’t seem stunned. Matter of fact she seemed smug.

“Be careful your superiority complex is showing.”

If I wasn’t the bad guy before, what I’m about to do is gonna make it very obvious. I walked forward while dragging her behind me. My grip was so tight she couldn’t run away even if she tried.

“Let me go or I’ll scream.”

I stopped for a second and gave the thought some consideration, but something in me knew she was bluffing. So why not call her bluff?

“Do it.”

For the first time in a long time, she looked at me in shock. I continued dragging her in some direction. I didn’t really know where I was going, just somewhere without people.

“You’re hurting me.”

“You’ll be fine.” It’s not like I have superstrength anymore anyway.

We walked for what felt like hours until we got to a secluded spot. I realized belatedly that we were in the park, but not just in the park. I’d taken some path and now we were surrounded by trees. With the way things were going it might have looked like I was planning to kill her.

“So what’s your plan, huh?”

She leaned against a tree while eyeing her manicured nails. She’s trying to play calm but I can tell by her constant movement she’s uncomfortable. Maybe even scared.

“Knock me around a little then tell me to leave you alone like you always do?”

“I’ve never knocked you around.”

I’ve thought about it though.

“Yeah, you wouldn’t have the balls to.”

I walked over to her. A slow stilted walk. I wanted her to feel every step as dead leaves crumbled under my feet. She braced herself for something. I guess she actually thought I’d hit her, but no, I wanted to speak my peace.

“I could never be worse than you.”

I had to get this conversation back on track somehow.

“The only thing about you worth anyone’s time is your face because your personality is so insufferable. Everything even remotely likable about you is a lie, and even though you think you’re better than everyone else your self-esteem is dependent on the opinions of people you don’t even respect. That’s why you’ve been trying so hard to get me to love you, but you know…you know if anyone knew how you really are they wouldn't be able to love you.”

You can decide how much of what I said was true. I was hoping to get a few tears out of her at least, and I was rewarded. She didn’t crumble into sobs as I would have liked, but the tears dripped down her face staining her skin with mascara, sweet revenge. However it was silent, and her eyes remained on me. Almost like her mind hadn’t caught up with the fact she was crying. I turned to make a movie-worthy exit, but it was her that grabbed me this time.

“You’re right.”

Her body was shaking, but her voice remained quiet and without a quiver. She let go when she knew I wasn’t going anywhere and looked me in the eyes. Those watery blue eyes of hers.

“My personality is horrible, I’m fake, and my only saving grace is my face…but you better than me?”

Her chuckle was sinister.

“It’s laughable. You said I think I’m better than everyone, then what about you? You think you’re better than your classmates. You think you’re better than your friends. And you think you’re better than me, but you’re just as fake. You pretend to be calm when you’re an emotional wreck.”

“I’m not the one crying.”

“I cry because I understand how I feel. You don’t cry because you refuse to acknowledge your feelings. You can hardly admit you like your own friends. And what about me?”

“What about you?”

“I gave you what you wanted. I left you alone, but now you won’t leave me alone. Do you like me, do you like the attention, or…maybe you just can’t stand that I decided something on my own terms instead of yours.”

“I don’t like you.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty hard to like someone when you don’t even like yourself.”

She wasn’t shaking anymore.

“Oh, did that strike a nerve. Honestly, I thought about it a lot, Saiki.”

Her eyes were piercing now.

“You’ve been hiding something for a long time, and I don’t know what it is, but I do know you hate yourself for it. You hate yourself so much that you’re taking that out on me.”

“Shut up.”

“What? Is. It. Not. Fun. Anymore. Saiki.”

With every word, she drove a sharp nail into my chest.

“I said shut up.”

It was barely above a whisper, and then something happened. It was like something snapped. I had my eyes closed so tightly that I’m sure a vein appeared on my forehead, so all I heard was a scream. A scream followed by a series of crunches and a loud thump. When I opened my eyes Teruhashi was lying on the ground. Her eyes were wide as she stared at me.

“How did you?”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

I apologized quickly, but I didn’t realize until too late that this was the wrong thing to do. If I acted confused I could have passed this off as some random supernatural event. When I ran to pick her up she jerked away from my grasp. She was shaking. This time not in anger or sadness. She was shaking in fear. For the first time in a long, someone looked at me like I was a monster.

“Don’t touch me.”

Bruises and cuts marked her exposed legs while her clothes were painted with grass stains. She curled in on herself like a shaken baby bird. I could even see the bruise I left on her wrist. For the second time, I was seeing a Teruhashi that the world has never seen. Ironically, I accomplished my goal. I finally broke Teruhashi completely. Maybe even for good this time.

Chapter Text

She wouldn’t let me touch her. Every time I got close she pushed herself further away until her back was against the tree. When she couldn’t go any farther, she settled for putting her arms up to protect herself. I was no longer her classmate nor the boy she loved. I became her enemy, and I couldn't explain this away like I have so many times before. It was clear she wouldn’t calm down until I left, but how could I leave her like this? There was major swelling in her ankle from the “fall” (I don’t know what else to describe it as) and we were still in some secluded area of the park with no one in sight. Maybe if she screamed someone would come, but what would she tell them? She’d have to tell them about me.

“Please, let me help you.”

I bent down and slowly reached out while making sure my hands were visible. It felt like trying to coax a cat out of a tree. As soon as I touched her, she reacted violently. She moved frantically to get out of my grasp, throwing all her limbs my way in hopes of injuring me somehow. Her screams against my ears were almost deafening.

“Monster!”

I had a feeling she was thinking it, but actually hearing the words spill from her lips created a different sensation. I stood still, and let her continue to punch and scratch me without trying to defend myself. I deserved everything she could possibly do to me. After a while, I realized that I wasn’t feeling much of anything. A few dull punches and minor stings, and this wasn’t because of my powers. She was just weak. The headstrong goddess Teruhashi was physically weak. And I hurt her. After years of promising myself and my mother that I wouldn’t hurt anyone, I hurt her. Her words clarified what I always knew. I am a monster.

“I’m sorry.”

It came out in a quiet pathetic sob as I fell to my knees in front of her. I apologized over and over again like some kind of religious mantra at her feet. This might have been the first time I’ve been truly genuine. For a minute, I was a kid again. I was in my living room crying in my mom's arms because I wished to be normal. With my head in my hands, I couldn’t see Teruhashi’s face. I really wondered what she was thinking, how she was looking. Was it the face of disgust she gave me earlier? Maybe this time it would be pity.
__

If you’re wondering what happened after that, you’re probably gonna be disappointed at how lackluster it ended. Someone ended up finding us (those screams were pretty loud), and he helped me get Teruhashi to a cab on her bad ankle (I could have done it myself but she was still wary). It didn’t feel right going to the hospital with her either, so I walked home. I’ll tell you that when the cab was leaving her face was not filled with disgust or pity, it was just blank.

When I got home, I made a decision. My powers were coming back whether I liked it or not, and trying to put it off or suppress my emotions wasn’t going to work anymore. I needed to take control of them seriously or else another “incident” (I don’t really know what to call it) would happen. While on my bed, doing my best to summon my powers I found out one thing. My telekinesis was back in full. Somehow the incident had made it come back. I’m not really happy or sad about that. It’s all just blah to me.

I didn’t go to school the next day. After everything that had happened, I didn’t feel like dealing with the people, the rumors, or Teruhashi for a couple of days. I lied and said I was sick. My mother was rather overjoyed to be taking care of me for my first time being sick, and I didn’t mind being babied right now. I didn’t go the next day or the day after that either, I just spent my days trying to get my powers to work. It wasn’t until the school week was over that I received a very unwelcome visit from my “friends”.

“Saiki, how are you feeling?”

Nendo barged through my bedroom door with the rest of the usual suspects lagging behind.

“Sick,” I said while turning to face my wall.

“You don’t sound that sick,” said Toritsuka while eyeing my bookshelf. If he was looking for porn he’d be incredibly disappointed.

I gave some horrible sounding coughs in hopes of getting them to let me rest, but of course, it only led to a particularly aggressive pat on the back by Nendo.

“You should get some rest, buddy.”

“I’m trying.”

“Saikiiii, look what I got you!”

Aiura literally crawled over my body to shove a steaming bowl of who knows what directly in my face.

“When I was sick my mom would always make me porridge, so I tried my hand at it.”

“No thanks.” Sentimental stories don’t get me.

“Kusuo,” my mom shot me an incredibly terrifying glare from the doorway before disappearing.

“You know what, I’ll try it.” I took the bowl from her and nibbled on a spoonful. It was…delicious.

“How is it?” Aiura smiled in anticipation.

“Good.” The squeal that followed almost made me regret saying anything.

“Enough of that. Let’s talk about why we’re really here.” Toritsuka sat down in my desk chair and swiveled until he faced me. He pointed an accusing finger in my direction “You’re not sick.”

“And here I thought my loving friends gathered to see if I was alright. What was the point of the porridge, then?”

“Sometimes I like to show off, and besides, they do say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Did it warm you?” Aiura wiggled an eyebrow at me.

“My heart is cold.”

“Enough. Tell me about Teruhashi.” Kaidou, who was unusually quiet until now and seemingly blushing, spoke up while sitting down on my bed.

“What about Teruhashi?” Assuming that Teruhashi went to school, she probably said something about her injury that alluded to me or maybe she flat out told them. Either way, I had a feeling I knew what he was about to say, but I’d much rather play dumb.

“Well…um…um…d-did…”

“Did you knock Teruhashi up?” Toritsuka spoke with an incredibly amused face.

I here I thought I knew what they were gonna say. Nothing could have prepared me for that, and I wasn’t the only one surprised. I heard the sounds of glass and liquids crashing into the ground outside my bedroom, and when I rushed out I saw my mother on the ground looking like a blushing schoolgirl.

“Grandchildren? It’s a little too soon but-”

“But nothing. There are no grandchildren.” I scrambled to pick up the broken glass all over the floor.

“That’s not what the people are saying,” said Aiura.

“The people are wrong. I’d rather swallow a jean jacket!”

“Don’t get loud with me! I didn’t believe it. I’m just telling you how it is,” Aiura said with her hands up in defense.

“So it isn’t true,” Kaidou spoke up looking reassured.

“Of course, it isn’t. How did anybody even come to that conclusion?”

“She hasn’t come to school, you haven’t come to school, and the teacher said she might be out for longer. You know how people talk.” Toritsuka was enjoying this way too much.

She hadn’t gone to school? Of course, she wouldn't come to school, any normal person in her situation wouldn’t. However, Teruhashi wasn’t a normal person. She’s never missed a day, and the Teruhashi I knew wouldn’t let anything get in her way of a perfect record. That means that the present Teruhashi wasn’t the one that I knew. That also means I’ve messed her up bad.

“I’ll come to school Monday, so get out of my house.”

“But-”

“No buts.”

I escorted them down the stairs with a little force.

“Wait, where’s Nendo?”

I was wondering why he was suspiciously quiet. He’d disappeared downstairs to eat me out of house and home. My mother didn’t seem to mind though.

“You too, Nendo. You should be on your way now.”

I was a little forceful at leading them out, but I couldn’t think with them here. I’ll make it up to them someday. They gave me the resolve to go back to school, at least.
________

People were looking at me, like full-on glaring actually, they didn't even have the decency to hide it. I don’t think I can walk down a sing hall without people (mainly men the girls just looked curious) plotting my murder. I might deserve it, but not because of the reason they think. Considering what happened last time I know this won’t be solved by another uncharacteristic outburst. Yelling at them right now would just be admitting my guilt. The only thing that would work is getting Teruhashi to come to school. But how would I do that?

The bell rang and thankfully everyone went from staring at me menacingly to sitting in their seats facing forward. The ones closest to me did move their desks away like I had the plague. The west of the schoolday pretty much went like that until something came to answer my prayers.

“Is there anyone that would like to deliver today’s work to Ms. Teruhashi?”

Hands shot up like wildfire, and I was one of them. I had it all figured out in my head. I’m not in prison or being bombarded by news stations so she can’t have told her parents, and the only way I’d be able to see her is if I went to her house. I had to be proactive in this.

“Excuse me, I live the closest to Teruhashi so I can pass by on the way home.”

It’s a fact that used to cause me pain, but it’s like a Godsend right now.

“That settles it then.”

The series of groans that erupted from my male classmates were deafening. I didn’t really think about how my volunteering to go see Teruhashi would look to them, but I can only imagine how their minds must be reeling. When I get Teruhashi to come back they’ll see that nothing is going on, and hopefully, I can go back to some form of normalcy. It sounds like a pipe dream even to myself.

Chapter Text

I stood in front of a house I never really wanted to see again, the Teruhashi residence.

I knocked on the door and was greeted by a short and stout woman. Visually she couldn’t be a Teruhashi so I must be looking at a maid.

“How may I help you?”

“I’ve brought school work for Teruhashi.”

“Kokomi?”

“Yes…Kokomi.”

I’m not sure why saying her first name feels so weird.

“You’re a classmate of Kokomi? That’s so nice. She could really use someone to lift her spirits, she hasn’t been herself lately.”

Yeah, that’s my fault. This isn’t really the situation to laugh at, but part of me thinks it’s ironically funny.

“Let me show you to her room.”

“Shouldn’t you tell her first?”

“No. This is for her own good.”

That means she’d immediately say no if someone decided to visit her. I guess I get it, but honestly, I couldn’t understand this lack of caution. Teruhashi is pretty much a national treasure. I could be a kidnapper for all this woman knows. Put aside the fact that I’m clearly a high schooler devoid of muscle mass.

The woman took me up a flight of stairs and three separate halls (why is this house so huge) until we reached a white door. She hid around the corner and motioned for me to knock. It almost feels like I’m being set up. My heart’s beating fast.

“Come in.”

I walked into a room fit for a princess. Big pale pink with a fucking canopy bed. This princess must have been going through depression because no lights were on, clothes piled on top of each other, and the only sign of life was a barely moving blob under the covers.

“Did you have something to ask me, nanny?”

This is gonna be bad.

“I-“

She swiftly sat up and looked at me. Her lips moved but no sound came out. Finally she made a dash to her bedside where she pulled out a cross.

“Stay away from me.”

She thinks I’m some kind of demon? It would explain why God has something against me.

“Teruhashi let me explain.”

“Come any closer and I’ll scream.”

Now what I’m about to do may be the worst decision I’ve ever made in my life, but you have to stay with me on this.

“Kokomi I’m a psychic.”

I couldn’t tell if the news I was a psychic confused her more or the sudden use of her name.

“Don’t try to confuse me, liar.”

“You loved me.”

Her eyes widened.

“I know about it. I’ve known since forever, and that’s not the only thing I know. I know how your perfect pretty girl nonsense is a facade. I know you hide your emotions so you can maintain your image. And I know that the only reason you like me is because I don’t give you the attention you crave.”

Her eyes narrowed again.

“So what? You figured me out. Whoopty doo.”

“I can read minds.”

“Psychic, monster, demon. I don’t really care what you are or what you can do. Just get out of my fucking house.”

I’m stupid. There’s really no point in proving what she already knows. It must only sound like a threat to her ears.

“Again I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I never hurt anyone before.”

I’ve probably apologized more to her in this past month than I have to anybody else in years.

“Well there’s a first time for everything.”

“Kokomi I just need you to hear me out. I don’t know what I’m doing or what I should be doing.” I don’t think I ever have.

“Why?”

“What-?”

“Why should I even give you the time of day?”

“Cause I-“

What was I supposed to say? She had no reason to listen to me. She’d get nothing out of it.

“Because I…I”

“You,you,you What!? Spit it out, Saiki.”

“I care about you.”

I can’t explain my thought process nor my emotions behind saying that. It’s just the first thing that came to mind. But instead of the relief or elation that I expected her to have her nose just wrinkled in what I assume to be disgust.

“What’s the point of still lying?”

“I’ve always cared. I’ll admit at first I didn’t like you. I did everything to get away. But at some point your absence annoyed me more than your presence ever could.”

“And now? Don’t you hate me now?”

“Right, now I’m a mess. I get angry and so unsure of myself. I don’t really think I hate you, I just hate the person I become when I’m around you.”

“Then maybe you shouldn’t be around me.”

“I don’t think I want that either.”

She looked at me blankly. Complete nothingness. It was probably a face I preferred more than the one of disgust or fear, but I guess I was expecting more. Some semblance of softness to appear, but the only thing that softened was her figure as the tension dissipated.

“I’ll give you 30 minutes. Explain.”

Chapter Text

True to her word, she kicked me out right after the explanation. I don’t know. I guess I was expecting her to at least say something. Whether out of interest or continued distress, most people don’t stay straight-faced after finding-out someone they've known for years has superpowers. But maybe I’ve exhausted her mind so much she has nothing more to give. It would be better if Teruhashi were weirder or…stupider? If she were someone like Kaido or Nendo, she’d be accepting, maybe even delighted. The real test is if she comes to school.
________________

I sat at my desk, tapping along with my foot a little frantically. After another day of looking like some kind of degenerate to my peers, I might be slightly agitated. Just a little. Agitation and a mixture of nerves because it's 5 minutes til class starts, and Teruhashi is nowhere in sight. My overwhelming reaction is to think I’ve failed, but that’s just my pessimism at work. She could still come tomorrow or the day after. Assuming she’d come to school so soon was already delusional on my part. At least, I thought that until 10 minutes into the first period, Teruhashi waltzed through the door. We didn’t even get our usual “oh wow” warning because everybody was already in class.

“I’m so sorry I’m late.”

“Oh no, it’s no problem, we are just happy you’re alright. Someone help Teruhashi to her seat.”

“No, no, I’m fine. My ankle is a little sore, but I can still walk.”

She began making her way to her seat with a slight limp, and about ten people got up to support her (I was going to before I caught myself), and she had to push them away lightly. I could hear the murmurs of “Teruhashi’s so brave” and “Teruhashi’s so strong” coming from the crowd. This is one of the few times I can’t refute their praises.

Throughout the class, I took stray glances. Her side profile, like always, was immaculate. She looked better, healthier than she did yesterday. I watched her work diligently while doing little work of my own. Our eyes met once. At a pause in the lecture, with her head rested on her hand, her eyes drifted to mine. In any usual situation, I’d look away, maybe fumble at being caught staring, but this time I couldn’t. It was the need to show her I’m not just a coward. Who knows? She didn’t turn her head but held contact with me out of the corner of her eye until the teacher changed slides.

For the rest of the day, we didn’t talk. We didn’t look. We didn’t interact. The only evidence I got of our knowledge of each other was a text message at lunch. A simple “after school wait for me” and “classroom”.
_______

So here I was, pacing for 20 minutes in an empty classroom like a crazy person. I simply am a crazy person. Then the sound of the door opening nearly gave me a heart attack.

“You love me.”

I mean if I didn’t have a heart attack before, that would do it.

“I never said that.”

“Then what did you mean by you cared? Are you taking your confession back?”

“It wasn’t a confession, I care about you like I care about Nendo.” There was a cringe that went through my body. I knew what I said didn’t feel right, but I couldn’t say I loved her either. I don’t know what I was expecting from Teruhashi, but instead of being angry or disappointed, she tilted her head and gave me a smile.

“Well, that’s good, I wouldn’t know what to do if you loved me.”

“What, you wouldn’t jump into my arms?”

“I don’t think you have the space to be making jokes, Saiki.” She sent a chilling glare my way, and just when I was starting to get antsy she giggled. “Just kidding…but you don’t have to worry about me anymore. I’ve given up on pursuing you.”

“Why?”

“Why does it matter?”

“I just-”

“Before you get depressed, it’s not because of your powers or anything like that. It’s simply because I’m still the world’s most eligible bachelorette, so what's the point in waiting around?”

“Well…good.” Was it good? I don’t know. It doesn’t feel good.

“So Saiki, let’s actually be friends for once.” She held out her hand for me to shake. “But…don’t think you’re forgiven. You’re gonna be my slave till the end of this year.”

“And if I don’t, you’ll do what? Tell on me?”

“You will because the guilt is just eating you alive.”

Damn