Chapter Text
I can always tell when Teruhashi is about to do something “amazing.” The temperature of the room rises by about five degrees, everyone’s heads turn in her direction, and the teacher, no matter who they are, instinctively straightens their spine. It’s a bit like watching a spike in the weather pattern move in. You can prepare, but you can’t stop it.
Today, the meteorological event is the start of third period: Introduction to Media. The assignment on the board reads:
PARTNER PROJECT: CANDID PHOTO SERIES
Choose a partner. Document each other’s “real life” for a day. Submit a photo essay, 12-24 images, with captions.
Grade based on honesty, creativity, and technical skill.
Teruhashi’s eyes flick immediately to me, no, actually I'd like to rephrase. “Immediately” is too slow. They’re already there. There's a crowd of boys beginning to surround her, ready to pounce the second she needs to borrow a pencil or finds that her chair is too uncomfortable, but she isn't paying attention to any of them. I focus on my desk, doodling little spirals on the syllabus with the corner of my eraser, but her eyes are piercing holes in the back of my head.
When the teacher says, “Pick your partners", an excited breath ripples through the room. Couples giggle and nudge, Kaidou huddles in the corner whispering to himself. I get ready to be drafted by the least motivated person in the room, until a single “OHO!” erupts, as sweet and effervescent as soda.
Teruhashi stands tall, slamming her hands on her desk. There’s a glint in her eye like she’s about to perform a public service.
“Teacher, if I may?” Her tone is pure innocence, but her hands are already clasped like she’s Miss Universe about to address world hunger. “Some students are a little shy. Maybe I could… help with the pairing process?”
The teacher smiles softly, disarmed, as if emotionally moved by this suggestion. “What a thoughtful idea, Teruhashi! Does anyone else want help with a partner?”
Everyone's hands rise swiftly, full of hope and desire at the chance of being paired with the princess of the school; Kokomi Teruhashi herself. Both boys and girls alike look as if they're ready to fight to the death over the slim chance of ending up alone together after school, taking photos of each other for the assignment.
She glances at me on her way to the front of the class.
I, however, am horrified. For the past few weeks now, Teruhashi has been trying to trap me alone with her at every given opportunity. She's tried everything! From recruiting me to volunteer with the school, to trying to trick me into finding her lost cat. It drove me crazy that when I used clairvoyance to see, the cat was, clear as day, just laying underneath her brother's bed.
There's nothing she won't try, and I'm sure that cunning girl has something up her sleeve for this 'helping the class partner up' act she's trying to pull now as well.
"If I put all the boys names in this jar, then all the girls can come randomly pick one! Fair, don't you think?"
Not fair. I can see she's hiding one name tag in the palm of her hand, but her smile as she talks easily convinces the other students. They all enthusiastically agree, hailing her as a genius.
As the girls line up taking one name tag at a time, they begin either jumping up and down at getting their crush, or, in one case, falling to the ground sobbing after pulling out Nendou's name. Not a single girl manages to choose my name. Until, finally it's Teruhashi's turn, and she reaches deep to the bottom of the jar pulling out the only remaining name tag; Saiki Kusuo. What a surprise.
Teruhashi turns toward me, her eyes gleaming with the conviction of someone who’s never failed at anything. “I can't wait to work with you, Saiki!"
A wave of internal groaning washes through me. Not that I care. Well, I do, but not the way she imagines. I care because this assignment could have been over in twenty minutes with Kaidou or Nendou, but now it’s going to be four hours of performative normalcy with the school’s #1 sneaky social engineer. There’s a hitch in Teruhashi’s step, a hint of triumphant confidence before she glides over and takes the seat beside me. Her perfume smells like strawberries, or at least the synthetic idea of strawberries; too sweet, but zero nutritional value.
She turns toward me, blissfully enjoying the moment. “Let’s do our best, Saiki-kun!”
I can feel the angry gaze of a dozen boys and even three girls in the room. Their thoughts are running a million miles a minute, too fast to hear coherently, but every other sentence is recognisable as 'that bastard', 'how dare he', 'thinks he's better than us'. My likeability is totally dropping from this. I stare straight ahead and mutter deadpan, “Mm.”
It’s not that I dislike Teruhashi. She's a nice girl, well, on the outside. I just dislike being perceived as a prop in someone else’s drama, especially when the role is “unattainably mysterious love interest". All I want is to pass my classes, keep my psychic abilities off YouTube, and consume my coffee jelly in peace. And Teruhashi does NOT attract peace.
She leans in, lowering her voice an octave, as if to preserve the sanctity of our moment. “I have an idea for the assignment. If you’re okay with it.”
I can see it already; coordinated outfits, carefully staged lighting, a narrative about two perfect students whose only flaw is being too beautiful for this world. “What is it?” I say, bracing myself.
Her eyes get a soft focus, “We should go to the park! It’s classic, but also natural. We could capture each other being authentic. Not posed.” She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear for emphasis and her gaze fazes down.
She suggests the park, which catches me off guard at first. I picture myself sitting on a bench, reading manga while pigeons try to steal my bento. The thought is so sedate, so achievable, that I nearly forget to act unimpressed. When suddenly, the voice of her internal monologue is practically screaming into my brain.
Hehe FINALLY! Lucky Saiki, to be able to take photos of me, Kokomi Teruhashi, is something most men would kill for. He's the only boy I would ever consider hanging out with after school, alone! And the trees are flowering, if I wear that cute blossom hairclip I got last week he won't be able to disguise his undying love for me anymore.
I sigh briefly, wondering why I wasn't more careful in tuning out her thoughts this time. “The park's fine with me,” I say, pen tapping out Morse code for surrender. Her internal monologue, if I allow it in, would be a parade of self-congratulation and poorly disguised affection: 'Just imagine us together, we'd be a power couple, undefeatable. He’s so cool. He’s so mysterious. No one has ever made my heart flutter like this, proving he's the only one worthy of me. Saiki-kun is truly my only equal.' I don’t know why, but it’s always some version of this.
She blinks at me, “We should do it after school tonight. The lighting is best then.” She’s already charted out the sun’s path like a military operation. “Unless you’re busy?”
I am, technically. There’s a new limited edition coffee jelly at the bakery on Fifth. But I can adjust. Anything to get this over with in one go. “After school is fine,” I say. She beams, victorious.
The rest of the period is a slow-motion train wreck of other people’s excitement. After the girl who pulled Nendou's name refuses to work with him, he tries to pair up with the class hamster, which is vetoed by the teacher on ethical grounds. Kaidou is paired with Chiyo, who seems almost disgusted at him already plotting a photo essay with capes and moody lighting. By the end of the hour, Teruhashi has drafted an itinerary and cross-referenced it with a weather app, two train schedules, and a list of “most photogenic park benches in the city.” We make a plan to take the train to the furthest park, and walk through the parks on the way back to our school, taking candid photos on various spots on the way.
"See you then!"
I would say she’s overprepared, but I know better. This is a campaign. Every detail is a stepping stone to the ultimate goal: being seen as the most beautiful, pretty, smart and kind girl in the world by the one boy “immune” to her charms.
When the bell rings, Teruhashi waits for me at the door, clutching her phone and a folder with the project guidelines (colour-coded, laminated). “Saiki-kun, do you want to walk out together?” she asks, loud enough for the next three desks to hear and quickly snap their heads towards us, cursing me out in their minds. She’s trying to play it cool, but she knows what she's doing. Unbeknownst to her, I can read all of those calculated thoughts inside that insidious mind of hers.
If I ask him to walk with me in front of everyone, surely that'll get him a little flustered. First he was paired with me for this project, then I'M the one coming to wait outside his class door to walk out together? He must be all giddy on the inside, I know it.
All it did was make me even more hated by the other boys in this class. As soon as she said my name, they were staring me down as if I'm the villain coming to kidnap their princess. I nod, knowing resistance only escalates the situation.
As we step into the corridor, a wave of whispers crashes behind us: “Oh, wow, Teruhashi is with Saiki!” “Are they a couple?” “No way, he never even talks!” “I'll kill him.” I ignore it. She doesn’t.
Once we’re out of earshot, Teruhashi glances over, her voice soft. “I know this is a little sudden, but… thank you for agreeing to be my partner. It means a lot.” And if I didn’t know better, I’d think she was being sincere.
Actually, she probably is. That’s the thing about Teruhashi: she’s not really faking it. She really does believe that the universe is conspiring to create a romance of cosmic proportions, with herself at the gravitational centre. It isn't just her delusion, the universe (and everyone inhabiting it) really does align perfectly with her every desire. At this point, even I am starting to believe there is some cosmic force on her side.
But the way she acts on the inside… she's so fake. Every interaction she has is a perfectly organised chess strategy in order for her to stay at the very top of the social ladder. But I know the real her. Those thoughts she doesn't dare say out loud, because she knows everyone would lose interest in her if she wasn't always the most kind, considerate girl they'd ever witnessed. Those thoughts are the real her, and I don't mind them all too much. I just wish she'd drop the act already.
“Sure,” I say. “Let’s just get a good grade.”
She laughs, the sound sparkly enough to leave glitter on the floor. “Of course! We’ll get the best grade.” Her hand lingers at her side, as if she’s daring me to offer an arm. I keep my hands resolutely glued to my backpack.
We cross the school courtyard in step. The sun is out, and the air smells like fresh-cut grass and lingering pollen. Teruhashi has the kind of walk that draws attention: every movement calibrated, always appearing effortless. She’s a model citizen, permanently on display to those around her.
Heel, toe, lift. Heel, toe, lift. Heel, toe, lift. Heel, toe, lift. Damn it, that stride was too short.
She looks up to me with a reserved, cautious glance.
Lucky he didn't see.
I can't help but slow down my pace when she counts her step's rhythm like this. It takes so much effort for her angelic-style walking to look this effortless. When she walks so close to my side, there is no possible way for me to tune out all her worried thoughts.
My skirt flies too high when my steps are that long, remember to take more shorter steps.
I can't help but sigh at the ridiculous things she worries about sometimes. All these small details that no one else even notices, they're all calculated to achieve the image of 'perfect' in her mind. Though who am I to judge, whatever she's doing is clearly working. There wouldn't be one person in the world who'd have a single complaint about her.
Other than me, of course.