The next day at school, I encountered Saiki. I wasn't exactly excited to see him, but he was sort of odd, and it as nice to know I had someone in the whole school that hated people as much as I did. Still, I didn't get a chance to talk to him until lunch.
"Hey," I muttered as he took a seat next to me. He pulled out a bento box consisting of curry rice and beef strips, and marinated vegetables. His was neatly packed, and I found myself frowning at my small portion of fish, plain rice, and cabbage. Who even ate cabbage? Not me, my mom should know that.
"Want to eat outside? It's warm, and beautiful... at least compared to inside." I looked to where he was staring; Nendou was shoving Udon noodles in his face, and some were escaping out his nose. I shuddered. Nodding, I proceeded to follow Saiki.
"Y/n," he said after we had sat down under a lush tree. "What do you know about psychics?"
The fizzy soda I'd just swallowed almost came back up my throat. I choked a bit. Saiki squinted his eyes at me, definitely suspicious.
"Uh, yeah, psychics... um, yeah. Aren't they the ones that can make things float around?" I giggled nervously, trying not to act dumb, but oblivious.
"Don't tell me you're one, Saiki!" I suggested, popping a bite of fish into my mouth. The pink haired boy just stared at me, ignoring his lunch that I would gladly trade for. He seemed to be studying me, but I didn't like the harsh set of eyes on me.
Paranoidly, I wiped my chin. Sure enough there was rice. "Now why would you suggest such a thing?" He asked. I turned away so I could swat at any potential rice grains still on my face.
"You're always studying me, asking me about those weird super powers... you even broke into my home." I turned slowly to face him. Yeah, that was odd. Why had I just let that go?
"Say anything about me being a peeping tom and I'll expose you and your cat noir obsession."
"I'm not obsessed- Look, that's not the point! What were you even doing in there!" I snapped, wiping my face this time to get rid of my pink complexion. Saiki finally started eating his food, though he seemed to be focused on something else.
"Whatever, I don't really care. I'm just curious. Oh yeah, and it wasn't just the hypothetical powers I wanted to ask you about. See, I know you have a link to psychics. Why are you denying it, Kaiyato Hinashi?"
My heart stopped. I knew he knew, but my blood ran cold whenever he used my old name. Was this guy actually a psychic?
"How do you even know.. I mean I don't know what you're talking about. You're insane." I hoped I didn't look too panicked, but I was starting to feel that way.
"Easy, I'm the one asking questions. You aren't the psychic, right? You seem to be getting worked up, but you don't have psychic powers, of course. But your friend did? Mikoto Aiura?"
The pound of rice I'd just shoved into my face suddenly tasted like sand. I forced it down with a gulp of soda, trying to calm the panic in my chest. I decided answering casually was the easiest way to appear innocent in this situation.
"Yeah. She was a con artist. Tried to sell me out: that's the story you're looking for, I'm sure. She had eaten something bad at the festival a week before- that's how she ended up paralyzed. Is that what you wanted to hear? What are you doing digging into my background like this anyways?"
"You don't tell anybody yourself; I was just curious."
I turned to face him. He wiped a drop of sauce from his lips. Saiki kept saying he was curious. Thats how he avoided questions. Smart, I had to admit, but still sketchy.
"If you're obsessed, just say that."
Saiki turned away and grinned, licking his teeth clean from the vegetables. His green glasses glinted with mystery and intelligence.
"No more obsessed with you as you are with my food."
My jaw dropped. He was a psychic after all.
"Don't look so surprised, anyone could tell. You've been staring at my beef the whole time you've faced me, and your mouth has been open with drool."
I denied it. "You told me you weren't a psychic, so you will never know." Still, I couldn't stop my gaze from landing on his bento box, perched comfortably in his lap.
"If you want my meat, just say that."
"Saiki!" I hissed, mortified. He rose an eyebrow at me.
"I meant the beef... what were you thinking?"
I rolled my eyes and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. It did get exhausting being blind all the time. I was done with my meal, but my stomach still growled. It was embarrassing how hungry I always was. I got up to leave, but Saiki wasn't done with his meal, nor talking, apparently.
He reached out and grabbed my hand. A spark fizzled through it and made my hand feel numb. "What the hell?" we both said in unison.
"Wait, I still need to question you," said Saiki, ignoring the bizarre interaction of electric touch.
"No, I'm done with my fish and your interrogations." I crossed my arms and scowled at him. The wind rippled through the calm sky and brought my skirt flying up. Saiki turned just in time, but I still saw the corners of his mouth lift. I didn't want to be here anymore, but I took Nature's attempt to flash everybody as a sign to sit down.
"Here, I'm full anyways." He handed me the 3 strips of beef left over. I tried to dull the excitement in my eyes.
"Thanks, I guess." I took his bento box and situated it in my lap, grabbing my chopsticks.
"Yeah, you're welcome," he scoffed. "So why did you move away from that city you told me?"
After swallowing the delicious, spiced beef, I answered. "Too much chaos. A lot of people accused me of being a you-know-what."
"A slut?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows. His eyes body checked me from behind the green glasses. "damn, what did you do?"
"No, you moron!" I shouted, displeased by his gaze. I was tempted to hit him, but he was an arm length away and I wasn't done eating this delicious beef. "A psychiceratory, or whatever you call it." I shoved the strip in my mouth angrily, followed by some curry-soaked rice.
"A psychic? Isn't that what she accused you of?"
"Mhm," I said over the mouthful.
"Why'd she accuse you of that in the first place?"
"We were best friends and since she was a psychic, she wanted everyone to think I was, too. I didn't want the publicity."
"Good grief," said Saiki, getting up. He took the empty remains of our lunch and threw them away. I popped a finger into my mouth, cleaning the leftover sauce from it.
"She doesn't sound like a good friend."
"No kidding," I scoffed. We entered the class, the calming affects of outdoors suddenly washed away by the dull lighting and ugly faces of Kaidou and Nendou.
Only Kaidou because he now had a tattoo of Nendou on his face. He was sleeping, and the artist of the crime was that purple-headed punk, Aren Kuboyasu. Either way, I was glad they had other friends to harass.
"Hey," Saiki called me, "can we talk at Cafe Mami's later?"
"I literally have a shift, idiot. So please don't come, actually."
"Oh yeah!" piped in Kaidou, waking up from his nap. "You got the job!" he beamed, completely unaware of the monstrosity drawing on his cheek. Aren smirked. Kaidou wiped the drool from his chin and smudged the drawing on his cheek.
"I guess we'll be going with you, buddy!" said Nendou, burping simultaneously. He bumped an elbow to Saiki, who looked completely exasperated.
"Yeah," chimed in Teruhashi; she stepped towards us, "we need to plan for Takahashi's birthday anyway, and this would be the perfect way: over sweets!"
"There's nothing there as sweet as you," said Takahashi. He swooned from a distance. Only I would have heard it from my super hearing.
"So its a plan," grumbled Saiki.
Beads of sweat dripped down my face as I dreaded the act of appearing to them in a maid's uniform... this would not end well.
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A/n: Ty for reading!!! I've gotten so many reads... but hardly any votes :(( please remember to do so, it brightens my day!!! enjoy your chapter saiki pic: