The next day, Akemi had been extremely out of it. She couldn't stop thinking about what had happened the night before. She had found out that what had happened hadn't been a dream, since the other girls had teased Teruhashi about how she had acted weird the night before. Though, all of them still thought it was Teruhashi; Akemi was the only one who had seen Toritsuka.
Akemi started at the beach with a towel wrapped around her shoulders. She was sitting underneath an umbrella, her mind still on what had happened last night.
"Hey, Kumiko, are you ok? You seemed really out of it." Akemi looked up and saw Teruhashi standing near her.
Akemi just hummed in response and stared back out at the ocean. Teruhashi seemed like she wanted to say more, but she was pulled away by some of their classmates. And that's when Akemi noticed Saiki staring at her.
He was sitting just a few steps away and seemed to have something on his mind, yet was just staring at Akemi. She shot him a glare.
"If you want to say something to me, you can just say it. You can stop staring. It's weird."
* * *
Saiki stared at Akemi a little surprised she had addressed him. Akemi rarely said anything to anyone, especially Saiki. All she did was glare at him whenever he stared at her. Though Saiki couldn't blame her for that, he would probably have the same reaction if someone kept staring at him.
Something had seemed more off with Akemi than normal. Of course, Saiki didn't know what that was, but he had a suspicion. When he had gone to save Teruhashi the night before, he had used his hypnosis to make Toritsuka look like Teruhashi, he didn't think Akemi would be with the girls that had gone looking for Teruhashi. But he had found out that he had been wrong and was sure Akemi had been confused as to why everyone had been acting like Toritsuka was Teruhashi.
"Did you not hear me?" Akemi snapped, breaking Saiki out of his thoughts.
Good grief, she is going to cause so many problems.
"Yes, I did. I just don't have anything to say." Saiki said.
"Then quit staring," Akemi growled, before turning away and looking back at the ocean. She hugged her knees and had an uneasy expression on her face. Saiki immediately realized that, by Akemi not seeing Toritsuka as Teruhashi, it had both traumatized her and made her extremely confused. And maybe a little suspicious.
Akemi had clearly picked up on both times Saiki had disappeared yesterday before they got to Okinawa. She probably thought those disappearances were just strange coincidences, but Saiki knew she would be on high alert for any weird activity coming from Saiki. He had to figure out a way to make sure no more strange things happen around him so Akemi really believes everything was a coincidence. And now, he also had to make sure not to let the incident with Toritsuka get associated with him in Akemi's mind. Just staying as far away from Toritsuka would probably prevent Akemi from associating the incident with him.
"Actually, I do have something to ask you," Saiki said, gaining Akemi's attention. A plan had formed in his mind. He stood up and sat back down next to Akemi, "What's up with you?"
"What?"
"You look really distant."
Akemi look up at Saiki and he almost felt as though she was looking into his soul. Then she looked back at the ocean and took a deep breath, "It's just that something really weird happened yesterday."
Saiki shifted a bit, his plan out starting fine, "What happened?"
"Why do you care?" Akemi questioned, her tone had made it sound like a genuine question, but her glare made Saiki wonder how it was really supposed to sound. Saiki shrugged and after a minute, Akemi let out a long sigh, "It's just something I saw didn't add up. Two things actually. Or, no, three."
Saiki's eyes widened in surprise. He thought the only thing she was talking about was Toritsuka, he didn't realize there was something else. "What do you mean?"
Akemi shifted, becoming uncomfortable, "Nothing. Nevermind. Forget I said anything."
"Why?"
"Because," Akemi snapped, her harsh gaze falling on Saiki again. Then her expression suddenly softened and she looked back at the ocean, "Sorry. It's just really weird. And what happened sounds really crazy. I could've been dreaming or something."
Saiki was about to try to press her further, only to be interrupted by Teruhashi's thoughts. Is that Saiki? Is he talking to Kumiko? What? There's no way Kumiko has a crush on Saiki. She doesn't even seem to like him. But maybe... Oh no! Saiki might have a crush on her! No, no, no, no! I can't lose Saiki to Kumiko! She may be pretty, but she's nowhere near as prefect as me. There's no way I can let Saiki choose her over me!
"Well, if it was just a dream, then can you tell me about it?" Saiki questioned, moving slightly closer to Akemi. He suddenly wanted to talk to Akemi for even longer. If he could get her to talk about what happened yesterday and have that lead to Teruhashi leaving him alone, it would be prefect. He would be able to figure out more on why his powers don't work on Akemi and get rid of Teruhashi's crush on him.
"What? No." Akemi answered, shifted again. She was now sitting cross-legged with the towel she had wrapped around her shoulders in her lap. "It was really weird. And I just... don't want to talk about it."
"Maybe talking about it will help you figure it out," Saiki pressed.
Akemi frowned and stared at the dark purple towel in her lap. She was messing with the corner of it as she mumbled, "Maybe..."
Saiki waited patiently. Even second would make Akemi more willing to talk to him and make Teruhashi realize he isn't worth her time. He could hear Teruhashi's nervous thoughts as she stood watching them from under another umbrella not too far away. Just from hearing a few seconds of her thoughts, he knew his plan was working.
"I..." Akemi started hesitantly, regaining Saiki's full attention. "I saw Toritsuka last night... But... everyone else saw Teruhashi."
Saiki stayed silent and Akemi continued.
"That didn't really make a ton of sense. What I mean is - god this is crazy - I saw Toritsuka but everyone else saw him as Teruhashi. Does that make sense?" Akemi questioned, looking up at him nervously. Saiki nodded and she let out a long sigh before continuing. "It was really weird. Everyone else was acting like he was Teruhashi, but he just seemed like Toritsuka to me. And I... I don't think it was a dream. Especially since some of the girls had said that Teruhashi had been acting weird. And she's normal now. But that's the other thing. I saw him disappear."
Saiki's eyes widened at that and Akemi tensed up when she saw his reaction. "I know it's crazy. And it doesn't make any sense. But earlier that night, I had looked out our hotel room and just saw the ocean. Then I blinked and the city was back. Then when the whole thing with Toritsuka being Teruhashi happened, he disappeared and Teruhashi appeared in his place."
They both went silent and Saiki stared at the ground in front of him. First Akemi notices me fighting the typhoon and fixing the plane. Next, she notices the hotel apporting. Then my hypnosis doesn't work on her. And she sees Toritsuka get teleported and Teruhashi appearing back in her room. How did this girl manage to pick up on every time I used my powers so far this trip?
"I'm sorry," Akemi suddenly said, pulling Saiki out of his thoughts. "I don't mean to freak you out. I just... you asked and I warned you so..."
"No, it's fine. You were right. It is crazy." Saiki replied, looking down at Akemi, who was fidgeting with her towel. "Are you sure it wasn't a dream?"
Akemi hesitated, "I... I don't know... I never have dreams like that though... I... I just don't..."
"What do you normally dream about then?" Saiki asked.
But Saiki immediately knew that was the wrong thing to ask because Akemi tensed up and glared at him. All his work to get past her barriers had been reversed by one question.
"That's none of your business," Akemi growled before standing up and walking away.
Saiki watched her walk off in the direction of the bathrooms and let out a sigh. At least he had gotten some information.
Awesome! Kumiko left! It seems like something Saiki said upset her. There's no way she's gonna stand in my way now.
Saiki let out another sigh when he heard Teruhashi's thoughts. Not only had he failed to get all the information from Akemi he wanted, but he also failed at making Teruhashi give up on her crush.