°Indeterminate°
-not exactly known, established, or defined.
I stand before a formidable, their dark eyes showing not a sign of mercy. Clenching my teeth as I held my injured arm, chances of victory turning slimmer by the moment. I was foolish, foolish to challenge an opponent whose advantage was clearly theirs.
Giving my companion a pained gaze, he returned it with a hopeful one. Reassuring me he will be fine with the next attack. I shook my head, too scared to lose him. He has always held a special place in my heart. I was tempted to run away at the moment, but we might never get this chance again.
Taking the risk, I shakily stood up, giving my partner a nod. He huffed in determination. I can't help but let tears flow down my cheek, touched by his dedication and fidelity towards me. As long as we're still together by the end, he was willing to struggle.
Even with his HP less than 15. And even with him poisoned by the opponent's Sludgebomb.
I glanced worriedly at his red health bar, the high pitched beeping warning me of my partner's low HP, the purple box beside his name indicating the tremendous health damage towards him.
"Charrizard, use Flamethrower!" I commanded, ordering my beloved pokemon to release his strongest attack.
"Pikachuuuuuuuu!"
"Goddamit, (Y/N)! Wake up!"
Shooting up at the menacing, surprising wake up call, I clumsily fell off the bed, cutting my ridiculous yet wonderful dream.
"I'm up! I'm up!" I gushed out, groaning at the aching feeling on my back from my not-so-graceful fall. Seeing that it was just Aren, I chucked my blanket at his face, annoyed that the owner of the voice was not that daunting after all. "The hell, Aren! I was about to catch a goddamn Latias for your information. A Latias! A rare legendary pokemon!"
"Good morning to you too." He replied sarcastically, tossing the sheet back at my face. "It's great you're finally up."
Pulling the blanket that was previously covering my face, I shot him a glare, definitely displeased that I was robbed of my "Gotta Catch Them All" moment. Taking a glance at clock, I grunted at the current time. It's too early, and summer vacation just started last week to might I add.
"What are you even doing here so early?" I inquired, not really in a good mood when it comes to hot summer mornings.
"We're going to Saiki's place. " The dark-haired male replied casually. "Hurry up and get prepared."
Who the hell is Saiki?
~~~~~
Standing in front of Kusuo were four people he most dreaded to see in the span of his summer vacation. The pink-haired boy knew that it was too ambitious for him to expect having an actual decent summer break. Despite knowing that, he still can't help but feel disappointed and exasperated when his loving mother had called him downstairs to greet his friends.
His mother, being the hospitable, sweet person she is (the complete opposite of his grumpy son), welcomed the foursome with open arms, even serving them a cold beverage. The generous action was immensely appreciated by the four guests, thanking the ebony-haired woman.
"Oh, you don't have to thank me." Mrs. Saiki said bashfully, her sweet, motherly voice giving off a light, warm atmosphere. "You have been such good friends of Kuu-chan. I should be the one thanking you."
You've got it all wrong, Kaa-san. The young Saiki inwardly stated. If you can read their minds, you can blatantly hear them making fun of me after hearing that nickname.
With the two idiots who I can't read their thoughts on the other hand,
"Kuu-chan! So you're still actually a baby, Fredric!" (Y/N) laughed jubilantly, even pointing her index finger towards the psychic, mindlessly spewing her thoughts out loud in front of Fredric's mother.
"Come on, pal. Even my mom won't call me like that." Nendou gave off a deep guffaw, his low, scruffy voice making him sound like a shabby old man.
"Such honest friends you have, Kuu-chan." Mrs. Saiki beamed, not appearing to mind the harmless teasing. "I'm glad your friends are such good kids."
Just which of them is the definition of good kids. Kusuo mentally remarked, his statement indubitably agreeable. One looks like a shady old man that'll mug you of your money, the other is a former delinquent, the other has more bandages than his dignity, and the other one just barged into our lives so suddenly, her profile suspiciously vague.
"Auntie, I have something to ask that I'm curious about." The one whose profile is suspiciously vague stated, raising her hand up as if in a school setting. "Is Fredric adopted?"
"Fredric?" At the mention of the foreign name, Mrs. Saiki grew confused. We can't really blame her since it was his son who gave the wrong impression towards the imprudent girl.
"I told you before that it's not Fredric. It's Kusuo. Saiki Kusuo." The psychic sighed, his expression looking more infuriated by the second, offended that the girl had assumed such farce to be true.
"But you told me your name was Fredric Roger III." (Y/N)'s face scrunched up in genuine confusion, looking somewhat betrayed.
"How could you tell such lie, Kuu-chan!" Mrs. Saiki scolded, disappointed by her son's actions. She gave the pink-haired boy a stern look before pointing at the (h/c) haired girl. "As your punishment, I want to see her here at least twice—no—thrice a week during summer break. I need to see you both in good terms."
Isn't that punishment too heavy? Kusuo dreaded for such to happen. With her coming three times a week, he knew that he will be robbed more of his free time. And the fact that she's as annoying as Nendou was making matters worse for the psychic.
"Lucky!" On the other hand, (Y/N) was nowhere near dreadful. In fact, she was delighted that she gets a chance to barge in the Saiki household freely thrice a week, meaning she gets to receive free food from the family thrice a week. "I'm looking forward to the foo—spending time with your son."
You were just labelled as my punishment. Kusuo's eyes dulled at the girl's utmost stupidity. And not to mention that you're goal is definitely my mother's cooking, not me.
"That would be wonderful!" Mrs. Saiki, who was unaware of her son's dilemma, beamed at the young girl. Realizing that she hadn't asked her of her name, she questioned the (h/c) haired girl. "By the way, I haven't seen you before here. Could you be a new friend of Kuu-chan's?" The girl replied with a curt nod, a polite smile present in her face. Looks can be deceiving after all. "May I ask what your name is?"
"(Y/N)."
"So you're (Y/N)-chan then." The heart-warming parent replied, her lightheaded personality not fading. "Alright then, Kuu-chan. Have fun with your friends out."
And, before the strawberry-haired boy knew it, the front door of his house closed in front of him as he was left outside with his so-called friends.
Thank you for giving me birth, oh-dear mother of mine.
"Your mother seems really nice. I bet you're actually adopted." (Y/N) straightforwardly stated, her eyes glued at the exterior of the Saiki household, observing the building. "I wonder how they're doing right now..."
She muttered the last part ever so softly that Kusuo was not able to catch what she actually stated. The strawberry haired boy found that her actions were indeed curious. The way her eyes lingered to the surroundings with an intriguing glint her eyes were peculiar for him. If only he could effortlessly read the girl's thoughts, he wouldn't have that dangerous curiosity enticing him.
Perhaps, that punishment wouldn't be so bad.
~~~~~
Now, this is what Kusuo would call an atrocious punishment.
The pink-haired boy was on the verge of punching Nendou in the face after hearing him suggest going to the forest to catch some bugs. It was ghastly for the young psychic to step foot in a place crawling with disturbing monsters.
"Hey, pal, can you get that Stag Beetle right beside your head?" Upon hearing the butt-chin faced teen's request, Kusuo speed-walked away from the tree he was standing next to, not daring to take a glimpse at the creature.
The strawberry head was itching to teleport out of his current predicament, but it didn't seem easy to do so. In front of him were three high school boys, fawning over bugs, acting like a bunch of elementary school children. He was pushing his patience to the limit by staying in the dreadful place – well, as long as no bugs would enter a three-foot radius around him, he can manage.
"That's a big one you've got there, Kobayasu." Kaidou said in awe, gawking at the huge Rhinoceros Beetle the delinquent had caught. "It's about the size of your hand."
Spare me of the gruesome details, please. Kusuo's eye twitched, not enjoying what the other three were taking pleasure in.
"I wonder if this would sell well to some collectors." Aren wondered, inspecting the insect, raising it into eye-level. Kusuo honestly commended the dark-haired male for doing something as courageous as such. "Ah. It got away."
Kusuo was about to lose it when he saw the beetle get away from Aren's grasp. When the huge bug flew towards his direction, the psychic's little left patience finally broke.
Fuck this shit I'm out.
Despite his companions' shouts of request for him to catch the insect, Kusuo took long strides in order tk get away from it, breaking into a run not after five steps. Sensing that the area was clear for bystanders, the psychic was ready to teleport himself back home. The male felt relatively bad for leaving his friends behind without another word. However, he also found it as a chance for him to lessen their likability towards him.
Kusuo also knew that once he reaches home, his mother would start chewing his ear off for ditching the group. He honestly didn't want that, but anything was better than being surrounded by bugs – plus one Nendou and one (Y/N).
Just as he was about to teleport his way out, a familiar (h/c) haired girl suddenly showed herself, hanging upside down from a tree branch. Her actions were reckless and idiotic but Kusuo had better things to worry about.
Inspite of that, the pink-haired boy can't help but let out a sigh of relief that he hadn't teleported so suddenly. He had forgotten about (Y/N) missing in action just a while ago, and it was dangerous for him that he can't read the teenage girl's thoughts.
"Surprise, Kusuo!" The girl grinned cheekily at him, her dishevelled hair nesting leaves and twigs, her face noticeably untidy with dirt covering her cheeks. Kusuo found her as a carefree child with her current appearance. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Aren and the others?"
"I should be the one asking you." Kusuo replied, keeping his poker face, his eyes on the easily broken tree branch supporting her weight – which seemed to be ready to break at any moment. It wasn't much of a surprise for Kusuo to see the girl acting so hasty, she is the type to do things indiscreetly. The psychic would be able to read her mind otherwise. "(Y/N), why exactly are you in that position?"
At his inquiry, (Y/N) blinked owlishly before using a hand to retrieve and item inside her pocket. Kusuo raised an eyebrow, curious on what the object could be. Taking her hand out that was curled into a fist, the girl gestured for the pink-haired boy to open his palm for him. Having second thoughts whether to comply or not, the strawberry head took a moment or two before abiding by her request.
(Y/N) sent him am impish beam showing her teeth, before placing her dirty hand holding the object over Kusuo's pale ones. After the girl had done so, Kusuo had an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach, a warning that he would regret the outcome.
"I was out to catch for this!" The (h/c) haired girl stated, looking proud of herself as she released the item, dropping it on Kusuo's hands.
0.2 seconds after she had done so, the strawberry haired boy's face paled, his eyes turning white as sheets, shock striking him like lightning, his body now stiff as a board.
"It's cool, isn't it? That's one big centipede!" (Y/N) said with pride, pleased with her small surprise for Kusuo. "That was a hard one to catch. And if I do say so myself, I did a pretty great job catching that."
As the hundred legged insect started crawling in his arms, the centipede left a tingling, itching feeling at the body parts it had touched. Kusuo was petrified, dropping instantly to the ground, seemingly unconscious.
(Y/N), who was the only person in the area, scratched her head in confusion, unaware of the pink-haired boy's tremendous fear on bugs.
"Hey, Kusuo." She called crossing her arms, still hanging upside down from the branch which seemed, like what Kusuo had described earlier, ready to break at any moment. Unbeknowst to the (e/c) eyed girl, Kusuo's assumption was right, the tree branch on the verge of snapping.
And in a matter of seconds, (Y/N) heard an unasked for snap from the branch. And she knew that can't be good.
With nothing to support her weight anymore, she fell on the ground. Luckily for her, Kusuo's unconscious body was right below to cushion her fall. Although the impact was lessened, (Y/N)'s world still spun around her, an unbearable pain on her head before she conked out, her now out cold body lying on top of the strawberry haired boy.
Yare, yare. On second thought, I won't be looking forward to that punishment after all.