°Authenticate°
-prove or show (something, especially a claim or an artistic work) to be true or genuine.
Weekends, considered as less than one-third of the week when a student is liberated from the restraints of school – albeit the homework teachers would force you to do. To put it into simpler terms, it is a time of freedom.
There are only two types of students when it comes to weekends. One, it would refer to those who would use their time of freedom to go on an outing with their friends or family – in other words, the extroverts. Two, it would pertain to those who would spend their weekend locked-up inside the house, away from the dreadful thing called socialization – in other words, an introvert.
Although we had mentioned the two main categories of Types of Students During Weekends 101, let's proceed to a bonus category which are considered the lucky ones. Not a lot would fall into this category, and we have to say, they are fortunate indeed. This would refer to those who would love to stay cooped-up inside their room, however, cannot. They are the ones who are forced to go outside by either their parents or outgoing friends. And now, you've learned that we were calling them the lucky ones sarcastically.
A perfect example for those who are called the lucky ones would be, of course, none other than Saiki Kusuo. There have already been multiple situations where we can prove that fact. And another would be presented not too long after this sentence.
Inside the Saiki household, every member of the family was peacefully relaxing on their own, sans the eldest child who was currently overseas. It took the familiar ring of their telephone to temporarily halt the serenity of the house. It didn't make much of a fuss of course – it's a mere phone call after all.
"Papa, could you answer the phone, if you please, honey?" Mrs. Saiki called out from the kitchen, in the middle of preparing their family dinner, requesting for her husband to pick up the ringing phone.
"Of course, Mama!" The russet-haired Saiki sweetly replied as he was sitting comfortably on the living room sofa, putting down the news paper he was reading before calling out upstairs. "Hey, Kusuo, answer the phone! It's disturbing my reading here."
The pink-haired boy, who was supposedly in the middle of enjoying a television show in his own personal room, clicked his tongue in distaste upon hearing his languid father. Teleporting out of his room, Kusuo sent the older Saiki a dissatisfied scowl.
"Hurry up, will you, Kusuo?" Mr. Saiki merely waved his hand apathetically, not bothering to look up from his newspaper. In complete annoyance, the young psychic lifted a hand up, pointing his index finger towards the direction of his father, before shooting a beam. The action had punctured the area on the sofa not three inches away from the brunette, frightening him. "Ah. Forgive me, oh-great Kusuo-sama."
Kusuo rolled his eyes upon witnessing his own parent's pathetic response, before picking up the ringing phone. Admittedly, it was quite odd that through the whole two-hundred and nine words, the caller still hasn't given up.
Bringing the phone to his ear, Kusuo answered in a dull, unenthusiastic tone. "Saiki household, Kusuo speaking."
"Now that was the saddest response I've heard over the phone."
Hearing the oh-so annoying voice he had grown familiar with for more or less six months now, the strawberry-haired male hung up in an instant, not bothering with bearing a second more with the (h/c)-haired girl on the other line. It was quite rude though.
"Who was over the phone, Kuu-chan?" The raven-haired Saiki questioned her son, stepping in the living area with her husband and second child. "That was quite a quick phone call."
"A wrong number is all." Just as he has mentioned so, the phone rang once again. Inwardly dreading out a sigh, Kusuo was left no choice but answer the telephone properly as his beloved mother was currently in front of him – knowing Mrs. Saiki, she wouldn't be too happy if she found out that he had uncouthly hung up so suddenly on (Y/N)-chan. Grabbing the telephone, Kusuo brought the receiver near his ear once more. "What?"
"How rude. I'm hurt, Kusuo." (Y/N) said jokingly from the other line, even laughing at the end of her sentence.
Kusuo rolled his eyes as he heard the said female say so. Acting like an idiot, like always. Leaning his back on the wall, he continued the conversation with the (h/c)-haired girl. "Why are you even calling, (Y/N)?"
After Kusuo had stated so, Mrs. Saiki seemed to have perked up, her attention caught by the simple mention of (Y/N)'s name. Like an eager child, Mrs. Saiki started bouncing in front of her teen-aged son, practically begging him to hand her the phone.
"Kuu-chan, let me talk to (Y/N)-chan." Mrs. Saiki stated eagerly, clasping her hands together. "Pretty please!"
Good grief...
"Was that Auntie?" (Y/N) inquired from the other line, a trill of curiosity lacing her voice.
"So, what of it?" Kusuo remarked whilst in the middle of dodging his mother's attempt to snatch the phone away from him. "You still haven't answered the question, just to remind you."
"So, what of it?" The (h/c)-haired girl retorted, repeating Kusuo's words mockingly. The latter frowned in dissatisfaction as the former lets out a series of chuckles from the other line before finally answering. Ruffling could be heard from the other line. "I'll tell you though, you're not exactly the one I was planning to talk to. I'm actually calling for Auntie."
"You should have said so earlier." Kusuo groaned in disappointment before tossing the phone over to Mrs. Saiki, who blinked owlishly in response upon catching it. In his usual stoic tone, he stated. "(Y/N) wants to talk to you."
"Yes, (Y/N)-chan~?" In a sweet tone, Mrs. Saiki responded. While they were in the middle of a conversation, Kusuo sauntered off to the sofa. Flopping down on the soft couch, he leaned his back in a relaxed manner on the comfortable seat. "I haven't seen you in quite a while now, (Y/N)-chan. Luckily, I gave you our landline number."
So it's your fault, Kaa-san. Kusuo mentally remarked, disappointed for his loving mother's actions. He has to admit though, Perhaps that wouldn't too bad.
"Oh, right (Y/N)-chan. Have you heard that they're holding an Akimatsuri near the shrine?" Already knowing what his mother's next line would be due to his special ability, Kusuo's almost permanent frown deepened. And, aware that he couldn't do anything against Mrs. Saiki, the pink-haired boy lets out a defeated sigh. "Let's go there together tonight~. And of course, Kuu-chan and Papa will be coming. We'll be going as a family!
"You don't have to worry about that. We already treat you as a family." Mrs. Saiki sweetly chirped, her motherly tone indubitably reassuring.
Don't drag me into this, Kaa-san. Kusuo inwardly commented, not bothering to voice out his thoughts.
"We'll see you later! Bye, (Y/N)-chan~!" And after a long conversation with the said teen-aged girl, Mrs. Saiki hung up. As she spun her heals to face her two beloved boys, she announced. "We're going out with (Y/N)-chan to the Akimatsuri later on~."
"Oh, (Y/N)." Mr. Saiki mentioned, looking up from his newspaper to face his ebony-haired wife. The brown-haired adult had met the said girl over the course of the summer due to her frequent visits. Although he wasn't as close with the teen-aged girl compared to his wife. There were a few small talks here and there, but that was all. "She was a nice kid. I wouldn't mind."
You don't know how wrong you are, Tou-san...
And there you have another proof that Saiki Kusuo is part of the lucky ones.
~~~~~
Like every matsuri there is, the area was bustling with people of different ages. It was quite the dismay for the pink-haired psychic of course, since the number of people within the area resulted to his head filled with noise coming from a sea of people. How he wished to be wearing his Germanium ring now.
"What time is it, Kusuo?" (Y/N) questioned as her eyes lingered on the crowd passing by, their pair sitting on an unoccupied bench as they were snacking on some delicacies sold from the multiple stalls in the area, the girl already finishing hers.
Biting off a part of his candy apple with a mouth-watering crunch, Kusuo replied, chewing on the sweet treat. "Do I look like a watch to you?"
"An ugly watch, yeah." The (h/c) haired girl laughed jubilantly after saying so, slapping the male's back in the process, earning her an unsatisfied frown from Kusuo. Seeing that she wouldn't shut up anytime soon, Kusuo decided to catch her mouth off guard.
Out of pure annoyance from hearing (Y/N)'s persistent chortle, Kusuo shoved the partly eaten candy-apple towards her open mouth, successfully making the (h/c) haired girl halt her loud guffaw. As the girl sent him a glare from the uncalled-for action, Kusuo's lips tugged up to a satisfied smirk.
Perching her cheek on his palm, the smirk never leaving his soft thin lips, Kusuo stated. "You can have that."
Rolling her eyes, (Y/N) pulled the treat away from her mouth, giving her the ability to speak once more after her strawberry-haired companion had robbed it from her temporarily. "Gee, thanks." She muttered sarcastically, not quite appreciative that Kusuo gave her a partly eaten candy apple, but took a bite anyways. Hey, no one could deny free food.
He has to admit, he felt quite entertained from watching her reactions. Kusuo had done it subtly a few times before, but poking fun from the girl was quite amusing for him, as he would say. In other words, he's quite the sadist.
Having enough rest, Kusuo stood up from his seat, the action catching his female companion's attention as she was chewing the candy apple. Tilting his head, the male's magenta orbs met her (e/c) ones, gazing dully at each other's visage. (Y/N) raised an eyebrow, perplexed on what the pink-haired male was silently messaging her.
Sighing, he brought a hand to his forehead, rubbing small circles as he felt a head-ache coming due to the girl's utmost slow-wittedness. "Do you want to look around or not? We still have some time before we meet up with Kaa-san and Tou-san."
A delighted grin made its way to (Y/N)'s lips upon hearing so, bolting up from her seat as she escaped the honestly uncomfortable feeling given off by the cheaply-provided bench from the government.
"You should have said so. I'm famished, my dude." Making her way by Kusuo's side, she stated. "Let's go."
As she turned her heels to face the other direction, (Y/N) found herself pulled back, a warm, soft sensation covering her forehead. As she subtly lost her balance, almost falling backwards, her back met Kusuo's lean chest, his free hand perched on top her shoulder, holding her. It didn't take her long to realize that Kusuo had used his right hand to pull her backwards, oddly enough though, by her forehead.
"Just so you know, you just finished eating a candy apple a second ago." The strawberry-haired male remarked upon saving the (h/c)-haierd girl from hitting herself on the pole just standing in front of them, doing its job of producing cliché scenes such as this one.
"(Y/N)."
"Are you implying that I have a big forehead or something?" (Y/N) grumbled, ignoring Kusuo's statement as she pulled his pale hand away from her forehead.
"You do realize I saved your butt from hitting that pole." Kusuo cocked an eyebrow. Honestly, he wasn't particularly too keen with helping the (h/c)-haired girl. It was just that he knew Mrs. Saiki would overreact when she sees (Y/N)'s bruised forehead.
"One, it was my forehead that was about to hit the fucking pole, not my ass. Two, I didn't ask for your help." She retorted, proceeding to walk in front of Kusuo.
Breathing out a sigh for the umpteenth time of the day, Kusuo tailed behind her. Ungrateful brat. He mentally remarked.
As their pair had moved deeper to the huge gathering, Kusuo noticed how the crowd had thickened compared to earlier. In fact, people were practically almost bumping to each other with each step they take.
Good grief...
(Y/N) had somehow forgotten about her pink-haired companion by their stroll around the matsuri, distracted by the bright stalls in the area. As her (e/c) irises would linger on the different booths, it wouldn't take a genius to realize how she actually wanted to try each stall they were passing by like a curious child.
She was busy spacing out that she didn't discern that Kusuo was already beside her, staring at her twinkling eyes beaming with desire. It was only by the time the pink-haired psychic grabbed her palm when it came to her grasp that she was with Kusuo.
"Oh, I actually forgot you were with me." She teasingly stated, grinning at the taller teen who frowned at her statement. Her eyes travelled down to their entwined fingers before averting it back to Kusuo's magenta orbs, concealed behind his green-tinted glasses. "What do you want, holding my hand so suddenly? Don't tell me you're suddenly in love with me."
"You wish." Kusuo scoffed, mildly disgusted by the thought of them being intimate. Not happening, definitely. (Y/N) laughed upon hearing his reply, amused that the strawberry-haired teen took her joke seriously. Annoyed by her response, Kusuo tugged on her arm harshly, shutting her up, before pulling her to a nearby stall.
"Make it quick." The young psychic sternly stated, his claim returned with a puzzled look from (Y/N). Oh right, I forgot she's an idiot. "Just take anything. I'm paying."
Kusuo knew well that the (h/c)-haired girl had little to no cash left after having a glimpse at her wallet just a while ago after buying their snacks. It made him feel bad. Especially with the fact that she had generously given him a thousand yen not too long ago kept in mind even after he had lost their small game of rock-paper-scissors.
(Y/N) continued to stare at Kusuo's pale features in silence even after hearing his statement. Kusuo noticed this from his peripheral vision. Realizing his companion was too suspicious of him for doing such a kind gesture, the psychic took the liberty to choose a reimbursement for the girl instead.
The shorter female did nothing but watch Kusuo's actions, eyes following his every movement. Incongruously, though she was observing his ever action, her mind didn't exactly process the events. With that in account, she still felt surprised she found a plush toy frog shoved on her hands.
"Keep it." Kusuo stated, tugging on her arm with their entwined hands, leading her to the direction of the crowd-filled shrine. Unbeknownst to the pink-haired boy, the (h/c)-haired girl found herself grinning ear-to-ear from the unanticipated subtle expression of kindness, her eyes lingering at their joint fingers as they would sway with the slightest motion.
"If you keep this up," The string of words left her lips as a quiet mumble, barely audible for her strawberry-haired companion as the crowd grew louder by each passing second, (Y/N)'s words sounding now nothing as gibberish.
"I'll fall for you for real, Kusuo."