Telepathic Love:
Chapter 1:
Italics denote thoughts.
Naru irritably slotted a book back into place on the bookshelf in the top floor library of his university. The noise inside his head was making him deeply regret coming to the library at such a busy time. Unfortunately, he had desperately needed a book for a paper so a visit to the library had been unavoidable.
He could feel a major headache coming on and his concentration slipped momentarily at the first occurrence of pain meaning that a barrage of thoughts exploded in his head. There was a group of students converged around a bookshelf in the next aisle. Their thoughts were not happy.
I need alcohol to get through this.
Why did I ever come to this university?
I've run out of money to get weed. Shit
I hate group assignments. Fuck them.
I'm going out clubbing after this.
He winced and gritted his teeth as he slipped back in control. Those thoughts hadn't been the worst he had ever heard. It was just that occasionally the negativity was too much. Sometimes he didn't know how he had got through the past four years without going mad.
He had attended sixth form college in England and had made the decision to transfer to Japan for university in hope that it would improve his situation. Granted, he took a few seconds to translate the thoughts he was hearing into English and writing with Japanese characters took a lot of his concentration, but he hadn't experienced many changes that had changed his outlook on life or distracted him from reading minds.
His twin's death four years ago had sparked his ability to read thoughts. Before that incident, all he had been able to do was exchange thoughts with his brother. When his brother had died, he could hear everyone's else's instead. His adoptive father had hypothesised that Gene had been like a barrier for his ability and now that barricade was gone he had no choice about what he heard.
After a month of suffering he had gained some control over it. If he concentrated hard enough he could forget about his ability and drown out everything. The problem was that it only worked for short periods of time and he was slowly becoming very disdainful because he knew everyone's innermost feelings.
There were lots of girls at his sixth form who were infatuated with him purely because of his looks. Someone who he had thought of as a casual friend was only friendly with him because he knew always knew the answers.
He breathed in deeply to stop himself from remembering those moments. It was all in the past. He relaxed and felt his control slip firmly back with no audible thoughts. Perfect.
Then he felt someone tap his shoulder. He flinched and turned around to see a girl with caramel coloured hair and matching eyes standing behind him looking at him curiously. She looked to be about his age and she was holding a few library books.
"Are you all right?" She asked seemingly in concern.
Is he really okay? He was standing there for a while and he looked stressed. Maybe it's a last minute panic?
Naru blinked in surprise. He had heard her thoughts without meaning to. He must have slipped up. The problem with the theory was that he couldn't hear anyone else's.
"I am fine, there's no need to worry," he assured her. "Am I in your way?"
He looked again at the books in her arms. He was probably preventing her from putting the books back. That was why she had showed concern for him.
She shook her head.
"I was passing by and I noticed you looked off."
He does look pale. Should I offer to walk him to a taxi?
He found it strange that she didn't seem very self-centred yet. She hadn't thought about his looks or about how nice she was for showing concern. She would probably show her true colours in a few seconds.
"I am fine, it's just a little last minute panic for my paper," he answered with a tight smile.
I thought so. I'm glad it's just that. I'm not sure that was a real smile though.
That was a surprise. She had noticed his fake smile and her thoughts were still kind.
"Well if you're sure," she said and was about to walk away when she turned back. "What is your name by the way?"
"Kazuya Shibuya," he answered. It was technically his name as it was on his Japanese passport. Saying his name was Oliver Davis always produced confused looks and lots of mispronunciations so he went by his Japanese name.
That felt like a lie. Never mind, I'm sure he doesn't want to give his name to a stranger.
She had got him again.
"I'm Mai Taniyama," she replied cheerfully. "Maybe I will see you again soon."
With that she walked away and he stared after her doubtfully. He wasn't sure what had just happened. He had heard her thoughts without meaning to and they weren't too bad. She was a rarity. He was almost disappointed at the prospect of not seeing her again.
The next time he encountered her was not the best time. His parents had phoned him whilst he was perusing the books in a bookshop that catered for English readers. He was stressed out from trying to hear their voices in a busy place and trying to block out all of the thoughts that he could hear in the shop.
His mother then proceeded to be even more annoying and ask if he had a girlfriend yet.
"Mum, I do not want to have any friends let alone a girlfriend," he sighed and looked around to ascertain that the aisle was still empty. "Can we talk at a different time? I am in public."
"Noll, I just want you to live a normal life," she said.
"I do too. It's just not possible," he shot back in annoyance.
He heard her awkward deep breath and she reluctantly said good bye. Oliver replaced his phone in his pocket and noticed that the voices in his head were silent now.
Then he heard a distinctive one.
Isn't that Kazuya? He looks stressed again.
He looked over his shoulder to see Mai standing a metre away from him, looking worried. She kept seeing him at his worst.
"Hello, Taniyama-san," he greeted.
He took note of the books in her arms this time. The books were of course in English and were on the subject of paranormal research. This caught his attention.
"Hi Shibuya-san. I was going to ask why you were here, but I heard you speaking in English so I guess you can read all of the books here," she commented ruefully as she looked down at her books.
"How much did you hear?" he asked cautiously.
She had better not have heard that part about his mother wanting him to have a girlfriend.
"Nothing much, I just recognised that you were talking fluently in English. The only part I really heard was that the person called you Naru?"
That cat would have been out the bag if she had pronounced it right. Instead of Noll, she had pronounced it Naru. It was almost cute.
What the hell had he just thought?
"It's kind of a nickname," he explained. "What are you doing here?"
"It's for a paper," she answered. "I study paranormal research."
For a wild moment when Naru had been looking up courses to study in Japan, he had stumbled across the paranormal research course and had considered choosing it. What had stopped him was his telepathic ability. People studying paranormal research would probably notice sooner or later that he was different.
Instead he had chosen the safe route which was to study Chemistry. Everything made sense in Chemistry.
"Are you going to be able to understand them?" he asked. It was unfair to base her English translation abilities based off her pronunciation of his name.
"I have started the paper very early for that reason," she admitted.
I can't give up on it even if I can only read basic English. I have a dictionary…
Naru gave her a searching look as he wondered what to do. He found himself wanting to help her and he was seriously wondering why. The only good thing about her was that she was keeping all the other thoughts out his head.
He made his decision.
"Taniyama-san, I can give you a list of the complex vocabulary and what it means if you like."
Her wide eyes stared up at him in wonderment and his heart skipped a beat.
"Would you really? That would be so helpful!" She exclaimed happily. "How can I repay you?"
What do boys like? Sports? He isn't the type. Maybe he likes tea because he is English… or is that too stereotypical?
Naru swallowed a smile as he listened to her thoughts.
"You can take me somewhere for a cup of tea," he said. "I don't mind if it's green tea."
"I know just the place," she said cheerfully. "I'll come back here once I pay for those books."
With that she rushed off to the till and Naru wondered what he had got himself into. She returned a few minutes later and they left the book shop.
A cold gust of winter wind hit them as soon as they stepped out into the street and Mai shivered. Naru had read the weather forecast in advance and was wearing a thick woollen coat whereas Mai was wearing a thinner raincoat.
My hands are cold. I want to put them in my pocket, but I have to carry the books.
Before Naru could process what he was doing properly, he took out his leather gloves from his pocket and held them out to her.
"You can use my gloves."
Mai stared at him with wide eyes. "Are you sure you don't need them?"
"I don't," he assured her. "I can use my pockets."
That convinced her and she happily pulled the gloves on. Naru noticed how big they were on her and was amused by the difference between the sizes of their hands.
"Thank you, Shibuya-san," she smiled up at him.
According to Mai there was an affordable teahouse popular with students from the university nearby so they walked over there. The place looked like it was going for the rustic look with chipped wood and odd assortments of teacups everywhere and bare floorboards. On the positive side it was warm and it did serve his preferred red tea.
"I see why this place is popular with students," he said as they sat down with their orders. "It has the right kind of look."
"It does live music as well," Mai told him. "I can't say it's good music though. It is other students performing."
Naru picked up his teacup to take an exploratory sip. It was the best tea he had had yet in Japan and he added it as a place he could go if he really wanted good tea. It wasn't particularly busy, not that he was hearing any thoughts apart from Mai's at the moment.
Currently she was enjoying her lemon and honey tea a lot and her thoughts weren't verbalised well. He felt her remember that they were there for study and not for relaxation.
She produced all of the books from the carrier bag and put them on the table.
"Can you explain some of the vocabulary to me?" She asked. "What is 'spiritual discernment'?"
Naru obliged and they spent an hour going over the books together. The telepath found that he was kind of enjoying teaching her the meanings of unfamiliar English words. Mai was a good listener and told the truth when she didn't understand him the first time.
I don't thing I can make it up to him. He's saved me so much time.
"You can let me read your paper when it's done," he said. "I wouldn't mind seeing what I have helped you with."
"Of course I will," she answered. "Are you going back to your accommodation after this?"
"I am," he confirmed.
"I am going to my apartment on the way, I live with two other girls," she told him. "Sometimes I wish I didn't."
I hope Keiko did her washing up this time and Michiru hasn't left her laundry everywhere. They are so messy. It's only inconveniencing them in the long run.
Naru didn't envy her in that aspect. He honestly did not mind living alone. There was no one to argue with or find out the truth from their thoughts.
"I'm going right this way," she pointed. "Whereabouts do you live?"
"I live in the other direction, by myself."
He did feel like he was giving her more personal information than he had really given anyone and he was doing it voluntarily.
"You live by yourself? Sometimes I wish that I did, then I think of lonely I would be," her smile didn't reach her eyes this time.
I spent most of my life living alone since mum and dad died and I don't think I can do it again.
For a rare moment Naru felt guilty about listening into other people's thoughts. He wasn't sure how to feel about hearing something that private. He decided to try to make up for it.
"I'll walk you back," he said and strode off leaving Mai to run after him.
When Naru eventually reached his apartment, he realised that he had no idea why he had done all the things he had done in the past three hours. Mai had invited him into her shared apartment and offered him some tea. For a moment Naru had been about to say yes.
What was wrong with him?
He had felt like being sociable. Even in the past where his brother was alive, he hadn't liked socialising.
Maybe it was because when he was around Mai, he couldn't hear anyone else's thoughts. It was only natural that he would want to be close to her. As for the other part, maybe he had become less socially awkward now he was older and Gene wasn't talking for him.
It was a novel thought.
He wouldn't mind having more contact with Mai Taniyama.