Author's note: Apologies for all the updates... I'm on a roll. :)
Chapter 10 -Wishful Thinking
Had it really been another power leak?
"Keep an eye out for ya, Stingray!"
Maybe it was just another one-off? Wasn't that an oxymoron anyway?
"Yeah! SEE YA!"
Saiki sighed and turned the TV off. If not even the worst fighting scene in the history of B-movies could hold his attention anymore, then he was truly beyond help. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor in his bedroom, staring at the now black screen.
He'd had a week to mull over what had happened and it made as little sense to him now as it did then. At this point he was wondering if he'd even really heard her thoughts at all. Maybe it had just been his imagination? That might just be wishful thinking though.
Saiki had locked himself in his room as soon as he'd arrived home that night. Of course he'd tried to use his powers, and of course they'd been as dried up as they were before. He hadn't picked up his parents' thoughts or anyone else's on the way home, either.
It had only been that one, single thought, and yet it had been enough to turn his world upside down.
He'd intended to talk to Kusuke about the power leaks the next day, but the older brother had already departed. He'd left Saiki a birthday present, though. It was nothing special, just a stupid rock. Something he'd discovered in space. Apparently he'd named it saikinium.
He didn't really know how much Kusuke could help him with the power leaks anyway. They'd discussed them before, just after they had first started to happen. The short answer was — who knew. Most likely his powers would stay sealed. There was a chance that his body would slowly revert back to what it was before. And all the other possibilities in-between.
Then there was that other issue that he should probably deal with at some point. His stomach churned just thinking about it. Just another kind of bodily malfunctioning to add to the list.
He couldn't sleep. He couldn't eat. He couldn't relax. He felt feverish half the time.
Saiki was absolutely convinced that this was the worst summer vacation yet. He'd nearly wish for it to be just over, but then he'd have to face her in school. Sit next to her all day. He rubbed his face in his hands, groaning.
I'll deal with it. With her.
The walls were closing in on him today. He got up, grabbed a book off his shelf and went downstairs. He told his mother he'd be out reading and left the house.
Just not today.
He wasn't sure why he'd brought a book. He'd forgotten he had the attention span of a goldfish right now.
Saiki had gone to the local park. It was a nice day for it, really. Not too hot today, either. He'd sat down in the grass to read, but failing that, he'd lain back instead. The summer breeze and the sun rays on his face made him sleepy. No wonder with how little rest he was getting lately. Maybe he'd just close his eyes for a bit.
Just for a second.
After a week of self-inflicted guilt tripping, Teruhashi had finally mustered enough courage to face her demon. Or devil, if you will. She'd made her way over to the Saiki residence, but the youngest member of the family wasn't home. This guy had turned avoidance into an art form, seriously.
His mother had let her know that he'd gone out to read though, so she figured that he should be either at the library or the park. With this weather, she knew where she would go, given such a choice. She'd spotted a familiar shade of pink lying down in the grass soon enough, with a little bit of help from the Gods to guide her way.
She'd approached him, wiping her clammy hands on her dress, only to realize he was actually sound asleep once she got close to him.
Now what?
Teruhashi considered bailing while she still had the chance. But no. This had kept her up all week. Honestly it ticked her off that he had just come down here to doze off, seemingly without a care in the world. Easy for some.
She spotted a book in the grass next to him.
Hmm.
She sat down beside him quietly and rummaged through her purse, pulling out a tiny notepad and a pen. She drew her worst angel yet. Goodness, it looked horrid. But it would have to do. She added a coffee jelly to the angel's hand, which did truly look like some mechanical bug now. Hopefully he would tease her about it later. She finished the note off with a heartfelt "I'm sorry" below it and put it with the bookmark in his book.
For a moment she considered leaving it at that and getting out of here before he'd wake. She didn't have that much faith in the healing powers of her stupid sketches though.
She'd been such an idiot for leaning into him like that. She'd been tired and comfortable in his presence and just hadn't really given it any thought. It'd just happened. Granted, she still thought his response had been a little excessive. It's not like she'd tried to kiss him. As if she ever would. She sighed. In another lifetime, maybe.
Why had he freaked out like that though? He thought she saw him as just a friend. He had said so. She wasn't quite sure if she should act on this new piece of information. She still didn't understand how he'd come to that conclusion in the first place.
Does he think that I friend zoned him?
She smirked. As if.
Teruhashi was playing with her necklace as she watched the snoozing source of her anxiety. Not often did she get the chance to shamelessly study his features like this. Once upon a time she'd found him only average. He was becoming more and more attractive each day though. She wasn't sure if that was him maturing or her feelings for him deepening. Probably a bit of both.
She noticed he was wearing the green shirt she'd picked out for him a week ago. It did look good on him. She'd tried to pay for it, jesting it was her birthday gift for him. She'd been semi-serious, too. Unfortunately he'd refused. Stubborn as a mule, he was. She smiled and wondered if it had been a conscious choice of him to put that shirt on today. You never knew with guys though. Probably not.
She also noticed that his skin was starting to show signs of sunburn. How long had he been lying here in the full sun? She went through her purse again and pulled out the sunscreen that she always carried with her. She may have let her guard down around Saiki, but to the rest of the world she was still the perfect pretty girl. She always came prepared. She held the tube in her hand and took off the top.
Okay. And then what, exactly?
She couldn't exactly just start covering him in lotion while he was asleep.
…
No, she really couldn't.
…
The sensation had been like coffee jelly. Cold and slippery to the touch. It felt refreshing. A real treat in this heat.
Saiki's drowsy mind didn't really question why it was on his forehead.
Mmmm…
His mind did start to register a familiar laugh in the far distance. Saiki opened his eyes, squinting from the bright sunlight. He raised his hand to wipe the coffee jelly off his face.
It was not coffee jelly.
Saiki sat up abruptly and stared at the white fluid on his fingertips in confusion. For a moment he wondered in horror if he'd just gotten bombarded by a bird.
"It's sunscreen," a merry voice reassured him. Saiki looked to his side and started when he realized who it was.
"Your skin's burning. Go on, smear it," Teruhashi smiled.
She… what?
His half-asleep mind was finally starting to catch up. He slowly moved his hands up to start spreading the cream. It was everywhere. Geez.
"Your stealth attack was uncalled for. I don't even get sunburn," he grumbled.
"Maybe as a psychic you didn't. But you were turning into a lobster at a fascinating rate just now." She chuckled. "It's, um, in your hair."
He glared at her. "I'm aware. Thank you."
Really? Just like that?
"Just how much did you put on?" he complained.
"Too much. Sorry," she laughed. "Put some on your arms as well. You look like a ghost with all that white on your face."
Saiki rubbed the sticky fluid on his arms slowly. This was so weird. Did she forget what happened? Weren't they supposed to be really awkward?
Did she really just break the ice with a bottle of sunscreen?
She's amazing.
He preferred it this way, really. Even if it meant being assaulted in his sleep with lotion.
"You've just got a bit left under your eye here," she said, pointing at a spot under her own eye. He wiped his face. "No, your other eye, you idiot. You're supposed to mirror me." He scowled at her and tried the other side. She broke into a giggle. "You're hopeless. You missed it. Um… may I?" she asked, her hand hovering in mid-air in front of him.
Saiki looked at her hand, then up at her. He nodded slowly.
She leaned in a bit and softly wiped the last bit of lotion away with her thumb. The sensation tickled his skin. Her hand seemed to halt for a moment… but then she moved back and smiled at him.
"There. You should get out of the sun, though."
He scoffed. "I'm fine."
"Stubborn, more like." Teruhashi got up and brushed some loose grass off her knees. "I have to get going now. Um…" she hesitated for a second. "I'll see you around?"
"I'm leaving to visit my grandparents day after tomorrow," he said, glancing up at her.
"Alright," she smiled. "Maybe, then."
She was like poetry in motion as she made her way to the exit of the park. Saiki couldn't help but watch her as she left. She turned her head back to him just before she was about to disappear around the corner, but she didn't raise her hand to wave, so neither did he. A moment later she was gone.
Just like that.
He took a deep breath. He felt giddy. With relief, of course. His telepathy hadn't triggered. Not even when she'd touched him. Maybe it really had been just another one-off? He should be safe again. For good now. Surely. It had only been a tiny leak, after all. Hardly worth mentioning. To her especially.
Saiki glanced at the book next to him. Maybe he could actually finish a chapter, now that he felt a bit better. He reached for it and opened it up in his lap. A little note fell out. Saiki picked it up, immediately recognizing what it was.
That angel looks awful. Even Kaidou could do better.
It didn't matter though. He read over her written words at least 10 times. He frowned.
She has nothing to be sorry for.
Saiki put the note back in his book and closed it. He should really get out of the sun after all.
"Let's eat!" the boys shouted, hands pressed together in a praying gesture.
As expected, Saiki had found them on his doorstep on the last day of their holidays to copy his homework. Such a pain. At least they now understood that access to his study materials was only granted after presenting a tray of coffee jelly. It softened the blow of having to deal with them for an entire day. Having honed their copying skills in the weeks leading up to the holidays, they finished in good time though. That was why Nendou had suggested that they go celebrate with a bowl of ramen.
"It feels like forever ago since we've been together with the full group," Kaidou said before digging in.
"Think it was before holidays started?" Kuboyasu replied. "We've been trying to get a date pinned to go do an escape room like you suggested, but everyone's been busy."
"Oh, I caught so many insects though," Nendou declared proudly.
"Oh man, we really should go though. That was so much fun! Right, Saiki?" Kaidou beamed at him. Saiki responded with a single nod.
"Right, you guys went there on that date! I nearly forgot," Kuboyasu grinned. "So have you kissed Yumehara-san yet, huh?" He gently elbowed Kaidou in the side. Kaidou still nearly knocked his bowl over.
"N-no…!" Kaidou stammered, steam coming out of his ears. "H-haven't really s-s-seen her over, over the holidays r-really. S-she did send me some texts."
"Really? Show me," Kuboyasu said, already holding Kaidou's phone in his hand somehow.
"Aren!"
Kuboyasu quickly scrolled through Kaidou's messages. "Man, you really are dense. See how many times she's hinted at meeting up?" Kuboyasu finished with a suggestive whistle. "You've gotta get your act together, dude."
Kaidou snatched his phone from his neighbor's hand. "S-shut up." Kuboyasu chuckled and went back to his meal. They ate in silence for a short while, only occasionally interrupted by Nendou's loud belching.
"So what about you, Saiki? Have you kissed yet?" Kuboyasu suddenly asked slyly.
Saiki choked on his noodles.
"What are you talking about?" he wheezed.
"Duh, Teruhashi-san? There's totally something going on between you two. You lucky bastard."
He was kidding, right? Saiki had to have the worst luck on the planet.
"There's nothing going on. We're just friends." He drank some water to soothe his throat.
"No need to act so coy. We're rooting for you, you know that." Saiki wanted to wipe that grin right off Kuboyasu's face, but he controlled himself. "We're just curious. Tell us!"
"There's nothing to tell. Shut up." He poked around in his ramen bowl with his chop sticks. Good grief.
"Come on man, you hang out all the time. How many times have you seen her over the holidays?"
Saiki shrugged. He'd lost count. Not that he was going to tell them that.
"Didn't you two pass notes to each other in class?" Kaidou asked carefully. The nerve on this guy. He'd only just gotten his normal complexion back.
"Ohh they did, didn't they!" Kuboyasu exclaimed. He and Kaidou sat behind Saiki in class, so they must have seen them do it. "What were they, huh? Love letters?"
Saiki was about to deny that they were, but they were interrupted by Nendou's wailing.
"Ohh ohh… partner's gonna get a new partner… waaahhh!"
Seriously?
Kuboyasu smiled at Nendou. "Don't worry about that. You know what they say, bros before h—"
Saiki tried to shut out the blathering of his pain-in-the-ass friends. How many times did he have to tell them? Geez. They were just friends. He drank some broth from his bowl. It felt like holding up a shield, if only for a moment.
"Why would he think I don't like him anymore though…"
Saiki winced. He'd been pushing her thought to the back of his mind, hoping it would stay there. He honestly had no idea what to do with that information. When did this get so complicated? He put the bowl back down slowly.
Does she still have feelings for me?
Well, even if she did, they couldn't.
Even though his powers were gone. He could lead a normal life now. It was just… not…
Saiki poked at a piece of tofu with his chopsticks. It wasn't exactly hard to get a hold of, but still he'd already dropped it twice. Blasted thing.
…why can't we?