Chapter 10. Kurumi Knows Best

Teruhashi wasn't having a good week.

For starters, Saiki was acting weird. Ever since he got those new glasses from his brother he was different. Not with anyone else though, he was still bored and serious faced Saiki to Nendou, Kaido and Aren, but there was something different about the way he kept looking at her. She couldn't quite place her finger on it, and she didn't dare hope that he was looking at her in a new light. More so than anything it just made her feel like he didn't like what he was seeing. Maybe seeing pink hued skin was too weird for him, after all he had been looking at her inside out body for years now. Wouldn't it be natural for a person to get used to that? Teruhashi had examined herself in the mirror for almost an hour when she had left his house that first night. Despite seeing her usual perfect pretty self looking back, she couldn't help but imagine that Saiki was seeing some form of monster.

But, she had told herself, that was ok. If Saiki couldn't stand the look of her anymore, at least he was still hanging out with her. Clearly he values her friendship over her looks, and that made her feel all warm and gooey inside. Plus she was happy that he was so delighted with his new glasses. No naked Nendou's or wiry TV's could bring him down now.

The second thing making this week a bad one was her brother.

Apparently, he had just finished shooting his latest movie, and with no current projects going on he was home all the time. Teruhashi was about 80% sure that if he barged into her room "accidentally" while she was changing one more time, the police would find his body halfway down the river.

So she was a little on edge. Trying to keep her privacy private at home was taking a lot out of her, which was seeping into her attitude at school. Which was probably why she took the third thing making her week bad so hard.

Chiyo was staring at her again. The two girls were sitting in the courtyard having lunch together, like they had the week before, but Teruhashi had noticed immediately that her friend was acting strange. For starters, she wasn't talking about boys. Once they had settled in to eat, Chiyo just started eating quietly, every now and then staring sadly at Teruhashi like the other girl was dying of a painful, untreatable disease.

"What Chiyo?" Teruhashi huffed, after the girl was caught staring for the third time. "Do I have something on my face?"

"No, you know your face is beautiful," Chiyo grinned halfheartedly, "You're always so beautiful, Kokomi..."

Teruhashi set down her rice and reached over to gently take Chiyo's lunch away from her, before gripping her hands tightly. "Chiyo... you're scaring me a bit. Are you ok?"

Chiyo's fingers curled around her friend's hand, clutching them close to her chest, "Yeah, I'm fine, I just... have something I have to tell you."

"You can tell me anything," Teruhashi smiled, "What is it?"

"Saiki and Auira are going out on a date this weekend."

Teruhashi's grip on her friends hands slackened, but Chiyo only held tighter, sensing her friend's distress immediately. "They're... what?"

Chiyo nodded sadly, maneuvering their joined hands so she could pet Teruhashi's hand reassuringly. "I'm guessing he just hasn't told you yet. Auira told me this morning she cornered him at a cafe yesterday and finally convinced him to give her a chance. You know the only reason she even transferred here was because she had a vision that he was her soulmate."

Saiki... dating Auira. Teruhashi could picture it. From what Saiki had told her, Auira's fortune telling was all very real, which meant she was a PSY user. She understood Saiki in a way that Teruhashi couldn't ever dream to. They had a shot at being really good together. And that sucked...

After a minute Teruhashi pulled her hands gently out of Chiyo's grip and composed herself. Though she doubted Saiki was really focusing his attention on her at this moment, he was less than 200m away, and if he was going on a date with Auira this weekend, he certainly didn't need to listen to her heartbroken thoughts. Instead she picked up her lunch and smiled a strained, but convincing grin at her friend.

"I hope their date goes well. Maybe I'll get to tease him over the outfit he chooses to wear or something."

Chiyo bit the inside of her cheek, and didn't reply.

It had been extremely difficult to keep her head in a happy place to keep Saiki in the dark on her feelings, but Teruhashi was getting scarily good at hiding things from him. Though she supposed it helped that sometimes when they hung out he coached her.

I don't like stealing your privacy from you. My parents have figured small ways around it so they can still surprise me for my birthday, and for Christmas. It doesn't always work, but if I'm not actively trying to figure it out, their chances of success are really good.

"So what? I should just pick a secret topic and then think other things around you?" Teruhashi giggled in her head, "What if I just focus really hard on hygiene products for women?"

Saiki grimaced, I probably won't be listening to your thoughts for very long then.

And he was right. As long as she didn't think heavily about the way her heart thudded when he touched her, or the pretty shade of violet of his eyes, he never gave any indication that he knew she was still thinking of him that way. She just focused on the movie they were watching, the conversation they were having, the lesson they were learning. It didn't matter if all of those other thoughts were in the back of her head, because Saiki wasn't digging for those thoughts, so he wasn't getting them.

So, confident in her abilities to keep her mind to herself, Teruhashi waited until the class was quietly solving math problems. Tapping her pencil against her desk, and staring blankly at the page, she reached out. "Sooooo... you have a date this weekend huh?"

Apparently. Saiki's voice responded immediately. She's been asking me to give her soulmate vision a chance since she transferred here. It was getting annoying.

Teruhashi smirked at her desk, "That's not the attitude guys are supposed to have when they get to date pretty girls."

What am I supposed to do then? He sounded amused, she wondered if he was smiling.

"You're supposed to be excited for starters," She laughed in her mind, careful not to do so out loud like she used to when they first started talking like this, "I mean, what if she's right and you are soulmates? This date could be the start of something really beautiful. It might even be your first kiss." Though she would be pretty jealous if he got his first kiss before she got her's.

Saiki was quiet for a minute. I didn't realize you would be ... excited about me dating.

"What?" Panic, "Why?"

I don't know. Since we became friends the part of your brain that was obsessed with me seems to have calmed down, which I'm very grateful for. But most people get angry when their close friends date because they're giving their time to someone else.

"Well, I guess I'm not that kind of person," Teruhashi breathed a sigh of relief, "Plus, I just want you to be happy. You don't have to hide these things from me."

Silence again. Had she thought too much? She turned back to her math, focusing hard on the formula she needed to solve the next problem, when he finally spoke again.

No. I guess I don't.

Now, back to present day. After all of those things making her week bad, Teruhashi had to sit and wait for Chiyo, as the girl rummaged through rack after rack of clothing to try and find the perfect outfit.

"I really don't think Kaido cares about what shirt you're wearing during the festival," She sighed, looking down at the clothes she had hung over her arm that she was dying to go and try on. "Plus, it's still a month away. Can't we go to the changing rooms now, the shirts you have are all wonderful."

"But they're not perfect!" Chiyo huffed, glancing over at her friend angrily, "Kaido will think I'm a fat cow if I don't find the perfect shirt that accentuates my curvy figure."

"Chiyo," Teruhashi frowned, "You're not fat."

"You don't get it, Kokomi," Chiyo picked two shirts off their hangers and draped them over her arm with nearly 10 others that were already there, "I was overweight, and I lost the weight, but there's still this part of my brain that feels overweight, that I can't shake. It makes clothes shopping a nightmare."

"Oh," Her friend was right, she didn't understand, "I'm sorry you have to feel that way."

"It's fine," Chiyo shrugged, before grabbing one final shirt and turning around with a grin, "Ok, now we can go try some things on."

Teruhashi grinned back, "Ok."

The girls finished their shopping spree happily, chatting about boys and school to their heart's content. When it was time for Chiyo to head home for supper and they headed towards the train station.

"Oh hey, is that Saiki?" Chiyo pointed out, nodding over towards one of the trains that was heading further into the city.

Teruhashi turned, yup there he was. Decked in what she was sure was his father's suit, and looking uncomfortable as he waited for his date to arrive. He looked really handsome though. Teruhashi grinned, "Should we go tease him before his date arrives?"

Chiyo nodded enthusiastically, and they went to move towards him when Auira's voice pierced through the air, and she ran over to Saiki first. Her blond hair bouncing as she ran. "Oh wow," Chiyo breathed, "She looks gorgeous."

"Yeah," Teruhashi frowned, eyeing the low cut dress and red stilettos the other girl was wearing, "She really does. Let's go get to our train, yeah?"

"Oh are we not-" Chiyo glanced back at her friend, realizing how uncomfortable she must be, "Oh... oh yeah. We better hurry."

They made it to their train twenty minutes before it was even set to depart. Chiyo pulled out her phone to text her mom that they were heading back, and Teruhashi glanced behind her at the couple that were heading towards a different train.

"You look really handsome."

There was a long pause that made her think Saiki hadn't been able to pick up her voice with all the other people around. But then, just as he was disappearing into his train with his date, she saw him smile.

Thank you.

Feeling a bit happier, Teruhashi focused her attention back to Chiyo and allowed herself to forget that who could've been the love of her life was drifting away.

Saiki felt horrible.

It was a weird feeling for him, since he generally didn't care much about the other people in his life besides his mom and (sometimes) dad. But the look on Auira's face was haunting him, and making it very difficult for him to try and sleep.

The old suit of his father's had been removed and tossed unsparingly on the floor as soon as he had arrived back home from his teleport. Once free from it's tragic, shoe licking, confines, he had pulled on pajamas and climbed strait under his covers. His mother and father were downstairs watching TV, and he could hear their thoughts swirling around his date and how it was going, they clearly didn't know that he had arrived home. They weren't helping. His skin felt sticky and gross, like he had gained a small drop of each club goers sweat before making his exit. That wasn't helping. Those last words that Auira had said to him, Is this because of Teruhashi? You said you didn't like her, kept pounding in his ears. That wasn't helping either.

He didn't like Teruhashi. He didn't like anyone.

Besides his mom.

And his grandparents.

And he guessed his dad.

Sometimes he liked Nendou, Kaido, and Aren.

Mera, Chiyo and Hairo were ok.

And he liked Teruhashi because she was his best friend.

His phone buzzed against his bedside table. Saiki poked his head out from under his covers and telepathically made his phone float over where he could read it.

I hope your date went well.

Makoto got a reservation for me at a new sweet cafe that just opened downtown!

Obviously, I don't really want him to be my plus one so... Wanna come with?

Reservations are at 1, let me know.

Teruhashi. She always popped up at the perfect time.

Saiki smiled to himself. This helped.

"So the date didn't go well then?" Saiki watched as Teruhashi examined the little cakes in front of her before pulling the one with a purple frosted flower towards her and taking a bite. "Why not?"

She took me to a club, Telepathy was the best thing in the world when sweets were involved as it didn't hinder him shoveling all the tiny cakes into his mouth. Like, a dirty, booze filled, dancing club.

Teruhashi snorted, choking slightly on her cake, "Does she know you at all?"

Apparently not. Saiki slid her coffee closer to her for her throat, I felt a little bad leaving her there though.

"Well... you should," Teruhashi sipped at her coffee slowly, "But, once you apologize to her at school I'm sure she'll forgive you."

Apologize to her?

Teruhashi rolled her eyes, "Yes, Saiki, apologize to her. You left her in a club, alone, with a bunch of drunk sweaty strangers. Auira might be able to take care of herself, but imagine if it had been me you left there. I don't have superpowers."

Neither do I.

"Yes you do." She took another bite of the purple flower cake, "Besides leaving her there, there's nothing wrong with not wanting to go out with her again. It's a risk of dating, not everyone is compatible."

She kissed me.

He wasn't sure why he said it. It definitely wasn't something that Teruhashi had to know, or probably even wanted to know. But the words spilled from his mind and into hers before he could take them back, so he watched curiously as Teruhashi froze a little in place.

"Oh..." She cleared her throat and took another long drink from her coffee, "Your first kiss huh?"

Yeah, Saiki wished she wasn't so good at focusing on one thing to throw him off. Normally he barely noticed, but considering her mind was carefully going over the colors on each of the pastries spread out across their table, it was pretty obvious there was something else in her head she didn't want him to hear. I didn't really like it.

She wouldn't look at him, "Well, that's probably because you don't really like her. When you actually like a girl it'll probably be amazing." Her cheeks were so red.

Saiki didn't respond, but instead took a slow and thoughtful bite from a strawberry that had been on top of a brownie on his plate. He wondered, briefly, if it would feel nice kissing her.

"Anyway," Teruhashi clicked her tongue and Saiki broke away from his thoughts, "My brothers movie premier is two weeks from now. Did you want to put on your telepathy blocker ring and come with us?"

I don't like your brother.

She rolled her eyes, "I know, but with you there he won't act like it's some weird date between the two of us, plus you'll be wearing the ring so you won't hear his thoughts."

Saiki smirked, Fine. But you're buying my popcorn.

"Heck, I'll buy you candy and nachos too, as long as you come," She laughed, a light and pretty sound, before smiling sweetly at him, "Thanks, Saiki."

His heart thudded.

"Is this because of Teruhashi? You said you didn't like her."

Saiki blinked. Did he?

Kurumi Saiki never thought this day would come.

But here it was. Her youngest son was sitting at the kitchen table, watching her prepare supper, and looking extremely uncomfortable. She just knew he had something on his mind, and she knew that he knew that she knew he had something on his mind. So Kurumi just waited, patiently rubbing salt into the salmon they would be having later, and clicking the oven on to preheat.

After several more minutes, Saiki finally let her know what was on his mind.

A long time ago, I came to the conclusion that I would never be able to grow to care for anyone.

"Oh Ku~Chan, that's mean!" Kurumi clicked her tongue at him, "What about me and papa? You care about us."

That's different.

"Not it's not," She whacked the sink tap with her elbow, and ran her hands under the water to wash off the salt stuck to her fingers, "We might be your family, but there's a lot of people out there who don't care about their family at all."

Suddenly a hand towel was floating in front of her face. Grinning, Kurumi took it from the air and dried her hands before turning off the water and turning to look at her son.

"Is this because of all your little friends at school?" She knew better than to say Teruhashi, but that didn't stop her from immediately thinking of the blue haired beauty. Her son grimaced.

I seem to have found myself in a situation I didn't really expect. There's technically 9 people at school that consider me a friend, and at least 5 of them I actually care about.

"But that's wonderful Ku~" Kurumi walked over and gently pet the top of his head, "You have so many people in your life that care about you, and caring about them too only makes you stronger."

How? Saiki pulled away from her hand and wouldn't meet her in the eyes. He was so darn cute.

Kurumi laughed, "Because, if something ever happened to the people you cared about you'd have the motivation to work harder, or be stronger. Doing something for no reason doesn't result in anything."

He didn't respond, so when the oven beeped, signaling the preheat had finished, Kurumi walked back over to slide the pan of fish steaks into the rack. Humming to herself, she walked over to fridge and took out several things of corn. "Are you ok with corn on the cob as a side Ku? I just bought some from the store this morning, so it's fresh."

Mom, how do you know when you care about someone in a different way them someone else?

Kurumi paused, staring down at the corn in her hands and letting the fridge slowly swing shut on it's own behind her. "Hmm," she set the corn on the table in front of Saiki, smiling when he immediately shucked them with his powers in a few seconds. "I guess we could do a test."

What kind of test? Saiki's brows were furrowed, as he sent the peelings from the corn flying into the garbage can and out of their sight. Trivia isn't exactly fair when I'm playing you know.

Kurumi laughed again and scooped up the corn, "I know Ku~Chan, that's not what I mean." She headed over to the sink to wash the vegetables, and fill a pot with water. "Just think about all the people you care about, examine your feelings for them, and imagine who you could or couldn't live without."

I could live without anyone. Saiki sighed and she swore she could hear him rolling his eyes behind her back.

She glanced at him over her shoulder, "Sure, everyone can live without someone when they're forced to, but whose absence is gonna hurt the most when they're gone?" Kurumi smiled, proud of her own wisdom, "Those are the real questions."

A few minutes went by as she set the pot of corn on the stove top to boil, before Saiki spoke to her again.

But I said I could never properly be in a relationship. That's what I'm used to, and now...

Kurumi walked over to sit across the table from her son and take his hands, "Those glasses your brother made for you really changed your whole world didn't they Ku?" Her son frowned, and stared down at their hands. "Maybe this is something you should talk about with Teruhashi? We both know she liked you for a long time."

This isn't how I assumed my life was going to go.

Kurumi chuckled, "Kusuo, no one knows how their life will go. Not even all powerful psychics." She patted his hand and he smiled.

They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, Saiki allowing his mother to pet his hand and hum to herself, before she had to get up and check on supper. Seeing his chance, he quickly made his escape up to his room. Departing with only a single warning.

Don't ever tell Dad that we had this conversation.

Kurumi smiled to herself, and focused on supper.