Author's note: This is where the story starts to follow the anime's plot.

Lunch break was Kusuo's favorite time on a school day. His usual routine included: hopefully evading Riki, Shun, Chiyo, and Teruashi and eating alone in the cafeteria. He has only succeeded eleven percent of the time. With the addition of Kana, the number dwindled to almost zero.

On one Wednesday, he noticed Kana walking to the opposite of the school cafeteria.

'The cafeteria is that way.'

Kana paused but didn't turn to him since there were people around.

'I'm not eating there.' She raised her left hand which he just noticed held a bento.

'Where?'

She led him to the back of the school. It was more on him following her but he wouldn't admit to that if you asked him.

After changing to their outside shoes, they went past the track field and through the corner where they hopped through some bushes. Hidden behind the greenery was a metal fence door.

'I found this last week.' Kana told him as she slipped off the lock of the door.

'Why is that there?'

'The land behind this is actually owned by the school. I found the original blueprints after some digging.'

'How even? And are we even allowed to go there?'

She shrugged and walked past the gate. 'Nobody said we can't. This place isn't even in the school rule book.'

'You actually read that.' Kusuo stated as he followed her through the screen gate.

Kana turned to him and beamed. 'You most likely have too.' She said.

'By the way, Saiki-kun, why did you follow me? Did you already have lunch?'

Kusuo stiffened. He hasn't had his lunch yet. He had been so preoccupied with curiously following her to her eating place that he forgot that he was supposed to be heading to go get lunch himself. By the time he gets there the tables would have been full which thwarted his plans to eat soba.

Kana observed his expression turn sour and brought a hand to her lips.

'Oh my.' She whispered under her breath before raising her lunch up into his view which was dumbly directed at her.

'I made bento. We can share.'

The small patch of land made it seems like they were miles away from school. There was a charm to the way that it was untouched for years. Small plants and shrubs littered around the corners of the trees. An indent in the overgrown grass signified that times that can passed though it.

They settled under the trees in a clearing where the grass was short. Different colored flowers danced against the wind. It looked like something straight out of travel brochure.

Kana set the cover of her bento on the grass, the lids of the two box's layers filled with food that she equally separated for them.

'Thank you for the food.' Kusuo clasped his hands and accepted one of the food-filled lids.

Kana mirrored his actions but took one of the boxes instead.

Kusuo helped himself to a tamagoyaki. He had high expectations because of the coffee jelly she gave him. And of course, as his self-proclaimed ally, Kana did not disappoint.

He gazed down at the half-eaten omelet and saw a piece of nori and cheese peeking at him from the folds. It's as if they were haughtily telling him that they were actually the star of the show that danced on his palate. Kusuo silently thanked them before shoving them down his mouth.

He moved on to his next victim. The karaage wasn't crispy due to the steam from when Kana covered them while they were still hot. But Kusuo didn't complain, the scallion and soy sauce made up for the lack of texture.

The lid was still littered the omelet and karaage, as well as two kinds of side dishes, the box had rice and octopus sausages. Did she plan on eating all of this herself?

From his side, Kana stared at him as he eagerly devoured his food. She felt relief flood her chest. I'm glad he likes them. If he tried my cooking the last few weeks, he wouldn't even think of touching any of the food. Just the thought of anybody eating of her past cooking horrified her.

'You found a good spot.' Kusuo's statement snapped Kana out of her thoughts.

'Mhmm. It's a nice accident I guess.'

'You said you found it on the school's blueprint.'

Kana taps her lips thoughtfully. 'I did my research after I found it. I was kinda chased out of the building.'

It was common for a student to bring a bento to school in Japan. Kana didn't start making bento until Yumehara had pointed out that she has never brought one to school.

'Kana-san, I've never seen you bring your own bento.' Yumehara said when they were eating together.

She excitedly blared how she would love to eat something Kana made. And Kana, bless her awkward and soft self, promised that she will try to make one. Emphasis on "try".

Whatever she brought the next day was not a bento at all. It somehow resembled bento but did not taste like one at all.

Kana only learned how to start making food after her family left Japan. And it was her mother that made any homemade Japanese food they had overseas.

So when the school bell rang to announce the start of lunch, she bolted out the door when Chiyo started to approach he with a predatory glint in her eyes. Chiyo lost Kana as the latter jumped out the window on the first floor.

'I ran without thinking. That's when I found this place.' Kana finished her thoughts having given Kusou permission to watch the memory in her mind.

Good job, Yumehara. You're not so bad after all. He thought while he bit into a karaage.

And somewhere in the school cafeteria, Chiyo sneezed.

Kokomi passed Kana on halfway and thus a battle commenced. A one-sided battle.

I'll show you how perfect I am. She thought as Kana waved at her, a small smile gracing her face.

A few ofuu~s were heard.

She made the first move! How sly! I'll show you who's perfect.

Kokomi waved back and gave her a brighter smile. Her aura blinding the boys that witnessed this intense confrontation. There were more ofuu~s this time.

That's right! I win! She gloated in her head.

Kana, who was oblivious to this fierce battle, continued to walk down the hall. She mildly squinted her eyes, having been blasted with Kokomi's aura.

From afar, Kana could see Kusuo being shaken by an unfamiliar guy with purple hair. Kusuo was then pushed aside by a crowd of girls that gathered in front of the guy.

'Who's that?' She thought.

'Toritsuka Reita, he transferred here today as a student of class 2- +. He's a psychic medium that can see and communicate with ghosts. He's also aware of my abilities.'

Kana blinked at him. She wasn't exactly expecting a reply since there were so many people around who were closer to him. 'I didn't think you'd hear me.' She replied.

'You're more relevant. It's only natural that I'd pick up your thoughts.'

Relevant? Kana tilted her head. 'Thank you?' She said.

'Get rid of the question mark.'

'Another one!' Reita had spotted Kana and immediately bounded for her. She managed to evade him by sidestepping. He awkwardly bounced a few steps on one foot with nothing to stop him. He was on his feet in a second.

'Ah, beautiful lady. May I interest you about your protective spirit.' He shamelessly winked at her.

'Um. No, thank you.'

'Well, let me take a closer look at you!' He insisted.

'She already said no, creep.' Kusuo glared at Reita with disgust. The other boys agreed with his sentiment.

'Oi, don't get so close to Yasuda-san!'

'Watch who you're talking to, dumbass!'

'You're decades too immature for our elf princess.'

I'm fifteen. Kana thought as she sank back to hide behind Chiyo.

'This is all so stupid.' Shun stepped into the scene. 'Well, I suppose I will ask. Who is my protective spirit?' He pointed at himself with apprehension.

'He really wants to know.' Saiki quipped.

'Your protective spirit is abnormal.' Reita replied seriously. Kana could see the excitement in Shun's eyes.

'What is it? Go on.' He urged.

Reita pointed at his head. 'It's a chihuahua.' He declared, clearly unimpressed.

Shun, the Jet Black Wings, huffed with embarrassment and screeched at Reita. The medium had to be fake to not be able to see the true likeness that is his protective spirit.

'A chihuahua suits Kaido-kun well.' Kana thought.

'You think?' Drawled Kusuo.

It was one of those moments when Kusuo forgets that it wasn't just Nendo who he couldn't hear come at him. Kana could give Nendo a run for his money when it comes to sneaking on Kusuo.

'Saiki-kun?' Kana tapped him on the shoulder. He jumped a little from his spot at the end of the hallway.

'Good grief.' He sighed when realized it was her.

'What are you doing here?' She asked him. He had been just standing there.

'I'm observing our class representative, Kineshi Hairo.' Kusuo pointed at the guy who sounded like he was cheering for one of her classmates. Hairo urged the female student to "push past against her limit".'

'He sounds intense?' Kana stated after a few seconds of watching the poor girl heaving the box towards Hairo.

'Again with the question mark.'

'Alright! I will do my best too.' Hairo declared, his voice booming through the corridor. He dropped into a low squat. 'I will hop to the teacher's room!'

Kana blinked, taken back by his statement. Is he serious? As if in cue, he started to bunny hops in the direction of the teacher's room.

'He's tough to others, but he is tougher to himself-' Kusuo began.

'Yes, I can see that.'

'As a result, his classmates follow him.' He finished.

'Look at Hairo.' A boy from their class pointed at the hopping figure on the floor.

'I want to hop, too!' Another boy remarked.

You want to? Kana couldn't grasp why he would. The exercise is good but in the middle of the school corridor? And right now when class is about to start?

'I will join in even if I have nothing to carry!'

'Teacher's room, I am coming for you.' Hairo roared as excessive sweat dripped from his face.

'I don't dislike him, but I don't think we will get along well.' Kusuo said as he peeked at Kana from beside her.

'Get used to it.' He told her.

'Saiki-kun.' Kana held a hand to her lips like she usually does. 'Do you think he's...' She trailed off.

'He's what?'

Kusuo tensed as she suddenly leaned towards him, their shoulders almost touching. Kana had no idea of their close proximity as she still kept her gaze on the sight that is Hairo and their classmates.

'Do you think he's that?' She asked him in a hushed tone.

Kusuo corrected his posture. 'What?'

'Do you think he's an M?' Kana blurted out, unabashed.

'Don't put that image into my mind!'

Like some cruel play, Hairo had captured both Kusuo and Kana after class. He babbled about how much sweat humans produced while sleeping.

Meanwhile, Kusuo actively ignored him and focused on glaring at Kana who refused to meet his gaze.

'You put this energy onto us. You shouldn't have claimed it.' He admonished.

'I'm really sorry.' She weakly replied still looking anywhere but his face.

Hairo told them how his helper caught a cold and couldn't help finish the entrance to the sports festival. He asked(forced) them to help and led them to an unused classroom.

'It's almost done.' He said. 'We just need to connect the base to the arch.'

'Isn't it suppose to be the other way around?' Kana asked Kusuo. Before he could reply, Hairo had opened the classroom door.

'So could you help...'

The base lie on the floor, split into two. Hairo exploded and, as his personality demands, started to aggressively scream at the pitiful pieces of wood.

'You can't motivate inanimate objects.' Kana heard Kusuo lecture Hairo. 'Good grief. The three of us can't fix this. I'm going home.' He turned towards the door.

'Wait, Saiki! Yasuda!' Hairo called. 'Let's try our best! If we hurry, we can catch the last train home.' He hollered.

'Just let me leave.'

Please, have mercy. I'm sorry for calling you an M when you're definitely an S.

Hairo had disappeared somewhere to purchase more wood to fix the base. Kusuo used the chance and activated his psychokinesis to finish the arch and started lounge on a box to read and pass time. Kana sat against the box and busied herself with their homework for the day.

Dusk was upon them. The sky illuminated with hues of red and orange-like fire that peeked through the clouds.

Kusuo peeked at her from the corner of his book and spied how she got all the correct answers so far. She's quite intelligent. He observed, remembering how she mentioned moving countries more than once. How many languages can she speak?

He heard from Chiyo's thoughts that, aside from her unspeakable amount of admiration for Kana's body, the latter also excelled during gym class. Of course, home economics was a breeze for her as well. What is she not good at? He wondered.

'Ne, Saiki-kun, do you know how to solve this problem?'

Of course, I do.

'Figure it out yourself.' He told her instead.

She did not say anything afterward and continued to finish the homework. The problem was solved a few minutes later. She got it right.

Kana closed her notebook and tucked it back into her bag. 'He's not here yet.' She stated and reached into her backpack. She took out a Rubik's cube.

'Can you at least mix this up? Please?' She asked, turning to him. Kusuo tensed because of her again, without the barrier of the book in his hand their faces would have been only 10.4 inches away from each other. He leaned back and glared at her. She looked completely unbothered by the lack of space between them.

He hoisted himself and swiped that damn toy from her hand.

See if you can solve this. He complacently smirked in his head and gave her the cube.

She took a quick look at it before looking back at him. 'You twisted two of the corners.' Kana twisted the said corners back into the place. 'Thank you.' She timidly smiled at him.

'Are you sure you're not just another psychic?' He asked dryly.

'Hm?' Kana leaned back her head to face him again. The Rubik's cube in her hand already sorted into the respective colors. 'I'm completely ordinary.' She said.

Kusuo looked at her, skeptical. Was that even 10 seconds?

'Aside from my ability to sense and block people's ability, I'm just me.' She stated as if it were the most obvious fact on the planet.

Kusuo doubted her words as he absentmindedly mixed up the cube in her hand with his psychokinesis. She smiled at him again and started to solve it.

8.674 seconds.

Not a world record but definitely impressive. 'You must be a Hairo too.'
He remarked.

'Me? How?' She raised an eyebrow at him.

'A Rubik's cube takes time to master. You are either a genius or you spent too much time on it.'

Kana looked back at the cube and back up at him. 'I guess I had too much time on my hands?'

'Why are you always unsure?'

'Saiki-kun, I'm almost immune to every alteration you made in the world. I'm bound to be unsure about many things.' She retorted.

'Right.'

He settled back on his box and decided to focus on another human anomaly who also acted as if he had too much time in his hands. He used clairvoyance to spot Hairo who was most definitely and unfortunately dragging an entire log back to school.

Kusuo just about had it for today.

Hairo sled into the wall with a log beside Kusuo and Kana. The latter fell to her side with a small yelp. She winced but immediately recovered when she saw a poster on the signboard.

Oh.

'Class rep. Are you okay?' She gasped at the crack he left on the wall.

'Sorry for the wait! We can finish this by dawn now.' He boomed, unfazed by the impact.

'Actually, we have time-.' Kana propped herself on the box Kusuo had partially vacated.

'No, you can finish it sooner than that.' A voice announced from the door. A bunch of random students gathered at the door.

'What? Why are you here?' Hairo asked them.

'We were at practice, and we saw you sliding on that log.' The same guy from the bunny hopping incident stated.

And you took that as a sign to help? Kana dumbly stared at them. 'Um... we really don't have to-' She began again.

'You always help us.'

'Let us help you.'

'Alright! Let's do this!'

Kana slumped on her spot. The atmosphere was too good for her to dampen the mood. She watched the crowd huddle and started on the repairs of the base.

I'm sorry, Saiki-kun.

Without her power, Kana would have a hole the size of a grapefruit in her head or no head at all. Kusuo had slapped her from the back of her head when he found out that she knew that the sports festival was a month later from the signboard.

And now here she was, headed to the Saiki's residence with a basket of coffee jelly she promised as a peace offering.

She rounded to corner into their street and spotted a familiar figure knocking on the front door. Kana could recognize him as Nendo Riki, one her classmates that hounded Kusuo. He stood with his giant frame staring at the door which was slightly ajar.

'Hello, Nendo. Are you here to see Saiki-kun?'

Riki turned to her. 'Oh! Yasuda-san. Hi! I'm here to visit my pal.' He rubbed the back of his head as pink tinted his cheeks.

Kusuo appeared through the door and spotted Nendo and Kana.

He requested Nendo's assistance to help exterminate a cockroach that cornered him while he was cleaning the house.

'Are you scared of insects?' Kana asked Kusuo as he lifted a kitchen cabinet into the air with his psychokinesis.

'I despise them.'

'Splat! Splat!' Nendo slammed his hand to squish two roaches.

Kana and Kusuo froze, blatant disgust etched on their face as they stared at the piece of roach stuck to Nendo's thumb. 'Okay. Let's go eat ramen.' He told them.

Kusuo did not hesitate to kick him out of his home.

'Well, now that's dealt with. Here's the peace offering.' Kana held the basket out to Kusuo. 'I'll be going now, Saiki-kun.' He was already too distracted with the treats in his arms.

Passing the door out to their genkan, Kana spotted their laundry room and paused. An abominable sight sucked the soul out of her body.

Is that...?!

From Kusuo's perspective, he heard a piercing scream that snapped him from his fantasm. Kana burst back into the living room with the most aggravated expression he has ever seen on her. He tensed as she slowly turned her head to him like some undead creature in a horror movie. Her face darkened every second, an eerie miasma gathered around her. Kusuo unconsciously stepped back and sucked in a nervous breath.

That day he painfully learned not to mix white clothes with colored ones.

'Isn't that Chiyo-san and her boyfriend?' Kana asked. She found Kusuo staring after the couple as they left the school.

'He's not remaining as her boyfriend if I don't do anything about it.' He adjusted the bag on his shoulder.

She lifted her brow at him. 'Why you?'

'Yumehara developed feelings for me before she got together with Takeru. I would prefer she did not go back into liking me after their inevitable break up.' He stated nonchalantly.

'Um... good luck with that then, Eros-kun.' Kana teased behind her hand before bounding off into the direction of her home.

She heard him balk at her statement.

At night, Chiyo texted her about her breakup with Takeru.

The cupid failed.

A month passed quickly just as Hairo said and the PK Academy's sports festival was in motion. Students, parents, and school staff crowded the school's field. After being away for years, Kana was excited to experience the event again.

Kusuo thought the opposite. Being forced to stay because of his nagging parents. He had just won third place against track club members much to his dismay.

Riki participated in the scavenger. He flashed by his fellow competitors and left them in the dust. Kana was sure he would win this for their class when he confidently ran up to them. But who would've thought he would pull out one of Kusuo's control devices.

Kusuo fell to the ground. Kana, who felt the extreme surge of power, followed suit. She fainted in a more graceful manner into Kokomi's arms who stood behind her.

'Saiki!'

'Yasuda-san!'

Fortunately, Kusuo woke up after Hairo inserted the device back into this head. He snapped his eyes open to his classmates crowding around.

'He regained consciousness!' Shun gasped. 'Are you okay?'

Hairo pointed at the device on Kusuo's head from behind 'He collapsed when that was taken off, so I put it back.'

Somebody removed it?

He saw the remnants of what had entailed when was passed out. Somewhere out in space, the International Space Station regained control. A random scientist with some scale that turned back to normal. And a wise old woman in a dark hut, dismissing the fact that she announced that she just announced the end of the world. That was close. I was out for a few seconds. That could have been much worse.

'Are you okay, pal?' Riki asked him.

Kusuo glared at him. Riki was unreadable and this was a consequence of his stupidity. I never thought Nendo would remove it though. I knew he was dangerous.

The train of ominous events that happened when passed out thoroughly bothered Kusuo. And that was only one control device. I will need to get rid of him.

'We should take Kana-san to the infirmary.' He heard Kokomi say.

Kana laid on her lap, still devoid of motion. Her braided hair tucked behind he hair. Kokomi stared at her with worry etched in her delicate brows. Her bright aura mingled with the air but did not reach Kana who had an invisible barrier around her.

She must have fainted too when she saw Saiki. Was she that concerned about him?! Do men like women who were weak when they were?! Kokomi thought as she held Kana, deliberately ignoring the way that the latter looked like one of those women that needed to be rescued to beat a game.

That is one heck of an imagination.

The boys had wider imaginations as it appears in their thoughts. The sight before them sparked inner desires not meant for young audiences without parental guidance. Takashi, in particular, expressed his thirst from the deep corners of his heart. His perverse mind drew up explicit images beyond Kusuo's wildest dream. This! This is a complex level of attraction! This is... y-y-yu-'

That's enough. Kusuo chided, blocking out the boy who vibrated in appalling excitement.

Kusuo heard the scavenger hunt result from the background. Not really caring as he addressed Kana's state. Why?

During lunch and his futile attempt to consume his bento. Kusuo wondered back to Kana's limp body. Hairo had volunteered to bring her up to the infirmary and lucky for Kusuo most of the class followed and he was left to his own devices. He recounted the times when Kana told him about her powers as his chopsticks snapped in his hand.

Kusuo sat at the side of the school building. The clearing was currently not accessible because of the number of people in the field.

'Saiki-kun's telepathy feels like a screw being driven into my head while your x-ray feels like a gust of wind.' That must be it. She felt the full force of my powers with one of the devices out. Yasuda most likely fainted from the pain.

He compared the notes in his head, if his telepathy and mind-reading felt like a screw then how about this? He squeezed his hands with regret that he could not do much for both of them.

It's dangerous for me to participate in the afternoon events like this. I need to leave early.

'Hey, pal!' He heard Riki's voice from around the corner. This is bad. I need to now. He kneeled on his leg and positioned himself to teleport home. Of course, he couldn't with the lack of control of his powers. Riki found him like that.

'Are you feeling sick? You should leave early.' Riki suggested and Kusuo could swear that he felt less unintelligent at the moment. I didn't expect to hear that.

Before he could agree, the rest of the class found them. He was barraged with 'Are you okay, Saiki!' or 'Will you be okay' or 'You shouldn't push yourself.' and other sympathetic words.

'We will take your place here.'

'Leave it to us!'

These guys...

Hairo raised his fist into the air in encouragement. 'Let's win this for Saiki!'

'Yes!' The rest of the class replied.

'Let's win this for Yasuda!'

'Yes!'

'Let's offer the championship trophy to them.'

It's tougher to leave now.

Kana woke up right after the tug of war competition. She hauled herself back to the field with Chiyo guiding her. Chiyo told her about how she passed out right after Kusuo did.

That hurt. Kana winced at the pain at the back of her head. The moment Riki pulled the control device off Kusuo's head, an invisible force had sucked the breath out of her lungs. Her entire body pulsed with the sensation of what felt like sharp objects stabbing through her. What's even more curious is that the pain made me have déjà vu. How?

'Kana-san, are you sure you don't want to go home?' Chiyo asked her.

'I'll be okay. Thank you, Chiyo-san.' Kana affected a smile, erasing any sign of pain from her face. It's been years since I got to join a sports festival.

'Yasuda-san!'

'It's Yasuda-san!'

'Elf-sama we were worried.'

'Yasuda-san. Will you be okay?' Kana caught Kokomi's voice over the sea of her classmates. Chiyo informed her that she passed out on Kokomi.

Kana felt the prickling heat of a blush on her cheeks. She actually fell on someone. 'Thank you for catching me, Teruhashi-san.' She said, bowing her head to hide her face.

Kokomi, who was aware that her beauty surpassed, couldn't help but feel flustered at the sight of Kana's shy demeanor.

S-She looks like a cat! Yes, that's it! She reminds me of my pet! Kokomi said to herself, avoiding any thought of complimenting her rival. 'You can fall on me anytime.'

What?

She raised her hands up, blushing a little redder than Kana had. Kokomi flailed her hand embarrassingly, rushing to correct her statement. 'I mean, you're welcome!'

'Ah. It's yu-'

Kusuo glared at his classmates who took this misunderstanding with suspicious sugar instead of a grain of salt. Okay, that's where I draw the line!

They placed second on the next event. Kana had sensed Kusuo using his power to help out after Hairo and the majority of their male classmates declared that they would shave off their heads when they would loose to class two. She knew that somehow that the condition would be lost among their inhibition.

Kana was right after Hairo and befoe Kusuo on the relay baton pass. She waited for the latter to pass her the baton. She was not the best runner at all but she had the confidence to at least pass one or two players during her lap.

Hairo ran up to her, the sun highlighting every sweat on his forhead. He sucked in air like the vacuum cleaner Kana got last Sunday.

She positioned herself to receive the baton and when she felt it touch her palm, she grabbed it and dashed through the track with the fervor of seasoned warrior. Well, that's what the audience saw anyway.

If Teruhasi was as princess, Kana was an otherwordly fantasy character it seems.

Kana passed had placed them first with the three runners oddly distracted by her.

'It's up to you now, Saiki-kun!' She passed kusuo the baton.

It would have ended like that, with class three first and class two left in the dust. But Kusuo had tripped in the last lap.

The next day, Kana only gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder when they ate together in the clearing with his head shaven. The lot of them did forget about the condition.

At the end of the month, Kusuo had gone out to purchase a stock pile of his favorite treat. He did this with Kana who he dragged out of her loft.

They started a routine that every two weeks, on a weekend, he would accompany her to wherever she wanted to go. For today, she promised him a strawberry shortcake and a matcha cheesecake and he was not about to pass the chance to accompany them with coffee jelly.

He also enjoyed the quietness of Kana's home where food was abundant and the only occupant being a hermit who was more interested in her own things than his presence.

'Saiki-kun, couldn't you have given me five more minutes.' She tiredy asked from behind him.

They had scheduled a grocery trip for both of them. Kana, who slept in on the weekends, would always have her body clock clapped by the force that is Saiki Kusuo who she had the unfortunate decision of giving permission to enter her home anytime.

'I told you we were going out at 8.' He tugged her arm as she sluggishly tried to kept up with him with what little will she had. She left most of them back on her queen-sized bed, soft pillows, and warm blanket.

Kana absentmindedly towed the cart as she filled it with whatever was in her shopping list. Kusuo busied himself with the kind of coffee jelly he would get today.

She rounded the corner and heard his inner turmoil between quality and quantity. Should I just tell him I have ingredients to make some at home? She pondered as she watched him take out a bunch of coffee jelly in his basket only to fill it with another kind.

Kana appreciated the company and enjoyed the lack of chatter between them. But would she really look over the amount of times he had pulled her duvet into the cold floor and her along with it at ungodly hours during a weekend.

He can suffer.

'A cup of coffee jelly for 2,950 yen? That is so foolish. Who would buy that?' They exited the store together, both carrying their respective groceries. Kana hauled four large plastic bags while Kusuo carried a single baggie.

'You.'

'Me.'

'I'll ride a cab back home, Saiki-kun. Bye.' She told him listlessly, not bothering to stay for the remainder of his speech about how ridiculous his purchase was. They mostly parted like this since they lived in opposite directions.

She barely managed to close the fridge where she deposited some of her groceries. Kana had sucummed to sleep by the kicthen aisle wholy forgoing the bed she had daydreamed about.

When Kusuo arrived to claim his spoils for the day, Kana had been lounging on her couch watching a drama.

He went straight to Kana's fridge and helped himself to a slice of cake. He sat down at one of the bean bags beside her.

'Is this a new drama?' He asked her. Another one of the reasons he preferred to stay at her hous was her wide range of media consumption. Having lived in different countries, she preferred to watch foreign shows as well. Some of the shows were old and spoilers about them was little to zero in Japan.

Kana pretended it was not on purpose and definitely not for his sake.

'Yeah. It's about court life in the Qing dynasty.' She explained taking a dish she had on the table that was obscured by a tall glass of milkshake.

Kusuo stilled, there was a dessert in her hand. 'Is that what I think it is?' Dark jelly were in spheres instead of a cylindircal shape and under them was a generous dallop of whipped cream. There no was mistaking it.

Kana sat there on the couch enjoying a mouth-watering portion of coffee jelly, ignoring his staring. Was she she doing it on purpose?

'Snap!' Her camera clicked. 'That's another one for the album.' She said and continued on consuming her treat while he remained frozen on the spot, more still than the noble consort that was slapped on her TV. She saved the photo under an album called "Saiki Kusuo being less Saiki-like".

Kusuo gapped at her. There he was, stuck with a piece of cake while she enjoyed homemade ambrosia. Sure he had two more of those 2,950-yen coffee jelly the kid and his sister gave him as a gift. But this was Kana's creation. Did the jelly taste better as spheres? His mind filled with calculations and judgement over the which tasted better. Is that caramel under the sphere?!

By the time he got over the fact that he somehow did not win or loose that day, Kana had deposited her dishes into the sink. Did I take it too far?

She watched him half-heartedly consume his cake, he would sometimes miss his mouth and leave his cheek with a streek of matcha powder.

Deciding to finally take pity on him, Kana took another picture before she gave him a portion of coffee jelly she had hidden away. 'Let this be a lesson, Saiki-kun'.'

Kusuo left her place, a happy man with more than enough sweets to spare. The only lesson he learned was that coffee jelly spheres were venerable.