Warning; It has mentions of bullying.
Bullying and Belief
The atmosphere was silent; everyone in the room except Kazuya looked at Kurobara with a gawking expression. Shocked by her amazing abilities. Oliver had a raised eyebrow as she turned to him with a tilted head, with a cocky expression. There, her blue and red eyes had an orange tinge to them; her red-eye turned a faint blue.
Her smirk was transformed into a smug smile. "Now that's what I call spoon bending," She arrogantly spoke, a chill erupted the room. Mai gaping, eyes wide with amazement, but honestly, the only reaction Kurobara wanted was Olivers.
Kurobara knew that Mai caught onto her outlandish behavior, knowing she wasn't one to show off. She knew it was wrong… she knew what she was doing was not her at all but her body, her heart moved at will. Her mind fought the urge, but as soon as she looked over Oliver, all she could think about was that he was standing there.
She may have looked confident, but in all honesty, she was anxious. She was scared, feelings of dread filling her sense up. Why was it… that she couldn't get him out of her head. Why did she feel so warm around him? So… nervous around him. She knew the logical answer to what she was feeling.
Kuro's throat went dry, as her brain flashed bright red warning words at her… A four-letter word, she dreaded.
LOVE…
LOVE…
LOVE…
LOVE…
It flashed four times; heart beat thumping. Kurobara quietly moved away to Mai and Kazuya, putting a bit of distance between Kazuya and Kuro. Mai looked on in concern, noticing her sudden quiet behaviour.
Kurobara's mind screamed at her, telling her what she didn't want to know. An internal struggle, a battle formed into her mind. 'No' She cried out in her mind, 'I'm not in love with him!' She screamed out, trying to trick her body into agreeing with her but alas… It didn't stop what she was feeling.
She opened her mouth, which was dry. "Since we established that we could Bend spoons, would you mind telling us what we want to know" She spoke confidently. Mask covering her insecurities. However, her voice cracks while speaking, making her flinch. Mai and Kazuya picked on it quickly.
Kasai sighed out in defeat, still holding onto Naru's broken spoon.
"During the summer break, I was watching a TV show late at night and saw someone bending a spoon. I tried to imitate it, and I actually started being able to bend it." Kasai explained as she fiddled with the two halves of the spoon Naru had broken, using a little PK to fuse them back together.
Mai gasped in astonishment, while Kurobara sighed softly. She was impressed she had to admit, but right now she was just glad that she had a distraction from her… mind.
"After trying to do it a few times, it started getting easier to do. Although, I can't break it off completely like the both of you."
"Huh?" Mai said, confused. Not understanding what they were talking about. Noticing a faint red dancing on her friend's cheek. 'Is Kuro... blushing.'
Kurobara was about to open her mouth to try and explain it, but she was beaten to it. "Years ago, there was a phenomenon where many people experienced psychic awakening after seeing Uri Geller's performance on TV. Those people were called the 'Gellerini'." Ubusuna-sensei explained kindly.
"You know it very well." Naru remarked before turning his attention back to Kasai-san. Kuro knowing what he was about to ask, sighed softly. Eyes are drawn onto her form "Do you mind me asking if you can still bend a spoon? It has been… Three months since the last time you did it." she asked politely, giving a soft smile.
"Of course I can!" Kasai snapped defensively, grabbing a new spoon to demonstrate. Mai, Naru and Kuro watched as she concentrated and held the spoon just as he had done before "Nn…" She gripped the spoon tightly as a bead of sweat rolled down the side of her face, and she began to bend over until the spoon was almost touching the seat of the chair she was sitting on.
Kurobara's eyes widened at what she was doing… That was disappointing. She has seen people do that before, and it wasn't right. She glanced over to Kazuya with a frown on her face. "Don't do that." Naru said strictly, surprising her. Kasai-san stopped and looked up at him. "If you did that, you would be making the same mistake some of the Gellerini had made."
"?" Mai said, not understanding what was going on. Hadn't he wanted her to bend the spoon?
Kuro shook her head at Mai's expression, "It's a trick." She whispered to Mai, who seemed confused about what she was watching.
"I know that trick. As soon as the spoon got in your shadow, you tried to bend it by pushing it against the edge of the chair. Most of the Gellerini's preternatural powers didn't last very long. In order to cover that up, they resorted to using various tricks." Naru explained, looking over to her.
"Unfortunately, some of these tricks were dug up and revealed to the media and the public...This caused an on slaughter of mediums and Psychics being called fakes and frauds. It is one of the reasons people don't believe in us." Kurobara interrupted sighing, having being bullied because of some rumors.
They were glad they didn't go to school anymore; it was a pain in the ass that, and it really sucked that people judge her so harshly. "I mean, look at me" She spoke out with a dry smile. Hands crossed, overlapping each other. " I was bullied all my life because I had Psychic abilities," She commented.
Mai frowned, "Kuro-san…" She spoke sadly, knowing she had been bullied, but she had never heard her admit it before. It hurt her to hear. The fact that it wasn't just school but her entire life. Mediums and Psychics had it hard…
Kazuya raised his eyebrow, looking at her. His gaze became soft; his heart ached for some reason. It made him admire her even more, not that he would admit it to anyone. Otherwise, Gene and Lin would most definitely tease him.
She coughed lightly. "Anyways The trick Kasai-san just tried to use is one of the tricks the Gellerini used to use." She pointed out, wishing she really hadn't spoken about her past bullying. But it was a fact that Mediums, Psychic, Esper, or even researchers had it difficult, simply because people didn't want to believe in them.
It's hard to swallow but it was the truth…
"But, I really have bent spoons successfully before!" Kasai shouted defensively. She was angry, thinking that both were accusing her that she was a fake. Kuro shook her head slightly; she wasn't accusing her at all. Did she not understand what they were saying. One mistake is all it takes. To ruin what they built…
"It only takes one mistake to lose your credibility," Naru told her.
"One Mistake…" She spoke sadly, tone coming out with sympathy. Eyes drawn on Kasai narrowed onto her form. "Is all it takes."
Kasai's eyes widened in realization.
"Any researcher is aware that the Gellerini's power can be unpredictable." He continued calmly. "When you can't do it, it's okay to just say so. If someone were to doubt your ability still, they probably didn't believe you from the start anyway, so just ignore them."
"Aein is correct, ignore them. I believe you as does he, People are fickle, and when things are different and bizarre to them, they will attack. Like I had mentioned before, I was bullied very badly. I was named a freak, and no one wanted to be friends with me" She let out a sigh, here again talking about issues she had to deal with.
"They would write on my desk with horrible insults, telling me to kill myself even going so far as placing a flower on my desk. You know what I did?" She tenderly spoke, not looking at Naru or Mai, having their eyes on Kasai.
"I ignored them." A soft smile, one with adoration, came onto her face."One day you will find someone who will believe in you and what you do, Trust me, I found Mai. When you do treasure them."
"One person makes the difference"
Mai's eyes teared up at her words, feeling warm. 'Kurobara…' she thought tenderly watching the exchanged. Kasai flushed as she lowered her head. It was the first time anyone had believed in her this much other than Kei-sensei.
What Kurobara had spoken... Meant so much to her. Those words struck a chord in her…She wished she had met them earlier.
"I taught her that trick." Ubusuna-sensei confessed. "Other teachers wouldn't believe her, and she was put in a situation where she had no choice but to bend a spoon to prove she really did have preternatural power."
"But I haven't been able to bend one lately…" Kasai said meekly. "When I talked to Kei-sensei, she taught me that trick. At that morning gathering, I talked back to the teacher who was giving me a hard time, and that only made things worse. Than the other teachers started questioning Kei-sensei, saying things like 'What in the world is the biology club studying these days?' Some of the other club members even quit. I wonder why we have to put up with this kind of drama?"
"Is that why you made that comment?" Naru asked.
Kuro looked at Kasai waiting for her answer, but she could not help but think about cursing someone; she had admitted that she had thought about it in the past, but of course, her morals told her not to.
"Oh, you mean the one about killing that teacher with a curse?" Kasai asked. "I was really upset when I said it."
"Did you mean it?" Naru asked.
Kasai stared at him for a moment, taken aback. Was he serious? She looked over to the nice woman, wondering if he was actually asking a question like that, but Kuro just smiled, nodding her head gently.
"Oh, no. I may have said that, but I couldn't really curse someone to death, right?" She said, glancing at Ubusuna-sensei, who smiled reassuringly at her.
"… Is that so…" Naru said thoughtfully.
"I kind of feel sorry for Kasai-san." Mai said as they were walking back to base. "It sounds like they've had a lot to deal with. Just because she bent a spoon, it turned out to be a major at school."
Kuro sighed softly, "It's the fate of someone who has Esper like abilities" She spoke up. Sorrow came out of her tone, making Kazuya and Mai glance her way. "Kuro-san…" Mai started, nervously pausing in her tracks.
"Is that why you never spoke about your… Abilities." She asked, knowing that her friend was a person who always kept to herself — never saying anything about herself. They hummed at that, flinching at her question. She let out a tired, hollow sigh. Knowing that Kazuya and Mai were awaiting for her answer.
"It is… one of the reasons, bullying takes a toll on your mind" She shrugged, softly pointing at her mind. "It creates a hell inside your head," She added, dryly. Mouth pulled into a frown, losing her impassive mask. "People don't understand how toxic your mind can be, how isolating it is to be that target of torment."
"Of course I learned how to ignore what people say about me, I honestly don't give any fucks anymore," She said lightly, but in reality, she was lying. It still hurt, and it never stopped hurting, no matter what she did.
Kazuya was quiet, observing her. "Don't tell me you actually believed them" He spoke up, making her turn to him with an alarmed expression, tilting her head. Confusion replaced her expression after the realization about what he was talking about. He was talking about whether she believed what they had said about her.
She went quiet… not saying a thing. Naru took this as an answer before pinching the bridge of his nose. "Your more idiotic than I thought." He remarked, coldly.
Kurobara's eyes narrowed in annoyance at what he just said: "I'm sorry, what did you just say?!" She growled out. "If you believed them, then you're an idiot." He added.
"I'm not an Idi-" She tried, voice raising slightly, but he interrupted her "because I believe in you," He said rather warmly, which surprised her and Mai. Kurobara's face erupted into a bright red flush. Cheeks hot like a furnace while Mai openly gaped before giggling like a schoolgirl.
Kuro's expression was one that Mai had never seen before. So flustered, red cheeks and red ears. She could not help but laugh at how adorable this was to her — muttering like a mantra at how cute this was.
Kazuya kept walking with a smug smirk on his face.
"Oh My God My ship is becoming canon!" Exclaimed Mai, who jumped up and down, right next to a frozen Kuro. Who was having a complete break down at her own feelings? Of course, things became normal, both catching up to Kazuya.
"Mai...Kuro" Naru said,now in front of the closed door to base.
"Yeah?" Mai said, stopping as did her raven-haired friend.
"I need to ask you both a favour."
'!!?' Mai exclaimed internally, wondering if the world was about to end.
"Oh My... I feel the ground shaking Mai-Chan... The world is ending" Kurobara faked a gasp holding onto Mai's arm shaking it as she teased Naru. "We're going to die!" Mai sniggered, puffing out her cheeks to stop herself from laughing at Kuro's behavior. Kazuya's mouth twitched as did his eyes. Annoyance at her teasing as he glared.
"You just saw me bend a spoon. Please don't tell anyone about it." He finally spoke, ignoring their childish behaviour.
"Why not? That was impressive." Mai asked.
"Please. Especially Lin."
'I-I really want to ask him why, but…' Mai thought, closing her eyes, as she fought hard to suppress her curiosity.
"I promise Aein," Kurobara spoke, tone coming out soft.
Finally, Mai had answered "Sure thing." She said with a smile. "I won't tell anyone, promise."
"Thanks." He said, keeping his gaze fixed on the door in front of him. Kurobara opened her mouth faking another gasp, shocked that he actually said thanks "Oh my god I feel another earthquake"
He gave another glare at her while Kuro and Mai snigger at him.
Author Note
Little Sunflower here with another update… the first chapter of 2020 how bizarre. I hope you enjoyed it, I added a little fluff into this chapter because I thought we all deserved it. I'm sorry if Naru was OOC I am trying my best to keep him in character.
We also learn more about Kuro's bullying that had happened to her, if remember far back to the first couple of chapters. (6 chapters are rewritten by the way)
I myself have been bullied throughout out my life as well as Kuro so we have that in common. Anyways Thank you so much! Oh and I am reading all of your comments so don't worry I really appreciate them. Sorry for any mistake I have made in this chapter
Thank you all.-Little Sunflower.
