Chapter 3: This Way is Fine, Too

Dear readers,

It is my belief that we are long overdue for a character death in this series. Don't worry. This is a sure way of boosting a character's popularity. I only want to help.

"Oh, Kusuo, you!" And so Kusuke proceeded to pat a pink bundle of murder on the head affectionately.

I've been beating myself up for a reason as to why my most unlikable family member would do this when there really ever was only one reason: to see my downfall. This was the man who had been trying to defeat me before I was fully a year old, keeping track every loss and every game we've ever had.

Kusuke didn't set this up. He saw the opportunity and decided to play the game, using Kaidou once more to keep me from using my psychic powers.

But unfortunately for you, Kusuke, this situation is nothing to panic over. I've had more disastrous events play out better than this… Or worse, whatever. In any case, I'll be showing you an incredible technique I've developed that can instantly resolve loose ends like this. Watch and learn…

EYE-ROLLING NO JUTSU! –

(What the heck - don't just put jutsu in there. Besides, this isn't a ninja technique. It's a Quirk developed by an ESPer – and don't capitalize 'quirk' misleadingly either!)

For a brief moment, by concentrating really hard, I was able to hear Kaidou's thoughts. Woah, Saiki rolled his eyes just now. Usually, he puts on some really weird ones. Like, he gets really cross-eyed with this scared look, or suddenly looking like someone had taken a piss on his Cheetos.

I'm not particularly fond of Cheetos, but I would probably destroy whoever takes a piss on my Cheetos.

I think this is the first time I've seen him with such a normal reaction. I guess there's a side he only shows to his family?

Good enough. What I've discovered in years of being unable to not read people's minds is that humans always try to fill in inconsistencies to gain an acceptance over something. Basically, it's the same logic my Memory Eraser follows. It can be as vague as it gets, a guess that seems likely based on their own limited experience.

But when psychic powers aren't involved, the normal reaction would be to pursue the truth should a case seem too bizarre. Since ordinary people don't have psychic powers to instantly find the answers to their questions, it's probably for the best that they settle for assumptions or they'll never get anything productive done.

But wait, I'm not done yet. I'm not satisfied with just convincing Kaidou that nothing unusual was going on. I also want him to forget about this completely without my powers.

Are you surprised? Why, that too is possible. Witness the result of years of intensive training…

WALKING AWAY NO JUTSU –

(Stop.)

Kusuke called after us. "Kusuo? Hey, Kusuo! Where are you going?"

That's right. After dispelling any importance to the question, all I have to do is to walk away from the conversation. To linger around will only validate suspicions. Even without the need to read Kaidou's mind, I know at least that one's immediate assumption would be that Kusuke was joking. I don't need to erase his memory with my powers. His own subconscious can do that by labeling this scene as "case closed" and he'll move on.

If he looked back to this day or had to tell someone how his weekend was, his first thought would be something general like, "Saiki's brother has a lame sense of humour," and not specifically, "I think Saiki is hiding something."

Kusuke gave up quickly. "Oh well, I guess I'll see you at dinner."

The only thing you'll be seeing tonight is a beating. Don't think just because I made a clean escape doesn't mean I've forgiven you. That sort of stunt might not endanger my secret, but it does affect me psychologically.

"Saiki, wait up!"

Kaidou had lagged behind for some reason. Did I walk too fast for him? I was only going by the natural speed of an Olympic sprinting athlete doing a morning jog with their German shepherd. Granted, it was the first time I've unleashed that particular ability, but I'm confident I pulled that off with so much naturalness. If I do say so myself, I'm on a roll today.

Kaidou is out of breath already. His poor physical ability is incurable, it seems. "Erm, are you heading home, Saiki?"

So you're psychic, too, huh, Kaidou? It sure is wonderful if other people could read my mind as well.

"Don't you want to have a bite?"

I've eaten enough during the movie.

Besides, I'm still pretty annoyed. I think I'll go to a certain lab and break a few hundred expensive equipment up.

"Ah, I… Yeah, that makes sense," said Kaidou, sounding disappointed.

I felt something odd about this for a split second, but the guilt sinking in me was the easiest to figure out first. Technically, it was me who invited Kaidou out. Granted, he and Nendou have wasted so much of my time before, but I don't want to be the same monster that they were and do the same unto him.

I don't want to take back my words all of a sudden though. That would be out-of-character. Maybe if I ask him what he had in mind… (Which I rarely ever have to do by the way.)

Before I could tell him anything though, Kaidou gained his spirit back like it was nothing. "Oh well. I guess I'll see you at school. Thanks for hanging out with me, Saiki."

The odd feeling has become more intensified. This was… an unusual reaction from Kaidou! Not just that, but also…

"Ah, I… Yeah, that makes sense," said Kaidou, sounding disappointed.

He accepted my response too easily! The normal Kaidou would have begged me to stay and accompany him to Unlimited Jean Works, a punk rock store that sells a lot of black jeans. It's right here in this mall just one escalator away, but Kaidou hasn't desperately offered it to me. He's been thinking about it for months, too.

And just now…

"Oh well. I guess I'll see you at school. Thanks for hanging out with me, Saiki."

It's so…unusual! He's letting me go like he actually understands my desire for personal space! Also, there was no need to bring back those dialogues as flashbacks. They're literally in the same page in the Word Document, geez.

I'm probably just thinking way too much on this, but since I can't confirm what's going on with Kaidou, I don't feel comfortable letting this end on an assumption like the first chapter. I'm not a normal person who don't have psychic powers (even though my telepathy is completely useless right now.) I need to find out the truth!

Kaidou blinked. "Huh? Did you change your mind?"

There's something important we need to discuss. Right now.

"You're looking more serious than usual. If it's Saiki, it must be really important." Kaidou considered this quietly for a moment. "All right. Why don't we head over that place and have some tacos?"

No, Kaidou. I mean it… Right now. This is the best opportunity I can get, right here in the middle of an unspecific location where the author doesn't have to describe the surrounding. The moment we take a step out of it, we're going to enter a new scene and a new page break. It will be a new set-up that's practically inviting more characters to show up. My brother was not the worst of our troubles…It's…

Clairvoyance – !

"Kokomi-chan, look at this cute heart-shaped picture frame! Don't you think it's perfect for us?"

"Sure… But why are there four slots? Shouldn't there be just two?"

"Hmm. Maybe you're supposed to put two pictures of you and the boy you like? Anyway, it still makes sense. It can have me and Kaidou-kun, and you and Saiki-kun!"

"It's too weird! And look, one of the slots is bigger than the others! No matter how you arrange the pictures, it looks like a…like a…"

"Like a?"

"Like...a…group…activity…"

"A foursome (date)? That sounds fun!"

"NO!"

These two.

I already know they teamed up the instant Kaidou had invited me out. Their plan was to run into us after the movie and I've been using clairvoyance to keep track of their location since. But as I had planned, they got distracted by the 20% discount in the department store.

What a bunch of amateurs. Yumehara-san, I can understand, but Teruhashi-san? How weak-willed you've become.

"But it's right there, Saiki, and there's tons of seats available, too unlike the ice cream shop beside it with a 20% discount, which is jam-packed full of completely satisfied customers." Kaidou rubbed his chin. "Yeah, we definitely want to go to the one with free space for some privacy. Right, Saiki?" However, Kaidou suddenly realized he was alone. "…Saiki?"

Move your ass, Kaidou. That new scene and new page break isn't going to make itself.

"Where are you going?" exclaimed Kaidou, baffled. "Saiki, that ice cream shop is absolutely full! Look how long the line is!"

Mmm. 20% cheaper ice cream… Mmm.

This must be what heavens feels like.

"Oh, Saiki, you already finished your sweet red bean coffee ice cream? That was fast!"

And this emptiness that has nowhere to go must be reality. Where are we again? Can I go home now?

"S-Saiki, what's wrong?" fretted Kaidou, alarmed. "Who shattered your heart to a million pieces and sent you into the abyss of despair?"

This ice-cream-less cup I'm holding.

"Oh, you're just sad you don't have any left? Why didn't you say so?" The chair scrapped on the floor as Kaidou stood up. "Let me get you another one!"

My jaw dropped. The line hadn't gotten shorter at all, but Kaidou just went back into that hell without hesitation. I hurried after him. What was he thinking? If he's going to go that far…

At least make sure to take my money so you don't go to the cashier empty-handed!

Kaidou, taking notice of what I was doing, waved frantically. "What? No, it's my treat! More importantly, go back to our table! Someone's going to take it!"

It was fifteen minutes later when I would get another serving of ice cream. I've had enough time to evaluate my progress. It really isn't easy bringing up a topic that's honestly none of my business. I can back down…but I've already gotten this far.

No, I'm not that delusional. I haven't made any progress. Kusuke had already ruined my plan. But I was able to enjoy a movie in the theatre for the first time and eat two servings of discounted ice cream. This isn't really a bad turn of events. In fact, no normal planning would have led to this kind of fortune.

I should be satisfied with this. The only thing left is to make it up to Kaidou, who I had to drag around for the sake of satisfying my curiosity.

"So, Saiki." Kaidou came back with two plastic cups of water for us. "What was it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

Oh, that? I drank the water. It was nothing important.

"But you said it was. You were looking really serious."

Was I? Well, in a sense, it was important. I was just worried for no reason. Don't mind me.

"Worried…?" Kaidou stared at me with a small frown. "What could you be worried about?"

You're the one looking serious here, Kaidou. I was struck with a sudden concern for the future. You and I are both in our second year high school. It's normal for us to worry about our grades and what universities we'll end up in from time to time. We fool around, but I'm sure you know that we're different from Nendou in this regard.

Pretty stupid right? What's the point of being worried about school all of a sudden? I just had a minor freak out. Sorry for misleading you.

Kaidou swallowed nervously, still looking at me with intensity. "Saiki. I'm sorry, but that is something I want to talk about."

What, school? I never imagined that this day would ever come. Talking about school while eating ice cream with my classmate. Such normalcy… Go ahead, Kaidou. I believe I will grow accustomed to this normal version of you very easily. You also treated me today, so you honestly deserve it.

"Why do you lie about your grades?"

Kaidou laced his hands together on the table, his left hand distinct without their usual red bandages on them.

"Why have you never told us?"

…I'm not sure I follow what you're saying, Kaidou. (What was he on about?) How am I lying about my grades? Are you saying I'm cheating…?

"No. Maybe not grades. That's not something we've ever exchanged to each other. I'm talking about the exams. It was last year…Gah, it can't be last year since we've only become classmates this year…" Kaidou scratched his head in confusion. "Now I sound like I'm talking crazy."

Yeah, sorry about that…

"But you remember that time Nendou scored higher than you in the finals, right?"

I do. You're not going crazy.

"I didn't really know you that well back then. But having borrowed notes and even copied homework from you, I realized that that doesn't really make sense. You're much smarter than Nendou. Than me! There was no way that would have happened."

But it did.

"How can you score so average when you always pay attention in class?"

Life sucks, Kaidou. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you're still not good enough. Besides, have you thought that maybe I pay extra attention because I need to? I'm only barely keeping up.

There was something Kaidou didn't want to say. Whatever important reason he had for holding back though was starting to crumble.

"My sister, Sora, was looking through my books for advanced studies materials. She found the ones Mama had you and Nendou answer when you went over to my place…"

Ah. Kaidou's mother made us do homework when she found out we weren't a good influence to Kaidou. I didn't want to be lumped with Nendou, so I went ahead and answered all of them perfectly. It was all for the sake for coffee jelly, but there was no way I would have been so careless.

I made sure to have most of them be written using Nendou's ugly handwriting. It says a lot when you need ESP to copy that sort of chicken scratching. It certainly is suspicious for Nendou to be answering them, but he's an idiot. No curiosity is worth dealing with him.

And Nendou scored higher than me in the exams. There we go. It makes sense.

"Sora was astounded by how smart you two were. Nendou is an idiot, there's just no way. But you, Saiki… You're a mystery. You gave Nendou all the answers, didn't you?"

I'm sorry Kaidou, but you'll have to be there to believe it. Nendou did do all the work.

"He said he didn't do anything."

And that is your typical Nendou response.

"Your brother's a genius," he pointed out, but he knew that this was weak. His theory that I was faking average grades was not quite right, but the intuition behind it was. He was realizing that this and that wasn't adding up though he had no undeniable proof of it.

"I'm sorry," apologized Kaidou. It was so heavy it was like he was confessing to murder. What's wrong with you, Kaidou? Did something happen?

You don't need to sound so down about it. It doesn't bother me. You asked nicely, too.

"It does bother you though. Your friend just accused you of lying. It's horrible. I'm horrible. I'm sorry. I know it wasn't worth it, but I couldn't control myself. I wanted to be honest and to make sure. I'm really sorry, Saiki. I just wanted you to trust me. Of course, after what I just did, I can understand why you won't anymore."

Kaidou's fingers squirmed, his shoulders hunched and depressed.

Is that all then?

"So, you are mad…"

I'm not.

Kaidou did not believe me.

Yare, yare. What do I have to do to convince you? You're not making any sense. If I were mad, I would have stopped talking to you.

Kaidou sighed. "I shouldn't have opened my big mouth…"

Why won't he believe me? What can I throw in his head to distract him from this pointless conversation?

I'm not upset. On the contrary, I'm quite happy. I had fun hanging out with you. It's nice to not have Nendou around us once in a while. You two usually end up bickering with me stuck in the middle. Though I think we should keep this to ourselves. He'd never let it go when he finds out we didn't invite him along.

Kaidou chuckled. But his smile only came for an instant.

Oh, right. There's a shop I wanted to check out. Would you mind coming with me?

"Huh? Oh, I'll go!" Kaidou quickly stood up. "Where is it?"

I need a new pair of pants. I think there's this certain jeans shop just one escalator away. I'm thinking of getting something black…

"Jeans? And you want something black? Oh, I think I know what you're talking about!"

"Ah, Kaidou-kun!"

"Saiki-kun!"

Yumehara-san and Teruhashi-san had just arrived. I suspect Yumehara-san bought the very unusual picture frame they saw. When I asked what it was, Teruhashi-san looked like she was holding her breath.

"It's a cute picture frame for me and Kokomi-chan!" giggled Yumehara-san, sending a meaningful glance toward Teruhashi-san that she did not appreciate.

Teruhashi-san expertly changed the subject. "Oh, right! You and Kaidou-kun made plans to watch a movie, right? Did it just ended?"

Yeah. I lied since I know mentioning the ice cream shop would bring them there. Odd as it may sound, I want to leave that place. If we're going shopping, at least I have a reason to not interact with them. Though maybe I could use it to keep the two of them away…

Yumehara-san leaned to the side, peering behind me. "Heeey, Kaidou-kun! What's wrong?"

Kaidou had somehow lagged behind again. I didn't even notice. He joined us with a look of confusion.

"Some kid wanted to shake hands with me," he said.

"Oh?" Yumehara-san pondered half-heartedly. "Maybe they're playing a game?"

"Don't know," shrugged Kaidou, pocketing his left hand. "It was weird."

Author's Notes: Just wanted to say thanks to everyone reading, especially those dropping reviews! Like every fanfic author, I do appreciate them a lot. This took a lot longer. I was hoping somehow do it bi-weekly, but oh well! There were some important decisions I had to make on the direction of the story. Right now, I'm happy with what I've thought of. Now, what shall happen next? /chuunibyou kaidou voice.