One thing I missed about having my psychic powers was the ability to teleport instantly. Without that, I had to ride in a car. Normally this would be alright. But not today.
A car with Teruhashi and Aiura and Toritsuka was a car I would have avoided like the plague. And yet here I was. Teruhashi still harbored a crush on me, and a hatred for Aiura, whom she saw as a threat for my affections. And Toritsuka was just annoying.
Part of the reason I invited my friends and classmates to the circus was to have fun. The other reason was to tell them about my prior psychic powers. I owed it to them, especially after the whole trying-to-stop-Mt-Owari-from-erupting thing.
At first, it was going as well as could be expected of my ragtag group. Hopeless romantic Chiyo was pining over ridiculous chuunibyou Kaido; pretty girl Teruhashi smiled as she schemed; Ms. I'm-Always-Hungry Mera was searching for something to sink her teeth into.
"Hey, Kuboyasu. I heard you beat Nendo in arm-wrestling. I challenge you!' shouted Hairo the exercise junkie to Kuboyasu the ex-delinquent strong-man.
Local annoying medium Toritsuka was trying to look up some girl's skirt, and our resident student seer Aiura was kicking him in his ass. And larger-than-life, dumber-than-dirt Nendo was poking me in the side.
"Ne, pal. Where's your glasses? Are you wearing contacts? Why did you change it up? I almost didn't recognize you. And where are your funny hairpins?"
"I d-d-" I stuttered. Speaking almost exclusively telepathically for eighteen years really takes a toll on one's speaking capabilities. I cleared my throat. "I don't need them anymore," I managed.
Teruhashi was watching us. She was always watching everyone and wanted everyone to always watch her.
"Saiki-kun, you only answered some of his questions. I don't even know which ones you really answered." She twirled her hair around a forefinger. Now that I no longer had x-ray vision, I could actually focus on other people's appearances. I knew everyone looked at Teruhashi and thought something along the lines of She's the most pretty girl I've ever seen, but I didn't really see the appeal. After having been in her head, on the short end of her obsession, I was turned off of her. Satou Hiroshi on the other hand- Ahem, I digress.
I was saved having to answer.
"Saiki-san! I beat Kuboyasu-san. I challenge you to an arm-wrestling match!" Hairo was now yelling at me. My interest was peaked. Can I, without superstrength, finally let myself go all out without blowing up the ground below me?
Avoiding Teruhashi's question was a welcome bonus.
Hairo was belly-crawling toward me like an over-grown worm who had joined the military. I could almost see the heat coming off of him. He was always incredibly warm. After a half-hearted deadpan stare at him, I dropped to the ground in front of him, grasping his extended arm.
"Hairo, I'm telling you, you can't beat Saiki," Toritsuka was saying. He had known I was psychic for forever, but he had yet to learn that was no longer true. "He's too strong."
Kaido knelt down, bouncing on his toes. "This is going to be so fun! I take on the winner!" Aiura raised her eyebrow at him, but he ignored it. "Ready? Start!"
Hairo won. And then beat Kaido.
"If I'd released my Seal, I could have won, but I didn't want to destroy your entire body, Hairo," Kaido justified himself, ineffectually.
When night fell, the lights clicked on. We were directed to the Big Top Tent, where the circus would put on a show.
We found our seats. Aiura offered me some of her popcorn, and though I prefer sweet to salty, I enjoyed it.
The clowns erupted into the middle of the tent, honking horns and laughing. Some rode unicycles. A couple was on stilts. One was riding another's shoulder. The lights flickered and dimmed. The entrance flapped closed. The show was about to begin.