This is Lotus

This is Saiki

This Lotus and Saiki

~This is the thoughts of others~

Beach Day! - Drowning! Why is Everyone Drowning?!

A few months have passed for Lotus and in that time span she's discovered some interesting things, those things mainly centering around the one Kusuo Saiki, or her "Psychic in Crime". Not that she'd ever tell him that she gave him such a nickname.

One thing she had discovered was that although he acted stoic stating countless times that the people he constantly interacts weren't his friends, he had a big heart and was a very helpful person. Lotus had proof too, a few days ago Kaidou was being used by another classmate. Playing off of Kaidou's imaginary world where he was the Jet Black Wings, the other student got Kaidou to do all sorts of things. Such as run errands and do the guy's homework. Saiki using his powers, not only put a stop to the Kaidou-harassment, but he did so in a way that it didn't pop Kaidou's little bubble of fantasy or reveal to the white-haired boy that he was essentially being bullied.

Lotus concluded that Saiki was a tsundere person. A very very very very very tsundere person.

"Man, it's hot today." Lotus used her forearm to wipe some sweat off her forehead. She looked up at her window that was open blowing a small breeze into the room.

The pink teen stared outside seeing the blue clear sky then smiled. "It's the perfect day to get some ice cream." Lotus stood up from her desk leaving her room and heading downstairs.

She was currently the only one home right now. Ethan was off on a small excursion for inspiration and Violet was at her university doing research. Lotus slipped on some sandals and opened the front door.

"Holy crap!"

"Hey, there girl buddy!"

"Hey, buddy ready for the beach!"

Saiki looked rather displeased seeing the person who had entered his front door.

Nendou stood there in the boys home wearing a pair of sunglasses holding an inflatable blow-up whale. "I was walking by and saw the last name Saiki on the mailbox, so I thought this must be where old Kusuo lives."

Saiki's mother was for a lack of better words speechless pointing at the smiling Nendou.

After stuttering a bit she was finally able to speak. "K-K-Kusuo is this boy your friend?"

"He's not my friend."

Whether she heard him or not Kusuo's mother broke out in tears.

"Oh dear, my little boy finally has a friend! I'm so happy!"

"Sorry girly girl me and him ain't friends." Nendou's words made Mrs. Saiki gasp. But then Nendou pulled Saiki to his side giving the older woman a thumbs up. "We're best buddies!"

"Oh dear, my little boy is finally getting a normal life!" Mrs. Saiki cried happily.

Nendou looked from Saiki to his mother. "I never knew you had a sister pal."

"Oh dear, he thinks I look young enough to be Kusuo's sister." Mrs. Saiki said

"How many times are you gonna make her cry?"

"Huh, I didn't know you were Saiki's mom!" Nendou exclaimed

Mrs. Saiki nodded her head. "Guilty as charged. What brought you here big guy?"

"I wanted to invite my buddies to the beach," Nendou said

"Oh, that's so fun!" Mrs. Saiki squealed

"Wait did he just say buddies as in plural?"

"I even brought Saiki's other good buddy." Nendou walked over to the door and pushed it open.

"Uhm hello?" Lotus stood there awkwardly in the doorway waving.

If Saiki's mother was surprised by the arrival of Nendou she was floored by the sudden appearance of Lotus. She was wearing a pair of jean shorts and a sleeveless white hoodie paired with some flipflops.

"We're just having a little chat here. Hey, guess what this young girl here is Saiki's mother." Nendou smiled pointing at a woman with black hair.

"What are you doing here?"

"Nendou invited me to the beach. Well more like showed up at my house scaring the daylights out of me. He told me he invited you too but judging by the conversation I've been listening in on he did not."

"You think?"

Now let's take a look at what happened to bring Lotus here.

"Hey, there girl buddy!"

Lotus was far beyond surprised when she found Nendou waiting on the other side of her front door.

"You ready to go to the beach?" Nendou asked

"Why are you asking me that like we planned it?"

"Nendou how do you know where I live?" Lotus asked

"Well when I was passing by I saw your last name on the mailbox, so I thought to myself this must be where my new girl buddy lives," Nendou said

"That's….pretty good observational skills. I'm a bit impressed," Lotus thought

"Come on it'll be fun! Our buddy Saiki's coming too!" Nendou said

"Saiki's coming? I wonder how Nendou managed to convince him? Maybe Saiki likes the beach. Hmmm well, it is a hot today, and summers almost over and I haven't been to the beach at all. Well if you don't include Ethan's various photo shoots."

"Alright, Nendou just let me grab my stuff," Lotus said

"Yeah, beach day!" Nendou cheered

And that's how Lotus ended up where she is right now.

"I-I-I-I can't believe it!"

Lotus turned her head looking at Saiki's mother. She was once again in tears, crying even harder than before looking at Lotus in disbelief.

"Uhm hi there sorry for the intrusion. I'm Lotus."

Mrs. Saiki ran up to Lotus grabbing the girls hands her tears flowing down her cheeks like waterfalls.

"Are you okay?"

"My little Kusuo has a girlfriend!"

"WHAT!?"

"Hey, I didn't know you two were dating congrats!" Nendou smiled giving the two pink heads a thumbs up.

"We're not!"

Lotus put her hands up shaking them. "Miss Saiki your son and I are just friend's no dating!" As she shook her head and hands her cheeks blushed embarrassed. She looked over at Saiki and the boy quickly darted his eyes away from Lotus's.

Even if he wouldn't admit it in a million years he too was embarrassed by the declaration that his mother made.

"You're not dating? Kusuo don't tell me you're stringing this poor girl along?" Mrs. Saiki exclaimed

"That's not it either!"

"Mrs. Saiki I'm just friends with your son. He's really nice and kind also he makes me laugh. I do find him to be a really interesting individual and I really enjoy having his company. I think Saiki's actually one of the most amazing guys that I've met" Lotus said

Saiki was at a loss for words, or rather thoughts, stunned by Lotus's comments about him. She really thought of him like that?

If Lotus wasn't so focused on Saiki's mother she would have noticed his popularity meter for her appear over his head jumping up some points.

Mrs. Saiki was stunned to taking in Lotus's words about her son, before she started crying again. "My little boy is so lucky having a girl like you around! You'll make the perfect daughter-in-law someday!"

"What?!"

"You'll have to come over for dinner some time dear and…."

Saiki's mother continued to talk to a slightly panicking and embarrassed Lotus.

Saiki just sighed hiding his face from the group.

"So are my buddies ready for the beach?" Nendou asked oblivious to the embarrassment floating around the room.

"Uh yeah, I'm not going, sorry."

Mrs. Saiki's happy personality did a 180, and she snapped her head at Saiki her eyes going sharp and deadly.

"Your best buddy went out of his way to invite you in person. You're going to the beach Kusuo." Mrs. Saiki stated with a deadly tone that sent chills up both Saiki's and Lotus's spines.

"Oh dear."

Guess it doesn't matter if you have incredible psychic powers, nothing can stand up against the powers of a mother. So, in the end, Saiki found himself at the beach. He wasn't sure how it happened but somehow Kaidou was now a part of their little excursion as well. Saiki sat on a beach blanket underneath a parasol watching Nendou and Kaidou. Lotus was off using one of the change rooms to get into her bathing suit.

Nendou, who was now in his swimsuit, seemed to be teasing Kaidou, who wasn't getting in the water.

"Why did Kaidou come too?"

"What's wrong Kaidou? Fraid of the water?" Nendou teased

"No! That's not true! I know how to swim jerk! I'm not afraid of the water!" Kaidou denied, but the tears in his eyes and the sweat going down his forehead said otherwise.

"Well, he's turned on the waterworks."

Kaidou took a step into the water and slipped landing on his back in a very shallow part. He proceeded to freak out and flail about like a cat that was forced to get a bath.

"Drowning in inch deep water isn't easy."

"I'll save yooooouuuuu!" A loud voice screamed followed by a thunderous pound of running.

A guy did a running dive sliding into the water wrapping Kaidou in his arms, which caused his swim trunks to slide down giving the world a full view of his rear end.

"I know that butt."

The one and only Kineshi Hairo has arrived on the scene.

Hairo stood up holding Kaidou's in his arms. The previously "drowning" boy laying limp in his arms.

"Hey its Hairo," Nendou stated

"Oh hey Nendou, hey Saiki," Hairo greeted

"You getting some sun too?" Nendou asked

"Actually I volunteer as a lifeguard," Hairo said

"Ahh, I'm drowning!" A gruff man yelled

It only took a millisecond for Hairo to react to the cry for help. "I'll save you!" He yelled running off.

"I can't believe he does that job for free in this heat," Nendou commented. He turned to Saiki, who was now reading a book. "Huh? When are you gonna get in the water buddy?"

"Just forget I'm here."

"You guys are no fun. I don't wanna go swimming in the ocean all by myself." Nendou pulled out some sunglasses putting them on. "So to the ladies."

"That sounds ridiculous."

"With a face like that, you don't have a chance!" Kaidou said

"Why don't you try walking on water instead. You'll have better odds at that."

Nendou laughed wagging a finger. "My looks don't matter it's about attitude."

So Saiki and Kaidou watched the train wreck happen before them as Nendou went from girl to girl receiving rather blunt and nasty comments.

"I'm sorry but I find your face repulsive."

"Are you joking there's no way I'm giving my number to that face."

"Ever hear of a mirror you should look at one before leaving the house."

In short, Nendou scared away every girl sending them running, literally. He started chasing after them causing a horde of bikini-clad girls to run away screaming.

Saiki got in the water sitting on a floatie trying to put as much distance between himself and Nendou. "I don't want people knowing I'm with him."

A disheartened Nendou walked down the beach kicking up some sand.

"Isn't he just a little cutie pie!" A girl giggled

Nendou blushed looking excited thinking that the comment was directed towards him, but he was crushed when he spotted two girls fawning over Kaidou.

"Oh, I love his spiky hairdo."

"Don't touch my hair please leave me alone," Kaidou said but his blush face said the opposite.

That's when a dark-faced Nendou appeared looming over the three.

"I just remembered I had to move my car!"

"Yeah me too!"

The two girls vanished right as Nendou pounced on Kaidou.

Hairo came to Kaidou's rescue, but after Nendou had buried him up to his head in sand.

"How could you do this to me Nendou?!" Kaidou shouted

"Hey, guys sorry I took so long! There was a long line for the changing room!" A lively voice called out.

Every male in the vicinity froze at the sight before them stunned by a bikini wearing Lotus, and her swimsuit fit her perfectly. The top of her bikini was a high neck with an open back and it was pink, with a heart pattern cut out in the center. Her bottoms were light blue with bows on tied on the side. What really sold everything was the pose Lotus was unknowingly in. She was standing tall and elegantly hands on her hips, as if she was waiting for someone to snap a photo of her. Now, this isn't the girl's fault whenever summer rolls around Ethan creates a ton of swimsuits and of course Lotus and Violet model nearly all of them. She's done it so much that whenever she or her sister get into a swimsuit they just naturally stand ready for a photo shoot.

Without even realizing it herself she strutted over to her friends as if she was going down a runway, dozens of eyes following her.

"Oh hey, Kaidou and Hairo are here too." Lotus smiled. "But uhm….Kaidou what are you doing in the sand?"

"It's the lovely princess Lotus! Coming to grace us with her presence!" Kaidou exclaimed happily even though he was still neck-deep in sand.

"Wait, what? Princess? So he's now including me in his world of fantasy too huh."

"Looking good there girl buddy. Really pretty!" Nendou smiled

"Nendou….I don't even know what to say to that."

Deciding Nendou didn't deserve any harsh backlash Lotus smiled as she rubbed the back of her head. "Thanks. It's just a swimsuit my brother made." Lotus looked around not seeing another pink head in the area. "Where's Saiki?"

"I don't know the bathroom?" Nendou suggested

Unbeknownst to the group of high schoolers, Saiki had abandoned his floatie to sink in the water laying on the ocean floor.

He found the bottom of the seafloor relaxing although….laying just a few feet away form Saiki was a skeleton that was weighed down by a ball and chain.

On dry land, Nendou decided to voice his questioning whereabouts about his missing friends.

"Saiki! You going pee pee!?" Nendou called out

"Geeze." Lotus shook her head "Saiki you better get back here before Nendou does anything else."

"Aw man, next time I'll have to go deeper." Saiki sat up and started swimming back up to the surface. "Better go back before they start looking."

Up on shore

"Hey what's that girl doing!?" Someone shouted pointing at a girl who was struggling in the water her face signaling she was in trouble.

"I think she's drowning!" Nendou dived into the water swimming to the girls' rescue. "Kaidou I'll go rescue her you go get Hairo!"

"Wait up!" Kaidou appeared next to Nendou swimming too.

"Oh so you can swim," Nendou said

Kaidou stopped looking confused before he started sinking in the water.

"Kaidou?"

"Really now?"

So Nendou had to put Kaidou on his back while he swam to go rescue the girl.

"No save her I can take care of myself," Kaidou said

"No way. I'm more than strong enough to save you both." True to his word Nendou was able to grab the girl while still having Kaidou on his back. "I rock!"

Lotus smiled from her viewpoint on the shore. "Well, Nendou you may be an idiot but I guess your big heart makes up for it."

Hairo finally arrived swimming towards Nendou. "Hey need help!"

"I can't take both! Can you bring one back?" Nendou asked

"Yeah, that's my job-gah! Leg cramping!" And there goes Hairo sinking into the water.

"Seriously?!"

"Hairo!"

Now Nendou had three people on his back trying to swim to shore. "Now I gotta do all three!"

Hairo coughed out a bit of sea water, "I'm sorry dude."

"What a pain. Everyone around me is so needy."

"Hmmm, where is Saiki? Judging by the tone in his words he's going to help out."

Nendou strained trying to swim. "So heavy!"

"Don't cramp bro!" Hairo said

"Leave me!" Kaidou said

"Shut up!" Nendou said

"Come on Nendou you can do it!" Lotus cheered from the shore.

Although happy for the support Nendou couldn't continue on. "Oh no, we're sinking!"

His head was halfway in the water but then something miraculous happened his body sprung out of the water standing upright.

"Uh?"

"Nendou you're walking on water! When did you learn how to do that?!" Kaidou shouted

"Yup that's definitely Saiki's doing."

And Lotus was right, underwater holding Nendou's feet was Saiki.

"See I told him he'd have more luck walking on water than picking up girls."

Saiki guided Nendou's feet taking him to shore.

"Well at least-"

"Help my friend is drowning!" Came a high-pitched shout.

"What!?"

Lotus looked to her left to see a blonde guy around her age, wading in the edge of the shore waving his arms around pointing out to the sea. In the water was a blue-haired boy not doing so well in the water, he seemed to be trying to swim but it was clear he didn't know how.

"What is going on here?! Is today drown in the ocean day or something?!"

Lotus ran getting next to the blonde who was shouting for his friend.

"Please help he can't swim!"

"Then why is he in the water?!"

"I'm on it!" Lotus dove into the water swimming.

"Whoa, she's fast!" The blonde said amazed.

Lotus easily swam through the water with no trouble. Swimming was an excellent sport and a great way to stay in shape, so it was an activity that she often did. Within no time she reached the drowning guy hooking her arms underneath his.

"Don't worry now-"

The boy stopped moving and looked up. His body went limp as he stared at Lotus his eyes glazing over as if he had fallen under some kind of spell.

"-I got you," Lotus reassured the guy as she started pulling him to shore.

"Normally I'd have a difficult time pulling something this heavy through the water. But with the use of psychic powers, he's as light as a feather."

Meanwhile, a little ways down the beach.

Nendou was being thanked by the girl he had saved. She also apologized to Nendou too, having been one of the girls who had made a rude remark about his face.

When the girl left, the boys finally noticed they were missing someone in their group.

"Hey, where's Lotus?" Hairo asked

The guys looked around searching for the girl but couldn't seem to find her.

"The lovely fair-haired princess Lotus has been carted away by some no good beach thugs. So I the Jet Black Wings must go rescue her!" Kaidou declared

"Sometimes I wonder how your mind comes up with these things and now she's the lovely fair-haired princess. How many adjectives are you gonna tack onto her name?"

"Maybe she went to go get something to eat?" Nendou pondered

"She's got him! She's got him!" A male voice cheered

The boy's attention turned to the cheering and down the beach shore, they saw Lotus pulling a boy to shore.

"Whoa did she rescue someone too?!" Hairo exclaimed

Lotus pulled the boy onto the shore lying him on the sand. His worried blonde friend crouched next to her as the boy laid still with his eyes closed.

"~This girl she's so cute. It was embarrassing that I couldn't swim, but it's worth it if I can get rescued by a cute girl like this.~"

"Well, he seems alright to me."

"~Maybe if I don't move and keep my eyes closed she'll give me CPR.~"

Lotus's twitched in anger glaring down at the boy she had saved. "I should hit him! But it'll look weird if I hit a guy I just saved from drowning."

It didn't help when the guys' friend started freaking out next to Lotus when he didn't move or open his eyes. "He's not moving! Is he breathing!? Miss, please you need to give him CPR!"

"~Shima I always called you an idiot but today I give you my thanks.~" The supposedly CPR needing boy thought.

Lotus jerked again in anger feeling a vein in her forehead twitch.

At that moment a rogue wave at least six feet tall crashed down on the three. When the water receded all three were soaked sitting up coughing from the sudden onslaught of water, that included the perverted drowning victim.

"Maru you're okay!" Shima cheered wrapping his arms around his friend.

"~I was so close,~" Maru thought depressed.

Maru sat there rather dismayed, his friend oblivious to the whole thing.

"Well, that takes care of that. But I wonder where that wave came from?"

Standing at a good distance away was Saiki, his hand held out. Using his psychic powers he had been the one who caused the wave.

Nendou, Kaidou, and Hairo ran over congratulating the girl on her heroic deed as they gave her a towel to dry off. Lotus also congratulated Nendou on his impressive heroic feats.

The sun was starting to set and it was a rather lovely sight to see on the beach.

"Hmm, I'm glad you didn't ask for her number in return for your heroics," Kaidou said to Nendou.

"I try to be a gentleman but if that hottie fell in love with me I'm not gonna turn her down," Nendou said

"She wouldn't," Kaidou smiled as he whispered

"What did you say?!" Nendou shouted

"But he did get a secret admirer."

"~Riki Nendou you're my hero I love everything about you!~" Hairo thought, with pure admiration tears falling down his cheeks from how moved he was.

"This guy."

"Hey, girl buddy it was amazing how you pulled that guy out of the water!" Nendou commented

"Oh, it was nothing! I mean you saved three people at once," Lotus said

"It turns out that the lovely fair-haired princess Lotus is actually a secret warrior queen underneath, whenever she hears someone cry out in trouble she transforms and saves those in need," Kaidou whispered

"He's so ridiculous."

"You gotta admit if he started writing down his thoughts he could create a good story series."

"I know as a celebration let's get ramen!" Nendou said

"There's not even a ramen shop near here!" Kaidou said

The two boys went back and forth as Saiki and Lotus just watched.

Maru, the boy Lotus had rescued, was packing up his beach supplies. As he folded up a beach towel his friend showed.

"Hey, Shima where'd you go?" Maru asked

"I asked that pretty pink haired girl who rescued you to go out!" Shima smiled

"You what?!" Maru shouted grabbing his friend's shoulder shaking him. "Why would you do that?! Shima, I thought you were my friend!"

"I wanted to thank her for saving you. I thought you'd want to too. So I suggested all three of us go out for cake!" Shima said

"All three..of us? So that means I'll get to see her again," Maru mumbled

Shima nodded his head. "Look I even got her number, so we can set up a time and pick a day."

"Shima…." Maru brought his friend into a bone-crushing hug. "You genius idiot!"

Shima not sure was going on just smiled happy that his friend was happy.

In the end, Saiki, Lotus, Nendou, and Kaidou agreed on going to a food stall right on the beach, it was a nice okonomiyaki place that used fresh seafood caught right in the ocean next to them.

"This looks so good!" Lotus smiled her eyes sparkling as she stared at the food.

"~So cute.~" Were the thoughts of Nendou and Kaidou seeing Lotus's face.

"Okay guys, what kinds of okonomiyaki's should we make?" Lotus asked

"Squid!" Nendou said

"Octopus!" Kaidou said

"Squid!"

"Octopus!"

"Squid!"

"Octopus!"

"They do know we can make both right?"

Lotus looked at her pink haired companion. "What kind do you want Saiki?"

"Shrimp."

"Shrimp its is." Lotus grabbed a ladle pouring some batter on the grill getting ready to make the first okonomiyaki.

"You can cook?" Nendou asked

Lotus nodded her head. "I've been cooking since I was little. I also cook all the meals in my house. So leave it to me to cook your guys okonomiyaki, I actually really like cooking and it makes me happy when people enjoy it."

Lotus smiled and an arrow appeared over her head with the words, "Housewife in the making."

Going home was rather easy, well for Lotus and Saiki that is. Once the group split up Saiki teleported the two home.

Lotus smiled at Saiki as they stood in the street between their two residences.

"Although I know you didn't wanna come to the beach I'm glad you did." Lotus walked to her door and waved at Saiki. "I had fun today Saiki!"

Saiki didn't move until Lotus was in her house even stayed a little bit longer after that too.