This is Lotus

This is Saiki

This is Saiki and Lotus

Spectral Adoration - "I Have a-!"

"Hey, sorry to drag you guys out to my father's grave like this," Nendou said, placing a cake at his father's headstone.

"It was on the way," Kaidou said

"This is more annoying than normal. I tagged along because of Kaidou-"

"And don't forget I bribed you with cake for later," Lotus added with a giggle

"That too, but now I wish I hadn't."

Kaidou and Nendou got on their knees praying.

"Who are you even praying to there? Your dad's over here."

Lotus and Saiki looked to the left to see Nendou's father, Takeuchi, already eating Nendou's cake offering.

"How is it that those two haven't even noticed that the cake is already gone? Also, another question...how can a ghost eat cake?!"

"Hey what you are guys doing?" Takeuchi asked, mouth full of cake.

"Visiting your grave. Even though I'm a psychic I don't usually see ghosts, but for some reason, I keep seeing this guy."

"Maybe it has something to do with your deep connection to Nendou," Lotus joked with a smile.

"Don't make such disturbing jokes like that."

Lotus just laughed louder covering her mouth.

"One Nendou is already one too many, I can't handle two."

Soft footsteps approached the group.

"Hello, kids."

Midori Nendou has arrived on the scene.

"Now there are three."

Lotus grabbed onto Saiki's arm. "Saiki...I'm getting scared again. The resemblance between all three of them still freaks me out."

"I feel the same."

"Thanks for looking after Riki. He's lucky to have good friends like you," Midori said

Kaidou's world seemed to be imploding as he stared at Nendou's mother. He was mere inches away from the woman's face staring at her wide-eyed.

"Kaidou we know the feeling but don't stare."

"What is it? Do I have something on my face?" Midori asked

"Ah! No of course not." Kaidou closed his eyes, jumping away. He gave a polite bow to Midori but ended up just bowing to her son. "I'm lucky to have him, ma'am."

"That's the wrong Nendou."

"Sorry, my mistake!" Kaidou shouted

"Hahaha! Darn right you're lucky." Nendou laughed

"Shut your mouth dummy!" Kaidou said

But once again he had the wrong Nendou.

"That's the dummies' mom."

"There, there, Kaidou. It's okay. I know how you feel," Lotus comforted the poor boy patting his back.

The group continued on down the road, Kaidou apologizing to Nendou's mother.

"I'm so sorry ma'am, this may come off as rude but you and your son look exactly alike," Kaidou said

"That definitely sounds rude."

Midori chuckled pointing at Nendou. "What? My son and I look alike? Stop your kidding you."

"He really wasn't kidding."

"It's almost paranormal the amount they look alike."

"He resembles his father. Doesn't look a thing like me. Now wouldn't you agree, Riki?" Midori passed by a mirror and glanced over at it confused. "Did you grow your hair out Riki?"

"That's you."

"They do look alike! Haha! What funny faces!" Takeuchi laughed

"Look who's talking!"

Lotus and Saiki looked in the mirror but only saw each other no Takeuchi.

"Oh, right ghosts don't have reflections. Ghosts don't have memories from when they're alive he has no clue what he looks like."

Lotus put a hand on her chin in thought. "Makes sense, although that makes me wonder. Helios seems to remember his past life pretty well."

"Where is your guardian spirit?"

"No clue. He's sometimes gone for days on end, then will randomly appear to surprise me and give me a heart attack. I was tempted to ask Reita about him but you know…."

"Say no more. Girls like you need to stay clear of S class perverts like him."

Lotus nodded her head. "Yup your right."

She and Saiki started to catch up with the rest of the group but then Lotus paused.

"Wait...what did he mean by a girl like me?" Lotus put a hand on her cheek feeling the skin a bit warm. "And why did it feel like a compliment?"

Lotus shook off her blush jogging back to the rest of the group. As she walked next to Saiki, avoiding eye contact because every time she did she felt her face get warm, Takeuchi floated right behind the two.

"If this guy had his old memories he would instantly know he was related to them."

"Huh, I'm curious about these two," Takeuchi said

"You kids should come to our place for dinner," Midori said

"Come on in."

Nendou opened the door to his room, Lotus, Saiki, and Kaidou right behind him.

"So is this your room?" Kaidou asked

"Sure is," Nendou said

"This is the chance I've been waiting for….I'm gonna find all of the porno mags I know you have hidden around here!" Kaidou exclaimed

"You could just ask Reita for that."

Kaidou started rifling through a bookcase, "Where are they I know they're here!" He pulled out a swimsuit magazine with a cute girl on the cover. "I found one!"

"Whoa! Nendou actually has one of those!"

Kaidou opened the magazine flipping through it. "Hehe, so this is the kind of filth he's into."

"Wow...my respect for him has greatly dropped."

Suddenly Kaidou's face went red, and he put the magazine back. "I'm just gonna put this right here." He squeaked out.

"What are you trying to do?"

"Let's not focus on how weird Kaidou is being and find out why Nendou's father is still shambling around here."

"Right."

The psychics looked at Takeuchi and the ghost was staring at something.

"What is he staring at?"

They followed the ghost's eyesight to find a small altar with a picture of Takeuchi in it.

"Oh, it's a picture of himself."

"This is so freaky, it makes me feel like Nendou is dead or something."

"What is he gonna do now?"

Takeuchi stared at the photo a moment longer before he fell over laughing holding his stomach.

"His old man looks just like him too!" Takeuchi laughed

"That old man is you!"

"Well that didn't help, let's go home."

"It's been 17 years now."

Lotus jumped startled and grabbed onto Saiki's arm. "When did she get in the room!?"

Midori walked over to Takeuchi's alter taking a seat before it. "The loneliness and sadness may have passed but I can't help but feel like he's close by."

"He is."

"And you're sitting on him right now."

"Maybe it's because our son looks so much like him. Hey, kids please make yourselves at home," Midori said

As Midori walked out of the room, Takeuchi stayed laying on the ground, as still as a statue.

"What is going on? He's gone quiet."

"It's like he's in some kind of trance."

Saiki stepped on Takeuchi's face, his foot just phasing through the ghost. "Hey, something wrong?"

"Her...I've fallen in love with her!" Takeuchi declared

Saiki and Lotus gaped staring at the ghost in disbelief. Takeuchi sprang forth attempting to grab Saiki's shoulders.

"I feel deep love towards that woman!"

"Hold on a sec...guess it makes sense they were married."

"I'm begging you kid you gotta tell her how I feel!" Takeuchi said

Saiki started to walk away. "I don't wanna get involved in your drama."

"Then you, pink chick, help me!" Takeuchi shouted

He went to grab Lotus in the same manner as Saiki but the young teen was pulled out of the ghost grasp. Lotus was confused as Saiki had grabbed the back of her uniform and started to drag her out of the room.

"She's not either."

Saiki dragged Lotus to the door about to exit, Takeuchi still yelling at the two.

"Come on I just need to talk to her then I can depart happily!" Takeuchi said

This caused Saiki to pause.

Kaidou had his back to the bedroom door reading another one of Nendou's magazines he had found. When the door was opened he jumped, turning around hiding the magazine behind his back.

"Saiki! Lotus! I wasn't doing anything!" Kaidou shouted

"We don't care."

"Where did Nendou go?" Lotus asked

"He's lying right over there." Kaidou pointed to the corner of the room where Nendou appeared to be sleeping. "He fell asleep even though he has friends over."

"That's convenient."

Kaidou slowly started to back out of the room. "I'll be in the bathroom."

Saiki knelt down to Nendou's sleeping form.

"Hey what are you doing to him?" Takeuchi asked

"Lotus."

"Oh, right."

Lotus pulled out her phone pulling up the timer app having it set to 44 seconds.

Saiki put his hand on Nendou's stomach and it phased into him. Lotus's eyes widened fascinated.

"Aaahh! What the heck are you doing!?" Takeuchi shouted

"Oh calm down. I'm just creating an astral projection. I can extract the astral boy from anyone who's unconscious other than myself. Although if I don't put him back within 44 seconds you're pretty screwed."

"So this is why you told me to set a timer. But why 44 seconds? Such an odd increment of time."

Saiki looked at Takeuchi. "What are you waiting for Nendou's body is available."

"Huh?"

Not a second later Takeuchi possessed the body of his own son.

"Who this is crazy! My body feels heavy!" Takeuchi exclaimed

"Now you can tell her how you feel yourself so go."

"Just wished you put me in a good-looking body," Takeuchi said

"Go!"

"Yeah, you've only got 33 seconds left," Lotus said

"All right I'm off to profess my love!" Takeuchi said

"30 seconds now!"

Midori was busy in the kitchen preparing for dinner when Takeuchi, in Nendou's body, appeared behind her.

"Hey, you!"

"Excuse me!" Midori looked over her shoulder. "That's no way to speak to your mother."

Takeuchi grabbed Midori's shoulders. "I'm in love!"

"Huh?"

Everyone in the home was present watching Takeuchi's confession.

"I don't know the right words to say but I'm absolutely smitten. A single glance makes my heart beat like a drum! I'm telling you I love-!"

Takeuchi's eyes, or would it be considered Nendou's eyes, rolled in the back of his head, and Nendou's body dropped to the floor like a sack of potatoes.

"Oh no Riki, what's wrong!?" Midori exclaimed

"He departed?"

"I guess telling her how he felt is what he left unresolved. Well, rest in peace."

"What was that all about?" Kaidou questioned

"Oh, my little boy is becoming a man." Midori held up one of Nendou's magazines. "I didn't know the girl in this magazine he was hiding meant so much to him. I should give it back."

"You've got it wrong!" Takeuchi shouted reappearing.

"I said rest in peace."

"Oh wait hold on a moment…" Midori looked from the magazine then to Lotus.

The woman went back and forth between Lotus and the magazine causing the girl to sweat nervously.

"W-Why is she looking at me like that?"

"Oh my, this girl in the magazine is you, dear!" Midori smiled as she flipped the magazine around to show that indeed on the back cover was Lotus.

!

Both Lotus and Saiki went stone white, Lotus's eyes blank and her mouth agape. The magazine so happened to be a swimsuit catalog that featured Ethan's designs, and of course, it was one of the photoshoots that Lotus had been helping out on. The back cover of the magazine featured Lotus lounging on a beach chair, the rays of the sun hitting her just right. She was in a red one-piece suit that had the sides cut out in a circular pattern. Lotus also had a pair of black sunglasses on which she was tilting downwards, so she could wink at the camera.

"L-Lotus you're a model!?" Kaidou exclaimed red-faced

"N-No I just help my brother out! H-He's a fashion designer! I've told you this before!" Lotus quickly said

Saiki, who was still frozen, had this horrid thought of Lotus being Nendou's girlfriend. He imagined the two walking together, Lotus hugging his arm, and the two going out on dates.

Midori started to laugh, waving a hand, "Oh dear I didn't know Riki was friends with a real-life model. Maybe you can introduce him to the model on the cover that Riki's so fond of.

Lotus let her shoulders sag. "What a relief."

Saiki's shoulder relaxed too, his face going back to normal.

After a nice dinner made by Midori, the teens said their goodbyes.

Lotus and Saiki walked home together, side by side, their hands almost brushing one another.

"I don't think I want to go over to Nendou's house for a while," Lotus said

"I don't want to go back ever."

"That...I almost had a heart attack. Nendou's mother seems like the pushy type, I feel like if she really thought Nendou had a crush on me she'd someone figure out how to get us on a date," Lotus said

"Not happening."

Saiki grabbed Lotus's hand, surprising her.

"Saiki what are you-?!"

!

Lotus blinked surprised as she found herself in front of her home. Her hand felt warm, and she saw that Saiki was still holding her hand.

"Saiki why did you-?"

"See you tomorrow."

Saiki sped his way across the street to his home.

"See you...tomorrow?" Lotus said, giving a small wave.

Lotus was relaxing in her bath, both Yami and Sir Henry were in the bathroom with her. Sir Henry in a small bucket on the side of the tub and Yami simply laying down next to it. Lotus had her eyes closed as she leaned back trying to decompress but her mind was active with a dozen thoughts going through it.

"What was up with Saiki?" Lotus gave a small chuckle. "It's almost like he was jealous or something? That's kind of hard to imagine...but I've never had a guy be jealous over me...I would mind too much...if it was Saiki…"

Lotus's eyes snapped open, and she gasped sitting up the bathwater around her sloshing.

Sir Henry and Yami both looked at the girl confused by her sudden movement.

"Oh my gosh, I have a crush on Saiki!"