The disastrous Life of Saiki K- Isnt it cliche to fall for your childhood friend

Bribery

Saiki had noticed something.

Whenever Teruhashi got near them, Touma's thoughts got louder, more clunky and seemingly random. It felt like he was disguising other thoughts, which if Saiki knew him at all, and he liked to think he did, he was. And now was the most evidence he had of that.

He was in a cafe with Teruhashi, she had bribed him with sweets, when his tea had been disturbed by fast-paced internal rambling. Touma was nearby. Saiki was certain he heard his own name show up in the random threads of thought he could make out, strangely paired with the word 'cute' and 'caring', though he was sure he was mishearing. After all, he never could fully decipher the other boy's mind anyway.

What was odd though, was the loud screech of his name. It appeared that Touma had noticed them, and one clear train of thought emerged louder than the rest.

'Saiki? Teruhashi? Are they on a date? I never would have expected that pairing at all, in fact I was certain Saiki hated her, he told me that himself after all, and why would he lie? He's aware she's arrogant and oh why am I theorising he can definitely hear me, unless he's actually paying attention to her, I should get tea there, I've been meaning to try their cakes they're apparently made by-'

Saiki tuned out of the now distracted rambling, once again clunky and forced. Maybe he should tell him that Teruhashi bribed him into this? Or he could just wait and see how this unfolds, his ring wasn't on, so he could hear Touma thinking loudly in a bid for a response.

'Maybe his ring is on? Though that definitely means he likes her why else would he bother to block out her conceited thoughts and here I thought I knew him? Maybe I don't.. besides if he likes her then I might as well give up- oh their tea is made with-'

Give up??? Give up on what? Saiki briefly looked back at Teruhashi.

'He looks adorable when he's thinking, I wonder what he's thinking about? Obviously it's me, he's been staring at me for the past 5 minutes, what else would he be thinking about?'

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, she didn't need to know that Touma was in the booth behind her. Touma who had concluded he was wearing the ring. Who's envious thoughts were getting louder and louder, interspersed with pleasant remarks about their sweets and how polite their staff were.

'So Saiki.. what about a movie this weekend?' He could already hear the thoughts of various romance movies she had lined up for him.

'Sorry, I have to study.' It was a flimsy excuse, but she couldn't be rude to him.

'O-oh, well.. maybe next weekend?'

He gave a noncommittal shrug which she determined to mean yes, she was also thinking about what sweets he would like, and he couldn't say no to that.

Touma, however, was uncharacteristically silent.