New Customers Are A Pain

4

Saiki had grown accustomed to Akechi's thoughts by now.

He was a usual, and he'd have to accept it.

It didn't surprise him anymore to see him chatting it up with Suzuki.

"I tried what you suggested, using two parts baking powder and one part baking soda, and my cake turned out beautifully! I don't think it's ever been so fluffy and airy before. Me and my mother enjoyed it very much."

"Oh, that's so wonderful, Akechi-kun!" she cooed. "I'm so glad it worked out for you. Did you use allspice?"

"Hm. I hadn't thought of using allspice. Is it good in cake? I usually only use it in cookies."

"Well, I used it in a chocolate cake, but it might be fun to experiment."

Baking nerds. They never shut up, did they? Saiki had little to no knowledge about baking whatsoever. They might as well be speaking another language, because it didn't make sense to him anyway.

'I'm on chapter six of book four. I should be able to finish it today. Maybe later I can watch the news if I have the time...'

'Amazing. Information constantly flows out of his brain and his mouth. And none of it's important.'

Saiki waited as they wrapped up their conversation. Akechi grabbed his coffee and sat down. Saiki ordered his food and did the same. He was starting to get back into his usual routine, if with Akechi there. He learned that the ring didn't help, because his paranoia always got the best of him. He also learned that he talked much more when Suzuki was working, because she was almost as talkative as he was.

Now that he knew what to expect, he really wasn't so ba-

Now that he knew what to expect, it really wasn't so bad.

Dealing with Akechi wasn't a skill that most people would benefit from.

'He's so talkative, people must love him. They probably think he's the most interesting person they know.'

And they wouldn't be wrong.

Saiki definitely agreed with his presumptions. Akechi was definitely one of the most interesting people he's ever met, and he hardly knew him.

However, "interesting" doesn't have to be a compliment.

Saiki smiled to himself and took a sip of his coffee. Hm. It needed more sugar.

Wait.

...

Something changed.

Saiki felt a bit odd. Something felt different somehow. It was hardly discernable, but something was off. It was the same customers, the same coffee, the same book. Everything was the same. He looked around, trying to see what could possibly be disturbing his peace of mind.

There was nothing out of the ordinary, but he still couldn't relax.

Akechi noticed Saiki whipping his head around like a madman. He noticed everything and it drove Saiki insane. Akechi loved to giggle whenever Saiki acted ridiculous and it annoyed the heck out of him.

And today was no exception.

Akechi's giggling only grew stronger as Saiki glanced over at him. Saiki frowned unconsciously, at the annoyance of his laughter. Saiki couldn't see it himself, but he figured he must've looked scary, because Akechi frantically looked away and took a sip of his coffee in an attempt to distract him.

Saiki made sure Akechi didn't see when he smiled, satisfied that he was armed. A powerful weapon, his death stare. He could use this. It might fare well in future situations.

'Hanamura! He's Hanamura! Why didn't I see it before? He has to be. He's absolutely terrifying! Even scarier than Hanamura himself! He has to be some sort of killer! A psychopath! Well, for all I know he's a sociopath. It would depend on his relationships with his family and friends. I don't know much about him, but this is a step in the right direction.'

'Hm? What does he mean by that?'

'Let's see, so the most prominent distinction between a psychopath and a sociopath is the way they process emotions such as sympathy and empathy. While a sociopath may feel sympathy towards people they care for, a psychopath would not. They wouldn't hesitate to do what they need to achieve their goals, need it be hurting or manipulating others; even family members.'

'Again with this? Maybe you're the real psychopath.'

'Of course, I don't know anything about his family life, and for all I know he's a social butterfly. It's wrong of me to judge people I don't even know.'

'Good job.'

'I'll never guess what he's like. He still seems different somehow. Maybe he's a famous manga artist.'

'Wait, that seems a bit too familiar.'

'I wonder what he's like with people he knows. Maybe he's really scary at home too. Maybe he's friendly.'

Saiki closed his book and sighed. That was enough thought spying for one day.

It felt like an invasion. Maybe he really was a psychopath. He was delusional, after all.

Saiki stood up to pay. He glanced quickly at Akechi, but he was still ruminating on who-knows-what. He hadn't even finished his book yet. As he walked past the rows of chairs and to the door, he noticed.

Now it made sense.

Akechi hadn't sat in his usual chair. They both had a routine of sitting on the chairs on the far left and the far right. Saiki sat on the far right to have a space to himself right next to the bookshelf. Akechi sat on the far left on the first chair because it was the seat closest to the bathroom.

Saiki didn't need to know that.

Today, he sat one seat to the right, on the second chair around the third table starting from Saiki's.

It was subtle difference, but it creeped Saiki out that it made it past him the entire time.