𝖯𝗌𝗒𝖼𝗁𝗂𝖼 𝖧𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗌 | SaiTeru

03

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Saiki had seen this moment a thousand times in his mind. He had foreseen it with such clarity that it should have felt routine, like dodging another disaster at school. 

Yet, as he stood there in the empty hallway, staring into Teruhashi's eyes—eyes shimmering with an emotion she wasn't used to showing—he realized something: knowing this was coming didn't make it any less uncomfortable. Or complicated.

"I think I... do like you, Saiki."

There it was. The confession hung in the air between them, heavy and awkward, like a stray cat trying to climb into his lap despite his obvious lack of interest.

Saiki blinked once, twice, and then turned his gaze away. Of course, she likes me, he thought. Everyone does. But this was different. 

Teruhashi wasn't just being her usual over-the-top self. This was a real confession. One that could cause ripples in his carefully constructed life of avoiding unnecessary attention and keeping his emotions buried deep. If he didn't handle this situation properly, it could lead to an avalanche of unwanted drama. 

And Saiki hated drama.

He briefly considered teleporting away. It would be easy enough. Just blink out of existence for a few minutes, then pretend nothing ever happened when he reappeared. He'd done it countless times to avoid awkward situations, nuisances, and, most importantly, people. Normally, a situation like this—an emotionally charged conversation, a confession, and a lingering tension—would be exactly the kind of thing he'd run from. He could disappear, take a few minutes to reset, and let everything blow over. It would be the most efficient way to deal with Teruhashi's sudden burst of vulnerability.

But somehow, that seemed like more trouble than it was worth.

As much as he hated to admit it, she'd probably find him anyway—she was persistent like that.

 Kokomi Teruhashi wasn't the type to let things go, especially not something like this. Saiki had seen it before. Every time he'd tried to sidestep her or ignore her obvious attempts to charm him, she came back, just as relentless and determined as ever. She didn't give up easily, and that should have been annoying—was annoying. 

Or at least, it used to be.

Even when she knew she wouldn't get the reaction she wanted from him, she kept trying. Teruhashi, with all her flawless perfection and overwhelming confidence, refused to back down, even in the face of his cold, impassive demeanor.

Most people would have given up by now. They would have written him off as a lost cause and moved on to someone who would give them attention. But not Teruhashi. She always bounced back, always pushed forward, even when he barely acknowledged her presence.

And deep down—though he'd never admit it—there was something about that persistence that he... liked.

Saiki's eyes flickered back to her, watching as she struggled to maintain her composure. Her normally flawless appearance was slightly off-kilter, her fists still clenched, her lip quivering. She was trying so hard to be strong in this moment, even though he hadn't given her the answer she wanted.

She's not going to let this go, 

he thought, with a mix of exasperation and something else he couldn't quite name. He knew this wasn't the last he'd hear of it, but strangely, he didn't feel the usual dread that came with such realizations.