𝖯𝗌𝗒𝖼𝗁𝗂𝖼 𝖧𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗌 | SaiTeru

04

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Saiki's plan had been simple: leave the awkward conversation with Teruhashi behind and escape into the oblivious chaos of Nendou's company. 

After all, no one could accidentally drown out heavy thoughts like Nendou, whose every word seemed to defy logic. But as Nendou continued rambling about some ridiculous scheme involving a potato-eating contest, Saiki couldn't shake the feeling that Teruhashi's words had left more of an impact than he wanted to admit.

"Oi, Saiki! You hear what I said?" Nendou's loud voice boomed, snapping him out of his thoughts.

Saiki nodded absently, although he had no idea what Nendou had been talking about for the past few minutes. It didn't matter. 

He had bigger problems to worry about—like managing the tangled mess of emotions that Teruhashi had just thrown at him.

"Great!" Nendou slapped Saiki's back with a force that could knock out a lesser person. "So you'll join me for the contest after school, right?"

Saiki shot him a look that clearly said, 

Not.

But Nendou, being Nendou, completely missed the message. "Awesome! It's gonna be epic!"

Saiki sighed internally. He had bigger things on his mind than potato-eating contests and Nendou's oblivious enthusiasm. Like Teruhashi. And the fact that she had practically confessed to him.

  I like you, Saiki. 

Her words played in his head on a loop, and no matter how hard he tried to push them aside, they kept creeping back in, uninvited.

He was still mulling over how to handle it when someone else decided to invade his space.

"Saiki! There you are!"

Kaidou Shun's dramatic voice rang out as the self-proclaimed 'Jet-Black Wings' hero struck a pose that he thought was impressive. Saiki resisted the urge to roll his eyes. What was it with today? Why couldn't people just leave him alone?

"I've sensed a disturbance in the aura surrounding you, my friend," Kaidou said, his voice low and intense, as if he were the protagonist of some fantasy anime. "There's dark energy swirling around you... Could it be... a threat?"

Saiki gave him a deadpan look, wondering if Kaidou would ever realize that nothing he said made any sense.

"You've been unusually quiet today, Saiki," Kaidou continued, squinting at him suspiciously. "What's going on? Did the Dark Reunion contact you?"

No, Kaidou. Just the chaos of teenage emotions.

Of course, Saiki didn't say that. He simply turned his head slightly, hoping Kaidou would get bored and move on to something else. But Kaidou wasn't known for his observational skills.

"It's something bigger, isn't it?" Kaidou's eyes narrowed further as if he were piecing together some grand conspiracy. "I can feel it! You've been targeted by a powerful force... and you're not telling us!"

Nendou, ever eager to jump in, grinned broadly. "Yeah, Saiki! What's goin' on with you? You seem off today!"

For a moment, Saiki wondered if it was possible to make both Nendou and Kaidou disappear without anyone noticing. But before he could seriously consider the idea, a familiar voice chimed in from behind him.