Stuck In The Life Of A Psychic Teenage Girl

19

It was a crisp Saturday morning in December 1998, and the city was blanketed in a thick layer of fresh snow from the night before. Kuriko tugged her little brother Kusuke along as they walked, his hand small and warm in hers as he eagerly jumped into every snowbank they passed, laughing at the soft crunch beneath his boots.

Kuriko herself was bundled warmly against the cold: her pale legs covered with nude thermos tights, paired with a black plaid skirt, a sleek gray trench coat, and knee-high socks just visible over her black boots. She'd wrapped a cozy white shawl around her neck, its soft fibers brushing against her cheeks as she glanced down at Kusuke, smiling at his giggles.

As they passed a convenience store, Kuriko slowed her pace, spotting a familiar figure. Sano was standing just outside, visibly frustrated as he bickered with his younger siblings, Emma and Mikey, who seemed determined to rile him up. He didn't see her at first, and her mind drifted briefly to Asano. The memory of that festival night and Asano's unexpected kiss flashed in her mind, along with the sudden distance that had grown between them since. A mix of emotions stirred within her, but she knew she needed to settle things with Sano.

"Wait here a second, okay?" she murmured to Kusuke, patting his hand as she stepped forward. Kusuke, intent on stamping his boots into a particularly snowy spot, hardly noticed as she let go.

Kuriko approached Sano, who noticed her immediately and paused mid-sentence. His expression softened, and he let out a sigh, momentarily forgetting his bickering siblings. They exchanged a few awkward words, an apology forming on her lips as she tried to smooth over the tension that had been building between them. Kusuke eyed Sano's siblings suspiciously from his spot, his gaze wary; it didn't take long before he decided he didn't particularly like either Emma or Mikey. But Sano's attention remained on Kuriko, and as they continued to talk, a tentative understanding seemed to form between them.

The rest of that weekend, she found herself spending more time with Sano. Saturdays and Sundays blurred together in a quiet, shared comfort that somehow felt new to her. On Monday, they walked to school together, the air calm between them. By the time they reached class, she found herself smiling when he slipped a note onto her desk, his handwriting messier than usual: "I had a lot of fun this weekend. Let's do it again soon?"

Kuriko's heart skipped a beat as she read it, though she quickly tucked it away. She glanced up to find Asano watching her from across the room, a brief flicker of jealousy in his eyes that he quickly masked. It was unlike him to reveal even a hint of insecurity, and she felt a strange pang at the tension brewing between the two.

She hadn't spoken to Asano all day, which wasn't unusual, but she could sense his gaze following her, heavy with something unspoken. When she returned home that evening, her family sat down together for dinner. She occasionally slipped bits of food to Ginger, her faithful, mischievous cat, who had taken to curling up by her feet under the table.

Just as they were finishing, the doorbell rang, echoing through the house. Her mother, Kurumi, stood up to answer it. Moments later, she returned, her face warm with amusement as she called out, "Oh, Kuri-chan~! A boy is here to see you!"

Kuriko froze, quickly excusing herself as she went to see who it was. As she turned the corner, she found herself face to face with Asano, his expression unreadable as he met her gaze.

They stood in silence for a moment, the tension thick between them. Finally, Asano broke the stillness. "I'm sorry," he murmured, his voice low. "I didn't mean to disappear after the festival... but I'm not sorry for kissing you." His words were measured, sincere, and the honesty caught her off guard.

Kuriko felt her cheeks warm, and for the first time, she struggled to keep her composure. Asano's eyes softened as he studied her face, his hand lifting to brush a stray strand of pink hair behind her ear.