Saiki Kusuo

Everyone at PK Academy knew Saiki Kusuo was strange. He rarely talked, avoided attention, and always seemed more interested in his coffee jelly than the people around him. What they didn't know was that Saiki had a girlfriend: you. Somehow, you were the one person who could make him willingly break every rule he'd made for himself.

You were waiting outside the school gates when he arrived. “Saiki!” you called, running over to him with a smile. “You're late.” He glanced at you and replied, “You're early.” You rolled your eyes. “Same thing.” He immediately answered, “No.” You reached for his hand, and Saiki glanced down at your fingers. “You're doing that again,” he said. You looked at him innocently. “Doing what?” He sighed. “Touching me.” You smiled. “You're my boyfriend.” “I know.” “And?” “And nothing.” You smiled, and Saiki sighed, but he didn't pull his hand away.

The two of you started walking home together. After a few minutes, you looked at him and said, “Sometimes I wonder if you actually like me.” Saiki answered without hesitation, “I don't.” You gasped dramatically. “Wow.” He looked at you and said, “You're thinking about how you're going to dramatically leave me and then come back five seconds later.” You stopped walking. “You're cheating.” Saiki sighed. “I can read minds.” You crossed your arms. “Same thing.” He shook his head before pulling you closer by your hand. You looked at him and asked, “Was that supposed to be romantic?” “No.” “It was.” “No.” You smiled. “You're secretly a sweetheart.” He looked away. “Don't tell anyone.” You laughed.

Being Saiki's girlfriend came with plenty of advantages. He could teleport you home when it rained, find things you'd lost within seconds, and always knew when you were upset, even if you insisted you were fine. But there were disadvantages too. For example, you couldn't surprise him. Ever.

One afternoon, you walked into class carrying a small gift and hid it behind your back. Saiki immediately looked at you and asked, “What is that?” You quickly answered, “Nothing.” He stared at you. “You're holding something.” You shook your head. “No, I'm not.” Saiki sighed. “I can see it.” You smiled. “You can't prove anything.” After staring at you for a few seconds, he said, “It's a box.” You groaned. “You're no fun.” He held out his hand, and you reluctantly gave him the gift.

Inside was a small cat-shaped keychain. Saiki stared at it for a moment before saying, “You remembered.” You smiled. “You said you liked it.” He looked at you. “I mentioned it once.” You replied, “Exactly.” He quietly attached the keychain to his bag. Your eyes widened. “You're actually using it?” He answered, “Obviously.” You smiled. “You like it!” He shook his head. “I didn't say that.” You teased, “You love it.” He replied, “I don't.” You smiled even wider. “You love me too.” Saiki paused before looking away. “You're annoying.” You laughed. “I'll take that as a yes.”

Later that afternoon, you were sitting together on the rooftop with your head resting against his shoulder. Neither of you spoke. For Saiki, the silence was comfortable. He could hear hundreds of thoughts from students below, but next to you, everything felt quieter.

“You're thinking loudly,” you whispered. Saiki looked at you. “You can't hear thoughts.” You smiled. “I can tell.” He sighed, and you asked, “What's going on in that head of yours?” He answered, “Nothing important.” You smiled. “Liar.” Saiki looked at you for a moment before reaching over and fixing a strand of hair that had fallen across your face. You blinked. “Your hair was bothering me,” he said, immediately looking away. You smiled. “Sure.” He replied, “That's all.” You teased, “Sure.”

You leaned closer. “Saiki?” He looked at you. “What?” You smiled softly. “I love you.” He froze. After a few seconds, he quietly said, “I know.” You frowned. “That's not what I wanted.” He glanced at you before saying, “I love you too.” Your face immediately lit up. Saiki sighed. “You're happy.” You nodded. “Very.” He looked away. “That's embarrassing.” You smiled. “You're blushing.” He immediately replied, “I am not.” You laughed. “You are.” He turned away, but he didn't move when you wrapped your arms around him.

For someone who spent his entire life wishing people would leave him alone, Saiki secretly thought having one person who refused to was actually pretty nice.

The problem was that everyone else was beginning to notice.

At lunch the next day, you were sitting beside Saiki while he stared down at his coffee jelly. You glanced at his cup and asked, “Can I have some?” Saiki immediately answered, “No.” You frowned. “Just one bite?” He looked at you. “No.” You gave him your best pleading expression. “Please?” Saiki sighed and pushed the cup toward you. “Fine.” You smiled. “You're the best.”

His friends immediately went silent. Kaido slowly looked at Nendou, and Nendou looked back before they both turned toward Saiki. Saiki noticed and asked, “What?” Kaido pointed at him. “You just let them have your coffee jelly.” Saiki stared at him. “So?” Nendou gasped. “That's love!” Saiki immediately replied, “It isn't.” Nendou looked shocked. “You never share your food!” Saiki glanced at you before casually saying, “I don't care about sharing with them.”

Everyone froze.

Kaido's eyes widened. “Wait…” Nendou leaned across the table and exclaimed, “Saiki actually likes someone!” Saiki immediately regretted everything. “You're all annoying.” You laughed and leaned against his shoulder. His friends stared even harder. Kaido whispered, “He's letting them do that too.” Nendou nodded seriously. “He's finished.”

You looked at Saiki and asked, “You okay?” He sighed. “I'm surrounded by idiots.” You smiled. “You love them.” Saiki immediately replied, “No.” You laughed, and Saiki simply looked away.

Across the cafeteria, Teruhashi had been watching the entire thing. She had noticed it before anyone else. Saiki spoke to you differently. He answered your questions, listened to you, let you touch him, and most importantly, he looked at you.

Teruhashi couldn't understand it. Everyone adored her. People usually became nervous just from standing near her, yet Saiki seemed completely unaffected by her. And now there was you: someone who could make him smile, someone who could sit beside him without him moving away, and someone who could steal his coffee jelly and somehow get away with it.

Why does he treat them differently? Teruhashi wondered, trying to convince herself that she didn't care. But she did.

The next day, Teruhashi approached Saiki after class with a sweet smile. “Saiki-kun, would you like to walk home together?” Saiki barely looked at her before answering, “No.” Her smile twitched. “Oh.”

Before she could say anything else, you appeared beside him. “Saiki, are you ready?” His expression immediately softened as he looked at you. “Yeah.”

Teruhashi stared. It was subtle, but she noticed the way his eyes changed when he looked at you, the way he immediately stood up, and the way he didn't hesitate to follow you.

You glanced back at Teruhashi and smiled politely. “See you tomorrow.” She forced a smile. “Of course.”

You and Saiki walked away together. As you walked, you slipped your hand into his, and he quietly allowed you to hold it. Behind you, Teruhashi watched until the two of you disappeared down the hallway.

For the first time, she felt something she wasn't used to feeling.

Jealousy.

She wanted Saiki to look at her the way he looked at you, but somehow, she knew that wasn't going to happen. Saiki had already chosen the one person he actually wanted beside him.

And everyone at PK Academy was beginning to notice.