loon!e

4/? chapters

words: 9,700

PREVIEW:

On my way there, I pass by quite a few kids, but pay no mind until these two girls. Both ninth-graders, one with pink hair in pigtails leading a taller, black-haired girl. The girl tailing behind has a stone-cold expression—strange, considering the general talkative and energetic air of the other kids. The one in front of her has a pleasant, bright-eyed expression.

As they pass me by, I catch the raven-haired girl fix a wary glare on me, head barely turning to catch a last glimpse. What’s her deal? It’s not like she looked at the other kids; no, her eyes had been determinedly pointed at the student in front of her and nothing else. Why did she turn to look at me???

I can just read her mind, and—

Nothing.

My steps falter, and I look back in their direction. Still down the hall, slowly getting further. Way in my range. I focus hard… still, silence. —From the other girl, too!?

I sigh, step into the bathroom and claim a stall, putting my head down to think.

That’s strange. Especially because—I pause to check—yep, I can still hear everyone else’s thoughts. Particularly the guy in the stall beside mine, but you readers don’t need to hear that. Anyways, the only people whose minds I can’t read are Nendo’s and my dumbass brother—and he was using a telepathy blocker, it was big and ugly. 

You have to be shitting me. Do I really have to deal with some shit like this on the first day of grade eleven?

The answer is no. I’ll wash my hands, head back to class, and never think about them again. Easy enough, I have enough irritations crowding my mind every minute. No problem.

•—☆—•

Yes problem.

I’m standing behind the school, after hours, alone save for the dark-haired girl. She stares daggers into my eyes.

Leading up to this, the day was normal. Got bothered by Akechi telling me all about the weather forecast for this year (???) and how people online predict that something is shifting because of the stars—I don’t know and I don’t care. Then I was hassled by Toritsuka, asking to make him look appealing to the grade-nines, so I threatened to turn his hair a nasty green. He backed off after that. Aiura kept trying to catch my eye, thinking loudly in my direction. 

SAIKI. Kusuo, I know you can hear me. I have something REALLY IMPORTANT!!! I’m serious! Something’s up with my predictions!

I’m sure whatever it is can wait until the end of class.

To be honest, I forgot about it—well, I can remember anything, I more-so cast it out of my mind. So, when it was time to be dismissed, I tried to leave the usual way, going for ramen with Nendo and Kaido, but I felt someone grab my arm, demand that I follow, and drag me all the way across and out the school.