Violet Roses | Saiki K

Chapter 21

Days had passed and now Saiki was sitting in class. After what had happened during New Year's Saiki had found himself actually worried about coming to school. Not because of the drawbacks of changing Teruhashi, Kaido, Nendo, and Hairo's memories, but because he hadn't been able to change Akemi's memories and she was already suspicious of him. Chances are, she had already connected the dots and knew his mom hadn't been joking.

Saiki had thought about going to Akemi's house and trying to figure out a way to change her memory but knew that would only make things worse. He couldn't use any of his powers on her and trying to use them in a desperate attempt would end poorly. He'd only have to hope that Akemi wouldn't say anything and that she thought everything was just strange coincidences.

He had already figured out what everyone else's memories had changed to, besides Nendo's of course, so his goal was just to make sure they didn't talk to Akemi about the dinner. His mother's comment had probably already been confirmation enough for her but Saiki didn't want more to get added to her pile of evidence against him.

Saiki was pulled out of his thoughts when he saw Akemi walk into the classroom. The thoughts of his classmates seemed to quiet as their eyes meet and Saiki tensed.

She knows.

Akemi sat down at her desk, only taking her eyes off Saiki for a few seconds at a time. He had never felt like this before. Like someone could read him. He knew there was nothing Akemi could do. Even if she had told everyone his secret no one would believe her and they'd all ignore it. But she knew that. Saiki knew she did even though he couldn't read her mind. Yet, he still felt like she would successfully expose him the second he did something even a little off.

The entire day, Saiki tried to think of anything he could do to get around telling Akemi he was a psychic. But he had no plan to convince Akemi that what his mom had said was no more than a random, strange comment. The only solution he could think of was to tell her the truth and get her to not say anything. But that idea was terrible. Still, it kept coming back to him and seemed like the only thing he could do besides hope for the best. He hated how much this situation was out of his control.

Classes went by in a haze and when Saiki went to leave the classroom after school was over, he was stopped when someone lightly poked him in the back. Saiki tensed in surprise and turned around to see Akemi standing behind him.

"I need to talk to you," Akemi said. Saiki couldn't read the expression on her face. He couldn't tell what she was thinking. But he nodded anyway. Avoiding talking to her would make it worse. He could at least try to dispel her suspicions. Somehow.

Akemi sighed and muttered, "follow me," before walking past Saiki and down the hall. Saiki trailed behind her trying to think of all the possible ways he could get himself out of this situation. He couldn't do anything that would let her guess what had happened, because then she'd jump to the wrong conclusion. Or, really, the right one, but not the one Saiki wanted her to conclude on.

Saiki followed Akemi up to the little floor where the door to the roof was before she stopped and turned around. She took a deep breath and seemed to figure out what she was going to say for a minute before speaking.

"I might be reading too much into this," Akemi started. Saiki felt a bit better when she started with that. It meant she wasn't sure if she was right or not. "But by the way your parents were acting after your mom called you a... psychic, something's just not right. So, was your mom really just making a joke and being weird or... what?"

Saiki took a minute before a plan started to formulate in his mind, "You think I'm a psychic?"

"I-... When you say it out loud it sounds insane." Akemi started hesitantly. Then she seemed to gain confidence. "And it kind of is. But some of the stuff that's happened around you is insane. And it would explain a lot."

"Explain what?" Saiki questioned, narrowing his eyes at Akemi. He knew what she was going to say, but if he could get her to think she really was just going crazy and overthinking things, he might be in the clear.

"Everything that happened in Okinawa," Akemi said, with a sharp breath. Saiki gave her a look and Akemi continued, "And your weird, inhuman strength during that one volleyball game. And how you just seem to be hiding something. Also, maybe it's just me not seeing something, but every time you speak you don't seem to open your mouth. It's like you're talking directly into my brain. It's weird and I kind of hate it."

Saiki tensed. He opened his mouth, then closed it. "Those are all just weird coincidences."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Everything is sort of really weird stuff that I'd normally never think twice about. But it's because it's you. You're just... You give me these weird vibes and... I don't know." Akemi sighed and lightly shook her head. Then she looked back up at Saiki with narrow eyes. "Also, what happened in Okinawa was just unexplainable, no matter what way you try to put it."

"You could've been having a weird dream," Saiki tried.

Akemi shook her head, "No. I know it was real. And you trying to play it off as something in my mind just makes it more definite. I know you're not Toritsuka or Teruhashi but I've seen him hang around you and it all just somehow fits."

"I think you're reading way too much into this," Saiki said. He was starting to get desperate. She wasn't budging on this.

"I don't think I am. As crazy as all this is, it just makes sense." Akemi replied. "Just tell me. It's not like I'm going to go around telling everyone you're a psychic. It's not like anyone would believe me anyway. I just need to know... for my own sanity."

Saiki stared at her. She was desperate to get the answer from Saiki and he was desperate to keep the answer from her. He felt like he was backed into a corner. He had two options, keep trying to convince her she was wrong, which may not work, or tell her and just focus on keeping her from telling anyone else.

After a minute, Saiki shook his head. He wasn't going to give in that easily. All he needed was another day to think over his options and come up with a better plan. "I don't know what to tell you. You're overthinking things. My mom just made a silly little comment, it meant nothing."

"Come on," Akemi said desperately. "So you think I'm just going crazy."

"Maybe," Saiki replied with a shrug.

Akemi stared at him and neither of them said anything. Saiki tried hard to focus on her, to try anything to tell what she was thinking, but just as always, his powers wouldn't work.

"Fine," Akemi said finally with an annoyed huff. "But I'm not letting this go. I'll figure out what you're hiding."

Saiki let out a sigh of relief as Akemi walked down the stairs and out of sight. Not that he had much time to relax. He needed to figure out a plan to clear all of Akemi's suspicions, and fast.