Baby Steps - Kusuo Saiki x Reader

15. Delinquents

As Saiki and I walked to school, the morning sun bathed the streets in a soft, golden light. The air was crisp, and the gentle breeze carried the scent of blooming flowers. It was a peaceful start to the day.

Just as we rounded a corner, we were met with a scene that shattered the tranquility of the morning. Kaido stood at the end of a street, watching as Kuboyasu encountered two guys who were clearly up to no good. The taller of the two thugs had Kuboyasu's collar in his fist.

Before I could even react, Kuboyasu lashed out with a speed that caught everyone off guard, including the thugs. His punch landed square on the taller guy's face, sending him sprawling to the ground.

"Get lost," Kuboyasu growled, his voice low and menacing. His eyes, normally calm, were filled with a fury that sent a shiver down my spine. The two thugs, realizing they were outmatched, scrambled to their feet and fled, their footsteps echoing down the empty street.

Saiki and I caught up with Kaido, and we all walked to school together. As we were walking, Kaido seemed lost in thought, his expression turning serious. He was clearly trying to piece something together about Kuboyasu.

Saiki and I let him figure it out on his own, acting clueless whenever he asked us certain things about Kuboyasu.

Kaido's mind was like an open book to me, and I could sense his thoughts as he tried to connect the dots. He remembered the day Kuboyasu first introduced himself to the class, casually dropping phrases like "Sup homies" and other slang that seemed out of place for someone who claimed to be an average student.

Throughout the class, Kaido thought about all the times Kuboyasu did things normal students wouldn't. Like the time he wrote "Aren Kuboyasu was here" on the chalkboard, a bold and somewhat rebellious move. And let's not forget the incident where he showed up to class with 'ketchup' stains on his clothes, which Kaido was now beginning to suspect might not have been ketchup after all.

Just as Kaido was getting lost in his thoughts, Nendo suddenly appeared behind him, slapping a hand on his shoulder. "Yo, Kaido! You look like you've seen a ghost!" Nendo's loud, boisterous voice snapped Kaido out of his reverie, causing him to jump in surprise.

"You look like you've seen a ghost!" Nendo boomed, laughing. "You can always come to me for advice, buddy!"

"I couldn't think of a worse guy to go to for advice," Saiki said to me, and I had to stifle a giggle.

Kaido hesitated before speaking. "Well, it's just... Do you think something is up with Kuboyasu?"

Right at that moment, Kuboyasu appeared behind Kaido, having overheard his name. "What about me?" he asked casually.

Kaido let out a squeal of surprise, clearly not expecting Kuboyasu to hear him. "Nothing!" he blurted out, his voice a little too high-pitched to be convincing.

Kuboyasu raised an eyebrow. "You're acting weird, man. Did something happen?" He reached out and patted Kaido on the shoulder, but Kaido recoiled like he'd been shocked.

"No, sir, nothing happened!" Kaido squeaked, and I could see the fear in his eyes.

Kuboyasu's confusion deepened. "Sir? What's with the formal talk, dude?" he asked, placing a hand on Kaido's shoulder in what was meant to be a reassuring gesture. However, Kaido's entire body went rigid with fear at the contact.

"You're acting strange; did something happen?" Kuboyasu inquired, his tone softening as he tried to figure out what was going on with Kaido.

But Kaido, in his paranoia, misinterpreted Kuboyasu's concern as a threat. His mind was racing, conjuring up all sorts of terrifying scenarios in which Kuboyasu was a dangerous delinquent out to get him.