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Saiki was just digging into his first coffee jelly of the day as he heard the front door knocking. It was nine o'clock on a Saturday night. Nobody but him was home and Teruhashi decided to come now. Saiki could go hide, pretend he's not there until she goes away. But decided against it as the knocks got more desperate and persistent.
He sighed, putting his beloved coffee jelly down and answered the door.
"Saiki!" Teruhashi had shouted, clearly out of breath. They stood there for a moment, Teruhashi huffing and Saiki staring back at her. "May I... come in?"
I'm so glad someone's home, Teruhashi thought and Saiki waved her inside.
He guided her into the house, watching as she stumbled and took her shoes off. They entered the living room and sat down on the sofa.
"Sorry for coming so late, Saiki. I got caught up... in something and your house is closer than mine and-" Teruhashi looked up from her trembling hands to Saiki. "What is it?"
"Why are you here?" Saiki asked, ignoring the fact he already knows and ignoring the anger bubbling in the pit of his stomach.
"Like I said, your house is closer than mine and I wanted to say-"
Saiki grabbed her hand, "You're shaking." he said, "What happened?"
"W-what are you on about? Nothing happened. Can't I just drop by a friends house-"
Saiki lifted his eyebrows in disbelief.
"It's fine, I shouldn't have come here," Teruhashi stood up, shaking Saiki's hand off here.
"Something happened and if you're not going to tell me then why did you come?"
Teruhashi's eyes started to water, "I-" she choked on her words, "It's fine, it's fine," don't break down, Kokomi. Not in front of Saiki. "I should probably get home anyway."
"Want me to take you?"
Yes, "It's okay, I'll be okay," Teruhashi stood up and brushed herself off. I'll go home and Saiki can have a relaxing Saturday night in. I hope he's not going to worry too much. I don't want to spoil his evening.
"If you're worrying about interrupting me, don't. I've dealt with worse Saturdays," Saiki said, then looked the girl in the eye,"There's something that annoys me about you, Teruhashi, and I'd like you to fix it. I've wanted to address it for a while and I think this is a good time too,"
"W-what? What is it?"
"You can think about other people more than yourself. Being selfish and thinking about yourself isn't a bad thing."
"I can't be selfish, Saiki." Teruhashi twisted her hair around her fingers, then mumbled, "I'm not like that."
"But sometimes you need to be. Taking more care of yourself is important. Having feelings are important. I'm not one to speak but nobody is going to know how you feel if you don't tell them." Saiki took Teruhashi's trembling hand in his again, "You've been very good at faking smiles recently."
Kokomi furrowed her eyebrows and let out a shaky sigh, if he insists I suppose I should tell him. I trust Saiki, she thought, it's not like he talks to many people anyway. "Can I tell you something I've never told anyone before?" she whispered, "Something that really annoys me,"
Saiki nodded, letting their hands fall out of each other's.
"I'm fed up with people calling me pretty all the time," she said, almost hesitantly like she was waiting for Saiki's response. He just listened to her and that's what gave her the confidence to continue "I hate that I have to pretend not to hear, pretend that it doesn't bother me that they treat me like a goddess, pretend that everything is fantastic just because everyone loves me." Her eyes started to water again. She wiped her face with her cardigan sleeve. "Sometimes I wish I could be invisible. Not have everyone's attention on me for just one day. Not have everyone fawning after my every need because they think i can't do it. Even when I can do it myself. Just because I'm pretty doesn't mean I'm incapable. I-" she hiccuped on her words, her breath was shaky and her eyebrows were the most furrowed Saiki had ever seen them, "I just want people to treat me normal. I just want to be normal."
She paused for a moment and looked at Kusuo. After hearing what she thought, he had to dig his nails into the sofa to keep himself there. Being angry was Kusuo's weakest feelings to keep under wraps and it doesn't help that what happened to Teruhashi made him furious. "Saiki, I'm so scared, I-" her hands continued to shake, tears following down her smooth cheeks more , "The reason why I came. There was this man and I knew he was following me and-"
"Calm down. I can hardly hear what you're saying."
Teruhashi hiccuped, "Sorry," she said, taking a deep breath in. In and out, in and out.
"Drink?"
"No, thanks." Teruhashi said, shaking her head a little. She talked slower, "So there was this man and I knew he was following me. I tried to get away from him but... but he ended up stopping me and telling me all this weird stuff and-" she covered her face, "Oh, Saiki. You were the first person I thought of and I ended up running here,"
Saiki saw the reenactment of Teruhashi's situation run through her head and felt the rage bubbling in his stomach again. This time he could not ignore it.
What a creepy bastard, Saiki thought, where is he? He's going to regret every word he said to her when I'm finished with him. It's not for Teruhashi, it's because you shouldn't treat anyone like that.
Saiki stood up and started to make his way to the front door.
"S-saiki, where are you going?" Teruhashi bounced after him, her cheeks tear stained.
"Stay here," he slipped his shoes on, "My parents will be back soon and-"
"Please don't leave me," Teruhashi interupped, grabbing onto his sleeve.
Resorting to begging now, Kokomi? she thought, Saiki, of all people. A crying girl is not perfect but it's acceptable. But begging?
Saiki let out a huff. He took his shoes off and pulled Teruhashi back through to the living room.
They sat down in an uncomfortable silence. Teruhashi fidgeted with her (now unshaking) hands and Saiki eyed up the coffee jelly that was still on the table.
"I'm sorry,"
"It's fine," Saiki said, "You're upset. You can stay here for a while."
Teruhashi sniffed then wiped her nose with her sleeve, "Thank you."
Saiki nodded and the silence wrapped around them again. Saiki chose to ignore the self-destructive thoughts going around in Teruhashi's mind. Things like 'so much for perfect you've probably corrupted Saiki-kun's thoughts of you now, Kokomi' and 'I'm not sure if I can act innocent after what I heard. What are others going to think of me?'
"You won't tell anyone, right?" Teruhashi attempted to swallow the lump in her throat, "About what I said. The things that annoy me? I'm not sure about how i feel about this yet,"
Saiki shook his head, "I promise,"
Teruhashi smiled at him, a real smile. Kusuo felt a tug on his lips. This was still bugging her, the thoughts kept tumbling around in her mind. But Teruhashi was a strong girl and the creepy bastard was going to get what he deserves once he'd taken her home.
"Where are your parents?" Teruhashi asked, scratching the back of her neck.
"Oh," Saiki had tried to recall whichever anniversary date it was, "They went out to celebrate their ninth first date anniversary date... or something. I'm not sure,"
Kokomi chuckled, (an actual chuckle!) and said, "Well, I best be getting back. I don't know if your parents would be too happy about me being here this late."
Saiki shrugged. They wouldn't care, they both knew that. But he didn't say that because the coffee jelly that still sat on the table kept whispering to him and he wanted to eat it as soon as possible.
"I'll walk you back,"
"There's no need. It'll be okay,"
Saiki stared at her and rolled his eyes. "Let's go," Saiki pulled Teruhashi by the arm to the front door. He grabbed a coat and scarf from the coat pegs and wrapped it around Teruhashi's neck.
She furrowed her eyebrows as she watched Saiki slip his shoes on then dug her face into the scarf. She slid her feet into her shoes and let Saiki lead her by the hand out the house.
It was a silent walk to Teruhashi's family home. The chilly wind bit at them but their hands that embraced kept them warm. When they arrived they stood together quietly.
"I'll walk you to school tomorrow," Saiki said, "Wait for me," he leant down and pecked her cheek. He turned and left before Teruhashi could say anything.
Teruhashi hummed as her gaze followed Saiki as he left. She could have guessed it was summer as her cheeks felt so hot, and that certainly wasn't meant to happen in winter.
He is so full of himself, Kokomi thought, how dare he kiss me? The most perfect pretty girl anyone has ever know? The one who fills boys' dreams and he just kisses my cheek like it's nothing.
"Goodnight," she had whispered to herself, a small smile on her blushing face as she entered her house.
Saiki knows now that maybe I'm not so perfect, she thought, maybe I'll forgive him for kissing me.
She didn't take the scarf off as she ignored her brother, stomped up the stairs and flopped onto her bed. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
~
As soon as Saiki was out of Teruhashi's way, he found that bastard who upset her and placed a curse on him.
'Respecting women is important' he snarled at the man, who coward beneath him 'You come near Teruhashi again, I'll make sure you suffer more than you already will. Have fun when all the blood in your body comes out of your pores.'