First Day

Bai Ying stumbled along with Nendou, who had practically hoisted him into the air by slinging an arm around his shoulders. The sheer force of Nendou's grip was both alarming and impressive, like he was used to dragging people along without a second thought.

His booming laughter filled the air as they made their way down the street, the sound echoing off the walls of the small shops lining the road.

[Warning: Hostility detected. Threat level: Low.]

Bai Ying barely held back a snort at the system's pop-up. "Hostility?" he muttered under his breath. "More like overenthusiasm."

[Correction: Overenthusiasm detected. Threat level: Nonexistent.]

So now the system had a sense of humor?

"So, you new around here, huh?" Nendou asked again, clearly trying to make small talk. "What brings you to this crazy place?"

Bai Ying gave a half-hearted shrug, trying to look casual. "You know, just... checking out the neighborhood," he said, silently cursing the fact that he'd just had to say something that generic.

[Mission Update: Establish rapport with PK Academy students. Current progress: 5%]

Oh, great. Now even talking to Nendou counted toward his mission.

Nendou nodded sagely, though it was clear he wasn't fully processing what Bai Ying said. "Yeah! Gotta check out the cool spots! This place's the best. Lots of food, lots of weird stuff to do!" He grinned like he'd just solved a great mystery. "Ya seem like a guy who knows how to have fun!"

Bai Ying forced a smile, trying not to cringe. "Yeah, sure. Fun."

They turned a corner and entered a narrow alleyway leading to a ramen shop with flickering neon lights and the scent of delicious broths wafting from within. Bai Ying's stomach growled—loudly.

[Hunger detected. Energy levels decreasing. Immediate food intake recommended.]

"Yeah, yeah, I got it," Bai Ying muttered under his breath.

Nendou took no notice of his stomach's betrayal, pushing the door open and stepping inside with a flourish.

"Yo! Two bowls of your finest!" Nendou bellowed as they entered. Bai Ying winced at the volume, wondering how anyone could ever get used to that level of loudness.

A waiter, looking slightly disheveled, approached them. "Welcome. What can I get for you?"

"Spicy miso ramen!" Nendou shouted without hesitation, already tapping the table with one hand. "Make it super spicy, like fire-level hot, y'know? I wanna feel the burn! Yeah!"

Bai Ying blinked at him. "Are you... sure about that?"

Nendou waved him off as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Trust me, it's the best. Extra chili oil too! Make me sweat!" He flashed a grin that would have been unsettling if not for the complete obliviousness in his eyes.

Bai Ying rubbed his temple in disbelief. "Okay, okay. I'll just go with the regular miso ramen."

After a brief exchange, the waiter headed into the kitchen, leaving them alone. Nendou immediately flopped back into his seat like he owned the place, stretching his legs out under the table as though he were completely at home.

"So, Koto," Nendou started, leaning forward with an exaggerated grin. "You wanna come hang out with me and my friends later? We're gonna meet up with Saiki, you know, the guy with the glasses? He's always pretty chill, but he doesn't talk much."

Bai Ying's eyes widened at the mention of Saiki. His mission target. But meeting Saiki Kusuo? The guy who could read his mind? Bai Ying wasn't prepared for that yet.

[Mission Update: Initiate contact with Saiki Kusuo. Objective status: Pending.]

Bai Ying did his best to keep his composure. "I don't think I can go later."

Nendou leaned back, scratching his head. "Oh damn, that sucks. Maybe next time."

[Mission Status: Delayed.]

"Yeah, sounds great..." Bai Ying said, trying to play it off. He needed more time to figure out what to do about Saiki's mind-reading abilities.

As the waiter brought over their bowls of steaming ramen, Nendou dug in enthusiastically, slurping up noodles with abandon. Bai Ying followed suit, though he was too preoccupied with his thoughts to enjoy the food fully.

[Stress levels increasing. Recommended action: Relax.]

Easy for you to say, system.

By the time they finished eating, the sun had already dipped below the horizon. Nendou paid for the meal—loudly and generously, as was his style—and they parted ways at the corner of the street.

Bai Ying walked back to the Teruhashi household, where the system had set him up. He wasn't exactly thrilled about living in the Teruhashi mansion, but at least the place was luxurious. His new room was grand, complete with a massive bed, a desk, and windows that overlooked the city. It was too large and too fancy for someone pretending to be someone else, but the system clearly had a flair for the dramatic.

As he plopped down onto the bed, he pulled up the system interface.

"System," Bai Ying muttered, his fingers hovering over the screen. "I need you to arrange for me to start studying at Saiki's school. I'll need to be there to meet him, but I can't risk having him read my thoughts."

A notification popped up immediately.

[Processing request...]

[You have been successfully enrolled at PK Academy. First day of classes: Tomorrow.]

Bai Ying groaned. Tomorrow? Really? No time to prepare, no time to come up with some brilliant plan. But then again, could he really have waited any longer?

"Alright, fine. Tomorrow it is," he muttered.

"Now, about the mind-reading problem... What am I supposed to do about that?" he grumbled, pacing the room. "I can't just hope he doesn't notice me thinking about something weird. Not when I have all these thoughts running wild."

The system gave him an unhelpful response.

[You have not unlocked an item for mind-blocking capabilities. The most effective way to deal with Saiki Kusuo is to engage with him as naturally as possible.]

Bai Ying's shoulders slumped. "Naturally? Really? You're just making it worse, system."

[Encouragement: You can do it! +5 System Morale Points.]

"...What the hell is a System Morale Point?"

No answer. Bai Ying let out a frustrated sigh before climbing into bed. He'd have to come up with something—anything—before the real challenge began tomorrow.

The Next Morning

Bai Ying awoke with a start, his mind already racing. Today was his first day at PK Academy. His first real encounter with Saiki Kusuo. The true start of his mission.

He took a deep breath. Alright. No need to panic.

> [System Notification]

Mission Progress: Initiating First Contact with Target.

Reminder: Saiki Kusuo is a powerful psychic with mind-reading abilities. Proceed with caution.

Bai Ying groaned. "Yeah, thanks for that. I totally forgot."

The system, as always, ignored his sarcasm.

After a quick shower, he stood in front of the mirror, staring at his reflection. The familiar face of Teruhashi Makoto stared back—sharp jawline, bright blue hair, the kind of devastating good looks that could make people trip over themselves.

Bai Ying sighed. He was still getting used to it.

"You're Teruhashi Makoto now," he reminded himself. "No weird behavior. No slipping up."

He adjusted his hair, buttoned up his shirt, and straightened his collar. Then, he practiced a smile. The charming, confident kind that could dazzle an audience.

> [System Notification]

Charisma Boost Activated: +5% to Public Perception

Bai Ying rolled his eyes. "Gee, what would I do without you?"

Still, it was reassuring. Even if Saiki could read minds, Bai Ying had other skills to work with.

"Alright," he murmured, giving himself one last look. "Let's make this count."

With that, he grabbed his school bag and stepped out of the Teruhashi mansion.

This was it. The first step in his grand plan to romance Saiki Kusuo.

The clamor of students swelled as Saiki Kusuo walked through the halls, his pink hair an unintentional beacon.

It was the first day back—a time for fresh notebooks and muffled yawns. Not for whatever this was.

"Can you believe it?! Mugami Tōru transferred here?!" someone squealed.

"Wait, isn't he that famous actor? The really hot one?" another whispered.

Saiki sighed internally. Great. As if Teruhashi Kokomi wasn't already a daily headache.

He sidestepped a group of students sketching heart shapes in the air, ignoring their dramatic whispers. Unfortunately, avoiding attention was impossible today. The energy in the school felt off, buzzing with some kind of impending disaster.

Then, he heard a voice that was far too chipper for his liking.

"Magumi! Why did you transfer here?!"

The crowd parted like a curtain, revealing the so-called star of the moment.

Makoto Teruhashi stood confidently in the middle of the hall, flashing a dazzling smile that could melt glaciers.

Ugh, Saiki thought. As if we're filming a drama series.

"Surprise~!" Makoto's voice carried effortlessly over the noise. "Figured, why not experience the life of a normal student for once?"

Excited whispers erupted around them.

Saiki barely paid attention—until a stray thought drifted through Makoto's mind.

"Being famous is getting annoying."

Saiki blinked.

That… wasn't something he expected to hear from this guy.

A flicker of understanding crossed his mind before he shoved it aside. He wasn't about to sympathize with a celebrity.

Before he could think any further, however—

"OI, BUDDY!"

Nendou Riki's unmistakable voice tore through the hall like an explosion.

Students flinched. Saiki sighed.

And then—Makoto actually lit up.

"Oh! Nendou!"

The students gasped.

"Wait… they know each other?!"

"When did that happen?!"

Nendou, completely oblivious to the disbelief around him, threw a heavy arm around Makoto's shoulders, nearly knocking him off balance.

"What a coincidence, pal! Didn't think I'd see ya again after our legendary ramen adventure!"

Makoto chuckled, wincing slightly under the weight. "Yeah, who knew fate would bring us together again?"

The students exchanged looks of absolute confusion.

Kaidou, lurking nearby as always, narrowed his eyes. "This is bad… He's already infiltrated Nendou's inner circle. He must have some ulterior motive!"

Saiki sighed. This is going to be a long year.

From the corner of his eye, he spotted Teruhashi Kokomi, staring wide-eyed at her brother. Her thoughts practically vibrated with panic.

"Why is he here?! What if he ruins my perfect image?! What if he tells everyone about the time I—"

Saiki tuned her out before she gave him a migraine.

Meanwhile, Makoto—still basking in Nendou's energy—flashed a casual smile at the other students.

Swooning ensued.

Saiki didn't even bother looking. This is seriously going to be a nightmare.

PK Academy – Classroom

As Nendou and Makoto strolled into the classroom, all eyes followed them.

"Is it really him?" someone whispered.

Makoto, completely at ease, moved through the room like he owned it. He tossed a smile at a few students, effortlessly charming them. Excited gasps and dreamy sighs rippled through the room like a wave.

Saiki Kusuo, who had been trying to sneak into the classroom, felt his patience thinning by the second.

Here we go again.

He slinked past them, making himself as invisible as possible—though, with Nendou and Makoto grabbing all the attention, that wasn't hard.

"Man, that ramen we had was legendary," Nendou was saying. "We should do it again sometime!"

Makoto shot him a playful grin. "Of course! How could I turn down an invitation from my best ramen buddy?"

Nendou beamed. "You got it, pal!"

The class collectively malfunctioned.

Two people from such different worlds—one a so-called celebrity, the other the class clown—bonding over ramen?

Meanwhile, Nendou suddenly furrowed his brows, as if something had just occurred to him. "Hey, wait a sec," he said, scratching his head. "How come ya never told me you were transferin' here? I woulda shown ya around!"

Makoto blinked. "Oh. Uh. I guess I just didn't think about it."

Nendou chuckled. "Man, you're a weird one. Next time, just gimme a heads-up, yeah?"

Makoto smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, yeah. I'll keep that in mind."

Saiki, sitting at his desk, felt an unsettling sense of dread creep up his spine.

Great. Another one with high school fantasies.

At that moment, the teacher—who had been trying and failing to restore order—finally spoke up.

"Alright, settle down!" they called, waving a hand for silence. "Teruhashi, introduce yourself properly."

Makoto stood, flashing an easygoing grin. "I'm Teruhashi Makoto. But just call me Makoto. No need to be formal. Let's get along, yeah?"

Another wave of swooning rippled through the room.

Saiki pinched the bridge of his nose.

This is going to be a nightmare.