Someone confesses to saiki

Bai Ying had barely stepped into the school when the chaos began.

A ripple of hushed voices followed him through the hallways, students whispering excitedly as they huddled together in tight groups. He caught snippets of conversation as he walked past—breathless gossip, gasps of disbelief, a dramatic retelling of something that had clearly shaken PK Academy to its core.

Normally, Bai Ying ignored these things. School drama wasn't exactly a priority when he had bigger concerns—like avoiding his growing fan club, making sure his cover as 'Koto' held up, and, most importantly, keeping up with his mission target.

But then, he heard Saiki's name.

"Did you see? She actually confessed to Saiki!"

Bai Ying stopped mid-step.

The system, silent up until now, pinged in his mind.

[New Event Triggered: Love Rival Encounter!]

[Mission Update: Increase Affection with Saiki Kusuo (+2 points possible)]

Bai Ying's breath hitched.

A love rival?

Before he could react, another whisper reached his ears.

"No way—like, a real confession? To him?"

"She even gave him a love letter! And he just—he just walked away!"

Bai Ying blinked. His brain took a second to process the sheer absurdity of what he had just heard.

Someone… had actually fallen for Saiki Kusuo?

He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

[User's emotional state fluctuating. Analyzing situation…]

The system's mechanical voice only fueled his disbelief. Saiki, of all people, had managed to attract a confession? The same Saiki who avoided social interaction like it was a contagious disease? The same Saiki who actively tried to be invisible?

This was huge.

More importantly—this was his problem.

Bai Ying quickly made his way toward the classroom, mind racing with possibilities. He needed details. He needed to know who this person was and how serious this confession had been.

His mission points were at stake.

And more than that…

Well. He refused to admit he was annoyed.

[Your emotional state suggests otherwise.]

"Shut up."

The classroom was already a mess when he arrived.

Students gathered in excited clusters, discussing the confession with the kind of energy usually reserved for celebrity scandals. Even Kaidou was pacing in the corner, muttering about "hidden forces manipulating romance destinies."

Bai Ying scanned the room until his gaze landed on Saiki.

Predictably, the pink-haired psychic sat at his desk, looking about two seconds away from teleporting to another dimension just to escape the situation. His expression was unreadable—though Bai Ying knew he was irritated.

His thoughts, however, were locked down tight.

Before Bai Ying could make a move, a soft but confident voice spoke up.

"Oh… I see. So it's true."

Bai Ying turned his head just in time to see Kokomi Teruhashi entering the room, graceful as always.

The usual reactions followed—gasps, sighs of admiration, and a few stunned whispers of "She spoke!" as if she had just blessed them with divine words.

But Kokomi didn't pay attention to any of that. Her gaze flickered toward Saiki, thoughtful yet composed.

"Saiki-kun," she said lightly, stopping near his desk. "I didn't expect you to get a confession."

She didn't say it unkindly—if anything, there was a trace of genuine curiosity in her voice.

Bai Ying, who had been bracing for some kind of smug remark, blinked.

Huh.

Kokomi wasn't annoyed or dismissive. She actually seemed… interested.

Not in a romantic way, but in a this is an unexpected development, and I want to know more way.

Saiki, meanwhile, looked done with life.

He didn't react outwardly, but Bai Ying could practically hear his inner frustration.

Kokomi smiled. "Who was it?"

The classroom erupted into whispers again.

Bai Ying leaned against a desk, arms crossed. He wasn't sure if he wanted to help Saiki escape this or make things worse just to see his reaction.

Saiki, of course, gave no answer.

Kokomi, unbothered, simply tilted her head. "It must have taken a lot of courage for them to confess. Did you give them a proper response?"

Saiki finally looked up, his expression flat.

"No."

Kokomi blinked. Then, to Bai Ying's surprise, she actually laughed.

It was small and elegant, the kind of laugh that was meant to lighten a situation rather than mock.

"That sounds like you," she said, amused. "You really don't know how to handle this kind of thing, do you?"

Saiki didn't confirm or deny it.

"Well then, good luck, Saiki! I hope you give her a proper answer," Kokomi Teruhashi said with a smile before walking away.

As soon as she was gone, Bai Ying made his way over, sliding into his seat as he leaned in with a lazy smirk. "So," he said, voice teasing, "I hear you've been breaking hearts, Saiki."

Saiki didn't react. Not outwardly. But Bai Ying caught the minute twitch of his eyebrow.

[User's Affection Level with Saiki Kusuo: +0.1]

Ah. Progress.

"…I don't know what you're talking about." Saiki finally replied, monotone as ever.

Bai Ying raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So you didn't get a love confession?"

Saiki stared at him. Bai Ying stared back.

The silence stretched.

Then—

Bai Ying grinned. "Knew it."

Saiki sighed.

Across the room, Kokomi Teruhashi had been watching.

She didn't react like the rest of the students, who were still buzzing over the confession. If anything, her gaze flickered between Bai Ying and Saiki with quiet curiosity.

And suspicion.

Bai Ying pretended not to notice.

It didn't take long to find out who the mystery girl was.

Aizawa Yui. Second-year. Part of the art club. Quiet, reserved, the type to blend into the background—until today, when she apparently decided to throw caution to the wind and confess to PK Academy's most antisocial student.

Bai Ying couldn't decide if he admired her courage or pitied her poor life choices.

"She's been watching him for a while," one girl whispered to her friend. "She says she likes his 'silent strength'."

Bai Ying barely suppressed a laugh.

Another student nodded solemnly. "She must've thought his lack of response meant he was the 'cool and mysterious' type."

Bai Ying shot a glance at Saiki, who was currently staring blankly at the wall, looking more like a man contemplating his entire existence rather than someone remotely 'mysterious.'

Yeah. Sure.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed Kokomi frown slightly.

She didn't look particularly impressed by the confession either. Instead, her attention was fixed on Bai Ying.

Not on Saiki. On him.

Bai Ying forced himself to stay relaxed.

[Warning: Kokomi Teruhashi's suspicion level has increased.]

…Not great.

"Alright, I have a plan."

Saiki didn't even look up. "No."

Bai Ying leaned in with a smug grin. "Listen, if she confessed once, she might try again. You're too much of a coward to reject her outright—"

"I'm not a coward."

"—so I'll handle it."

Saiki didn't even look up. "That's the worst idea I've ever heard."

Bai Ying ignored the insult, casually resting his chin on his hand. "Think about it. I show up, play the role of the close friend—"

Saiki's eye twitched. "How would you even be a close friend if you only transferred here two days ago?"

Bai Ying barely managed to keep his smirk in place.

Shit.

The system pinged.

[Warning: Saiki Kusuo's suspicion level has increased.]

Damn it, was this really happening again?

He quickly shrugged, keeping his tone light. "What can I say? I'm just that charming."

Saiki didn't blink. Didn't react.

But Bai Ying knew he was analyzing him, picking apart every word, every shift in his expression.

And Kokomi?

She was watching too.

She still hadn't said anything, but the look in her eyes was sharper now. More calculating. Like she was piecing something together.

Bai Ying resisted the urge to sigh. He had enough trouble dealing with Saiki's suspicions—did Kokomi really need to get involved too?

[User's attempt at deception: 62% successful.]

"Right," Saiki finally said, voice as flat as ever. "Because Nendou also decided you were his best friend overnight. Totally normal."

Bai Ying fought back a grimace.

Damn. Damn.

Saiki was way too perceptive.

And Kokomi still hadn't looked away.

He needed to change the subject—fast.

"Anyway," Bai Ying said, stretching lazily, "we can argue about that later. The point is, I'll make sure she gets the message loud and clear."

Saiki exhaled sharply, but he didn't object.

Bai Ying took that as permission.

[User's Affection Level with Saiki Kusuo: +0.3]

The system pinged again.

Bai Ying grinned.

Suspicion or not, he was still making progress.

Kokomi, however, wasn't smiling.

She tapped a finger against her desk, gaze flickering once more between Bai Ying and Saiki before murmuring under her breath—too low for anyone but Bai Ying to hear.

"…What exactly are you up to, Makoto?"

After that conversation, Bai Ying strolled through the halls of PK Academy with an easy smile, hands tucked into his pockets as he basked in the attention of the student body. Whispers followed him wherever he went—not that he was surprised.

But today, the excitement wasn't solely about him.

No, today, there was another hot topic because people were still discussing the love confession.

"She really confessed to Saiki? Saiki Saiki?!"

"I know, right? He's totally unfazed, though. It's insane."

"But, like… what if he accepts?"

Bai Ying barely held back his laughter. Accept? Saiki? Yeah, right. The only thing Saiki Kusuo was interested in was avoiding human interaction entirely.

Unfortunately for her, Saiki was Saiki.

And unfortunately for Bai Ying, his job today was damage control.

[Failure Consequence: Increased Competition. If User does not intervene, Aizawa Yui's crush will intensify, potentially leading to further rivals.]

Ah. So that's how we're playing this.

Bai Ying smirked, rolling his shoulders.

Well, that just meant he had to eliminate the threat.

In between classes, Bai Ying had gathered enough intel to find his target. Aizawa Yui was sitting with a group of friends in the courtyard, twirling a strand of her light brown hair as she chatted.

Bai Ying, being the natural charmer he was, walked right up with zero hesitation.

"Mind if I join?" he asked smoothly, flashing an easy grin.

The reaction was immediate. The girls at the table squealed, some scrambling to fix their hair while others just gaped.

Aizawa, to her credit, looked more surprised than flustered. "Eh? Teruhashi-senpai?"

Bai Ying slid into the seat next to her, resting his chin on his hand. "Call me Makoto."

The system pinged.

[Target's Affection Level: +5]

That was almost too easy.

"So," Bai Ying continued, his tone effortlessly casual, "I heard you confessed to Saiki this morning."

Aizawa turned red. "W-What?! Who told you that?!"

Bai Ying chuckled. "I have my ways."

Her friends gasped, giggling as they nudged each other. "Ahhh, he's so cool!"

Aizawa groaned. "Ugh, rumors travel too fast."

Bai Ying tilted his head. "You like him that much?"

Aizawa hesitated, glancing at her friends before nodding. "Yeah. He's… different."

Bai Ying barely held back a snort. That's one way to put it.

"He doesn't care about popularity," she continued, a dreamy look in her eyes. "And he's always so calm and mysterious."

Bai Ying had to resist the urge to tell her the truth.

Saiki Kusuo wasn't mysterious—he was just a psychic with a deeply ingrained hatred of socializing.

But instead, Bai Ying leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a more intimate tone. "I get it. You're into the cool, indifferent type."

Aizawa's blush deepened. "Y-Yeah…?"

He gave her a knowing smile. "But don't you think someone like that would be really difficult to date?"

Aizawa blinked. "What do you mean?"

Bai Ying sighed dramatically. "Well, imagine being in a relationship where your partner never reacts to anything. No jealousy, no excitement, no cute moments of flustered affection." He shook his head. "Doesn't that sound exhausting?"

Aizawa frowned slightly, the first signs of doubt creeping in.

Bai Ying continued, pressing his advantage. "I mean, sure, he looks cool. But if you actually dated him? It'd be like dating a brick wall."

Aizawa's friends murmured amongst themselves, their expressions shifting.

One girl nodded. "Now that you mention it… I've never seen Saiki react to anything."

"Yeah! Even when Teruhashi-sama talks to him, he barely blinks!"

Aizawa bit her lip, clearly thinking it over.

Bai Ying, sensing victory, went in for the final push.

"You deserve someone who actually shows they care, don't you think?" He smiled, all charm and warmth. "Someone who'd put in the effort."

Aizawa's face turned bright red.

The system pinged.

[Target's Affection Level for Saiki Kusuo: -10]

[Mission Progress: 75% Completion.]

Bai Ying smirked inwardly. Too easy.

Later that day, Bai Ying strolled back to class, feeling very pleased with himself.

Saiki, of course, was already at his desk, sipping coffee jelly with his usual blank expression.

Bai Ying slid into the seat next to him. "You're welcome."

Saiki didn't even look up. "For what?"

Bai Ying grinned. "Let's just say your admirer might be reconsidering her choices."

Saiki's eyes flicked toward him, suspicion evident. "...What did you do?"

Bai Ying leaned back, stretching. "Nothing much. Just gave her a gentle reality check."

Saiki stared at him for a long moment.

Then: "You're way too invested in this."

Bai Ying gasped dramatically. "How dare you? I was only looking out for my close friend—"

Saiki cut him off, deadpan. "You transferred here two days ago."

Bai Ying barely stopped himself from flinching.

The system pinged.

[Warning: Saiki Kusuo's suspicion level has increased.]

Damn it. Not again.

Bai Ying forced a laugh. "What can I say? I form deep bonds quickly."

Saiki didn't respond. He just stared.

It was the kind of stare that said I don't trust you, but I can't figure out why yet.

Bai Ying met his gaze with a confident smirk.

Saiki sighed, rubbing his temple. "I don't have time for this."

Bai Ying grinned. "Oh, but I do."

The system pinged.

[User's Affection Level with Saiki Kusuo: +0.5]

Saiki muttered something under his breath.

Bai Ying just smiled wider.

Bai Ying's good mood lasted until lunch, when he realized the mission wasn't technically completed yet.

Aizawa Yui had doubts now, sure. But she hadn't fully given up.

Which meant Bai Ying had more work to do.

[Main Mission Progress: 75% Completion.]

He sighed, idly poking at his food as he mulled over his next move.

Across from him, Nendou was slurping down an entire tray of curry like it was a casual afternoon snack. "Oi, Koto! You're real quiet today."

Bai Ying hummed. "Just thinking."

"Whoa. Sounds tough. Want me to punch it?"

Bai Ying blinked. "...Punch what, exactly?*

"Y'know, whatever's stressin' ya out." Nendou grinned, cracking his knuckles.

Bai Ying snorted. "Yeah, I'll let you know."

Just then, a shadow loomed over the table.

"Excuse me, Teruhashi-senpai?"

Bai Ying turned, already knowing who it was.

Aizawa stood there, shifting slightly under his gaze. She looked… hesitant.

Bai Ying raised an eyebrow. "What's up?"

Aizawa hesitated, then glanced toward Saiki who was trapped beside Nendou.

"I just…" She bit her lip before whispering "Do you really think he's that impossible to date?"

Ah. So that's what this was about.

Bai Ying leaned back, considering his options. He could push her doubt further, sure. But that might just make her more determined.

Instead, he tilted his head and smiled. "Why don't you try talking to him again and see for yourself?"

Aizawa blinked. "Huh?"

"You confessed, right? But that's not the same as a conversation." Bai Ying gestured toward Saiki. "Go. Talk to him. Try to get to know him a little."

Aizawa hesitated. But, eventually, she nodded. "…Okay."

Bai Ying watched as she turned and made her way toward Saiki's side of the table.

Nendou scratched his head. "Oi, Koto, what's this about?"

Bai Ying smirked. "Just a little experiment."

Aizawa sat down beside Saiki, shifting slightly in her seat.

Saiki, who had very clearly been enjoying his coffee jelly in peace, sighed heavily before looking up.

"…What do you want?"

Aizawa flinched.

Bai Ying, watching from the other side of the table, could barely hold back his laughter.

"I-I just wanted to talk!" she stammered.

Saiki stared at her. "Why."

Aizawa fidgeted. "Well… I thought, since I like you, maybe I should try getting to know you better."

Saiki's eye twitched.

Bai Ying bit his lip, barely containing himself.

Aizawa took a breath and continued. "So! Do you have any hobbies?"

Saiki, flat as ever: "No."

"…Favorite food?"

"Coffee jelly."

"…Any interests?"

"None that involve this conversation."

Aizawa let out a nervous laugh. "Oh, uh, haha, you're so funny, Saiki-kun."

"I wasn't joking."

Bai Ying wheezed.

Aizawa, bless her heart, still wasn't giving up. "Uhm… what kind of girls do you like?"

Saiki put down his spoon. "The quiet kind."

Aizawa gulped. "Oh."

Silence.

Painful, awkward silence.

Then Saiki, very deliberately, picked up his spoon and went back to eating his coffee jelly.

Aizawa sat there for another thirty seconds before standing up, mumbling, "Thanks for your time," and quickly walking away.

Bai Ying watched as she slumped back to her group of friends, looking utterly defeated.

The system pinged.

[Mission Progress: 100% Completion.]

[Reward: +2 Affection Points with Saiki Kusuo.]

Bai Ying smirked. And that's how it's done.

Later that day, Bai Ying caught up with Saiki near the shoe lockers.

"Did you enjoy your little lunch date?" he teased.

Saiki shot him a look. "I hate you."

Bai Ying grinned. "You say that, but I know you like me~."

Saiki's eye twitched. "I don't."

Bai Ying shrugged. "Too bad. I'm too likable"

Saiki sighed, rubbing his temples. "You're way too involved in my life."

Bai Ying laughed. "And I plan to stay that way."

Saiki muttered something under his breath, but Bai Ying just kept grinning.

At the end of the day, Saiki might have been suspicious, but Bai Ying was winning.