For Some Reason, I’m Almost Locked up by the Most Beautiful Girl in School Who Can Hear My Inner Thoughts

Chapter 4

It was a long day. Well, if I think that this means I can go through school tomorrow without feeling awkward, maybe it’s not so bad?

While I was thinking this, someone suddenly grabbed my hand.

Could it be those guys coming back?

I almost used a move on them but managed to stop myself just in time.

“Sorry, sorry!”

The one who grabbed my hand was Shimozuki-san.

“No, I’m sorry. Did it hurt?”

“No.”

“So, what’s up?”

When I asked, she stared at me again, just like before.

“Shimozuki-san?”

“…Oh, w-what is it?”

“…That’s my line. Didn’t you grab my hand because you needed something?”

“Y-Yes, that’s right. Um, well…”

She seemed to think for a moment, then said,

“Sasaki-kun, we take the same train home, right?”

“Yeah.”

“This might be bold, but… would you like to go home together?”

…This is really tough.

I want to go home quickly, relax, play games, and study.

But then, thinking about the girl who was being attacked earlier, going home together might leave a better impression.

Honestly, if she hadn’t asked me, I’d probably have gone straight home because it’s a hassle, but now she’s asked.

“I’m not saying you have to come all the way to my station. Your stop is earlier, so just until then is fine.”

If I refuse here, it might affect things at school later.

“…Okay.”

I nodded reluctantly, and it probably showed on my face.

So, we started walking toward the station.

Who would’ve thought I’d end up going home with Shimozuki-san, the so-called Madonna of our school?

I thought I’d never have anything to do with her until graduation.

“Oh, by the way, are you hurt anywhere? Sorry for not asking earlier.”

“No, I’m not hurt, so I’m fine. And please don’t say that. I’m really grateful you helped me.”

“I see.”

The conversation stopped there.

A guy who’s good at this would probably bring up something fun to talk about, but I don’t know how to do that. I figured if I tried spouting random trivia and messed up, it’d be embarrassing, so I just walked quietly.

We got to the station and didn’t have to wait long to catch a train.

Luckily, there were empty seats, so we sat down. I opened my phone and messed around on Twitter to pass the awkward time.

After about ten minutes of being rocked by the train, we reached my stop.

“Well, see you tomorrow. Take care going home.”

“Thank you. Take care too, Sasaki-kun.”

“Thank you.”

After that formal exchange, I got off the train.

For some reason, I watched the train from the platform until it disappeared, then stretched.

I thought it was a hassle and just wanted to go home, but somehow, helping someone out didn’t feel so bad.

—

Chapter 5

I put my hand on the seat where Sasaki-kun was sitting until just a moment ago and looked toward the station where he got off.

I knew about Sasaki-kun even before we were in the same class.

The reason was simple: he was a guy who had no interest in me and didn’t lust after me at all.

At school, I get all kinds of emotions and thoughts directed at me. Dirty ones, disgusting ones like those of a lustful monkey, thoughts about how to violate me, or how they used me as material to get off last night—those kinds of gross things.

It’s not just boys. Girls send me envy, jealousy, wishes that I’d die, or thoughts that things would be better if I wasn’t around.

Yes, I can read people’s thoughts and emotions. Or rather, they get poured into my brain.

People who aren’t close to me.

For example, if it’s just someone I know by face, I can’t read them that accurately. But I can read the minds of people who keep talking to me at school or try to force a connection with me.

Of course, I can also read the minds of people I’m interested in accurately.

For me, hearing all these inner voices, he was like a relief.

He doesn’t care if I’m sitting next to him, and during breaks, he finds the people gathering around my seat annoying and wishes we could change seats soon. To him, I’m probably just a really bothersome person.

When did I first learn about him?

It was when I started feeling that high school was just the same old life repeating itself. I happened to lock eyes with him in the hallway.

But all I could read from him was, “Huh, so that’s the Madonna,” a casual thought that showed he didn’t care about me at all.

Then he lost interest, looked away, and went back to his classroom.

From that moment, I started to take an interest in him and began watching him.

And then, a year after starting high school.

In our second year, when we got new classes, by some twist of fate, we ended up in the same class, and soon after, we were seated next to each other.

But for him, having Yamashita-kun next to him would probably be a hundred times better.

Those days went on, but then today’s incident happened.

With final exams coming up and thinking about next year’s entrance exams, I decided to plan ahead a bit and bought a study guide at a bookstore near the station on my way home.

Suddenly, some guys blocked my way. I tried to dodge and move forward, but they kept getting in my way, so I couldn’t pass.

“Hey, you’re really pretty.”

“Gross.”

I had a bad feeling about this. That’s why I kept my head down, trying not to look at them, and headed desperately toward the station’s ticket gate.

They were a group of three young guys, maybe college students, with that typical look.

I looked around, hoping someone would help me.

There were a few boys from my school, including Yoshida from the soccer club, who always bragged he’d definitely save me if something happened.

But right now, he was muttering in his mind, “N-No, it’s just bad timing. If it wasn’t, I’d take those guys down,” making excuses to who-knows-who.

I never expected anything from him anyway.

As I was hit with pity and lust, thinking maybe no one would help and I’d be taken away and raped, I heard a voice.

“Now, what should I do?”

Among countless voices, I heard that inner thought and turned to look, meeting his eyes.

Then, I heard him think, “What a hassle. Isn’t someone going to help her?”

He looked around, grumbled in his mind about Yoshida, and realized no one else was stepping up. “Fine, I’ll help her. It’s a bad vibe anyway,” he thought.

I was grateful, but at the same time, I worried how he’d save me. There’s no way he could take on these guys.

Maybe he’d call the police, I thought as they dragged me by the hand. Then, in a quiet spot, he casually called out to them.

And then, the impossible happened.

In an instant, he took down the guys and saved me effortlessly.

I felt relief at being saved, but there was one big worry.

In the past, after someone helped me, they always tried to make a move on me or find some way to get closer.

I worried he’d do the same, but he didn’t change at all.

His reason for saving me was just because it was inconvenient for him.

That’s all.

He was giving off vibes like he wanted to go home right away.

“Okay, it’s done. Now I’ll say something to Shimozuki-san and head home,” his business-like inner voice said.

Hearing that and thinking we’d part ways here made me feel lonely.

“You okay, Shimozuki-san? That was rough.”

What should I say to make him…

“Shimozuki-san?”

“…Oh!? S-Sorry. Thank you for saving me.”

Since I didn’t say anything, he thought I was confused from the attack.

“No, it’s fine. Just get home quick. Those kinds of guys might show up again.”

“Yeah, um…”

“See you at school.”

I tried to keep the conversation going, but he wasn’t having it and started to leave.

What should I do? I thought desperately but couldn’t come up with anything. So, I grabbed his hand, which, to Sasaki-kun, must’ve seemed like a weird move.

I racked my brain and came up with an excuse to go home with him. It was the first time this ability to read thoughts actually helped.

I used his conscience about not leaving a girl who was attacked alone.

Even though I went through all that to go home together, I couldn’t think of anything to say.

He was thinking, “A smooth guy would bring up something fun to talk about, but I don’t know how to do that. If I say some random trivia and mess up, it’d be embarrassing.”

But since I asked him to go home together, I should be the one to say something.

Plus, right now, I just wanted to talk to him, hear his voice—anything would do. I’d even be happy if he shared some random trivia, but I couldn’t say that.

I walked, lost in thought, and we reached the station. Now I’m riding the train alone.

My head is full of him.

I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all. But I was thinking about him so much that I didn’t care about anyone else’s inner voices.

My chest felt warm, my head was floaty, and my stomach was all fluttery.

Can I talk to him tomorrow? If I say I want to thank him for today… No, doesn’t he want nothing to do with me?

My head was completely filled with thoughts of him.

Before I knew it, I missed my stop and only realized it three stations later.