I’m a Telepath, but It’s Tough Because the Cool Beautiful Girl Next to Me Is Having Pink Thoughts - Chapter 1

If I could read other people’s minds…

Communication with others is difficult. If I could know what someone is really thinking and act accordingly, how much easier life would be. If that were possible, wouldn’t I be the most popular person around? …Or so one might think.

But being able to read minds isn’t particularly wonderful.

If anything, it’s a nuisance.

…Why do I talk like I know everything?

Well, that’s because I, Itsumi Rei, can read other people’s minds. I’m what they’d call a telepath.

It’s probably been about ten years since I gained this weird ability, but the only time it’s been useful is when playing Old Maid. Well, I’m sure it’s helped me more than that, but the downsides are just too big.

The list goes on and on, from directly feeling people’s negative emotions to becoming distrustful of others for various reasons.

For me in particular, the most troublesome thing is the presence of the girl sitting in the seat to my left.

Her thin black hair shines like silk.

Her pale, flawless limbs stretch out from her clothes as if not a single fine hair exists.

His eyes, sharp as if honed yet somehow alluring, are particularly captivating among her perfectly sculpted facial features, making someone want to ask if God had made an exception.

Well, to put it simply and in a common way, she’s a cool beautiful girl.

They say she’s called the “Ice Princess” because she doesn’t talk much and her expression never changes… but,

From my perspective, that impression is completely off the mark.

Because if I just listen closely… no, I can hear it even without doing that.

“Haa, it’s so itchy…”

A voice that leaks out in a calm tone.

“It’s been a week since I’ve did it…”

Did it…!?

“…There are 22 rods and 44 balls in this classroom… Ah, thinking about that is just…♡”

Just when I thought she was saying something outrageous, the image of our male classmates lined up naked in my mind…!!

Whaaa! I give up, I give up!

That’s public indecency! What is she thinking about during class?!

Think about what it’s like for me to have this forced into my head…!!

…Ahem. Well, that’s basically it.

I learn things I don’t want to know… things I shouldn’t know.

And there’s no way I can share the shock with anyone else. I just suffer silently with the gap between her outward appearance and her inner thoughts.

It would be great if I could just block calls like on a smartphone, but I’m not that skilled. Depending on that day, I might hear the voices in her mind or I might not.

“Aah, if I were pierced by that sturdy spear…”

On days when her thoughts are flowing freely, her delusions play endlessly in my head like a mental video. I can’t always tell who’s involved with whom, but the bodies and actions are fully detailed. At this point, it’s basically a porn video in my mind.

(Empty… empty… empty…!!)

Like a monk seeking enlightenment, I simply empty my mind during class.

…But, of course, that meant I couldn’t properly attend class, and so this lesson and my grades vanished like bubbles.

—

“Yo, you were making that face like you were holding in a poop again.”

Finally, the compulsory storytelling competition ended, and as I was slumped over my desk, I heard a very carefree voice.

“No, it’s not exactly like that…”

“Heh, you don’t have to try to deceive me. We’re not in elementary school, so I won’t make fun of you for something like that.”

This is Ichigo Chihiro, one of my few friends.

Because our attendance numbers were close, our seats were also close, so we used to talk a lot before the seating change. Even after the seating change, whether out of concern for me often being alone or not, he often comes and talks to me like this.

“Man, that was hilarious. The [Ice Princess] next to you was completely expressionless, which made it even funnier.”

“…Hey, don’t laugh at people’s faces.”

The mention of [Ice Princess] momentarily distracted me, but I gave a suitable response.

As I mentioned before, the Ice Princess is the girl next to me───Tatsuki Rio. No one has ever seen her change her expression, and it’s said she got this nickname because people thought her emotions were frozen.

As for me, I’ve never seen her expression change either. In other words, she’s having such intense fantasies while remaining expressionless, which makes me wonder what kind of facial muscles and mental state she has.

“Anyway, let’s eat. You’re having lunch at the cafeteria again today, right?”

“Yeah, maybe I should go early and save a seat.”

Following Chihiro’s suggestion, I also stood up.

At that moment, I caught a glimpse of the girl in question.

What’s the point of having a pretty face? She was surrounded by girls, while a few guys were sneaking glances at her. Meanwhile, Tatsuki’s expression hasn’t changed at all.

I couldn’t hear what she was saying from this distance. She probably wasn’t saying much anyway. She just nods or mumbles in response to questions from those around her, and doesn’t seem to be stringing together any words at all.

She’s beautiful but unfriendly. Would it be fun to talk to someone like a doll?

It probably is. After all, it’s all about the face in the end.

“What are you spacing out for? Are you after the Ice Princess too?”

“…No way.”

I mean it.

The first time I saw her, I was a little bit excited, but now she just looks like a public indecency woman. They say she’s beautiful if she keeps quiet, but in her case, she’s beautiful if she’s expressionless. Well, that’s my problem with seeing inside her head.

“Let’s go.”

I prompted Chihiro, who pursed his lips, and we left the classroom.