I’m a Telepath, but It’s Tough Because the Cool Beautiful Girl Next to Me Is Having Pink Thoughts - Chapter 15

There’s a saying that once something passes someone’s throat, they forget how hot it was. But if something scalding keeps getting shoved down before it even passes, there’s no way they will ever forget the heat.

What I mean is, the silent complaints, or rather, the grudges of my classmates, just never stopped.

Because, as I said earlier, new reasons to get mad kept popping up one after another.

“Itsumi-san, do you know the answer to this problem?”

“Come on, Itsumi-san, you shouldn’t sleep during class.”

“Ah, you dropped your eraser, Itsumi-san.”

“Are you already finished? As expected, Itsumi-san is really good at math.”

Itsumi-san, Itsumi-san, Itsumi-san.

Every time her voice called out that name, the flames of anger burning inside me flared hotter. I could feel my classmates’ stares stabbing into my skin like needles.

And yet, I couldn’t just brush off her friendly approach.

If I did, that would only add fuel to their anger.

In other words, I was completely cornered.

“──Alright, that’s time. Class representative, give the call.”

The clock read 12:30. Lunch break.

Once the class representative led the closing greeting, everyone split off to their usual groups.

Normally, I’d head over to Chihiro, or he’d come to me. But today was different.

A crowd of guys had gathered around him.

“Hey, what’s the deal with that Itsumi?”

“He’s all over Tatsuki, isn’t he?”

“You’re close with Itsumi, right? What kind of brainwashing trick is he using on her…?”

Actually, even during the short breaks between classes, people, including girls, had been swarming around him.

The only person here who’s connected to me is Chihiro.

I mean, sure, they could just ask me directly, but that would honestly be even worse. So for now, I was grateful he was taking the fire instead.

“Tch, I keep telling you guys, I don’t know anything. He’s just… a decent person, that’s all.”

That answer was embarrassing, but what else could he say?

He doesn’t know Tatsuki’s exact preferences or my personality down to the core. So saying something vague like that is the safest move he can make.

“No, no, come on, there’s got to be more to it. Like, maybe he’s into her skills…”

“Whoa, stop it with that crap! It’s not like they’re actually dating!”

“Still, it’s not impossible…”

They really said whatever they wanted.

And then they had the nerve to imagine pervy stuff on top of it.

Idiots. Stop projecting that junk into my head.

“…Haa, fine, then why don’t you just—”

Before Chihiro could finish what he said, I slipped out of the classroom.

I already knew where he was going with that.

Chihiro always thinks his words through before saying them, which makes it easy for me to read his intentions through this cursed telepathy.

Thanks to that, I dodged the mess before it started.

…No, dodging isn’t quite right. More like I bought myself some time.

Because if things went badly, by the end of lunch break, I might just be facing a group beatdown.

With all those dangerous thoughts swirling in my head, I eventually found myself at the school store near the cafeteria.

As usual, I didn’t bring a bento, and I didn’t have the guts to sit alone in the dining hall. So, the plan was to quiet my stomach with some sweet bread from the store.

A little pricey, but just for today, I’d let it slide. Not that anyone else cared.

The air was filled with the strange mix of smells drifting out of the cafeteria; fried food, curry, noodles, all of it blending together.

I clutched three hundred yen in my hand, zoning out like an idiot while thinking, Man, it’s crowded today too, when…

“Oh, so that’s the guy…?”

A weird telepathic voice echoed in my head.

───And suddenly, an image shot through my mind.

Someone is grabbing my ears from behind.

In the vision, I let out this gross squeal like some kind of startled animal. What the hell kind of impression do they even have of me?

I didn’t know who it was, but it probably wasn’t anyone I knew.

Then again, there weren’t many people I did know.

I whipped around.

“Oh, am I busted already?”

Standing there was a girl. Though with her short-cropped brown hair and petite build, she could almost be mistaken for a boy. Her round eyes had a sharp, half-lidded look to them.

She grinned mischievously, her voice teasing.

“Well, well… you’re Itsumi-kun, right? What a coincidence. Although it’s not really a coincidence.”

The girl smirked at me as her lips curled up in amusement.

“So then… why don’t you tell me how you managed to win over Rio-chan?”

She was still smiling. Kisara Meri raised the corners of her mouth into a sly grin.