I’m a Telepath, but It’s Tough Because the Cool Beautiful Girl Next to Me Is Having Pink Thoughts - Chapter 22

Unlike yesterday’s quiet, peaceful walk, the shoe lockers were noisy in a completely different way, filled with pointless thoughts and chatter. I absentmindedly changed my shoes.

The train had been unbearable, but somehow we made it to school safely. I didn’t want to experience anything like that again anytime soon.

When we got to the station near school, I hoped I was just imagining it, but Tatsuki seemed a little disappointed. Hopefully, she wasn’t thinking about any pink fantasies.

“Ah, crap, I didn’t study at all yesterday.”

“Haa… I stayed up all night cramming…”

“Starting off the morning like that? Well, I didn’t study much either.”

“I went over the workbook twice, though.”

“You guys are crazy!”

“Phew… so it’s not just me.”

I had no idea which classmate was saying what, but conversations like this floated from all directions.

Bragging about how much or how little they studied, or lying on purpose…

I couldn’t understand the point of it.

Not that it mattered to someone like me, who didn’t have many friends.

Haa, I adjusted my bag and got ready to head to class while ignoring all that nonsense.

…Why was I going alone? Where was Tatsuki?

Of course, I was alone. We had split up on the way, using the flimsy excuse that she needed to stop by a convenience store.

I didn’t want anyone seeing us together, especially not the boys in our class. That’s why I chose a quieter path, one less traveled by students.

Of course, because it was so empty, Tatsuki teased me in her inner voice, “Itsumi-san’s surprisingly bold…”

Anyway, that’s why I was heading into class alone. I grabbed the door handle.

I had left enough time so that I wouldn’t meet Tatsuki again along the way. Looking out the window, I saw that most of the class had already arrived.

When I opened the door, the usual noisy, lively atmosphere hit me. Someone might think everyone would be quietly reviewing before the test.

“Morning, Itsumi.”

“Oh, right, we’re sitting in order of attendance numbers today.”

“Yeah, don’t look at my answers.”

“No one’s gonna.”

As soon as I entered, Chihiro greeted me. My seat was near the door and the aisle because of the attendance order, so that made sense.

“By the way~”

Chihiro looked past me to the left while grinning.

“That Ice Princess isn’t sitting with you?”

Following his gaze, I saw Tatsuki already there. As usual, she had a poker face plastered on while surrounded by the top-tier girls, like Kisara and the others.

“Ah, so even you’re saying that.”

“Well, when people ask about your relationship, you kind of wanna know the truth, right?”

“I’m not thinking like that.”

“Huh~, so cold.”

I lightly brushed off my grinning friend and sat in my seat, just behind him and right by the door. Not too far forward, but before the seating change, Chihiro often messed with me from here.

That impression stuck… but who sat next to me again?

I glanced at the empty seat next to me, trying to recall who usually sat there.

I had the impression it had often been empty. The bag was still hanging there, but the person herself had gone somewhere.

Had we never talked? Or was I just too oblivious? I couldn’t remember much at all.

Let’s see…

“Oh-huh, if it isn’t Itsumi-kun!”

Her voice was unusually low for a girl, and her tone had a playful, almost affected flair. Looking at her, the small stature didn’t match the confident sound of her voice.

Ah… right. That’s right.

“…Kisara-san.”

“Yeah, that’s me. Good morning! I’m sorry about not having Rio-chan next to you.”

Kisara Meri, Tatsuki’s biggest admirer, with a sharp edge in her tone.

I almost thought, what is with this girl? But she wasn’t as openly jealous as she used to be. Maybe something had changed in her attitude since then.

“It’s really fine.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

She snorts lightly. She still carried herself with that oversized attitude, as usual.

“If it’s before a test, shouldn’t you at least review one page of your textbook?”

“Hmm, you’re probably right. That might be more useful than talking to you.”

Looking at the clock, it was almost time to sit. The seats that had been empty were slowly filling up.

Kisara looked completely at ease as she sat down in the seat next to mine.

I thought that was that and tried to turn my attention back to my textbook, but,

“By the way, Rio-chan seemed really happy this morning. Did something happen?”

My heart sank, as if a cold iron rod had stabbed through it.

No way, she couldn’t have seen us on the way to school, right? I had been careful, and even using telepathy, I hadn’t sensed any students’ thoughts nearby. And if it were her, she would have noticed immediately.

Still, Kisara wasn’t really asking why Rio-chan was happy. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be wearing such a teasing grin.

“…I don’t know.”

“Is… that so.”

Kisara just nodded mysteriously and didn’t say anything further.

Following my own advice, I opened a notebook to study English vocabulary for the first test.

But inside me,

“I’m not letting someone like him take Rio-chan… not a chance!”

Her anger boiled inside me. It was the perfect way to describe her feelings.

…Why do the girls in this class always have such a big gap between their outward and hidden personalities?