It was the rainy season.
The weather was unpredictable, and today was an overcast, rainy day. It was mid-June, and the Sports Festival was scheduled for next week. This week, all the necessary preparations should begin.
Sakurai-kun didn't like sunny days, nor did he like heavy rain. His preferred weather was overcast with light rain—the air quality was better.
These past few days, he had enrolled in a motorcycle driving school and had already passed the theoretical exam for a regular two-wheeled license. A large two-wheeled license required being eighteen years old, and he wasn't old enough—at least, Sakurai General Affairs's apparent age wasn't enough. He had just turned sixteen.
The training content was quite boring. The first item was how to lift a motorcycle, followed by figure-eights, cone weaving… For a superpower user who could fly and burrow through the earth, it was indeed unexciting. But Sakurai Saki wanted to be an ordinary person, so he had to experience what ordinary people needed to experience.
"Good morning, Miko-chan."
"Good morning, Sakurai-senpai." Iino Miko bowed slightly, as polite as ever. She was wearing a transparent raincoat, small and standing at the school gate, becoming a beautiful sight.
Miko-chan's height was only 147 centimeters. She could probably reach Sakurai Saki's chest if she jumped.
How cute~ (referring to her height)
"Did you catch Ai-chan violating Disciplinary Committee rules today?" Sakurai asked curiously.
He had arrived quite late today. Mainly, he and Hayasaka Ai—cat form—had stayed up late yesterday, and his back had been bothering him recently. It was indeed embarrassing for a superpower user to be exhausted by such things, but the other party wasn't an ordinary person either.
Sakurai immediately understood how the men in ancient times, whose yang energy had been drained by female demons, must have felt. They probably felt something similar to what he was feeling now.
"Hayasaka-senpai?" Miko-chan replied. "I haven't seen her yet."
She still hadn't figured out the mystery of the orca from last time. This time, she couldn't tolerate it anymore. Miko-chan waved the somewhat oversized sleeves of her raincoat, cutely asking, "Senpai, what did that picture of the orca spouting water you sent mean?"
"Orca spouting water?" Sakurai blinked. "Isn't it cute?"
Sakurai General Affairs liked orcas.
"There's no other meaning?" Miko-chan was greatly disappointed.
Seeing her disappointed expression, Sakurai Saki decided to lie. He had told countless lies in his life, but this one was definitely the most amateurish.
"Miko-chan, that picture…" He showed a sad expression, deliberately adjusting his angle to ensure Miko-chan could see it clearly. "...You need to comprehend it yourself."
"...Senpai." Miko-chan felt she had touched upon his painful memories.
Perhaps Sakurai-senpai had a tragic past. She had heard he came from a single-parent family. His childhood might have been even more miserable than hers.
"Alright, I'm leaving." Sakurai Saki gave her a very forced smile. "One must live happily, Miko-chan. Don't bring the past into the present."
"Mm!" Miko-chan nodded heavily. "I will! Sakurai-senpai, you too—do your best!"
Sakurai General Affairs waved his hand, leaving a lonely figure moving toward the school building.
Sigh. I knew I shouldn't have asked Sakurai-senpai about the orca's secret, Miko-chan sighed inwardly.
But. What exactly was Orca Spouting Water.jpg?! Was it simply because it was cute that Sakurai-senpai had sent it to her? But his expression just now hadn't suggested that at all.
"Good morning, Miko-chan!" A female student greeted Iino Miko. Recently, because Sakurai Saki called Iino "Miko-chan" every morning, many imitators had appeared. Most of them were Sakurai Saki's fans.
"Good morning, Senpai." Miko-chan politely replied. Though she was shy with strangers, she could still respond to friendly approaches.
"Good morning, Miko-chan!" Another one came.
"Good morning, Senpai." Miko-chan didn't even look up.
"Ai-chan yolo Good morning!"
Hearing that, Iino Miko finally looked over.
"...Hayasaka-senpai!!!!" She shouted at the retreating back. "Your uniform!!"
Unfortunately, no matter how much she shouted, Ai-chan—who had her uniform jacket draped around her waist—didn't turn back.
Ugh~ Miko-chan felt a little sting in her nose. It had happened several times already. That hateful Hayasaka-senpai—I'll catch you someday!
Ding-dong~
Her phone rang. Miko-chan adhered to her duties as a Disciplinary Committee member and only opened her phone after finishing her work. She glanced at it—a message from Sakurai Saki.
[Orca spouting water.jpg]
Miko-chan: "…"
So what exactly did this meaningless picture mean?
Today, lunch was eaten in the Student Council Room.
Hayasaka Ai had gone to the cafeteria with her friends. She and Sakurai Saki had often disappeared together at noon recently, leading some to say they were dating, but neither of them had made it official, leaving everyone curious.
Sakurai Saki didn't care about this, but Hayasaka Ai had explicitly stated she didn't want to publicize their relationship. Sakurai General Affairs felt that Ai-chan definitely had some unspeakable secrets, but it was a pity he hadn't recently had a superpower that could probe others' memories and thoughts. It actually didn't matter if Ai-chan told him—he didn't think their relationship would encounter difficulties. This was the confidence of a superpower user.
He walked into the Student Council Room.
"Sakurai?" Shirogane Miyuki looked up. "Aren't you going to eat with Hayasaka-san?"
"She ditched me to eat with her girlfriends." Sakurai Saki sighed.
"That's normal. Guys really can't fathom girls' friendships." Shirogane Miyuki took out the miso soup he had brought and poured a cup.
Sakurai glanced at it—the thermos seemed pretty good. It could even hold soup.
"For the Sports Festival, parents can visit." Sakurai's tone was casual. "Is your uncle coming?"
He was referring to Shirogane's father. His voice sounded very similar to a certain vampire character Sakurai liked.
"He'll probably come to watch me make a fool of myself," Shirogane admitted. He was not good at sports.
"I'll sign up for tug-of-war and just blend in." Sakurai sat on the sofa.
He had stood out at last year's Sports Festival and really didn't want to participate again this year. Mainly, on that day last year, he had gained a superpower that increased his speed tenfold. Even with good control, he had almost broken the human limit in running.
Usain Bolt would have to kneel before Sakurai Saki and shout—"Big Brother!"
In short, for the sake of his ordinary life, Sakurai Saki had to slack off this time. Even if someone invited him again, he absolutely wouldn't take a single step.
He had thought today would be an ordinary day.
He was mistaken.
In the afternoon, the rain intensified.
The sky was as if splashed with ink—not a single ray of light could penetrate.
Inside the Student Council Room.
"How do we get back?" Sakurai Saki asked.
"I brought a raincoat." Shirogane Miyuki left a cool back, seemingly ready to walk back in the rain.
Only two people had come to the Student Council Room today. On a rainy day, no one else had the idea of coming over.
Sakurai Saki thought for a moment and decided to cancel today's lesson.
He remembered his last overnight stay.