Ren was in one of the bathroom stalls when he heard a few boys and one of his classmates entering the boy's bathroom. He knew that the kid would get beaten up, yet Ren stayed there and listened silently. After the kid was beaten to a pulp, Ren was about to leave the stall and help the kid with treating himself, but it seemed like the kid had already left.
Based on what he heard using his mind reading ability, the kid's name was Akira. Ren knows him. He's a top honour student and would always hang around with Kaela's brother and the other top honour students.
Akira was also one of the boys Kaela had her eyes on, but Kaela was more interested in Michikatsu, and Ren couldn't blame her. Actually, he doesn't care.
When Akira left the bathroom, Ren also left the bathroom stall. He went to class, and since he knows that he's gonna get scolded for getting late, Akira teleported himself to his seat. Maybe three or four students saw how he just appeared out of thin air, but Ren did his best to control their mind, making them think that they were just seeing things and that Ren has been there before class even started.
Lunch came, and Ren went to hang around with Kaela and Leasha. These two also have some abnormal abilities they were born with. Kaela could control her hair, use it as a rope, or even a weapon. Kaela was naturally born with pink hair but her parents hid them, letting her dye her hair with black every month but Kaela decided to rebel this month and she didn't dye her hair, she went natural but everyone thought that she was just crazy coloring her hair pink. And since she's the smartest and uhh, 'prettiest' girl in school, almost all those boys she hates because they were such creeps were head over heels for her.
Ren could do whatever he wanted. He's strong, doesn't get sick, smart, and could manipulate almost everything. He could even stretch himself. He could read people's minds, he can manipulate minds, control minds, control objects, talk to animals, and make everyone's lives miserable.
Though, Ren isn't fully thankful for what he can do. It's a curse.
Leasha, on the other hand, has an unusual yellow eye colour. It doesn't stand out much since she puts on contact lenses, and her hair is normal. Wavy and healthy brown hair.
Ren, Kaela, and Leasha are the trio almost everyone envies but Ren is famous only for his looks and with his unusual white hair that he didn't even try to hide because he doesn't really care. He's famous and he's sick of it.
That would mean that more people would notice him, and he doesn't like crowded places because first of all, he can't control his mind reading, and the crowded it gets, the more unwanted thoughts that Ren would hear and it makes him sick. Sometimes, it could even get him to faint.
"He's always around Kaela and Leasha. It's sickening."
"What the hell is even good with that guy, Ren?"
"The only thing that's good with Ren is his looks. He's not even that smart."
Those were the usual things he'd hear from the other guys' thoughts who envied him for being around two famous and smart girls. The truth is, Ren isn't attracted to anyone. He's aroace.
Reading other people's thoughts made him unable to like anyone. Girls lusting over him? Eww. Other boys hating him? Okay, rude. Those boys who are also like other boys are just having such disgusting thoughts about him, and Ren is sick of it.
"Ren?"
Ren looks up when he hears his name. He sees Kaela and Leasha busy with eating and making their projects. So, Ren looks around the cafeteria to find that person who called him or just thought of him.
He was lost in thought, okay? So Ren was simply distracted.
"Who the hell is Ren?"
He looked around again, and then, his eyes darted to Akira, who was eating nachos for lunch as he was having a conversation with his friends.
"Wait, isn't that the guy who Kaela was around all the time? Ahh."
Ren kept his attention to Akira as Akira thought of him. It's quite unusual for someone to forget about who he is, so Ren was actually quite surprised that Akira doesn't remember him. Or... maybe it's just that... Akira doesn't really care about Ren, and it somehow intrigued him.
"Okay, that's just weird." Ren says to himself, running a hand through his hair, earning confused looks from both Leasha and Rhi.
"What's weird?" Kaela asked, eyes focused on his friend.
"I just... this guy, umm... Akira? I don't know. He intrigues me." Ren admits with no hesitation. Leasha and Kaela might judge him, but who the hell cares? They're the ones he has.
"Eww." Leasha said. Though, Ren could hear her thoughts. She's literally shipping him and Akira.
Ren looks at Leasha like she's the most disgusting thing in the world. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
The brown haired girl laughed and shooked her head. "Well, you're intrigued by someone and it's unusual."
"Oh, Akira Hinatsuru?" Kaela repeated. "Yeah, he's a very interesting guy."
"Well, you'd know. You like him." Ren shooks his head.
Leasha looks at Kaela with disbelief and surprise. Meanwhile, the pink haired girl turned bright red from what Ren said out loud.
"Stop reading my mind, Ren." Kaela said, all flustered and red.
"Well, sorry. I forgot that 'I can control my mind reading ability' BECAUSE I CANT." He scoffs at her, giving her an eye roll.
Ren then looks at Akira who was sitting with his friends. He's tall, has a good body, and Ren could say that he is quite attractive.
Wait, why is he even thinking of that?
Lunch ended, and the bell rang. All students finished their food and went to their perspective classrooms. It's quite unusual, but Ren forgot that he and Akira sit together in history class. It's ironic, but who the hell cares? Ren doesn't pay attention to other students.
Class started, yet Ren was the only one in his seat. Akira was nowhere to be found. He knows where his seat mate is. It's just that Ren doesn't give a damn.
Doesn't care?
Yeah, hell no.
Akira was actually getting bullied in the school bathrooms, and Ren knows because, first of all, he can HEAR them even if the bathroom is literally so far away from their classroom.
Being a telepath and a psychic is such a curse.
Ren excused himself to the teacher, and their teacher gave him a hall pass.
After that, Ren left the classroom and went to the bathroom. When he entered, Akira was sitting on the floor, back leaned into the wall, and his face was all bruised and beaten up. He looks unconscious.
"Hinatsuru." Ren walks up to the boy and kneeled in front of him.
"Hey, class is starting." He slaps his face gently, and Akira stirred.
Akira was finally waking up, and he looked around the place before his eyes darted to Ren, who was in front of him. "W-Wha-? Who are you?"
"Ren. Ren Agatsuma. Remember me?" Ren got up from kneeling on one knee and extended his hand at Akira to help him stand up.
Without saying a word, Akira slapped Ren's hand away and got up on his own. Though Akira's legs were a bit weak for him to stand up.
"Hey, let's go to the clinic." Ren suggested.
"How'd you know I was here?" Akira asked Ren suspiciously.
"...I don't. I just wanted to skip class for a bit, so I came here." Ren looks at Akira's poor state. "Come on, do you want those bruises to scar?"
"It's none of your business." Akira turns him down bluntly and walks away.
Ren didn't let him off the hook. He locked the door from the outside. Well, of course, he didn't make it obvious that he could do that without doing a single thing and just using his mind to do so.
"The hell?" Akira tried to budge in the door. "It's locked."
"What?" Ren tried to sound surprised. "What the hell did you do?" He walks up to Akira and tries to open the door even if he could actually open it and just pretended like he couldn't.
Akira tsked and walked over to the sink. He washes his face, cleaning off the blood that dried in his skin. Ren still pretended to open the door and sighed in defeat. He walks up to Akira and looks at him intently.
"Fuck. I got stuck here with this guy." Akira thought, and Ren wanted to punch him for being such an ass but decided to just keep quiet and pretend like he couldn't read his mind.
"Need help?" Ren offered, and Akira shooked his head no.
"Do you always get beaten up like this?" Ren asked, and Akira nodded yes.
The silence is awkward, and Ren doesn't like it, so he just stayed quiet since Akira is also quiet and doesn't want to talk to him.
A few more minutes passed, and no staff or teacher even tried to open the door. It's probably because almost everyone is in class and the staff
are on break.
Ren looks at Akira and his wounds. He actually wants to help him, but Akira refused help, and Ren doesn't like getting refused, so he just stayed quiet, but he doesn't hide his annoyance.
"What?" Akira suddenly started, looking at Ren through the mirror in front of them.
With that, Ren looks up at the blond boy. "What, what?"
"You look upset." Akira noticed. He looked at Ren, eyebrows raised.
"...well, I was trying to be nice, but you refused to let me help you." Ren said honestly with a shrug of his shoulder.
The blond chuckled at that. "I got this. Just focus on how the hell we're going to leave this place."
Ren sighed deeply and looked at the door. He could just open it and unlock it without actually doing anything, but he just doesn't want to. It's already awkward here, but Ren still wants to have some conversation with this guy.
Though Ren kinda feels guilty for skipping class so instead of trying to open it, he called for help using only his brain and soundwaves. A few moments later, one of the staffs opened the door, and both Akira and Ren looked relieved.
"What are you two doing here?" The guy asked.
"We got stuck." Ren said, earning a nod from the guy.
Both Akira and Ren went to class and got a little scolding from their teacher before letting them sit. The whole class, Ren was focused on the lecture, but he knows that Akira would steal glances whenever he gets the chance. Ren just pretended like he didn't know.
But it's almost impossible to focus when you could hear exactly what your seatmate was thinking off.
What the hell is with this guy?! Why does he hate Ren so much?!
With each passing minute, Ren's annoyance grows, and he just wants to punch this guy.
After school, Ren was the first to make his way home. He doesn't want to join the other students on the bus anymore. He'll just witness his classmates being annoying and their thoughts would flood his mind.
He could even just teleport home, but he won't.
"Hey! Akira is on the bus already! Come on!"
Ren immediately looked at the person who said that. It was Yelena, Akira's female friend, an honour student. Akira's on the bus...
But Akira is usually quiet on the bus, making fake scenarios. Ren actually likes the part where Akira would make that fake scenario about that one show. Ren actually wanted to find and watch the show but is too lazy to do so.
With that, Ren followed ahead and joined the other students on the bus. When he got inside, he immediately heard Akira's thoughts. Seems like he wouldn't be making fake scenarios today, his bullies are on the bus too.
Ren sits on the seat in front of Akira's and his friend Christian. He pretended like he didn't notice Akira and just ignored him. Akira actually noticed Ren, but he ignored him, so Ren also decided to ignore the blond.