Tokiwadai School. An hour later.
— Ha… What a drag, — I sighed heavily, collapsing onto a bench under the shade of one of the trees.
How did I end up in this situation? I, Kamijou Touma, now forced to be a teacher at a girls' school. If someone had told me that a week ago, I would have recommended they sober up… And now here I am, literally feeling the gaze of all these ladies on me. As if I were made of chocolate or something…
My phone vibrated in the pocket of my robe, pulling me from my thoughts. Seeing a familiar number, I couldn't help but groan.
— It was already tough without you… — I muttered under my breath, but I still answered, — Yes?
— Yo, Kami-yan! It's been two hours, and you haven't even bothered to call and report your progress! I'm worried about you… Well, actually, no, I'm lying, I'm worried because of you!
— If that's all you called about, Tsuchimikado, then you can just forget it!
— Whoa, whoa, calm down! I really want to know how you're doing; knowing the local scene, you've probably exhausted all your nerves fending off those telepaths.
— Don't remind me, I've had 17 attempts in just one hour… — I sighed heavily.
— Well, that's just you, whether it's here or anywhere else, you're always the center of female attention! I hope you won't forget your old friend and share the numbers of a couple of beauties?
— With your flirting skills, you should be writing the number of Anti-Skill, because with such lines, you'd get grilled on the electric chair.
— Well… that would be worth it, nya! Alright, the reason I called… What about our common matter? — he changed his tone to a more serious one.
— Nothing, you know the situation as well as I do… At least for a couple of weeks, I'm definitely out, so don't count on me.
— I'm aware, but they're unlikely to take it well, especially when they find out that our illustrious leader traded them for high-society girls!
— That's your headache; you handle that while I'm away.
— No, Kami-yan, I'm only covering for you on the little things!
— Oh really? Since when were our affairs just little things? — I replied with irony.
— Seems like it's been a while since we ended up like this. Alright, I'll explain the situation to them, but be ready for some personal explanations.
— Why would that be?
— Well, just when I mention that you've landed in a paradise for men and are getting paid for it, they'll mostly have the floor.
— Fine… Alright, I need to go, talk later, — I said, hanging up.
Tch, this is just what I needed. Now I have to explain to the others, and they are unfortunately not as understanding as Tsuchimikado. Good lord, he and "understanding"? The world is truly going mad…
***
News about the male teacher spread through the school like wildfire. Within a couple of hours, Touma became a sensation #1; wherever he appeared, he immediately became the center of attention, which, of course, irritated him, even though he meticulously hid this fact. After all, if he was doomed to spend several months here, he might at least accept it with dignity… even if it might cost him his male sanity…
Misaki couldn't stop being amazed by the turn of events. Yesterday, she met this guy, they had a good time, and planned to meet again, and today she found out he would be one of her teachers! If she were just a little superstitious, she might think it was a sign of destiny.
However, this only added a new mountain of questions. Was their meeting a coincidence? Why did he introduce himself with one name to her and a different one here? Which one was the truth? These mysteries had her head spinning, but she decided not to dwell on them; after all, she would find out everything in a couple of days… assuming he kept his word.
***
Finally, those two days passed. During this time, she completely restructured her clique to make it as little like a "mafia clan" as possible. Now each of them could freely have tea with her or discuss any issue, although this sometimes created problems since there were many eager participants, and Misaki wasn't fond of large gatherings. She also paid more attention to the well-being of her members and helped them whenever she could. This sudden change resulted in more people than ever joining her clique, as most other cliques at Tokiwa High operated with one-sided leadership, which could best be described as terrible.
Of course, all of this wasn't solely due to personal desire and virtue; Misaki didn't consider herself a saint. There was a certain calculation in it as well. After all, people are always more inclined to follow someone who isn't on an unattainable pedestal; they appreciate feeling that their leader is just like them, capable of simple human support and understanding. A helping hand, strangely enough, often provides much more than a clenched fist. It's a surprisingly simple truth that she had long overlooked.
Sitting on a bench under the shade of a tree, she thought about all the things Toma and she could do together. She had planned this day down to the last detail, and she would ask him to take her to the carnival a few blocks east of the park; she would thank him for the food he had so kindly offered her, and then they would head to one of the benches in the park to continue their conversation from yesterday. Misaki was indeed good at planning and execution, but after half an hour of waiting, she began to grow anxious.
— He hasn't forgotten, has he? I know a lot can happen in a couple of days, but he wouldn't just forget, right? — she thought frantically.
At that moment, Sekuho checked her phone and realized it was only 11:30. She had arrived half an hour earlier than planned and suddenly began to worry, unconsciously voicing her thoughts out loud:
— Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!
— Who are you calling stupid? — she heard a familiar voice behind her.
— W-why are you here?! — Misaki asked in shock.
— Um… You were the one who set this meeting, right? — He raised an eyebrow in question.
— I mean, why so early? There's still half an hour to go.
— Oh, well… Considering my luck, I knew that if I tried to come here at 12, I'd arrive around 2, so I decided to come early instead. Smart, because on the way here, I forgot my wallet and keys in one of the lab coats, and I threw them in the wash today… Anyway, long story, — he shrugged.
Misaki's face was a mix of disbelief and shock. He had that many problems just getting here?
— By the way, why are you here so early?
— Oh, well, I had some errands in this area, and they finished earlier, so I decided to come here. I also arrived just a few minutes before you showed up, — she said, trying to pass off this farce as the truth, and she would have gotten away with it if anyone else had been in Touma's place…
He could be distracted and inattentive from time to time, but he wasn't born yesterday, and it didn't take much effort for him to realize that her explanation was full of holes. The girl was just trying to save face, albeit not very skillfully…
— Of course, — he drawled with irony, — Well, since we're both here, shall we get started earlier?
— No! — protested Misaki.
— Um, why not? We're already here, or do you suggest we just stand in silence for the next half hour?
The truth was that most of the carnival events she wanted to attend with Touma started only after midnight, and if they arrived earlier, they risked ruining what was supposed to be her perfect day. She absolutely hated having to improvise in the heat of the moment; she meticulously planned everything in advance, like a game of chess. Too many variables could be left unaccounted for, and that worried her greatly.
— Because… — she started but fell silent immediately.
And to her irritation, none of the reasons she came up with in her mind were coherent enough to convince him to wait another half hour.
— Oh, I see… So it's a date after all… — Toma said with a smirk.
— What?! No! I just prefer to have conversations in a more suitable setting, that's all!
— Uh-huh, so, what do you want to start with?
— I don't even know, let's buy something tasty while we talk, — she replied, as if choosing the lesser of two evils.
— Alright, what will you have?
— Let's go with popcorn, I think that will fit best; after all, you don't get to break free like this every day.
— Ah, right, I keep forgetting that you girls from Tokiwadai rarely venture outside of the Gardens…
— Well, overall you're not far from the truth. It's true that most girls in my school hardly interact with the opposite sex at all, but in my case I can't afford that, since the research center I'm part of isn't located in the Gardens, so I have much more experience in, shall we say, the "outside world."
But when she turned around, she noticed that Toma had already gone to get the popcorn. For a few moments, she stood in silence, trying to process what had just happened… She had just been talking to herself in front of a large group of people, each of whom looked at her as if she were a child conversing with an imaginary friend. Then she quickly rummaged in her bag and began erasing all memories of how she had made a fool of herself, causing the crowd to disperse and leaving both herself and Toma alone.
— Here's the popcorn… Um, where did everyone go? — asked Kamidze as he approached.
— I don't know what you're talking about… — Shokuhou replied innocently, — Instead of worrying about such trivial things, you should focus on the drinks.
— Crap… One moment! — he realized.
— Goodness, this guy is something else; one moment he's saying such profound things, and the next he's as scatterbrained as a child… But I think that's part of his charm… Wait, charm? What am I thinking? I came here to gather very important information that could help me in the future, not because of… But on the other hand, I planned all this as if it were… No, it's a very common practice when meeting someone; there's nothing wrong with it, no need to get into details… Aaaaa! — Misaki thought in a panic, devouring the popcorn and unaware of the impending danger.
When Toma returned, he saw what he would describe as a disaster: Shokuhou desperately trying to fend off pigeons with a bag of popcorn, only to draw in more and more of them. It was like watching someone trying to extinguish a fire with gasoline.
Toma immediately jumped up and began shooing away the pigeons, but he realized it was a hopeless task since she had already spilled all the popcorn on the ground. So he did the best thing he could at that moment and simply pulled her to the side.
— Wow, I step away for a minute and this happens…
— But… I… it wasn't my fault! Those damn pigeons attacked me!
— I figured they weren't penguins… Do you have some kind of magnet for disasters as well?
— N-no, nothing like that.
Then she noticed that Toma was holding a plastic bag in his hand, and she wondered what it could be.
He caught her glance and smirked as if recalling something, then opened the bag, pulled out a silver whistle, and handed it to the girl, who still had feathers in her summer uniform and her hair. It looked like a whistle used for soccer games and the like.
— Here, they gave me this at the stand where I got the drinks, so take it; it's always better to have something like this on hand, otherwise I'd worry, like I am now. If there's trouble, just blow the whistle; it's better than shouting your throat raw, — he smiled at her.
She began to put the whistle around her neck and felt like a cat with a bell on its collar. Then she popped the whistle into her mouth for a taste, when a thought crossed her mind:
— Wait, he's already used it? So that means… an indirect kiss?
She looked at Touma, who had turned away and yawned to the side. She wanted to hit him, but she had enough self-control to hold that thought. After all, he had offered it to her out of good will.
— Will this really help?
— Who knows, — he shrugged, — I tried it once on the way here, and it was really loud enough for someone to hear.
No sooner had he finished that sentence than a sharp whistle pierced the air…
An indirect kiss is just an indirect kiss, right?
***
After several long minutes trying to calm her down following their accidental first indirect kiss, they finally sat on another bench and began discussing why they had both come here in the first place.
— Alright, now that the jokes are done, — Misaki said, trying to pretend that all the awkward situations that had just occurred hadn't actually happened at all, — it's time to get down to business. First of all, I wanted to thank you for showing me that my clique was headed in the wrong direction, and I want to assure you that I've already started making changes to fix all the problems that have piled up over time.
— It's nothing, I'm glad it helped you.
— No, really! It really helped; many other cliques in the school decided to assimilate with mine, and now we are currently the largest faction in Tokiwadai, and I could never have done this without you.
— For some reason, your praise doesn't make me any happier… — Kamijou thought, but he didn't say it aloud.
— Okay, back to the main reason… You promised to tell me how you were able to counteract my abilities.
— Ah, yeah, I keep forgetting… Well, there's not much to tell. It's all because of my right hand, — he replied.
— Right hand?
— Yes, with it, I can nullify the AIM fields of other espers, including yours.
— Nullify… AIM fields? — Misaki repeated slowly, trying to comprehend what was happening, — Wait, but if you destroyed someone's AIM field, shouldn't their power be disabled?
— No, it only works on active fields; for example, if I just touch an esper who is standing still, nothing will happen since their field is in a state of rest. If it worked the way you suggested, I could leave half the city powerless.
— The ability to affect other espers' powers like that, I've never heard of anything like it before, and that in itself speaks to how rare it is… — Shokuhou said, looking curiously at Kamidze's right hand.
— Well, I've had it since birth, so I'm used to it, — he shrugged.
— Wait, so you're a Gem? — she asked, surprised.
— Kind of.
— Wow… Well, if that's the case, it supports your words. After all, Gem abilities differ from the powers of Espers developed through the ability development program. Sometimes neither the people nor scientists can explain their nature and principles of operation. It seems to be your case… — she reflected aloud, more to herself than to him.
— Maybe…
— By the way, what level are you?
— None, technically I don't have one.
— What do you mean?! How is that even possible? Such a power should at least be a level 4! At the very least!
— Really? And how would you measure an ability that denies any supernatural phenomenon? No device has been able to detect it, and any power shuts off immediately. My power simply can't be measured by the methods known in this city, which is why I don't fit into the traditional grading system, — he explained with a smirk, — I'll go further; I never really went through the Ability Development Program; I was accepted just the way I am.
— And that never bothered you? You could've become one of the level fives; didn't that concern you at all?
— Should it have? Contrary to popular belief, with power often come more problems than benefits. I have everything I want in life: friends, a purpose, and a little bit of this and that… If I get some label, that won't make me any happier than I already am. So what's the point in all of this?
These words resonated deeply within her soul. First and foremost, she thought that anyone offered an easy way out would immediately seize the opportunity to take it, but this person defied all logic; he didn't care about status or anything so superficial.
She looked at Touma in awe.
— Kamijou Touma, you never cease to amaze me…
— Um, well, thank you, I guess…
— Although I have more questions than answers… — she said thoughtfully, — By the way, I never did ask — and at that moment, a mischievous smile appeared on her face, — How should I address you now, Kihara-sensei?
— Ha-ha-ha… I was wondering when you'd ask! Well, I do prefer "Kamijou Touma," but if you're really itching to call me sensei, I won't object.
— And yet? You've introduced yourself this way, and then that way; it seems suspicious… — she glanced at him sideways.
— Oh, this is nothing; dig a little deeper, and you'll finally uncover that I'm just a cog in a global conspiracy against you, — he replied, dripping with sarcasm.
— So, who are we now? Teacher and student, two espers, or just a pair of strangers chatting on a bench?
— Well, I suppose we're friends… if you don't mind.
— Friends? But… we only met because of our promise! And you say that with such a straight face?
— Heh, believe me, of all the encounters, ours is the most innocent, — he smiled at her.
— Is that so… — she replied, embarrassed, — Well then, since we're friends… My name is Shokuhou Misaki, but you can just call me Misaki!
— Heh, my name is Kamijou Touma, so you can call me Touma… but at school, it's still Kihara-sensei.
— Got it, — Misaki replied with a giggle.
— Since we're friends now… how about we exchange numbers, just in case?
— Yes, of course… — he nodded and pulled out a card from his pocket.
— "AIM Radiation Research Laboratory"? Do you… have business cards? — she asked, surprised.
— Well, I am a scientist; what's so surprising about that?
— Oh, nothing really…
— So, any other plans?
— I had some, but… I doubt I'm in the right state for them now… — she replied, still shaking off feathers.
— Yes, I have a little. If you want to repeat things, I'm free on Saturday, so if you don't have plans — give me a call.
— O-okay, — she nodded.
— Well then, see you soon, and don't be late for my classes, or I'll be upset, — he smiled at her as they parted ways.
— Yes, see you, Touma, — she smiled back.
As she walked back, processing what she had just learned, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.
— Mi-sa-ki! How long is this going to take? — he replied, breathing heavily. — Here, you forgot your phone.
— Wh-what? Why did y-you call me that?! — she stammered, blushing with every word.
She wasn't used to people calling her by her name, and judging by his tone, Toma didn't even care how he said it. In fact, Toma enjoyed teasing Misaki and thought this was a perfect way to do it and get away with it.
— Didn't you suggest we call each other by our names? — he smirked. — Or does the great Queen of Tokiwadai easily go back on her words?
— O-of course not! Anyway… thank you for the phone.
— No problem; that's what friends are for, right? — he waved goodbye.
— That was really sweet of him, even if it was a bit awkward... But what else could I expect from him, he's just like...
—...a prince, — she finished aloud with a smile.
***
AIM Field Research Laboratory.
Several hours later.
— All right, Kamijou, let's begin, — came a voice from the intercom.
— Understood, — Touma nodded.
The esper standing opposite created a water serpent and wrapped it around Toma's right arm. There was a sound of breaking glass, and water spilled onto the floor.
— How's it going? — Touma asked.
— So far, nothing; we're checking all frequencies to find something. Starting the second experiment!
A hatch opened beside them, revealing a small pool full of water. The hydromancer drew water from it and wrapped it around Toma's right arm again. The sounds of shattering glass came again, but the water didn't disappear as the esper continuously increased the amount, creating a constant stream. This went on for a couple of minutes before Toma squinted, and the sound of glass became deafening, with water flooding the floor.
— Did it work?
— That depends on what we find… You can go now, Takamoto-san, — the voice spoke to the esper.
Rising up and stepping inside, Toma entered a lab shrouded in darkness, illuminated only by the lights from numerous screens. In the left corner stood a couch, with a cloud of smoke hanging above it.
— Did you find anything? — he asked, flopping into a chair.
— Yes and no; at least not as much as we'd hoped, — his companion replied.
— The analysis isn't complete yet, but based on my knowledge and experience, there's only one explanation so far, — a third voice added.
At those words, Toma felt something crawl onto his lap and lean back against his chest; the scent of strawberries filled his nostrils.
This "something" was a girl around thirteen, with wheat-colored hair braided in two pigtails and gray eyes, dressed in a child-sized lab coat, who innocently settled in his lap, browsing the results on the holographic screens.
— And what did you find, Nayuta? — Toma asked her.
— Like Grandpa said, there's too little data, and it's all just theory. Initially, we thought your ability was structured like others, emitting an AIM field during use that conflicts with others. But I quickly realized that's not the case…
— Because your power doesn't detect it? — asked the voice from the couch.
— Yes! No matter what the power or level is, I can detect and interfere with anything, but for my brother, it seems he doesn't have one! It's like… there's an icy void. And when he covered the room with his impulse, I could no longer feel our idiot! I don't know; maybe your field emits a frequency that neither I nor the instruments can detect in a normal state? — Nayuta expressed her concern.
— Your theory doesn't seem as unviable as you thought, Kamijou…
— Hm? What are you talking about, Grandpa? Nii-sama, do you have an explanation for this?
— Not exactly an explanation; more like a similar theory… It coincidentally aligns with yours. I thought maybe my hand does emit some kind of radiation, but it's invisible to regular sensors? And after analyzing the data, I wondered — maybe I'm not disrupting the AIM fields, but rather copying them and creating negatives that neutralize them? Maybe even that sound I hear is their conflict? — Touma shared his thoughts. — It's the principle of wave interference: two waves, one of which is out of phase with the other, meet and mutually cancel each other out.
— So it's like (+1 + (-1))? And we get zero? — Nayuta asked, grasping his concept.
— Yes, if simplified, that's it, — Touma nodded.
— Hm, a negative AIM field? If you look at it this way… it might explain my ignorance.
— Yes, but we don't have any equipment to confirm that. That's why I'm not too confident about it… — he sighed heavily.
— Well, it's a lot more than we had a year ago, — said the voice that, upon coming into the light, turned out to be a golden retriever.
— Yeah, Grandpa Nokan is right! There's progress, and that's what matters! — Nayuta nodded.
— There's something else I was thinking about…
— What is it?
— Just a moment… And... here it is, — he said, pointing at a 3D model of a human and several data tables next to it.
— Is this… the data from that project? — Nayuta asked, — The one you destroyed?
— Yes, but I saved the data, even if it's gathered in such a barbaric way; it'd be foolish to destroy something that could still be of use, — Touma replied.
— And still, I get shivers just thinking about it… — Nayuta grimaced.
— So, judging by this… this is the 3D model #1? The Accelerator? — Nokan asked.
— Yes… The data from these studies could help me…
After that, he zoomed in on the body model.
— Its entire body is covered by a thin layer of an AIM field, creating what is called a "vector shield." He works automatically, like a filter, preventing unwanted elements from entering the zone of action by redirecting them.
— Hmm... And you want to create your own version based on these negative fields? — Nokan asked.
— Yes, — Toma nodded vigorously, — Right now it only affects my right hand, but... what if I covered my entire body with it? Or even created something like a dome around me? Or concentrated this energy at a single point for a destructive blow? I don't even know which possibility to pursue... I have such power in my hand, yet all I can do is either suppress it or emit pulses within a range of 5 meters...
— That's the beauty of science; if you don't understand how something works and on what principle it operates, you'll definitely find out, — Nokan smirked.
— Yeah... Alright, that's enough for today. After all, I still have to draft a study plan, thanks to you, sensei, — Toma grumbled as he stood up from the chair.
— As if you'd spend your time more productively. Enjoy your youth while you have it; at 40, you won't be able to relish what you can now.
— Oh, another one of your lessons on romance? — Touma smirked, — Sometimes I'm amazed at how your scholarly cynicism coexists with such sentiments.
— Live like me for a while, and you'll encounter even more, — Nokan chuckled.
— No thanks, I'd prefer to live with my own... — Touma snorted, — Come on, Nayuta!
— I'm coming, big brother! — she cheerfully replied, grabbing onto his arm.
On their way home, Toma opened his handheld device and stared at a photo for a while, where he was pictured with a blonde girl who had starry eyes.
— Enjoy your youth, huh? — he smiled easily, — Well... Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?