Chapter 237: A Single Thought, Reversing Life and Death! A Deeper Understanding of Power!
Ren changed out of his gym clothes and went to the Student Council. Kaguya had sent him a message saying she wanted to tell him something. As soon as he entered the Student Council room, he saw Kaguya was already there. And Kaguya had her back to him, her hair uncharacteristically loose.
"Kaguya, what's so important that you have to tell me in person?" Kaguya turned around, her light eyebrows raised, and she twirled her beautiful hair. "That… that…" Blushing, her eyes darted around, and she hesitated, unable to utter a complete sentence.
Ren keenly noticed the earphones she wore, hidden by her hair. And with his hearing, he could hear the sound coming from the earphones. [Young Miss, please don't hesitate, invite the President directly.] He recognized it immediately; it was Ai-chan's voice.
Ren simply dominated the inner voice and communicated with Ai-chan. "What are you two up to?" In the restroom, Ai-chan, who was monitoring Kaguya and Ren's every move, was stunned. What did Ren mean by that?
[Don't overthink it, I'm talking to you in your head, Ai-chan.]
"!!!" Ai-chan looked around in shock, but there was no one. [You can do this too?]
[Well, isn't it normal for a Psychic to be able to do such things? Seriously, what are you two up to?]
Ai-chan twitched her lips. How could an ordinary person like me know what you Psychics can do? Taking a deep breath, Ai-chan answered in her mind, her eyes clear and cold. [Young Miss Kaguya wants to invite you to a movie. Could you please agree? Otherwise, Young Miss will make me work overtime again, and I'm so tired.]
[Tsk tsk tsk, no wonder you were targeted by demons before; it seems you're under a lot of mental pressure.]
Ai-chan's eyelid twitched. [You can't read minds, can you?]
[Oh? You guessed it. Not only can I read minds, I can also read and modify anyone's memories.]
Upon hearing this, Ai-chan showed panic for the first time. [So you've seen all my memories?]
[Haha, are you referring to things like wetting the bed when you were 6 years old?]
"..." Ai-chan fell silent. This guy really had seen all her memories! So she had no secrets left before Ren! Her eyes became vacant. She was tired! Let it all be destroyed!
[Don't get agitated. Seeing how hard you're working, I'll accept the invitation, provided Kaguya can actually say it.] Because of Kaguya's personality, she really might not be able to say it.
[Then I really thank you!] Kaguya was very shy in her heart; inviting a boy to a movie for the first time was something she wouldn't have dared to imagine before.
Ai-chan in the restroom waited for a long time but still didn't hear Kaguya's invitation. She was truly furious. She directly said into the microphone, "Young Miss, you're too weak. Hurry up and invite him. Do you know how many sacrifices I've made for you? Don't waste my efforts!" Her sacrifices were too great. All her memories from childhood were seen. According to books, that meant… she was no longer pure and couldn't get married.
Kaguya's pupils slightly dilated upon hearing the complaint from her earphones. Ai-chan actually said she was weak? Just… just Ai-chan! Kaguya was successfully provoked; she had to prove her strength to Ai-chan. This time, she mustered all her courage, Kaguya looked directly at Ren, and almost shouted, "President, can you go to the movies with me this Sunday?!"
So direct! Ai-chan was both shocked and greatly relieved. Finally, she got Young Miss to say it. Ren was also surprised; Kaguya not only didn't fail to say it due to her strange thought process, but she also said it very loudly. Since it had come to this, it would be too impolite for him not to agree.
"Since it's Kaguya's invitation, of course I'll agree." Actually, the second before she shouted that sentence, Kaguya's mood was a mix of regret and anxiety. Regretting such an inelegant behavior. Would the President think she was frivolous? Anxious that her crude invitation would be rejected. Would the President dislike and distance himself from her? This feeling made her feel as if she had sunk into a deep valley.
However, Ren's accepted invitation was like a ray of sunshine, piercing through layers of darkness, illuminating the deepest part of the valley. Kaguya raised her head, her whole body seemingly bathed in warm sunlight. "President…"
Ding-a-ling! Because it was a short break, the class bell rang just then. Ren said to Kaguya, "Kaguya, I'm going to class now. Just send me the time arrangements via communication later."
"Mm!" Kaguya's eyes shone as she nodded heavily. This was a historic moment for her. She had bravely taken the first step.
"I'm one step closer to marrying the President, hehe~" Kaguya whispered and fantasized happily. She seemed to see a wedding hall filled with beautiful flower seas, herself in a pure white wedding dress and Ren in a formal suit, declaring eternal vows, and sealing their love with a kiss.
Ai-chan, hearing this, really felt a toothache. She really wanted to complain. You two have already kissed. You've already done that. You've already done that. One is a young lady of a wealthy family. The other is a Psychic. Please, can you two just get married already!
"Alas…" Ai-chan sighed deeply. She couldn't help but think of her own future fate, her expression dim. As a spy and traitor, marriage was something she couldn't hope for.
...
The journey home was the usual trio. However, upon returning to the vicinity of the apartment, Eriri cautiously tugged on Ren's sleeve. "Isn't there a very suspicious person taking random photos over there?"
Yukino also looked over. It was someone wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a hat, squatting by the flowerbed, taking pictures with a camera. Her graceful eyebrows slightly furrowed, Yukino made the same judgment as Eriri. "It does look a bit suspicious."
Ren knew who it was with just a glance and explained to Yukino and Eriri. "That's the person from Room 101. Her name is Nishimiya Yuzuru. You two should visit the other neighbors when you have time."
"You two go back first; I'll go see what she's doing."
"Okay," Yukino and Eriri obediently entered the apartment building. Ren slowly and silently walked behind Nishimiya Yuzuru. She was lowering her head, taking a picture of a tragically dead praying mantis.
"Why are you taking pictures of this dead praying mantis?" Ren's question was typical of someone who already knew the answer.
"!" Startled by his sudden approach and voice, Nishimiya Yuzuru turned around to see Ren. She silently turned back, simply replying, "Because I wanted to."
Ren, on his own accord, crouched beside her, poked the praying mantis on the ground with his finger, and casually struck up a conversation. "By the way, you should be a student, right?"
Nishimiya Yuzuru didn't want to respond to Ren's question, but out of politeness, she faintly replied, "Mm."
"From a comprehensive school?"
"Mm."
"What grade are you in? Third year of junior high?"
"Mm."
Their conversation consisted of Ren asking a question and Nishimiya Yuzuru giving a simple reply. "If you're in comprehensive junior high, then you're skipping class, aren't you?"
Nishimiya Yuzuru glanced at him, coldly saying, "None of your business."
Ren shrugged. "Why would I care about you? You have nothing to do with me. I'm just curious. I feel like you have quite a personality for a girl." This was the first time she had heard such a thing. Usually, others thought she was a boy, or a tomboy. She styled her hair and clothing to look like a boy's, so she had positioned herself as a tomboy. Nishimiya Yuzuru couldn't help but give him another look.
They didn't chat much; frequent conversation with unfamiliar people only leads to annoyance. Ren was also just bored, which was why he chatted with her for a bit.
"Go home early." After a reminder, Ren got up and left.
"…" Nishimiya Yuzuru looked back at Ren again, her internal assessment being that he was strange, but probably not bad. When she turned back to photograph the praying mantis, she discovered that the praying mantis, which had clearly died, had crawled up and run away.
"Whoa!" This scene startled her, causing her to fall backward and land directly on the ground. She had clearly watched the praying mantis die. How did it suddenly come back to life? Was it playing dead?
"…" She composed herself, got up, and patted the dust off her backside with her small hand. The praying mantis was struggling to crawl back into the bushes. After a moment of hesitation, she still raised her camera and took a picture. Unlike the pictures of various dead insects and animals in her camera, this was a photo of a resurrected praying mantis returning home.