A flirt's guide to conquering the protagonist

Bai Ying stumbled along with Nendou, who had practically hoisted him into the air by slinging an arm around his shoulders. The sheer force of Nendou's grip was both alarming and impressive, like he was used to dragging people along without a second thought.

His booming laughter filled the air as they made their way down the street, the sound echoing off the walls of the small shops lining the road.

"So, you new around here, huh?" Nendou asked again, clearly trying to make small talk. "What brings you to this crazy place?"

Bai Ying gave a half-hearted shrug, trying to look casual. "You know, just... checking out the neighborhood," he said, silently cursing the fact that he'd just had to say something that generic.

Nendou nodded sagely, though it was clear he wasn't fully processing what Bai Ying said. "Yeah! Gotta check out the cool spots! This place's the best. Lots of food, lots of weird stuff to do!" He grinned like he'd just solved a great mystery. "Ya seem like a guy who knows how to have fun!"

Bai Ying forced a smile, trying not to cringe. "Yeah, sure. Fun."

They turned a corner and entered a narrow alleyway leading to a ramen shop with flickering neon lights and the scent of delicious broths wafting from within. Bai Ying's stomach growled—loudly. He hadn't eaten since his "arrival," and the smell was mouthwatering. Nendou took no notice of his stomach's betrayal, pushing the door open and stepping inside with a flourish.

"Yo! Two bowls of your finest!" Nendou bellowed as they entered. Bai Ying winced at the volume, wondering how anyone could ever get used to that level of loudness.

A waiter, looking slightly disheveled, approached them. "Welcome. What can I get for you?"

"Spicy miso ramen!" Nendou shouted without hesitation, already tapping the table with one hand. "Make it super spicy, like fire-level hot, y'know? I wanna feel the burn! Yeah!"

Bai Ying blinked at him. "Are you... sure about that?"

Nendou waved him off as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Trust me, it's the best. Extra chili oil too! Make me sweat!" He flashed a grin that would have been unsettling if not for the complete obliviousness in his eyes.

Bai Ying rubbed his temple in disbelief. "Okay, okay. I'll just go with the regular miso ramen."

After a brief exchange, the waiter headed into the kitchen, leaving them alone. Nendou immediately flopped back into his seat like he owned the place, stretching his legs out under the table as though he were completely at home.

"So, Koto," Nendou started, leaning forward with an exaggerated grin. "You wanna come hang out with me and my friends later? We're gonna meet up with Saiki, you know, the guy with the glasses? He's always pretty chill, but he doesn't talk much."

Bai Ying's eyes widened at the mention of Saiki. His mission target. But meeting Saiki Kusuo? The guy who could read his mind? Bai Ying wasn't prepared for that yet.

He did his best to keep his composure. "I don't think I can go later."

Nendou leaned back, scratching his head. "Oh damn, that sucks. Maybe next time."

"Yeah, sounds great..." Bai Ying said, trying to play it off. He needed more time to figure out what to do about Saiki's mind-reading abilities.

As the waiter brought over their bowls of steaming ramen, Nendou dug in enthusiastically, slurping up noodles with abandon. Bai Ying followed suit, though he was too preoccupied with his thoughts to enjoy the food fully. The spicy miso broth was delicious, but he couldn't shake the anxiety buzzing in his mind.

By the time they finished eating, the sun had already dipped below the horizon. Nendou paid for the meal—loudly and generously, as was his style—and they parted ways at the corner of the street.

Bai Ying walked back to the Teruhashi household, where the system had set him up. He wasn't exactly thrilled about living in the Teruhashi mansion, but at least the place was luxurious. His new room was grand, complete with a massive bed, a desk, and windows that overlooked the city. It was too large and too fancy for someone pretending to be someone else, but the system clearly had a flair for the dramatic.

As he plopped down onto the bed, he pulled up the system interface.

"System," Bai Ying muttered, his fingers hovering over the screen. "I need you to arrange for me to start studying at Saiki's school. I'll need to be there to meet him, but I can't risk having him read my thoughts."

A notification popped up immediately.

[Processing request...] [You have been successfully enrolled at PK Academy. First day of classes: Tomorrow.]

Bai Ying groaned. Tomorrow? Really? No time to prepare, no time to come up with some brilliant plan. But then again, could he really have waited any longer?

"Alright, fine. Tomorrow it is," he muttered.

"Now, about the mind-reading problem... What am I supposed to do about that?" he grumbled, pacing the room. "I can't just hope he doesn't notice me thinking about something weird. Not when I have all these thoughts running wild."

The system gave him an unhelpful response.

[You have not unlocked an item for mind-blocking capabilities. The most effective way to deal with Saiki Kusuo is to engage with him as naturally as possible.]

Bai Ying's shoulders slumped. "Naturally? Really? You're just making it worse, system."

He let out a frustrated sigh before climbing into bed. He'd have to come up with something—anything—before the real challenge began tomorrow.

The next morning, Bai Ying awoke with a start. It was his first day of school at Saiki's academy. He had to be prepared, at least mentally, for the chaos that would surely follow. This wasn't just any ordinary school day. This was the day he would meet Saiki Kusuo, the mind-reading, antisocial enigma who was his mission target.

After a quick shower, Bai Ying stared at his reflection in the mirror. He brushed his now-blue hair back, adjusting it to make sure it looked perfect.

"Alright, Bai Ying," he muttered to himself as he buttoned up his shirt, "You got this. You're going to meet Saiki today. Don't screw it up."

He paused for a second, practicing a charming smile in the mirror. It looked good. Hopefully, Saiki wouldn't be able to detect the nervousness bubbling inside him.

"Just be confident," he whispered, pumping himself up. "You're an expert in charm. A little mind-reading won't stand in your way. I'll make him fall for me, even if I have to outwit his powers."

With that final pep talk, Bai Ying grabbed his school uniform, made sure everything was in place, and headed out of the Teruhashi mansion. This was the moment. The first step in his grand plan to romance Saiki Kusuo.

The clamor of the student body swelled to a frenzy as Saiki Kusuo moved through the halls, his pink hair an unintentional beacon in the sea of uniforms. It was the first day back—a time for fresh notebooks and muffled yawns. Not for whatever chaos this was.

"Can you believe it? Mugami Tōru transferred here?!" one student squealed, hands clasped dramatically against their cheeks.

"Isn't he that famous actor? The really hot one?" another whispered, practically vibrating with excitement.

Saiki sighed internally. Great. As if Teruhashi Kokomi wasn't already a daily headache.

He sidestepped a group of fangirls sketching heart shapes in the air as they passed, their giggles and whispers growing louder the closer he got to his destination. Saiki tried to ignore it, but the noise was suffocating. And then, he heard a familiar, far too chipper voice.

"Magumi! Why did you transfer here?!"

The crowd parted as if they were witnessing a spectacle, and there stood Bai Ying—now inhabiting the role of Makoto Teruhashi—standing confidently in the hallway with a dazzling smile that could practically melt glaciers.

"Surprise~! I figured, why not experience the life of a normal student for once?" Makoto's voice carried smoothly through the noise, sending a ripple of excitement through the group of students surrounding him.

Saiki's eyes narrowed. As if we're filming a drama series here.

But then, a thought flickered through Saiki's mind—unexpected, but undeniably familiar.

"Being famous is getting annoying."

Saiki couldn't help but pause for a split second, a hint of empathy stirring within him. It was a sentiment he hadn't expected to hear from someone like Makoto Teruhashi.

Before Saiki could process it, a voice cut through the scene with alarming volume.

"OI, BUDDY!"

Nendou Riki, in all his exuberant glory, stomped his way toward Makoto, a goofy grin plastered on his face. The group of students fell silent in disbelief as Nendou approached with his usual, overly enthusiastic energy.

Makoto blinked, his gaze snapping to Nendou's face, and then—recognition sparked.

"Oh! Nendou!" he exclaimed, eyes lighting up.

The students gasped.

"Wait… they know each other?!"

"When did that happen?!"

Nendou, completely oblivious to the attention they were drawing, threw an arm around Makoto's shoulders, nearly knocking him off balance. "What a coincidence, pal! Didn't think I'd see ya again after our legendary ramen adventure!"

Makoto chuckled, wincing slightly at Nendou's grip. "Yeah, who knew fate would bring us together again?"

The students exchanged looks, bewildered by the bizarre scene unfolding before them. Two people from such different worlds—one a so-called celebrity, the other the class clown—bonding over ramen?

Kaidou, who had been lurking nearby with his usual paranoia, narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "This is bad… He's already infiltrated Nendou's inner circle. He must have some ulterior motive!"

Saiki sighed. This is going to be a long year.

From the corner of his eye, he could see Teruhashi standing nearby, her wide-eyed gaze fixed on her brother. Her panicked thoughts were practically vibrating in the air.

"Why is he here?! What if he ruins my perfect image?! What if he tells everyone about the time I—"

Saiki couldn't hold back an eye-roll, tuning her out completely.

"Teruhashi, please calm down," he muttered under his breath, but she was too caught up in her own mental spiral to hear him.

Makoto, still caught up in the energy of Nendou's presence, flashed a casual smile at the other students, the kind of grin that made hearts flutter.

More students swooned, caught up in the charm of their 'celebrity' guest.

Saiki didn't bother to watch the show. This is seriously going to be a nightmare.

Nendou and Makoto started walking to the classroom, and every student's eyes followed them. Everyone was wondering why exactly someone like Makoto was interacting with Nendou of all people.

"Is it really him?" one whispered.

Makoto stepped into the classroom, his charm palpable, his smile effortlessly winning the room. As he walked further in, the whispers grew louder, mixed with excited gasps and dreamy sighs. It was like watching a celebrity stroll into a room full of fans.

Saiki Kusuo, who had been trying to sneak into the classroom, felt his patience already thinning. Here we go again, he thought, rolling his eyes. Celebrities were just another nuisance in his already chaotic world.

Just as this strange, unlikely scene was unfolding, Saiki, who had been standing just behind Nendou and Makoto, sighed in annoyance. He had been trailing behind them, trying to slip into the room unnoticed, but of course, the spotlight was on them now. He slinked past the two of them, his presence almost invisible, as usual.

Nendou, completely oblivious to Saiki's entrance, was still going on about their ramen adventure. "Man, the ramen we had was legendary. We should do it again sometime!"

Saiki resisted the urge to roll his eyes. This is going to be a long day.

Makoto, now comfortably seated next to Nendou, shot him a playful grin. "Of course! How could I turn down an invitation from my best ramen buddy?"

Nendou beamed. "You got it, pal!"

The class, still in shock, watched as the two of them immediately launched into an animated conversation about food, ignoring the astonished stares from their classmates.

Amid the confusion, Nendou suddenly turned to Makoto, his expression confused and a little hurt. "Hey, wait a second," he said, scratching his head. "How come you didn't tell me you were gonna transfer to PK, huh? I've been wondering why I didn't hear about this from you earlier. You know, you could've at least told me you were coming here!"

Makoto blinked, a little surprised by Nendou's directness. "Oh, sorry about that, I guess I just didn't think to mention it."

Nendou shook his head, chuckling. "Man, you're a weird one. If you wanted to hang out, you should've told me you were transferring! I would've been ready to show you around and stuff."

Makoto smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I'll keep that in mind next time, Nendou."

Meanwhile, Saiki, who had now taken his seat at his desk, felt an unsettling sense of dread creep up his spine. Great, another one with high school fantasies. Just what I needed.

At that moment, the teacher—who had been trying to regain some semblance of order—finally spoke up.

"Alright, settle down!" they called, waving their hand in an attempt to bring the class back to attention. "Teruhashi, please introduce yourself properly."

Makoto stood, flashing his trademark easygoing grin. "I'm Teruhashi Makoto. But just call me Makoto. No need to be formal. Let's get along, yeah?"

Another wave of swooning erupted from the class, as if they had just received permission to fall further into their celebrity-induced haze.

Saiki, unable to contain his exasperation any longer, stared at his desk. This is going to be a nightmare.