Humans were complicated and contradictory creatures. They might admire, yearn for, and envy superpowered individuals in fantasy, but if someone with superpowers truly existed beside them, people would only react with fear, terror, and avoidance—especially when those powers could peer into their privacy...
"So you noticed, Shizuka Hiratsuka. This is telepathy..." Sogo Doma wore a thoroughly malicious smile.
Shizuka Hiratsuka: "..."
She swiftly rose from her crouch, then forced out an awkward laugh. "Ha, haha, Doma, you really love joking around. No matter what, I-I'm an adult. I-I passed the age of believing in s-superpowers long ago. H-how could telepathy possibly exist in this world? Ha, haha..."
"So little Shizuka doesn't believe in telepathy?" The smile on Sogo Doma's face did not change. "Then why did you suddenly run so far away?"
"Cough, cough..." Shizuka Hiratsuka coughed twice as she fled. "I-I'm not running away. I just remembered that I still have work to do, so I-I'll be going..."
As he watched Shizuka Hiratsuka speak through clenched teeth while leaving—or rather, fleeing in panic—Sogo Doma maintained his smiling, narrowed-eyed expression. Yet inwardly, he thought, Shizuka Hiratsuka, who told you to be the only one who knows I'm helping with tutoring? You know too much, and you're so curious besides. If I'm not scaring you, who else should I scare?
Meanwhile.
Toyogasaki Private Academy, principal's office.
"YES! Although Shizuka Hiratsuka is a new teacher who just switched jobs, under my wise and benevolent policy of conciliation, she must already feel a strong sense of belonging toward this school. Now, all I need to do is wait for Mafuyu Kirisu and those rebels to expose a weakness before her, then this principal can deliver those people a fatal blow! Hahahaha..."
Principal Yamamoto was still battling wits with his "enemies." With a casual