Storm of Confessions

When it came to superpowers, only a few were truly well-known.

Sakurai Saki figured the reason people remembered abilities like X-ray vision, hypnosis, invisibility, and time manipulation was probably because they showed up so often in certain types of books. Superpowers were an exciting concept—but for some reason, the male protagonists who possessed them were often too timid. That part always disappointed him.

For Sakurai Saki, among those commonly discussed abilities, perhaps only time manipulation seemed truly useful. If he could stretch time, he could study harder, get ahead, and outpace everyone at Shuchiin Academy.

As for the others?

X-ray vision was gross if used carelessly—it could show bones and muscle under flesh, which was far from appealing.

Hypnosis wasn't nearly as effective as proper mind control. It usually only worked for basic commands, and even then, not on animals.

Invisibility? It just made you harder to spot. Compared to other options, it was low-tier.

And Sakurai Saki's power today happened to be one of those often-mentioned ones:

X-ray Vision: Allows the user's sight to penetrate obstructing objects and directly observe their interior. Side effect: None.

This was his third time randomly acquiring a superpower. Thanks to the prior two experiences, Sakurai had managed to suppress the side effects through sheer precision and control. His body was learning to adapt to these abilities, though it still took time.

He arrived at the gates of Shuchiin Academy on his bicycle, cherry blossom petals scattered across the pavement. The air was sharp with the scent of spring. His hay fever kicked in, making him a little miserable—but that discomfort vanished the moment he spotted Iino Miko.

A smile tugged at his lips.

He activated X-ray vision deliberately—just to peek into her pockets.

No sweets.

Good girl, he thought with a grin.

He pushed his bicycle forward and approached her, his voice soft."Good morning, Miko~"

Iino Miko had just finished lecturing a male student for a uniform violation. Hearing her senpai's voice, she turned.

"Good morning, Sakurai Senpai!" she replied automatically. But then… something felt off.

Why hadn't he said anything sarcastic? No teasing? No Hayasaka-related schemes?

Suspicious.

Miko stepped back instinctively. Her eyes darted left, right—behind him. She scanned the school gates.

Where's the golden flash?

Only after confirming that Hayasaka hadn't arrived did she relax.

Phew. All clear.

But Sakurai noticed her anxious face—and felt a slight pang of guilt. She really was too sincere and upright for her own good. And it made him feel a little guilty for "bribing" her all the time.

So.

He reached into his bag and held out a chocolate bar.

"Eh?" Miko blinked.

"First-years have a small test this week," he said, smiling. "Don't forget to replenish your sugar while you study."

Ah. Now she couldn't refuse.

Miko opened her mouth, but the words caught in her throat.

Wait! Sakurai Senpai is just showing concern for a kouhai. That's not bribery!She rationalized it in her mind, trying desperately to protect her moral ground.

Her bottom line… wavered.

"I'll head in first," Sakurai said, pushing his bike toward the courtyard.

Miko stood there with the chocolate in her hands, watching his retreating figure. Somehow, just watching him walk off made her want to study harder. First place suddenly seemed worth aiming for.

Then, he turned his head and added with a grin,"Oh, right. Miko, next time you catch me breaking the rules… go easy on me, okay?"

"!!!"

Miko stared at the chocolate. Then at his back.

Darn it! I've been bribed again!

Her cheeks flushed with shame, and she spent the entire morning distracted. So much so that she didn't even notice when Hayasaka Ai ran past her.

Only at lunch—after eating the chocolate—did she finally recover.

The first class on Monday was Japanese Literature.

Sakurai Saki was focused, jotting down notes diligently.

Beside him, Hayasaka Ai sat calmly, pretending to write.

Part of the blackboard was blocked by the teacher's body, so Sakurai casually activated his ability. X-ray vision let him read right through the man's bald head.

Clear as day.

With no side effects, he didn't even feel any mental strain. He could sleep peacefully at night. In fact, today might've been his most relaxed day in weeks.

After finishing his notes, Sakurai turned slightly to glance at Hayasaka Ai.

Of course, he never used his ability to look at her. That would be perverted. And Sakurai wasn't a creep.

He was simply curious about something in her pocket.

A letter?

It looked like a love letter. But his X-ray vision could only reveal the back—it didn't let him see the written side. The paper was folded in half, text facing inward. All he could see was that it was blank on the exposed side.

Weird.

Hayasaka Ai never kept that sort of thing. She'd usually toss them straight into the trash. So why had she brought one into class today?

Still, Sakurai wasn't too worried.

He knew her well.

The odds of Hayasaka Ai falling for some random admirer were close to zero.

The bell rang. First period ended.

Hayasaka Ai yawned.

She hadn't slept well the night before—her mind kept looping the same question: How could she make Sakurai Saki understand her feelings?

After her last direct confession crashed and burned, Hayasaka had even considered doing it over the phone. But that felt too casual. Too easy to wave off as a joke. Not serious enough. So she scratched that plan.

The letter in her pocket?

That was the backup.

But honestly, passing love letters in this day and age felt incredibly outdated. And given what happened last semester—when half the school practically declared war with their confessions—she wasn't eager to join that battlefield again.

The whole school confessed to him once. The psychological scars still haven't healed.

Hayasaka Ai glanced across the classroom. The girls were chatting, giggling, occasionally sneaking glances at Sakurai Saki. The way they looked at her—whenever she got close to him—was enough to make anyone feel like a villainess in a dating sim.

What's with those stares?

You girls don't actually think you still have a shot, right?

Laughable.

Hayasaka wasn't afraid of Sakurai Saki's hundreds of quantum-state girlfriends—the maybe-he-likes-me-maybe-he-doesn't Schrödinger squad. Because once she succeeded, those other girls? They'd all become background noise.

Losers. In the most romantic sense of the word.

Meanwhile, Sakurai Saki still hadn't stopped thinking about that letter.

Who gave her the love letter?

If he hadn't seen it, he wouldn't be tormented by curiosity. But now that he knew it was there—thanks to his X-ray vision—it gnawed at him.

But of course, he couldn't ask about it outright.

That would mean confessing how he knew she had it.

Which would lead to the fact that he'd been using a superpower to peek into her pockets.

Which would, in turn, make him sound like a weirdo or a stalker.

Unacceptable.

Noon. Student Council Room.

Shirogane Miyuki looked up from the paperwork, noticing the unusually grim expression on Sakurai's face.

"You okay?"

Sakurai stepped into the room like a man carrying a world-ending secret.

"Shirogane," he began, serious as ever, "a friend of mine is very curious about something..."

Right, Shirogane thought, adjusting his glasses. A "friend." Sure.

"You see, this girl—who normally wouldn't even accept a love letter—suddenly accepted one…"

Shirogane's eye twitched.

So this 'girl' is you, and the 'friend' is also you?

His thoughts flashed back to that day—the day he stood in this very room, love letter in hand, dragging Kaguya Shinomiya into his existential crisis.

And now Sakurai was doing the exact same thing?

Why must history repeat itself so soon?