Chapter 32

'''ExPSIbition! Jump Festa''' is the 32nd chapter of The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. (Saiki Kusuo no Psi-nan) manga series published on the 17th of December 2012.

Characters

 * Saiki Kusuo
 * Saiki Kuniharu
 * Saiki Kurumi
 * Kaidou Shun

Abilities Used

 * Telepathy
 * Teleportation
 * Light Manipulation

Short Summary
Kusuo is sent on an errand by Kurumi to get merchandise in Jump Festa. While there he runs into Shun in cosplay and they go around looking at the event. They end up helping a lost child and Kusuo does not get the item he was supposed to get.

Long Summary
At the Saiki house, Kurumi calls Kusuo for him to do an errand for her. Kusuo, at his room and reading a book, feels like it would be too much trouble. Kurumi begs him since she was going to do it but Kuniharu got sick and she wants to take care of him. Kusuo tells her Kuniharu can take care of himself since he is an adult. Kurumi admits his cold is not bad, it is roughly a few digits off from regular temperature. Kusuo, annoyed, tells her to make Kuniharu do the errand himself. Kurumi goes on to say that Kuniharu told her to stay with him, Kusuo asks her if he is dying. To convince him, she tells him that she will get him something if he were to help her. Sighing, he decides to do it and asks her where he needs to go. She tells him it is a bit far.

She told him to go to Jump Festa. She explains someone called Ms.Miyagi and her son wanted to get merchandise that is only sold at the event. Kusuo is annoyed, he does not think of this as an errand. Looking around, he finds there are a lot of people and figured his telepathy will not be able to help him. He hears many thoughts of how fun the event is and Kusuo thinks of it as stealth marketing. He questions if it is fine for him to enter, since the event is free, and continues to look around. He accidentally bumps into someone and the person says sorry for it. He questions their clothes but realizes that the person was cosplaying as Rukia. He realizes there are a lot of people cosplaying such as “One Piece,” “Naruto,” and questions others.

Kusuo realizes that he still needs to buy some merch but is stopped by someone who recognizes him. He hopes the voice is not someone, sees the guy in cosplay, and questions who they are. The guy explains he is the Jet Black Wing, meaning it is Shun. Kusuo tells him that in real life people would understand him cosplaying, but it does not make sense for a manga character to cosplay another. Shun tells him that he is surprised he came, he initially thought he was a Saiki cosplayer. Kusuo says there is no such thing as a Saiki cosplayer and asks him why is at the event with cosplay. Shun asks him what cosplay, it is his regular clothes, and Kusuo tells him that they will not hang out after this.

Shun removes the wig he is wearing, and tells Kusuo that he did not think he will run into him and wonders if he reads Weekly Shōnen Jump. Kusuo explains he is at the event for an errand and he has not read Jump lately. Shun questions him on what manga he likes, points out popular titles, only for Kusuo to say he knows them but only reads the volumes. Shun then starts listing titles, including some of Asou-sensei’s works, only for Kusuo to say he has never heard of them. Shun then recommends him the series, “Odd-Eye Persona Cerberus” and Kusuo, again, mentions he has not heard of it. Shun is surprised, says it is a manga with lots of momentum and flips a Jump issue he has on him. Kusuo asks how the manga has momentum when it is in the back of the issue, which is usually reserved for not-so-popular series. Shun hands him his Jump and asks him if it is cool, Kusuo notices that Shun is cosplaying as the character in the title page. Shun explains the main character, eerily sounds similar to Kusuo, and Kusuo considered him boring.

Shun suggests that they should go check original manuscripts at a gallery. Kusuo finds it annoying but accompanies him anyway. Shun is amazed and names more manga series that Kusuo does not recognize. Kusuo then sees an original manuscript of the creator of “One Piece” and finds it incredible in person. They soon exit. Kusuo explains he does not like crowded places but it was worth seeing the manuscript piece. Shun agrees that they were amazing and then points at the food stall. He tells Kusuo that they should eat and they end up getting a cup of something. Shun explains that these types of events usually sell something expensive and they should not expect anything good. He munches a bite and finds it delicious. Kusuo explains that it is an opinion, not a guarantee, but ends up liking it anyways.

They finish the food and Shun asks him where they should head next. Kusuo initially thinks that they should head to the demo booth but realizes he forgot to do his errand. Shun asks him what is wrong, learns he has to buy merch, and he informs him that they do not sell merchandise on the zone they are in. Kusuo is surprised. Shun explains that they are in the exhibit zone, the merch zone is in a different entrance so he needs to exit. He also tells Kusuo he needs to go there quickly and Kusuo questions it.

They head to the merch zone and find out that everything is sold out. Shun feels bad for him but tells him it was common sense to buy merch first and he even bought his items beforehand too. Kusuo can not believe his mistake and also the odds that the item he needed to get was from the manga Shun talked about earlier. Shun sees the paper, finds he needs to get a strap from “Odd-Eye Persona Cerberus,” and tells him that he actually bought the item. Shun offers to give him the item, Kusuo asks him if he is certain to do so, and Shun explains it is fine and whispers that they are good friends. After hearing that, Kusuo thinks he should pass on that deal.

Shun and Kusuo soon run into a child crying. Shun thinks that the child possibly did not get the merch he wanted, Kusuo is sure he is crying for a different reason. They ask the child what is wrong and the kid admits that he got separated with his mom. Shun reasons to the child that they can take him to the help center and the child refuses, reasoning that his mother taught him not to follow strangers. Shun and Kusuo are in shock but do not blame him, believing his mother taught him well. They walk away from the child but wonder how to help him. Shun thinks of a good idea and heads to the bathroom.

Shun goes back to the child and with his cosplay back on. The boy seemingly recognizes him, Shun smiles thinking he finally got the kid, only for him to say that he is from a series in the back of the magazine that he does not read. Shun sulks and Kusuo says that he is still a stranger for him, not solving the problem. Shun tells the child to follow him, the child is again insistent on not following strangers, and Shun explains that he somewhat knows him. Kusuo is annoyed but is able to find the mother that is frantically looking for her child. Kusuo realizes she is too far away from where they are and doubts she will be able to listen to them if they call her.

The kid doubts Shun to be the real deal and asks him to show him proof. Shun accepts and decides to remove the mask to show the character’s real power. Kusuo questions Shun, remembers the character’s ability and uses it to his advantage, bringing a gulf of light around Shun. People around them are surprised, they question the light and the mother of the child finally sees them. The mom quickly runs to them and yells the child's name, Taku-chan. Taku turns around and is happy to finally see his mother. Shun is surprised that the child found his mother and did not notice he was shining brightly earlier. Kusuo recognizes that they stood out but guesses, since they are basically in a convention, no one will find that light suspicious. Indeed goers around them think it was some sort of event involving the manga series. Taku thanks Shun, thinks it was amazing what he showed him and tells him he will read the manga. Shun is confused, knowing he has done nothing, and realizes what he can do to make it up. He hands Taku the strap, to make him have proof of being a fan of the series, and he thanks him again. While Shun tells him to take care of the strap, Kusuo is in shock.

Kusuo heads back home and tells Kurumi that the item was sold out. Kurumi tells him it was a shame and Kusuo thinks if there was a point for him to go in the first place. Kuniharu tells her not to worry and Kurumi questions him if he is feeling better. Kuniharu reminds her that Jump Festa is a 2 day event, so they can go there tomorrow as a date. Kurumi smiles and is excited. Kusuo again questions why he went.