(Third Person POV)

Gakushū Asano (who'll be referring to as Shuu now) walked outside with a thin book, breathing in the crisp afternoon air that smelled of freshly cut lawn.

At least, for a while.

The fumes of gasoline wafted it's way to his nostrils and he flinched, drawing back. He noticed a black limousine pulling up to the two-story house that was identical to his, "Huh, I guess we have new neighbors," He commented as a moving company truck pulled up onto the driveway, passing the limousine, which was on the side of the road.

From the back door, a redhead popped out and let the driver close the door, thanking him before dropping a healthy tip in the driver's hands, watching as the driver dove away, down the street.

He had a lean figure and amazing apple red hair that swayed in the wind. His skin was pale and clean. He had a serious face plastered across his face.

Judging by the clothing, Shuu knew that he was a rich kid. He had a black suit jacket with a maroon undershirt and a brilliant red tie tucked in. His ivory black pants didn't have a single wrinkle on it. He wore dark gloves the color of his suit, which greatly contrasted against the almost white skin. The redhead opened his mouth to speak, "Hey, careful with the piano!"

Where were this kid's parents? Shuu walked back inside, "Father, we have a new neighbor,"

"I saw Asano. Quite dashing, is he not? Seems your type,"

"Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I go around falling for every guy in town. I have preferences,"

"And that kid seems to fit your requirements,"

I pouted, "Father, now's not the time,"

"I'll go prepare a welcoming basket for you to take to him tomorrow,"

My breathing hitched, "Wh-Why?!"

"Is there a problem?"

"N-No...,"

"Then I'll go prepare it now. At least make friends with this kid, Asano. You might grow to like him,"

The strawberry blonde walked out again and sat on the bench outside, reading his book. He heard shouts from the redhead as time progressed.

"No, that's not how you carry the couch. Here, let me show you what real men do,"

"Hey! Be careful with that! That was brought all the way from Spain,"

"As to prevent fingerprint smudges, I'll be taking the glass china cabinet, thank you very much,"

"Actually, that's from Bermuda, not Russia. Do your homework,"

"Where the hell is that vase from Venice? Oh, there it is,"

"Hey, that's viola, not a violin. Get it right!"

"No, that's not how you carry the cello or the bass. Here, let me do it. Can't believe you're making a kid do this...,"

"Since you couldn't handle a cello right, I'll take the trumpet myself!"

"Hey! Don't scratch that! That. Is. Mahogany!" (if anyone gets the reference, kudos to you)

"That is the box of dishes from China, not the silverware from Serbia, so be careful with that!"

"Honestly, the cat back my place can move the desk better than you two combined! And she only has two legs left!"

His tone was very arrogant and his words dripped with harshness. Surprisingly, none of the movers cared about it, they just wanted to get the hell out of there.

After a while, the movers were done and they hurried away, driving down the street in a faster than usual speed. The redhead sighed and placed a finger near his ear, mumbling words. Due to Shuu's keen sense of hearing, he could clearly hear the redhead's words, but not the words of the person he talking to.

"Yes mother, I'm done,"

The redhead's breath hitched, "What, y-you, why can't you host it over there?"

His face went from serious to furious, "You dump me here and this is the treatment I get?!"

His face calmed down a bit, "No, I refuse,"

His eye twitched, "Yes...mother," That last word dripped with hatred.

"No! Not that guy! How dare you, he's not even experienced!"

"Mother, no,"

"NO!"

"...fine, but only if you leave first,"

"Mmkay, bye,"

He let his arm hang down and looked to Shuu, who quickly made it look like he wasn't paying attention.

(Shuu's POV)

I heard footsteps walk toward me and I was very close to sweating bullets. I looked up from my book when he made it in front of me. I didn't even hear his footsteps on the wood! But that didn't matter, as he extended a hand towards me, smiling warmly, "Hello, my name is Karma Akabane,"

"You can stop smiling, I know it's fake,"

Karma's face instantly dropped, "What?"

"I know your smile is fake, stop it,"

"I-I...anyways, what's your name?"

"Gakushū Asano, but you may call me Shuu,"

"Alright, you can just call me Karma," I probably shouldn't have called out his fake smile because his face looked a bit hurt, but I couldn't resist, "So, um, my parents and I are throwing a party at my house tomorrow night at 6:30, so I was wondering if you'd like to come," His arrogance died down a bit, but not by a lot.

Calling him out and shooting that façade was probably the worst decision I've done, but I was in between regretting and not regretting my choices, "Sure, I'm sure we don't have any plans for tomorrow,"

"Oh, uh, thanks,"

"No, I should be thanking you,"

"No, really, thank you...,"

"Um, you're welcome," I entered the house and pressed my back to the closed door, sliding down to the point to where I was sitting on the floor.

Damn, he was pretty hot.

"So, how is he?" My father's voice sounded from above me.

"Alright, I guess,"

"Observations?"

"Handsome, arrogant, low profiled,"

"Sounds like you,"

"Wha-NO! I'm not as arrogant as him,"

"Yeah right, and I'm not principal," I pouted a bit before getting up and walking past him, "Anyways, I'll go study,"

(Karma's POV)

Dammit, did he really figure me out that quickly? I need to work on my fake smile anyways, so I'm not all too surprised.

Yeah right, and I'm not gay.

Yup, I'm gay.

Surprised?

Hah, you shouldn't be. I'm a sparkly unicorn dancing on rainbows and covered in rainbow sprinkles.

I walked from house to house until dusk, to which I turned my microphone on, "Mother, I'm done,"

"And? You better not be fucking around me you little piece of shit,"

"Half the neighbors are coming, approximately 15 families,"

"As I expected from a mistake. I'm busy now you little piece of shit, go away,"

"Yes mother,"

Ah, family goals, am I right?

I cut off the microphone call and starting walking back to my house, the streetlamps already illuminating a bright yellow.

Beautiful...

Beautifully disgusting.

I hated the light. The dark is my safe haven. It where I spend most of my time, where I lurk, where I hide from...

I'm not finishing that sentence.

I thought about Shuu. Hah, what a name.

Though, some of my friends still call me Kar-Kar so I can't be laughing.

And those friends are...

I felt a tears streak down my face as I sat down my desk in my room, fiddling around with my pencil before snapping in easily with one hand.

I sighed, throwing the remains away and sharpening a newer one. I decided that I could go play the piano and practice the one song I knew the so-called professional would play and screw up. Eh, might as well.

Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy.

I played one note, and then the other, and soon I was caught in the trap of beautiful music. Even more beautiful than my future. Even more beautiful than the good-looking Shuu-

One messed up note. Father wouldn't be very happy.

Despite that, I carried on. Miss a note, move on. Don't go back for it.

After playing it, I played it again, and this cycle repeated until my knuckles were white, fingers numb, arm limp, wrists tired, and music piece perfected.

Good. Father still wouldn't be proud of me. I sighed, and despite the pain, I continued practicing until I was absolutely certain that it was flawless.

Good, I can kick that unprofessional Tsukamoto Sawao's ass when he plays out of key.

My wrists and fingers hurt, but I learned to ignore the pain. Walking to the kitchen, I poured a glass of strawberry milk and sipped, the cold glass feeling great against my burning palms.

Damn, I worked too hard on the piano today.

Good.

[Timeskip, 5:30 AM, Tomorrow Morning]

(Shuu's POV)

I walked out, observing the early time. The sun was up, but the sky was still as red as Karma's hair. (Japan's sunrise is at 4:52 AM)

I walked down to eat breakfast, only see a basket fill with food and goodies and note next to it that read:

Asano,

Take this to our new neighbor. Welcome him to the neighborhood, please. Make a new friend at least. Not a minion, like you refer to your other friends.

I rolled my eyes at the last sentence and dressed up in a white button up shirt and grey shorts. After changing, I took the basket, which was surprisingly heavy, and set out to the house where Karma lived.

I was wondering why Karma's parents weren't here yesterday and only communicated with their son via microphone, or, at least the mother does. And judging by Karma's furiousness, they must not have a good relationship with each other.

I reached the doorstep and lightly pressed the doorbell. I heard music continue for a bit and then stop, before the shuffling of clothes followed and walked to the door step. Shit, did I interrupt something?

The massive-ish door opened to reveal the all too familiar redhead, "Yes, what do you want?" He looked tired and his skin was pallor, "Oh, uh, sorry about shooting you down yesterday. I just wanted to properly introduce you to the neighborhood with a gift basket," I extended the woven basket out to him and he graciously accepted, "Oh, thank you,"

We awkwardly stood there, smiling awkwardly, before Karma piped up, "Hey, did you eat breakfast yet?"

"No, I haven't,"

"Me neither. Hey, how about this, I'll cook you breakfast!"

I hesitated, "N-No, it's fine...you don't have to,"

"No, I insist. You did give my this wonderful gift, so why not give you some breakfast? My treat,"

"Um, ok, if you insist...," It was amazing how this kid can switch from arrogant to sweet. Maybe it just towards me because I treated him nicely and maybe he didn't have a great relationship with his mother or the movers?

The house he lived in was in the exact layout as me, but his seemed somewhat more elegant and larger. Perhaps it was because my house had my father's paperwork everywhere while his was neat and tidy. I mean, mine is neat and tidy too, but he doesn't have random paperwork all over the floor.

We walked to the kitchen and he pointed at one of the chairs on a fairly long table, "Sit. I'll cook you something. You allergic to anything?"

"No," I thought for a while, and then something in me clicked, "Wait, you cook for yourself?!"

"Yeah? So?"

"Usually my father cooks...,"

"At least you have a father that loves you,"

I shut up, thinking about Karma's words. So, he's distant from his family?

"To answer your burning question that I'm sure you were thinking about when I first pulled up onto the driveway, yes, my parents aren't loving. Not a bit. They disowned me and made me move to the other side of Japan to be away from them. If they try to put you in a room alone, resist. It doesn't matter what they bribe you with, resist, please,"

What? K-Karma...he read my mind.

"Why? What happens?"

He looked sad and then looked over to me with shining, sad mercury eyes, "You don't want to know,"

"Has anyone been influenced by it?"

"Y-Yes...,"

"Who?" I knew that I was pushing things out of this kid, but I needed to know if he was safe.

"The pancakes are done," Dammit, the pancakes had to be done at the worst possible moment, didn't they?

He threw a plate with a stack of three pancakes in front of me. Literally, threw. Like, he flung a plate at my direction which so perfectly landed in front of me. This kid has talent.

He sat in the chair across from me and began eating, "So, does your dad know you're here?"

"Yeah, he wants me to make some friends,"

"What about your mom?"

I hesitated, before swallowing my bite, "Sh-She's dead...,"

I was expecting some sort of sympathetic line or phrase, but what I got was totally unexpected, "Lucky. I wish my mom was dead. I hate her,"

"Why?"

Karma sighed, "You wouldn't understand," He wolfed down the rest of his pancakes and walked to the kitchen sink to wash his plate, "You almost done?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah," Instead of letting Karma take my plate, I walked to the other side and began washing the plate, "Hey, Shuu, y-you don't have to...,"

"No, I insist. Now where do I put it?"

Karma pointed to a rather fancy rack on the side of the sink, "There...,"

"Ah, thanks,"

"No, I should be thanking you,"

(Karma's POV)

Hm, I might come to like this kid. Okay, we can keep this façade up then. He broke through my first façade, but he seems to be fooled by this one, hah. Pathetic.

But really, this kid seems pretty fine, but I don't know if he's taken or single. And even then, is he gay?

I sighed, leaving the kitchen, "You can leave if you want, unless you want to stay for a bit and chat or whatever, be my guest,"

"Your piano,"

I looked to my grand piano, which was shining ivory black and fingerprint-less, "About it?"

"Could you maybe play a piece for me? It doesn't have to be long or hard, I just want to see you play,"

"Why?"

"I just want to see if the music I heard earlier was a recording or it was actually you,"

I smirked, "It was me, but if you want proof...," I sat down at the piano bench and thought about what piece I could play, "Any preferences?"

"No,"

"Alright,"

I chose the third movement of Beethoven's Moonlight sonata because it was one my first and favorite pieces. I started playing, and since I had immense practice on this, I knew no flaws would be made.

My fingers flew across the keyboard, mostly focusing on the lower spectrum and working my right hand up to the higher regions before finally meeting around the middle. I added the zinger at the end of the piece for enthusiasm and looked at my only audience member, only to see he face paralyzed and mouth agape, "H-How...wha…,"

"Don't try to take it all in at once Shuu. Hey, how we relax upstairs in my room? I'm sure that will give you enough time to process what just happened, alright?"

"Uh...okay...," Hah, I love seeing their faces when I sit down they expect a slow moving piece and then I pull out this piece that moves at an ungodly speed. I could look at that face for hours on end.

I reached my room, which was about the size of a large living room. I heard the meek voice behind me say, "Wow, usually this room at my house belongs to my father, and I never realized how big it was until now,"

"Impressive huh? I'm glad my parents sent me here and not some other town with lousy, dinky houses," And someone else that I was interested in but he didn't need to know that.

Shuu looked around, "So, what do you wanna do?"

"I don't know. You got anything?"

"Well, since we've just met, how about twenty questions?"

I froze. Dammit, if he asks a question, my secret might exposed. Well, then again, I could always lie.

It wasn't like I've been doing that my entire life anyways.

"Sure, why the hell not?"

"Kay, you can ask first Karma!"

I thought about it. I decided to start off easy and light, "What's your favorite color?"

"Hmm, probably orange. What about you?"

"Red. Okay, um, what school do you go to?"

"Kunigigaoka Junior High. You?"

"Same! I guess we'll be seeing each other more often. Which class?"

"1-A. You?"

"Same! Wow, it's like fate. Heh," I thought more, and then I guess the words just rolled out of my tongue, "What's your sexuality?"

Silence, "Uh, y-you don't have to answer that-,"

"Gay,"

I looked up at him with wide eyes. The strawberry blonde looked up at me with anxious eyes, "Y-You?"

I hesitated, "I-I'm...well...you could say that I'm as straight as a circle,"

Shuu's face lit up, "Oh, thank god! I thought you were going to hate me because I was homosexual,"

"Even if I wasn't it wouldn't matter. Besides, what wrong with it?"

Shuu was blushing intensely and he tried hiding by looking away, but that only confirmed my assumption, "Oh, so you like me?"

"M-Maybe..."

"Hm. That was quick,"

I trailed my fingers up his torso, propping myself up with my left arm, "So, what about a new game?"

[]

I DON'T REALLY KNOW IF THIS IS THE DIRECTION I WANNA GO, BUT EH.

I'M LITERALLY JUST WINGING IT RIGHT NOW, SO BEAR WITH ME!

UR BOI,

WISDOMPEARL