It must have been fate in a mortal form that brought them together. He knew from the moment he laid eyes on her that they were meant to be. From then on, they were inseparable. They shared every part of their life with each other. That was how it was to this very day.

He often reflected upon that day with fondness. It was a day that had changed his life, after all.

karma, a passionate youth with a sadistic voice and jaw, stood alone on the beach, gazing over the cobalt water with his rebellious flaxen windows to his soul. His ruby hair rustled lightly in the ocean breeze. He tried to keep still despite his impatient excitement as he traced a finger along his silver necklace. The sun glinted off of his healthily color-touched pale shoulders and russet shorts that looked comfortable and easy to wear. His crimson coiffure brushed against his earlobes, complementing his fiery fair, tinted with sorrel, visage. For a moment, he absorbed herself in these thoughts, of him, and Okuda. karma golden pools spotted Okuda further down on the beach, closer to the roaring sea. Her lovely hair was woven into a charcoal braid. Her orbs were turned toward the ocean, hidden from karma sight, but he knew and loved their kind-natured violet hue. She was dressed in her usual everyday clothes. Her skin was lily-white and her form was slight. As karma drew nearer, he caught a note of her familiar perfume: a sweet, rich lavender. He smiled to himself. It always reminded him of the time they shared. "Okuda," he called, walking towards her.

She jumped a bit before turning around, smiling shyly. "Oh, karma- kun! I-It's nice to see you."

karma smirked. "Good to see you. C'mon." They began their walk along the ocean's edge. "So," he began, "how've you been lately? Anyone giving you trouble?"

"Oh, n-no," Okuda stammered, "not at all, karma. Everything's been going well, and, um..." She blushed. "I missed you... that's all."

karma let his hand fall across her back, muttering quickly as if almost embarrassed, "Yeah, I missed you too." Okuda was silent in response, only leaning toward karma warmth. "You're a good person. You know?"

"Why do you say that all of a sudden...?" she murmured. "Especially for a person like... like me."

"I figured you should know." He glanced at her before placing his hands behind his head. "Hanging out with a rascal like me hasn't changed you a bit."

"You shouldn't say that about yourself," Okuda whispered. "If there's anything I've ever done right, it's all thanks to you." He laughed at himself and looked up into the sky, dropping his arms and thinking about the simple feeling that he was corrupting something pure whenever he hung around Okuda. "Not really. But if you say so."

okuda slipped her soft hand into his. With a little smile, she stated, "You're so good to me, karma. I can never tell you enough how much you mean to me." karma held her hand and thought to himself that that was enough - that if he meant something good to this one person, nothing the rest of the world said mattered. After a few moments, they found themselves walking down the beach again. It seemed to karma that something had been bothering Okuda for the last few hours - or maybe longer than that. Her sweet lilac crystals were cast down and away, focused upon nothing in particular.

It really hurt him inside to see her like that. He reached for her, tucked a stray ebon strand behind her ear, and traced a finger across her jawline. "What's wrong, Okuda?"

"karma ... it's, just..."

karma cupped her face in his hands, brushing his lips against her forehead. "You can tell me."

She took a deep breath and gazed into his flaxen depths with a look full of childlike sadness, whispering, "It's just... I'm just no good, karma. I can never do anything right... I guess I'm sorry. I just ruin everything. I'll probably ruin this... I... forget it. I just can't..."

karma listened attentively, his eyebrows furrowing at each of Okuda's recounted sorrows. At last, when she finished, a moment of silence passed between them.

She looked so dark and insecure. He brought her closer in reassurance, only wanting to hold her until the hurt subsided, murmuring, " Okuda... that's awful. It wishes that weren't how it is. I wish I could say more. okuda..." Okuda's eyes began to redden, and she abruptly pulled him into a fierce embrace. His globes widened at first, but then he too felt overwhelmed by emotion and succumbed to the warmth of her touch.

"You," Okuda whispered, her breath hot on his ear. "As long as you're here, I'll be all right." They held each other as tears trickled down cheeks and dripped onto the shifting sands to be carried away into the sea. With time and soothing embraces, their pain dissipated into a mist swept out by the ocean breeze and into the setting sun.

They basked in each other's quiet companionship for a few moments.

"The sunset is so beautiful, isn't it?"

karma lifted his head at Okuda's words to behold the dying sun's fermented radiance. "It's nice."

After a moment of silence, she said quietly and seriously, "Senpai, you and me... do you think this is what they call destiny?"

He clasped her soft hand and murmured in response, "A love this true must be fated to be."

"Senpai... Let's be together forever." Okuda squeezed his hand and sidled closer.

karma sighed with contentment and brought her closer. He gazed at the beautiful aureate rays of the falling sun, thinking about everything that had transpired on this day and all that would pass between them.

"I love you, Okuda."

"I love you too, karma."

Their lips met, and brick-colored strands met charcoal ones, aflame in the dying light. The sand was their witness and the rumbling ocean their approving audience, and Okuda, his eternally faithful lover. karma thought to himself that nothing could be more perfect in the world.