Karma sighed, resting his head in his hands. He was finally back to his home after a long day at work. He was practically starving- he hadn't had lunch today- but he was too tired to make something or to go out.

He lifted himself from his couch and stretched. He felt so tense- he'd had meetings all day. He was half thinking of skipping them, but realized that it wouldn't be beneficial to his current position.

It had been two weeks since he had helped Nagisa with his students. Already, he missed the blue-haired man whom had been his best friend in junior high. And the kids… they were wonderful. He felt as if he had connected with most of them during their one-on-ones.

He wanted to see him- them- again.

Faye wiped the tears from her face. She took several calming breaths, and opened the bathroom stall door. She peered out of it, spotting no one, and exited. She headed to the sink in which she splashed cool water over her face.

She sighed. There was still a hitch in her throat. She gazed at her reflection in the dirty mirror. The skin under her eyes still looked puffy. She could probably pass it off as lack of sleep.

She ran her fingers through her smooth black hair.

Faye didn't belong here. In Japan. She hardly knew any Japanese, and she was given peculiar looks from people who saw her. She was clearly not from around here- her dark brown skin was a pretty big hint.

When her father had moved her family- which happened to be just him and her- to Japan for a job transfer, she was placed in Paradise High. And since she did not know the language, she was placed in their lowest class of her grade- Class 3-5.

She sat in the back corner, quiet and secluded, and never participated. She could barely understand anything they were saying anyways.

Faye didn't like her situation, but she did like her teacher. Mr. Shiota. Or Shiota-sensei as all of her classmates referred to him as. At the end of every lesson, he would give her notes on the subject matter written in English. He didn't even judge her for being an American.

He didn't care what color her skin was or what language she spoke. He had even told her that she was his student, and thus valued far more than she could imagine. It had made her heart swell.

But despite the comforting words from her teacher, Faye hated it where she was. She could tell that other students- not the ones in her class per say- were poking fun at her. When she would arrive at school, she caught glances of the students whispering behind their hands and staring at her with scrutiny.

And her dad was hardly at home anymore. He, unlike her, knew Japanese very well and would spend a lot of time at his work- a government job she wasn't well informed about- while leaving her to struggle to learn the language herself.

Faye was having a hard time.

And Nagisa could tell.

Nagisa sat at his desk, red pen in hand, placed to the side of a test he was supposed to be grading. But he was too distracted.

He knew his American student, Faye, was not adjusting well to her new environment. She was always alone, and she didn't attempt to communicate with anyone. He got that she wasn't familiar with Japanese, but she wasn't trying to learn it, either. He had tried to get her to study the language with him, but she always declined. And Nagisa could guess why.

It was obvious that Faye wanted her father's attention. She sought it out all the time, and Nagisa had realized that she didn't want to learn the language from Nagisa because she wanted her dad to step up and teach her. Understandably so.

But Nagisa did not know how to make her father get the hint. Nagisa glanced at his phone. He knew someone who could.

Karma heard his phone ring and jumped to answer it. The caller was 'Unknown.' Damn. He had been hoping that… someone else… would call. Maybe ask for help on something or other.

He was on his lunch break, and he had gotten takoyaki. But the food was… kind of bland. He was so bored with his life. Everything seemed to have gotten so gray since after junior high. He was successful, sure, but unhappy.

Karma wished he could find something- or someone- to color his life again. He brushed the thought away. It was ridiculous anyways.

His phone buzzed. He glared at the stupid electronic. Getting his hopes up and all. But his curiosity got the better of him and he snatched the device. One text. It was from Nagisa.

Hey. I need your help with something. Another one of my students. Please?

Karma's heart warmed. The message was so brightly colored, and when Karma looked around, the world was so beautiful. He had found the person to color his life.

The most colorful thing at the moment, however, was Karma's face, as it matched his hair.

Nagisa heard a knock on his classroom door. He sprang to his feet and rushed to open it.

"Karma! Thanks for coming." He smiled at the redheaded man.

"No problem. What's up?" Nagisa stepped out of Karma's way and let him into the room.

"One of my students. Faye-san." Karma raised an eyebrow.

"That's a peculiar name." Nagisa shrugged.

"She's American." Karma nodded, as if that explained the unusual name.

"I don't remember her from when I was last here." Nagisa nodded.

"That's because she wasn't here. She was finishing the move with her dad."

"What's the problem?" Nagisa sighed, clearly worried about his student.

"She… is having a hard time with the move. She doesn't speak Japanese and doesn't communicate with anyone else. And she won't accept language lessons from me. I think she wants to learn from her dad, but he never pays her any attention." Karma processed this information.

"What do you need me for?" Nagisa looked at him wide-eyed, then the surprise slipped from his face, replaced with a grateful smile.

"Her father works as a translator for American government officials. They're staying here for a while because his charge is staying in Japan for something." He rubbed his head, embarrassed. "I don't know a whole lot about his job other than that. I was just wondering if you'd-"

"-find him and get some sense into his thick skull?" Nagisa blinked, then chuckled.

"I would not have phrased it like that, but yeah. Will you?" Karma nodded.

"Thank you, Karma. I know I said I wouldn't need more help, but… I do need you." Nagisa blushed and quickly tried to rephrase what he had said.

"I need your help! With my students! That's- that's what I meant." He squeaked, violently red in the face. Karma thought it was cute.

"I'll look into it." He turned to leave. As he left the room, Nagisa thought he heard him mutter something under his breath. It sounded a whole lot like "anything for you."

Karma was searching for Faye's father in his government's database. Not very responsible, sure, but he was doing it for Nagisa.

Nagisa had texted him the family's last name and the father's first. Churchwell Robert- wait he was western, so it'd be Robert Churchwell.

He had gotten two results for the name. Karma was really confused- one guy's name wasn't even close to that. He was just the only other American translator currently in Japan.

Karma had found where he lived (which was weirdly easy, he'd have to ask about that later). Later in the day, he visited the address (did he ever work?)

It was past dinnertime, so he assumed that Churchwell would be home. He rang the doorbell, and, sure enough, a tall, dark-skinned man answered it. He glared at Karma with suspicious eyes.

"What do you want?" Karma smirked. He flashed the man his id. It was great because Karma was ranked higher than the translator. Churchwell's eyes widened and he stepped out of his home and closed the door behind him.

"What is it?" The man eyed Karma, waiting for him to answer. Karma laughed.

"Straight to the point, huh? Anyways, a friend of mine sent me. Your daughter. She attends Paradise High, no? Well, she hardly speaks any Japanese, and it is hindering her learning. Her teacher, the friend I spoke of, has tried to teach her but she won't learn from him. He would've come to tell you to teach her himself, but he's too polite." The man's eyes widened in surprise.

"But… I bought all those books and- and I got her a tutor." He was completely confused. Karma narrowed his eyes at the ignorant man.

"Money doesn't buy everything." The man looked up at him, questioning. "It's not that she can't learn- it's that she doesn't want to. It's less of a matter of picking up a book, and more so of spending time with her father." Karma tasted the inspirational words in his mouth and almost retched. Koro-sensei and Nagisa were too good- it was rubbing off on him. He'd get some insults in later.

"She… want to spend time… with me?" Karma nodded. "But… she's been so angry with me since I told her we were moving." He hung his head. "I didn't think she'd want to talk to me." Karma looked incredulous.

"How stupid are you?" The man's head snapped up and he glared at Karma. "She's your daughter. And you're her father. You'll get over your fights, if- and only if, really- you try to get over it. Spend time with your kid. Or else you'll both regret it." There was a sad glint in Karma's eyes, but he blinked it out. The man stared at him, and it appeared as if there were tears glistening in his brown eyes.

He nodded. "I'll- thank you." He still looked like his thoughts were muddled, but Karma had faith. Faye's father walked inside his house, and with one last nod to Karma, shut the door.

Karma didn't go to see the after effects of what he'd done. But he did keep waiting for a text from Nagisa. Something, anything relating to his students… or something else. Karma blushed at his train of thoughts.

He then chuckled. Damn, he was smitten.

Nagisa watched Faye closely after he had sent Karma to inform her father of her troubles. She was attempting to converse with the rest of the class. She used as much Japanese as she knew, and every day it seemed as she knew more. Nagisa's heart swelled.

He thought of how to thank Karma. After all, it had been his doing. Nagisa realized he really didn't need Karma to do it for him… but he wanted an excuse to see him. Nagisa gasped at his revelation. They were friends, so it was normal to want to see him, right? Friends.

But Nagisa was pretty sure that if they were just friends, Nagisa's heart wouldn't beat so fast at the thought of him. He wouldn't flush, and he wouldn't keep wishing that every second they spent together would stretch out. Nagisa couldn't think of Karma as just a friend- he was so much more. But Nagisa couldn't tell him that.

But he still had to show his gratitude.

Karma was just finishing his dinner when he heard the doorbell ring. He sighed. He set his bowl on the counter to wash later and approached the door. The doorbell rang again.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." He opened the door and looked straight ahead. He didn't see anyone. An annoyed voice came from lower to the ground.

"Down here." A scowling Nagisa was standing in all of his 5'3'' glory at his front door. Karma laughed.

"Didn't see you there, you're so short." Nagisa looked even more unhappy.

"You know, I came here to thank you, but I guess there's no point now." He turned to leave, but Karma snatched his arm.

"Sorry, sorry." The laughter faded from his face, replaced with a more "serious" expression.

"I just wanted to thank you. You keep helping me, and I have no idea of how to repay you." Nagisa stated. Karma grinned.

"Have dinner with me." Nagisa's mouth dropped.

"Wh-what?" He stuttered, looking stricken. Karma laughed again.

"I said have dinner with me. Friday, maybe. Does that work for you?" Without thinking, Nagisa nodded. "Good, see you then. I'll pick you up from your classroom." Then he shut the door, leaving Nagisa to stand outside with his mouth gaping.

Did Karma just ask him out on a date?

A/N: So we got a date! Sorry for the late update… I've been busy. Thanks to all of you who reviewed, liked, or followed! Love you all, my readers!