A Scarlet Christmas
~Part 4~
"So this is Karma-kun's house? Don't worry. We will be in there in a second." Koro-sensei started picking the lock, and pulled the door open. Everyone entered and pulled out the items. Kataoka was head of the decorating group. "Let's put the tree there, and the table there…" Kayano glanced outside. Was Nagisa doing okay?
"Okuda-san is a really nice girl." Nagisa and Karma walked down the hill. "And why do you say that?" "Oh, it's nothing. I didn't know her too well, and thought she was too shy to talk. But she's really considerate and kind. She also helped me do some last minute reviewing for the chemistry test yesterday."
Nagisa felt bad. Nakamura told him to make all conversation centered on Okuda-san and how nice she is. Nagisa was getting nervous as Karma kept silent. That usually wasn't a good sign. But he had to distract Karma and make him jealous at the same time. Why did he get this job? He really didn't know what to say.
"Do you like her then?" That question came out of nowhere. "Huh?" "Just asking. Nakamura dragged me to spy on you two shopping."
Wait, she did that?
"Uh, um…"
Karma laughed. "Never mind. It's starting to snow, so you should get going."
Nagisa gulped as Karma left the room. Did he delay him long enough?
The snowflakes tumbled down onto the green grass as Karma walked down the hill. "Guess it's a white Christmas after all…" His parents would probably send a postcard. He never bothered to celebrate himself. What's the point of a celebration if you're the only person there? Then he thought of his classmates, and how they must be laughing and having fun right now, and his thoughts turned to Nagisa and Okuda. Nagisa's talk just seemed to be full of Okuda recently. He wondered what Kayano thought. The irritable feeling came back again, and Karma quickened his pace. Why was he, Karma Akabane, wasting time on such questionable things?
Karma saw a glow from the window of his house. What?
He thrust open the unlocked door and a loud noise surrounded him, along with pieces of confetti raining onto his face. "What is-" Something pushed him from the back before he could say anything.
The living room was filled with a glow that he did not remember ever seeing in the past. A big banner with "Happy Birthday Karma!" was hung up across the room. The teachers and the class were all there, smiling. "Can someone explain?"
"It's a surprise that the class made for you, Karma-kun. We saw that you were acting strange recently, and did some research. Are you happy?" A tentacle rubbed Karma's head, and he pushed it away. But this time, he had a smile on his face.
"Oh, so it was all a scheme?" Karma was threatening Nagisa with pictures, making him tell everything that Nakamura and the other thought of to make him jealous. "Y-yes."
"Thanks then." Karma turned his eyes to the table filled with food. Strawberry cake, strawberry milk, chocolate-dipped strawberries, strawberry tart…
"Why are they all strawberry related?"
"Oh, uh, we only knew that you liked strawberry milk, so we made everything with strawberries. Okuda-san made the cake in the center," chief cook Hara responded.
"Hmm… Are you sure it's poison-free?"
"That's rude! Yes, I'm sure." Okuda's little outburst got everyone laughing. "It's pretty good." Karma had cut a slice of the cake and was drinking strawberry milk.
"Now, everyone can give their presents."
"I bought you the Sonic Ninja movie that you wanted, Karma-kun." Nagisa handed him a rectangular present wrapped in green and red paper. "Thanks."
"Uh, I didn't know what to get, so my present is that I'll make more chemicals for you in the future." Okuda started out timidly but ended her statement with a smile.
Everyone stepped up and gave a present until only Koro-sensei remained. "Sensei's present… How about a chance to assassinate me with you attacking and me dodging only? That will be next class though." "Sure."
"Party games, everyone!" Nakamura started the games. They played some trivia, but Nakamura looked excited for something else.
"And now…"
"Dadada!" The girls all stepped back to reveal a plant that was hanging from the roof.
"Nakamura's Mistletoe! I made the rules, so no complaints." Nakamura grinned at everyone and starting reading from a card.
"If it's a Christmas party, mistletoe cannot be ignored! So, I will be short and to the point. The pair that is called will have to kiss under the mistletoe until all the berries are plucked. Each plant we prepared has 10 berries. Nagisa will be the berry plucker."
"Me?" Nagisa was relieved inside. Maybe that will disqualify me from being picked. So that was Nakamura's plan. I bet she's just going to be taking pictures the whole time.
"I've written down all types of pairs in this box. Crazy, impossible, and obvious ones are all there! Now, who's first?" Nakamura was already taking out her phone. "Aha! The birthday boy and Okuda-san! Please step forward."
"Me?" Okuda went red as she slowly stepped under the mistletoe.
Karma didn't mind. But Okuda-san? She'd probably avoid him for a week if they actually kissed under the mistletoe.
Okuda still stood with her head down, as chants of "Kiss!" came from the circle of spectators. "Don't worry, Okuda-san. I'll get the people who are behind this. Or is it that you don't want to do it?" Okuda just grew redder and stayed quiet.
Okuda's heart was beating faster and faster as Karma walked towards her. His mischievous golden eyes were looking at her, and she found it impossible to turn away. As his lips met hers, she could smell a faint scent of strawberries. Nagisa started pulling off mistletoe berries. "1…2…3…"
"10…" The kiss ended just as fast as it happened. Okuda wondered if her heart was going to jump out of her throat.
Out of the corner of his eye, Karma could see Nakamura snapping pictures. Koro-sensei was jotting down notes in a suspicious little book, and the rest just looked on in a fascinated sort of way.
"What are you looking at?" They all turned away in a guilty sort of way. "Well, Okuda-san, are we going to keep standing here in the spotlight?" Okuda seemed to break out of daze. She quickly walked away, and just as Karma predicted, avoided his glance. He was feeling mischievous now, and he snatched the box from Nakamura. "How about changing the announcer and game rules? I'll just pick anyone I want." Nakamura didn't say anything. She was too busy staring at her phone.
"Well then, Nakamura and Sugaya!"
"Whaaat?" Nakamura looked up in surprise. "You didn't say anything about me taking over…" Karma grinned. "Delete the pictures if you're going to skip your turn." Devil horns seemed to pop up on Karma's head. Nakamura had to choose between keeping the blackmail or kissing Sugaya.
"Oh, and, don't kiss his cheek and say that the rules didn't specify anywhere. I didn't do that, so you can't either. It. Has. To. Be. On. The. Lips." Karma tapped his lips while looking at Nakamura, who seemed to have exactly that idea in mind.
"Er…" She glanced at the artist, who looked just as unsure as she was. "Fine." Nakamura grabbed Sugaya and pulled him under the mistletoe.
"10." Karma was snapping pictures like crazy. Nakamura wondered if those pictures were worth it.
"Next, how about Nagisa and Kayano? Berry-picking doesn't disqualify you!"
It got boring after a few turns, so the game choice was changed. The girls were surrounding Okuda with questions. "Karma-kun's ranked 3rd in Bitch-Sensei's class! Did he do anything… you know, related to the skills Bitch-Sensei taught us?"
Okuda wasn't used to all this attention. "N-no! He didn't… do anything like that."
"I envy you, Okuda-san! Karma's always so nice to you. Not like some womanizer…" Okano glanced back at an oblivious Maehara.
"Achoo!" Okuda had felt a little light-headed the whole day, but she still went to class despite feeling unwell. Koro-sensei started walking over.
"Did you catch a cold, Okuda-san? Sensei will escort you back-"
"I'll take her. Come on, Okuda-san." Karma took Okuda's hand and walked out of the house and into the now dark streets.
"Why did you come if you had a cold? It might get worse."
"Um, I didn't want to miss your birthday, so…"
"It doesn't matter. Next time, just stay home, okay?" Okuda could tell the concern in Karma's voice, and she nodded. "Besides, you were so nervous when we played the mistletoe game. If you stayed, that would've never happened!"
"Karma-kun, are we still friends?"
"Hah?"
"I was so nervous and all that, I thought you would think I disliked you…" The snowflakes fell on her dark hair. Karma resisted the urge to brush them away.
"Oh, uh, yeah. We're still…friends."
Karma gave her a wry smile.
Koro-sensei's Note: This file is especially top secret, since sensei is not sure how Karma-kun will react if he sees this…
Koro-sensei's NuruNuru Preview: Sugino-kun should be more straightforward and just tell Kanzaki that it is a date. Saying 'assassination attempt' and making triple dates won't help him!
