Hello guys! I know I'm extremely late but I actually do have a reason for it. My family moved to a new house recently so we had lots of work with cleaning and moving things. In addition, we had no internet! T.T You have no idea how much I suffered in the last month T.T
Anyway, now I am back with an update which is - admitedly - longer than my standard. That of course brings me to a question to you, my dear readers: Do you mind that the chapters are much longer than usual? I am not used to writing such lenghty chapters but 1/ the stories are becoming more and more complex and squeezing all the plot into just 2000 words is impossible, 2/ when I don't update on time, I feel guilty and have the tendency to you know... make it up to you by writing more.
But some people don't like it so I'd rather be sure than sorry. Do please tell me whether you don't like something, I will do my best to improve! AND OF COURSE, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE LOVE!
Until next time, ciao~
Karma's P.O.V.
I had a weird dream.
It was a normal school day, I don't recall what the weather looked like, nor what time it was and I don't think that's even important, it's just that my sense of perception was absolutely on another level, much sharper, much stronger and my thoughts are so chaotic that I can't help saying too much and not filtering trivias. But the strangest thing of all was that the whole atmosfere felt natural. Even the fact that I was sitting next to Asano instead of my usual last seat in the middle felt natural.
We were talking about something (peacefully, which should have been probably enough for me to realize this wasn't reality), but apart from the fact, the whole classroom was grey, boring and even more disgusting than usual. And then the scenery changed into a field of yellowish flowers. We were sitting on the grass, vast blue sky painted over our heads. There was an incredible feeling of joy in my chest, I could feel myself smiling and I turned at Asano, expecting him to react the same way. But what greeted me was a hateful glare. He promptly stood up and walked away. For some reason, I desperately tried to stop him. The yellow petals, the things resembling tiny suns around us started withering until they were all brown and ugly. And then I noticed that they weren't withering, but burning.
That's us, he said, voice sharper than a blade, yet painfully regretful.
I woke up with a sharp jerk, my breath heavy. I saw my fingers slightly shake, but couldn't get any sense to them. It was as if I just drowned. Cold. Tired. Paralyzed. And yet, it was just a dream. Confusing, strange, but still a dream. Those were always uncomprehendable and crazy, but this one - it left me wondering what it meant, it left me scared of something - what, that I don't know - but the feeling didn't leave no matter how much I tried.
I started hating yellow flowers since that day.
The finals were coming and I saw the strawberry blonde less than usual.
Logically speaking, I should have been rejoicing. Finally some time away from that annoying OCD prick, finally getting my precious independence and freedom back after all. It was supposed to be a huge relief.
That's us
It wasn't.
When I did meet him, it was thursday after school in the library.
Thursday afternoons are rarely beautiful. Actually, no thursdays and none of their parts are ever anything better than unbearable. Logically speaking, the reason is that it is the exact part of the week when we are most tired, most fed up with school. It is the day before the long awaited friday after all.
But that was logically speaking.
With the two of us, there was no logic.
While most of our classmates and other students resembled zombies, drained by the upcoming final exams, me and Asano were more pumped up than ever. He, that fucking nerd, showed that by constantly reading, studying hard and not moving from his spot in the library for four hours in row. I, on the other hand, not quite as socially acceptably.
My book has been opened on the same page for about ten minutes now, but I never got past it because the sight in front was too irritating and distractful.
"Hey Asano," I decided to do something about it, absent mindedly swinging on my chair.
The boy did his utmost to ignore me, but hey, am I persistant.
"Hey Asanoo," I called again, this time louder and burning holes into him. Not getting an answer, I tried to get his attention again. And again. And again. Until he couldn't stand it and dramatically sighed: "What,"
He didn't look at me, but I smirked nonetheless, unable to contain the triumph.
"The school year is ending in two weeks," my voice was playful.
"So?"
"I'm going to crush you at the finals,"
At that, the boy looked up from his textbook, his eyebrows rised in curiousity.
"Oh really?"
"That's right," I cocked my head pridefully with a smug face which of course got on the strawberry blonde's nerves. But that was fine. I needed a way to entice him.
And just as expected, his chin was now up as well, looking down at me (or at least trying to, I was better at looking down on people).
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but the first spot is mine."
"I wouldn't be so sure,"
"Says the one who has been fooling around most of them time,"
"Maybe I plan to sabotage you by hiding your textbooks and notes, terrorizing you at home and depriving you of sleep,"
The look I got was priceless.
Mixture of disbelief followed by extreme horror that came as he realized that - indeed - I could do that. I knew where the keys were. And even if not, I was good at picking locks. I came over so much that it was starting to damage Asano's health as well, so why not finish him completely?
"Just kidding," I laughed it off with a wave of a hand, not sure whether I was really kidding. But well, that wouldn't be fun, would it?
"I'm going to beat you fair and square, Second-place-kun,"
The strawberry blonde snickered in disdain, though he himself was aware of that competing with me proved to be a real fun and a challenge as well (yes, my ego is on an abrupt rise). I did beat him after all and as we all already know, Asano is a sore loser.
"You can try, but don't cry when you loose,"
"You don't cry, Shuu-chan. But you know what? Why don't we make this more fun?"
I carefully observed his reaction in order to readjust my next steps. But the only thing I got was a slight frown so it was pretty much meaningless.
"Whatever your definition of 'fun' is, I refuse," he sighed.
"Let's make a bet," I didn't back down.
"I don't have time for such stupidities,"
As expected. But don't forget - what am I best at?
Taunting my enemies.
"Oh~ Scared, are we?" I pulled out a glee awfully annoying, because despite Asano suspecting what I was doing (provoking him), it still worked perfectly. He was proud and ambitious, the perfect type to manipulate.
Though I kind of could imagine what was going through his head at the moment. Over the year he has been in constant (oh god why) contact with me, he should already know better than anyone else that making bets or anything of that kind with me of all people was the second most dangerous thing ever. Right after getting involved in my pranks.
Remember that time with condoms?
Yeah.
Exactly.
Asano's silence literally screamed DANGEROUS. SUICIDAL. NUTS.
However, unbeknown to the strawberry blonde, I didn't have anything bad on my mind this time. It was quite the oppposite.
Okay, I will be honest here. Think what you want, but I am not stupid nor oblivious to the strange feeling of happiness that lately lingered everytime I was with him. Nor did I not suspect that maybe, this feeling could be mutual. Maybe, the times when I caught Asano staring at me with a soft smile (thinking I didn't know, that idiot), eyes so gentle, weren't just my wistful mind playing games on me. Maybe my eyes weren't lying when I thought I saw his cheeks get pink at times. And, dammit, how much I sometimes wished this all meant something more.
It was foolish, really.
We were like water and fire. Day and Night. Silence and Noise. He was what I have always scorned, I was all he has always tried to avoid. He was the perfect student and I was the problematic deliquent. It was the worst match ever, everyone knew, I knew – and that should have been enough for me to stop - but somehow, it was also the very reason I felt so alive with him.
Do I even make sense anymore?
And then we started getting closer and for the first time, I saw him as a human being, as a teenage boy that doesn't like waking up because he slept only two hours, as a boy that feels awkward when he's got the first female friend eating dinner with him and his father, as a boy that gets angry, happy and tired at times. He no longer posed a threat, an unknown force that seemed too unfamiliar, too flawless to me. The view on him stopped being only black and white and I started seeing more colours - the colour of his smiles when we joked around, the colour of his eyes that sometimes stayed on me for too long, the colours I saw and felt when our hands accidently touched.
And all of them were so mesmerizing.
I realized it.
I understood it.
But I was scared.
If indeed all of this was only one sided and he found out - what would he think? What would he do? Laugh? Mock me? Tell everyone in the school in order to pay me back for all the pranks and unpleasant things I have done to him?
Yet I needed a way to confirm. I needed to find a way to either completely forget this feeling or to let myself believe that I still had some chance to hope.
"I bet I will take the first place." I repeated slowly and our eyes met for the longest time possible, him finding an interesting challenge, me searching for an answer.
"And if you don't?" His face shifted into a shit-eating grin.
"I will do whatever you ask of me," I answered and then (for sure) specified: "one thing."
Asano stayed silent for a while, but it was obvious that he liked the proposal. If not for the corners of his lip slightly rising, then it was the sly glint in his eyes.
"Anything I tell you? No matter what it is?"
"Yes, unless it puts me or anyone else in danger. Or wait, I don't care about the others,"
At that, the strawberry blonde rolled his eyes: "Typical. Don't worry, I'm not you."
"Of course not, I'm more fabulous," I retorted back without thinking, "Anyway, it's the same with me. If I win, you do what I tell you."
"That won't happen, don't worry," he snorted and I truly doubted his words.
Because this time, more than ever, I was determined to win. I was going to win this bet and find out whether there was any meaning at all to my stupid thoughts, stupid feelings and stupid desires.
Third Person's P.O.V.
The finals were up.
Karma's day started well. She didn't have to climb up the walls of the building to get into her class (you see, sometimes she came too late and the gates have already been closed), she had found a pen on the floor, which meant she didn't have to steal Asano's, and she had actually slept. Like really. Karma. Slept. She didn't play games until four a.m., she didn't have to study on the last minute – she was as prepared as never before.
Asano wasn't any different. His mind was clear and alert, he even managed to go through all the subjects in the morning (having woken up at about six a.m.). But what truly motivated him was the sight of his rival sitting on her seat – on time – and smirking as if the whole world belonged to her. It was annoying, really, but at some point he grew so used to it that it became something of a reassurance that – among those simpletons he called classmates, he wasn't alone. And that life might not be so boring with her.
"Ready to get your ass kicked?" the redhead asked as soon as she noticed the boy.
"I'd be more concerned about you, Karma," the latter replied with the same obnoxious arrogancy.
And even a blind person would see the flames of fighting spirit around those two students, the dangerous aura slashing throuh the air, yet none of them backing down. It wasn't a new thing, honestly, but it was a whole different level.
Half past two meant the end of exams and although both Karma and Asano were convinced they aced them, they felt like jumping out from the window given the opportunity. Because not only did they play for perfect score, but also for the perfect time. For each exam, these the students were given one hour, but these two? No. They were on a race. What was even funnier – their pace was absolutely the same.
Literature – 46 minutes
Science – 44 minutes
Home Ecs – 38 minutes
English – 39 minutes.
Math – 40 minutes and a table split in two, because the lovebirds (foreshadowing) were so frustrated with the ridiculous coincidence of their speed that they slammed the papersheets on the table. And with the combined strenght of those two, the poor piece of furniture stood no chance.
Now came the hardest part.
Waiting for the results.
It has been three days and the tension between them grew even more unbearable. Thankfully though, today should be the end of it. At about seven p.m. The ranking list would be online (yes, the school had its own website where news were posted for everyone to see – it saved paper and time).
That didn't change the fact that the powerhouses of class 1-A were on a rampage. During the lessons, it was piercing stares, during breaks full blown wars. And while they were only students, not even the teachers could do anything about such intense rivality. It wasn't even worth mentioning that their classmates were shivering in fear every freaking while.
Unfortunately, their homeroom teacher – Asano Gakuho, who would have also been the only one capable of taming them, wasn't present as he had another important matter out of the town.
And so it went on for the rest of the day. Until-
"A-Asano-san, Akabane-san," A timid looking girl approached them.
The two stopped bickering and waited for the (saviour of this class' sanity and safety) to speak.
"Yes?" the boy immediately switched from the (according to Karma) obnoxious cold hearted fuckboy to a nice, charismatic fuckboy.
His smile managed to put the poor classmate at ease and she finally stopped looking like an animal waiting to get its neck chopped off and then gutted: "Our class wants to celebrate the end of the exams. We will be going to Karaoke tonight. We wondered whether you two would also feel up to it?"
The others hiding behind her nodded in agreement though they were somewhat nervous from interacting with the two superpowers of their class. Fortunately, it wasn't the bad nervousness. Sure, they were scared shitless when they went after each other's neck, but more importantly, they felt respect towards those two. Though for each of them differently – Asano was something like god, while Karma like the demon king (queen).
With everyone looking at them with expectations, it was hard to refuse – especially for the strawberry blonde. He, as the class president, student council president and idol of both girls and boys (athletics- and appereance-wise) had his own duties and those included both being perfect and socializing.
Karma, despite her being infamous from the middle school times, now became a subject of wide speculation as well – not only for the fact that she was the only one on pairs with Asano Gakushuu, but also for her carefree and fun loving personality, which, although until recently used to be a great annoyance, now became an enlightment to their schooldays. Back in the times when all that the teachers and students seeked for were briliant results only, even if it meant sacrificing others and themselves, this trait was frowned upon. But now the school has found out and learnt that having fun and being kind was not a sin.
"Oh, that sounds wonderful," Asano answered smoothly and the redhead couldn't help but cringe at the fakeness of his voice. Not that anyone apart from her knew. He was just unlucky (lucky) enough to witness his true, demonic side to understand that there was no way in hell nice and Asano could ever be put into the same sentence. At least not if it were here forming it.
When others turned at her for an answer, she sighed and then smugly grinned: "Sure, why not. I will gladly laugh at your loss in front of the whole class,"
And that's how they found themselves sitting on a black, uncomfortable sofa in a huge room full of people and lots of music and noise. They thought it would be only their class – total of 28 people – but no. Most of the teens were either doing their stuff outside or got another room, but in the last half an hour, Asano met and counted up to 89 faces he knew from the school – some of the same grade, but mostly older. He still remembered their names, but remained absolutely perplexed as there should have been no reason for their presence – their exams have already been evaluated a week ago after all. So why would they celebrate only now, in addition with the first years?
The answer to that, which neither he, nor Karma knew, was that Asano Gakushuu the flawless and Akabane Karma the mischeivous were there. And if it's not obvious by now – they became the celebrities of this school. So who would be stupid enough to pass up this chance?
"This is weird," the redhead remarked, sitting next to her rival as he was the only one she felt more or less comfortable with.
"Do you think they don't know we know they are staring?" she nudged him.
"You could say," he whispered in her direction, taking a sip of his coctail.
"Remind me why we're here again,"
"You wanted to laugh at me in front of the whole class,"
"Oh yeah, the exams. What time is it?"
He took out his phone and almost got his eyes pierced by the sudden, strong light that attacked him. It was dark in the room, the only source of light being colours flashed by a disco ball (probably size of the brain of most people present, which means pretty small).
Once his eyes got rid of the temporary blindness, he read: "Seven twenty two," and after checking the notification box, "still nothing."
The girl rolled her eyes: "Such a pain," and she hit the sofa with a thud, hurting her back because damn, was it uncomfortable. She was trying to think of a single freaking reason why she shouldn't go home right this moment. First of all, it was boring. Her classmates were just picking random songs and screaming them – not singing, screaming- others were staring at her to the point it got unbearable. Also, there was a disturbing number of guys who wanted to either 1/ buy her drink, 2/ know what she was interested in (torturing annoying guys, thank you very much), 3/ sit so close to her she could smell their faul breath, 4/ get their guts punched out because yes, she was many things, but most surely not an armrest for them to put their filthy hands on.
She glanced at the boy next to her, scanning him. They had like two additional hours after school to prepare themselves for this party and he was still wearing formal clothing – a white shirt, black jacket similar to the school uniform and a yellow necktie which-
"You're wearing a yellow necktie?" she straightened up with the most disgusted face she could pull out.
And she got the same expression back: "Yeah, got a problem with that?"
"What the hell, you actually wear colours?"
It wasn't an exaggeration to say Asano wanted to kill.
"My father bought it for me in Tokyo and insisted I wear it," he answered a bit bitterly, although he didn't really mind a small change, "why do you care?"
"It's ugly," Karma retorted with a straight face.
Though to be honest, it wasn't ugly. Strange, maybe, but most definitely not ugly. Asano was the type of a pain in the ass that could wear almost anything and still look good. Yellow seemed like something too optimistic for him, but he pulls it out marvelously – it doesn't stand out like a trafic light, yet it manages to catch your attention and makes you think 'hey, it actually looks pretty fine'.
But Karma hasn't had good associations with this colour, so currently, she despised it and everything it represented.
"Would you for once just-"
DING
The room got filled with this particular sound and everyone stopped whatever they were doing, because it was undoubtedly-
"THE RESULTS!" One boy screamed out and the whole place got so noisy and dangerous the redhead and straberry blonde didn't dare move from their current spot in fear they'd be tread on in this chaos.
"I'M SEVENTY FIRST, FUCK YES!" an unknown person yelled out particulary loud.
"EIGHTY FOURTH!"
"TWENTY FIFTH!"
And so it went and went and went, until-
"FIRST!"
this word was heard.
Everyone shut up, because they couldn't make out clearly just whose that voice was. They turned around at the sofa to see Karma and Asano standing with a phone in their hands, staring at each other like they were about to wage war. But their faces got immediately replaced by those of absolute confusion, followed by horror.
Because they both said the word simultaneously.
"I'm first," Karma repeated, slowly, so everyone heard just well.
"No, I am," Gakushuu fought back but he was starting to realize what this meant.
"How many points do you have?"
"500, full score. You?"
"500,"
And once again, silence took over.
"We tied," Asano voiced out the obvious.
But to Karma, this was unacceptable: "No way in hell, what about the timing?"
"We know that we have the same time,"
"Ugh, true," the girl bit her lip.
Meanwhile, the room erupted into another wave of laughter, crying, wailing and shouting. It was difficult to tell whether those noises meant something bad or good since the only thing anyone could make out were words "HOLY SHIT" and "ARE YOU KIDDING ME".
However, all the ruckus eventually died out and they were back to the usual ear-piercing attempts of karaoke singing.
As far as Karma was concerned- her plan has been foiled and although she would never admit it, it hurt more than she thought was possible. It was hard to say why - because she made so much effort to actually ensure she would win? Or because she was once again left to wonder for who knows how long? Whatever it was, it didn't change the fact that she was now sitting on the ugly piece of furniture in an ugly room with people she never really liked and a person whom she maybe liked too much who was also wearing a necktie of the ugliest colour in this world.
Her change in mood didn't go unnoticed by Asano. Frankly, he could have left her be, gone and enjoyed himself with others because despite everything else, he was first and didn't have to abide by Akabane's ridiculous orders. But he didn't. Instead, he chose to sit next to her for twenty minutes, quietly, thinking of a way to enliven the atmosphere a bit.
"So... about the bet," he started, knowing very well that this was the stupidest thing he was about to do.
"Forget it," the redhead however cut him off.
"No, wait, I actually want to suggest something," he said and Karma raised an eyebrow questioningly. But she didn't shut him up so he took it as a cue to continue.
"Since we both won, why don't we like... both make a request? Or whatever it is that you wanted,"
And yeah, maybe he was nuts, but this posed to be quite a good opportunity for what he wanted to do and he doubted there would ever be another chance. That's why he decided to take the plunge.
"I will say mine first though," Asano cleared his throat, already feeling the rapid beat of his heart. Ugh, seriously. Seriously. This was so stupid. So silly. So so so so embarassing.
"G-go with me to the cinema. Next Saturday, 2 p.m. It's supposed to be a good film. And if you don't want to, use your right for a request to make me withdraw mine."
He never thought he could speak this quick but it turned out that he could, and it only took him one breath. Sure, he was feeling hot and dizzy now, but whatever.
However, judging from Karma's face, she might have not understood everything. She was looking at him with wide, confused eyes, not saying anything.
Was it too quick? Or did she not hear it because of the karaoke? Or was this such a bad request she couldn't help but UGH WHATEVER GODDAMN IT
"Forget what I said while I go and bury myself, please forget that you know me I'm nothing but air, just an ilusion that your mind created to kill time, so-"
"Okay,"
This sudden response made him freeze.
"What?" he almost choked, the blood in his face making it hard to focus.
"Okay, let's go," she repeated louder this time, and was that blush he saw?
"You... agree?" He asked sheepishly and if he wasn't red before, he was bloody flaring now.
"Yeah, sounds fun,"
With that, she broke the eye contact, suddenly eyeing her drink that became like thousand times more interesting than before. Because it was so... odd. Just a while ago, she was bored out of her mind, listening to the worse singing ever, sitting on the most uncomfortable sofa, suffering the most awkward half an hour of her life, spending it with the most obnoxious person she knew, yet at this very moment, all the bad disappeared. It was like in that dream of hers. The boring setup of a classroom that suddenly shifted to a medow of flowers, though this time, they weren't burning. They were blooming. And they weren't that ugly anymore, not even though they were yellow and too optimistic to be true.
She could remember how happy she felt in that dream, but if that was what one would call happiness, then what she felt right now was a bliss.
And it took both of them about another ten minutes of dull staring and thinking, loading, loading, loading, until it clicked that...
Asano asked Akabane out,
and she said yes.