Disclaimer: I do not owe Assassination Classroom.
IV.
During the last year I had picked up taekwondo. In my last life, I had dreamed of doing martial arts, particularly taekwondo, but I never did it. It never seemed to be the right time for it.
We learned basics in our training and it was mostly about getting a fundamental ground for more advanced techniques. I liked working hard for it and honestly, it distracted me from any depressing thoughts about my past life and my new one. Coming home ragged and exhausted prevented me from thinking, just like my books. It left my brain in this nice numb state without any room for thoughts. I think I worried my parents a bit, but since I had so much fun doing it, they didn't comment on it.
And I had finally graduated from kindergarten.
... Just to encounter the horrors of primary school.
I was already in primary school, second grade to be exact. I'm only mentioning it because it's the first time something exciting happened.
I had made my position in the class clear. I was slightly anti-social and had no intention of interacting with them, if they didn't ask me. And when they saw me burying my nose in my books they didn't take the effort to. It was nice without someone disturbing me and I could have done so the whole primary school. I was going to forge some connections and gain friends when the children stopped being so... childish.
It wasn't as if I wasn't childish, but being a 32-year-old woman in mind and not being able to interact with pears your age group without appearing strange, was straining patience. If I now looked at it, I was only a few years younger than my parents... Huh, kind of weird.
In the beginning, there were some kids trying to pick on me, because of me being so quiet and not participating in their games and what not, but I hadn't let them faze me. I was mentally older and I was not going to bow under them. I had ignored them completely, not letting their words reach me and not acknowledging their existence. They let me alone after a few days. Hopefully they had not picked up a new target.
As for my goal in finding my family, I had gotten my hands on a computer and found... nothing.
History and such seemed to be the same. Political schemes, education system, some kind of crisis. Nothing was different, except that any relations to me were non-existent. It was as if my whole existence had been deleted.
I didn't really know what I expected, but it hit me like a punch in the stomach. The fact that my old life was nothing more than a memory or just an illusion was hard to accept. My personality became more withdrawn towards my surroundings except for the interaction with my parents.
When I had been in that depressing mode, they had coaxed me out of my shell. They were good parents and I was grateful for having them. I was just sorry that I couldn't be like a normal child. I had taken something precious from them and that left a bitter taste in my mouth.
I think my dislike for mirrors only grew stronger during the that time. The first time I looked at one, I hadn't even realized it. I just thought I was looking at a picture. The slightly chubby face that stared back at me with those cloudy, grey eyes that were totally foreign to me. I still had black hair but they had a bluish shade and not the reddish one I was used to from my former life. It helped that I had been Asian before but the difference between Japanese and Vietnamese/Chinese origin were still too vast for me to see that face in the same light as my old one. I had a normal build of a typical Japanese girl and my hair was cut on shoulder length. I looked... ordinary or just slightly cuter than average. I just didn't want to look any more and more or less banned mirrors from my room. My mom just took it as a weird quirk of mine.
Today we were getting a math test back we wrote the day before. Of course, grade school math wasn't a problem for me and I had mastered it, just like every test. I could just skip grades, but... nah, too much work. I was physically just 7, so I didn't want any unwanted attention, except for being smart.
The teacher was giving the test back now and congratulated me for being the only one with a perfect score. He had used a problem for the upper class and was pleasantly surprised for me to have solved it. I was secretly proud.
What? I could be petty and a bit of attention was nice, even if I had a head start.
Class was now continuing and I spaced out. I had already learned the stuff and the only classes I had to pay attention to were social studies and sometimes Japanese. In social studies, they taught history and geography, so I had to pay attention particularly to the history part. Kind of boring only to have to do so little, but I had learned how to occupy myself. Drawing or writing was a nice distraction and many teachers hadn't anything against it if I took out my books, when I was done with my tasks.
I snapped out of my musings. The class had ended and the others were already packing their things. I started to gather my stuff.
Suddenly someone tapped my back from behind. I jumped out of my chair and got into a defensive position. Truth to be told, I was a scared cat when someone caught me unaware. Which was quite often.
''Anno... Kitani-san?'' a young boy with vibrant red hair stood before me. ''Are you alright?''
I stared a moment at the boy. What was his name again? He was good in class and a bit of a prankster. Akagami? Akame? I was sure it was something with Aka-. Red, I stared at his hair, then I shook myself out of my stupor.
''Yes, can I help you? What was your name again?'' That was unusual. No one approached me and it was the same otherwise. I only helped when my social conscience called to me. It happened quite often, like cleaning duty or picking up trash, but I didn't help people openly.
The boy seemed to ring with himself. He wanted something but was apparently too stubborn to ask. So, I took the decision in my hands. I remembered who he was. Akabane Karma. He was the genius of the class. He got always a perfect score like me and was mostly alone too. The fact that I was the only one who aced the test, resulted to him not having full points. Funnily it reminded me of that manga that I had been reading in my past life. Karma seemed to be a carbon copy of a character of that manga, just younger. It couldn't be, right?
''You need help with the math problem from the test, don't you?'' He actually blushed. Amused, I wondered what the problem was. Asking was not that of a big thing.
''So, should I help you?''
He seemed really embarrassed. Maybe his pride had taken a blow, but he nodded.
''Yes... please,'' came his reluctant answer. The red head stood there awkwardly not really knowing what to do. ''And my name is Akabane Karma.''
''Ah, I would like to help you, Akabane-kun, but I have to go home now. Would you like to come with me?'' I had offered that on a whim. It wasn't as if that would make a difference in my routine. My mom would be ecstatic that I was bringing someone home.
He looked dumbfounded. He probably hadn't expected me to say yes and invite him to my house. I waited for his answer.
When he didn't respond I raised an eyebrow.
''So?''
Flustered, he looked away and said, ''Fine.''
''Nice, we should get going,'' I was going to look over all the awkward tension and atmosphere. He was a little kid asking for help and I would help him.
We went in the direction of my house.
''Ah, are your parents alright with you coming over?'' I asked. I had totally forgotten that. I didn't want him to get in trouble.
''They aren't home anyway...'' came his answer.
''Ah, ok,'' I didn't really know what to say. ''Do you know how to get home?''
''Not really, but my house is in the same direction.''
Humming as an answer, I nodded. We didn't talk after that. When we arrived at my house, I opened the door and greeted my mom. She had a free day.
''Kaa-san, I'm home!'' She was in the kitchen down the corridor. We had a two-story house with a living room, a kitchen, a guest room and a bathroom downstairs and two bedrooms and another bathroom upstairs. Karma and I took off our shoes and went to the kitchen. He trailed behind me.
''Kaa-san, I brought a friend home,'' I stepped beside to show her Karma. ''He's my classmate.''
On cue, the red head started to introduce himself.
''Good afternoon, Kitani-san. I'm Akabane Karma. It's nice to meet you.''
''Oh my, Sayo-chan. You finally brought a friend home and he's so polite,'' I'm proud to say that I didn't pull a grimace. I should have thought about her reaction. ''It's nice to meet you too, Akabane-kun. Just call me Kana. Kitani-san makes me feel old.''
''Hai, Kana-san,'' he seemed somewhat awkward. ''Please call me Karma in exchange.''
''Kaa-san, we're going upstairs to my room, doing homework.'' I pointed at the stairs.
''Sure, Sayo-chan,'' answered my mother. ''I'm going to bring some snacks upstairs''
Murmuring a ''thank you'' we began trotting upstairs.
When we entered my room, I placed my bag on the floor and motioned Karma to do the same. Taking out the test and the bit of homework that was to do, I seated myself on my bed. Karma took my desk chair.
''So, Akabane-kun. What do you need help with?'', I cringed at the sound of that. Oh my, I sounded like some doctor.
''Call me Karma, Akabane sounds weird,'' he grimaced. ''I wanted you to explain the problem in the test to me.''
''Sure, Karma-kun. You can call me Sayori.'' I looked at the exercise. ''The teacher took a problem for the third grade. Should I still explain it to you?''
''Yes and if you don't mind me asking. Why are you helping me?''
I blinked at him.
''Why? Of course, because you asked.'', I replied.
''That's it?'', he looked at me incredulously. ''You don't want anything in exchange or so?''
''No, thanks. I'm just helping you because you asked.''
He nodded. I began explaining the test and what he did wrong in the exercise. I patiently listened to his problem and showed him the solution. He was smart for a seven-year-old. In the end, we both had done our homework and Karma had his answers.
''Thank you.'' he said when we stood in front of my entrance. I smiled at him.
''Sure, you're welcome. If you have a problem next time just ask,'' My smile widened when I saw him nod. ''You're sure that you can get home alone?''
''Yeah, don't worry. My home is only ten minutes the street up.''
''Oh, really?'' That surprised me. I didn't really know any kids in my neighborhood. Just the adults and elderly.
''Yeah, do you want to... to go to school together?'' his offer came somewhat shy. 'Cute,' I thought.
''Sure,'' he was a nice kid but a bit guarded. At least he was smarter than the other kids in class. That was for sure pleasant. ''I will be waiting here in the morning.''
''Goodbye.''
''Bye,'' he waved. I waved back.
At dinner, my mother told my father about Karma.
''Darling, Sayo-chan brought a friend home today!''
''Oh, how nice. How was she?'' my dad asked.
''Oh, not a girl, a boy. They go into the same class and Karma-kun offered Sayo-chan to go to school together from now on,'' my mother was thrilled of that fact.
''Really... My little girl has already a boyfriend...'', his blue hair shadowed his eyes. I blinked.
'Wait, what?!'
''Sayo-chan, are already leaving your daddy?'' he sounded somewhat... desperate.
''Tou-san, Karma-kun is just a friend. We are just going to school together.'' I sweatdropped. My father was overdramatizing it.
''Really? And my little girl isn't going out with him?'' his sudden papa-bear mode was... weird.
''No, tou-san,'' when did my father get like that? ''I can introduce him to you, if you want.''
''Yes, please do that.'', he settled down.
''Aww, a pity. They looked so cute together.'', my mother was just fueling the fire.
My dad looked ready to murder someone. I diverted the attention to another topic.
''Hey, kaa-san? I got full points on the math test from last week. Can we buy some new books? I have already read the others.''
''Again, Sayo-chan?'' my mom groaned exasperated, I always read them way too fast for her. I looked at my dad pleadingly.
''Pleeeeaaase~?'' I begged. I wasn't above of using my looks for this. Books were my life line in school.
''Okay, okay. Sayo-chan, please stop looking at me like this.'', my father gave up. He could never win against my puppy eyes.
''We are going this weekend then,'' concluded my mother.
''Yes!'' with childish glee I began eating my dinner again.
This had been a good day.
Chapter four of my lovely story. I'm really thankful to everyone who followed and favorized this fic. Love to you all. Especially Nekolover3 (Guest) who reviewed.
My dear Shiki betaed this story. O_O
Wish you a nice day.
-Yuki
Edited: 2/14/2016
