Chapter 23 (Karma's a bitch)
Mizuki narrowed her eyes when she spotted the red head annoyance sitting in the back of the classroom with a smirk on his face. He had been the only one in the room when she and Kataoka-san had walked in. Normally she'd be the first one to arrive, but Ren had decided that today was a good morning to try to make breakfast since their sorry excuse of a father had passed out at some bar again. He'd probably be back before they got home, but it had been a peaceful morning for once.
I guess it was probably a good thing I had to clean up after Ren this morning. I don't want to be stuck alone in the same room as this jerk. Mizuki figured as she headed for her desk.
Placing her bag on the hook beside her desk, she pulled out her book like every morning and attempted to read despite the piercing golden gaze. What's his problem now? Mizuki grumbled in her head as she turned the page. This continued for another five minutes as the others started filtering into the room.
"Good morning Hiyashi-chan."
Without glancing up, Mizuki replied, "Good morning Chiba-kun."
Instead of heading back to his seat like normal, Chiba continued to hover at her desk. He seemed like he was staring at something on her desk. What's with everyone staring today? Mizuki wondered.
Finally looking up, she asked, "What's wrong?"
Wordlessly, Chiba reached out and grabbed her arm. Before she could protest at the sudden contact, he lifted it. Mizuki gasped just as snickering was heard from the seat to her right.
Oh he is so dead.
Tugging down the sleeves of her pale yellow sweater, Mizuki tried to rub at the brown dye that now stained them before Chiba stopped her.
"Don't do that. It'll just make it harder to get out. You should go rinse it." He told her calmly. She could hear the pity in his voice though.
"You're right. Thanks." She thanked him curtly. She was grateful to him, but her anger at a certain red head was stronger at the moment. As she walked by his desk on her way to the restroom, she whispered, "Don't blame me for what happens next. Remember you brought this upon yourself."
Chuckling again, Karma just lazily followed her with his eyes and replied with an amused, "Sure."
Oh, it is on Akabane.
The next afternoon
"Where did you get that?"
"Hm, I wonder…" Mizuki mused, eyes never leaving the small gadget in her hand.
Chiba's normally impassive face turned to one of worry as he realized what Mizuki was holding. "Hiyashi-Chan…."
This time there was no answer as she started strapping the object to her hand with an unusually devilish expression on her face.
"Please don't tell me this was why you asked me to stand watch in front of the classroom door." Chiba sighed instantly regretting all of his life choices until now.
"Of course it is." Mizuki replied cheerfully knowing full well what her unwilling partner-in-crime was thinking. At his deadpan look she threw up her hands in defense, "Come on, I mean it was just asking to be taken. He has so much prank stuff he probably won't even realize it's missing."
"He's not going to fall for it." Chiba argued. He really did not want to be involved in this anymore. "It's Akabane Karma. He's the master trouble maker. He'll see it coming a mile away and then get you back ten fold."
Mizuki shrugged carelessly despite knowing her friend was probably right, "He started it. Who asked him to ruin my favorite and only sweater."
Chiba had to admit it was true the other boy had provoked her first after causing her normal pale yellow sweater to get stained with whatever brown dye he had smothered on her desk; however, he didn't think Mizuki was childish enough to try and get revenge. In fact, her whole relationship with Karma seemed to be out of character for her. The whole time he's known her, she has always been calm and aloof; as if she was above everything happening around her. It was the reason most of the class still thought of her as an "elite", though he knew better. Though she may seem like that, she genuinely cares about those she gets close to and has a good heart… which made her current actions even more confusing.
"Hey, no one will know you were involved. Don't worry. I wouldn't drag you into my mess anyway." She reassured him with a gentle smile. Ever since she had accepted his friendship, she had been smiling around him more. You'd think he'd be used to it by now, but seeing the girl who used to be so cold to everyone smile at him and only him made his stomach do flips.
"Even if they did, it's fine." He mumbled. "Friends stick together right?"
"Yeah," Mizuki replied in a soft voice. Her eyes had a faraway look. "Yeah they do."
The silence that ensued was only slightly awkward as both were caught up in their own thoughts. It was broken by the loud boom indicating Korosensei had returned from wherever he had gotten lunch and afternoon class was about to begin again.
Jumping up from the step she was sitting on, she offered a hand to Chiba who took it, forgetting what they had been talking about originally.
"Ow!" He yelped, drawing his hand back faster than their octopus teacher. His eyes were still covered by his bangs, but Mizuki could feel the glare he was pinning her with as she giggled. "Very funny Hiyashi."
"Oh don't be such a baby. Just wait till you see what I'm going to do to that red haired snake."
They headed back into the classroom where the other students were filing in from their own lunch spots. Spotting her target, Mizuki quickly headed over and held out her hand. In a forced tone, she gritted out, "Listen Akabane, fighting is pointless so I'm going to be the bigger person and ask you to put whatever this is behind us and work on killing our teacher."
"Hahahaha," Karma laughed with a look of disbelief on his face. "You don't think I'm that stupid, do you? I know you took my electric shock handshaker."
Instead of getting flustered, Mizuki put on an innocent face, "What do you mean Akabane-san? I was merely extending my friendship to you like a nice classmate, but you doubt my intentions. I don't even have anything on my hand." Mizuki flipped her palm upwards to prove her words true to both Karma and the onlookers they had gathered. The other students shook their head at Karma's accusation. Only one student shook his head at the ridiculous acting skill of his friend.
Obviously not believing her, he grabbed her hand as she turned to go back to her desk causing her to flip around harshly. Expecting this, Mizuki pretended to trip and used her other hand to grab Karma's neck.
"Argh!" The red haired sociopath let out a surprised and slightly pained grunt as the electric shock made contact with his neck. Had it been anyone else, they probably would have fallen from the pain and shock of what had happened.
"Oh no, are you alright?" Mizuki gasped in fake concern. Still gripping his neck with one hand, she leaned a little closer and whispered, "That's for my jacket, jerk."
Letting him go quickly and backing up, Mizuki was surprised when Hinson Kurahashi stepped in front of her with her arms spread as if to defend Mizuki. "Leave her alone, Akabane-san. You have no right to bully others however you want."
A few nods of agreement passed through the group. Seeing the situation getting out of hand, Nagisa decided to step in, "Let's all calm down. Class is about to start." As everyone turned their attention to the blue haired boy, he held his hands up in surrender. Luckily for him, Korosensei decided to step in as well.
"Nagisa-kun is right. Everyone please get back to your seats."
Sending one last glare at each other, they both headed back to their seats along with the other students. Mizuki gave a nod of reassurement that she was fine to Chiba as she passed by his desk. Once she sat down, she unstrapped the gadget on her left hand and slipped it into the depths of her bag. She'd have to figure out how to return it, but that was a plan for another day.
As Korosensei started lecturing, she couldn't help the small smile that creeped on her face as she recalled the shocked look on Karma's normally arrogant face. You know what they say. Karma's a bitch.
Chapter 23 End
Ship poll
Ryuunosuke Chiba: 17
Akabane Karma: 11
Asano Gakushu: 10
No ship: 3
