notes:
hello! no, i haven't given up on this yet. sorry for the late update! ...this fandom isn't dead yet, right?
[Amicus Curiae—a person not a party to the litigation, who volunteers or is invited by the court to give advice upon some matter pending before it; "friend of the court"]
iii: Amicus Curiae
Observing from across the table, Nagisa's movements are with a subtle, certain sharpness beneath his careful grace. Karma should know; he moved in the same exact way. And should Nagisa put his mind to it, everything on the table could be a weapon, and still the same would go for Karma. Everything, from the small teaspoon to the tablecloth. Or the wads of tissue―stuff them in a person's mouth and nostrils all at the same time until they gagged and suffocated. What an awfully interesting way to die, though Karma wonders if they could sneeze if the tissues were sprinkled with black pepper. He imagines it, and ignores Nagisa's disturbed, confused look when he smirks.
And then, back to topic at hand, "Isn't it a little too soon for a reunion?" Karma tossed a cherry in the air, tilting his head back. It landed squarely on his pursed lips, and Karma sucked it into his mouth with an amused smirk, ignoring Nagisa's rolling eyes. "It hasn't even been a year."
"Maehara wants it to be an annual thing, and Nakamura agrees. Let's just say a lot of us are already on board with it."
"I repeat, it hasn't even been a year yet."
Nagisa shook his head. "I don't think they care about that. I guess they just want to keep ties with everybody strong, you know? Everybody's gone their separate ways, but… aside from us, nobody else will understand what we've gone through. One way or another, we'll need that camaraderie to keep us grounded."
There is truth in Nagisa's words that Karma sobered up to. Normal kids as the rest of the world deemed they were to be, class 3-E was special in a way nobody else would understand. Other kids' problems during those days were trivial compared to the pressure of killing the greatest teacher to save a whole planet who wouldn't know what they did. Not that they were after the glory. It still stung to think of Korosensei, though… Maybe the reunion's worth a shot―even if it felt a little too soon.
Karma rubbed his neck. "I guess so."
"So you're going?"
"Heck, yeah," Karma playfully sneered. "If only to see if everyone else hasn't been left out of the height department, unlike someone I know."
Nagisa scoffed, and Karma flashed him a grin. "You say that as if it's a bad thing. Kayano is short, and Okuda-san, too."
"Okuda-san is cute, unlike you. Plus, all my friends are short next to me, Nagisa. How's the weather down there by the way?"
"Make sure you two'll be free by the end of the month!" Karma laughed at the sudden change of topic. Acidly, Nagisa stared Karma down while Karma shrugged his shoulders, pulling Nagisa's uneaten plate of scones towards him. "Did you hear me?"
"You're like one feet away. Of course, dumbass." Through the mouthful of Nagisa's stolen scones, Karma smirked. "Lucky, too. The end of the month happens to be a Thursday."
"What about Thursdays?"
Karma ignored Nagisa's glare―he'd noticed just now that his scones were stolen. "It means Okuda-san and I can go together." Nagisa looked perplexed and Karma blinked. "Something wrong?"
"Is there something else you're not telling me?"
"Being nosy, Nagisa?" Nagisa bristled at the accusation. "I don't see why I have to tell you every juicy bits of my flourishing love life… unlike yours. Maybe I should set you up with some―"
"Karma."
"I like her," Karma grunted. "You know that already. You're basically my love advice expert."
Nagisa's contemplative expression didn't waver even as he narrowed his eyes. "I didn't know anything about Thursdays or any days."
"It's a compromise, since she can't go out with me everyday… We go out two days a week, and some. And can you believe some of her reasons why?" Nagisa prodded him with a rising eyebrow. "She's worried I'm having trouble balancing my club activities."
Nagisa hummed. "But you don't." Karma's snicker is enough answer.
"I dropped half of them, though I know it didn't convince her." Leaning back again, Karma crossed his legs, eyes twinkling. "Not that it'll put a damper on things even if I hadn't. But I… I appreciate her concern."
Nagisa eyed him more knowingly than Karma would have preferred. "It's a little too late, but how is Okuda-san?"
"One step closer to being mine," Nagisa's grimace made Karma laugh for getting under his skin. Teasing Manami is gold, but riling up Nagisa is priceless. Cushioning his chin on a fist, Karma decided to elaborate. "Okuda-san is gearing up for their science fair. It's pretty intense stuff; I have to wait for her one or two hours at most Tuesdays and Thursdays. And… she's adorable in her uniform."
Nagisa half-laughed, half-cringed into his coffee. "I don't need to know if you've developed a uniform fetish."
"You don't wanna know a lot of things when it's coming from me. Bastard." Karma popped another scone into his mouth.
"That's because they're mostly questionable."
"Aww. You hurt my feelings." Nagisa shook his head, and tried in vain to save what's left of his plate of scones. Karma lets him, observes him yet again and pretends he doesn't know that Nagisa is pretending that he's not noticing his observation.
The silence is companionable.
Later on, he and Nagisa would part ways after exchanging high scores from a video game with promises of making it to the reunion, and Karma would watch Nagisa walk away―that was his best friend, according to Manami, and maybe she's not exactly wrong. In assassination classes, the two of them made a formidable duo even if they find themselves fighting for different teams more often than not. They knew each other more than everybody knew about them, had differing opinions but converged at mutual interests. So, maybe Nagisa is his best friend.
Looking back at all the pranks he pulled Nakamura was the one who could go toe to toe with him when things got a little too quiet and uneventful―he figured, then, maybe she was his partner in crime. It is easy to call her a female version of him with all her cunning and sharp tongue if it weren't for the insult it would be to her person. No, Nakamura was no female version of him as she was her own person as Karma is his own. Similar as they are, that's all they have in common. Partners in crime.
What did that make of Manami if two of the titles he associated her with were already taken? Though he knew his answer, Karma still wonders, and he wanders. She is no enigma to pick apart. Manami is simple in her straightforwardness―ironically, that's why it's hard to thread so lightly with her because he wanted to be sure she was sure with her decisions. That is why he wants to completely win her over, with her awareness, even if he knows what she feels however ignorant she was of it.
He calls Manami an hour into his thoughts and spends the rest of the Sunday leafing through her extensive, color-coded, cross-referenced macromolecular chemistry notes and humoring her request to quiz him about them.
He gets every single question right.
Asano is seething. That was easy to see, and being two desks away didn't hinder Karma's observation that Asano's ego is poked by two little errors that marked his defeat. Karma leaned back on his chair, basking in the 100 of his science quiz that happened to have macromoleculars as one-thirds of the whole test and what a pleasant coincidence it was. Manami would love this, Karma preened, smirking at the look Asano threw him, then smiling pleasantly when his arch rival approached.
For Karma, Asano did not do badly with his 98. For Asano, his 98, which is second place, is still just first loser. Karma silently empathizes, but he refused Asano pity. "Two points," Karma clicked his tongue twice. "I won't say we could have been tied."
Asano's jaw clenched, and his words a mere stiff, "Congratulations," but it is surprisingly sincere. He does not crumple the paper, but he is gripping it tightly, and Karma whistles.
"Thanks." Karma tilts his head to the side, his smile widening to a non-too kind but not malicious curve. Asano merely huffs, and nods. "Wanna know my secret?"
"Not really."
Karma's voice dropped to a stage whisper, "Oku Tokyo covers wider topics." Asano merely smirked back, crossed his arms and looked down at him with his nose up. In the past, Karma would have entertained thoughts of giving Asano an uppercut if only to make him regret turning his nose up on him. "Maybe you should lower your chin and stop looking down your nose at me. You'd be surprised how things have a better perspective when you look forward."
Asano gave him a funny look, and, ignoring his words, he scoffs, "How could you possibly have access to that school's syllabus?"
"Connections," Karma was aware of how vague it sounded, and he knew Asano didn't believe him. Not that Karma cared; as far as he knew, he wasn't about to let Asano in on the workings of his relationship with an Oku Tokyo student―though if he made it sound so obscure, it'll make Asano curious, and a curious Asano sticking his nose into business that didn't concern him was the last thing Karma wanted. So he indulged, just a bit. "I have some friends in there. We hung out just yesterday. Pretty close coincidence, huh?"
The thoughtful look on Asano's face disappeared, and disinterest took its place. The knot of tension Karma felt in his chest disappeared, though he didn't do anything that might give him away―just tilted his head to the side as Asano crossed his arms. He'd snuffed out his curiosity and god forbid he knew where Asano's curiosity took him.
"Well," Asano sniffed. "How timely that had been. A fluke. Stroke of luck."
Karma smirks. "I'm a friendly character. You should be more like me."
"No thank you, I'd rather not be called a washed out imitation of you." Asano's blandness made Karma snicker because he could sense an undertone of irritation behind it. "I'm going now."
"So? What do you need, my permission?"
Asano sneers at him, and walks away with no other words to say. My, oh my, he actually let me have the last word, it was a little disappointing. But Karma shrugs, leaning back against his chair and to take out his phone while the teacher was still handing out their quizzes. Fukui-sensei often took his phone (and sometimes, his earbuds with it) in classes and he always got it back before his class ended because Fukui-sensei was this strict old bat with gaps in his memory and he never notices that Karma had nicked back his phone. It's a funny cycle of rinse and repeat, everyday.
He spams Manami with text messages he sent one by one, just to annoy her. Manami hated it when he did it because sometimes she forgot to put her phone on silent (which was often), and it'll beep repeatedly in class when he did it. Right now… she'd be in her maths right now. He could already imagine her embarassment, and he grins.
Okuda-saaaaan
Let's go to the okonomiyaki place today
My treat!
I know it's monday…
But I have news and I miss you! Pleaseeee?
ψ(｀∇´)ψ
He continues spamming her until he receives a long reply in turn, before Fukui-sensei could snatch it off his hands.
Stop spamming me! (´Д` ) It's a good thing I was already checking my phone when you texted me. And my phone is silent today! Couldn't have you waited until tomorrow? But sure, let's go today （＾∇＾）please no more messages until lunch break. Yotsuki-kun already got sent out to the hall for being on his phone.
Karma laughed under his breath. Little rebel aren't you? Okuda-san, out in the hall for using phone in class, that'd be the day!
I predict that right now, Fukui-sensei is about to confiscate your phone.（＾∇＾）
A shadow loomed over him not long after.
Not only does Fukui-sensei confiscate his phone, he also sent Karma out in the hall for the rest of the period. Luckily Yotsuki's girl was in that class with him, and she gave notes on what he missed during class at lunch and nicked his phone back for him with a devious smile. Fukui-sensei was none the wiser.
Ayasegawa was waiting with her when he got off the station. She looked miffed, though he learns later that it wasn't him she was mad at but at Yamamura―whose presence was thankfully absent. Not that Karma was any more less than pleased.
They even ended up not going to their okonomiyaki place because Ayasegawa griped about how it reminded her so much of Yamamura and eating there will only make her angrier. And then a book sale had caught Manami's attention, and food for the stomach was forgone for food for the mind as they joined Manami. It's a big store; novels in the second story and reference materials in the first. She had, predictably, darted into the science aisles. Karma would have followed along had Ayasegawa not tugged him into another aisle.
It was suspiciously secluded.
"No offense, but you're not my type," Karma drawled, eyebrows rising at Ayasegawa's seeking expression. "I think we've already established with whom my interests lie?"
Ayasegawa's expression twisted to an affronted grimace. "I'm angry at Kouichi, but not that angry to step all over his feelings. That's insulting, Kunugigaoka-san."
"I'm not a love expert, Ayasegawa-san." Karma crossed his arms. "And you ruined a spontaneous date."
"Which is exactly why I need your point of view and to hell with spontaneous dates."
Karma stared. There's something odd in that tone. And she'd outright ignored his displeasure! Karma smirked uncertainly at her, though to her it would seem merely like a vaguely bland smile. "I should also tell you I'm not exactly the best person to be confiding with."
Ayasegawa shifted from foot to foot with a frown, ignoring his words. "Do you usually tell Manami-chan you love her?" She looked up at him, eyes squinting at his blank face then tugging on the straps of her knapsack. "Do you? You do all these sorts of things for her… and you even come to our school once or twice a week. And… you know, it's just odd. You aren't dating―or, or maybe you are dating, but it's exclusive, and to an outsider, it's a little blurry. People are going to ask questions. And… it doesn't look… proper, I guess?"
Ayasegawa did not look at him in the eye while she said all these probing words. If he didn't know any better, it would have been directly about Manami and him. Nosy little chit. The situation fit, the puzzle pieces aligned perfectly. It's the picture that's wrong. It's easy to see through Ayasegawa and Karma knew who she was really talking about, but fine, he'll humor her. Maybe she'd say something substantial as well.
Bluntly, Karma replied, "I don't care what other people think."
"Why's that?"
"Because she's the one who really matters. I know my intentions, Okuda-san knows them too, and I've been perfectly clear with Okuda-san with what I want from her." Karma paused, then hummed. "Though I must admit her evasion from the topic is frustrating when I know what she really feels―she doesn't understand that about herself, so she runs. Okuda-san runs from the things she feels she can't handle just yet."
Karma wonders when she'll stop running, too. He was waiting with a bottle of water and everything.
He could tell the words bothered Ayasegawa from the way she scowled at him―no, technically not at him. She was displeased, though, at herself. Karma doesn't care, though he wonders what Manami was doing somewhere in these aisles and if he'll have a hard time pulling her head from the dissertation works about air-sensitive organometallics and their relationship to mesogene crystals.
"What if you stop going after her? Will you stop going after her?"
"Not until she tells me herself, no. Okuda-san isn't going to get rid of me that easily."
Ayasegawa looked defeated. And then, she took a deep, wavering breath and her voice is small with uncertainty. "W-What if… one day, she… um, she told you to get lost and didn't actually mean it, but didn't have the guts to make you come back because you actually did it?"
"Beg pardon?"
She began to sound angry. "And just because she didn't mean it, how could you still possibly go on dates with other people when you claim to like her? What the hell is up with that? What an idiot! That's being counterproductive and it's―"
Well. The thing was, Manami never said anything she didn't mean, nor did she ever take her words back. But Karma doesn't say any of these to Ayasegawa. This wasn't his problem.
Karma clicked his tongue, biting back laughter. "I think you're projecting, Ayasegawa-san. I don't date around―you'd best be off thinking no one's that of a big fan of me." Ayasegawa had the dignity to blush. "And lower your voice. This is still a library."
"But―"
"Enough of this," Karma huffed. He ignored her grimace and decided to cut to the chase. "Get straight to the point. We're not―"
"Karma-kun?"
Both of them whipped towards the voice at the end of the aisle where Manami stood, an unreadable look on her face as she studied them. Karma took quick note of his surroundings. Secluded aisle, alone with a girl, speaking in low tones. Relief made him sigh when he noticed he and Ayasegawa weren't anywhere closer. There was no way Manami would think any of it.
"M-Manami-chan!" Ayasegawa grinned, clearly forced. Ah, you're a bad actress, Ayasegawa-san. If possible, she just made their arrangement a lot more suspicious. "You're ready to go?"
"Um, yes," Manami eyed them still and it struck Karma to see that she was, for once, unreadable. Manami is always an open book, and her obscurity at the moment, that was new. New meant… hold on. Is she…? That thought got put on hold when her eyes drifted up, and she blushed furiously. "Why-why are you in the adult section…?"
Ayasegawa managed to look both pale and flushed at once and Karma had to wonder how she managed that feat. It was a little amazing. Karma shrugged.
"I think Ayasegawa-san's figured out that best way to make-up with Yamamura-san is through a make-up se―"
Ayasegawa actually growled. "Don't you finish that sentence!"
"I was about to say serenade. My, my, Ayasegawa-san, I think the adult section has corrupted your thinking processes?" Karma took evil delight over how embarrassed she was. "Maybe you'd have a better chance of patching things up if you go about the traditional way."
"Oh," Manami shifts, shrugging to emphasize the books she cradled. "Well, um, I'm just going to check out these books!"
"We-We'll wait!" Their smiles vanished once Manami was gone. Narrowing her gaze, Ayasegawa puffs up and declares, "We're not finished, Kunugigaoka-san," in the loftiest tone she could muster, and Karma sighs.
"Not that I care, but was it any of your business? About earlier?"
"Yes, because Manami-chan is my friend." Lame.
"Yes, yes, friendship politics," Karma waved her off, ignoring her pointed look, trying not to laugh. "What are you so concerned about, Ayasegawa-san? You're giving me mixed signals over here. One minute it's about you and Yamamura-san, then the next it's me and Okuda-san."
"What makes you think I―"
"Stop," Karma interrupted sternly, and for once, Ayasegawa snapped her mouth shut and regarded him with a mollified look. "You're not fooling me, and you know as much as our situations look similar, they do not. Could be the same page, probably. But you and Yamamura-san are on another book entirely."
Ayasegawa looked stricken. "I just… wanted some… advice." She shifted on her feet, clearly uncomfortable. "I mean… It's not that I could talk to Yotsuki or Sora-chan or even Manami-chan about it. You're an unbiased outsider. Anything you say is impartial. So…"
"You picked me," he drawled. Karma peeked beyond the aisle, checking how far along Manami was in the queue. Two persons away. Six minutes, tops. "I'm warning you, though, again, I'm not the best guy for these kinds of things. So get on with it; what did you do?"
"Kouichi and I had a fight."
"Okay… And what happened before, during, and after that fight?"
Ayasegawa blushed. "You already know how he feels about me… and I―well, he was saying these things like you do to Manami-chan and even though I like hearing it, I didn't like that he was doing it. We fought over it. I keep telling him to stop while he'd say that it was his choice to tell me and not mine to control."
"So you like him back." At her acidic stare, Karma smirked. "Stop glaring, Ayasegawa-san. It's obvious. So what's the catch? What's so bad about Yamamura-san telling you and showing you he liked you?"
"I don't like it!"
"Why not?"
Pause. Then, softly: "It's too much. He shouldn't be so devoted to me like that. It's… it's scary to be… receiving that kind of devotion. I mean, I like him, too, yes, but… but will it be enough to match Kouichi's?"
Karma swallowed. He thinks of Manami, and running, and turning, coming out of hiding, and devotion and what he feels for her. Running away is a perfectly sound tactic. But when will you stop running from me?
"And what about the part where you said he was going on dates with other girls?"
Ayasegawa no longer scowled. She just looked sad. "I told him to stop bothering me, and to go bother someone else who would want to date him because I wouldn't. He's gone on three dates since today."
"I can't decide it was a mere lapse of judgement because of anger, or because you're trying to deliberately screw things up, Ayasegawa-san."
"Join the club," she sighed, her expression twisted. "It's complicated."
"No, you just lack decision." Karma criticized. "Not everything has to be complicated. There's nothing between you two other than your bloody pride, from what I can see."
"But―"
"You like him, and I think you know that he knows. You're the one making it complicated, Ayasegawa-san. He's pretty upfront about it, and since you both know it's mutual… I think you owe him your decision. Then the two of you can go from there, I guess."
He lets her stew in silence over his words, words he too, lets himself think about. Was he and Manami complicated? Who was it between them making them complicated? Did Manami owe him her answer? Does he even have the right to feel that he deserved to have her answer? But she wasn't responsible for what he felt for her. She didn't owe him anything, but this was something else.
And Karma thought his friendship with Manami was already complicated enough.
20 minutes past 1 am, Karma flinches when his phone starts to blare somewhere within his room. Caught off-guard and concentration broken, he moved away from the disorderly desk, annoyed with the distraction. It couldn't be Manami, could it? They've talked over the phone earlier, and she went to bed three hours ago. Rubbing his tired eyes, Karma found the phone buried beneath pillows and blankets; Okuda Manami was flashing on the screen and he'd picked up faster than he could blink.
"Oku—"
"Karma-kun!" She interrupts, sounding rattled and awake. "I'm sorry for disturbing you!"
"How ironic, Okuda-san. You told me not to stay up late, but it looks like you're the one who's wide awake." Karma smirks to himself. "I hope you're not being responsible for trying to mix Red Bull and coffee without me~"
"I don't like energy drinks, remember?" came her harried reply. "Karma-kun, I'm with Riko-chan at Yamamura-kun's house."
Flopping to his bed, Karma blinks. "Pardon?"
"She told you about Yamamura-kun, didn't she? What did you say to her?"
"Aha, that thing with Ayasegawa-san and Yamamura-san must be quite bigger than I thought if she couldn't do it alone, huh?" Karma questions, mostly to himself. Maybe he should just read four more chapters instead of the promised eight.
"Karma-kun!"
The reproach in her tone made his nose scrunch. "Hey, don't blame me, she wanted advice and I gave her advice." Karma hears her disbelieving hum accompanied by the sound of vaguely distinct yelling ("You brought Okuda, too? You're nuts!" "Listen to me—") in the background. "Hear that? That doesn't sound like my advice. Therefore, that's not my problem."
Manami sighs over the line. "I don't get why I'm here, Karma-kun!"
"You are basically Ayasegawa-san's support system. Oh, my. A for effort, Ayasegawa-san, for trying to fix things like this. How long have you been there?"
"Um, 10 minutes. Duration of the screaming match included…?" Laughter bubbled out his mouth as he rolled over to his stomach as she scoffed her annoyance. "Mou. It's cold out here, and I left my glasses! T-This is your fault!"
His eyebrows rose as he snorted. "You just offended me."
"You can stick your offense." Had she sounded just a little more vindictive and less of a sniffling mess of cute, perhaps he would've felt guilty. But not really. Karma rolls back face up, picturing the sight of her indignant pout and cold-stung reddened nose and feels warmth settle to his cheeks down to his heart.
"Make Ayasegawa-san pay for your train fare in compensation for your company." He manages to say this after he regained enough composure to speak. Clearing his throat, Karma adds, "Some warm milk would be great, too."
The clang of steel against concrete, ("Go home or you'll catch a cold!" "Don't change the subject, Kouichi!"), and a brief noise of static. "I doubt that. I paid for the both of us because Riko-chan forgot her wallet because she was hurrying, which I didn't see the point of doing because it's not as if Yamamura-kun would be going somewhere in the middle of the ni—oh!"
Karma perks. "What's up?" There was no answer, but Karma could hear all three voices, two of which were yelling while Manami was trying to subdue both, words like take you home, stupid, Kouichi, some more indistinct yelling and finally, the sound of running, and sighing, drifting to his side. Closer now, he hears Yamamura say, "Okuda, come inside the house for a minute, I'll just chase that girl down," and then, another sigh.
Karma whistles. "Sounds eventful."
"I-I'm sorry about that…" Karma laughed at her exasperation. "Looks like we'll be staying here overnight!"
"What about your folks?"
Manami sniffs. "They're not pleased with Riko-chan at the moment. I'll call them after you! But… my glasses… Ah! I'll just leave extra early so I have time to come back home!"
"That's a whole lot of effort and you know it."
"Better than being good as blind all day, Karma-kun. Not to mention my uniform."
Yes, Karma nods to himself, he supposed he could see reason in that. It'd be no good if she didn't go to classes in her uniform. Her cute uniform. "Okay… how's having Ayasegawa-san act as your eyes as compensation instead?"
Manami giggles, and all Karma wants to do is to listen to it until he fell asleep. Damn, it was really late… those chapters would have to wait. "Picking on Riko-chan, Karma-kun? You shouldn't!"
"Is that so? Why's that?"
"Because I heard you, you know." He doesn't follow. Karma makes a confused noise that prompts her to clarify, "Back at the store, with… with Riko-chan."
Oh. Not exactly mortified but not cool either, he's not surprised to feel his face warm from a blush. "Nosy girl. How much did you hear?"
"N-Nosy!? I didn't—I… I'm sorry, it's just you…" Manami trailed off sighing, obviously unsure, but then she continues. "You were right next to my aisle and you were… I could hear you both clearly, so… so… all of it…?"
Damn, Ayasegawa. You ruin my date and my chances, too? Karma huddles into a pillow even though Manami can't see it. It's not that he cared that she heard—they were true, and he was proud of his honesty—but because he knew she was unsure, still. An uncertain person like Manami wasn't receptive to intensity; Karma did not want to scare her off with what he felt. No more running further from him from where she was already meters away. "I'm more surprised you could hear us over your books, Okuda-san."
"I didn't mean to!"
"Fine, have it this way," Karma gives up, gives in. Sighs. He was really awake now. "It's not like you don't know already."
He manages to save little bit of himself at her incoherent stammering. Karma lets her ramble, simply hearing and listening. He could close his eyes and relish the words, but his mind would drift and his attention could stray—worse, he could fall asleep on her! So he remains awake with eyes wide open, ready and alert for conversation even though she could go on for hours on her own. Karma wanted to be awake with her.
"Um, sorry," Manami suddenly stops, murmuring shyly. "I must be keeping you up. Yamamura-kun and Riko-chan are taking a bit too long…"
He knows the topic's changed without being told. So he humors her, treading away from eggshells. "Wanna bet that they're already together by the time they come back?"
"Karma-kun!"
Karma waits her out with a patient smile.
"…Fine, b-but no extreme deals!"
Quarter to 3 am, of course Manami loses to him once Yamamura and Ayasegawa had returned, their hands twined. Privately, Karma could only wonder if he'd like to bet on he and Manami too, but, the stakes are too risky, he thinks, even as she stays up with him, even as they get no sleep talking about everything and nothing, even as they watch the rising sun together but one train ride away from the other.
series name drop! anyway, i missed writing for this story. i missed karmanami, in general. i have about 1/3 of the fourth chapter written, and i'm still undecided about how many chapters this story would take; 10 or 13? maybe less, but don't worry, one train ride away does not end on part 2!
on mornings spent swaying to and fro on the train is also found under chuunihans for the series one train ride away on ao3.