Hey! Sorry, sorry, for the wait! Was a bit of a hassle putting my ideas together. But hey, I've managed to write something~ Hope you enjoy reading this chapter!

"Ren, can you stop looking at me like that? It's not such a big deal."

The tall boy lets out a laugh. They're in his room, since they'd come to the boy's house to finish a project in pairs they have to do. They're already done, but Ren somehow managed to get Asano to stay. "Not a big deal? Asano-kun, don't you get it?" He nudges the shorter boy with a grin in his face. "This is progress!"

"What, the fact that we've talked to each other for the first time out of the sole reason that we were both tasked to get English worksheets?"

"Yes!"

"That is foolish, Ren. This conversation is foolish. That is not 'progress', as you say, because there is no objective."

"What do you mean, there's no objective? Of course there is!"

"You mean, you have an objective," Asano sighs in exasperation. "Because for whatever reason you're set on getting me to date a girl I know nothing about—"

"That has had your interest for way longer any other girl has."

"—and I just happened to talk to for the first time this morning," Asano finishes dully, as if he hadn't listened to Ren speak at all. "Give it up, Ren. It's not going to happen."

"Ah, come on, Asano-kun! Don't be like that," Ren says. "I know you're really serious and all, but try and lighten up a little. Perhaps dating could be good for you." It'd be good for Asano to open up to someone. Even if it's not him, Ren wants him to at least talk to somebody. Perhaps he'd tell his lover if he had one…

"I've told you already, I am not interested. And even if I was, I don't think Shiota would be a prospect for me to date."

"Hey, who knows," Ren shrugs. "I know she doesn't have the best grades or our status, but there's got to be a reason Akabane-kun likes her, eh? I mean, since he's always hangs out with her and all."

"You know, the fact someone as troublesome as Akabane likes her shouldn't be considered a good thing, exactly."

"Hey, I know Akabane-kun's dangerous, but he's smart too, right?" Ren's never talked to Akabane, but though he'll never admit it aloud, he does feel intimidated by the redhead. He can tell he's dangerous and the rumors make him no justice either. But he does admire his intellect—violent or not, he's extremely smart and worthy to be an academic rival. He could be in A Class if he wanted to. "Shiota isn't the best academically, but she can keep up with him."

Asano just shrugs, seemingly unfazed by what Ren's saying. "Perhaps, but Akabane and I are different people, and our perception of Shiota is different. There is no point to this, so let's drop it," he says, a tone of finality in his voice.

Ren shrugs and smiles easily. "If you say so, Asano-kun."

Karma's having a crisis.

He spent the entire week of spring break trying to figure out what to do and he got nothing. Weeks later and he still got nothing. He's acting like he always does with Nagisa—at least, trying to—but he seems to be failing. Nagisa's the most observant person he knows; of course she's picked up something. And he is inviting her to hang out less and less. But he honestly has no idea what to do. For once in his life, he's genuinely stumped.

He thinks he should just pull away from her. That's the easiest thing. At least until he figures his head. But he doesn't really… want to. He genuinely likes Nagisa. He doesn't want to lose her.

But he's afraid.

He doesn't know what to do.

So when he sees her one morning, he acts as he always does—his mischievous self with his teasing smiles and jokes—doing his best to hide the fear he still feels, when he suddenly notices the bruises on her wrist and pauses.

Bruises…

Those bruises are caused by someone who squeezed her wrist too tightly.

"Nagisa-chan, what happened to your wrist?" he asks, his voice serious, the fear that's been accompanying him ever since that day at the fast food restaurant disappearing and instead replaced by concern and anger.

Who dared to hurt her?

"K-Karma-kun," Nagisa seems startled, and nervous as well, as she quickly covers her wrist and glances to the side, avoiding his gaze. "N-Nothing! I just… I was clumsy and I hit myself w-with a door."

That's a lie. He can tell. Without a word, he grabs her uninjured wrist gently and drags her out of the classroom, away from their nosy classmates. Nagisa's startled, but she follows him anyway as he takes her to a more secluded place.

"Karma-kun…? Hey, why did you bring me here? We have to go to class!"

"Nagisa-chan, those aren't the kind of bruises you'd get by hitting yourself with a door," Karma says bluntly, watching as she bit her lip in nervousness. "Someone did it." It angers him to know someone was able to hurt her. He wants to hurt whoever did it tenfold. But he needs to know who it is first. "So, who was it?"

"N-No-one!" Nagisa yelps.

Karma frowns. It's clear as day to him that she's been hurt. Why is she defending whoever's at fault of this?

"Nagisa-chan… don't lie to me. You can tell me."

"…I I c-can't…"

"Why?"

"B-Because… you'll hate me!" Nagisa says, clearly troubled.

Karma did not expect that outburst, and he's shocked as he looks at the shorter girl standing in front of him. He frowns. Why would he hate her? If anything, he'll hate the person who hurt her, but not her! He doesn't think it's possible for him to genuinely hate her, anyway.

"I'm pretty sure I won't," he assures. "I don't think it's actually possible for me to hate you." He only receives silence as his reply and he sighs. "Nagisa-chan, I won't look down on you or anything. I just want to be able to help you. Someone's hurt you. It's obvious judging by those bruises. I can't help if I don't know what happened. Come on…" he drops his voice, speaking in the sincerest tone he can master. "I won't tell anyone. Can you tell me… please?"

Nagisa seems surprised that he said please, but even then, she won't talk. Just when Karma is thinking that she won't talk—since Nagisa is really stubborn and she won't say anything if she doesn't want to—she lets out a shaky, deep breath.

And tells him everything.

Yeah, cliffhanger, kind of. XD This is gonna be a huge milestone for Karma and Nagisa's relationship. Karma's reaction to what Nagisa tells him is coming next chapter and, well, he won't be too happy with a certain person. (We all know who I'm talking about, yes?)

Aaaaaaand Ren, my shipper! He really wants Gakushuu to open up, but unfortunately, the guy's just too guarded for his own good (although with the Chairman as his father, I can't really blame him…).

Hope you liked this chapter! Hopefully the next won't take as long! Until next time! :)