Once a week, Karma stayed after school with his dear poison glasses in the classroom as the two tested out poisons for his pranks. However, this was merely a secret that they kept from the others besides their octopus-like teacher who was their chaperone every week. It was like a ritual of sorts. Today was no different. Even if it was dark and stormy outside, Karma refused to leave any earlier.
"What did you want to do this week Karma-kun?" asked the bespectacled girl. She was used to requests from her red haired friend and wasted no time to fulfill them. In return, he'd give her his company. The glasses girl didn't like being alone when making her poisons. She didn't like being alone in general. It was something she got used to, but still…it bothered her more than she thought it should've.
"Well lately, Terasaka's been bugging me," stated Karma, mischief sparkling in his sharp, mercury eyes, "With those spit wads he keeps chucking at me. It's not very hygienic. I don't know about you, but his spit on my face is an indirect kiss to me." Manami giggled, knowing that hygiene was one of the last things that Karma was concerned about.
"Right," she giggled, "For the sake of hygiene." Karma chuckled as the girl set up the chemicals for the chloroform. It was funny how one day, a fresh batch was made and the next, it was gone.
"Hey Okuda-san?" asked Karma, tilting a bottle of blue, cold liquid, "Why does it seem that you're always so open after school? You don't act like this when someone like Nagisa or Kayano-san is talking to you." Manami's faced turned red. Karma saw through everyone.
"U-um…I guess it's just because…I find you easy to talk to," the girl stuttered, embarrassed. She suddenly spotted a crack on the table and stared at it intensely. Out of the many cracks on the table, this one seemed most interesting to her. She heard Karma laugh and looked up abruptly, even more embarrassed.
"Well if it helps you," he started, "I find you easy to talk to as well…" Manami's face turned into a deeper scarlet, making the boy next to her rather amused. "You're like a human tomato," he laughed out.
When the girl finally recovered, she taught the boy next to her step-by-step to make chloroform and what not to do. He always found joy in pretending to do something reckless in her presence. It was just to scare the girl.
"D-don't do that Karma-kun!" panicked the girl as he lifted a glass of liquid to the Bunsen burner, "It's highly flammable!" Karma smirked, bemused.
"As if I'd ever do anything that reckless," he said matter-of-factly, "especially when you're around. Explaining to your parents that you got third degree burns would be rather difficult, no?" Manami sighed with relief as he put the liquid away from the fire.
"That wouldn't happen," replied Manami, pouring a liquid into a beaker with a purple liquid already in it, "My parents are always away." Her violet orbs focused on the meniscus, making sure that it was just the perfect amount. She was so calm. Her hands weren't even shaking.
"I didn't know that." Karma looked at the girl. "Then that makes us both the same. My parents are always travelling the world. Once in a while, they send me spices." Karma followed the girl's procedure as she set the beaker down.
"Be careful Karma-kun!" cried the girl as she saw a little drop spill and land on Karma's wrist. He kept calm and finished pouring everything before he examined the small burn.
"It's fine Okuda-san," he reassured, "it doesn't hurt a lot." Manami refused to listen to the boy, shaking her head vigorously.
"Let's go to the teacher's room to wash it and put some ointment on it," she said, practically forcing the read head out of the room. As the girl took care of the small burn, Karma couldn't help but laugh just a bit.
"You get worried over the smallest things," he said smiling out of mirth.
"Well that's because you're hurt Karma-kun," she retorted seriously. In her mind, any hurt friend need help no matter how small the injury was.
"It's fine," he sighed, starting to stand up, "It doesn't hurt anymore anyways." Manami nodded and the two walked back to finish their chloroform.
After a while, the two were almost done when all they needed to do was add another chemical in. As they both reached for the beaker at the same time, concentrating on another beaker, their hands touched. It was just a simple graze, but Manami jumped and quickly pulled her hand back. Also sensing the touch, Karma laughed at the girl's reaction.
"I don't bite Okuda-san," he said, smirking, "Well at least not you anyways." Manami's face turned red again.
It was only because Okuda Manami was his special exception.