To Manami, Rio was the perfect match for Karma. With the blonde's confidence, cockiness, and, teasing attitude, she was the splitting image of the red head-personality wise of course. On the other hand, Manami was a shy introvert who was naïve and couldn't scheme for her life. She didn't understand why Karma chose her to become his partner over Rio, but she certainly didn't dislike it.

However, watching the two taunt other students more and more together made her stomach churn. It started as a small undetectable feeling the first time Karma and Rio ever made fun of Terasaka. She watched them laugh and that was it, but when it got more common, the same horrid feeling appeared every single time. She knew it was selfish that she wanted Karma to stay away from Rio due to her fear of him leaving her so she kept it in.

And keeping it in hurt her more than she liked.

Without telling anybody her troubles, her conflicts weren't fixed and she began wishing that Rio never appeared in Class E. After wishing such horrible thoughts, the bespectacled girl began wishing the reverse, hating that she had thought such things. Rio was her friend. But so was Karma and despite her love for her friends, she couldn't help but feel jealous of Rio.

Jealousy was such a cold word. Manami knew that Karma hated jealous class A girls that picked on any person of the female gender that the red head was around with. She didn't want to be lumped in with them. She didn't want to hate Rio. She wanted everything to return back to the way it was.

On a certain Tuesday after school, Manami stayed after in the chemistry lab as she usually did. She had already started boiling chemicals when Karma burst into the room, panting. "Sorry I'm late," he said, flashing his mischievous smile, "I was talking to Nakamura-san about something. Anyways, I got this really nice idea to prank Bitch-sensei again." Setting his bag down, he walked over casually toward the petite girl as she was carefully pouring an orange liquid into a boiling blue one.

"Wouldn't it work out better if you did it with Rio-san?" Manami had meant her question to sound simple, but it came out colder than she expected. She bit her lip, regretting her words and mentally apologized to Rio. Karma noticed the obvious edge to her voice.

"Nakamura-san?" questioned the red head as the corners of his lips raised, "Why, Okuda-san, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that you're jealous." Manami's face turned crimson red and averted her gaze. She knew he was right and he knew it too. Suddenly, her companion started laughing.

"W-what is it?" stuttered Manami, flustered. She wished that her hands were bigger so she could cover her whole face, but that would be asking for too much.

"Okuda-san…" said Karma in between fits of laughter, "is really silly." Manami's face turned into an even brighter, if possible, shade of red. "Why would I be here if I wanted Nakamura-san as my partner in crime?"

"O-oh…" mumbled Manami, who couldn't help but feel relieved, "I see…" Karma only chuckled and placed a hand on top of the girl's head, comforting her.

He'd have to keep it a secret that she looked adorable when she was jealous.