Karma's premonition wasn't wrong.
Although the two of them officially made up and Gakushuu returned to his usual mother-hen antics, there were clear lines between what he was willing to talk about and what not. Karma's attempts at painting class E as anything else than a collection of failures were met with a dismissal at best. It bugged him that his brother didn't want to understand. Class E wasn't full of idiots (Terasaka could be counted as one, but even he had his moments). The people there were good and so were the teachers. Well, if he didn't count the bitch who arrived recently.
They're sitting in the kitchen right now. Karma hates the silence, so he gives it a shot again.
"I'm skipping tomorrow," he declares, arms behind his head and swinging on his chair.
Gakushuu keeps reading his book, not even sparing him a look.
"I said," Karma emphasizes, "I'm skipping school tomorrow."
The strawberry blond's eyes remain plastered on the piece of literature.
"Fine," he replies coldly.
Silence again.
Gakushuu then glances up and Karma almost hopes he's going to say something more.
"Stop swinging on the chair, you're gonna fall off and hurt yourself," he admonishes instead. Karma huffs in disappointment. He's starting to miss his brother yelling at him for ditching.
"Seriously?" He groans, "No 'Don't be a lazy ass, Karma'? No 'go get your very much needed education'? Shouldn't I be responsible and shit?" He plops down, putting his elbows on the table and resting his chin in his hands.
Gakushuu lets out an exasperated breath and finally looks at the Karma: "I don't care what you do in that class. It's full of good-for-nothing flunkees and you don't belong there. It would actually be for the best if you stayed home and studied on your own. At least you won't catch their stupidity."
Karma feels his blood pressure rise at those words but he does his best to not let it show.
"As soon as the exam's time comes, ace them as normal and get back to the main building."
It's not like Karma didn't plan on that already anyway. But hearing Gakushuu say it like this aggravates him, makes the prospect of returning less appealing. The main building is full of arrogant and dishonest assholes and Gakushuu himself turns into that kind of menace when he's at school. Karma hates that part of him and wishes to purge this version of his brother that has been created by their father.
Even though Karma hasn't been with his classmates that long, they definitely deserved better than to be labelled worthless failures. Unlike all other classes, they were kind. They cooperated, helped each other instead of pulling others down. Koro-sensei also proved himself as a capable and caring teacher.
When he thinks about it, what is the point of returning to such a hostile place anyway? Why should he aspire to become part of an endless cycle of lies, a hierarchy of eat or be eaten?
He decides then. He's going to school tomorrow. Just to spite his brother.
That Bitch teacher really was annoying though. Not only did she waste their precious time, but she liked to think they cared about what she had to say. There were better ways to spend time than listening to her vent her anger on them and hitting them right where it hurt. Well, not that it hurt Karma, he was used to worse from Gakushuu anyway.
"I understand you class E students are the dregs of this school," the blonde woman declares in a mocking manner. His classmates stiffen at those words. "Why even bother studying at this point?"
Before she finishes with that bothersome monologue, everyone starts banishing her from the class. Karma just sits in his seat with no particular feeling or thought. As blasé as the sky. He's aware that this indifference isn't a good sign but decides to ignore it.
"You don't have to mind her words, Karma-kun," Nagisa-kun suddenly enters his sight with that comforting smile of his.
Karma raises an eyebrow at that. "I don't," he denies. It's not like he's worried about grades, he can achieve high scores any time he wants after all.
The boy chuckles, but it sounds forced. Maybe he's much more shaken by Bitch-sensei's words than he shows: "I see. Sorry, you just had a really scary expression on your face."
Oh. Karma suddenly becomes conscious of the frown he is sporting. He relaxes his muscles immediately and easily gives a smile, returning the favour: "You don't listen to her words. That bitch doesn't know a thing about you guys."
Nagisa-kun's gloominess subsides. "Thank you." His eyes gleam in gratefulness and it makes Karma surprisingly happy.
But even then, he keeps standing there, fidgeting. It looks like there's something Karma's classmates wants to ask so he helps him out: "Well? What is it?"
Nagisa-kun turns red from being seen through easily. He scratches the back of his head, flustered: "No, nothing. I'm just really grateful you said that. You are much more considerate and nice than everyone thinks."
Hearing that makes Karma flustered too.
"But lately, you don't seem very happy. Is something the matter?" Nagisa-kun suddenly asks.
Ah, how embarrassing. Karma really should start to keep tabs on his emotions. It's uncomfortable to have people immediately know how he's feeling and he can already hear Gakushuu drill into him 'Don't wear your heart on your sleeve. People will take advantage of it.'
Though maybe the only reason Nagisa-kun noticed is because he's around all the time.
It makes him slightly uneasy, but he ignores that too. This boy in front of him is supposed to be a good friend.
"Nah, it's nothing. School is just a pain," he dismisses it.
Also, it wouldn't do for anyone to know that the notorious Asano Gakushuu was his older brother who at the moment gave no shit about Karma's situation at school. For all the strawberry blond cares, Karma could go and kill his classmates and teachers (which he was in the process of anyway) and a bored "OK" would be his only reply. Then, Gakushuu would probably proceed to repeat over and over again that Karma needs to pass the exams and get his slacking ass to the main building before he catches the stench of failure on him.
Jeez, so frustrating.
He really wondered what he could do to get his brother's attention. Even better, change Gakushuu's opinion of Karma's class.
"You know, they aren't that stupid," he chimes in the afternoon, a day later.
Gakushuu carries on writing his homework, unbothered.
"The stuff we do there is almost the same as in the main campus."
Karma receives a sigh.
"The guys there actually get it too."
A sarcastic look.
"You should go there and see for yourself."
An annoyed grunt.
Karma's seriously irked at this point. So he pulls a different card.
"I'm going to stay in class E."
He waits for a response.
And it comes faster than expected. Gakushuu smashes his book on the table and gives Karma the most serious and soul-burning stare: "No, you aren't."
It's not an objection. It's an order.
"Oh?" Karma grins in satisfaction. He didn't actually mean what he said but he's starting to like the reaction. "But you see, I don't have to do anything there. It's perfect for me~" He sings, curious how far he can push it.
Gakushuu seethes in fury. He stands up and starts lecturing him like a helicopter parent: "Akabane Karma is going to return to the main campus and graduate with exceptional scores for the sake of his future. He's going to stop hanging out with dropouts and obediently listen to his older brother who has more experience."
Ah, it pisses him off. It really, really pisses him off. Gakushuu's a tyrant sometimes and it reminds Karma of the chairman and he hates it so much. What did he know anyway? He never listens. He doesn't trust Karma. Why should he trust Gakushuu then?
"Akabane Karma is going to do whatever the fuck he wants," Karma retorts back, frowning. He stands up to face his brother, challenging him.
He refuses to back down. He might have been joking about staying in class E but not anymore. He's not going to let himself be controlled like a puppet on strings. Not by the chairman and not by his brother.
Sensing the fire inside of the boy, Gakushuu clicks his tongue. "I don't want to fight, Karma. But staying in that place does you no good," he insists, this time a bit softer. He knows that the redhead is stubborn, both of them are and if he doesn't try to smooth it out now, this won't end well.
It's a nice try but Karma's mind is already fixed and there's nothing that can sway his resolve.
"How can you know? Have you ever seen how much they try? Or how genuine and deep their feelings for each other are? Unlike those hypocritical, all high and mighty morons in your place."
"At least there you'll have a better chance of getting some decent job and life. Besides, wasn't it you who wanted to be the closest to me, no matter what? What happened to that?" He asks sarcastically and it does nothing but fuel the flames.
"I can get a decent job no matter where I study, that I guarantee you," Karma declares.
Gakushuu snickers and shakes his head.
"Yeah, we'll see about that."
And that's a challenge. A challenge that Karma is determined to win.
Yet when he looks at the strawberry blond's eyes, he doesn't see as much mockery as he sees worry. It makes him wonder if class E really is worth betraying his only brother.
But then he thinks, who's really betraying who?
