For the first time in his life, Koro-sensei understood the painful comparison of "expectation" vs. "reality".
When he suggested the trip with class A, he had something completely different in his mind. Very different from... whatever it was that was happening right now.
Point in case:
Expectation No. 1: Class E and A travel together on the same train, resulting in tension loosening up, them warming up to each other a bit and starting up a friendly conversation.
Reality: Class E and A Find each other's faces so repulsive they fight over the train and end up splitting the train into two halves, the front one belonging to the 'E's and the hind one to the 'A's. The middle wagon is deserted, no man's land, a clear boundary between those two opposing camps.
Expectation No. 2: Happily playing deepening his bond with the students since the journey was going to take 5 hours.
Reality: Getting motion sickness and not being able to leave his seat.
Expectation No. 3 (at which Koro-sensei started crying): Getting closer to Karasuma-sensei and Irina-sensei whilst shipping them.
Reality: The two of them locking themselves in a coupe, not wanting to deal with Koro-sensei's presence, apparently.
So yes, right now, Koro-sensei was drowning in depression, ready to puke his insides out and cry tears of loneliness.
Karma, similarly, is not faring any better.
His head throbs.
"Karma! Help me with finding the right angle for firing the amo at Koro-sensei for maximal accuracy!"
"Hey, we need to hide these gears properly. What if Koro-sensei found them?"
"Karma, If I wanted to calculate the exact time we would surface from water, do I divide this mass by pressure or velocity? Or both?"
"Karma-"
Enough. Karma has had just enough. He already explained everything to them, twice, and as simply as possible so that even more compromised individuals like Terasaka could understand it. So why the hell were they questioning him so much?! He was already exhausted, probably caught a cold from being rained on for an hour when Nakamura suggested they go collect pranking materials. At least, he thought, he could get a few uninterrupted hours on the train to rest.
But no. Of course that was too much to ask.
"Karma! Dude, like I said, did you hide the ammo?"
"Yes, for the last time, yes."
As he had promised, Karma found a perfect hideaway for the ammo, gear and weapons so please shut up. Yes, he double-checked all the calculations about the time, speed and all those fucking angles they should be shooting from. He reconsidered all of the factors and devised backup plans from A to Z. He had even come up with a way to ensure the goddamned octopus would stay still and distracted.
Karma has done it already so why the fuck were they still bothering him with this?!
He needs to leave. Now. Before heads start flying. Karma loves his class but there's a limit to everything. They ask him about basic geometry one more time and he won't be held responsible for his actions.
In a split second, Karma starts sprinting away from the department where half of his classmates sit. They call for him in confusion but he ignores it. Sure, it was a bit unfair towards them, but Karma wasn't the epitome of patience anyway and hell, he was too tired and fed up with their shit to care.
Not only did they make him take care of the math in this big assassination (which by the way robbed him of his oh-so-precious sleep yesterday evening. He is currently surviving an all-nighter on strawberry juice and a piece of cracker), but they also had the guts to bother him now. Seriously. How shameless could they get?
"Karma-kun! Hey, Karma-kun, where are you going?"
Nagisa-kun tries to follow him but can't seem to catch up with his tiny legs and miniature steps (yes, that was an insult because Karma felt very venomous right now).
And just behind him was Nakamura, waving at him to come back. Sure as hell Karma wouldn't.
Countless ways of how to escape flash through his mind - from killing them to killing himself, jumping from the window - but he settles on fleeing from their eyes and then locking himself in the middle section of the train because currently, there are at least 4 coupes empty so that the A and E class wouldn't clash.
It's his only chance of surviving, so he gets going.
Gakushuu, too, was having his hardships.
"Ne, Asano-kun~ I don't understand this part. Help me please?" Ayame-san, a classmate of his asks, shoving her English textbook into Gakushuu's hands. She wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, but she definitely wasn't hopeless enough to actually need his help conjugate the verb "to have".
She, just like the other girls around him, only craved his attention.
"Before that, can you please explain this math equation? We are so lost," two more girls plead with puppy eyes (which are actually really good but unbeknownst to them, Gakushuu is immune. They are nothing in comparison with Karma's).
Gakushuu smiles. He'd actually much more prefer to shove them away and throw their books out of the window, but that'd be behaviour unfitting of his status. So he politely explains it to them. Explains and smiles, despite the fact that he himself has plenty of other, better things to do than to satisfy their selfish needs. Gakushuu's own set of literature and texts sitting by his legs remains untouched. It just lays there, mocking him and reminding him that instead of wasting his time on girls who couldn't keep it in their pants, he should be working to maintain his spot at the top.
And yet here Gakushuu is, hands tied, for he can't just carelessly throw his pawns away. That'd undoubtedly ruin his perfect image and make it even more difficult to control the crowd. He has to do this. Ten minutes, he promises himself. Just. Ten minutes. No, five. Five will be enough. And then he is going to get lost somewhere and tend to his own work.
That being said, the five virtuosos seem to have a different idea. Yeah, sure, why not make a group session with everyone from the class and tutor them?
Done. Gakushuu is done. Right when Ren starts using his damn looks to charm everyone, Gakushuu seizes his chance to slip away. But it isn't over yet. Seo and Ren himself notice immediately and instead of letting him fucking go, smoothly untangle themselves out of the girls' clutches and chase after Gakushuu. At this point, he starts frantically running who cares where, just away.
And soon enough, he no longer hears them. Upon closer inspection, no one was in this section of the train. It seems Gakushuu arrived at the no-man zone. He is all alone, thank god.
Or at least he thought so.
On the other side, about seven meters away from Gakushuu suddenly stands a certain redhead, puffing as though he had just run a marathon. It is only then that the two of them noticed each other.
For a while, both siblings stay quiet, somehow puzzled whether they should uphold the facade of enemies (since they are technically still at school) or if they can allow themselves to be brothers again.
However, out of nowhere, Ren's voice cuts through the awkward silence. Gakushuu jolts in horror. The virtuosos must be nearing on to him. No, he doesn't want to deal with them right now, he really doesn't. Gakushuu needs to find himself some peaceful place to wind down and then maybe be productive. Having a bunch of minions bothering him was not on the list of most pleasurable things in the world right now.
At the very same time, Gakushuu hears the voice of another boy calling Karma's name, followed by another girlish one. Karma himself turns pale as well.
With both exits blocked, they see no other option than to hide in the nearest coupe. They enter it, shut the doors (a bit too violently) and then climb into the upper head compartment where passengers usually put their luggage. It's a feeble attempt at hiding, but it's high enough that their classmates just may overlook it. If they don't look up. Surely, they wouldn't think of Gakushuu hiding inside a luggage cabinet like some wild animal, would they?
He prays to the heavens that the compartments don't break under his weight. And for once, mercy is bestowed upon him because they don't. Damn. Some big and sturdy material they were made of.
The moment the virtuosos meet the two students from class E, the calling ceases. Gakushuu and Karma hold their breath in anticipation. Then, simultaneously, they hear their classmates scowl and angrily dash in the opposite direction.
They were turning back, it seems. Gakushuu exhales in relief. They probably thought that there was no way Gakushuu would ever willingly go this near to the E-class losers and so they decided to look for him elsewhere.
When both siblings are sure everyone left, Karma sighs, letting himself fall down from the uncomfortable metal rods and locking the doors. Gakushuu hops down as well, drawing the curtains so that they wouldn't be spotted together. And just for a good measure, he ties the curtain laces together.
Now, it was just the two of them.
"Oh dear, why are you madly running from your pawns, Asano-kun?" the redhead suddenly asks sarcastically.
Gakushuu snorts. Karma was obviously enjoying the sight of him being flustered.
"Mind your own business, Akabane. From what I saw, you were dashing with a tail between your legs as well."
They glare at each other intensively. And then they crash right into the couch in the room.
"Fuuuuckkk! I'm so fed up with everyone's shit," Karma groans out, his limbs sprawled as though he was an octopus.
Gakushuu follows his lead, his whole body giving up. He takes the seat next to Karma.
"My words."
Ten more minutes pass before any of them talk. Gakushuu doesn't need to even ask what happened. Brother telekinesis aside, it's rather obvious.
"So? What now?" Gakushuu nudges his younger brother with an elbow.
But Karma doesn't react. In fact, his head lands on Gakushuu's shoulder. Gakushuu turns to the boy in confusion only to realize the devil isn't even conscious anymore.
He brushes the bangs out of Karma's face. His skin radiates an abnormal amount of heat and Gakushuu flinches a bit, surprised. A bit more forcefully, he feels the boy's cheeks and forehead, which makes Karma stir.
"How the heck did you get yourself feverish this time?" Gakushuu sighs in exasperation.
Karma doesn't even open his eyes. He mutters, barely comprehensible: "I'm not."
"Your face is hot."
"Thank you. I think so too. I got the hot genes, please don't be jealous."
Apart from the fact that he slurred the words... -What?
"Karma, you are talking shit again."
"No, 'm not. But I'm the hot sibling. Don't worry you're not bad either. I'm sure if you try sleeping once in a while and maybe get rid of the eyebags, someone might find you attracti-"
Gakushuu covers his mouth. He almost slaps him but decides last minute that Karma deserves the benefit of the doubt since he's always been spewing bullshit when sick. This was nothing new. "Alright, that's it. Your brain is probably cooked and your stupidity is taking over. What about you-"
He wants to say "sleep" but there's no need. The redhead had already drifted into deep slumber anyway and his head dropped forward. Gakushuu winces. That's gonna give him horrible neck pain if he sleeps like this. Carefully, Gakushuu shifts, moving Karma to lie on his side. He puts his brother's head on his lap and Karma seems to appreciate it when he nuzzles against his thigh. The position is awkward, considering Karma's legs are too long for the couch, but it does the job.
Gakushuu's hands were admittedly a bit cold before, but they warmed up since and when he touches Karma's face again, it doesn't feel that hot anymore. Just a tad warmer than usual. Maybe a slight temperature. He decides he won't need to risk a trip to the bathroom for a cold compress.
Finally a bit at ease, Gakushuu takes out his book. Good thing he managed to at least hang on to this one, because now, at the very least, he was ensured privacy and silence for the next four hours. It was also a good thing that Karma didn't snore.
Karma didn't know what happened after meeting up with Gakushuu.
What he however did know was that he didn't want to wake up.
But he had to.
The very moment a certain Nurufufu sound rang through his head, he shot up in alarm, fearing the worst.
And indeed, it was just as he suspected. A certain yellow octopus glued itself to the window from outside, staring right at him and Gakushuu who was still asleep.
Koro-sensei's face was blank. He was giggling just a minute ago, thinking that he caught a new couple in the class but alas, what awaited him was way more shocking. After he finally got a glimpse of the unknown students who locked themselves in the coupe and realized that it was Karma with none other than Asano Gakushuu, the son of the chairman, his whole body lost color in... horror? Confusion? Both at the same time?
"You goddamned octopus!" Karma hisses silently, panic setting in. He feels like a bomb, itching to explode, but he doesn't want to wake his brother up. Gakushuu rarely had the opportunity to sleep in peace and Karma was determined to let him rest. As If the fact that the 2-meter big top secret sprawled on their window wasn't encouraging enough.
The teacher, however, does not move an inch. He doesn't even answer, only stares as Karma grows more and more flustered. At some point, his face regains colour and he opens his mouth, trying to find any words: "Ehm, Karma-kun... I didn't know you were such... good friends... maybe even more... with Asano-kun."
Karma has yet to process what his sensei wanted to say.
"I mean, i-it's a good thing that you... are close and... ah, I mean..." Koro-sensei's complexion turns pink. He did just see two boys who were supposed to hate each other snuggled with each other asleep after all.
"Even if you both of you are boys (!), sensei won't object and will fully support your relati-"
"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!" Karma chokes, barely keeping his volume down, his cheeks as red as his hair now. "No! You're completely wrong! This is a misunderstanding!"
Gakushuu starts stirring a bit and Karma bites his lip, stopping the rant in fear his brother would wake up: "Get in, we are talking this over, sensei."
And truth to his words, five minutes later Karma and Koro-sensei sat down across each other in a different room, going through what had just happened.
The redhead has trouble thinking of a legitimate explanation. There is no way he can pretend that he and Gakushuu are archenemies anymore or that they hate each other. Hence, he just sighs and improvises, using his most convincing and calm voice: "We are only friends, got it? We have known each other since first year because I used to be in class A so we still talk, now and then. We were alone in here because everyone was too annoying and both of us just wanted to take a break."
Before his teacher can ask about the strangely affectionate position they were in, Karma continues: "I must have accidentally slid down to his lap after falling asleep because the last time I checked, I was sitting at least a meter away from him."
Koro-sensei just silently listens and when the Karma finishes, the yellow octopus rapidly nods. Then he starts crying.
"SUCH A SAD FATE! FRIENDS SEPARATED BY CRUEL EXPECTATIONS AND TYRANICAL SCHOOL SYSTEM!" He sobs frantically, taking out seven tissues with each of his tentacles.
Karma is quite shocked as well as irritated by Sensei's ridiculous reaction but opts to remain silent. At the very least, Koro-sensei appears to have bought his explanation.
It wasn't all made up either.
Koro-sensei was partly right. Although instead of being "friends separated by cruel expectations and tyrannical school system", they were brothers forbidden to fulfil that promise from almost 9 years ago.
"As long as we stay together,"
Promises are meant to break.
And he knew.
