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Thursday
Asano Gakushuu couldn’t believe it.
He couldn’t believe about how in the world he ended up in this predicament. He shouldn’t have been here. This was not his place. He was not a stalker. He was not. Especially not of him. But here he was, trying to hide from the sharp golden gaze, going as far as using lamp posts, alleyways, and people for the purpose. He believes, no, he knows that despite the precautions they’ve been taking, their victim is more than well aware of their presence. The all-knowing lazy smirk and the occasional confident glances at their point of hiding were more than enough proof of his hypothesis.
Where the hell is your dignity, Gakushuu! What will father think of this shameful behaviour?
He groaned.
If you ask him, that why is he following people around, specifically following him of all the people, he’ll simply glare at you and point out the group of four scampering idiots behind him.
It was an ordinary day. An ordinary Thursday.
An ordinary Thursday.
Ah. Actually that was the problem. It was an ordinary Thursday.
An ordinary Thursday where the always almost laidback and lazy Karma Akabane was the most active. Most of the days, Akabane was a person who took it easy. He was not actively interactive unless provoked and his actions were quite irritating to teachers, he’d rarely pay whole attention to the class and occasionally he was even known for dozing off in the middle of the lessons. And skipping classes was undoubtedly his favourite hobby. But the thing that was even more annoying for them that despite his slacking nature, his performance was flawless.
Both he and Akabane were always a subject of discussion among their classmates. Sometimes, it was their seemingly effortless amazing achievements, sometimes, it was their seemingly passive rivalry (which unknown to them was quite active). At times, it was their accomplishments in sports and club activities. But what was even more frightening to their classmates were their regular meetings on the Fridays, after the classes are over.
Not many knew the subject of those specific meetings. After all, it was about the top secret mission assigned to former class 3 E, regarding a yellow humanoid octopus. They had a deal. At the end of every week, they’d count on their wins in all different fields, which included their academic battles, their club and sports related intra-school competitions and other activities. If the winner was Gakushuu, he was allowed to ask a few questions regarding ‘Koro-sensei’. And if the winner was Karma, Gakushuu had to cover up for his little pranks.
This game of theirs has been continuing for almost a year. This not only allowed him to know about Koro-sensei but also, he came to know class E better.
But back to the point of importance, how did they ended up following Karma Akabane?
Gakushuu had noticed this fairly early, after a first few months of their High school. Karma’s lazy demeanour changes on Thursdays for no particular reason, or so he thought. He’d generally be swifter and would complete his work faster than he normally does. He’d be happier and calmer than normal and there’d be lesser victims to his demonic behaviour than an ordinary day. And most prominently, Akabane would leave the school immediately after the classes end. No club activities. No sports. His schedule was completely cleared off on Thursdays.
Gakushuu had been attempting to find the root of this noticeable change for a long time unconsciously. But sadly, there were no results. Although his father had always made sure to put this particular theory in his head that unless you put an effort in something, you’re not entitled to the results. So, when Araki mentions about this, Gakushuu interjects, “Yeah, I’ve noticed.”
And don’t tell me that you’re noticing this now?
Their little group begins investigating the matter with two of them believing that Karma is planning something to bring them down. Albeit Gakushuu had a hunch that this was not the true reason and he was right. Akabane was a man of his word. He was manipulative, no doubt, but so was he. They both knew how to turn the tides in their favour but also deal with the aftermath. But that never meant that they’d deceive each other. They had different tricks up their sleeves but nothing that would bring any potential harm to the other person’s beliefs and comrades. Both of them believed in respectful rivalry. If Akabane was planning something, he’d do it in their face. He was not the type of person to stab somebody’s back. In fact, he hated it.
If you needed to be beware of him he’d tell you beforehand.
Yet still, Akabane’s way of spending the Thursdays was something that seemed like a mystery to him. So, he took some help from other virtuosos and their special brains.
“I’m sure that he’s taking extra tuitions in science.” Koyama insisted.
“Yeah! It is a possibility. Although I have heard that his weakest subject is considered to be Japanese.” Seo said.
“But this is Akabane were taking about. He’s unpredictable. It might not be even related to academics.” Araki said it glancing at Asano for some input. He was leaning against a chair, his eyes closed and a hand over his chin, he was deep in thinking. “Akabane is unpredictable. There is no denying in that.”
“So, what are your assumptions?” Seo asked
“Guys…what if Akabane is meeting a girl?”
All of them immediately whipped their gaze towards Ren and stared at him as if he’d grown two heads.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that? Look at him! He’s a very good looking young guy with great features and known genius in almost everything he does. Not aimed at you Asano, but he’s quite better than us in many things. He is something that every girl would want, even though they’re sort of scared of him. I won’t be least surprised if half of the girls of this school would want him to be their boyfriend.”
“Yes. It can be true but this is Akabane were talking about. The last time a girl followed him around, he had stuck a chewing gum on her hair.”
Asano smirked remembering that incident. The girl Akabane had been cruel to, was a senior of theirs who believed that she could’ve any guy she wanted and dump him anytime she wished. She was bitchy to anyone who looked slightly weaker or whom she perceived as a threat to her popularity. Her high and mighty attitude caused a lot of trouble for their class which Asano didn’t like one bit as he, was the class president, had to be the one to deal with the matter.
Things got worse when she set her eyes on him, her constant flirting annoyed him to hell. But soon she got bored from his lack of response and hounded upon Akabane, who answered her casually. Since then, the girl followed him around anywhere and everywhere he went, despite his heavy discomfort and annoyance in that. At first, Asano had found this amusing but slowly the girl crossed her limits when she would harass their female classmates for the slightest interactions they had with Akabane.
Nobody knew about the actual cause but the apple of discord was rumoured to be Akabane’s phone. It was said that she flipped when she saw Akabane texting someone. She insulted that person heavily which finally broke Akabane’s patience with her and he retaliated by insulting her in front of several schoolmates, pointing out her wrong doings and bitchy attitude. And at the end, he had off-handedly commented with an evil smirk on his face, “You have a chewing gum on your hair.”
Asano had witnessed her scream in horror and run off to washroom with tears running down her face.
Although, the girl had lodged a complaint against Akabane which he had to defend because he had lost that week and that was the only time he didn’t mind doing it.
“Seriously guys…how in the world were actually entertaining an idea of Akabane with a girl…a girl?” Koyama hissed.
“Koyama-kun…just because you can’t have a girl doesn’t been Akabane can’t either.” Seo said with an air of superiority. Asano readied himself to prevent any childish fight from breaking out. But before he could have spoken anything, Ren shot – “How about we ask about this from Akabane himself?”
“Eh? What would some mighty people like you would want to ask someone like me?” a familiar purring tone was heard and they swivelled their heads towards the source of their voice. There stood the red devil of former class 3 E in all his glory, head tilted to his side mockingly and eyes glinting with interest.
Ren stepped forward and wound an arm around Karma’s shoulder loosely.
“Akabane-kun, my friend, we were simply pondering over your hurried departures on Thursdays. I was wondering…Are you meeting a girl?”
Friend? Seriously? And you couldn’t have been more direct, could you?
And Gakushuu groaned at Ren’s stupidity. If Akabane got hostile then he’d be the one required to jump in the fray to control. To his surprise, Akabane simply smirked. Which never meant a good thing.
“Ah…I suppose your assumptions are correct Sakakibara-kun. Although I would’ve loved to stay and converse with you guys but it would be quite improper of me to make a lady waiting, right? So, I’m off! See you later!
He said stepping out of the classroom door with his hand waving side to side and other one clutching the strap of his backpack. It took a few moments for Gakushuu to recover from the shock to notice that the entire class was eerily quiet and he couldn’t blame them.
Akabane meeting a girl? Unbelievable! Akabane being a gentle man? Presumptuous!
…
So, this is how he ended up following Karma Akabane. Albeit, it took a lot of persuading from the other four of the five virtuosos, who were still having a hard time accepting what they heard, three of them still suspicious and the fourth one…Ren who was eager to see the fair lady who stole their leader’s rival’s heart.
And he, himself…well, the only thing he could say in his defence was…he is a curious boy. He found it extremely disgraceful to attempt swooping into somebody else’s private matters, but as much as he wanted to deny, a part of him was very interested to meet this this girl who had this peculiar power of taming the red devil himself.
Curiosity killed the cat, they say. But here, curiosity killed my pride.
His mind screamed as he ducked behind a pillar to hide himself from the dangerous and mocking golden orbs as they swept around the vicinity, checking the crowd that surrounded them. He sighed in relief when he saw his red haired classmate moving forward and his face burned red in embarrassment. It was then they noticed an over bridge which would allow them to keep an eye on their classmate while keeping them at a safe distance from him.
A few minutes later, Gakushuu found himself gazing down at a busy crowd, attempting to find the red hair of his rival, and found him soon enough, thanks to the exorbitant features which easily made the latter stand out. He saw Karma cutting through the crowd with impressive swiftness, his eyes, clearly fixed on something…a goal, perhaps? Or a person? The recent increase in height and the slight strain to extend his neck giving him a better view to his destination.
Gakushuu found his answer soon enough, when Karma reached someone and used his palms to cover the girl’s eyes. Not forcefully, it was a surprisingly gentle gesture. The girl almost jumped, at first but as if sensing that it was someone she knew, she relaxed. Her lips moved – she said something, maybe she recognized her captor, if Akabane shaking his head softly and smirking slightly was anything to go by as he freed her. The girl immediately turned around and exclaimed something.
Gakushuu observed. She wasn’t something extremely exotic, in fact nothing like their senior who followed Karma around. She was rather, dare he say, plain? Her hair was a dark shade of purple and she was wearing a pair of oval glasses. The distance and her position was not allowing him to see her eyes but her figure was visible. It was average, nor extravagantly curvaceous, neither stunted. She was donning a black pleated skirt with white dress shirt and black tie. A maroon blazer completed her look with black socks and shoes. The uniform of another prestigious educational institute – Oku-Tokyo. But what interested him was that the girl looked familiar. After all, Asano Gakushuu always made a note to remember the faces of those who had defeated him.
Overly familiar? Is she…is she Okuda, Okuda Manami? The science genius of former 3 E? The one who topped their school in science surpassing me and Koyama?
His suspicions were confirmed when Koyama yelled, “Eh! That’s Okuda! That girl…she’s the one Akabane’s meeting?”
Ren tilted his head to a side. “Hm…she’s plain, I didn’t think that Akabane-kun was someone to go for simplicity. I thought he was someone who’d choose racy type.” He could sense slight disappointment in Ren’s voice and controlled himself from laughing out loud. The truth was that he was sort of amazed as well.
I’m surprised and yet not, after all, Akabane is unpredictable.
“But he’s smiling!” Araki said in horror.
And indeed he was. It was not his usual smirk, it was not his threatening smile, and it was not a mischief filled stretching of lips, it was simply a smile. A genuine one. It was something they had never seen.
As the five of them watched the former members of class E interacting with each other, Akabane’s actions were queer. He’d glare at anyone and everyone who so much attempted to come closer than necessary to the girl and stood next to her protectively. It was strangely funny to see people trying to keep their distance from the two high schoolers. But the girl was blissfully ignorant of the menacing aura that was being emitted by the boy as if it didn’t even exist for her in the first place.
“Let’s go back.” Gakushuu said after seeing nothing interesting. They had accomplished their goal for now, anyway. As they were about to turn, the girl surprised them all, by suddenly zooming past Akabane with a serious expression on her face, eyebrows drawn together a lips pressed in a thin line. Gakushuu saw Karma whipping in the direction the girl had ran off to with an extremely alarmed look, body set ready to follow. But he immediately relaxed when he saw the scene in front of her.
Manami was actually talking to an elderly woman who was trying to cross the street. But the heavy crowd around her was not allowing her to. This area always had too much rush.
But then they saw it.
Then, they saw Karma smiling at the girl with overwhelming fondness as he moved towards the two talking females. He picked up the older woman’s luggage and Manami grasped the woman’s hand. Together they helped her cross the street to the other side.
Maybe the woman was thanking them as they denied her vehemently because she was buying two different cotton candies from the sweet shop in front of her and placed a pink fluffy substance covered stick in each of their hands. They politely thanked her by bowing when she suddenly asked something that made both of them jump. Manami was all red, fretting and flailing her hands all around and Karma was blushing.
They might’ve been denying any of the assumptions being made about their relationship.
Gakushuu smirked.
Well…I can flawlessly assume the old woman’s words for some reason.
The woman left for her destination, in her wake leaving behind the two youngsters, each of them holding a pink cotton candy in their hands and still being an awkward blushing mess. But suddenly Karma began nibbling on the treat in his hands causing the girl beside him look up at his face. Her arm slowly reached up and to touch Karma’s face and Gakushuu found his eyes widening in anticipation and dread, which, a part of his brain was making him feel he knew that he shouldn’t be feeling. Touching Akabane Karma was dangerous.
The girl, then, booped Karma on the nose.
The five virtuosos found themselves sweat dropping at the girl.
Karma looked at her with a strange expression and then flicked her nose, returning the gesture.
How cute.
Realizing what he just thought, a look of horror morphed Gakushuu’s face.
Eh…?
What the hell….?
What the hell did I just think?
Akabane being cute …that too with a girl?
What the hell! I need a medical treatment, immediately!
“We need to get out. Now.” He hissed.
“No need. They are leaving.” Araki said pointing out the departing duo.
But suddenly, Karma raised his hand and waved, his face still turned to the other direction.
“Whom, is he waving to? Wait! No way! H-he knew?” Seo asked, his voice turning from normal to horrified.
As Gakushuu turned to look back at the four behind him, he stared at their blanched faces nonchalantly.
You noticed it now? Seriously? How ignorant!
…
Next day at school, it was break when Gakushuu found Akabane lounging around on the last benches of the class, sucking a small tetra pack of strawberry milk. He leaned against the wall, beside the window and spoke, “Never expected you to be of the glasses type.”
Karma still sipped the juice nonchalantly. “Never knew that you are a stalker.”
Gakushuu found himself being annoyed but continued. “Girlfriend, huh?”
At that Akabane turned his head swiftly, an unreadable expression on his face, “Okuda-san is not my girlfriend.”
Gakushuu smirked superiorly. “She’s not? Then, what is she to you?”
It took a few minutes for karma to respond, his gaze was now fixed at the board of the classroom as if trying to read something invisible on it.
“Definitely not my girlfriend. In my dictionary, it’s a shallow term. Especially, when I see people like them flinging it all around every now and then, at anyone and everyone they see.” He said tilting his head towards Ren, who had his arm wrapped around his recent ‘girlfriend’, looking, talking and charming another set of girls.
Karma stood up from his seat and moved to the window beside him, looking softly at the outside scenery. “You ask what she is to me. Then, let’s just say….she’s very…precious.”
Although he knew that it was completely abnormal, but still Gakushuu felt a ghost of smile coming over his lips.
So you just admitted, that to you, she’s irreplaceable.