Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was not strictly mandatory for students of Kunugigaoka High to live in the school-provided dorms. It was, however, highly encouraged as most of them came from relatively well-off and sheltered backgrounds and the school wanted to foster a sense of independence in its students. This, combined with the exceptional quality of the accommodations, made the dormitory a popular choice among the student population.

Many of the students who chose this living arrangement did so because they wanted to be closer to their friends, as well as further away from the prying eyes of their parents. It was their first chance to experience a taste of what it was like to live on their own terms, and they were eager to make the most of it.

And then there was Karma Akabane, who had already been practically living on his own for years. He was quite content with his freedom and wasn't exactly thrilled about the possibility of having to room with some clown he couldn't suffer to be around for more than five minutes. Still, he ultimately decided he could simply terrorize any unwanted pests until they begged for a transfer, and took up the offer in an effort to ward off the inevitable boredom now that all of his friends had left for different schools. That, and not having to make your own meals was a pretty sweet deal.

Gakushuu Asano, on the other hand, had never been away from his father for more than a week at a time. Which is precisely why – despite the recent defrosting of their relationship – ticking the box for "accept" had been a no-brainer for him. Not that he ever made decisions without thinking them through, of course. This was simply the most logical choice. It provided him with plenty of networking opportunities as well as time saved on daily commutes, leaving more for his studies and extracurriculars. Not having to withstand his father's scrutiny 24/7 was just an added bonus, not the deciding factor. Nope, definitely not.

What neither of them could have foreseen was just how much of an impact this decision would turn out to have on their lives.

On Sunday the 1st of April at 6:55 PM, Gakushuu arrives at the dormitory entrance. He says his goodbyes to the driver, a long-time employee of the Asano family, and takes his luggage from the trunk. He walks up to the reception desk and introduces himself to the smiling dormitory manager, who hands him a key and a map of the building. Gakushuu thanks her and begins making his way to his assigned room.

"Room 404, huh?" he mutters to himself as he enters the elevator. "How promising."

The elevator and spacious hallways are more reminiscent of a mid-range hotel than a high school dormitory. Not quite the level of luxury Gakushuu is used to, but it will do. He's been told they even have their own bathrooms. He'll have to share with his roommate, of course, but at least it's not a communal one.

Gakushuu obviously could have exploited his contacts to get his preferred roommate (probably Ren), but he had decided against it. He would rather room with a straight-up delinquent than rely on his father for something as trivial as this. Besides, if he couldn't stand the guy, he could simply manipulate them into applying for transfer. Nothing to be worried about.

I really needed that vacation, Gakushuu thinks as he walks down the corridor. He had decided to turn down all internship offers to recover from the burnout he had been feeling since the end of the school year. Thank the heavens for his father's sudden change of heart. Had he been forced to deal with constant remarks about his inadequacy or reminders that his time could be spent more productively, he might actually have snapped.

Gakushuu stops in front of the door to his room and takes a deep breath. School starts tomorrow and aside from the obvious curfew, they're free to arrive any time they want. Still, he knows he's fashionably late (Gakuhou insisted on eating dinner together one last time "like a normal family"), so his roommate is probably already here. He opens the door and steps inside, ready to introduce himself.

No amount of preparation could have readied him for the sight that greets him.

"You have got to be shitting me."

Gakushuu drops his luggage and stares dumbfounded at the redhead lounging on the rightmost bed, eyes closed and hands behind his head.

Karma Akabane opens one eye, then the other and mirrors Gakushuu's shocked expression for about two seconds before slowly breaking into a grin.

"Now, this... definitely won't be boring."

Gakushuu takes a long step back and checks the number on the door, then the key in his hand. They match, no mistaking it. He looks back inside to see the spawn of Satan himself, now sitting cross-legged on the bed.

"You do realize the door wouldn't open if it wasn't your room, right, Former Number One-kun?" Akabane asks tilting his head, amusement clear in his voice.

"Of course I do!" Gakushuu snaps, a light warmth spreading across his cheeks. Damn getting caught off guard like that.

"You're telling me," Gakushuu starts, "that of the 600 students in this school – around three quarters of whom live in the dorms – I just happen to get paired up with you? Just who did you bribe and/or blackmail to make this happen?"

Akabane chuckles and stands up, lazily stretching his arms above his head. "I'm afraid I have no such power here. The probability of this happening is, let's see..." he performs some quick calculations in his head, "just below 0.5%, assuming half the students are guys? I'd say we're pretty lucky. Unless..." he gasps dramatically, "you actually pulled some strings because you wanted to spend your high school days with me! Oh, Asano-kun, I had no idea you felt that way~!"

"Shut up. Just... shut up," Gakushuu growls, his hands clenching into fists. This is the worst possible scenario. There is no manipulating this guy to so much as clean his side of the room. Unless Gakushuu applies for transfer himself – which would 1) be admitting defeat and 2) require finding some lunatic willing to room with Akabane – there is no way out of this.

"Oh come now, Washed Out Prodigy-kun. I'm sure we'll get along just swimmingly. Seeing as I got here first, would you like a room tour? Tada~, and we're done." Akabane makes a gesture towards the middle of the room and immediately drops his arms. Admittedly, the room isn't that big and Gakushuu can see almost everything from the door. There's two beds with nightstands and a large window in between, two desks next to their corresponding beds and presumably wardrobes on the wall currently hidden from view by the small corridor he's standing in. There's a green rug and plenty of empty space in the middle.

"Oh, and the bathroom's right next to you. Might not wanna go in there for a while, though. I had some pretty spicy curry earlier."

Gakushuu summons every ounce of his patience and takes a deep breath. "I'll... take your word for it. I'll just... unpack."

"Sure thing," Akabane nods and flops back down on the bed, pulling out his phone. "Oh, say 'I suck at geometry~'!"

*SNAP*

"..."

"Mm, your expression was even funnier when you walked in. Oh well."

This is a test. That's right. Getting along with Akabane is a test of his patience and self-control. Gakushuu Asano will pass this test with flying colors, like he always does. He will not let the red menace ruin his life. He will triumph. He must triumph.

assano.jpg
rooming with the former number one, what a twist
Karma Akabane [7:15 PM]

Oh my god
Nagisa Shiota [7:16 PM]

❗❗❗
Kayano Kaede [7:16 PM]

BWAHAHAHAHA
Rio Nakamura [7:16 PM]

im so sorry
Tomohito Sugino [7:16 PM]

Oh, my. I wish you luck, Karma-kun.
Yukiko Kanzaki [7:16 PM]

taking bets on which ones leaving in a coffin
Hiroto Maehara [7:16 PM]

Karma-kun is a skilled combatant and a trained assassin. However, Asano-kun has at least a red belt in three different martial arts. The available parameters are insufficient for an accurate prediction.
Ritsu [7:17 PM]

He's not actually that bad, you guys. Though their personalities might not mesh all too well...
Yuuma Isogai [7:17 PM]

I'm sure they'll get along just fine! They're both very intelligent and capable individuals.
Manami Okuda [7:17 PM]

@Hiroto Maehara 10k¥ on asano
Ryouma Terasaka [7:17 PM]

do u even have that much money
Itona Horibe [7:17 PM]

what's with the vote of confidence, terasaka?
Karma Akabane [7:18 PM]

either you die or i get money, win-win
Ryouma Terasaka [7:18 PM]

Karma smirks at his phone and glances at the honor student currently stuffing his clothes into the wardrobe, completely ignoring Karma's presence. Arriving first had allowed Karma to look around on his own and get comfortable, affording him the peace of mind needed to one-up Asano in their first encounter.

Despite his composed demeanor, Karma had obviously also been taken aback when the reason he's even attending this school in the first place – not that he'll ever let Asano know – opened the door to their room. He had been mentally preparing for some harmless dimwit he'd have to tolerate for the foreseeable future, but this development changes everything.

Asano finishes unpacking and sits in front of his desk, back turned to Karma. He pulls out a laptop and starts typing away.

Is this even going to work? Are they going to spend the next year in awkward silence? Karma can't have that. This kind of potential for entertainment can not be allowed to go to waste. He checks the time on his phone. 7:30 PM.

"Ne~, Almost Perfect-kun," Karma hums. The typing halts. "School starts at 8 AM, right? I assume you're one of those weirdos who are headed to an early grave by waking up at 6 every day?"

"5:30," Asano corrects and resumes typing without turning around.

Okay, this might not work.

"No." Karma declares, his voice low and serious.

Asano stops typing and glances behind him. "What do you mean, 'no'?"

"What do you mean, 'what do you mean, no'?" Karma mimics as he sits up, horror written on his face. "I mean no, that was a joke, and we are not waking up at 5:30! The walk to school takes less than five minutes. We'll have plenty of time to get ready if we wake up at 7:30."

"...Akabane, do you not even eat breakfast? What was that about being headed to an early grave?"

"Of course I do. Got some snacks in my bag. I'll eat them in class."

Asano closes his eyes and sighs. He can not believe this punk is on his academic level. "Not only that. You need time to shower, brush your teeth, comb your hair, get dressed, read the news, and—"

"Read the news??" Karma interrupts, incredulous. "What are you, 70? And I shower at night precisely so I don't have to in the morning!"

"And then sweat all night in your sleep? That's disgusting."

The rest of the conversation consists of Karma desperately attempting to educate Asano on the concept of chronotypes and the persecution of night types in a society built for morning types. Asano's argument boils down to "I'm aware, suck it up and adapt like everyone else." Karma is not having it.

"I swear to whichever devil your family made a pact with, if I hear an alarm ringing at 5:30," Karma informs the other boy, "there will be blood."

"Death threats no more than an hour into our shared living arrangement. I'm touched," Asano deadpans and turns away. "Now if you don't mind, I have some business to take care of."

"Business? School hasn't even started yet, what business could you possibly have at this hour?"

"None of yours."

Karma snorts and lies back down on his bed, phone in hand. Guess that could've gone worse. At least they're talking.

The rest of the evening is relatively uneventful, both rivals slowly getting accustomed to the other's presence. They idle away the time on their devices, negotiate on the optimal AC settings ("Just because you're used to the fires of hell doesn't give you the right to abuse the school's utilities budget, Akabane") and perform their nightly routines. Asano finishes whatever he was doing and goes to bed at 10 PM sharp, while Karma stays up until midnight, reading manga on his phone. He considers messing with the sleeping beauty, but decides against it for now. Asano's conduct in the morning shall determine his nocturnal fate.

So I guess none of us got each other as roommates?
Teppei Araki [8:22 PM]

Nope, some rando from the former C class
Ren Sakakibara [8:23 PM]

Mine's some hick from the sticks. Never heard of his school before, but apparently he did well on the entrance exam.
Natsuhiko Koyama [8:24 PM]

I actually got an exchange student from New York! Seems like a nice guy
Tomoya Seo [8:24 PM]

Hah, guess that's the second best option for you
Ren Sakakibara [8:24 PM]

Oh, and mine's Kazutaka Shindou. You know, the baseball guy. Apparently he's into announcing? Might be interesting.
Teppei Araki [8:26 PM]

What about you, @Gakushuu Asano?
Teppei Araki [8:27 PM]

I don't want to talk about it
Gakushuu Asano [8:28 PM]

Oh, come on, it can't be that bad
Ren Sakakibara [8:28 PM]

Some loser who barely made it in?
Natsuhiko Koyama [8:29 PM]

Someone from the E class?
Tomoya Seo [8:29 PM]

...
Karma Akabane
Gakushuu Asano [8:31 PM]

Oh
Ren Sakakibara [8:31 PM]

Oh no.
Teppei Araki [8:31 PM]

Chapter Text

Karma wakes up in the middle of a fire drill, the alarm blaring like it's signaling the coming of Ragnarok. That, or it's Asano's phone. Because of course his alarm is just an obnoxiously loud ringing sound.

He lets out the most pitiful groan into his pillow and reaches for his phone, squinting at the screen. 6:00 AM. Maybe the end of the world wouldn't be so bad.

The sluggish teen glances to the other side of the room, where Asano is already up and making his bed. He feels like saying something, but is too tired and ends up just closing his eyes and letting out another incoherent groan in his roommate's general direction.

"Good morning to you too, Akabane," Asano responds without looking up from his bed-making. "I decided to sleep in today, seeing as it's just the first day and there's not as much prepwork to do."

Karma feels his temples throb. "You call this sleeping in?" he mumbles, rubbing his eyes.

"Cohabitation is all about compromise, after all. I trust there will be no need for violence now?"

Karma sighs. "For all I know, you were lying about 5:30 and this is just your normal wake-up time." Not that he has the energy to enact any homicidal plans at the moment, anyway.

Karma swears he can see the corner of Asano's mouth twitch upwards for a moment. "You wound me, Akabane. I assure you, I have no intention of being anything but a model roommate." Even if that requires pulling every trick in Manipulation 101, he conveniently leaves out.

Karma snorts. "Right. I'm going back to sleep."

Asano hums in response, and Karma can hear him disappear into the bathroom. Yeah, there's probably no way he'll be able to fall back asleep with another (hostile) presence active in the vicinity. God damn it. This is going to require some creative thinking, something he's most definitely not capable of at this hour.

Gakushuu hadn't slept quite as well as his demeanor might suggest. Akabane snores, because of course he does.

The first part of his morning routine takes exactly half an hour, and the time is 6:30 as he sits in front of his laptop, freshly showered and dressed in his new school uniform. He checks his mail (a couple newsletters, one job offer and of course, he's the lucky winner of a brand-new BiPhone), skims through the news (they're turning the capybaras gay? time to block this site from his Boogle feed) and takes a look at the school timetable he's already fully memorized. Breakfast is served from 7:00 to 7:50 in the cafeteria downstairs. There's no need to rush.

He glances at the bed on the other side of the room, which Akabane seems to have merged with. The slacker is lying flat on his stomach, head tilted toward the phone in his right hand.

"So, about breakfast," Gakushuu starts, not exactly sure why he's even bothering to ask. "You know it's the most important meal of the day, right?"

The redhead rotates his head around slowly, pointing a rather murderous glare at him. Gakushuu raises an eyebrow. Akabane undoes the maneuver, muttering something about choking in your important meal.

Gakushuu shrugs and turns back to his desk. He's got about eight or so minutes before he should start heading for the cafeteria. He pulls out some textbooks from the bag he packed the night before and starts skimming through the first few chapters for the third time. Not that essential at this point in time, but he might as well get into the habit again early. Akabane makes his way to the bathroom and really, this is what they're starting with? He was tutoring more advanced material to his classmates for the last semester.

Then again, that was because of his father's weird obsession with destroying the E class. Guess it makes sense he'd be a little ahead of the curve. Might want to look into any colleges offering introductory courses for high school students. And what was that one site, Boursera? Their stuff is probably in English, but that shouldn't be a problem. International finance may be a good place to start.

Then again, he probably shouldn't get too ahead of himself. Especially after the last year when he took on way too much and almost ended up collapsing from the stress. He's got a whole new school to get used to, a whole new set of classmates to con— get to know. Maybe he should focus on that first.

Then again, he is Gakushuu Asano. He can handle it. He can handle anything. He must handle anything. He's the best of the best, the cream of the crop, the top of the—

"So? We going or what?" His roommate emerges no more than five minutes later, leaning against the wall, hands in his pockets.

...Oh. Well, then.

Gakushuu is not even surprised at the state of Akabane's uniform. The black gakuran is unbuttoned, as is one button too many on his white dress shirt, and he's wearing sneakers instead of the standard issued loafers. Granted, they do match the overall color scheme. Black with red soles. He looks good.

Wait, what?

"Mm? Something on my face?"

"...Yes, actually. Toothpaste," Gakushuu points to the corner of his mouth.

"No there isn't," Akabane deadpans, wiping it with the sleeve of his brand-new uniform.

Gakushuu sighs, puts the books in his bag and stands up. Didn't they just establish that he would be heading out alone? How does this guy's brain work?

"So... I take it you're hungry after all?"

"I'm awake," Akabane corrects him, voice dripping with spite. "Got nothing better to do."

Gakushuu feels no remorse whatsoever. It's almost seven, he should be up and about by now. Seriously, this is his intellectual rival number one?

"Very well, then," Gakushuu smirks. "Follow me. Wouldn't want you getting lost on your first day."

"It's your first day too," Akabane grumbles, but follows him out the door anyway.

The cafeteria is a large, open space with a high ceiling and lots of natural light. The tables are arranged row by row, with the food counter – quite reminiscent of a hotel breakfast buffet – running along the entire length of the room. The counter is wide enough to accommodate a large number of students, and there has been no need to form a line since most of them have yet to arrive.

The sight of the food is almost enough to make Karma forget his morning grumpiness. There's a variety of dishes to choose from – scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, pancakes, waffles, sandwiches, fruit and a salad bar, as well as some Japanese options like onigiri and miso soup – enough to overwhelm someone used to starting their day with potato chips and strawberry milk.

"Ne~, Silver Boy," Karma nudges Gakushuu with his elbow, "is this what you eat every day?"

"Hardly. Kawakami-san knows what me and Father like, so there is no need for this amount of variety at home."

Karma raises an eyebrow. "Kawakami-san?"

"Our housekeeper. She's been with us since I was five or six."

"You have a..." Karma shakes his head, exasperated. "...nevermind." Why wouldn't the Asanos have a live-in housekeeper? "I'm just gonna start scavenging."

Gakushuu watches as Karma piles his tray with a little bit of everything, somewhat surprised that the delinquent isn't more of a picky eater. He himself begins scanning the tables, looking for his min— usual group of friends. No sign of them, but they're bound to show up sooner or later. Just how exactly is this going to work?

Ah, and there's the coffee.

"You one of those sickos who likes natto?" Karma asks, as he reaches the bowl of fermented soybeans.

Gakushuu turns back to him. "It's edible, I suppose. Not that I'd ever choose it over anything else."

Karma snickers. "You know you can say something sucks if it sucks, right?"

Gakushuu is about to say something about manners and respecting other people's tastes as a voice calls out from behind them.

"Hey, Asano!"Ah, there they are.

Gakushuu turns around to see a familiar group of four approaching. The voice belongs to Ren Sakakibara, one of his closest friends and the former secretary of the Kunugigaoka Junior High student council.

"Morning. Good to see you," Gakushuu greets them with a smile.

"I take it you didn't see the group chat?" Ren asks. "That's why we all came here together."

"Ah, no. I actually came with Akabane, he's—"

...Gone. Gakushuu looks around the cafeteria, but there's no sign of the redhead or his tray of food. Oh. So that's how.

"...Nevermind. Shall we?"

man, im in heaven
Hiroto Maehara [7:18 AM]

one of your exes caught up to you?
Rio Nakamura [7:20 AM]

rip 💀
Masayoshi Kimura [7:20 AM]

what? no, im surrounded by free food and hot chicks!
Hiroto Maehara [7:20 AM]

and yet you're alone, texting us instead of talking to them
Karma Akabane [7:21 AM]

bro you cant just walk up to a girl and scare them off on the first day
gotta give them time to get comfortable, you know?
besides, my chances will go up significantly once they learn to recognize me as the good-looking guy always sitting in the table next to theirs
Hiroto Maehara [7:22 AM]

pretty sure there's a word for that, begins with "s"
Karma Akabane [7:23 AM]

and ends with talking! 😚
Hiroto Maehara [7:23 AM]

he's actually delusional
Rio Nakamura [7:23 AM]

creepy
Touka Yada [7:23 AM]

pathetic
Masayoshi Kimura [7:24 AM]

...
you guys are mean
also, not alone! im with my roommate, but hes not exactly the talkative type
Hiroto Maehara [7:24 AM]

take it easy on him, rooming with a social butterfly like you must be tough
Rio Nakamura [7:25 AM]

btw arent you and okano-san supposed to be dating?
Masayoshi Kimura [7:25 AM]

I'm afraid your information is outdated, Kimura-kun.
Ritsu [7:25 AM]

she hasnt answered my texts recently but i think so? doesnt mean i cant look at the menu
Hiroto Maehara [7:25 AM]

you're a terrible person
Touka Yada [7:26 AM]

you're a terrible person
Rio Nakamura [7:26 AM]

you're a terrible person
Masayoshi Kimura [7:26 AM]

Karma finishes his breakfast and stashes the empty tray and utensils under his bed. They're probably not supposed to take anything out of the cafeteria, but whatever. He'll bring it back without being seen later. Maybe.

Maehara is the same as always. Wonder what Nagisa's doing. Probably busy making new friends, considering he's usually pretty active in the group chat. He should also check on Okuda at some point, make sure she's not getting left alone. Bit of a wallflower, that one, but she's nice and deserves to have a good time in high school.

The boy flops down on his bed, hands behind his head. Thirty minutes until school starts. The first day is always the same – introductions, syllabus, safety guidelines, maybe an icebreaker activity if the teacher is feeling particularly sadistic. Could he get away with skipping the first day? Probably not the best of ideas. There's still a chance he might miss something important.

...

Karma sighs. Damn it. Not this shit again. He bounces up and grabs his bag, planning to clear his head by aimlessly walking around the campus until the bell rings. Figure out the rest from there. Asano walks in just as he's about to leave.

"Ah. I've located the thief," Asano deadpans as he closes the door, voice absent of surprise. "Cafeteria furniture not up to your standards?"

The thief shrugs and raises his hands, palms up in mock defeat. "Furniture's fine, company's a solid zero out of five." He walks past the wannabe hall monitor and waves his hand dismissively. "Catch ya later."

"Wait."

He pauses and lets out an exhausted sigh. "Really? You're that hung up on the utensils? Look, I'm gonna return—"

"I just came to grab my bag. Let's go."

Huh.

"Go... as in, to school? Together? Hand-in-hand?" he responds, expression blank. "Asano-kun, I'm sorry for leading you along, but I don't actually feel that way about—"

"Shut it. We're headed in the same direction. I have no intention of relaying any vital information you miss by getting lost or deciding to cut class, so I might as well ensure there's no need for that."

Karma hums and walks out the door with the slightest hint of a smirk on his face, attempting to trip Asano on their way out.

The attempt fails, but the smirk remains.

Chapter Text

"So, the class representatives will be Asano-kun and Niijima-san," the teacher summarizes and begins handing out some kind of brochures. "Club introductions will be held throughout the week, so please make sure to attend the ones you're interested in. Selections will be next week."

Asano, seated in the middle of the classroom, nods in acknowledgment. Toriumi-sensei continues, "While you are not required to join a club, please bear in mind that club activities are an excellent way to make friends and learn new skills, as well as build up your resume for college applications."

Karma, seated in the back row next to the door, skims through the brochure disinterest apparent on his face. No clubs for assassination, live combat or even harmless pranks. What a surprise. Pass.

"I happen to be the advisor for the Composition Club," Toriumi-sensei says. "If any of you are interested in writing, please feel free to come by."

Pass.

"That's all for today. You're dismissed."

Karma yawns and stretches, then stands up and heads for the door. Asano remains in the classroom, conversing with some classmates. Due to recent reforms, classes in Kunugigaoka are no longer assigned based on academic record. As it so happens, Karma and Asano are in the same class, but none of Asano's underlings are present. Tough luck for him.

Karma steps out into the hallway, the chatter of students filling his ears. Everyone's talking about the new school year, the new teachers, their club choices. Who cares. There's no big bulky bully for him to bully. No androgynous bluenette to tease or conniving blonde to hatch schemes with.

No yellow octopus to kill.

...

Sigh.

What do you know, the first day of school was completely pointless. Who could've guessed? Well, at least he's mapped out most of the campus now. Might as well check if the roof is accessible. Or lockpickable. Is that a word? It is now.

These are the thoughts distracting Karma as he wanders the halls filled with the chorus of overlapping voices. Then his reflexes kick in. He twists his body at the last second, narrowly avoiding collision with an oncoming student.

This asshole didn't even try to dodge me, Karma notes mid-motion, almost ready to start something. Whatever. Not worth my time. He continues on his way, but the student rudely calls out to him.

"Oi-, aren't you Akabane?"

Karma stops and takes a breath. Then again, guess it's been a while since I let out some steam. He turns around to face the douchebag.

Huh.

"It is you!" the student exclaims, a wicked smirk spreading across his face. "I've been looking for you."

Sakoda. Karma recognizes him, though just barely. It's the upperclassman he got sent to the E class for beating up in his second year. He's a lot taller and bulkier now, though. Must've started hitting the gym. Got a buzz cut and lost the glasses, too.

"Oh?" Karma raises an eyebrow. "And how have you been, senpai? Still bullying those lower in the food chain to make yourself feel better?"

Sakoda's expression hardens. "And what if I am, huh? You gonna do something about it? I'm not some weakling any more, you know." He walks up to Karma, who doesn't move an inch. "I'm gonna make you pay for what you did to me."

Karma eyes the taller boy, chin down, hands no longer in his pockets.

"Hmm? So this is what I turned you into?" he grins. "A big, dumb brute. Weren't you one of the top students in your year? What a waste."

The list of things Karma Akabane is good at is long, but provoking people places near the top. Sakoda's face turns red with anger, and he balls his fists.

"Then again," Karma continues with a positively delightful expression, "I can't really blame you. I mean, I did beat you up pretty bad. You must've been so embarrassed. I know I'd be."

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy this more than you can imagine," Sakoda growls, kracking his knuckles.

Whispers can be heard from the surrounding students, who have begun to gather around to witness the spectacle. Karma doesn't care. It's just him and his opponent now. Just one more push, so he can't be blamed for throwing the first punch.

"Hey, even I make mistakes sometimes," Karma shrugs, actually feeling a tinge of guilt for anyone else Sakoda may have taken his anger out on in his place, "like not putting you in a wheelchair." His grin fades, replaced by a look of cold determination.

"So let's fix that, shall we."

Karma's fingers twitch as Sakoda lunges at him. But unfortunately for one of them, he never reaches the redhead. Karma sees a flash of strawberry blonde hair and a blur of movement, as Sakoda is slammed against the wall, arm twisted behind his back.

"Ugh! What the f—!?"

"I would advise you to reconsider," Asano says, voice calm and cold. "I hear your recent behavior has been less than exemplary, as have your grades. I would hate to see you expelled for assaulting a fellow student, senpai."

Sakoda struggles, but Asano's grip is unyielding. "Let me go, you little—!"

"Do I make myself clear?" Asano's voice is like ice.

Sakoda grunts in pain, but nods. Asano releases him, and he stumbles away, glaring at Karma. No words are exchanged, but the message is clear. This isn't over.

Karma watches him go, then turns to Asano. "I had it under control," he states, voice somewhat more hostile than intended, adrenaline still coursing through his veins.

"No, you didn't," Asano responds. "You were about to send him to the hospital and yourself to jail."

Karma's eyes narrow. "I can take care of myself."

"I'm aware. You're still lucky I was passing by."

There's a moment of silence, neither of them really knowing how to proceed. They note the crowd of students beginning to disperse, their curiosity sated. Karma sighs and rubs the back of his neck.

"Nice move."

"Judo," Asano responds, voice neutral. "Father insisted I learn."

Karma nods knowingly. "You gonna join the club?"

"I'm considering it," Asano says, as an idea seems to occur to him. "You?"

"Me?" Karma raises an eyebrow.

Well, that came out of nowhere. Karma never really had any interest in martial arts. It's just not the same without real stakes. And he's already got busting heads down to an art form.

"It might help you channel your aggression in a more constructive manner," Asano suggests. "And make your altercations less... bloody."

"What if I like them bloody?" Karma smirks.

"And," Asano continues, "I can't say I wouldn't enjoy wiping the floor with you."

Now that's more like it.

"Hmm?" Karma hums with a spark in his eyes. "If Ace-kun wants to go, you're free to come at me any time," the combative teen challenges. "I've no interest in following your stuck-up rules for scoring points."

Asano sighs, seemingly giving up. "So I take it you've decided not to join any clubs, then?"

Karma beams. "But I already did. The Going Home Club has its first meeting today. Right now, as a matter of fact," he says, turning to leave.

"Hey, Akabane," Asano calls after him.

"Hm?"

"You okay?"

Karma pauses. Then he grins. "Never better," he says, and walks away.

Why am I hearing rumors about Asano getting into a fight with Sakoda from 2-B?
Tomoya Seo [2:18 PM]

What happened?
Natsuhiko Koyama [2:18 PM]

Nothing happened.
Gakushuu Asano [2:19 PM]

What do you mean nothing happened, there's a video going around on bg
Teppei Araki [2:19 PM]

Need
Ren Sakakibara [2:19 PM]

https://www.binstagram.com/p/Cuzh35nM4Cv/
Teppei Araki [2:20 PM]

Ok that's pretty badass
Ren Sakakibara [2:21 PM]

Is that Akabane? Were you... protecting him?
Natsuhiko Koyama [2:21 PM]

I prevented two expulsions and a waste of hospital resources, can we move on
Gakushuu Asano [2:22 PM]

That's our leader for you
Tomoya Seo [2:22 PM]

I'm impressed
Teppei Araki [2:22 PM]

I'm surprised
Natsuhiko Koyama [2:22 PM]

I'm turned on
Ren Sakakibara [2:22 PM]

Chapter Text

"I do not negotiate with terrorists."

Gakushuu stares at the tactical knife stabbed into his pillow along with an attached note, written in cut-out letters. "F i N a L   o F f e R :   7 : 0 0." Oh, and the knife's covered in blood. Just what did he do to deserve this nightmare of a roommate?

Akabane has the nerve to lounge shamelessly on his bed, phone in hand, feigning disinterest like he hasn't been waiting for Gakushuu to get back and react to the absurd scene for god knows how long. "Hm? Did you say something?" is all the pillow slaughterer responds with.

"If you're looking for war," Gakushuu begins, voice low and dangerous, "I'm quite happy to oblige."

It was only ever a matter of time. In fact, he thought Akabane had been surprisingly cordial in the morning. Hunger and tiredness are powerful inhibitors, Gakushuu notes, a strategy beginning to form in his mind.

Akabane briefly glances at the opposing bed, then back to his phone. "Don't know what you're talking about. It was like that when I got here."

Gakushuu sighs and picks up the distinctly real knife, inspecting the red substance dripping onto his fallen headrest. "Ketchup, I assume?"

The fiend finally looks at him, a comically offended expression on his face. "What kind of amateur do you take me for? No, it's not ketchup, and I'm not leaking my formula."

Gakushuu chooses not to comment on the obvious self-incrimination. That's just what he wants. Instead, he simply trashes the remains of his comrade in slumber, pockets the knife (war prep) and heads out, beginning to formulate an excuse for the dormitory manager as to why exactly he needs a new pillow.

To Asano's credit, he's not too much of a menace in the mornings. He's quiet, efficient and doesn't bother Karma any more than necessary. Which is actually quite inconvenient, because that would make Karma the unreasonable one if he were to terrorize Asano in his sleep, as well as lead to escalation of particularly dangerous proportions.

And it's the necessary part that's the problem.

"Good morning, Akabane," Asano greets him, voice disgustingly polite. "I trust you slept well?"

Karma squints at his phone and comes close to bursting a blood vessel. "Are you FUCKING kidding me!? FIVE THIRTY!!??"

Asano hides a smirk and declares "War is hell" before disappearing into the bathroom.

Karma screams into his pillow, then goes limp in an attempt to relax and get a few more minutes of sleep. It's no use. He's wide awake now.

The first few days of their shared living arrangement are not something Gakushuu is particularly proud of. His second return to the dorms he faceplants onto the carpet due to a strategically placed tripwire. The Going Home Club has a distinct time advantage, he notes for future reference.

Then, when Gakushuu goes out to hang out with his friends, Karma seizes the opportunity for a blissful daytime nap – only to be interrupted by the familiar sound of an obnoxious alarm. He left his phone here just to keep me sleep-deprived, Karma observes with a mixture of respect and white-hot rage, though mostly the latter. He considers chucking the device out the window, but decides against excessive property damage that would inevitably lead to retaliation in kind. The fact that Asano definitely calculated this exact thought process makes the veins in his forehead throb.

The rest of the day brings with it more childish pranks by two masters of psychological warfare. In the evening Karma finds his melatonin replaced with caffeine pills, while Gakushuu receives some disturbing calls and discovers his picture and phone number posted on some seedy website with the caption "Hot stud looking for a good time 🍆 😉." The repercussions can already be felt: Karma is meekly going to bed way earlier than usual, which Gakushuu notes while paranoid enough to practically sleep one eye open.

Neither of them really knows what the end goal here is, but they're both too prideful and stubborn to back down – even if it costs Karma his brain functionality and Gakushuu his dignity. Yet, as the days go by, they find themselves... not exactly enjoying the situation, but not hating it either. It's a strange kind of sensation, born out of mutual respect for the other's tenacity.

"Hey, Asano," Karma calls out from his bed, unable to sleep despite the exhaustion.

No response.

"Hey, Asano."

Nothing.

"Hey, Asano."

...

"Hey, Asano."

"...Had I actually been asleep," his roommate finally grumbles, "that knife would be in your throat right now."

"How many six-year-olds you think you could take in a fight?"

Asano takes a deep breath. "Go to sleep, idiot."

"We're stronger than most guys, of course," Karma continues, undeterred. "But these kids are like, feral. They just keep coming. I'm sure it's more than a few dozen, but there has to be a limit, right?"

"Akabane," Asano warns.

"Like, they can throw rocks at you," Karma's analysis goes on. "Go for your balls. They'll bite and gouge out your eyes given the chance, and—"

"I swear to god, if you don't shut up, someone's eyes are getting gouged out."

Karma pouts. "You're no fun."

.

.

.

"Hey, Asano. Do you think it's possible that rocks are conscious?"

It is on the fourth evening of the week, after having to go until afternoon without food due to the mysterious overnight disappearance of his snacks, that Karma Akabane goes for the nuclear option.

Gakushuu spits out the contents of his mouth and tries rinsing, but fails to get rid of the overwhelming burning sensation. His eyes water and he can't help but gag. Wasabi toothpaste. That. Is. It. He throws up in the sink, his body desperately trying to rid itself of the vile substance.

Gakushuu can't feel his mouth. And at the same time, he can't feel anything but his mouth. He throws open the bathroom door and shoots a murderous glare at Akabane on the bed, doubled over in laughter, clutching his stomach.

To hell with strategy. This calls for some good old-fashioned violence.

The enraged prodigy dashes up to the red demon and witnesses his expression shift from laugh-crying to surprise to alarm to excitement in the span of around one and a half seconds.

Without a word, Gakushuu lunges at the hellspawn, going for the throat. Akabane grabs his wrists and tries to push him off, but can't muster the strength from his seated position. They struggle for a few seconds, until Akabane kicks Gakushuu in the ribs hard enough for both of them to tumble off the bed.

Now it's a full-on wrestling match. Gakushuu tries to pin Akabane down, but the redhead is frustratingly strong and agile. The martial arts training offers Gakushuu a slight advantage, but Akabane is an experienced street fighter – any attempt at a hold is met with an elbow to the face or a knee to the gut.

Grunts and groans fill the room as they roll around on the floor, knocking over furniture and making a general mess of things. Akabane manages to get on top of Gakushuu, but the latter takes a page out of his opponent's book and headbutts the fiend in the nose.

Both of them are panting and sweating, neither one willing to give an inch. In the end the brawl devolves into something resembling a game of Bwister between the two touch-starved teenagers, limbs tangled, both combatants holding the other in a stalemate.

Gakushuu's face is inches from Akabane's, their breaths mingling. There's sweat dripping down the redhead's handsome (shoo, treasonous thought) face, and his amber eyes are alight with something Gakushuu can't quite place.

"Give up?" the martial artist pants, more out of an attempt to catch his breath than any real hope of submission.

Akabane gives him what can only be described as a shit-eating grin, breath equally ragged. "Never."

He's... having the time of his life, Gakushuu realizes.

"...Draw?"

The demon closes his eyes for a brief moment of contemplation. "...6:30?"

God fucking damn it. This is exactly what he wanted, Gakushuu thinks, but is too exhausted to care.

"Deal," he agrees, and they both collapse on the floor, gasping for air.

So Ichijo-kun from my class is in the room next to Asano's and he's complaining about the neighbours having sex?
Ren Sakakibara [9:55 PM]

Did Akabane actually bring a chick to the dorms?
Tomoya Seo [9:55 PM]

Can we get him expelled?
Natsuhiko Koyama [9:55 PM]

Do you need a place to stay?
Teppei Araki [9:55 PM]

Chapter Text

so we're still legally allowed to assassinate teachers, right?
Karma Akabane [1:28 PM]

i wish
Itona Horibe [1:28 PM]

im pretty sure thats not how it works
Taiga Okajima [1:29 PM]

yea of course go for it
Terasaka Ryouma [1:29 PM]

What? No! Karma!
Nagisa Shiota [1:29 PM]

I'm afraid Article 199 of the Japanese Penal Code prohibits homicide of all persons irrespective of their chosen occupation.
Ritsu [1:29 PM]

worth a shot
Karma Akabane [1:29 PM]

And stop texting in the middle of class
Nagisa Shiota [1:29 PM]

youre doing it too
Takuya Muramatsu [1:30 PM]

your*
Taisei Yoshida [1:30 PM]

you're*
Kirara Hazama [1:30 PM]

oh
Taisei Yoshida [1:30 PM]

damn, don't you look stupid now
Karma Akabane [1:30 PM]

not just now
Itona Horibe [1:30 PM]

itona i will end you
Taisei Yoshida [1:30 PM]

try me
Itona Horibe [1:30 PM]

so anyway
all yall bored too?
Takuya Muramatsu [1:31 PM]

what gave it away
Karma Akabane [1:31 PM]

I'm always bored
Kirara Hazama [1:31 PM]

my english teacher is an old saggy hag
what a downgrade
Taiga Okajima [1:31 PM]

i feel for u
Itona Horibe [1:31 PM]

yo shut the fuck up im in class and my phone is having a seizure
Terasaka Ryouma [1:31 PM]

you know you can mute notifications, right?
Kirara Hazama [1:32 PM]

i actually cant, my budsapp doesnt have that button for some reason
Terasaka Ryouma [1:32 PM]

wait what
Taisei Yoshida [1:32 PM]

oh yeah
about that
Karma Akabane [1:32 PM]

oh no
Takuya Muramatsu [1:32 PM]

i may or may not have had Ritsu hack his phone and disable any feature that would allow him to ignore me
Karma Akabane [1:33 PM]

lmao
Itona Horibe [1:33 PM]

WHAT THE FUCK
Terasaka Ryouma [1:33 PM]

Karma-kun told me you had a medical condition that made it essential for him to be able to reach you at all times.
Ritsu [1:33 PM]

HE KEPT SPAMMING ME POSTS FROM R/MAKEMESUFFER
Terasaka Ryouma [1:33 PM]

it was a boring vacation
Karma Akabane [1:33 PM]

I WILL FUCKING MURDER YOU
Terasaka Ryouma [1:33 PM]

aww
it's a date, see you after school :)
Karma Akabane [1:33 PM]

💀
Takuya Muramatsu [1:33 PM]

oh
uhh
i actually got some business today so
maybe some other time
Terasaka Ryouma [1:34 PM]

bro
Taisei Yoshida [1:34 PM]

🐔🐔
Itona Horibe [1:34 PM]

It is a boring class. Toriumi-sensei is going on and on about classical Japanese literature. And not even any of the mildly interesting stuff like The Tale of the Heike or any of the theatrical epics from the Edo period. No, they're currently learning about some trivial Meiji era authors publishing political novels in newspapers. Seriously, who cares?

This is exactly why Japanese is Karma's least favorite subject. He's all for analytical writing, argumentation and media literacy, but this fixation on ancient texts and obscure authors is just not his thing.

And it's not just Japanese. All of his teachers are just so... disappointing. None of them are particularly bad per se, but none of them are particularly good either. They're all just... average. And average is not something he's used to.

None of his teachers adapt the curriculum to the students' individual needs. None of them move at Mach 20 speed (can you imagine?) so they can't attend to more than one student at a time. Everyone gets the same lessons and the same assignments, meaning that the slowest kids are left behind and Karma is left bored. Well, Asano's there to drag the dimwits along, but that's not the point. The point is that Karma is not getting challenged the way he should be.

His math teacher knows her stuff but has to spend most of the class explaining mid-level concepts that Karma's already picked up from the textbook. Same thing with his science teacher. Social studies is taught by an ultra-conservative nutjob and he's pretty sure he could beat his PE teacher in a fight. His English teacher is... actually somewhat of an upgrade. Chouno-sensei is well-versed in both grammar and conversational English, but it's also the subject Karma needs the least help with. He's already fluent, plus he's got his games and YouBube for further practice.

But this is what Asano is used to, Karma thinks, glancing at the model student in the middle of the classroom. This is what normal is like. He doesn't have the Korosensei buff anymore and Asano never had it in the first place. Their competition will be more equal than ever now. And that's just fine. It's not like he has any intention of losing, Karma thinks, as he attempts to catch up on what the teacher is saying.

"And that is why 'I Am a Cat' is considered one of the most important works of the late Meiji era," Toriumi-sensei lectures, and Karma tunes back out. Then again, sabotage is always an option, he thinks and raises his hand.

"Sensei, I believe Asano-kun has read that book," he says when called upon. "I wonder if he would be willing to share his thoughts on it," he adds with a smile innocent as a puppy's.

An educated guess. He remembers that title being an option on the required reading list last year and knowing Asano's workaholic tendencies he probably read most of the books on that list. You know, so he can tutor the rest of the class.

"Oh?" Toriumi-sensei looks at Asano. "Would you, Asano-kun?"

Asano nods and stands up. "I have indeed read 'I Am a Cat'," he says, voice clear and confident. "I think it's a fascinating look at the Meiji era society and the changing values of the time. The author's use of satire to criticize the social norms of the period is particularly interesting. In fact, his portrayal of..." he continues, and Karma tunes back out again.

God, this loser actually enjoys being called on in class, Karma thinks, rolling his eyes. He'll have to think of new ways to mess with him. Maybe Ritsu could hack into the telecom system and have him called to the principal's office. But then what... Or something with that fart spray he bought last week. Yeah, that's a promising one. Or maybe just...

"But I'm sure Akabane-kun has some thoughts on the matter as well," Asano finishes, and Karma's eyes widen in surprise. "I believe you have a cat of your own, correct? What do you think of the author's usage of the feline as a vehicle for commentary on the human condition?"

The entire class turns to look at him, the picture of a deer in headlights. Well played, Karma thinks as he stands up, ready to bullshit his way through the situation just as the bell rings.

"Ah, unfortunately that's all the time we have," Toriumi-sensei says, clapping her hands. "We'll have to continue this discussion next time. Don't forget to read the next chapter and complete the assignment on page 47."

Karma sits back down and narrows his eyes at Asano, who's smirking at him. Everyone starts packing up and leaving the classroom. For once that includes the obnoxious know-it-all who usually stays either to explain some concepts to the other students or to ask the teacher about something that wasn't covered in class. Karma catches up to him on the way out.

"How'd you know about Shiva?" he asks walking alongside him, hands in his pockets.

Asano raises an eyebrow. "I don't the believe the Hindu God of Destruction came up during class."

"My cat. How'd you know I have a cat?"

"Residual hair on your clothes. I'm allergic."

"Allergic to cats? That's a sad existence," Karma chuckles. "But should you be volunteering a weakness like that?"

Asano shrugs. "Only mildly. I got meds on our second day and they keep the symptoms completely at bay."

Karma hums thoughtfully. "Good to know in case you ever touch my melatonin again."

"I won't," Asano promises. "Desperate times call for desperate measures, and those times seem to be over for now."

Karma looks at him, surprised. "You think so?"

"Desperate times, Akabane. Not stupid times."

The amount of mutual pranks indeed decreased significantly after their bout of gladiatorial combat some days ago, even if they didn't stop entirely. That would be asking the impossible. Though they did also become less... cruel. No more sleep deprivation for Karma, at least. It became something they just... do. And it's... not unpleasant.

Karma chuckles. "Fair enough."

They walk in silence for a while. It doesn't feel awkward. They're both the type to be okay with not saying anything if there's nothing to say, instead of forcing small talk for the sake of it.

"I did always figure you more of a dog person," Karma says after some time.

"Not inaccurate," Asano admits. "They're more... loyal. And capable of obeying orders."

Karma rolls his eyes. "Leave it to the control freak to choose his pet preferences based on obedience."

"At least I'm not the edgelord who named his cat after The Destroyer."

"Hey, it's a fitting name," Karma defends. "He's a little menace."

"They do say pets take after their owners," Asano remarks, and Karma elbows him in the ribs.

Before they know it, they're at the dorms. Huh, we walked home together, Karma thinks. That's... nice.

"You don't have club today?" he asks as they reach the entrance.

"Only day of the week I don't," Asano sighs. "I'm actually thinking of taking a nap."

Karma looks at him like he just confessed to setting puppies on fire. Then his lips curl into a genuine smile.

"Great minds, Ace-kun. Great minds."

Chapter Text

Gakushuu is about ready to throw his calculus textbook out the window. What the hell is this epsilon-delta bullshit? He's been staring at the page for what feels like hours and still can't make heads or tails of its contents.

The teacher specifically said that this definition is presented just for the sake of completeness and wouldn't be asked in any high school level test. But that doesn't make it any less frustrating. He can't just not understand something. It's not in his nature.

So if epsilon is bigger than zero, and delta is bigger than zero, and the distance between x and c is between zero and delta, then...

"CHOOSE YOUR FIGHTER!"

...

And if the distance between f(x) and L is less than epsilon, that means...

"BIRBY!"

Gakushuu reaches deep into his dwindling reserves of patience.

"Do you mind? I am trying to concentrate," he grumbles and shoots an annoyed look at the redhead playing some stupid game on his bed.

"Hmm?" Akabane looks up, eyes wide and innocent. "You've never had trouble concentrating before. What's up?"

"What's up is your volume," Gakushuu snaps. "I'm trying to study."

"Could it be that the great Gakushuu Asano is struggling with his homework?" Akabane teases as he stashes the handheld console under his pillow, having found something infinitely more interesting. "Do you need help?"

Gakushuu narrows his eyes. "What I need is silence. And for you to stop being... you."

Interacting with the hellchild was a mistake, Gakushuu realizes, as Akabane bounces off the bed and saunters over to him, peering over his shoulder.

"What is it you're having trouble with?" he asks not unkindly, but with a hint of amusement.

Gakushuu grits his teeth. "It's none of your business."

Akabane hums thoughtfully. "Complete definition of a limit? You know that's not going to be on the test, right?"

Gakushuu's eye twitches, a tell he's never been able to train out of. "I am aware."

"Yeah, that one's some real witchcraft," the troublemaker agrees, plopping down on Gakushuu's bed. "I looked at it for like five minutes and decided it's not worth the headache."

Gakushuu attempts to stay calm by picturing all the ways his pen could be used as a murder weapon. Though he would prefer for his place of slumber to remain clear of bloodstains, and getting rid of the body as well as establishing an alibi in these circumstances would be just too much of a hassle. Another time, then.

"Then how about you get your ass off my bed, go back to your waste-of-time game – on silent – and leave me to my headache in peace?"

"Are you sure that's what you should be spending your mental energy on?" Akabane asks, ignoring the hostility. "I mean, there's already a shitload of stuff in there that is going to be on the test, and—"

Gakushuu smacks his desk. "Fuck. Off. Now." he says in a tone that leaves no room for mistake as to what will happen if the bed isn't vacated in the next five seconds.

Akabane gets up and stretches, then walks over to his own bed. Gakushuu breathes a sigh of relief, but it's short-lived.

"I'll turn the sound off if you can beat me."

"...Beat you at what?"

Akabane grins. "Bash Bros., of course."

Gakushuu stares as the nuisance pulls out a second handheld console from his drawer and tosses it to him. He catches it on reflex, eyes filled with suspicion.

"Why exactly do you have two of these?"

Akabane shrugs. "You know. Rich kid things."

"Yes, but why here?"

He smirks. "Never know when you'll need a spare."

Gakushuu decides to ignore the implications and considers the proposal. He's never played this game before, but he doesn't feel like backing down from the challenge. Besides, how hard can it be?

He sighs. "Guess I could use a break." Akabane's eyes light up with excitement.

Gakushuu's not a gamer, but it's not like he's a complete novice either. Koyama has some consoles at home, and they've played a few times. He could never get into that League of Blegends thing Koyama's addicted to, but the games that he has played he usually picked up pretty quickly.

He turns on the console and eyes the character selection screen. Bokemon Trainer? That he has played before, as a kid. But this is a fighting game, right? The controls must be completely different. Some of the sword-wielding characters look capable enough. Many of them he doesn't recognize, though, and they probably have difficult movesets. In that case...

"BINK!"

Gakushuu looks up to see Akabane grinning at him, holding his own console. "It was between that, Bokemon Trainer and Box. Maybe one of the Bire Emblem characters, but you've probably never heard of them."

"BIRBY!"

Gakushuu's eye twitches. He hates being predictable. "Your character is... a pink blob?"

Akabane nods. "Birby's the man. You'll see."

Akabane briefly explains the controls and they start the match. He spends the first 30 or so seconds just jumping around, dodging Gakushuu's attacks and letting him get a feel for the game. Once the redhead starts attacking, however, the match is over before Gakushuu even realizes what's happening.

"THE WINNER IS... BIRBY!"

Gakushuu stares at the screen in disbelief. "What the hell was that?"

"A massacre," Akabane grins. "Wanna go again?"

Gakushuu grits his teeth. "Best two out of three."

"Oh, I love the optimism."

The second match goes a bit better, but Gakushuu still loses devastatingly. He's starting to get the hang of the controls, but Akabane's character is just so... unpredictable. And annoying.

"Did... did you just eat me?" Gakushuu asks, incredulous.

"Wait 'till you learn about all the vore."

Gakushuu closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "Best of five."

"Look, tell you what," Akabane says. "We both have three lives, right? If you can take one of mine, we'll count that as a win for you."

Gakushuu's eyes narrow. He doesn't like being patronized, but Akabane does have an unfair advantage in experience.

"Fine," he agrees.

The third match isn't much different, but Gakushuu is slowly starting to pick up on Akabane's patterns. He's not about to let himself be eaten again. He's not about to let himself be beaten again. He's not about to—

"THE WINNER IS... BIRBY!"

"Again," Gakushuu demands, eyes burning with determination.

They keep playing, the room filled with the sounds of button mashing and the occasional curse. Gakushuu's getting better, but Akabane's still winning every match.

"Again."

"Again."

"Again."

Gakushuu is too absorbed in the game to notice the smile on his opponent's face. Too focused on the screen to see just how much fun the redhead is having – and not just because he keeps handing Gakushuu's ass to him. Too fixated on winning to realize how rapidly he's improving.

And too stubborn to admit that he's actually having fun too.

"Oops," Akabane exclaims, as his character finally flies off the screen.

"Yes! YES! Take THAT, you pink fat FUCK!" Gakushuu growls high on adrenaline and immediately realizes his mistake. Akabane stares at him blankly for approximately two seconds before completely losing his shit.

Gakushuu ignores the embarrassment and masks it with a healthy dose of aggression. He zooms over to the helplessly giggling redhead and grabs him in a headlock, squeezing just enough to make him squirm.

"Give, I give!" Akabane rasps, tapping out on Gakushuu's arm. "You win, fair and square..!"

1–6 isn't exactly something to be proud of, but Gakushuu ignores that too for now. He applies just a little more pressure. "And what else?"

"I won't bother you anymore..!" Akabane promises, eyes wide and veins showing on his temples.

"And what else?"

"I... love you?" he wheezes, running dangerously low on oxygen.

Gakushuu rolls his eyes and drops his captive unceremoneously onto the bed. "Idiot," he mutters, but there's no real heat in it.

Akabane rubs his throat and grins. "You got decent real fast. Maybe next time you'll beat me for real. You know, all three stocks."

"I don't know, maybe next time you should try playing the guitar," Gakushuu responds. "I'd love to see you get close to a third of my level in an hour."

"Fair enough," Akabane chuckles. "I can always resort to choking you out in turn."

Gakushuu considers getting back to whatever he was doing, but actually can't remember what it was off the top of his head. Eh, probably nothing too important considering his homework's all done. It's also getting late. He is exhausted and tomorrow is the busiest day of the week.

He hands the console back to its owner. "I'm going to bed. You should too."

"Is that an invitation?" the redhead winks and catches an empty water bottle flying at his face.

"Goodnight, Akabane."

"Goodnight, Asano."

Gakushuu's not going to admit it, but he's looking forward to the next time they play. He's not going to admit it, but he might even sneak in some practice when Akabane's not around.

He's not going to admit it, but he's glad Akabane is around.

a new foe has appeared @Yukiko Kanzaki @Nagisa Shiota @Tomohito Sugino
Karma Akabane [9:45 PM]

Oh? Did you make a new friend, Karma-kun?
Yukiko Kanzaki [9:46 PM]

not exactly
number two got a stock off me
Karma Akabane [9:46 PM]

Oh, that's impressive.
Yukiko Kanzaki [9:46 PM]

??
Kayano Kaede [9:47 PM]

We play games together sometimes
And Karma's really good at them
Nagisa Shiota [9:47 PM]

yeah, though Kanzaki-san is on a whole other level
Tomohito Sugino [9:47 PM]

ohhh, that sounds fun
Kayano Kaede [9:47 PM]

I appreciate the compliment, but I'm really nothing special.
Yukiko Kanzaki [9:47 PM]

that's rich coming from the #7 Bash player in the country
but yeah i'd say he places just behind gastro with only an hour of practice
Karma Akabane [9:48 PM]

Oh my, that does sound quite promising.
Yukiko Kanzaki [9:48 PM]

damn, thats pretty good
Tomohito Sugino [9:48 PM]

youre talking about Asano-kun, right..? im glad youre getting along well enough to play games with him!
Kayano Kaede [9:48 PM]

Yeah, that's great to hear! I was a little worried...
Nagisa Shiota [9:48 PM]

wait, did you say Gastro? as in the assassin we fought?
Chiba Ryunosuke [9:49 PM]

ye he's also adequate
Karma Akabane [9:49 PM]

I would say the ranking goes something like this: me > Karma-kun > Grip-san > Smog-san > Gastro-san > Sugino-kun > Nagisa-kun. Not that Nagisa-kun is bad either, but he's more of a casual player.
Yukiko Kanzaki [9:49 PM]

seems about right
Karma Akabane [9:50 PM]

That's fair, I don't play that much
Nagisa Shiota [9:50 PM]

????
Kaede Kayano [9:50 PM]

you... you guys play video games with the assassins that tried to kill us?
Ryunosuke Chiba [9:50 PM]

oh yeah, we never told you about that
Tomohito Sugino [9:50 PM]

i got randomly matched with grip once and we added each other
they're a pretty good challenge
and fun to humiliate
Karma Akabane [9:51 PM]

respect
Rinka Hayami [9:51 PM]

Chapter Text

Karma has come upon a worrying realization: he likes spending time with Asano.

Yes, Karma chose Kunugigaoka High because he knew Asano would be there. But this is not exactly what he had in mind. His fun was supposed to come from the victories he'd rub in the honor student's face, not from the time they spend together. His frustration was supposed to be from coming in second place, not when Asano decides to hang out with someone else.

Karma's not clueless. He knows he's lonely and depressed, and a psychologist would probably have some choice words about attention-seeking behavior or whatever. But he doesn't care. It's fun to be around Asano. It's fun to banter with him, to see him get flustered, to make him lose his cool. It's fun to see him smile, even if it's at Karma's expense.

It's fun to have someone who can keep up with him. Who can make him feel... something. Anything.

And it's fun to be the one who can make Asano feel all those things, too.

What truly worries Karma, however, is the fact that he doesn't want this to end. And that's a problem – because it's not really within his control. He doesn't even know if Asano feels the same way. He might just be tolerating Karma because he has to. Because they share a room for the time being and it wouldn't make sense to be at each other's throats all the time.

He glances at Asano doing push-ups on the floor. Shirtless. Past 50 reps by now, he estimates. Probably thinks he's cool or something. What a loser, Karma thinks, but turns back to his homework upon feeling his face heat up. He steals just one more glance, though.

God, he's hot.

Gakushuu feels hot. In his cheeks. What the fuck is he doing? He never works out in his bedroom. The Asano mansion has a gym for that.

Sure, he's feeling exceptionally stressed and exercise is probably the most productive way of dealing with it, but why in the everliving hell is he doing it here, shirtless, in front of Akabane?

You're trying to impress him, an unhelpful voice in his head whispers. God, how does he shut that thing up?

He's acting like a hormonal teenager. Gakushuu Asano does not get horny. He's better than that.

The good news is his frustration and juvenile urge to show off helps him break his record. He collapses after the 67th rep and turns on his back, chest heaving and heart rate off the charts.

The bad news is he's been grunting agressively for the last ten or so, which he just now realizes.

"You sound like you'll be auditioning for a very R-rated film, Caveman-kun."

Just end me now. Before I end him.

"If you're done moaning on the floor, please go and take a shower. I can smell you from here," Akabane says, not looking up from his book.

Gakushuu peels himself off the floor as gracefully as he can (not very), grabs a change of clothes and wobbles over to the bathroom, cheeks burning. He doesn't like taking orders from Akabane, but the nuisance is obviously right. He's a sweaty mess.

"Don't clog the drain," the redhead calls after him, and Gakushuu's face burns even hotter.

He opts for cold water, hoping it'll help him cool down. He's been feeling like he's on the verge of a breakdown for the past few days. The exercise also didn't do as much as he'd hoped. It's like nothing is ever enough.

There's so much schoolwork to do. Midterms are coming up and high school is on a whole different level from junior high. It's not that he can't keep up with the material, but the sheer amount of work needed to excel in everything is overwhelming. There's also his Modern Band, Debate and Soccer clubs (one for arts, one for smarts and one for sports, as his father would say) AND the upcoming student council elections. And in addition to THAT, there's all of his tutees who are counting on him to help them get through high school with excellent grades and into the top universities.

And finally, to top it all off, he has a crush on does not have a crush on his roommate from hell, what the fuck.

Gakushuu kills that thought before it can form and focuses on the cool water hitting his skin. He needs to get a grip. He can't afford to be distracted by Akabane of all things. He has too much on his plate already.

After his shower, he feels a bit more composed. He dresses and heads back to their shared space, determined to ignore Akabane's presence and focus on his work. But as soon as he sits down at his desk, he notices something off.

His meticulously organized notes are now a mess. Pages are out of order, some are missing, and others have been defaced with doodles and snarky comments. One of them is him as a half-naked caveman beating his chest with his fists. Gakushuu feels his blood boil.

"Akabane," he begins, voice cold as ice.

The redhead looks up from his book with an innocent expression. "Whatever might be the matter, Asano-kun?"

"You know exactly what the matter is," Gakushuu hisses and stands up. "Fix this. Now."

Akabane turns back to his homework. "Yeah, I'll get right on that. A little busy right now, but I'll get back to you in three to five business days."

Gakushuu clenches his fists, trying his hardest to keep his temper in check. "I don't have time for your antics, Akabane. I have a lot of work to do."

"Then maybe you should learn to relax a bit, huh?" Akabane says looking Gakushuu in the eyes like he expected this exact response. "You're always so uptight. It's no wonder you're stressed out all the time."

That is when something inside Gakushuu snaps. He's had enough of Akabane's bullshit. He's had enough of his own bullshit. He's had enough of everything.

"Relax..?"

Karma feels a little bad for doing something that he knows will increase Asano's workload, but he really is trying to help here. The guy needs to learn how to chill out. Before he burns out.

"You think I have the luxury to relax?" Asano hisses, voice dripping with venom unlike anything Karma has ever heard from him. "You think I can just sit back and take it easy like you do? You think I can afford to be anything less than perfect?"

Karma's eyes widen at the sudden outburst. For once he doesn't have an immediate snarky comeback.

"I have responsibilities, Akabane. I have people counting on me. I have expectations to meet. And you... you just waltz in here and mess with my life like it's some kind of game."

Asano's voice is shaking with anger, but it's also cold and calculated. It's like he means every word he's saying and is trying to cut Karma down with them.

"I despise you," Asano spits. "You just do whatever you want, whenever you want, without a care in the world."

He hates me.

"I'm never going to have the freedom you do. And I've accepted that. But you... you're just a spoiled brat who doesn't know how good he has it. How easy you have it."

He hates me.

"And what is it you do with that freedom, huh? You get into fights. You hurt people. You don't care about anyone but yourself."

He's right.

"And you know what the worst part is?" the prisoner of perfection continues. "I... envy you. I envy your ability to just... be. And every time I see your stupid face, I'm reminded of the freedom I'll never have."

Karma's heart is pounding in his chest.

"Asano, I—"

"Whatever," Asano interrupts, and walks to the door. "Just... stay out of my way," he says, and leaves.

...

For a long time, Karma just sits there, staring at the door.

I was wrong.

I'm such a fucking idiot.

He wasn't having fun. All this time, I was just... making life worse for him.

Karma Akabane may be okay with kicking a guy while he's down, but only if the guy really deserves it. He may be combative and maybe even a little sadistic – okay, definitely a little sadistic – but he's not cruel. If Asano can't stand him, then that's just what he'll do. He'll stay out of his way. He'll leave him alone.

He grabs his phone and orders a cab, heart sunk to the bottom of the ocean.

Chapter Text

I'm such a fucking idiot.

Gakushuu attempts to punch a hole through the concrete wall outside – like, really tries, with all his might – and lets out a frustrated scream when all he ends up with is bloody, probably fractured knuckles. The pain is not unwelcome. It distracts from the overwhelming guilt and shame burning away at him.

Why did I do that? Sure, there was some truth to some of it, but I didn't have to say it like that to his face.

Gakushuu Asano definitely has a temper. But he's never been one to blow up like that. Not in front of others, at least. He's always been the one in control, never letting his emotions get the best of him. But now... he's lost control and managed to hurt someone. Someone who didn't deserve it.

Yes, Akabane gets on his nerves. Yes, he's a nuisance. Yes, he's a distraction. But he's also... fun. He's... interesting. And sometimes he even makes Gakushuu feel like... like winning isn't the only thing that matters. That just having fun competing and improving as a result is enough.

And I just... threw that all away. I said some really hurtful things. He must hate me now.

Gakushuu takes a moment to breathe, to compose himself. He wipes his knuckles on his pants and does some quick testing. Hurts like hell, but nothing seems broken.

I need to fix this. I can still fix this.

He storms back into the dormitory and into the elevator. The ride up is excruciatingly slow. God, this is going to be so embarrassing. I acted like a child and now I have to apologize. I have to apologize to him.

He opens the door to find Akabane leaving his key on the nightstand, two fully packed bags on his bed. He looks at Gakushuu with a blank expression.

"Are you... going somewhere?" Gakushuu asks, trying to keep his voice steady.

"It's okay," Akabane says, the saddest smile Gakushuu has ever seen on his face. "It's over now. You don't have to pretend politeness anymore."

Gakushuu's mind goes blank. "Huh?" is all he can manage.

"I'm going home," Akabane explains, like it's the most natural thing in the world. "This dorm thing was a mistake. It's just like you said. All I do is hurt people. I should be alone."

"What are you—" Gakushuu whispers, not quite loud enough for Akabane to hear before he continues.

"You can get one of your friends to transfer in. I'll be gone, so you can relax now. Oh—" he catches himself, a guilty expression flashing across his face. "I mean, you can focus on your work."

Gakushuu just stares at him, dumbfounded.

"Look, I... I'm sorry. I thought we had this thing going, you know? Where we're just... messing with each other. Like rivals. Like... friends. But I completely misread the situation. I really thought that you were having fun, too. Really didn't know that you... hated me."

Gakushuu is speechless. How could he possibly fuck up this badly?

"Though in hindsight, I really should've. I mean, you did make it pretty clear," Akabane laughs, clearly beating himself up.

I was putting on a persona. It was part of our thing.

"I'll get out of your hair now," his roommate says, and Gakushuu can hear the lump in his throat.

Akabane picks up his bags and heads for the door.

"wait...", Gakushuu whispers.

He walks past him.

"...wait..."

He reaches for the door.

"PLEASE WAIT!!!"

.

.

.

The redhead freezes and turns around slowly, eyes wide with surprise.

"I'm so sorry," Gakushuu begins, tears welling up in his eyes. "I'm so sorry for making you think any of that."

"Huh?"

Gakushuu knows he's not the best at expressing genuine emotions, but this is just too much. Akabane doesn't have it easy like he accused earlier – the guy's obviously been only pretending to be okay from the first day. For some reason he's been hurting this whole time and Gakushuu's outburst must have hit him straight in all his insecurities. The guilt is unbearable.

"I did have fun," he continues, voice trembling. "I had fun playing Bash Bros. with you. I like our... *sniff* our back and forth. Fuck, looking back at it, I even enjoyed fighting you to a standstill that one time."

Akabane just stares at him.

"I... like having an equal. Someone who doesn't kiss my ass or depend on me all the time. Or the other way around. Someone who treats me like a normal person, even if that includes getting under my skin or making fun of me."

The redhead's eyes soften.

"I really do enjoy competing with you, and not just that. I... I like spending time with you. You're... you're interesting. You're... fun. And I'm sorry for making you think otherwise."

Akabane puts down his bags and walks back to Gakushuu, who's still fighting back tears.

"And..." Gakushuu continues, "I... think I could take on 35 six-year-olds in a fight." That actually gets a laugh out of Akabane.

"...We're fucking stupid, huh?" his roommate says with a small smile.

Gakushuu chuckles through his tears. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess so."

"I think this is supposed to be the part where we hug or something," Akabane says, looking awkward. "But I know neither of us are really into that sort of thing."

Gakushuu nods, wiping his eyes. "No, we're not."

"Wanna go sit on the bed?" Akabane asks in a comforting tone.

"Sure," Gakushuu nods.

"I do envy you," Gakushuu explains, "but you also... distract me. Make me forget about the overwhelming pressure."

Karma hums in understanding, listening attentively.

They're sitting on Karma's bed, side by side. It's a little awkward, but they're trying. They're both making an effort to be honest with their feelings for once.

"I'm sorry for what I said," Gakushuu continues. "I didn't mean it. I was just... angry. I was feeling overwhelmed and you messing with my notes was the last straw. I lashed out but I didn't mean any of it."

"No, I get it," Karma says, looking down at his hands. "It's one of those things where you reach a boiling point and all your feelings just spill out. I don't mind if you actually think all that stuff. I know I'm nothing but trouble, and spoiled, and I hurt people, and—"

"Okay, we need to talk about that self-deprecating attitude of yours too," Gakushuu interrupts. "You're not a bad person. My trauma is no big mystery to anyone after Father sent me flying through the classroom, but you... you're always so... flippant about your own issues. You try to make light of everything, but I can tell there's something wrong. Are you... okay talking about it?""

Karma exhales and looks away for a moment, clearly uncomfortable. He hasn't talked about this with anyone before, not even his classmates. Sure, they'd understand what he's going through to some extent, but none of them took what happened as hard as he did. He'd just make them feel worse about it, and that's not what he wants.

But Asano was honest about his own feelings. He was vulnerable, so Karma feels like he should respond in kind. Even if he's not sure he can handle it.

After a moment, he lets out a sigh. "Yeah, I guess it's only fair."

"...Is it about what happened around Valentine's?" Gakushuu asks carefully.

Gakushuu had almost forgotten about that. The weird lights in the sky? A monster that destroyed the moon taking Akabane's class hostage? It's way too surreal to be true, but what reason could the government possibly have to lie about something like that? It also lines up with some of his own observations during the year. He had been meaning to grill Akabane about it, but there's just been too much going on.

"Yeah, so remember that big flash of light before the dome went up?" Karma asks, and Gakushuu nods. He's finally about to find out what his father had been keeping from him.

"That was the government using a laser satellite from orbit to assassinate a supercreature capable of destroying the world. He was also our teacher. And the closest thing to an attentive parent I ever had."

Gakushuu considers going for a "Pardon?" but his brain is too busy processing the insanity of the received input to produce any real output. That, and the pieces in his mind are actually starting to fall into place. He just stares at Karma, blinking rapidly, waiting for him to continue.

And he does. Karma tells Gakushuu everything about their assassination classroom. Their yellow octopus teacher, Korosensei, who was an enhanced human capable of moving at Mach 20 speed and regenerating from any wound. About how he was going to destroy the world in a year, but first wanted to teach a class of misfits in a prestigious school in Japan. About how they were tasked with killing him, never succeeding, but growing as people in the process. About how much he loved them, and how much they grew to love him in return.

Then he tells Gakushuu about the death of their previous teacher and Korosensei's promise to take care of them in her place. About how he was actually the world's most dangerous assassin who was being experimented on by the government. About how he didn't actually want to destroy the world, but mistakenly believed he would explode in a year. Then he begins talking about the final days, and Gakushuu can hear his voice begin to crack.

"He beat Reaper 2.0 and that asshole scientist, but there was no way to avoid the satellite. So we... we all pinned him down and... and then we... we... fuck," Karma's voice breaks, and he turns away, doing everything in his power to hold it in.

Oh no.

"I... have to use the bathroom," Gakushuu says, standing up abruptly. "I'll be right back."

Gakushuu hides in the bathroom for a few minutes, giving himself a moment to process everything and sparing Akabane the embarrassment of breaking down in front of him. He can hear quiet sobbing from the other side of the door, and it breaks his heart.

Karma hates, absolutely hates showing weakness in front of others. But Asano bared his soul to him, so he feels like he owes him the same. He composes himself and waits for Asano to return, glad for the courtesy. Even if he obviously knows what's going on.

When Gakushuu comes back, Karma is sitting on the bed, looking at the floor. He looks up when the door opens, and Gakushuu can see the redness in his eyes.

"He was the best teacher there ever was," Karma continues, as Gakushuu sits back down. "During that last fight, if there was something, anything we normal humans could do? I would've died for him," he says with no hesitation, sending a chill down Gakushuu's spine.

"But there wasn't. I should've offed Yanagisawa before he had the chance to transform, but after he did... there was nothing. We were just useless kids and he exhausted himself saving us all. And then we killed him."

Gakushuu is speechless. Like, seriously, what can you even say to that?

One thing he notes is Akabane's seeming undervaluation of his own life. Didn't he also say he attempted to kamikaze himself during the first week of assassination attempts? There's a lot to unpack here, and Gakushuu's almost certain he's not the right person for the job.

"So there you have it," Karma finishes. "That class was everything to me. I had people who cared about me, who I cared about. I could be myself without fear or judgement. And I let it all slip through my fingers."

That's why he's been so... off.

"I was happy. I had everything I ever wanted, and it's all gone. And now I'm alone again. And it's fucking hard."

Gakushuu's never been good at comforting people, but this time it's as if his hand moves on its own to rest on Karma's shoulder. "You're not alone," he says. "And it's not your fault."

Karma looks at him, and Gakushuu can see the disbelief in his eyes. "I know that," he says looking away, voice barely above a whisper.

"No, really, Akabane. You said it yourself. You can't blame yourself for something that was out of your control."

"I know that..." Karma repeats, frustration clear in his voice.

"And it's not like you'll never be happy again," Gakushuu continues. "We're in high school, for god's sake. You'll find something to keep you going. And then—"

"Fuck, I know all that, okay!?" Karma snaps, standing up and pacing around the room. "But no matter how much I keep telling myself that... the pain doesn't go away."

Gakushuu watches him, feeling helpless. Survivor's guilt is no joke. Add the resulting depression, loneliness and self-esteem issues and what you get is one broken teenager. Not that he's one to talk.

But he can at least help with one of those things.

"I changed my mind," Gakushuu says, standing up. "Starting now and ending in thirty seconds, I'm into that sort of thing," he says, walks up to Karma, and pulls him into a hug.

Karma tenses up for a moment, then relaxes into it. "You're not alone," Gakushuu repeats. "My name's Gakushuu, by the way. And I want to be your friend."

Karma chuckles, a little choked up, and returns the embrace. "I know your name, dumbass. ...I want to be your friend too. Call me Karma," he says, smiling.

They stay like that for an unspecified amount of time that is dangerously close to exceeding thirty seconds. Then Karma pulls away, heart rate returned to normal.

"And I'm sorry for desecrating your notes. I'll let you copy mine."

Oh, right. The midterms, Gakushuu thinks. Maybe there are more important things in life than one little test. ...Not that many, though.

"I don't copy notes, you delinquent," Gakushuu says, rolling his eyes. "Just return the pages you stole. I'll live with the doodles."

Karma grins. "Deal."

"And for the record," he adds while scrounging through his garbage can, "I think I could take forty."

Chapter Text

So the eye has two types of photoreceptors that it uses to detect light: rod and cone cells. Rods are responsible for low-light vision, while cones are responsible for the perception of color. There's an easy mnemonic for this: you can use a rod to poke around in the dark, and traffic cones are brightly colored in order to catch your attention. There are approximately 120 million rods and 6 million cones in the human eye.

Gakushuu flips the page of his notes. Memorizing all of this is a pain, but at least the material is interesting and makes sense.

Cones – the color detectors – are concentrated in the fovea, the center of the retina where vision is sharpest. Rods, on the other hand, are distributed more evenly across the retina. This explains why we can easily detect motion in our peripheral vision, but need to look directly at something to see its details.

It's past curfew and his roommate is nowhere to be seen. What a shame. Leave it to that idiot to get himself kicked out of the dorms just as they were starting to get along.

Cones can be further divided into three subtypes responsible for detecting the three primary colors: red, green, and blue. The brain combines signals from these three types of cones to create the perception of—

Someone knocks on the window and Gakushuu does not flinch because he is fearless and tough and has nerves of steel, thank you very much. He turns around to see Aka— ahem, Karma happily pointing at the latch from the other side of the glass.

Gakushuu picks up his jaw and goes to open the window. "It's the fourth floor," he says, voice utterly devoid of emotion.

"Mm-hmm," Karma hums, jumping in. "It's past curfew," he responds, as if that explains everything.

"How in the—" Gakushuu stammers, looking out from the window. Falling from this height might not result in immediate death, but you'd almost certainly never walk again.

"Hmm? Don't tell me your 3rd year PE lessons didn't include parkour and rock climbing," Karma teases. "Guess that's two more things you're behind on."

Gakushuu's eye twitches. "There is no junior high curriculum with those things in it. And if there was, I would have aced them."

"Whatever you say, champ," Karma shrugs, sitting down on his bed.

"Where have you been?" Gakushuu asks, crossing his arms.

"Out," Karma says, pointing at the window. Again, as if that explains everything.

Gakushuu had perhaps naively hoped that their newfound friendship would offer at least the tiniest bit of relief from the continuous assaults on his patience. He really should have known better.

"Out where?" he presses, trying to hide the growing irritation in his voice. "At this hour?"

"Look, booty calls don't look at the clock, okay?" Karma responds, expression blank.

Gakushuu's eyes widen and his face grows warm. "I... I didn't need to know that."

"Then why'd you ask?"

"I didn't! I mean, I did, but... whatever. Forget it."

Karma chuckles. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Just needed some fresh air. But you're cute when you're flustered."

He's... what now? Surely he misheard that.

"You're obnoxious," Gakushuu sighs and walks back to his desk. "Next time you decide to skip curfew, you're on your own."

"Guess I'll have to set up a system with the dorm manager as well, then," Karma says leaning back on his bed, expression thoughtful.

Gakushuu hates that he can't help but ask. "...'System'? 'As well'? What are you talking about?"

"I'm sure you've noticed my frequent absence from class, right?" Karma responds. "And while the Going Home Club is my true priority, I do perform some... extra-curricular activities on the side. For the teachers. Then they clean my attendance record so I don't get detention or suspended."

This sounds so sketchy that Gakushuu can feel a headache coming on. "And what exactly do you do for them?"

"You know," Karma shrugs. "Take kids under protection, rough up some bullies, the usual. Did you know our school has one of the lowest rates of bullying in the country nowadays? You're welcome."

There is something truly messed up about teachers outsourcing their disciplinary duties to a student. And a freshman, no less. Gakushuu can't help but admire the ingenuity of it, though. If it works, it works.

"Oh, and I did also take out a few academically challenged students," Karma adds, as if it were an afterthought. "Make the grade average better and all that."

"Please stop talking," Gakushuu says, rubbing his temples. He didn't really do that. ...Right?

How's your arrangement with the teachers going, @Karma Akabane?
Yuuma Isogai [5:35 PM]

i mean i egt to skiup class and bvash skulls so pretty good i gbuyes
Karma Akabane [5:38 PM]

I'm not sure I approve of the methods you're using, but the results got me thinking. Teachers in Japan really don't have enough resources to deal with bullying, right?
Yuuma Isogai [5:38 PM]

go tmy hans ak little full atm so ilp get back to u on t hat
Karma Akabane [5:39 PM]

Oh, okay. No problem!
Yuuma Isogai [5:39 PM]

Say, Isogai, you probably got into the student council too?
Megu Kataoka [5:42 PM]

Yeah, I did! I'm glad my new classmates chose to place their trust in me.
Yuuma Isogai [5:42 PM]

Maybe we could put together a proposal for establishing student-run committees for dealing with bullying in our respective schools? Obviously nothing as extreme as what Karma's doing, but something that would allow students to help each other out. Like peer support groups or meetings for solving conflicts before they escalate.
Megu Kataoka [5:43 PM]

That's exactly what I was thinking! I'm not sure how effective it would be, but it's worth a shot. Definitely better than... well, the current situation.
Yuuma Isogai [5:44 PM]

lame. just break their legs and call it a day
Itona Horibe [5:44 PM]

"Honey, I'm home~!" Karma singsongs as he enters the dorm room, carrying a black leather bag and another, elongated package.

Gakushuu looks up from his book, then turns back to it without a word.

Karma pouts. "No welcome home kiss?"

"Midterms begin tomorrow," Gakushuu says, ignoring Karma's antics. "If you want to flunk out, that's your business, but I'm not getting dragged down with you."

Karma chuckles but chooses not to bother Gakushuu any further. He sets the bags down on the corridor floor and begins assembling their contents. Not that there's much to assemble. It's one of those models that you just mount on a doorway – Gakushuu would freak out if he started drilling holes in the school walls. He tests the durability and hums in satisfaction.

Gakushuu glances at the redhead who just shook the walls with whatever he's tinkering with. "What are you doing?" he asks, trying to sound apathetic.

"Oh? Are you interested? Are you?" Karma teases and Gakushuu sighs, closing his book.

"What did you do this time?" he asks, walking up to the problem child.

Karma beams. "Tada~! I got us a pull-up bar!" he says, gesturing at the contraption mounted on the bathroom doorframe.

"You got us... a pull-up bar," Gakushuu repeats, deadpan.

"And some weights," Karma adds, pointing at the dumbbells on the floor.

Gakushuu eyes the troublemaker suspiciously. "...Is this a challenge?"

"I thought we could use some exercise. And since there's no gym here, I figured I'd bring the gym to us. And yes, I can do more pull-ups than you," he states, as if it's an obvious fact.

Gakushuu's eyes narrow. "Oh? And how much are you willing to bet on that?"

Karma's eyes light up. "Oh, I like where this is going. Let's see, how about... a thousand yen for every pull-up I do more than you? No, wait. Two thousand."

Gakushuu smirks. "You're on."

Karma's grin widens. "You're going down," he says, as he takes off his jacket and stretches his arms. "Who goes first?"

"You will," Gakushuu says, crossing his arms. "If the contraption breaks, I'd rather not be the one on my ass."

Karma chuckles. "Fair enough. Watch and learn, baby."

Karma jumps up and grabs the bar, beginning to pull himself up. Gakushuu watches as he does five, then ten, then fifteen. He'd be disappointed if his rival couldn't handle at least that much. After that Karma's pace slows down significantly, but he keeps going. Gakushuu's still not impressed, but if this keeps up, there might be a chance of trouble.

It's the twentieth rep. Karma's really struggling now. Gakushuu can't help but admire the laboring teen's biceps determination. Twenty-two. His arms are shaking and he's grunting with effort. Twenty-three. Karma's face is red and he's breathing heavily. Twenty-four. "Hnngh—!" Twenty-five, just barely. Karma lets go and drops to the floor, panting.

"How's that?" he asks, breathless.

"Not bad," Gakushuu says as he takes off his jacket. "For a beginner."

"Tch," Karma scoffs, too exhausted to come up with a witty retort. "Your turn."

Gakushuu takes his place below the bar and looks up contemplatively. "If you tickle me or attempt to pull down my pants, I swear to all that is holy—"

"Yeah, yeah, you'll rip out my intestines and strangle me with them," Karma finishes for him, rolling his eyes. "Get on with it."

Gakushuu smiles and jumps up, grabbing the bar. He does five, then ten, then fifteen. Karma's eyes widen at his pace. Twenty. Twenty-one. Twenty-two. Karma's sweating, and not just from the exercise. Twenty-three. Twenty-four. Twenty-five.

Oh... fuck.

Gakushuu's slowing down, but he presses on. Twenty-six. Twenty-seven. Twenty-eight. Karma watches in horror as his rival keeps going, milking his wallet for all its worth. Thirty. Now Gakushuu's struggling, but he's not giving up. Thirty-one. Thirty-two. He's grunting agressively now. Karma's jaw is on the floor. Thirty-three. Thirty... four. "Grraaah—!" Thirty... thirty... Gakushuu's arms give out and he lets go.

"Damn," he pants, "I've never been able to reach thirty-five."

Karma just stares at him, in shock.

What Karma doesn't know is that Gakushuu's been actively training for about two years now. While Karma's been getting most of his exercise outside of PE from fights, parkour and assassination attempts, Gakushuu's been working out in his home gym. There's not that much of a difference in their strength, but Gakushuu definitely has more practice with pull-ups.

Gakushuu looks at the deflated redhead with a predatory glint in his eyes. "Now, as you keep reminding me, I'm not that great at math. But I believe that was nine more than you. Would you care to calculate how much you owe me?"

Karma blinks. "18,000 yen," he says, voice absent of emotion.

Gakushuu nods. "That's odd, isn't it? Didn't you say you could do more pull-ups than me?"

Karma's cheeks grow warm. He searches for a comeback, but nothing comes to mind.

"With confidence, if I might add," Gakushuu continues, getting all up in Karma's personal space. "Then what was it you said? 'Watch and learn'? And yet, here we are."

Karma's face is on fire. "S-shut up..!" the redhead stammers, looking away, his pride in tatters.

Gakushuu smirks in triumph, picturing his rival lying on the ground under his boot, broken and defeated. Ah, midterms are going to be so sweet.

"You may wire the money to my account at your earliest convenience," he whispers in Karma's ear and walks away, high on endorphins like never before.

Received ¥18,000 from Karma Akabane.
drug money prime minister bomb assassination terrorism UH OH SURE HOPE THE BANK DOESNT CANCEL THIS TOTALLY LEGIT TRANSACTION

Chapter Text

The universe is a cold, uncaring void. Happiness is fleeting and the light at the end of the tunnel is just a train about to run you over. Entropy will eventually claim everything and nothing but darkness will remain.

Nothing is certain. Nothing lasts. And in the end, nothing matters.

In this endless void there is but one indisputable fact that the occupants of room 404 are currently feeling with every fiber of their ephemeral being.

Gakushuu and Karma are failures of cosmic proportions.

The two rivals stare at the scoreboard with grave expressions. Not only are they both basically bottom-feeding losers, but they're also tied. They're tied, meaning that neither of them is even afforded the tiny satisfaction of rubbing their relative victory in the other's face.

The less-than-ideal results aren't really a surprise to either of them, though. They've both had some... distractions lately. And while they were both aware they weren't living up to their full potential, they had hoped that their natural talent would be enough to keep them above the rest of the class like usual. But it seems that the rest of the class has been working hard, and there are some new, talented faces in the mix.

Gakushuu is obviously proud of his friends, even if the feeling is eclipsed by his own sense of failure. Some of them have beaten him in individual subjects in the past, but this is the first time any of them surpassed him in the overall ranking. He really needs to step up his game.

Karma is the first to recover. He sighs and turns to Gakushuu. "I got this," he says and walks away. Gakushuu makes a face and follows the troublemaker, if only to make sure he doesn't burn the school down.

"Hot springs?" Gakushuu asks, incredulous.

"Now, hear me out," Karma begins while booking a ryokan with an onsen on his laptop. "I know your views on taking it easy and all, but I really do think we need a break. We've been working our asses off lately – with absolutely nothing to show for it, if I may add – and we need to unwind," he says, turning to Gakushuu with a serious expression. "I can look up peer-reviewed studies on the necessity of de-stressing every once in a while if you want."

Gakushuu seems to be engaged in an internal struggle. "I... I don't know," he says, looking away. "I need to review what I got wrong since the new material builds on the old, so I can't afford to slack—"

"Don't think of it as slacking off," Karma interrupts. "We're not. We're recharging our batteries. Taking care of ourselves. Hell, we can even study together if you absolutely must. I'll quiz you in the baths and you'll have to do the helicopter if you get it wrong."

Gakushuu can't stifle a chuckle at that. "That's... not happening. But fine, you have a point," he concedes. "...Just one night, though."

"Now we're talking," Karma grins and returns to his laptop. "Nothing like kicking it back cocks out with the boys, releasing all that pent-up tension," he mutters to himself.

Gakushuu's eye twitches. "I changed my mind. Go release whatever you want as far away from me as possible."

"Too late," Karma says as he presses enter and turns around on his chair. "Already billed your credit card."

"You— wha— how—" Gakushuu stammers as his pocket vibrates with a notification.

"Unlocked your phone with your fingerprint while you were sleeping."

Gakushuu looks like he's about to have a stroke. Then he attacks Karma, who dodges and runs out of the room, laughing. Gakushuu chases after him, and the two of them disappear down the corridor, the sound of their scuffle echoing through the dorms.

I... I just uninstalled Bleague.
Natsuhiko Koyama [3:35 PM]

Straight to acceptance, huh? I'm proud of you, buddy
Ren Sakakibara [3:36 PM]

"I can never show my face in public again," Gakushuu moans as they walk to the ryokan with backpacks slung over their shoulders, ready to spend the night. "I hope you're happy."

"Sure am," Karma responds, casually walking with hands behind his head. "It's a handsome face, and I don't like sharing."

Gakushuu marvels at the redhead's capacity for shamelessness. "You're insufferable."

"You love it."

Karma had somehow managed to subdue his assaulter in the fourth floor lounge, holding Gakushuu down with knees on his arms. "See? You're clearly not at your best right now. You need this," he had said while Gakushuu was uselessly squirming beneath him, eyes filled with frustration. Then some other boys had walked in and broken up the fight, relieved that it wasn't anything serious and amused by the sight of the number one junior high martial artist being pinned down by the resident delinquent.

Gakushuu was still fuming when they left the dorms, but the fresh air and the prospect of a hot spring were starting to work their magic. He's not ready to admit it, but he's grateful for Karma's persistence. He's been feeling like a pressure cooker about to explode lately, and he knows he needs to let off some steam before he does something he'll regret. ...Again. This will be good for him. He just needs to keep reminding himself of that and try to forget about his responsibilities for one night.

The ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn, complete with tatami floors, sliding doors, and a beautiful garden. The two of them are shown to their room by a sweet old lady who explains the dining schedule and the onsen rules. They drop off their bags and head to the baths.

"Why did she explain the rules like we're children?" Gakushuu mutters as they walk.

"They probably get a lot of rowdy teenagers here," Karma responds. "You know, the kind that sneak in alcohol and try to drown each other."

Gakushuu looks at him. "Please don't tell me you're projecting."

"I would never," Karma says, feigning innocence. "Strawberry milk tastes so much better not mixed with vodka."

"And you'd know this how exactly?" Gakushuu asks, voice dripping with disapproval.

"I plead the fifth."

"That's Article 38 in Japan, you unlawful idiot."

They make their way to the lockers and begin to undress. Gakushuu feels a little self-conscious. He hasn't visited an onsen since he was a child, and while he knows there's nothing sexual about Japanese public baths and isn't exactly insecure about his body either, he's not sure how he feels about being naked in front of Karma. Will this change something between them? Will it make things awkward? Or will it—

"Alright, let's get this over with," Karma says, turning to face Gakushuu with hands on his hips, stripped down to his boxers. Oh no. He's hot. And damn, those abs.

"We drop 'em on three, 'kay?"

Gakushuu swallows. Just where does Karma get off being so casual about this? "Okay," he says, voice just a little higher than usual.

"Onetwothreewhoops," Karma says without warning, and drops 'em. Gakushuu can't stop his gaze from wandering or his eyes from widening when uhm... ahem. Yes. Quite. Indeed.

He clears his throat and follows suit, attempting to will the blood away from his face. Karma looks down and nods, letting out a neutral, acknowledging hum. "All within expected parameters," he mutters, swings a towel over his shoulder and walks to the baths, the picture of nonchalance. The picture has red in his ears, but Gakushuu's mind is too occupied with other things to notice.

Gakushuu is in heaven. He can feel the exhaustion melting away in the hot water, his tensed up body relaxing for the first time in weeks. He closes his eyes and leans back, letting the water envelop him.

As luck would have it, they have the place to themselves. The only other presence is the redhead sitting next to him, eyes closed and an equally serene expression on his face. It's a rare sight, seeing the troublemaker so at peace. Is this what he looks like when sleeping? Gakushuu hasn't really paid attention before, but maybe he should have.

Wait, no. That's weird. He's not going to stare at someone while they're sleeping. That'd be creepy.

While they're in a hot spring, both lucid and awake, however...

Gakushuu turns his gaze back towards Karma and flinches when he sees two (gorgeous) amber eyes looking back at him. "Hm? Am I that pretty?" Karma asks, smirking.

Gakushuu rolls his eyes. "You wish."

Karma chuckles. "You're blushing."

"I am not. It's the heat."

"That's blush right there," Karma says, poking at Gakushuu's cheek. "It's cute."

Gakushuu's eye twitches and he swats the hand away. "Stop it."

Karma smiles and leans back, closing his eyes again, fully aware of what he's doing. Gakushuu seizes the opportunity to take a good look at his completely platonic friend. The way his wet hair is swiped back, how the droplets on his skin catch the light, how his chest rises and falls with each breath, how much he wishes he could see under the water...

God damn it, fine. FINE. Gakushuu has a crush on Karma. He can admit that much to himself, because it doesn't change anything. It's not like there's any chance that Karma actually feels the same way.

Gakushuu has never felt like this before. He's never even had feelings for anyone, let alone a guy. Gakushuu knows Japanese teens tend to start dating much later than their Western peers, but an uncomfortable feeling has been growing in his chest for a while now. Is there something wrong with him? Is he truly so performance-oriented that he's unable to feel something so intrinsically human as love? It's not like he hasn't received enough letters of affection to make most other guys wish for his demise. He just... never felt anything for any of them. Not even the tiniest bit of interest.

But Karma is different. He makes Gakushuu feel things he never thought possible. Craving his opponent's touch during their fights is not normal. Wanting to bust the redhead's lip and then kiss it better is definitely not normal. And don't even get him started on what he'd like to do to Karma after beating him senseless, or what he'd like Karma to do to—

No. Bad. Bad horny thoughts. Sure, Karma seems way more experienced in these things and would almost definitely be into that shit, but this is still a one-sided fantasy. Karma is his rival, friend and roommate, and nothing more. Yes, he seems to be constantly flirting with Gakushuu, but that's just Karma being Karma, trying to get a rise out of him. He's almost certainly straight and doesn't mean any of it. He can't mean it.

...

Can he?

Maybe I should ask Ren, Gakushuu thinks. He's usually opposed to his best friend's playboy tendencies, but they just might come in handy for once. Then he remembers who the subject of his inquiry is. Yeah, no. Not happening. What his friends want for Karma is more akin to crucifixion than a thriving love life, and the prospect of a relationship with Gakushuu might just be enough for them to go through with it.

"It really is nice here," Karma says, voice soft, interrupting Gakushuu's racing thoughts.

"...Yeah," Gakushuu agrees, closing his eyes and taking in the peaceful atmosphere. "I'm glad you dragged me here."

"I know. I'm glad you came. I mean, glad you agreed to come. I mean—" Karma stammers, opening his eyes to a puzzled expression, as if he has to manually restrain himself from making more innuendos.

"Just shut up and enjoy the moment," Gakushuu says, a small smile on his face.

Karma grins and closes his eyes again. "Yes, sir."

Holy shit he's so fucking hot holy shit holy shit—

Karma is absolutely smitten by the sight of Gakushuu in a yukata. His eyes keep focusing on the other boy's chest, which remains uncovered by the fabric. This must be why geisha entertainers reveal only their neck, he thinks. It's a tease, a promise of what lies beneath. And he sure is feeling teased right now, even when he's already seen it all.

He can't let it show, though. For all his advances and flirting, Karma has to keep up the facade of being the one in control. That he's just doing it to rile Gakushuu up and isn't completely head over heels for his total stud of a roommate. It's his only fallback if his feelings turn out to be unrequited, which is the most likely scenario here. Gakushuu has given no indication that he feels the same way, and Karma is not going to risk ruining their friendship because he can't think, ahem – straight – when it comes to Gakushuu.

They're sitting on the tatami floor of their room in front of a low table, refreshed and slightly bored, idling away the time until dinner. Both are on their phones, Karma scrolling through social media and Gakushuu, uhm...

"What are you doing?" Karma asks, a suspicion growing in his mind.

"Flashcards," Gakushuu replies, not looking up from his phone. Karma facepalms.

"No, bad!" Karma says, trying to snatch the phone away. "No studying on vacation!" Gakushuu dodges and Karma considers launching a full-on assault, but doesn't want to risk them getting kicked out of the ryokan. This calls for a more subtle approach.

"You know what would be way more fun than studying?" Karma asks, a challenging glint in his eyes.

"Can't go anywhere with you," Gakushuu mutters as he returns from the bathroom, having just flushed the toilet and shouted "Mom, I'm done! Come wipe!" at the top of his lungs. Karma is on the floor, doubled over in laughter.

It's only the first round and Gakushuu is already regretting agreeing to play truth or dare. Karma had goaded him into it, offering to only choose truth and for Gakushuu to only ask exam questions "if that's all you can come up with." Obviously Gakushuu had to come in swinging so he had straight-up asked for Karma's body count, received a deadpan "just five", blushed, chosen dare to avoid answering the same question himself and here they are.

"I can go back to studying if you're unable to keep going," Gakushuu says, crossing his arms and glaring at Karma who is still convulsing on the floor.

"I can't believe you actually did that," Karma wheezes, wiping tears from his eyes. "You know the walls are literally made of paper, right?"

"Truth. Or. Dare?" Gakushuu asks, the vein on his temple throbbing.

"Dare," Karma says, finally managing to sit up straight. "Hit me."

Gakushuu thinks for a moment, then smirks. As you wish. "Get up," he commands. Karma raises an eyebrow but complies. "Hands behind your back. Eyes closed. Don't move." Karma does as he's told.

"Ahh, I see where this is going," the redhead says, lifting his chin and grinning. "This is the part where you kiss me. Pretty cliche way to reveal your true feelings, but—"

Karma's eyes snap open and almost pop out as Gakushuu aims a merciless uppercut at his abs. He wheezes and falls to his knees, clutching his stomach. "What... the fuck—"

"I hit you," Gakushuu states matter-of-factly, crossing his arms. "Got a problem with that?"

Karma glares at him, still wheezing. Then he snorts, the pain giving way to respect. "Not a bad shot," he admits, voice raspy. He straightens up and undoes the top part of his yukata, revealing an obvious bruise forming in the shape of Gakushuu's fist. Karma whistles. "I'll be sure to return the favor later."

"Truth," Gakushuu says as casually as he can manage, deciding to save the processing of his current view for later.

"Latest celebrity crush?" Karma asks, redressing and then sitting back down.

Gakushuu looks puzzled by the seemingly easy and overdone question. The problem is...

"I... don't know," he says, frowning. "I don't think I have one."

"Fine," Karma says, rolling his eyes. "Doesn't have to be the latest. Just any celebrity."

Gakushuu searches deep within himself for an answer, but comes up empty. "I don't know," he repeats, looking surprised by his own answer. "I've never thought about any of them like that."

Karma deflates a little, as if he really wanted to know. Isn't this a very generic question? Why does he care? "I'll let you ask something else," Gakushuu says, feeling a little guilty.

"Nah, it's fine," Karma responds. "If that's your answer, then that's your answer."

"...Okay then," Gakushuu says, feeling bad for not being able to give Karma what he wanted, however trivial it may be. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth. I'm shy~"

Gakushuu rolls his eyes. He can't just keep resorting to violence, though. Karma is frustratingly good at provoking him, and he's got to learn how to turn the tables in their verbal sparring. Five, huh.

"What's the wildest thing you've done in bed?"

That's a good one, Gakushuu thinks. He's going to make this punk squirm.

"There was this girl who wanted to milk me," Karma responds without missing a beat. "Kept going 'till I couldn't get it up anymore, which was like... two hours in? I was so fucking sore the next day. Couldn't even walk straight."

Gakushuu realizes his strategy may have backfired. He clears his throat, praying for the heat to leave his face. "...Truth," he says, voice a little shaky.

"You?" is all Karma says, raising an eyebrow.

There it is, Gakushuu thinks. This is truth or dare. I have to be honest, that's the whole point of the game. "I... actually haven't done anything," he admits, looking away.

Karma's eyes widen. "Wait, really? Like, nothing at all?"

Gakushuu is suddenly very interested in the tatami floor. "Nope. Nothing."

It's not that he hasn't had the chance. He just... never felt like it. There's nothing wrong with that, right? He doesn't need to spend his limited time chasing primal urges. He has other priorities in life.

Then why do I feel so embarrassed about it?

"So Every Girl's Daydream-kun is a cherry boy?" Karma grins, leaning forward.

Here comes the teasing, Gakushuu thinks, face, neck and ears burning. "Shut up," he mutters, but it's more of a plea than a command.

"That's hot."

"...Huh?"

"Huh?"

.

.

.

"Truth," Karma says, leaning back and crossing his arms like he's already forgotten the interaction.

Is... is he fucking with me? Gakushuu thinks, trying to process the implications of what Karma just said. Gakushuu feels like a loser, but Karma didn't make fun of him for it. He always makes fun of him for everything. He should be laughing his ass off right now.

"Are you done? We can stop if you want," Karma says, looking at him with a serious expression. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

Gakushuu takes a moment to collect his thoughts. "No, I'm good," he says, voice steady. He clears his throat once more, trying to shake off the embarrassment. What could he hit Karma with that wouldn't backfire and make him the one blushing at the experienced teen's answer?

"What... what's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you?" Gakushuu asks, trying to sound casual. He knows it's a lame question, but he can't think of anything else off the top of his head.

"I once got caught in the act by my mom," Karma says, smirking. "She walked in on me doing it with a girl I had just met and just stood there for a second, mouth agape. I didn't even pull out. Then she just turned around and walked out, and I couldn't look her in the eye for a week."

Gakushuu has a horrible feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. It couldn't be... "Wait, let me get this straight."

"Yes, Gakushuu dearest?"

"You, Karma Akabane, chose to bring a one-night-stand home when your parents – who are never there – were there. Then you neglected to lock the door and got caught drilling into her by your mom. And finally, she stayed home for a week after that?"

Karma blinks, then opens his mouth, then closes it.

Gakushuu evaluates Karma from head to toe, in shock. "Was... was there any truth to any of your answers?"

The boys stare at each other for a good five seconds. Karma's expression is unreadable, but Gakushuu can see the corners of his mouth twitching. There's no fucking way.

"I plead the 38th," Karma says with an awkward smile and smartly excuses himself from the room before Gakushuu blows up and they find themselves out on the street.

Karma chuckles by himself as he walks to the dining room. Gakushuu's expressions during the last hour were better eye candy than the onsen, and that's saying something. He had been so flustered, so adorably confused, and Karma had loved every second of it.

It wasn't all just for fun, though. He had tried to get a read on Gakushuu's sexuality during the game but of course the answers had been inconclusive. Oh well. He'll just have to keep trying.

He enters the dining room and is greeted by the sight of multiple tables filled with various Japanese dishes. Grilled fish, sashimi, tempura, pickles, rice, miso soup... The smell is heavenly, and Karma's mouth waters in response. He quickly finds a table and sits down, waiting for Gakushuu to arrive after he's had time to cool off.

He doesn't have to wait long, but it's not Gakushuu who arrives after him. A couple enters the room, the woman clinging to the man's arm. "Did you hear a teenager scream at their mom to come wipe for them? Someone must be playing truth or dare," she says, chuckling. "Should we join them? I could teach them a thing or twenty," she adds, winking at her partner.

"You have traumatized enough children for one lifetime," the stoic man says, rolling his eyes. "Let's just eat."

Karma's eyes widen. Oh. Oh, boy.

Chapter Text

Gakushuu is seething. Who lies in truth or dare? It defeats the whole purpose of the game! Is nothing sacred to this... this...

His internal rant is interrupted by a call from number two on the list of people he least wants to interact with right now. He knows this, because there is only one person he has assigned a unique ringtone to. It's a necessary precaution, really, since a non-trivial amount of mental preparation is required for dealing with them.

He steels himself and answers the call, turning his furor towards Karma into annoyance towards the person on the other end of the line disturbing him despite promises of respecting his autonomy.

"What is it, Father?"

"Come now, Gakushuu." Gakuhou Asano's voice is smooth, calm and undecipherable as always. "Can a father not check in on his son every once in a blue moon? I just wanted to know how you're doing."

Gakushuu sighs. "There is no world in which the news hasn't already reached you," he says, knowing full well that this has to do with his midterm results. "So which is it, are you just calling to gloat, or did Ren or one of the others put you up to this?"

"Araki-kun, actually," Gakuhou answers. Gakushuu hears him take a sip from some sort of beverage – tea, most likely – and can just picture him sitting in his chair, legs crossed, a smug smile on his rather punchable face. "They wouldn't dare bring it up with you themselves, but they're worried about you. You don't have to, of course, but would you mind telling me where you are?"

Oh, right. I just told them I'd be out for one night, Gakushuu thinks. Because "brb, getting naked with the guy we're all supposed to hate but who I actually like" is not a message he'll be dropping in the group chat anytime soon.

"I'm at an onsen," he says, getting ready for the next question.

"...Alone?"

"With Akabane," he responds, and the silence on the other end of the line is deafening. There's no point in denying it. His father would find out sooner or later – if he doesn't already know – and Gakushuu doesn't want to give him the satisfaction of catching him in a lie.

"...I see," Gakuhou finally says, and Gakushuu can only imagine the calculations that just took place in the dark recesses of his father's mind. "Are you two... getting along?"

"No," Gakushuu responds on instinct, taking advantage of his current state of mind. "Karma is the scum of the earth. He's chaotic, deceitful, childish—"

Gakushuu pauses, realizing the terrible mistake he just made.

"Is that so?" Gakuhou asks, and this time Gakushuu can clearly make out the smugness in his voice. "Well, give my best regards to Karma, then, won't you? I look forward to hearing all about your adventures together next time you're home."

Gakushuu grits his teeth. He's moving on. Roll with it. There will be hell to pay later, but that's a problem for future Gakushuu. For now, he just has to get through this conversation without losing his mind.

"...Is that it?" he asks, voice full of suspicion. "You're not going to comment on my abysmal performance in the exams?"

"Not at all," Gakuhou responds, an all-knowing smile in his voice. "It would seem the situation is already under control. And I trust you intend to make up for it in the second term?"

Gakushuu's eye twitches. Is he truly this easy to read? "Naturally," he responds through gritted teeth.

"An onsen, you say..." Gakuhou muses, voice thoughtful. "I've always found the punching bag to be more than sufficient, but I might have to give one a try myself one of these days. Give my regards to Akabane-kun for that brilliant idea as well, would you? Of course, you're free to try my method as well, should the trip turn out to be insufficient."

Diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. Hook, line and sinker. Gakushuu feels lightheaded.

"My eternal thanks for the sage counsel," he says, projecting enough sarcasm to drown a fish.

"Any time. And Gakushuu?" There is a sound of porcelain clinking.

"Yes?"

"You're strong, but as you've noticed much younger than I did, that might not always be enough. That is where friends come in, and I'm so very glad to see there are people who care about you. Don't be afraid to lean on them when you need to."

Gakushuu's heart skips a beat. He opens his mouth to respond, but has no idea what to say. "...Yes, Father," is what he settles on.

"But I should let you get back to your fun," Gakuhou continues, voice light and teasing. "Wouldn't want to keep the scum of the earth waiting."

"Father," Gakushuu warns, but Asano senior is already on a roll.

"Oh, and I'm sure I don't need to remind you about the importance of protection regardless of gender, but—"

Gakushuu almost cracks his screen with the amount of force he uses to hang up. Nope, not doing this. Not now, not ever.

Chapter Text

"Hm?" Karasuma rears his head as he spies a boy with familiar fiery red hair at the far table. "Isn't that..?"

Irina follows his gaze. "Oh, no."

Welp, they saw me. And Gakushuu will be here any minute. Here we go, then.

"Karasuma-sensei! Bitch-sensei! Over here!" Karma innocently calls out, making sure everyone around hears him. The other patrons turn to look at him, then at the obvious foreigner responding to the obscene moniker, before shrugging and returning to their own conversations.

Irina looks like she's about to cry. "I thought I was free of this."

They walk over to Karma's table, the seething Irina still clinging to Karasuma's arm. Aside from handling everything related to the prize money, neither of them have seen any of their former students since graduation, so this is a bit of a surprise.

"Karma Akabane. It's been a while," Karasuma greets in his usual deadpan tone, but with a smile.

"Seriously, can we drop the Bitch-sensei thing already?" Irina says, exasperated. "I'm not even a teacher anymore."

"Yeah... don't think that one's ever going away," Karma shrugs. "So what's up with you two? Honeymoon?"

Irina's mouth drops open and she pulls away from Karasuma, face turning red. Karasuma's expression remains unchanged. "Just relaxing for the weekend," he answers calmly. "Irina just got settled in at the ministry."

"What about you, huh?" Irina recovers, crossing her arms. "People don't usually come to a place like this by themselves. The bad boy wouldn't happen to have gotten himself a girlfriend, would he? And dumped, too, by the looks of it," she teases, thinking she's got the situation figured out.

Karma tilts his head. "Mm, you might wanna sit down for this one."

Hide it. Do not let them know you like him.

"So yeah, Number Two's in our room doing his beauty ritual or whatever. Didn't feel like waiting around but I'm sure he'll show up eventually," Karma says, casually sipping his strawberry milk.

Karasuma and Irina stare at him, blinking. Then Irina speaks up. "Wasn't the principal's son kind of a di— hey!" she exclaims as Karasuma gently elbows her in the side.

"Oh yeah, dude's a total dick," Karma replies not missing a beat. Karasuma facepalms. "But he's tolerable, I guess," the boy shrugs.

No lies there.

"Moving on..." Karasuma interjects, trying to keep the defamation to a minimum. "How have you been doing, Karma?"

Karma takes a look at Karasuma's expression. It's a mundane question, but he can't quite tell if the former teacher's got his troubles figured out or not. He decides to play it safe.

"I'm alright," he says. "A little stressed with school at the moment, but that's why we're here."

Karasuma nods. "Good. It's important to take breaks every now and then. Though I know that might not sound like much coming from me."

Karma gives a small smile. "Yeah, I know. But it's good advice."

"Speaking of school, are you getting along with your new class?" Karasuma asks, clearly worried knowing his student's combative nature.

Karma makes a deliberate effort to maintain a neutral expression. "More or less. Not enough assassination for my taste, but I'll work with what I've got."

Karma feels a tinge of guilt for being so evasive with one of the few adults he genuinely respects, but nothing good would come from needlessly worrying these two. So what if he hasn't made any new friends? He doesn't need them. They're just... not his people.

"I was surprised you chose to remain at Kunugigaoka," Karasuma continues. "I know you didn't care about getting into Japan's top schools, but I thought you'd want to get away from the place after everything that happened."

The conversation is headed to a dangerous direction, but Irina interjects before Karma can come up with a suitably vague response. "Curious, indeed," she says, spying her opportunity to circle back to the previous topic. "So, you're roommates with Asano-kun. You two are close, then?" she asks, leaning forward with a mischievous grin.

"We're acquainted," Karma responds absentmindedly, getting tired of the interrogation. Then he switches gears. "What about you two, hm? Is the wedding date set yet?"

Irina is taken aback, while Karasuma actually seems amused by the other two's back-and-forth. He knows Karma well enough to realize that he's actively trying to change the subject and is probably not being entirely open with them, but he's also not getting any alarming signals from the boy, so he lets it slide.

Oh, here we go. Pandemonium time.

Irina looks like she's about to say something, but is cut off when Karma shifts his attention and gives an upward nod over her shoulder. The teachers turn to see a slightly puzzled Gakushuu Asano making his way through the dining room, walking up to Karma sitting with two strangers. Then he gets a better look at them and his eyes widen in recognition.

"Oh, aren't you two...?"

"Karasuma and Bitch-sensei, Gakushuu Asano. Asano, Karasuma and Bitch-sensei. Though I'm sure you've seen each other around," Karma half-assedly introduces them, waving his hand dismissively.

Gakushuu takes a second to recover from whatever Karma just called this dignified lady, notes that the redhead referred to him by his last name, nods, then finally turns to the two adults. "Karasuma-sensei. Jelavić-sensei. It's a pleasure to see you again," he says, bowing politely.

Kiss-ass. Know-it-all.

All of Irina's preconceptions are washed away in an instant. "I like this one," she says, beaming at Gakushuu. "At least someone here has some manners."

Gakushuu looks a little confused, but nods nonetheless. "Why, of course. You're teachers, even if you weren't in charge of my class."

The concept of a student showing her respect is so foreign to Irina that she doesn't know how to respond. "The pleasure is all ours," Karasuma says, smiling slightly. "Your father did a lot for us when we were in charge of Class 3-E."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Karma interjects, never one for pleasantries. "Just sit down already. Tonight we dine in hell and all that."

Gakushuu looks at him, then at the two teachers, then back at Karma. "I... see. Well, then, if you don't mind..." he says, taking a seat next to Karma.

The proprietors bring over their food, and the four of them dig in. The conversation begins light, with the teachers asking Karma and Gakushuu about their studies and future plans. The teens look at each other and collectively decide not to open up about the horrific midterms, so they focus on the latter.

"Business administration, most likely," Gakushuu says. "I'm currently looking at MIT, but I'm sure there are other viable options as well."

"Oh? You're not going to follow in your father's footsteps and go into education?" Irina inquires.

Gakushuu shakes his head. "No, I don't think so. It's a respectable profession, but not where my interests lie."

Karma nods. "Not enough bossing people around for you. Sounds about right."

Gakushuu gives him a look, but doesn't bother denying it. Irina chuckles. "Isn't that pretty close to what you were planning to study, Karma?"

Karma shrugs. "Sure, but our career paths are completely different. I'm headed for public service, while Asano here wants to get rich and powerful in the private sector. And hey, I'm sure he will," he says, giving Gakushuu a thumbs up.

Gakushuu would take the compliment, but he knows better.

"I'm just going to fine him to the ground when he inevitably screws over his workers, customers and/or the environment."

"Bold of you to assume I'd get caught," Gakushuu deadpans under his breath, taking a sip of his drink.

Karasuma and Irina exchange a glance and a smile. Some might mistake the atmosphere for tense, but the two rivals actually seem to be enjoying themselves.

"And it's not about the money," Gakushuu continues. (Not denying the power, though, Karma observes.) "Personal computers, software, factory automation... private business is how you make a difference in the world. How you make it more efficient, more productive, and ultimately better for everyone."

"Until you cause a global economic collapse," Karma interjects. "Dot-com bubble, Lehman Brothers..."

Gakushuu rolls his eyes. "Some amount of regulation is necessary, yes," he acknowledges.

Karasuma feels a sense of pride seeing the teenagers so well-versed in their interests. Irina, however, is getting bored. "Anyway..." she says, leaning forward. "So, on the topic of you two. Exactly how far have you gotten?"

Karasuma raises an eyebrow. Gakushuu chokes in his drink. Karma takes immense pleasure in this. "I beg your pardon?" Gakushuu asks, looking at Irina in disbelief.

"Your studies, of course. What else would I be talking about?"

Gakushuu looks at Karma, who is doing an admirable job of keeping a straight face. "Well, I have, of course, began preparing for college admissions," he says, trying to sound composed. "Though it's just the first year of high school, so there's still a lot of time left."

"Imagine moving halfway across the world just to kiss some tech titan ass," Karma remarks. "Todai's* right here, you know."

"Have fun with their entrance exams," Gakushuu replies dryly. "American universities have more holistic admissions policies – and I'm done with my existing accomplishments being downplayed."

Good for you, Karma thinks, but keeps to himself.

"Oh, I'm sure both of you overachievers will be just fine," Irina says, smiling. "Did you know young Karma here was the third best kisser in our class? Graded by yours truly!"

Karasuma buries his face in his hands. Gakushuu's eyes widen to comical proportions. Karma spits out his drink.

And the night is off to a great start.

Chapter Text

So much for relaxation. That woman is a menace.

Is what both Karma and Gakushuu are thinking as they crawl back into their room later that night, exhausted from the surprise interrogation.

Gakushuu sits down next to his futon with a sigh, leaning against the wall. "That was... something," he says, staring into nothingness.

Karma's face is against the table. "I think I need a drink," he mumbles.

Irina had been relentless. What are you supposed to say when someone's decided you're dating your crush who you've determined you have no chance with? Then they proceed to grill you about the details of your nonexistent but very much hoped-for relationship?

The balancing act of fielding increasingly personal questions while not giving away their feelings for each other had taken its toll on both of them. Karasuma had earned the boys' eternal gratitude by deciding it was time for the adults to retire for the night after Irina had tried to test Gakushuu on his pronunciation of "you are incredible in bed" ("just in case it comes in handy").

Karasuma had also discreetly grabbed Karma's shoulder upon leaving and given him an obvious "I'm glad you're doing alright" look, making the boy feel strangely warm and fuzzy inside, but we don't need to get into that right now.

Despite being drained of social energy, it's still not quite late enough for them to go to bed. Karma rummages through his bag and pulls out a game console. Gakushuu raises an inquisitive eyebrow. "Oh," Karma looks at him, then the console, then back to him. "I kinda forgot to bring the other one. My bad."

Gakushuu shrugs and shifts a little so he's leaning against the windowsill, propping his head up with one hand. There's a beautiful view of the Japanese garden leading to the baths outside. He zones out for a moment, appreciating the peaceful scenery.

...

I really should be doing something productive right now.

Karma takes a break after trouncing someone online and glances over at Gakushuu, who is restlessly tapping his fingers on the windowsill.

Sigh.

He thinks for a moment, then opens his mouth, pretending to still be playing.

"Explain the difference between equity and bonds."

Gakushuu turns his head with an expression that is equal parts "Huh?", "Is that supposed to be difficult?" and "Order me around again, see what happens."

"Or you can keep practicing finger drumming if you prefer," Karma adds without looking up.

Gakushuu narrows his eyes. "Equity is ownership in a company, while bonds are borrowed money that must be paid back with interest. Equity holders, or stock owners, generally receive dividends and have voting rights in the company, while bondholders, or debtors, receive fixed interest payments and have priority over equity holders in the event of liquidation. This is why equity is considered a riskier–"

"Got it, got it," Karma interrupts, waving his hand dismissively. "Full marks. Next."

Gakushuu eyes him suspiciously. "What are you up to?"

Karma pretends to pause the game. "Nothing. I said we could study together, didn't I? Unless you'd rather keep torturing yourself."

Gakushuu eyes him for a moment longer, then sighs and turns around to face his rival. "Fine. Is there stakes?"

"Is there?" Karma returns the question, putting the console down. "I'm fine with bragging rights, but up to you."

Gakushuu smirks. "Bragging rights it is." Let's see here...

"Three main drivers of economic growth."

"Human capital, physical capital, and productivity," Karma recites. "A company can grow by hiring more workers, building a new factory or getting better tools that increase output per worker."

Gakushuu is unimpressed. "...And?"

Karma looks at him, slightly annoyed. "What do you want, an essay? Physical investments take time and money and are hard to adjust in the short term, while workers can be hired or fired on demand. Human capital also includes education and training, which can improve worker efficiency over time. But the largest driver is the growth of productivity as a consequence of technological innovation and–"

Gakushuu interrupts him by holding up a hand. "...Adequate. Next."

Karma's eye twitches. This guy...

"Ways to mitigate negative externalities."

"Public or private?"

"Both."

They go back and forth like this for a while, the innocent quiz session gradually devolving into a dick-measuring contest on who can out-econ the other.

Despite much of their relationship revolving around it, it's the first time they've ever really done any studying together. Both are surprised to find just how much the other knows about their shared interest. Most of the questions are way beyond what's covered in high school, but still, neither one manages to stump the other for a long time.

Until...

"What is the Nash equilibrium for a monopolistically competitive market?" Gakushuu fires. The color drains from Karma's face.

...

"Fuck if I know."

Smug. Adjective. A condition of excessive self-satisfaction. Often accompanied by a subtle smirk, an air of superiority, and the unshakable belief that one's minor triumph is in fact a grand victory.

See also: Gakushuu's face.

so me and Sugaya-kun have been working on a manga
anyone want to give it a read and some feedback?
Yuzuki Fuwa [10:16 PM]

sssh
don't
Sousuke Sugaya [10:16 PM]

shush yourself
the world needs to see my masterpiece
Yuzuki Fuwa [10:17 PM]

uhh sure
Hiroto Maehara [10:17 PM]

sounds fun! what's it about?
Touka Yada [10:17 PM]

...
Sousuke Sugaya [10:18 PM]

it's a BL about two rivals in high school
they're always fighting and bickering but like
they're also super in love?? with each other??
but they won't admit it
so they're just pining and being all tsundere and stuff
they're such losers and it's hilarious
Yuzuki Fuwa [10:19 PM]

im out
Hiroto Maehara [10:19 PM]

im in
Touka Yada [10:19 PM]

...
what the fuck fuwa
Karma Akabane [10:20 PM]

Umm...
I mean, I guess I can take a look..?
Nagisa Shiota [10:21 PM]

bro sugaya how did she rope you into this
Hiroto Maehara [10:22 PM]

hey man, you gotta start somewhere
the artist life is rough
Sousuke Sugaya [10:22 PM]

Chapter Text

Drugs. In bloodstream. Now.

A boy crashes shoulder first into a dorm room door, leaning against it to catch his breath. He fiddles with the lock for an embarrassingly long amount of time before finally managing to get it open. He stumbles inside and immediately grabs a painkiller from the medicine cabinet, swallowing it dry.

I swear, if I hear one more word about how perfect Ren's new girlfriend is, I'm going to off myself and then him. In that order. Maybe her, too.

Newsflash: Gakushuu Asano becomes highly irritable when he has a headache. He had had to come up with an excuse for cutting the Big Five's late night study session short because he's Gakushuu Asano and incapable of admitting he needs a break.

He begins making his way to open the window for some fresh air, but is interrupted by a particularly sharp jolt of pain that makes him wince and stop in the middle of the room. He becomes disoriented and decides the best course of action is to wobble straight to bed.

Gakushuu is no stranger to stress-induced headaches that can usually be easily medicated away, but this one is exceptionally bad. He collapses into bed, sweaty and flushed, and manages to undo his tie before giving up on the rest of his clothes. He lies there, staring at the ceiling, trying to think of anything but the constant throbbing in his head.

It is only now that he registers he is alone in the room. Good thing, too, because he does not have the energy for any more human interaction today. Where is Karma at this hour, anyway? Ah. Probably stealing snacks from the cafeteria. The cafeteria... that's where they cook the books. Make them into burgers... ish good for studying. I shhould get some. I have to study. Have to... get up. I... have to... to...

hey @Koutarou Takebayashi @Manami Okuda @Ritsu what do you do when someone's boiling their brain out? cold rag on forehead, right?
Karma Akabane [10:34 PM]

what
Kaede Kayano [10:34 PM]

Umm... from the context clues, I'm guessing said someone has a fever?
Ritsu [10:35 PM]

yes
Karma Akabane [10:35 PM]

Ensure sufficient hydration and rest. Aspirin, ibuprofen or paracetamol all work for pain relief.
Koutarou Takebayashi [10:36 PM]

Is this about Asano?
Koutarou Takebayashi [10:36 PM]

yes
he's asleep
Karma Akabane [10:36 PM]

Then let him sleep.
Koutarou Takebayashi [10:36 PM]

You may indeed make him comfortable with a cool, damp cloth on his forehead. Also make sure he's not too hot or too cold.
Ritsu [10:37 PM]

will do
Karma Akabane [10:37 PM]

Chicken soup has plenty of nutrients and is easy to digest
Hara Sumire [10:42 PM]

ooh, yeah! we do that in the movies all the time!
Kaede Kayano [10:43 PM]

Oh no I'm sorry I was sleeping!
Umm... all of that looks like good advice. Remember not to overdose on medicine, as that can cause more harm than good!
Manami Okuda [7:01 AM]

No... I can't wake up yet. I have to solve this problem. This is super important and I'm so close. I just need to... focus. I can't let it go. I'm almost done... I have to...

"Nngh..."

Gakushuu groans as he wakes from a delirious fever dream. He feels like he's been run over by a truck, but at least the headache isn't as bad anymore. Must be because of the cold on his forehead.

What was that math problem he was trying to solve? It was the most important thing in the world, but now he can't remember anything about it.

Wait. What math problem? It was a goddamn dream. Sigh.

...

Cold on his forehead?

Gakushuu reaches up to feel it and finds a wet towel there. He listens and with the magic of oversensitivity can just barely make out the sound of quiet breathing near the foot of his bed, as if someone is being extra careful not to wake him. He must have been making noises in his sleep.

"...What time is it?" he groggily asks without opening his eyes.

Karma glances at his phone, sitting at the desk next to Gakushuu's bed. "9:30."

Another groan.

.

.

.

"You should be in class," Gakushuu says, voice raspy.

"I am," Karma responds, not looking up from his textbook. "...You're not gonna bounce out of bed screaming you're late and go collapse in the hallway? I was prepared to tackle you," he adds after a moment.

"I'm workaholic, not stupid," Gakushuu replies dryly, still lying with his eyes closed. "I'm obviously in no condition for school, nor am I planning on getting anyone else sick."

"Just me, then. Fair enough."

"If it's fatal, at least I'm taking you down with me," Gakushuu quips, slowly sitting up and taking the towel off his face. He notices a few of the buttons on his shirt are undone. He also doesn't remember pulling the blanket over his legs or taking off his shoes.

...

"How are you feeling?" Karma asks, voice soft.

"Like shit," Gakushuu answers, rubbing his eyes. "...But could be worse, I suppose," he adds, looking at the towel in his lap.

"There's some water and medicine on the nightstand," Karma says as he gets up and stretches. "I'm gonna go grab you something to eat. Won't be long."

Gakushuu blinks, then looks down again. "...Thanks," he says, voice barely above a whisper. Karma gives a neutral hum and leaves the room.

Gakushuu glances at the desk next to his bed that Karma had been sitting at. Then a horrible realization hits him.

That's not my desk.

That's Karma's desk.

So when the room started spinning and I climbed into the nearest bed...

Gakushuu feels like crawling into a hole and never coming out again.

Japan has its problems. Natural disasters are a common occurrence. The culture drives people to work themselves until they drop and the abysmal birthrate is only going to make matters worse. Educational pressure is intense and bullying is a serious issue.

It is by no means a perfect country.

But it is a country where you can grab soup from the nearest vending machine any time of the day, so there's that, Karma appreciates as he walks towards the cafeteria's empty food counter with a can of liquid nourishment in hand. He swipes a tray, a bowl and some utensils without the staff noticing (something he has become quite proficient at) in order to make the process of ensuring Gakushuu's sustenance just that much easier. Then he begins making his way to a microwave in the first floor communal lounge.

He must've realized by now, Karma thinks. He had been ready to give Gakushuu the mockery of a lifetime when he had found the boy passed out in the wrong bed last night. Good thing he had sensed something was wrong and checked his temperature before tossing the patient out on the floor.

He's still going to let Gakushuu have it, though. Obviously. Just... time and place.

Karma grabs the hot soup from the microwave, pours it into a bowl, and heads for the elevator at the other end of the hallway.

I'm not gonna mention it. He's probably crawled into his own bed by now. We're going to pretend this never happened and move on.

For now.

The redhead is lost in thought, not paying much attention to his surroundings. Not that there's much to pay attention to in an empty hallway when everyone else is in class.

Just what is today's plan, anyway? Ace-kun's stuck in bed and I'm stuck babysitting him. Gonna be a long day.

Of course, Gakushuu never asked Karma to play nurse for him, nor would he ever. But that doesn't matter. Karma knows how much it sucks being sick and on your own with no one to care for you. He's going to look after Gakushuu until he's better whether the guy likes it or not.

Guess I should spend the day studying, then. Wonder if he's feeling good enough for some of that quiz shit. ...No, he'd take it as a challenge and force himself to perform even if he was about to bite it. Think I'll just—

The tray.

Goes flying.

Huh?

And whatever goes up must come down. A loud crash echoes as the bowl shatters, spilling soup everywhere.

Karma's reflexes save him from eating the floor, but he still ends up on his hands and knees. He turns around to see what he had tripped over.

No. He already knows it's not a what.

"Aww, did you drop something? How unfortunate," an unkind voice says from behind him.

Karma looks up to see a tall, brawny student with a buzz cut and a smug expression, leg extended for him to fall over. It's Sakoda, the upperclassman who had confronted him earlier that year. The jerk had been lying in wait behind an intersection.

"You really should watch where you're going," Sakoda continues. "Aren't you supposed to show respect to your senpai? Apologize for making a mess."

Sigh.

Karma gets up and takes a look at Gakushuu's meal on the floor. Then he begins approaching the taller boy without a word, expression unreadable.

Sakoda smirks. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" he taunts, practically begging for a fight.

The thing is, Sakoda is a bully. He's used to starting fights, and he's used to winning them. Unfortunately for him, most of the time all he has to do is look intimidating enough for the fight to end before it even begins. He's used to preying on people who are smaller and weaker than him, meaning that he rarely has to actually throw a punch, let alone receive one.

Which is why by the time Karma reaches him and the meathead's instincts inform him he is in grave danger, it is already too late.

Without warning, Karma backhands him across the chin with a loud smack, sending him staggering against the wall. The redhead follows up with an unnaturally strong punch that sinks into the midsection of the bigger teen, making spit fly from his mouth as his eyes bug out and he doubles over in agony.

There is no fight. There is no brawl. What follows is an execution.

Karma grabs Sakoda and begins ramming his knee into the brute's gut again and again and again, each strike forcing more air out of his lungs. Sakoda tries to say something, but all that comes out are pitiful wheezes.

It's not anger that Karma is feeling, nor is it even a desire for retribution. All he feels is cold, clinical detachment as he deals with the pest keeping him from focusing on the one thing that matters right now: his sick friend's well-being.

Sakoda, for his part, can't believe what is happening. How is this totally average-looking kid putting so much power into these kicks? Why can't he breathe? Each strike is delivered with such surgical precision to make it feel like his abs are being shredded apart, not to mention the lack of oxygen to his brain making it difficult to hold on to consciousness.

All he can think about is how much it hurts. That, and how thoroughly he's being dominated by someone he thought was weaker than him. It's humiliating. It's unbearable.

After what feels like an eternity, Karma finally stops and lets go, allowing the bully to collapse to the floor in a trembling heap.

Karma stands over him, emotionless. He glances once more at the mess on the floor, then back at the whimpering Sakoda.

"Clean this up" is all he says before walking away.

Gakushuu is on his phone, going through the day's schedule to make a mental note of everything he has to catch up on later. The headache is being held at bay by the medicine, but he still feels weak and tired. He's managed to go to the bathroom and change into some clean clothes without incident and is now lying back in bed, propped up by pillows.

"DoorBash! Food delivery!" Karma cheerfully calls out as he returns, carrying a new tray with a new bowl of soup.

Gakushuu stifles a chuckle. "Delivery time needs improvement. No tip for you."

"There was another order before yours. Had to take out the garbage."

Gakushuu furrows his brow in confusion, eyes darting between the two almost full trash cans in the room. He decides he doesn't want to know.

He also notices Karma giving him an inquisitive look, but turning away without saying anything when their eyes meet.

"Yes, I'm aware I'm in your bed," Gakushuu says, not caring enough to get embarrassed right now. "We can switch back once I'm better. Unless you prefer sleeping in a cesspool of my sweat and germs."

"Fair enough," Karma says and sets the tray down on the nightstand. "...Need me to feed you?"

"If you have a death wish," the grumpy patient replies, picks up the spoon, and begins eating. Karma chuckles and moves to sit at the desk after making sure Gakushuu's not just putting on a brave face for him.

"Today's history class was about the industrial revolution," Gakushuu says in between spoonfuls. It's a statement, not a question – he's already gone over the material in advance, like always.

"Mm-hmm," Karma replies.

"And you read through the chapter?"

"Yup."

"Good. Summarize how the circumstances in Britain were conducive to the beginning of industrialization at the time, comparing it to Japan in the same period."

Karma smiles. He'll be alright.

A boy crashes shoulder first into a dorm room door, leaning against it to catch his breath. He fiddles with the lock for an embarrassingly long amount of time before finally managing to get it open. He stumbles inside and immediately grabs a painkiller from the medicine cabinet, swallowing it dry.

"Say, are we gonna do something fun today or what?" another boy asks from inside the room. "Skipping class is boring if all we do is waste away in the— holy Jesus fuck, what happened to you!?"

Sakoda is leaning against the wall, clutching his stomach, looking like he's about to pass out. His face is sweaty and pale, and his eyes are narrowed in pain.

"Karma Akabane is a dead man..!"