homewrecked?
"And what if Asano finds out?"
"You're afraid of him," you teased.
"That daddy's boy? No way." He smiled as well.
"Besides, we're just having fun, as classmates," you said, brushing off the fact that the two of you were spending time together. "Don't get any ideas." You gave him a playful wink.
"As if," Karma replied casually.
At least, that's what he pretended.
The truth was, he couldn't help but see you as a bright light in his life.
"I just don't want that jerk getting the wrong idea," he added, trying to justify himself.
It was better to draw a line and not cross it, especially if it meant ruining the friendship they had.
Karma should have held your hand tighter when you insisted on stopping by a convenience store, excited to finally get a break from your latest team project.
Instead, he let go as soon as you reached the store, and you continued down the aisles, practically skipping with excitement.
Why?
Why hadn't he kept holding your soft, little hand?
Why hadn't he grabbed it and dragged you somewhere no one could find the two of you, somewhere he could finally tell you everything he felt?
He was tired of pretending it was just a small understanding between the two of you.
It wasn't just good chemistry.
He didn't want to be just your friend...
It had taken him a long time to realize it.
But by the time he did, it was already too late.
Karma still found himself dreaming about the possibility of the two of you being together.
A world where he had gotten to you before Asano. Where he had put aside his fear, his embarrassment, even his ego, and confessed his feelings.
A world where you accepted with a shy, blushing smile, and he teased you for how adorable you looked.
Only for you to lightly kick his leg or punch his arm in protest, failing miserably to hurt him.
A world where he truly appreciated you and never judged you.
Not the way you told him Asano did.
Always trying to change you, trying to make you more like him, just as snobbish and proper.
Karma was better.
He could have been better.
He would joke around with you and lovingly memorize every outfit you wore, even when none of it matched.
He wouldn't judge your taste in food, your addiction to sweets, the way you talked, or how quickly your words tumbled out whenever you got excited.
He would simply keep those things in his memory with a smile.
"So I press this one?" you asked, still confused as you tried to use Karma's Game Boy.
"Yeah, and the button in the middle," Karma advised, still focused on his workbook.
Or at least trying to focus with you around.
"Wait, I think I've got it."
A small smile appeared on your face as you spoke again.
He glanced at you, noticing the concentration you were trying so hard to maintain and the little worried expressions that crossed your face every time your character was about to die.
Then suddenly, you smiled brightly and shouted in excitement.
"I did it! I beat level one!"
Karma couldn't help smiling along with you at your small victory.
He bit his tongue to stop himself from mentioning how long it had taken you to finish the first level and the many—seriously, many—times you had died before finally clearing it.
He was happy for you.
Seeing your smile was enough.
The school trip had been long, especially the boat ride they had taken to reach the island.
But Karma hadn't minded.
Unlike most of his classmates, he never felt bored.
Not when he had spent the entire trip talking to you.
Listening to you ramble about ridiculous or obscure movies you had watched.
Or when you listened to him talk about video games and some of the best pranks he had pulled on the stuck-up students from the main campus.
For him, it hadn't been a long or boring trip at all.
With you around, he hadn't even noticed the time passing.
Even when you eventually fell asleep on his shoulder from exhaustion, he simply adjusted his position and let you rest.
The entire trip, the two of you stayed together.
Even during their crazy teacher's plans to pair everyone up.
And Karma hadn't been able to leave your side for a second, not after you had nearly died because of the virus that had infected most of Class E.
The two of you had fun together.
You had even dragged him to the beach to watch the sunset.
God, you were killing him.
He was better.
Much better than Asano.
The better choice.
Maybe even the best one.
But he never found the courage to tell you.
He never found the courage to risk your friendship.
And he certainly never found the courage to come between you and Asano.
He saw you cry.
He watched you fall apart because of heartbreak.
He saw the fights and arguments you had with Asano, who kept trying to convince you to leave Class E, even though you loved your class.
The threats to break up with you if you didn't adapt to his way of thinking.
Karma wanted to do something.
He wanted to tell you that you didn't need Asano.
That he could make you happier.
And once again, he didn't have the courage.
He didn't want to make himself vulnerable.
He didn't want to face your rejection.
So instead, he did what he always did.
He cracked a joke.
And somehow, even in the middle of your sadness, he managed to make you smile.
The entire class was well aware of the chemistry between Karma and _____.
One by one, they all tried to give them a little push in the right direction.
Every single attempt ended in failure.
Eventually, it got so bad that Koro-sensei would end up dramatically chewing on handkerchiefs in frustration whenever another matchmaking plan crashed and burned.
Well, that was true until one day things changed.
Right after vacation.
"You look grumpier than usual, _____."
Karma expected one of your clever comebacks.
Honestly, anything.
A joke about his appearance, one of the ridiculous nicknames you always gave him, one of your adorable pouts...
Instead, there was nothing.
"Come on, did something happen?" he pressed, now genuinely concerned.
"Gakushu dumped me during vacation," you spat out bitterly. "Then I saw him showing off his new girlfriend."
The entire classroom froze.
Because first of all—
Since when were you and Asano dating?!
How had nobody in Class E noticed?
How had you managed to hide it so well?
"The worst part is that he broke up with me. Him!" You crossed your arms over your desk in frustration. "It should've been me."
"Yeah, seeing his confused face would've been pretty funny. Maybe even a few tears from him," Karma said, partly trying to cheer you up by giving you a ridiculous mental image of your ex.
And then Class E finally understood.
The reason why the class delinquent—the guy who never showed fear, hesitation, or caution in anything he did—had never made a move.
Even though it was painfully obvious to everyone that Karma was in love with you.
Well.
Nothing that couldn't be fixed now.
"Children, the time has come to unite the most anticipated couple in the history of this class!" Koro-sensei dramatically announced to his students.
They waited until both of you had left.
Easy enough, considering Karma had taken you to the arcade the two of you always visited whenever you wanted to have fun.