I AM BACK! SO SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG FOR THIS BUT I HONESTLY FORGOT THAT I DIDN'T POST THIS CHAPTER YET! o(╥﹏╥)o I HAD THIS CHAPTER SITTING IN MY LAPTOP FOR MONTHS!

Karma stormed angrily out of the school, his face darkened to the point where children that saw him would run away crying to their parents. Yesterday's events were not forgotten and instead of letting the anger cooled off, it was only burned brighter when he was harshly remembered about his attack on Nagisa when he saw the hard glare directed at him by Asano.

His teeth were gritted so harshly that his jaw was turning numb but he didn't care. His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles were turning white and crescent shaped wound appeared on his palms, slightly drawing out blood. His eyes were glaring harshly at anyone who dared to look his way, causing a few adults to avoid his path and a few children to cry at the sight of the 'scary man'.

Karma would not lie to himself, he was still bitter about the incident. An overwhelming betrayal washed over him when he saw his best friend refusing his help, refusing to be saved. It was soon followed by a furious blinding rage that made him attacked the teal haired teen. In his mind, he wanted to hurt Nagisa, hurt him to the point that he would finally realise that he should leave that hateful woman that he had called as his mother.

Yes, Karma was livid.

But only because he hated so much that he was helpless to his friend's suffering so long as he refused his help.

He was skipping the extra PE class that Karasuma-sensei had generously offered. He didn't give a damn about it as he walked to the familiar path to a familiar arcade. The various noise immediately assaulted his ears as soon as he stepped into the arcade. Without even thinking, his feet carried him to the sole empty shooting game that was at the furthest corner of the shop.

He held the plastic, albeit a little heavy, gun with both of his hands. The start button was worryingly slightly cracked at the intense force fueled by his anger when Karma slammed his fists on it. As if fear to invoke the devil's wrath, the machine instantly came to life and started the game.

Grotesque bloody zombies appeared on the screen but Karma didn't even bat an eye as he killed off the zombies one by one, unperturbed by the amount of blood displayed from the seemingly flawless headshots.

He directed his anger at the game, the trigger of the fake gun cracking slightly under the force of Karma's rage. Unknown to him, or maybe purposely ignoring them, a crowd started to form around him, each of them held awe and admiration as he killed the insanely difficult boss without even sweating. It wasn't long before the cheers and yells started, encouraging him to beat the onslaught of bloody zombified teddy bears but Karma ignored them all.

Realising that his frustration was not ebbing away like he hoped to, he dropped the plastic gun and let nightmare-inducing teddy bears to end his life. Shouts of disappointment were heard but Karma was vaguely amused when the name CHIBA and HANAMI were on the first and second place at the high score but it was instantly wiped away when yet again, Nagisa invaded his mind.

Leaving the now chaotic arcade, his mind took him back to the time when he confronted Asano at the rooftop after Nagisa left them there.

"Why do you care for Shiota-san that much?!" Asano spat out in pure venom. He knew he was cornered and playing dumb would only cause Karma make true of his words.

He refused to go back to that time again!

He expected Karma to answer with his usual laid back personality. He shouldn't be surprised that Karma would be dead serious when it comes to the teal haired teen. He wasn't dense enough to miss the signs that Akabane Karma was protective of Shiota Nagisa.

Yet, he was still surprised when Karma looked at him with the most serious expression he had ever seen on the mischievous teen, no humor in his eyes and no smirk adoring his lips as he said with a calm yet flat tone.

"He saved my life."

Karma still remembered the times before Nagisa had saved him.

He was still a violent delinquent when he first met the teen. At that time, he still took pleasure in hearing those worthless trash whimper in pain and agony, begging him to stop. He was already far smarter than the rest of the class, and it was not hard to guess why the school did not transfer him to Class A despite his intelligence.

His feet momentarily stopped on their own accord when he arrived in front of black spiked steel gates. Behind those huge gates was an even bigger mansion that captivated almost everyone that had a glimpse of the building. But despite its grand appearance, Karma knew only emptiness laid inside.

The sight of his own abode caused him to grimly remember the reason for his past self's actions.

Since young, he was desperate for the attention that children craved from their parents. His parents were seldom home, opting to continue their successful business overseas rather than spending time with their only child.

"Karma-kun, your mother and I are going to Italy for 2 months."

"I want to go too!"

"I'm sorry, sweetie. But your father and I are very busy people. Please understand, Karma-kun."

As he stepped foot into the dark home, Karma wondered how Nagisa, who had his own family problem, managed to pull him out of the seemingly never ending darkness.

There was a time that Karma had tried to grab their attention with his smarts, but it was futile since his intelligence was to be expected.

"Mommy! Look! I got first place!"

"Good boy, Karma-kun. By the way, I will be going to French for 5 months. So be a good boy and listen to your nanny, okay?"

"B-But they gave me tickets for the amusement park! I-I want to go together with you!"

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. Later, okay?"

Not long after, the lack of family love and warmth had turned his heart cold but the deepest corner of his heart his longed for their presences so he rebelled everything to make them notice him.

"NO! I REFUSE TO GO SUCH USELESS EVENT!"

"Karma-kun! Do not talk to your mother that way!"

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN! YOU WEREN'T EVEN THERE FOR MY PERFORMANCE THAT YOU INSISTED THAT I JOINED!"

Alas! It was once again in vain when they didn't even give him a second glance when they briefly went home to pick up some files before taking off to another foreign country. Slowly, he found sadistic pleasure in causing those ungrateful trashes pain. Ungrateful because they did not realise how their actions would only cause pain to their hopeful parents.

"YOU BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU!"

The silence of cold unwelcoming atmosphere greeted him, only occasionally broken by the echoes of his footsteps. Still lost in his sea of memories, he passed by the kitchen and went straight to his room. He flung himself onto his bed as soon as it was in sight but the train of memories continued.

By then, he was already too lost into the endless abyss of the lonely darkness. The school was wary of him, the students and teachers alike feared him. But no one touched him since he was a valuable asset to the school, as long as he only hurt those so-called 'trash of the community'.

This continued until the mid year of his first year. In midst of elite students who looked down on others inferior to them, finding someone who enjoyed comics were non-existent.

Until he met Shiota Nagisa.

The moment he laid eyes on him, Karma could only rise his eyebrows. With his long blue coloured hair (he was so sure that was against the school rules!) tied into a ponytail and his petite frame, he was bound to be the target of the lesser bullies in the class. Add to the fact he looked just like a timid harmless creature, he was practically begging them to make his life a living hell.

But somehow, he knew this androgynous boy was different than the others.

And he was not disappointed.

One day, while others were studying for an exam that was lightyears away, Nagisa was reading one of his favourite comics, Sonic Ninja. Excited beyond belief that he found someone to share his interest, he shamelessly invaded the teen's personal space and invited him to watch the movie.

He expected fear, if not a lot, then at least a little, but all he saw was the startled expression on his face, as if he couldn't believe someone was actually talking to him, before he gave him a warm smile and agreed.

It was the first time Akabane Karma felt the hollow feeling in his heart disappeared a little.

"And it's showing today?! Let's go watch it, Shiota!"

A startled face.

Then, a smile.

"Yeah."

Absent-mindedly, Karma played the anti-sensei knife between his fingers. The artificial light that lit his room would shine the knife a vibrant green colour. From his horizontal positon, he made quick jabs with the knife, pretending an invisible enemy was in front of him. Really, it was a pitiful attempt to stop these memories but just like him, the memories resisted and stayed, playing in his mind like an unwanted record.

Slowly but surely, the constant presence of a human that held no fear towards himself caused the empty hole in his chest to be filled. Nagisa was not afraid of him, something that greatly surprised him! He didn't even flinch when he had violently gotten into a fight with a group of gangster and was surrounded with broken unconscious bodies!

Unknown to Nagisa, he became the light Karma desperately needed to guide himself out of that never ending loneliness.

"Hey, Nagisa-kun."

"Hm?"

"Aren't you scared of me?"

"Of course not."

"….Why?"

A serene smile.

"Because I know Karma-kun will never hurt me."

Unknowingly, Shiota Nagisa had saved Akabane Karma from himself.

Unconsciously, his grip on the knife tightened and a dark look passed his eyes when he remembered their second year.

It was his fault from the start. He should have known Nagisa's insecurities. Should have realised his sudden cold shoulder would only reduce that little to none self-confidence in Nagisa. Should have notice the hurt and pain that he tried to ignore on his face.

All because he was scared of the seemingly timid harmless creature.

"Nagisa-kun!"

"?"

A grin that held none of the usual dark contempt.

"Happy birthday."

"E-e-eh?! H-how did you know?"

Red coloured the flustered face as he looked at the warped blue present.

"Open it!"

Cautious hands slowly opened the box, as if wanting to savour every moment.

"!"

The grin turned fond as the bewildered and slightly confused expression.

"Because I always think Nagisa-kun is only showing half of himself. One day, I'll discover all of you."

Warmth melting the last of his ice cold heart as the person who saved him hugged the present to his chest and looked at him with sheer gratitude and joy.

"Thank you, Karma-kun."

A bitter smile graced his lips as he carelessly threw the knife away.

Just like the characters in his favourite Sonic Ninja, he always wanted to be a hero, but the twisted Fate had cursed him to be the villain from the start.

Suddenly, his eyes hardened, determination clear in his expression.

He lazily rolled until he was on the edge of the bed and reached beneath his bed. After a few minutes of searching, he pulled his hand back to reveal metal knife with the same size as a regular anti-sansei knife. The knife gleamed sinisterly under the artificial light in Karma's room.

If he was the villain, so be it. He would do anything as long as the hero survived in the end.

Even if it means letting the hero kill him.

Asano Gakushu was no means a pushover.

So it was obvious that he would greatly resent Akabane Karma for playing him like a fool. But surprisingly, he did nothing to stop the delinquent from blackmailing him. If he truly wished so, he could easily think up of a counterattack against Akabane.

Surprisingly, he didn't.

He would not admit to anyone, especially to that devil, but for some unexplainable reason, he was compelled to help the fragile Shiota Nagisa. For the first time in a long time, he remembered that he really did have a heart.

Asano was broken out of his musings when his father spoke to him, his voice bounced off the silent dining room.

"Asano-kun, how is your studies?"

Asano did not give any indication of his surprise through his expression as he evenly answered. It was rare for his father to be with him during dinner, least of all asking him question he already knew the answer to. In the past, whenever there wasn't anything in particular to learn, they never held any conversation.

"Just fine, father."

His father hummed in satisfaction.

"Very good. I hope the event of the final second semester exam do not repeat again. I expect you to continue scoring the first place in high school as well and never lose to that detestable delinquent ever again."

Although his tone was smooth Asano could hear the warning threat laying underneath those words. That answer was expected but Asano was surprised to hear the lack of malicious in those words. He elegantly placed his fork and spoon side by side on his now empty plate before he answered.

"Of course, father. It won't be long until I'll even exceed you,"

Asano sent a challenging smile at his own father and in return, Director Asano sent him his. And just for a second, Asano relished the moment between them. It was rare but this was how the two of them would bond in their own twisted deranged way.

As the maids and butlers took away their empty plates and brought out the desserts for today, Asano silently mused to himself. The silence this time was not relaxing but it wasn't uncomfortable either. To Asano, compared to the usual tense silence from before, it could almost be described as comforting.

"Asano-kun, how is your classmate, Shiota Nagisa, faring?"

Asano's head snapped up in shock at the unexpected topic but the director simply continued his ice-cream parfait. Seeing the shock in his son's face, Asano Gakuho smiled in amusement.

"That boy had caused quite a commotion with his unexpected transfer and recently, his results. I have received nothing but complains about that boy, both from students and teachers. Also, it was the first time I had to approve such ridiculous request. Of course I would ask about him sooner or later," Gakuho explained casually.

He knew that his son was a smart boy and would immediately understand what request he was talking. And he was not disappointed. With the girl's uniform in mind, Asano asked the expected question,

"Why did you approve?"

Unfortunately for Asano, his father did not want to answer that question now.

"There is also another reason why I am quite concerned for the boy. You see, just the other day, I saw Shiota-san was being bullied by two students from Class D. While I do not mind them doing those actions towards Class E, Shiota-san is a member of Class A now and I do not consent low class students hurting a student from the upper class. Fortunately, the problem was quickly resolved," Gakuho casually told him.

Asano instantly remembered the day a few days before of the report two students being expelled for unknown reasons. His face remained passive and uninterested but he was mentally storing the information in his mind.

Somehow, he had a feeling Akabane has no knowledge of this information.

Asano narrowed his eyes.

"What do you want with him?" Asano asked coldly, surprising himself with the amount of venom in that sentence alone. But there is only mirth in Gakuho's eyes.

"Nothing at all, Asano-kun. Just remember not to cause any trouble when you are with the 'detestable delinquent' Akabane Karma. You are still the president of the student council and represent this school even though your graduation is getting near. I expect your plans to go on smoothly, with nothing to support that fact except the fact that you are my son."

And it was with speechless unblinking surprise on Asano Gakushu's face that Asano Gakuho left his son at the dining table alone.