Work Text:
In high school, it was a simple known fact that Karma and Gakushuu were related. While it is debatable whether Karma cares for his brother, Gakushuu definitely cares for him. Overprotective older brother theme.
Ren Sakakibara
Imma pull a prank
c:
Tomoya Seo
dude no
Araki Teppei
bro I swear you're gonna get us killed
Ren Sakakibara
stfu
Asano doesn't pull out his phone during any time of school
he won't know
AND
WAIT WAIT WAIT
I'm doing it on the child
Natsuhiko Koyama
death wish
Araki Teppei
^^
Tomoya Seo
^^
Araki Teppei
bro if you make the child sad our necks are going to be hung by our leader
if you make him angry he'll just personally kill us
lose lose
Ren Sakakibara
chill bro
I brought a lighter, that's it
Natsuhiko Koyama
does science require you to be an arsonist
pranking science too
bru
Some might question what bold prank Sakakibara Ren would attempt to pull. On the greatest prankster of the school no doubt. All three that know something is about to go down sighed to their phones.
Only reason they know is because the teacher is blind and doesn't look back when ranting on and on about whatever. Again, the school fails to hire decent staff.
Seven minutes away from lunch. That's all that matters. Seven minutes before putting plans in action. To be fair, there is no real plan. Everything is naturally in place. Blame the teacher! His seats are in rows with two people to one desk as both face forward.
Ren's seat is to the right side for his desk according to the diabolical seating chart. What makes it so laughable is Karma's seat right next to his and Gakushuu in front of them. Naturally, during lunch, Gakushuu slides his chair one-eighty and brings his brother company.
With a seating as fortunate as this, Ren just has to pull off something! The key is something Karma always does at lunch: take a strawberry-flavored lollipop and keep shut to let his older brother do a shit ton of talking.
At the last minute of the period, their teacher leaves the classroom and stands outside next to the door. It's an addiction he has to catch people running in the halls to get down three flights for some food founded by the trash collectors or some shit-
During that final minute, Karma reaches for his bag. Exactly when Ren reaches for the lighter. A school year's worth of lollipops the exact same flavor are stored in a pocket meant for textbooks. People can try to get one, but only if they pay double. That being said, Karma doesn't like selling them, hence why the price is stupid.
Wrapper peeled, the boy let his heart's content enter his mouth. As soon as it was locked in place, Ren pulled the light in front of the stick. With a click, the flame was visible.
Karma instinctively recoiled in surprise. Of all people, Gakushuu's best friend did it. That click was heard loud and clear too. Enough time for necks to snap that way.
"Are you out of your FUCKING MIND?!" Gakushuu shouted so loud the teacher peaked back in. At speed made for the Olympics, he smacked Karma and yanked the stick out of his mouth. Compared to the click of a lighter, the slap could be heard from the roof.
"Asan-"
Infuriated, the perfectly composed student turned so aggravated, it literally made his younger brother start tearing up, but the floodgates didn't fall quite yet. "You- what good do you get by smoking?! On school grounds too?! Are you trying to get our classmates killed along with you?!" Boundless anger was used to lecture Karma, and though he usually walks away from serious things, he sat.
Dead still. A stillness not ready to let his emotions bite back.
All in all, the startled jump was all Ren had intended to get out. Maybe a few remarks about things he doesn't mean, but this is far out of hand. "Yo, Asan-"
"Do you have no shame? AT ALL?! What am I going to say when-"
"ASANO GAKUSHUU," Ren yelled at the rude awakening, "look at what's in your hand."
Exactly as instructed, he looked at the 'cigar' we like to call a lollipop. Suddenly, his brain caught up to his words. An overprotective surge blacked out the reasonable part of him.
Looking at Karma, he's upset. Not a single part of this is his fault, yet all of the anger was being directed towards him. Especially the slap. ..Holy shit he slapped his little brother-
From peasant to king, Gakushuu frantically apologized to Karma. The worst part? No response. Classmates around them were quite shocked. Hard feelings aren't passed between the two.
Ren Sakakibara
bro guys I'm fucked
Asano just slapped the child
Araki Teppei
THAT WAS HIM SCREAMING?
Natsuhiko Koyama
see you in the next life
Ren Sakakibara
STOP BRO
I NEED Y'ALL TO ORDER A MILKSHAKE RN
ASANO IS LITERALLY FREAKING OUT
I THINK KARMA WAS ABOUT TO CRY
Tomoya Seo
</3
YOU ORDER IT
Natsuhiko Koyama
BRO WHERE TF DO I ORDER IT FROM
AND HOW DOES HE LIKE THEM
Araki Teppei
is that shit even going to taste good after the ride
GANG IF YOU ORDER IT WON'T IT COME MELTED
Ren Sakakibara
FUCK
UH
GOT STRAWBERRIES?
Natsuhiko Koyama
BRO ASANO BRINGS STRAWBERRIES EVERY OTHER FUCKING DAY JUST FOR KARMA
YOU THINK STRAWBERRIES GON HELP?
Ren Sakakibara
FUCK
AGAIN
AHKADJSKWKWVS
BRO WTF CAN WE DO
Tomoya Seo
GET HIM A WEEK OFF SCHOOL?
Araki Teppei
HE SKIPS HALF THE SCHOOL DAYS BRO
Tomoya Seo
I'M TRYING TO HELP
Araki Teppei
YOU'RE NOT
Araki Teppei
STFU
Natsuhiko Koyama
bro just get him called home early and tomorrow buy him a game bro Idfk
Ren Sakakibara
wait
that's not bad
AS THE VICE PRESIDENT I HAVE AUTHORITTYYYYYY
TY
ew
saying ty to you feels wrong
Natsuhiko Koyama
fuck you
With an actual plan, Ren intervened the two Asano brothers. One side had a death glare and the other had nothing. "Hey, Karma, do you want to just take it easy and go home?" he suggested it, fully expecting the answer to be yes.
...
Bro fuck, Ren instantly thought, he doesn't even want to say anything at the chance of early release. Even as his leader tried to coerce him to speak, the redhead's lips barely wanted the lollipop anymore.
Eventually, Karma left the lollipop loosely in his mouth. According to them, that should be one step closer to talking this misunderstanding out. To them, of course, because according to the Child, it means it's time to face head down on the desk, arms crossed in front.
"Sakakibara Ren, you're so dead after this," Gakushuu hissed.
Defensively, Ren raised his arms, not his voice. "I wanted to scare him a little. Take some accountability! You slapped him!" His arguments were yelled gently so as to not upset the Child.
An endless game of pointing fingers wasn't broken by the bell. School bells do not sound so small and hurtful. After all, what kind of bell sounds like the soft sniffles of a person?
"Woah- hey, no need to cry," Gakushuu tried to comfort with his hands massaging his younger brother. Karma shook him off. "I'll call father."
Heart shattered, Ren internally cringed. "Dude, I hate seeing Karma cry. This hurts to see.."
Ignored, the blonde dialed his father. Lunch became the most chaotic twelve minutes ever. Eighteen more to go! By the end, Gakuhou should be here.
Ren Sakakibara
me and Asano argued and caused Karma to cry
Tomoya Seo
bro wtf
you're cruel
Araki Teppei
we fr?
Tomoya Seo
be so fr no matter how many times Karma tried to piss any of us off, he's always done it as a silly joke
now we making him cry?
wild
Ren Sakakibara
BRO STOP YOU'RE MAKING ME FEEL WORSE
I DIDN'T MEAN TO MAKE THE CHILD CRY
Tomoya Seo
WELL YA FUCKIN DID
NOW FACE THE CONSEQUENCES
Ren Sakakibara
HOW
OUR LEADER IS ALREADY CALLING THEIR DAD
Araki Teppei
discard the lighter and keep Asano's mouth shut if you want to live btw
you've likely triggered the wrath of the ex-principal
Ren Sakakibara
fuck
Natsuhiko Koyama
you're done for
that guy is no joke
Araki Teppei
we're talking about how dead he is when he didn't resolve shit
dead at the peak age </3
In the office, the two Asano brothers quietly waited for their dad to bring at least one of them home. The older of the two's face was ridden with guilt. Looking down at the seat, all he could see is Karma burying his face in his bag, red locks long enough to block his face on the trip here.
Silence broke when their dad actually did come. Quite a grand entrance for a man that always keeps perfect composure, quickly slamming the door open and pausing for a quick catch of breath.
Looking at the two, he saw the state each of them were in. "Asano Gakushuu, you're grounded," he initially said with the tone of those main characters that feel like they lost something important.
"Wha- I didn't-"
"You're grounded. No debate." Asano Gakuhou has always been one with a deadly voice. His words are his will.
Back to Karma, he's been hunched over his bag the entire time. When Gakuhou tried to comfort him, he didn't resist. A reaction would be nice, but in this case, it doesn't matter.
Gakushuu was brought along in the car. Every second made him feel more shameful. Just watching his catatonic brother be so deflated popped him as well.
At the very least, he knows how to make a good milkshake. This one will be exactly how Karma likes it. That sweet tooth that prefers less sugar- because that makes sense- will be satisfied.
Not only as an apology, but because Gakushuu could practice attention to detail. Jumping the bullet is irrational, as seen from today.