Work Text:
Asano Gakushuu
if I must say, Karma's girlfriend is driving me insane
Ren Sakakibara
do tell
Araki Teppei
are you jealous he's advancing in life quicker than you
Ren Sakakibara
STOPPPP
Asano Gakushuu
first of all, no
second, the fact his girlfriend is in another school means she could cheat on him at any given time
Natsuhiko Koyama
#jealousy
Tomoya Seo
bro no
#overprotectivebrother
or
#OBS
Araki Teppei
that's not right
Ren Sakakibara
it means overprotective brother syndrome
Asano Gakushuu
STFU
Ren Sakakibara
oh shit
Asano Gakushuu
Ren, help me make sure his girlfriend is trustworthy
don't you know how
Ren Sakakibara
uh yeah?
test her loyalty
Asano Gakushuu
do it right now
Araki Teppei
dude no
Karma's going to kill Ren then you
Tomoya Seo
I think Asano could take him down
actually no wait I'm thinking slow
yeah no you're fucked
Asano Gakushuu
DO IT
I'll literally pay you
Ren Sakakibara
hold Karma back when I do it
he needs to be in the room because ain't no way he'll believe a word I say-
Tis but a conversation from the weekend. One that is now in action on a Monday. Man was it such a mistake to leave Ren, Karma, and Gakushuu in the same area.
Lazily dozing off during lunch, Karma let himself be immersed further and further to the desk. If a day comes he genuinely falls asleep, the class will have to abort the room and learn in a new environment. A world where they wake up the Kunugigaoka Devil during their slumber is not a world they want to live in. At that point they could count the limited days left.
"Yo," whispered Ren, "wanna do it?" Surprisingly unsurprising, he received the green light.
Just the day of the chat, Gakushuu gave his best friend his brother's girlfriend's number. As for why he has it, don't bother. School shouldn't give a student access to information that could literally be free blackmail.
Dialing, the ring irritated the poor, sleepy redhead back into reality. "Hello?" one side of the phone said.
"Is that-" Before finishing that sentence, Gakushuu held his brother back. Of course he'd know his girlfriend's voice by heart. Because, of course, that should be considered dedication. Ah, but alas, an unreasonably overprotective older brother views it as manipulation.
"Hey! This is Ren Sakakibara from junior high, remember me?"
At first, the other side of the line hesitated. Maybe wracking her brain? "Oh, yes, I remember."
Their conversation went on as Gakushuu was fighting off demons. Literally. No, Karma wasn't trying to wriggle his way out, but his goal was to get on the speaker. A part of him knows what's happening, which is why he's trying to warn her of the scheme. Of the trap.
Towards some point after explaining how he acquired Okuda's number, he asked, "Want to hang out? Like chill on a couch and-"
"I have a boyfriend."
Fumbling over a quick response, he stumbled out, "Ah but-"
Call ended.
Within seconds, Karma's phone was vibrating in his bag.
Unexpectedly, yet not pinpointed as a surprise, the redhead knocked Gakushuu in the chest with his elbow and answered. Tone ever-so biased, he lit up practically giggling. "Hi Ma-na-mi~~!"
"Hi! Okay, so, before we get astray, I want to tell you something."
"Mhm. I have undivided attention."
"You're brother's best friend is trying to hang out with me." Mid-sentence, Ren was praying. Meaningless is one way to describe it. Fending off the storm brewed up by the witches of a tragic hour-long backstory was Akabane- or Asano Karma.
His smile didn't change, but the mood and his presence soured. "Hm, is that so?"
Most of the class was shaking in their desks. Hearing the bell ring didn't help.
Almost immediately, the teacher returned yelling, "Put that phone-"
"Shut up you wrinkly hag working for the bare minimum to survive in this economy. Spend your words on preaching because at this point nobody would pay attention to a teacher rereading a curriculum for the third time as their hairline sends itself back at tenfold of the speed. Preaching gives you the chance to scam gullible grannies and I know for a fact you care more about expired ass than us students. So, I'm telling you this, shut the fuck up as I finish my call, got it?" Teachers always fold to the redhead. There is no exception at this school. "Yay!!"
Okuda chuckled, "You're funny."
"Thanks~!"
Back on track, she asked, "Since your brother's best friend tried to hit on me, are you going for his neck?"
"Nah, but I have a better idea!" Just how horrifying is that sentence in context? For Ren, all he heard was eternal suffering. "Anyways- you know those stupid questions girls give their boyfriends as a loyalty test they can't beat?"
She laughed. "You want to do those? I don't know any of the questions, but I can search them up!"
Thus she did just that. "Okay, question one: what would you do if we broke up?"
A dead silent class was an inkling away from collectively shrieking when Karma started to die of laughter.
His answer? "Trick question, that 'if' ain't happening. Why would I be planning a future where we broke up?"
Cute. Like he heard it, he smiled as he felt Okuda's grin grow with the answer. "Next, what would you do if you accidentally favorited a girl's old photo?"
"Impossible. If it isn't yours, I wouldn't favorite it."
Gakushuu's class was melting to how cute their relationship was. Maybe Gakushuu himself too..
"Don't worry, I won't get mad at you for the answers. They're meant to not have a right answer."
"Nah, an old photo means I've been digging. That wouldn't happen."
Damn, did the conversation go on. Kind as he may be to his girl, trying to take control would result in the death penalty. Nobody questioned his power. Everybody just knew. Simple knowledge: don't mess with Karma. Simpler knowledge: don't mess with or let alone question the love life of Karma and Okuda.