Reunion

Chapter 1

Karma Akabane was bored.

The night was young and crisp, and he was in no mood to go to his empty home yet. This had been the second glass of whiskey for tonight, and as much as he wanted to drink to senselessness, he couldn't afford to go all out, not after the break-up he had with his girlfriend of the month.

He just received a message on his phone, bearing the unfeeling words 'We are not working out. Let's just end this,' which he replied with equally unaffected and bland response.

'Ok.'

And that's it; they were all over.

This had been his romantic routine for months. It would all start with a small chat on the bar, go on a date or two, then the girls would find Karma obnoxious and nasty and violent, and they'd be disappointed. Otherwise, they would think Karma's traits were cute and unique and they would fall, but for some reason it would be Karma's turn to feel bored and disappointed with their company.

Girls were pretty hard to please and difficult to spell. Now she wanted this, later she wanted not. They were demanding: they needed your time, attention, understanding, money, tolerance for their mood swings, explanation for every single thing, mandatory texts and calls even if there wasn't really anything to talk about, surprises and something new on your dates: the list goes forever. As lethargic as Karma was, he couldn't keep up with it. And once he realized it, he'd figure he wasn't really in love. So might as well end it all and get it over with.

Oh, right. Love. How would one know if love struck him or her, anyway? He could care less as of now. All he knew was he was dead bored and he wanted something or someone to relieve that boredom, be it another girl for the night or a knucklehead to mess with.

And it seemed somebody up there heard his heed when an entertainment in a form of a familiar man stepped inside the bar, suit and tie and all, looking as an impeccably gentleman and CEO as ever.

'Great—if it isn't Gakushuu Asano!'

Karma's eyes followed as the figure knowingly went straight into the counter and waived at the bartender for a drink. Strawberry hair cleanly cut, more pronounced jaw and taut poise, broader shoulder and amethyst eyes piercing more than ever. He could tell some muscles lay beneath that black blazer and blue tie, too.

Really, once an ace, always an ace. Asano was just an image of almost perfection of a successful man every woman must be dreaming of.

Karma excitedly jumped from his stool, grabbing his whiskey as he went. With all the air and casualness of a delinquent, he sat next to the source of his amusement for the night.

Asano's drink just came when Karma decided to break the ice.

"Yo, Asano-kun."

Glass nearly touching Gakushuu's lips, he turned to the side only to meet the eyes of a person he wanted to run into on his free time last.

"Akabane."

"Nice. You still remember me."

"I don't happen to have a haywire mindset of a delinquent unlike you: I do remember."

"So do that three points on our final exams on junior high, I guess?"

"Still reliving that glorious points after all these years, I see."

"Pretty an achievement for a mere delinquent to just forget, you know. It's not everyone can beat the number one just like that. So, when have you returned to Japan?"

Gakushuu raised a brow. "When does it become your business?"

"I'm just trying to get into a talk with you, Asano-kun. It's been years since the last time we see each other. You're quite hostile for such a timely reunion, don't you think?"