Number 1 (Karma X Reader X Asano)

Ch 3: Nothing But A Fly

~To The Story~

Your escapism couldn't last as long as you wanted. A classmate of yours called you out of the blue, wondering if the science test is tomorrow or the day after. You told her that was tomorrow, and she groaned in annoyance at the answer. You would have shared her annoyance, but instead, you felt a sense of anxiety about seeing your friends tomorrow. That was your priority and not the science test.

Your classmate made sure to thank you, but whether she did or not wouldn't have mattered to you.

What will you do when you interact with your friends? Will you be able to say good morning to them like you normally would? You don't want to pretend everything was okay even if you have to put up with the fake friendship.

When you think about seeing them tomorrow, putting on fake smiles, acting as if they never talk shit about you greatly angers and hurts you. You don't think you can handle seeing them. Even if there is a small part of you that wants to forget the whole thing, forgive them and pretend to be all buddy-buddy with them again.

However, you only want to because without those friends of yours... who else do you have? Who else would you sit and eat lunch with? Who else would invite you to the movies? Who are you going to partner up with during group projects?

You could make new friends, but... what if they're all the same? What if you end up with another group and history just repeats itself?

The more you thought about it, the more you wanted to stay home from school.

"Mom," you walked into the dining room where she was working, feigning a weak movement. "I'm feeling a little sick. I shouldn't go to school tomorrow."

Your mother stops typing on her laptop. She looks at you and places a gentle hand on your forehead.

There was a quick pause. Judging by the look in her eyes, you doubt she believed you for a second but decided to humour you nonetheless by checking your temperature.

"You don't have a fever." Your mother says and goes back to typing.

"But my stomach huuuurts." You whined, trying to put on a show by hugging your stomach.

"It was probably because you ate a whole container of chocolate chip ice cream."

You winced.

Crap, she must have seen the empty container in the trash earlier. However, you were glad she didn't question why you felt the need to finish an entire container of ice cream. Because it wasn't like you to gobble down an entire family snack-size package all on your own.

You thought you could drown your sorrows with a container of chocolate ice cream.

"Just drink some tea." Your mother advises. "If you have a fever tomorrow, then you can stay home."

You sighed in defeat. How are you going to get a fever by tomorrow?

When your mother glances at you, she knows what you are thinking.

"(Y/n). I know you don't like school, but you have to understand that grades are important."

Oh, joy. This talk again.

"Your father and I want you to be able to stand on your own two feet one day. As of now, you can use as much of our money as you want. If you want to hire a tutor, go ahead. If you want to study abroad, we'll pay for everything. If you want to start your own business one day, I can help you. But you have to keep your grades up."

You sighed and nodded, slowly forgetting that you were trying to fake a stomach ache. "I know."

"We're not asking you to go to Kunugigaoka like your sister." Your mother says. It was in a loving tone, but strict. "But at least go to a good school. Okay?"