Love Is Hard - Karma X Reader

Chapter 15

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(Karma's POV)

The cafeteria noise faded the moment I stepped outside, the crisp air slapping my face like it was trying to reset my brain. It didn’t work. The knot in my chest was still there, tight and unrelenting. I leaned against the wall, letting the shadows swallow me, dragging a hand through my hair as I stared at nothing.

What the hell was wrong with me?

This wasn’t the usual thrill I got from playing games with people. No spark, no satisfaction—just this irritating weight sitting square in my chest like it owned the place.

Rio had to run her mouth, didn’t she? Couldn’t leave well enough alone. The deal was simple. I pitched it, Y/N went along with it, end of story. Except it wasn’t. The second she said it out loud, something inside me cracked.

I was pissed, sure—but at what? Her? Rio? Myself? None of it made sense, and that only made me angrier.

Since this morning, something had been digging under my skin, sharp and relentless. Every little thing about her—her voice, her face, the way she fumbled with her words—had been on a loop in my head. And then there was Nagisa.

My fists clenched as his name crossed my mind. He went to check on her yesterday, didn’t he? Probably gave her his contact info too, all warm smiles and good intentions. Of course he did. Nagisa couldn’t help himself; it’s in his DNA to play knight-in-shining-armor. 

Damn pup

But why couldn’t he keep his distance?

The image of his hand holding hers burned in my mind, stoking something bitter and unrelenting. My nails bit into my palms as I tried to shake the thought loose. It wasn’t jealousy—I don’t do jealousy. It was... something else. Something worse.

And then there was that damn milkshake.

I thought it was a joke, a throwaway move to shut her up for five minutes so I could think. But now it was stuck in my head like an annoying song on repeat. Her voice replayed every time I closed my eyes, loud and insistent, like it was trying to tell me something I couldn’t figure out.

Exhaled sharply, shoving off the wall to pace. The restless energy coiled tighter with every step. Get it together, Karma.

This wasn’t me. I didn’t care about people—at least not like this. Hand-holding, stupid drinks, her grating voice—it was all ridiculous. I don’t get hung up on people.

Except I couldn’t stop.

And that pissed me off even more.

There was something there, just out of reach. A memory, a feeling—something sharp and vivid, like a puzzle piece that almost fit but didn’t.

Deja vu? No. This was stronger.

Frustration surged, and my fist slammed against the wall before I could stop it. The sting didn’t help; it just reminded me how close I was to snapping.

The strangest part? It felt like I’d met her before. I was certain of it. But why couldn’t I remember?

The thought alone made my head spin.

took a shaky breath, forcing my chest to calm down. Class was starting soon. I couldn’t walk in there looking like a lunatic.

But I knew this wasn’t over.

Not by a long shot.

Whatever this was—whatever she was hiding—I’d drag it out of her. I’d get her to talk.