Love Is Hard - Karma X Reader

Chapter 17

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Standing on the threshold were Rio, Okuda, Nagisa, and Kayano. But my  relief turned into unease, my smile freezing midway when I noticed their expressions.”

Their serious expressions made my stomach twist. The air felt heavier, like all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room. My grip on the door tightened, my knuckles white. This can’t be good. No one just shows up looking like they’ve walked out of a murder mystery.

And for some obvious reasons, the thought of okuda and karma being in the same room even with us present made my already forced smile hard to maintain.

Keep your cool, jealous me! Ugh… this feeling is the worst…

“What are you all doing here?” I asked, my voice wobbling slightly as I stepped aside to let them in.

Nagisa was the first to enter, his sharp eyes sweeping across the room as if assessing a battlefield. His shoulders seemed relaxed, but the tightness in his jaw betrayed his unease. “We need to talk,” he said, his voice calm but dead serious that made my chest tighten.

“Umm,.... Ok?”

As if sensing my growing panic, he glanced at me and offered a small, reassuring smile. It didn’t help much.

Kayano followed next, her arms crossed tightly against her chest. Her gaze flicked to me for a split second before landing on Karma, who was still lounging at the table like he owned the place. Her lips pressed into a thin line, her posture stiffening like she was bracing for a fight.

Karma noticed, of course. He always noticed. His smirk twitched into place as he leaned back in his chair, looking like he was about to deliver a punchline. “Aw, what’s with the long faces? Did someone ruin your day, or is this just how you all look when I’m around?”

Rio, on the other hand, made no effort to hide her irritation. She strode in with all the subtlety of a thunderstorm, her sharp gaze locking onto Karma like a missile. “What is he doing here again?”

Karma’s smirk widened, and he laced his fingers behind his head, oozing smug satisfaction. “Nice to see you too, Rio. Did you miss me already?”

“Miss you?” she scoffed, crossing her arms and cocking her hip to the side. “I’d miss food poisoning before I’d miss you.”

“Harsh,” Karma said, placing a hand over his heart in mock offense. “But I guess I can live with that.”

My mouth opened to say something—anything—but Rio beat me to it, her eyes darting toward me with a look that practically screamed Why are you letting him stay here?

“You’re unbelievable,” she muttered, throwing Karma one last glare before turning to me. “Is he bothering you?”

“What? No! Of course not!” I stammered, waving my hands in front of me like I could physically push away her question. The last thing I needed was them thinking I couldn’t handle Karma. “I mean, you know I like him so of course,I like being with him… even though he is a lot.”, I added, whispering so only she could hear. 

“Even if you like him, you shouldn't be so reckless y/n”, Kayano muttered under her breath, her gaze darting between Karma and me  before she sank into a chair beside Nagisa. Her fingers tapped nervously against her arm.

A slight blush crept up my neck but i forcéd it down, glancing at Nagisa who was scowling at the red head. “Why were you not picking up your phone, karma?  All of us tried to reach you but you were just not responding at all. “ Nagisa hissed, his eyes trailing down from karma to the empty plates in glasses on the table.