An office story//Karmagisa

Chapter 16.

Eventually I grew silent. My cheeks were covered in tears and it seemed there wasn't any more coming. I moved myself out of Karma's hug and violently wiped the left over tears away. Karma then grabbed me hand and stopped me. He then continued wiping away the tears for me, more gentle than me.

"So your mom living with you now...?" He asked me. I nodded. "She's basically checking up on me." Karma's face showed sadness, pity I think. It's difficult to read people when you yourself are upset. "I'm a 24 year old and I'm being checked on and controlled by my mom." I said as I choked on a non-existent sob.

"You know what?" Karma said, making me look up at him. "Your mom can't force you to come back, you're a grown up and it's not as if you signed a contract. And above that, you're living more than proper. You are providinf for yourself and you're working a job no one else managed to keep doing because damn...Irina is a bitch."

I smiled a little at that. These weren't just nice words, they were meaningfull and filled with emotions. "Nagisa you are strong, and definetly independent. If I could advice you anything it's that you should realize that and take the first step into solving this problem with your mom. You can take initiative, just like you did by asking me out."

I let out a giggle at the memory of asking him out. "I did take a big step by myself back then..." I mumbled, smiling a little out of pride. Karma's hands moved up and they cupped my face. "How about you try doing it now as well?"

His hands were soft. The coldness was a little bit of a shock, but then again my cheeks might've just been warm from crying. I couldn't help but look at his lips. It would be the perfect moment, wouldn't it.

Karma's hands moved away from my face, but I immediately got ahold of his neck and swiftly moved forwards. In a matter of second my face was near his. Only centimeters apart. I took a pause. I breathed nervously. And then we both went in for the kiss.

It was soft, smooth, and overall just fantastic. I grabbed his hair as I moved my lips in sync with him. He then grabbed my shirt as the kiss got more passionate. There was no sound around us before, and at this point it was as if our entire surrounding was gone. We weren't sitting on some stairs in the office. We were in a place far off with just the 2 of us.

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5 days later it was sunday. It was the 25th of December, meaning the party was today. And moreover, it was Karma's birthday. I stood up that morning to find my mom already awake. We prepared a nice breakfast for the 2 of us, and even though she had a lot to say I didn't talk back a lot.

I would go to the party with my friends in the evening, Karma would be there as well. They were all coming to my place first and then we'd walk there together. It wasn't that far from my apartment and no one wanted to promiss they wouldn't drink ANY alcohol at all.

My mom was going the party a bit later, together with some friends of her who lived close. It wasn't necessarily weird my mom was going to the same party, just like my boss and several people from work actually, the problem was in the fact that I still had not confronted my mom about everything. I know I promised Karma, but it just wasn't easy. When Karma and the rest were here in the evening, I needed to already have said it.

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The hours went by fast. It was 4.15 and I only had 3 quarters before my friends would come. I had already put on my fancy clothing. Black pants, a white blouse and a black suit jacket. I had my bag on my lap as I watched my mom deciding on jewellery.

"Blue or purple?" She asked me as she showed me 2 pairs of earrings. "Purple to match the dress, blue for your hair. The blue is too light though." I told her, not really showing any emotion. She took a look at the earrings in her hand. "Purple it is then." She said out loud as she put the earrings in.

They did match her dress. The dress she wore was made from a smooth, purple fabric and reached over her knees. It had short sleeves and a deep v-neck. With it she wore simple black heels.

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It was half an hour later and my mom was pacing around my apartment. She kept mumbling about looking for her bag. I knew for a fact that she left it in my room but I didn't tell her that. I was stalling time by making sure getting ready took her long. I wasn't ready to tell her. I might never be.

I was busy telling myself to just give up already when the bell rang. I looked at my phone screen, it was only 4.50 meaning someone was probably early. How great.

I stood up, yelled at my mom I'd open it. I opened the door to find Karma, neatly in a suit. In his hand he held a blue tie. "You said you didn't have a tie." He told me as he handed it to me. I let out a nervous laughter as I had an inner conflict on wether I could just close the door on him so he wouldn't find out I hadn't told my mom.

I was too late, as Karma already took the initiative to walk in himself. I closed the door behind him and looked down at the floor as he turned to me again. He moved forwards to kiss me but I stopped him with my hand. I kept my hand on his chest as we both stood there silently. "You...didn't tell her?" Karma figured. I was still looking at the ground as I nodded for him. I heard Karma sigh and deeply wanted to cry because I let him down. He probably hated me at that point. I can't even do a simple thing as tell my mother I'm dating a boy and tell her that I'm happy with my life as it is.

My mom then returned to the living room where we were also standing. "I found my purse, it was in your bedroom." She smiled at me, but stopped as she saw Karma. "Oh, hello." Was all she said.  Of course she wouldn't great him in a happy tone. "Hello." Karma greeted her back, no positive emotions either. I stood there awkwardly, not sure on what to do.

"Mrs. Shiota were you aware of the fact that Nagisa is dating someone?" Karma suddenly broke the silence. I looked at him in shock. Why would he do that? My eyes went to my mom, she seemed surprised at the sudden question, but not negative. "I mean I had a feeling when that girl, Kayano, came by." She answered.

Here we go. I couldn't tell her. Karma would probably say it for and I would just hate myself for never being able to do anything on my own. Forget me asking Karma out. Sure, the words could come out of my mouth back then, but now? Maybe I should just accept that I was going to go back to my mom and leave Karma. It would hurt less than having to live with the thought of Karma doing something so important instead of me.

But I noticed one thing: Karma wasn't sayinf anything. He looked at me. He knew I wasn't going to live with the fact that I wasn't the one who said it. Maybe all I needed was Karma to give me that courage. The look in his eyes told me to go for it. It was my moment. I was the only one who could say this.

"Mom, I'm dating Karma."

A/N: remember there is 1 more chapter (which is kinda long whoops)