fraternizing with the enemy (assassination classroom fanfiction)

Unsettling feeling time (edited)

Seven hours had crawled by, each minute stretching thin with dread.

"Asano?" The doctor's voice sliced through the heavy silence of the waiting room.

Karma and Ren were on their feet in an instant—so fast it might have impressed even Koro-Sensei. Their chairs scraped loudly against the floor as they moved, exchanging a brief, unreadable glance before focusing entirely on the doctor standing before them.

"H-how are they?" Ren asked, his voice cracking as the question caught in his throat.

Karma glanced at him for a moment, then back at the doctor, his gaze sharp, expectant.

The doctor hesitated, his face unreadable. "I believe it would be best if we speak privately. Please, follow me."

A tight knot of anxiety coiled in Ren's chest. Without thinking, he grabbed the back of Karma's shirt, grounding himself. Karma didn't acknowledge it. He simply gave a short nod and started walking, Ren following close behind.

The office felt small, crowded with the weight of what was to come.

"Please, sit." The doctor gestured toward the chairs, his tone soft but firm.

Karma and Ren obeyed, the door clicking shut behind them, sealing them inside. Ren's grip on Karma's shirt tightened as the air seemed to compress around them.

The doctor sat behind his desk, flipping through a file with deliberate care. The rustle of paper was the only sound for a long moment, and the silence stretched uncomfortably.
"You both are heroes," the doctor began, his words hanging strangely in the air.

The weight of them hit like a cold wave.

"If you had arrived just a few minutes later... Miss Asano would not have survived. And young Mr. Asano would have suffered permanent brain and lung damage."

The breath seemed to leave Karma in a quiet exhale. The tension that had been wound tight in his shoulders eased, but only a little.

"After extensive procedures, we can assure you they will recover physically," the doctor continued. "But mentally... that remains uncertain."

A fragile, incomplete relief flickered in Karma's chest, but it was fleeting.

The doctor steepled his fingers, his expression serious.

"However, I must ask you some questions. The extent of their injuries suggests something... deeply concerning. Where exactly did you find them?"

Karma's gaze hardened slightly as he spoke. "In their father's study. They'd been picked up from school by his chauffeur. Ayame had a bad feeling, so she... she called me. I followed. Lost the car, but I knew the house."

Ren swallowed hard beside him, his voice shaking. "We met outside. Went in together."

Karma's voice dropped, quieter now, darker. "We found them."
Ren's words broke the silence, trembling and filled with raw emotion. "It was horrifying."

The room fell silent.

"Mr...?" The doctor prodded gently, his voice soft.
"Akabane," Karma answered.

Recognition flickered in the doctor's eyes. "I see. Mr. Akabane, I have a few more questions. What is your relationship with the Asano siblings? And you mentioned a troubling history with their father?"

Karma hesitated, the weight of the question pressing against him. He looked at Ren—pale, but unwavering—and exhaled slowly.

He spoke with the weight of something long buried. "I was their childhood friend. Both of them. Until their father decided I wasn't worthy." Karma's jaw tightened, a sharp edge to his words. "Gakushuu was always kept close—couldn't leave. Ayame... she found ways." He paused, a bitter smile playing at the edges of his lips. "Recently... she became my girlfriend."