Project: Karma

13 | Mock My Love

<Nagisa>
A typical Friday and I had finish my morning classes. I headed down to the grocery store to restock back at home. I laid back on the junk when I noticed that a few acne here and there started to visit me.

"Nagisa! Is that you?!"

A shriek startled me as I was reading the labels on the milk I was grabbing.

"H-huh?"

A woman with dark maroon waves and bangs shook me repeatedly. Her eyes sparkling with joy.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten about me?!" She embraced me, giggling as I was still confused.

However, once I caught her scent. I realized that it was Kaede!

"To think that you would forget a face like this." She pinched my cheek, "long time no see."

"Y-yeah!" I nodded my head, "you look great." I complemented.

"The hair right? Yeah, I let it grow back naturally." She ran her fingers through her locks. "But look at you! Those curves are finally visible huh?" She poked at my hips and waist nonchalantly.

"H-hey. Quit it." I pouted.

"Hehe, you busy?" She grabbed my arm.

"Uh, about done." I said showing her my basket full of packages and bags.

"I'll wait." She gleamed.

"Alright."
••••••
We decided to head back to my apartment so that I could treat her to tea. She accepted and helped me carry bags back.

"Awfully bland..." She gazed around.

"Well, I don't know what to fill it with."

"Cute stuff! Girly stuff! Anything you want!" Kaede hung on my back. Like she used to back in high school.

"Anything that represents you." She added.

"I'll think about it." I nodded my head.

When I placed the tea on the table, she got comfortable and couldn't stop smiling.

"What's with that expression?" She titled her head, "not happy to see me?"

"N-no!" I choked on my tea, "it's just that I thought you hated me. For how I left you."

Kaede placed her tea cup on the table and sighed.

"Honestly, it was the worst thing you could of done. I didn't know how to contact you either. However, I'm not angry." She replied.

"Yeah, my phone kind of got destroyed at work." I confessed.

"Huh? How?"

"Well..."

I couldn't tell her that Karma was buggy and his heat generators short circuited the electronics in the dome. That and Shizuka's computer also broke down and it started to sweat.

"You know. All those hazards and all. My phone fell victim to them."

"Ah..." She nodded her head. "That explains a lot. Well? Give me your phone."

I handed Kaede my phone and she added herself as a contact and took a contact picture too.

"There, all set. Text me whenever you want.

"Thanks. I will." I replied.

Initally, I thought that Kaede would hate me after all these years. However, the saying is true under most circumstances. The ones who stay, are the ones who should be cherished. She stuck around, even if I had left her alone. I don't deserve her love.