✔ Oneshot Compilation「 karmagisa 」

[1] a sign.

(A/N: if anyone's asking, this is not the final story.)

-

"I'm glad you're doing alright," I said, sighing in relief as I held his hand tightly. "Karma."

He simpered and smirked mischeivously, his mercury eyes glinting with delight as he straightened his posture, leaning on the headboard as if nothing had happened at all.

"And that's why,"

"Ouch!" I hissed in pain as the effects of him flicking his finger on my forehead started to sink in.

"You never really had anything to worry about Nagisa." Exasperated, he sighed. He lifted his free hand, patting my head lightly, his smirk breaking into a gentle smile which was very unlikely, coming from the Akabane Karma. "I'll get out soon. I promise."

I nodded gleefully. It's a relief seeing Karma in good shape although he stayed most of his time in this hospital. Two years is a really long timeline afterall. But I was willing to wait even for eternity. Because I still have promises to fulfill.

"Ne, Nagisa. I heard from Rio that you're currently working on your latest album."

"Uh huh," I replied.

After I graduated junior high, I started to look for a part-time job to support my fees so that mother won't have to work so hard anymore. Gladly, since I had quite a background in music, I was taken in a restobar to work as an entertainer. I got to sing under a four-hour shift then serve customers for another hour. Apparently, one of the regular customers was a talent scout so I was taken in for training and so on.

"I named it 'e n d' after one of my songs."

Karma brought out a recorder from his mini-cabinet and placed it in front of me. "Will you sing for me? Even if its just the chorus? Please?"

I don't know. I'm hesitating and I don't know! Why? How? What does that weary smile mean? Since when did he look so tired? We still have promises right? Will he break his promise so soon?

I cleared out my head and returned my grin.

"Tell me what I have done to make you fly

Away from the grasp you were never harmed

And although I want to hold you in my arms,

It's time to say goodbye."

On cue, my timer beeped, signalling it was time for my shift.

"Karma, you'll get out of here soon, right?" I asked. But it didn't seem like I was. It seemed like I was convincing myself. And thinking about it makes my grip on my knuckles tighten.

Once again, he smiled. "I promise!"

Slowly,

Surely,

The sound of his life is drifting away...

.

.

.

.

"Who am I kidding?" I muttered to myself, tears started falling from my eyes as I got out the building. "He was never going to get well! Nagisa, you dimwit! You bloody twat! You insensitive freak! HE WAS NEVER ALRIGHT!"

Right, he was never alright. And that sight made me feel pathetic.

Karma has a hole on his heart since he was born. He wasn't allowed to do anything that takes too much energy. Although Karma's clan was very wealthy, his parents do not want to rely on them. So they left the country to earn money for Karma's medications which left him all alone.

When I was eight, I escaped from my mother's abusive acts and hid in a nearby park. That was when I met him.

« f l a s h b a c k »
(A/N: doing this for the second time around)

"Should I go home? Mother might already be alright. But what if she's still angry about my test scores?" I muttered to myself, hugging my knees even tighter as the scene from earlier came back to me. "Teacher Rum is a liar. He locked me in that dark room. Why? Was it so that his son would have higher marks than me? I'm not even smart to begin with."

"Oh, it's you!" I looked up, seeing a redhead simply sipping from his strawberry milk. "Nagisa Shiota, right? It's me, Karma Akabane. Remember your English quiz bee partner last month?"

I nodded. The whole school knows him. I just don't know how he could remember a trash like me. And as if reading my thoughts, he beamed at me as he sat beside me.

"If you consider yourself trash, then I'll be the trashcan! Ne, Nagisa. Can I call you my friend?"

And without much thought, I answered, "You can. But only if you'd stop this fake act."

Karma smirked and put down his now empty juicebox. "How did you know?"

"Because you seemed so empty."

...

"Hahaha!"

Eh? Why was he laughing?

He breathed deeply to calm himself down then suddenly hugged me. "I take it back now. Nagisa, you will be my wife. I assure you that. And I won't take no as an answer."

"Have I got no say in this?" This guy is weird. We just knew each other for just a little while, then he just proclaimed himself as my husband.

"Sadly, no. We're both garbage anyway, so we're literally meant for each other, ne? Besides," his smirk broke into a bitter smile. "I don't have much time left to find another. You are enough."

"But we need our parents' blessings!" Wait, why do I sound like agreeing?

"Screw your mom, Nagi. Go screw mine too if you want. They have no choice because I'm marrying you whether you like it or you like it. Understand?"

I rolled my eyes but the smile on my face says otherwise. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

« p r e s e n t »

My mind went blank as I stared into nothingness, only a single question ran through my mind.

Until now, I am still wondering; Why was Karma such in a hurry?