Happily Ever After? [Nagikae AU]

Chapter 23: Back to School

Break was over now and the unavoidable dread was tearing me apart. Kaede would be there.

After I had told her she just kinda avoided me. Everytime our friends would invite us to go out either I wouldn't go or she didn't.

"Miki, we have to get going." I usher her out the door. "It's our first day back we don't wanna be late."

She smiled and ran past me. "I know and I'm so excited. I get to see Yui and the rest of my friends. Oh, and I love my Autumn uniform too." She turned her head quickly, giving me a glance. "I'm gonna go on and run ahead. That's okay, right?"

I crack a smile "Yeah that's good. You go on, you're grown now."

She giggles and runs ahead. I sigh. I never would've let her do this before. She wouldn't even have asked me because she knew what I was going to say. School really had changed us.

My smile goes away.

I went from only having Miki to having so many people. I even now know what it's like to lose someone so quickly it feels like a slap in the face.

"This sucks." I whisper to myself.

---

"So, Nagisa, what happened between you and Kayano?" Karma asked me.

I smiled awkwardly and sat down at out usual spot for lunch. "Let's just say I may have ruined our almost relationship."

Karma smirked playfully. "What a surprise. You really liked her, and she really look liked you too." He took a sip from his strawberry milk."Kind of Disapointing to be honest. What happened exactly?"

I stiffened. "I'll tell you about it in a more private place. You know, when we're not surrounded my people."

He leaned back and smiled. "O-kay, if it's really that serious."

I laughed awkwardly. He had no idea.

---

"So how did you fuck up? Insulted her? Had a bad arguement? Made fun of her chest?" Karma pressured.

We were in my living room. The girls were in Miki's room on the other side of the house so we were completely alone.

"What-No! Even if I did how is making fun of her chest any different than insulting her?!"

He rolled his eyes and leaned back against the couch. "Wow, only someone who didn't know her would say that." He chuckled. "But seriously, what happened that is so hard to say outdoors?"

I looked away and sat crisscross, taking a deep breath. "Let me give you some context."

I quickly began with, as stupid as this sounds, the story of my life. It took a solid 10 minutes to tell everything and another 20 to convince him I'm not lying, having to bring in physical evidence. After all that, we didnt say anything.

He was completely silent.

"Huh," Karma started off. "I didn't expect this."

I raised an eyebrow. "You were expecting something? Before all this?"

"Well duh! I'm not stupid, Nagisa. I figured something was off with you since you arrived. I was expecting you were like, abused or something-I-I mean you were i-it's just I..."

He sat completely silent. "Sorry, it's just a lot."

Karma took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. He then looked at me, seriousness brimming from him like shaken soda. "So what's the plan here?"

I thought. "Nothing. But at least she hasn't alerted the authorities so I guess it's all ending okay. I mean at least I got you and you handled it like a champ."

"Yeah, because I dont like freaking out. Also I know you'd never hurt me, let alone kill me. At least I hope so."

I nodded. "Yeah obviously. I could never hurt you... but most people just throw that logic out of the window. And by most people I mean 2."

"2? Who's the other one?"

"Sister."

"Ah." He paused and glanced at the sidewalk. "I mean, that makes sense... does she not mind."

"I mean she talks to me about like an after school job, which to be fair it kinda is."

"Right, but before we move on, I do have a question of my own."

"What is it?"

Karma opened his mouth but with no sound coming out. He tried again.

"What do you feel when you take a life?"

To be honest I wasn't surprised, Karma was one to take things lightly. Still, I was a bit taken aback from the question.

"I try not to think about it. They usually deserve it, after all I'm not killing innocent people. It's pretty much an 'another day another face' kind of situation."

Karma tilted his head and looks to his side. "Makes sense. Nice to know."

I nod. This was an interesting interaction.

---

There she sat, doing her classwork like an average student, learning about the biology of a tapeworm.

I didnt really pay much attention to class today; it's been a bit iffy. But of course my almost girlfriend is now my complete stranger. Just a classmate once again.

Not the girl I spent a week in Kyoto with.

Not the girl who I spent hours with.

Not the girl who I told me secrets to.

Not the girl who hung out with my sister so lovingly.

Just a stranger. Just a classmate.

Finally the bell had rung and the whole class frantically took off to hang out with their partners or friends of go to extracurricular activities after school. Karma had left with Okuda and Sugino already, said they were planning an 'Amazing Prank' on one of Karma's old teachers. Wild.

"Hey, Nagisa."

I lifted my head up and say my favorite girl in the world standing I front of me, Kaede Kayano.

"We... we need to talk for a minute."