Karmagisa: No Longer Breathing

01

If I could make any day of my life marked as important and succeeding, that would be my graduation day. Maybe the grueling happiness does come from the fact that I'm finally leaving this place after three years, but more so that my high school career ends today.

Where one door closes, another one opens. As a third year, graduation is a big deal for both us and our families. Possibly, the underclassmen too who've befriended us, as they are the ones who cry more than the third years do.

Ten minutes before the ceremony, all the students lined up in the hall and separated by homeroom teachers before we entered into the gymnasium.
Koro-sensei, class-E's homeroom teacher wore his best and creaseless tie for today's occasion. He even made sure to keep the sensitive students from balling their eyes out before the ceremony began.

DING
I reached into my pocket and saw the text message my mom sent me while I waited in line.

"Who's that?" Rio dipped over and stared at my phone.

"Just my mom." I said while reading the message.

You're father is running late.
A part of me knew something like would happen, I know my father is busy with his job and rarely has the time for me and my mom but I know he cares.

"You think he'll make it?" Rio questioned.

"Yeah, I know he will. He's been talking about it non-stop for the past month. I think he's more excited than I am." I chuckled.

"Well, today is a big day." She giggled and patted my shoulder, "you think I can pull one last prank on Koro-sensei before it all ends here?" She winked.

"Well, it will be your last." I shrugged.

"Well? Aren't you going to join me?" She stepped out of line and waited.

"No, not this time. I think I'll call my dad real quick." I refused and stepped out of line and headed into the other direction.

"Karma? Where are you going? The ceremony will begin shortly." Koro-sensei caught me sneaking out and didn't notice Rio who disappeared.

"I need to call my dad." I said, holding up my phone, "it won't be long." I assured.

"Okay, hurry!" He smiled and gave a thumbs up.

Going father down the hall and opening a classroom door, I walked in. Dialing the number, I placed the cellphone to my ear and waited.

RING, RING
He managed to pick up.

"Hello? Dad?" I spoke.

"Karma! Hey, sorry kid. I just got out of a meeting and I'm heading to the car now. Just hope there's no traffic on the way." He said nonchalantly.

"Dad, your work is at least forty minutes away from the school." I said, "are you sure you're going to make it?" I wondered, growing worried over things that I should be used to by now.

"I know that I haven't been there for you on many school events, but I promise that I'll be there at your ceremony when they call your name!" His voice raised with high spirits. "Believe me."

"Yeah yeah, just hurry up." I slightly laughed, "if you don't, I'll never forgive you." I said with a teasing tone and he laughed at the other end.

Even if I sound like I'm only joking, I was hurt by even saying those depressing words at the same time. It's not that he keeps letting me down, I really don't know how to explain it.

"Fear not my son, I promise I'll be there. You'll see your mother and I crying in the crowds!"

I spaced out for the moment and the growing pains of doubt began to devour me. Will he make it? No he won't. It's always been the same outcome whenever he said he would show up to events I invite him to.
I shouldn't expect too much from him at this point.

"Karma! We're ready to go!" Kaede poked her head through the classroom door and yanked me out.

"Ah, my bad." I apologized while pressing the end-call button on my cellphone.

"Are you ready?" She looked back and gleamed.

"I guess." I said unsure, "but you look like your having the time of your life." I pointed out.

"Of course! My whole family is here and I can't wait for them to see me graduate." Her voice illuminated the space where my thoughts had turned grey.

"Yeah, that's great." I agreed with her, "let's have fun." I smiled.

"Yes!" Kaede nodded her head in agreement.

Once we made it back to the line, Koro-sensei called me out for being the one who held up the sequence and all the other students started to playfully pick on me.

In the crowd of parents, some wearing formal attire and most mothers in their kimonos, I looked for my mom. And there she was, waving to me brightfully waiting for the man to fill in the empty seat beside her.

I turned my head back and followed the person in front to our seats. As the principal presented us, we all sat down and the speeches again.
While it felt like eternity, I looked to my right and saw Terasaka nodding his head while he napped, and there was Kaede who was sneakily using her phone.

Fortunately for us, our class was in the middle rows so we were able to get away with a few freedoms that the other students in the front rows couldn't. I opened my phone to check if my dad arrived yet but still no update.

When the speeches ended, the homeroom teachers including Koro-sensei went up on stage to announce our names. For us, when our names are called we're supposed to stand and reply with hai and it's tradition to make it a competition. It didn't matter how we said it, it's just whoever makes the most impression wins, sometimes the one that makes everyone laugh and gag.

"Tomohito Sugino." Korosensei went down the row.

"Hai!" He burst from his seat and shouted, when he sat back down the people near him kept nudging him and messed up his hair.

"Hayami Rinka."

"Hai." She said without inflection.

"Yada Toka."

"Hai!" She giggled.

"Akabane Karma."

I rose from my seat carefully and opened my mouth, "hai-." but when I peeked behind me, I stopped short of my response and sat down.

"Nakamura Rio."

"Hai!" She popped up with her right arm waving.

When she sat back down, she leaned in and our shoulders touched.

"What happened? Dry throat or something?" She whispered.

"Yeah..." I nodded my head.

I clenched my hands and made fists on my lap. How much of an idiot can I be? I knew it would be too good to be true.
I shouldn't have had such high expectations from him because when I glanced back at the crowd when my name was being called, it was just my mother and the empty seat beside her.

Nothing more.
My dad wasn't there.