With Tragic Eyes and Bloodshot Dreams

Chapter 6: Well, They Encourage your Complete Cooperation

Gakushu simply uses the excuse of soccer when his classmates ask him about the bandage on his jaw. He can lie without a bat of his eye, after all these years of lying about it. His father really only hit him every other month or so, so it never seemed suspicious to anyone.

And yet, part of him feels a bit disappointed that nobody's noticed.

The days pass, and everyone switches to the summer uniform. Despite Gakushu feeling more down than usual, he hides it well, faking his smiles and continuing on as he always does.

"You don't need to pretend in front of me. Save the effort for when you're around Nagisa." Akabane says, quietly. They've been sparring casually during lunch, teaching each other moves while Nagisa catches up with Kayano and his other friends.

Gakushu lets the smile drop from his face.

"How can you tell?" Gakushu's had to learn to read expressions for years. It was the only way he could read his father's emotions, given that the man had a poker face so solid it took Gakushu five years of his life to start being able to understand it.

Why would Akabane know this though?

"That's for me to know and for you to find out," he says, casually.

Gakushu rolls his eyes, and then launches a tornado kick at the red-head.

Akabane Karma has always been a mystery to him, and yet, he doesn't scare Gakushu. He's dangerous, but has always been trustworthy.

Lazy, yet secretly hardworking. He's a series of contradictions.

And maybe that's why Gakushu feels drawn to him.

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Karasuma Tadaomi has noticed an improvement in the number of students with potential, in the 4 months he's come here.

He shouts out advice and corrections to the two fighting him right now.

Isogai Yuuma and Maehara Hiroto. They're a combination who get along well and have excellent reflexes. These two alone have increased the number of successful knife hits against him.

They attack him from two different angles, and Karasuma swiftly dodges, but the two aptly follow up, getting him in the chest.

He's impressed.

"Good! You two gain a point each. Next!" He calls out.

Akabane steps up next.

Akabane Karma; at first glance, he comes off as being a lazy sort, but there's a strange, twisted sort of mischief in his eyes.

After a failed attempt at attacking him, Akabane calls out, "Hey Asano. Gimme a hand here, will ya?"

Then Asano Gakushu steps up, rolling his eyes. He mutters something about horrible coordination and worse possible pairing.

Which, Karasuma has to agree with. Asano and Akabane together are a train wreck ready to happen. And yet, it has to be one of his favorite spars of all.

Several students stop to watch as Asano brandishes his knife.

And they're off.

Asano strikes from one side, Akabane from the other. They both move fast. Way too fast for normal teens. But whereas Akabane has a presence, Asano doesn't. Which is why Karasuma knows he has to keep his eyes on Asano while fighting back Akabane from behind him.

Most people have a presence, no matter how subtle. It was the way you could hear their breathing or the slight rustle of their clothing. The dirt and grass under one's feet would make a noise no matter what.