Akari's Time (Assassination Classroom fanfic)

Chapter 23

Akari

Currently, Hinata, Rinka and Rio are in my apartment hanging out. The four of us is a weird unprecedented combo. In class, Hinata doesn't interact with girls too much. Rio sticks to me more than anyone else. Rinka, well, Rinka is usually the silent one. The rare phenomenon of them showing up at the same place is because I invited them. Hinata wanted to make fruit cupcakes for you-know-who and I am not an excellent baker. Karma would never fit in with girls' hang out so I invited the other two. At first, they were awkwardly silent and I had to be the icebreaker. But as the baking progresses, with a little mishap here and there, some flour tossed around, splotches of cream over our faces, we became much friendlier and closer with each other.

Girls can easily befriend each other because, well, we're girls.

"Do you want more cream or fruits as garnish, Hinatan?" Rinka asks. Yes, she nicknames Hinata as 'Hinatan'.

Rio drops a piece of peach into Hinata's mouth. It slides down her throat quickly. "Fruit." Rinka nods and her hands mechanically return to her garnishing job. Rio feeds me fruit next then the tsundere sniper.

"By the way," I ask as I guard the mixer. "Where's Megu?"

Rio greedily stuffs her mouth with more of the sweet peach slices but Hinata slaps her hand to stop her. "She's in Kyoto."

"I want to go travel too..." I groan.

"You're rich. You can go wherever you want," Rio replies as she cuts another peach.

"Noooo. I'm not going with my uncle." The last time we went to travel was to Osaka, where Uncle busied himself with finding blind dates for me. I can never show my face in Osaka again.

"Then what about..." she and Hinata exchange looks. Rinka blushes slightly. The three has learnt the way of telepathy among themselves. "...Karma?"

"What about him?" I say nonchalantly, trying to act as if Karma means nothing to me because I know where this is going.

Hinata giggles and Rio snickers evilly. "I have intel about you and Karma have advanced to the level where you're actually living with him at his house. And his parents approved of you." Rinka immediately blushes. "Megu isn't going to be pleased."

I fish out my phone and chide the virtual girl. "Ritsu!"

Ritsu averts her eyes. "Sorry, Akari-chan..." I sigh.

"Nothing happened between us," I declare. "NOTHING." But they stare at me, eyebrows cocked with disbelief.

The doorbell rings. I peek through the hole and see the familiar burning red hair. The girls huddle around me when I click my tongue. I open the door, not amused that Karma shows up coincidentally, but somehow glad to see him after a while. I admit, I miss him.

"Yo, Akari-what are you guys doing here?" Karma peers at the three girls. They grin mischievously-except Rinka who has glitter in her eyes-and giggle.

Rio, being the leader of the busybody trinity, smirks. "What are you doing here?"

An intense stare down ensues. The two, notorious for their partnership in mischief, glares at each other, neither giving in. "Oh, Rio. I recall not having to tell you anything," Karma spits.

Rio laughs. "In case you haven't notice, Aka-chan belongs to me. You want her, you have to go through me first."

"Is that so? I believe she enjoys my company instead of yours since I'm like her boyfriend."

"Don't be so full of yourself. You're not canon. But I'm her canon best friend."

I sigh with exasperation. Hinata nudges me and whispers. "Are... are they fighting over you?"