this'll probably be my last update on this book. i'm sorry for this badly written chapter.
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K A R M A A K A B A N E
赤羽 業
student no. 1
"I l-like you" the girl in front of me stammered as she confessed her feelings. She was a lot redder than how anyone should be. She was at the brim of tears, voice cracking as she spoke up.
We were at our third year of high school and despite that, the girl I fell in love with three years ago was still nowhere to be found.
"Sorry" I admitted truthfully, "I like someone else".
"Mhm. I know. I just wanted you to know. Thank you for being honest with me" the girl who recently confessed thanked me for the rejection, despite the tears on her face saying otherwise.
If there was anything about our third year in high school, it was that I was used to hearing all of this. Same old line, same old reply. It was so usual, Asano was already fed up over it.
"That's the nth girl that cried over you. When do you plan to get a girlfriend?" He asked me once, sick and tired of all the rumors that we were gay.
"I do have one" I reminded him, enjoying how furious he's been after hearing the rumors that built up over the years.
"Iroha doesn't count. She hasn't contacted you in over a year" he stated nonchalantly as if it was such a subtle topic to bring up.
As much as I hated to admit it, the asshole, Asano, had a big point there.
I didn't even know whether or not she was still alive. I didn't even know if she was still coming back.
But somehow, my gut said otherwise.
"That said, my father came to visit her a month ago and said I should hand you this" he handed me an elegant black scented envelope, as I narrowed my eyes at him.
"If they're inviting me to her wake, I'm not gonna open up that thing up even if its for the sake of her eulogy".
"Just take it Akabane, who knows whats in it. Whatever it is it still is your girlfriend's last words" he ushered motioning for me to take the envelope.
"If this is a scheme you're pulling, Asano-kun, I'll make sure to return it tenfold" I warned him despite taking the envelope and stuffing it in my pocket.
"I'd like to try, but unfortunately not this one" he scoffs, walking ahead of me as we head back to the classroom.
'Last words my ass'. There was no way in hell I was going to see her be it in her death bed. Iroha could haunt me all she wanted to for not attending her wake.
"Karma, when I come back I better get my birthday gift too!" I could still recall the last thing she told me.
"Your still as demanding as ever" I flicked her forehead, as we walked back towards the others in order for her to tell them her final goodbyes.
"You better come home" I told her, a foot away from the crowd, as the girl laughed it off with a smile.
"That's pretty obvious isn't it?".
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'Is it true?', I couldn't help but ask myself continuously as I stared at the crumpled black envelope that night.
What if she really was dead? Then what?
I could only imagine the look on Okuda and Fujioka's faces as they hear the news of their best friend who left ages ago.
'Fuck', I could only curse mentally, unable to accept the truth, and yet gathering the same courage I had back when I bid her goodbye.
I opened the envelope which had largely written letters in bold saying:
6:00 Yokohama Station 7/7
I sighed in relief, only to take it back the moment when I realized it was 6:59.
And with that, I rush out the door to take the train to the station.
I arrived panting, only to see an unpainted wall, only to realize this must've been one of the pranks she loved pulling off.
It was only then I realized when I felt a figure embrace me from behind. A person with a familiar scent of paint. I turn around to find myself locking eyes with the little trouble maker, grinning like an adorable piece of shit.
"God, you're lucky I missed you. I would have killed you myself" I turn to face her only to move away from our short embrace, a cheeky grin plastered on her face as she tells me,
"I heard from Asano, you thought my little note was an invitation to my wake" she laughs mischievously as I flick her forehead earning a groan from the girl.
"Ouch! I didn't miss that flick of yours not one bit"
"What are you here for?" I asked her only to gain an eye roll from the blue haired girl.
"I thought you missed me" she pouted accusingly, only to admit with a familiar smug look, "I'm actually just here for my birthday gift".
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I couldn't help my vein pop at the recollection before hearing the girl shout from outside our apartment, six years after that little scheme she pulled off.
"Karma! What's taking so long?" she walks towards the room and peeks at me only to find myself staring at the same black envelope Asano handed me years ago.
She had her hair tied in a high pony tail, light blue hair now as dark as when I first met her, her eyes still retaining the same light hue.
"Says the girl who took 2 hours in the bath" I shot back only to have the girl stick her tongue out at me.
"It's 9 AM, I'm supposed to be at work at 8!" She says only to have me mentally roll my eyes at her.
"Since when did you care about being punctual?".
"Oh please, you aren't bringing that up now".
"Since when was I responsible to drive you to your job anyways?"
"Since the first time you offered" she smiles cheekily as we head outside our apartment.