Asano's P.O.V.
When I woke up, Karma was holding my hand.
He sat on a chair next to my bed, asleep. He was looking a little better than when I had last seen him, with his injuries all bandaged up, and since he was alive, that was all I could be thankful for.
I sat up and that stirred him awake.
"Shuu?" He whispered, blinking the sleep away.
"I didn't mean to wake you." I said, getting comfy under all my blankets. "But since you're awake," I lifted up the covers, and motioned for him to join me.
He shot out of the chair in an instant and jumped into the bed beside me, making a happy sound of approval.
"How do you feel?" I asked wrapping my arms around him.
"How do you feel?" He countered, looking at me with worry. "After everything that happened...it's a lot to process."
Oh.
Right.
My mom.
She was the one behind everything bad that had been happening. And I had shot her.
I closed my eyes. "Therapy will fix that. I had believed she was dead for six years, now that she's actually dead...it's easier to accept. And I never really liked Nagisa anyways."
Karma chuckled, playing with my hair in his hands. "He was cool at the beginning, but his mental health went downhill real fast at the end."
"I still can't believe my father was actually innocent in all of this." I said. "Like...that never happens."
"He was still an asshole," Karma nodded. "But not as big of an asshole as he could have been."
The door opened and Miriam came in.
"Oh, Asano!" She cried, running over to wrap me into a tight hug. "You poor little thing, and your friend too!" She yanked Karma into the hug as well, making me wince at being pressed between two people so tightly that I couldn't breathe.
"Miriam-!" I gasped out.
"Sorry!" She quickly pulled back. "I know I should be gentle while you're still recovering, but oh I saw the news and I was so worried!"
"News?" I asked, confused.
Karma nodded. "Oh, right. There were news vans at the school when we were walking out."
Miriam grabbed my phone and typed something in, before showing me a news clip from just a few hours ago.
A reporter stood in front of the school and in the background I could see my father's skilled team leading away all the workers from Creation Enterprises to police cars.
Hirabiyashi was in the back of a cop car, looking terrified and I smirked.
"Looks like he'll be spending the rest of his life with his good friend, Markus." Karma grinned.
"I'll let your father know you're awake now," Miriam patted my head before hurrying away.
Karma squeezed my hand tightly and I faced him.
"I have to admit something." He said, looking crushed and my anxiety shot through the roof.
"What is it? Are you okay?!" I grabbed his face frantically.
He pried my hands off, a smile cracking across his lips. "Physically, I'm recovering. Mentally, I'm exhausted and emotionally, I want to die. But that's not what I'm talking about."
"Then what?" I faced him fully.
He looked at me, and I gazed into his sunset eyes. They were so beautiful. He was so beautiful. Fuck, I was so in love. I was so lost in his beauty that I almost didn't hear what he said.
"You win our bet."
I blinked.
"What?"
He looked away, huffing. "Don't make me repeat it."
"Our...bet?" I blinked again. "You mean...I surprised you five times first?"
He scowled. "Whatever. But yes."
I laughed loudly. "Haha! Baka! Loser! And this whole bet was your idea in the first place!" I couldn't stop laughing at how he was pouting. "I told you- I, Asano Gakushuu, son of Asano Gakuho, can't be beat!"
"Shut up," he snapped, but he was smiling.
"When did I surprise you the last time?" I asked. "All I did was pass out at the very end." I tried to think about what I could have done to surprise him but nothing was coming to mind.
Karma was staring at me intently. "When you came to save me."
I scoffed. "Seriously? Of course I would, who wouldn't?"
"Let me rephrase it." He looked down at his hands, which were in his lap. "You surprised me because...I didn't think anyone in the world cared enough to come and save me."
I was speechless.
"I thought that when I was taken it was up to me and only me to get out of there," he was saying, his voice soft. "I'm sure Hirabiyashi told you that no one was looking for me, and he was right. E class like me but they're not my friends. My parents haven't once called me in weeks to see where I've been or what I've been up to. You're my only friend. And you risked your life to save me."
When he looked up, he had tears in his eyes. "So, yeah. You surprised me. Thank you."
Words failed me.
So I grabbed his shirt and yanked him in close, our lips almost touching-
My door opened and my father stepped in. "Asano! Oh- am I interrupting?" He looked at us.
I huffed and shoved Karma away. "God, dad, what do you want now?"
"We have a lot to talk about when you're feeling better." He said, and I knew he meant about my mother. He had seen her body being dragged out, he must have been beyond shocked and confused, since he thought she had been dead for the past six years.
"Can it wait?" I asked.
He looked at us and nodded, exiting the room.
"Where were we?" Karma leaned in again but I pushed him back.
"Wait, you surprised me too." I had to admit.
He smirked. "Oh? Then it's a tie."
"Only because you pulled that stupid stunt back there and made me think you were dead!" I huffed. "But since it's a tie I guess neither of us have to do what the other person says."
His smirk only grew. "Or we both have to do what the other person says."
I laughed. "You're insane."
He smiled back. "But you love me."
I smiled back. "I do. Baka."