Finally, it was the end of the day. It was raining outside, so Karma took his umbrella that he often kept at school for emergencies and walked out after he waved goodbye to Nagisa.

If he was being honest, he felt concerned. About both Nagisa and Sakuragi. Karma couldn’t remember the last time he saw either of them smile. Sakuragi was so much more withdrawn  and depressed, and Nagisa’s anxiety seemed to be even worse.

But, unfortunately for Sakuragi and Nagisa, he was rarely honest about his feelings. He couldn’t let anyone see what he really felt. Because if he did, then things like Sakuragi and the Class D teacher betrayals would hurt even more. It still hurt even now. Lost in his thoughts he suddenly looked up and saw Sakuragi sitting against a street post in front of his house, head buried between her knees. Silently, he walked over to her and held the umbrella over her head. Sakuragi looked up. “Huh?” When she saw Karma, she looked confused.

“You’re lucky you’re sitting right by my house, otherwise I would’ve walked by.” Karma said dryly.

In a choked voice, she replied, “What do you want from me Akabane? Is it enough that your ‘truth’ got revealed? That you know I’m homeless and lonely?”

No. No it isn’t. It hurts to see you like this. Even when you seemed fake, it was comforting to see that smile of yours every day. But Karma chose not to say those words out loud. Instead, he said, “Just come inside my house and get warmed up, otherwise you’ll get sick. I’m not a complete monster like you think I am, Sakuragi.” He held out a hand to her.

“That’s debatable,” Sakuragi muttered, grabbing Karma’s hand and letting him help her up.

A smirk pulled up the corners of Karma’s lips. “There’s the girl I both love and thoroughly despise.”

“Glad the feeling’s mutual.” Sakuragi said. Karma was thrown off by this remark, and a light flush appeared on his cheeks.

Sakuragi smirked, and skipped ahead to the front steps of Karma’s house. Karma stared at the girl he just invited to his house, dripping wet and eyes red with tears, yet has a smirk dancing across her features. He laughed wryly inside his head. I never had a chance, did I. I fell hard. Then with a smirk of his own, he headed towards Sakuragi, the girl who betrayed him, yet stole his heart.

…

Later, inside the house, Sakuragi looked around in awe. “Your house is huge!” Then she noticed a collection of items from around the world. “Where’d you get all this?”

“My parents travel, and bring back souvenirs for me.” Karma replied absentmindedly. “Follow me.” As he walked off, Sakuragi hurried to follow. 

“Conveniently, we’re both the same size.” He opened the door to his room. Sakuragi followed him inside and looked around as Karma rummaged around his closet for clothes. It was a decently sized room, with a gaming system attached to a TV on one wall and the bed on the opposite wall. There was a bookshelf filled with comics. There were also many posters about various movies.

“Here.” Karma tossed a short-sleeved t-shirt, a black sweater with a white cat face on it, and black shorts. Sakuragi frowned.

“Is every piece of clothing you own black and white?”

Sarcastically, Karma replied, “I’m sorry princess that my clothing isn’t up to your standards. Go take a shower and change. Bathroom’s three doors down to the right.” Sakuragi rolled her eyes and went out of the room to go shower and change. A minute later, Karma heard the shower turn on.

There’s no harm in letting her stay the night, is there? Karma stared up at the ceiling. He got up and started towards the kitchen to make some food to take his mind off things.

…

Sakuragi walked out of the bathroom, tying her hair up in a ponytail. She smelled food and heard dishes clanking together so she followed the source and ended up in the kitchen where Karma was stirring a pot of something that smelled like chicken soup. 

“Is that soup?” 

“Yeah. Go sit at the table.” Sakuragi went over to the table, sat down, and fiddled with her hair.

“Nervous are we?” Sakuragi looked up, letting go of her hair. Karma set down the pot of soup with a smirk and sat on a chair across from Sakuragi.

Sakuragi scoffed. “Talking about yourself, huh?”

“Nope.” Karma gave Sakuragi a bowl and poured a bowl of his own. He started eating. Sakuragi stared at him.

“What?” He asked.

“Why are you doing this? I thought you hated me.” 

“I wish.” Karma said, eating another spoonful of soup. “But no, I don’t hate you. Eat.”

Sakuragi reluctantly ate. “Why?”

“You may have been a brat when you got discovered but I heard what you did for Nagisa. I probably would’ve done the same in your position if my secret was revealed.”

“Do you know how everyone else feels?”

“Most people seem sad, Terasaka’s been making trouble, Kayano’s been crying.” Sakuragi looked down.

“I feel really bad, but I don’t know how to talk to people.” Sakuragi finished her soup.

“Nagisa and I will help you. Even if we aren’t able to, this is the Assassination Classroom. Something will always happen.”

Sakuragi looked up. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“No worries, Sakuragi. I still don’t trust you, you know.” Sakuragi laughed bitterly. 

“I’d expect nothing less, Akabane.”

“Karma.”

“Huh?” Sakuragi looked confused.

“Call me Karma. I never understood why you stopped calling me that.”

“I….okay. Then call me Hanako.”

“Alright.” Karma stood up, picking up his bowl and holding his hand out for Sakuragi’s bowl. She gave it to him and stood up as well.

“You can sleep in my parents’ room if you’d like. It’s on the top floor, and the first room on the right.”

“Are you sure your parents would be fine with it?”

“I don’t remember the last time they actually slept there, so who cares what they think.”

“..okay. You sure you don’t want help with the dishes?”

“Don’t worry about it. Get some sleep.”

Sakuragi nodded and went upstairs to the room she assumed Karma was talking about. The room was large, with a master bed and a tv on a dresser. She walked towards the vanity and stared at the various items on it. There were an assortment of perfumes, jewelery and such.

However there was only one picture, tucked into the mirror frame. Sakuragi took it out and stared at it.

There was a tall man who looked like an older version of Karma, except much more carefree. There was also a young woman, a little shorter than the man with black hair. Karma’s signature smirk was evident on her face. Sakuragi sweatdropped.

So this is where he gets it from.

Karma, looking like a preschooler, was perched on the shoulders of his parents, mouth wide with genuine laughter. Sakuragi smiled. He’s so cute. I wonder what happened…

To make him often look so lonely.