Chapter 17

Annoying.

It was annoying. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Like a constant hammering on his head about what he's done. He knew he crossed the line. But that was what Karma liked. He crossed the line for his own pleasure but it was nowhere near fun. He would never admit it but he started regretting his actions.

Now his eyes followed Y/N more than it ever did. He was sure that she would take her time and will be like her usual self after some days. But she wasn't.

No wait, she was her usual self except she didn't look at him once after that day. She started ignoring his whole existence, like he wasn't sitting behind her. Like he was some stranger to her, that she didn't care about. He knew she did, but was it supposed to be this fast?

She healed this quickly? Karma found it hard to believe. Besides, the way she ignored him was a big clue that she wasn't that okay right?

He tried multiple ways to just make her look at him, but nothing was of use. Ofcourse, at times she did look at him when it was absolutely necessary but her face...she had no expression, nothing when she looked at him.

If he was a new kid, he would find it hard to believe how different her reactions were earlier.

He kept thinking what he did all of these for and at what cost. His little revenge ruined their friendship completely. Some of the other classmates including Rio changed their attitude towards him. They turned colder.

But he still hoped that she would come back to him.

She always did, right? She didn't even ask for answers, she was just there with him, agreeing with him.

Days passed and he saw her attitude changing. She wasn't so gloomy anymore but she changed her seat with Rio, who was more than eager to change. Was she working on physical activities? Sure, but she was the same as before. It wasn't like his speech awakened her and she started on her path to victory.

She was the same Y/N. Just not with him.

Everyone felt the tension in the air whenever they were standing close or talked to each other. Oh, everyone was aware of Karma's eyes on her. Even she did, herself, extremely aware of his eyes fixed on her.

But to hell with him. She didn't deserve all of that. Sure, it felt like a slap on her face when someone did exactly what she did to other people but, her intentions were never so twisted. She would never lead someone on for fun. She wouldn't forgive him until he said sorry, until she has moved on from him completely, until she can actually accept his apology and be friends with him again.

She needed her time.

Ofcourse, she can see how much it bothered him and everyone around when they acted like strangers. But she would continue ignoring him until he realizes his mistake and has to guts to apologize.

That's how she has always been with all of her friends. And Karma was one too.

Karma had the habit of apologizing by slipping it in between conversations with Y/N. Now, that was completely off the list. He would say sorry for going overboard but....the thing is, no matter how many times he thought it over, he wasn't able to understand what he was so guilty about. He was sharp and the smartest in class, sure, but...these feelings were confusing him.

And this burning feeling after see him with her.

Didn't he make it clear to her already about how the whole class can be affected if she continued talking to that guy? Then why was she hanging out with him like it wasn't a big deal? He's the son of the principal. She should be aware of his motives.

It wasn't nearly bugging him, as much as it did when he saw Y/N waiting for Gakushu near the exit gate. Where she used to wait for him.

How much did this guy brainwash her?

She was not only hanging out with him, she was meeting him at cafes and going to his home?

What were they up to?

He didn't mean to spy but he wasn't going to let the mastermind of section A make her dance like a puppet.

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"Are you dumb??" Y/N shouted taking off her headphones, "Why would you make him ask that when she hanging down there and about to die?!"

"....Because she wouldn't lie at that moment," Asano said, trying to fix his upset face.

"I hope your choice wouldn't make one of them die," Y/N said, "Would you ask someone that if it were you?"

"...Maybe if it was someone I really trusted."

"How about me? You know I can spill about you to my classmates."

"You...won't. As far as I've seen."

"....what did you do?" Y/N asked sitting up, looking at him suspiciously.

"I hope you know that when it comes to actual sections and competition, I want to be ahead of your section."

"And?"

"Pole toppling at the sports festival."

"Y-You challenged us?" Y/N asked.

"I threatened," Gakushu said, "I busted a classmate of yours working in a cafe. It's a violation of our school rules. So I suggested a friendly competition."

"To humiliate our class?" Y/N said, "It makes me kinda hate you, you know."

"I already told you-"

"I get it. I'm not that mad. It's professionalism and shit, I understand." Y/N said and packed her bag, ready to go home.

He handed her some chips and juice. She started eating it and offered him some by extending the packet. He took some and blurted out, "Your crush has been keeping an eye on us, just so you know."

Y/N sighed, "I know. Maybe it's because you kind of got better marks than him but he hates you. Last time, he told me that you would tell your dad about me because of that email I sent you and get our whole class into trouble."

"What do you think?"

"Your...father?" Y/N turned to look at him, "You would tell him because of Class A. But..not as a son."

He laughed uncomfortably and looked at the ground, "You know that huh?"

"I can feel it too. There's this wall between the both of you," Y/N said, and held his hand in consolation, "You've held it in for so long."

He looked up at her. She realized that she touched a sensitive topic and said, "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable but you have to open up to someone Gakushu. Because this is eating you up. You keeping this wall up because of your father has made you push your friends away too. I'm sure you don't even think of them as friends. You think they've other intentions. I'm sure you've had that experience too."

His eyes were stinging. How was she so good at this? It was like she went to the deepest part of her heart and found the little secrets he has been hiding for so long. He sighed and rested his head on her shoulder, an attempt to hide his face too.

"Just so you know, when you need me to listen to you, I will. I won't be good in providing solutions but you can pour your heart out. No judgements." Y/N said patting his head, like consoling a little child. That was the thing though, right? Because of all this pressure to follow his father's rules he never had to chance to be a kid.

"I swear to god, if you weren't YOU, any girl would take this chance to kiss me," he chuckled.

Y/N's face reddened at the thought. She realized the close proximity of their faces and cleared her throat, "Good for you I don't have any experience."

Gakushu smirked and looked up at her face. Oh, it was as red as a cherry. He understood why Karma gave her the nickname. He chuckled and asked, "What? Did I make you uncomfortable?"

"No, it's cause you're a boy. That's it for sure," she laughed lightly looking at his face.

"You don't sound so sure."

"Well, can you blame me? I was hoping to get it from Karma but that's out of the window now."

"I can help," he said looking at her lips and then back up at her eyes, "If...you want though."

"....you know that will change things between us right?" she said.

"You didn't say no," Gakushu smiled and she blushed.

"I would only want it for experience though. I won't actually fall for you."

"I know. You're....deep in for Karma and not over him yet. I'm offering this as a friend."

"Gakushu darling, friends don't go around offering kisses to their friends."

"....but you actually want to know what it's like, right? You don't need to do anything. Just..follow my lead."

Y/N sighed, "God, Rio contaminated my mind. She talks so much about it that I'm actually curious."

"So? Is it a yes?" He said looking at her. She did have second thoughts but then smiled looking at him. Gakushu was a good guy. For someone who wants to ruin section E, he forced her out of the little shell she created, with no other motives. He just wanted her to feel better.

Actually, she wouldn't mind it if he was her first kiss.

Y/N smiled and closed her eyes.

And then she felt it. It wasn't like the movies said it. Like fireworks going off.

But it was definitely something. It made her heart beat faster than it ever did. She was focused on the feeling of his lips on her. At first it was soft and then a bit hard. She felt his right hand slide from her cheeks to the back of her head, pulling her in and his left hand on her waist pulling her close.

It was comforting.

Gakushu slowly backed up, and brushed her cheeks with his thumb. Y/N opened her eyes and took a deep breath.

"So..it's...like that?" she said softly.

"Oh..I wasn't going for the long one Y/N," he chuckled looking at her flushed face. She was finding it hard to form words. She was obviously embarrassed. He tried to lighten up the mood and said, "Come on, I can't be that bad that you won't talk to me."

"Oh shut up!" Y/N smacked his arm, "I just had my first kiss, let me breathe you stupid prodigy son of Asano."

"That is literally my surname."

"Not my fault your dad's so bitchy," she frowned.

It offended him a bit but...who was he kidding. It felt good to hear someone talk about his father's flaws for once.

"Please don't tell me you're thinking of your dad after kissing me," Y/N sighed.

"Ew, don't put it like that!"

Both of them laughed. Yes, both of them wanted to be sure if anything changed between them but as far as it went...no extra feelings exactly developed after that kiss.

Oh, it actually confirmed how they felt nothing more than friendship. Gakushu, for one was glad about it. He didn't want to be the kind to fall for the first girl who didn't give a shit about his status like they showed in the shows.

Y/N was just glad she finally had her first kiss and didn't feel awkward after that. Gakushu was good at comforting people.