E Is For Enemy

Chapter Sixteen

Asano's P.O.V.

Four days later, I stood in front of my mirror again, pulling on my school uniform shirt.

Karma sat on the end of my bed, watching as I did the buttons. "Are you sure you're ready?" He asked, tilting his head.

I fought the urge to smile at his cuteness.

Instead, I faced him with a cold look.

"Four days is more than enough time to waste at a hospital doing nothing while Creation Enterprises keeps working on its sinister projects in the dark. Besides, classes keep going and I need to remind everyone that I'm still number one."

He smirked, sliding off the bed and walking over to me slowly in a way that was somehow both sultry and scary.

"Not anymore. I passed the entrance exam, remember? I start at the main campus today."

"Like I said," My face passive, "I'm still number one."

He chuckled. "You're so cute, Shuu."

I know he only said it in regards to what we were talking about, but I liked to imagine he was saying it about me and my face.

I grabbed my backpack from beside my desk. "Remember, just because you're living here now and we're going to be in the same classes doesn't mean we're both suddenly safe from anything. And don't follow me to class, people will get suspicious if we always show up and leave at the same time."

"Who cares?" He said blandly.

I glared, throwing the strap over my shoulder. "Baka. If there really is something evil going on in the school, we can't let them know we're a team now or that we're even onto them."

He sighed in over exaggeration. "You're too studious and responsible, Orange."

"One of us has to be, Strawberry."

-

I headed out of the house a few minutes later.

Even though it was true what I had said earlier about not letting anyone know we were close now, I had an ulterior motive for wanting to leave separately.

I needed time alone to think.

Things were happening way too fast all of a sudden.

I still hadn't even processed the fact that we had almost kissed at the Valentine's Day dance. And then there was the super fun incident with Nagisa and the E class that followed after. Even now, my legs still ached and I knew it would be a few weeks before I was at full strength in them again.

I kicked a rock in frustration, glaring at the road beneath my feet. Stupid jealous Nagisa- getting in the way in more ways than one!

And then there was what Karma had said while I was at the hospital- about these attacks all being about me somehow.

I still didn't see a connection, and I was sure Karma only saw one because he was worried.

The thought of him being worried about me made me smile and I ducked my head- just in case he was watching me from the trees. I was sure he probably was doing something along those lines, just to make sure I wasn't attacked alone again. Despite all my warnings that we couldn't be seen together outside of school.

And then...my father.

He seemed sincere when he came into my room and told me he wanted to be a better father.

But it was going to take a lot more than an apology to make me believe this was real. Eighteen years of abuse didn't just simply vanish with a "Lol, sorry about that."