E Is For Enemy

Chapter Twenty Two

Karma's P.O.V.

It had been two days since Asano had gotten back, and while things seemed to be dying down at the house, the school was a different matter entirely.

The expansion was still underway, and with no one permitted inside the construction zone, everyone was left whispering and speculating about what it could be.

"It's just more classrooms, I don't see what the big deal is." Asano rolled his eyes as we walked down the hallway together.

"There's fun in mystery, Shuu." I winked at him. "Not everything is all facts and logic."

"Well it should be," he mumbled. "Then we could understand what's going on."

I nudged him with my elbow playfully. "Then where would the fun be?"

He shot me a look that clearly said none of this past month had been fun.

He was about to retort something but stopped himself before he could. He was staring at something at the end of the hall, and I followed his gaze.

I was surprised as well.

Two people were leaning against the lockers giggling and flirting with each other.

Ren and Kiri.

I glanced at Shuu. "Just because we have to walk past them to get to class doesn't mean we have to talk to them, or even acknowledge them. We have time, we could double back and go the long way around, past the chemistry labs."

"No." He straightened himself and tossed his head back, his orange hair falling perfectly in place. "I won't give them the satisfaction."

I smiled proudly as he walked ahead, his stride confident and purposeful. Despite everything that happened, Asano was still as Asano-y as ever.

I hurried to catch up to him. I neglected to tell him that we were getting more than our own fair share of stares as well, but I was sure he had noticed and didn't say anything.

Ren saw us coming first and while he quickly looked away, Kiri jumped in our path, forcing us to stop and look at her.

"Well, hello, Asano." Kiri smirked, purposely not using a polite honorific like she always used to do.

"Kiri." Asano said.

"I sure hope you don't give us a demerit for making out in the hallways," she practically sang. "That would be so petty, Asano. You, giving your ex girlfriend a demerit for kissing her new boyfriend."

"From what I saw, neither of you was making out." His voice betrayed no emotion. "And we never dated, my father just set us up to go to the Valentines Day dance together because it would look good."

Her eye twitched, and I had to hold back my laugh, as well as a few words of my own that I wanted to say. I knew Shuu wanted to handle this on his own.

"Well we did look good, until you ruined it!" She shouted, causing more people to stop and stare.

"I apologize if I made you think I did anything of the sort." He said.

"You did do something of the sort! You kissed him!" She shrieked, her cool façade gone. She was pointing an accusing finger at me.

"We didn't kiss." Asano said, his voice slightly louder, and I could tell he was getting worked up.

I quickly stepped between them. "As fun and as public as this is, we all should get to class before the bell rings, which is very soon." I said, hinting to the small crowd we had gathered as well.