RED world

Chapter 16: Ice cream

Karma POV

It was the Saturday before the class trip and I walked aimlessly around one of the shopping streets in this city. Hopefully I would find some thugs who needed some beating. But so far, no good.

Oh yeah, wonder what she's doing? She wasn't so happy over the fact she would be stuck with me during the trip next week. I chuckled when I thought over the few reactions I had got out of her. I couldn't help but think she was interesting. I mean, what's more under that mask she wears? Also, those eyes of hers aren't something you see everyday. That shade of red, just a little darker than my own red hair. Yeah, just like those over there-

I had to take a second look. That was definitely something I wasn't ready to see. In front of a shop window stood none other than Akiyama Hiromi herself. She wore a black top with lace and a short grey skirt, and her long dark brown hair was in a messy ponytail. She stood there, not looking at the things in the window, but at the people around her. Like she was expecting something, or someone... I shaked of that weirdly uncomfortable thought, and decided to give her an unexpected visit.

"Eh~, Aki-chan is here too?" I asked smugly behind her.

In response to my sudden presence, she jumped in surprise, turning her head towards me with big eyes. Then they turned to their normal size, and her eyebrows narrowed.

"Why are you here, Akabane?" She asked harsly, obviously not happy to see me.

My smile widened even more. "Well, I could ask you the same thing. Maybe it's fate?"

"Or maybe, you're a psychopath with stalker tendencies." Akiyama suggested instead.

"Eh~, don't say that! After all, we're going to be besties on the field trip!" I teased as I put my arm around her.

You can't run away now~

Akiyama POV

Why do I have to run into everybody today? I sighed as instead of hitting the devil next to me, I brushed of his arm from my shoulders.

"Look here, stalker." I began. "Out in public with a lot of people around, I would suggest that you keep a long distance between us."

"Oh, but when we're alone, there doesn't need to be any distance between us, you mean?" He suggested, almost seductive, as he leaned against the store window, winking at me.

"Karma-kun!! That is absolutely forbidden for kids your age!!" An octopus appeared from nowhere between Akabane and me.

What the-! I forgot about him!

"Eh~ whatever are you talking about, teach?" The redhead asked innocently.

"You know very well what I am talking about!!" The 'human' with tentacles turned to me. "And Akiyama-kun! Men are wolves, okay!? Don't go near them, okay?!"

"Oi, Aki-chan! Wanna grab an ice cream? My treat!" Akabane peeked out behind the panicked teacher between us, obviously ignoring him.

"Sure, as long we get away from the real stalker here." I said hinting at Koro-sensei.

"Kyaaa! No, you don't understand! I wasn't eavesdropping! I just happened to be around!" He tried to explain in panic.

He had been, but his grocery bags were nowhere see. And with the monster speed he had, he could've easily gone home and back in the small time I looked away.

"Creep."

As soon I said that, the redhead next to me started laughing. Koro-sensei had curled up in the street corner sobbing uncontrollably.

"Let's get that ice cream before someone thinks we know him." I hurriedly said to Akabane and started walking away.

However, it wasn't soon before I couldn't help but laugh myself at our sobbing assassination target.

-------Time skip-----

"Soo, is it your treat or his treat?" I asked Akabane as we stood in front of the counter deciding.

"Well, let's say there are some donation money in here." He smiled mischievously, before he went up to the cashier. "One strawberry and vanilla mix, and- what do you want?"

"A matcha and chocolate mix, please."

"Wait a moment, please." The cashier said shooting a glance between us two and smiling sweetly.

After a short while, she came back and gave the soft served ice creams to Akabane, who later gave the chocolate one to me. She smiled cheerfully once again before she said:

"And a couple discount sums it to 247 yen!" 

Couple??

My mind raced as I was in disbelief that someone actually thought that we were looking and acting like a couple. In my moments of shock, Akabane paid and we were on our way again.

"What the hell? Why didn't you say that we aren't a couple!?" I asked the strawberry lover next to me, as we looked for a place to sit.

"Cheaper not to." He answered shortly as he continued licking his ice cream. "Why? Do you not like it?"

He looked at me with that twinkle in his eyes, that I somehow was too familiar with. I just decided to give a deep sigh as an answer, before I started eating my ice cream. Yummy! Matcha and chocolate is one of the best combinations!

"Eh~, that seems delicious. Can I taste?" The redhead asked as he leaned forward closer to my ice cream.

"You have your own!" I said quickly protecting my treasure.

"Eeeh? Come on, one bite! You can have of mine too." He started begging like a child, as he tried to come closer to my treat.

"No! Akabane, stay! Stay!" I started chanting, as to a dog, while I dodged his attempts one after the other.

"Miss? Who is this?"

I stopped in my tracks and turned around to see my bodyguard for a driver, standing with several shopping bags in hand. He had a sinister look on his face, like those brothers have when they see a guy talking to their little sister on those tv-dramas. However, in that second, Akabane were able to take a big bite of my ice cream.

"Ah! Akabane!" I scolded him as he, satisfied, swallowed his catch.

"Miss, who is this boy? Is he bothering you?" Tanaka asked scanning the redhead.

"Uhm, this is my classmate Akabane." I started, not knowing how I should phrase things.

"Is he one of those delinquents your mother has talked about?"

YES, THE WORST OF THEM ALL! But I couldn't say that if I wanted to have some freedom left....I just hoped that Akabane could take a hint and shut up.

"No, he is the smartest one of all of us, he just were put in the E-class because of a misunderstanding!" I said quickly, coming up with a lie on the spot.

"Hmmm." Tanaka started pondering, as he looked at Akabane still eating his ice cream like nothing.

I looked at Akabane, hoping, HOPING that he would just go with it. He meet my gaze, smiled like the devil he is, and walked up to Tanaka.

"Nice to meet you." He reached out his ice cream free hand to shake Tanaka's. " My name is Akabane Karma, but you can just call me Karma."

"Tanaka, the young miss' driver." He answered sternly, before he turned to me. "It's time to go back, the madam is probably waiting."

*Whoo! Next chapter is about the long awaited field trip, so your long torture is finally over! Kinda... Either way, I don't know anything about money in Japan, so don't take my word seriously. I have no idea how much yen two ice creams cost! Thank you once again for reading this far, and for your INCREDIBLE patience. 

/Maja