Lesson Learned

Back to reality.

A/N: This is super short, but I wanted to round off their Christmas break before...well before that arc starts.

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"AKABANE!"

A monstrous voice penetrated every corner of the house.

Mitsuko jumped so far she fell out of bed and landed on the floor with the covers wrapped around her.

There was a scamper of footsteps, paddling across the floor as she tried to regain her bearings in the dark.

She clutched her head and groaned, blearily looking up at the clock to realise it was 4 AM.

"Oh, shit!" Her door flung open a second later with Karma flinging his back against it to keep it closed. "Oh, man! He's pissed!"

Mitsuko nearly fell over when she scrambled to her feet. "What did you do?!"

He grinned, his hair ruffled and looking like he just woke up. "I put green hair dye in his shampoo."

She didn't know whether to laugh or beat him for his stupidity.

"Are you insane?!" Mitsuko explained, gaping as she stood up. "Karma, what the fuck?!"

Karma looked delighted, his smile spreading wider. "Couldn't pass up the opportunity."

"Akabane!" Dad's voice was lower but still deadly.

"Fuck!" She ran a hand down her face. "You really are suicidal."

He shrugged. "Maybe."

She sighed and pressed her back against the door alongside him to keep it from opening when the handle rattled. "Dad! Calm down!" She yelled. "I'm not letting you in if you're going to hurt Karma!"

She distinctly heard a low growl from the other side.

"For goodness sake, Gakuhou!" Mom's voice could be heard. "It'll wash out!"

Mitsuko narrowed her eyes at Karma. "It will wash out, right?"

"Well, duh!" Karma sniggered. "I'm sadistic, not stupid."

"What is going...?" Gakushuu's sleep-deprived voice could be heard and then. "Oh, wow!" Her brother burst out laughing, the sound made her smile. "W-wow!"

"Yes, I'm sure it's very funny, Gakushuu," dad said coldly.

"Y-you look like a-a—" Gakushuu couldn't even speak properly. "A-a manga pirate!!"

Mitsuko's eyes widened, sharing a look with Karma.

This she had to see, because some things were worth dying for.

Karma opened the door and they both stepped back.

Her dad was stood there in a blue dressing gown with grass-green hair and his black teeth bared.

Mitsuko keeled over laughing and burst into tears of hysterics when she saw.

Karma had to press himself against the wall to stay standing as he laughed.

Dad looked at them both with a cold closed of expression.

Mitsuko was gasping to breathe, collapsing on the floor as the giggles took over. "Oh, God!"

Mom sighed. "Alright, kids, that's enough..."

The three of them couldn't stop laughing for another five minutes.

The Principal stood there in stony silence while he waited for them to stop.

Karma wiped tears from his eyes, panting as he slid down the wall and onto the floor. "Oh, man...you guys...this family is amazing!" He grinned up at the Principal. "Thanks for the hospitality, sir!"