A cosplay contest.

Perpetually, devoid of time for consideration and argument, it appeared as though you were dragged into the costume competition without consent, whether you liked it or not. It was initially an obscure mystery as to how Karma had gotten a hold of such information, though when the redhead was questioned, he easily admitted that it was part of the latest issue of Movie Plaza.

Huh. You never knew that movie magazines sponsored costume contests, too.

The quintet of people-- you, Karma, Nagisa, Kaede, and Koro-sensei-- congregated and shuffled around the local convenience store. It was fairly empty that afternoon, though several other customers could be perceived chattering away and minding their own business. It seemed like a miracle that Koro-sensei's form wasn't suspected for anything.

You stood by a vast array of newspapers, magazines, and manga, as they littered the aisle closest to the cashier, while complimented by a humongous glass window flecked with blinding rays from the sun outside.

The breeze from the gently whirring air conditioner brought you comfort as you idled, scanning the contents of the famous movie magazine. Your soft fingertips brushed against the fresh, glossy surface of each page you flipped, letting the breeze waft in the crisp aroma of a recently printed piece. You made your affirmed decision of purchasing a copy a while ago, keeping the receipt safely tucked away in your pocket as proof.

"I can't get enough of the Sonic Ninja theme of this issue..."

A blissful sigh escaped from your lips as you admired the articles. A sweet and salty taste lingered on your tongue as you spoke, from the snacks during the movie, despite the time that had passed after entering the store.

"Yeah," The redhead alluringly agreed as he peered at its contents from behind you, a sudden simper stretching across his face. "Hey, [Name]-san? It'd be... a shame, if something were to happen to it, right~?"

Your ample attention shifted over towards him as you turned your head back, though in a single, swift movement, the magazine slipped out of your grasp as the mischievous boy snatched the copy from your delicate hands. With eyes dilating from surprise, your initial reflex was to reach up to reclaim the precious issue of Movie Plaza.

"K-Karma-kun?! What are you--?!"

The embodiment of the scarlet devil chuckled as he held the periodical high above his bright red locks, arms outstretched to tease your shorter stature. In a solid motion, he rapidly flipped the pages, as if the publication was a flip-book.

"Hm? I'm reading the magazine, what else?" The innocent grin he flashed soon after only fueled your desire to recoup the stolen belonging, even if you mentally advised yourself against it. You were dealing with none other than Karma Akabane, after all.

"But, I paid five hundred yen for that." You softly murmured, up on your tip-toes as you quietly cursed the height difference. Even with brief, additional hops, Karma was too tall, and it served as a significant disadvantage in your situation.

Karma didn't seem to care, seeming rather pleased instead as he darted his eyes from page to page. "Did you say something, [Name]-san?" he asked in a rather teasing tone, well-aware that you were close enough for him to have heard your gentle plea.

The rest of the scene unraveled nebulously, and although you weren't entirely sure why you had done it over a petty magazine, there was no doubt it happened. "Hand it back, Karma-kun!" You tugged on his raised arms, raising your voice for the request.

It hadn't taken very long to realize that you were certainly attracting attention to yourself, feeling the gaze of several concerned customers glued to the sight of you and Karma. As you were situated near the cashier, even employees cast a subtle glance, before returning to their respective duties.

You quickly paused, stepping back to cover your mouth in embarrassment. It was rather peculiar that you even had the sudden nerve to protest in a way that you did--against someone of Karma's caliber, at that-- no matter how evanescent it was. Perhaps it was just the Sonic Ninja vibe getting to you. "Ah... I-I'm sorry."

"Oh? I'm surprised, [Name]-san~ Who knew that you had that in you?" Karma's lips parted to release another amused chortle, lowering the magazine to carefully drop into your arms.

Koro-sensei and Kaede appeared to be on the opposite side of the joint by then, towards the coolers where the pudding and other variety of sweets were kept. Nagisa, however, was still nearby, witnessing the entire act with a nervous smile.

"Karma-kun? You know, there are other copies available on the shelf..." Nagisa awkwardly mentioned as he scratched his cheek, his voice gradually trailing off until a fleeting moment of silence blanketed the trio.

You immediately agreed with your blue-haired classmate, hastily nodding at the fact as you took his side.

Karma shook his head in an insouciant fashion, bluntly voicing his denial. "Eh? But it seemed more entertaining to borrow [Name]-san's copy, Nagisa-kun~"

An inevitable sigh of exasperation released into the air, as you clutched the periodical tightly in your possession. "'Borrow'? You stole it..." you faintly muttered.

The grin presented on Karma's features tugged upwards in satisfaction.

---

Following the incident at the convenience store, Kaede and Koro-sensei had finished marveling at the variety of sweet delights, heading upfront to pay. Although nobody had eaten a proper lunch, you settled on a group decision to purchase grab-and-go meals from the coolers to be consumed outside.

With Mach 20 speed, the bipedal octopus managed to carry all four students and their respective lunches to a grassy field mere blocks away, adorned by towering trees for shade in the populous park. A natural breeze swept through, enveloping the vicinity with a saccharine scent from the flora. The soothing, calming mood from nature made the park a suitable place for a picnic, if you ever planned to invite friends.

"Right, so, about that cosplay contest..." Kaede brought up the topic as she teared open the seal of one of her excessive, mellow pudding cups, eagerly digging in with her spoon as it made contact with the squishy, desirable texture. The optimistic, twintailed female was settling in quite well with the greenery.

"Mm, the deadline is relatively far away. I suppose that [Name]-san is automatically the heroine, though~ The heroine is pretty tall, and has a noticeable... you know. Although neither of you girls satisfy that requirement, [Name]-san is still in the lead." Karma chuckled, his golden mercury eyes flashing from you, to the pudding fanatic, and back to your figure once more.

Nagisa freed a high-strung exhale, helplessly shaking his head as his fingers pressed against the typical bento box in his hands. "Karma-kun, that's not--"

"Nurufufufu~ That's a great idea, Karma-kun, for you to be taking initiative!" The yellow octopus' toothy smile stretched from ear to ear, interrupting the worried teenager.

The redhead's enigmatic eyes widened, emitting a casual laugh as he waved his hands defensively. "You've got it all wrong, I'm afraid~ That wasn't my intention, octopus."

Koro-sensei's bulbous head was suddenly embellished by a circle of approval. "We may as well involve the entire class, for each and every student to utilize their personal talents and skills. Hara-san, for example, would be excellent at costume-making, while Okajima-san would be in charge of photography. It could very well be a team building activity, and for the entire 3-E to participate!"

"Oh, I see! That's not bad at all, Koro-sensei." Kaede satisfactorily commented, before returning to her prized pudding, smiles lightening her petite features. It appeared that she had no qualms about the matter of bust sizes, as long as she had sweets by her side.

"That would have to wait, however. We have more urgent matters on our hands, from our assassination classroom. Nurufufufu~" Koro-sensei's mood was as relaxed as always, and you couldn't help but to admire his fun traits, something that other instructors at Kunugigaoka usually lacked.

Alas, you swallowed, ultimately hesitant about your appointed role. The others had no demurs against Karma's nomination, and from the smooth flow of things, it didn't seem like a good idea to back down from the offer, despite the reason behind your selection.

The dessert-lover immediately picked up on your self-doubt, dropping her spoon mid-bite. She was quick to react as she beamed in a supportive manner.

"You just have to believe in yourself, [Name]-chan!"

---

The rest of the afternoon gradually progressed amidst the diversity of the park. Occasional pacifying ripples on the duck pond sounded, while birds hopped around in their venture for bread crumbs. The benches were all occupied, while children frolicked about. You messed around with Koro-sensei and the others, settling on some games out in the field to pass the time.

The clock eventually struck, and before you were aware, you were ambling across the busy intersection as early evening arrived. Karma was your accompaniment to walk home, as it was apparently convenient for him, reminiscent of the colloquy a handful of days before.

After the events of the Sonic Ninja movie, you were admittedly more comfortable around the notorious redhead compared to previous encounters, to a certain extent. The issue of the boy playing truant still stood proud, and although you couldn't have been certain that he would attend school the following weekday, you could at least hope.

You subtly cleared your throat, pausing in your tracks, as your gaze averted to the bright pair of mercury eyes beside you. "Karma-kun, after all we've done today..."

"Hm?" He paused at the same time, easily casting another one of his devious grins at you. Like always, his stature loomed over your own, which you constantly found inequitable.

"You should take responsibility for the cosplay contest later on, and cooperate in class-- uh, I mean..." Your voice trailed off, while your hand extended just enough to make contact with his sleeved arm, in a firm yet powerless, playful punch.

Your tone was tinged with a slight hint of unintentional distress and plea.

"Please."