"Remember Ren's party? When you got drunk and high, and I told you I took a video of you making an idiot of yourself?"

Gakushū groaned. "Please don't remind me, that was a month ago already and I've buried my shame at the back of my head"

"I deleted that video weeks after the party" Karma revealed.

Gakushū looked down at the boy in his arms. "You, deleted the video?"

"I thought if you thought I had something against you and did whatever I wanted then eventually you'd grow to like me and willingly seek me out to spend time with me" Karma revealed. "Don't ask me why I wanted that. I just did!"

"But during those days in the first month, you hated me!" Gakushū reminded

"I thought I did" Karma shrugged."But then your dad made us partners and we had to learn about each other. And, well I realized you're not so bad and I liked you"

"That's nice, I feel the same" Gakushū revealed.

Karma felt his heart thunder in his chest. "Really? B-but you have a girlfriend"

Gakushū looked at him in confusion. "What does me having a girlfriend have to do with me liking you as my friend?" (Author: don't kill me please don't kill me remember this is gonna be a long book so please don't kill me)

Ouch. Friend zoned.

Wait....does Gakushū think, what he meant by liking him, is liking him as a friend? Karma groaned. Gakushū thought he was still scared because of his phobia so he held him tighter, even stroking his hair to calm him down. Karma turned red and he buried his face into Gakushū's chest, sniffing his cologne.

"You...see me as your friend?" This is still an achievement though.

"Yes, I do" Gakushū sighed. "I feel more at ease when I'm with you"

Karma found himself smiling. "I feel the same" it doesn't matter than Gakushū doesn't like him like that yet

Because he's Akabane Karma. When he wants something he doesn't stop until he gets it.

Sakoto Sakura is a nice girl sure, but he's not buying Gakushū's bullshit love at first sight explanation. "Can we be best friends instead?" Karma requested. "I think we're a great match don't you think?"

Gakushū didn't stop stroking his hair, this put a smile on Karma's face."Yes, we are a good match. Even though we'll probably butt heads a few times"

Karma hugged Gakushū's torso, forcing himself to shake a bit so Gakushū thinks he's still scared, even though by now he's forgotten about his claustrophobia (temporarily) because of the strawberry blonde's comfort.

"Hey--Uhh, since we're best friends now" Karma laughed. "How about we talk more? Oh yea and keep holding me like this. It helps me calm down"

Gakushū wordlessly agreed. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Any plans for Saturday?"

(Author: Well Karma finally came to terms with his feelings, now we just need Gakushū. Oh yea and for the two to confess, that too...OHhh right and before I forget, remember when his mom told him about a big Akabane family reunion? And by big, I mean big)