The two left the library and walked to the store across from their school

Their hands occasionally brushing. Karma was doing this on purpose to see what Gakushū's reaction would be. The strawberry blonde kept a straight face, although inside he wanted to hold Karma's hand, but that would make him look weird.

He never noticed, but Gakushū would subtly steal glances at him, admiring his fair skin tone and long lashes, and his rose red hair. Gakushū wouldn't say this out loud, but he thought that Karma was attractive. Really attractive.

He found himself smiling as he admired Karma's face.

"Here we are!" Karma grabbed Gakushū's wrist and dragged him inside the store like an excited child. He snickered when he saw the hunger in Karma's eyes, his mouth practically watering when he saw the strawberry milks in the vending machine. "We have one at the school you know" Gakushū pointed out. "Why bother coming here?"

"The vending machine at school is broken, it doesn't take money anymore" Karma explained. He looked at Gakushū expectantly. "Take out your wallet" he demanded.

Gakushū sighed but nonetheless he took out his wallet and produced 100 yen. "Here" he handed the money to Karma who snatched it from his hand.

"Why do you like strawberry milk so much?" Gakushū questioned.

"What's not to love? It's delicious, healthy, it'll make me a giant one day" he snickered as he imagined towering over his classmates seven years later. He can already see the look of despair on Nagisa's face as he looks down on the blue haired boy. (Author: They really did Nagisa dirty not letting him get more than a fucking inch taller after seven years)

"All that sugar will give you diabetes" Gakushū reasoned.

"Who cares?" Karma bent down to reach for his strawberry milk.

"I do" Gakushū assured.

Karma jolted at what Gakushū said. "Such simple words from this guy renders me into this" he thought. "Awwe really?" He cooed, smirking at Gakushū.

"Obviously" Gakushū confirmed.

Karma clutched the box of strawberry milk in his hand. "Repeat that" he blurted.

"What?" Gakushū was confused.

"Repeat what you said" Karma muttered. Gakushū raised a brow at him, but decided to humor him. "Karma, I care for you"

Karma's lips twitched, he wanted to smile. Bit instead he regarded Gakushū coolly. "Awwwe" he said mockingly, teasingly leaning into Gakushū space, forcing Gakushū to lean backwards. "You're too close!" Gakushū exclaimed, blushing.

But Karma kept leaning closer and closer, Gakushū gulped. What was Akabane playing it?

Gakushū froze in his spot. He should hit Akabane or something! He shouldn't let this guy get this dangerously close to his face, one false move and they might end up kissing!

Karma blew on Gakushū's eye.

Gakushū jumped backwards. "There was something under your eye" Karma explained. Gakushū turned red. "W-w-what?! You're-"

"Let's go" Karma passed the confused boy, hiding his smirk by slurping on the straw of his strawberry milk.

"He thought I was gonna kiss him, didn't he?" Karma thought, replaying Gakushū's cute flustered face in his mind.

"I would have, but he probably would have punched me for it..."

Would be worth it though. Too bad he lost his nerve