章 30: Chapter 30
Gakushuu came out of the shop with the deep red choker over her throat. Karma spent a few seconds distracted before Gakushuu tugged at his wrist.
"Let's go eat something," she suggested. Karma let his eyes closed for a moment before opening them back up.the same view.
Gakushuu was pretty, dressed up, and asking him to a meal.
Yeah, sure, why not?
His eyes flickered to the choker once before he sighed.
"It's pretty early," he reminded, walking along with her. Gakushuu shot him a sly smile.
"It's a good place," she reassured, like that was Karma's concern. "You'll like it."
Now Karma liked to think he had fed Gakushuu enough of his meals for both of them to be aware of his high standards. Karma generally didn't eat food outside at all.
Drinks were an exception. He could eat everything, he just preferred not to when his own skills were more than up to par.
He was slightly curious about the kind of food Gakushuu wanted Karma to try though.
When Gakushuu stopped in front of a shop, Karma burst into startled laughter.
"Did you just bring me to a maid cafe?" He asked, when he was done. He wiped his eye exaggeratedly and Gakushuu shot him a scowl.
"I mean, it's not like I was going to bring you to a Michelin Star restaurant or something," she snarked, turning away with an upset pout.
"So you agree my cooking is amazing?" He teased.
"If it wasn't good, I wouldn't have kept coming back for it," she snapped back with a backhanded compliment. Karma stifled a smile.
"And here I thought you were coming back for me," Karma put his hand on his chest and shot her a sad look.
"...I was coming for the cats," she deadpanned.
He smothered another smile. He could spot that shoddy lie from a mile away.
"Right," he agreed.
Gakushuu made a noise of disgust before opening the door.
"Master, Mistress, welcome back. You can call me Mine-chan. I'll serve you for today," a girl in either high school or college welcomed them.
They could spot a variety of the male population seated across the place, a few groups of girls were seated by the window, and a lone couple were holding hands over the table and talking to each other softly.
Gakushuu started for the upper floor, Karma walked behind, staring curiously at one middle aged man laughing creepily at his phone.
"Mine-chan, could you give your strawberry special drink for my guest here, and a cold coffee for me? Asamusa-san knows my specification," she ordered, as she sat down.
Mine-chan, surprisingly didn't look bothered at being ordered around abruptly by Gakushuu. She accepted them with a slight bow.
"As you wish, Chiho-sama," and wow that explained it
"You come here often?" Karma asked. Gakushuu sat on the seat like queen on a throne. Her leg lifting smoothly over the other and Karma was once again distracted by legs cause holy shit.
Gakushuu had been wearing a skirt, but he hadn't paid it as much attention as he would have because it was Gakushuu. But maybe he should have because Gakushuu could really pull that off.
Then he gave himself a mental slap because Gakushuu was giving him a satisfied look.
"I do, they're good people," she smirked, " my people," she emphasized to him.
Karma's eyes sharpened and he took a look around him once again. He had noticed oddities as he was going up but, maid cafes were supposed to be something like that, right?
Also, the maid cafe was oddly popular, but not so popular that it could afford to stay in the district it was.
"This place is yours?" He realized.
"Well, a friend of a friend of a friend, to be accurate," Gakushuu batted her lashes at him innocently, "I know a lot of people."
Karma let out an amused breath.
"You know an unhealthy amount of people. How much sleep are you getting with that?" He asked, half worried, half amused.
"How much sleep are you getting, Karma?" She dragged his name out, a mocking tinge.
"Enough," he replied, straight faced.
"Enough," she replied to him, a smile curling at the edge of her lips.
"Your enough is much less than my enough," he argued, feeling surprisingly invested in the topic he had randomly picked up. "Are you even getting 4 hours?"
Gakushuu scrutinized his expression.
"....close enough," she replied, reluctant now.
Karma dropped it, aware he had already made his concern known. If Gakushuu wanted to do something about it, she would.
"I only have one life," Gakushuu continued, her lips tilting into an odd wry smile, "and knowing people helps," she looked at Karma through her lashes.
Karma listened.
"If I want to run away," she started, and Karma felt a flicker of reluctance, like Gakushuu was slipping away from him. Then he felt surprised at that feeling. It wasn't like Gakushuu was running away from him .
"-I have people who will help me do that. I probably still can't get emancipated, but that's okay. I know enough that I can at least cause him a few problems if I really need it," she shrugged.
"And what do these people think about you using them?" He asked through a slightly dry throat.
"Well," her eyes sparkled, "they get to receive my help too, of course. My name has a certain amount of weight, you know," she grinned.
She was showing off, he realized.
That was the goal.
His throat tightened up a bit.
Mine-chan came back, cheerily offering them both their drinks.
Gakushuu took hers with a smile, and Karma nodded his thanks, his eyes set on Gakushuu.
Did she know she was doing it or was it a spur of the moment choice?
He believed when she said it was a coincidence that they met. But was it really? Or did she subconsciously want to meet him?
That alley was slightly closer to his house, on the path to the shop he went to buy cat food.
It was when his lips closed around the straw and he took his first sip, that a thought that had been lingering for a while solidified into a fact.
Gakushuu liked him.
The strawberry flavored milkshake from the maid cafe became his favorite drink right about then.
Gakushuu had excused himself after he finished his coffee to show a connected door to a room where Gakushuu changed back into 'Gakushuu'.
The make up, clothes, shoes and everything were packed away into a bag. Karma didn't ask about it. In fact he didn't say much, though he showed his appreciation for the chef's special to Mine-chan when she came back asking how they liked it.
He was slightly surprised that Mine-chan hadn't even blinked at seeing someone distinctly male sitting where Gakushuu had been sitting as very obviously female.
Though she had switched her tone and familiarity when addressing him.
"Masters, please come back again," she wished as they left together.
Gakushuu headed for Karma's house, but right when they were at the split between their houses, Karma grabbed Gakushuu's arm and stopped him.
His eyes were soft, warm, as he looked back.
"You don't need to push yourself," he said, his voice dropping. Gakushuu turned to face him, surprised.
"I wasn't-" Gakushuu started but Karma tightened his grip on his arm and he swallowed back his words.
"You didn't show yourself to your class, right?" Karma stated, he reached up for Gakushuu's hair. The strands fell across his fingers smoothly. The meaning was clear.
Gakushuu stared at Karma before replying, "No, I haven't."
Karma let go of his hair.
"You don't have to push yourself so much, Shuu," Karma brushed his fingertips down his cheek. He smoothed the back of his fingers over his jaw, and Gakushuu's eyes fluttered at the sensation.
He didn't have to open his eyes to feel Karma lean in close.
He was so close.
Karma's cheeks brushed against Gakushuu's. His hair delicately brushed over his nose, his parted lips and his cheeks. His skin tingled with every brush.
"I like you as you are," Karma whispered into his ear.
His voice was so soft that Gakushuu wouldn't have been able to hear at all if it weren't for the fact he was saying it into his ear.
Karma's lips brushed almost shyly over his steadily reddening ear. Then down again, on his cheeks.
His hand cupped the other half of Gakushuu's jaw, his thumb making a slow sweep over his parted lips, leaving almost reluctantly for his cheeks before tracing the lower edge of his lip to his chin.
Gakushuu gasped.
His fingers fisted into Karma shirt, holding him close.
The warmth seeped in. Body heat felt like a rediscovery. Karma's other hand rested on his shoulder for a moment before sliding down to rest on his waist.
He pulled his lips away from Gakushuu's cheeks, choosing instead to rest his head against Gakushuu's.
He smiled.
Gakushuu was blushing a bright bright red Karma had never seen before.
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