Work Text:
“...State was hesitant during our interagency working group on Thursday. They’re worried about European pushback.” Karma says stopping to park outside a kindergarten.He sighs and continues, “I reframed our data to match the European Medicines Agency's latest safety standards. Now, it should be difficult for those EU delegates to object since our technical language is aligned with theirs; not without undermining their own domestic policies, at least. I sent a revised briefing memo to the Undersecretary last night. I’m estimating a concrete decision by Monday.”
Director Takahito hums, “Excellent work, Akabane-kun. Good job anticipating the operational bottlenecks and handling the interagency politics. I’d like you to lead the technical briefing for the delegation on Monday morning. It will be a good opportunity to put yourself out there.”
Karma smirks, “Of course, Director. Thank you for the opportunity.” Karma’s career has been smooth-sailing as he rapidly climbs the ladder to where he actually wants to be.
He graduated early from university, got accepted into an accelerated fellowship program, and also landed a great position at the Federal Agency as a Senior Policy Advisor. All at the age of twenty-seven. Of course, he had to work his butt off without taking a single break, but it was worth it. It was worth it because now he could bear to show his face when he visits the mountain where Koro-sensei rests.
Karma smiles to himself, ‘He would probably nag at me for pushing myself too hard, though.’ He snickers at the thought and walks out of his car. He walks leisurely and peeks through the front door of the kindergarten, “Hinano-san?” He called for his classmate. Well, old classmate to be precise.
“Karma-kun!” Hinano called happily and opened the door wider to let Karma in, “Do you mind waiting a minute? Kousei-kun will be out in a minute.”
Karma chuckled, “That brat. He’s always late when I come to pick him up.”
Hinano gestured for him to sit on one of the nearby couches, “Well, he likes you too much. He always wants to look cool in front of Uncle Karma.” Karma rolls his eyes fondly.
Kousei or Shiota Kousei was his best friend Nagisa and Kaede’s four-year-old son. The two had gotten married a couple years out of college and had Kousei soon after. Karma had never been one to like kids, but Kousei soon changed that. The boy was too cute. He had dark brown hair like his mother and bright blue eyes like his father. His eyes were rounded like Kaede’s but his face structure was more similar to Nagisa’s. Really, how could he not love the mix of two people he cared for dearly. Not to mention, the boy was a literal angel. An angel sent from heaven to his two angelic friends. How poetic.
It didn’t help that the boy was terribly attached to Karma too, who had been smitten with him since the day he met him. Sugino came close in second, but he doesn’t really count because everyone loves Sugino.
Karma smiled at the memory but noticed a mop of strawberry-blonde hair poking from one of the doors. He blinked.
Karma came pretty often to pick Kousei for Nagisa and Kaede, enough to start calling Hinano by her first name. (“It’s weird that you still call me by my surname after we’ve known each other for twelve years!” She had reasoned. Karma had no reason to refuse since everyone called him by his first name.) Yet, he had never once seen that specific hair color on any child in the kindergarten. A color that reminded him of someone, but he couldn’t put a finger on who.
“Say, Hinano-san. Do you have a new kid at your kindergarten?” Hinano looked at him inquisitively before following his finger to the little girl who hurriedly hid behind the door.
Hinano chuckled, “C’mon Yuki-chan. Let’s introduce ourselves to the nice man, shall we?” She encouraged the girl – Yuki – who revealed herself slowly.
The girl shuffled nervously, so Karma shot what he hoped was a patient smile. It seemed to have worked somehow, because the girl looked at him with renewed confidence, “H-hello. My name is Asano Yuki. It’s nice to meet you.” She finished with an adorable little bow.
Karma would have cooed if he had not been so dumbstruck by the girl’s surname, “Asano…?” He muttered and looked at Hinano. His eyes widened when Hinano affirmed his assumption.
There was no way.
But they do look freakishly alike.
Actually, fuck, they’re literal carbon copies. How did Karma not realize?
The girl had strawberry blonde hair tied into two adorable braids, a little longer than Okuda-san’s from when they were in junior-high. Her bangs were trimmed closely to where her eyebrows sat, revealing big, bright amethyst eyes with long lashes. The only difference was that Yuki’s eyes were an upturned almond shape rather than her father’s rectangular ones. Really, her mother’s genes didn’t even try.
Wait; if Asano’s child was in Japan, Asano himself should be here too. Karma felt a pang of excitement in his chest. His bouts of rivalry with Asano Junior was the only thing that kept him going in high school. The only thing that brought the same rush and adrenaline he used to feel when he got into fights. The same rush and adrenaline he used to feel when he and his classmates attempted, and failed, to assassinate their teacher. Karma never admitted it to him, but Asano was the only reason Karma didn’t leave Kunigigaoka for some other prestigious high school.
“Well, damn. Asano got married? I don’t know how he managed to woo a woman between overthrowing Company A through Company D.” Karma chuckled. Hinano laughed with him, “I guess he learned to make time for friends and family. Right, Karma-kun?”
The girl was being sarcastic, but years working in customer service made her hide the sarcasm with humor. Karma knew her long enough to tell the difference, making him chuckle nervously at her over-the-top brightness. Perhaps, he should spend more time with his friends. He couldn't even remember the last time they had all hung out.
Yuki looked back and forth between Karma and Hinano. She walked up to Karma and gestured for him to bend down. Karma tilted his head in confusion but followed her instructions. Yuki whispered conspirationally, “Ichigo-san, are you and Hinano-sensei dating?”
“Ichi– Wait, WHAT?!” Karma jerked back. Hinano, that traitor, giggled silently. Karma was hard to surprise, but the Asano family seemed to have a knack for it. Karma sent her a weak glare and turned back to the little girl, “No, Yuki-chan. We’re just friends.”
Yuki hummed, “Then, are you in love with my daddy?”
Karma gaped at the accusation. ‘Where did she get that from–?’ He thought and turned his head to Hinano who was clutching her sides now.
Yuki tilted her head, “Are you jealous of my mommy?”
Hinano completely lost it. Karma blinked at the girl in shock. What was this day, a fever dream? Is Karma hallucinating right now? Maybe he should take a break, the stress seems to be ruining his brain function.
Karma pinched his nosebridge when he realized a weird gleam in Yuki’s eyes. Asano always had that same look when he was trying to piss Karma off. He sighed and muttered, “The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, I guess…”
He turned to Yuki, plastering a bright disarming smile, “Yuki-chan, you know how in fairy tales the hero and the villain are constantly fighting? Since the hero wants to be good and the villain just wants to be annoying?” He saw the girl nod and continued, “Your dad and I are like that. I am the hero, and your dad is the villain.”
The girl pouted and oh GOD she was cute, “My daddy is not a villain. Ichigo-san is the villain. Your hair is red too.”
Karma wanted to snort at the accusation but opted for a dramatic gasp, “Whaat? Yuki-chan, that’s so mean. Ichigo-san is very hurt right now.” He turned away and pretended to weep.
Hinano chuckled at his performance as she excused herself to her classroom. Volunteering at that daycare when they were in Junior High seemed to have improved Karma’s acting, seeing how Yuki grew worried and patted the man’s back, “No, I was joking, I’m sorry.”
Karma chuckled and stroked her head, “Thank you, Yuki-chan. You’re very sweet for apologizing; I’m feeling much better now!”
The smile he got was bright enough to blind him. “I see you after ten years, and the first thing I see you doing is manipulating my daughter.” A deep voice said from the door of the kindergarten.
“Daddy!” Yuki squealed and hugged her father, who was smiling fondly at his daughter. Karma considered the man for a moment. He looked the same as he remembered, only taller. His bangs were trimmed closer to his eyebrows in a more noticeable side-part, revealing more of his eyes. He had some fine age lines near his eyes and some dark circles, but they only added to his attractiveness.
It was almost unfair. Asano was dressed neatly in a maroon three-piece suit with a black tie. He looked every bit of the intimidating CEO he was supposed to be. Seriously though, it was incredibly infuriating to see someone, clearly exhausted and with a high-maintenance tiny human to take care off, look so damn good.
Karma smirked, “I see parenthood is treating you well, Ace-kun!”
Asano flashed him his signature glare, the fond look disappearing as soon as he laid eyes on Karma, “I wish I could say the same for you, but you remain a bachelor.”
Karma chuckled and countered, “How do you know I’m not here to take my own child?”
Asano rolled his eyes as Yuki looked back and forth at the two adults, “The day you of all people decide to settle is the day this world ends.”
Karma bit his lip to repress the excited laugh that was about to bubble out. Ah, he had missed this back and forth. The quick retorts and cleverly hidden insults Asano graced him with were the highlight of his high school days. “I could say the same for you, Ace-kun! I’m surprised that you of all people managed to wed, let alone have a child! How come you’re in Japan, anyways? Did your poor wife get sick of your need to rule over the world?” He snorted.
Karma noticed how Asano stiffened, and his laughter died immediately. What the hell? He was just joking. He didn’t think it was actually true.
He rushed to apologize, but he was interrupted by the man’s daughter, glaring cutely at Karma in her father’s arms, “Ichigo-san, don’t be mean to my daddy!”
The two blinked at the girl. Asano relaxed immediately and snorted at the nickname. ‘Ichigo-san?’ He mouthed in question. Karma shot him a glare, though his ears burned slightly. He stood up and patted the pouty girl’s head, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry; I was just joking. Give your daddy tons of kisses to cheer him up, ‘kay?”
Gakushuu blinked at the man in front of him. Has he always been this good with children? Gakushuu vaguely registered his daughter planting incessant kisses on his cheek, causing him to chuckle. Really, Akabane seemed like the last person on Earth who Gakushuu would think liked children. It wasn’t his MO really. Akabane was all rough edges and sadistic tendencies, not something you would think accompanies fondness for children.
He surveyed the red-head and mentally snorted, ‘Ichigo, huh?’ His daughter seemed to have a knack for nicknames. Akabane’s hair was longer than it had been in high school, long enough to part at the side and reveal his forehead. What changed most about the man was probably his style. He was dressed surprisingly neatly, considering how his closet in high school lacked a proper blazer and tie. He wore a black trench coat that reached the back of his knees, under which he had a white dress shirt tucked neatly inside dark dress pants. What Gakushuu was most surprised to see was the loose black necktie around the other’s neck. The only time you would catch Akabane with a tie on was during graduation.
Gakushuu’s eyes widened when Akabane suddenly stumbled towards him, his arm shooting out to clutch at his sleeve reflexively. He huffed and turned around. Gakushuu peered to find a small boy, no older than Yuki, hugging Akabane’s thigh.
“Kou-kun, Haven’t I said that you can’t attack people like that out of the blue!” Akabane let go of his arm and chided the boy, Shiota Kousei, if he remembers correctly.
Kousei giggled, “But it’s so fun, Uncle Karma!” Akabane pinched his nosebridge and sighed, “You take after your dad too much.”
Gakushuu heard his daughter let out a silent squeal and buried her face in his neck. Gakushuu blinked. What?
Kousei seemed to notice the girl in his arms and smiled brightly, “Yuki! Is that your dad? Are you going home?”
Yuki clenched Gakushuu’s clothes tightly and lifted her face to look down at the boy. Gakushuu’s face fell when he noticed the red flush on his daughter’s face. Akabane gasped and covered his mouth in amusement. “Y-yeah, Kousei-kun.”
Kousei, the wretched brat, smiled wider, “That’s cool! I told you to call me Kou, right? It’s a nickname that people I reaaalllyyy like call me!”
Yuki turned even redder and nodded, “Alright,” She averted her eyes and whispered softly, “Kou-kun.”
Gakushuu’s day had officially been ruined. His cute little daughter has a crush on his archnemesis's best friend’s son. His adorable impressionable daughter. Gakushuu glared at the older man who was failing to stifle his laughter.
Kousei just smiled in response and turned to Akabane, “Uncle Karma, can we go to the arcade today? Please!”
Akabane smiled softly and hummed, “Let’s see. Have you done your homework?”
The boy shuffled, “Uh… no, but! I promise I’ll do it once we’re back!”
Akabane huffed, “Fine, but only for an hour, okay? Anymore than that and your mom won’t let me pick you up again!”
Kousei brightened immediately and hugged Akabane’s waist, “Promise! You’re the best!” Akabane chuckled and patted his head.
Gakushuu stood there awkwardly. He didn’t really know what to do and when to excuse himself. He was still too dumbstruck by how well Akabane dealt with children, a far cry from how he was when Yuki was a baby. Gakushuu grimaced at the memory. He remembers the amount of fights he got into with his wife, Amelia. They were all about Gakushuu never making enough time for family and always being preoccupied with work. Gakushuu never understood what she meant since his family had always been this way, and his parents never divorced each other. He thought that this was the norm, but he had to learn the hard way that it was not.
Gakushuu sighed, focusing back to the present. Yuki poked his cheek worriedly, so Gakushuu kissed her forehead to hopefully convey how much he loved his daughter. “Not that it isn’t entertaining to see you wrangle a toddler, Akabane, but I have better things to do.”
Karma rolled his eyes. Asano’s ‘better things’ include and are limited to working, working, and working. No wonder they never ended up as friends despite being constantly near each other in high school.
“We’ll take our leave then, Kurahashi.” He informed the blonde who was somehow beside Karma, waving with a pleasant smile on her face.
“When did you get here, Hinano-san?” He asked, turning away from the retreating man.
Hinano giggled, “Guess, you were too preoccupied, Karma-kun! Rio-chan might win that bet after all!”
Karma blinked, “Bet? What bet?”
“Oh, nothing. Now, don’t you have to take Kousei-kun to the arcade? We wouldn’t want Kaede-chan to get mad, would we!”
Karma groaned and narrowed his eyes at his old classmate. What’s with all these secrets that no one bothers telling Karma? He huffs and holds Kousei’s hand, “C’mon Kou-kun, let’s go to the arcade. I’ll even treat you to ice-cream.”
Kousei, oblivious to Karma’s irritation, brightened and started dragging Karma away.