Class, class, class—what a nuisance. Life was too short to be forced to waste away in class. Sure, there was the whole bit about it helping for a better and brighter future, but seriously, screw that crap. The present was the only guarantee, and that was all Sumi really cared about as she stared out the window of her classroom.
Sometimes she envied the boys of Suzuran, who basically went to school to do whatever they felt like doing. Then again, they generally left school with more than a few scrapes and bruises, a broken bone here or there, a hospital visit or two per month, and so forth. A person had to pick the lesser of two evils.
"Serizawa-chan."
Sumi blinked and turned her head. "Hm?"
"I asked when was Buddhism first introduced to Japan and by whom?"
"Prince Shōtoku integrated it from China during the Asuka-Nara period, approximately 538 to 794 A.D."
"Good."
Okay, academics was one of her strong points, but her knack for it only made sitting in class even more sacrilegious in her mind.
"Did you hear what happened at Suzuran?" the boy behind her mumbled to a classmate across the aisle.
"What is it this time?" the second whispered back.
"Some new guy said he's gonna beat Serizawa! My brother says he already barged into a class and beat their leader, Chuta Tamura."
"He thinks he'll beat Serizawa just because he beat Chuta? Pff! Serizawa's a monster!"
"This isn't just some new guy, though! I heard he's the kid of some yakuza boss."
"Whatever, it won't make a difference."
"I'll put down money he gives Serizawa a beat down!"
"You're on!"
Sumi pouted and dropped her chin in her palm. Genji-san, Genji-san, Genji-san. You could've settled in a little before making a spectacle of yourself. She sighed. Impatience breeds stupidity. Be strong, Genji-san!
"Psst!"
Sumi wondered if she should ignore Meiko's beckoning but concluded Meiko would persist, so she turned her head. Meiko grinned and flicked an artfully folded piece of paper at her. "Take a look," she mouthed.
Sumi retrieved the note and unwrapped it carefully, eyes firm on the teacher before reading:
We're going to party with freshmen from Suzuran! You in?
She glided the page under her book and shook her head at Meiko. Meiko furrowed her brow questioningly, but Sumi pretended to be suddenly enthralled by the lecture.
Tonight, Sumi had bigger fish to fry than a mass of obnoxious and impulsive freshmen. Starting with Fukuoka Ryuichi; ending with her dear cousin.
Sumi inhaled the smell of smoke and alcohol. It didn't take much brains to recognize the particular odor of the smoke—the nauseating, brain-tingling, illegal kind. She neither hated nor enjoyed the smell, but it was not one she ever got used to, as she coughed and checked her surroundings habitually. Yankees, go figure. The kids always seemed to be the ones sticking themselves where they didn't belong, but she ignored them and stepped through the doorway into the dark office.
The lights barely reflected off the dark mahogany and scarlet velvet consuming the space. The room was modest in size but spacious. The few pieces of furniture—a couch, desk, bookcase, two guest chairs, and a coffee table—allowed flexibility for occupants. Behind the desk, a short, skinny man with sagging features and a very bald head squinted beady black eyes at her then grinned. The drooping lips pulled back over his chipped black teeth. "Sumi-chan!" His voice was raspy, like he was perpetually suffocating.
Sumi knocked her knuckles on his desk. "Fukuoka-sama. Hand it over."
He laughed—or hacked, more like it—and held up his hands, drawing obvious attention to their emptiness. "Is that any way to treat a man you ask a request from?"
"Oh please," she rolled her eyes. "You and I both know you're just as interested in Tamao as I am. But I have things to do, and little time to sit here to start on another long pilgrimage of life. I love you, old man, now give it to me."
Fukuoka laughed harder than ever, smacked his palm jovially on the desk, and winked. "You're a good kid, Sumi-chan. Tamao's a lucky man to have you so close by." He opened a desk drawer and withdrew a yellow envelope. "Take good care of these now, would you? The market's pretty rough these days."
She accepted the parcel. "Arigatō, Ryuichi-sama." She smiled briefly, winked back, and left, taking heed to hold her breath as she passed through the stuffy cloud.
The rooftops of Suzuran were always the best place to find Tamao and his gang, but Sumi honestly never understood its appeal. All the same, stepping out on it now, she admired the open air and setting sun. Her purse felt heavy with value as the large envelope peeked out; she only hoped that Tamao would see it that way.
Then Tamao came around the corner. He stopped at the door and raised his eyebrows at her. "Sumi? What're you doing here? Shouldn't you be at work?"
Sumi winked. "How could they operate without me?" She took the yellow enveloped from her satchel purse and handed it to him. "This is for you."
He questioned her silently but took out the papers and glanced over them. "Housing deeds?"
"Yeap. In Hokkaido. The place'll be ready for living by the end of graduation."
Tamao slid the papers back in the envelope and extended it to her. "I don't want em."
She looked around nonchalantly, hands tucked behind her back. He sighed, and she smiled at him. "What're you doing up here at this hour, anyway? Admiring the sunset?"
Tamao frowned, threw the parcel at her feet, and stomped off. "Get to work," he snapped evenly.
She blinked at his shrinking back and picked up the envelope. "What's eating him?" She shrugged it off and walked around the fencing, excited to see Tokio alone.
Tokio always won brownie points from her, not only for his loyalty to Tamao but for his calm, intelligent disposition. They had been sweethearts for a while when they were freshmen, but things changed—he made a choice. He chose fighting over her, so she ended their relationship abruptly, but she could never neglect him for long. He was, after all, her first love. Now, she still felt an unbridled tenderness for him, and a different love took precedence over any romance; a protective, affectionate love, much like that reserved for the dearest of friends and family.
Sumi rounded the corner and squinted against the sunset. "Tokio-kun?" It took a few blinks to clear her vision, but when she finally made out Tokio's figure against the orange flames of light, he was hunched on the ground, grabbing his head and squeezing his eyes shut with gritted teeth as his skin broke into a cold sweat. "Tokio!" She rushed to him, but her hands hovered just above his shoulders. "What's wrong?" Tokio gave a brief, mumbled cry, and she jumped up. "I'll get Tamao!"
But she didn't move. His claw-like fingers pressed into her forearm as fast and strong as talons. He panted uncontrollably, working to subdue the apparent pain, and looked up at her. "Don't tell Tamao."
Sumi frowned but kneeled back in front of him. "Why? What's wrong with you?"
"Please, Sumi." Tokio released his grip and touched her wrist. "Don't make me."
She needed no further convincing; his weak, shaky voice pierced through her fear. She placed her hand in his shaggy black hair and lowered her head to meet his eyes better. "What can I do?"
Tokio only continued panting at first then collapsed into her. His forehead reclined against hers, and neither opened their eyes as he breathed, his inhalations gradually becoming softer.
Sumi pressed her lips together and clutched his ears with her unsteady hands. "Why do you do this to yourself, Tokio?"
He rubbed his nose across hers. "I'm sorry."
She bit her lip harshly then folded him up in her arms and pulled him into her, his damp forehead pressing against her neck. "Don't lie to me." He clung to her arm with one hand, but otherwise remained limp in her embrace.
Tokio recovered from his episode, but he told her nothing more than she already saw. He was intent on dispelling her concern, no doubt to win her over to the idea of not telling Tamao, but he relinquished some when he let her accompany him home. He didn't show her tenderness again; he never brought it up, which didn't bother her as much as his clearly unstable condition.
Sumi stumbled to the side when her shoulder collided with another. She looked up from the sidewalk then blinked. "Izaki-san."
Izaki raised an eyebrow at her, eyes probing, then relaxed. "Just Sumi, right?"
She nodded and glanced at the plastic bag in his hand. "Are you shopping?"
"Just a few groceries."
"Oh." She seldom had trouble making conversation with the silent type, but her mind was too distracted. "I'm just going home too."
"Okay." They bowed and passed on their way.
Sumi hesitated after a few steps. His footsteps did not do the same, and she turned. "Do you wanna get a drink?" He stopped but didn't face her. She quirked an eyebrow. "I'm buying."
Izaki fidgeted, turned, and smirked at her anxious eyes.
Sumi slammed her bottle down on the table and hiccupped. "He's been actin really shady lately, ya know?" she slurred drunkenly. "I mean, I'm use' to him keepin secrets from me and all tha', but they're not usually big secrets. I mean shit!" She threw her free hand up. "Am I a bad person or somethin? Eh, Izaki-san?"
Izaki's chest inflated when he burped then separated his lips to let the fowl breath out. He squinted at her, his half-drunk mind still relatively clear, but his vision withered somewhat. "Take care of yourself first. He can live his own life."
She scoffed. "He's my cousin, what am I suppose' to do? All I want is my cousin to be safe, away from all this violen' shit. I mean really, is that so much to ask? But noooo, big bad cousin has to be all hard ass like he feels he still has some'n to prove. And then his best friend," she smacked her hand down on his forearm, drunkenly assuring herself that he was not actually moving in three directions, "is dyin of who knows what, but pretendin like no one's gonna notice. I mean, I'm a good person, right? I'm tryin' to look out for my friends and family, aren't I? So, why? Why's all this crap happenin to me? Do you know?"
Izaki swallowed more of his beer, eyes glued droopily on her, and shrugged. "Maybe you keep bad company."
"Pff!" She threw her hand at him dismissively. "I'm sittin here with a Suzuran student. What would you know 'bout goo' company?"
Izaki finished off his bottle then stood. "Then let me relieve you of your burden, oh so righteous one." He took a step toward the door, and a thunk sounded behind him. He turned then frowned. "Don't pass out, you're supposed to pay!"
Izaki grunted against the alcohol in his system, the girl drooling on his back, and the gravity pushing down on both. He hoisted her a little higher and winced when her breath brushed against his ear and down his face. "Do you mind?" he snapped, but she only moaned abruptly. "You owe me big for this. You may be small, but you're not light. And don't even think about trying to get out of paying me back." He tripped briefly when a hint of alcohol rushed to his head but recovered quickly. "Hate this charity shit," he mumbled.
"Well, well, well."
Izaki stopped, and guys suddenly emerged from the darkness and surrounded him on all sides. A trap. One stepped forward to take credit for the ambush, and he looked kind of familiar.
The punk from the club, Jiro.
"It's our love birds," cooed Jiro. "It's not safe to walk around alone at night. Where's your posse now, Suzuran bastard?"
Izaki smirked and pinched Sumi's thigh, but she only fidgeted and remained dead weight. He subdued a growl and rolled his eyes. "They're still drinking, but I don't think I need any help with you losers."
"Hah! Is that so?"
Izaki stumbled back as the girl's body was yanked away. He spotted the offender on his left, dropped Sumi's legs, and slugged the punk across the chin. He caught her arm and slipped his hand behind her head as they both fell to the ground. He drew back. "Sumi?"
She squinted up at him and raised her arm. "Whaz goin' on?"
Izaki lunged up and clocked another man's face. These bastards were really starting to get on his nerves, and he charged into the swarm of attackers with fists fast and ready.
Sumi hissed when a man kicked her in his sprint toward Izaki. "Son uv'a bi'ch," she mumbled irritably and stumbled to her feet. Another man charged by, but she caught him by the collar and chopped him square in the Adam's apple. Her hand reached out, grabbed a fist full of hair, and she head-butted the man off his feet. She wobbled into the wall then sidestepped. A fist slammed into the concrete followed by a yell, and she speared him in the gut, driving them both to the pavement. A hand yanked her back up and threw a punch at her, but she ducked and socked him between the eyes.
The rush of alcohol blurred her vision, and her mind suddenly clogged. Someone grabbed her elbow and shoved her away, but a grunt elsewhere identified the wrangler as an ally. Her senses briefly returned, and she blinked up at Izaki's fierce eyes. He yelled something at her, but her mind couldn't comprehend him.
A visage came into focus behind him and grew rapidly closer. She shoved Izaki away, stepped up on the wall, and smashed her shoe directly against the mass' temple. She landed in a crouch, and the blurb crashed beside her.
Izaki stepped forward. "Sumi?"
Sumi furrowed her brow, exhaled, and collapsed in an unconscious heap beside her victim.
The morning sunlight burned her eyelids. It barely peeked over the railing of her small balcony, but the open curtains blocked nothing from looking in on her. Sumi turned her head away from the light and faced the inside of the bed. She took a sleepy look at the empty space on the other side then went back to sleep.
Only it wasn't empty.
Her eyes flashed open for an abrupt double take, and she lunged away from the sleeping Izaki, lost her balance in the tangled bed sheets, and fell into the floor. She blinked a few times at the beige ceiling then slowly sat up. The noise didn't wake him. His blonde hair was askew from sleep, and his lower lip was somewhat swollen. He clung to the pillow as he breathed steadily without snoring. She looked down at herself and sighed thankfully at the sight of her clothes. Nothing I don't remember.
Sumi glanced at him again and was surprised by the strong desire to crawl back into bed. She resisted, however, and stood. She crossed the room quietly, closed the bedroom door, and entered the kitchen. Her apartment only had four rooms: the bedroom, the bathroom, the kitchen, and the living room. In truth, her kitchen and living room were only divided by the raised platform the kitchen area sat on, so she often viewed them as the same room.
She put together some hangover cure before setting out to make some breakfast. Pancakes sounded wonderful at the moment, with a side of bacon. Her skills in the kitchen won her great favor with the landlord, and more than once he gave her a rent extension when she offered him delicious cuisine. Tamao always inhaled her food when he happened to drop in on a meal or two from time to time. Tokio devoured any food she fixed him during their relationship, and even now he occasionally put in a request. She didn't mind. Cooking was fun, and the result was well worth the effort.
Sometime later, she plopped the first two pancakes onto a plate and pushed at the sizzling bacon.
"You must be feeling better."
Sumi snapped her eyes up and smiled at Izaki standing in the bedroom doorway. "I'm starved. You must be too. Take a seat; I'll make enough for two."
Izaki walked over, but rather than sitting in the living room, he stood beside her and picked up a fork to eat at the ready plate. He added a little syrup on the pancakes, cut a piece, and put it in his mouth. He chewed then swallowed. "Pretty good."
Sumi beamed as he continued. "I'll have bacon ready soon too. Eat as much as you like. I owe it to you for bringing me home last night."
He glanced in her direction a second then continued eating. "Yeah."
She quirked an eyebrow and picked up the bacon pan. "Is something wrong?"
He shook his head and raised his arm to let her slide some of the bacon onto his plate. Her hair brushed his face, but he didn't turn away. When she straightened, their eyes met. He stared at her strangely, like he waited for her to say something, but she only tilted her head.
His eyes sharpened. "Do you remember anything from last night?" He switched the fork to his left hand and cupped the back of her head with his right. "You hit your head. Does it still hurt?"
"Did I?" She raised her hand to touch the spot, and her fingers met between his. She blushed, and they both lowered their hands. "I guess I don't remember everything. I remember drinking, and I remember some guys talking to you then…" She squinted at the counter. "Then…"
"We were ambushed," Izaki filled in plainly.
Sumi's eyebrows flew up. "We were? By who?"
"That ass from the club. The one in the alley."
She frowned. "I don't remember. Are you all right? Your lip is swollen." She moved to touch the spot, but he gripped her wrist sharply.
"I'm fine."
Sumi wrinkled her forehead. "Let me see. It's not gonna kill you."
"I don't want your help."
She yanked her wrist away and flipped the new pancakes. "Whatever."
Izaki continued eating. "Speaking of last night, you owe me some change. You passed out before you could pay the bill."
Sumi arched a sly brow and faced him. "Funny. I'm impressed you didn't leave me there."
"The owner said he'd call the cops if I did."
She blew on her cheeks then spun away. "No one stopped you from leaving me in the street!"
Izaki swallowed some pancakes and watched her shove some sizzling bacon onto his dish. He picked up the plate then leaned over and kissed her temple. "Thanks." He took his breakfast to sit in the living room.
Sumi stared at the counter, as immobile as a five-ton statue. Did-Did he just kiss me? She touched her flushed face but smiled down at the pans. Then she frowned and threw her eyes up at the clock over the stove. "Oh my God!"
Izaki looked up from his plate and watched the girl scramble around the apartment in a fit of mumbling and stumbling. He didn't realize what she garbled until she burst out of her bedroom in her school uniform and shouted, "I'm so late for school!" And she barreled out the front door, slamming it behind her.
Izaki blinked at it. "Hm." He got up from his seat, walked to the stove, and turned it off. His eyes absently scanned the apartment.
It was not a full minute she set her foot through the doorway when Meiko closed in like a bird of prey. "Oh my God, the new freshmen are delicious." She spoke the last word like it was chocolate melting in her mouth. "There's a particularly cute one, Kirishima Hiromi, that just way surpasses the others though. He's a little quiet, and a total ruffian, but it's so hot." She giggled then set her fits on her hips. "And what did you do last night, huh?"
Sumi paused a moment or two then shrugged. "I got drunk and slept with a guy I barely know."
Meiko's mouth fell open. "You did what!"
Sumi rolled her eyes but smiled and walked around Meiko toward her desk. "We literally just slept in the same bed, Meiko. We passed out."
"Well is he cute?" she gushed, trailing at Sumi's heels.
Sumi plopped down then bit her lower lip; she felt herself blushing at the thought of his sleeping face. "Definitely."
Meiko clapped her hands excitedly. "I've never seen you blush over a guy, not even Tokio. He must be cute! Where did you meet him? Who is he? Is he a student?"
"Slow down," Sumi urged, motioning her hands down in an additionally silencing manner, but neither her smile nor her blush dissipated. "We met at the club the other night. He's a Suzuran student in our year named—"
"All right, class!" The teacher snapped her ruler against the desk, and the students immediately came to order. "We have a lot to cover and little time to do it. Aokage-chan!"
"Hai!"
"Aso-kun!"
"Hai!"
Meiko eyed her friend and mouthed eagerly, "Who is he?" Sumi opened her mouth, but stopped short when the classroom door banged open.
Izaki stood in the doorway, dressed in his school uniform, with one hand stuffed inside a pant pocket. His stern brown eyes scanned the room as the teacher shrieked at his blunt intrusion.
Meiko grinned. "He is fine!"
Izaki's gaze stopped directly on Sumi's stunned face, and he weaved through the desks toward her. He grabbed her wrist, pulled her up out of her seat, and dragged her toward the door, leaving a gawking Meiko in their wake.
The teacher planted herself between him and the door like a cement block and shoved the tip of her ruler into his chest. "What do you think you are doing? Release my student at once! What school are you from? I'll contact your principle and report you! This awful behavior may fly with your teachers, but it will not be tolerated here! Speak up, delinquent!"
Izaki's fingers flexed subconsciously, but Sumi pushed around him. "Sensei! I uh, forgot to turn off my stove! He's just here to drive me home before anything serious happens! Please excuse us, sensei!" She yanked Izaki along behind her before either had time to protest.
When they reached the gate, she stopped to take a breath. "Ugh, my God! I thought for sure she'd follow us all the way to America." She spun around. "What did you think you were doing? You don't just barge into people's classrooms!"
"I do if I want."
She glared. "This isn't Suzuran, Izaki. You may think life runs on no rules, but the rest of us know better—"
"I didn't come here to make trouble," he interjected sharply, raising his voice.
"Then why did you come here?"
"I came for you, baka!" She blinked, and he looked away. "I came here for you."
Sumi bit her lip but touched his hand. She smiled when he glared at her. "Well you have me. Now what?"
Izaki didn't answer at first. He stared at her blushing face with those unreadable eyes that made her heart jump. Finally, he gripped her hand back and smirked. "Now, we do whatever we want."
She beamed. "I love hooky!"
Sumi pressed her face against the wire fence and frowned sourly at the kids splashing and the adults sunbathing around the public pool. She sighed. "I can barely remember the last time I went swimming. My cousin never wants to go, and Meiko's afraid of turning into a raisin." She wrinkled her eyebrows and glanced at Izaki. "What kinda high school girl worries about turning into a raisin when she goes swimming? What kinda granny talk is that? Tsk." She pouted her lip. "Whatever. You like swimming, Izaki-san?"
Izaki shrugged. "It's all right. We have a pool at school, but no one really uses it."
She blinked. "Oh that's right, you do, don't you? I completely forgot." She stared at him for several minutes, but his blank expression never changed, and she sighed again. "Let's go, then. What do you like to do, Izaki? For fun?"
"Fight," he replied frankly as he followed her away from the pool.
Sumi rolled her eyes. "And?"
He paused then shrugged. "That's about it."
She tried not to collapse at his feet in disbelief but could not keep her brow from twitching in annoyance. "What the hell, Izaki? Don't tell me Suzuran students have no life outside of fighting? You have to like something besides fighting and scheming and whatever hell else you weirdoes do?"
"I like regular guy stuff, of course."
She glanced at him. "Like what?"
"The same thing that's on every guy's mind."
Sumi paled and jumped away from him. "W-What do you mean the same thing that's on every guy's mind?"
Izaki stared monotonously at her. "Sports, duh."
She exhaled in relief and touched a hand to her chest. "Oh, that."
He continued to watch her. "What did you think I was talking about?"
"Absolutely nothing." Sumi waved her hand dismissively. She ignored his questioning eyebrow and pointed. "Hey, the club! Let's stop in for a drink."
Izaki shuffled his feet. "I dunno. It's kinda early to be hittin the club, isn't it?"
"It's not open," she replied. "I know the manager, though. He'll serve us up a few mid-day drinks. Come on!" She grabbed his hand and dragged him down the sidewalk and into the club.
The place looked significantly different without customers and a stunning light show. Somehow, though, Sumi thought it seemed cozier without all the humdrum, and she hurried across the club, releasing Izaki somewhere in between, and jumped the stairs to the balcony. "Yoshi-sama! Yoshi-sama, are you here?" She knocked on the office door, but there was no response. "Yoshi-sama!" Still nothing. "Hm." She glanced around the club as she walked to the railing. "He must be out."
Izaki motioned his head sideways. "We're already here. Let's get a drink."
She beamed. "Right!" She hurried down the stairs to find Izaki already behind the bar pulling out two bottles from the cabinets. "What's on the menu?" She sat on a stool and accepted the bottle he slid across to her. "'Wild Turkey.' Whiskey?"
Izaki popped off the lid in one swift clip over the bar edge and took a swig from his bottle. "If we're gonna bum something, it might as well be something more expensive than coke."
Sumi tucked in the side of her mouth but nodded. "I guess so." She paused then clipped the edge of her bottle on the bar, but the top didn't pop off. She glanced at Izaki, who watched her with an amused smirk. She tried again but only succeeded in chipping off a bit of the bar wood. "Ah!" She set the bottle down and ran her fingers over the pale cut. "Damn, Yoshi's gonna be pissed," she pouted.
Izaki grinned, took her bottle, and clipped it over the bar. The top popped off instantly, and he slid it back to her. "He'll forgive you. In this old place, I don't think a few scratches are gonna take much away."
Sumi took a swig of the whiskey then coughed. "My God, this stuff tastes like ass!"
He laughed and raised his bottle to her. "True test of champions."
She made a disapproving face then set the bottle down. "I'll play the sissy in this round. Isn't there something simpler, like a water or juice or somethin?"
He bent over and checked the cabinets then pulled out a bottle of water. "Don't hurt yourself."
Sumi stuck her tongue out at his grinning face and easily unscrewed the cap from the bottle. The liquid was refreshing after the whiskey, and the light tingling in her blood settled. "Much better," she smiled.
Izaki smirked then glanced past her at the far wall. He took another swig of his bottle then walked around the bar into the cluster of tables. "You any good at darts?"
Sumi turned in the stool to watch him, and he pulled the darts out of a board hanging on the wall. "Never tried it."
"Also a test of champions." He stepped back next to her and tossed the dart, landing it square in the center circle.
She gawked. "Wow, that was great!" He threw one dart after the other, each hitting inside the center circle. She liked his laid back but focused expression as he retrieved the darts and started over. His enjoyment of the game was apparent, and he had certainly honed his skills over the years.
"Here." Izaki extended a dart to her.
Sumi blinked and waved her hands. "Nonono, I can't throw darts. I'm more likely to hit myself in the foot than the target."
He rolled his eyes and set his drink on the bar. "Just come here." He pulled her off the stool and stationed her directly in front of him. "Take the dart." She did, and he cupped his hand under her right elbow. "When you throw the dart, the skill rests in the elbow just as much as the wrist. A lot of people lower their elbow and throw it out when they throw the dart. Keep the elbow steady, like this." He moved her arm back and forth with his right hand, using his left to keep her elbow stationary. "Just let it come naturally."
"But what about my wrist?"
"The wrist action changes from person to person, but do what feels best for the first time. Okay?" He released her arm and pressed his hands against her waist. He moved her over just a bit then crouched slightly, staring directly over her throwing shoulder. "Now, keep your elbow steady, and aim just a little higher than your target. And one. Two. Three."
Sumi released the dart, but when her arm came down to throw, her body tried to tilt forward ever so slightly. Izaki's arm came around her abdomen, holding her back, but the dart flew out and landed in the farthest circle on the board, hitting the nineteen. Sumi gawked. "Oh my God! I hit it!" She threw her arms up. "Right the fuck on! I hit it! Did you see, I hit it!" She spun around, ready to hug him emphatically, but then stopped when his arm tightened around her, pressing their bodies together. She gasped and brought her hands against his chest but didn't push away.
Izaki stared down into her eyes. His attention diverted a moment to her lips, and he stepped away. "Pretty good for your first try. But keep practicing." He motioned her to retrieve the darts.
Sumi beamed. "Okay!" She ran through the weave of tables to get the darts, but inside her heart pounded so hard against her chest she felt woozy. She pulled out the darts then positioned herself back in her throwing spot. "Elbow steady," she mumbled to herself. "Feet planted."
"Good idea," Izaki mumbled under his breath, but she wasn't listening.
"Aim a little over my target." She squeezed her tongue between her lips, squinted at the board, and threw the dart. Her body jolted a little, but she managed to stay stationary this time. The dart thunked against the board, landing in the middle circle on the twelve. "All right! I'm getting this."
"Keep practicing." He pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his coat pocket and lit up a stick then took another swig of his whiskey.
Sumi squinted at the board again. "You really should stop smoking. It's such a bad habit, and it weakens you as a fighter." She tossed the dart.
Izaki watched it hit below the center, but still in the middle circle. "Are you going to lecture me about smoking now, too?"
"Iie," she replied simply. "It doesn't bother me. My cousin smokes, too, but it's such a bad habit. I know it's gonna be a problem later, and I want my friends to always be safe."
He smirked. "Fat chance. Suzuran students are never safe."
"You could always transfer, ya know." She threw the next dart, hitting in the same spot as before.
"Why? So I can go to a school like yours and get a prestigious education; fit in with the crowd?"
Sumi scoffed. "The crowd isn't worth impressing, and fitting in is overrated. But there's nothing wrong with wanting better." Another throw, a little higher this time. "You shouldn't judge me just because I don't wanna brawl every day."
"You're the one who thinks people like me are bad company."
She stopped squinting, lowered the dart, and turned her head to him. "I didn't mean that the way it came out last night. I don't think any more of my school or any less of yours. What I do think more or less of is the way the students live. Sure, my classmates are more well-behaved and want to pursue serious goals in their future, but it's all for their own benefit. Suzuran students are crazy with no rules and no real ambitions, but typically, whatever they do is for their own beliefs, and their right to act on them. They fight as a team, working not just for ultimate power, but for unity. The challenge is to unite all of Suzuran, not conquer it." She looked at the floor. "I just don't like that people I care about are constantly putting themselves in danger. It's not a trend I can ever get used to."
Izaki didn't answer right away but inhaled on his cigarette and sat the bottle on the bar once more. He stepped up to her and took the last dart, bringing her eyes up to meet his. "Maybe that's the only way we know to be worthy of something better." He paused, his gaze traveling to each feature of her face. "Someone better." She blushed, and he shifted his head to the board, tossing the dart with no time to aim—and it stuck dead center.
Sumi took a slow, deep breath then smiled. "People don't choose who they care about, or who cares for them. Fighting should be for protection, for one's self and for those around them. For a greater good. Never anything else." She took the cigarette from him, inhaled, and blew the smoke in a steady stream against his face. "People should fight together, not against each other." She flicked the cigarette onto the floor and stomped it out. "Which reminds me, I need to do some grocery shopping! Grab your drink and let's get outta here!" She winked and strode toward the door.
Izaki glanced down at the flat cigarette then over his shoulder at the girl's back. He smirked. "Now we're running errands?"
Sumi hunched over the row of cabbage and tapped her chin. "Hmm. There're so many good ones this week, it's hard to choose." She picked one up and sniffed it. "Hm. Seems fresh." She took some money from her pocket and handed it and the food to the seller. "This one, please!"
Izaki pressed his tongue against his cheek as he watched the people stroll by. "Why're we doing this? Can't you just go to the store like a normal person?"
"Going to the store is not normal, it's lazy. Thank you!" She bowed at the seller and took the bag. "Besides, you want me to get sick off of store food? Bleh! Fresh food is the only food worth spending money on, let alone eating."
He shrugged. "Whatever."
"Don't whatever me!" she snapped, elbowing him in the ribs.
Izaki glared. "Don't think I won't hit you just cause you're a girl."
"I'm not afraid of you." She stuck her tongue out and skipped to the next shop. Behind her, Izaki continued to glare.
Sumi quickly skimmed the row of fruits, but as she reached the corner, a sight caught her eye. Down the neighboring street, dressed in his trademark white, Katagiri Ken chased after a group of women that hurried away from his yammering mouth. She quirked a brow. "What the hell is he—"
"Find what you wanted?" Izaki's voice penetrated over her shoulder.
Sumi spun around and beamed. "Uh, I'm done here! But I have to run this home and get ready for work soon. Skipping school is one thing, but work is quite another."
Izaki frowned. "But school's not out for another two hours. How can you need to be at work?"
"Getting ready is a tedious business for a woman! Come on!"
His frown deepened, and he stopped abruptly against her shoving and turned on her. "What exactly do you do that you need to spend two hours getting dressed?"
"I stink, don't you think? That can take work!"
He bent down and took a deep whiff of her neck. He shook his head. "Iie, you smell fine."
Sumi's face turned beet red, and it took a few moments for her brain to kick start again. "W-Well, I do! Come on, let's just go before the food spoils!"
"Not until you tell me what you do."
"I'm a waitress, okay? Now can we please go?"
Izaki pondered the information then nodded. "Fine. But don't get too dressed up. Nobody who comes in to eat there is gonna give you a nice tip for your face."
"You ass!"
What the hell was Genji doing? Just what was he waiting for? He walked all the way out into some shady place then parked himself for the next half hour. Sumi glared around the bush at Genji's smoking figure across the yard. Genji made plans with some girl yesterday at the market, but nothing happened afterward, so she followed him when he left for school this morning. Still, nothing happened. He looked to be waiting for someone, but so far no one showed.
"Hm?" She squinted.
Someone approached from the other end of the pathway, a husky figure with bronzed skin and a shaved head. Someone with little beady eyes and—
She gagged. Makise!
Takashi Makise strode up to Genji, leaving six feet or so between them. "I hear you're asking for me. You've got some guts."
Genji stood and faced him. "I called you because—"
"I know," Makise interrupted. "But even if you beat me, my men aren't going with you." Silence. An awkward silence. Then a strange sound, like a groaning old man, and Makise threw a hard punch at Genji's face.
Genji sidestepped and threw his arm up, a pink piece of paper in hand. "A group date," he spoke calmly as Makise stared blankly at it. "Interested?"
"'Love Love Group Date?'" Makise read dumbly.
Genji maneuvered around him and walked off. "Maybe it's not for you." But he threw the ticket over his shoulder, where Makise stared down at it.
Sumi gawked at the spectacle. Genji's setting up Makise on a date? Like, with a living, breathing girl? It was too ridiculous to believe!
Then she slumped her shoulders. This had to be Ken's idea.
The club was small, but warm and filled with chatty patrons. Sumi pulled at the edge of her black boots and checked herself over in the hall mirror. Her long black hair was pulled up into a sloppy bun, and silver hoops dangled from her small ears, complementing her glossy pink lips and matching pale eye shadow. She wore a violet tanktop with a black see-through, off-the-shoulder sweater and a crimson red mini-skirt. She borrowed the clothes from Meiko, but in return had to spill all the beans about Izaki to her before hurrying off to get ready.
At a booth against the wall, she saw Genji and Ken standing huddled together as Makise sat across from them. Ken and Genji were dressed like normal, but Makise flashed a pair of black high socks and sandals, and a white suit and hat with a red silk shirt. He sweated like a pig in heat, and the thought of getting close to him sort of disturbed her. Still, she smiled and strode over to them.
"My my, I didn't think someone as cute as you needed to go on a group date, Genji-san." She looped her arm through Ken's and winked at Genji. "What's the occasion?"
Genji frowned, but his eyes widened. "What're you doing here?"
"I came to watch the show, of course."
Ken shuffled on his feet and grinned at Genji. "Who's this pretty girl?"
Genji looked irritably away. "Sumi. She helped you the first time we met."
Ken gasped. "Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I remember you! Wow, you're such a sexy woman! Are you sure you're still in high school?"
Sumi grinned. "Absolutely positive. Nice to see you again, Ken-sama."
Ken blushed and shuffled his feet again giddily. "She called me Ken-sama."
"Ah!" snapped Makise, rising suddenly. "I knew I'd seen you before!" He pointed a sweaty finger at her. "You're Serizawa's cousin!"
Genji and Ken both snapped their eyes to her, but she only smiled and gave the peace sign. "That's me!"
Genji faced her furiously, and Ken jumped away. "Y-You're Serizawa Tamao's cousin?"
Sumi nodded politely at Ken. "Yes, I am. My name's Serizawa Sumi."
"Are you here because of him?" Genji asked between his teeth.
She snorted. "Hardly. Tamao has his own agenda, just like you, and just like me. Mine does not intertwine with either of yours. I don't need my cousin to choose my friends for me, thank you very much." She stuck her tongue out at him and turned back to Ken. "Are you saying you don't like me now because I'm Serizawa's cousin?"
Ken fidgeted and quickly put an arm around her shoulders, taking her hand in the other. "No, no, no, it's not that. It's just, we'll have to keep our relationship secret with this crowd, okay?"
"Ken-san!" Genji barked.
Ken jumped, and Sumi faced Genji again. "Don't worry. I'm not here to gather insight on you guys for Tamao. He doesn't approve of me socializing with Suzuran students, so you're definitely in the clear with the spy department." She patted Genji's elbow and winked at Makise. "I'm just gonna take a seat on the sidelines, gentlemen." She smiled at Ken then sat at a table a few feet away, within clear listening range.
"Now what?" Genji whispered lowly to Ken.
Ken shrugged. "I like her. Maybe we could bring her in as part of—" He stopped at the look Genji gave him. "Uh, right."
"Sorry we're late," greeted a girl approaching them. She was tall and pretty with long hair and thin facial features, dressed in casual jeans and a slimming t-shirt. Two girls trailed behind, both more dressed up with their fixed hair and cute purses.
Makise took out a pair of beige-tinted aviators and put them on as they closed in on their booth. He introduced himself as Makkie, stuttering over every word, and then clenched his body in a hunch. Genji scolded him lowly, and Ken quickly ushered them all to sit.
Sumi rubbed her fingers over her lips to hide the constant smile on her face and attempted to subdue the ever-growing urge to laugh at the spectacle. Ken was an ideal host, keeping the conversation going and the atmosphere friendly, but the girl beside Makise tried desperately to keep her purse as the ultimate barrier between her and him. Sumi could not withhold quieted laughter now as the girl moved from seat to seat, and Makise followed stupidly.
Genji beckoned Ken away and walked to the door. "What do you want?" asked Ken.
Genji pulled him in close and whispered, "Ken-san. This was a flop from the start."
Ken tilted his head, feigning ignorance. "Really? Things are just getting rolling—" Genji gave him the look again, and he nodded. "Okay, I hear you. Leave it to me." He stepped away. "It's early, but it's an emergency." He nodded at a table, and one of the men turned slowly in his seat.
Genji frowned in confusion. "Chuta?"
Ken repeatedly blinked weirdly at Chuta, and Chuta blinked weirdly right back. Then Ken turned to Makise, and they exchanged a similar alien form of communication.
Sumi stopped laughing quickly, watching the exchange, and felt her mouth sagging at the sight, predicting the worst in the situation to come.
Chuta rose from his seat and strutted up to the girls and Makise. "Whoa, looks like fun over here! Can I join you?" Genji and Ken's dates ignored him, and he turned to the girl beside Makise. "Yo, whose's the drop dead hottie?" He grabbed her by both arms and pulled her up. "I'm a wizard with my fingers," he grinned, wiggling his fingers strangely at her.
"Hey you!" barked Makise, rising immediately. He took off his jacket, threw it down on the couch, and glared. "Hands off my girl." The girl turned to him, temporarily glad of his presence, and Makise nodded resolutely at her.
Chuta scoffed. "Or what, Greaseball?" He shoved the girl down in a chair. "Come on!" Instead of Makise, however, Genji's girl grabbed a fork from the table, turned to Chuta, and stabbed him lightly just above the eye. Chuta yelped in pain and collapsed onto the floor.
"Chuta!" shouted Ken and ran toward them. "Oh God, Chuta! You all rig—" He stopped, snapped his eyes to Genji's girl, and clamped both hands down over his mouth.
"Baka!" scolded Makise. "Don't say his name! They'll know it's a setup!" He gasped loudly as Genji's date threw her gaze on him. Sumi pressed her hand over her eyes, her fear confirmed.
Genji's girl turned her eyes to him standing nonchalantly at the door then back at Makise. Makise turned his head away. "Oh, I get it." She scoffed. "Unbelievable." She threw down the fork, snatched up her purse, and walked away. "Let's go." She stopped when she reached Genji and glared up at him. "You're an ass." She marched off but stopped again at the door. "A total ass!" And the girls disappeared out the door.
Sumi rubbed Genji's back and patted his shoulder. "It's all right. Anybody can make a stupid mistake once in a while."
Makise stared at Genji as Genji wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "Are you crying?" Genji gripped both his knees fiercely, and his face distorted severely as he tried to hold back the tears. Makise turned away. "You sure are weird."
Genji punched his leg. "Stop crying!"
Sumi shook her head. "You guys should have known it wouldn't work. Women are intuitively smarter than men." She glanced over Genji at Makise, who thankfully had stopped sweating. "No offense, Makkie."
Makise waved it off, and Ken called to them as he walked over. "I sent Chuta home." He waved his cigarette at Makise. "Hey, I'm sorry about today."
"Forget it," Makise replied.
"How about I," Ken thought, "take you to a massage parlor?"
Makise jumped up. "A massage parlor?"
"Yeah."
"Really?"
"Sure." Ken looked down at Genji. He gave Sumi a questioning stare, and she shrugged, giving Genji another soothing pat. "Genji, what are you, mad?"
"A massage parlor?" Makise repeated. "Really?"
Ken glanced at him. "Yes." Then back at Genji. "Uh-huh, you crying?"
Genji did not respond, but Makise spoke again, "A massage parlor?"
Ken looked at him again. "Yes." He smiled somewhat and held up his hands. "First, you do it on a bed. Then on an oiled mat."
Sumi glared. "Oie! Don't talk about sex like there's not a woman present!"
Ken nodded and waved his hand at her. "Okay, okay. Don't worry, Sumi-chan, you're still my only girl."
Suddenly, Makise hunched over at the waist and began to groan in pain. Ken recoiled. "What's wrong? You gonna be sick or something?"
Makise groaned again then ran for the alley and cried out. Sumi was afraid to ask, but then he mumbled, "Uh-oh. Um, sorry to bother you."
Sumi shook her head. "Baka."
A few minutes later, the four of them doubled over laughing at Makise dressed in a fresh pair of flowered, elastic lady's pants. "You're a fashion leader!" cried Ken.
"No doubt!" Makise agreed, falling back against the wall.
"Which side's the front?"
"I'm wearing women's pants!"
They continued laughing for another minute then Genji collected himself. "I'll see you later, Makise." He turned to leave, and Ken and Sumi followed behind him.
"Later," Ken added.
"Try to make it home in one pair of pants," winked Sumi.
Makise crouched down against the wall, watching them. "Oie, Genji!" The trio turned to Makise, still smiling, and he stood. "Class C—it's yours."
Ken and Sumi exchanged pleased glances, and Genji nodded. "Oo."
Makise nodded back. "Let's take it all." Genji raised a fighting fist, and Makise pointed back at him.
Sumi grinned and smacked Genji on the back then looped her arm through Ken's again. "Crude, but effective, Genji-san."
Genji turned to glare at her but smirked at her pleased face. "It figures only a Serizawa wouldn't bother Makise's hormones."
Sumi kicked him in the hip, but he grabbed her ankle and proceeded down the sidewalk, dragging her hopping figure behind him. "Genji! Let me go, you ass! Ken-sama, get over here and help me!"
"I-I'd rather not get in the middle of this."
"You coward!"
Sumi unlocked her apartment door and kicked her shoes off into the darkness. She bolted the lock behind her, dropped her purse on the coat rack, and pulled the black sweater over her head. The night was a success, both for Genji and for her. She may have no interest in being part of Tamao's school issues, but she enjoyed being around Genji and Ken. The pair was unusual yet strong just the same. She admired their loyalty. Plus, she was somewhat curious to see what became of the feud between Tamao and Genji. Genji had potential, but would it be enough?
"Long day?"
Sumi jumped away from the voice, and the lamp across the coffee table clicked on. She relaxed. "Izaki-san! You scared me. How did you get in here?"
Izaki tilted his head. "You said the other day that you don't like the people you care about to put themselves in danger, and it got me wondering just who you were talking about. You could've been talking about me, but you've been around Suzuran before you knew me, right? Thanks to your cousin." He reached into his pocket and tossed a few pictures onto the table. "Welcome home."
Sumi glanced down at the pictures, her and Tamao's faces grinning brightly. Her eyes flew up to meet Izaki's black stare.
"Serizawa Sumi."