Sumi didn't move as Izaki watched her from across the table. He wasn't glaring, but something else rested in his eyes that made him threatening as he sat silently in his school uniform, one arm reclined across the back of the couch. She wasn't sure what he thought, or what he'd do, but she made an effort not to make any sudden movements.
Izaki stood nonchalantly and slipped his hands in his pockets. His eyes never blinked or left hers. "Your cousin—the one you care so much about—is Serizawa Tamao." He sounded calm, but the lack of inflection only made him all the more intimidating.
Sumi shrugged defiantly. "Yeah, so?"
He suddenly kicked the coffee table, sending it skidding across the room, and the abrupt noise sent her sprinting across the living room and into her bedroom, slamming and locking the door behind her. His fist banged on it a second later. "Sumi! Come out here, now! Sumi!" He pounded furiously. "Sumi!"
Sumi collapsed against the door and took a shaky breath. How did he find out? Why did he have to find out! She pulled the clip out of her hair, and the black strands collapsed down her neck over her shoulders.
Her eyes stared at the floor, but she wasn't really seeing it. He continued to bang on the door, yelling out to her, his anger growing with each pound. She fell sideways onto the carpet and clenched her fists as tears spilled over her blurring brown eyes.
Why did he have to find out?
Strange. She must have fallen asleep. When did it happen? Sumi glanced at the clock on her nightstand as she sat up. 2:30. She got home at midnight, and the apartment was quiet. Did he leave? He must have; who would wait around for a girl for two and a half hours?
She got up, silently unlocked the door, and peeked out. The apartment was dark and silent, except for the lamp still on beside the couch. She glanced around then stepped out and walked to the coffee table.
The pictures must have slid off the table when Izaki kicked it because they sat askew in the middle of the floor. She picked them up and studied them, absently running her fingers over Tamao's happy face. "Tamao."
"You must care a lot about your cousin."
Sumi spun around and backed up a step as Izaki stood in the bathroom doorway with a yellow envelope in his hands. "Y-You're still here?"
Izaki was reading the papers in the envelope but looked up then. "You look out for Serizawa." It was a scold, not a question.
Sumi pressed the pictures against her chest. "Of course I do. Tamao's the only family I have."
He tossed the deed aside and gradually approached her. "Is that why you mingle with Suzuran? To help your cousin get a heads up on everyone else's business?"
"Tamao doesn't need my help to beat anyone at Suzuran," she snapped then gasped as he gripped her arms and slammed her back against the wall.
His gaze blazed fiercely down at her, not moved by her determination to maintain eye contact. He carefully released her arms and planted his palms flat against the wall on either side of her head. "Then why keep your last name a secret? What were you afraid of?"
"I wasn't afraid!"
"Why did you lie to me?"
"I didn't lie!" she shrieked. "I never said I was anyone other than who I am! I haven't told you a single lie!"
"You deliberately withheld things from me, not for my protection, but for yours. You willingly deceived me, which is worse than a lie. Why?"
"I'm not part of Tamao's business at Suzuran, and I have no interest in being part of yours either! I can be with whoever the hell I want without needing ulterior motives!"
"Friendship doesn't require deception!"
"Would you honestly have looked twice at me if you knew I was Tamao's cousin?" His jaw tensed as he looked away briefly. "Would you?" He didn't answer, but she already knew. "No one ever does! Even my own classmates are scared of me because of him, and the only people willing to give me the time of day are the ones like Suzuran! People who understand Tamao's lifestyle, except they hate me because he's their enemy, or they use me to get to him! Tamao and his crew are the only ones who are willing to see me for who I am, and not because of who I'm related to!"
"You keep him tucked away when you meet people to show how much he means to you?"
"That's not why!"
"Then stop with the bullshit and just fuckin say it!"
"Because I wanted you to see me!" She pressed her hands into her chest and felt it tighten to the touch. "Me! Not Serizawa Tamao's cousin, or some asset to the Suzuran game! But really see me!" She choked only a second, but her voice dropped. "Just Sumi."
His eyes weren't cold anymore, but his feelings were still unreadable. "Why me?"
Sumi lifted her arms limply and shook her head. "I don't know, I just…" She pressed her lips together and met his probing gaze. "I just wanted to be with you. I don't have any ulterior motive. I-I wanted you to be with me, as no more or less than who I am." She looked down at the pictures in her hand then dropped them. "But Serizawa is part of who I am. And it seems Serizawa can only be your enemy." She cupped her hand over her eyes, ducked under his arm, and walked away.
Sumi shuffled into the bathroom and planted herself in front of the mirror. She didn't look at herself but squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep, calming breath. He'd leave soon and never see her again. It was stupid for her to feel so attached to him after only a few brief encounters, but she felt things when she was with him.
Relationships weren't anything new to her. While it was true that boys rarely asked her out because Tamao threatened to throttle them, she more than once went behind his back and had secret affairs with boys. But she had never felt emotionally bound to them.
Tokio had been an unusual case. He was a good man and the first to openly ask her out in front of Tamao, not that it took much guts considering his and Tamao's relationship. Still, she loved the way it felt to be with him. He was kind and loyal; he treated her with respect and liked her for who she was, not for who she pretended to be. But they still had their differences. She didn't like that he got in constant fights alongside Tamao, and it lead to their inevitable separation.
Even then she never felt as lost being away from him as she did at the mere thought of being separated from Izaki. And she wasn't angry with Izaki and his attitude. She wouldn't like him if he wasn't that way.
But now he was going to leave, any minute now.
There were footsteps, scuffing on the linoleum floor of the bathroom, and she felt him behind her. His right hand scooped beneath her hair and cupped the back of her neck, using his thumb to keep the strands away from her skin. He stepped closer, and his lips lightly caressed her exposed left earlobe. "When I found out about Serizawa, I wasn't angry at you. My first thought wasn't that you were a spy or using me." He glided his smooth mouth down her hairline to the curve between her neck and shoulder then kissed it. "I'm angry at him. I'm angry that, when the time comes, you may be with him instead of me."
Sumi sighed against his ghosted kissed moving along her shoulder and leaned her head back against his chest. "I couldn't leave you. You'd have to keep me away."
Izaki's fingertips brushed the skin of her exposed back then drew them along to a strap, slowly pulling it down her arm to kiss the curve of her shoulder. His other hand released her hair and slipped the other strap down. "Never," he breathed against her. His left hand slid across her chest then gripped her other shoulder as his right arm encircled her waist. "Sumi-chan."
Sumi's eyes fluttered open. Their reflection gave her shivers as his face pressed into the curve of her neck, and his eyes were closed as he clutched her tightly. Oh, God.
She turned in his embrace and cupped his face. For the first time, their eyes met, and his were so very tender. She wrapped her arms around his neck, rose onto her tiptoes, and slammed her mouth against his. The impact threw him off balance, but he held the sink with one hand and squeezed her waist with the other. He pressed her back against the porcelain, tucked his arm beneath her buttocks, and hoisted her up onto the porcelain, giving both hands the availability to tug up the hem of her tanktop.
They parted long enough for him to pull the violet fabric over her head and toss it to the floor then capture her mouth again. One of his hands caressed her back, massaging its way to the snap of her strapless black bra, while the other molded perfectly over one of her breasts. His fingers pinched at her nipple through the lace, enticing a soft whimper from her as she leaned into his touch, using her legs to pull him tighter against her. His hand found the snap of her bra, but she pushed him away and hopped down from the sink. She clutched a handful of his shirt and pulled him along in her backward steps out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, kissing all the while.
When they reached the bed, she pushed him down onto the sheets and walked back to the door, swiftly closing and locking it. She glanced slyly over her shoulder him. He lay on the bed, his legs still dangling over the end, propped up on his elbows to watch her every move. She smirked and gradually unzipped the side of her miniskirt. She slid it down her legs with intentional slowness, watching him as he groaned approvingly at the sight of her black lace underwear, and then kicked the skirt away into the darkness. Clad only in her bra and panties, she walked back to him, straddled his hips, and pulled him upright as he grinned mischievously at her. "Can you pass this true test of champions, Izaki Shun?"
Sumi glided her hands beneath his jacket and pushed it off his shoulders. His grin softened to a sly smirk, eyes never leaving her face as she worked to strip him down. She unbuttoned his black collared shirt leisurely, enjoying his undivided attention on her, and finally pushed it down with the jacket and threw them both off the bed. "You look sexy in uniform," she giggled. "But if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to protect yourself with all these layers."
"It keeps all the women from getting too close to anything important."
"Oh really?"
"Really." They grinned at each other and she yanked his long-sleeved black t-shirt over his head where it joined his other clothes on the floor. "In contrast, you look sexy in anything, but if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were expecting someone with so few layers."
"Mm." She bit his lip lightly and touched the cross necklace hanging over his bare chest. "I went to a group date bar."
Izaki's eyebrows flew up. "A group date?"
"With guys from Suzuran." She laughed at his dark stare. "As a spectator. I wanted to see Genji-san try to hook Makise up with a living, breathing woman."
"Genji. The new transfer?"
"Ahuh." Sumi tilted her head. "What, are you gonna to go into fighter mode now and think only about Suzuran?"
He grinned. "Not with you here, and so very," he grabbed her butt firmly, rocking her against him and pressing her breasts into his chest, "indecent."
She giggled between the lingering kisses he left against her mouth. "Take off your shoes." He sighed irritably but released her in compliance. She pulled off of his lap and crawled behind him to throw her arms around his neck. Her lips brushed over his earlobe, pleased with the goosebumps rising on his neck. "Tamao will kill you if he finds out," she whispered teasingly.
Izaki threw his second shoe and whirled around, pushing her back onto the bed. "Bring it," he barked and captured her in a searing kiss, drowning out her laughter.
Sumi squinted against the sunlight winking over Izaki's shoulder and pressed her face closer to his chest. Her fingernails traced his jaw line lazily, and her other hand rested limply over his waist. He faced her, one arm tucked under her head as his fingers played with her hair, and the other wrapped possessively around her hip. His eyes were closed as they clung to each other, naked and uncovered in the morning sun, but his hold never weakened. She held his cross in her hand as she stroked his face as her eyes devoured his warm skin.
Last night had been utterly amazing, to say the least. He was her first, but the first experience pain didn't detract from the affair itself—especially not with him. He slowly carried her up to that point and nurtured her after their simultaneous, mindboggling unison. She never felt used or wronged, even now. Their experience was real, between two people who cared for one another before, during, and after. The thought let her sleep well for what little she did sleep, and now that the morning threatened to end the night, she didn't want to relinquish him.
"You're gonna be late for school again," Izaki spoke. He didn't open his eyes, though, or loosen his hold on her.
Sumi moaned sleepily and pressed her face into his chest. "I don't think I could stay awake through class anyway."
He smirked. "Your teacher's gonna think I kidnapped you or somethin if ya don't go."
"True." She kissed his skin and flicked her fingernails against his spine. He arched at the tingle, and she squealed when he pinched her butt in retaliation. "All right, I'm going." S he propped herself, and his arms melted away as she sat up. When she threw her legs over the side, his hand clamped down over her shoulder and pulled her flat on her back. She blinked at his upside-down face.
Izaki grinned. "We didn't try this position last night."
Sumi blushed scarlet and smacked him upside the head. "Pervert!"
He laughed, kissed her soundly on the lips, and then sat up to find his clothes as well. "I need to get going anyway. If what you said last night's true, I have to represent my men against this campaign."
She put on her bra and panties then swiped his jacket from his pile and threw it on overtop. She glanced herself over in the mirror. "Hah! It looks better on me."
"Anything of mine looks good on you," he chuckled.
She giggled then blinked and reached into the pocket. "I think your phone's vibrating." She pulled it out. "Makise."
Izaki jumped up and quickly took the phone. "Hai? What's goin on, Makise?"
Sumi tiptoed away from him into the kitchen and checked the fridge for a quick bite to eat. The vanilla pudding looked pretty delicious at the moment. She had just retrieved a spoon and started eating when Izaki came out of the bedroom, fully dressed except for his jacket. "What was that about?"
"Makise wants me to think about joining with Takiya."
"Are you?"
He shrugged and leaned beside her against the counter. "I have respect for Makise, so I'll give Takiya a chance to convince me. But I have no intention of joining forces."
Sumi pouted her lip. "Genji's a good guy. I think you'll like him." She shrugged. "Plus it'll be nice if at least my friends and my boyfriend can get along, since none can get along with my family."
He half smiled and nudged her elbow. "Who said I was your boyfriend?"
"Who said I was talking about you?" she asked innocently. "Maybe I was referring to Genji, and you're one of the friends, hm?"
Izaki laughed, and she smiled. "Gimme some of that." He opened his mouth, and she put a spoonful inside, but he didn't relinquish the spoon. She glared at him, and he yanked the spoon out of her hand and took it himself. "Not bad." He took another spoonful, kissed her, and then tossed the spoon on the counter. "I gotta go."
Sumi allowed him to take off the jacket and throw it over his own shoulders. "Don't kill anybody."
"Shit happens." He stared at her a moment then set his hands on her waist. "Actually, don't go anywhere, and don't get dressed. I'll be back sooner that way."
"Sorry, my life doesn't run on someone else's demands," she replied and stuck her tongue out. "But I promise not to seduce everyone I come across."
"If you want that killing wish to follow through, you'd better not." He kissed her again, wrapping her up his arms, and she clutched his face with her hand. Several small follow-up kisses ensued before he finally winked and left.
Sumi ate another bite of pudding and looked around the apartment. The whole place had a new look—a good one. She dressed for school quickly, unable to wipe the smile from her face, and skipped out the door like a giddy child on crack.
Meiko gawked as Sumi came through the door. She jumped up from her seat and met her halfway to their desks. "What're you doing here?" she whispered sharply.
Sumi blinked. "What do you mean?"
"You should leave, quick, before one of the teachers—"
"Serizawa-chan," came the homeroom teacher's high-pitched voice from the door.
Meiko cringed, and Sumi faced her. "Sensei?"
"Could you please come with me, Serizawa-chan?"
"Oh. Is this about yesterday? I'm sorry about Izaki-kun, sensei, he doesn't have especially good people skills and—"
"I'm not upset about yesterday," she interrupted. "Now, follow me, please."
Sumi exchanged a curious look with Meiko, who stared forlornly at her, then followed the teacher to the principal's office.
Principal Kayashima looked the part with his tacky gray suit that was a size too big for his short, plump frame. He was completely balled by his mid-forties, and his small eyes were too far apart on his wide face. He squinted through large, circular glasses at her as she and the teacher entered. "Ah, Serizawa-chan. So good of you to join us. Please, sit."
Sumi raised an eyebrow at him then her eyes-diverted teacher and shook her head. "I'll stand."
"Very well." Kayashima leaned back in his chair and folded his hands over his gut. "The staff and I have been noticing certain particulars about your behavior lately, Serizawa-chan. Arriving late and wearing your uniform around town. Someone even said you were seen at a group dating bar last night." He lowered his chin to stare over his glasses at her. "And a small scuffle broke out. Is this true?"
Sumi nodded. "Hai. I was there with some friends, but the fight didn't involve me, kōchō. I—"
"It says here in your file," he continued and leaned forward to flip through a small folder, "you have no surviving relatives except for a cousin, a uh, Serizawa Tamao." He looked up at her. "Correct?"
Sumi frowned. "Hai."
"The file says he's a senior at Suzuran Boys' High School." He closed the folder and tangled his fingers together over it. "Ishikawa-san tells me you left school yesterday during classes, with a boy from Suzuran. You realize the reputation anyone related to that school may carry?"
She nodded. "Hai."
"And yet you still associate with its students?"
"Hai."
He sighed and stood up. "Serizawa-chan, I know you're young, and things don't really come together the way they should for young people. But this is a serious matter for our school. We can't have our students put in danger by associating with people from a place like Suzuran. You understand?"
Sumi glared but managed to keep her voice even. "Are you suggesting I disown my only living relative, kōchō?"
"Of course not. I'm simply asking you to consider your classmates when you openly visit that school and mingle with its students. Surely your cousin has other clothes than his uniform? Just make sure he's properly dressed when you go out together, that's all. As for this other young man, I think it best not to see him any further. He clearly has no regard for us or our rules and will be a bad influence on you. From now on—"
"Shut the hell up," she interjected calmly.
The adults gawked. "W-What did you say?"
"I said shut the hell up, Kayashima-san. I understand your public appearance guidelines, where the un-prestigious are not worth giving a second glance." She snatched the folder off his desk and threw it at him, smacking him in the face with the pages. "Tamao wanted me to go to a nice school and get a good education. I don't give a damn about this place and all its superficial bullshit, so don't ever talk about my cousin like you're even half the man he is." She banged her fist on the desk, and Ishikawa shrieked. "Ever!"
Kayashima raised his hands defensively and nodded. "A-All right!"
"And Izaki may live without rules, but he's a good man." She paused then kicked the edge of his desk, pinning him against the wall. "Consider this my withdrawal from your defenseless school, kōchō. Sensei." She turned without bowing and flung the door open; its bang against the wall resounded down the long hallway.
Who did that fucking bastard think he was? He didn't even know any of the students at Suzuran, let alone the fact that the majority of them went on to be successful. True, some of them in less classy areas than others, but she was certain several of her ex-classmates would be the same. And to tell her who and how to see people; what nerve!
"Tamao! Tamao!" Tsutsumoto Shoji bowed briefly at Sumi as he rushed past and rounded the corner of the rooftop. "Big trouble! Makise joined up with Genji!"
"Stop peeing your pants over everything!" barked Manabu Mikami, the younger of the brothers.
"Huh?" gawked Shoji. "Well, Makise's now recruiting Izaki's group!"
"From class D?" Tokaji asked from behind him.
"Yeah!"
"You sure about that?" spoke the older Mikami.
"Izaki's tough!" Manabu added.
"And crazy!"
"Stop whining, you sissies!" yelled Tamao. "Come on!"
The Mikami brothers stood carefully on the barrel and readied themselves to jump. "Ready. Aim. Fire!" They jumped onto the makeshift wedge, and the huge bolder shot up into the air.
Tamao spin-kicked it across the roof and into a strategically placed group of students with number signs tied to their bodies. The bolder cleared them away like a bowling ball. "STRIKE!" Tamao shouted in victory. He grinned and crossed his arms over his chest as the brothers cheered. "Let them join forces. We can take them all at once. Right?" He turned to Tokio.
Tokio lifted his face, forced a smile, and nodded. "Sure." His smile faded, and he collected his coat to leave. Around the corner, Sumi pressed herself against the wall. Tokio's shoulders were slumped, and rather than walking, he shuffled one foot in front of the other.
"He looks pale," Tokaji commented.
"Must be the flu," suggested Manabu. "Rich kids get sick easy when the seasons change."
"You're full of it," his brother scoffed.
Sumi crossed her arms over her chest and rounded the corner. The look on Tamao's face hurt to see. It lightened somewhat at the sight of her, and she smiled as she approached. "Not happy to see me, senpai?"
"Sumi-chan!" cried Manabu. "What're you doing here?"
Tokaji hovered over her shoulder. "Skipping school?"
She threw her hand up dismissively and smacked him against the nose. "I quit school."
Tamao's face dropped, and his voice instantly turned livid. "You did what?"
Shoji rallied together the Mikami brothers. "Uh, come on guys, let's get outta here. Tokaji!" Tokaji didn't take his eyes off the back of Sumi's head but stepped around the corner with the others.
Sumi shrugged. "I quit school."
"Why?"
"Because that school's dumb anyway. There's nothing they can teach me I can't learn from any textbook."
"But you can't get a diploma from reading a textbook. Tell me why you quit."
She pouted. "Because those assholes were talkin shit about you and telling me when and how I should see you so I don't 'endanger' my fellow students."
"People always talk about me like that, Sumi!"
"Well it's fuckin retarded, and I'm not gonna stand for it!"
Tamao rolled his eyes and took a calming breath. "All right, fine. I understand you were sticking up for me. I would've done the same if I had been in your spot, but you've been enrolled there for two years. Why did they say something now?"
Sumi averted her gaze. "I might've…been a part of some noteworthy behavior recently."
The tightly-wound frown made her a little squeamish under his glare. "What kind of 'noteworthy behavior'?"
"Nothing that bad! A few tardies, going to a group date bar, and…" She bit her lip.
Tamao glared and stepped closer to her, forcing her eyes to meet his furious ones. "And?" he spoke through gritted teeth.
She cleared her throat. "I uh, left during school the other day."
He grabbed a fist full of her shirt and yanked her forward, eyes ablaze. "With who?"
"Stop overreacting! It's not like I can't get into any school I want with my transcripts, all right! Chill!"
"Who was it, Sumi?"
"Izaki!" she snapped. "Izaki Shun! And I like him and it doesn't have a damn thing to do with you!"
"It has everything to do with me! That guy's been out for a shot at me since he got into this school! You really think he's interested in you for you?"
"Yes, I do!" She ripped his hands off her and stepped back. "Because he was interested in me before he found out I was your cousin!"
"Sumi—"
"Izaki may not meet the standards of approval that Tokio does, but he's different! What I feel is real, and it wouldn't feel that way if he wasn't real! You know me; I'm not a fickle romantic, Tamao! I've made my decision, and there's not a damn thing you can do about it!"
"Oh yes there is!"
"Not if you want to keep seeing me there isn't!"
Tamao's eyes widened incredulously at her then narrowed suspiciously. "Have you slept with him?"
She slapped him, hard, right across his cheek and stormed off. "I'm done with this bullshit!"
But as she marched for the stairwell, she failed to notice Tokaji standing in her hiding spot, head tilted in his unsettling trademark fashion.
She was still livid when she got back to her apartment. Maybe Fukuoka would let her put in a few extra hours. Eh, it wouldn't matter. Working would distract her, but customers were just as annoying as Kayashima and company. One annoyance would build on top of the other until she snapped and ensured her early retirement. Stupid rules and behavioral codes! What was the point? All they served to do was annoy people into insanity.
"Sumi-chan?"
Sumi stopped on the sidewalk. "Meiko."
Meiko stood in front of the apartment building still in her school uniform. She smiled weakly. "You look pissed."
Sumi's frown intensified, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "School's still in. Why are you here?"
"I don't need a hot guy to make me leave class," she teased. "I came to see how you're doing. I heard about what happened with Kayashima."
Sumi rolled her eyes. "The day just keeps getting shittier, actually." She walked past Meiko, but Meiko followed. "Tamao and I got into it earlier cause I quit school and like Izaki, and he's completely pissed against both—like I need his permission!"
The rant continued on for the next hour as Sumi spilled the events out to Meiko. Meiko wasn't shocked about Izaki's reaction to Sumi's family heritage but was otherwise in questioning awe about that night's events, the obnoxious demands of their principal, and Tamao's blunt accusations. They talked and rallied and huddled close with each new sentence, and Sumi practically sat in Meiko's lap by the time they finished raving.
Meiko shook her head and reclined back against the chair. "So what're you gonna do about Tamao? He's a good guy, but you know he's not gonna take this lightly. What if he does something to Izaki?"
"He won't," Sumi replied, sitting back as well. "Not anything he wouldn't have done before this. I'm more concerned about the impulsiveness that could follow from here. Tamao won't do anything, but word'll get out soon enough. Things could get hectic for Genji if it gets crazy."
"Something like what?"
She smirked. "It's Suzuran. What couldn't happen?" Her cell phone rang in her pocket, and she quickly fished it out. "Moshi moshi?"
"Genji needs some bandages." Izaki. "He could use tender hands."
Sumi nodded. "I'll be right there."
"You were right." He paused. "There is something about him."
She smiled and bit her lip. "Are you joining him?"
"I blame you if he doesn't beat Serizawa."
"I'll take the blame," she giggled. "It's a win-win situation for me."
"I gotta make some stops, but I'd like to see you later."
"I would too, but I'm working tonight."
"I'll call you."
"Okay."
"Bye."
"Bye." Sumi stood and collected a first aid kit from under the kitchen counter as Meiko walked to meet her at the door. "I shouldn't be gone too long. I need to patch up Genji, but he's a trooper. He shouldn't need too much attention."
"I'm still upset about this school thing," said Meiko. "I just wanna go and tell Kayashima to shove it."
"Don't, Meiko." Sumi reached the door and gripped Meiko's shoulder. "This is a personal battle. Don't get yourself into trouble over it." Meiko frowned but nodded. "Arigatō."
She grinned. "So what're you gonna do if Izaki comes over later?"
"Meiko-chan," she scolded and closed the door.
The school was completely deserted except for the single classroom light still on at the second floor. Makise hovered over Genji while Chuta sat atop a desk and swatted back and forth with an unrelenting Genji. Genji's face was every shade of blue and red and swollen like a crème puff. He slapped the cotton swab out of Chuta's hand and glared at the floor. "I'm fine! Just leave it alone!"
Sumi knocked on the doorframe. "Hi," she greeted their curious faces then approached when Genji frowned at the wall. "I heard about this afternoon. I'd like to say you fared well, but your face says differently."
"I did fine," he replied curtly.
"Of course you did." She poked just below his eye, and he flung away, wincing. "I'm sure it's just random discoloration, nothing at all to do with a fist in your face." She sat the first aid kit beside him, poured some antiseptic onto a cotton swab, and dabbed it under his eye on the swollen, blue-purple skin. "You guys were stupid to be so careless. Izaki isn't some side-street punk." She turned to Makise and shoved his face. "Everyone has ulterior motives, baka!" Makise ducked his head solemnly. "What would you guys have done if Genji had been seriously injured?"
"Oie," Genji glared up at her. "I'm not a kid. Don't treat me like a sissy."
Sumi smacked him upside the head, and he hissed pitifully. "Don't try that tough guy shit with me! Have you forgotten who my cousin is?" She cupped his face between her hands and stared fiercely down at him. "I don't want anything to happen to you, so be more careful next time or I'll tell your girlfriend! Got it?"
He nodded robotically. "Oo."
She nodded back and continued dabbing his skin. "I blame this entirely on Makkie anyway."
"What?" gawked Makise, and Chuta laughed.
"Makkie?"
Makise smacked him. "Shut up!"
Chuta beamed. "Hey, Sumi-chan. You're a good fighter, right? Why don't you join up with us?" Sumi flung peroxide in his eye.
After patching up Genji, Sumi went back to her apartment to shower and change then rushed to work. Usually the night shift as a club waitress was boring or frustrating work, but being with Genji and the others had put her in a remarkably good mood considering the prior events of the day. She only snapped at one drunken customer for grabbing her butt, and otherwise remained patient and upbeat. Work was fun again, like many years before—before she needed the money.
"You're in an awfully good mood," said Fukuoka, coming up beside her at a table.
Sumi smiled. "Is it that noticeable? Hey, you wanted a more pleasant hostess, and I'm due for a promotion."
Fukuoka laughed at her eyebrow wiggle. "Not to a hostess, kid. Your temper's just as distinguished as your charm."
"Too true, boss man!"
"Waitress!" beckoned a woman. "Something strong with Vodka!"
"Coming up!" She winked at Fukuoka and weaved her way through the crowd to the bar. "Some crazy Vodka mix, Tanaka-san!"
"Got it!" the young bartender acknowledged.
There was a large crowd clustered around the circular bar, but the two tenders were smooth with their words and quick on their feet, moving about the hive and sliding well-prepared drinks across the glossy tile top. One man in particular, the man sitting at her left, was especially appreciative of their concoctions.
He leaned onto his elbows and smiled at her. "Hey."
She smiled politely. "Hi."
He pushed his shot at her and touched her elbow. "Have a drink with me. You look like you could use a break."
"We're not allowed to drink while working," she replied, still set in her pleasant mood.
"But more important is pleasing the customers, and taking a shot is the only way to make me happy, pretty lady." He stumbled slightly as he tilted on his stool toward her. "I can wait till after work for the better part."
Sumi quirked a sly brow but took the finished Vodka drink and turned to leave. The man grabbed her arm, and she quickly clutched the shaking drink. Her eyes glared at his hand then him. Stay cool. "Let go of me. You're drunk."
"But not blind! Just give me your number and we can work out a good time, eh?"
"Your visit buys you courtesy and a place to pass out, not a classy broad." Her hospitality had disappeared now, but her face remained calm. "Let me go or your patronage will be permanently revoked."
"Are you threatening me?" He tried to grab at her waist, and she flung the alcohol at him. He screamed and reeled back as his eyes burned. "You bitch!" He raised his fist blindly, but the stool was suddenly kicked out from under him, sending him face-first into the floor.
Sumi gawked at Izaki as he yanked the man off the floor and shoved him toward the door. "Izaki-kun!"
Izaki righted the stool and sat down. "Keep working. I'm not here to interrupt."
"Why are you here?" she asked quietly.
"To walk you home." He tapped the bar at the tender. "She spilled the drink. Could you make another?"
Sumi leaned on the bar. "How did you know where I work?" He grinned at her, and she glared playfully. "Fine. Keep your secrets." She stuck her tongue out and walked off with the new drink. Izaki chuckled at her departure.
"She your woman, man?"
He turned his head and eyed the tender. "Yeah. Why?"
Tanaka smirked, slid a bottle to him, and wiped down a new glass to begin another drink. "Her cousin know about you two? Last time I heard he threatened anybody who came within six feet of her, except that Tatsukawa guy."
Izaki raised an eyebrow. "Tatsukawa Tokio?"
"Yeah that's him. You know him?"
"We've met." Izaki paused to drink his beer then exhaled loudly. "She's my girl now, and I don't care what anyone thinks about it, especially some ex or her cousin." He turned his head suddenly and waved the bottle at the old man sitting beside him, whose ear was tilted suspiciously in their direction. "You got a problem, gramps?"
The man slowly turned and scoffed. "Who me? Not at all, Izaki Shun."
Izaki's eyes narrowed. "Do I know you?"
He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a folded leather wallet, baring a golden badge. "Detective Kuroiwa. I'm well acquainted with the Serizawas." Izaki faintly pushed the bottle aside and rolled his eyes at the smug policeman. "So, you're dating Sumi-chan now, huh? Pretty tough crowd. Does that mean you've allied with Tamao-kun?"
"Not a chance in hell," Izaki replied.
"So you're using Sumi to get to him, is that it?"
Izaki shot up, pushing his stool away, and faced Kuroiwa. "It's not against the law to date someone, is it? So I don't see why it's any of your business why I'm with Sumi." He glared. "And I don't appreciate you snooping around Sumi's work, cop."
"Hardly snooping," Kuroiwa chuckled. "But I'm through here. Just got a call about some local disturbance." He downed his shot, slapped Izaki on the arm, and headed for the door. "Good luck with those Serizawas, kid."
Izaki didn't watch him leave.
Across the club, Sumi placed the glass down on the table and bowed. "Here's your Vodka mix, ma'am. Enjoy!" She bowed again and scrambled to the next table. "What can I get for you?"
The group of punks grinned up at her and spat out an array of orders. As she turned to leave, however, their conversation caught her attention. "What kinda serious yakuza still wears a white robe? What the hell, right! Serves the bastard right, interfering with our business. That beat down outta put his big mouth outta commission for a while, huh? Hah!" They proceeded to laugh boisterously at their private joke, and Sumi frowned.
Ken-sama. She forced a grin and turned on the group. "You guys beat up some guy? That's kinda sexy. Where'd it happen?"
One o'clock finally rolled around, and Sumi eagerly punched the clock. Izaki disappeared from the bar around midnight, and she suspected he got tired of waiting, not that she could blame him. But as she stepped into the suffocating smoke of the night air, Izaki waved her over from across the street. She smiled and crossed.
"Any more problems?" he asked and offered her a sniff at his restaurant takeout box.
She inhaled the smell of noodles, sauce, and vegetables then beamed. "Nothing I couldn't handle." She didn't feel the necessity to tell him about the unconscious pricks behind the club. "Thanks for waiting."
He smirked then took her hand. "Let's get outta here."
The walk home was a relatively quiet but pleasant one. Sumi couldn't seem to deflate her giddiness after Izaki laced their fingers together, especially when he appeared to have the same problem as his smirk turned into a subtle smile that never left his handsome face.
They reached her apartment in twenty minutes, and Sumi quickly unpacked the food at the kitchen table and chowed down. He joined her, and their silence continued for about five minutes until he spoke up. "I saw you leaving Suzuran today."
"Did you?" She slurped up some dangling noodles, glanced innocently at him, and continued eating.
"You didn't look especially happy," he continued as he popped some vegetables into his mouth. "Did something happen?"
She shrugged dismissively but didn't meet his eyes. "Iie."
He studied her briefly. "Did you have a fight with Serizawa?" She didn't respond, and he sighed. "What did you fight about?" His expression hardened. "About us?"
She waved her chopsticks loosely. "I went to see him, right? And, he's already in a bit of a bad mood from other things, but, I had to tell him about my day. I quit school today." Izaki raised an abrupt eyebrow, and she placed her hands on the table. "Oh, he was livid. But I told him about how Principal Kayashima was insulting Suzuran students and telling me who and how I should see people. Pissed me off! So I quit. Tamao wouldn't see my view in his slew of outrage, and, through a chain arguing, I told him about us. He disapproved, I slapped him; end of discussion. So, yes, we fought."
Izaki slowly grinned at her vexed and flustered demeanor as she speared into the food. "Only Serizawas would fight over caring about each other." She kicked him in the shin, and he winced. They glared at each other and continued eating.
The silence did not last long. "You used to date Tatsukawa?"
"Yes," she replied curtly. The question had been inevitable, and she was honestly surprised her hadn't figured it out earlier when he was investigating her.
He frowned. "Were you happy with him?"
"Very."
His frown deepened. "Were you in love with him?"
"In a way." She swallowed the last of the noodles, walked around the table, and threw her arms around him, planting a lingering kiss on his neck. "But never as strongly as I feel for you."
He smirked and rubbed her arm. "Are you saying you're in love with me?"
She grinned. "In a way." He chuckled, and she pulled back. "Now, I'm going to take a shower."
Izaki stared at the remaining vegetables then turned his head. She pulled her shirt over her head and threw it to the side near her already dropped jeans. He couldn't suppress the full grin consuming his face as she winked at him from the doorway, clad only in red lingerie. "That's not a fair way to win an argument."
She shrugged and disappeared into the bathroom. He paused, but when the shower water came on, he jumped up from his chair and darted after her. She squealed as he slammed the door behind him.
"You can't wear your uniform to bed," Sumi scolded as she stared over Izaki standing in only his boxers.
Izaki shrugged and looked her over. She dressed in blue cotton shorts that barely reached her thighs and a long-sleeved, white cotton shirt with a red print so faded it was unreadable. "I don't mind sleeping naked, ya know."
"Iie," she snapped like a scolding parent. "I've had a long day. I need my rest, and nudity impedes that." She snapped her fingers and shuffled to the closet. "I think I have some of Tamao's old shirts in here somewhere." He scowled, and she rolled her eyes. "You're not gonna catch anything by wearing his clothes, ya big baby." She pushed up on her tiptoes and pushed a few boxes around.
Izaki pouted his lip but was quickly distracted. "You play guitar?"
Sumi yanked out a white wife beater then glanced down at the old wooden guitar perched on the floor of the closet. "Oh, iie. It was my dad's. I have no musical talent, but he loved this guitar so much I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it." She noticed the way he stared. "Would you like to try it?"
He fidgeted at her mind reading and caught the shirt she threw him. "Iie, I was just admiring it." He pulled the wife beater on then blinked when Sumi extended the smooth wood to him.
She smiled. "Try it."
Izaki hesitated but carefully took it from her. He sat on the edge of the bed, propped the guitar on his knee, and fiddled with the strings. He pulled a few random notes then started into a mellow song. He didn't smile or speak, but as he watched the strings tenderly, she knew he liked it.
Sumi crawled onto the bed, perched herself behind him, and started toweling his dripping blonde hair. He pricked away at the guitar aimlessly, completely wrapped up in the delicate, deep notes. She had never found him as handsome as in his reverie. His hair no longer dripped into the cotton collar of the shirt, and she sat the towel on the bed to run her fingers through the honey mass. "Why are you so handsome, bad Suzuran student?"
He chuckled. "Would you be with me if I was ugly?"
"Maybe," she drawled. "But, sex would be out of the question." They laughed together. She wrapped an arm across his neck, kissed his neck, and watched his fingers ply at the strings. "Do you like it?" He nodded. "Then, you should have it."
Izaki stopped and turned his head seriously to her. "But it was your dad's."
"I know," she replied simply. "But I can't play it, and it's just sitting in the closet. I think he would rather it be used than admired, as long as it's used by someone important to me."
He nodded, sat the guitar down, and turned to her. His advance maneuvered her up the bed onto her back, and they lied down facing one another. He let her pillow his arm and used the other to caress her face. Their eyes were unwavering. "I know you're tough, Sumi-chan. I know Serizawa's kept you prepared, and I've seen you handle yourself. But, being with me is dangerous for you. I have enemies, a lot em, and they're not as nice as some of us. Even if I didn't, I'll be jealous of anyone who notices you. I'll kill anyone who looks at you wrong and won't always be able to keep from hurting you. I'd never hit you, Sumi, but there're other kinds of violence. I don't want that for you. I don't wanna be the reason for anything bad in your life. I—" He frowned and shifted his eyes. "You can do better than me. I'm not good for you."
She was stunned by his personal revelation. He really thought he might cause her some kind of harm, but she knew perfectly well he'd join Tamao and become his right-hand best friend before he intentionally hurt her in any way. He would never, and she wanted him to know it, too.
"Senpai?" He looked back at her, and she traced his lips and chin with her nail. "Maybe I could do better. Maybe not. But I know, no matter who I'm with, I'll never be happier than I am with you. I'll never feel safer, or be safer. I'll never be more cared for than when you're beside me. And I can't imagine anything better than that." She kissed him lightly and smiled. "But don't worry. I'll protect you, Izaki Shun."
He smirked and kissed her forehead. "I feel safer already, Serizawa Sumi." They settled against one another in a bundle of kissing and caressing, clinging possessively as they dozed off.
That night, she dreamed about Tamao and Tokio. Tokio was deathly pale and seemed to glide behind Tamao, moving awkwardly as though he was a ghost rather than a man. Tamao, however, never looked fiercer as he stormed around Suzuran with clenched fists and wide, fiery eyes. They reached a classroom and barged in. Tamao stood in the doorway, Tokio unnoticed in his strange position behind him, and Izaki faced off against Tamao. They fought and fought, relentless, but even if this was a dream, Sumi knew the outcome.
Tamao's superiority could not be rivaled.
As they struggled, Tokio flung back from Tamao suddenly and collapsed onto the floor. He seizured, his body convulsing and head jerking violently. But no one noticed him at all; not a single one. She reached out to help him but, as she did, she jolted, and a strange coldness began to embrace her.
Tokaji came around her and twirled a bloody knife between his fingers. The brewing pain in her back began to make sense once she saw it. "You should have kept it quiet, Sumi-chan," Tokaji smirked. "And Izaki's next." He made an overhead slash toward her face—
—And Sumi sat straight up in bed. Her chest hurt, but she was otherwise physically sound, not even sweating. She rubbed her face and blinked against the late morning sun. Izaki was already gone.
The dream didn't persist, but once was all it took to unnerve her. She had never been the superstitious type and placed little value on the dream as prophetic. Tokio was deathly ill, and Tamao's fury toward Izaki came as no shock. The dream was a paranoid embodiment of what could regrettably come to pass.
Except for Tokaji. His purpose in the dream eluded her other than being his generally conniving self. Still, to stab her—that was an aspect of her restless night she could not ignore.
Her antsy thoughts kept her from missing Izaki too much. After his alliance with Genji, the group spent all day and late nights bonding and congregating on and off the school campus. He called her at least once a day and sent her numerous text messages, so she never felt withdrawn from him. She was glad the boys were becoming fast friends, and also grateful for the chance to submit school transcripts across town. But the dream never ceased to be a distraction.
On the third day, she asked off work and took a break from school searching to stop by Suzuran. She wanted to only see Izaki, to memorize his face anew, but otherwise came for alternate means. Tamao hadn't tried to call or see her since their fight, and, despite any anger she still sustained, she couldn't drive back the habit of worrying about him. And the dream—tsk, damnit!
Genji and his boys weren't hard to find. Their screaming and hollering during a game out on the baseball field could be heard from across the street. Izaki ran the bases, grinning victoriously, while Makise lay flat on his back over the home plate, knocked out cold. She giggled. What a bunch of clowns.
"Hm?" Someone walked to the fencing perpendicular to her, watching the boys through the wire holes. She beamed and hurried over, eager to see him after their separation. "Ken-sama!"
He glanced over then turned quickly away. "Uh, Sumi-chan. What're you doing here?"
"Just visiting. What about you, Ken-sama?" She tilted her head around his arm, but he turned away again.
"Uh, I just came by to see how Genji's doing. I'm just leaving—"
"Why won't you look at me when I'm talking to you? Ken-sama?" She struggled to yank him around and cupped his face. "What happened to you?"
"Nothing," he protested and pulled out of her touch. "I just fell."
"A clumsy bunch you all are." Then she remembered and glared. "Is this from when those punks beat you up in the alley?"
He gawked and stuttered desperately for an excuse. "W-What do you mean? I didn't get beat by some group of punks! Y-You must have heard wrong!"
She doubted it. "Ken-sama," she started again, tone more casual. "Genji says you're a former student of Suzuran. That you almost conquered it."
He delayed only a moment before diving in. "That's right! There wasn't anyone who didn't run at just the sight of me! I practically ruled the school without even getting through everybody!"
Sumi smiled and nodded. "Funny, I don't remember seeing you amongst the graduating class photos." He looked out the corner of his eyes then back at the boys. She tilted her head. "Ken-sama?"
Ken opened his mouth but struggled over the right words. "I dropped out," he managed finally. "I picked fights with plenty of kids, but I didn't beat many. I was kind of a laughing stock, and a lot of kids ostracized me after a while. I was a joke. So I dropped out." His chest puffed up. "I couldn't cut it at Suzuran."
Sumi felt she could understand the situation but not his feelings. Why just drop out, especially when he involved himself so much with the students now?
"Genji thinks I'm helping him climb to the top," he continued. "But I haven't done anything. Genji pulled these guys together, fought all the battles; took all the beatings." He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Genji doesn't need me at all, but I love the kid too much to tell him the truth now."
Sumi smiled and clutched her hands around his elbow. "You know, a lot of people might say it's ridiculous for you to keep acting the way you do, but I completely understand why you do it. And I don't think it's ridiculous." He looked shyly at her, and she kissed his cheek. "I wouldn't give up on my dream either."
She winked at his smile and skipped away but stopped at the corner and turned back. "Ken-sama!" He still smiled at her but raised his head at her summons. "You're wrong, ya know. Genji does need you. He may fight the fights, but it takes more than fists to unite Suzuran." She felt herself smiling again. "You made it this far together. You're a team!" She threw up her fist victoriously and darted off into the school.
Behind her, Ken grinned, glanced back at the boys, and scuffed away, head raised toward the sky.
On the rooftop, Tamao should have been easy to find. He stood alongside Tokio, the two and Tokaji looking down on the occupied pool area below. They didn't speak at first, but as they continued to watch their opposition, Tamao broke the verbal silence. "Tokio. We can't overlook these guys anymore."
Tokio glanced at him and smirked. "I never asked you to."
Tamao's eyes drifted to a figure scaling the outside stairwell, and he sighed at the recognition of his little cousin. "I bet the view atop Suzuran is breathtaking. Let's go get it."
Tokaji noticed Tamao's distracted eye and closed his lighter as he too saw Sumi. He glanced again at Izaki then at Tamao, the silence speaking volumes. He stood and walked away.
Sumi hoped to see Tamao, but he somehow eluded her on the small school grounds, and she gave up. Standing outside her previous school, she wondered where he went. Fresh cigarettes were scattered on his usual rooftop area, but no one was nearby. Was he avoiding her? It seemed childish, but she couldn't blame him if he was. Her relationship with Izaki seemed like a betrayal, even though it wasn't. She wanted her friends to get along and make amends; the violence wasn't needed.
Apparently, that was wishful thinking.
"Sumi-chan?" Meiko blinked at her and stepped closer. "What're you doing here?"
"I thought I'd pick you up and we could go out for a little while," she replied.
"Sure!"
"Oie." A teacher followed Meiko out, and Sumi recognized him as the gym teacher, a man who carried far too much gut and stench to be a decent athletic trainer. He stepped around Meiko like a stone in the road and set his fists on his waist, eyeing Sumi through tiny squinting eyes surrounded by heat-flushed chubby cheeks. "What're you doing here? You're not a student here anymore. Get lost."
Sumi smirked. "Gladly. I was just doing that. Meiko-chan?"
"You don't need to speak to her," the man interrupted when Meiko moved to pass him. "We don't need people like you being a bad influence on our kids. I don't want my students getting involved with a bunch of hoodlums."
"'Hoodlums'?" Meiko gawked. "Sensei! Who do you think you are to—"
"Leave," continued the teacher. "Now. And don't come back."
"Sensei!" Meiko pushed him out of her way and grabbed Sumi's elbow. "Let's go, Sumi."
Sumi allowed Meiko to drag her away at first, but a glance over her shoulder showed the teacher turning redder. She stopped, jerking Meiko still, and disentangled herself. "Meiko, I don't want to cause problems for you. We'll just meet up some other time, okay?"
"What?" Meiko pouted.
"We'll meet up later someplace else, where teachers won't bother us. I'll buy you ice cream! Okay?" She gave what she hoped was a convincing grin. "Go ahead and go home for now. I'll call you."
The pout didn't leave Meiko's face, but she nodded nonetheless. "All right. But, I still don't like the way everyone's treating you lately, Sumi-chan. It makes me so angry!"
Sumi slapped her shoulder. "I'll be fine. I'm not letting it bother me, and you shouldn't let it bother you. We can't give them the satisfaction, hm?"
Meiko giggled. "Right."
"Okay. Now go on." She nodded Meiko back toward the school and smiled at her skipping figure. "Meiko-chan," she sighed, "sometimes I think you're the only one who really believes in me." She shook her head and turned to leave, and then her cell phone vibrated obnoxiously in her pant pocket. A quick flip and she pressed it to her ear. "Moshi moshi?"
"Sumi!" rushed Ken. "Come to the hospital quick! Izaki's been attacked, and Genji's jumping to go after Serizawa!"
Sumi's eyes widened. "What? I'm on my way right now, Ken-sama! Wait for me!" She sprinted down the street, but as she did, her forehead wrinkled.
Attacked Izaki? Tamao wouldn't do that; it was too underhanded. But she didn't get it, then. Who would go after someone in Genji's group? Why would someone hurt—
She blinked and stopped dead.
"Tokaji," she snarled under her breath.