Sumi flung the door open to meet the panicky eyes of Genji and the others. Lying between them was Izaki. His face was every shade of purple and blue with bits of black and brown thrown in the mix, all contrasting loudly against the softly reddened white bandages around his neck, cheek, and forehead. Even his exposed arms we scratched straight up to the IV stuck in the crook of his elbow, and she could see the extensive wrappings extending over his chest and down below the sheets.
She pushed through their puzzled blockade and clutched his hand. "Izaki?" He moaned weakly and opened his eyes. They stared unclearly at her at first then softened, and he squeezed her hand. She smiled in relief and leaned on the bed, brushing his hair back with her hand. "Hi baby."
"He should be fine after a few days," said the doctor watching silently from the other side of the bed. He lowered his clipboard and smiled reassuringly at her. "As long as he keeps good company, I'm sure it will be a quick recovery." Sumi noticed the way he nervously spied the boys on his way out. No doubt they were not the good company he implied.
She pressed a careful kiss on Izaki's bandaged forehead and sighed lowly. "No wonder every man needs a woman behind him. I take my eyes off you for a second!"
Behind her, Makise and the others gawked. "Y-You two are together?"
Sumi glared over her shoulder at him. "Got a problem, Makkie?"
"Since when?"
"I had no idea," Chuta added, scratching his head in shock.
Genji smirked and slipped his hands in his pockets. "Well, at least now we know she's definitely not a spy."
Sumi prepared to turn on him in deadly force, but Izaki's low chuckle disintegrated any hostility. He acted finer than he must have felt, but at the moment, her mind was plagued with that dark dream—a dream which now held much more clout than she originally placed on it.
The boys recovered from their amazement eventually and cleared the room after sunset, but Sumi stayed. Izaki fell asleep before they left but woke again when they'd gone. She helped him eat a late hospital supper then crawled in beside him on the bed. He insisted he felt fine enough for her to rest her head on him, and she tucked her arm across his stomach, careful not to squeeze too hard.
He started drifting, but her mind was not yet closed to conversation. "Who did this to you?"
"Nobody," he breathed against his sleepiness. "I fell."
"Fell into a rope around your ankle?" He grunted; apparently, he expected her not to know the details. "Was it Tokaji?"
"I told you I fell. Just drop it." He nudged her. "Don't you have to go to work?"
"I'll call in."
"There's no need; I'm fine."
"Don't care."
"Sumi—"
"Not going." She rubbed her face into him resolutely, and he smirked against her hair.
"Only a Serizawa would fight over caring about someone."
"Damn straight," she smiled.
Izaki quickly fell asleep quickly, and, near the close of the silent hour, Sumi herself nodded off. But something in the hallway cleared her dreams. She slipped carefully out of the bed, careful not to wake him, and crossed the room then poked her head into the hallway.
A stretcher zipped past, surrounded by yelling, frenzied doctors, and she stepped out to see them better. Lying atop the white cot, hemorrhaging wildly as the doctors pressed him down, was an image from her nightmare.
Terror pulsed through her chilling blood. "Tokio!"
He stood leaning against the entryway. Never moved; never spoke. Maybe he was still mad. Would he brush her off, even as he watched over Tokio's slumbering condition? The rejection would hurt.
Still, Sumi came up behind Tamao, wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed her forehead into his back. He didn't speak, but she thought she felt him relax into her. "Gomen nasai."
Tamao took a deep breath then sighed. "I already knew he was sick. I should've made him get the surgery, but…" The words fell away, but he didn't need them to make her understand. A moment of silence lingered before his hands gently removed her hold, pulled her around, and drew his arms against her, cradling her up tightly in his embrace. "Gomen, Sumi-chan."
She clutched the back of his shirt and pressed her tears into his chest as he laid his cheek on her head. "I love you, Tamao. I never meant to hurt you, I just—"
"I know. And cause I love you, I wanted you to be safe, even if you have to sacrifice your feelings. I was wrong. Forgive me."
"Forgive you?" She choked a laugh. "Don't try to sound cool." He smirked, and their hold strengthened.
The next morning, Izaki woke to a middle-aged, heavily wrinkled, sour-faced nurse carrying in a tray of breakfast food. He instantly noticed the emptiness in his arms and looked around. Sumi was gone.
"She left early," said the nurse. "She left you a note though." She motioned at the table beside him with a knowing wink.
A folded piece of paper sat waiting, and he opened it.
Izaki-san,
The doctor said you'll be out in a few days, so don't even think about escaping. I have an interview at a school, and my boss needs me to make up my hours tonight. If you're a good boy, I'll come visit you later. ;)
Sumi
P.S. If you let somebody put you in the hospital again, YOU'RE DEAD!
He smirked and leaned back on his pillows, reading it again. "Kawaii," he mumbled affectionately.
The nurse smiled and put his tray on the table. "She's a sweet girl. She watched over you all night. I hope you appreciate your girlfriend!"
Izaki didn't look up from the paper. "She loves me in her own way, and I appreciate her in mine."
Maybe she should have dressed up a little more. Looking at it now, somehow the knee-length blue skirt and pink shirt no longer blended the lines of casual and professional. There was a sweater in her bag; that might help. The idea came too late when the door opened and the principal stepped in.
"Sumi-chan, ohayo gozaimasu." He extended his hand and smiled. "I'm Principal Akanishi. It's a pleasure to have you here."
Sumi didn't need motivation to accept his unexpected hand. He was an older man, of course, but not that old. Early thirties maybe, and ridiculously handsome. A fairly line-free face with a sharp, masculine structure but soft features: large eyes, straight nose, dimpled smile, and a full forehead unbothered by too much stern glaring. She bowed appropriately. "Thank you for seeing me, Akanishi kōchō."
"Please, sit." He motioned to the chair across the desk as he took the one behind it. Sitting open across the neat workspace was a vanilla folder. He skimmed through the pages as she took her seat. "Serizawa Sumi. Five schools since you started middle school, but you have no disciplinary marks and you've never fallen out of the top five in your classes." He picked one paper to scrutinize more closely. "It says here you left your last school for personal reasons." He glanced up at her. "May I ask what those reasons were?"
Sumi knew this would come up, but an evasive answer had yet to formulate. Truth was the only option. "My previous school didn't take kindly to the company I keep. My cousin is a student at Suzuran Boys' High School, so I'm friends with many of them. Kayashima kōchō insisted I stop being seen with him, but Tamao is my only living relative, Akanishi kouchou. I'll only stop seeing him when I'm six feet under."
Akanishi nodded thoughtfully and closed the folder. "Well, your cousin doesn't concern me. Suzuran's reputation isn't appealing, but I see no indication that it affects your academics." He smiled. "If that suits you, you'll begin class next week."
Sumi beamed. "Really?" He nodded again, and she bowed excitedly. "Arigatō gozaimasu, Akanishi kōchō!"
"See the secretary to order your uniform and file the proper paperwork." He stood and opened the door for her. He smiled when she stepped out. "Sumi-chan." She turned. "The students are our children. That makes your cousin family too, so feel at ease here."
She smiled and bowed again. "Arigatō." He nodded one last time then closed the door.
Sumi had to admit she greatly enjoyed the quiet streets of the early afternoon as students attended classes and businesses had yet to dismiss for lunch. To be frank, her interest in school only diminished in her absence from the routine. Somehow, it seemed like a severe waste of what little life people had. Sacrifices had to be made, apparently, to live a sweeter life down the road.
The morning venders were closing up for the afternoon calm and moving indoors. She passed a polite smile to a butcher wiping down his cutting board but then stopped as her eyes turned forward again. Walking toward her, scuffing his feet lazily over the pavement, was Tokaji.
Sumi instinctively took a few subtle steps back and yanked one of the long cutting knives off the butcher's stall. He protested at first but quickly fell silent as the other teen approached.
Tokaji stopped a few feet from her and stomped out his cigarette. "Well, well, well, don't you look happy this morning. Are you that pleased to see me?" She didn't respond, and he smirked that abominable sneer he wore too well. "How's your boyfriend?"
She immediately took a single step and simultaneously put the knife to his throat, pressing the tip of the sharp, bloody blade against his Adam's apple. Her glare was unmistakable, but she was knew it didn't remotely mirror his conniving eyes.
He smirked, glancing passively at the blade a moment. "If you kill me, you're finally choosing whose side you're really on. I'm a member of Tamao's gang. Attacking me is the same as attacking him."
Sumi paused, analyzing his unreadable scheme, and retorted, "That's the difference between you and Tamao, Tokaji." Slowly, she lowered the blade. "Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong." She flipped the knife, catching the metal between her fingers, and handed it back to the vendor. He took it hesitantly then stepped away from them again. She didn't waste her time exchanging another look with Tokaji as she shouldered past him.
Maybe she should have socked him one. It wasn't like he didn't deserve it. One good punch right across the face from a girl may not hurt enough to make a dent, but it would be enough to wound a little bit of his pride—or annoy him, at the very least. She couldn't let him feel like he accomplished anything with his taunts, though. She couldn't outwit him, but that didn't mean she had to succumb to him either.
Sumi slid the hospital door open and stepped into Izaki's room. She stopped and stared at him. Izaki glanced up from the floor and gave a start, immediately yanking his pants up his legs and letting them snap against his waist. "Oie! Don't you knock?"
Her eyes narrowed, and she slammed the door shut behind her. "Are you trying to leave?" He glanced swiftly away, his anger rapidly replaced by fear, and cleared his throat. She gripped the plastic bag in her hand and marched up to him. "Did the doctor say you could leave? What, do I have to watch over you like a hawk now or something? Get your ass back in bed!" He opened his mouth to argue, and she smacked his bare chest with the back of her hand. "Now! Put your hospital clothes back on, too!"
He pouted his lip but reluctantly obeyed. "Can I have some privacy?"
"Iie," she said curtly. "I've seen everything anyway, and I don't trust you not to sneak out. Hurry up!" He didn't bother to argue with her as he dropped his pants and pulled the hospital gown over his head.
Sumi waited until he finished then extended the bag to him. "I made this for you. I figured you'd be trying to make a run for it with hospital food as the only source of nourishment."
Izaki pulled a lunchbox from the bag and beamed. "A girl's never made me lunch before. Arigatō." She blushed at the praise, and he quickly leaned down to capture her in a kiss. She returned the touch, but then he chuckled. "You know, this really isn't fair. Except for the first time, I'm always the one initiating our kisses."
She raised a confused eyebrow. "You mean in the bathroom?"
He shook his head, grinning. "Iie, that was me, I kissed on you first. The night you got drunk, you kissed me. I had trouble getting your door open and we sort of fell through it. When I tried to help you up, you started kissing me."
Sumi's cheeks burned candy apple red. "You told me nothing happened!"
Izaki laughed and hopped into bed. "You were so forceful, too. You kissed me all the way to the bedroom and even pulled me down! But you passed out before you could take advantage of me."
Sumi glared, ignoring her coloring, and set her hands on her hips. "One more word and I'll take your lunchbox. Got it?" He instantly pouted, but it was so cute she had to look away to keep her composure. If he wanted to poke fun, she could play that game. "I got into a new school, at Gakkan Senior High."
"That's great."
She nodded. "Yeah. Akanishi kōchō's very nice and seems really concerned about his students. And he's so handsome," she added cutely, in a tone that was entirely truthful.
Izaki frowned. "He's too old for you."
"Not really," she replied, shaking her head and watching him innocently. "I'd say he's barely in his thirties. Besides, I like older men. My mom was into older man, too. My dad was about fifteen years older than my mom, and that's more years than me and Akanishi kōchō, I'm sure of it. So age isn't really an issue."
He glared, clearly unhappy with her seemingly honest interest in older men, and she struggled to maintain her composure. It didn't last long, though, as he kicked the sheets childishly. She laughed then vaulted onto the bed, positioning herself over him, and leaned in for a firm kiss. He was quick to forgive and forget as he cupped her neck, and his tongue brushed the seam between her lips. She allowed him full access to her mouth, which he took full advantage of as he dove deep into the warmth of her. She moaned lowly, weakened by the force of his passion, but his arms—though wounded, remained strong—kept her solidly attached to him.
They broke for breath, and he nipped at the end of her nose. She smiled, and the action made him grin back. "I have to go to work," she said softly.
He nodded but kissed her cheeks and forehead before kissing her lips one last long, slow time then released her. "Try to behave yourself."
"I will. Enjoy your lunch." She jumped off and slid her hand down his leg as she walked for the door.
"Sumi." She turned to him, and he gave her a serious look. "Don't start trouble over this."
It didn't take much of a scientist to know he referred to Tokaji's attack, an attack he refused to discuss. But she wouldn't make promises she wasn't sure she could keep.
So instead, she winked and left.
Work was more chaotic than usual that night. A surprising number of teenagers attended the nightlife festivities, but none of them looked old enough to get through the door at a legitimate establishment. Kuroiwa let a lot slide in Fukuoka's place, but it would be a surprise if he stopped through and let this much apparent lawbreaking slip under the radar. He was a reasonable man but wasn't without his limits. The adult crowd caroused around in a more flamboyant manner than usual as well. Maybe the young visitors spurred their enthusiasm, and the drinks flowed three times quicker than the music could pace the dance floor.
Sumi found it difficult to keep up. She had worked nights like this before and had no apparent problems, other than the obvious, but this time it was different. She was slower on her feet, her mind couldn't keep up with the frenzy, and her patience ran thin quicker. After her first hour, she already had three guys thrown out, something she rarely did during the course of the entire night. Her hands fumbled and her feet shuffled, carrying her sloppily through the club like the earliest days of getting the swing of the job.
Her mind was elsewhere at first, but her bad display began to strike her notice and she attempted to focus more clearly on the task at hand. It didn't help in the slightest; the harder she tried, the worse it got, and the irritation at her inefficiency only increased her inadequacy further.
Fukuoka pulled her aside once to ask if she was all right. She expected it, since she caught him watching her several times out of the corner of his eye as he played the ideal host. She assured him she was fine, but her contrasting actions spoke more loudly than her words.
Finally, one o'clock came to her rescue, and she felt utterly exhausted with all the pint-up emotions struggling to boil over. She punched out quickly and hurried into the stale night air, eager to escape the stuffy smell of booze at any cost. Standing outside the club, dressed in a pair of brown sneakers, a pale green t-shirt, and rusty blue jeans was Meiko. In all their years together, Meiko never dressed so casual. She had always preferred the latest styles, not out of statement, but out of excitement at modeling whatever was in.
That wasn't the case now as she pushed off the building and smiled at the befuddled Sumi. "Sumi-chan, let's have a drink." It was spoken nonchalantly enough, but something in Meiko's eyes told Sumi that it wasn't a request.
"All right."
They stopped at a place not far from Sumi's apartment, but they drank in silence for the longest time. Sumi didn't even look at Meiko for the first hour they sat at the outdoor table and watched passersby, the moon, or the alcohol sitting on the table. Clearly, something was on Meiko's mind, but she never said a word, and Sumi didn't press the possibility. She was too tired to focus too much on what might be troubling her friend, especially with alcohol floating around in her system now.
Finally, around 2:30, Meiko placed the empty bottle back on the table and leaned on her elbow. "I heard about Izaki-san. And Tokio-kun."
Sumi nodded without looking up from the table. "Mm."
Meiko tilted her head. "How's the volcano between Tamao and Genji-san?"
"Ready to erupt," Sumi replied simply, pouring herself another glass but not drinking. "The conclave's escalated with this isolated attack on Izaki, and Tokio's condition has Tamao distracted but sensitive. It'll take only the slightest wind to knock the flood gates down."
"I'm sure Genji's jumping the bit to get back at whoever hurt Izaki, but it couldn't have really been Tamao."
Sumi smirked and took the ready shot of sake. "It was Tokaji."
Meiko's eyes instantly narrowed, and she drew back, hissing a bit as she spoke his name. "Tokaji?"
Sumi nodded. "He hasn't come right out and said it, and I haven't looked too deeply into it, but I know it's him. He wouldn't deny it if I asked him, but if I did, I might be ready to kill him."
Meiko tucked in her lip. She knew full well that Sumi would never pick a side in this dispute, but that fact only made it more painful for her. "Sumi?"
Sumi turned the bottle upside down and sat it on the table when nothing dripped out. "Hm?"
Meiko hesitated but continued. "Is Izaki so important to you?"
Sumi looked up immediately, taken aback, but smirked at Meiko's truly curious expression. "I don't know how to explain it, Meiko. He just fills me with this feeling. Not completeness, and not bliss. It's more of a caress, soothing me with a gentleness that only a soldier can show—someone who's known anything but gentleness. It's a feeling that makes me feel so impassioned that I know if I lose it, I'll never recognize another form of love." She smiled at the word. "I feel it because he loves me. He hasn't said it, but I know he does. And I love him." She chuckled suddenly and turned her shot glass upside down on the table. "It's stupid, really, to think it's love. The feeling's come too quickly to be real love." She meant what she said, but it saddened her to admit it.
Meiko remained silent for the briefest of moments then replied firmly, "No it's not." Sumi looked at her again. "I believe in nothing more than love, particularly love at first sight. So love over a few weeks sounds like a good love to me."
Sumi blinked at the words then smiled. "Arigatō, Meiko-chan." Meiko smiled back, and Sumi really was grateful for Meiko's company. Meiko had been in relationships she claimed to be love, and Sumi always accused her of being a helpless romantic with the way her love came and went so quickly.
But now, she knew that Meiko had been right. Love did come in many forms in many people at any time. She just hoped, at the end of all this, hers would not evaporate—or his.
The hospital was surprisingly quiet, even for 3:00 AM. Sumi carefully ducked around a patrolling nurse and slipped into a room across the hallway. It was darker than in the poorly lit corridor, and she had to be careful navigating across the room. Her fingers just found the end of the bed when its occupant gave a start. "Who's there?" he whispered harshly. He found the light beside him before she could answer, and she stared up the bed into Tokio's startled face. "Sumi-chan?"
Sumi smiled reassuringly and raised her hands. "I come in peace."
He sighed in relief and rolled his eyes. "What're you doing in here?"
"I just wanted to check on you." She pulled up a chair beside him and took his hand. "How're you feeling?"
He reclined back against his pillow and shrugged nonchalantly. "As good as I can be. The pain's subsided some."
Sumi forced a weak smile, but it didn't last long. "Did you see Tamao?"
He nodded. "He came by earlier to check on me." He scoffed and shook his head. "I feel so pathetic."
"You're not pathetic," she scolded and clutched his hand between both of hers. "People can't defeat a sickness with will alone, Tokio. And Tamao's never viewed you as pathetic; otherwise, he would have forced you in here weeks ago."
Tokio stared down at their hands and rubbed his thumb over her knuckle as he smirked. "Yeah. I guess so." He looked up at her again. "I've decided to have the surgery."
"Good," she said immediately.
He tilted his head. "Do you think I'm showing fear by doing it after all this?"
Sumi gawked and shook her head. "I think the exact opposite. If you didn't get the surgery, the outcome is predictable. You knew it was coming, and you faced it. There was time to prepare. But this surgery is give and take. It could go well or it could be a catastrophe. You're choosing a possibility of life over a certain death, which makes me too happy to ever think ill of your decision. Besides." She shrugged. "It seems like would it take much more courage to face the unknown than to face death."
Tokio smiled and squeezed his hand. "You always know what to say, don't you, Sumi?"
She grinned. "I'm a woman. It's just that I'm always right."
He laughed. "I guess that's why I liked you so much!"
Her smile faltered somewhat, and she traced the back of his hand with her fingertips as her other clutched it, his thumb still massaging her knuckle. "But it wasn't enough, was it?" His laughter dissipated, and she kept her eyes on the bed. "Whatever we had just didn't compare to Suzuran."
Tokio's brow creased, and he sat up in the bed. "Is that what you think, Sumi?" She didn't respond, and he gripped her hand. The contact made her look up; his eyes were intense. "What happened with us was never about Suzuran. Tamao needs me, Sumi. We're a team, and my mind was so distracted with you that I wasn't covering his back like I should've been. I didn't give a damn about Suzuran's hierarchy. If it were anyone else, Sumi, I would never have let you go."
Sumi smiled softly. "I understand. I'm not sad about it anymore, Tokio. I still love you, just not in the same way, and I'm glad that you're always with Tamao. It's one of the greatest things about my life, knowing that you're close by." She squeezed his hand then pushed him back onto the bed. "Get some rest. You want to be well-rested for the surgery." She kissed his forehead and winked. "Goodnight."
But he didn't relinquish her hand, and their eyes met. "Tamao says you're dating Izaki."
Sumi instantly beamed and nodded. "Hai."
Tokio own lips actually twitched in a smile. "Are you happy?"
She shrugged dramatically then laughed. "Very."
Now he grinned. "And do you love him?"
She bit her lip and rubbed her nose shyly then shrugged again. "In my own way."
He understood and released her. "Good. I'd have preferred someone other than that prick, but if he makes you happy, I can turn a blind eye to his shit."
She giggled and patted his arm. "Sleep now." She waved over her shoulder and closed the door quietly behind her. The hallway was still relatively empty, making it safe to slink through the hospital unnoticed.
In another room, the blinds were pulled back to shower it in moonlight. Getting to the bed was easy, and she smiled at the empty lunchbox sitting on the nightstand. Izaki slept soundly with one hand on his stomach and the other tucked behind his head as he breathed steadily, too quiet to be snoring but not quiet enough to be simple breathing. Even with bandages spotting his skin, he was too handsome.
Sumi reached out a hand and touched his wrist. He was real, much to her gleeful disbelief. She lifted his arm off his stomach and crawled up into the bed beside him. The movement woke him, but he scooted over a little and tucked his arm over her back, massing her shoulders with gentle, absent rubs. She embraced his middle and pressed her cheek comfortably into his chest. His lips pressed a kiss onto her head then lingered sleepily in her black hair. He was warm and smelled of men's cologne, though she was certain he never wore any.
As exhaustion finally collapsed over her consciousness, she clutched him just a little tighter and counted his steady heartbeats.
That morning, Sumi somehow managed to wake herself at 6:30 and go back to her apartment after resisting Izaki's sleepy, persuasive kisses. Her uniform came in the mail, and she quickly changed into it, threw some water on her face, and headed for school. Her sleepiness was temporarily forgotten once she reached the grounds and students already started greeting her with curious enthusiasm.
The homeroom teacher, Itsushima, was a woman well past her sixties, but a person couldn't tell it by the way she acted. She practically skipped into the classroom and spoke in an excited voice with bizarre mannerisms and animated facial expressions that kept the class rolling. Sumi liked her immediately and even more so when she found out she taught the drama courses. Itsushima didn't make Sumi go through the embarrassing task of introducing herself to the entire class but instead divulged a great deal about her other students to Sumi. Without realizing it, Sumi told a lot about herself in the interactive conversation.
None of the other teachers compared to Itsushima's dramatic personality, but they were equally welcoming. Unlike her previous school, these teachers seemed to care a lot about their students more than the school's policies. That unspoken knowledge put Sumi at ease amongst the giddy girls and playful boys around her. One boy in particular was especially nice to her, but the way he blushed at her, she couldn't help but laugh at his bashful interest.
At lunch time, the students dismissed from class to meet in the cafeteria. This was contrary to her previous school as well. They ate in the classroom and kept to themselves for the most part, but here, the students intermingled so rapidly that it was impossible to tell who was in with whom and which students were from which class. Sumi loved it.
She scanned the cafeteria for a good spot to sit, but her attention was quickly diverted when a hand touched her shoulder. She turned and beamed. "Aka kōchō!"
Akanishi smiled down at her and motioned to one of the tables outside of the cafeteria, overlooking the sports fields. "May I eat with you?"
"Of course!" They headed outside with their food, and Sumi was surprised at how familiar he was with his students. Few of them called him by his title, and he addressed most of them by their first name. When they sat down to eat, he threw his suit jacket over the back of his chair and rolled his sleeves to the elbows. Sumi thought he looked more like a senior student than a principal.
He asked about her first day and if she was fitting in well thus far. She regaled him with her imitations of Itsushima's quirkiness and listed off the names of people she already befriended. He knew most of them and laughed at her display. She talked to him effortlessly, and he responded like a man who had been her friend all his life. The conversation progressed to more personal matters after a while, but Sumi didn't find it any less comfortable. She told him about Tamao and the battle over Suzuran; her keen attraction to Izaki and his temporary time in the hospital; the evil thoughts on how to show Tokaji what happened when he messed with her family or friends; even Tokio's ill health. The words just flowed so easily, she couldn't contain herself.
"And what about after school?" Akanishi asked as he leaned forward on his crossed elbows. "What're your plans?"
Sumi giggled and leaned close too, whispering behind her hand, "I want to be a pâtissier."
He grinned. "A pâtissier? Really?"
She nodded excitedly. "I love to cook, particularly sweets, and it's so much fun! But going to a good school is expensive, and I don't have the money." She made a pout then shrugged. "I really want to do it, but the circumstances of my life just aren't compatible with it."
Akanishi nodded. "I understand that. When I was your age, I wanted to be a musician."
She laughed. "A musician, Aka kōchō?"
"I was pretty good, too, back in the day!" He laughed too and watched a group of students pass. "But there wasn't enough money in it, and I needed cash quick. So my uncle got me a teacher's assistant position for a while. After that, I never looked back." They smiled at each other then Akanishi's tone turned more serious. "Never give up on your dreams, Sumi-chan. Just be careful that what you want isn't actually what you're leaving behind."
Sumi blinked, suddenly aware of just how much older Akanishi really was. "Aka kōchō."
The class bell shrilled across the campus, and Akanishi stood with a grin. "Time to get back to class. Come on, I'll walk you." He picked up his trash and headed back into the school, leaving Sumi to sit a moment with her thoughts before hurrying after him.
Akanishi's words were imprinted on her forward consciousness the rest of the day. The only time she got a reprieve was during Itsushima's class, but they waited for her the moment it ended. Just the same, the day had been good and a positive impression.
As she strolled home that afternoon, she daydreamed about spending the next four hours in bed before going back to work. The previous night had been short, too short, and her body was due for a recharge. But she stopped halfway there and tilted her head at the familiar figure scuffing his feet along the sidewalk across the street. "Makise?" She checked for cars and crossed over to him. "Makkie!"
Makise looked up from the pavement, surprised to see her. "Sumi-chan."
"What're you doing out this way?" she smiled. "Shouldn't you be with Genji?"
Makise's eyes shifted away, and he lightly kicked the ground. "Genji's not himself lately."
"Oh?" This was the first she'd heard of it. "How so?"
"He's gone completely wild the past few days, beating up everybody he can find. He thinks just beating the shit out of people is gonna win guys over to our side, but he's making a show of himself. It isn't right." Makise shook his head. "I can't follow him like this."
Sumi straightened at the words. "Makise—"
"I have somewhere to be." He pulled his lips into an attempted smile and walked past her. "I'll see you around, Sumi-chan."
Sumi watched him leave. What the hell was that about? She wasted no time fathoming possibilities—she wanted to know now.
She ran to Suzuran looking for Genji, but Genji bailed early. Sure enough, none of Makise's men were amongst Genji's troops either. She found Chuta at the pool area, nursing a swollen lip and bruised eye, and found her answers there. He didn't say it directly, and she was fairly certain he didn't even realize the subtle addition to the equation. But Sumi was touched by Genji's fear for Tokio's health.
She slapped a hand on Chuta's back and made a fist. "Genji may not be here, but we can still support him. He wanted more troops, so let's go get them, eh? Come on!" She slapped his back hard and jumped up. She had never rallied boys before, but she suspected it couldn't be much different from persuading them to her will like at the club.
Unfortunately, it wasn't quite so simple. Tokaji's recent prowess shunned most of the boys from volunteering to take part in the conclave. Not that she could blame them. Tokaji was an ass but fierce. To get in his path was to declare war on the devil himself. But she was determined to keep her friends strong, and she would do all she could.
At sunset, Sumi checked her watch. Work would be starting soon, and she had to go, but Genji still hadn't showed. She and Chuta managed to win over about thirty students from the second and first years, but there was little else they could do without Genji. He was the leader, after all. Without him, no matter how many troops they had, the outcome would be the same. Genji was the key.
She started to walk out into the pool area but stopped as Makise pointed off to the side somewhere. Standing across the pool on one of the concrete blocks was Genji. He took a deep breath then smirked and flicked Makise and Chuta off. Sumi grinned then turned and shuffled away. All was well.
For now, anyway.
Despite the promising turn of events and prosperous first day of school, Sumi's performance at work only worsened from the night before. Something still nagged at her, distracted all her senses from actually accomplishing anything well except imperfection itself. Her lack of a nap was not beneficial, and the swarm of visitors provided no help. By the end of the evening, she was drained of energy to the extreme. Her feet dragged as she punched out and shuffled home. Just when her energy reached its last drop, she collapsed onto her bed and fell asleep in seconds, no regard for changing clothes, bathing, or eating. Her body was just so heavy…
The next morning, the alarm shrilled wickedly beside her, shocking her into harsh consciousness, and she pulled herself off the bed to get ready for school. While her energy tank had been refueled enough to operate, she didn't feel rested. Her body seemed to have a mind of its own the past few days, and it was protesting against anything she wished it would do. Still, it cooperated enough to get her packed and out the door in time to catch the bus to school.
But as she stepped outside, she stopped and stared curiously at the bottom of the stairs. Tamao leaned against the railing, looking up at her. His hands were stuck in his pockets, and his coat had been discarded somewhere. The eyes gave him away; something was on his mind.
Still, they brightened somewhat at the sight of her, and he lifted his chin a little higher. "Willing to skip school for a day?"
Sumi quirked a curious and surprised eyebrow at the suggestion. "Might I remind you it is only my second day?" There was a flash in his eyes, one she recognized all too well, and his lips tweaked somewhat. He challenged her, and she couldn't resist smirking back. "But, I am a Serizawa."
Tamao grinned and pushed off the railing. "Let's go."
They hopped onto the first bus that stopped near them and road it in the opposite direction of her school. The destination was some shopping area in the midst of the city, but when the bus stopped, Tamao didn't move. He didn't speak, either. Sumi got the distinct impression that the jumping point wasn't important. It seemed especially true from the way he looked at her when he thought she couldn't see, or how he leaned closer to her than usual, as if protecting her from someone on the other side of the bus.
They road for hours, and all the while she talked about her new school. Tamao never said a word, but he listened to every detail. Finally, the bus driver traded off with another, and Tamao stood up. They got off at some upscale area of town, and they took a seat on a bench outside a large museum Sumi remembered visiting only once, back when her parents were still alive. The memory made her stop talking, and they sat in silence for a time.
Finally, Tamao spoke. "I went to see your principal yesterday."
Sumi blinked. "Aka kōchō? Why?"
He shrugged. "I wanted to know how you were settling in."
She smiled and elbowed him teasingly. "Come on. I know you did it cause you wanted to make sure no one's giving me shit."
He smirked, and she settled back into the seat with a smile. He watched the passersby too at first then leaned forward, pressing his elbows into his knees and lacing his fingers between them. "I had no idea you wanted to be a pâtissier." Sumi snapped her eyes on him, but he didn't return the gesture. "Is that why you want me to move? So you can be sure I'm staying out of trouble?"
She watched his face carefully then shook her head. "Not really, no, but it's part of it."
There was a pause then he turned his head to her. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"
She shrugged contently. "It never really mattered. I had too many other responsibilities, and it's not like age is of any consequence to being a pâtissier. All you have to do is love it and practice. I don't need to start young." She smiled at him. "Right?"
Tamao shifted to one elbow, and his lips tugged on the ends. "Ya know, I never noticed before how much you like cooking, but, now that I see you talking about it, it's easy to see you love it."
Her breath hitched tightly, and having her sensitive emotions so easily pinpointed made her pause. But then she exhaled slowly. "I don't love it more than my family."
He smiled now, briefly exchanging his first for a more sincere one, and his eyes turned to the passersby again. "I'll do it. I'll move like you want after graduation. I'll stay out of trouble so you can achieve your dreams, Sumi, and not have to worry about me anymore."
She resisted another smile and nudged his knee with hers. "Can you ever really stay out of trouble, Tamao?" He chuckled, but she knew he was sincere.
And that new personal freedom scared her.
The rest of the day passed smoothly, and Sumi went to school around lunch, just in time to run into Akanishi and get hammered for where she'd been all morning. Sumi didn't bother to fabricate a lie; Akanishi didn't seem the type to be easily deceived, or the type that should be deceived. He was relatively receptive of her confession, but it didn't keep him from making sure she acquired extra homework from the teachers' classes she missed. She didn't mind, partially because she deserved it, partially because she'd received far worst in the past, but mostly because she was still too distracted by Tamao.
The next day wasn't much better, and she barely managed to get her homework done between work, sleep, and the class it was due in. Still, somehow she managed, and the day breezed through once those classes passed. More than once she found herself nodding off, but the teachers were quick to amend that temptation before it became a problem. Then it was off to work again.
While there, her mind was preoccupied with an additional thought—Izaki got out of the hospital that afternoon. She hadn't been by to see him the past few days; her schedule had simply been too hectic, but they texted regularly, and she was excited to see him once she got off work. And what a cruel wait it would be.
The unusual crowd was back again, and more than ever she was off her game. This time, however, it didn't concern her. Her mind was too focused on getting from point A to point B to worry about good service. All the same, the attitude of the young crowd was beginning to upset the veterans. If she had been more on the ball, she might have shown some concern, but it wasn't until a pair of guys started exchanging blows that she noticed the brewing tension. She got between the two and separated them long enough for security to throw them out, and the remaining patrons decided against further scuffles.
That was when it happened.
Her mind suddenly went blank, and a strange chill raced up her spin straight into her brain. She could hear the blood pulsing through her veins and against her eardrums, and the loudness pounded on her temple like a recurring explosion. Her eyes drifted toward the ceiling then rolled back into her head, and she felt weightless as the lights blurred and faded into darkness.
There was a light, flickering far off in the distance. It seemed leagues away, vastly beyond her reach, but as she reached out for it, it suddenly grew rapidly closer then enveloped her entirely. Squinting, her eyelids peeled open carefully and squinted irritably against the fluorescent lights overhead. The ceiling was bland and ugly like a tacky, lifeless room from an eviction. She turned her head slightly and felt her brain tingle at the movement, causing black spots to litter her eyesight for a few moments, but as they cleared, she made out the familiar face sitting beside her.
Izaki leaned down and brushed her forehead with his fingertips. "You're awake."
Sumi inhaled pleasantly at the feel of his skin on hers. "What happened?"
"You passed out from exhaustion. You've been asleep for the last seventeen hours."
She blinked at the news. That was strange, since she dreamed nothing. It seemed only a second ago since she blacked out. But she laughed. "What a pair we make, huh? One of us gets out of the hospital and the other tags in to fill the space." He smirked in response but didn't laugh as he stroked her hand. His silence spoke volumes. "What's the matter?"
He gave her a look. "You, of course, and your condition. You shouldn't push yourself so hard. I knew something must be up for you to have skipped coming to see me, but I'd hoped it was because you were resting, not stretching yourself too far. You should take better care of yourself, baka. What kinda Serizawa gets their ass kicked from exhaustion?"
She smiled but clutched his hand. "Is that really all?"
He shifted his gaze and shook his head. They paused, only lightly touching one another, until he lifted his head again. "Today's the day, Sumi. The forces of Serizawa and Genji are facing off, at Suzuran. Later this afternoon."
Sumi's chest burned with the prospect of her friends facing off against one another. Her family, blood and adopted alike. And Izaki. But she only nodded. "It had to happen sometime."
He lowered his eyes again, ashamed by her acceptance. "I have to leave now, to rally the troops. I should've left a while ago, but I wanted to make sure you were all right. And I'll be back later, once it's all over."
Sumi nodded firmly, showing a bit of mischievousness in her eyes. "Kick Tokaji's ass for both of us." He smirked and stood to leave, but she grabbed his wrist suddenly. He faced her, and she tried not to hold her breath. "Izaki, if it came down to it, and you had to choose between Suzuran and me, which would you choose?"
He frowned and pulled himself free. "Why would I ever need to choose? Don't ask questions like that right now."
Somehow, it didn't pain her to have him say it, but it did hurt to be second to something as intangible as revolution; the fight; loyalty. There were worse things to come behind, she guessed.
"I'd choose you." She snapped her head up where he stood in the open doorway, head turned to meet hers, and he rolled his eyes. "Ba-ka." But as he walked out, she beamed.
Sumi jumped out of the bed and hurried to the doorway. She stopped there and stared down the hallway, watching him walk away in his rebellious, nonchalant way. He stopped at the corner, paused, and turned back. They watched each other silently for only a few seconds before he nodded and disappeared.
She ducked back into the room and clutched her chest as the door closed behind her. She came first; he wanted her more than victory. She wasn't just his lover, she was his companion; his family.
Family.
Her family would be fighting against each other soon, beating and hurting, determined to bury each other at any cost. The thought of them being in the rooms beside her brought tears to her eyes. No matter who won, the physical harm couldn't be undone, and it was that part that she could never overcome. How could she be strong for them all?
Suddenly, the door slammed open, and she spun on the intruder. Izaki rushed through the doorway and used both arms to completely encircle her waist and shoulders and pull her into his strong hold. His lips found hers just as quickly and just as resolutely, pressing against her with a yearning she never knew coexisted.
They parted to breathe, and his lips left a trail across her cheek to her reddening earlobes. "The only thing this war can do is bring us closer. No matter what happens. Because I love you, Sumi-chan."
She cried harder now, but it didn't pain her to let the tears flow like rapids. She clutched his jacket then slipped her arms up and around his neck. Their lips met again, and, for the first time, Sumi had no thoughts. Only the deepest, warmest, driving love.
Five o'clock came all too soon that afternoon, but as the time grew closer, Sumi's anxiousness gradually diminished. It still hurt to acknowledge the pain of her friends, but as she had said: the showdown was inevitable. Things were getting out of hand as the armies competed against one another; the sooner it was over, the better. They would still be her friends afterward—all of them.
There was another matter that demanded her attention.
Sumi slid the door open and slowly walked inside. She closed it and approached the bed. "Tokio?"
Tokio looked away from the window and smiled lightly behind a breathing mask. "Sumi. What're you doing here?"
Sumi pressed her lips together and took a subtle, deep breath. "Are you ready?"
The question made his smile diminish, and they both looked to the door as it slid open and two nurses walked in. "It's time."
They loaded Tokio onto the gurney in silence, and Sumi followed closely behind. It didn't feel right to let Tokio walk this road alone. Backing Tamao was everything to him, and now he was unable to do so. And he faced a scarier, far more dangerous opponent on the other side of those operating doors.
"Could you stop?" he spoke suddenly. "Stop please!" The nurse stopped the gurney, and he sat up slowly. Sumi stood back from them, but his actions made her lean in somewhat. "May I walk on my own?" he asked the nurse. "Is that okay?"
The nurses glanced curiously at one another but nodded. He stripped of the IVs and slipped off the gurney. His movements were unsteady, and Sumi couldn't withhold the impulse to reach forward and grab his arm. He looked down at her and, at seeing her resolution, held up his hand. She accepted it immediately, and they walked the length of the hallway.
Once they reached the sliding doors, they relinquished their hold so he could strip off his shirt. He handed it to the nurse and proceeded inside. He didn't turn to see her, and it was good, because she could feel her eyes blubbering up again.
But, as the doors slid closed behind him, she felt no fear.