Roses In Water
By Riyukku Sayuri
Plot/Summary: This is a Kozumi fic that I have pieced together using a common and yet unique plot. It is where Izumi and Kouji are starting their second year in high school – the sophomore year.
Author's Notes: Please read and review! Arigato!
Chapter 1
Crying
Izumi sat on her front porch waiting for Isayama Sakura to come get Izumi so they could walk to school together – that was always their daily plan. And as Izumi waited, she saw Kouji walk by on the other end of the street, walking in silence. She always saw him walking by at around seven thirty. He walked with a crisp and quiet step. Always. He'd always just walk at that time and once he was out of sight, Sakura Isayama would appear.
"What kept you?" Izumi asked impatiently.
"Gomen, Izumi-chan. I woke up five minutes late," Sakura apologized.
"It's alright. Forget it. Let's just go," Izumi said as she wondered why she was so impatient when this had happened before.
As they started off, the friends walked off in silence, not saying anything to each other. Especially after the error had occurred. And finally, Izumi broke the silence.
"Gomen, Sakura-chan. I didn't mean to be so harsh. Come one, we might be late," Izumi apologized, then tugged Sakura along.
"No, no. I should be the one apologizing, Izumi-chan. Really," Sakura replied.
"Oh, that's alright. Now come on!" Izumi said sincerely.
And as their steps quickened, they saw Kouji right ahead of them.
"Kouji-kun! Wait up!" Sakura called, tugging Izumi.
Kouji turned around to find Sakura and Izumi rushing up to him and saw that Mishima Kiyoko was pointing at them. Everyone knew she 'loved' Kouji, however, she said nothing to Izumi or Sakura.
"Sakura-chan, Izumi-chan, what are you doing here?" Kouji asked.
"On our way to school of course!" Sakura laughed heartily.
"Oh... right," he whispered, then turned his face away from Izumi and Sakura, simply to hide his embarrassment.
"Um, Sakura-chan, can you please take my stuff over? I'll catch up to you in class, ok?" Izumi asked, looking into Sakura's beautiful crystal blue eyes.
She nodded simply and said, "Okay. Catch you up later. Ja ne, Izumi and Kouji."
"Arigato, Sakura!" Izumi shouted. Sakura simply looked at Izumi, smiled, and waved goodbye to Kouji and Izumi.
"Uh, Izumi-chan, it's not what you think. I... I wasn't blushing. Just... embarrassed," Kouji said a little worriedly.
Izumi simply smiled and whispered in his ear, "I understand. I must go now and catch up with Sakura, my ever faithful friend. Ja ne, Kouji-kun. Ja ne."
Then Izumi left, her step was crisp and giddy. Her beautiful emerald eyes gleamed in the dawn's soft rays. And her blonde hair was beautiful and shone like gold as she walked away, her pretty lavender hat and fuchsia outfit smelling like a field of wild lavenders.
What's wrong with me? I haven't acted this way with her before... Kouji thought.
"Kiyoko-chan! What's wrong?" Hanari Tsuki asked, following Mishima.
Hanari Tsuki was Mishima Kiyoko's ever faithful servant and friend.
"Leave me, Tsuki-chan!" Mishima shouted, her face tearstained as she wept.
"I will not! Kiyoko-chan, what's wrong!" Hanari shouted.
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Orimoto Izumi. Ohayo gozaimasu, Minamoto Kouji. Ohayo gozaimasu, Isayama Sakura," Miyamae-sensei greeted warmly.
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Miyamae-sensei," they replied.
Miyamae-sensei was simply the math teacher of Jiyuugaoka High and enjoyed greeting the students of Jiyuugaoka High.
Then Miyamae-sensei stepped over to the girl's washroom and found Hanari Tsuki and Mishima Kiyoko on the floor.
"What is this all about?!" Miyamae-sensei yelled.
"Gomen, Miyamae-sensei, there's nothing wrong here... uh; she just can't find an assignment she worked hard on. Gomen," Hanari lied, hoping that would be enough.
"Gomen, Miyamae-sensei. Really, I can't find my homework," Mishima lied, then dug her face back into the shelter of her knees.
"Err, Mishima, Hanari go. I do not want any more of this. You do not simply cry just because you cannot find your homework," Miyamae-sensei said with a tough edge and pointed towards the door.
As Mishima exited the girls' washroom, she saw Izumi. She was chatting happily along with Sakura, Kouji not in sight.
"She must've brainwashed him," Mishima mumbled.
"Kouji, you mean?" Hanari asked.
Mishima simply nodded and stared angrily at the beautiful girl who wasn't appreciated when she was always kind, giving, sharing, and very proper – all Izumi was trying to do was survive.
a/n: Well, that's the first chappie! Hope you liked it! Please read and review! Arigato!
