Chapter 4. Thanks for staying with me so far.

Rated: T for teen, 13+ for Language, Mature Content, Mild Violence, and Sexual Themes

Recap: Goemon makes Izumi think he likes her. He even kisses her! But before real love can bloom, Usagi and Hanzo show up.

Izumi's looks: She has long brown hair, hazel eyes, and it (of course) very beautiful. She wears clothes similar to Usagi, but hers are dark blue.

Ninja Izumi

Chapter 4: Tea Time

"Izumi?" Usagi cried.

My eyes widened. "Usa…?"

Usagi ran over and threw her arms around me. "I haven't seen you in so long."

"Hanzo." Goemon hissed. I glanced back at him. He was glaring at Hanzo in complete hatred. I looked at Hanzo, and just like Goemon said. Perfect. Handsome. Damn, Usa got lucky.

"Goemon." Hanzo said politely, although I could hear the annoyance in his voice. His eyes went to mine. I felt myself already blushing. "And you are?"

"Izumi." I said. "Usagi's friend."

"What are you doing here?" Usagi asked. She pulled away and I saw she was wearing a kimono too, and her hair was unusually long.

"I'm on a mission, posing as Goemon's wife." I said.

"So am I!" Usagi cried. "I'm with Hanzo!"

I felt the awkward silence float up from the two men.

"Uh, it's getting late." Hanzo said. "Come on, Usagi."

"H – Hanzo!" Usagi called. "Can't we stay a little while? I want to talk to Izumi!"

"That's fine…" I began.

"Yeah, stay a little while." Goemon said. Hanzo looked down at Usagi. He slowly nodded.

"Very… well." He muttered.

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We all talked (meaning Usagi and I talked and Hanzo and Goemon listened) over tea. I couldn't help but notice only Usagi was noticed. Hanzo kept looking at her, and when I talked, even when he was looking at me, his mind wasn't there. And Goemon. He didn't even know I existed.

I didn't want all the attention. I just wanted to be acknowledged. And they weren't going to give it up easily.

"So after this," Usagi, the only one that noticed, asked, "you'll qualify as a ninja?"

I took a second to answer. I was a bit edgy, but I didn't want to take it out on Usa. It wasn't her fault both these guys (Goemon) were bastards (Goemon.) "Yeah." I smiled.

"That's awesome!" Usagi said cheerfully.

"Yeah, it is." I said. "I really happy for you too, Usagi." I glanced over at Hanzo. Usagi nodded in agreement, her face turning red. She chuckled nervously as she reached for her tea. She grabbed it, only to drop in on her lap.

"OW!" She screamed.

"Usagi!" Hanzo and Goemon yelled at the same time. They both dove towards her. They wiped it up with their napkins before Usagi could object.

"I'm ok!" She said, although I could see the tears forming in her eyes.

"Are you sure?" I asked, expressing my concern.

"Yeah." Usagi smiled weakly.

I stood up. "I'll go get some water."

"Thank you, Izumi." Usagi whimpered.

I walked out of the room. Goemon's actions… they were normal actions towards Usagi. So why was I so bothered by it?

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"I'm fine now. Really." Usagi smiled. She took the cold, water towel off her thigh and handed it to me. "Thank you, Izumi."

"Any time." I smiled.

"We'll see you later." Hanzo smiled, and the two left the room. I put the towel aside and pulled my bed mat out.

"I'm going to take a bath." Goemon said. "Then we've leave for the meeting, ok?"

I ignored him.

"Ok, Izumi?" He said.

"Whatever." I sighed. I lied down, with my back to him. "I'm going to sleep for a little while, so don't bother me."

"What's the matter?" Goemon asked.

"Nothing." I hissed.

"It's something. You've been pissy with me all day."

"It's nothing."

"Tell me, Izumi."

"Shut the hell up, Goemon!"

"Tell me, Izumi…!"

I sat up and threw a few shuriken at him. As I planned they sailed past his head, into the wood behind him.

"I said shut up." I snapped.

Goemon stomped over to me. Before I could fight back he grabbed my arms and pinned me to the floor.

"Don't ever do that again." Goemon hissed.

"You can't tell me what to do." I snapped.

"What's your problem?" Goemon yelled. "What did I do to offend you?"

I bit my bottom lip. Everything I'll been holding in surfaced, and I was going to explode. I opened my mouth and it poured out of me.

"I just can't stand the way you drool over Usagi!" I cried. "I love her. She's my best friend. But you can't seem to understand that she's going to marry Hanzo! She doesn't love you like that! And while you're drooling over her, the one that truly loves you is right here, being completely ignored!"

Goemon's eyes widened. He swallowed hard. "I still love her, Izumi. I can't stop loving her… I'm sorry."

I closed my eyes. "You have the meeting to go to, right?"

"I thought we both were going." Goemon said.

"Go alone." I said, too… hurt to growl or hiss. "Just go, and leave me alone."

"But…"

"Just go!" I yelled.

Goemon got off me. He walked over to the door. He didn't even glance back as he pulled the door opened and left.

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Next chapter's the… ah… end. Please don't be mad. This is the first Tail of the Moon fan fic, not the last…!