'If I were a bird

Every morning I would fly to your place

And sit at your window

To be the first one every day

To see your lovely face.'

Izzy took a deep breath and read over the latest note. "Oh, good grief," she muttered to herself. Honey glanced at her, having accompanied her to Kendo practice for once. She only shook her head and sighed, folding it back up.

"Another note, Berry-chan?" he questioned.

"Mm. I thought they would slow down by now." Izzy wordlessly handed the note off to him, allowing the pint-sized host to read it as well. He handed it back with a short giggle.

"Kyo-chan can probably find out who's behind this."

"I suppose but he'd probably want something in return," Izzy rolled her eyes. "Besides, they don't bother me. They're just...far more romantic than I'm used to." She made a face.

When Kendo practice ended, a second year immediately approached the two of them. She didn't know him too well but she'd heard Mori say his name a couple of times. She could only assume he was a second year because she never recalled seeing him in any of her classes.

Honey was quiet as he approached the two of them, staring up at him from below low lids. Izzy, however, smiled at him. "Chiba, is something wrong?" she asked, wondering why he wasn't changing out of his clothes like the rest of the boys.

"I just...could I speak to you? Alone?"

Izzy blinked and glanced down at Honey. He didn't say anything so she shrugged. "Sure," she followed after the younger boy, noting he picked a very secluded hallway. She wondered if she'd be able to get back to Mori and Honey without getting lost.

Chiba whipped around once he was sure they were alone, looking freakishly nervous. She raised a brow at that, wondering if he was going to have a nervous breakdown. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he replied too quickly and in a tight voice. Izzy smiled at him, hoping to reassure him. "I, um...I just wanted…" he stumbled over his words. "I like you, Bera-senpai!"

Izzy's smile dropped immediately, her mouth forming a perfect 'o' as she was left speechless. She stared at him for a long moment before she let out a little nervous laugh. "You...like me?"

"Yes."

She nodded slowly, eyes darting away from him. She certainly wasn't expecting this. Oh, God. This was her first confession! And from a boy, no less. She wasn't expecting a turn out like this at all.

"Wait, are you the one leaving the notes?"

"Notes?"

Izzy muttered a curse in her mother tongue. So the secret admirer was a completely different person then. How surprising. "Ah, Chiba…" she trailed off. She didn't want to hurt his feelings. "Why on Earth would you like me?"

"Why?" he asked with raised brows. "Because you're smart and beautiful and you always have nice things to say to us when practice is over and...Izuru says you're funny too..and…"

She zoned out a bit. If the twins were present at that moment, they'd point out that Chiba obviously didn't know the real Izzy. She could be rather mean when she wanted to be. And she wasn't all that funny. Sarcastic maybe but…

She blinked and to her horror, realized she'd become just like the rest of the Hosts. She had two different personalities. Her normal personality that her friends were familiar with and her hosting personality. She was just as bad as the rest of them.

"Izuru?" she parroted. "Izuru thinks I'm funny?"

Chiba nodded but he didn't see why she would be stuck on Izuru mentioning that she was funny. He shook the odd thought off and stepped closer to her. He wanted her to take him seriously.

"Are you...dating anyone, Bera-senpai?"

Izzy took a careful step back and smiled tightly. "I'm not but—"

"Then will you go out with me?"

Her smile tightened. It was rude to interrupt but she let it go, exhaling deeply. "Chiba, I'm flattered, really, but I can't return your feelings or date you."

"Why?"

Izzy felt her face flush. "I don't have to explain why. I have too many obligations right now for dating."

"But eventually…"

"Eventually, I'll be too busy with university. Chiba, maybe you should date within your year," she suggested. If her smile tightened any further, her face would crack in half. She could tell by the set of his jaw that her words fell on deaf ears. Boys were terribly stubborn. Especially rich, entitled boys.

"Is it because of Mori-senpai?"

Izzy choked on her spit, "What? No."

"Is it Tamaki?"

Now she was just insulted. "Tamaki?"

"You spend a lot of time with him…."

"We're friends and we're in a club together," Izzy pinched the bridge of her nose. She felt her frustration beginning to boil over. "Look, Chiba, I'm flattered but no means no, okay? It's not because I'm dating anyone else, I don't want to date right now."

"But eventually."

"That's not what I—"

Chiba grabbed at her hands, pulling them to his chest. He leaned in close, his face far too serious. "I won't give up, Senpai." He ran off before she could stop him, leaving her confused. Izzy watched him go, too confused to remember that she had no idea where she was. She realized only a second later, her head falling back with a groan.

"He could have at least led me back," she grumbled. It wasn't like Izzy was usually so bad with directions. She felt like Ouran was purposely built to get its students lost. Each hallway was identical and she often felt like she was navigating a maze. Izzy stepped out into the hallway, glancing down each end. With a heavy sigh, she tried to remember which way Chiba used to bring her there. It only took her mere minutes to end up lost. Not that she was surprised.

"Damn it," she grumbled, hands on her hips. "How on Earth does anyone get around?" she glanced around, trying to find something that was familiar to her. Instead, she was met with the same décor as each hallway. Why had it been so necessary for Chiba to lead her so far away? Who did he think would interrupt his confession?

Izzy let out a sigh. Hisa was going to love this. Romantic crap like this really got the blonde going and it made Izzy wonder why she wasn't in a relationship if she loved romance. Maybe it was because she had an attraction to Mori but understood that he wasn't available to date. Still, it didn't make any sense why she was so focused on Izzy.

She shook her head, she didn't have time to think of the oddity that was Ozawa Hisa, she really needed to get a move on. She left her school bag with Honey and she feared he would go home with it. She still had homework and some studying to do and she didn't feel like hunting Honey down.

Izzy turned a corner, only to slam face first into something. She stumbled and went down with a sharp thud. Her hands flew to her face, letting out a loud groan as she massaged her nose. "Oh, for the love of all things holy." Her nose was burning and it didn't surprise her when she looked up to see Mori looking down at her. "Should've known," she mumbled around her hand. "I know that chest of steel anywhere. Or, at least my nose does."

She pinched and wriggled her nose, trying to quell the stinging. "One of these days, I'm going to end up breaking my nose…" she muttered more to herself. It didn't occur to her that she was sitting in a heap on the floor, legs akimbo and looking quite ridiculous. She was far too busy wondering why she had to constantly run face first into Mori.

He leaned over and she was reminded of the first time she met him. Luckily her head didn't spin as he pulled her to her feet this time, hands still around her biceps. He released her only to tweak her nose, catching her off guard. "Sorry."

Izzy laughed and nearly smacked his hand away from her nose. "Don't be sorry, I shouldn't be in a rush just to get lost."

Mori glanced around the empty hallway. "Where's Chiba?"

"He ran off after confessing to me. I've been going in circles ever since," Izzy sighed, missing Mori's expression completely. "I thought that he might be the one leaving those notes but no dice."

"What did you tell him?"

She gave him a funny face. "I tried to reject him but he was rather stubborn about it. Said something about not giving up and then he ran off," Izzy was oblivious to the look in Mori's eyes. "He's very determined."

Had she been paying attention, she would have noticed the dark look in his eyes. However, by the time she blinked away the pain from her nose, Mori's expression was one of indifference. "Did Honey-chan send you to find me?"

She hadn't realized just how close they were standing but when she did, she felt herself become hot. Like the air around them was wavering. He still had a grip on her bicep, stopping her from taking a careful step back. Her gaze dropped to his mouth and for one long second, Izzy wondered what it would be like to feel his mouth against hers.

She was horrified with herself once the thought settled in. Mori was her friend! Friends did not fantasize about kissing one another.

But...well…

He just...he had a nice mouth, she realized. And she wondered..she wondered what it would be like to kiss him. He could be gentle, she thought to herself. Like now, when picking her up off the floor. But he could also be wild and unpredictable.

Izzy could just feel the blood rushing to her head. It proved to be too much for her and she reached out, catching onto the sleeve of Mori's blazer before she could stumble backwards. If she'd been in the right state of mind, she'd kick herself. Who the hell gets so flustered about a kiss that they nearly pass out?

She's been kissed before, it wasn't anything new. It wasn't anything spectacular either, if she remembered right. No, it was much too wet and far too much tongue. That kiss alone turned her off from the idea of kissing anyone else entirely.

But Mori…

No...no, no. Absolutely not.

They were friends and that was not something friends did together. It was just wrong to even think of Mori that way. She was no better than those girls who waited around to confess and mistook his kindness for affection.

"...Izabera?"

Izzy blinked out of her stupor and realized that Mori had been asking if she was all right. He was right to be concerned when she looked like she was going to pass out at any moment. She felt something in her stomach twisting and she almost, almost, snatched herself away from him. It just wasn't fair. He didn't have the right to confuse her the way he did. It just wasn't right.

"I'm fine," she released her grip on his sleeve and tried to take a step back but Mori wouldn't relent. "Just...um, a little lightheaded, I guess."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," Izzy smiled tightly but she was sure he didn't believe her. It was like he had some built-in lie detector or something. "Anyway, let's get back, hm?"

Mori openly studied her for a few more seconds before nodding. His grip loosened gradually before falling away entirely. He gave her one last look before turning away to lead her out of the maze that was Ouran.

Honey was waiting patiently in front of the school, holding their school bags. "Oh, Honey-chan, I'm sorry for leaving my bag with you," Izzy quickly ducked by Mori to get to the blond, graciously accepting her bag.

"It's okay, Berry-chan," Honey smiled at her. "Weren't you with Chiba?"

"Yes but he got rather excited and ran off, leaving me stranded. I tried to get back to Kendo club but I ended up getting lost."

"And Takashi found you."

"That he did, as usual." Izzy replied with an amused quip.

"What did Chiba want?"

Izzy pursed her lips in a thoughtful manner. Though she quite liked Honey, she wasn't sure she could actually trust the pint-sized third year. Sometimes she got this feeling from him that reminded her of Kyoya.

"To confess, apparently," Izzy made yet another funny face. If she hadn't been so busy making faces, she would've noticed Honey's expression as well. But, of course she missed it and by the time she looked down at him, his expression was innocent.

"Did you return his feelings?" the blond shota asked.

"Of course not, I don't even know him. Besides, he's probably not even really interested in me. He's under the impression that I'm dating Mori or Tamaki."

Honey blinked and glanced at Mori. "Honestly, I should've told him that's the case if it means he'd give up. Though, me telling him should be enough but…" Izzy thoughtlessly rambled, ignorant to the silent conversation shared between Mori and Honey. She sighed. "Even so, he's not the one leaving those sappy notes so I don't really care," she waved it off dismissively. "I should get going, that just tired me out."

Honey and Mori saw her off first, waving as she bade them goodbye before ducking into her family's waiting car.

She tried to put the encounter to the back of her mind for the time being.

Fumiko pursed her lips thoughtfully. Izzy bounded ahead of her, waving a good morning at Mori and Honey. Like dominoes, the rest of the Host Club appeared, surrounding the three third years like a blockade.

It was strange to see Izzy with her own group of friends. It wasn't like she thought her cousin was unable to make friends, she could. Izzy just never put in the actual effort to maintain friendships. She could never really be bothered with it, opting for the company of her brothers instead.

Fumiko had been positive that she, along with Ayame and Yuna would be Izzy's only friends once she came to Japan. She was sure that while she would maintain a friendly enough vibe, she wouldn't bother making any friends of her own.

So color her surprised when Izzy not only makes friends but joins a club with said friends. A popular one, at that.

It wasn't that she was jealous of her cousin. Okay, maybe in the beginning she was. All the girls were. It almost wasn't fair how easily Izzy was welcomed and accepted into the host club. Of course rumors began to spread, hushed whispers that Izzy was some sort of manipulative floozy that got into their good graces by seduction.

Which was ridiculous. Izzy couldn't even be bothered with shallow friendships, let alone a romantic relationship. Besides, what would she even gain by garnering their favor? Nothing at all. Fuming worked pretty hard to rebuff those rumors, coolly pointing out that if that were true, Izzy would be more upfront about it since she had a tendency to not sugarcoat anything.

That's where the Big Sister persona came in. She hadn't meant for the other girls to latch onto the idea and run with it. She just thought it was better and more reasonable than her cousin being a fast young woman. Izzy really was like a big sister and it was easy to see once one got to know her.

She had no idea that that particular label would turn Izzy into a host. She had no idea Izzy would even go along with it either. But lo and behold, there she was. The Big Sister type. She fit in well with the group, even if she wasn't aware of it. She had that same ridiculous beauty about her, like she was something out of a picture book.

"Fumiko-chan, good morning!" Ayame greeted brightly, Yuna trailing behind her. She offered her a shy smile and her own greeting. "Ah, Bera-chan has already branched off before we could say hi," she chuckled while twirling one of her braids.

She was going back and forth with Hikaru and Kaoru, arms folded across her chest and hip popped. Her stance was defensive, agitated even but there was a gleam in her eye. Her mouth threatened to quirk as they most likely traded verbal barbs. It was too natural, like Izzy had always been there.

"She gets along with them so well, it's almost like she's always been here," Yuna said, unaware of Fumiko's ponderings.

Tamaki began marching towards Ouran, leading the club after him. Fumiko watched with interest as Izzy gravitated towards Mori. That was another mind boggling thought. Mori was an intimidating person in size, appearance and personality. Even the girls who harbored feelings for him were scared to speak with him.

But it seemed to come to Izzy effortlessly. Maybe not at first, she was a little wary of him but that was a thing of the past now. They got along well, to the point where they seemingly had an easy repartee between the two of them.

Mori didn't talk much, which was a universal fact. He spoke when spoken to, spoke to Honey or just remained quiet for the most part. But when Izzy came around, he seemed to have no issue with having a conversation with her. Maybe it was a quiet conversation but it was effortless between them.

She was convinced Mori had an attraction to her cousin. Izzy denied it, stating that he was just a nice person who looked out for those around him. And that was true, Fumiko conceded but Mori tended to pay a little more attention to Izzy than was strictly necessary.

Too bad Izzy was so oblivious.

It was frustrating to even watch sometimes. Maybe because Fumiko was the hopeless romantic at heart, maybe that's why she picked up on Mori's subtle hints of interest. Maybe she was paying too much attention to it but what else was she supposed to do?

Fumiko tried to imagine them as a couple and really, it wasn't all that hard. Even surrounded by the rest of the Club, the two gravitate to each other, walking closely together. Honey was perched on Mori's shoulders but that didn't seem to effect their conversation in the slightest. She squinted. If they were just a bit closer together and maybe if Honey wasn't riding Mori's shoulders...

What were they even talking about, she wondered. Whatever Izzy was saying, she had his undivided attention. Not that it even occurred to the oblivious brunette. It was ironic, really, Fumiko mused but still so very frustrating.

Hisa calling out Izzy's name caused the two's conversation to come to a pause. They simultaneously turned, Izzy raising her hand to wave back at the honey-blonde. Mori didn't have much of a reaction, silver gaze dropping to Izzy while she was distracted by Hisa. Fumiko could have pulled her hair out at that moment from frustration alone.

She watched as Mori said something to Izzy, causing the brunette to stiffen with a blush. She whipped back towards him, hair flying wildly to argue against whatever he said. "She gets along really well with Mori-senpai in particular," Yuna spoke up after watching the exchange.

"Doesn't she?" Ayame chuckled as Hisa approached the three of them. "Good morning, Ozawa-chan."

"Morning, girls," Hisa greeted politely.

"Say, Hisa, what do you think of Bera-senpai being a host?" Yuna asked. She watched in interest as her older cousin's face heated up. Her arms folded defensively across her chest and she angled her body away in general. Yuna only raised her eyebrows.

"Well, I suppose she plays her role well," Hisa said after a moment. "She's pretty charming, when she isn't getting on my nerves. She's sarcastic, you know, far too sarcastic. But I suppose she's a great host. She gets along well with the other Hosts as well but that's no surprise, they can charm just about anyone."

"She gets along really well with Mori-senpai," Fumiko piped up, waiting for a reaction. She was sure that as a third year, Hisa witnessed their interactions more than the three of them. Hisa made an odd face at that statement.

"She does. He speaks the most with her besides Honey-chan. They're pretty close even though she hasn't been here all that long."

"I think he likes her." Fumiko's tone left no room for an argument.

Hisa made a funny noise in her throat, lips screwed and eyebrows knitted together. "Don't be ridiculous, Fumiko. I mean, they get along well but that doesn't mean he likes her." Hisa's voice took on an odd tone. Yuna eyed her cousin, wondering about the strange lilt to her voice. Obviously she knew her cousin better than any of them and her odd behavior was strange to her.

Fumiko didn't take any notice of Hisa's odd tone but that was to be expected, Yuna thought. She was sure that if Izzy was acting odd, she'd be the first one to notice since they were cousins.

"You're only saying that because you have a crush on Mori-senpai," Ayame crowed with a laugh. "Sorry, Ozawa-chan but I think Fumiko-chan might be onto something."

Hisa huffed, face a pretty pink. "Well, it certainly doesn't make a difference. It's not like the Hosts can actually date, let alone each other."

"Of course they can't date each other, they're all boys!" Ayame pointed out.

"Except for Bera-chan," Yuna followed suit.

"It's not that hard to imagine, right?" Fumiko prodded.

Ayame squinted at them for dramatic reasons. "I can see it. They would make a freakishly attractive couple."

"She'd make an attractive couple with any one of them," Hisa rolled her eyes. "That's the thing about all of them, they're all freakishly good looking on their own."

"But she'd look the best with Mori-senpai."

Hisa could only blink as the three fell to pieces, squealing and cooing at the idea of the two becoming a couple. It was ridiculous though she could see the appeal of it. They did make quite the attractive couple and it wouldn't be much of a shock if it eventually developed though something about it didn't sit quite right with Hisa.

Her eyes trail the wide length of Mori's shoulders before abruptly dropping to Izzy's more slender form.

Her face was hot but she couldn't say why.

"I feel like this is a tad too much."

Chihiro and Fumiko expertly ignored the brunette. She'd been forced into a long sleeved, off the shoulder dress. It was form fitting, accentuating the curve of her hips and the attractive swell of her breasts. It was a pretty dress, she noted but far too much for something like a Kendo tournament.

"You look nice," Fumiko hummed distractedly, looking around. She'd been surprised when Fumiko opted to come along with them. She was dressed in a pretty wrap-dress with a thin belt to accentuate her slim waist.

"It's still too much. This is a sporting event, what was wrong with what I had on?" Izzy grouched.

"Izabera, really," Chi shook her head, tongue clucking. "You looked like you were dressed to lay around the house. You know what type of audience this sport attracts." She wore a simple dress, the only accessory being the gold belt around her waist.

"Mori-senpai invited you, you can't show up looking like a slob," Fumiko pointed out with a wrinkle of her nose. Izzy rolled her eyes but had no proper comeback. She folded her arms across her chest like a child. "Hey, Izzy, look."

Izzy turned at Fumiko's prompting, smiling as Honey waved excitedly at her. He was much closer to the polished floors and was motioning for Izzy.

"Ah…"

"You should go sit with your friend, Fumi and I will be fine," Chi suggested, smiling at the sight of Honey. She was sure he'd start shouting Izzy's name if she didn't join him.

Izzy didn't bother denying the suggestion, knowing neither side would relent. She grumbled a goodbye before quickly approaching Honey. "It's nice to see you, Honey-chan," she greeted immediately while sitting down next to him.

"I thought you'd never show, Berry-chan!"

"Don't be silly. You and Mori invited me first. Besides, aunt Chi is a fan so I would've showed up either way," Izzy explained. "I'm still not too keen on kendo so you'll have to explain some things."

"As usual," Honey quipped with a cheshire smile. "Takashi distracts you."

Her face turned red and when she whipped around to look down at him, he was conveniently looking away. "Look, Takashi's family came to see him compete."

She was still a bit sore at his teasing but glanced into the direction he was pointing at. She'd seen Mori's father once before but that still didn't mean his intimidating appearance didn't unnerve her. He was accompanied by an attractive woman who she could assume was Mori's mother and a young man who resembled Mori.

"Is that his mother and brother?" Izzy asked with raised eyebrows. She watched in interest as the family approached Chi. Her aunt stood up at the sight of them, offering a polite bow. Honey nodded before something else distracted him.

"Mm, Satoshi-chan," Honey waved at the younger boy. He waved back almost immediately, his arm waving energetically.

"He looks just like Mori, it's almost unnerving." Izzy found herself waving back even though he didn't know her.

"They say that about my brother too," Honey smiled. "You look really pretty today."

Izzy stared at Honey, eyes squinting in the slightest. "Yes...well..thank you. Fumi and Chi insisted on it. I wanted to wear something more comfortable but there's no arguing with the both of them," she explained carefully. She was positive that her aunt and cousin were plotting but they insisted otherwise.

And hell, maybe Honey was in on it too because there was a certain gleam in his eyes. His smile curled mischievously, remaining there even as the event began. Izzy eyed him throughout the tournament, legs and arms crossed defensively the entire time.

Of course she still didn't understand much of kendo and preferred Italy's favorite sport but she didn't mind kendo. Her interest mostly centered on watching Mori, which she was hopeful no one would notice. And so far, no one really realized why Izzy was so interested in kendo all of a sudden. Maybe except for Honey. Fortunately, he kept it to himself if he did notice anything. He sometimes dropped hints and picked at her but really it just seemed for his own amusement alone.

The tournament ran longer than what she was used to but she didn't mind, faithfully cheering for Mori and the rest of Ouran's club. Maybe she didn't understand kendo all that much but she understood the concept of winning and to her delight, Ouran's club won. Which, honestly, didn't surprise her all that much.

Honey left her behind once the tournament was over, excitedly running towards Mori to congratulate him on the win. She hung back, deciding to wait for the chance to talk to him. She was distracted by the sound of her name being called, prompting her to turn away. She smiled immediately at the sight of Izuru approaching her.

"Izabera-senpai, I wasn't actually expecting you to come today," Izuru greeted the older girl. He was dressed mostly out of the armor, helmet held at his hip. "It's good to see you."

She directed her cheerful smile at him, hands pressed together in front of her chest. "Moral support is important, don't you think?" she folded her hands together earnestly. "It's great to see you two, especially outside of school for once. Congratulations on your win, by the way, you were great."

Izuru blinked at her, brows knitting together like he wasn't expecting her words at all. "Do you…" he paused, like he was trying to think hard on something. Izzy tilted her head to the side, curls bouncing attractively around her face with the slight motion. "Do you really mean that, Senpai?"

Her head tilted even further, bangs falling over her face and obscuring one eye entirely. Her smile twitched but remained in place. "Do I mean it? Of course I mean it," she chuckled. "I know Mori is super talented at this but that doesn't take away from your talent either. No worries, he's pretty much a superhuman. I feel like that too sometimes but you really were great!"

Izuru returned her smile, albeit shyly. He took a careful step towards her, pleased when she didn't take a step back. "Thank you, Senpai, that really means a lot to me." Izuru reached for her, slipping her small hand in his. She didn't understand the significance of his actions or his words. "There's something I should probably tell you.."

He had her full attention until her gaze strayed behind him. "Mori," her smile brightened into a grin. He, like Izuru, was dressed out of his kendo armour as well. His silver gaze dropped to their joined hands for a quick second, far too quick for Izzy to notice. Izuru noticed the quick flicker with a soft frown. Oblivious to the tense atmosphere, Izzy pulled her hand away from Izuru. "Excuse me, Izuru," she said politely, dancing around him with ease.

Izuru watched her movements, eyes dropping to the swing of her hips for a brief second. A brief second that lasted too long because Mori's eyes narrowed in the slightest. His face flushed immediately, embarrassed to be caught ogling.

Izzy folded her hands behind her back and began tapping the toe of her boot against the floor. Her body language screamed flirty, Izuru noted but there was a genuine happiness in her voice as she spoke to Mori. There was an odd splash of flirtationship that underlined their easy friendship.

"...and I was just telling Izuru that you guys were really great. There were still some things I didn't fully understand but Honey-chan explained it and…"

Mori's gaze strayed over her head every so often, settling on Izuru with just a spark of curiosity in them. It made Izuru nervous, almost like Mori could just tell what was going through his head. It wasn't like it was wrong, he tried to tell himself.

It wasn't wrong to like Izzy as more than a friend.

She was smart, funny and unbelievably beautiful. Of course feelings grew for her over time. It wasn't like she was currently dating anyone so having these feelings weren't against some rules or something like that. Still, the disapproval was evident in Mori's eyes, like he just knew all about those feelings he had for her.

Or maybe it's something...territorial? Maybe Mori had similar feelings for the pretty brunette?

That was an intimidating thought.

The conversation between Mori and Izzy came to a pause as the brunette glanced to the side. "Ah, wait, Fumi and Chi are calling. I'll be right back," she waved to the two of them before bounding off towards her family. Izuru expected Mori to return to his own family members but was surprised when he remained rooted to place.

"Izuru," Mori said, eyes still trained on Izzy. She was roped into talking to one of Chi's business associates and he could just tell that she was just a bit frustrated with it. "You've been writing those notes."

It didn't sound like much of a question and that made Izuru all the more nervous.

He tried to relax his shoulders, his attempts at nonchalance didn't seem to work on Mori but he tried anyway. "I don't know what you mean, Senpai."

Mori didn't react but that didn't surprise Izuru in the least. That was just the thing about the third year, no one really knew what he was thinking. That's where the intimidation came from.

He grunted but Izzy was quickly approaching again. Whatever was on his mind was dropped in favor of turning to the girl. He met her halfway, spinning her away from Izuru's direction completely. Izuru could see Izzy blinking in confusion before she glanced cover her shoulder at him. A smile and a wave was all he was rewarded before Mori led her away to meet his family.

It was terribly intimate, far too intimate for them to still be considered as just friends. For a moment, Izuru pondered if there was something amourous going on between them. Chiba, however, insisted that she wasn't dating anyone at the moment.

Still, he watched Mori introduce Izzy to his family. She offered a polite bow to them only to have his younnger brother excitably shake her hand. It rattled her but she didn't seem to mind, laughing it off with a blushing face.

Izuru turned away.

Meanwhile, Izzy was a little intimidated with meeting Mori's parents. It was more so his father than his mother and brother. Satoshi was an eternal ray of sunshine and Toshiko, his mother, was a pleasant woman. She wasn't sure what to make of Akira but it was too soon to tell, she told herself.

She left shortly after making polite conversation with them, bidding them a goodnight and another congratulations to Mori. He watched her go, waiting until she was safely within her family's ranks to take his eyes off of her.

And if Toshiko commented that she was quite pretty, he certainly didn't hear it.

"He's in better health," Izzy commented as Fumiko followed her from Hiroki's bedroom.

Fumiko didn't immediately answer, pink lips pursing in thought. "Every time he seems to get better..he gets worse. It's up and down," she admitted in a soft voice.

Izzy reached over and grabbed her wrist to comfort her. She felt guilt settle in her chest. Hiroki's sickness bothered Fumiko more than it bothered Izzy. Fumiko grew up with Hiroki and she'd watched as the ailment slowly ate at the man. Gone was the man full of life with a wicked sense of humor. In his place was someone nearly unrecognizable, a frail man.

And of course it upset Izzy but...she just didn't have the same relationship. Her relationship was with her sickly grandfather, that's all she knew. It wasn't to say that she didn't care...she just….it didn't hit her as hard as it was hitting Fumiko.

The guilt grew.

"I'm sorry, Fumi. I really hope he gets better…"

Fumiko smiled sadly, suddenly looking a lot older than her mere sixteen years. "He won't get better, Iz. I've accepted it. He's hanging in there but he won't get better. It's just…" she trailed off, looking guilty.

Izzy eyed her, nudging her softly. "Whatever it is, you can tell me, Fumi. No judgement here."

"I just..I hate that he has to suffer like this. I don't want him to die but sometimes I think it's just best if he lets go. All he wanted was to meet you in person, Iz. It was his dying wish, you know."

Izzy liked to think she'd been surprised by her cousin's words but it simply wasn't the case. She could understand that Fumiko didn't want him to suffer anymore and unfortunately, that meant he would have to pass on.

"I hope I didn't disappoint then," Izzy said after a pause. She really meant it when she said there was no judging. She was sure that the rest of their family would disagree with Fumiko, and would tell her that's an awful thing to say. But not her.

Fumiko chuckled. "He loves you just as much as he loves Katsu and me. Aunt Sami was his favorite and nothing could've made him happier than meeting her daughter." Her face began to flush and tears began to gather but Izzy ignored it for Fumiko's sake. "I just wish you would have known him. The real him. Not him being sick."

Izzy resisted the urge to sigh, squeezing Fumiko's hand instead. "Me too. I'm sorry, Fumi. I really am."

Fumiko nodded before dabbing at her eyes with the sleeve of her expensive blouse. She took a moment to gather herself, knowing it would be a mistake to let any of her family members witness such a weak emotional display.

It was a good thing too because Katsu came around the corner only seconds after Fumiko finished patting at her face. Izzy's soft expression dropped immediately at the sight of him. She was beginning to wonder if they would always run into him when visiting Hiroki.

"Fumiko...Izabera."

"Katsu."

The hallway became tense as the three stared at one another. Fumiko was the first to break, only to sigh in annoyance. "Oh, come on. Does it have to be like this every time?"

"Yes, until she does what is asked of her," Katsu scowled at his older cousin. Izzy didn't immediately react, eyes squinting slowly as if she had to think something over.

"No can do," she replied after a moment. "Hiroki asked me to come here, it would be rude to leave so suddenly." Her arms folded across her chest but her stance remained laxed.

Katsu marched up towards her, temper short this particular day. He scowled cruelly at her but Izzy hardly blinked. "You don't belong here, Izabera. You must have realized that by now. You stick out like a sore thumb!"

Still, she didn't react to his baiting. Fumiko watched nervously, eyes darting back and forth between them. Izzy continued to eye him coolly. "Noted, Katsu."

Fumiko wasn't sure what it was about Izzy that ticked Katsu off. He was usually so calm and collected but every time he encountered Izzy, that flew straight out the window. Maybe it was because Izzy just had this iron will and would not bend to his demands, Fumiko guessed.

"If you're done throwing a tantrum fit for a child and not a sixteen year old," Izzy motioned for him to move out of the way. "We'd like to get home before dinner and you're holding us up."

Katsu's face twisted at that point, mouth contorting in a horrible snarl. It was definitely her dismissive attitude when it came to him. She brushed him off as if he was nothing more than a pouting, petulant child. Like she couldn't be bothered with his temper tantrums.

Katsu moved quickly, wrapping his hands around her biceps so hard that there would be bruises later. He shook her hard, rattling her head on her shoulders. "Who do you think you are?" he demanded with each shake. "You can't talk to me like that!"

"Katsu!" Fumiko shrieked.

Izzy's head rattled unnaturally before she was able to break out of his hold with a hard grunt. She pulled back and punched Katsu straight in the face, shocking them all. Katsu stumbled backwards, caught off guard by the sudden punch thrown. Izzy quickly backed away, barely realizing it was Fumiko who slipped her arms around her waist protectively. Katsu's hand flew to his face, shock clear on his face. "Are you out of your mind?" he demanded in shock. His cheek began to rapidly bruise. Fumiko was sure that if they rolled up Izzy's sleeves, her skin would be turning an ugly purple as well.

"Me? Am I out of my mind? Are you?" Izzy demanded once she got her wits about her. She really hadn't meant to punch him straight in the face but he was shaking the hell out of her. She wasn't going to just let him do as he pleased. Not anymore.

Ogen came stomping around the corner at that point, scowling harshly. "Quiet!" she hissed at them. "Hiroki-sama is sleeping, you'll wake him with all this shouting." She came to a pause, taking in the strange scene. "What's going on out here?"

Izzy and Katsu glared at one another, neither willing to tattle on the other. The older woman continued to stare at them, noting Katsu's rapidly bruised cheek. Izzy, on the other hand, stood as if she were bracing for something.

"Are youtwo...physically fighting?"

Izzy and Katsu scowled, "No."

Ogen took a deep breath, she didn't have the patience to deal with teenagers and their petty squabbles. "Perhaps it's time for you three to return to your homes? You'll miss your dinner." She turned with a sharp turn of her shoulder. The three could tell they'd been easily dismissed by the older caretaker. Not that they could blame her, they were fighting within earshot of their very sick grandfather.

Katsu rubbed harshly at his face, cringing as pain radiated from his bruised cheek. How could he lose his cool like that? How could he let Izabera punch him? Ogen scolded him, like he was seven again!

This was all Izzy's fault.

His father was right about her, she was only here to stir up chaos, to bring mayhem to their prestigious family. She was going to ruin everything they worked hard for with her wild emotions and violent tendencies. Just like her mother.

Katsu mustered the nastiest frown he could, glaring evilly at his older cousin. She didn't react to it, staring back at him with ice in her eyes. She didn't fear him but she would, he promised. Izzy would learn her place and learn to fear him.

"You'll regret this, Izabera. I'll make sure of it. You'll regret the day you ever met me."

"I regret it already," Izzy intoned blankly.

Katsu's face turned red, wondering what the hell it would take to strike fear into her heart. He skirted around her, bashing his shoulder into her before stalking away completely. Izzy grunted at the attack but said nothing, watching as he went. Fumiko pinched the bridge of her nose and dropped her head, allowing her hair to shroud her face.

"Shinobu's going to be furious once she hears about this," she said after a moment. "Arguing near Hiroki while he's resting. Great."

"Did you not see him shake the living hell out of me? I think my brain stem snapped." Izzy's scowl was harsh as she planted her hands on her hips.

"You punched him in the face."

"He deserved it. Maybe he'll shut the hell up about me going back to Italy now."

Fumiko tried not to laugh but she couldn't help it. She snorted, unladylike of her and tried in vain to mask it behind her hand. She would never understand the dynamics between her cousins and why they were constantly at each other's throats.

It didn't have to be like that. They could all get along if they would stop bickering long enough to see that. Fumiko had to guess that it had to do more with Takuma and Masami's volatile relationship. They were mimicking their parents' awful relationship with one another.

Her stomach roiled uncomfortably.

This would not end well.

TeeBeMe: A key factor of Izzy's personality is her obliviousness. I think it's endearing lol. Yall ever been asked out by a guy who just wouldn't take no for an answer until you claimed you had a boyfriend? That shit is crazy to me.

Anyway, I hope Mori's developing feelings seemed natural. Like I always say, he's a little hard to write but I think I did an okay job this chapter? And Fumiko is turning out to be more conniving than we thought, who'd thought she'd be behind the idea of the Big Sister type?

Hope you guys enjoyed! Drop a review and stay safe!