Who is He?

Ch 9

PLEASE READ THE AUTHORS NOTE.

Authors Note:  HEY! Well chp. 9 is finally up. Thanks to all those who were patient with me even though you had every right to be impatient. I want to respond to one of the reviews I got, saying that Junpei is a year younger than the rest of them ergo he shouldn't be in their class. But I want you to notice Junpei's intellect in my story. He's not exactly capable of doing well in any grade, so it would make sense that he's not with the rest of the kids his own age, and for my story's plot I needed him in the same grade as Izumi. Well I probably should have mentioned this at the beginning of the whole story but I don't think it ever crossed my mind. But thank you very much for bringing it up! ^___^

Disclaimer: Nope I don't own Digimon!

Summary: Well, well, well! Yuuhi, Yuuhi, Yuuhi! Izumi finally sees the type of person Yuuhi is, a player!

Izumi and Kouji become much closer and Kouji even lets her into his house. Things seem to be going well for them and obviously Izumi has feeling for Kouji, but when will she stop denying it???!! Crazy girl! Heh heh!

Story continues from there!

Izumi and Kouji walked in silence, but it was a nice silence where it really didn't matter if you talked to the other person or not.

Kouji walked Izumi all the way up to her front porch.

"Well it seems that I really didn't need any protection at all." Izumi said. Kouji looked at her, not smiling but not frowning. "But thanks for walking with me anyways." Izumi finished off.

"No problem." Kouji said. "Well I have to get going too so see yah."

"Yea." Izumi said. "Bye."

Kouji started to walk off her porch as Izumi opened her front door and stepped in. She was about to close it when,

"Hey Orimoto."

"Yea?" Izumi said opening the door again.

"You know what's happening here don't you?" Kouji said smiling.

Izumi just stood there waiting for him to tell her.

"We're becoming friends." He said then ran down the street.

Izumi smiled. It's true. They were becoming friends.

Izumi smiled and shook her head as she watched Kouji disappear from sight.

"Izuuumiiiiiiiii!" Izumi's mother said in a shrill voice. "Who was that boy?"

Izumi turned around and found her mother's suspicious face only a few centimeters away from her own.

"Mom, you're freaking me out!" Izumi said pushing past her mother and entering the house.

"Izumi you didn't answer my question!" Her mother said. "Who was he?"

"That was Kouji."

"KOUJI??! The boy who almost broke your hand? What in the world was he doing here?? Was he forcing you to do something against your own will?? Was he hurting you?? Ohhh I'll kill him!" Izumi's mother said grabbing a broom and walking back towards the front door with the obvious intention, to kill Kouji.

"Mom!" Izumi said grabbing the broom from her mother's hand. "He's not like that anymore! And even if he were, how would a broom kill him? Were you going to do sweep him to death??

"Humph! For your information I'd whack the crazy boy over the head!" her mother said walking into the living room.

"Anyways! Tell me about your **sniff, sniff** first date with Yuuhi. I'm sure if won't be the last though! He's such a charming, intelligent, sophisticated young man!" Izumi's mother said smiling.

"Actually he's.." Izumi began.

"The most wonderful man you have ever met? Ohhh Izumi! I am so happy for you! I'll get the wedding arrangements started right away!" Izumi mother said interrupting.

"Mother! No! He's horrible actually! Two or three girls came up to us on our 'date' and well they were all his girlfriends. Of course they didn't know that he had three girlfriends or anything and they revealed him for what he truly was! A disgusting example of a man! IF all guys are like that then I'll be happy alone!"

"Izumi…. I didn't know that it turned out so horribly!" Izumi's mother said distressed. "Well you always have that Junpei boy."

"Eww…." Izumi said shuddering.

Suddenly the phone rang.

Izumi's mother picked up the phone.

"Hello?…..Oh hi! Yes she's here. Alright hold on."

"Is it for me?" Izumi asked.

"Yep. It's Junpei."

"Speak of the devil! Say I'm not here!!"

"Too late I told him you are!!"

"Err…gimme the phone." Izumi took the phone.

Izumi took the phone from her mother.

"Hi Junpei…." Izumi grumbled.

"IZUMI! I saw you!!"

"Err…. what are you talking about??"

"I saw you with that boy!!!"

"What boy?"

"The boy who you were at the Pizza Palace with!!"

"Junpei…. are you spying on me??"

"YES! It's what every decent boyfriend would do! Izumi are you cheating on me?" he said with emphasis on cheating.

"Junpei stay the hell away from me! How many times do I have to pound 'I don't like you' into your sorry excuse for a brain!!?!"

"I….I….all I have to say to you is that….I'm….hurt!" he said crying. "But-but I know we can work things out to make our relationship work. That's why I've signed us up with couple therapy!"

"WHAT??!!" Izumi shrieked. "Are you crazy??"

"See, see? This is what I mean? We need some help in our relationship!" Junpei cried.

"Oh…my…goodness…When I see you at school, I'm going to kill you!"

"Izumi stop it! Stop it! I LOVE YOU!" he said loudly. "I believe we can work our way through and (at this point Izumi puts the receiver back on the phone.) I know we'll work everything out because I know we can do it! We will be so happy just like we used to be! Oh Izumi! Izumi? Izumi? Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!! Come back!!!!!!"

***Next Day at school***

"Good morning class! I'm glad to be back from the weekend to see all your smiling faces!" Tasuki said happily as he entered the class.

Ms. Akito walked in after him scowling behind his back.

"TAKE YOUR SEATS!!" Ms. Akito said angrily.

Everyone out of their seat ran quickly back to their seat.

"All the boys, take out your Accelerated math textbook and do questions 1 to 5600 on starting from page 56!" Ms. Akito roared.

"And the girls can have free time." Ms. Akito said sweetly.

Excited whispering from the girls and complaints from the boys broke out.

"Do….As…..I….SAID!!!" Ms. Akito yelled.

"Are you out of your mind, woman!!??!" Tasuki asked her bewildered.

"No! Just pretty disgusted with all the men in the world!" Ms. Akito said eyeing Tasuki angrily.

Tasuki gulped and looked at Ms. Akito nervously. "Is this about yesterday? I'm very, very sorry! I apologized to you over the phone how many times!"

"Oh shut it!" Ms. Akito said rolling her eyes.

The class started whispering loudly to one another, wondering why Ms. Akito was being grumpier than usual.

"Psssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssttttttttttttttttttt!! Izumi!" Junpei said loudly, very close to her ear.

"What?" she said turning around. "Don't spit in my ear idiot!!"

"Sorry!" Junpei chuckled.

"Hmmm…!" Kazu said staring at Izumi and Junpei then writing something furiously on a notebook.

"What's that Kazu?" Izumi asked trying to look at what he had just written.

"Notes!" Kazu said pulling the notebook closer to him and away from Izumi's eyes.

"Whatever." Izumi said shrugging.

"Izumi! I wanted to tell you that our meeting with our counselor is going to be at recess." Junpei said.

"I don't need a counselor! You do! But I don't! Who is it anyways?" Izumi asked.

"It's…" Junpei began.

"Izumi!" Rei said, kneeling beside Izumi's desk. "I'm really sorry about my brother! He told me to tell you that those other girls meant nothing."

Izumi rolled her eyes.

"I really don't care anymore, Rei."

"You won't even give him another chance?" Rei asked.

"I'm sorry but I don't have any feelings for him…"

"That's great Izumi!" Rei said happily. "Take my advice this time and stay very far away from him."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Izumi said.

"SO!" Junpei said excitedly. "You're not in love with him anymore! This is soooo great!"

"Rei please take your seat." Tasuki said motioning to her seat.

"Yes sir…"

"NO!" Ms. Akito said angrily. "Rei didn't I tell you that you can have free time? Kazu what are you doing?? If that's not homework then you'll be very sorry mister!"

"Sorry Ms. Akito!" Kazu said putting his notebook away.

Ms. Akito and Tasuki started to argue while some curious students hung on to their every word wondering why

Ms. Akito started despising the boys.

"Kazu!" Junpei said as quietly as he could. "I need to talk to you about…you know what."

"Oh yea sure!" Kazu said eyeing Izumi.

Kazu and Junpei started whispering to each other but Izumi wasn't able to hear what they were saying.

"I have a feeling they're talking about me." Izumi said to Kouji.

"Yes they probably are. Izumi I didn't know you and Junpei were having problems in your relationship. I hope it all gets worked out." Kouji said sarcastically.

"There's nothing wrong with our relationship…we're not even together."

Kouji grinned and shook his head.

Izumi rolled her eyes and then stared around the classroom.

She saw Mana, Sakura and Arika looking at her and whispering to each other.

"Why are they talking about me?" Izumi asked herself out loud.

Kouji followed her gaze and saw that Arika and her little group were talking about Izumi.

He arched an eyebrow. "I thought they were done bothering you."

"Yea but they probably still talk about me amongst themselves…" Izumi said.

"They're so pathetic." Kouji said staring at them angrily.

Izumi looked at Kouji, confused.

"Why won't they just leave you alone? They don't have any lives themselves so they decide to ruin other people's lives. That is pure pathetic." Kouji said looking at Arika and her little gang.

Izumi smiled.

"I didn't know you cared?"  Izumi teased.

"Huh?" Kouji said going red. "I'm supposed to aren't I? Isn't that what friends are supposed to do?"

Kouji looked down at his desk and started fidgeting with a pencil.

"Sorry. It's probably none of my business." He said still red in the face.

Izumi stared at him then burst out laughing.

Kouji stared at her nervously.

"You're so funny Kouji!" Izumi laughed. "You shouldn't be nervous when you talk to a friend."

"Sorry."

"It's okay." Izumi said.

They sat quietly for a while.

Izumi sighed.

"It's a relief to know that you can get so nervous." Izumi said.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you always seem collected…"

"Yea when I'm not disgracefully balling my eyes out in front of you." Kouji said bitterly.

Izumi frowned. "But even then you always seems to pick yourself up so easily and just go on being Kouji. If I were you, I'd be stuck in my room all day, moping around the house."

Kouji shrugged.

Suddenly:

"Alright class!" Ms. Akito said smiling sweetly. "You can all have free time! Go outside! Shoo, shoo!"

"What the?" Izumi said getting up. "What happened to Tasuki and Ms. Akito's argument?"

"Duh!" Kazu said slapping Izumi back.

Izumi winced and glared at Kazu.

"Sorry" Kazu said. "Anyways, weren't you paying attention to their argument?"

"No." Izumi said. "I don't spy or listen to other people's arguments like you do!"

Kouji coughed at this and Izumi tried to smile innocently.

"No, no! You always spy on people!" Junpei said.

"Hahahaha! Shut up Junpei." Izumi said with a fake smile. 

"But remember when…" Junpei began.

"Shut up Junpei!" Izumi said grabbing him in a headlock.

"Okay, okay." Junpei cried.

Izumi noticed Kazu writing something down in his notebook and stared angrily at Izumi.

"Why did they stop arguing?" Kouji asked.

"Because Ms. Akito is just as taken with Tasuki's charms as every other person." Rei said smiling at Kouji.

Izumi found that her eyebrow started twitching as Rei smiled at Kouji.

Kouji stared at Rei and then turned to Kazu.

"What does she mean?" Kouji asked Kazu.

They all stared to walk to the playground together.

"You see, they were fighting because Ms. Akito thought Mr. Tetsuya liked her and that's why he invited her to dinner at the Pizza Palace yesterday but it turns out that he just wanted to discuss lesson plans with her. So she was really pissed and left in a huff. Cindy Pachimoko, the girl who works for our school newspaper said that she heard Ms. Akito say that from now on she hated the male species because of Mr. Tetsuya. That's why she assigned all that work to the guys and said the girls could have free time…"

"Hold on a minute!" Izumi said stopping. "Why would she hate all guys just because of one guy?"

"Well that's just Ms. Akito for you. She's the type of person to take little arguments to the extreme and make them into huge debates. As I was saying then…" Kazu said as they continued walking around the playground.

"Wait!" Junpei said. "Ms. Akito likes Tasuki?"

"Apparently so." Kazu said rolling his eyes at Junpei. "As I was saying before I was interrupted again…"

"Wait a minute!" Kouji said. "When did we get a school newspaper?"

They all stared at each other blankly.

"Yea when did we?" Izumi asked.

"I don't know…" Kazu said. "Well anyways! Mr. Tetsuya tried to call Ms. Akito and tell her that he really did like her because actually he did invite her because he wanted to tell her he liked her but was too nervous. But today he finally was able to tell her how he felt about her and so now she's being all nice."

"Ohh! No wonder she was in such a happy mood." Rei said. "I would be happy if the guy I liked told me he felt the same way."

Rei glanced at Kouji.

"But you're probably really upset since Tasuki isn't available anymore. Right?" Izumi said. "Don't worry though! There's probably some guy out there who might like you back. He might not be here at this very moment but I'm sure you'll find him one day." Izumi said with a little too much force.

"Oh but I think I've found the perfect guy already!" Rei said.

"Yea who?" Kazu asked.

"Oh just someone…" Rei said turning red when Kouji looked at her.

Izumi sighed.

Junpei started nudging Kazu and Izumi could see Kazu getting impatient.

"Alright, alright!" Kazu said.

"Yes!" Junpei yelled. "Izumi! Come on we have to go to counseling!"

"Izumi looked at Junpei then at Kazu and then back at Junpei. Kazu? Kazu, is our 'counselor'?"

"Yea he said he'd do it for free if I paid him 10 dollars in advance." Junpei smiled. "So I got us a pretty good deal!"

"Free for ten dollars?" Izumi said looking at Junpei.

Junpei gasped and looked at Kazu angrily.

"You're right Izumi! Ten dollars just won't do! I won't pay anything less than 20 dollars!! Kazu just because you're my friend doesn't mean you have to give me a discount!"

Kazu shrugged and looked at Junpei innocently. "I knew I couldn't fool you…"

"You should have known I would have figured it out!" Junpei said shaking his head.

"Yea I know! You're just so smart!" Kazu said smiling.

"I know! So don't even bother to trick me next time!" Junpei said.

Kazu and Kouji burst out laughing and Rei seeing that Kouji was laughing, started laughing too.

Junpei started laughing too, thinking that he had said something very ingenious.

"Urghhhh!!" Izumi said. "Just when you think the dumb can't get any dumber!!"

"Come on Izumi! Let's go!" Junpei grabbed Izumi and Kazu's arms and started pulling them towards a huge tree where they wouldn't be bothered.

"Hey Kouji! You wanna come?" Kazu asked.

"No! That's alright!" Rei said grabbing Kouji's arm. "Kouji and I will just spend some time together."

Izumi glared at Rei as Junpei dragged Kazu and her away from Kouji and Rei.

"Okay." Kazu said. "I would like to start by asking you two how you feel about each other."

"Me first!!!!" Junpei said. "Okay….um….I love Izumi!!"

"Very good." Kazu said writing something down on his notebook. "Izumi?"

"Hmm?" Izumi said. She was staring at Kouji and Rei not paying any attention to what Kazu had just said.

"Izumi!" Kazu made her look at him. "Focus!"

"Right. What was the question?" Izumi asked. "Why am I doing this anyway??!!"

"Izumi how do you feel about Junpei?"

"I don't feel what he feels for me." Izumi said simply.

Junpei started to cry and Kazu started writing in his notebook again.

"Why don't you like him?" Kazu asked Izumi.

"Hmmm?" Izumi asked. She was once again staring at Kouji and Rei.

"Izumi! Listen!" Kazu said.

"Okay!" Izumi said.

"Now why don't you like Junpei?"

"You mean besides the obvious?" Izumi asked.

"Stop joking around Izumi." Kazu said sternly.

"I was being serious." Izumi said.

Junpei started to cry even louder.

Izumi found herself staring at Kouji and Rei once again. She noticed the way Rei clung onto his arm, the way she'd bat her eyes, the way she kept staring at Kouji. Then she looked at Kouji. She didn't know what to make of his blank expression. Were they having fun? Did Kouji feel the same way Rei did for him? Was he thinking about her?

She sighed and found Kazu's angry face very close to her own.

"Izumi! Why aren't you paying any attention?" Kazu asked.

Izumi looked at Kazu. "Okay if I tell you something will promise not to tell any one else?"

"Yea sure."  Kazu said.

"Okay. I think…I like Kouji…" Izumi said looking down.

"Ah." Kazu said. "And you're…shall I say…jealous that Rei is the one who's with him right now?"

"Yea…I'm so ashamed of myself for feeling jealous of Rei. I mean she's my friend! She was the one who saved me from Mana and Sakura and Arika the day they were going to beat me up. But I'm just so jealous."

"Izumi you can't help feeling the way you do about Kouji. You have to do what best for you, but you can't forget about Rei. Tell Rei about you're feelings for Kouji." Kazu said.

"But….I can't….Won't she get mad at me?" Izumi asked.

"You have a mouth and you know how to talk! You can! And the question is, how are you going to tell her without hurting either of you?"

"You're right." Izumi said. She hugged Kazu. "Thanks Kazu."

Kazu smiled. "No prob."

"HEYYYYYYYYYYYY!!" Junpei cried. "You're supposed to help me and Izumi with our problem, your not supposed to give Izumi advice on Kouji!!!"

"Ah stuff it Junpei!" Kazu said.

Izumi sighed and held a hand out in front of Kazu. "Give me Junpei's money."

"What!!??!! Izumi!!!" Kazu moaned.

"Kazu!" Izumi said.

"Alright!" he took out Junpei's money and gave it to Izumi.

Izumi turned to Junpei. "Junpei, I want you to give your mother back her money. Stop stealing from her!"

"Yes Izumi." Junpei said sadly.

***End of the End***

"I want everyone to hand in their math homework page 5 numbers 1-5 tomorrow." Ms. Akito said happily.

Kazu started to cry. "I can't believe it! That's al the homework we're getting today! I love you Ms. Akito!"

"I love you too, Kazu." Ms. Akito said smiling.

"I don't know if I can get used to her like that." Izumi said.

"Why?" Kouji asked.

"It's just creepy to see her smile….nicely."

"I know what you mean." Rei said standing beside Izumi's desk.

**The bell rings and Rei starts to walk towards the door.**

"Hey Rei." Izumi said nervously. "Can I speak to you before you go home?"

"Yea sure. What is it?"

"Wait until everyone leaves." Izumi said.

"Okay."

Izumi and Rei said bye to Kouji, Kazu….and Junpei as they left.

"Okay Izumi. No one is here. What is it?"

"Umm…I just wanted to know first of all if you…like Kouji or something…"

Rei blushed. "Am I that obvious?"

Izumi sighed and walked towards the door motioning Rei to follow.

"Yea. Umm…How would you feel if…someone else liked Kouji too?"

Rei started to laugh. "Izumi! Like…why would it matter? I don't mind!"

Izumi smiled.

"I mean! Who would stand a chance against me with Kouji?" Rei said still laughing. "Is it Mana? It is! I knew it! I see the way she looks at him! Or maybe Sue! Or…"

"Rei! Did it ever occur to you that I might just like Kouji too?" Izumi asked angrily.

Rei stared at Izumi for a second.

"You? You like Kouji too?" Rei asked.

"Yea…" Izumi said looking down. This wasn't going the way she intended it to.

Izumi felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Izumi. It's okay if you like him. Were you worried about me being angry at you?"

Izumi stared at Rei and nodded.

"Izumi, I really didn't think that you did like him but if anyone was going to be real competition for Kouji, I'd say it would be you. And I welcome competition. I just want you to know that I like Kouji and you can't stop me from liking him."

"I know!" Izumi said.

Rei smiled. "It's alright. We can like him together!"

Izumi smiled.

"Rei you're not really what I pictured you to be…" Izumi said.

"What do you mean?"

"I thought that you'd probably be yelling at me and telling me to stay away from Kouji….or something." Izumi said.

Rei smiled cheerfully. "Well you had me all wrong."

"Yea I did." Izumi said.

"Well I gotta go. Do you want a ride home? My mom is waiting outside."

"Sure."  Izumi said smiling.

Well!!!???!! What do you think?? Izumi has finally come to realize fully that she does like Kouji!! But Rei likes him too. What will happen? Can their friendship survive?

R&R!! Thanks a lot guys! ^_______________^