I didn't know what I was missing

'Till I felt your tender lips kissing my fears away

I'm so glad you're here today

-'Till I found you by Freestyle

In the depths of darkness

Chapter 3: My feelings to you

Izumi turned around and saw a guy giving her a sinister smile. She was about to scream until his hand covered her mouth and a knife pointed directly at her neck.

"Make a sound and you'll die a painful death."

He pushed and pinned her to the floor with the knife in hand. Izumi looked at herself.

'Shoot! I'm only wearing a towel!!'

He was about to pull the towel off when he heard a gun being cocked. He stood up wide-eyed staring at the person in front of him.

"You touch her, and then you die." He fired the gun at his head and the killer dropped to the ground, dead.

"Hey! Izumi, you okay?"

'Kouji?'

Kouji helped her up and looked at her with concerned eyes.

"How far did he go?"

Izumi shook her head. "He... wasn't able... to do anything..." She said nervously.

"Izumi it's-"

She cried and hugged him. "I was scared! I was so... scared..."

He hugged her back. "Don't worry Izumi..."

"...I won't let that happen again..." She looked up with her green eyes sparkling. "...I promise..."

"Takuya Kanbara!! What did you tell Kouji?!"

Kousei yelled pacing back and forth in his office.

"Oh nothing..." Takuya replied. "All I said was: 'Your dad sent someone to kill Orimoto.'"

"Argh!! Why did you tell him?!"

"No duh! I'm sure he'll be mad if I didn't."

"And what about me, do you think I'm happy?!"

Takuya looked into his eyes, then, closed them. "No."

"Ugh! Just get out before I really lose my temper!"

The goggle head stood up and left.

Kouichi passed by and looked at him. "Well?"

First, Takuya grinned, then laughed "O boy! Am I in trouble! Kouji owes me for this!"

Kouichi smiled "If he comes back." He walked away leaving a puzzled Takuya scratch the back of his head.

"What does that supposed to mean??"

"Um... Izumi?"

"Yes?"

"We've been like this for the past few minutes and..."

Izumi blushed when she realized that she was still in his arms.

"...would you get dressed?? Because um... you're only wearing a towel and... I might get um..."

She looked at him confused.

"...get tempted...to... uh... you know..." He sweat dropped and kept his eyes off of her.

This time, both of them blushed and looked away.

"Listen, go and get dressed. I'm not going to look."

"You'd better not Kouji Minamoto!"

He sighed. 'Girls...'

She rummaged through her closet and got a white long-sleeved blouse which she usually wears for the night. Its length reached above her knees and she buttoned it close.

"Kouji?"

"Are you done yet?"

"Yes. Thanks for saving me."

He turned his head and nodded. "Just be thankful that you didn't lock your window." Walking towards it, he was about to leave until he felt a hand grip his sleeve.

"D-don't leave me here... alone..."

He withdrew from the place he came in and closed it. "Alright, I'll stay."

Hours later...

Takuya tapped on the table waiting for his best friend and partner in crime to arrive. He was getting bored. Kouichi was again, reading a book and listening to his I-pod. Tomoki was surfing the net and browsing for games. Junpei watched television and laughed at the cartoons.

"Hey! Takuya! You should check this out!!"

"Argh!! Isn't there anyone here wondering what's taking Kouji so long?!"

Kouichi put the book down and turned off his mp3. "I told you, he's not coming back for now."

"How do you know?"

"I just do." He smiled.

Izumi lay down in bed with Kouji beside her. They both had their eyes closed but they were in each other's arms.

"Won't your dad mind?"

"No. I'm sure he sent that guy who tried to..." He stopped. "...do something to you..."

The corpse was no longer there; Kouji had just carried it away and gave him a burial in the nearby graveyard. He came back afterwards since he had promised Izumi that he won't leave her alone.

"Why would your dad want to finish me off?"

"He thinks you're my weakness. And his excuse is..." He paused and added "...you might suffer the same fate my mom did."

"I see." She snuggled closer to him. "If you don't mind, could you tell me what happened?"

He gave a nod. "I was only eight, Kouichi, or Kiei, and I, saw how she was abused and killed. When the suspects left us on the ground, half-dead, I vowed that I will make them regret for not finishing me or Kouichi off."

"I'm sorry to hear that Kouji..."

He held her close. "It doesn't matter as long as I get my revenge... and..."

"And what?"

"As long as you're with me, I still have hope."

She had her eyes half close this time, looking up at him and gently kissed him on the lips.

"Daijobu Kouji-kun. I'll always be here by your side."

He gave a smile and slowly opened his eyes. "Aishteru..." He said softly. She smiled back. "I do too Kouji."

She kissed him and he returned it, then, slowly got on top of her as they both held their hands tightly, not wanting to let each other go. This may be the night they'll never forget.

Next morning...

Izumi awoke and looked up to see Kouji still asleep. She smiled and closed her eyes once again after snuggling closer.

'If this was a dream, I wish it'll never end.'

But her wish was not granted as a knock on the door was heard.

"Izumi! Are you in there?"

'Oh shoot! My mom!!' She shook Kouji "Hey! Wake up!"

"Huh? What?"

"My mom's here! What do we do?! What will she think?! Oh man! You're even beside me!!"

"Izumi, calm down and run those by me again." He said. "Slowly..."

She inhaled and sighed. "My mom just knocked on the door and if she sees us like this, what do you think will happen?" She said in a calm voice.

Kouji's eyes widened "What?!" He was startled at this that he fell off of the bed.

"And you told me to be calm..."

"Izumi!" Her mom entered the room. "Who on earth are you talking too?"

"Myself..."

"And why is your hair a mess? And your shirt is unbuttoned!"

"Eh?" She looked down and blushed 'Shoot! I forgot to button it!' "Um... it was...uh... hot??"

Mrs. Orimoto just shook her head. "If you say so." She then left the room.

Kouji sighed in relief. "I couldn't breathe for a while..."

Izumi fixed her hair. "You should try the excuses I made up."

"Um... what did you mean by 'hot'?"

She gave him a sly smile "What do you think?"

"Think what?"

"Well, it was 'hot' last night if you know what I mean."

Kouji blushed "Oh... 'that'..."

"At least I wasn't forced." She joked.

"Very funny Izumi... um... I... didn't... um... you know..."

"Nope... you didn't get that far... since you suddenly fell asleep." She said and pretended to pout.

Kouji rolled his eyes. "Knock it off."

Izumi laughed "Can't take a joke?"

"It depends."

"Alright, you go out the window and meet me at the park 'kay?"

He tied his bandana and put on his jacket. "You sure?"

Izumi nodded. "Just meet me there." She got out of bed and gave him a light kiss.

"Okay. But, take this anyway." He got a blue hairclip out of his pocket and placed it on Izumi's hair.

"This way, I'm able to keep track of where you are."

"Wow. Your HQ's pretty high tech!"

"Thank Tomoki for that."

"Who?"

"You'll meet him one of these days."

"Like now?"

"Now?!"

"I plan to go with you there silly!"

Kouji sighed "Why don't I just wait for you here?"

"Okay, and let my mom discover your presence of being here last night alone with me?"

"Or I'll just wait for you."

"Good." Izumi went inside the bathroom. "Just wait okay?"

"I will."

She smiled and closed the door. He went out of the window, out of the Orimoto residence and into the park. Getting his phone out, he called Takuya.

"Hello?"

"Hey! Goggle head."

"KOUJI?! Where the hell have you been?!"

"In Izumi's room."

Silence...

"What?!"

"She asked me to stay."

"And?"

"Um..."

"I know when you're hiding something Minamoto... now spill it out!"

"Ooopps! Gotta go! Izumi's here."

"Hey! No wait! Don't-"

Click...

"...hang up..."

"Told you he won't come back last night."

"Shut up Kouichi."

"What's the matter Takuya? Jealous?" Junpei teased.

"What? Why should I be?"

"That your best friend got a girlfriend." He replied.

"And that he's spending more time with her than with you." Tomoki added.

"Am not jealous, just mad that he won't tell me what he did last night."

"Sure... right..." The three said sarcastically.

"I hate all of you!!"

Kousei heard this and took his cellular phone.

"Hai?"

"Kirusaki, get rid of this girl named Izumi Orimoto."

"Got 'ya boss."

"Kouji... you leave me no choice..."

"Kou!!"

"What took you so long? And it's good that you know when to call me Kou and Kouji."

"I should you're my boyfriend." She grinned.

He smirked "Whatever Izumi-chan.'

"So, this is Izumi Orimoto."

Kouji and Izumi turned around and saw a guy with black hair and purple eyes.

"You already know me Kouji, but let me introduce myself to her." He turned to Izumi and walked towards them.

"Kirusaki..." he muttered.

"My name's Riku Kirusaki. And I've been sent by Kousei Minamoto to assassinate her."

What's Kouji going to do? Find out on the next chapter. R&R, thanks for the reviews!

Daijobu- It's alright

Aishteru- I love you

Hai- Yes