Inutashio walked through his front door smiling. "Dad, dad are you home"? "In the kitchen Inutashio" a deep voice replied from the kitchen. Inutashio walked towards the kitchen. "Where were you?" his dad asked? Inutashio decided to be honest. "I went out for a walk and I ran into someone who needed help, a girl who needed help". "And" his dad asked requesting more details. "She was having some trouble with Rikyu, Rikyu hit her so I hit Rikyu". His dad furrowed his brow. "And this girl, what happened to her" he asked? "Well, I, uh offered to walk her home, and yeah I did" Inutashio replied blushing. Inutashio's father noticed the blush and rolled his eyes. "Just don't let it happen again, you already have one child (dun dun dun). "I know that" Inutashio replied defensively. "Are you going to tell this girl?" his dad asked? "I'm honestly not sure, I just met her, but if it comes to that I'll tell her in a heartbeat, and her name is Izayoi". "Alright, just make sure that you're the one to tell her, she doesn't need to be told by someone else, otherwise she'll feel like she cant trust you". Inutashio raised his eyebrows at his dad's last comment. "Something I picked up from your mother" his dad informed. "Oh". "Well anyway I have to go away for work for the next two weeks, and I know there wont be any trouble so I wont bother telling you the punishments if you do, do anything your not supposed to do, understand"? "Yes sir" Inutashio replied respectfully. "When are you leaving?" he asked. "Tomorrow morning, nine am, my plane leaves at ten" his dad responded. Inutashio nodded. "Want something to eat" his dad offered? "Alright".

Izayoi went to sleep that night and dreamed of Inutashio, which was surprising because she never even once dreamed of Makoto. She awoke in the morning to find a note taped to her lamp.

Dear Izayoi, your grandmother called last night at around midnight, your grandfathers had a stroke. Azumi, Setsuki and myself are going to drive to Hakodate this morning and we are going to spend a few days at your grandparent's house. We should be back on Thursday, please pick up Azumi and Setsuki's homework. Please don't do anything I wouldn't approve of. I left you home cause the person to install the computer is coming on Monday, if you don't feel comfortable being alone while he's there call over your boyfriend, but ONLY when the computer guys there. Alright bye honey

Love Mom xoxox

'Alone, by myself, for five days, is that a good thing or a bad thing' Izayoi wondered. She looked at her clock and it was 11:30. She was supposed to go and see Inutashio in thirty minutes. She decided to get up and get dressed. She went to her window and looked outside. It was October, but not too cold out, she could probably get away with just a sweater. A black and red hoodie and a pair of tight fitting black pants. She pulled her hair back as usual and went to go brush her teeth.

BEEP BEEP BEEP 'What was that annoying noise' Inutashio thought. It couldn't be his alarm clock. It was Sunday. Inutashio looked from underneath his massive pile of sheets. He looked at the bright red numbers on his annoying clock, he pressed snooze. It was only 11:50, almost 12:00. Wait! 12:00? What was he supposed to do at 12:00, his dad left three hours ago so nothing with him….IZAYOI! Inutashio jumped out of bed and ran around his room looking for something to wear. (haha wouldn't that be funny to see) 'How could he have forgotten, he knew he'd set his alarm for a reason' he thought. 'I hope Izayoi will wait for me'.

'Where is he' Izayoi wondered. He asks he to meet her somewhere and then he doesn't show up. Izayoi looked at her watch and frowned. 11:55. 'Well he's got another fifteen minutes and then I'm gone' she thought. Izayoi watched the minutes count down as her frown increased. She turned to walk at 12:10. 'I guess I'll just go back home and watch TV' she thought glumly. "IZAYOI"! "Huh"? 'Was someone calling her'? "Izayoi"! She heard it again. She turned around to see Inutashio running towards her. She felt really angry, he was late, and she wasn't late. Aww but he ran and he—STILL he's late, he's gonna… Inutashio interrupted Izayoi's thoughts. She looked at him and listened to him jabber on about how he was sorry that he was late, and how he slept in. He went on apologizing for another few moments, 'he's sweating, he looks really cute' Izayoi thought. "Izayoi do you forgive me" Inutashio asked? 'Huh? He's asking me for something'? Izayoi silently decided that she didn't mind so much that he was late, as long as he stopped talking and kissed her. When he didn't take the hint Izayoi leaned upwards and kissed him. 'He feels really warm, he must've been running really fast' Izayoi thought. Inutashio who was interrupted mid-sentence had no problem stopping apologizing to kiss Izayoi. She broke away after a few minutes. "Good morning, where do you wanna go" she asked? "Can we go somewhere to get something to eat, I'm kinda hungry" Inutashio replied. She nodded. "So your, not mad" Inutashio asked as they began to walk to the nearest food mart? "No, why would I be, you were only ten minutes late and besides you look cute when you sweat" Izayoi replied blushing slightly.

Inutashio didn't notice her blushing because he was also slightly blushing. No one had ever said he looked cute, doing anything. "So what time did you get up" he asked? "About forty minutes ago" she replied. "Oh, well I just-". Izayoi cut him off, "You slept in". "Yeah". "So where do you live anyway" she asked? "Not very far, maybe five blocks away" he replied, pointing behind him. Izayoi nodded. "You"?

"I live up the street" Izayoi replied smirking. "You know what, my mom didn't leave me any money, I'm broke, lets go to my house I'll make us something" she announced not waiting for any type of response.

"Umm. Well are you sure"? "Of course I'm sure, C'mon" she said taking his hand and crossing the street.

Inutashio felt his cheeks get hot. 'Was he flustered over Izayoi holding his hand'? 'I mean it was his hand, no big deal, right?' They walked up the street and she continued to hold onto his hand.

They made it to Izayoi's house in a slightly awkward silence. "Are you sure your mom wont mind" he asked? "Uhh.. She's not - here -now" Izayoi replied, unsure if she should announce that no parents would be home. They made their way into the kitchen and Inutashio immediately noticed that her house was nothing like his. His was cold and dark, and dreary as if no life was contained in the small house. Izayoi's was warm, and cheery, and most certainly inviting. "Sit down" Izayoi offered pointing to a stool on the other side of the counter. He nodded and took a seat. His eyes wandered around the room to a computer, which had a note, taped to it. Curiosity overcame him and his eyes scanned over the sheet. It read about a sick grandfather and …a boyfriend? Was that supposed to be him or was she cheating on him already? Or wait did she only kiss him because she felt bad for him, or because she felt like she owed him for helping her? Inutashio skin boiled with different emotions. He looked up to Izayoi; she was busily getting out food and putting it on the counter. "So what do you -". "Hey what's wrong"? He said nothing, only with a scowl on his face got up and walked to the door.

"Where are you going? Inutashio, Inutashio?" Inutashio slid on his shoes and walked out the door. "Inutashio, wait, where are you going"? "Talk to me please". "What's wrong" she pleaded?

He abruptly turned to face her. "You figured I wouldn't find out"! "I'm not an idiot you know, especially when it's advertised on your computer" he yelled!

"What is?" she asked quietly. She felt like a small child being scolded, but unaware of what she'd done wrong or how she was supposed to fix it.

"Don't play dumb, how many guys have you played this little shy, innocent girl, stunt on"?

"What are you talking about Inutashio"? She was so confused and now at the brink of tears.

"The note, the note your mom or whoever, publicizing that your boyfriend could come over, so how many guys exactly Izayoi have you made out with and then dumped whenever you felt like you'd had enough"!

Izayoi's face was full of shock and a deep look of hurt. "Inutashio". He looked up to her tear stained face. "Inutashio, my, MY MOM THOUGHT THAT YOU WERE MY BOYFRIEND AND I'VE NEVER MADE OUT WITH ANYONE BUT YOU, YOU JERK"! Izayoi turned and ran in her sock feet back into her house, tears streaming down her face. She pressed against the door, reached up and locked it. 'How could he think that I'm cheating on him, it hasn't even been a day since I kissed him'.

Inutashio stood there dumbfounded. The note was about him? 'Oh great, and he'd just been a total asshole to Izayoi'. He didn't want to leave with her crying so he walked up to the door and turned the knob. It was locked and he heard faint crying from behind the door. "Izayoi, Izayoi please open the door, I'm so sorry, I didn't , I didn't know it was about me".

"If you asked me, I you'd only asked I would've told you the truth, I'll never lie to you Inutashio, never remember that okay".

"Okay, now can you please open up".

"I- cant".

"Huh? Why not? Please Izayoi I'm so sorry".

She got up and put her hand on the lock and leaned her head against the door.

"Please Izayoi I don't like talking to a door" he pleaded.

She slowly turned the knob and Inutashio heard the click signaling that she unlocked the door. Inutashio opened the door slightly. Izayoi looked down and Inutashio reached out and pulled her into hug. She pressed her face into his shirt and heard him mumble "I'm sorry", into her hair.

"I forgive you" she muffled into his shirt. Inutashio stepped back. "Izayoi I know its kinda soon but..I.. umm.. well..