Izumi stirred, but Kouji was too absorbed in his own thoughts to notice. She jumped a little when she realized whose jacket she lay under, but then smiled to herself. Kouji…

She looked around for him and found him at the cave entrance, staring off into the rain. He looked a little sad and lonely, even his ever-present bandana was gone at the moment. He looked vulnerable but powerful at the same time, the look on his face profound.

"Kouji." She didn't mean to say his name out loud. He heard and turned back to her.

"You're awake." He said simply.

"I guess I am." She chuckled weakly, but now didn't seem to be the moment.

He stayed where he was as she went to join him by the entrance. She said nothing as she strode up.

"Um…thank you for your jacket…again." She whispered, thinking about another time he had lent her his jacket.

He smiled and took his jacket back when she offered it.

He seems so different. She thought in shock. He usually isn't this…happy.

"Izumi…" He looked away. "I have to know…"

"Yes, Kouji?" She asked softly.

His heart pounded unexpectedly with the tenderness in her tone.

"How do you really feel about Takuya?" He stared off into the rain again.

"Oh…" She didn't know if she had expected the question or not. "I like him, I guess."

"Like him…" He repeated. "Well, what about…"

She blushed even though she didn't know what he was going to say.

"What about…at the campsite?" He blurted out. "You were going to kiss him."

She looked at him, surprised. "I did kiss him."

His cheeks tinged a little bit. He hadn't stayed to see.

"But it was only on the cheek." Why did she need to justify her actions for Kouji?

"I-I didn't let him kiss me afterwards." She stammered.

He was silent. Izumi…would it have been your first kiss if you had…

"I didn't want to really kiss him yet." She admitted. "I was going to save my first kiss until I was sure I wanted…"

Amazingly, she had just answered his question.

"Are you alright, Kouji?" She stopped to look at him. "You look a little pale."

"I'm fine, Izumi." He sounded worse than he felt.

"Oh…" She murmured. "I suppose I shouldn't have been rambling on and on."

"No, I-I wanted to know." He replied.

She blushed again.

"Izumi, how do you feel about us?" He said before he could stop himself.

"Us?" Her cheeks turned a darker shade of red.

"Yeah…you know…" He didn't want to talk about this until later, but he couldn't very well take back what he said, especially since Izumi wasn't outright indignant about his question.

"Um…" She was looking in the complete opposite direction he was, too embarrassed to continue.

Did I hear him right? She looked back at him from the corner of her eye. He was still staring off into the insistent rain. Does he want…do I want…what is going on? I've never felt this way before.

If she doesn't feel the same way I do, then so be it. Kouji was thinking. Nobody will know what took place here, and if Izumi doesn't want to tell, then we can still be friends. But if she does feel something…anything…I must know.

"Izumi…" He finally looked at her.

"Hm?" She turned back to him, her face still not the original color.

"Kouji, I think…" He stopped her.

"Don't think." He advised. "Do…"

It sounded more like he was beginning a question, but he didn't say anything more, and approached her slowly. She closed her eyes as he tilted her face upward. He didn't move quickly, feeling her breath on his face and almost hearing her heart beat quicker as he brushed his lips against hers. When she didn't protest, he deepened the kiss, pulling her up against him.

If anyone had been watching, it might've even been a little funny. Izumi in her wet pajamas and the dry Kouji, fully clothed. But a number of romantics would agree, sometimes it's a mismatch that makes a romance…well, romantic.

The two could hardly notice. Even though Izumi was probably getting Kouji's clothes wet as they embraced, they didn't pull away for the longest time.

Kouji, however, was almost afraid that Izumi didn't want for this to be her first kiss and backed away first. Then again, it was a little bit too late, and Izumi pulled him back to her.

After the second kiss, they were quite out of breath, and Kouji was on the verge of sneezing from wet clothes.

"Kouji…" Izumi whispered, still in his arms. "I think I'm in love with you."

He sneezed, putting Izumi in the most awkward suspense as to his reply.

"Bless you…" She said.

"Izumi…" He smiled. "I think I'm in love with you too."