The Unrequited Love of Itsuko Koizumi
Itsuko had invited Kyonko over to her place so they could spend some quality girl time together. Specifically, Itsuko wanted to spend some time talking to Kyonko about their three male friends in the SOS Brigade, as well as their respective takes on North High in general. This was some time after the Ryou Asakura 'incident'; an incident that had left Kyonko rather scarred in more ways than one.
Of all the guys in North High, Asakura was the one that Kyonko had experienced the biggest crush for, by far. As such, when Asakura stunned Kyonko by trying to kill him, it had not only caused Kyonko to be horrified and left in shock for a time… but it also had wounded her a lot emotionally. Since then, Kyonko had gone into a bit of a shell as it pertained to her conversations and relations with guys, and this concerned Itsuko a lot, particularly since Haruki was growing increasingly displeased with his most cherished friend's typical unresponsiveness. So displeased was Haruki that it had lead to over half a millennium's worth of time looping until Kyonko finally popped the desired question to Haruki for help with her homework.
Both Itsuko and Kyonko were in their normal North High student uniforms, though Kyonko was wearing a cardigan whereas Itsuko was not. Kyonko also had a ponytail while Itsuko's hair was free-flowing. The two were about the same height; a normal height for Japanese teenage girls. Kyonko was carrying her book bag on her back, while Itsuko had completed all of his home work before heading home, and hence was empty handed.
As the two walked alone together towards Itsuko's house on this cloudy and murky early September afternoon with distinct moisture in the air, though no actual rain, they talked at length about relationship matters.
"So, Kyonko…" began Itsuko in a soft tone but clear voice, "I'm relieved that you finally discovered, and acted upon, the means by which we could escape the Endless Summer that Haruki's frustration had unwittingly brought upon the world."
"You say that it's unwittingly" countered Kyonko in a saucy tone, "But I have my doubts. It wouldn't surprise me if Haruki wanted to spend all of eternity ogling you and me in swimsuits, and then showing off himself, Yuuki, and Mitsuuru, in samurai, ninja, and modern fashionable male clothes, respectively."
Itsuko frowned slightly upon hearing this, but her fiery playful spirit was difficult for even Kyonko to douse, so it only took a couple of seconds for Itsuko to grin and make her counter.
"And would that really be so bad?" asked a smirking Itsuko in turn.
Kyonko made a strange look at Itsuko, and blinked uneasily while pursing her lips.
"…Don't get me wrong" continued Itsuko, smiling openly and shrugging her shoulders, "As I said, I'm relieved that we're out of that endless recursion of time. I have to admit that it was fun while it lasted, but a future that never arrives is a philosophical concept that I never want to see inflicted on reality itself again."
"…I agree with you there then" stated Kyonko in a slightly less saucy tone.
After another tense pause, Itsuko continued on anew, this time making a much more serious face, and casting a more somber tone.
"Kyonko…" continued Itsuko, "Haruki likes you a lot. That's a truth that you need to come to terms with. As you know, if Haruki…"
"I don't want to hear this again" interjected Kyonko in a somewhat pouty way, "It's my life… it's not Haruki's. I'll do with it what I wish."
"…Then it seems to me, Kyonko, that the most pertinent and pressing question facing you right now is what is it that you desire to do with your life" enunciated Itsuko.
Itsuko and Kyonko continued to walk slowly down the boardwalk next to cars driving by, as the two of them very gradually and meanderingly neared Itsuko's house. Both began to slow their stride as Kyonko began to dwell deeply on Itsuko's words, hoping to find a compelling answer to her query.
"…I don't know" stated Kyonko finally, coming to a sudden stop, "But I know this, Itsuko: I have no romantic interest in Haruki. I'm going to be frank here. Haruki is a pompous jerk. He's always got this big grin plastered across his face, and he bosses people around like he thinks he owns the entire school, if not the entire world. What's worse is that he's a student with an intensely competitive disposition who effortlessly gets great marks, so for all of his mischief making none of the teachers will hold him accountable for his actions. Thankfully, he's more interested in dressing himself and Yuuki and Mitsuuru up in sentai outfits, or mecha pilot suits, and other such stunts, rather than forcing such degradation on the two of us. Still, he's a pain…"
"He's only doing all that to impress you, Kyonko" chimed in Itsuko, "He's not a malevolent person at heart. Sure, he has a bit of a narcissistic streak, but he has it in order to compensate for his lack of friends until recently. Many guys didn't want to be, and many guys still don't want to be, friends with him because they thought he was… intolerably exotic with his interests in aliens, espers, time travelers, and other such supernatural or mysterious phenomena."
Kyonko's firm face softened slightly over these words.
"…That doesn't completely excuse his behavior, Itsuko" responded Kyonko.
"No, I suppose not…" replied Itsuko, contemplatively trailing off before returning with more points to make, "But should Haruki find a nice responsive girl who would accept him and like him for who he is, while still serving to normalize and stabilize him a bit…"
"…I'm not up to the job, and that's final!" interjected Kyonko, while closing her eyes and staring away from Itsuko with a flash of irritation rushing across Kyonko's facial features.
Itsuko couldn't help but to giggle into an open fist over Kyonko's quick objection here.
"What are you laughing at?" asked Kyonko, raising an eyebrow in displeasure.
"Please calm down and relax yourself…" answered Itsuko indirectly, as she methodically moved from a mildly cheerful tone back to a more somber one, "… I… I know your reasons for feeling that way, you know."
"Oh?" asked Kyonko in turn, oddly intrigued by Itsuko's words here, "I think that I've made my reasons pretty clear, Itsuko."
With that, Kyonko began walking on forward ahead, waiting for Itsuko to follow on behind her. Itsuko did so, and immediately after catching up to Kyonko, as the two continued walking side by side, Itsuko rebutted Kyonko's statement while looking at her face sideways.
"No… no, you haven't, Kyonko" responded Itsuko in a strangely empathetic tone devoid of any sense of sharp correction, "Yes, you have your issues with Haruki, but those can be resolved over time. I think that what's really bothering you, and what has really made it hard to talk to guys in a relaxed manner like you used to in the past is…"
Itsuko began to trail off here, suddenly deciding that she didn't want to finish her sentence for fear of how it might have the opposite effect of what she would have it be.
"Yes, go on, please finish your thought…" spoke up Kyonko, looking slightly sideways at Itsuko's face as the two were in seemingly coordinated stroll now, and while sensing that she'd be irritated by what Itsuko would say, but finding that curiosity was getting the better of her as usual.
"…Before I do" replied Itsuko, "I need to ask you a question. On a physical level, Kyonko, which of our fellow SOS Brigade members do you find the most attractive?"
Kyonko almost stumbled in surprise over these words, and did a double-take.
"That certainly came out of nowhere…" she responded "What does that have to do with anything?"
"Answer my question and you'll find out" answered Itsuko with a wide grin.
After a slight pause, and a sigh, Kyonko finally relented to Itsuko's inquisitiveness.
"Well…" began Kyonko in a bit of a sweet tone, "Yuuki is tall, strong, silent, and, if need be, deadly. He's really cool, I have to admit. I admire him a lot. He's pretty close to what a man should be, in my opinion. But… he shows such little emotion, so he's hard to read, and that worries me a bit."
Kyonko's facial features then moved from those of serious admiration to an atypical and even charming smile.
"Mitsuuru is very cute" he continued, "I like how gentle and kindhearted he is. It truly irks me whenever I see Haruki force him into some silly costume against his wishes."
"…But Mitsuuru isn't quite your type, is he?" asked Itsuko with closed eyes, and a knowing smile.
"Heh!" chortled Kyonko, actually making a odd knowing grin of his own given how he found Itsuko's word predictable here, "I suppose you're going to try and tell me that Haruki's my type, huh? Haruki is definitely very strong and in awesome shape. There's no denying that. His hair also looks great whenever he lets it grow out a bit. But… I find him physically intimidating to be honest. In sharp contrast to how I feel around Mitsuuru, I feel like… like…"
Itsuko frowned at the now slightly trembling Kyonko trailing off here, getting a bit emotional.
"Haruki wouldn't abuse you, Kyonko" stated Itsuko, sensing her friend's unspoken words, "At least not in any way that would cause lasting harm."
"You always seem to think that you know a lot about people, Itsuko" responded Kyonko, "Does being an esper make you a mind-reader?"
"…Not for everybody, no" answered Itsuko in a mildly deceptive way, "And not for you, certainly. But… I can tell who you're type is… or at least, was… and why you've recently had a hard time around guys. You're type is the tall and elegant bishonen type, isn't it? That's the type of guy that you really find attractive, Kyonko. That's why you prefer Haruki with longer hair. It's also why…"
Itsuko eyes caringly gazed over to Kyonko's, as she could tell that her words were hitting a nerve here with Kyonko. Itsuko didn't want to hurt her friend, but at the same time, she felt that the emotional wounds that Kyonko had been dealing with couldn't be addressed with out naming the culprit of them.
"…It's also why…" continued Itsuko, "… you had a big crush on Ryou Asakura before he… attacked you, wasn't it?"
Kyonko closed her eyes tightly, and steadied her body as she slowed her walking pace, trying to hold back her emotions at the name of this guy who she had once had a huge crush on.
"…Yeah it is" Kyonko finally managed in a soft, low tone, answering Itsuko's words, "Ryou Asakura acted, and looked, precisely like my conception of the ideal guy. When he gallantly, and with courtesy, asked me to try to get Haruki to talk to him, I couldn't help but to blush up a storm. He was the epitome of coolness to me. If there was any guy that I felt could be trusted to be alluring, handsome, gentlemanly, and trustworthy, it was him. And then… then he…"
Itsuko then stunned the quaking Kyonko by swiftly twirling one ankle and opening her arms to caringly embrace Kyonko, laying her chin upon the top of one of Kyonko's shoulders.
"I know, Kyonko, I know" stated Itsuko, as Kyonko firmed up at this unexpected embrace, but nonetheless didn't recoil from it as she thought she would, as she sensed that Itsuko's gesture here was sincere and had no ulterior purpose other than basic comforting, "But it's important to realize that Ryou was an unique case. Not all guys are like him. Haruki is not like him. Ryou… Ryou was a fraud, but Haruki really does have strong feelings for you. His feelings for you are genuine, and he truly does care a lot about you. You are the key to everything for him."
"…Itsuko" stated Kyonko, becoming agitated again, "I don't want to be the key to someone as difficult to handle as Haruki is. I'll try to do what I can so that he doesn't go destroying the world with his fits of boredom and restlessness… but there are some lines in the sand that I refuse to cross. And speaking of lines in the sand, you crossed one just now. Please let go of me!"
With a deep sigh, Itsuko did just that, and pulled away from Kyonko. Itsuko turned at an angle facing away from Kyonko, feeling that all of her efforts had been in vain here, and that beyond even that, her own unrequited feelings for Kyonko would go unsatisfied. After looking at Itsuko like this, Kyonko brought a palm to her face, knowing that her conscience wouldn't allow Itsuko to remain in a sorry emotional state like this.
"Listen, Itsuko…" began Kyonko in a largely flat tone, but with just the slightest tinge of sweetness, "I know that you meant well, and I know that you're just trying to be helpful, as usual. I appreciate that, Ok? But I want to deal with things on my own. Anyway, since we've done so much talking already, do you still want me to come visit you at your house?"
"…No, you can leave now if you want" answered Itsuko, forcing a slight smile since Kyonko had been nice to her here, "But just try to remember what I said to you, alright? And actually act on it as well. It's not good to allow one bad incident to negatively impact you for so long like this… as traumatic as that incident may have been."
"Yeah, yeah, I'll keep it all in mind" replied Kyonko with a dismissive wave of her right hand, "Well… I guess that's all for today then. I'll see you in the club room tomorrow, Itsuko."
Kyonko then turned around, and began heading in a different direction towards her own house. After taking only a couple steps away from the still standing in place Itsuko, though, Itsuko decided to have one poignant final comment to make to Kyonko.
"You know, Kyonko…" stated Itsuko, with a wide grin and closed eyes, causing Kyonko to stop for a bit, and tilt her head ever so slightly back towards Itsuko, "It's really too bad that I'm not a guy. I think that if I was a guy, I'd be a tall elegant bishonen guy, just like what you find attractive. That would be quite… pleasant."
And with such ideas dancing in her head, a smiling Itsuko made a flamboyant wave into the air, and began striding confidently away from Kyonko. Kyonko could only grumble beneath her breath over what she perceived to be Itsuko's warped thought, before continuing her own walk home.
Itsuko's love for Kyonko had remained unrequited, at least for now, but she still took comfort in the dreams that she had of Kyonko… though she knew that, ultimately, Kyonko should probably fully act in his role as the key for Haruki. In a way, then, the true melancholy was Itsuko's…
The End.