Here is another chapter! Enjoy as you follow Izumi and Inori's life. I don't own Prince of Tennis, my OC's are mine.
HOKKAI JUNIOR HIGH EXAMS
Before exams would begin, there was a parent-teacher meeting - an event that Izumi dreads the most. She couldn't get in contact with her father so she took it upon herself to attend individually. She knows deep down she'd get sent home again because she didn't have a guardian with her.
"Kanagawa-chan, you know I can't speak with you unless you got a guardian..." her homeroom teacher speaks, her eyes in pity as she knows the situation as it happened last year too.
"Can't you just pretend we spoke? I already have an idea on what High School I want to go," Izumi speaks, fiddling with her school skirt and her teacher sighs.
"Alright, tell me what school you have in mind at least? I'll send an email over to your father, at least it looks like we tried contacting him," she smiles in the end and Izumi thanks her - she was the only teacher that understood her situation.
"Seigaku High," Izumi then says and her teacher nods, scribbles something down and nods that Izumi is free to go. She bows then slides the door open to exit. She sees several parents of students, standing in a line waiting their turn and towards the end Inori grabs her arm.
"Your dad didn't reply?" Inori asks, worry in her eyes and Izumi shakes her head no. She walks away, heading to the usual place she goes when she wants to be alone, at a nearby park. Inori knows where it is but she knows full well that Izumi likes to be left alone when she wanted to think. She sits on the swings that were a little too big for her now but she just about fits. She swings, thinking about what her father is doing right now and where he is, why couldn't he turn up to the meeting. Her mother would never miss it when she was in elementary - she would always boast about how amazing her daughter was and now she's not here to do that. Izumi always got straight A's, good in sports and everything else, there wasn't a subject she failed on and she took pride in that, so did her father. Both were proud of their daughter but it seemed it wasn't enough. As Izumi spaces out, she doesn't realise someone was standing in front of her, she looks up to see the boy from the sports shop a while back, his light brown hair and his still closed eyes smiling at her.
"Saa, you're that girl from before, right at the sports shop?" He speaks, his voice familiar for Izumi and she nods, then realises he called her a "she" to her surprise.
"You know, you're the first person to actually realise I'm a girl," Izumi replies, smiling slightly and the boy chuckles, tilts his head to the side as he reaches his hand out for a shake.
"Fuji Syusuke, pleasure to meet you," Izumi looks at his outstretched hand and then shakes it.
"Kanagawa Izumi, pleasure is mine," Izumi replies and he sits next to her, swinging slighlty despite the swing being too small for him. They sit in silence, not saying anything until the other boy he was with at the tournament and the same one who saved Izumi that one day comes along, looking around for his friend.
"Tezuka, over here," Fuji says, waving and the other taller boy walks over, then with a slight nod towards Izumi his baritone voice speaks.
"Let's go," was all he said and Fuji gets up, then smiles towards Izumi.
"Saa, I'll see you around, Kanagawa," he says, Izumi waves good-bye to the two but not without noticing that the other boy, who was called Tezuka glances at Izumi then walks away. Izumi found it strange as to why he would glance back despite walking away already. She shrugs as she proceeds to swing by herself, then eventually heads on home to see that her father was back, but she didn't care. She walks in, the usual greets him and he tries to make conversation but Izumi ignores him like what he's done to her.
As the exams begin, both Inori and Izumi were so busy they barely had the chance to meet up other than studying together but that was it. Inori hated the studying but with help from Izumi she found it enjoyable and felt confident that she would ace the exams. Seigaku High didn't have specific qualification as it was a sport based school. Inori wasn't so keen on joining the school, and Izumi told her that she didn't need to follow her every step, she could easily defend herself if needs to be.
"But...we were always together, you know," Inori says, pouting as they eat lunch. They just finished their 2nd exam of the day and they were discussing about schools.
"Yes but you're into journalism - Seigaku High doesn't have that type of curriculum, you know this," Izumi sighs, explaining that it's a heavy sport school - known for it's prestigious tennis players.
"So you're telling me that I should attend Hyotei High?" Inori scoffs and Izumi chuckles.
"Yes, since they do your journalism degree and it could potentionally help you get into good universities," Izumi points her chopsticks at her as to finalise the conversation and Inori sighs in defeat. Both girls knew that eventually they'd part ways, Inori was never good at sports, she may not be academic but she really enjoys peoples opinions and writing about them. Izumi on the otherhand is the opposite, she likes to keep to herself but helps others when in need. She gets her traits from her mother, composed and always kind but the one thing she hates is that she gets her father's genetics of height and masculinity.
As lunch finishes, they have one more exam for the day and the rest would be happening this week and the next.
After the exam period was over, Izumi goes to visit her mother in hospital who is still unmoving, she replaces the flowers once again and apologises for not visiting as she had to study. Of course her mother wouldn't hear any of this, despite the doctor saying that she can still hear but in reality Izumi knows he's just saying that to cheer her up and give hope. She looks at the bedside table, her medal from the volleyball tournament lays, untouched and the same position as it was when she placed it there.
"Ah, Izumi-kun right? Hello there," the nurse walks in, seeing Izumi and she nods to acknowledge that she appreciates everything she does.
"Hello, thank you for looking after my mother," Izumi stands up as she bows, gratefully.
"Oh you dont need to bow! It's my duty as a nurse to help those in need. Your mother is very beautiful I must say, her son sure is beautiful too," the nurse smiles, Izumi does not correct the nurse but rather just says thanks, she didn't need to correct her. She proceeds to hum as she sorts out the bed that Shizuka is laying in, all the while chatting to Izumi. She also changes the robes - Shizuka's bones showing. They're feeding her through a test tube that is changed every so few hours when it goes empty, thats how they're keeping her alive as of the moment. Izumi waits patiently and when the nurse is done, she excuses herself as she gives them time alone once more.
"I hope you wake up soon, mother. I miss you so much, I can't stand living with father...I really need you," Izumi whispers, her voice low and sad as she holds her mothers still warm hand. She stays like that for a while, until she decided that it was time to head home. She gathers her bag and as she walks out, turning the lights off - she bumps into Tezuka.
"Oh, hello," Izumi bows slightly and Tezuka nods.
"Ah, hello," he replies and Izumi looks up - he was alot taller in person than she remembered. They stood there awkwardly, not really sure what to say so Izumi made the first move and excused herself, all the while wondering why he's in hospital. Visiting a relative as well? Perhapes he had a regular check up? Izumi won't be able to find out and she wasn't sure if it was right to begin with to pry into someones life that she barely knew. She heads home, already knowing that her father won't be there but instead a warm dinner was made. A hamburger, a simple yet childhood dish she loved. A note was placed on the side, she didn't read it nor did she touch the food - she wasn't hungry.