First Sight

60: Romanticism

"I was the one who paid your mother's hospital bills and the Chemotherapy." 

Izumi blinked a few times to process what she was just told. 

"Wait- WHAT?!?!?" 

"It would be best if I explain. The day after I came to visit your mother, I had asked the doctors what her situation was and was surprised to hear what they said. The doctors also told me how she'd yet to start Chemotherapy because you hadn't agreed for it to start. I asked them why and they told me they figured it was because you couldn't afford to pay for it, that and all the other hospital bills. So, I took it upon myself to help your mother and pay everything for you. I know this must be shocking, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I was worried that something bad would happen to your mother if it wasn't anytime soon." Mitsuki said.

"So... why wasn't I told until Friday if you paid everything on Monday?" 

"I asked them not to tell you, but I believe because of my son, who also wanted to help, they might've called you because of it. I just wanted to help your mother out after all the times she's helped me in the past." Mitsuki said. 

Izumi could tell the blonde looked guilty, but just knowing that she wanted to help her mom out was important to her. 

And that's when the greenette realized she made a mistake as well, as she immediately blamed Katsuki, and though Katsuki wanted to pay, his mother beat him to it. 

'I... I messed up and hurt... Kacchan...' she thought.

"To be honest, you made my son very happy in high school." Izumi looked up at the blonde. 

"Eh?" 

"It was sudden news to me when my job asked me to transfer to Japan, and though I felt bad for my son having to go to a completely different high school with all these new people, you were there. Because we moved so late, my son ended up missing the first week of his first year, but he did tell me that he met you on his first day. Usually my son liked to bottle up everything and wouldn't tell me anything about his school life, but when he met you, I saw a completely different side of him that I never knew about." Mitsuki said with a warm smile.

"I-I did?" The blonde nodded. 

"I remember there was one time I was heading home from work and I just happened to see my son walking home, but he wasn't alone, there was someone walking next to him."

( Flashback )

Mitsuki was riding a taxi home after a long day at work and just happened to look out the window to surprisingly find her son walking on the street. 

'Katsuki? What's that brat doing out so late?' she thought, but froze when she looked closer to see a girl walking next to him. 

This girl had Dark Green hair pulled into a messy bun, wore large circular specs and she was smiling while walking next to Katsuki. 

"Can you slow down for just a second?" Mitsuki asked the taxi driver. 

The car slowed down and Mitsuki could see her son walking with this girl and he was smiling and laughing! Something she'd never seen her son do since he was a kid, and though he's smiled before, this smile was genuine and real. 

Mitsuki was shocked, and she quickly looked at the greenette and squinted her eyes. 

'She looks... like Inko did in high school. But... how come that brat has never told me he has a girlfriend?'

( Back to Present )

"G-Girlfriend?!?! We were nothing like that! We were just really close friends, that's all!" Izumi squealed.