Back to December || Izana Kurokawa

Chapter Fourteen

Izana didn't know why he blurted out "I love you" to (y/n). He just felt that it was the right timing to say those words to her. But despite that, he is just wishing that the ground will eat him alive. He was never a vocal person. And to think that he would say those words out of nowhere.

A slight nudge brought out Izana from his trance.

"You've been quiet since earlier, Izana," (y/n) noted when she noticed that Izana isn't talking much ever since he said "I love you" to her. There's a little awkwardness between the two after Izana say those words. If you're going to ask (y/n), she didn't know if Izana's being serious with her or just playing around. Hence, she didn't know how she should react to it.

"I'll just pretend that I didn't hear it, Izana," (y/n) said as she leaped forward and faced Izana with a smile. Izana's eyes widened at your words. He didn't expect (y/n)'s willingness to overlook his "clumsiness." More importantly, he wasn't supposed to say that in the first place!

"Y-yeah...right," Izana agreed. Well, that's his only option for now.

Izana is silently hoping that someday he will be able to express his feelings freely. No more holding backs. Right now, he wanted to focus first on restoring what the two of you had lost in the last ten years.

But of course, Izana must know that waiting for the right time might lead to running out of time.

"I'll wait there," Izana said as he walked towards the unoccupied table.

"Izana, don't be so stubborn! Go home now. You need to rest," (y/n) argued with Izana. Here they are again, arguing because of Izana's stubbornness. Although Izana was stabbed, he still didn't show any signs of feeling threatened. He even said to (y/n) and Kakucho that he can already kick delinquents around.

Instead of listening to (y/n), Izana settled himself and brought out his mp3 player. "I'll wait here. Go on and work," Izana replied as he placed the book he borrowed from the library on the table. (Y/n) glared at him before leaving him alone without uttering a word. She had no choice but to let Izana do what he wanted. (Y/n) knew that no matter what argument she had, Izana would still follow himself. As long as Izana won't do something crazy, everything will be fine.

Throughout her shift, Izana didn't bother (y/n). Instead, he really just sat at his seat quietly. From time to time, he looked at (y/n) momentarily before going back to what he was doing--reading. It is not known to many that Izana likes to read a lot. Reading books had become his escape route to the cruel reality of this world. When he left the Sano household and became broke, he had to steal second-hand books from the local bookstores. Of course, that is not something he wasn't proud of.

(Y/n)'s shift ended at three in the morning. And there were times that Izana fell asleep while waiting for (y/n) to finish her work. He admires how (y/n) can stay up until three in the morning and wake up around six. Izana couldn't fathom how she did it all this time.

"Let's go home now, Izana," (y/n) said when she approached Izana. The guy immediately packed up his things and stood up.

The tan-skinned guy felt warm when (y/n) mentioned the word "home." They say home is where the heart is, and Izana can prove that. "I'm already home," Izana said as he held (y/n)'s hand. This time, he meant to say that. (Y/n) has always been Izana's home and will always be. No matter how far Izana will be from her, he will always find his way back home to you.

Days had passed, and it's been a week since Izana and Kakucho lived under one roof with (y/n). Of course, there's no doubt that a lot had happened in just one week--especially between Izana and (y/n). There's a distinct improvement in (y/n) and Izana's relationship. The two somehow eased up around each other. And the two seem like are almost on the same page. But of course, Izana still hadn't shared what happened to him for the past ten years.