Alte Liebe Rostet Nicht

Their Story

Ugh, talk about a nuisance yet again! Izumi was about to lose it when seeing what Ann left behind before occupying the bathroom for longer, most likely a shower. It was the weekend so that meant two free days, in some sense. Regardless, before even going in she just left their things laying around. Izumi himself had just returned home from a model gig he had accepted. as expected they would become rarer after his hiatus announcement but at least he could somewhat continue. He couldn't completely slack off after all nor did he intend to do so. He still had some catching up to do and at least a model he couldn't exactly rest. Sure, he was wondering some things regarding that as well, yet he did not quit altogether. After all, he had to do something one way or another, even if it is just to make ends meet. So at least for a while Ann would be on her own and he was praying that she didn't turn the apartment upside down, let alone making too much of a mess. The result wasn't the worst yet also not the best either, leaving him speechless for a moment yet someone had to do it...

"That girl... She can at least clean up after herself better..." He sighed as he entered the apartment, taking his shoes off and walking over to the desk. Soda bottle after soda bottle on the ground, a cup of instant ramen right on the table. Take your eyes off her and this happens, of course it did. He would have to give her an earful in a moment. Then again, there was a chance she would just laugh it off and claim that it is a 'force of habit' or something. Talk about helpless... No, seriously. Whatever, he would just—

Hold on, she left her laptop open. He just came to notice that. Was she too soaked up in her assignments again? That would explain the chaos. Given that she still had her writing software open it was something she probably intended on finishing. He first assumed it to be an assignment and wanted to leave it be. That was the life of a student or something. She kept herself busy, or at least knew how to.

However, he had glanced over one sentence which made his head turn all of a sudden, mainly to check if he had read it correctly. It was just one sentence, in English on top of that, but he understood enough to be able to tell that it didn't look like a part of an assignment. Unless it was and he didn't know. But it was kind of unlikely, given how it phrased.

Before knowing it curiosity had overcome Izumi once more. He shouldn't have done it if he really thought about it, it's like sniffing around someone else's business after all, and yet he couldn't help it. So he took a closer look, even if it was just for a short moment. He forgot all about wanting to get rid of the mess he was greeted to and instead was now glued to the screen, reading whatever this was. Then again, it quickly became self explanatory.

There he was, a face she had not seen for a very long time. How long has it been? A decade at least if not more. She had lost track of time yet unlike the rest of the kingdom she had never forgotten.

She should have forgotten. It might have been for the better if she did. After all, remembering only brought back the pain. But how could she forget one of her loyal knights? They were five, not four, even if tales nowadays would want one to believe otherwise. People still sang praise for the other knights: The Knight of Kings, the Knight of Song, the Knight Of Father and the Lady Knight. However, the Knight of Passion had long been forgotten. Most treated him as if he was a traitor to their lands, a monster ever since that day. He snapped.

His deeds were forgotten and he was forced to flee, soon taking shape as the rumored Black Knight. And it should have been that, even the rest of the knights tried to forget. They advised their lady to do the same. And yet she was stubborn enough not to, holding some hope perhaps? After all, they shared a history ever since when little. It was not easy to let go. It was easier said than done!

So, right now, even if she had just caught a glimpse of him right then and there, she just wanted to call out to him. And that was exactly what she did, disregarding if anyone could hear her. She just wanted to see her old companion again, speak to him, perhaps convince him. It was complicated, this entire situation was complicated. But can't she live in at least a moment of ignorance once more? The longer he was missing, the longer it would tear her apart. She didn't want to pretend to not know him nor acknowledge him. No, she just wanted him there. Even if it was for only this moment. She had to try, just a sign, anything! Even if she would just hear one word, it would assure her. One word to give her hope, praying that he had not fallen into the deep hole of madness just yet. One word, just one! She wants proof! He's not beyond saving, is he!? Say it isn't so!

Izumi had been somewhat in a trance, he had to admit, just focusing on reading as much as he could in a short span of time. And yet he would be pulled out a few moments later by a voice, one sounding all too embarrassed.

"Ah— D... Don't read it!" This one would say before dashing over and closing the laptop right in front of him. One looked up and he spotted them– No, her. It was Ann's face he spotted when looking up, her looking right at him with a beet red face, embarrassment written all over it. Steam may as well be rising from it and she had somewhat of a narrowed gaze when staring at him. Her cheeks even puffed up ever so slightly as she did. The face she was making was very funny, he would burst out laughing if he had not been caught off guard at that very moment.

"Work in progress! Plus... A little embarrassing!" She tried to argue, having a hard time to get her words straight, even for someone like her. It was as if she was just beyond flustered right now, unable to handle the knowledge that someone read it. This woman was a literal mess sometimes, chaotic even. It was as if she couldn't decide sometimes what she wants to be like: One time she can be quite yet blunt when speaking, the next she is teasing like crazy and on another she gets super embarrassed. And that was just scratching the surface. There was so much he didn't get sometimes but... It wasn't all bad. It was part of Ann after all and he didn't hate it. Maybe her acting on a whim and being somewhat unexpected was part of— Ahem , what makes her Ann. That's it. Yeah, that's all. It's just who she is. He was just thinking that, nothing else.

Regardless, he would soon shove these thoughts aside by asking: "What? You think it's bad?"

"That... Uhm... Just embarrassing!" She reasoned, or tried to, the redness not disappearing however. "Guh... Others seeing... And me seeing them seeing... You especially."

"What about me reading it?" He asked, crossing his arms while narrowing his own gaze now. "Got a problem?"

"W... Well... Hah, fine. What's bothering you about the read?"

Suddenly he stared at Ann a little confused, not... Expecting that. Did he come off like that just now or something? He didn't even comment on it yet. "Bothering? You mean what do I have to criticize about it?"

"Yeah. You always have something." She noted, not even hesitating.

"Oi! Is that what you think of me!?"

"You nag like my Mom!"

"Not this again..." He sighed, still finding it somewhat unbelievable. "For your record, I wasn't going to do so."

"Not? But—"

"I thought it was... Interesting. Yeah, what I read was interesting." It still didn't want to leave his mouth, as if he was trying to cover something up one way or another. It was... Something. But he didn't want to talk down on it either so he at least managed that much.

It seems to catch Ann even more off guard, her staring at him before saying: "Interesting? So... Like?"

"Guh... Your words, not mine." He scoffed. As long as he didn't have to say it, it's fine by him. But she was spot on. He didn't hate it. He kind of liked it.

She was blinking for a moment, her face visibly flushing for a moment for one reason or another, then turning away, as if no longer wanting to look at him. "S... Someone's had a change in attitude..." She even mumbled, somewhat in disbelief.
He didn't know how to react to that, how to properly respond. How did she mean it anyway? Ugh, this was confusing... And yet... "Who's fault is that?"
"That—" It seems that she was about to counter but didn't in the end, not really at least. "Uh... Nevermind... Thanks, I think."