Alte Liebe Rostet Nicht

The Best For You

There was not much doubt at first when Izumi had accepted his mother's invitation for lunch. Any worry before had been brushed aside and he didn't really have a reason to refuse his mother of all people. And he had the time too. A part of him had even looked forward to it, especially considering she made space for her very own son. Despite being most likely so busy these days she went all out here and it was something he could appreciate. Denying her to go out to lunch with her? He couldn't in hindsight, it would be terrible to not do that.

So, just as his mother announced, she returned a little bit later to pick Izumi up. It only took a little while yet long enough that Ann had been long gone for uni and she wouldn't be back until evening due to her shift at work. So mother and son had some time to catch up with whatever they felt the need to. It should be relaxing, or so he told himself in the back of his head. He didn't know though why he had to remind himself of that but he didn't question it either, at least not at the time. Maybe because it was all so sudden, not to mention that one thing after the other kept happening recently. Maybe he was still a little on the edge ever since. Yeah, it might be that, all of this. So the best was to just sit back and enjoy the time with his Mom before she has to go yet again. He was determined to do just that actually!

The both of them were already holding a conversation on the way there as well as once getting seated and having made their orders for lunch. And needless to say, it went rather smoothly, nothing seemed to have been out of the ordinary. In fact, Mama seemed to be in good spirits overall, her smiling and laughing constantly while talking about her recent photoshoots. She sure had a lot to talk about and he was more than happy to see that she was doing more than fine. Even now her business as a model was booming and people from all over the world were more than eager to have her advertise their products, primarily clothes of course. Sure, she complained here and there about some other models who were a pain in the ass, yet according to her own words it was 'a part of being talented and blessed at the same time'. She sure had some confidence and if Izumi had to be honest, it was something he might look up to his mother for. Though only recently he might have noticed that her words are a little overbearing but one can get used to it. And yet, he did point it out, he felt like he had to. Especially since he had not said anything earlier. He just had to bring it up eventually...

"Mama, can I please ask you to watch your tone a little?" He began, though slowly. Of course she looked at him, somewhat confused.

"Watch my tone? What could you mean, Sweetie?" She asked, sounding so innocent and clueless. Yet was she? It was hard to say sometimes.

"I know it's the way you are and I'm not asking you to change anything. Honest!" He responded, somewhat feeling the need to so Mama wouldn't get the wrong idea either. He didn't mean any disrespect towards her after all! "But... Uhm... Could you select your words more carefully when Ann is around?"

"Ann?" She repeated, as if not knowing who he meant. But she caught on fairly quickly. "Oh, the girl in those rags she calls clothes~ Haha, just say so earlier. Or did she just get out of bed when she opened that door?"

Izumi tried not to glare at his own mother. These words didn't exactly sit right with him but... Mama has a very hard judgment of people. It can't be helped. "Stuff like that! Try not to insult her when she's around... Please?"

"Insult? Aww, I would never~" She responded, her smile not even cracking for a second. "It was just an observation. She needs a makeover because she looks like a caveman."

It didn't sit exactly right with Izumi either, one of his eyelids slightly twitching. "I'm being serious Mama! Don't say stuff like that around her! It's... Uncalled for!" Was he seriously trying to reason with his own mother here? Everything has a first it seems...

"Huh, you seem to insist." Suddenly when she spoke the brightness of her smile faded, yet she was still plastering some type of smile on her face. "Isn't she just some lousy roommate?"

"That—" He had to think for a moment here, because what he would say next could be a little crushing. Sure, he was on a hiatus now, but his mother had ties in the industry. If her mouth slips and she mentions his relationship with Ann in any type of way, it might be over for his idol career. Sure, who knows how long he would keep up with that, but for now he was still an idol. Hell, he didn't even tell the rest of Knights about this... Yet something told Izumi that these guys already knew. Especially Arashi, this woman had a sixth sense for these types of things after all. Yet he knew they could keep a secret.

On the other hand, he was talking to his mother. Shouldn't he trust her? And besides, she would have to find out sooner or later. In the end, if he kept his mouth shut, he would just delay the inevitable. So... No use, he has to say it. There is no way around it. Mama will figure it out anyway after all...

"No, Ann is not just a roommate." He finally responded, trying to keep calm. He didn't want to snap at his own mother after all, and especially not in public. "We're... A thing... If you know what I mean." Despite him being determined to tell Mama, he would still dance around the direct wording. Not because of Mama, but because of the public space. You never knew who could hear it after all so he had to watch it. He just prayed that she caught on.

And she did, rather quickly even, her face suddenly just staring at her own son. It wasn't a smile, a frown nor was it filled with rage. No, nothing like that. Anything would have been less unsettling than this. Because this was a face he had rarely seen his mother make. Yet when she made it, it was never a good sign. She had looked at him like this as a child and it was always unsettling. Though now it was more so than ever before. Her face, Mama's pretty face, was devoid of any emotion. It was empty, her eyes not shining in any type of light. She was just sitting there, as if pretending to be a doll having been seated on this very chair. She didn't seem like a human being. It was a sight scarier than her being furious.

She even tilted her head, though slowly, as if it had been a mechanism. One may have been afraid that she was at the brink of snapping her neck and yet she seemed perfectly fine. There was no pain in her expression, no hint of anything. And even her voice was devoid of any emotion at that very moment.

"Ah, really? I'm so happy for you. Really." She said, the sweet voice gone, replaced by a machine only spitting out words pre–programmed into its system. "If she can make you happy, I see why not."

He gulped, not sure what to say. Mama became unpredictable when turning like this. But he had to play along, pretending as if he noticed nothing wrong with her at this very moment. "Ah— Th... Thank you."

"But even then... Are you sure?"

Huh? "Sure of what Mama?" What was she—

"You see... Papa and Mama are worried sick about you Izumi. The last thing we expected from you was to go on a hiatus and disappear from the public eye."

"Ah— I... I'm sorry for not telling you in advance! You two seem busy lately so—"

"No, it's fine. Thank you for being so considerate. However, do you really want to stay with her?"

He only looked at his mother, shocked yet irritated. What is she—

"You can always come home, you know, even if only for a short while. After all, we will help you sort things out."

"I..."

"After all... Mama and Papa know you better than some random, little, barbaric girl. We know what's best for you. "

He couldn't say anything, the voice unable to leave his throat. What Mama just said... He didn't know what it was but something about it felt... Weird. And yet it should make sense, shouldn't it? He couldn't talk, he was just staring, not understanding why. What's going on? Why does Mama seem so... Weird?

"Think it over, alright? We only want the best for you Izumi. Remember that."