20. Encounter

On the way when he went back home. He saw a pale-skinned kid with fairly messy gray hair as he ran desperately from a dog. Izumi took immediate action and caught the dog's neck. He then slapped the dog's ass to shoo it away.

As for why he liked to slap, he also didn't know.

"Are you alright little kid?" Izumi tried to comfort the kid. To his surprise, the kid he saved seemed to be Hori Kyouko's little bro, a girl from the same class as him.

"It's a coincidence, right?" Izumi murmured.

"*sob* *sob* t-thank you *sob* big brother." That little kid said with a sob.

Izumi patted the kid's head and said.

"Shhh, a boy shouldn't cry easily! It would be embarrassing if your friends saw you cry."

That kid wiped out his tears and then nodded.

"I won't cry, big brother."

"What's your name?"

"My name is Souta."

"Alright, the dog won't chase you anymore. You can go back."

After Izumi said that, he walked away from Souta.

Souta didn't say anything other than he grabbed Izumi's shirt as if he wanted to tell Izumi to take him home.

"Okay, just tell me your address! I'll take you back home." Izumi had no other choice. Even though he planned to meet Hori Kyouko, he didn't plan to do so now.

Souta led Izumi while walking leisurely. 

"Why are you alone, Souta?" Izumi wondered why this little kid was alone.

"I was playing at my friend's house. But, when I was about to go home, suddenly a dog chased after me. How about you, big brother?"

"I was just out for a walk. Is your house still far away?"

"Not really. If we turn the alley over there, we'll be there."

Izumi thought the location wasn't too far from his house. At least 15 minutes walk.

A few moments later.

"That's my house, big brother." Souta pointed at a certain house while pulling Izumi's hand.

"I'm home." Souta shouted.

Then, Izumi saw a girl the same age as her running from inside.

"Ah, Souta. Where have you been? You've been playing since morning and only come back until now. Do you know how worried I am?"

That girl was none other than Hori Kyouko, who was in the same class as Izumi. The girl had a height that was at the same level as Izumi's eyes. She was slim and also had a pretty face. Her chest-length brown hair tied with bangs was swept to the right side. Her current dress was relatively casual and simple attire. Quite different from her appearance at school.

Since Kyouko didn't seem to care or even notice Izumi's presence, he waved his hand as he said.

"Then I'll go back home. Bye, Souta."

It was then that Kyouko realized that Souta had come home with someone else.

"What a failure. I ignored him." Kyouko said inwardly.

"Umm, sorry to trouble you." Kyouko was a bit embarrassed when she said that.

Izumi turned around and just smiled at her.

"Big brother, can't you stay for a while!" Souta grabbed Izumi's sleeve. He was perplexed. Izumi wasn't ready to deal with her.

"Umm, if you're not too busy, please stay a little longer. I wanted to thank you for bringing Souta home." Kyouko said nervously.

He took a deep breath and let it out. After calming down. He decided to stay. Perhaps, it was a good opportunity for him to get closer to her. For some reason, he couldn't help but feel his heart flutter when he saw her.

"Ah, alright then. I'll trouble you for a while." Izumi nodded, accepting Kyouko's offer. While Kyouko shook her head.

"No, no, no trouble at all."

Kyouko invited Izumi to the living room. Accepting Kyouko's invitation, Izumi sat down on the sofa.

Meanwhile, Kyouko looked at Izumi's appearance.

"Uwahh, this guy has a lot of piercings." Kyouko said in her mind.

"Take your time!" After she said that, she went to the kitchen.

Izumi sighed. He glanced at Souta.

"Souta, next time don't let your sister worry. Okay!?"

Souta nodded.

"Okay, big brother. Right, big bro, why are you wearing so many earrings? You're a man, aren't you?"

Izumi didn't know what to answer after getting a question like that. In the end, he lied.

"This is called a disguise technique. When I look like this, it means I'm in disguise. The point is that no one at my school recognizes me."

"Hmmm? Why don't you want to be recognized by your friends? Doesn't that make you lonely?"

"Yup, I'm lonely. But, this is how I find real friends. Don't copy me! You have your own way of making real friends!"

Izumi pointed at Souta which made him nod.

While Izumi talked with Souta, Kyouko came over with drinks and snacks.

"What are you talking about?" Kyouko asked both of them.

"Big sis, this big brother said he was in disguise to find a real friend."

Izumi slapped his own forehead. He didn't think Souta really said that. Then, he got a weird glance from Kyouko.

Kyouko warned her little brother.

"Souta, don't ever try like this big brother did, okay!"

"Got it, big sis!"

Then, Kyouko looked at Izumi.

"Anyway, thanks for bringing back my little brother. Sorry if my brother bothered you."

"No problem. I just happened to be passing by when Souta was being chased by a dog."

Kyouko didn't know how Izumi met Souta. It turned out that Souta seemed to be running away from a dog before Izumi chased the dog away.

At that moment, Souta asked Izumi.

"Big brother, where is your house?"

"Hmmm, why are you asking about my house? I'm rarely home these days. If you look for me at my house, I might not be there."

"I just wanted to know."

"From here, go to the highway, turn left. In about 10 minutes, you'll find a cake shop. Well, that's where my house is."

"Woah, big bro owns a cake shop? Big sis, I want a cake!"

Then, Kyouko answered.

"We can go there next time."

Izumi just smiled. He drank the drink Kyouko brought, then stood up from his seat.

"It's almost dark, so I'll go back."

Kyouko glanced at Izumi.

"I see. Anyway, thank you."

"No problem."

Izumi walked out of Kyouko's house. Then, he waved his hand while saying.

"See you at school, Hori Kyouko-san."

It was after Izumi disappeared from her sight, that Kyouko snapped out of her daze.

"Souta, who is that big brother?"

Souta could only tilt his head.

"Umm, I forgot to ask."

Kyouko facepalmed. She didn't hear it wrongly when Izumi said "See you at school" to her. And he also said her name.

"He does know me. And he sees me when I'm in this messy look? It's embarrassing. What should I do?" Her mind was filled with how dumb she was. She even forgot to ask Izumi's name. Moreover, Izumi's words to Kyouko proved that Izumi went to the same school as her.

Meanwhile.

"The God of Conquest once said that a man must make a strong impression on a woman the first time he meets her in the process of wanting to be in a relationship." Izumi murmured. He thought that what he did should be able to make a strong impression.

A night passed.

In the class, Izumi looked at Kyouko, who seemed depressed. From her expression, she must still be thinking about the boy who made such a strong impression on her.

She didn't know who the boy was. No matter how hard she thought, no student matched his delinquent appearance.

Izumi smirked while looking her way. Suddenly Kyouko looked around, but at the same time, Izumi looked in a different direction while resting his chin on the palm of his hand.

Kyouko looked at Izumi suspiciously. Surprisingly, when she saw his appearance, she felt that she had seen him elsewhere.

"Hori, what's up?"

A girl interrupted Kyouko's thoughts. That girl was short and slim with light olive-green hair that was cut short with bangs parted in the middle. That girl was Yoshikawa Yuki.

"Ah, nothing. By the way, do you know him?" Kyouko pointed toward Izumi.

"Him? His name should be Miyamura. Why did you ask?"

"I feel like I've seen him somewhere."

"Hee, I didn't think you'd be attracted to a quiet guy like him."

"No, it's not what you think, Yuki."

Suddenly…

"Keep quiet. The first lesson will start."

A teacher cut them off and started the lesson.