60. Confession

"Ah, they're exaggerating. If I hadn't used that trick, I would have been defeated by Smoker." Izumi didn't read along and only listened to what Tabane was reading.

"But, it also explains how you fight here. Cloning, transformation, Soru, etc."

"Soru? What the heck! I can't even use the Rokushiki technique." Izumi widened his eyes. He didn't think his teleportation magic was considered Soru, a technique taught by the marines.

Izumi turned to Tabane.

"How about you, Tabane-chan?"

"Me? I didn't do anything. But many people who brought Divine Drag-Rides came to me. As a result, I got a lot of Divine Drag-Rides for free. The last boss is also included."

Izumi twitched. Then, he replied.

"Damn it, you're like an unemployed person who gets a lottery prize over and over again."

Though, he found it unbelievable that she could take care of all of them since they used Divine Drag-Rides.

"Did you create the 4th gen IS already?" Izumi asked.

"No, how did you think so?"

"Well, I was just wondering how you managed to finish them off. You even took all their Drag-Rides."

"Hehe. That's a secret."

Tabane had no intention of telling how she would finish them off and only made Izumi more curious.

They talked to each other about what they had done while on missions. As they talked about technology afterward, Tabane remembered something.

"Why do you intend to learn technology from me?"

Izumi did not immediately answer Tabane's question. He opened the folder on his laptop he was using, then opened the app and showed Tabane. Tabane looked carefully, then commented.

"So you're planning on creating a holographic idol? That's quite interesting."

"Yes. Not only that. I also have other plans after that. That's why I want to learn a lot from you."

"It's complicated, but not impossible. If you need help, just call me! I'll help you." Tabane smiled lightly.

Without realizing it, it was already 8 PM. Izumi planned to stay the night because he still had something to learn. If Tabane taught him, Izumi was sure he could learn quickly.

Suddenly, his phone vibrated. He looked at his phone screen and it was Kyouko who called him.

"I can get a phone call from my world even though I'm in another world?" Honestly, he was quite surprised. He thought that maybe because his phone was upgraded, his phone and the phones of the other chat group members were more special than ordinary phones.

"Hello, Hori-san, what's up?" Izumi asked why she called so suddenly.

[Do you have free time tomorrow?]

"Hmmm, tomorrow is Sunday. Are you perhaps inviting me for a date?"

[W-w-what do you mean? Don't be full of yourself, stupid Miyamura!!] Kyouko stuttered.

"Then, what—" Before Izumi finished what he wanted to say. Tabane came with a loud voice while carrying the mattress prepared for Izumi.

"Izumi-chan, I brought your mattress! Where do you want to sleep?"

[Miyamura!? Who is that?]

Izumi heard Kyouko asking her. It turned out that Tabane's voice was heard by her.

"This is bad." Izumi said inwardly.

"Uhh, she is my friend. I researched something with her." Izumi told her ambiguously.

"Hey, hey, Izumi-chan, who is that?" Tabane asked as she approached.

"Ah, stupid villainess, can you—" Izumi wanted to stop Tabane from speaking. However, Kyouko was already furious.

[Don't come here again!!!] Then Kyouko hung up the phone with an angry voice.

Ever since Yuriko told Kyouko it was possible that Izumi was dating another girl. He was afraid that what Yuriko had told him would come true. As soon as he called Izumi, he heard the voice of a girl near Izumi which made her unable to think straight. She was angry, jealous, and hurt.

"Eh, uh, did I come at the wrong time? Is your girlfriend angry? Really?"

"Isn't this because of you?" Izumi clutched her head tightly as she was really annoyed right now.

"Ouch, ouch, hurts, hurts, hurts!!" Tabane tried to escape from Izumi's grasp.

But before Tabane forced herself to escape, Izumi let go of his grip and let out a sigh.

"I will go home first and will come again next time."

Tabane could only pout while looking at his back disappeared from her sight.

— — — —

After returning to his world, Izumi headed straight for Kyouko's house.

He immediately rang the doorbell when he got there. He knew that Kyouko was inside after sensing her presence with Haki. However, no one opened the door even though he pressed the bell repeatedly.

Izumi dejected.

He walked over to where Kyouko was to convey what he wanted to say.

"Hori-san, I won't go back. I'll wait for you here until you're the one who opened the door!"

Izumi walked back to the front door and looked at the sky. He sensed the arrival of the last rain before summer began. Lightning flashes began to appear to illuminate the world. At that moment, thick black clouds were seen covering the sky.

An hour later, rain poured down on the earth accompanied by the sound of thunder.

Being drenched in rain, Izumi felt nostalgic.

"Since when was the last time I got rained on like this? It was the first and last time I felt the coldness of the rain before I finally fell ill. Since then, my parents found out that my immune system is so bad that I get sick easily."

Of course, what Izumi meant was his previous life. The first thing he did will never be forgotten, let alone the last time. The memories lingered so deep in his heart that he felt nostalgic when he was drenched in the rain.

Kyouko secretly peeked at Izumi, wishing he had gone home because of the heavy rain. It had been almost two hours since it started raining. Her heart trembled when she saw Izumi outside who was looking up at the sky without noticing anything around him.

Kyouko felt that Izumi insisted on seeing her because there might be a misunderstanding between them. He felt guilty for not asking directly, but instead got angry and hung up the phone, leaving Izumi unable to explain.

She rushed out and slammed the door while looking at Izumi who said, "Finally you are willing to come out."

Kyouko had mixed feelings.

"Why don't you just go home?"

"Because I told you that I would be waiting for you." Izumi answered calmly.

"Why did you stubbornly wait?"

"Isn't that obvious? I'm showing that I like you." Izumi ventured to confess because the timing was quite right.

Kyouko was stunned. He didn't expect Izumi to confess to her which made her heart beat so fast.

Kyouko wanted to go back into the house to avoid Izumi's question, but Izumi grabbed her hand so she couldn't escape. She wanted to let go of her hand from his grip, but he tightened his grip and wouldn't let her go before answering his confession.

"Kyouko. Do you like me?" Izumi asked earnestly.

"No." She replied instantly without looking at him.

Izumi grabbed Kyouko's shoulder and forced her to look at him.

"Kyouko, look at me!" Izumi didn't take his eyes off Kyouko.

Kyouko couldn't bear to see Izumi's gaze so she looked down with a face that was already red.

"Kyouko, I liked you from the first time I saw you, please go with me! I want you to be my girlfriend." Izumi confessed to her once again while holding her shoulder.

She didn't respond, or one might say she stiffened.

"Look at me!" Izumi held her chin gently.

One minute.

Two minutes.

Three minutes.

With her flushed face, bloodshot eyes, and tears falling down her cheeks, she hugged him and said.

"I don't know! I don't know! But when I heard a girl's voice preparing a bed for you, my heart was hurt. I was afraid that you would go far and I would lose someone like you." Kyouko said while sobbing. Izumi could only try to soothe her down.

"So basically, you accept my confession?" Izumi asked to confirm

"Um."

"I can't hear you."

"Yes. I accept. I like you too. Satisfied?" Kyouko said forcefully even though she was too embarrassed to say that.

Izumi looked at her closely. He smiled.

"Your wet hair and wet clothes that look transparent look so erotic." Her thin clothes became transparent after being soaked in rainwater. Even her undergarment was clearly visible under her wet clothes.

Kyouko looked down, then pushed Izumi who was right in front of her.

"You pervert."

Then Kyouko went back into the house. Izumi followed behind while chuckling.