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Loud chatter echoed through the school as usual, different topics to be heard walking down the hallway.
But it wasn't the chatter she wanted to hear. No, she was looking for specific people. She knew where they were. It was always the same place, same time, each day.
Akari and Sakura were in the toilets. Always were. She pondered why they spent so much time in there, but not like it matters. Least they easy to locate, that's all that matters to Kenji.
What? You really think that she would let it go? You really think after watching Izumi cry, sob, like that almost all night, she would let. It. Go?
Not. In. A. Million. Years.
"Did you see her today?" A muffled female voice asked behind the bathroom door. Kenji stopped, placing her hand on the door and listened to them.
"Omg don't get me started!," Other replied, "She definitely cried to herself alone last night." Wait. Are they talking about who she thinks they are..? See her, Cried herself to sleep, Alone..?
Oh, oh
They're talking about Izumi.
Her knuckles turned white as she continued to listen to their little gossip session. An overwhelming anger fuelled inside her growing each second. Until she heard something that made it snap.
"I bet her dad doesn't even love her"
Crack!
Thump!
Thud!
Suddenly she found herself towering over one of them on the ground. Their nose bleeding uncontrollably, with an eye starting to swell blue.
"What the fuck are you thinking your doing?!" Sakura screamed grabbing her by the shoulders. Smack!
Sakura stumbled backwards on to the sink, crying in pain while holding her nose. Akira seems to gain some strength, pushing Kenji off her to go assist her friend.
"What the hell is wrong with you!," She shouted pulling Sakura behind her, "What the fuck is the meaning to this?"
Oh please, don't lie. We both know why.
"I hate people like you," Kenji started pushing herself off the ground "Always doing horrible things and then hiding away like cowards."
Both of them were leaning on the sinks. Well, one was more gripping then leaning. She calmly inched closer, cracking her knuckles from her previous swings.
Before the other two could respond, she swung again, making contact with Akira's jaw. The girl fell back, hitting her head on the counter. "AKIRA!" Sakura cried stumbling to try to catch her.
Another crack!
Her face making contact with Kenji foot. She flopped on top of Akira, falling unconscious. Kenji stared down at them. The adrenaline finally fading away.
Wait. Oh no. Fuck!
Shit what did she just do?! Oh fuck why did she do that?!
As she questioned her choices, the door opened creaking. Gasps. "Izumi was wrong-" Maiko asked before walking in.
Izumi looked over to Kenji. Who right now, had bruised bloody hands, looked scuffed up and was clearly panicking both mentally and physically.
"Is t-at Ak-a and S-ura..?" Maiko asked looking unsure if she get closer. Izumi said something in return. Kenji couldn't hear what it was. Her heart was pounding in her ears like an engine.
She did this. No. Her anger did this. Just like him.. No! She isn't him.
..Right?
"Kenji!" Someone shouted. No that wasn't someone. Izumi..?
"Are you okay?" She asked while gently holding Kenji's hands. How could ask she that? After seeing what she's currently done...
She shook her head, avoiding eye contact with Izumi. "Kenji, they'll be okay, Maiko and the school nurse have got them." Izumi spoke grabbing Kenji's chin to she can face her.
"... I hit them," She muttered quietly, "Kicked them, made them fall-"
"Stop it." Izumi said pulling her in to a hug. Small breaths. Small hiccups. Tears. Shaking. Finally hugging back.
"I'm- I'm not.. like h-him right...?" She choked feeling herself grip tightly on to Izumi's shoulders.
"Never," She whispered
So just like a dam, she broke down completely in her lover's arms. Muttering apology after apology. Izumi having to reassure each time that it will be okay.
It continued for five minutes until Kenji was called to the principal's office. She knew what it going to be about, but also didn't want to leave these arms of safety either.
Reluctantly, she let go looking back at Izumi. "I'll be with you the whole time." She stated grabbing hold of her hand. Kenji answered with a nervous smile as the two left the toilets.
The walk to the office was even worse. Students glanced at them constantly, peering down at her hands, whispering to their friends about it, some even pointing at her relialsing she was the one who battered Akira and Sakura.
All these worries would go away though as Izumi tightened her hand around her's. A silent message saying 'Ignore them darling'. She felt herself smile each time, forgetting why she stressed in the first place.
Eventually they had reached their destination. The principal's Office. An sickening guilt filled her stomach while staring at the doors. What she suppose to say? She battered and bruised them because of some disrespectful comments?
A tug on her hand brought Kenji back from her thoughts. Izumi was looking at her, silently asking if she ready. A small nod answered her question, opening the black looming doors to enter.
"Kenji Kinoshita, tell me why I've just gotten a cl from the school nurse, explaining to me that you brutally hurt two of your classmates," Mrs Matsui asked her back facing the both of them.
She stood there awkwardly, trying to thread a response in her head. But before she could Izumi beat her to it.
"It's not her fault, it's mine." She spoke moving to stand in front of Kenji. Their hands were interlocked with a firm comforting grip.
Mrs Matsui turned to face them, her face giving a confusing stare. "Your fault? Why is that Izumi?" She asked in the same neutral tone.
"Izumi it's not your fault, I was the one who did thi-"
"Sakura and Akira said some disrespectful comments to me yesterday, Kenji was only planning to go confront them about it, I'm sure she didn't mean to hurt them like she did Mrs Matsui," Izumi answered her voice not wavering once through the explanation.
Mrs Matsui glanced over to Kenji, who was speechless that Izumi was trying to take the blame. Sighing, she returned her gaze back to the unwavering girl.
"What comments did they make to you." She asked grabbing a notebook and pen. Izumi calmly explained what the two had said while Kenji processed what and just happened.
What was going to happen? If she still in trouble? Is Izumi going to get the blame?
"Kenji Kinoshita, because of what Izumi has just explained to me, I'm giving you a week suspension, I will talk with Sakura and Akira once they have recovered," Mrs Matsui explained.
Wait that's all? Just a week suspension? Nothing else?
"Wait that's all? Nothing else?" She asked bewildered at her.
"Yes that's all, since you obviously didn't mean for it to go like this, now go your both free to leave." Mrs Matsui replied waving them away.
Izumi gleamed with relief and dragged them both out the office. "Come on, let's go get you cleaned up." She spoke pulling Kenji into one for toilets not too far away.
She still couldn't believe she got away with this so easily. Well she wasn't sure about everyone else. Heck she doesn't know how Maiko or even Denki will react to her now..
"Here, lean against the sink will you?" Izumi asked grabbing some paper towels to soak. She nodded silently, walking up to the sink and leaning against it as told.
Izumi quickly soaked the acquired paper towels before walking back over to her. She gently squished the soggy paper, letting out all the excess water from it.
"I need you to stay still okay?" She muttered taking hold of Kenji's bloody hands. Slowly, she rubbed the wet paper against the dirty hands. It was gentle and tender the way she washed the dried blood off.
Her body relaxed with ease as Izumi continued to clean her hands, resting her forehead against Izumi's.
"..Thank you for this... And what you said earlier," She whispered her voice slightly raspy from crying before.
Small pecks landed on each of her knuckles. The same knuckles that caused such a violent response.. "Always darling." Izumi breathed bringing her hands up to caress Kenji's face.
The words rang in her head like a phone.
Always darling
Always darling
Bruised hands found their way to Izumi's, tenderly gripping on to hers. They didn't need words right now, they knew what these actions meant to eachother.
"Ready to leave?" Izumi asked placing her hands on opposite girl's shoulders. Yeah she was, it doesn't matter what everyone else thinks. They can interpret it any way they like.
"Yes, I'm ready to go," She replied softly. They held hands once again, placing the used paper towels on the bin on their way out.
Of course Kenji was stared at for the rest of the day, heard many rumours on happened, and Maiko and Denki asking her multiple questions at Lunch.
She of course answered her friends questions to the best she could. Izumi was beside her the whole time, never letting go of her unless she needs to.
It was.. comforting to have while she continued her day. She knew that her Dad had probably been called and told about the accident. She knew he was going to ask her about it. Shout at her about it..
"Stay at mine today?" Her girlfriend asked as the bell for home rang. Izumi must've seen the looks on Kenji's face realising she would how deal with her father.
She didn't have to face him today. She can face him tomorrow, when she's mentally ready to face him. "Of course love." She replied holding her and out for Izumi to hold.
The opposite girl happily latched on to her arm as the two left for the car. They stopped by the boba shop while driving back home.
And too after were watching a cringe worthy series in Izumi's bedroom. It wasn't exactly perfect, but in Kenji's eyes it was everything to her.
So while they reached the finale episode of the series, she layed comfortably laid her hand on her girlfriend's chest. Slowly letting her eyes droop as the warmth coaxed her to sleep. A comforting hand placed itself on her head, making small strokes as she fell into content slumber.
Only hearing a quiet whisper before slipping away into this coaxing sleep.
"Your not him and never will be Kenji"