Crows Zero

Chapter Five

Sumi opened her apartment door and stepped inside. It had changed. Boxes were piled in the kitchen and living room corners, and even from the door, anyone could easily see her bedroom also hosted several packages. It wouldn't be long before the place would be a memory. She'd be leaving soon, and when she returned, things would be different. She'd never come back here. She would miss it but wouldn't come back. The apartment was part of her life before, and, quite frankly, she didn't want to be surrounded by the old reminders. There would be other places to start fresh.

Start fresh. That was what she'd be doing in less than a month. The Savour Chocolate and Patisserie School in Australia accepted her application, and the new year started soon. Akanishi made sure she received all the necessary studies and testing before her departure, so she could still graduate, simply earlier. He refused a withdrawal, content only with the resolution that she tried her best to finish. He settled for nothing less than high B's, however, so her last few weeks were heavily consumed with hours in the library, nose in a book.

"Sumi?"

She glanced over her shoulder and smiled as Izaki came in behind her carrying several grocery bags. "Izaki, what should we have for dessert tonight?"

He arched a confused and disinterested eyebrow then walked past her for the kitchen. "It's just a bunch of Suzuran guys. Why do you need to make something special?"

Sumi pouted her lip and closed the door as he unpacked the purchases. "It's not just a bunch of Suzuran guys. It's the Serizawa Faction and GPS together peacefully under one roof! It's the only thing that can keep me strong through my time away."

"You'll be too busy making daydreams over your latest creation to care about if Serizawa and Genji are gonna knock each other's lights out," he replied dryly.

She stomped her foot. "Oie! If you wanna eat, you'd better zip your lips!" He protested by unpacking the groceries without visually acknowledging her, but complied by not speaking. "Anyway, I think it's a special night, and since I'm the chef, my opinion is all that matters. I'm pretty sure they're only coming because I asked anyway."

"But shouldn't you have told them they'd all be meeting together?"

"Iie," she said simply. "GPS beat the Serizawa Faction, but I'm not stupid enough to believe Tamao will follow someone just because they beat him. Makise got beat by Tamao loads of times and never followed him. It's better to leave them in the dark."

Izaki shook his head and put a new set of eggs in the refrigerator. "So cunning, but will it work?" he mumbled into the cool air.

Sumi didn't hear him, and it wouldn't have mattered if she had because she was already in a frenzy about preparing the meal. "Izaki! Lay out everything we just bought! Tonight, I'm going to make a meal fit for a king!"

Izaki smirked and closed the refrigerator. "You're going crazy over this."

"Love makes people do crazy things, Shun-sama!" She slammed her hands soundly on the counter then quickly stripped off her uniform coat. "And you're going to help me!"

His face dropped. "What?"

By seven o'clock that night, the apartment overflowed with delicious smells of bold main courses and sultry desserts. Sumi was a little surprised they managed to finish her desired choices in time because she and Izaki kept kissing and flirting. It had been like this for a while now. Izaki was more possessive of her than ever since he found out her intentions for school, but instead of getting jealous or angry with their separation, he intensified their intimate moments with more and more frequency. She didn't mind in the least. The more she had of him, the more she wanted, and the more she desired him, the more he gave her. It was a well-functioning cycle. The lonely nights that would follow could be the death of her.