Homework? Not a chance! (Takumi- open tag!)

[fryn]

With nothing planned for today after school Takumi headed out of the main building and around the side to the parking area. His bright red Vespa stood alone and to one side. Not a car and yet not worthy enough to be parked close to the bicycle rack. That left it in the area between heaven and hell. In limbo. He unlocked to storage compartment and pulled out an equally vivid red helmet and dropping his homework into the container he rammed the helmet onto his head and sat astride the scooter.

Tomorrow Izzy would be meeting his family - and for the first time. It was a great shame he never had the chance to get to know Izzy's mum in return. And her father was likely going to return to Korea soon after the funeral (hopefully not taking Izzy with him!) and so getting to know her otosan also was going to be impossible. Still, he already knew her brother and Jett seemed to have accepted Takumi well and easily enough.

He eased the scooter forwards and onto the street, heading towards home. It was only when he reached the beach area that he drew to a halt. His homework this evening was light and even could be left for the weekend. What reason did he have for going directly home? None that he could envision. He steered the Vespa into a parking bay at the side of the promenade and pushed the helmet in on top of his books.

Maybe he would run into someone he knew on the beach? If so Takumi had a feeling it time would fly past at a serious rate of knots. It always seemed to do that when he was having fun!

[Izzy Chen]

Izzy knew she would be busy tomorrow afternoon with Taki's family. The following day was the funeral. So today was the day Izzy thought to show her family around town. She was learning a lot about her family. She might not know her father, but she now knew a few things. Like he owned an International business and he spoke English. Not well like she did, but he spoke it enough to have a conversation and get around. He was the only one who spoke English. Neither of her grandparents or Aunts and Uncles did.

The subject of Izzy staying in the US or going to Korea had been avoided. Only a few comments had been said. Those few comments had basically amounted to a maybe so far. In other words Izzy's fate was in limbo, but she would fight not to go. Izzy wanted to stay. America was her home, Korea wasn't. Right now she was showing them around the beach. The whole clan. All ten of them. Yeah her mothers side, plus her father, his parents and his brother. So yeah it was a lot of people. More could have come. A bunch of cousins and stuff. But they did not come.

Izzy took them to the beach. The best place to go. She was walking them down the pier to the beach area, near the parking lot when she saw a red Vespa. Her heart began to pound. Was he here. Only one person rode a vespa like that. Of course there was probably more then one vespa. But she prayed and hoped it was him..the guy who had invaded her thoughts all day.

Izzy looked around and frowned when she did not see him, but she did not frown for long cause soon there he was. She caught sight and knew it was him. Izzy smiled and immediatly told her family there was someone she wanted them to meet. Izzy rushed over to Taki and did not say a word as she hugged him. This would make things easier.

"What a coincidence...you being here...I have my family with me....come meet them....you can meet my dad." Izzy said a mix of emotions. It should be her mother he was meeting. Not her father. Izzy just pushed those feelings down and motioned toward the crowd of people staring.

[fryn]

The beach looked to be devoid of life.

No, that wasn't entirely true... Takumi could see a couple and their two kids - plus a dog - having fun with a brightly coloured ball further along the sand. And a few younger children were building castles off the the Japanese teen's left. A couple of swimmers had braved the water and several more people dotted around the area.

He should have been more specific.

Devoid of life... as he knew it. Not a single face was recognisable.

Still, the walk and salty air would be welcome.

He pushed his hands into his jacket pockets and set off towards the water...

As such it was a complete surprise to find himself enveloped in a hug from behind. Dare? No... the hands were far too slender even for him.

"Izzy!" he exclaimed in pleasure and he turned to face her and respond with a hug of his own.

"What a coincidence...you being here...I have my family with me....come meet them....you can meet my dad."

"Your father?" And the rest of her family... This was going to prove to be difficult for him. Meeting so many strangers all at once could never be termed easy. Luckily Takumi was blessed with the natural manners that came hand in hand with being Japanese and that was sure to at least ease any awkwardness.

"Dad... This is Takumi," he heard Izzy state and Takumi dipped his head in reverence. "Hajimemashite, Kim-san. I am honoured to meet you," he repeated in English. The rest of the introductions would be easier in that it was Izzy's father he currently faced. Plus he didn't have to remember all of the other names... Just this one.

[Izzy Chen]

Izzy knew this was sudden and out of the blue, but she could use Taki at her side right now. Besides who knew when Taki would ever meet her family again. Izzy had no idea she would even see her father again. So far in her mind she was staying in the US. Izzy made the introduction. Mr. Kim bowed his head as well as Izzy made the rest of the introductions. Each person bowing their head at Taki.

"This is my boyfriend. The one I have been telling you about." She spoke in Korean. "I wanted him to meet you all." She continued. Her father held his hand up to stop her, "English is fine my child." He spoke in English. "Takumi....pleasure to meat you finally. My daughter speaks highly of you." His voice was polite and professional. His stance spoke of business deal nothing personal. "Good to know she has nice friend and boy friend." His English was musch better then it had once been. He had to do international business and this was good to know.

"Please join us for Evening meal. Isabella was infomring us about her studies." Mr. Kim invited. He eyed Takuim. "I want to know more about you young man. Such as your intentions toward my daughter." This made Izzy blush, "Dad!...." She said in shock. The rest of the family just looked on and talked amongst themselves since they could not understand English at all.

[fryn]

Takumi nodded and murmured a polite few words to each of Izzy's family member in turn before facing her father once more, only to find a conversation taking place in what he assumed to be Korean. Of course, he understood not a single word and that made him feel something of an outsider. He clasped his hands together and adopted what he hoped was an amicable expression.

Kim-san halted Izzy and went on to address Takumi in English... Something for which he felt profoundly grateful.

When her father spoke a long word that Takumi didn't know he was surprised to see it cause such a response from Izzy. He made a mental note to ask her what her father had said. Later. Now was hardly the time or place. "I would be honoured to join you," Takumi replied with a dip of his head. He had thought, though, that this time would be a personal and family one, seeing that the reason they were all together was for Izzy's mother's funeral. He would feel even more like an intruder but he could hardly decline. That wouldn't have been even remotely polite.

"What time shall I come to your house, Izzy?" he asked uncertainly. This wasn't going as well as he'd hoped.

Not even close.

[Izzy Chen]

Izzy was about to speak when her father chimed in. "We are headed back there now, be there in promptly two hours." He bowed his head, "You and I will talk." He said as he turned and said something in Korean and the family started to leave to head toward their home, which was not that far, but they had a few cars here. So...driving was not easy for any of them to say the least, but some how they managed.

"I am so sorry about that, i don't know what my dad is thinking...inviting you to dinner is great, i want you to come, but about what he said....I am sorry." She said to Taki. What was his intentions, they had just started dating. The only intention right now was to date and have fun. What else could there be. She was only seventeen, its not like Taki planned to propose marriage and stuff. What the hell was her dad thinking?

"I promise to talk to him before you arrive so that way maybe I can warn you about what my father has planned. He seems to be a tad unpredictable these past few days. I have learned a lot I did not want to know, and stuff I am glad I know now." She admitted with a sheepish grin. That did not make the embarrassment go anyway any less. "Thank you, for being a good sport. I really do want you to meet my family before the funeral and before they leave on Saturday. it would mean a lot to me. cause I don't know if my dad will ever be back for you too meet him."

[fryn]

"It will be good to meet them all," he assured Izzy... not that he could really communicate with the majority of her relatives. Still, language differences should be seen as a challenge rather than an obstacle... right? Takumi was determined to convince himself that was so!

He still wasn't sure what 'intentions' meant but there wasn't the time now to ask Izzy to explain as her father and his entourage had already started to move on. "I must call home... Okaasama is expecting me back for dinner and so I must let her know I will be eating at your house instead." He glanced after her father who had turned back and gestured that Izzy follow. "I think he is calling for you," he added in a low voice.

Tonight was going to be difficult and Takumi had a feeling it wouldn't be all that much fun either. Still, Izzy was right in that this would likely be the only chance he would have to meet her father and the rest of her family.

"I will see you later," he promised and he watched Izzy as she jogged over to rejoin her family.

Yep... Very difficult.

* * *

Takumi looked uncertainly down at his outfit. He'd contemplated wearing more... traditional clothing. Jeans and a shirt or something. The problem with that was it wouldn't have been natural for the Japanese youth. Instead he wore his smartest clothes... Drainpipe pants in a pale grey hue, overskirt (as always) depicting the colours of the French flag, a white shirt with a stand up collar and a jacket, complete with braiding. The right lapel, as always, again, was decorated with a few pin badges. Hello Kitty, of course. For tonight, though, he opted to keep his hair free of any feathers or such like. Instead it had been washed well and even though it seemed to have a life of its own it was relatively well behaved.

He fiddled with the heavy linked chain that had been wrapped about 5 times around his left wrist as he waited for the door to open...

[Izzy Chen]

Izzy was pacing back and forth. What the heck was her father thinking? Did he want to scare Taki away? Did he want to embaress her..what? Why would he want to talk to Taki? Now Izzy was feeling bad. She was pulling Taki in to meet her family and he was probably not ready. God she was ruining everything, just like she ruined her mothers life by killing her. Izzy knew she may be blowing things out of proportion, but she was so scared of losing someone else.

All the sudden she heard the knock on the door and it snapped her from her thoughts. She was wearing a jean skirt, with a black top and black heels. She yelled in Korean she was answering the door. She smiled when she saw it was Taki. Izzy hugged him tightly and kissed him passionatly. "Thank you for coming. You have no idea how much this means to me, and I promise to make it up to you with more kisses." She said softly with a smile as she gave him a light kiss.

"Come in...I love what you are wearing." She really did. It was great. "I warn you my father might not like it, but don't worry about him. I like it." It was Taki and she was thankful he was being himself. She held his hand as her father showed up from the kitchen. Mr. Kim looked Takumi over, "Pleasure to meet you again young man. You are just in time for dinner." He gave a slightly disgruntled look at the kids appearence. But he smiled and moved so Taki and Izzy could enter.

Dinner was quiet and long. People kept speaking in Korean to Taki and Izzy translated. They asked the basica questions: Where Taki was from? How did he meet Izzy? Were they dating? Which Izzy had already told them they were, but apparently they had to ask. They also asked Taki if he liked America? What was his favorite part? The same old boring questions.

Finally dinner was over and most of her family disappeared around the house. Now just Mr. Kim, Taki and Izzy were left. "Would you like dessert Mr. Takumi?" Mr. Kim asked. Oh god what was he going to do. Izzy leaned over to whisper, "You are the best, you know that."

[fryn]

"Konnichiwa, Izzy," he greeted with a bright smile, returning her heated kiss with one of equal passion. Takumi was pleased she liked his clothing. It wasn't all that American but then again, neither was Yoshino Takumi. Western clothes felt wrong to him... and would have more likely looked wrong as well.

His face fell when she told him her father would probably be less impressed but it was too late to do anything about it now! He followed Izzy inside...

Kim-san looked displeased.

'Good start, baka,' he thought to himself. The older man was welcoming enough, though, and that came as a wave of relief.

Their meal was... well, stilted at best. Takumi couldn't really join in the conversations that were taking place even when Izzy translated their words into English. That left the Japanese boy feeling awkward and clumsy as he pushed his food around his plate, making a half-hearted attempt at eating it as best he could. For the most part his meal was left untouched.

He answered any questions that were passed his way, Izzy repeating his responses in Korean. The relative who had asked the question would always nod and smile. Approval? He hoped so!

The ordeal was at last over and the majority of Izzy's famil dispersed. Takumi hoped to do likewise. Vanish. Kim-san, though, had other ideas.

"Would you like dessert Mr. Takumi?" Izzy's father asked.

"Arigatou gozaimasu, Kim-san, but I have eaten enough. The meal was very nice," he added with a terse dip of his head.

Takumi smiled slightly when Izzy leaned over and whispered words of encouragement. "Do you like America, sir?" he asked. Perhaps if he turned the conversation around and onto Mr Kim then he might escape further interrogation himself.

[Izzy Chen]

Mr. Kim smiled, "Very fine young sir, follow me." Mr. Kim led them into the living room. He sat down in one of the armchairs. There were two. on next to the sofa and the other across from it. Mr. Kim took a seat in the one across from it and motioned for Taki and Izzy to sit on the couch. "I am ejoying it quiet well. It is different. You hear of stories but it is never like the real experience. I am however, ready to return home this was always a temporary trip." Mr. Kim explained. "And yourself? How are you enjoying America?" Mr. Kim asked. "And my daughter. How are you enjoying her?" Oh god now that was embaressing. Izzy gave. Taki am apologetic look. She mouted the words sorry.


She looked away feeling awful for putting Taki through this. She wished her mother was here. Izzy knew what her mother would be doing right now. She could predict it. Her mother would sit in the chair to the side of the couch, she would be dignified as ever. Not slouching, a smile on her face, hands delicatly placed, not a hair out of place. Her mother would be perfect in everyway.

Then she would welcome Takumi into her life and Izzy's. She would ask him a simple question, "Tell me about yourself?" End of interrogation. That was her mother. Although Izzy had her issues with her mom, it was moments like that, that made her want to cry. Like right now. It was an over whelming sence of emotion. "Excuse me." Izzy said standing up. She knew tears were comming. Damn Triggers. Sometimes she could be fine, but other times, she crumbled. Tears had started to fall before she even stood up to leave. But out the door she went.