Izumi’s a man known for his bluntness and rude tone to those around him, alongside his roundabout ways of showing that he cares. Those are obvious facts about the knight that everyone fully acknowledges as who he is. Izumi’s tone, although harsh, contrasts the way he would still help those in need or how his personality has no ill intent, albeit it’s all masked behind a grumpy and snarky attitude.

He doesn’t like being vulnerable.

No matter how close he is with someone, he hides it all away with a veil of confidence and pride. Yet, behind closed doors in the stillness of the night, when a comforting warmth envelops him in a gentle embrace and the moonlight seeps through the curtains, illuminating the bedroom in its soft glow…

When the deep, peaceful breathing of the one snuggled up beside him is rhythmic and steady, only then will he shed off that persona for a mere moment, silently cherishing the one he loves most.

It wasn’t surprising that Izumi initially thought nothing much of her. After all, she was shy and docile at first, never speaking up for herself and opting to silently shoulder all her burdens on her own. She was an open book, easy to tease, and all the more entertaining to watch every time she reacts. The little yelps of surprise, the way her eyebrows would furrow together or the way her lips would form into a pout before trying to come up with an excuse or explanation. He found amusement in it all yet, the closer they became, the more those feelings blossomed into friendship before eventually sprouting into buds of love between the two.

It was known that Izumi also had a fondness for the sea and life within it. The sound of the waves crashing into the shore was calming to him, the breeze blowing away any of his woes in the process. By yielding such a deep appreciation for the ocean, Izumi never really contemplated the sky above it, or what lies beyond its borders; however, he had his reasons. After all…

Why should he appreciate the distant stars above when they were already within arm’s reach?

It was as if she held the entire universe, and all its stars, on the surface of her skin with all the speckled dots that adorned her face. It’s charming, but such a shame that she never appreciated it herself. Her lack of self-confidence contrasted the level of pride that flowed through Izumi’s veins after all, causing him to chastise her for being so apprehensive about herself.

“Your face has its own charms. So stop talking down about yourself, it’s annoying.”

He meant well, she knew that, but it was hard for her to immediately change with the snap of his fingers, and he knew that too. No matter how many times he would nag her about it, it was as if it fell into deaf ears.