Leo Tsukinaga/Izumi Sena

**Leo Tsukinaga/Izumi Sena**is a relationship between two members of Knights, Leo Tsukinaga and Izumi Sena.

## Relationship and notable canon moments

Leo and Izumi have a very balanced relationship wherein they see and acknowledge each other as equals.  On the surface, Izumi’s nagging and Leo’s childishness can make their relationship come across as more of a caretaker and his child than that of potential lovers, but this is far from true.  Leo understands that Izumi’s nagging is his way of showing he cares.  Likewise, Leo may act childish at times, but Izumi knows that Leo isn’t a child.  Leo’s shown on multiple occasions that he’s smarter and more perceptive than people assume.  Leo is constantly looking out for Izumi’s feelings because he sees how fragile he is underneath his fake pride, offering to become a throne to support him.

Their love languages are also very compatible.

Leo expresses his love mostly through words of affirmation.  He consistently showers Izumi in praise and compliments him and doesn’t hesitate to say “I love you.”  This affirmation is exactly the type of thing Izumi needs to feel loved, and he goes as far as saying that it’s the reason he was glad to be born in Lionheart.

On the other hand, Izumi isn’t honest when it comes to verbalizing his feelings, but he expresses love through acts of service.  Leo needs someone who’s willing to look out for and take care of him.  He’s naturally forgetful and easily gets absorbed in composing.  He wants Izumi to pay attention to and spoil him because he knows that’s Izumi’s way of saying “I love you” back.

Leo and Izumi met during their first year at Yumenosaki Academy.  Leo finds Izumi singing and laughs at how out of tune his voice is while claiming he “loves it.”  The two become friends, with Leo composing songs for both Izumi and their unit, Chess.

In the light novel story Lionheart, Izumi says that singing the songs Leo wrote for them together was his happiness.  He keeps the songs on an iPod and considers it one of the things Leo left behind before disappearing.

> “But the things he left behind, no matter how small they may be, still remain. Within this iPod, within the perishing Knights... and within my heart.”
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> (Izumi, Lionheart)
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Although outwardly confident and prideful, Izumi is actually insecure.  He is reluctant to return Leo’s affections because he is trying to protect himself.

> “I’ve always just said my farewells and never really got attached to the other person, since it just makes letting go harder.
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> It was all to avoid that grief. I was just trying to protect myself.”
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> (Izumi, Butterfly - Epilogue 2)
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Leo was able to worm his way into Izumi’s heart regardless.

> “Embracing [what Leo left behind], I will head towards my grave with pride, even if that pride may just be a bluff.
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> Even if I get stones thrown at me. Even if I get abused, or spit on.
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> No matter how ugly and corrupted I become, involving myself with horrible misdeeds.
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> Because there was one person who existed who told me that he liked me — who called me beautiful. Because, even if it was only a moment, a part of my youth existed in my life... where I was affirmed and loved to the point where I was able to think that I was glad to be born.
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> I don't want to pretend that 'never happened’.”
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> (Izumi, Lionheart)
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Leo is able to see past Izumi grouchy exterior and thinks he’s a nice, caring guy.  Izumi shares his lunch with Leo when he forgets his own, sets a passcode on Leo’s phone because he’s always losing it, and takes Leo to the hospital when he breaks his arm.  Izumi tries telling Leo that their unitmates are just using him, but Leo doesn’t want to believe him.  After Leo confirms this is true, he realizes that Izumi was his only true friend and promises to do anything to  fulfill Izumi’s dreams.  Izumi’s existence and friendship have already made Leo’s dreams come true because they’ve given Leo more than a lifetime’s worth of inspiration.

> “My dreams were fulfilled by meeting you. So this time, it’s my turn.”
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> (Leo, Checkmate - A Solitary Throne 8)
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Leo acknowledges that Izumi doesn’t like depending on others, but still offers himself to be the “throne” a “king” like Izumi can sit on.  He genuinely wants to support Izumi and says that as long as Izumi is by his side, he’ll be okay.

At this point, their relationship isn’t at it’s healthiest.  It can be argued that Izumi takes advantage of Leo’s loyalty and that Leo has put Izumi up on a pedestal.  However, their relationship grows and develops throughout the entirety of the Ensemble Stars! timeline.

A flashback in Horror Night Halloween shows the breaking point of their relationship before Leo disappears.  They blame each for Knights’ failures, which is actually a result of Eichi’s actions.  In Requiem, it’s revealed that Leo is in the habit of painting himself as the “bad guy” to spare others’ feelings, and Leo does not seem to harbor any ill-will towards Izumi after returning.  Instead, he is grateful that Izumi fought hard to protect their “home” (Knights).

Horror Night Halloween offers a lot of insight into Izumi’s complicated feelings for Leo.  Leo’s disappearance negatively impacted his already fragile mental state, leading Izumi to project his feelings onto Makoto.  Previously, Izumi had mentioned in Checkmate that he wasn’t going to reach out to Makoto at all because he didn’t want his negative reputation to harm him.  However, Izumi’s failure to protect Leo makes him obsess over “protecting” Makoto, and he repeatedly disregards Makoto’s feelings on the matter.

In Epilogues 6 and 7 of Horror Night Halloween, Izumi, with Leo’s encouragement, finally opens up to Makoto about why he acts the way he does.  He acknowledges that he still cares deeply about Leo.

> “Ahaha. Tsukinaga-senpai sure is strange, huh.” - Makoto
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> “Yeah, he is. No matter where in the world you search, you’ll never find another creature like him.
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> But...to me, he’s a dear friend...and the first in my life to ever be my equal.” -Izumi
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> (Horror Night Halloween - Epilogue 6)
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Izumi feels a lot of guilt about what happened prior to Leo’s disappearance.  He believe’s that Leo “breaking” is primarily his fault.

> “I couldn’t stop… And the one who stayed closest by my side, who’d protected me, loved me and offered up everything to support me – I was blind to how much I was wearing him thin.”
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> (Izumi about Leo, Horror Night Halloween - Epilogue 7)
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As a result, he attempts to atone via Makoto because he’s afraid of breaking Leo again if they get close.

> “That’s why I have to face my punishment. At the very least, I have to return [Leo’s] love that was given to me… I can’t even allow myself to die until I do.” - Izumi
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> “So that’s why you tried to love me, Izumi-san?” - Makoto
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> “Yeah, that might be it… That has to be it. I thought I’d managed to protect you for even a moment in the past, so I tried to gather you into my arms again.” - Izumi
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> (Horror Night Halloween - Epilogue 7)
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For his part, Leo is determined to “win back” Izumi’s love.  Previously, he had conflated his self-worth to his ability to compose.  When Izumi stopped smiling, Leo was unable to compose the happy songs Izumi wanted and resorted to biting his own hand and apologizing repeatedly.  This issue is addressed in the story Soirée in the Canary Hall.  Izumi, in a show of honesty, makes it clear to Leo that he and the rest of Knights like him for him, not just for his songs.

Despite their painful past, neither Leo nor Izumi wish to forget the time they spent together.  Leo, who is shown to be very forgetful (losing his phone, not remembering peoples’ names), asserts that he doesn’t forget “important things” like his memories of Izumi in the story Star Festival.  Likewise, Izumi once again confirms that he hasn’t forgotten either.

For much of the Ensemble Stars! timeline, Izumi is too afraid to let Leo be close to him again.  Leo, who is also hesitant to directly confront Izumi, is always ready to accept him.

> “Seeing that stupid expression on your face is a nice feeling….♪ Come on, take my hand and head to the stage with me, okay? Ou-sama?” - Izumi
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> “Geez, what’s up with that~! There’s no way I wouldn’t take your hand when you hold it out to me, you know~? What are you planning to do on the stage? I don’t care what happens from now on, okay!” - Leo
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> (Diner Live - Chapter 11)
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All of this tension and buildup come to a head in Knights’ Repayment Festival, Requiem.  Izumi is finally open and honest about his feelings, admitting that he loved Leo’s smile the most and that he doesn’t know what to do to bring it back.  In a parallel to Leo’s promise in Checkmate, Izumi asks Leo what he should do to make him smile again.

Sometime afterwards, both Leo and Izumi are living in Florence.  Although they don’t live in the same apartment, Leo visits Izumi almost every day.  Ritsu teases them, asking if they’ve finally gotten married.  Leo was working in Europe and chose to live in Florence after hearing that’s where Izumi was.  He helped Izumi with his modeling work by introducing him to important figures.

(At the time of this writing, Requiem is still being translated and the above information is from livetweets.)

In Ensemble Stars!!, the underlying tension between Leo and Izumi is gone.  They tease and banter with each other, much like a couple.

> “You’ve seen my schedule in my phone haven’t you, Leo-kun? You know how I can’t even stay in Japan for a week, right?” - Izumi
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> “I’ve seen it, but-
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> If you’re so concerned about your schedule, why don’t you marry it then!” - Leo
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> (Meowsketeers - Chapter 2)
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> “Thanks for the fried shrimp~ ♪ Swap with my sausage!” - Leo
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> “Hey, give it back! A sausage is clearly not on the same level as fried shrimp!” - Izumi
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> “It’s good to exchange something one for one! We did it overseas for stuff like job introductions right~?” - Leo
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> (Meowsketeers - Chapter 5)
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## Trivia

* Izumi notes in Lionheart that Leo says “Sena” with a weird intonation.  This, like all of Leo’s appellations, is conveyed through the use of katakana (セナ).  Although there’s no reference to how Izumi says Leo’s name, he is the only one who has it written in hiragana (れおくん) when Leo’s name is typically written in katakana (レオ).
* Izumi’s favorite food is shrimp. Leo's ponytail resembles a shrimp in both shape and color.
* Their astrological signs (Taurus and Scorpio) are opposites and therefore highly compatible.