Hi minna-san! I just thought of an idea that I wanted to explore and I hope you may find it entertaining. Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!
Naoki was content with the way his life was turning out to be in the last few months. He obviously was not happy because of his father's illness, and certainly, it was not too interesting to work at Pandai, but he achieved to connect with an excellent business partner willing to invest in the company which would save its financial future. His father was recovering successfully in the hospital and his mother barely showed herself at home, causing that a very willing Kotoko started to "cook" and help around the house to support Noriko and her family. Watching her as she waved him goodbye every morning with a warm smile and as she was eager every night to take his coat and suitcase to help him rest was comforting. This routine was going to be interrupted once his parents were back from the hospital and he transferred to the medical faculty with the endorsement that he already had received from his family, but still he would be walking her to university daily and if their schedules matched, they would commute back together as well.
At the beginning, he was a bit scared of his apparent dependence to Kotoko, to see her, to hear her, to interact with her, but now he was more comfortable with his feelings. What feelings where those? He was to find out yet but he figured it was just a mere habit of having her around. Surely, he had kissed her twice, but it should not mean a lot to him being an adult with his emotions under complete control. First kiss was to make a point. Second kiss was a whimsical moment. That is it.
In a Sunday shiny summer morning Kotoko was in the living room with her father, smiling and humming a cheerful song while they waited for Shigeki and Noriko's arrival from the hospital. It was quite a joyous moment for the Irie Family and their two guests since Shigeki was having a more that satisfactory recovery and everything would be back to normal. The couple indeed arrived and the household felt livelier and warmer. They all shared a delicious meal provided by Shigeo expert hands and the rest of the afternoon and evening was peaceful as they were all trying to create a restful environment so Shigeki could have a speedy recovery.
Serene weeks went by, Naoki was already a medical student, Shigeki went back to Pandai healthier than ever and all regular activities were resumed by the Iries and their guests. Nevertheless, one day, Naoki felt a disruption in his comfortable routine. Where was Kotoko in his day to day? She wasn't walking with him to university, she was not going back home with him, she was not having breakfast or dinner with him on weekdays, she wasn't even pestering him on weekends. On Saturdays and Sundays, she would eat without looking at him or asking him annoyances, moreover she would barely stay at home and no one knew where she was going besides her father. Just what on earth was she doing?
"Now your life is perfect, nee oniichan?" Said Yukki one of those Kotoko-less Sundays, while they both were reading books, sitting in the living room couch.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you are studying a career that fulfills your expectations, you saved yourself from having to work at Pandai and now Kotoko lost interest in you. Sad the guy she is dating is that idiot, even I think she deserves better. Geez…" Yukki looked over his book to take a look of his big brother's expression or reaction but he didn't find a pinch of interest. Nothing, not even a question of just who was she dating. Yukki sighed and stood up.
"Kotoko warned me about your lack of interest in her love life, but still I thought you wanted to know who her boyfriend is since three weeks ago. Don't you feel even slightly curious?"
"Since when am I sticking my nose in strangers' business? I certainly hope you are not adopting such low practice Yukki, it would disappoint me a little."
"I must disagree. Showing interest in the life of someone who has been living with us for such a long time is not being nosy. Kotoko may be as silly as the next one, but that does not mean she doesn't belong to this family. You being this irrational means that the fact is indeed affecting you, isn't it?
"Nonsense, it is you who is being irrational. Tell okaasan I'll take a stroll and won't be back for dinner." And just like that he went out without a real route in mind.
"Me, affected for her dating someone… Utter gibberish, why would I care the less about her love life? She can kiss and hug whomever the hell she wants. Isn't she a free person? It's not my business, I'm not interested and I won't spare another thought to such trivial subject. That woman used to declare her love for me not long ago and now she's dating someone else. Is that what she wants? So be it.
It was already night when Naoki walked into a convenience store to get ramen and water, and alas, there she was right in the bread aisle.
"Kotoko." She just looked up to him and gave him a lazy smile.
"Hi Irie-kun. Fancy seeing you here at this hour." She was holding a market basket with sliced bread, ham, sliced cheese, two apples, two bananas, two popsicles and a liter of apple juice.
"Hm. Are you alone?" According to the items in the basket, she was definitely not alone.
"No, I'm with my boyfriend. Do you want to meet him?" She never took her eyes from his, but without a doubt, there was something strange in the way she was looking at him.
"No, I might punch him in the throat." "Yes, why not?" Unnoticed to Kotoko, his hands were pressing the ramen package way much harder than necessary. "Well, where is your boyfriend?"
Boyfriend. A bitter taste in his mouth and an unusually fast heartbeat made its presence in Naoki's body.
"Kotoko move your ass! I won't be waiting for you all night! Where the hell are you!?" That voice, Naoki had the strong feeling of recognizing that damn voice.
Kotoko's body tensed up immediately. "I have to go Irie-kun, maybe you can meet him some other time! I think I won't be going home tonight, please tell obasan for me, nee?" And just like that she ran away from the aisle and to the cash register. Just when Naoki wanted to follow her some little nice old lady tripped and fell in front of him. While he was helping her up at a very slow pace, he heard the 'ding' of the main entrance opening and closing again.
"What the hell just happened and who's the bastard she's dating?"