A/N: Again, I do not own Itakiss.

"Aren't I getting a little old for this, Dylan-san?"

"What do you mean, darling?" Dylan and Kotoko were riding back to the Pandai offices after a public Kotorin appearance.

"Well, I'm now closer to thirty than I am twenty," she pointed out. "The character is animated, and she isn't aging with me."

He laughed gently. "That's because Kotorin is ageless. Don't worry," he patted her knee, "I'll let you know when you have too many gray hairs and crow's feet to continue."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm not a crone yet!"

"But you still need to watch what you eat," he reminded her. "We can't purchase those costumes off the rack of a department store!"

"It's so unfair!" Kotoko tugged at the tight neckline. "After all these years of being small-chested, when I finally start to get something up here, you complain about it."

"If it was that important, we would pad the costume," he told her absently, checking for mail on his phone.

"But that was the way she was drawn originally!" she protested before being diverted by his action. "Are you looking for a message from Ken-san?"

"Hmm? Yes, nothing yet."

"Well, he is in Hawaii…" she sighed.

"Why are you acting as if you enjoyed it there?" he teased. "You were in a crappy mood most of the time during our Pacific tour."

"Well, it was scheduled so that I missed my monthly trip to Kobe to see Naoki," she gave him a pouty face. "On my birthday, too!"

"You zipped down there as soon as we returned, didn't you?" Dylan put away his phone. "How much longer does he have?"

"He'll be back for good in two weeks."

"You two should take another honeymoon after this year apart. Maybe show him Australia. I hear that they've finally recovered from the shrimp shortage they suffered after we visited."

"Hey! Can I help it if they fix it in yummy ways? Although I prefer Japanese recipes the best…"

"We'll be passing near your father's restaurant. Do you want to stop by and get some?"

"No." She rubbed her tummy. "I think I either have a slight bug or have been eating something that disagrees with me. Even though Okaasan prepares a different dinner each night." Dylan narrowed his eyes and turned to her. "What?"

"It's been two months since the end of the tour, hasn't it?"

"I think that's about right. You're the manager—you should know."

Dylan leaned forward and spoke to the driver. "Pull over in the next block for a moment." He jumped out of the car and ran into a store.

"So sudden!" Kotoko pulled out her own phone. "I'll see if Satomi and Jinko want to come over to the house tomorrow."

After a moment Dylan landed in the seat next to her. "Okay, let's go to headquarters now." When they arrived at Pandai, he escorted her to his office, handed her the bag, and pointed her in the direction of the washroom. "Go."

Kotoko opened the bag. A pregnancy test?

She quietly exited a few minutes later. Dylan was pulling up files on his computer. "Don't say a word, since if what I suspect is true, someone else should be the first you tell. Just show me the stick." He leaned over. "Mm-hm. Okay. Let me start on schedule adjustments. You!" he pointed at Kotoko, "go find a quiet spot and phone Naoki. Seems like when you surprised him in Kobe you forgot something important."

A/N: Just a little teaser of an opening chapter. More to come later, but I'm trying to make sure I tie up all the loose ends so there may be some delay.