Not long after the new school year began, the Irie and Aihara parents received an invitation to a wedding of an old school friend in Kyushu. Mrs. Irie fretted at leaving "the children" at home alone, at which point Kotoko reminded her that she would be twenty years old in less than half a year and was well able to watch Yuuki for a few nights. "And as bad as my cooking is, I think I can at least make it edible now." She stuck a tongue out at the face he was making behind his mother's back. "Besides, aren't trolls immune to poison?"

"Who are you calling a troll, baka?" he countered. "I'll be growing taller but you'll always be dumb!"

"Yuuki-kun!" his mother chided him before turning to the younger woman. "Oh, if only I could convince Onii-chan to come home and help you out, dear Kotoko-chan. Who knows," she winked, "it might put some ideas into his head, spending the night with you!"

Kotoko blushed as Yuuki sputtered, "Mom! Stop that! My tender ears!"

"Oh, don't act so innocent with me, Yuuki-kun," his mother scolded. "Besides, your brother said that he was working late hours this weekend, so it wouldn't be much protection anyway."

"He's the one who'd need protection," Yuuki muttered, "from Baka-chan!"

Despite Yuuki's protestations, he had to admit that Kotoko's cooking skills had improved. "A little too salty maybe but not as bad as that first time you cooked."

Kotoko shuddered. "Don't remind me! And I didn't want to do it even then, but Otosan made me help. He keeps thinking that one day I'll wake up and magically be a marvelous chef like him."

"Does he believe in Santa Claus too?" Yuuki asked with a snort.

"No," she answered, "but one year he rented a costume to advertise the restaurant—" She broke off when she saw the boy wince. "Yuuki-kun, are you all right?"

"Sure. Just a little pang." He gave her a small sneer. "Probably not your fault." He took another bite. "So, was Aihara-san planning to wear the suit? He's pretty skinny for a Santa."

Kotoko finished the rest of the story, and Yuuki even helped her rinse off the dishes before separating into their own bedrooms for homework. Watanabe was explaining irregular past participles when Kotoko interrupted him. "Can you hold a minute? I think I hear something."

Knowing that she and the youngest Irie were alone in the house, he urged her to take the phone with her. "Just in case!"

Cell phone held like a weapon, Kotoko peered warily in all of the downstairs rooms. She was telling Watanabe that it must have been her imagination when she passed Yuuki's closed door and heard the same sound. This time she recognized it as vomiting followed by moans. She burst in to find him in a fetal position on the floor, rolling around in agony in what had earlier been his dinner. "Yuuki-kun!" she cried, falling to her knees and dropping the phone to the floor. "Are you hurt?"

"Ow, Kotoko!" he sobbed. "It won't stop." He paused to retch again, Kotoko futilely patting his cheeks to comfort him.

She became aware of Watanabe's voice from the phone and picked it up. "It's Yuuki-kun!" she cried. "He's throwing up and hurting and oh, it's all my fault! I poisoned him after all!"

Yuuki cracked open an eye and croaked, "Told you I wasn't a troll. Ack!"

"Kotoko! Kotoko!" Watanabe's voice was urgent. "Is it just food that he's throwing up?"

She looked carefully at the reeking mess. "Yes, it seems to be."

"And he's still in pain?"

"Um-hm." The boy was wailing in a high pitch. "I wish Irie-kun was here! He'd know what to do!"

"I'm sure he would. But I'm right here. Now, your job is to clean up Yuuki as best you can and pack him some pajamas and fresh clothes after we hang up. I'll call the hospital—which one do you use?"

"Ah, uh, Sugimoto," she finally remembered.

"Okay, I'll find their number. Be ready for an ambulance in a few minutes." He heard her gasping breaths on the other end of the line, and added, "You can do this, Kotoko. Yuuki is depending on you."

"Right!"

"I'll meet you at the hospital later. Now, good-bye!"

With specific tasks laid out for her, Kotoko managed to clean the boy off and dress him in fresh clothes with a bowl nearby for future eruptions, of which there were two. By the time the medical personnel arrived, she had his bag packed and was able to describe his condition to them calmly before she joined Yuuki in the back of the ambulance.

Four hours later, having finally received the message that Kotoko had sent, Naoki ascended the steps of the hospital two at a time. He skidded to a stop in the surgical waiting area when he recognized his high school friend.

"Watanabe."

He looked up. "Irie!" He stood and shook his hand. "I'm sorry that we see each other again on such an occasion."

"Yuuki—?"

"He's out of surgery, and the doctor is talking to Kotoko in lieu of family. We didn't know when you would make it."

"Why are you here?"

He laughed. "It's kind of strange. One minute we were conjugating verbs on video chat and the next I was calling 1-1-9 while Kotoko got ready for the ambulance."

"Oh. So you weren't at the house with them?"

He looked at him steadily. "That wouldn't be appropriate, not with the parents away. But at least I was able to help."

"Yes. I'm sorry." Naoki rubbed his hands over his face. "It's just that I'd worked for six solid hours and then pulled my phone out of the locker at the end of the shift to hear a message that my brother had been taken to the hospital…"

Watanabe placed a hand on his shoulder. "I understand. I would probably have had the same reaction if—" He broke off and turned as a door opened down the hall. A bleary-eyed Kotoko walked out of the room and went straight to him. She placed her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest.

"He's going to be all right!" she said. "Yuuki-kun is going to be all right!" And then she promptly burst into tears as if she hadn't just given them wonderful news.

Naoki stared at the tableau for an instant before walking towards the door from which she had just come. "I'll see if I can speak with the doctor as well." Watanabe nodded.

After a minute, Kotoko raised her head and sniffled. "I'm so sorry! It just hit me that if you hadn't been there—without really being there—that this might have turned out so differently. Thank you so much! Oh! Your mother!" She looked around the waiting area.

"She went to turn on the car's heater," he explained. "She said that it looked like the doctor had a 'good news' expression but to call if it was otherwise and she'd be right back."

Kotoko rubbed her nose with the back of her hand. "It was so kind of her to bring you." More than just kind, the older woman had been a sanity saver, holding Kotoko close and keeping her calm during the (what seemed to be) endless surgery.

Watanabe handed her his handkerchief, which he had already dried several times with the restroom hand dryer. "She decided that driving would be the fastest way here, plus she didn't want you to wait alone any longer that you had to."

She gave him a watery smile. "Be sure and give her my best thanks for that. Oh, no!" She began to futilely wipe at the wet remnants of her tears on his shirt.

"Never mind," he laughed and stilled her hands. "I think I can survive a little dampness."

Her chuckle turned into a hiccup. "I suppose so. When do you think Irie-kun will call back?"

He looked at her with an eyebrow quirked. "He showed up a few minutes ago, and you walked right past him. He's with the doctor now."

"Really?" Kotoko pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Well, he'll probably understand more than I did. All about an ileo-whatever and a blockage that's been cleared so he can poop again."

He laughed. "Trust you to get to the heart of the matter. So, have you heard any more from the parents?"

"Just that a line of storms has grounded the planes tonight at the nearest airport. They'll try to get out tomorrow morning." She sighed. "Poor Yuuki-kun, in the hospital without his mother!"

"While you were with the doctor I saw him being moved to a room. Would you like to see if he's awake?"

Kotoko laughed. "This late at night he'd better not be!"

Sure enough, when they peeked in, Yuuki's eyes were closed and his breathing even. Kotoko pulled a chair over and stroked his forehead. "I'll stay with him until his parents get here."

"Are you sure?" Watanabe asked, looking around the room. "We'll be happy to drive you home. After all, there's not anything here that looks the least bit comfortable."

"I don't mind," she assured him. "But you should go back home." She squeezed his hand. "I'm glad you and your mom were here. It kept me from freaking out while waiting."

"Anytime, Kotoko." He moved towards her, hesitated a moment, then leaned and pressed his lips to her forehead. "I'll check back with you tomorrow and see how he is."

"Thanks again!" She smiled up at him. After he left she wiggled around on the chair until she could lay her head on the bed. She took hold of the hand nearest her and whispered, "I'm glad I didn't poison you, Yuuki-kun."

Watanabe closed the door behind himself and paused to tell his mother that he was on his way down. He had just put the phone away when Naoki returned from the surgeon's office. "Did you understand what the situation was?" he asked.

"Yes, it was a fairly simple matter, easily correctable," he replied.

"Simple for you, perhaps," he laughed. "You were always at the top of the class. I don't suppose medical terminology would be much of a challenge."

"No, not really," Naoki answered shortly.

"Well, I've got to go now. Take care."

"Watanabe." He waited until his friend turned back around. "Why were you here tonight?"

He stared at him for a moment. "Irie, I really thought you were smarter than that." He shook his head and with a brief, "Later," left the hospital.

Naoki hunched his shoulders as if he felt an itch on his back. After inquiring of the nurse, he made his way to Yuuki's room. He leaned against the door and watched the brother that he loved sleeping with his hand held by the girl that he… Naoki wasn't sure how to finish the sentence, as emotions were not his strong point. All he knew for sure was that the thought of Kotoko and Watanabe being more than friends and study partners left a foul taste in his mouth. Well, nothing I can do about figuring out those feelings tonight, he thought wearily before he pulled another chair over and joined Kotoko at Yuuki's bedside.