Chapter 14

Kotoko should have known that her good mood wouldn't last forever. She had almost skipped to school Monday on a stratospherically high note after the successful shopping trip and hair makeover session. Of course, Kato had nearly passed out from shock after Jinko finished with him. Apparently, a virtual haircut on a smart phone did not prepare him for clippers and styling gel applied to his actual head. Luckily, breathing into a paper bag for a few minutes let him recuperate enough to totter home with bags of clothes and hair styling products.

The crash came as Kotoko exited her last class, the only one besides Advanced English that she did not have in common with either Satomi or Jinko. Matsumoto Yuko was waiting for her in the hall; this was unexpected for, to the best of Kotoko's knowledge, none of Matsumoto's classes were on that floor.

"Hello, Aihara-san" was the brunette beauty's greeting.

Although startled, Kotoko replied, "Good afternoon to you, Matsumoto-san. Were you looking for me?"

"Why, yes," was the response. "I wanted to let you know that you have been missed at Tennis Club."

Kotoko presented her a confused expression. "Didn't Sudo-sempai explain that I was taking a leave of absence?"

She tossed her hair over her shoulder in a pseudo-casual move. "He mentioned it, but I was speaking with Irie-kun at the time and wasn't paying close attention. However, now that I have witnessed what was behind it with my own eyes, I just wanted to congratulate you."

"For what?" Kotoko's question was blunt. She knew that Matsumoto had deliberately brought Naoki's name into the conversation. "Just to rub a little salt into my wounds, I suppose," she thought.

"For your new romantic interest, naturally. And I suppose on your maturity at recognizing who would be a more suitable partner for you than Irie-kun." She leaned down to Kotoko's level with a feminine version of Naoki's smirk.

It only took a moment for Kotoko to recall Kato's frantic exclamation of "Matsumotorre!" during their outing and realize what conclusion Matsumoto had reached. "But that's not—"

"Is the annoying insect creature unaware that he is no longer the front runner for your affections? Is that why he continues to disrupt classes in pursuit of you?"

"Kin-chan is only a—"

"You really ought to let him know where he stands. It isn't attractive to juggle too many men at one time. Does Sudo-san even know that he's been dumped?"

"You know Sudo-sempai and I—"

"Although your current lover isn't much of an improvement over either one of them, is he?" She posed with a finger to her temple in mock thought. "He looks rather gauntly plain and uninteresting. Perhaps you prefer to be the lively and colorful partner in the relationship?"

Kotoko's frustration had now reached the point at which her eyes shot sparks and she panted like a bull preparing to make a run at the toreador. "Do you judge everyone by their appearance?!" she finally burst out, fists clenched at her sides. "For your information, Kato is—"

"Not really interested in the details, Aihara-san. I've got to go now. I'll give your best to Irie-kun when I see him at practice—if I remember. Toodles!" And with a backwards wave, Matsumoto Yuko swanned off, leaving Kotoko with a full head of steam and no one to vent it on.

"Aa-aa-ai-gh!" Kotoko's scream, combined with the bang of the Anime Club door into the wall, caused all of the men in the room to jump, then cower.

"K-Ko-Kotorin?" queried Nishimura nervously.

"She! Makes! Me! So! Mad!" Kotoko stomped into the room noisily and grabbed an object from his hand.

"Umm…" he faintly protested, reaching vainly for it.

Pacing in the confined quarters and swinging the implement wildly as the club members scrambled for cover with each pass, she continued her rant.

"Who does she think she is?!" Swish! Duck!

"Saying things like that!" Swish! Duck!

"Interrupting me!" Swish! Duck!

"Every!" Swish! Duck!

"Single!" Swish! Duck!

"Time!" Swish! Duck!

She paused to catch her breath. "And then, to insult Kato, based on his looks alone! That-that—Matsumotorre! I'd like to—" Kotoko stopped and stared at her hand. "What is this?"

Nishimura hesitantly approached and took it from her gently. "It's a prop of Kotorin's weapon. I customized it from a tennis racquet, and I'd really appreciate it if you didn't destroy it."

"Sorry, Nishimura-san." Kotoko hung her head. "I suppose I was a little out of control."

"Wait!" commanded Aoki. "Did you say that Matsumotorre insulted Kato?"

"Yes," she replied with a pout. "She said that he was not good-looking enough for me to date."

The four looked at each other, then back at Kotoko. "So? You're NOT dating him. Why were you so upset?"

Kotoko looked at them in disbelief. "Because he's my friend! All of you guys are! What kind of person lets someone trash talk their friends?" She stared at the racquet still being cradled by Nishimura. "If I had that when she said those things, I would have banged it over her head. It would be even better if it shot ray beams like in the movie."

"They're not exactly ray beams–" Yoshida began, only to be pulled aside by Tanaka.

"Don't try to explain the difference, Yoshida-kun," Tanaka whispered. "You'll just confuse her. Remember 'Wars' and 'Trek'." [A/N: Chapter 8]

At that moment the new-and-improved Kato opened the door and entered the club room. Aoki turned to him and asked politely, "Good afternoon. Can I help you?"

Taken aback, Kato gaped at him. "Aoki, what do you mea-"

"Kaaa-to!" Kotoko sprung towards him, her bouncing pace revealing that the dark mood had passed. She grabbed his arm with one hand and waved her other arm at the rest of the club. "Ta-daaah! Now, don't you agree that Matsumoto-san wouldn't have said those nasty things about Kato-kun if he had looked like this when she saw us?"

"Toshi?!"

"Kotorin, you're a miracle worker!"

"I would never have believed it was you!"

"You sure Nevilled up!"

Kato's face flushed as he rubbed his hand over the back of his now-shorn head. "Yeah, I had trouble convincing some professors that I wasn't an intruder today."

"How about the other students' reactions? Especially the girls!" Kotoko eagerly asked.

"Um, several people that I didn't know introduced themselves to me. A couple of them were girls." Kato ducked his head in embarrassment. "But I still can't talk to them easily."

"Bah!" Kotoko waved his concern away. "We'll take care of that in no time!"

"But Kotorin," Kato began, "what were you saying about Matsumotorre? I told you that she saw us yesterday."

"Well, that—" she began.

"Kato, you wouldn't believe it!"

"She was so angry!"

"Kotorin was going to beat her up for your sake!"

Tanaka laughed and added, "Just like an big sister protecting her brother from a bully!"

Kotoko smiled as she watched the club members laugh among themselves. They were a little…different, to be sure, but overall they were nice guys. She recalled her first impression of them and was embarrassed to recall that she had immediately judged and rejected them, similar to Matsumoto. She wondered at the warmth in her chest now when she thought of them. It was more comfortable than the jolt she would get whenever Naoki was around. It reminded her of her feelings for Jinko and Satomi, with a bit of protectiveness like she felt for Yuuki—when he wasn't being a pill, of course.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Nishimura asked, "Kotorin, even though I'm not being made over, will you be my Onee-chan too?"

She couldn't let that pass by. "What do you mean, 'Onee-chan'? You're all older than I am! There's no way that could happen!" She smiled at them to let them know she wasn't angry. "But I will protect you from all the evil Matsumotorres like a big sister, though. Never fear!" she declared, pointing her index finger dramatically at the ceiling.

"Hey, Toru," Aoki called out. "You might need protection from Onee-chan once she sees what you did to her costume in the final scene!"

"What? What about my costume?" Kotoko turned toward Yoshida. Without looking Kato's way, she pointed a finger at him, and ordered, "Don't open that drawer!"