Chapter 11

Kotoko stared out onto the the twinkling lights of the city bathed in the gentle light of the setting sun. It was a lovely scene but she didn't see it, couldn't feel it. She wrapped her arms around herself, cold despite the comfortable warmth of the hotel room. She had done it. She had transferred Aihara Corporation and all its remaining assets to Naoki's name. To do with as he saw fit.

Unconditionally.

Only her mother's small inheritance was left to her. It was nowhere near as significant as the Aihara fortune—or what was left of it, just enough for her to strike out on her own. Perhaps she could get an apartment down south close to a local hospital where she could work once she got her degree. But she would think of all that later, after this had been settled.

She had spent all afternoon the day before hashing out the terms with her lawyer who insisted that she didn't have to transfer anything to Naoki especially as they had a prenuptial agreement. But Kotoko was adamant and the lawyer had reluctantly had to comply with her wishes. Early this morning, the documents had been delivered to Naoki. All that was needed was his signature for it to be finalized. Her entire body shook as she had read and reread the final document the lawyer had produced but her hand was steady when she signed her name.

The last time she would be signing Irie Kotoko.

She had done everything in her power to make the transition as smooth as possible but then Naoki's lawyer had contacted hers insisting on a meeting to work out some detail on the divorce settlement.

How much had changed in the span of a day. Yesterday, she had woken feeling extremely happy. After the lunch with Naoki at the office the previous day, she had decided that she would tell him that she loved him. Even if he didn't return her feelings, as long as he didn't outright shun her confession, she could love enough for the both of them. How little she could have foreseen the events that would change her life in the space of a few hours! Much like how she felt when her father told her about the arranged marriage, she was lost, disoriented, and more than a little frightened. But back then, she had felt some measure of relief after meeting her future husband. He was on the cold side, but he was not unkind. There was a strength and realness to him that grounded her. Now, all she could see ahead of her was a vast, empty void.

Her heart ached.

The Iries… They were her family and she loved them. Okaasan with her cheerful and exuberant attitude, Papa with his jolly laughter and big personality, Yuki who tried to emulate his big brother but really was still a little boy...

And Naoki…

Naoki who made her heart flutter and caused her stomach to somersault. Naoki who made her throat go dry and her heart race. Naoki who was everything she ever wanted but she had to let go…

She and her family had ruined them. The Iries would probably disagree with her—they were too kind, too generous to think otherwise. But the fact was, their association with her family had dragged them into this scandal. She hoped that by taking herself out of the equation, the fickle market could trust the Corporation again and it could gain back what it had lost.

She was doing this out of love for them. How ironic. Her planned confession of love had turned into this act of dissolution.

~o~o~o~

A perfunctory knock rang on the door before the person entered the room. Her lawyer was back. Kotoko spoke without turning.

"Takani-san, if you would please handle it. It's all his. I just want a day and time when I can have my things from the house collected." She rubbed her aching temples. "Would you please ask him?"

"You can ask me yourself."

Kotoko spun around, hand at her throat, eyes wide and frightened?

"Irie-kun." She breathed. Naoki felt a thrill go through him when his name left her lips. But seriously, 'Irie-kun?'

Kotoko's face was pale and drawn, haggard—as if she hadn't slept. He didn't look much better himself. She seemed to gather herself together and drew straighter. "I'm sorry for everything. I've informed my lawyer that I wanted nothing out of the divorce, everything's yours. There's really nothing left to discuss."

"Well, I suppose that's settled then," Naoki said and he saw pain flash across her face. "I've just come to collect what's mine."

Kotoko's already ashen visage grew paler. Tears welled in her eyes and she nodded. "I'm sorry, I was going to return it, I just— I haven't—" With shaking fingers she slipped off the Tanabata ring he had given her and held it out to him.

His throat felt tight. "That was a gift." He said coldly.

She dropped her outstretched arm, her eyebrows drawing together in confusion and her shoulders slumped. "Then what else is there? I just told you, Irie-kun, everything's already yours. I've sent you the wedding and engagement rings and you just need to sign the divorce papers."

"Is that it, Kotoko? No goodbyes?" He advanced into the room. "I thought we had become friends, partners. Maybe even more." He was angry. Kotoko pressed back against the window frame.

"Stop. Please." She held her arm out, palm toward him. Naoki stopped in the middle of the room. "This is hard enough as it is," she whispered, her expression tormented.

"Then why are you doing this?"

"I meant everything I said in the letter. But what I didn't mention was that I also found out that my father had told yours about the investments he made so Papa invested too." Her voice rose. "Don't you see? It's my family's fault that Pandai lost money. Twice! Once from bad investments and then again from Aihara's stocks plummeting. With this," she waved her hand, "well, it's the least I can do for everything." She finished weakly. She was just trying to fix things.

He was right. Kotoko had it all wrong. The scam artists had covered up their tracks very well. Shigeki had not been aware that the ones who had scammed Pandai also had its clutches on Aihara. His father had investigated after Pandai's incident and Aihara's investments had checked out—showing how well the conmen knew their prey.

It was not his late father-in-law's fault and definitely not Kotoko's.

But Naoki was ruthless. "Exactly. 'It's the least you can do' so you can start by dropping this Irie-kun business. Why are you calling me by my last name, anyway?"

"What do you want then?" Her voice rose in frustration.

"Isn't it obvious?" He challenged.

Kotoko was getting more and more upset. "Obviously not. So why don't you tell me." She crossed her arms over of her chest. She would give it, whatever else he wanted as his—just let this interrogation be over already!

"Do you love me?"

"What?" Her longing was surely clouding her hearing.

His voice softened. "Do you love me?"

Naoki stepped close until Kotoko had to look up to maintain eye contact.

"What does it matter." She sighed and turned away but Naoki reached out to hold her shoulders in a firm grip, staying her.

If she wouldn't answer, then he at least would say his piece. If she didn't feel the same way—well, damn it all but he loved her. Without her he knew he had nothing to lose but possibly everything to gain.

He waved his hand tiredly. "None of this is your fault. It's not even 'tousan's fault. But even if it were, I don't care. It doesn't matter." He tilted her chin up. "I would lose it all again. I would lose all of Pandai before I'd lose you." He looked her straight in the eye, making sure she understood his intent. "I love you. I want you. Only you."

Then because he was hurting, because he was afraid to lose her, because he loved her, he kissed her.

And it was everything and nothing at all like he had imagined it would be—because he had imagined it, dreamed what it would be like to hold her like this, to kiss her like this. For her to love him in return. She froze in his embrace but after a beat, her arms came up around him and his tortured emotions felt a measure of relief that she hadn't pushed him away.

Then to his joy she was kissing him back—shy, tentative explorations that he could happily spend the rest of his life answering. With a muted groan, Naoki buried his fingers in her hair, angling Kotoko better against him. She fit against him so perfectly. He kissed her with all the desire and pent up emotion he had. He could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest—could she feel it too? Did she know what she did to him?

Necessity drove their lips apart, but their panting breaths played across their heated skin. Kotoko's gaze was wide and unfocused. "Naoki-kun—"

A coolness on her hand had Kotoko looking down. The rings she had returned to Naoki were back on her finger. She looked at him, her eyes large and full of wonder.

"I—" He laced his fingers with hers and raised her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles. "This is the only place they belong."

~o~o~o~

"You haven't answered my questions." Naoki was half leaning back on the desk with Kotoko leaning against him. She flashed him another smile, one that was more brilliant than the rock on her finger.

She wiggled her digit. "I think these confirm my answer."

"Not that question." He clarified. "Why were you calling me 'Irie-kun'?"

"Oh." Kotoko blushed and looked away. Naoki waited.

"I—" She stood straight and wrapped her arms around herself. "I thought that calling you by your last name would somehow make me feel—" she shrugged. "Separated from you."

Trust Kotoko to come up with something like that. He wanted to wipe that sad look from her face. "Was it working?" He asked instead.

She shook her head with a sigh. "No. I don't think anything will work in that regard."

Naoki tugged on her hands and brought her back into the circle of his arms. "Good. I don't ever want you trying to distance yourself from me again." He kissed her jaw. "And the other question?" He whispered against her ear. Kotoko sighed at the sensation.

"Hmmm?"

"Do you love me?" He asked for the third time that day. Of course now he knew, but he wanted to hear her say it. He closed his eyes as they stood, foreheads touching. "I hope you say yes, because I love you and I don't even want to try living without you."

Kotoko squeezed where her arms were wrapped around his waist and pressed even closer. "Then you'd be happy to know I've been in love with you for quite a while now."

If it was anatomically possible for his heart to jump out of his chest, Naoki knew it would have already happened. As it was, he simply held her tight and resumed kissing his wife.

They stumbled sideways and he collapsed onto the couch, dragging Kotoko on top of him. Their hands tangled in each other's hair, too busy to care about finesse or pace.

He needed her above anything and everything and with his very being, he wanted her know it.

It was finally happening but Naoki hazily knew that they needed to stop before they got any farther. Kotoko deserved better than this for her first time. He wanted more for her than a heated entanglement on some hotel floor.

He slowed and kissed her lightly as he drew away.

"Naoki-kun?" She was breathless but so was he.

He brushed her hair from her cheek. "Let's go home." Her face was flushed and her lips were kiss-bruised to a ruddy red.

"Okay." She sounded disappointed.

"But first we need to go to the Aihara. I think your staff would like to hear about their job security straight from you." Kotoko slowly nodded in agreement. "Then we're going to the University."

Her eyebrows drew together. "Why?"

"We're taking the rest of the week off."

"But there's still two days of classes left before the weekend!"

"I know. But I've just found you and we have much more important things to do." At Kotoko's confused expression, Naoki cradled her face in his hands and brushed a light kiss across her lips. "We have plenty of lost time to make up for." Another kiss. "I really want to make love to you and I can't do that thoroughly at home." His voice was rough and colored with desire. Kotoko trembled in his arms and her hands on his chest fisted at the images his words conjured. "Do you have any objections?" Everything stopped as he waited for her answer.

She had to gulp twice before her voice could cooperate. "None at all." His heart started racing again.

He nodded once. "Good. Besides, I still owe you a proper date—the first of many."

A/N: Just the epilogue left dear readers.