It was late at night when Naoki and Kotoko made their way to the kitchen after a bout of studying. As Kotoko cleaned the dishes from the snacks that Mrs. Irie had delivered several hours earlier, Naoki boiled water for some tea.

"I'm really surprised that Obasama didn't show up for the tray," Kotoko commented.

"Yes," Naoki agreed. "She usually takes every opportunity to 'check up' on us."

"With camera in hand!" she laughed.

"Right. And I'm beginning to fear what she's going to do with that memory card full of photos. Man, that highlight reel from the sports festival…" He placed a hand over his face.

"I thought she would never stop playing it! And after I began the day talking about falling on my face, I ended up doing exactly that‒on camera!"

He winced. "And the slow motion special effects while I carried you off the field… You know, she even saved that as a gif file and uses it as her computer screensaver." He shook his head. "I didn't know she was that tech savvy."

"We should never underestimate your mother," Kotoko reminded him. "But I wonder what happened to her tonight. Do you think the older generation pooped out and went to bed early?"

"Could be," he chuckled. Then he cocked his head and listened. "Maybe not."

The two crept down the hall and looked through the glass doors into Mr. Irie's study. All three adults were seated around a low table, examining a set of blueprints. Mrs. Irie was clearly the one in charge.

"So this room will be Naoki and Kotoko-chan's bedroom, and the adjoining one is reserved for when they have a baby."

"Hmm. All right." Mr. Irie pointed to the sheet. "Then is it okay if we turn this one into a karaoke room?"

"Oh, no," she refused him. "That's directly above the baby's room. No, put that in the basement."

"Okay, we'll make it‒this room!"

Mr. Aihara's brow was creased. "So shall I tell the builders that construction on my house is officially cancelled?"

"Of course," Mrs. Irie giggled. "Next year, as soon as the two of them graduate, we'll put this plan into action. And then‒"

"What plan?" Naoki and Kotoko both stood in the open doorway, faces furious.

The adults sat as if frozen until Mr. Irie began to wave his arms in a manner reminiscent of Kinnosuke. "Oh, the two of you are still up?! It's late‒off to bed, children!"

"What were you discussing just now, Otosan?" Kotoko's hands were on her hips, her expression belligerent.

"Yipes! Uh, well, that was‒…"

Naoki strode over and picked up the papers. "What's with this floor plan?! What do you mean 'Naoki and Kotoko-chan's bedroom'?!"

"C-calm down, Naoki." His father attempted reason.

"Explain yourselves!"

The two men ducked their heads, shame-faced. "We knew you'd object if we told you...so we went ahead with plans for a three-generation home without informing you," Mr. Irie admitted.

Naoki narrowed his eyes. "According to this floor plan, Kotoko and I would share a bedroom."

With his wife poking him in the back, his father continued, "I-it's just that we'd have an extra room to spare if you two were to, uh…"

"Since Aihara-san is in on this, I assume you don't mean mere cohabitation." He spoke through gritted teeth.

"Cohabby-what?" asked Kotoko.

"Living together," he answered briefly.

"But we have been‒" Naoki leaned down and whispered in her ear. She turned bright red. "Otosan! Obasama!" Her voice expressed shock and outrage.

"Relax, " he told her, "it looks like they're forcing us into marriage." He faced his mother with irritation. "Inflicting your own selfish whims on your children's lives‒and you call yourselves parents?!" His voice grew even louder. "We have a right to choose too, you know!"

"Yes!" Kotoko advanced to face her father. "I knew there was something fishy about our house not being ready yet, but I didn't think that you would actually lie to me! And then‒this!"

Mr. Aihara slumped further. "Well, the Missus was so sure that it would please you two…"

"Weren't you even listening when I told you that I wanted to go away to college?" Kotoko blinked away unaccustomed tears. "I guess this means that you have no faith in me. The one person I thought I could trust‒my own father…" She suddenly turned and ran upstairs. They all watched her exit in silence.

"Well," Naoki said after a moment, "I hope you're proud of yourselves." He ripped the blueprints in half. Before he turned to follow Kotoko he fired a parting shot. "And it appears that you think I would be taking the easy way out, as well. Enjoy your assumptions, since you refuse to look at the truth."

Mr. Aihara was in a state of panic. "What have I done to my little girl?! Kotoko‒my baby! I never intended‒I need to go tell her‒"

"No, you don't." Mrs. Irie laid a firm hand on his arm. "You need to stay right here and let Onii-chan take care of this." She gathered the pieces of paper and inspected the damage. "Nothing that good old Scotch tape won't fix! I'll just put this away for the time being, until tempers settle back down."

"Mama!" Mr. Irie was aghast. "You mean‒you still plan to go through with it?"

"Of course, silly!" She waved her hand. "This is just a little lover's spat."

"Lovers?!"

"Oh yes! I know they've kissed‒several times!" She fudged the truth. "I have my sources about their relationship. Everything will smooth over shortly."

"I never cry," Kotoko asserted, sniffing as she sat on her bed, arms around her bent knees.

"Of course not," Naoki agreed as he stood above her. After a moment he lowered himself next to her and placed a hesitant arm around her shoulders. "I must apologize for my mother‒"

Kotoko waved away his words. "No, that's to be expected from her. Well," she thought a moment, "maybe not expected, but not too much of a stretch, knowing her. It's Otosan‒" She hid her face on her knees.

He sighed. "It's not that he doesn't think you can't succeed. He just got caught up in Mother's web of imagination. And Dad, too. Mom probably has both of them convinced that this putative relationship is destined due to their longtime friendship."

Kotoko rubbed the supposedly nonexistent tears from her eyes. "Naoki-kun?"

"Yes?"

"Can we stay like this? Just for a few more minutes."

"Sure, Kotoko. Anything you want."

"Thanks." She sniffed again as she leaned against him. "Thanks for believing in me."

"Not a problem, Kotoko. Not a problem."