The next month saw Kotoko at Satomi's and Jinko's delayed graduation ceremony. Satomi was gently glowing as she propped the diploma case on her baby bump.

"Congratulations," Kotoko told them.

"It's not fair that you missed out and went straight to work," Jinko said sympathetically.

"Oh, I don't mind," Kotoko waved airily. "I'm just happy that I found a profession where I can make a difference."

"Aihara, you'd make a difference wherever you went," said a voice behind her.

Kotoko turned. "Little Sister Matsumoto!"

She rolled her eyes. "Honestly, whenever you say that, it seems as if I'm being compared to Yuuko."

"Sorry, Ayako," she bowed, "I'll try to remember."

"I hear via my aforementioned sister that you've become a nurse." When Kotoko nodded, she said, "I'm sure I'll be seeing you in court then. Malpractice, you know."

"Oh, yes, you're going to be a lawyer. Hey!" It just hit her what had been said. "I'll have you know that I'm an excellent nurse."

"Perjury, I see, will be added to the charges," she teased.

"Okay, then, I'm a good nurse."

"Don't worry, Kotoko!" Taketo appeared behind his on-again, off-again girlfriend. "I'll defend you."

"Huh?"

"Yes," Ayako shrugged, "I'm going to be a prosecutor, and he's going to be a defender."

"Wow. You're adversarial in all aspects of your relationship."

"Hey, it works for us!" Taketo gave Ayako a quick kiss on the cheek. "We'll fight all day—and get paid doing it—then spend the evening making up."

Kotoko shook her head as she waved them off.

"Are you going to specialize at all?" Satomi asked her when it was only the trio once more.

She answered in the negative. "No, I'll just go where there's the most need."

"Well, I'd appreciate it if you'd consider obstetrics 'needy' around the middle of June."

"Are you kidding? That's already on my calendar!"

"She's absolutely adorable, even more the second day," Kotoko told the new mother. "You said you're naming her Yuki?"

"Yes, after Ryo's aunt." Even with limited sleep, Satomi was her usual gorgeous self. Kotoko envied her for that. If she'd spent eighteen hours in pain, followed by two hours of visitors and only five hours of sleep, she'd appear middle-aged.

The baby having turned fussy, Kotoko rose to leave. "Well, you just enjoy bonding with the little angel." She patted Satomi's knee. "I have a shift in the emergency room today."

"Is that new?" Satomi asked as she opened her gown to begin the feeding process.

"Someone called in sick and they slid me over. I hope it's fairly quiet."

"Never say your wishes aloud," Satomi reminded her, wincing as Yuki latched on.

Despite Satomi's warning, the emergency room dealt with commonplace matters for the most part. Fifteen minutes before her shift was over, Kotoko joked with the supervisor that she would be hopping on the elevator soon to let her friend know how wrong she had been. As things turned out, she had counted her chickens before they hatched.

"Aihara, we have victims of a two-car accident coming in."

She stood up. "How many rooms?"

"Only two. The passengers from the car that was hit. The driver of the other was sent to Tokyo Medical."

A few minutes later he found her checking the rooms to make sure they had been cleaned properly since their last use. "The EMT radioed me. The driver definitely has a broken arm, so I've already paged the orthopedist on call. The passenger is just bumped and scraped, but she's some high society wife and is working herself into a fine case of hysteria. I'm passing that one on to you."

"Gee, thanks a lot."

"Hey, if you can deal with Yoshida-san, you could broker world peace. This should be a walk in the park."

Hysteria might have been a bit of an exaggeration, but the young woman wheeled into the examination room was certainly upset. So much so that it took Kotoko a couple minutes before recognizing her under the streaked mascara. "Sahoko-san?"

Irie Sahoko, hearing her name called so familiarly, peered up at the nurse. "Kotoko-san?"

"Yes, it is I. Now, I'm going to take care of you," she said briskly, "so breathe slowly and get control of yourself. Everything is all right. You're safe now."

Gradually her sobs gave way to intermittent sniffs. Kotoko handed her a box of tissues. "See, now that I've washed off your arm, it's just a few scrapes. Your knee doesn't have any broken skin, although it will probably bruise up, and I'm afraid your nylons are done for. Let's take them off, and I'll put on a cold pack to ward off any swelling."

"Okay," she said softly, "but my face…" She waved a manicured hand in that direction.

"Yes!" Kotoko laughed. "Let me get you a basin of warm water and a rag with soap."

As Kotoko propped up her knee and wrapped the cold pack around it, Sahoko removed the remnants of her makeup. "You probably think I'm vain and silly."

"Why?" She stood in surprise. "You received a shock, having your car wrecked with you in it. Most people would be upset."

"Well," she looked down and twiddled her fingers, "I was already upset even before the accident. I had an argument with my husband."

After a pause, Kotoko asked, "Irie-kun?"

"Yes," she sniffed and tears began to well up again. "He and Ojiisan have been talking about expanding Pandai and Hokuei-sha into the western hemisphere, with Naoki taking over that section."

"So you'd be moving to the United States?" Kotoko's eyes were wide. "When?"

"It's several years down the road, he said, but I'd be expected to go too."

"Well, of course," Kotoko said, "since Irie-kun is going." She tilted her head. "Don't you want to?"

"No!" she had wailed. "I like Japan! I like our customs! I like our food! Why would I move all the way across the ocean to live with a bunch of loud people who eat too much and drive too fast and put ice in their tea?"

Naoki spoke in crisp syllables. "Not every American is like that. You can't judge a country by their movies and television shows."

"But no one asked my opinion or took my feelings into consideration."

"What needs to be taken into consideration," he said through gritted teeth, "is that this will be an extremely good move for the business."

"That's all you married me for, isn't it? The business! You've never loved me! Why," she had begun to shake, "I bet you don't even know how to love."

His face white, her husband told her, "Yes, I do!"

"Well, whoever it is certainly isn't me!"

"And that's when I left," she concluded.

"Wow," Kotoko said. "It sounds like you ran right over him."

"You're siding with him?" Sahoko was shocked.

"No," she tried to explain, "it's just that his understanding is on a plane above about everyone else's. His thought processes are always so coldly logical that when he says something, he doesn't think that the other person might not understand or that their feelings might get hurt by it." She chuckled. "And considering how much he hates emotional scenes, you probably fried his brain circuits."

"You're probably right. But I still know that he didn't marry me for love. I wonder who he was talking about."

"I haven't the faintest." Kotoko shrugged. "There was a younger cousin before I met him and a really pretty girl in college, but he never dated around."

"Well, then, I guess I'll never know," she sighed. "But, back when we first met, I thought for a while that you liked Naoki."

"Well," she chuckled, "you were right." Seeing the shock on Sahoko's face, she said, "Come on, you fell in love with him at first sight; why don't you believe that I could too? It was the first day of high school." Her voice grew dreamy. "He recited the welcoming speech—no reading or using notes for the 'genius'—and he sounded so mature and intelligent. Of course," she shook herself, "I didn't understand half the words he said. Kind of reminds me of when I first started studying nursing."

"Kotoko-san!" Sahoko's hand covered her mouth. "I never knew!"

"And I never intended for you to find out. It's old news now. Here, let's look at your knee again."

While she was bent over, Nishigaki stuck his head in, a look of suppressed excitement on his face. "Hey, Kotoko, are you about finished?"

"Yes, Yui—Nishigaki-sensei. We just have a few scrapes to bandage up." She nodded at the patient. "You remember Irie Sahoko, don't you?"

Sahoko looked puzzled. Nishigaki winked. "You might have had other things on your mind at the time. I attended your wedding with this one here." He leaned over and kissed Kotoko on the cheek, moving out of the way as she scolded him for unprofessional behavior.

"Don't worry," Sahoko said with a smile. "I think if we know each other it doesn't count. So you—?" She pointed from one to the other.

"Yes, he found me banged up, just about as much as you are right now, and fixed me up at his apartment."

"Not at the hospital?" She appeared slightly shocked.

"I wasn't a doctor quite yet," he quipped. "Little did I know that by taking her home she would move in lock, stock and barrel. Let me see that arm." He observed the scrapes through the glasses that were now worn everyday. "It shouldn't scar, but after the scabs fall off, you might want to try a particular beauty cream that my sisters highly recommend." He grabbed a notepad and scribbled the brand name.

"Did you make it legible?" Kotoko asked as she poured out the used water. "Doctors have such terrible handwriting," she confided to Sahoko.

There was the sound of running footsteps in the hallway and a voice asking, "Where is my wife? I was told she was brought back here."

"Sounds like the cavalry has arrived," Kotoko commented. "Just remember," she reminded Sahoko, "most of the time he doesn't intend to be an officious know-it-all ass."

The next few minutes, as everyone was reintroduced for the sake of discharging Sahoko, went about as well as Kotoko might have expected. Nishigaki was smoothly territorial with Kotoko and Naoki was cautiously pleasant while keeping a careful arm around his wife. The two women had an easier conversation, having renewed their acquaintance for twenty minutes longer. Kotoko had the sneaking suspicion that Sahoko would soon find out who her husband loved.

After waving the cleaners into the room, she turned to Nishigaki. "So, spill. I could tell you had something you were dying to tell me when you first came in."

"And I thought I was hiding it so well."

"As if!"

"Anyway, I received a phone call earlier." He paused for dramatic effect.

"It wasn't one of your sisters, was it? I hope they're not wanting us to host the Tanibata reunion this year. We don't have the room."

After Yumi's stunt at the hospital the year before, she had spread the word of her brother's "fall", as she phrased it, and Nishigaki had to introduce Kotoko to the entire family during that holiday. They had declared themselves perfectly delighted with her and insisted that the impromptu get-together be annual.

"No, not my family. One of my supervisors here has recommended me for a great training opportunity at Kobe University Hospital with a good possibility for a permanent position there."

"Kobe," she said slowly, "that's so far away."

He shook her. "You've gone pale. You're not thinking that I'm leaving you behind, are you? If you look on their website, they're advertising several openings for nurses."

"Even klutzes like me? You know I'll never be as good as—"

He covered her mouth with his hand. "I'm sure they'll find you a place where you can't do much harm," he teased. "Besides, it will get us out of Tokyo, and you won't have to worry about chance run-ins with those two from before."

"Ah, that doesn't bother me. But yes, I like the idea of finding our own place in the world."

"Do you think this move will help convince you to accept a ring?"

"Well, we'll just have to wait and see, won't we?" She laughed and kissed his pouting mouth.

Several years later:

The door to the Aihara restaurant was flung open violently. Mrs. Irie, her hair now shot with a number of silver strands and her eyes—which were currently spitting fire—sporting fine lines at their corners, pointed at Odawara, standing with mouth open. "Aihara-san! Now!" she spoke with the voice of command.

The assistant manager bowed. "Yes, ma'am!"

Mr. Aihara appeared behind him almost immediately. "Missus! It's been a while."

"Today," she took a deep breath, "I put my son and daughter-in-law on an airplane to the United States. They are moving there to take over the new expansion office." Tears appeared in her eyes but did not fall. "I have been patient and considerate for so many years. Even though I was tempted—desperately!—I remained loyal to my son's choice of wife. But no more! Sahoko told me before she left that she had met Kotoko at a hospital. I have called every one in Tokyo, and she cannot be located. Where is she, Aihara-san? Where is my Kotoko-chan?"

"Over here, Obasama," called a familiar voice.

The matron whirled then raced to the dim corner. "Kotoko-chan!"

Mr. Aihara placed a cup of steaming tea in front of his daughter. "Yes, Missus, you have good timing. She was in town and dropped by to see me today."

"Oh," Mrs. Irie got a good look at her face when she inhaled the cup's vapors, "you're not well. Have you too been suffering at our separation?" She placed a hand over her heart dramatically.

"I have missed you, Obasama," Kotoko squeezed her other hand, "but I look this way because I'm one of the few lucky women whose morning sickness doesn't stop after the first trimester—or after the morning."

"Morning—?" She jumped out of her seat and pulled the other woman to her feet. Sure enough, a small but definite tummy had made an appearance. "Oh, no! That scoundrel has seduced and abandoned you! Onii-chan mentioned his reputation once, but I was sure that your father would have guarded you better. Just let me get my hands on him! Why, I'll—"

Nishigaki spoke behind her. "I shudder to think what punishment you have devised for me, but I beg you to acquit me of that particular crime. Kotoko, please show her your hand."

Kotoko waved at her to display the shiny ring on the third finger. "Yes, Obasama," she said, "we've been married for two years." She reached over and kissed her husband before retaking her seat. "Did I miss anything by slipping out early?"

"Not at all." He squeezed in beside her. "You would have taken a nap during the panel I was interested in. Although several doctors from Tonan did ask about you, Funatsu in particular. It seems that Marina is also in an interesting condition."

"I'm so happy for her. She can finally see if her theory about good genes proves true. I'll have to—"

Mrs. Irie had been left out of the conversation long enough. "Kotoko-chan! Where are you living now?"

She blinked. "We have an apartment in Kobe where we work, although we are looking for a house at the moment."

"Kobe, hmm. That's less than four hours away on the shinkansen. A bit of a distance, but not insurmountable." She flung Nishigaki out of his seat with superhuman strength and hugged Kotoko. "Now that I've found you, I'm not letting you leave my life again. This baby," she patted the younger woman's stomach, "will have me as a grandmother!"

"Great," Nishigaki said as an aside to his father-in-law as he leaned against the counter, "with my mother and all four sisters added to that, I'll definitely be outnumbered if it's a girl."

Mr. Aihara slipped a cup of sake in his hand. "Isn't your cat also female?"

"Damn!" He drained it in one gulp, then turned to face the older man. "Have you ever thought of moving to Kobe?"

A/N1: This was a really fun one to write. Many thanks to all who read and enjoyed it.

A/N2: You can "sort of" view this as Midlife Crisis's Chapter 2 backstory, although I gave Naoki and Sahoko a chance for a better relationship.

A/N3: Acknowledgements: My daughter, who keeps me up to date on all things Asian (especially boy bands), came up with the cat names; the Internet provided answers to esoteric information fairly quickly; Tada Kaoru, who created this universe of such memorable characters and elaborate plotlines, made it easy (and fun!) to riff off in wild directions.

A/N4: Annjudith, I'm sorry I wasn't able to fit in any romantic dates.