A/N: Thank you everyone for waiting patiently for the update. I'm so busy these days that it left me exhausted and no time to write with a clear head. I don't want to mess up the story so I'm taking it slow. I'll update at least once a week, every Tuesday or Wednesday. Please bear it with me. Thank you.. :)
Friends Forever
(Kotoko POV)
The Sunday afternoon was warm. But I was slightly feeling cold. Probably my blood pressure was too law. I was sitting inside a booth at the Aihara. The whole booth was silent. Well it wasn't something that I wasn't expecting. Jinko and Satomi stared at me, dumbfounded. Kin-chan was breathing very fast and Chris was patting his arm while looking at me with concern.
I came to Aihara with otou-san. I invited Jinko and Satomi at the restaurant and asked otou-san to excuse Kin-chan and Chris for an hour.
I have just spilled the beans to them. I have hidden everything for too long. It was enough now. I finally understand that the people who consider you important and care about you the most shouldn't be deceived by you. But I did what I shouldn't have and now I would do everything that is right and make it up to them.
"What were you thinking?" Kin-chan retorted angrily.
"I'm sorry everyone. I don't even know how to express how sorry I am to you all right now."
"Kotoko you… you have been enduring everything alone for the entire time?" Satomi asked in astonishment. She had tears in her eyes.
"After I started having my treatment, I got so busy that I hardly had time to think over everything and time just went by."
It was true. I was so busy over the whole year that I hardly had time to see my friends. We only met occasionally. I met Kin-chan and Chris only when I visited the restaurant. Satomi was busy with her kid and Jinko with her career.
"Oh Kotoko… you silly girl." Jinko got up and hugged me form the side. Satomi also joined the hug from my other side. They were both crying.
"It must have been so hard for you." Satomi patted on my back.
"Kotoko, you did not even tell Naoki?" Chris asked in a low voice.
"I…" I sighed. How do I explain this to them?
"He must have been a jerk and didn't care about you. This is why you didn't tell him, isn't it?" Kin-chan still sounded angry. Actually I could tell that he was really hurt. He was just trying to be tough and sound angry so that he wouldn't cry.
"No Kin-chan. That's not true. He loves me more than I ever imagined. He loves me so much and I broke his heart. He is so heart-broken now. I don't even know what I was thinking. I shouldn't have hidden anything from the start." I voiced everything I was feeling to my best buddies. I needed it all out.
"Aww sweetheart, I'm sure he will understand that you didn't want to worry him." Chris got up saying that and gave me a hug.
"He is going to feel even more worried now. He will feel guilty and he will suffer for the rest of his life now. You made sure he sees through himself by doing that Kotoko." Kin-chan brutally said. He was finally trying to calm himself with inhaling deep breaths.
I felt so bad when I heard him say that and my eyes teared up. Chris slapped on Kin-chan's shoulder feeling irritated by the lack of his tact.
"Don't make her cry Kinnosuke." All three girls glared at him. He pouted at the mad girls but immediately paled and probably regretted his words when tears fell from my eyes.
"Kotoko…" He rushed to me pushing away the other girls. "Don't' cry!" He sounded horrified. He never wants to make me cry. That's him.
"Well, what you did was not right. Although it would teach that Irie a good lesson for neglecting his wife I might add…" He stopped abruptly when three hands punched on different parts of his body and they chorused.
"Kin-chan!"
"Kinnosuke!"
"Kin-chan!"
"Alright… alright… What I meant to say is, we all love you Kotoko. And no matter how much we love you, I'm sure Irie loves you the most. So what I want you to know and remember is- that you are or were never alone. We are always with you." Kin-chan said seriously.
A smile broke into my lips slowly. He was really genuine. Kin-chan is a great friend. How can he be so nice?
"Don't worry at all. This Neu… um… Neuro… Neuro-whatever is nothing for you." Jinko wiped my tears and continued. "Remember who you are! Aihara Kotoko from class F who made it to the top 100 list at your final year at high school. You are not someone who scores below average when you put your mind to it. You straight create history girl." Jinko exclaimed enthusiastically.
"You are even a nurse now. Scratch that. You made Irie Naoki fall head over heels for you. You create miracles!" Satomi added with equally enthusiastic tone.
I grinned broadly at them. They are so adorable and they trust me so much. I felt really warm and inspired.
"Besides, you have a knight in shining armour Kotoko. I won't even bother to get worried about you as long as Naoki is beside you to look after you." Chris said brightly.
I smiled at her. I know what she means. I also feel so relived now that he is by my side.
"I know Chris. I have my full faith on him. He won't let anything happen to me. He will even fight the impossible and make it possible I know."
I was again in tears. But these were tears of joy. I was feeling so happy. I was the luckiest girl on this planet blessed with some wonderful friends. They were all afraid inside, I know that. They were also sad. But they were with me and that's all I needed.
All four of them hugged me in unison and I laughed out loud in their embrace.
...
(General POV)
It was 10 pm. the last customers of the Aihara just left. Mr. Aihara wanted to close early tonight. Kin-chan & Chris were also nearly done with their works. Suddenly the restaurant door opened despite the closed sign at the door.
"Sorry but we are closed for… Oh…" Mr. Aihara stopped when he saw his childhood friend walking in.
"Ai-chan, you are already closing for today?"
"Yes…" He sighed. "What would you like me to get for you?"
"Anything you feel like eating. I'm sure you skipped your dinner tonight." Mr. Irie said in a soft voice.
"I don't feel like eating anything."
"Then how about some beer?" Mr. Irie asked.
"That can be arranged." Mr. Aihara went inside into the kitchen.
"Kinnosuke, Chris, you two may go home for tonight. I will close the restaurant before I leave." He instructed them.
"Okay boss. Umm… take care." Kin-chan added softly before departing.
Mr. Aihara took out a few beers and returned to join Mr. Irie who was sitting on a stool in front of the counter.
They both started to drink slowly and silently. It was a peaceful silence. After a while Mr. Aihara exhaled loudly.
"Ai-chan, don't blame yourself too much. For Kotoko and for sister-in-law."
Mr. Aihara drank a sip and remained quiet for half a minute.
"How can I stop blaming myself Iri-chan? This is the only thing I can do now. If I even stop doing that, what else is left for me to do?"
Mr. Irie didn't know what to answer. He sighed sadly. He knows he cannot even imagine what his friend was feeling at the moment. The feeling of desperation. The feeling of falling apart.
"You understand why sister in law did what she did right?"
"I don't care why she did it anymore. I can't forgive myself for being so blind. She was dying right in front of my eyes Iri-chan… and I did not even realise." His voice broke.
Mr. Irie patted on his shoulder trying to sooth his friend. Mr. Aihara gulped and continued.
"My daughter… my only daughter is also dying in front of my eyes…" He stopped.
"Kotoko-chan will fully recover Ai-chan, don't even think about losing her for one moment. We are all going to look after her together until she is cured fully. She is our responsibility… our daughter." He stated firmly.
Mr. Aihara nodded feeling slightly relived. At least his daughter is not alone in her fight as his wife was.
"Naoki-kun gave me a copy of the document Etsuko's doctor left. According to that Etsuko didn't even take a day to decide that she doesn't want an abortion and wanted to keep the baby, in other words she disagreed to have the treatment." He sighed.
Mr. Irie remained quiet to let his friend talk out everything.
"During that time there was no chance of curing that disease fully. She knew she will have to die in the end. So she made sure I wouldn't live the rest of my life alone. I…" He stopped. They again drank in silence for a while.
"She didn't want me to choose between my child and wife. She thought I wouldn't make a rational decision. What makes me mad is she saw right through me. I love Kotoko and she is my entire world Iri-chan. But I loved my wife too and I would have done anything to live one more minute with her. I would have sacrificed anything and everything if that meant she would stay alive for one more minute." Finally tears started to drop from his eyes.
"What does that make me Iri-chan?"
Mr. Irie got down from the stool and stood near to his friend. He put an arm around Mr. Aihara's shoulder.
"It only makes you a husband who loved his wife too much. Don't let this eat you inside. This does not make you a bad father. Kotoko-chan is lucky to have a father like you. You are the best father I have ever seen and I'm not even exaggerating. You raised a wonderful girl. You raised a very strong and courageous woman. You raised her to have a good and kind heart. I don't even know what I would have done without Noriko. Without her Naoki and Yuki wouldn't be what they are today. But you raised Kotoko-chan all alone. So do not belittle yourself as a father. I'm sure Kotoko-chan will agree with me on that."
Mr. Aihara nodded. They were silent again for a few moment. Mr. Irie went back to his previous sitting position. They drank slowly.
"Thank you Iri-chan." Mr. Aihara stated after a while.
Mr. Irie just patted on his back in answer with a soft smile which was returned.
