"Kotoko-chan" His mother spoke, after a while watching about fifteen music videos at a stretch.
"Yes?" She looked up, looking for another video with television control.
"Will you sleep with us?" She asked with her mouth open with emotion.
"No" Kotoko blinked, denying it. "I must go to my apartment in a little while, because tomorrow I have classes."
His mother's disappointment was quite noticeable, especially in her factions. For Naoki, that was very dramatic on his mother's side.
"Don't worry, Oba-sama" Kotoko dissuaded affirmatively. "There is very little time left for the contest and if I win, I will share the prize with you." She raised her fists in a sign of strength, accompanied by a buying smile.
"Really?" His mother said in a shriek.
"Of course" Kotoko said, winking. "I'll take you to the hot springs."
"Wow!" Yuuki exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes!" His mother jumped in stunning emotion. "I could use a good bath in the hot springs, it helps a lot to make the skin sparkle and shine." His mother squeaked cheerfully. "What a thrill!"
Naoki saw that Kotoko smiled in pleasure, but he couldn't help but see that she yawned and rubbed her eyes so as not to fall asleep; to him, such a detail was cute.
"When is the contest?" Asked his mother, still jumping in joy.
"In two weeks" Kotoko replied, rubbing her hands. She seemed to be cold, and apparently no one noticed it.
"Won't you tell us what you are going to do?" His mother wanted to know.
"It's secret" Kotoko said mockingly.
"Ay! Kotoko-chan" His mother complained, pouting. "Why don't you tell us?"
"I'd rather surprise you" She said simply.
After eight o'clock, the four had dinner in the dining room, delighting in the delicious food their mother prepared for Kotoko.
Naoki knew how much Kotoko liked his mother's food, just as she knew she was a food-eating machine when she was very hungry, and that day she was very hungry.
"I missed your food a lot, Oba-sama" Kotoko commented earnestly.
"Eat everything you want, Kotoko-chan" His mother offered, delighted. "I prepared all this for you."
"Thank you very much." She smiled gladly. "I really appreciate it."
"Do you eat cardboard food?" Yuuki sneered sarcastically. As Kotoko looked at him to answer, his mother hit him on the head, scolding him instantly.
"Don't tell Kotoko-chan that!" His mother warned.
"My food is not cardboard" Kotoko admitted, with a blank gesture. "Why would you believe that?"
"Forget it" Yuuki muttered reluctantly.
"Okay." And Kotoko kept eating as if nothing could affect her calm.
When nine o'clock struck, Naoki went up to put on pajamas, just like his brother, leaving Kotoko to wait for them in the living room.
He was not comfortable knowing that she would have to go alone to her apartment at that time; Besides, she lived alone.
He was intrigued to know that Kotoko was returning home, without anyone greeting her or receiving the soft smell of food in preparation from the kitchen.
It was obvious that he missed her, that he wanted them to live together as before, or that things would happen differently, but since he was already used to destiny hating him, he was satisfied with the few times he saw her, and more when he had her in the comforts of his home.
The only inconvenience he found were his mother's interference, but even there. Beyond that, there was no other inconvenience that got in his way when it came to Kotoko.
"Onii-chan" His brother called him.
"Yes?" He peered through the corner of his eye, finishing putting on his winter pajamas.
"You like that Baka, right?" He asked curiously.
Naoki froze, coughing about the matter so suddenly that his brother decided that his curiosity was the impetus for such matters as those.
"Excuse me?" He said offended.
"Just wondering." He excused himself, pretending disinterest.
"Why do you think I like Kotoko?" He questioned, feeling the palpitations emerge from his chest in total disaster.
"For the way you look at her" He replied, eyeing him.
The way he looks at her? And how does he look at her?
Naoki was unaware of such acts concerning his behavior, so he must deny it. He would not say his feelings because first he must tell them to Kotoko.
She must be the first person to receive his confession of love, deed and right.
No laps and no excuses.
A confession of love made by a true man.
Well, although he was, indeed, a man, but not one hundred percent for his cowardice for love, but beyond that, he was a total feat.
"And how do I look at her if I can know?" He inquired indifferently.
"With intentions of loving her" Yuuki told him obviously. "It's too obvious that you love her, Onii-chan."
"I don't love her" He lied, feeling that a lump in his throat cemented when he said those wrong words. He denied his feelings.
His brother looked at him suspiciously, as if he had believed absolutely nothing of what he said, responding with a slight nod:
"Whatever"
The discussion was there, floating in the air.
"Onii-chan!" His mother yelled at him from the first floor. "Onii-chan, come here!"
"I'm coming" He replied the same way.
When he got down he noticed that his mother was in a robe and used her hair curlers; she flexed her right foot on the living room rug, arms crossed.
"What do you want?" He inquired lazily.
"Kotoko-chan fell asleep." She let him know, watching him with some skill.
"What do you want me to do?" He snorted lasciviously.
"At least put a blanket on her." She opened her arms in the air in indignation. "Don't you see it's cold and she can get sick? Onii-chan, you're really not interested in Kotoko-chan in the slightest" She claimed squeaking. "It's a shame to have such a child" She put her hand on her forehead in drama.
Naoki rolled his eyes, enraged.
What arguments did his mother use to accuse him in such an outrageous way?
"Good evening, mother" He said raising an eyebrow, staring at her angrily.
His mother saw him stunned.
"Onii-chan!" She put a hand to her chest in surprise.
"Good evening" He said bluntly. "I'll take care of the rest."
His mother climbed into his room, stomping down the stairs, muttering phrases that he didn't bother to listen, since his attention was directed to Kotoko, who was asleep on the floor with her head resting on the sofa.
He felt emotion realizing that she had fallen asleep at his house.
He went for a blanket from the closet where they kept the entrance shoes. He covered her with the blanket, enduring the temptation not to run his fingers over her hair that hung with the intensity in which his spirit rocked at her mercy.
He noticed everywhere that no one would observe him, considering that he was completely alone from his mother's imprudence and questions from his brother, he leaned in front of her, and took her in his arms knowing she felt light in his arms.
He placed her carefully on the sofa where she used to sit when she lived with them, and covered her all over again with the blanket, making sure that the cold didn't enter anywhere.
You always look perfect, he thought as he looked at her.
He decided not to repress himself anymore and lowered his semi-open hand, going through her hair, where his fingers intermingled with the silky and smooth texture of her hair.
He felt her so soft and warm.
Naoki smiled in love, rising in impulse, and planted a sweet kiss on Kotoko's forehead, whispering in her ear:
"I like you"
He raised his hand over her rosy cheeks, touched them a little, delineating her soft cheekbones, her closed eyes, her well drawn eyebrows, her small nose, until he stood on her semi-open lips.
He dared to kiss her cheek, closing his eyelids tightly, inhaling the scent of Kotoko, bewitched and drunk with her fragrance that mixed with his feelings.
He approached her ear, whispering again:
"I like you very much, Kotoko" He said softly.
And so, he went to his room, feeling the heat of his hand vibrating and stabbing pleasant sensations, leaving him in a lax state.
He had given her a goodnight kiss.