A/N: I OWN NOTHING! I am just borrowing Naoki and Kotoko for my own amusement.
Hi everyone! I am rewatching one of the live action versions and it really fired up my drive to start writing again. I just hope I can continue doing this story justice. I am also fighting my muse to let me finish this before I start writing fanfiction for two other shows and possibly writing something along the lines of my own book…. Anyways, ON WITH THE STORY! Anima
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Naoki smirked as Watanabe came in and sat down by him, before turning facing him. "So," his friend drawled slowly in an amused tone.
"What?" he replied with a wicked glint in his eye.
"How did that happen? When did that happen?" he asked curiously.
"It's been happening since the letter," he explained softly. "You already know that I was curious about her." Seeing his friends nod, he continued, keeping his voice low so the rest of the class couldn't hear the conversation. "I ran a few… we'll call them 'experiments' since Sports Day, and let's just say that I can't get her out of my head."
'Not that I want to anymore,' he mused as he observed his only friend taking in his explanation. 'I wonder if he can explain how you know if you love someone.'
"Not that it matters, but I approve. She is definitely good for you." Watanabe said with a chuckle.
"What does that mean?" Naoki asked confused.
"She makes you more open," his friend explained. "More…"
"Human?" Naoki deadpanned, remembering his brother's explanation as well.
"YES!"
"Why does everyone keep saying that?" he pondered aloud.
"Naoki, you are talking to me about the girl you are dating. DATING. You used to ignore the existence of everything besides books and me, but even then, we had basically surface level conversations." Naoki sat and thought about what Watanabe was telling him.
'He does have a point. I guess I have become more open due to her.' He clears his throat before whispering. "It definitely makes sense. She just makes me happy. I want to be around her all the time and get frustrated when I can't be."
"So, you love her?" his friend asked softly.
"Is that what love is?" he shoots back. Seeing the other boy's confused expression, he expands his question. "I don't deal well with emotions. You know that. You have seen that. She makes me feel a lot of different things: possessiveness, jealousy, desire, happiness, need, frustration.. You name it, I have felt it at this point. Is that what love actually is though?"
"Do you want her to be with anyone else?" Naoki glared at his friend at this question. "Do you picture anyone else beside you in your future?" He slowly shook his head. "Think about her for me. Just picture her standing in front of you, with a smile on her face."
Naoki pictured their morning together, when she smiles at him after he kisses her. He perfectly recalls the look in her eyes and the slight flush on her skin. Imagining her in front of him has a smile crossing his face and his pulse increasing. "Okay?" he questions when he looks back at his best friend.
"Your eyes lit up, your breathing increased, and you started to smile while just thinking of her." the other boy explained simply. "THAT is being in love."
"Oh…" he says, before facing forward as the teacher began their lessons for the day. Naoki barely heard anything as he was lost in his own thoughts. 'I love her… I was pretty sure that I was starting to feel that, but to have it explained to me logically and laid out like that. I know for sure now. Kotoko is the only person that I want to spend my life with. At this point I don't think I would even care if Okaa-san made us get married tomorrow. I know that I would be happy.'
The grey-haired teen was so lost in his musings that he completely missed the morning lessons. Watanabe thankfully understood his inattentiveness and let him look over the concepts they covered so he would understand the main points for their next quiz. "Thank you," he whispered quietly.
"For what?" his friend asked with an easy smile on his face.
"For quantifying something that I didn't think could be quantified." He replied. Seeing his friends nod, Naoki stood when the bell sounded with his bento and headed to Class F. "Kotoko," he called when he saw her in the hallway. Seeing her face light up when she saw him, he registered his pulse increasing and the urge to smile back at her. 'How was I so baka.'
"Hi Nao," she said happily after she skipped over to his side. "How has your morning been?"
"Enlightening," he responded as he led her to what he now considers their tree before sitting amongst the roots.
"Oh?" she questions softly as she sits beside him. "By the way, Oba-sama sent me a text. They are staying away another night, and Oji-san and Oto-san are gone until tomorrow as well."
"So, we have another night of good sleep," he said with a smile. "In that case, I will explain what was so enlightening about my morning in our usual place. Then I need to talk to you about some things."
"That sounds ominous, Naoki" she retorts softly, almost nervous.
"Nothing bad, Kotoko," he tells her with a small smile. 'At least I hope it isn't a bad thing. We just need to work out some logistics with the rest of the year.'
"Okay, Naoki. I trust you."
Naoki felt his chest swell, happy that she has complete faith in his words. He leans towards her and kisses her gently, confused when he hears gasps around them. Pulling back, he notices that there are others eating in the courtyard around them, most with their eyes glued to the young couple. "How long have others been here?" he asks softly.
"The whole time," she replies, confused. "Did you not notice them?"
"Are they you?" he deadpans, before chuckling at her red face. "To be honest, I have been preoccupied today. Being around you is my form of relaxation."
"I'm glad," his girlfriend replied, tucking her hair behind her ear, before taking his hand. Naoki laced their fingers together the second she touched him, happy that he was able to engage with her physically whenever he wanted to, since they were open with their relationship at school. "I am here for whenever you are ready to talk." He squeezed her hand with a small smile before settling back against the tree trunk.
"Have you decided on which University you want to go to?" she asks him suddenly.
"Have you?" he asks.
"I will try to take the same exams that you do," she replies. "The worst I can do is not get in, but I will never know if I don't try."
'This girl,' he muses happily, releasing her hand to wrap his arm around her shoulder and pulling her into him. "I don't really want to take any of them, but I know my parents at least want me to take the National Exam and then apply for Tokyo U."
"I can guarantee that I will be taking the National Exam, because I need the scores to get into Tonan." His determined girl responds. "I will try to get ready for the Tokyo U exam, but I don't think I could get in there even if I pass the exam with my prior test scores. That and I don't think I want to be that far from Oto-san."
"I am fine with us staying at Tonan, if that is what you would prefer." He tells her quietly.
"Are you sure?" she asks.
"They have a decent Engineering Department, and as you know, that currently holds my interest." He explains easily. 'I would do whatever I could to make you happy. I know you worry about Oji-san after the loss of your Okaa-san. If staying close to him is what you want, then that is what we will do.' He thinks, knowing exactly the thoughts racing through her head. "No, Kotoko, you aren't holding me back. I never wanted to go to college in the first place. Now I am just contemplating one that ensures both of our happiness." He smiled when he heard her gasp after his first statement.
"Thank you, Naoki" she whispers before kissing his cheek. Naoki startled slightly, unused to her instigating any form of intimate contact at this point. Checking his watch, he squeezes her shoulder before sitting her up and beginning to pack his bento. When they were both finished, he stood and offered her his hand to pull her up.
"As much as I wish we could just stay here," he begins softly. "It is time to go back to class." He leaned down and pressed his lips softly to hers for a few seconds, before pulling back to grab her hand. He walks her to her classroom, squeezing her fingers gently in goodbye before continuing back to his own classroom. He noticed the curious eyes of the students around him as he found his seat, before turning his eyes to the board, seeing the words College Exams written in large letters. Sighing, he grabbed one of his thriller novels and began reading while waiting for his teacher to come in.
"Good afternoon, Class!" As Naoki heard the voice, he stowed his book back in his bag, before focusing on the teacher in front of him. "As you know the College Entrance Exams are only a few short weeks away. I am expecting great things from you all. I know most of you have your hearts set on Tokyo U," at that, the instructor looked straight at him, causing him to sigh internally. "But there are many other great schools you can go to as well."
"What about Tonan?" he asked deadpanned, making the entire class, aside for Watanabe who was grinning like an idiot, to freeze.
"Well, I mean," the teacher stumbled, trying to think of the appropriate words to describe the affiliated school that usually was the only option available to Classes D-F due to the Ladder Program. "Tonan is of course, a great option as well, but shouldn't be the only school you strive for."
"Why not?" Watanabe now asked. "Do we have to go to some prestigious school just because we are the top ranked students in the school. Shouldn't you be encouraging us to follow our hearts and pursue our dreams. What if those dreams could be solved at a local school?" Naoki smirked at his best friend, deciphering the amusement that was dancing in his eyes.
"Of course, that is what you should do," the teacher mumbled. "I just want the best for you. What brought this on though?"
"Just curious," Naoki and Watanabe replied in unison.
"Well anyways," their homeroom and math teacher continued as if he hadn't been interrupted by his top two students. "We will be allowing you the freedom to study for the exams over the course of the next few weeks. If you have any questions, the teachers are available to assist you. Please do not hesitate to ask." With that, the flustered man walked back out of the room.
"Tonan?" Watanabe asks, as he turns to him with a sly smile.
"We decided on it during lunch," he replied simply.
"Fair enough," his friend laughed before taking out his test prep books and beginning his studying.
Naoki could see the shock on the faces around him, and them whispering to each other. 'How many of them are going to blame her?' he asks himself. 'They all think they know what I should do, but not a single person has asked what I want to do. As long as no one tries to lash out at her for MY choice, I don't really care what they say.' Naoki continued pulled out his own study materials and began coming up with a study guide for himself and Kotoko for later. 'Unless she has homework, we will not be studying tonight. I might even order in food.' With that last thought, he allowed himself to be consumed by his schoolwork, impatiently waiting for the final bell to ring.
