Thanks to UnhappyHomicideExperience.

Chapter 3

There is always time for surprises

Naoki heard his mother's rebuke to Yuuki for mocking the misfortune of others, and that forced him to react. The TV screen changed, ending to show the Aihara family of two and a number in which to communicate with them; then he paid attention to what his father was sharing on the phone with his friend Ai-chan.

Such mishaps should not be happening. It would be illogical to think that luck smiled upon him, as it insisted on putting him tests to broke his plans, like the offer he heard in the middle of his father's talk.

"Onii-chan, do you know the girl? Kotoko, you said?" His mother questioned in an excited tone.

He nodded, frowning.

Would she live under his roof? Would he have to bear with her there?

Suddenly, he grinned, only a little, as it might convenience the friendship between the two men, although the presence of the girl in his home annoyed him. What better way to meet the daughter-in-law?

But he doubted that Mr. Aihara would agree that her daughter and her boyfriend shared a house, even if all the family was there. After showing his respects, he would have to assure him of his honorable intentions, or he would find himself in need of another girl.

It was the second time in less than twelve hours that he was given an opportunity to get rid of her.

Of course, it was too late to take it, it would have many consequences if it were so. The problem was that the two of them didn't know each other well enough to make it believable that they were dating.

He would think about it later, he told himself as his father began to speak, after saying goodbye and hanging up.

"Family… I have invited my friend and his daughter to live here, to offer them support in these terrible circumstances in which they are living. They will arrive tomorrow," announced his father, looking at them with authority, as a clear indication that they couldn't go against his orders.

"You're a very generous man, papa," his mother praised him hugging his shoulders. "I'll make the arrangements!" She exclaimed later. "A girl at home!"

He rolled his eyes, thinking she wasn't happy with his embarrassing childhood.

"It's unfortunate that my good friend and I could only find ourselves again through these terrible circumstances," his father said, accompanying his words with a deep sigh.

Or derisory, to be more precise.

"Mr. Aihara can occupy the guest room and we can move Yuuki into Naoki's room and Kotoko-chan will be able to occupy Yuuki's…" Her mother spoke to herself, beginning to write in the little notebook she pulled out of somewhere. She looked up and watched Yuuki and him. "Does it bother you?"

Ignoring the irritation of his mother's ideas and preventing the negative reply of his younger brother, he spoke: "Not at all."

All three stared at him in astonishment.

He sighed, accepting the inevitable. "Actually, the girl in question is my girlfriend," he told, grinning ironically. He heard his family's groans of surprise, "but I suppose her father will have mistrust."

"It cannot be!" Her mother shouted, starting to jump. "Yes, she is! My suspicions were true! Onii-chan's girlfriend is Kotoko-chan!"

His father cleared his throat. "I'll have to talk to Ai-chan, Nao." He scratched his head like he was in the middle of a problem.

"I'll do it when they arrive," Naoki said, as if it were nothing, standing up immutable; his time there was over. "I will communicate with her," he added, uninterested by the looks he arose from his family, concentrating on his own affairs. "Good evening," he finished.

Climbing up the stairs, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and, without much ceremony, wrote:

You will live in my house. Tomorrow at break we will talk, the same place as today. Naoki.

The rest of the time before bedtime he dedicated to thinking about the situation, without getting an answer from the redhead.

[...]

Imagining that something would happen from the events of the previous day, Naoki wasn't astonished by the curious looks given by the young people, who, like him, were going to school. They murmured disconnected words in which the name of Kotoko and his apparent knowledge of the girl of bad fortune came out, which they accompanied with small malicious laughter from the collapse of her house.

Although unpleasant, he could understand it. Noting that there were no human losses, it was laughable that a construction collapsed by a movement of that magnitude; that spoke of the ineptitude of those who were in charge of the project. It was even possible that the owner wanted to save costs during construction and had certain requests to the contractor.

But he wasn't the one to comment, and it was disrespectful to laugh at the situation.

Shrugging, he headed to school thinking that it was better for Kotoko to accept his solution, but he also had to reason that she might not have received his message, because it could be that her phone had been lost under the rubble, although it was rare that someone of their age would be separated from their mobile. He would be approaching her that morning…

His steps paused for a moment and in disbelief he looked to his left, his sight following to his mother moving away quickly, carrying a briefcase and camera in hands, and "camouflaged" with dark glasses and part of her body covered.

His left eyelid trembled, while he swallowed a curse aloud, because she couldn't keep away from the issue. She must be following Kotoko, as she had perhaps done the day before with him, and the brightness he saw came from her camera. Her words of suspicion made sense then.

Irritated, he continued his journey thinking about the kind of life he would have in his house from that day; on one hand, there was his mother, on the other, his girlfriend.

"We're now conducting a fundraiser of love for Aihara Kotoko-chan of class 3-F." The fastidious male voice suddenly cut his thoughts and he thought that this ridiculousness couldn't be happening.

He stopped short on the school grounds and watched the entrance of the building, where a black-haired man gave a laughing spectacle to the students, speaking on a loudspeaker in favor of the redhead, located right in front of him, whose claims condemned the acts of the other.

The dude—Kin-chan according to Kotoko—was a fool to think that with a few bucks, he could help his classmate… And to say that a headbutt had caused the fall of the house.

He noticed that those gathered in the courtyard watched him with interest, seeing him watch the exchange, so he kept on, listening like everyone. He would be wise to tell Kotoko his meeting place; in any case, the whole school was already speculating on mutual knowledge and that way he wouldn't have to look for her in her classroom.

"I'm doing this because of you!" Kin-chan cried exalted just as he reached to where they were.

"Are you done yet?" He asked in an ironic tone to the black-haired man, trying to think about what that idiot had to do with Kotoko, and what problems he would rise to his affair. If Kin-chan was a nuisance, he would remove him from his path in the most convenient way.

"Naoki-kun!" The girl jumped up and turned toward him, before giving him her wide smile, which caused gasps of astonishment around him and one of annoyance from the scandalous man. He thought with satisfaction that she knew her place.

"You!" The moron interrupted a foot away from his face. "Who do you think is the culprit of what happened to Kotoko-chan? To cause her pain! You have thrown a curse yesterday and since then she has been different! And then the collapse!"

He snorted with mockery. The fool should have decided, wasn't it his headbutt that affected her home? Beyond that, was he so stupid to believe what he said? He wondered how he could even make it through that school year.

"The level two earthquake had nothing to do with it, did it?" He replied, with distilling sarcasm. "It was caused by me, wasn't it?"

"Of course!"

The people surrounding them laughed at the stupidity of that clown, although he didn't miss Kotoko's face of embarrassment at his first question, showing more common sense than his partner.

"Kotoko," he called with the intention to move away and give her his message, not wanting to waste more time.

"Shut up!" Cut the idiot. "And stay away from her!" He raised an eyebrow; who was that guy to give him orders? And what right did he have to command his girlfriend?

It was clear to him what image the idiot painted there, and he wasn't going to allow him to ruin his plans. He would show him who was superior.

"Kin-chan! Stop!" Kotoko pushed her friend, her face enraged. "Don't talk to him like that!"

The defense gave him a sideways smile, noting that he had chosen the girl well. His mocking gaze turned entirely to the black-haired man whose expression was one of rage and despair.

"Kotoko-chan, I want to help you! This guy," he said dismissively, "is a bad influence on you! You even defend him when he doesn't do anything for you!"

If he knew, he thought with malice.

"The further you are from him, the better!"

His sharp voice was beginning to irritate him, and he was thinking of taking extreme measures to silence him, more than what she was doing, watching her classmate with disbelief and annoyance in her face.

"And who are you to decide for Kotoko?" He asked raising an eyebrow, because if he didn't get rid of that fellow, he'd be a nuisance, and if he went away with her, the dude would dare to follow them.

"I am Kinnosuke Ikezawa! An eternal admirer of Kotoko and her future husband!" He exclaimed, taking Kotoko's hands.

She gasped and began to move her hands anxiously, pushing him away. "It's not true, Kin-chan!"

"Oh, it's like that?" He asked mockingly, ignoring the redhead. He would make clear one thing to that fool; if Kotoko would be someone's, it would be his, and someone like him would not come to disrupt his plans, when his parents were aware of her existence and she was ideal for his convenience.

"Yes! So leave her alone!" Ikezawa ordered, reaching out to grasp the girl's wrist and placing her behind him.

"Kin-chan, no," Kotoko said, struggling against his advance and escaping from where he was, to stand beside him, causing suffering in the dark-haired man, which satisfied him. She sighed and denied. "You are my friend and I thank you for what you do, but you cannot rule over my life, nor say that you will be my husband."

Naoki gestured to Kotoko to walk away, and she nodded distressed to the other, then smiled at him again. It was too effusive for his taste, although it suited him that she always showed that face of complacency in front of his acquaintances, without him making any effort.

"Irie! You won't get away with this!" Ikezawa returned to the attack, shouting, as they were about to pass the building's doors. "You're not…"

"I'm her boyfriend," he cut off, solving the matter once and for all, causing the little black-haired man to open his mouth, like the rest of the school that looked astonished.

In addition, so that there was no doubt, he turned to an excited Kotoko, lifted her by taking her arms and joined his lips to hers, before the hallucinated eyes of her own and those present.

It was so fast and mechanical that with the start-of-school bell he parted, but satisfied, he noticed that no one was able to say a word and that he had accomplished his task.

With his hand on her back, he guided Kotoko inside, pulling them away from the outside looks, to go to class.

"Did you get my message?"

She denied, her eyes glued to his face and her face as red as garnet. "At the break, we talk, in the yard."

Kotoko nodded, pausing, and he hurried off with no more intention of wasting his time.

Only for an instant did he pause to think of the warmth of his own cheeks.

[...]

With his usual calm behavior and indifferent to the glances, Naoki went to his meeting point with Kotoko, thinking that he had been spared the complaint from some professor by what happened in the front yard during the morning. Whether it was because of who he was or because it was a matter prior to the classes, he did not mind (as well they didn't claim for the actions of the idiot of F).

In other circumstances, he wouldn't have done what he did, but after considering it during the event with Ikezawa, it was the only possible solution, since it served to get rid of him. Likewise, he thought his mother would talk to Kotoko and the best thing was that if the indiscreet question about kissing arose, at least it would have already happened. At some point it must pass, too.

He wasn't happy with himself for doing it in public, although the face of stupefaction and defeat upon the idiot was a profit. Even if he had no practice of kissing and could have made a fool of himself.

And it was not that he had given more thought to the subject, but he could admit that if he had to repeat it with her, in the right way without just gathering two slightly parted lips, he could not just reject it, less considering that in the future they would do other things.

Kotoko lifted her flushed face as he sat down beside her, internally a bit surprised to find her there… and by the direction of his previous thoughts.

"Hi," she greeted, adjusting a lock of hair behind her right ear. "I'm sorry, for the morning," she said, nodding apologetically. When she rose again she had to rearrange the rebellious strands.

"My father offered for you to live in my house," he said simply, looking at her. From his father's words, he knew that the two of them hadn't been injured, and he could corroborate it, so he didn't have to ask a question he knew the answer to.

Her eyes widened. "For real? Dad never mentioned… your parents know that I…" Her face turned a visible pinkish tone. He nodded. "I… you… what will your parents think? I almost don't know you and they'll ask me, they will think that I am inadequate and…"

That caught his attention and whatever he planned to say was discarded, with no better option than such topic. "What would you like to know of me?" He asked as if nothing.

"Everything." Kotoko's eyes widened in horror. "And Dad doesn't know anything, it won't seem appropriate… And… I don't think… now with more reason it'll seem an abuse of the situation."

"Kotoko, shut up."

She closed her mouth and he grinned at her obedience. It was so simple with that girl.

"I'll speak with your father."

Kotoko nodded hesitantly, biting her lower lip.

"Did you lose your phone?"

"I forgot to recharge it. When I arrive at the hotel, I will do it," she whispered pensively.

"Well, send the questions you want to know and I'll answer them."

She offered him a smile before lowering her head, as if she were inhibited by his presence. Then he noticed a detail, she had no lunch. Logic told him that it was impossible for her to prepare it in a hotel room.

He opened his package and held it out to her, offering her the little sandwiches her mother gave him for food. Kotoko looked up in surprise.

"Eat," he said, waiting for her to take one before he did.

"No-o…" she whispered, shaking her head slowly. "It's yours, I'll go to the cafeteria."

"There's enough for both of us," he said, realizing that his mother must have thought he would see her, because she gave him with more food than usual.

"Seriously…"

"Kotoko, take one or neither of us will eat," he interrupted dryly, so she wouldn't give any more replies.

From her pink lips came a sigh before following his instruction.

"Thanks for the food," she said. Then, so fast that he didn't see her coming, she rose and pressed her mouth to his cheek, pulling away with rosy cheeks. "Thank you, Naoki-kun."

Surprised, it took him a few seconds to recover the temper to take one of the sandwiches and make space between the two to deposit the bento box on the bench.

She ate without a word and he thanked the silence that was made, broken only by the bell, after which she said goodbye, smiling as he noticed she did at all times.

He watched her walk away before imitating her, her small gesture of gratitude etched into his head.

He smiled ironically, it was not like he could forget something.

[...]

Preparing for the final test he owed to his father, Naoki began to descend the stairs, seeing the effusiveness with which the Aihara were received. She stood a little apart, flushed by the flattery of which she was the object.

"Nao, it's good you're already here," his father said relieved.

"Be welcome," he said to the newcomers, giving Kotoko a brief glance, nodding slightly at his father, insisting on being honest with his friend.

"Thank you very much. I am Aihara, nice to meet you," came his father-in-law, the same good-looking man who appeared on television but looked better than the day before. He was in a suit, with more formality than Kotoko, who was dressed in a blue-green dress.

"I am Naoki, the eldest son. Nice to meet you. Could I talk to you for a few moments?" He asked, looking at him straight ahead.

Mr. Aihara saw him intrigued, but was prevented from answering by the arrival of his mother.

"Welcome!" Exclaimed his effusive mother. "Thanks for coming, we've been waiting for you excited. For you, Kotoko-chan. She's a wonderful girl, I told you, papa. The photos don't do her justice." She showed one of the photos she had taken that morning, which she had presented all afternoon, to his irritation. "I could not contain myself," she said with a small laugh. "Anyway, it must have been difficult for you, Aihara-san. But come in, come in," she invited and looked at him for a second. "Have you already told him?" She asked and he denied.

"Excuse me, I don't understand." Mr. Aihara watched him bewildered.

"Come in, you're home. First, you have to get comfortable."

"Thank you," replied the man reticently, more insightful than he thought Kotoko's father would be. He took the suitcases and entered confidently. "Kotoko, come on."

"Yes," she said, and gripped the handle of her small bag, moving forward.

His father closed the door behind them.

"I'm so happy, I can go shopping with Kotoko-chan, bake pies, have company with aesthetics…"

The entrance of Yuuki interrupted the monologue of his mother and the attention that Mr. Aihara gave him.

"Ah, Yuuki. This is papa's good friend, Aihara-san… and onee-san Kotoko-chan." Yuuki nodded to his mother, giving the red-haired girl a very interested look, who cringed at the scrutiny, which didn't go unnoticed to the father.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Irie Yuuki. I'm in the third year of elementary school." He focused on Kotoko. "Kotoko onee-san… I'm doing my homework right now."

Naoki stiffened at the sound of it, because his brother never asked for that kind of support. What was he up to?

"…so, can you please teach me how to read these kanji?" Yuuki concluded, showing his notebook to a stupefied Kotoko.

The face she put on seeing the page almost made his nose wrinkle with disdain, because it was embarrassing that at her age she was concerned about a simple task of children, of which was clear she didn't have the answer.

"Eh," Kotoko gave him an embarrassed look, "sea-pig?"

Really? Naoki thought, suppressing an ironic laugh, checking the girl's idiocy. That was incredible. Of the many silly people, he had to cross with one like that, of which his family was aware of their relationship. He didn't think it possible that her intellectual capacity was such; although it served him her little intelligence, there were levels… And precisely he had to find out in front of his parents, before whom he couldn't show his displeasure.

"The second?" His brother insisted monotonously, avoiding to say the answer.

"River-pig?"

"And…"

"Yuuki, leave it," he cut, not because he wanted to avoid her the embarrassment, but because he couldn't continue to witness such nonsense.

His brother, surprised, looked at him and he rebuked him, causing him to nod in silence and that the others gave him his full attention, especially Mr. Aihara. Yuuki left with his shoulders down.

"Can I talk to you, Aihara-san?" He asked as before.

The man caught sight of his daughter, narrowed his eyes at him, and sighed, nodding.

"There is no need for them to have privacy, if it is up to us all," her mother interjected, placing a hand on his arm, while having a visual exchange with his father. "Do you agree?"

He snorted but waited for the answer from the older man, who shrugged. Kotoko didn't know where to put the face of the discomfort and his father looked nervous.

They all went into the living room, at the suggestion of their mother.

"Sir, yesterday a complication arose," he said when they were comfortable, beginning the speech he thought the day before. "I accept the guilt and I promise to fix it. First I would like to apologize for not having consulted you before and let you come here tonight without full knowledge of the facts. Kotoko and I are getting acquainted and I know it is inappropriate to think that you can live at home if we go out together, but I do not want you to reject my father's offer because of me. Yesterday my father communicated his invitation, and because I was not sincere in advance, they ignored my relationship with your daughter." He stood up and bowed his head. "I offer you my respect and my sincere regret. I would like to ask permission to stay with her and accept you to remain in our house; I intend to act honorably."

A few moments passed before the man in front of him cleared his throat.

"I don't know what to say, I didn't expect it. Go back to your place." He did so, and without seeing anyone else, waited for the verdict. "You seem to be a good, young man, and you are the son of Iri-chan. Besides, your parents trust you." The man looked away and looked at his daughter, sitting next to him, her eyes lowered. "But Kotoko… I guess you're special because there's never been anyone before. You do know how she is, don't you?" Naoki nodded at him briefly, fully aware of what he meant. "She is my only daughter and she is kind, I do not want her to be hurt in the end…"

"I won't do it, sir," he replied without a hint of doubt, seeing no reason why she should be. How would she be hurt by his side? She would be more than benefited by his side. "My intentions are the best."

"Then I will trust you and accept your requests, Naoki-kun. Take care of her."

He inclined his head in gratitude.

"Yes!" Cried his mother at that moment running to embrace Kotoko, as she was holding on to every moment. "My son is very fortunate to have a girlfriend like you," she said with great joy. "I'm so happy to have you as a daughter-in-law."

"Thank you, Ai-chan," his father said.

Kotoko remained silent, but finally looked up and smiled enthusiastically, which he also had to do, with less effusiveness, because he felt satisfied to have achieved his goal. The expressions of pride of his parents assured him the fulfillment of the request of three days ago, whose effects would appear through time.

As always, he had been successful.

"Come on, onii-chan, help Kotoko-chan with her stuff, I'll show you your room."

He sighed and nodded, saying goodbye to the others, following his mother's instructions. She was speaking to her interlocutor, who didn't seem to be able to keep up with the chatter, although she was excited and kind to her. Kotoko was respectful and had immediately gained the sincere affection of his mother.

They fitted perfectly. That, at least, compensated for her lack of intellectual skills.

"Do you like it?" His mother asked, finally remaining silent in the room, which had been transformed at a surprising speed by his mother's work. Now it was a space covered with pink, yellow and purple colors. "I always wanted to have a girl."

"Yes, it's very beautiful. I appreciate it, but I'm sorry for the inconvenience that must have been taken," Kotoko whispered softly caressing a teddy bear on the bed, which she took holding it to her body.

He leaned against the doorframe, seeing that there was no trace of Yuuki's room, and recalling his awful childhood with something similar. He shivered, unable to help himself, folding his arms.

"I'll leave you alone so that Naoki can help you unpack," his mother said with a mischievous smile, giggling. "I have to prepare dinner."

He sighed and went into the room.

"How do you want me to help you?" He questioned, thinking that all she brought was clothing.

"It's okay, I can do it alone, Naoki-kun. I only…" She blushed "…have my clothes."

He shrugged and nodded, turning around to leave the room and finally have time to read in peace.

"I'm sorry I didn't look very smart in front of your parents."

He snorted at himself, as if they cared a lot. They were happier because of her personality and appearance than her brain function, as they took more importance to her photograph than her belonging to Class F, with the exception of Yuuki, who did that scene by such reason.

He looked at her over his shoulder with his hands inside the pockets of his jeans. "You don't have to apologize all the time, it's annoying," he said because he didn't want to hear it constantly. "But… I didn't really think you were so dumb."

Kotoko lowered her head quietly and he left the room closing the door behind him.

"Do not repeat that scene," he muttered as he crossed paths with his brother.

It was unpleasant to witness the stupidity of people.

AN: Hi!

You'll be happy to know that, after next chapter, which shows the "list thing", unexpected scenes will come. Take it as... here ends the "introduction" ha,ha,ha. Hope you liked it, and you're free to give me your thoughts.

With love, Karo

Guest: Ups, I'll do my best to fulfill your request; I know how much suffering gives the waiting. Thank you for reading and reviewing.

Claudia: Wou, thanks. I'll finish the story, don't worry. Even if it takes me years (which I hope don't). The original one is finished, with copies in lots of places... ha, ha. You're so nice, saying that Kotoko changes Naoki... until now, anyone have never tell things in that way (more like speaking wrong of him XD). I appreciate your review, and thanks again, for reading.