Chapter 11
In the oven... of summer?
"KOTOKO-CHAN!"
Naoki tensed after hearing the call of his mother, feeling annoyed internally. Kotoko, meanwhile, blinked repeatedly until her eyes opened astonished, with half her face flushed.
Their lips, which were united, separated, and the two stared each other for a few seconds.
"I have to go!" She pulled away with an alarmed expression. "Oba-sama wants me to help her with the dinner!" She told him and he saw her moving her hands and eyes desperately like she was debating between staying in the room or accompanying his mother. "Now that I'll no longer work in the afternoons, she wants me to help her in what's left of vacation… I should have heard Kin-chan and continue in the restaurant where we worked, but it was very tiring and I wanted to have time to see you… and I got the money I needed. I think he doesn't, but I've seen him more this summer than you and…"
"Go," he growled, cutting her to not let her speak her thoughts aloud as she had offered him the information he wanted.
She nodded and went like lightning out off the room, as his mother called again.
He was left thinking, not understanding why he was frustrated… if he preferred to be alone and not have her pestering, taking his time. He didn't know why he felt the inclination to kiss her; momentarily a thought of thanking her that way passed his mind, but then he could only see her eager face and he acted that way.
Irksome. That Kotoko had given him that gift, thought specifically for him (meaning she paid attention to his activities), and what she had done to buy it, caused that brief moment of confusion.
He shrugged trying to take off that feeling inside and reflected about what she had said.
She spent those afternoons working to get the money to buy him a gift. Apparently, Ikezawa was also on the same place and therefore they concurred at those hours; he understood that he accompanied at nights. In addition, the loud-mouthed took advantage of every moment to do his "tricks" and disrupt his plans, in order to fulfill what he had seen in his notebook, to have Kotoko.
It was unlucky for Ikezawa that Kotoko preferred him and that he acted first, with his own purposes for her. She was well attached to his family and his lifestyle, what he wanted.
He snorted and slapped his palm to his forehead because he deserved it.
He had thought like an idiot.
All because he had seen how his plans were in danger.
For a while, he had forgotten that the Kotoko was in love with him, so the dumb could not take the girlfriend he had chosen and that was secure in his life.
He sighed of relief, Kotoko kept eating out of his hand. Nevertheless, he should take special care of Ikezawa, who insisted on ruining his plans, all to attract his girlfriend.
He should have a serious talk with him and put a stop to his tricks, but he was afraid that it didn't make sense thanks to his idiocy; exchanges in the past with Ikezawa had not done much to stop it. Yes, he would only remain attentive.
This time Kotoko was not the problem. It was the other who meddled in their lives and in his plans.
He gave another sigh and turned in his chair to watch the gift from Kotoko. Watching it and knowing what it meant caused him satisfaction and other undefine sensation, but he stayed with the first, conveniently.
[...]
Tuesday at midafternoon, after the withdrawal of Kotoko from his room, to correct the problems that she had wrong, Naoki found himself placing a piece on the stern of the ship that began to take shape at the bottom of the bottle.
His brother watched him with great interest, from his bed, lying face down and leaning on the palms of his hands.
"Onii-chan, when did you buy it?" His mother's voice almost distracted him by her sudden appearance, but he sighed and managed to balance his hand.
"Kotoko," he said, ending with that piece and moving away from the table.
He turned in his chair and faced his mother.
"She worked, and with the money she gave it to oniichan," explained his brother, who had specifically written in his diary, with some favorable notes.
Yuuki still bothered her, but he did it with fun, not in a disdainful way, as it was before.
"Oh, wow!" His mother clasped both hands and took them to the side of her face, in an adoringly way. "That's why she worked so hard these weeks and had to bear with his admirer, who thinks that can compete against oniichan."
Naoki rolled his eyes.
"It's an expensive gift," his mother remarked aloud, sharing the opinion that he had and that strange feeling grew inside of him, returning when he was near the ship. "Kotoko-chan is a wonderful girlfriend!"
He was not in the mood to listen to his mother flattering her. "What do you need, okaa-san?" He asked curtly and she blinked before smiling widely.
"When did you end your tennis training?" She asked.
"Tomorrow."
"Perfect!" she exclaimed. "You're the only missing."
He did not even bother to ask what idea she had now; she would say it.
"We'll have a family vacation!" she announced encouraged. "The parents can take a few days off and neither you nor Kotoko-chan have other plans, and she and her father have not been there. We'll go the weekend near Nikko, there will be spas, temples, lakes and we will be in cabins, and will campfire at night. We'll have fun!"
Yuuki incorporated seemed excited about the trip. Naoki shrugged, he knew that when his mother had already put an idea in her mind, contradicting her the same as having her insistence.
In addition, the time that they were there was less than one day, because his father had an emergency in his word, and there wasn't another chance to go there.
"Okay," he mumbled after a few seconds and went back to his activity.
[...]
On Friday, at the transport, Yuuki and Kotoko had seemed like two excited children looking through the window of the train, but now they looked much worse than that, as the place's manager was leading the six to family cabins at the resort. His mother had found, with little time—if she didn't have months planning—the perfect place, the biggest of the cabins, with three bedrooms.
Kotoko and his brother, and he and Shigeo-san, would share a bedroom, the most acceptable way for them; surely her mother couldn't convince Kotoko's father, or it was him who had bad thoughts of her dark ways of proceeding.
He admitted that the place was not bad and was a nice in that year, in which summer temperatures in the city had increased greatly, becoming unbearable the time (the product of environmental changes, without doubts, certainly caused by the hands of unconscious humans).
The resort was in a mountainous area, surrounded by trees and aquifers, which made a beautiful picture to the eye of the observer. The wooden huts, with traditional Japanese appearance, properly mixed with the environment, getting lost with its green, brown and cream colors, between the trees of the landscape. Animal life in the form of birds, fish and small mammals, also excelled.
…and the air was purer than in the city.
They were not far from the center of Nikko, but it was different being in the middle of a natural environment.
"Let your belongings because we will leave," his mother instructed with great enthusiasm. "We'll take the bus to visit the Toshogu Shrine during daylight, we'll cross the Shinkyo bridge, and at night we'll enjoy the hot springs. Isn't it great?"
All, except for Naoki, nodded. He sighed. The thoughts of his mother for going to a quiet place to relax, it was that, make them go everywhere. Nor was it that he would be all locked in the cabin all those days, when around promised to be nice enough to hang out, even with the slight feeling of warmth.
Maybe tomorrow he would take a solitary break and enjoy the tranquility that could provide the small forest and the nearby pond, that the manager, while showing them the map, revealed as the less crowded place in there, as tourists preferred to visit the lakes around.
That way it would be a good trip to relax. No mother and girlfriend following him.
He carried his small bag into the room and let Shigeo-san chose the bed he wanted, which was the farthest from the window.
In the bedroom, there were two twin beds of a single size, with sheets of a clear shade of blue. Also, there was a small closet and a nightstand between the beds, on which there was a lamp.
There was no table or chair because they were in the living room outside, where there was an armchair and two sofas in front of a fireplace that was to be used in winter.
That time, the bathroom would be shared among the six. It'd be troublesome.
"Naoki," spoke Shigeo-san.
"Yes?" he asked, turning to him, after taking a shirt from his bag to hang in the closet and not wrinkle it more.
"I wanted to talk to you alone." Shigeo-san sat on the bed and Naoki chose mimicked in his. Then he nodded. "I wish to thank you for the good man you've been with Kotoko," he said in a formal tone. Then he smiled and scratched his nape. "I confess that, at first, I had my suspicions about living where my daughter's boyfriend lived." It was understandable. "But I verified what I said, you seemed a good boy, and being with you has influenced Kotoko favorably."
Shigeo-san sighed.
"I never thought she would choose a proper boyfriend so I was surprised." Naoki thought she could be very sharp in that respect, although he had more to do in beginning the relationship, his intentions mere practicalities to his benefit… Well, good for her, too… Besides, it had granted her whom she admired.
She won a lot with him.
"I was afraid that the friend of Kotoko, Kin-chan, who visited us when we moved, was the kind of guy that she will choose; she is, well," he cleared his throat, "you know how." Both laughed softly. "And that guy is like Kotoko and my daughter needed to know someone more serious, who also cares for her. I wouldn't have opposed to what she had chosen, if it gave her happiness, as long as he was acceptable; but I'm glad it's you. As long as you want, of course," Shigeo-san added at the end, because it seemed like giving him her hand in marriage.
If his mother was worse and she did not hide it, he had no reason to feel ashamed.
Naoki smiled slightly at his father-in-law; he liked the man.
"Oji-san, I have no fleeting intentions with Kotoko," he answered sincerely.
Shigeo-san opened his eyes a little more for a second and then nodded, standing up and patting him on the shoulder.
"Come on, surely they are waiting," he said.
Both went off the room.
Naoki felt that something important had transpired at that time, which he failed to define exactly. Perhaps it was the clarification to Shigeo-san of their future union.
But he knew that his words were true; he had had the opportunity to see how it could be with both of them in his family, after four months of living together. Stupid or not, Kotoko had been a good choice to achieve the task that his father gave him and, with Shigeo-san, they were a good addition to the Irie family. His mother had said the right thing when describing those days as a family holiday.
[...]
Later, they had already spent time touring the Toshogu Shrine, a jewel of Japanese architecture, with its gold, its impressive panels, and its numerous sculptures, among which were the "Three Wise Monkeys"*. They also briefly toured the Futarasan shrine and the Taiyuin mausoleum, near the principal one; took their lunch at one of the local restaurants and paid their respects at the temple.
At the current time, they were on the Shinkyo bridge with his red majesty, representing the "two snakes" that had served the hermit to cross the Daiya river, divider of the two fields in the area. He had read the information in the brochures, and his mother repeated aloud in their journey.
"Onii-chan, pose for the photo. Smile!" Asked his mother, while in the middle of the bridge, where she made Kotoko and him be located, with the setting sun behind them. "I want a perfect romantic photograph of you two!" she said before pressing the camera button countless times. "Onii-chan, smile! Kotoko-chan, you're perfect!" He felt her laugh as he held by the shoulders, something he was doing by a demand (and threat) of his mother; he couldn't deny, with his family watching him.
At that time, his father went to talk to his wife in the ear, interrupting her session. He busied himself looking down and watched Kotoko, who during the day had behaved with her usual daydreams, showing her childish attitudes sometimes, even when his mother tried to buy clothes for her that made her look older.
She had a white dress with a rounded form in her bust, and a pink ribbon below, adjusting the garment beneath her breasts, falling freely to the knee, allowing the skirt to move with the air. Kotoko used a hat and he could not see well her face, but from the sides of her were visible two long braids, that fell on her collarbones and between moments tickled his bare arm, as he had a short-sleeved shirt.
He heard the sound of the camera from his mother and looked to the front. "I have the perfect shot!" She released her with a shriek, and Naoki felt his eyelid tremble. "Now, let's stand together for a family photograph and then we'll have individuals."
His mother asked a young tourist, of a western appereance, to take a couple of pictures of all them. The guy nodded, responding in the same English used by his mother.
"A nice family," said the guy at the end, giving a look at Kotoko with his blue eyes. "A beautiful and lovely daughter," he added and left to go with his group of friends.
Naoki could see that Kotoko, having improved her language skills, thanks to him, blushed.
"A very nice Englishman," judged his mother, deciding his nationality by his British accent.
Nice. Sure, he thought, sarcastic.
His mother continued to make photographs to the others until she said it was time to return, to enjoy the hot springs.
[...]
The next morning, Saturday, Naoki wasn't in a good mood, though it would have been expected after the soothing waters. Although the areas where they bathed were separated, his mother took care of irritating his relaxing bath, while the other men had retreated to the cabin, using exhaustion as an excuse.
Somehow, his mother had known, behind the wall separating the spring for men and women, that only he was there.
While he wanted to relax, she said in a loudly voice, that he wanted to ignore and really tried, about the generous attributes she saw of Kotoko, and how lucky was her oniichan to see them, even with the moans of embarrassment of the girl. She had given a somewhat detailed description; size, shape, and color, that his mind caught—though he refused to, and, to his misfortune, he wouldn't be able to forget—before giving up and deciding to retire.
His mother encouraged his thoughts and a part of his mind that he had believed in control after the incident with the condom, making him feel an uncomfortable way, with a pure innuendo. And that was illogical and stupid. She ruined his chance to sleep since his head hit the pillow, delaying his sleep until exhaustion and distraction—that he got from Shigeo-san snoring—were stronger.
"It looks like oniichan's bed wasn't very comfortable for sleeping."
His mother's comment, probably due to the dark bags under his eyes, made him frown, without even looking at her. She was with her father at the roundtable, to her right was Yuuki and then Kotoko.
"That's strange, my bed was very nice," Shigeo-san, on his left, said, after all thanked for breakfast.
"Mine too, I slept quietly," remarked Kotoko, who he wanted to avoid, like his mother. It was bad having her at his side. "I slept like a baby."
"Snoring like an ogre," pointed out Yuuki, with an amused grin. "And drooling."
"I don't snore!" Kotoko replied, ignoring the other charge; maybe it was true or she didn't hear it.
"And you talk while you sleep," his brother added, laughing. Naoki rolled his eyes, while the others laughed by the fraternal fight, as his mother called it.
He had the impression that his brother put a lot of interest in her.
Yuuki paused his laughter. "You said…" He laughed. "Naoki-kun, please! It will be fun."
He tensed in through the bite; the last thing he wanted to hear were suggestive phrases, although others it would cause laughter. As he hadn't slept well, he was not in his five senses.
"Hey, you don't have to repeat everything!" Kotoko complained shaking his brother, who was still laughing. "I didn't spy while you slept."
"Because just entering the room you threw yourself to the bed in those small pajamas you bought in the girl section."
Naoki gritted his teeth.
"Yuuki!" Kotoko screeched, the other diners in the restaurant turned toward the scandal that she did, making her shrink in her seat. "Take that back," she threatened looking at Yuuki with narrowed eyes.
Adults did nothing to intervene.
"No, you didn't let me sleep". Yuuki stuck his tongue out at his girlfriend, who raised her fist.
"You're a liar, you don't have a lack of sleep face," Kotoko growled, approaching his ototo to tickle him, in a childish attitude.
"End your breakfast, children," his mother interfered, "we have a big day ahead. Today we'll tour the Yunoko lake, we'll fish and explore, and at evening we'll do a campfire," she shared her plans. "Tomorrow we'll use the aerial lift to see the Chuzenji Lake and the Waterfalls, we'll go to Tobu and Edomura parks, and we'll buy at the end," she finished.
Kotoko and Yuuki nodded and returned to their food.
Naoki did not feel like going to the lake at that time or for an adventurous walk. "I'll join at night at the campfire," he whispered, with some regret for going away, but if he went, it would be worse, because he would be a bad company.
"Onii-chan?" His mother asked in a quiet tone.
"I have other plans," he explained, "I want to walk around and rest for a while."
His mother's eyes twinkled and she nodded. Maybe if he wasn't so angry, he would have thought about her lack of insistence.
[...]
Naoki walked enjoying the calm green foliage around him, calculating in his mind the distance, watching his surroundings to get to the pool and sit for a while to relax near the shore.
It was quiet being alone, without tedious and unwelcome presences in the periphery, breathing the air with the scent of pine, spruce, and holly, and being with light clothes in the heat, not sticky, but noticeable, that was in the environment.
He had been resting in the bedroom for a while and then had decided to leave, which proved to be a good idea; and now that he was going to the pond, he hoped to meet some vegetable or interesting animal species around, that he saw in the botany book at the main lobby of the complex.
He heard a sound of moving leaves and wondered if there was any prowling rodent, looking in the bushes. Premeditatedly, he had used a path in the woods to go to the pond, rather than the main road. By asking, the workers said it was okay because it was impossible to get lost out there. But, anyway, it was good to warn them to take him into account.
Neither was possible to visit the place in circles, broadleaf deciduous and evergreen conifers could be distinguished with their leafy tops and different wooden textures, as well as plants and flowers on the floor that did not follow the same pattern. Some idiot will probably lose if he was too distracted, but by wandering he would reach the main road and would be located.
He reached the almost eight hundred meters that separated his cabin from the pond and saw that at two steps there was a slight slope; he already distinguished the shine crystal water with the reflection of the sun, which poked out through the trees surrounding the pond (that gave shading to the shore), and kept the water temperature cool. He stepped carefully at the beginning of the slope, not mentioned by the manager, to whom he would tell when he saw him, to warn another that mimicked his initiative.
He had to descend attentively.
"Naoki-kun!" He was startled to hear on his back the shrill voice of Kotoko and somehow—or the clumsiness of her—he found himself rolling in what was left of the slope, unable to stop, with the body of his girlfriend rolling with him.
He made an attempt to put his hands, but Kotoko pushed him accidentally, directing him to the water.
He barely closed his eyes.
He immersed himself in warm water and his hands touched the bottom of the ground without difficulty, making easier to kneel on the area to spit out some of the water that entered his mouth, of a not very pleasant taste.
He was moving his hair away from his forehead when he heard the whining of Kotoko.
"Naoki-kun! I can not! Save me!" He stood up quickly, the water reaching to just below the knees and he looked for her, thinking she was in danger for some aquatic plant. But he saw her a little away from him—he didn't ask himself how she got there—, slapping and kicking ridiculously, without remembering that she knew how to swim.
He wrinkled his nose. Because of that silly, he had soaked. And what the hell was she doing there?! Why, dammit, did she follow him?!
Couldn't she give him a moment of peace?
"Moron!" he shouted, and she stopped moving. "You can stand up!" He snapped taking a step towards her, wanting to shake her body. He wanted to lay hands on her shoulders and shake her until she could learn to leave him alone, to not get into his affairs or interfere in his thoughts.
She stiffened in the water, which came halfway out of her belly, and took two steps to him, stopping when she looked into his eyes.
He watched her feeling irritation and looked down at the shoulders he wanted to shake, in which he put his hands, but he saw something that caught his attention, preventing him from moving her as he wanted.
The yellow sleeveless blouse she was wearing clung to her like a second skin, and the water had made it transparent to the point he noted two erect tips in her front, that he perceived, feeling a sudden anger, weren't covered by the protection of a bra.
That unconscious woman.
A flame was lit in his head and he clenched his teeth at the stupidity of her. "Naoki-kun!" She shifted her shoulders as if she felt uncomfortable and he realized he was pressing his hands, he also saw that her torso made other movements attractive to his eyes.
Without much thought, he brought his mouth to hers, to punish her with a kiss led by the thoughts that arose from thinking what her unconsciousness could incite the other visitors… one of the the Englishman that looked at her with appreciation the day before.
His girlfriend should learn to not be exposed to that kind of people.
Kotoko groaned between his body and he pulled her toward him, not knowing what she had that his lips moved less rapidly and furious, moving over hers in a way that came right to the warmth he felt in the atmosphere.
Naoki tilted his face to the right and an impulse led him to open her mouth to bring out his tongue and touch the lips of Kotoko, who opened her cavity and gave him the opportunity to touch the moisture of her tongue.
He shivered and felt the sting of his conscience calling.
He separated from her, disgusted with himself, and looked at Kotoko with disdain.
He put distance between the two and removed upper shirt he was carrying, over a white one. It was wet, but it would cover her from prying eyes until they reached the cabin.
"Cover yourself!" He roared holding out his shirt and turned to go to the shore. "What are you waiting for?!" he blurted when he heard she wasn't following him. He wouldn't look at her. "Don't stay behind, you'll miss!"
She, again, had come to ruin his precious peace.
Only, this time, he was amazed at his huge reaction to it.
A fiery kiss.
* The monkeys that Don't See, Don't Hear, Don't Speak.
AN: Hi again!
Last chapter was already done, so I started with this.
Naoki is kind of possesive in the last part, but even if I don't like it, I had to occur.
Well, see you soon!
With love, Karo.