Chapter 12

A taste of normalcy

Hours later after kissing with Kotoko, and calmer after an infusion of tea and a massage, Naoki found himself sitting on a log in the backyard of the resort center, with his eyes closed, waiting for the fire to be light.

This time he knew he owed an apology to Kotoko, without his mother telling him.

She came to disturb, but she was like that, and who spoke and acted reprehensibly was him, led by thoughts out of place, bordered by irritation and he didn't know what else. Kotoko was too innocent in any case. In addition, because he did not know what led him to be altered when with another woman he would not get the same response. Or it was that, at times, he was susceptible and it affected him, and sometimes it didn't.

It wasn't bad that his body had effects thanks to Kotoko, it would be a good addition for the woman who would have his children, someone he found somehow attracting when he met her. However, that was not the right time for him to react that way towards her, nor to realize a sexual act. Though his mind seemed to show interest in it as if he were to fall into that.

There was also the added temperature and the effects it had on the brain.

It didn't matter. He'd do something to apologize for what happened.

He didn't know if it was the soothing linden tea or the mildness of the night, but he wasn't as affected as in the morning or at noon and he could see the matter more calmed. He would apologize and put aside what happened.

"Onii-chan? Do you know where the pond is?" asked his mother and he briefly stiffened, as if she insinuated something. He'd shoot himself if she was eavesdropping. "Kotoko said she would go for a while and has not returned."

It was that.

He nodded and opened his eyes, meeting his worried mother.

"Can you look for her?"

He responded affirmatively with his head and stood, seeing they were about to light the fire.

His mother gave him a flashlight and he took way to the place where hours earlier happened what he blocked on his mind, using the main road and arriving very fast.

He soon found her, lying on the grass watching the sky.

She blinked when he lighted her, turning in his direction and he saw a slight pinkish tone on her face before she looked back to the sky.

"Naoki-kun," she whispered softly.

He walked up to her and Kotoko made him an indication to sit next to her, acting as if the incident in the afternoon hadn't taken place.

He turned off the flashlight and sat down; thinking that being alone could give him the encouragement to apologize.

"I love shining stars," she spoke, pointing to the starry sky, and he curled a slight smile, looking at her concentrated expression in the corner of his eye, before turning his eyes toward the pond.

It would not do well to tell her that in winter its brightness increased, because she seemed happy with the scene she witnessed.

In the water, he began to see glowing dots, apparently fireflies.

"I wish I could see the stars all the time, that's what I don't like about the city," Kotoko whispered. "I have a small memory of a vacation, I don't know where or how old I was, but all I remember about it is how happy I was watching the sky at night, since I saw the first star appearing and a shooting star."

"Did you make a wish?" he asked, knowing the popular belief about the bright meteors.

Kotoko laughed. "Dunno, I guess so."

She again made silence and it was only heard the sound of grilling; Naoki watched the increasing the number of fireflies dancing on water.

Askance, he looked back to Kotoko, who seemed amazed watching the sky full of constellations. If she knew that in a few hours, at dawn, she could see the familiar and easier to locate Orion constellation, being near the end of August, she would stay there until dawn. Of course, she wouldn't find it or give it a different way, he thought quietly, stifling a laugh.

It was nice to see the expression of happiness she had only by looking at the stars, as if in the world there was nothing better. But Kotoko, he knew, could be content with small things.

Or could exaggerate the big things, unless the deeply wounded her.

She enjoyed the simple.

"Kotoko," he called smoothly and she blinked her big hazel eyes focusing them on his face. He held her by the arm, making her incorporate.

She kept her eyes focused on him.

Naoki nodded to the right, where the pond was.

Kotoko looked up and gasped, which made him suppress a smile. "It's beautiful!" announced her excitedly.

A greater number of fireflies moved over the water and made a light show, mingling with the nocturnal atmosphere with the moon.

He felt Kotoko rested his head on his arm and he sighed, saying nothing, allowing her as the apology he would not give, and because she remained silent, giving him the opportunity to appreciate the scene that Lampyridae insects showed to them with the calm of the night.

He would be there for a moment and then he would tell her to return to where the campfire was.

[...]

The last day of the family holidays, they briefly occupied in visiting the Chuzenji Lake and the Kegon waterfalls, traveling in the aerial lift, which gave them a breathtaking view of the landscape of Nikko.

In addition, they spent time in the Tobu World Square theme park, where they appreciated various miniature reproductions of famous architectural works around the world. There, his mother took thousands of pictures posing with different small sculptures, forcing them to delay before shopping for souvenirs and visiting the amusement park representing the Edo culture that tried to reproduce the life of that time.

Kotoko and Yuuki were who most enjoyed those visits, so that, when they got home, they appeared the most in the photos that his mother showed them on Monday night, the day they recovered energy (though his father and Shigeo-san did not have much chance, resting more on the return trip).

Naoki didn't like to find himself in the perfect picture of his mother, where on the bridge with the sunset behind him, were Kotoko and him; she, showing a rosy face and bright eyes, had him looking at her very carefully, giving an illogical impression. He only saw the braids in her hair that bothered him in the arm.

Fast, Wednesday arrived, in which he found himself in his room putting the pieces of the ship, task interrupted by a knock on the door.

He sigh. His mother or Kotoko.

"Kotoko," he whispered. His mother was calm after their holiday and passed her spare time looking at the pictures. "Go ahead," he said aloud.

The door opened and he heard a few slow steps into the bedroom. By the type of breath, he knew he was right.

"Wow! I never thought you could put together so fast, but you're Naoki-kun," Kotoko said, kneeling beside him and putting her face to the table edge, to watch closely the bottle. "I think I could never do it," she muttered, moving closer her head, tucking between in his arms.

He caught the smell of her, a mix of peach shampoo (no strawberry) and something else.

He rolled his eyes and left the tweezers.

"I think that if you put your mind to it, you could do it even if it takes you years," he muttered while putting her away with his hands on her shoulders.

She gave a low laugh.

"Naoki-kun has faith in me!" she exclaimed, bringing hands together on the side of her face, as did his mother, putting dreamy eyes.

Faith in her? What idiocy was that?

"I state one fact," he argued and made Kotoko blink. "What do you want?" he asked, because she hadn't told why she was there.

"What a girlfriend cannot visit her boyfriend to talk?" she asked, pouting her lips.

"Don't go that way," he muttered, returning to his task. They lived together, visiting was too much. Moreover, that "to talk"… if she was perfectly happy with her monologues that he even didn't have to respond.

"Why?" Kotoko replied with a confused look, which made him roll his eyes.

"What do you want?" He repeated his question, annoyed.

She crossed her arms.

"Talk."

"Have you finished your homework?" He asked, looking closely at the inside of the bottle.

"Yeah, well, I'm done, but I don't know if they are well, "she replied.

He frowned, holding a mast. "Then that's all? I'll review it later," he said so that she went away at once.

"No. I'm bored."

"And you assume that I should entertain you?" The question left his lips cutting, displeased with the idea. Did she see him like what? A clown?

"Nooo." Kotoko sounded like a whiny child.

"So what are you doing here?"

He heard Kotoko grumble something under her breath. "May I see you finish?" She mused later.

Sighing, Naoki looked at her. "You won't do noise?" She bit her lip doubtfully. "It's impossible," he opined.

Kotoko shrugged.

He left the tweezer with the piece and stood, holding her shoulders to push her towards the exit.

"Go out, I want to finish this today," he said, as she stood in the doorway.

Kotoko looked over her shoulder, with a hopeful expression. "Will you show me?"

"Yes," he answered with a sigh, thankful that she set foot outside the room.

He saw her nod and closed the door, back to his chair.

Seconds later, someone called and he let out an exasperated breath.

"Who is it?" He demanded to find out.

The door opened. "It's me," informed Kotoko almost in a whisper.

"Now what?" He said, after releasing the air contained. Since the situation in the pond in Nikko, he had truly proposed to control himself and had to start answering without outbursts, though she made it very difficult.

He turned to Kotoko with an eyebrow raised at her lack of response. She was sitting on Yuuki's bed in the lotus position, with her elbows on her knees.

He took more than a minute looking at her and she uttered no word.

She put her hands as if to pray. "I won't do any noise, I will remain silent, I promise." She raised her right hand in vow and the left moved as if closing a zipper.

Naoki took a deep breath, exhaled, and nodded.

Turning around to finish what he was doing, he surprised himself having a small smile that faded as quickly as he noticed it.

[...]

Naoki placed shaving foam on the little beard he had grown during the week and looked at the bathroom mirror, his neck stretched to shave the hairs reaching the lower part of his face.

He picked up the manual razor he used with the little hair that grew on his face and placed it in position to start shaving.

The door burst open and Naoki hissed, dropping the razor, feeling the tingle on his skin, resulting from the cut. "Onii-chan!" Cried his mother. "I am sorry! I came for the towels; I didn't know there was someone inside."

He cursed the lack of privacy that he sometimes had, and the exaggeration of his mother. In addition, he wondered why he didn't put the latch.

He clenched his teeth seeing a small line crimson arise among the white foam and he bent to wash the wound and pressed his finger to stop the bleeding.

"Dad and Ai-san are about to leave for their meeting," shared his mother and he nodded. While they weren't at home, they had received a mail invitation to a meeting of alumni of the generation of his father and Shigeo-san. They were excited and easily decided to go, even if they had to take another weekend, this time Saturday and Sunday only. "Go downstairs to say by, they leave in twenty minutes."

He again moved his head agreeing; continuing his ongoing activity after locked the door, thinking that when his mother appeared almost magically Kotoko followed him.

Well, he wasn't fair with that, but his girlfriend would barge as his mother.

He quickly concluded. He wiped his face and left the bathroom holding the towel he was using to take it to the laundry room and place it next to the other. He felt the slight discomfort of cut, but at least it had stopped bleeding.

He descended the stairs and saw his father and Shigeo-san were with their bags packed by the door, embracing affectionately to their family members in the form of farewell.

It seemed as if it were a long separation and not a little two days trip, but just they will be that way.

He walked over and nodded to both adults. "Good trip," he stated without giving many words.

Both expressed their gratitude, and then they changed their shoes. Promptly, the luggage was taken.

"See ya, family!" They shouted in unison and walked out the door, to take the taxi, which was at the entrance of the house.

His mother closed and the phone sounded.

He retired to the laundry room to leave the towel on the machine and press the button to start the cycle.

Returning on his way, intending to go upstairs and retreat to his room, taking advantage of Saturday of no training with Kotoko, he found the shocked faces of her and his mother, although the latter would not describe it as emotional and genuine as his girlfriend.

"Oh, Onii-chan! A tragedy has occurred! My mother's dog is lost and she's inconsolable," his mother said bringing her hands to her chest and he thought that animal, Chibi (which his brother graciously gave its name), must have gone to do his business and took its time return because of its idleness. "I'm afraid she'll get sick with worry."

"Oba-sama," Kotoko whispered, placing a hand on his mother's arm as support.

Naoki could understand the exaltation of his mother, her grandmother loved that dog, whom she had for some little time, and if she thought something was wrong with him, she would not live in peace. Even if he died, he had the impression she would follow him.

"I'll go see her!" Suddenly exclaimed his mother, separating from Kotoko. "I have to help her find him!" She used like excuse.

"Find who?" Yuuki asked, coming out of the kitchen with a cookie in hand.

" Chibi," his mother said, going to hold him by the wrist. "You must come with me."

Yuuki stopped with the cookie on its way to his mouth.

"He got lost?" he asked with a sorrowful tone.

"Yes, we have to go with grandma. Let's pack." With her instruction, she headed for the stairs, with a solicitous Yuuki, who was trying to bring cookie into his mouth, without success.

Naoki narrowed his eyes, not liking the slight suspicion that peeked his head. With the large number of people in his mother's family house, it seemed silly to go just for fetching an animal. Clearly, she intended to leave them alone.

Kotoko pushed him toward the stairs. "Go to pack, Naoki-kun."

His mother stopped in the middle of the stairs and released Yuuki, who finally could eat his cookie. She waved her hands. "Oh no!" She rejected it with a gesture. It looked like she had forgotten the concern she had in mind.

Sure, believed Naoki sarcastically, he knew what she was doing.

"Someone has to look after the house," she said. And he didn't know whether Kotoko came to reach an understanding that last week was unoccupied. "The clothes are in the washer," she added.

"I'll stay, oba-sama, it is also the grandmother of Naoki-kun, he should be there," his girlfriend replied.

Oh, she was so innocent.

"No, no." His mother shook her head as if that were unthinkable. He thought, briefly, that at their return they could find the site burned. She attracted misfortunes. "A nice young lady cannot stay alone, it's dangerous. You and onii-chan will stay to look after the house; he will keep you company and take care of you."

To the last, he could agree; Kotoko was not able to take care of the whole house.

However, the look that his mother to his girlfriend, who tilted her head with a confused face was irritating. Also incredible, but at that point, the woman who gave him life didn't surprise him.

His eyelid twitched.

She hinted what they could do alone at home. And he, being angry with what he proposed his mother, who had flown upstairs, would have worried about having to share a roof with Kotoko, without the company of adults, taking into account the results that had happened in their past meetings and how foolish turned his body to being controlled.

It seemed insulting that his mother would meddle in his life that way.

Although, it was funny to think of Kotoko trying to seduce him. If he thought she had that mentality, beyond her air head. She was too naïve for that, and he was circumspect, even he was surprised that his thoughts—and acts—lately were directed towards such issues when his girlfriend's behavior was all innocence.

Very fast, as if his mother had listed the bag before—what was very probably—, she descended the stairs, with Yuuki behind, carrying a bag on his back, dressed to go out.

"You're very quick when you try, oba-sama," Kotoko said and Naoki felt he could be face to face against the ground.

With her, credulity knew no bounds. It was impossible not to smell something fishy in all that; but, well, he could read beyond his mother schemes and knew her longer, and Kotoko was not very perceptive.

"I saved things in the suitcase very fast, is a good thing I had it out for last weekend," said his mother, and Kotoko and he followed with Yuuki to the front door, forcing them to say goodbye for the second time on day. "I'll call Dad; you don't have to bother if you're busy." Naoki pressed his lips into a line. His mother coughed. "Or if you are going out."

Of course, her hopes revolved around that first one.

"Don't worry oba-sama. Concentrate on helping your okaa-san," Kotoko whispered with a smile of kindness.

"Kotoko-chan, you're the best!" His mother cried, hugging her. "I'll try to call to tell you when we find Chibi and say when we return. Should not be beyond Sunday, Yuuki has school."

Naoki rolled his eyes, as if she cared that much of it at the time.

"See you!" He dismissed his mother before leaving the house with Yuuki.

"I hope your obaa-san and Chibi are well," Kotoko murmured after closing the door.

"I'm sure they are," he said with a hint of sarcasm.

His girlfriend looked at him with bright eyes.

"Yey! Always positive!" She said with a hand up and he almost slapped her on the forehead.

But, why did he bother? That was Kotoko.

"Have you improved in the kitchen?" he asked, going to the practical things.

Kotoko wrinkled her mouth. "Oba-sama says that rice tastes better."

He thought about calling for food, but two days were not a considerable option. Perhaps the next day.

He didn't have great activities in the afternoon, and he wanted something edible, so he'd use one of the books of his mother.

"At five we'll prepare dinner," he announced to Kotoko and went upstairs. "Don't forget what is in the washing machine."

He heard her scream a yes from the lower floor.

[...]

Almost to the quoted time with Kotoko in the kitchen, the house was very quiet and strange for Naoki, being aware of her presence there. Would she have gone out without saying anything? Or, worse, something would have happened because of her clumsiness?

Either potential had problems involved, whether it was not knowing if she would eat at home… or she had an accident.

Naoki wondered what he was still doing in his room and stood, if it could be the latter.

He left his room and went to the door of Kotoko, to whom he called softly. Seconds later, with no response, he opened.

The bedroom was empty. A site less.

Before going down, he repeated the action in the bathroom and got the same result.

On the lower level, he didn't find her in the living room, the kitchen or the laundry room, and there was no note nor he had received notification on his mobile phone, and she would have gone to tell him personally—one of her excuses to see him.

As a last resort was the back of the house and he went there.

When he opened, his face was hit with the warm air and the sound of the singing voice of Kotoko.

Well, dinner for two, problem solved.

"Oba-sama forgot to water them in the morning and the heat is intense, we must take care of them or they'd die," said Kotoko, who was facing away from him, next to his mother's flowers, that she was watering.

"You should protect yourself from the sun," he recommended aloud and she turned with a smile.

"Naoki-kun. Yes! But I'm almost done." He saw her putting a hand on her forehead to cover her eyes from the sun. "Already five o'clock?"

"It is close," he said turning away. "Don't overexposure to the sun."

"I'll enter soon," she answered and he went inside, to the kitchen.

Being there, he opened a drawer and, randomly, he pulled out one of the books of his mother; as far as he knew, the ones at hand were used with Kotoko, the simplest recipes.

He hadn't cooked in his life, but it shouldn't be difficult to follow instructions.

Seeing that the beef was defrosted, he sought to prepare a recipe with a sweet and sour flavor, accompanied by vegetables and rice.

After finishing his reading, he heard Kotoko into the kitchen. He handed her the recipe book, then put on an apron.

"That will do," he said and took action to get the ingredients and start preparing.

While she had time to read, he enlisted the meat for cooking, marinating, and started cutting vegetables.

"Start with the rice," he instructed her, when he saw her eyes on him, shining with wonder. "And do not be distracted."

"Yes," she whispered, shaking her head.

Naoki kept his focus on what he was doing, following the instructions to the letter, stewing meat and tending the vegetables cook well.

"You're very good at this. Did you cook often?" Noted his girlfriend. He denied, giving a brief look at her rice, emitting a sound.

"It is the first time I do it."

"Wow! Again you prove you're a genius." He snorted. Continually she told him that.

"You just must follow the instructions," he replied, as if nothing. "Check the rice; it sounds as if sticking to the pot."

Kotoko nodded and he made him a space at the stove, as he was doing several times.

At that rate, time later, the food was ready, and they found themselves at the table.

"It looks like the book," Kotoko said with an astonished voice, before trying what he did. "And it tastes delicious."

He just ate quietly. While eating rice he realized that she had made notable improvements than the first time he tasted something of hers, although portions were more fried and salt was missing.

"It looks like…" He looked to hear her and raised an eyebrow, but she blushed "Nothing. I'll do the dishes."

He shrugged and continued eating.

[...]

Unable to sleep, Naoki was with his eyes closed in bed, having what others might call mind blank. He waited for sleep to come, relaxing the body.

Only rarely had had difficulty falling asleep, and it was from the change in his life that he could not.

He felt concern, perhaps.

He was dozing when he heard a noise in the room. He tensed at the unintelligible murmur of Kotoko, who walked in the bedroom. He looked through the cracks of his eyes and caught the lighting of a lantern in the hand of his girlfriend, dressed in pajamas, who was walking near the bookcase.

He was curious about what she wanted.

If he had not reviewed the homework of Kotoko, he would have assumed she was after his notes, but he could not think what could he have that she wanted and had to sneak into his bedroom.

She met Yuuki's diary and began to watch him, illuminating their pages.

"That boy," she muttered and he saw her looking for something with one hand while still leafing through with the other. "Oh, I cannot, in the end, is not so bad," she resolved. "Though… I could leave you my opinion and my signature."

"What are you doing here?" he asked before he put a shameful note full of misspellings, ruining the impeccable work of his brother.

"Hey, Naoki-kun! I woke you up!" Kotoko said, starting to shake. The lantern fell and he stood.

"With what permission you get in?"

"Heh, heh," she blurted.

"And what you intended?" he asked, approaching her to within a foot away, overlooking half her face in the gloom.

"I came… uh, no… It is… to… you…" she stammered.

Naoki leaned his face, amused by her nervousness. "What are you looking for?"

"You… uh… me."

He put his face to her neck and she tilted her head. It him his squarely the smell of her hair, without touching it. He was in control the whole time with the image of his mother waiting for exactly a scene like that... He wouldn't give her satisfaction. "For me?" he asked, quietly. "What did you have in mind?"

He grabbed her arm and she fell on the bed, under his body, staying over her without making contact between the two.

"Perhaps it was this?" he whispered, seeing in the gloom how her orbs increased their size, while she swallowed.

The image of his mother was present in his consciousness.

Kotoko lips parted. "Yes?" he asked, before clenching when she moistened the lower one with her tongue and then bitted it. He should put an end that stupid game, which could betray him and even the thoughts of his mother wouldn't serve him to stop, having her so ready. With his way of thinking and acting in recent times, it was dangerous. "What exactly did you come?"

"I... uh… not to do this…" she whispered. "But I'm not sure… now… you and I… they say it hur… Uh… What are you thinking?"

Naoki turned away, starting to laugh as ever, funny, comfortable to know that she could have that kind of thinking, even being really innocent. It was a relief that he wasn't the one in he place, with a shamed face and conscience to take things to another level.

"I…" Kotoko lowered her sight, entertaining him the knowledge of how she felt.

The prior times certainly were worthy of that moment. He could finally see with amusement how he reacted and consider it as a natural fact. It could be normal for someone his age and he had been really affected.

His laughter subsided and he looked at Kotoko. Because of her, in certain moments, he had experienced being a normal teenager. And, far from bothering him, he felt it like a discovery. A new experience.

"What are you doing here, Kotoko?" He asked without animosity.

"I was looking my love letter to make an album that I was going to teach later," she confessed and he sighed.

She would always be a romantic.

He got up from the bed and went to a thick folder on the bookcase, where he kept diplomas and papers they gave him; a premonition told him that he should save the letter.

He found it in its protected paper and extracted it, giving it to her.

She accepted it with a smile, already standing. Then she pointed to the folder.

"May I see what's inside?"

He shrugged.

"Take it back later and not the spill anything on it," he requested and she hugged it to her chest.

"Good night, Naoki-kun," she whispered her near to the door.

"Good night, Kotoko."

AN: Poor Naoki. Kotoko is doing her work on his heart ha,ha.

Love, Karo

Guest1: Ha,ha, you'll have to guess, Kotoko's POV will remain in darkness. Yes, Naoki is falling for her and he don't notice it. We're close to that. Thanks for the comment.

Guest2: He, he, right now they won't go further, wait for it in the future :D - There will be more jealousy from him and you'll enjoy it ha,ha. I like when he loses his character. Thanks for r&r.

Guest3: Yeah. I know how it feels when a story its unfinished, but this will have its end published. I have 24 chapters to do in what's left of the year ha,ha. I appreciate your opinion, thanks.