Chapter 16

There are worthwhile battles

"¡Kin-chan!"

Naoki left the room after hearing the astonished voice of Kotoko.

Leaving the study, he almost crashed into his wide-eyed mother, before she rushed towards the entrance of the house, with them following her at a slower pace. Maybe she was wasting her time listening behind the door.

"Hello, Mrs. Irie! I brought something special, Kotoko."

Arriving where the noisy guy was, with Kotoko and his mother, he also saw Yuuki, which scowled at the newcomer. Ikezawa was dressed in school uniform and carried several bentos.

"What you got there, Kin-chan?" Kotoko asked, pointing Ikezawa packages.

"I have to go, Irie-san," said Koujiro, attracting the attention of others. Thanks for welcoming me, Irie-san," she added going to the door; therefore, to his mother. "See you later, Kotoko-san. Yuuki-kun. Kotoko-san's friend."

"See you, Rinko-san!" Kotoko dismissed waving her hands before returning her sight to Ikezawa. "Kin-chan? Come in."

Naoki rolled his eyes with the obvious interest showed by the guy, asking permission from his mother to go to the dining room, even ignoring his presence.

Curiosity got the better of him, so he followed, watching Ikezawa take two bento boxes and place them on the table.

"I've been practicing on my okonomiyaki and takoyaki versions of the typical foods of Kansai, and I want my friends to be the first to try them. You, Kotoko, are the first one," explained the boy from F in good spirits, opening one of the bento boxes, presenting the ball-shaped octopus snacks and the seasoned batter that, Naoki had to admit to himself, looked appetizing… not as Kotoko's attempts in the kitchen.

Ikezawa presented cased chopsticks to his girlfriend, who looked amazed at the food… of course, that besotted her. Then, the loud-mouthed guy reached for another of his packages.

"As I came to your place, also I have something for you," Ikezawa handed his mother a bento box, which she accepted wide-eyed, "but Kotoko has the honor to taste my food first. Come on, Kotoko."

Why did she have to be the first? Oh, yes, his infatuation for Kotoko, he thought with disgust.

His mother carefully placed the bento box on the dining table, while Kotoko nodded with a big smile.

"Thanks for the food!" said his girlfriend too happily, according to Naoki, before she picked up one of the balls and took it to her mouth.

He saw the expectant expressions of others, mainly from the idiot, who jigged out excited in his place awaiting the verdict of his girlfriend, whose face turned to ecstasy, her eyes shining with a huge smile that swell both of her cheeks.

"Delicious! Kin-chan, your food is very good!" Kotoko exclaimed, jumping in her seat and clapping with much encouragement. "Naoki-kun, oba-sama, Yuuki-kun, you have to try this! It's marvelous!"

She stopped and he watched her try the other food prepared by the now stunned Ikezawa.

"It's a honor, Kin-chan, to try something so good!"

His mother carefully—and swallowing several times—started opening the package, as Yuuki returned from the kitchen with a set of chopsticks, distributing them for the three. Naoki was about to refuse, but something prompted him to try the food prepared by the noisy guy, while the praises of Kotoko predominated in the dining room.

Yuuki and he shared the same look of disbelief after trying a little, when they felt the explosion of taste in their mouths, highlighting the combination of ingredients and exquisiteness that invaded them with every little hint of flavor that came as chewing, delighting their tongues slowly until they swallowed.

He had to admit that the guy was good at it; he had not eaten food of the same style that had provoked him the same feeling. Kotoko reacted well as she did. If you loved the food, that was a good one.

Without a doubt, there were better than Ikezawa, just at that particular dish he had not encountered one that mimicked it. Although that guy could well spend all his time in the kitchen instead of giving it to school.

"It's amazing," expressed his mother, her hand over her mouth. "Kotoko-chan's friend, this is a great meal."

Kotoko nodded her head repeatedly not stopping her eating.

"Thank you, Mrs. Irie. My dream is to become a great chef and have my own restaurant, and I am preparing to have it," said Ikezawa with fist raised, and then he looked down at Kotoko. "Though I also have another dream." Naoki tensed. "Kotoko, I am happy to know that my first original dish has your approval, now I will go with others." The guy bowed his head and just then, he turned his narrowed eyes to him, moving his mouth to say "demon" without volume, before heading out towards the front door, with the other food packages under his arm.

Naoki followed the path in which he disappeared, through gritted teeth; then he looked back at the table, Yuuki was stealing a little more food, her mother was staring his girlfriend, and this last one was delighting the palate without realizing what was happening around her.

"That boy has a good chance of becoming a great chef," opined his mother.

"Yes," Kotoko said, finishing her meal. "He could become someone famous, his food is delicious. If Dad eats it, he will say it's great. I wish I could cook just a little good as Kin-chan does. I hope he can fulfill his dream. No, I know he will!"

A strange feeling came over Naoki.

That guy was another who had a dream and was much closer to fulfilling his aspirations than him, even when his own abilities far surpassed Ikezawa.

He left the room, nauseating to hear praise from Kotoko about her classmate. To his misfortune, she followed him to his room, picking up the papers in the corner of his desk, the list of careers. All with the B had been exhausted. The summer activities didn't allow them to continue with that, because according to Kotoko he must be present.

Kotoko laughed.

"No, definitely I could not imagine you with a career related to music," she said and Naoki wrinkled his mouth while checking the progress recorded on the CD in the laptop.

He wished Kotoko was outside of the bedroom, with discomfort he felt him inside him, that was worsening seeing her happy. However, he did not tell her to leave because they were still reviewing professions. "Or do you write and sing, Naoki-kun?"

He looked at her with a raised eyebrow; he was not part of those absurdities.

His girlfriend laughed with his hands in her mouth. "There's something you cannot do," she crooned, before crossing out with a pencil the "careers related to music". "Or is that you have not tried?"

"Nor I would," he snapped sourly.

"Will you sing for me?" she asked with a discouraged face.

"No." He snapped again, this time more unfriendly.

She giggled with her head down. "Kin-chan had to restrain himself too." He heard her muttering very low.

Naoki frowned at the mention of the guy. "What?" He said grimly.

"Nothing, I remembered that Kin-chan is very good for cooking, but not for singing," she explained, he saw the shiver that ran through her. "The day of my birthday sang me a very strange song, which he wrote."

Just thinking of Ikezawa doing something like that, a shiver ran through his. If his daily voice was irksome, he singing must be a thousand times worse. In addition, he felt disgusted that the guy was still behind her.

"But he will not work in that, but in the kitchen. You've tried his food, what do you think?" She asked enthusiastically.

"Good," he muttered, wanting to cut his tongue.

"Just fine? If they were the best takoyakis and okonomiyaki I've had in my life! Octopus balls were so delicious, fluffy, and the flavor explode in your mouth… as if…"

"Go away if you're only going to talk about that." He cut abruptly removing the second CD, having it recorded.

"Yes, I'm sorry," Kotoko said. "Next, oh, chef."

"The next one," he demanded.

"But…"

"I'm not interested in the kitchen," he muttered, although it would be satisfactory to pursue it and overcome someone like Ikezawa, only to wipe the smile of complacency with which he left the house after hearing the verdict of Kotoko. But preparing food for others was not something he really considered.

"All right." His girlfriend shrugged. "Chemical Engineer."

He stood, feeling like drinking water, because he felt heat. "Don't you dare touch anything other than the browser," he indicated in dry tone, walking towards the door. "Do you understand?"

"Yes."

He went downstairs and walked into the kitchen, where his mother was preparing dinner, whistling and dancing from side to side. He felt something strange in the stomach at the thought of food, although it was not the same as when he was hungry.

He looked for a glass and filled it with water; he drank slowly.

"Can you ask Kotoko if she wants dinner?" his mother asked, interrupting her humming.

Naoki mouth slightly wrinkled. He put the glass down to answer: "Ikezawa's meal should have left her satisfied." He listened to the very serious tone of voice.

His mother looked at him intently.

"Onii-chan?" she said with a face of doubt.

"What? He said dryly.

"Aren't you…" she mouthed the end in very low volume and he couldn't read her lips.

"What?" he muttered, annoyed that she didn't speak clearly. He knew his face was blank, but his voice reflected his discomfort.

"Jealous," his mother said and he gave her a skeptical look, because of the incredulous nonsense that just came out of her mouth. She was getting worse.

"Don't say nonsense," he stated leaving the kitchen, returning to his room.

"¡Onii-chan!"

He climbed the stairs briskly, ignoring his mother. What she had said was stupid, mostly because you experienced jealousy when you had feelings towards the object or you really care for it. And that was not his case. Why would he be jealous? Of what or whom?

Of Ikezawa Kinnosuke? Of his food? Of his dream?

Moreover, he could not be jealous, serious people like him did not fall into those silly states.

"Satomi! Yes! It was delicious! You also think the same! Kin-chan's takoyakis are the best in the world! Yes! The okonomiyaki was also good, but the takoyakis were better."

He became irritated when opening the door of his bedroom, where Kotoko seemed more interested in the phone than her task.

He walked up to her, who turned as if she felt his presence. "He will have a great future if he tries. Now I have to…"

Naoki barely heard the sound of the mobile phone falling to the floor, with his hands on her neck and her waist, pressing his lips hard to hers, so that Kotoko occupy his mind was on other things, on him. Moreover, to show her what she did not use her phone calls in banalities like that, and concentrate solely on what they were doing, important to him.

But he separated and sat on his chair without understanding why he wanted exactly that.

Starting an internal debate.

[...]

Naoki saw curiously the rolled up paper—almost a meter long—that his mother was carrying on her arm, heading to their study. He was down for a glass of water and she had just crossed on his periphery.

He shrugged, because it had to be another of the issues that were not of his interest, and continued what he would do on the ground floor. It was late and he had not slept at the touch of the pillow, which continuously occurred since his mother say the stupid word "jealousy" and his brain hadn't let him stop thinking of the subject. It was annoying, mainly because an impulse drove him to look for an article on the subject and what he had found had not allowed him to be calm. Let alone when he repeated to himself that he should be aware of not acting that way, because it'd give others a wrong impression.

Jealousy, that was stupid.

Back in the hallway, he heard the voices of his parents, along with Shigeo-san and was surprised that the latter was already at home when he understood that he arrived sometime later. It should be a single event or that Wednesday the restaurant wasn't crowded.

"And this little chamber will be used when they have a baby"! It was the cry of his mother and he frowned, not liking at all the conclusion he was getting in his head.

His brain was not sleep-deprived now, active enough to understand that he should find out what was going on.

His steps led him to studio's door ajar and he opened noiselessly, leaning on the wooden frame.

The three adults, very focused on the table, did not notice his presence. There, he saw the size paper loaded by his mother, in which he saw an architectural blueprint, which increased his suspicion.

"And this would be the Yuuki's room, and the next door would be for the future, although it is a bit early to think about it… hopefully, we will be forced to make another extension of the house in a few years." Naoki felt his right eyelid tremble in response to the words of his mother.

It was incredible, she was thinking about controlling his life, doing things without his knowledge. He knew that Kotoko would be in the future, he had told Shigeo-san and had hinted it to his mother a few months earlier, after the festival, but he still felt amazed by her actions.

"But, Mom, a new floor would be enough room for grandchildren."

"What are you doing?" He asked in feigned calm, entering fully into the room, looking at the plans.

The two older men jumped and put guilty expressions; his mother, well, she only gave him a smile, as if his presence was nothing. He knew she was the only one, even loving him, that went against him, and did a variety of things without caring much of his opinion, if they were related to her romantic purposes. He could cope with her and he knew that sometimes she won because he couldn't oppose his mother.

No wonder he thought he inherited much of his wit and demanding character from her.

"These are the expansion plans of the house when you and Kotoko-chan are married," explained his mother, still smiling, while the other two were still watching his face, maybe to measure his reaction.

"Oh yeah?" Naoki inquired, raising the corner of his mouth in arrogant attitude.

"Of course. After seeing you kissing Kotoko, I thought about it," she said calmly and he lost his arrogance.

She had seen. When? The only moment he could think of was the one in his room, in which he didn't know why he didn't think of closing the door. He recalled that she appeared asking if Kotoko was going to dine, arguing that he never communicated her answer. The day of Ikezawa's food.

He was grateful she did not have her camera at the time. Nothing would be worse than that, but he should be careful because surely she would have it on hand for a possible next opportunity… that he wouldn't give her, though.

"Kotoko-chan's friend is dangerous." He barely overheard her whisper, but he wrinkled his brow. "And onii-chan has realized how much he must care for Kotoko-chan," she claimed louder, quickly.

"And you started to plan this?" he muttered reluctantly, pointing to the plan.

"I talk to the parents and Ai-san confirmed what dad and I thought, that you were serious about Kotoko-chan, and I proposed this. Both are satisfied. How about you?" She, with no doubt, was the decisive voice of the two men, whose eyes averted from him.

"Of course, it can be postponed a few years," his father interjected, probably seeing growing the vein he felt throbbing in his temple.

"It seems you already have everything planned, doesn't it, mother?" He asked her snarky; she nodded with a wide smile. "Have you ever thought that you cannot decide in other's lives, like mines or hers?

"Surprises are better," his mother replied without changing her tone of voice. "You're such a perfect couple and we can start planning for the future."

Naoki ran his hand over his face, sighing. He could not deal with her. He could choose his partner, but not his mother. He hated she get into his life in such a way.

He would accept that, in his way, because it was true that he would not end the relationship with Kotoko. Less allowing others to take advantage.

"Fine, but don't bother for few years," he muttered and looked directly at his mother. "And I don't want pressuring or any word about this, or I will act in a way that you will not like," he added, receiving nods from the others, a reluctant one from the woman among them. He hoped they understood that he could take drastic measures if they didn't drop the issue this time.

And she must be aware that he knew everything she'd hate not to pass (or not to witness).

He turned, wondering why he had that kind of mother, and a father who subjected to her desires… Also, a father-in-law who accepted being in her webs.

"I'd be better if Kotoko doesn't find out," he added from the door, almost as a threat. The last thing he wanted was her insistence, manipulated by his mother, who had promised not to pursue the issue with him. She'd find a way to involve Kotoko, and he knew how persistent his girlfriend could become, worse with the bad influence of his mother.

By gods. How come was he related to them?

[...]

Naoki stopped paying attention to Kotoko, who practiced out in the field, and turned towards the wall, with a ball in hand.

He threw the ball to the air and moved his racket so that the ball slammed into the wall and back to him, who gave it a heavy and dry blow, making it bounce back like in fury, in the same way he returned it, after running where it went.

He took blow after blow with the idea of keeping his mind occupied in that activity, not in the words of his mother, not his girlfriend, not in the future that he didn't know, not in other people's dreams… Not in nothing more than hitting the ball and letting out his frustration, the result of all the events in recent times. He did not remember any time in his life he experienced something similar, he was usually calm and monotonous, without great demonstrations of emotions or feelings and without thoughts of the influence that they could have on his action.

He would never have been hitting the tennis ball so hard or squeezing the handle of the racket so much that he felt his hand hot. But he remembered all that and the day before, when he had walked near Class 3-F and had seen that Ikezawa was very close to Kotoko—which any school activities required—, and unwilled he went back to hitting the ball really hard, imagining the head of certain individual.

And that made him feel more frustrated, because it was ridiculous and pathetic to think that way.

"Naoki-kun!

The shock made him turn to the call of Kotoko, almost behind him.

"Oh!" she cried when the missed ball hit her thigh. With an expression of pain, she started rubbing the area where the ball struck.

He removed her hand and got surprised by the red mark left by the ball, which would become worse. "You'll get a bruise," he noted, frowning by the strength of the blow. "Sorry," he spoke apologetically inadvertently, and surprised himself, though he didn't show it.

It was the first time he said in words that he felt sorry about having done something, and it was caused by an unintentional event.

Kotoko shook her head and continued to massage her leg. "I shouldn't have been there," she said softly.

He nodded. "That's right. What did you want?" he asked grumpy.

"It's been five hours. I was talking to you and you weren't listening."

He had to frown but nodded. At least the last training session of the year ended faster than he realized. As temperatures would go down because of the closeness of winter, they would have to stop until spring, although he had a feeling that at that time she would forget all she had learned.

He was surprised, however, of being so into hitting the ball, that he did not respond her calls until she shouted.

"Are you all right, Naoki-kun?" she asked. He nodded. "You seemed angry, did anything happen?"

"What thing could have happened?" he muttered shaking his head.

He went for his things, realizing that she had collected all the balls on the court. Definitely, he had to be very concentrated.

He took the only ball that was on the floor and put it in his pocket while walking beside Kotoko. She was rearranging her red hair in a high ponytail.

"Naoki-kun?" she said after a while. "Do you have plans for your birthday?"

He frowned. On the anniversary of the day he was born, he did nothing special; actually, he did the same activity every year in his room, read, the only difference in the day was that people who knew his birthday, congratulated him. If his mother had her way, she would throw parties like the ones of his childhood, but he wanted none of that nor did he care. It was a common day, and did not give it great importance as Kotoko and her mother seemed to do, copying Western ways that influenced Japan.

"No," he finally said.

"Would you like to play bowling that day?" she asked, although it seemed like a suggestion.

He looked at her for a few seconds; she expected a positive response from him. He thought that activity was more attractive than tutoring her, but he wasn't attracted to the idea of going to a crowded place. Nevertheless, Monday could mean fewer people.

And maybe he could get rid of a pompous dinner done by his mother.

Probably Kotoko wanted to go, so it was better she went with him than with someone else.

He shrugged in reply, ignoring that last though.

Kotoko smiled and clapped excitedly. "I'll tell oba-sama!"

Without changing his facial expression, he stared at her, uncomprehending happiness that it caused her.

[...]

Naoki was not surprised by the difficulty with which Kotoko held the ball considered for adults, after refusing a child-sized; she was petite enough to have to battle with the ball of more than eleven pounds in her hand, but also too stubborn to admit that her height and weight were very close to the size of children.

He raised the right corner of his lip with humorousness when he saw her trying to balance with the bright purple ball she had in her right hand, struggling towards the line of the bowling field where she was throwing the ball. They were on the lane thirteen without people in the neighboring alleys; in fact, there wasn't a big number of visitors that day, so he could be calm (especially with the knowledge that his mother would not be out there spying, thanks to his warnings).

Kotoko released her ball and it rolled shortly at the center of the wooden lane before deviating to the left side and finally knocking down one pin.

"Oooh!" Kotoko said jumping with an expression of frustration, clenching her fists. "Why does that always happen?!" She released a string of complaints of her luck.

He laughed softly, watching her. So typical of her.

She made her second release and the same was repeated, this time by knocking two pines on the right side.

"Why?!" she muttered crossing her arms.

"If you use a smaller ball, perhaps you'll do it better," he pointed out, taking a red ball thirteen pounds, approaching the shooting line, slightly to the left, to throw the ball towards the center, with the calculation that he made the first time he visited a bowling alley.

"Strike!" Kotoko shouted and pointed at the screen were appeared an X. "Well done, Naoki-kun!"

He rolled his eyes, taking his place again as the Tetracyts of pins appeared at the end of the lane, signaling Kotoko's turn.

With her, clearly he would win, contrary to when his father was involved, he very good at it.

At least, that should be more interesting.

"Take the silver ball," he instructed, standing up again. Kotoko pouted at the size, but nodded, heeding as many times. He walked over to where it would be appropriate for her release, calculating the power of her arm and the weight of the ball. "Stand next to me."

She did it diligently and he saw her hand, where at least she held the ball better.

"Position yourself in this way and try to imitate the movement of my arm," he gestured, showing her the way he spoke, his body slightly inclined, stepping, and swinging his arm with ease. "Then release the ball."

Kotoko nodded and took a breath before repeating what he said. The ball rolled closer to the center, knocking seven pins, leaving three on the right.

"Yes!" She jumped into his arms hugging him warmly and he drew back a second later to return to his place. "Thank you! Thank you!"

He moved his head in acceptance as she picked another ball of similar size, with a resolute expression.

"I have to do the same, but to the right?" She asked him and he nodded in approval. "I'll try."

Only she managed to knock a pine, but it was better than the first frame.

She ran to his side and sat beside him, while pins appeared.

"You," Kotoko pressed her index finger on his arm, making him shudder at her hotter skin, "you're the best, Naoki-kun," she said with a smile. His eyes lingered for a moment in the expression of happiness and admiration of her, which caused an uncomfortable feeling inside of him.

He remembered a time when she had a similar face, eating a delicious meal.

Jealousy, he thought.

And he ignored it.

He would do well not to think of it again, yes.

With that decision, he stood up and took another ball, making a release.

And he had a Split, with pins 7 and 10 standing at each end of the row, making it difficult to knock both on the next roll.

"Damn," he whispered, deep inside surprised at having a Spare, because he made perfect shots, but he was in that situation, in which he had never been.

"Oh! Oh! That's difficult!" Kotoko stated. "I've seen that on TV!" She said appearing beside him, startling him. "You have to hit one pin with a lot of strength and hope that luck let you knock the other."

He glanced at her, listening, and then went for the ball. So… luck? Physically, it was possible to knock one, looking that the force of impact and direction in which the ball was released sent the pine to the opposite side. However, this time he was not tempted to analyze it and make a simple release as Kotoko said, proving how much luck was on his side.

"You can do it Naoki-kun!" Cheered up his girlfriend and he raised his mouth a bit, with his eyes on the pin on the right. He made his hard release.

…incredulously, to see the two pins fall.

"You did it, Naoki-kun!" Kotoko exclaimed throwing at him with joy. He was stunned for a moment, watching the result. "You are amazing. The birthday luck!"

He smiled going to his place, luck… She celebrating as if it had great importance.

"Your turn," he remembered, as he watched her still dancing in his favor.

The next eight rounds, he had to admit, were entertaining, mainly thanks to Kotoko, whose victory dance even made laugh people who were standing nearby. She was excited for so little in a big and genuine way, affecting others.

Initially he did not think it would go over well, because it was a pressure for him to see her enjoying something, when he could not. Being so good, he rarely get to have a good time with some activity, he did them as if he was reading an instruction or watching a movie, where there was necessarily something to follow, prescribed, that led to an end.

After finishing, they went to the neighboring restaurant to the bowling and took a table for two. He was listening to her babbling about how exciting the game had been and still celebrating the triumph of him, though she managed to have a good score.

Shortly after ordering their food, Kotoko leaned to the table, leaning towards him.

"And what you think of this birthday?" she questioned him, playing with her straw, looking at him.

Naoki reached out his hand when he saw she would almost throw the contents of her glass, forcing her to move away from this. What did he think of that birthday?

If he thought about it, it was the first year he did something different and, even aware of that, it did not bother him… more surprising was that her presence did not bother him too, he felt good with it. He was already accepting her company, but something unsettled him sometimes and it was related to the word said by his mother.

He put that aside from his head and shrugged, answering quietly.

"I'm very glad, Naoki-kun, I wanted to do something fun for you to… stress-free… you," she said with difficulty, "of the worry about what you will do in the future. And because I want you to be happy," she ended, when the waiter and their food arrived.

With her self-absorbed watching her food, he smiled, also in response to her sincere words.

Kotoko was really someone to regret having?

AN: I had (and still have) a LOT of problems with this chapter, ha,ha. I wrote a lot of synonims because in Spanish there are words with difficult to express in English. So, if I used wrong words, I'd appreciate your comment.

With love, Karo.

lKWwJ: Idk, this writing is kind of difficult to read, but thanks.

YVXwj: Idk is is for real, but thanks.

Guest: Ha,ha, they will have other problems, Kin-chan is just nothing. I don't feel particularly inclined to use jealousy in my fics, though. Sometimes I prefer they inner thoughts than outsiders. Anyway, let's hope you like the next chapters.