Chapter 2

K POV:

My alarm woke me up at seven in the morning when I jumped up awake. The memories from last night started rushing back to me.

Was it all a dream?

My phone beeped from inside my purse and I took it out.

Pick you up after school. Work hard, the message read from Naoki.

I squealed with excitement and was jumping on my bed. I looked over at my clock and it read 7:15 a.m., so I gathered my nurse uniform, along with my toiletry bag so I could get an early shower in.

When I came back in the room dressed in uniform I gathered my backpack and my phone to eat some breakfast at the hospital cafeteria.

Rei and Sakura walked up to my table with their trays.

"So, who was the hottie from last night?" Rei asked teasingly. I nearly choked on my orange juice.

"Yeah, you left with him after 3 songs." Sakura smirked.

"It's not like that." I said nervously. "He's an old friend from back home, he came up to visit me, since he had a little free time from school."

They were still smirking at me. Okay three can play this game.

"So where did you guys go after the party?" I threw back at them.

They both try to hide their blushing faces in their long dark hair.

"They took us out after the party." Rei said quickly.

"Where?" I teasingly pushed.

The looked down at their watch in unison. "Wow, look at the time we gotta get to work." They both got up and threw their food away and speed walked out of the cafeteria. Shaking my head, chuckling, I finished up eating and went to work.

Time felt like it was going on forever that day. But one of my favorite patients was in for her chemotherapy treatment breast cancer. She was a sweet older woman in her 50s with two adult sons in the service.

Four o clock finally came around when I texted Naoki to let me change clothes first. Since today's colder than it was yesterday, even though the sun is out, I put on some blue jeans, a purple sweater, red zip-up jacket, red knit hat, red scarf, purple gloves, red scarf, and my purple and white sneakers.

My phone beeped from a text message.

I'm outside. I squealed with excitement then ran out the building.

I saw a familiar black 2018 Honda Accord from last night parked on the across from the dorm.

I ran up to it and saw a familiar face looking at his phone.

"Irie-kun!" He looked up at me from his phone and unlocked the door.

I got in the car saw what he was wearing. "Where'd you get that?" I asked, pointing at the cream-colored scarf around his neck.

He was wearing black jeans, black sweater, black knit cap, and a black hoodie.

He looked down at it embarrassed. "Oh, your dad gave it to me the day I was leaving. He told me that you knitted for me for Christmas a couple of years ago, but you forgot where you hid it, and he found it in the restaurant. It's really warm. Thank you."

"Where do you wanna go?" He changed the subject.

I thought about it, and it came to me. "How about Senshu Park?" I suggested.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yeah." I nodded.

He shrugged his shoulders and then typed it into his GPS.

When we got there, he opened my door for me when he got out of the car.

I love seeing the beautiful scenery of the park. I just wish it was spring time so the cherry blossoms would be blooming.

During the walk Naoki was me telling about the rich history of the park and the castle.

After about an hour of walking we sat down on a nearby bench.

"Kotoko, what do you remember about your mother?" He asked out of nowhere.

I turned to him in surprise. He put his hands up in worry.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that question?"

I shook my head. "No, you're fine. It's just that no one has ever really asked me that question before."

I started to think back to as many memories that I had of my mom before she died of breast cancer when I was six. One hit me.

"I remember when we were snowed in at home once. Dad was making us cocoa and Mom and I were making shadow puppets on the wall. I remember her laughing no matter how silly the guess of the shadow was, she was having the time of her life.

"Then I remember one time on my birthday she gave me cherry blossom kimono. I loved that thing so much, I wore it all the time at home until I couldn't fit it anymore. It broke my heart that I lost it in the fire." I didn't realize I was crying until Naoki wiped the tears from eyes.

"I'm sorry. I didn't to cry."

Naoki shook his head, smiling at me. "No need to apologize. Those were some great memories. I know must miss her." He stated.

"Yeah, I do. I miss her so much."

"Well, are you hungry?" I can tell he was changing the subject to make me feel better.

I nodded. "I know a great restaurant by here that serves awesome kiritanpo. My treat." I tell him.

He laughed. "Forget it, I'm paying. I'm the one who made the surprise visit." He grabbed my hand and took us to the car.

He put the address of the restaurant in his GPS and we headed to the restaurant.

Once we got to the restaurant we both ordered n chicken hot pot kiritanpo. After the waitress walked away Naoki turned back to me.

"Are you having fun, Naoki?" I asked.

He thought about it for a second. "I have to admit I actually am. The house was too quiet when you left."

I raised one eyebrow. "I thought you couldn't wait for me to leave."

"I thought I would be but you ruined peace and quiet for me." Before I could say something back, our food finally arrived.

I could see that Naoki enjoyed his meal as I did mine. But sometimes it really made me miss his mom's and my dad's cooking. Eating out just about every night was expensive and bought given that I lack cooking skills, and my dorm lacked a kitchen.

After we got done eating, he paid the bill and pulled me out of the restaurant.

"What movie have you not seen yet?" He asked me.

I thought for a second. "Aquaman?"

He laughed led my to the car.