Sorry for the very late update... Someone at work just quit and now I have my workload plus hers. Please let me know your thoughts so far!
Kotoko was caressing her waist, thanking Kami that Kinnosuke had left that morning to Osaka for two days. She wanted to breathe deeply, but the excruciating pain in her ribs made her think otherwise. To her, it was unbelievable that only one week ago she was in cloud nine, celebrating internally her second kiss with Naoki, and in contrast to her happiness, she was hit with a belt on her ribs because she wasn't precautious enough to avoid falling asleep while Kinnosuke was at "home". She knew she talked while asleep. She knew that most of her dreams involved Naoki. And she knew that Kinnosuke was a light sleeper… Still she was tremendously tired and fell sleep before he did so she didn't got the chance to change rooms, to her disgrace…
Many times she seriously thought of going to the police station, or confessing her reality to her dad, or entrusting Naoki with her secret, but then she remembered that the problem was not only Kinnosuke but also his fairly numerous family and the need of venting and saving herself was lesser than the need of keeping her loved ones safe.
She was never a girl eager of money or luxuries, and ironically enough that was the exact reason of her very own imprisonment. Much less she wanted to endanger people that she loved and, without them knowing, their safety became the loan requisite and back up. It was very simple, and yet complex:
Dad got scammed by one of his restaurant's business partner.
Dad was going to lose the restaurant that had become his dream and life driver, besides Kotoko.
Surprisingly, Kinnosuke's family in Osaka had a loan business and since he loved the restaurant so much, he decided to 'donate' the money needed to rescue it.
Even more surprisingly, Kinnosuke 'hinted' to Kotoko that the money would come easier from his family if she started dating him, so it would show them that it was worth the investment. She agreed, of course, because seeing her father suffering like that was painful, he was getting awfully older by the day.
When the 'investment' came true, her father was euphoric proclaiming how the work of his life was saved and how it was all thanks to Aihara's next heir (Kinnosuke) and his beautiful girlfriend. Shigeo was certainly happy to see her with Kinnosuke who had always been such a good boy. He also agreed to Kotoko and Kinnosuke's trip to Osaka, saying that it was important for the families to bond. Kotoko was not thrilled, nevertheless her father's happiness was invaluable for her. It's not like if Naoki was going to feel affected for her dating someone else, and now any small possibility of them being together had irremediably died, much to her sadness...
That trip was the worst… Kinnosuke found out about his mother's pancreas cancer, got drunk and confessed to his family Kotoko's infatuation for Naoki. They were not exactly the 'kind' type of people, and they came up with an reimbursement plan…
They decided that Kotoko's relationship with Kinnosuke needed to be stronger so they needed to live as a couple to learn more about each other and to give more seriousness to their kinship. Then they started training Kinnosuke to properly handle women because it was more than obvious that being kind and caring would never work. According to them, he needed to have a stronger personality, more leadership and better ways of convincing people to obey his commands. It worried Kotoko, a lot. She saw how docile the family's women were and how threatening men became if something was not as planned. They both came back to Tokyo heavily thinking about the course that their relationship was about to take, and the change in Kinnosuke's attitude was palpable. Every time that he went to Osaka he came back angrier, more disrespectful to her and more violent. In front of Shigeo he would act like a gentleman but behind his back he was almost a caveman.
When Kinnosuke started his transformation, Kotoko tried to get him back to his old self but each word or act from her seemed to make things worse, especially when his mother died. She remembered clearly the threats that he barked at her when she attempted to break the relationship:
"Go ahead bitch! Break up with me and I'll make sure to send the loan sharks to Shigeo. The interest rate will be so high that he will have to sell a kidney to pay back a quarter of his debt"
"But you told dad that it was a donation! Why are you talking about a 'loan'? Wasn't your idea to save Aihara?"
"And you think that things are for free in life? No miss, wake up and realize that you were bought by the Ikezawa family, now you only need to be quiet and pretty for me. If you behave I'll pamper you so much you will forget about Irie. You'll love me once you understand that no one else can help your father like I can."
"The restaurant is very important to dad, but I'm sure I'm more valuable for him. We will find a way to pay you back even if it means to sell Aihara!"
"Oh, I see... And what about Irie's liver and kidneys? How much do you think I can make out of those? I know my family has connections here in Tokyo that would help me to sell him piece by piece."
"Don't dare Kinnosuke or I swear to god I'll..."
His fist in her mouth stopped her talking.
"Don't swear anything that you can't accomplish baby, I've learnt how to manage around beauties like you. Clean the blood out of your cute face, we need to go rent our new apartment."
Kotoko was in shock after such blow to her face. She couldn't believe that her old and dear friend Kinnosuke was threatening her father, Naoki and herself. How was this even real? It was also unbelievable that while they were checking their new apartment he apologized for hitting her and asked her not to provoke him again. She tried not talking to him out of anger and sorrow, but it earned her a kick in her left arm and a new warning of not provoking him.
Oh yes, Kotoko remembered the beginning of her hell as if it was yesterday, nevertheless she was going to be 'free' for two glorious days. She could work at the ramen shop and also at Aihara and save the money to eventually get her much needed freedom without Kinnosuke bothering her. And she was craving to see Naoki. She wanted to look at him from afar so badly... She wanted to feel like the old times in which she could follow him without being afraid of being hit. Sadly, at the same time, she wanted to forget about him, in that way she would stop dreaming about him and a future with him that would never happen. So, she just took a warm bath to soothe the pain and got herself ready for work after a quick breakfast. Her first costumer? Naoki Irie himself, not that she was complaining but she asked the gods to make her heartbeat slower. She couldn't help to feel both joyous and sad at the forbidden sight. She approached his table, ready to take his order but not ready to face his cold demeanor at the same time.
"Good morning sir, what would you like to order?"
"Kotoko. I need to talk with you. Please ask you manager for some time off."
"I don't think I can afford to request anything; my manager has been really close to fire me… But what is happening, are you ok?"
"If I told you I'm not ok, would you be able to take some time off?"
"It is not really my call, but I would find a way. What is wrong?"
"Give me a moment." Naoki stood up and went to the cash register to talk with the woman behind it. He flashed a charming smile to her. Kotoko went right behind him.
"Excuse me ma'am, I need to talk with my sister. It is an urgent family matter but I promise it won't take more than five minutes. May I lend her?" The woman just stood there dumbfounded by the gorgeous young man in front of her. She smiled at him sheepishly and with her sweetest voice, extremely unusual in her, she started talking.
"Kotoko, you never told me you had a brother. I have only heard about your father." Stuttering, Kotoko tried to talk, but ultimately it was Naoki who provided further explanation.
"No ma'am. I'm not actually a blood brother but since Kotoko's house was destroyed by the earthquake we have been sharing our household and that's why I consider her my sister." It pained Kotoko to be described as a 'sister'…
"Oh dear, poor Kotoko! Thankfully, she counts on such a wonderful gentleman like you! Go ahead, take five minutes." Kotoko furrowed her brow to her manager's strangely kind words towards her.
Naoki and Kotoko walked to the shop's exit and looked to each other in a very unsiblingly way. Their conversation had not started and it already seemed interesting.
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