"Hey, Naoki san! NAOKI-SAN!"
Irie, who is walking in the train station alone, turns.
"Matsumoto-san!" He smiles warmly, a real, genuine smile. "Long time no see!"
"How are you doing, Naoki-san? Where's your wife, Kotoko? And you have a baby girl now, right?"
"Ah, well, we're doing great. Kotomi had her first day of daycare today. She got scared of the teacher, who has a tall, booming voice. She wouldn't stop crying, so Kotoko had to take the day off to calm her down."
"Wonder how-Kotomi-chan, isn't it-would fare with Sudou then? He's hasn't changed-still jolly, with a loud voice to rival the teacher's, I would expect." Matsumoto replies, small smile on her face.
"No, Kotomi would love Sudou. Everyone loves Sudou. So, you guys are getting married, right?" Irie asks. He wants to know how his college friends are.
"Yeah, in a while. If he has the guts to propose." Matsumoto grins, a fleeting moment that lasts for a second. "So, I'll see you later?"
"Yes, it's getting late, and I expect that Kotoko ruined something or the other, so I have to go fix it." However, this is accompanied by a slight, gentle smile that shows that his words are spoken in endearment rather than apathy.
Irie turns around to leave, but then Matsumoto exclaims, "Wait!"
He faces her again. "What is it?"
"I'm just curious...not to blow my own horn, but back in college, I had everything a guy could want. I was gorgeous, stylish, studious, athletic... why did you pick Kotoko, who no offense, is cute, but none of the things that I was, over me? Why didn't you pick me?"
"You didn't call me Irie-kun. How could I pick you?" He smiles, cryptically, and walks off.
What did he mean? Matsumoto puzzles in her mind as she sits in the train.
OH!
The only person who called Irie "Irie-kun" was, is, and always will be…
Kotoko.
He loved her since then. And she didn't even realize.
How clueless. But then, she is happy for them.
Besides, she has Sudou, loud, energetic, annoying, concerned, caring, loving Sudou to get back to.
Everything has turned out unexpectedly well.
Later
Irie rings the doorbell.
The door swings wide open, revealing a frazzled-looking but joyful Kotoko.
"IRIE KUN, YOU'RE HOME!" She runs around in circles like an airplane. With anyone else, the gesture would look ridiculous, but when she does it, she looks rather amusing, and dare he admit it? kind of cute.
"I missed you, Irie-kun." She gives him a warm hug which he barely returns, but she misses the slight crinkling of his eyes.
"Don't ever stop calling me that," he murmurs in her ear, and is met with her standard blank 'I don't understand' face.
"Never mind. Let's go inside."