A/N: Thank you so much everyone. It means a lot really. :)

A Helpline

(General POV)

Kotoko decides to go to the summer house after resting for one day at home. She wanted to make sure that she wouldn't be a burden to grandma Yoshida. She called grandma to inform her that she will be arriving tomorrow morning. Grandma happily replied that she will be waiting. Kotoko rested the whole morning. After lunch she went to Hope and cleared her all dues for yesterday. Then she went shopping and bought all the necessary things she will need in the next two weeks, such as her medicines, bandages, small pulling luggage and gifts for grandma Yoshida. She stayed very careful for the rest of the day so that no one notices her bandages.

Next morning she went to the summer house. She has decided she will confess everything to grandma Yoshida. When she reached the summer house she immediately hugged grandma carefully. When grandma inquired about her hand she said she will explain later. She called home and informed them that she already reached. In the afternoon, grandma asked Kotoko again how she injured herself. Kotoko hesitated. She wanted to be truthful to at least one person. But she was worried grandma might tell anyone at Tonan hospital or might even tell Naoki. So she only told her that her mother's disease was triggered due to conceiving her and she might not ever conceive due to some complications. She didn't tell anyone this because she didn't want to worry anyone and she wants Naoki to achieve his goal without any hindrances. But she didn't tell her about having Neuroshia and about the injuries, she said that she wasn't paying attention and she fell from the stairs due to which she fractured her ribs and injured the wrist. She ran away to the summer house to clear her mind. She wants to start her treatment but she is scared. What if things go wrong? She didn't tell grandma that she might die. She cried for a long time. Grandma Yoshida was shocked. She was literally speechless. She hugged and patted Kotoko's shoulders and let her cry all she wanted.

The care-taker who was assigned to take care of grandma was a very kind woman. She saw Kotoko upset and didn't bother them. Instead she cooked delicious dinner for them. Grandma didn't let Kotoko sleep alone and insisted to share her room. Kotoko didn't object. She also didn't want to be alone. Kotoko slept early that night. Kotoko's cell rang around mid night. Grandma thought for a second before deciding to answer the call.

...

(Naoki POV)

Kotoko didn't call yesterday, neither today. 'Baka! You should at least inform after you reach there.' It was midnight. I decided to call her anyway. After a few rings the call was answered, but it wasn't Kotoko who answered.

"Hello? Irie sensei?"

"Grandma Yoshida?" I asked.

"Yes. Kotoko went to sleep early."

"Oh, I understand."

"Your wife talks in her sleep. It's so fun to watch her sleep." She laughed.

'Oh I miss that so much!' The thought saddened me.

"She must be giving you a hard time." I told her.

"No not at all. You should worry about her. She is the one having a hard time, not me." Grandma sounded serious but then laughed. I laughed hearing that. These two really are a perfect competition to each other.

"How are you grandma? I heard you were in the hospital again. Is everything alright?" I asked her.

"Hospital? When?" Grandma sounded confused.

"Didn't you get discharged the day before yesterday?" I wondered. Grandma was quiet for a while.

"Where did you hear this from?" Grandma asked instead of answering.

"I heard from Kotoko. Wasn't she with you for the night in the hospital?" I asked wondering what was happening.

"Oh." She suddenly seemed to understand. "Kotoko must have told you. I got confused. Sorry Irie sensei. I am absolutely fine now."

"That's good to know. You should take good care of yourself." I told her.

"Yes, well I'm going to have a great vacation in these two weeks. I was so excited to see her this morning." She said brightly.

"This morning?" I was confused. "Didn't Kotoko arrive yesterday?"

"No, she arrived today. She said she needed to do some shopping yesterday. She bought gifts for me. She got me pyjamas, a hand bag and guess what, a beach hat for summer!" grandma laughed. "She said it remained her of me so she bought that." I laughed out loud hearing that. This is so like Kotoko.

"Your wife is a very lovely woman sensei. Make sure you give her more time. She is too innocent for her own good." Grandma said kindly.

"I will do that." I promised her.

"You should sleep now. I will inform her you called tomorrow morning."

"Okay thank you grandma. Have a good night sleep. Also don't give my wife a hard time and don't let her give you any." I joked.

Grandma laughed out loud. "Yes I got that. Good night."

"Bye."

After dropping the call I went to bed. I wanted Kotoko with me so badly right now. I missed her more than ever. I wanted to see her sleeping face. I wanted to hear her calling my name in her sleep. I wanted to hold her close to me and fall asleep.

'I miss you wifey.' I mumbled sadly.

...

(Kotoko POV)

Next morning grandma and I went to the beach for a walk. It was a warm day since the sun was shining brightly. Grandma and I shot some pictures. She was wearing the hat I gave her yesterday. After a while I sat down on the beach and called Irie-kun. I heard about his call from grandma. She blackmailed me that if I don't tell him everything then she will. This is exactly what I was afraid of, but I showed her that I didn't care.

"Hello?" Irie-kun received.

"Hello Irie-kun. How are you?"

"I'm doing fine. How are you? You didn't inform me after you reach."

"Oh. I'm sorry about that." I was surprised. I didn't expect him to wait for that. "I was too excited that I forgot." I gave him an excuse to cover my surprised tone.

"What are you doing? Where is grandma?" He asked me.

"We came out for a walk on the beach. She is doing something on her phone right now."

"I think I know what she is doing." Irie-kun replied.

"What?" I was surprised.

"She just sent me some photos of you both. Hang on."

I was shocked. I got up to go near grandma but stopped when I heard him say,

"Kotoko what happened to your hand? Why do you have bandage on it?"

I was astounded. I opened and closed my mouth unable to say anything. I looked at grandma who was watching me and smiled at me mischievously.

"Kotoko?" He urged.

"Its... it's nothing Irie-kun. I just hurt my hand a little."

Irie-kun was silent. "When?" He asked.

"Umm... the night I stayed at the hospital." I replied.

Irie-kun was again silent. I was afraid to ask what he was thinking.

"Irie-kun?" I called out as he was still silent.

"How come I never heard about that?" His voice sounded cold. Is he mad at me that I didn't tell him?

"I didn't want to worry you. It's just a small injury. You know me. It's really nothing." I tried to assure him.

He again didn't say anything. I decided I should drop the call for now before he asks me anything else.

"Irie-kun, I should go to grandma now. I will talk to you later. Bye."

...

(Naoki POV)

I was frozen on the spot. Did she just hang up on me? What the hell is going on with her? Did she know that the bandage on her hand pricked my heart? She didn't bother to tell me that she was hurt when she literally tells me about every single thing that happens around her. I felt a bit angry when I asked her why she didn't tell me. But her answer shot a bullet through my heart. 'She didn't want to worry me?' Did she not know that not knowing things about her worry me more? This reminded me of the last time she came to Kobe and I told her off. But I couldn't believe this could be the reason for which she didn't tell me that she got hurt. I was still processing what I should reply when she said she needed to go and hang up on me. She rarely does that. I cannot remember when she last hung up without waiting for my reply. It's always me who did that. I stood there for a long time until a nurse called me for a check up on a patient.

...

(Kotoko POV)

I rushed to grandma after dropping the call. "Grandma! How could you do this?" I asked her with an angry voice. My ribs were starting to hurt.

"I told you, you better tell him everything." She answered in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Grandma, please don't do this." Tears started to fall from my eyes. "I cannot do this to him. I would die of guilt. I promise you I will fight until I succeed. I promise you I won't die. I won't give up until I recover fully."

"Why would you die?" Grandma asked suspiciously. I had forgotten that I didn't tell her everything. I tried to cover it.

"I'm just saying. I cannot depend on him forever. I need to become an independent woman to be a good wife to him. He is too good for me. He never deserved a good for nothing wife like me. I was fated to him. But it's up to me to become someone who he can be proud of. I don't want him to take care of me forever. I want to do that myself. I want to learn how to do that. I want to stop troubling him all the time. I want to become home to him. I want to become someone with who he will be at peace. Please grandma, try to understand me... please..." I pleaded.

Grandma pouted. But then she came to me and hugged me. I winched and she immediately pulled away a little and after a while she said,

"You're right in saying that you need to become independent. I like what you just said so I will let you slip this time. But remember, anytime when you have a hard time, you know where to find me." She smiled gently.

I hugged her tight and smiled.

The next days of the vacation were fun. We visited places together, spend time on the beach, recorded videos and took lots of pictures. I bought gifts for everyone back at home.