A/N: I don't have enough words to express how thankful I am to each and everyone of you. I felt so happy reading all the reviews. It was really heart-warming. Thank you so much everyone. I tried to make this chapter longer for you all. Also it's time Naoki should taste his own medicine. Don't you think? Happy reading.. :)

Utterly Bewildered

(Kotoko POV)

I was discharged much later than usual today. My treatment method and the medicines are being altered as the early ones are not working properly. Doctor Ayano didn't let me delay it any longer. The new medicines made me really weak. Everyone at the hospital wanted me to stay another night but I insisted that I was okay and returned home around the dinner time. Mio dropped me home. Oka-san must be worried as I normally return in the early evening of the day after the therapy day. I sighed. My cell rang when I was right outside the front door. It was oka-san. I smiled at the screen. She must have heard my ringtone as she quickly opened the door for me.

"Kotoko-chan, what happened? You're so late." She was worried.

"The patient isn't doing well." I told her the truth.

"What? How is she?" She held my hand and pulled me in with her.

"Fine... for now. But a little complexity appeared. I don't..." The words died in my voice as I saw the person in front of me. My heart jumped into my throat. "Irie-kun?"

There was no way he was here now! Not today. I will be having a high fever tonight. But why is he here? Is it a visit? Is he back? He never said anything on the phone. Wait! What am I thinking? It's Irie-kun! It's been a whole long year since I last saw him... his face... oh how badly I missed it.

A smile broke in my lips. I ran closer to him and came to a halt. Darn! I shouldn't have run. I felt dizzy for a moment but I shook it off. Not now! I warned myself. I blinked a few times and took a quick deep breath looking down. Putting a smile on the face I looked up at him.

"Irie-kun, you are here." I desperately tried to sound surprised instead of shocked.

"Yes. I am home." He replied. His gaze was penetrating me.

I opened my mouth but nothing came out at first. I tried again and said, "Welcome home." with what I hoped to be a smile. I felt nervous under the x-ray look he was giving me.

"What happened Kotoko-chan? You were never this shy to hug him." Oka-san grinned widely. I gave her a wide stare nervously.

"Oka-san..." I could only say that. I couldn't hug him. Because if I do, he would know that I was shaking. He stepped closer.

"I smell of hospital. I will take a quick bath." I told them and without a backward glance I went upstairs. I closed the bedroom door and leaned on it. My legs were shaking. What am I going to do now? I promised myself that I will tell him when he comes back. But now when he really is back, I feel scared. He will be devastated if he finds out. I thought he will stay at Kobe for another year. I hoped I will be fine by then. But it's me! How could I even think that things will work out in the right way? "Oh... Damn it!" I cursed loudly and stumped my foot on the floor. My eyes fell on the table and I froze for a second. The files! I rushed towards the table. I took all the papers and files and put them inside a bag. They needed to be gone. I wasn't sure if any papers or files had my name proving I was a patient. Most probably, there isn't any as I always kept my reports in my locker at the Hope. But I didn't want to take any risk. I can't let Irie-kun see any report. He shouldn't find out in that way. I need to tell him before he finds out. But how on earth am I going to break the news to him? I felt miserable. I stood there thinking hard about what to do when suddenly the door behind me opened and gave me a fright. I nearly dropped the bag I was holding. I spanned around.

It was Irie-kun.

"Kotoko" He called my name while entering the room.

"Yes?" I answered, gripping the bag tightly with both hands.

"Are you okay?" He walked towards me.

"Me? Of course! I am more than okay actually." I smiled foolishly mentally kicking myself. More than okay? What the hell was that? He surely can see through me. He wrinkled his forehead and that's when I decided to drop out of the conversation.

"I was just cleaning up this mess." I pointed at my bag holding it out for him. I went to the closet and put the bag inside it. Then I took out some clothes to wear.

"I will go to the bath. You should go downstairs for the dinner." Before he could say anything, I took some quick steps and I was inside the bathroom.

...

(Naoki POV)

Oka-san was again calling her, but she was already at the main door. Oka-san rushed past me to open the door. I heard them talking about her patient but I couldn't wait any longer. She was here. I can finally see her. I walked towards the entrance and froze on my spot at the sight of her. What on earth has happened to her? She was so thin. Nearly half of what she was the last time I saw her. How can oka-san let her health deteriorate so much? She stopped talking when she saw me. "Irie-kun?" was the only word she uttered. But what astounded me more was the reaction she gave next. There were no happy shouts or laughter, no jumping around, not even the flying arms I was expecting to strangle me. Instead what I saw was my own shocked expression reflected on her face. We both stood rooted to our spots in silence. Then she seemed to get a grip on herself and a small smile crept on her lips. She ran closer to me and stopped suddenly. She blinked, shook her head and took a long breath. I observed her more closely. She looked up with a smile.

"Irie-kun, you are here." She stated.

"Yes. I am home." I inspected her carefully. She couldn't speak. She welcomed me nervously. I kept looking. She seemed to be shaking a little! Then oka-san came forward and stated the fact that I was wondering. But I wouldn't say shy, she was literally scared.

"Oka-san..." She mumbled and looked at oka-san with widen eyes. I stepped closer to her.

"I smell of hospital. I will take a quick bath." She said and without waiting for a reply, she disappeared in the stairs.

I'm a doctor! I don't mind the smell of hospital. I told mentally as I stood there feeling disappointed.

Probably oka-san read the disappointment in my expression. "Kotoko-chan must be really tired." She stated with confusion.

I didn't want her to interfere so I just shrugged and returned to the living room to resume watching the TV. But I only stared at the screen, not really seeing anything. It wasn't even 5 minutes before I decided I needed to hug her in order to be sure that she was okay. I went upstairs. She jumped in shock when I opened the door.

"Kotoko" I called her while entering the room.

"Yes?" She was nervous.

"Are you okay?" I walked towards her wondering why she was nervous.

"Me? Of course! I am more than okay actually." She smiled unconvincingly making me sure something was off.

I wrinkled my forehead in confusion thinking what was wrong. Then she told me what she was doing and I kept watching her as she put the bag inside and took out her clothes from the closet. She told me to go downstairs and before I could take a step towards her, she was already inside the bathroom. I kept staring at the door she closed. I felt ice sliding down my spine and I couldn't stand anymore. I moved towards the bed and sat on it. It was evident that Kotoko was avoiding me. I hated this feeling. Is she mad at me? But then why is she nervous or even scared! I sat there for a while listening to the sounds that were coming from the bathroom as she took her bath. Then I returned downstairs. Maybe oka-san was right. Maybe she is too tired. Maybe I'm trying to read too much.

...

The dinner was awkward for me. Not only because I was the person who was mostly talking which was unlike me, but also as Kotoko remained muted during the entire time. I talked to everyone else about the past year experience but Kotoko only listened to our conversation. I knew she was taking in every word I said because of the facial expressions she was giving while listening to me. I wondered why she was unusually quiet. I looked around the table at everyone and found out that Yuki was also stealing glances at her. I was sure he was wondering the same thing. So I was not over thinking.

...

Kotoko came upstairs very late. Everyone else must have slept by now. I have no idea what she had been doing until now. But I kept waiting for her. I tried to read a book sitting on the bed. She paused outside the door before opening it. She opened the door slowly and peered inside. I looked up at her. She smiled uneasily and entered the room.

"You aren't sleeping? I thought I might disturb your sleep." She said as she went to get her pajamas. She dropped a book on the table.

"What were you doing?" I asked her.

"I was reading that." She pointed at the book.

Why weren't you reading it here in the room? I asked her in my mind. I didn't ask her out loud as I wanted to give her time to open up about anything that was bothering her. She took her pajamas and went inside the bathroom. I raised a brow. She usually didn't bother to use the bathroom to change if only I was in the room. When she came out I was still looking at the bathroom door. She didn't meet my eyes and went around the bed to her side.

"I will go to sleep then. I have work tomorrow morning. By the way, when will you be joining Tonan?" She asked me getting inside the blanket. Finally she initiated a conversation. But her voice was hoarse.

"The day after tomorrow. Are you okay? Your voice is hoarse."

"I'm slightly feverish." She replied.

"What?" I remembered what oka-san said earlier. She always gets fever this day. I moved closer to her and put my hand on her forehead and neck. She shook under my touch. Her body was burning with fever.

"Kotoko, your fever is too high." I removed the blanket to look at her properly.

"Don't worry. I will be fine." She mumbled and tried to pull back the blanket.

"You need medicine." I told her getting down from the bed.

"I already ate medicines. I will be fine when I wake up. You should sleep too."

I again went near her and checked her temperature. Then I took out a thermometer to check but she protested.

"Kotoko stop that and let me check it." I scolded her. She didn't say anything else. I put the thermometer on her mouth. She had 40 degree Celsius temperature. It was too high. I went downstairs to get some ice. I kept putting ice pack on her forehead and neck to reduce the fever. She had already taken the medicine so hopefully her fever will reduce soon. After nearly 2 hours her fever started to go down. Around nearly 3 am she woke up suddenly. She was panting. I kept my hand on her forehead to check her fever. She screamed and moved away pushing my hand off her.

"Kotoko, calm down. It's me Naoki." I tried to calm her down. She looked at me nervously and swallowed. Her breathing was still uneven.

"Did you see a bad dream?" I asked her. She only nodded but didn't elaborate.

I checked her temperature again. It was nearly gone.

"Drink this." I gave her a bottle of apple juice and helped her to sit. "You're sweating. Let me help you change your pajamas." I got down from the bed to get another set of pajama.

"What?" She sounded shocked. "No. No I don't need to change." I stopped on my track and looked around at her.

"Here I drank it all. I will be fine by the morning. You too get some sleep now. I'm sorry I didn't let you sleep. You must be tired." She kept the empty bottle on the bedside table and went under the blanket again.

"Good night Irie-kun."

"Good night." I replied but stared at her back for a while. She was facing the other side so I couldn't see her face. I joined her under the blanket and turned off the light beside me. I kept looking at her until I fell asleep.