A/N: Hey guys.. I'm back with an update early! Kotoko had a really tough year and that made her stronger. Hope this chapter show that. I hope you all like it. Enjoy!

Unexpected Reactions

(Kotoko POV)

I woke up very early in the morning. Everyone was asleep. I looked on my right. Irie-kun was sleeping in peace. I turned on my right side and kept my right arm under my head to look at him properly. A smile broke in my face. I controlled the urge to touch his face with difficulty. It was like a dream- watching him sleep from this close after ages. I watched him sleep for a long time. Then I got up to get ready for work. I decided to hide I mean attend work today and leave early before anyone wakes up. Irie-kun didn't sleep the whole night to take care of me. I felt happy but at the same time I felt bad as he couldn't sleep for me. I went downstairs in the kitchen for breakfast without making loud noises. One thing I have miraculously mastered during the past year is moving around making limited noise. I don't walk around making a ruckus everywhere I go now. That certainly is only when I remember to stay careful about it. I always had to make sure to stay out of everyone's sight when my body swelled due to pain or I vomited. I also had to make sure I made less noise so that nobody notices. I did got caught vomiting a few numbers of times over the year but I told them it was due to indigestion. Otou-san was really worried and urged me to see a doctor. I assured him I was fine and the doctor only told me to avoid consuming alcohol. I quietly finished eating breakfast and left to work.

...

Everyone at work was surprised to see me as I always took 2 days off after my therapy. I usually only visited in the afternoon for 3 to 4 hours for saline if I was too weak during these 2 days. Hana or Mio always dropped me home during those days. I told them I was there because of the high fever I had last night. Dr. Ayano immediately did some checkups and instructed Mio to put saline on me. Apparently I was too weak. Hana set up a bed and Mio went to get the saline. I sent a text to oka-san about coming to work as she was sleeping when I left. She knew I had off so she would be looking for me. She called me as soon as she saw the text.

"Kotoko-chan, why are you at work? You don't have work today."

"Oka-san, the schedules changed this month and I have work today. I will get the off later in some days."

"Oh... too bad. Naoki just arrived. I thought you both could hang around these two days. He didn't have work either." She said sadly.

"Oka-san, don't feel bad." I kicked myself mentally for lying so much. "We can hang around later anytime. Now that he is back, it doesn't matter, isn't it?" I tried to cheer her up.

"Hm." She didn't sound convinced.

"Oka-san, we will talk at home, okay?"

"Right, okay. Get back to your work honey. Bye." She hung up.

I sighed. What am I going to tell Irie-kun? He will also be looking for me as soon as he wakes up.

...

He called me around 10:30 am. He slept till so late. He must have been really tired. I took a deep breath before answering.

"Hello?"

"Kotoko, where are you?" He was still sleepy. But as usual his voice sounded so intoxicating. I always drooled over his sleepy voice. I smiled before replying.

"At work."

"Work? Don't you have the day off today?" He was confused.

"No, our working schedules changed this month. I won't have any off days for now. I will be getting those later." I lied smoothly feeling guilty. I hoped he will buy it.

"I'm coming to get you." He said calmly after a moment of silence.

What? No! Damn it! He didn't buy it.

"What? No, why would you?" I tried to sound composed.

"Even if you don't have off, you should get it. You had 40 degree temperature last night and you are certainly not well enough to take care of other people."

"I'm perfectly fine now Irie-kun." I tried to sound convincing.

"It doesn't matter. I'm still coming."

Nope. Not convincing enough. He was adamant. So I panicked and did what even astounded me. I shouted.

"NO! Don't. Stay away from Hope. I'm working here, please! Do NOT interfere. And don't treat me like I don't know what is good for me or my patients. I have been ill before and I know how to take care of myself. Even if I'm not okay, I'm at a hospital and there are a lot of nurses and doctors around me to take care of me. You don't have to get yourself so bothered." I took a long breath after saying all these really fast and loud.

Silence... Silence... Silence...

The other side of the phone remained dead silent. Damn! I think I said too much. Did I just tell him off because he cared for me? I'm doomed. This is sooooo wrong. How can I shout at him for being kind to me? I cleared my voice but didn't know what to say. He was still silent and I wondered what was going on in his mind. Well, I needed to stop him from coming to Hope, but certainly not in the way I just did. I didn't know if it worked or not. I needed to check.

"Look, I'm fine, seriously. Don't worry about me. We'll talk at home, okay?" I sounded more relaxed than I thought I would.

"Right." He answered in one word.

"I gotta go now. See you at night. Bye." I disconnected the call. I turned my head over onto the pillow and banged it there for a few number of times only to worsen my headache. This is insane! What did I just do?

...

(Naoki POV)

I was rooted into the spot. My heart was beating faster and I held my breath the entire time for which she shouted. She shouted? Why? I tried to think clearly but my mind just wouldn't clear up. What the hell just happened? I dropped on the edge of the bed. Well, it wasn't exactly the first time she shouted. We had a big fight in the past due to my jealousy regarding Kamogari which led Kotoko to leave the house. She only returned promising that she will never leave me again, after I confessed to her in the college cafeteria with full of people. People with eyes and ears and mouth. People, who stared and giggled and gossiped. I had confessed in front of them all. But that fight occurred because I was being a jerk to her, not because I was concerned. So, this one is a first. I played her words in my mind again and again but nothing made any sense. When she said she had been ill before and she knew how to take care of herself made me feel ashamed. I remembered oka-san said she fell ill frequently over the past few months. All these times when she was ill and I wasn't there with her made me want to bang my head on the wall.

Night. I will have to wait till night!

It was probably the longest day of my life. I couldn't concentrate on anything. I avoided home because I didn't want anyone to notice it. I paid a visit at Tonan to confirm my transfer. I will join the hospital tomorrow. I cancelled any further delay as Kotoko didn't have the break anymore. There was no point wasting my off days alone. I can take off when she has hers. Then I wondered around the street, not really meeting any people. I needed to think. Finally the night approached. It was 8 pm, then 9 pm and then 10 pm. Still- no sign off Kotoko. At last, when I was starting to get worried, nearly at 10:30 pm, she returned home. We didn't talk in the downstairs. She gave her reasons for being late. Apparently it was crazy at the hospital due to some emergencies. She will be late the next few days. I only listened, not knowing what to say. I went upstairs late, after everyone retired to their beds. Kotoko was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor, wearing her pajamas. She looked up at me when I closed the door behind me. I walked closer and stood awkwardly near the bed. She smiled uneasily. Then she suddenly got up and walked the remaining distance between us. She hugged me. It was warm. She was so warm. The tension started to wear off from my body. I hugged her back and she shook a little. I missed this feeling. I missed hugging her, being in her warm embrace. The best hug in the whole universe. I held her tightly against me. I could stand there like that for the entire night.

"I'm sorry Irie-kun." She said not breaking the hug. "I was so frustrated about something when you called that I just shouted at you without meaning to."

"What was wrong?" I asked her, still holding her.

"Its... just the work. Something at work. Never mind that." She pulled away. I felt slightly irritated, not sure if it was because of what she said or because she broke the hug. "I just wanted to tell you to trust me with my work." She continued. "I know what I'm doing and I'm trying my best. So let me be okay?" She said meeting my eyes. I stared back at her and then pulled her into a hug again.

"I trust you with my life." I told her and then I pulled away from the hug only to kiss her softly. She didn't respond at first. It felt like as if she was confused. But I didn't want her to pull back so I deepened the kiss and then she kissed me back. Blood rushed through my whole body jamming my brain. I gripped her around firmly, kissed her harder and licked her lips seeking entrance. She shivered but then suddenly pulled away. I was surprised. I already missed the warmth on my lips. I fisted my fingers and tried to control my emotions. She must be having a hard time. She avoided looking into my eyes. Maybe she is awkward due to the long gap? But... that doesn't sound right. Then why? Am I the only one who was craving for the hugs and kisses? I couldn't help feeling slightly hurt. But nonetheless, I decided to wait.

"You should sleep. It was a long day for you." I told her.

"Yes, you too. Good night." She moved towards the bed.

"Good night."

When I joined her in the bed after changing, she seemed already asleep. I sighed.