A/N: Thank you so much everyone. Here is the next chapter.. Enjoy!

Cupid

(Naoki POV)

Kotoko took a day off. I was glad she listened. I was so scared when she fainted yesterday. But I still had work so I had to go anyway. I returned sooner than I usually do changing my shifts with Funatsu. She was helping oka-san in preparing dinner. At the dinner oka-san asked us all about our weekend plans. Oka-san must have noticed Kotoko being distant. She wasn't hard to read after all. I knew instantly that oka-san was scheming something. I for once was glad and decided to play along.

"I don't have any work." I lied ignoring all my pending tasks regarding the upcoming presentation. Oka-san grinned at me giving me a knowing look. I remained nonchalant but rolled my eyes inside my head.

"Konomi will be coming over to prepare for her upcoming exams." Yuki replied chewing his food.

"Konomi-chan will be joining us so you can skip the exam part Yuki." Oka-san told him.

Yuki scowled at her. "It was not an excuse." He mumbled.

"Oka-san what are you planning?" Kotoko asked her with concern. I looked up at her.

"Family vacation of course! We should go for a 1 night 2 days trip." Oka-san grinned broadly clapping her hands.

For the first time in my life I saw Kotoko being unenthusiastic about oka-san's plans. She was always the first one to get over excited about them. In fact, she looked slightly alarmed. I was so shocked to see the total opposite reaction that, I stopped eating and stared at her.

"Umm oka-san, I'm sorry but I have evening duties." Kotoko muttered looking down.

"Can't you exchange your shifts Kotoko-chan? It's been so long since we went out together." Oka-san's face fell. I was still staring at Kotoko. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Yuki also gawking at her. She looked up and her eyes met mine. But she quickly looked away.

"I'm sorry oka-san. I can't help it."

"Oh, well..." Oka-san didn't know what to say probably. I'm sure she was flabbergasted. I suddenly lost my appetite to eat. I dropped my chopsticks and told everyone that I was done and left the table. I felt everyone's gaze on my back as I left the room. Right before I go out of the room, my eyes fell on oka-san for a moment and that was enough to see her lips slightly curved into a smile which clearly meant she wasn't done with her scheming yet.

I went to our room. I don't know why I was so annoyed. This has nothing to do with what just happened at the dinner table- I kept telling myself. I'm just annoyed because... because... damn... because Kotoko just spoiled the first vacation I was actually looking forward to. I banged my hand on the table. I felt so frustrated.

Why can't she change her shifts for one damn week? I paced around the room. What has happened to her that her work is always more important than me! I suddenly stopped. What was I thinking? Isn't this what I did all the time? Isn't this what I still do? I always chose my work over spending time with her. I was never enthusiastic about going on a vacation or celebrating any occasion with her.

Well to be precise, this is how I'm as I don't like gatherings. I wasn't enthusiastic about any of these even before I met her. I only participated in everything she was excited about only because- she was excited. But I never showed any interest. I never planned anything or helped her in planning. It was always her. I mostly didn't plan anything because she had fun doing it and I didn't want to spoil it for her. Besides it was fun to watch her make weird plans. But at least I could have shown some interest.

I remembered about a summer vacation plan she made right after she transferred to nursing. She had suggested a few places but told me to choose anything I wanted as anywhere was fine with her. Although I told her it depended on my research, she had deciphered it well as I agreed. But when the plan got cancelled due to her studies, she kept apologizing. To make her stop I told her that she planned it on her own and that I never said I will go so it was fine. I still remember how her face fell at that. I didn't look up on her face but I knew for some reason she felt bad. And now I know the exact reason. Because right now- I feel the same. I missed a heartbeat.

I feel hurt. Damn!

...

(General POV)

Naoki found out on Sunday that the suspicion about his mother planning something turned out to be true. She announced at the breakfast table that since Kotoko has evening shift, they could all hang out until afternoon and can have lunch out together. Well something is better than nothing! Naoki thought.

So as decided, they all got ready within an hour to leave the house. Kotoko made sure she packed her medicines which she takes after lunch in her bag. She knew there was no way out and she wasn't even considering any excuses. She truly missed spending time with her family. Hence when she got inside the 7-seater Ford S-MAX car, she found herself shortly after joined by Naoki in her next seat. Mrs. Irie grinned inwardly on seeing Naoki volunteering to follow Kotoko on his own without her meddling in. Kotoko was quite tensed as she will be spending the whole day with her family. What if something went wrong and they find out. She plastered a smile on her face and kept mute on the whole way.

But as soon as they entered a zoo, she decided that whatever may happen, she is going to enjoy her time until then. They all walked around the entire zoo and went near each and every species and animal cages. Kotoko and Konomi didn't know about almost more than half of the animals that were kept in there. Naoki and Yuki filled them with information in turns about those.

"Did you two by any chance, know we will be coming here?" Kotoko asked the two brothers after they finished describing about a rare animal which was only found in Japan.

"No." Yuki said out load while Naoki only shook his head.

"Sometimes I really wonder if you both have installed some kind of memory chips filled with information inside your heads." Kotoko stated in amazement.

"You just said what was in my mind Kotoko-san." Konomi blurted out. Naoki and Yuki only rolled their eyes.

"We just happen to notice everything in our surroundings more accurately." Yuki said lazily. It was Kotoko and Konomi's turn to roll their eyes. What they didn't know was that both Naoki and Yuki were reading out the descriptions that were written on the board near the cages. They did know about most of the animals, yes, but not all of them. But none of them bothered to point that out to Kotoko or Konomi.

Suddenly there was some high pitched screeching noise on their left. All four of them turned towards it.

"What was that noise?" Kotoko asked.

"You don't know?" Yuki widen his eyes in fake astonishment. "That was your kind of species calling out to you." Konomi lightly slapped on his shoulder while Naoki remained nonchalant.

Kotoko was confused for a moment and craned her neck on the left to take a better look. Then she saw the cage and the animals which were making a loud fuss inside. Monkeys! She gritted her teeth and turned back at Yuki.

"Well, would you like me to decipher what my buddies said to you?" She asked heatedly while Yuki raised a brow. "They want you to stop pretending being such a know-it all because you don't even know the basic things."

"And what are those may I ask?" Yuki sounded amused.

"For starters- how to kiss a girl." Kotoko smirked folding her hands. Yuki scowled.

"Holding hands should be the..." Konomi stopped seeing fire in Yuki's eyes.

"What? Is he that behind?" Kotoko said loudly making an O face.

"I... I didn't m...mean to say that." Konomi stammered. Yuki gritted his teeth and walked away.

"I am so dead." Konomi pouted and followed behind him with hurry.

Naoki couldn't hold himself anymore and let out a soft chuckle. Kotoko turned at him.

"Well you weren't any better at his age." She told him.

"I wouldn't have if you weren't so late to come in my life." Naoki smirked.

"I bet you would have." Kotoko grabbed his arms smiling and started walking. But then she stopped and wanted to pull away her hand but Naoki grabbed it with his other hand and kept it still on his arm. Kotoko looked up at him and smiled.

They walked around for some more time and then joined Mr. And Mrs. Irie and Mr. Aihara near the entrance. After a short while Yuki and Konomi also joined them. They both seemed to have reconciled already. It was lunch time. They went out of the zoo to go to a nearby restaurant for their lunch. Kotoko and Konomi chattered while the others ordered the food.

The foods were served after a while and they began eating. Kotoko didn't recognize one or two dishes so out of curiosity she tried one of those. She took one small bite and the food tasted good. So she decided to eat more. But after the third bite she suddenly felt tight against her throat and chest. Out of blue her breathing began to choke and then it hit her. The food must have contained alcohol. Her hand went up to her throat and she began to cough. She jumped to her feet in order to run to the bathroom but her head spin and she nearly fell. Naoki grabbed her by the waist and held her in his arms.

"Kotoko, what happened?" Her father came beside her.

"She can't breathe." Naoki said in panic while helping her to sit on the floor.

"What?" Mrs. Irie rushed near them.

Kotoko was fiddling with her bag and with difficulty she pulled out her inhaler but it slipped and dropped to the floor. Her father picked it up and gave it to Naoki. Naoki was bewildered by the sight of the inhaler but decided to question about it later and helped Kotoko with the inhaler to breathe. Kotoko took some deep breath and after a while her breathing became normal. But she started to feel cramps inside her stomach and felt the urge to vomit.

"I need to get to the washroom." She said.

Naoki helped her to stand on her feet. He took her towards the bathroom and Mrs. Irie followed. People who were surrounding them moved away to clear their path. Mrs. Irie went inside the bathroom with Kotoko who vomited in one of the lavatory. After she was done throwing up, Mrs. Irie helped her to clean up. She took out the medicines and a small water bottle from her bag. Dr. Ayano strictly told her to carry around her inhaler and the medicines for her allergic reactions with her all the time. She also ate her regular medicines in that chance. Mrs. Irie and Kotoko came out of the washroom after a while. Naoki was waiting near the door.

"Are you feeling better?" Naoki asked anxiously.

Kotoko just nodded. She didn't have enough energy to talk. They walked back towards their table. In the mean time Mr. Irie had paid for the food so when the three reached the table, they immediately left the restaurant to return home.

Naoki's mind was overflowing with questions but he refrained from asking any at that moment. Kotoko needed rest. He helped Kotoko to get into the bed and sat near her until she fell asleep. Then he went downstairs where everyone was sitting.