Something was not right. Something was not right at all. Everyone could feel it. The atmosphere was just so...
"Tense," Yuuki said out loud, finishing his thought.
"You're right..." Mama mused, setting out breakfast. There was only one explanation for this.
"Oniiiii chaan!" she wailed, startling the whole family. "What did you say to Kotoko?"
"I said nothing to Aihara." He replied shortly. Kotoko winced and looked like she was about to cry.
What was so bad about that? Both Mama and Yuuki looked at each other in a questioning glance.
Oh yeah.
Whenever Irie called the redhead for something, or chided her, it had always been, "Kotoko! Don't do this!" "Idiotic Kotoko." "That wasn't that bad, Kotoko." "See you later, Kotoko."
Calling her Aihara meant that he was taking away that friendship, that closeness that came after living together for a year. He was deliberately shunning her.
Oh dear, thought Mama, this would have to be fixed.
IAMALINEBREAK
Over the next few days, Kotoko and Irie talked less and less. And if Mama made him go tell her, "the bathroom is free", or "dinner is ready", somehow, she would start crying from his harsh words.
Papa wondered how the heck you could make "Dinner is ready" as an insult. He soon found out how mean his normally apathetic son could be.
It was snowing, and Christmas was coming soon. On the day everyone was supposed to give each other a present, Naoki gave Kotoko a fancy package. Childlike happiness lit up her eyes, and she thanked him loudly and happily. This was the first time that they spoke, let alone civilly, for a week.
She tore open the package, and there was...nothing.
Nothing.
Her face crumpled up as his laugh was heard echoing around the room. In fact, he was the only one laughing.
Mama tried to save the situation, in vain.
"He meant to give you this sweater, Kotoko!" She shoved a huge red sweater in the redhead's hands. Kotoko held it up. It was much baggier than her size, and it was probably a gift to Papa from Mama. She was about to start crying, when the doorbell rang.
Watanabe was standing outside, and he had a Christmas package for Kotoko. She hugged him happily and opened it up. Inside was a large, red teddy bear with the letters "Kotoko" embroidered in them crookedly.
"I tried to do it myself, to make it more special." The blond laughed nervously, putting a hand behind his head. "It kinda failed."
"No! It's so adorable and beautiful! Thank you so much!" The redhead hugged him again.
"Uh, um, Kotoko..." Akio stuttered nervously. "Will you be my girlfriend?"
"SOOORY WATANABE WE HAVE AN UM...FAMILY COFFEE RITUAL SO YOU'LL HAVE TO LE-AVE!" Mama said overly loudly and almost slammed the door in his face.
"You really could have come up with something better than 'family coffee ritual'" Yuki deadpanned.
"Whatever, whatever!" Mama loudly said. "Anyway, why don't you go to your friends' house or something, Kotoko?"
Not really sure how to feel after this huge event, the redhead replied, "ah, um, sure."
Noriko waited until Kotoko had left, and Irie had gone up to his room, and she made one of her famous phone calls.
"Jinko-chan? Satomi chan?
Hello, hello! You're meeting up with Kotoko right?
Convince her...that Irie is the right one.
Got it? OK, bye-bye!"
TBC