Kotoko was picking at her lunch on a bench outside the building. She said she sat outside to look at the snow, but in reality, she needed time to think about her answer to Watanabe.

I SHOULD say yes. He treats me so well, with kindness, and he's handsome, too, but there's something missing...I can't put my finger on it...let me ask him for a few more-

The end of her thought was interrupted by a shout.

"Kotoko!"

And it seemed like an angry shout, too.

Was it Kin-chan? No, he was supposed to be in the cafeteria.

Was it Watanabe? No, he was in his own college a few miles away.

She looked up to see Irie Naoki, who looked like he had run a mile (which indeed he had, the campus was so big) and had a furious look in his eye.

"Kotoko...why are you so STUPID?" Irie said with venom in his voice.

"What did I say? What did I do? I haven't even talked to you for the past few days, let alone done something to annoy you!"

"You want to marry HIM? Watanabe? You want to even have children with him?"

"What-" Kotoko started to say, (she hadn't ever even said all of that), but was interrupted by Irie's angry tirade.

"What happened to your goal of marrying me? Is it really that fickle? Didn't you want to have a daughter with me? Where did that all go?"

"How did you know I wanted to have a daughter with you?" Kotoko asked, shocked.

Irie grumbled and looked away. "You were mumbling it during one of those fantasies you routinely space out into. You dream about ME! Aren't I the only one you'll ever fall in love with?"

Kotoko had now lost her patience and stood up, knuckles clenched. She cried out, "What's so wrong with loving someone that you have a CHANCE with? All you ever do is reject me, tease me, be mean to me. It's nice to be appreciated sometimes! You were never nice to me, you rejected my love letter and stomped on it, you frequently comment on how STUPID I am, laugh at me when I get a job to pay for your gift, and decline the Valentine's chocolates which I worked so hard to make…"

"I appreciate you! I appreciate you more than he ever has! I was never nice to you, but I helped you on your numerous exams. I still have that love letter you gave me safe with me, and as many times as I comment on stupidity, I also comment on your determination, and even though I laughed at the gift that you gave me it's one of five gifts out of TWO HUNDRED that I kept instead of throwing away, and the only reason I declined the chocolates was because I don't like sweet things, and I frequently eat the horrible lunches that you pack for me! HOW IS THAT NOT PROOF?"

"Wait a second," Kotoko's voice was trembling. "You kept the love letter?"

Irie looked at her with an unreadable look in his widening eyes, like a doe caught in headlights.

The bell rang loudly, and he fled.