"Who should I date?" Kotoko asked after explaining her dilemma to all of her friends. "Irie or Watanabe?"
"Watanabe!" Satomi shouted.
"Watanabe!" Jinko agreed.
"Watanabe!" Kin-chan shouted. "He's better than the ice cold bastard anyway..."
"Watanabe...he treats you better than Irie!" Chris said.
"Watanabe!" Kotoko's father said. "He treats you the way you deserve to be treated. Besides, Irie breaks your heart way too often."
"Watanabe," Yuuki Irie unexpectedly put in. "That way Baka-Kotoko won't bother Onii-chan."
(But even Yuuki had to admit that it was more like Onii-chan making Baka-Kotoko sad.)
6-watanabe 0-irie
"Have I been blind to Irie's many faults? I feel so stupid." Kotoko thought, crestfallen. She had been so in love with him that she hadn't fully realized how mean or cruel he could be. But then again, was there a good reason that she had been in love with Irie all of these years? Was he really the one?
Suddenly, her mind flashed back to a memory.
Spring, May, Two Years Ago:
"We made it together! We graduated high school!" Kotoko crowed and gave each of her friends a hug.
"Congratulations!" Irie's mother, who was standing next to them, said. "You know, Kotoko chan, go and ask him for his second button and a photo! I'm sure he'll give it to you!"
"Ehehe...I don't think so..." was her embarrased reply.
"Come on, Kotoko! You even have his mother's approval!" Satomi shouted and Jinko nodded. "What are you waiting for?"
Kotoko entered a fantasy.
"Um, Irie-kun, if it isn't too much trouble, may I have your second button?"
"Of course, Kotoko." Irie lovingly pressed the button into her hand. He walked right up to her and bent down and kissed her.
Kotoko tried to kiss him back, but instead of his lips, she felt only air.
With a jolt, she opened her eyes and realized that it was only one of her routine fantasies. Rubbing her eyes, she bumped into someone.
"Ah, sorry..." She looked up and realized that it was Irie, surrounded by a gaggle of girls who were obviously also asking for his second button.
"What is it?" Irie looked down at her and said coldly. "Spit it out."
"Um, Irie-kun...uh...that is to say...can I have your second button?"
"Definitely not." Irie announced and walked away, the girls around him following.
Watanabe, who was there with Irie at the time, ran up to her and said, "Sorry, Kotoko-chan, I'm very sorry!" and then rushed off to make sure Irie didn't make some other girls cry.
End flashback
Even back then, Watanabe was very kind and gentle. He would always protect her and keep her happy.
She stamped her foot and decided.
"Hmmm...Watanabe goes to Kaibara college...which is twenty minutes away..."
Kotoko rented a taxi and reached the campus. It was very big, with fancy glass buildings and beautiful lights. The sun was setting, and the reflecting light made the campus look beautiful.
She scanned the surroundings for the science department after walking through the arched gate. She knew that Akio (Watanabe) took classes there. She walked towards a big map posted on a sign to see which direction she would go.
She was too busy trying to make heads or tails of the map that she didn't notice a handsome blond man next to her.
"Hey, Kotoko-chan, is that you?" A voice suddenly sounded and Kotoko snapped to attention.
"Oh my gosh thank god you're here Akio-kun I needed to find you and I couldn't read the map and I was looking for directions and it was getting dark and-"
"Slow down, Tiger!" Watanabe chuckled.
Kotoko took a deep breath and said, "Akio-kun, I've been thinking about your offer, and I would definitely love to be your girlfriend. If that's okay with you?"
For a minute, Watanabe stared at her, gray eyes wide and reflecting the sun setting behind them.
Kotoko involuntarily gasped at the beauty of them. Irie had gray eyes as well, but they were always narrowed at her and therefore didn't reflect light as beautifully as Watanabe's did.
Slowly, his face broke out into a big smile and he hugged her tightly.
"Of course that's okay with me!"
Kotoko felt warm and protected in his embrace.
After a few seconds she let go and asked, "Hey, Akio-kun, I know it's cold outside but shall we go out? Just to celebrate?"
"Why not?" He smiled gently and took her hand. "Hey, let's go to an American restaurant. I think you'll like burgers and hot dogs."
Hot dogs? Kotoko pictured a sweaty poodle.
"Not that kind of dog, silly," the tall blond-haired boy laughed on seeing the expression on the redhead's face. "Hot dogs are actually just beef."
"Oh, okay! Then let's try some!"
They had a wonderful time (even though Kotoko spilled a vanilla milkshake on their waitress by mistake) and found that it was only a short walk from the restaurant back to the Irie house.
Watanbe walked her home like a gentleman and stopped at the door. He rang the doorbell and while they were waiting for someone to open the door, the gray-eyed boy bent down and pressed his lips gently to Kotoko's forehead.
The door swung open suddenly, revealing Mama, who looked like she was about to cry, and Irie himself, his face cold and impassive as usual but his eyes sparkling in absolute shock.
-TBC-
Until next time, friends! Thanks for all of your reviews. Lol, while I'm writing this I'm falling for Watanabe myself xD. Don't forget to check out the new drama based on Itazura na kiss. It's called Mischievous Kiss and it's absolutely AMAZING!