Sorry for the delay. I hope this meets your expectation.

Chapter 2

22 January 2012

It has been over a week since that incident and Kotoko had successfully managed to avoid Naoki, not that it had been particularly difficult with Naoki still managing Pandai and courting Sahoko. He simply wasn't at home much. Naoki had stoically apologized to Kotoko the day after she had slapped him and that had been the last they had seen of each other. Noriko who had observed all this with a heavy heart was determined that she would try at least for one last time to get the two together before giving up. Papa had told her that Chairman Oizumi wanted to get Sahoko-san and Onii-chan officially engaged in first week of February, so she really didn't have much time left now. Moreover, she had seen some shocking changes in Kotoko that have had her really worried.

She sometimes got a feeling that Kotoko was hiding something from her. First, there had been some subtle changes in Kotoko's attitude:leaving home very early,skipping breakfast, coming home late and it also seemed like Kotoko had also undergone a complete wardrobe transformation,Noriko had seen her come home with her friends laden with shopping bags and then giggling up a storm while looking at their purchases. She once caught site of the soft pink of the famous lingerie brand among her purchases. Noriko had not been troubled by this at the starting, she had seen it as simply as a part of growing up , but it was last night that had her wondering if Kotoko's transformation was motivated by something completely different.

-Last Night-

Noriko was catching up on some reading while waiting up for Onii-chan and Kotoko-chan to come home. It was getting late and she was about to call Kotoko when she heard the front door jiggling. She walked excitedly to the foyer.

"Oh! Kotoko-chan!What have you done to your hair?" exclaimed Noriko even before Kotoko could properly shut the door.

"I got a haircut. Jinko and Satomi convinced me. Do you like it?" Kotoko blushed and nervously touched her hair.

She had gotten it cut this afternoon and Jinko had convinced her to get an inverted bob. She had been saddened to see her long tresses chopped off. "God knows how many years would it take for them to grow back." Kotoko had thought mournfully. She also been very skeptical about her ability to carry it ,but after spending the whole evening with her short hair she had decided that short hair suited her personality much better. "Sweet, simple and bubbly.", mentally Kotoko agreed with the description.

Noriko came closer and gently held Kotoko's face in her hand. She moved it to the left ,then right and after examining it from all directions declared it " Amazing! You look so cute. I approve of it." Noriko suddenly jumped excitedly clapping her hands. " Kotoko-chan just wait here. Let me get my camera. We need to document this." And, thus, began a 20 minute long impromptu photo session , with which Kotoko was only too happy to comply.

After enough photos had been clicked to satisfy Noriko that nothing had been missed , Kotoko had started going up the steps up to her room. Noriko pulled Kotoko back down the steps and then asked Kotoko incredulously where did she think she was going. "Ahm, I was going to my room because it is late and I want to sleep. Is there something wrong?" Kotoko answered perplexed. Noriko laughed at the naivety of the young girl.
"Kotoko-chan" Noriko said in a sing-song voice , "You have to wait for Onii-chan to come home and greet him. You need to show him your new look. Wouldn't it be just lovely when Onii-chan sees you like this? I bet he would love it."

"Mrs Irie, Irie-kun is with someone else and it is his right to be with whosoever he wants. We need to respect his choice. I can't keep imposing myself on him like this. It is embarrassing for me. I am sorry ,but I am really tried so I am going to bed. Thank you waiting up. Goodnight."

-Present-

To say that Noriko was stunned would be an understatement. Kotoko always followed her suggestion and was unfailingly determined to gain Onii-chan's attention. Noriko earnestly hoped this change was not because Kotoko had found someone else, now that Onii-chan had Sahoko-san. "Why does Onii-chan have to be so blind to the fact how perfect Kotoko is for him? Why does he just not listen to his heart?" wailed out Noriko suddenly. She then turned to check to see if anyone heard her and was relieved to realize that everyone was sleeping in this Sunday and she was thankfully alone in the kitchen.

An hour later when Naoki came down to the kitchen ,he saw everyone was just settling down with their breakfast. His stomach growled at the appetizing aroma of food. His mother really was an amazing cook and though he never really complimented her because it felt awkward to say it out loud. He was grateful for his mother's care. Engrossed in these thoughts Naoki sat down at the table and started fixing himself a plate. He then reached for his newspaper. It was only when he was almost done with his food that he put down the paper and took a sip of his coffee when he saw Kotoko sitting at the table. He immediately choked on his drink and started sputtering and coughing. Everyone at the table looked up at him in surprise. No one expects the super cool and ever composed Naoki Irie to be so graceless and so they were extremely curious about the cause of his clumsiness.

"You got a haircut. Why?" exclaimed Naoki. His voice a mixture of disbelief and accusation. Why was feeling left out? So she got a haircut, why was he disappointed that she didn't ask his opinion beforehand?

"Yes and I just felt like it." Kotoko coolly replied but then in the next breath her resolve crumbled and she ended up asking "Do you like it?" She scolded herself mentally. "Stupid Kotoko! You don't want Irie-kun's approval. Be your own person. Repeat. Be your own person."

"Like it? Huh! You look like a boy. Though, I guess that fits well with your body type." Naoki said dismissively.

Kotoko deflated sadly and looked down at her plate. She was no longer hungry while Naoki marveled at his ability to lie. He had been unable to take his eyes off from the tantalizing curve of her neck ever since he kept down his paper and had this almost irresistible urge run his lips along its length. Noriko chose this time to change the subject.

"Okay everyone! What are you guys doing the next weekend?" asked Noriko excitedly.

"I have lunch with distributors on Saturday." "I have golf with Chairman Oizumi." "I have an important dinner party to cook for." "I have a birthday party to attend." "I have to go to concert on Saturday." Everyone answered one by one.

"Enough. Cancel everything." Noriko announced. "We are going out. I got vouchers to a 5-star sea side spa as a gift for my birthday and I want to redeem them before they expire. And since it is my birthday gift ,you all have to come." So in a manner that was patently Noriko Irie she suppressed all dissent and thus set her plan to bring Onii-chan and Kotoko together in motion. "I would have made a great dictator." Noriko thought this with great pride.

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