Hey guys! I hope you are enjoying the story. Here is the new chapter. I just wanted to say that I haven't been able to reply to the reviews but please know that your words of encouragement mean a lot to me and I would get back to replying as soon as some of my life problems get sorted. Until then please review if you are enjoying this story. Your words make my day. Thank you.

I don't own the original story and characters. Though I do wish I did so I could meet Yuki Furukawa. :D

Chapter 5

14 February 2012

Things changed rapidly in Irie household after that trip in January. Kotoko to everyone's astonishment moved out after her talk with Irie-kun. She had finally realized and accepted the reality of her as well as Irie-kun's situation. She did not want to create any more trouble for him and understood that her continuing to stay at their house would only put a strain on the relationship between Irie-kun and his mother. She could have moved out to live with her father but Kotoko wanted to stand on her own two feet. She wanted to prove to everyone but especially herself wrong and show that she was capable of surviving on her own. She had been looking for a part time job for a few months and had finally gotten a job offer at a public day care in Tokyo. The job offer along with the elevator chat sealed in her mind the decision she had being mulling over for a while.

Aihara-san had serious reservations against Kotoko living on her own. Kotoko and he had their first serious fight on this issue in the starting of the month. Kotoko had always been an easy child to raise despite her inability to do anything properly. She was extremely cheerful and optimistic and she rarely rebelled against her father's wishes. They didn't talk to each other for half a week, avoiding each other, until Kotoko had broken down and gone to visit her father after work hours at the restaurant. There in quiet of the end of the day, Kotoko spoke and for the first time in a long Aihara-san saw something in his determined daughter's eyes. He saw self-confidence. So he gave in, but of course with stipulations.

His stipulations were easy for Kotoko to accept because she knew they stemmed from his love for her. He wanted to go look for the apartment with Kotoko to make sure if it were safe. He wanted weekly visits from Kotoko and nightly calls when she got back from work and finally he wanted to pay for the deposit and first month of rent for Kotoko. The last condition actually relieved Kotoko and allowed her to move out soon. She has shifted to her new place by 11th of the month. Between her work and shifting process, Kotoko faced the mammoth task of convincing Mrs. Irie.

Mrs. Irie had since the move in high school filled the hole Kotoko's mother left in her life and Mrs. Irie's opinion and feelings meant a lot for Kotoko. Kotoko couldn't in good conscience leave without getting her approval. Noriko ,on the other hand ,had been flabbergasted by the way things played out after the trip to the resort. She couldn't accept that the future that she so wished would not come to fruition. On top of that Kotoko's move broke her heart. How could she continue to live without her. She was her daughter. She was supposed to be with her always but seeing as that nothing seemed to be changing no matter how much she wished for ,she couldn't allow herself to watch Kotoko's life being destroyed. Onii-chan was getting engaged on 14th February and the Oizumi's were throwing a huge celebration to mark the occasion. There was nothing more she could do but to accept the reality, anything else would be a call for insanity. She now needed to help Kotoko ,her daughter, to rebuild her life. She would ensure that no matter where Kotoko ends up in life she is sublimely happy. Maybe Kotoko and Onii-chan were never meant to be together.

So with lot of tearful goodbyes and lot of support and care Kotoko embarked on her life of living on her own and though it had been just 4 days Kotoko was slowly believing that she could do it. Her job at the day care center was extremely fun. After the usual mishaps that happened where ever Kotoko went, they had finally found something she was actually naturally good. When the job of managing the paperwork or the reception did not work , her supervisor had assigned her to work with the kids. Her childlike attitude and delight in things allowed her to gel perfectly with the young kids at the place. She loved playing repetitive games with the kids which usually would annoy an adult.

Today had been a fun day for her, one of her kids, Sakura, had said she loved her while hugging her goodbye. It filled her with pure joy, listening to those words from such an adorable child. She had been smiling the whole walk home when she caught the red valentine display on the restaurant she was entering to have dinner. Her last night's attempt at cooking had convinced her that at least for the foreseeable future she would have to depend on take-out food.

The decoration was like a slap to her face. He was getting engaged today. He is probably engaged by now. These were thoughts going through her head. Kotoko wondered what Naoki and Sahoko doing at the moment. Were they greeting their guests together or were the elegantly dancing on some romantic number in front of everyone? Dancing like Kotoko never could , looking perfect unlike Kotoko. Suddenly, she had no appetite anymore. She walked down the cold street and then started to run. She ran as if she could run away from these images and thoughts in her mind. She saw them kissing, she saw them living together and she saw them being family. Her mind was helpless as she was assaulted by its own creation. She ran back to her apartment and in the silence of her own home. She broke apart but for the first time since she moved here, in fact for the first time in her life, she felt the crippling weight of loneliness. At that moment she truly felt alone and abandoned. The feeling was terrifying. She needed someone so she called the only person she felt at that moment would always be there for her. Kin-chan.

Kin-chan was delighted to hear from Kotoko and after finishing the clean-up at Aihara he locked everything up and hurried to meet her at her apartment. Chef had gone to Irie family's engagement celebration so for the first time since he started working he was honoured with responsibility of closing and securing everything for the night. Kin-chan felt that he was a step closer to realizing his dream. Irie-kun was no longer a threat to his love for Kotoko, he finally had a chance to change her mind, to impress her and he was going to give it his all.

When Kin-chan saw Kotoko's tear stained face he squared his shoulder and then looking the most serious he ever had he proclaimed that they were gonna have some fun. This had the desired effect as Kotoko burst out laughing at Kin-chan's expression. Their night of fun started with consuming all too much Vodka and then moved on to an intense Mario kart session. Finally after Kin-chan had won ,again, Kotoko's skills severely impaired due drinking not that Kin-chan was much better (just better enough to defeat her) , they chucked their remote control aside and fell back on the couch. They turned to look at each other. Their heads surprisingly close.

"Thank you for being there for me today. I had a lot of fun." Kotoko whispered.

"I will always be there for you, you know that Kotoko. By the way why are we whispering." Kin-chan replied whispering.

"Because" Kotoko shouted and then went quiet.

"Because…?" Kin-chan prompted. "Han? What because?" She asked perplexed. Kin-chan looked at her in exasperation and then starting laughing, there is no point arguing with a drunk Kotoko. Both of them went completely quiet.

"I never told you but you have beautiful eyes. I love your eyes. You have pretty lips too. They look so soft." Kotoko said out of the blue, staring intensely at Kin-chan's face and then just as he was processing what to say, she moved close to him and gently kissed him. She then casually moved to rest her head on his chest and as she started to fall asleep she said "Stay with me tonight. Don't leave. Promise?"

"I won't ever leave you." Kin-chan promised so with a gentle smile on his face. Kin-chan stayed awake for hours after that kiss ,replaying it again and again in his mind. It was the happiest moment of his life. He could never give up on her now.

No hate,please. I still believe in Kotoko and Naoki. Read the summary to reassure is growing is all I will say.