A/N: Not mine.
Eventually, it took one of Aihara's employees 'stumbling' out the back alley and emptying the trash bin's vegetable peelings, fish innards and shrimp peels on top of Kinnosuke for him to stop stalking Kotoko's father and pestering him for a job.
He took this as a temporary setback and began elaborate plans for Valentine's Day, ignoring not only that it was common knowledge in school that Kotoko and Naoki were now an "item" but the fact that the day was for girls to take the lead in romantic missions. It turned out to be a break for Kotoko, for the date for the national high school test passed completely under his radar.
"I still wish that you would at least attempt the test," Naoki said as Kotoko wrapped a scarf around his neck.
"Look, as I told you, I'm happy to attend Tonan U. Which," she poked his chest with a finger, "I might not have even been able to without your help. Satomi, Jinko, and I will be the Three Musketeers there, and we'll muddle through somehow."
"More like the Three Stooges," Yuuki broke in.
"Pfft!" Kotoko pelted him with various mittens and gloves.
Mrs. Irie entered the foyer and began picking up the knitted hand coverings. "Ah, Yuuki-kun, what a mess!"
"I didn't do it!" he protested. "It was all Onee-chan!"
"Certainly, sweet boy," she said in an unbelieving tone as she patted one cheek. "Kotoko-chan," she turned to the girl, "could I trouble you to take this necklace to the jeweler's? The clasp is loose."
As Kotoko took the small box, Naoki lifted an eyebrow. "Really, Ma? It's so important that you'll send her out in the worst weather of the season?"
She waved away the objection. "She can travel with you and Watanabe-chan for the first part. It's only a couple stops past the test site, and the shop will have closed before you get out of the test." She jumped in with that information before her son could offer to run the errand himself.
The girl shrugged. "Well, I didn't have anything special planned for the morning. Let me get wrapped up."
Kotoko, Naoki and Watanabe discussed what courses the girl should take when attending Tonan University, in between commenting on the increasingly poor weather and the crowded conditions of the train. In due time Watanabe informed them that the test site would be at the next stop.
"Finally!" Naoki groaned in relief. He had spent the past few minutes crammed into the exit doors. "At least we'll be the first off."
"Sorry," his friend chuckled, "but the doors open on the other side at this station."
"Drat," he replied as he straightened. Or, rather, as he tried to straighten. "I'm stuck."
"What?" cried Kotoko. As the smallest of them, she wriggled until she was under Naoki's armpit. "He's right," she informed Watanabe. "His jacket hood is stuck in the closed doors."
"I told Mom that I didn't want the fleece-trimmed jacket, but did she listen? No!" he grouched.
"And it's in there tight," Kotoko grunted after several tugs.
"Well," he shifted to shrug it off, "at least I can get rid of it now."
"No!" the others cried.
"It's too cold," Watanabe stated calmly. "We still have to walk several blocks, and a mixture of sleet and snow is falling in this part of the city."
Naoki drooped back against the doors. "I'll just wait until these open and then head to the center."
"That's two stops away!"
"No!" Kotoko thrust her small package and pocketbook at Watanabe while she unbuttoned her jacket. "Take mine and I'll grab yours at that stop. That's where I'm supposed to get off anyway. I'll make my way to the testing center and wait for you."
"Sounds great." Watanabe quickly texted her the address. "Come on, Irie, put it on."
"But–"
"It's a good thing I like to wear oversized coats, isn't it?" Kotoko chattered. "I mean, you'll show a bit of wrist and it won't go all the way down, but you'll have some protection from the cold."
Watanabe snickered at Naoki's expression. "I don't think it's the fit he's concerned about."
"Look," the girl pulled the front as closed as it would get, "you're lucky it's not pink! I bought this before I moved in with your mother." She stood on tiptoe and gave him a quick kiss. "Now, go!"
"But it's purple" was the trailing reply heard as the crowds exited the other side.
Watanabe, although seated nearest the door, was almost beaten to the exit by Naoki at break time. "Relax," he tried to assure his friend, "I'm sure that Aihara is downstairs playing on her phone, waiting to trade jackets with you."
"Do you think I am that concerned about clothing?" he asked.
"No, I just thought to interject a little humor since you had your serious Irie-kun face on."
"'Little' is correct. You're no Sanma."
"Ah!" Watanabe placed a hand over his heart. "You wound me."
"Yeah, yeah. Now, where is that girl?" Naoki turned abruptly at the sound of a loud sneeze. "Uh-oh."
Around the corner the two boys found Kotoko lying on three chairs pulled together in the semblance of a couch, a pile of used tissues on the floor next to her. "Oh, hey, Daoki, Wadadabe," she greeted them. [Oh, hey, Naoki, Watanabe.]
"How did this happen?" Naoki stood, looking down at her, arms akimbo.
"De draid stopped because of wedder. I had do walk all de way back dowd. 'Scuse be." She blew her nose. "Sobeode pushed be id a puddle. By dose starded ruddid afder dat." [The train stopped because of weather. I had to walk all the way back down. Excuse me. Someone pushed me in a puddle. My nose started running after that.]
He placed his hand on her forehead. "You don't have too high of a fever…yet. Watanabe, bring both of our jackets to keep her warm while I try to track down a few bottles of water to keep her hydrated."
"Do deed do go do all dat drouble," Kotoko protested. [No need to go to all that trouble.]
"You lie there and be a good patient," he riposted.
"Your bedside madder sucks," she muttered after he headed for the line of vending machines. [Your bedside manner sucks.]
"Onii-chan, Onii-chan," his mother wailed upon his entrance into the house, "Kotoko-chan never returned from downtown. I'm afraid that she is–What happened to you, Kotoko-chan?"
"Hey, Obasaba." She waved at her weakly from under Naoki's arm. [Hey, Obasama.]
"Come in, darling, come in!" She urged her to the couch, hands fluttering as she tried to prioritize what she needed to do. "Onii-chan, make sure the kettle is full. Yuuki-kun, fetch the blanket off Kotoko-chan's bed. Hurry, you two! Now, my dear," she patted the girl's hands once the mittens were off, "tell Obasama all about it."
"You won't be able to understand her," Naoki spoke abruptly as he handed Kotoko a new box of tissues. "Long story short, Tokyo's mass transit system shut down for several hours, and she had to traipse through snow, slush and puddles."
"And why didn't you take better care of her?" Her voice was overly sharp due to her concern.
"Ma, I was taking an exam. And once I found out what happened, I gave her fluids and covered her up. Another tester gave her some Midol®; even if that wasn't what was ailing her, it still had aspirin."
"Well," Mrs. Irie backtracked as she tucked the blanket around her, "I suppose you did the best you could. But don't worry, Kotoko-chan, you're home now and Obasama is going to take care of you. Yuuki-kun will draw you a hot bath–go do it now, young man!–and I'll fix you some nice chicken soup. With extra herbs to clear out those sinuses." She hugged the girl. "I know those boys did the best they could, but they can't take care of you the way I can."
Kotoko and Naoki rolled their eyes behind the woman's back at her typical frenzied actions. Once she made her way to the kitchen to begin chopping up chicken and vegetables, Naoki sat down next to her. "If we hadn't been keeping our relationship a secret from Mom, she might not have sent you on that stupid and obvious errand."
"Daoki, do way are you going to blabe yourself for dis! I didda wad her bakid a big deal out of us datid eider." [Naoki, no way are you going to blame yourself for this! I didn't want her making a big deal out of us dating either.]
"You mean a bigger deal than she already makes?" he asked wryly.
Before she could reply, Mrs. Irie called from the back of the house. "The water has stopped running upstairs. Onii-chan, can you help Kotoko-chan to the bathroom? And don't be naughty–no peeking!"
"You do," Kotoko huffed as she rose, "I feel so bad dat I prob'ly woulda care." [You know, I feel so bad that I probably wouldn't care.]
"Right," he guided her towards the stairway, "but let's leave that for when we're both healthy."