A/N#1: I do not own Itazura na Kiss. Darn!

A/N#2: This story is set in my Kotoko Volant AU. If you have not already read that story, some characters and references may confuse you.

Brrriiiiiiinnnnng!

"Mmph!" Kotoko's brain recognized her alarm clock but her body wouldn't move to turn it off. Correction. Her body couldn't move to turn it off.

She shoved against her boyfriend's arm holding her down. "Naoki! Wake up! Let me turn off the alarm!"

She finally managed to give a hard enough shove to roll him to the other side of the bed. However, that also allowed her to prove true Newton's third law as she tumbled onto the floor on the opposite side. She rose to her knees and slapped the alarm quiet.

"Damn, Kotoko! Why is your alarm set for six in the morning? You don't have an early class today." Naoki sat up and rubbed his eyes.

She compressed her lips. "Well, I have plans, and the alarm wouldn't bother you if you had slept in your own room last night!"

"Oh yeah," he yawned. "I fell asleep studying again."

"Why are you bothered anyway? You're normally an early riser. You're like a slug today."

"Whose fault is that? Do you know that you toss and turn constantly?"

"Really?" Kotoko sat on the bed next to him and began undoing her braids. "Is that why I felt like I was in a straitjacket when I woke?"

He stretched his arms over his head. "It was purely in self-defense. I had to keep you from moving somehow."

"If it bothered you that much, you could have just walked down the hall to your own room!" She snapped the hair elastics onto her wrist and picked up her brush.

"Too much trouble," Naoki muttered as he leaned his head over and laid it heavily on her nearest shoulder.

"Ack! How am I supposed to get ready?" She scrambled out from under his weight and poked him with her finger. "Get out of my room, mister! Now!" She tugged him to his feet and pushed him towards the door.

"All right! All right!" He bent and picked up his books from the floor. "I don't think I like the way the roles have reversed in this relationship," he turned to complain as she shoved him out of the room. As the door slammed in his face he changed direction and saw his brother in the hall staring at him wide-eyed. He opened his mouth to explain then closed it immediately. Yuuki was just going to have to get used to it.

Kotoko was absently feeding herself lunch while she thumbed through kanji flash cards, studying for the upcoming test. Jinko and Satomi sat opposite her, talking quietly so as not to disturb her. Her only warning of impending attack was when their voices became silent. She looked up and saw them focused on something behind her. Before she could turn around, a hand landed on top of her head and a chin leaned heavily on her shoulders.

"Ko-to-ko!" he whispered. Satomi and Jinko started giggling. "Where did you go this morning?"

"I had an appointment, Naoki," she answered, shoving some rice in her mouth. "Oi!" she shouted around the food as he plucked the flashcards from her hand and sat in the chair next to her.

"Did Yoshida-san make these for you?" he asked, flipping through them.

"Yes, he did," she responded, reaching for them. "Give them back! My test is in two hours, and you promised to take me to the amusement park next Saturday if I make over 70. So cut this out!"

"You'll do fine." His eyes looked quickly to the right and left, then he leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Rice on your face," he spoke in her ear. "What appointment?"

"I can't tell you yet," she answered evasively.

"A doctor's appointment, already?" Satomi leaned across the table with a leer. "And you haven't even been officially a couple for two months yet."

"Not that kind of appointment!" Kotoko shouted, flushing.

"Don't worry, Irie-kun," Jinko offered. "We'll get the secret out of her for you."

"No thanks," he laughed, holding the cards high above his head as Kotoko vainly stretched her arms. "I have other ways of making her talk."

"Well, better not do it here," Satomi hissed. "Kin-chan's coming this way!"

Hearing the stomp of the neanderthal's feet, Naoki sighed and handed Kotoko the cards. "I can't even tease you in public if he's around without a scene," he complained.

"Never mind," she wrinkled her nose at him. "I still like you best. Now go away and let me study."

"Nag, nag, nag," he grouched as he arose.

"Irie! What do you think you're doing?" Kinnosuke demanded.

"Hello, Ikezawa. I'm about to order lunch. Don't you think you should be on the other side of the counter?" He grinned at the cafeteria worker's discomfiture.

"You-!" Kinnosuke fumed and spun on his heel to return to work.

Kinnosuke didn't really mean to eavesdrop; he had been taking a shortcut through the grass and noticed a loose shoelace. As he was bent over behind a clump of bushes, he heard female laughter. His heart squeezed a little when he recognized the voices, and he used that as his excuse for remaining hidden.

"Kotoko, what was all that about at lunch?" asked Satomi.

"Yeah, why are you being so hush-hush about a meeting?" Jinko piped up.

"It's sort of a secret," Kotoko began, then she giggled once more. "I'd tell you now, but I'm meeting someone about a possible makeover and then I have tennis. Oops!" she caught sight of the school's clock, "I've got to run!"

"Hey!" Jinko shouted, "if you come across any good ones, send them our way!"

"Ha!" Kotoko called back. "Tomorrow at lunch—I promise!"

"Lunch, eh?" The gears and springs began moving in Kinnosuke's mind like a—well, not a well-oiled machine by any means. But he did remember an item that his old pal from high school had purchased in Akihabara. If he would let him borrow it, he could stop by on his way home after his second job this evening. He pulled out his cell phone. "Yo, Gintaro," he began.

"Hey, Irie-kun!" Matsumoto Yuuko waved as she interrupted Naoki's service practice.

"What's up, Matsumoto-san?" he asked as he bounced a ball off the clay.

"I saw your girlfriend," Matsumoto jerked her head in Kotoko's direction, where she was diligently picking up tennis balls, "with some other man last week."

"Really?" he asked with little interest. "Was it one of the Anime Club members?"

"Not likely. He was older, quite attractive, almost flashy." She laughed shortly. "That one was never an otaku. If there had been men like that in the Anime Club, I would have attended ComicCon in cosplay."

"That impressive, huh?" He looked straight into her eyes. "Kotoko has liked me for almost four years. I'm not concerned."

"Really? They were laughing together and hugging. Aren't you worried just a little bit?" Matsumoto raised an eyebrow in inquiry. "Well, that's up to you. I must admit that I wouldn't mind taking a second look at her friend."

"Maybe that's so, but she's different." He served an ace over the net. "By the way, where did you see them?"

"Tanaka-san! Do you have a minute?"

The young man with red-streaked hair turned from his conversation with two female classmates. "Hello, Irie-san. Certainly." He turned to the girls. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Naoki looked at them as they departed. "Friends of yours?" he asked politely.

"Well, one is a potential girlfriend," Tanaka beamed.

"Really? I thought you were dating one of Kotoko's friends from the festival."

"Oh, that's past history," he informed him. "What can I do for you?"

"Hmm. Well, I wonder if Kotoko has a new client right now. She missed class the other day. I don't want her to get behind due to her re-imaging activities."

"The only one I'm aware of is brand new," Tanaka answered. "Their initial meeting was yesterday. What makes you ask?"

"Oh," Naoki raised one hand to rub the back of his neck, "a…friend said that they saw her in Shibuya with some man last week and I thought that was what it was."

Tanaka's eyes slid to the side and sweat glistened on his upper lip. "I'm, uh, sure there's a good explanation. Why don't you just ask her?"

"I don't like Kotoko keeping secrets from me. Why isn't she talking to me about it?" he complained. "I'm her boyfriend."

"Uh, yes, well, got to go, I'll be late for class." He left at a dead run, something he wouldn't have been able to accomplish six months ago.

"Damn strange," said Naoki to himself.