What If Series Two: Should Have Kept These Memories...

"Oh! I really want to try to have a romance in the hospital!" Kotoko came into my office with her exciting voice. I couldn't forget what she did earlier, I put back the paper on my desk, trying to hide my smile from her. I raised a fine bored voice, "It's your break already? That early?" I furrowed one of my brows. It's only eleven-thirty am, too early for her to dilly-dallying around here. Nevermind, my mood went smoothly and my sleepy eyes can see clearly what I'm monitoring on my computer. Thanks to her.

"Oh, Irie-kun. You must have been so tired enough. You should take a break. There's an only half-hour to lunch but if you really that tired enough, you shouldn't force yourself. Even doctors need a rest you know." she mumbled and closed the door. I even heard a click, she surely locked it. "There, no one will disturb you now. You've done pretty well enough. Dr. Irie, the number one doctor in Tonan Hospital, should take a break." she winked at me while I was staring at her, giving a glare, warning her that she shouldn't do some crazy stuff right now, not in time of my work. She closed my computer and take my folders back to its rack. "Let's have an early lunch, Dr. Irie!" she simply celebrated while I was contemplating how happy she was. Her smile was even brighter or was it just me? Since I'm turning hungry.

I leaned closed to her, not minding that I was watching her too closely while she was preparing the lunch boxes in the desk between us. She was happy to tell me what she made... "I made you a healthy lunch, Irie-kun! It's quite challenging for me! Here... I fried carrots... and I even made a vegetable lumpia! And oh... takoyaki! And there's more... a fresh abalone that I bought yesterday. I'm sure this will boost your immunity! Don't worry, I will make you very delicious food and nutritious one! Please prepare for that!" she finally turned to me and I was dumbstruck, amazed like something hit me whenever she turned with a crazy smile like that. It has always made my heart thump, beat faster like a beast hunting its prey. This was not relaxing. This was like riding a twister.

Well, "I'm wishing right now that Kinnosuke will take that away..." I sighed, surely, I did that to tease her. It's quite fun to see her different reactions. She slapped me, "Don't be like that, Irie-kun! I made this to be delicious! You can't be picky!" she squealed and gave the chopsticks to me. She split it in half.

"I hope Kotomi is eating her lunch now," she whispered, eyes cast down as she eats the takoyaki full in her mouth. I was worried that it might choke her. "Oy, at least you should chew it slowly and don't take it directly full in your mouth," I warned her but she just flicked her eyes on me and I gave her the tumbler. "Drink," I told her.

I watched her happily eating her lunch. The room turned so lively with just Kotoko alone. Just by staring at her, it feels like a new kind of energy flowing in my veins.

"Oh, you should eat a lot of fruits, Irie-kun!" she said and after she ate almost her lunch, she picked an apple in the plastic she carried when she came here, "Tada! Apples and oranges!" she presented it and she stood up, "Oh, I should get a knife." and went directly to the small kitchen area in my office, just some mugs, and other kitchen stuff, in case if I don't have time to go to a restaurant, I'll have the place to make something for me. Kotoko's lullaby was all over the place, I picked the takoyaki that she made, still the same taste, sometimes she got better in cooking, sometimes not... but she made all of these with effort, at least I should show to her that I like her endeavor even if the taste was unbearable.

"Ah!" she shouted when she got hurt. She quivered when she found her thumb was bleeding. I quickly went to her side and looked at it, before she could faint again. "Look at you now, I told you to be careful, you idiot." I held her thumb and washed it with clean water. "Irie-kun..." the only thing she can say. I took a small band-aid in my pocket, "Thanks to the little girl earlier, she gave me this cute band-aid." I immediately wrapped it around her thumb. "This should be okay now." I finally said and peeled the apples instead before another finger would be bleeding again. I put some on her mouth and she just laughed softly... hugging me from behind. "Oh, Irie-kun... you are always been my knight and shining armor." she giggled in my sides, still her hands wrapped on mine. I want to pull her against me tighter.

"Neh, Irie-kun. I have a great idea! It's very great!" she started it again, I rolled my eyes and focused on my peeling of carrots. I might hurt myself instead.

She nagged me again, "Hey, kiiteru? Are you listening to me?" she peeked in my right side with the bright and morning face. I forced myself not to look at her. I exhaled deeply, this is must be another kind of her schemes.

I should overlook it carefully, "Ah." I responded.

"Why don't we go to Korea and have a fantastic vacation there? Please! We never had a vacation since we both started working! I wanted to enjoy it with you too! I want us to walk around those romantic places and make some memories! Ah... Korean life with you Irie-kun, it feels like a very wonderful dream!" she was in her daydream again. She never changed.

I smiled a little. "And what about Kotomi? We can't leave her behind. She is just five years old. She can't do everything on her own." when I finished peeling the apples I walked back to my desk while she was still hugging from behind. She hauled me but I managed to sit properly on my desk.

She stood behind, still babbling about her exciting adventure in Korea, she replied. "Of course! We won't leave Kotomi behind! I've always wondered what it feels like to have a family trip overseas! I wanted to bring Kotomi to Hong Kong Disneyland but that's too far from Japan." she sighed. "I am planning to go during her summer vacation. I think it's good for her. What do you think?" and she leaned on me with her hands on her cheeks, puffing it to be cute in front of me.

"Well, it depends if they allow me to be gone for weeks. I'm a doctor and I have so many responsibilities around and... it's two months from now. I don't think I can be able to move up my schedules to free that time—"

"Don't worry about it, Irie-kun! I'm Irie Kotoko! I can do it. Let's just use my connections for a while." she sounded too confident. "I don't want our daughter to be sucked out in the library. She has to have fun!"

"Kotomi loves reading so I bet it was never boring for her—"

"Oh, you don't know it, do you, Irie-kun? Kids should make fun memories. Since I am Kotomi's mother, I will show her the colors of her childhood! I can't wait!" and she jumped out of joy. She took a paper and a pen on my desk and wrote it down... guess, she will start to list the things she wanted to do during our vacation.

I sighed... having the feeling of excitement in my heart too. What would happen during our first out of the country trip with just us three alone? It must be a good idea.

"How was the school, Kotomi?" Kotoko asked Kotomi how her class ended, our daughter searched my eyes and when she saw that her mom was looking forward to her fun and fantastic experience in school, she answered, "It's the same, Mama. I answered the test perfectly. That's all." Kotomi said it like it was entirely boring... and she couldn't do about it to make it fun. "Oh no, that's bad, Mi-chan." Kotoko thought deeply, "I wonder if you ever have made friends." she murmured and held Kotomi's hand. "Mama, I think that they are afraid to befriend me," she told her Mom as I guided them to sit on the bench for a while. Kotomi's worried look was emphasized by the sunlight that's setting on the west part of the school park. I listened closely to their talks, and I found out that mothers were amazing. I always think about the happiness of my daughter but... Kotoko's concern was really out from the box. Until now, her stupidity can lead me to amaze her.

"Have you tried to approach them?" Kotoko asked again, this time she was kneading Kotomi's hair. "No. I'm also afraid, Mama." Kotomi hugged her mother and she was trying not to cry. "I wanted to have friends, Mama. I want to play with them. What can I do?" she slowly said but there was the visibility of her voice that she's really sad about it. I thought deeply, "Hey... Kotomi." considering that there was something I can do to lift her spirit.

"Look, Mi-chan!" Kotoko pointed out a poor young girl at Kotomi's age, already fell hard on the ground. Her books were scattered around, and her ice cream was spilled on the floor. "Someone pushed her," Kotoko added. "Why don't we check it out?" she stood up, holding Kotomi's arms. I quickly peeked my eyes on the situation, and the girl was really in bad shape. A flocked of young boys were teasing her, calling her different names. Tears started to brush on that poor little girl's face.

"Hey... why did you do that?" Kotoko pointed those young boys near that tree, "That's bad! Didn't your mothers tell you that it's bad?" she put her arms around her sides, her bangs showed up, standing like a hero for sure. I know she had a daydream of this before. I sighed and turned to where my daughter is.

She was picking up the books on the ground and she immediately gave it back to that young girl. "Hey, are you alright?" then I noticed that her knees were bleeding, "Papa, her knees were bleeding!" Kotomi said it.

"It must be hurting right now. I've also stumbled hard... I also experienced that. The pain stings!" she told that young girl... Kotomi took her hand and squeezed it. "Don't worry, my Papa is a doctor and my Mama is a nurse in Tonan hospital. And I know how to do first aid. You will be alright!" she tried to lessen the pain.

"Kotomi, let's carry her to the bench over there. We'll take care of her wounded knees." Kotomi's determined eyes looked at me and nodded. "Yes, Papa." she quickly understood.

Kotoko's still busy squealing out loud to those hard-headed boys, I sighed... I don't want her to cause a scene. They are children... "Hey, you should apologize!" she demanded but one of the boys stuck out his tongue at her, making her so angry that she couldn't help but to chase that boy away. I called her, "Kotoko! Come over here!" she quickly turned to me and wanting to continue chasing boys away, but she has no choice but to stop it. I demanded her to stop making a scene. "What happened to that girl, Irie-kun?" she asked and Kotomi scolded her for the formality that she missed, "Mama, are you stupid? It's Dr. Irie! Papa is playing a doctor right now!" I sighed, afraid that they are starting it again. "Hey, you two, stop!" I told them. "Anyway, take your alcohol and another first aid stuffs out of your bag, Kotoko."

"Hai." she did what I said. "But before on putting it to her wounds, Irie-kun. She's still a young girl, it will scare her the most if you directly apply it to her skin. Please be gentle." she reminded me and she was good at that, at least when it comes to cheering people up, she does well. I complimented her on that.

"What's your name, little girl?" Kotoko asked the young girl about her name while I was performing a careful first aid on her, "Don't be afraid! My husband is an amazing doctor! He is a pediatrician, a doctor who specializes in the illnesses of the children! And he's a tensai! You will be quickly healed after this!" she winked at the young girl who listened closely to her. Her face lightened up a bit. But her statement was over exaggerating... I sighed at that thought. Sometimes I find myself oddly embarrassed inside a situation where I don't have places to run.

"My name is Itsuyo Reikawa. I go to Tonan Primary School every day..." the girl quietly answered. "Wow! You go to the same school as my daughter too! And she's still in primary school! What do you think, Mi-chan?" she pushed Kotomi who was sitting and watching us silently, giving her some hints. "You too?" the young girl asked Kotomi, our daughter flinched, still not used to introduce herself to another person, "What are you waiting, Kotomi?" Kotoko called her and smiled at her, "It's time to make a friend!" she whispered onto our daughter's right ear, "I'm Irie Kotomi. I am in Class A. I also go to Tonan Primary School, what I mean." she strangely introduced herself. The young girl laughed so lightly, "You're strange... but our rooms are far from each other. Too bad, I'm in Class F." she continued as the conversation goes on and on.

When Kotoko heard about class F, I know what she's thinking. She was surely thinking about where our love story had begun. I took a deep breath, "Really! You are from class F! Wow, it's amazing! Don't you think too, Irie--, I mean, Dr. Irie?" she made a very happy face. I glared at her, I'm sure she'll bring up how we meet... and so does. "Common, you can stand up now. Try walking." I told the young girl before Kotoko will waste our time reminiscing about that past that was done.

"I'm fine! Thank you, good doctor!" the girl tried to move her legs around, peering her bandage wound. I stood up, satisfied with what I did, "Ja, you're better being fine. Just replace the bandage with your mother... and clean your wound to avoid disinfection." I told her but that girl looked at me with those sad eyes whose story cannot be told. "My mother was gone two years ago. I live alone with my dad and he's so busy with work so I usually did those things alone." she tried to form a smile but her mask cannot fade. Kotomi looked at her, her hands dropped on her side.

Kotoko exploded in series of lively moods, "Ja, we're the same too! My mother was gone when I was young. I don't have memories of her except for her gentle touch... and her lullaby!"

She held the young girl onto her shoulders. "It must be so hard for the two of us but we have to be strong!" she added and gave the girl an encouraging smile. The girl nodded, agreed with a smile. "That's why I do. I've been keeping up in tying my shoelaces," she admitted.

Kotoko pointed herself, and I know she will get that kind of responsibility again, "I will teach you how to properly tie your shoelaces! Since Mi-chan is smart enough, I will teach you all that I know!" and she looked up the skies... imagining again how it would turn out to be. I gave her a slight bump on her head before I messed up her clipped bangs.

And I sat down until my face was close enough to talk to that little girl, "Itsuyo-chan, my daughter wants to invite you to eat pizza with us. Would it be okay with you? Don't worry, we will take you home afterward since you two go to the same school."

She agreed, "Really? I love to eat pizza!" she slightly rejoiced. Kotomi who was shy enough to talk to her stepped forward and talk carelessly like she was never been afraid to make friends, "Thank you! I really want to eat pizza with my friend! Can we be friends now? Mama said that status doesn't matter in friendship so..." and she became talkative, comfortably sharing her school experiences. Itsuyo-chan laughed so hard too. Kotoko and I looked at each other, shrugging our shoulders while witnessing another tint of happiness on our lovely daughter's face.

After we took Itsuyo-chan safe to her home. Kotomi bid her goodbye and promised that they will meet each other at school. Kotomi and I came back to the bench where Kotoko was waiting and we found out that she was already sleeping. I sighed.

"Papa, Mama is fast asleep. What should we do?" she held my hand and looked up to me. I looked at her while sleeping, smiling like an idiot for I know that she was already dreaming of ridiculous dreams. "Irie-kun..." there she called me again, and she never failed to do that. "Papa... Mama is calling you again on her sleep." Kotomi commented. "Your Mama seemed so tired of working in the hospital." What I mean she was tired to loiter around me, or my office. I smiled at it. At least, our day is almost turning to unexpected moments and it has always been a moment to look forward too.

I sat beside her, pulling her head to lean on my shoulders, "Kotomi could we rest for a while here?" I just want to look at her while sleeping and the stars were highly seen in this spot. It feels so good to share with your family. "Hai, I think so too, Papa." Kotomi understands me. "Want to look again at Mama's stupid face while she's sleeping?" she inquired and I can't help to make a smile, a smile pleading that she will keep it as a secret between us. "You love Mama so much," she added and giggled. The full bright moonlight reflected on her face as she laughed that way. I teased her, "Yeah. That's why we made you."

After a long while until I decided to carry Kotoko on my back on our way home. Kotomi walked beside me and she's inquiring about Science the only she and I could understand.

"Hey... Kotoko, wake up. You are really a pain in the ass." I shook her off, it's time for her to take her night bath. I have back pain once again. I carried her throughout the whole way home. I put her on our bed... and she's still drawling words from her dreams. "Irie-kun... I will never forget about you," she stated and I stared at her, confident that her love won't fade no matter what will happen because she has chosen the path to chase me throughout for eight years. I put the loose strand of her hair back under her ear. "Hey, Okusan. We are finally home." I called her dearly.

"Hey, wake up!" I tried to sit her up straight to bed until her eyes were open. She quickly hugged me and cried. I don't know what's going on, "Irie-kun!" she yelled between her cries. "I have a bad dream about you!" she held me tighter until we're down on the bed. "Hey... you are choking me. What's the matter?" I was confused... earlier she was smiling on her dreams and now, she's crying? I hated to see her crying. It breaks my heart. Some parts of me were confused but since she was Kotoko, I can understand everything about her.

She was on top of me, "I thought you died... thanks to Kami-sama. It was only a dream." she mumbled and hugged me with all she can. "I really really love you..." she said between her sobs. "I thought it was true..." she cried again, I want to push her for a while just to wipe her tears.

I kneaded her back, "Shhh... it's only a dream." I hushed her until she'll calm down. She slightly pushed me to see my face and her lips were in a tight pout. I pulled her head and drew the lines to kiss her lips. It must be a bad nightmare. I smiled a bit for her to make her feel a bit good.

"See that?" I asked her and she just bit her lower lip and wiped her tears before she smiled down at me. "I see now." but she just can't get over it so she pulled me for another tight hug, "I promise that I will never ever forget about you," she stated like a vulnerable girl, making me want to protect her with the best that I could.

"Of course, you do," I told her that her power would be so amazing and besides...

Like I will let that happen.