Kotoko Strikes Back!
Chapter 16 – BANZAI!!!!!!
"Are you sure?" Kenrou eyes widened disbelievingly after listening to Kotoko's revelation. "Hai!" Kotoko nodded profusely and tried to retrieve something from her pocket. "What are you trying to do? Attack me again?" Even though Kotoko was only half his size, Kenrou could not afford to turn off his awareness against this girl.
"See this." Kotoko brought out her red cardholder, opened it and flashed it before Kenrou. "Wow…" Kenrou stared hard at the picture of Naoki in daze, not knowing what to say until his cellular phone rang.
"Hai."
Pause…
"Gomen. I didn't hear my phone ring just now."
Pause…
"I am fine. I will be back later. Don't worry." Kenrou quickly ended the conversation and diverted his attention back to Kotoko.
"Now you believe me?" Kotoko asked and Kenrou just nodded.
"You are early." Reiko exclaimed when she noticed a restless Miki sitting on their usual spot in the café. "Did you manage to find Kenrou?" Reiko asked after ordering her drink. Miki shook her head, " I managed to get him on his mobile phone, but before I could ask him where he is…" Miki stopped and buried her head under her arms.
" I am sure he will take care of himself." Reiko quickly comforted.
" Enough of my problem, I will settle the score with him tonight." Miki sighed. " Didn't you say you want something from me?" Miki got straight to the point because she was in no mood to chitchat. Reiko knew Miki's temper well enough and told Miki what she wanted.
"What? Why do you need it for?" Miki asked.
"It's a secret, but I really need it. Onegai." Reiko pleaded.
"All right." Miki reluctantly agreed to it.
"Arigatou!"
"Aihara-san. Do you think it was my fault?" Kenrou asked with his staring at the pond in front of him.
"Hmmm…" Kotoko scratched her head.
"I don't know too. Irie-kun always called me a baka, but I don't mind." Kotoko giggled out.
"Irie-kun? The one in your card holder?" Kenrou asked.
"Hai!" Kotoko nodded profusely for she never fails to get excited whenever the topic is revolving around her Irie-kun.
"You love him so much huh?" Kenrou asked.
"Hai! Very…very…very…much! So much that I would give up EVERYTHING just to be with him." Kotoko started blushing when her eyes met up with Kenrou's because of their striking resemblance. "But, after I heard about your story, I seem to understand how Irie-kun had felt about me." Kotoko stopped her giggled.
"Is that so?"
"Would you want Keiko-chan as your girlfriend?" Kotoko asked.
"Actually, she wasn't that bad." Kenrou replied.
"Then why would you say those mean things to her?"
"I don't know, I really don't know…perhaps I was too selfish and failed to realize her virtues." Kenrou smiled bitterly.
"Done." Reiko wiped off the beads of perspire on her forehead as she saw the images that she wanted appearing in front of her. Minutes later, she was dialing some familiar numbers.
"Moshi-moshi. Naoki?"
Pause…
"I have something to show you. Can we meet later?"
Pause…
"Please, this is really important."
Pause…
"Good, where are you now?"
Pause…
"All right, we shall meet at the YY."
Miki was wondering around, trying her luck in locating Kenrou after passing the thing that Reiko had requested from her. Where would he be? Miki wondered when she didn't find Kenrou back in his house.
"I hate it when everyone was trying to protect her as though she was some precious stone." Kenrou explained. "In fact, she is just some clumsy country bumpkin." Kenrou continued. "Where are you going? " Kenrou quickly grabbed hold of Kotoko's arm when Kotoko got up from her seat and was shocked when he noticed Kotoko in tears. That expression… Kenrou thought.
"STOP IT! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!"
Kenrou recalled the day when he said those nasty remarks to Keiko. Keiko had the same expression too. Kenrou finally remembered. Kotoko sniffled, her eyes looking down.
"Will you please stop crying?" Kenrou pleaded.
"Was it wrong…" Kotoko slowly looked up. "For Keiko-chan to love you?"
"Well…" Kenrou became speechless.
"Am I wrong to fall so madly in love with Irie-kun too?" Kotoko asked again and covered her tear-streaked face with her hands.
"What's this?" Naoki asked when Reiko passed something over to him.
"See it for yourself." Reiko replied. Naoki opened the envelope and retrieved the content.
"What?" Naoki couldn't believe what he had seen.
"Don't cry." Kenrou gently patted Kotoko on the back of her head as Kotoko leaned her head on his shoulder. Is this how Keiko felt when she had dashed out? Kenrou thought sadly.
"I know Irie-kun wouldn't fall for me... because you had not fall for Keiko-chan." Kotoko muttered sadly.
"Don't be stupid…how can you compare Irie and me? We are two different people. Maybe he would fall for you?" Kenrou comforted.
"He would?" Kotoko asked, her eyes lit with hope. Kenrou shrugged his shoulder. "Perhaps?" Kenrou smiled.
"Nah…you said that to me just because you want me to stop crying, right?" Kotoko eyes narrowed.
Kenrou paused a while.
"Nope." Kenrou finally replied.
"Huh?" Kotoko looked confused. "I said that because I never had the chance to stop Keiko from crying." Kenrou replied and it was his turn to feel sad.
"Oh..." Kotoko exclaimed. Perhaps Kenrou-ken might be right? Irie-kun might like me for the way I am. Kotoko assured herself with all the positive thoughts that kept her going during all those years.
"Well, let's just forget about all those unhappy past. Why not let me buy you lunch?" Kotoko offered.
"Lunch?" Kenrou looked at his watch, it was already 5:30 p.m. They had been talking for such a long time. "We should be having dinner now." Kenrou said.
"Dinner?" Kotoko looked at her watch. "Kyaaaa!!!! I forgot that I have one interview to attend!" Indeed, Kotoko was still the old Kotoko. "Forget about the interview! Maybe your Irie-kun would bring you home tonight."
"Really?" Kotoko looked at Kenrou with puppy eyes.
"No!" Kenrou replied.
"You!!!"
Unknown to the couple, there was a figure standing behind some bush watching them chasing each other around the park.
"Now you know why Kotoko has stop pestering you." Sensing that Naoki wasn't having any reaction after looking at three photos of Kotoko and a guy who looked exactly like him, Reiko went on. "That's because she had manage to find herself a duplicate copy of you."
"Do you think you can fool me with these photos?" Naoki replied coldly and threw the photos right at Reiko's face before getting up from his seat.
"Naoki!" Reiko shouted but Naoki just ignored her. " Don't you get it? The reason why you've chosen that baka over me is all because of your mother! Deep in your heart, you know that you don't love her at all!" Reiko tried her best to talk sense into Naoki after her plan had backfired.
"So?" Naoki turned around.
"We would make a great couple if not for that baka." Reiko said.
"Sou desu ka?" Naoki smiled.
"Hai." Reiko nodded. Naoki went up to Reiko and lifted her chin up and their faces so near to each other. "Guess what?" Naoki whispered into Reiko's ears.
"What?" Reiko was actually enjoying such close contact with Naoki despite the fact that they were now the main attraction in the busy fast-food restaurant.
"I don't need anyone to tell me how and who to love. But there is one thing I need to tell you." Naoki took a step back.
"Tell me what?" Reiko quickly prompted, feeling a little disappointed that Naoki was now keeping a distant away.
"We would never become a great couple with or without that baka because I had no feeling for you. Please stop doing all these silly thing before I start hating you." With that, Naoki left the restaurant, leaving the poor Reiko breaking down in front of many people.
I need to find her quick. Naoki reminded himself as he exited the restaurant because he knew that the guy in the photo was definitely no computer effect.
This should be the apartment. Naoki took out the photo from his pocket to confirm before going in. "Nobody's at home?" Naoki muttered with a frown after pressing the doorbell for several times and nobody had answered the door. After waiting for another ten minutes, Naoki left the apartment.
"Miki?" Kenrou stopped laughing when he saw Miki walking towards him. – SMACK -- "I was so worry about you and yet you…" Miki's eyes were filled with anger and frustration.
"Gomen…Fujiwara-san…we were just..." Kotoko tried to explain their situation. – SMACK -- "What are you doing that for?" Kenrou shouted when Miki gave Kotoko a tight slap too.
"You've never shouted at me before and now you are doing that because of this girl?" Miki screamed hysterically. "That's because you are now being very unreasonable." Kenrou rebutted.
"Did you know that I was so worried for you?" Miki finally burst into tears.
"But there's no reason to do that!" Kenrou shouted even though Miki was crying. "Kenrou-kun…" Kotoko tried to stop Kenrou from agitating Miki any further.
"Gomen…did it hurt?" Kenrou asked. "Fujiwara-san was worried about you." Kotoko replied.
"Stop being Miss Nice." Miki snarled.
"Miki, I won't tolerate this behaviour of yours." Kenrou warned.
"Fine with me then. Does that mean it's over between us?" Miki asked. Without waiting for Kenrou's reply, Miki turned and walked away, but stopped.
"You…" Miki eyes widened when she saw someone walking towards her. Both Kotoko and Kenrou had gotten a shock too.
"There's really someone looking just like me." Naoki thought as he stopped in front of the trio.
"Irie-kun?" Kotoko tried to remain calm.
"Baka!" Naoki shouted at Kotoko. Oh…I really miss that voice! Kotoko thought happily.
"Gomen nasai." Naoki made a bow to Miki.
"Huh?" Miki was confused by Naoki's action.
"I've overhead your conversation. I am sorry that this baka had created so many misunderstanding between you two." Naoki explained. Miki could only smile back.
"I am here to bring her back." Naoki continued.
"Bring me back?" Kotoko wanted to faint. Am I dreaming? Kotoko quickly gave Kenrou a pinch on his arm. "Ouch! What's that for?" Kenrou jumped up in pain while rubbing his arm.
"I am not dreaming after all!" Kotoko confirmed.
"Aren't you suppose to pinch yourself in order to prove that?" Kenrou grumbled.
"Gomen." Kotoko quickly apologized.
"What are you standing there for? Let's go." Naoki beckoned Kotoko to go over to his side.
"Hai!" Kotoko nodded.
"Kenrou-kun…perhaps you were right, Irie-kun might fall for me after all…" Kotoko whispered into Kenrou's ear before going over to Naoki's side.
"Sorry to have caused so many problems." Naoki apologized on behalf on Kotoko again.
"It's okay." Miki felt embarrassed for her impulsive behaviours too.
"Kenrou-kun!" Kotoko shouted from far when they were distant away from the couple.
"What?"
"I KNOW YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH KEIKO-CHAN TOO! GANBATTE!" Kotoko shouted.
"Huh? Who's Keiko?" Miki asked with a glare.
"I am so dead right now." Kenrou wanted to kill Kotoko for that but in the meantime, he would have to go through Miki first.
"Baka!" Naoki scolded.
"Irie-kun…" Kotoko put clung her arms around Naoki's, like how Reiko always does. Naoki did not resist, but continued with his walking.
"Where are you bringing me to?" Kotoko asked. Naoki ignored her question and kept on walking. Kotoko stopped walking. "Where?" Kotoko asked again.
"Home." Naoki finally gave his reply.
"Home? I have two homes now, you know?" Kotoko informed, rolling her eyes. When did this baka become such a shrewd? Naoki thought.
"Our home." Naoki finally gave in and walked off without waiting for Kotoko.
"I-R-I-E-K-U-N!!!!!" Kotoko shouted out happily before catching up with Naoki.
"Stop that shouting, will you?" Naoki grumbled.
"I-R-I-E-K-U-N!!!!!" Kotoko just kept on chanting and chanting...just like what the OLD KOTOKO always does...
"Kotoko Strikes Back! Banzai!"
The End