Sakura 13

Growing

Despite Shigeo's misgivings, the dinner at the Irie's was going well. He would have said it was like old times — except for the fact that unlike in the past, the bickering between Kotoko and the now almost-grown-up Yuki was more good natured than acerbic and Kotoko no longer spent most of her time hyper-aware of Naoki while casting longing glances in his directon.

"It's sooooo good to have all my children back in Tokyo!" Irie Noriko giving Kotoko a brief hug after she had set Yuki's masterpiece of a chocolate cake on the table. "Now that you are back Kotoko-chan, I expect you to join us for Sunday dinner every week, you hear?"

Kotoko returned the hug "I'll try Obasama."

"Try? What do you mean try? Of course you must be here and spend time with your family! Why…" Mrs. Irie began only to be interrupted by Naoki, who had been mostly quiet over the meal.

"Okaasan leave her alone." He said casting a glance at Kotoko. "She has a social life too you know."

"Yes mother." Yuki chimed in "What if Onee-chan has a date?"

Irie Noriko sputtered indignation. "Date? With whom? Have those awful young residents been bothering you?" Turning to Naoki, she gave her eldest an evil glare – how could he possibly let this happen?

"No, no. Nothing like that Obasama." Kotoko assured her with a small smile.

"Are you dating anyone?"

"Ah…well….that is…." Kotoko stammered in the face of Mrs. Irie's very un-Japanese like directness.

For a few seconds, the entire table was stunned into silence as five pairs of curious eyes focused on the young woman — the fifth pair (belonging to Irie Naoki) however was tinged with panic, quickly masked.

Taking a deep breath, Kotoko decided to just spit it out, reasoning that there was absolutely nothing to hide and that moreover, no one at the table would really care, when all was said and done.

"Kamagori Keita…from my work…he has asked me to date him."

Mrs. Irie looked like she was about to burst but a swift kick from her husband under the table and the fleeting look of panic on Naoki's face caused her to reconsider her words.

"Ah well…that is…nice." Mrs. Irie choked out, though it pained her to say it. "I am sure he is quite a…nice…young man."

"Well, yes." Kotoko said shyly. "We work together at the SPED program and he has been very helpful since I started."

"Oh I'm sure he has been…" Naoki muttered under his breath as Shigeo and Shigeki launched into almost feverish chatter to cover up for Irie Noriko's thunderous scowl while Yuki kept asking worried sidelong glances at his older brother, who looked almost bored…unless you knew him well enough to notice the tight set of his lips and how tightly he gripped his chopsticks.

"Well he certainly can't date my onee-chan unless I approve of this boyfriend first." Yuki teased, in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere. "In fact, he'll have to get past my tests before…"

"Wait…wait…" Kotoko interrupted almost frantically, wondering why she felt so panicked — after all, was it not her right to date whomever she pleased? "He's not my boyfriend…we are just dating…"

Irie Noriko's murderous look lightened perceptively. "Not your boyfriend?" She pounced. "Well…that's good then…after all, it's just dating…and you know, young people break up all the time…" she muttered to herself, ignoring the pleading looks from the men in her household for her to stop.

"Hey!" Yuki suddenly jumped up, rattling the table in his haste "Who wants desert? I need you to tell me how great I am baking this chocolate cake on my own."

"So it turned out well this time?" Naoki asked teasingly, sending a grateful look towards his outouto for diffusing the mood.

"Well…it's certainly better than anything Onee-chan ever tried to poison us with!" Yuki said leering at Kotoko. "I can at least guarantee no one will end up in the hospital like I did the last time she…"

"Yah! Brat!" Kotoko objected loudly "That wasn't even because of my cooking!"

"Close enough!" Yuki said, smiling cheekily at her. "Why don't you atone for your sins by helping me in the kitchen?"

Eager to get away from the table and dealing discomfited by the searching looks she noticed coming from Naoki's direction, Kotoko gladly followed Yuki to the kitchen.

The two worked in silence as Yuki iced the cake and Kotoko set out dessert plates and cutlery. Kotoko's hand stilled – recalling the last time she had been in this kitchen all those years ago and how sad she had been.

"You ok Onee-chan?" Yuki asked, noticing the pensive look on Kotoko's face.

Kotoko quickly recovered herself and gave him a little smile. "Yes…yes. I guess I'm just feeling a bit strange…everything is exactly where it was since I've been here…it's like nothing has changed…"

"Well Mother is a creature of habit after all.." Yuki replied casually, though the look he turned Kotoko's way was anything but. "But actually…so much has changed Kotoko-chan. You just haven't realized it yet."

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The rest of the dinner had passed more or less uneventfully although at some point, Shigeo and Shigeki had broken out the sake and were blissfully drunk, almost passed out at the dining table.

Noriko had gratefully accepted Kotoko's offer to clear up and had bid the rest goodnight an with a reminder to Kotoko to return the following weekend had, decamped to her bedroom after Shigeo and Shigeki had started singing. Yuki, with a meaningful look at his brother had declared he was going upstairs to call his girlfriend and kissed Kotoko goodnight on the cheek — and ruffled her hair , emphasizing how much taller than her he had gotten.

"I guess they're pretty much out for the count…" Naoki said as he sauntered into the kitchen and without another word, reached for the plate Kotoko had just washed and began methodically drying it.

Kotoko laughed ruefully. "I guess they missed each other a lot…I know Outosan did."

Naoki remained quiet and Kotoko suddenly became aware of how close he was. And she felt…unnerved. The silence was getting awkward, to her at least…for Naoki looked as if he hadn't a care in the world.

"And what has gotten into you Irie-kun? You never used to help with kitchen chores before." Kotoko said, hoping her voice was cheerful (and that it didn't betray how flustered she felt).

"Let's just say that living way from home gave me a better appreciation for the things Mother does to take care of us." Naoki replied easily, hoping his voice sounded casual (and that it did not betray how much he wished that THIS were their home, that SHE was his wife and that after the chores were done, he could take her in his arms).

Kotoko smiled. "Yes, Obasama is wonderful…I am so grateful to have gotten to be her daughter for those short years we stayed with you…she taught me so much…except cooking of course…but certainly how to keep house."

"And these housekeeping skills…" Naoki said, before he could restrain himself "Will you be employing them to take care of Kamogari?"

Kotoko stammered, caught completely unaware and wondering if he were serious or if like in the past, he was making fun of her again. "Of course not! I mean…we're not that serious…not that stage…"

"Good to know." Naoki said unrepentantly, looking at her and branding the image of her blushing face in his mind as he caught the little hand handing him the plate and held it fast.

Kotoko nodded dumbly, deciding that the better course of action was to just ignore Naoki — who did not seem to be his usual self. She managed to extricate her hand from his grip and handed him the last of the dishes, avoiding his gaze.

"Arigato for your help Irie-sensei."

"Ah…so we're back to "sensei" again?" Naoki teased. "I think after all we've been through you would be used to calling me by my name by now."

"It feels….well…strange. Can we stick to Irie-kun then?" Kotoko said

"For now." Naoki smiled "Just don't fall in love with Kamogari too fast ok?"

"Why…I mean…what do you mean?" Kotoko asked, after she had recovered from her shock.

"Just that." Naoki replied, the corner of his lips curling up in a rare smile, though he didn't look at the sputtering girl next to him. "Don't you think other people deserve a chance too? After all, Kamogari has an unfair advantage by getting to work with you almost every day."

"If you're talking about those obnoxious doctors that keep hovering…don't be ridiculous!" Kotoko said in indignation.

"Maybe." Naoki replied "Or maybe they're closer than you think."

A long silence ensued — and seeing the high color on Kotoko's cheeks, Naoki felt like he had achieved his goal. Maybe, or at least he hoped, he had planted a little seed in her mind.

"You know…" Kotoko began again after a while "You really need to stop talking in riddles like this…you never used to be like this…"

"It's been a long time Kotoko — like I keep telling you, you should maybe consider that I've changed. Now come and get your coat and I'll take you home. I think your father is pretty much out of it and will spend the night."

Unsure how to react, Kotoko merely nodded and went for her coat.

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The drive to Kotoko's apartment was pleasant and quiet. One thing Naoki noticed about this new and grown up Kotoko was that she seemed more introspective and quiet.

He looked over at his passenger as he stopped an intersection and realized she had fallen asleep, childlike in repose —- and knowing that no one would see, he gave in to the urge to tuck a stray strand of her hair behind her ear and pull her muffler more snugly around her, as the spring night still held a chill.

And yet, the quiet was not unpleasant. It was…different. Different but good. And certainly, it was not the tense, uncomfortable silence that he used to endure whenever he and Sahoko had been alone in the car, when he always felt her silent censure for his failure to converse with her — or the weight of her unspoken expectation for him to start acting more like a loving fiancé.

For the brief half hour that it took him to drive through the light traffic this late in the evening, Irie Naoki found himself wondering if this were how it would feel if they were a couple driving to their home, with maybe a small child asleep in her arms.

And he realized that it was something that he had never dreamed of before.

But the dream was here now.

And it was a hard one to shake.

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AUTHOR' NOTE : My apologies for the long period between updates. Work has been killing me lately so I fear the weekly updates are no longer possible. This story is nearing the end, maybe 3-4 chapters left and they are so difficult to write! Wish me luck! And of course, reviews are very much appreciated.