Itazura Na Kiss- Eternal Love Story

#11 Determination

(General POV)

Kotoko didn't forget to inform Naoki after she returned to Tokyo. She knew Naoki will want to hear the news. Over the last 2 weeks she planned very carefully how to begin her treatment without anyone knowing the truth. She planned, then re-planned everything and now finally she was ready and started the conversation with Naoki after informing that she has returned.

"Umm... Irie-kun?" Kotoko called him nervously.

"Yes?" Naoki was nonchalant.

"I needed some advice. If you are not busy..." She didn't sound sure.

"About what?" Naoki asked feeling curious.

Kotoko remained silent for a while making Naoki a bit impatient.

"I'm not sure where to start from." Kotoko stated honestly.

"Huh?" That made Naoki surprised.

"Did you know that my mother died suffering from Neuroshia?" She asked finally.

It was Naoki's turn to remain silent. He wasn't aware of that piece of information. They didn't talk much about Kotoko's mother since she doesn't remember her much.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't aware of that." Naoki replied softly.

"That's okay. You don't have to be sorry. I never told you that anyway." Kotoko assured him so that he didn't feel guilty. "Actually I didn't know much about her condition, since I didn't understand anything related to that disease." She paused for a while. Naoki waited in silence.

"But now that I'm studying to become a nurse I thought I should find out more. So I talked to Dr. Miki Furukawa of Neurology department about the disease and she referred me to the Neuro-Hope Hospital. I went there and found out a patient who is suffering from the same disease." Kotoko paused again, not sure how to continue after that.

"A patient?" Naoki asked mentally noting that he needed to find out more about Neuroshia.

"Yes. You see, it's a very rare disease. There were only 2 other patients in the last 10 years who suffered this. It's treatment is still in experimental phase and only recently a few patients were successfully cured in USA. The doctor who is in charge of her has moved back to Japan few weeks ago after she was diagnosed. He was working on the team which cured many patients in USA recently." Kotoko gulped quietly. She needed to make up a story now. "When I wanted to meet the patient, she refused. But you know I always find a way." She giggled and Naoki sighed at that. She was only adding this part so Naoki will never want to see the patient.

"Well since it's an experimental treatment, the patient wasn't sure if she wanted it. But this is the only way so the doctors convinced her. She finally agreed for the treatment and went though the required tests. When I showed my interest to see those reports and find out more about the disease, the doctor who is in charge offered me to join his team." Kotoko took a deep breath after saying all these.

Naoki was genuinely surprised. "You got a job offer in a research team when you are not even a nurse?"

"I won't join as a nurse. You might have heard of Dr. Ayano Rei? He asked me to work as his assistant until I pass my national exam."

Naoki thought hard. He had heard that name before. Then he remembered, he read about Dr. Ayano and he was a very capable neurologist.

"I already told Dr. Ayano that I was thick-headed but he insisted that I should give it a shot. I can always drop out if I don't fit there. I also won't let this affect my study, I promise." Kotoko added hurriedly as Naoki was quiet."

"Well that's really great Kotoko. I have read about Dr. Ayano and he is one of the best neurologists of our nation. You will definitely do well if you work under him. Just try your best okay?" Naoki encouraged her. He felt happy for her.

"You sure that's a good idea right?" Kotoko tried to sound excited.

"Positive." Naoki answered.

"Okay. Kotoko beamed.

"When did all these happen?" Naoki asked since this was the first time he heard about all these.

"Err..." That caught Kotoko off guard. She tried to think quickly what to answer. "Well, it's been a while. I took some reports on Neuroshia to show you in Kobe."

Naoki was surprised. Whatever that was inside the white file, he didn't expected it to be this. "So... so that white file..."

Kotoko didn't let him finish. "Yes, but they weren't important. I was just too impatient to show you after I found out about her. But then I thought I shouldn't get involved. But no matter what I do, I couldn't take that out of my mind and I really want to help her. She reminded me of oka-san and I feel like helping her will be the best way to do something for my oka -san." She finished in a small voice.

'Right. Make this sound as doing something for oka-san. Perfect.' Kotoko mentally cheered herself.

"I understand." Naoki said softly. "You should join the team."

"Thank you Irie-kun."

"Hm. When will you start?"

"I'll go and see Dr. Ayano tomorrow. I will find out more tomorrow."

"Okay."

"Well I will let you get back to your study now then." Kotoko said.

"Right."

"Good night. I love you."

"Good night." Naoki replied.

...

That night during dinner she told the same thing to the rest of her family. Everyone was happy and cheered for her. She felt really bad for lying to everyone. But she consoled her by watching their happy faces and thinking about how they will react if she told them the truth. Everyone will simply freak out.

...

Her college started next morning. She went to Hope that afternoon. She started her treatment with signing the consent papers and also joining the team as the youngest member as an assistant. She left her father's information for emergency contact. The doctors injected her some medicines and also prescribed her several others. They will decide the dose after seeing how she reacts to those. On her way home she bought several books which were referred by Dr. Ayano. If she was going to work as an assistant, she needed to know more about Neuroshia.

...

Time started to pass faster or maybe it seemed like that to Kotoko as she became very busy with her studies and research on Neuroshia. Her national exams also approached. She requested Dr. Ayano to postpone her monthly therapy until she was done with her exams. Dr. Ayano wasn't happy with the idea but he knew that the exam was very important so he agreed. Kotoko had to take a therapy every month. That therapy is physically very painful which she compares as the bone breaking experience. She had to stay in the hospital for 2 days and she would stay feverish even after the muscle pain subsides. About her staying in the hospital, she told half truth to everyone at home. She told them about the therapy but everyone just thought that there was another patient who she really wanted to help. Due to the treatment she was receiving, the symptoms of her illness were rarely seen in her. She will silently isolate herself into her room whenever she gets the pain attacks. She studied as hard as she could for her exams and finally they were done. When the result day arrived, she was so anxious that she couldn't even sit down for too long. Tomoko, Marina, Moto-chan and Keita accompanied her at home that day. She only relaxed after knowing that she passed while everyone else was quite surprised seeing her pass and joked about it. But they all were happy and celebrated together. That night Kotoko called Naoki several times. She was so happy, jumping around her room; the fact that she was ill didn't even cross her mind. But sadly Naoki didn't answer and she nearly was about to go to Kobe right then to inform him that she passed. She controlled the urge with difficulty. She shouldn't run off to Kobe again without knowing if he was busy. She decided to wait until tomorrow and went to sleep hugging tightly the mini teddy-Naoki.

Naoki called Kotoko very early in the following morning. It took a few moments for Kotoko to wake up properly but when she did, she jumped on the bed and informed him about her result very excitedly. Naoki felt so happy and kept smiling even after they dropped the call. Naoki also told Kotoko that he was proud of her. Kotoko literally danced around her room that morning.