Little Secrets

Chapter Eleven

Naoki watched from afar as his brother hugged Kotoko, for the first time he wished to trade places with his younger brother. He wanted to be the one to hold Kotoko in his arms, feel her warmth like he did the day his father first gotten sick. The comforting sound of her breathe against his ear.

His hand clenched into the small glass of champagne in his hand, as Mr, Robbins and his daughter walked up to him blocking his view of Kotoko.

Naoki cursed the two in his mind while forcing a smile, "Hello Mr. Robbins." He greeted shaking their hands politefully.

Mr. Robbins smiled "Hello Naoki! Congratulation!" Naoki nodded as the old man patted him on the back. Naoki held back a hiss at the man rough pat, "Congratulation Naoki-san." Chris smiled.

"Your japanese has gotten better since the last time we met Chris." Naoki complimented, Chris nodded with a grin "That's because of my friend Kotoko!" She beamed.

Naoki blinked "Kotoko? Aihara Kotoko?" He asked.

"Yes!"

Mr. Robbins turned to Naoki with a questioning expression "Naoki do you know Kotoko?"

"Well I'd hope so they did live together." Everyone turned to the new voice in the conversation, Chris's eyes lit up.

"Joey!" Chris squealed clingy onto his arm. "Where Kotoko?" She questioned searching around him for her bubbly best friend.

"She left to use the bathroom." Joey answered turning to Naoki with seem to me a smile well more like a evil smirk. "You must be Irie Naoki." Something glinted in Joey's eyes which made Naoki a bit worried, though he didn't show it.

Joey bowed "I am Joey Rice. Thank you for taking care of Kotoko." Joey's action surprised Naoki.

"You're Kotoko's-"

"Yes I am." Joey interrupted, he smiled at Naoki who held a plain expression.

Naoki wasn't a violent man, far from it. However the need to knock this man off his feet and shout at him that Kotoko was his, crossed his mind for a few seconds.

Instead Naoki smiled "I'm glad Kotoko found someone else to burden." With that Naoki turned and left the stunned three.

"Bastard!" Joey hissed under his breathe, Chris glared at Naoki's back as he disappeared into the crowd of people.

~

    As Kotoko was about to exit the stall bathroom, she heard two women enter "Did you hear that Sahoko hired Aihara Kotoko to design her dress?" Kotoko froze in her place. Her ears perked with interest as the women continued to speak about her.

    "I heard that Kotoko use to live with the Irie's. So they must be getting a giant discount." Kotoko snorted in her head.

    No way are they getting a discount. Yuuki's wedding? Maybe.

"You know I remember Mr. Irie once speaking about Kotoko and Naoki getting married." Kotoko stared at the women putting on their makeup.

"They could have made a cute couple. Not to mention Kotoko seems to fit Naoki perfectly." The woman nodded in agreement.

Kotoko sat on the toilet, she stared at her hands as her mind race with the women's conversation. Kotoko finally left the stall as the sound of the women exited the bathroom. Washing her hands clean, Kotoko stared at her reflection, "Perfect fit? Psh never." She dried her hands then exit the bathroom.

As the bathroom closed Sahoko retreated from the bathroom stall in which she hid in from the women who left before her.

"Naoki and Kotoko..." The uneasy feeling she once felt before began to once again bubble within her stomach.

~

Yuuki sat next to his mother, who was all but happy, she sat next to four empty champagne glasses "Ma why are you so down? You have Kotoko her with you and your eldest son is finally getting married like you wanted." Yuuki said nudging his mother's side. Mrs. Irie looked up from her pitiful position with an un-amused expression.

"First off I can't be with Kotoko. She's hiding from me," She began while grabbing another glass of the waiters plate that passed by, she gulped it down and continued "And -hiccup- second, My oh so lovely son," the sentence oozed with sarcasm "Is marrying the wrong girl." Mrs. Irie finished laying her heated head onto the cool table.

Yuuki let out a sighed of defeat, while his mother began to softly snore. Barely into the night and mother is already falling asleep... After lifting her up and pulling into his father's office, Yuuki left his mother in her husband's care.

The young boy made his way around in search of his brother, as he was nearing the his brother he is stopped by the lead singer announcing "From request by the Bride to be will everyone grab a dancing partner." Yuuki ground as he was swarmed by countless of woman ranging in age all a bit intoxicated.

In the corner of his eye he saw Sahoko, Naoki, Joey and Kotoko swapping partner leaving Naoki and Kotoko by themselves.

That's what I'm talking about, Finally!