Your hair is messy (23)
Naoki travels to a parallel universe where Kotoko doesn't love him. (2013 Japanese TV series)
45
When Kotoko ran away from home, Irie was not idle either.
Thanks to Kotoko, Rika firmly believed that the person Irie loved deeply and the one he had been waiting for was her.
In fact, this cannot be blamed on her. Like Irie, she is a darling favored by God. She lacks nothing and is perfect in everything. She can easily win the attention and love of others. Almost everyone around Rika is willing to put her feelings first, consider her in everything, and do her utmost to serve her. She is the center of her small universe.
Therefore, being too focused on herself, Rika is doomed to lack the ability to analyze other people's emotions. She can't tell whether Irie treats her well because he treats her as a family member or as a long-lost lover. But she likes Irie and hopes it will be the latter. Even her rival Kotoko says it is the latter and is willing to make way for her.
It was only at the last moment that Naoki finally told her: "I don't love you, Rika."
How can she accept it?
If Naoki doesn't love her, is he going to love Kotoko? That's ridiculous.
Rika is not talking about the female competition at this moment. She is smarter, prettier and has a better family background than Kotoko. There is no reason for Naoki to choose Kotoko. It doesn’t matter anymore. Just based on Kotoko’s attitude towards Naoki, she is not worthy of being with Naoki.
Rika is indeed not sharp enough, but that doesn't mean she is stupid. Kotoko's high-sounding words can never deceive her. Kotoko said that she sincerely hopes Naoki is happy because she loves him, but if you really love someone, how can you let go easily?
Kotoko never thought about competing with Rika. Although she said that she hoped Naoki was happy, she didn't seem to really care about Naoki's feelings in their daily interactions. When Rika provoked her, she would lie down and admit defeat, treating Naoki as Rika's trophy and offering him to her with both hands.
Rika doesn't expose Kotoko because no matter how confusing Kotoko's words and actions are, she is the one who benefits in the end. She can get Naoki without any effort and will not feel the slightest guilt of breaking up a couple because this is a gift from Kotoko, not something she stole from others. Kotoko disdains Naoki, but Rika will cherish Naoki. Obviously, her feelings are more sincere than Kotoko's. If Naoki doesn't choose her, it would be too unfair, right?
But the reality is unfair.
Rika wanted to ask Naoki: "If I hadn't gone to America, would we have been together?"
"If you hadn't gone to America, if I hadn't met Kotoko, maybe."
"In other words, if you meet Kotoko, you will choose her?"
Seeing Rika's tears, Irie fell silent. He couldn't bear to irritate his childhood sweetheart with words anymore, but the answer he should give was already very clear.
That day, Rika returned to her room and cried for a long time. She realized that not all sincerity would be betrayed, just like there were thousands of people who loved her, but not everyone could hold her hand as they wished. Just like Naoki was obsessed with Kotoko who didn't love him, Kotoko was still striding forward on the road away from him and never looking back. Rika's one-sided love that had burned for more than ten years would not be responded to.
If you love someone, you should hope that he or she will be happy. This sentence is a complete lie when it comes from Kotoko, who does not love Naoki. But when it comes from Rika, who deeply loves Naoki, it is both a relief for herself and the most sincere blessing she can give to Naoki.
Before leaving Irie's house, Rika kindly comforted Irie, "Although I don't know what happened between you and Kotoko to get to where you are today, I believe you were once passionately in love. In fact, Kotoko fell in love with you much earlier than you think, but she didn't tell you or anyone else."
Irie was neither surprised nor happy, because he quickly reviewed his relationship with Kotoko and analyzed that the possibility of "Kotoko having a crush on him" was zero, and there was no time point in the above events. Not to mention a long time ago, even now, Kotoko might not be able to let go of Sano.
Rika swore, "Naoki, do you know why Kotoko pushed me that day? It's because I threw away her high school diary. She'd marked the calendar with hearts to commemorate the day she met you. The sweeter your past was, the sadder I am, because if it weren't for fate, I could have had the same opportunity... But I never thought that Kotoko, such a softie, would get so angry with me over this. So I think she must care about you."
Irie didn't react. He was like a sculpture, not even his eyeballs moving. It was truly terrifying, as if he had suddenly died at that moment, leaving behind only an empty shell with residual warmth that would soon decay.
Rika's heartbeat quickened several times, and she nervously held onto Irie's arm: "Naoki?"
Irie raised his head slightly and looked at her with empty eyes. The sunlight made his face look extremely pale, the kind of paleness that was without blood and beauty. He looked like a terminally ill patient, with lifeless despair written all over his body.
Not only Irie, but everyone present in the Irie family had a very subtle expression, including Komi who buried her head lower and lower. Komi didn't dare to look up. Although she had not participated in Kotoko's high school life, she had known her for a long time and had heard of her. Not to mention the others.
They were not Irie and did not know the lethality of Sano Hidekazu, but from Rika's description of the diary, it was not difficult to guess that this man who had left the stage a long time ago had never really disappeared.
Only Rika, the only one who is unaware of the situation, is still persuading Irie to talk to Kotoko as soon as possible so that the two can resolve their misunderstandings sooner. However, the days when problems could be solved through communication are long gone.
Before, when Kotoko was willing to listen, Irie was still too naive. He couldn't express himself, and could only vent his dissatisfaction by hurting each other. Now that he has matured, Kotoko doesn't want to listen anymore. She has taken the initiative to close the door of her heart, refusing to understand each other. From now on, no matter if Irie is waving a gun and a stick outside the door, or glaring at her, he can't hurt her in the slightest. Is it possible to untie her knot? But forget it, she will never give Irie the chance to ruin her mood again.
After Rika left Irie's house, the atmosphere at home became extremely heavy. Aihara's father and Irie's father went to the study to talk with serious expressions. Yuki couldn't stand the depression that enveloped him, so he hurriedly pulled Haomei to the library outside.
Irie went upstairs to his room in a daze, and his mother followed closely behind him. They entered Irie's room one after another.
Irie probably knew what his mother was going to say. It was nothing more than asking him to go find Kotoko and try to win her back... What method should he think of? Irie couldn't think of anything. He couldn't think of anything anymore.
But there are some things that he cannot avoid facing just by choosing to escape.
Irie's mother spoke to him several times, but he didn't hear her. The words were like an unrecognizable signal, going in and out of his left ear. Helplessly, Irie's mother could only get to the point: "I knew long ago that my brother and Kotoko weren't a good match."
Irie looked at his mother.
Irie's mother smiled at him, a bitterness evident in her smile: "But brother really likes Kotoko so much. I've never seen brother like a girl so much, so I think it's rare. And everything depends on people. Maybe if brother tries a little, he can move Kotoko. Kotoko is such a kind and soft-hearted child..."
Yes, Kotoko is a kind and soft-hearted child. She lives a positive and sunny life and treats everyone around her well, no matter if it is Rika who provokes her repeatedly, Nami who has only met her a few times, or her rival Matsumoto who loves to ridicule her at school, or the difficult and unreasonable grandmother Yoshida... Kotoko is willing to show kindness to them indiscriminately, and her dark side is only reserved for Irie. The only person she cannot forgive, cannot tolerate, is disgusted with and can't do anything about is Irie.
Irie has been wondering why, and now his mother gives him the exact answer, because he and Kotoko are not suitable for each other at all.
"I've seen all the changes that Brother has made for Kotoko, and I'm proud of you. But now it seems that no matter how hard Brother tries, Kotoko has no intention of liking you, so..."
Irie stood up abruptly, looking down at his mother with unprecedented excitement, "Mom, what did you say?! Don't you love Kotoko the most? Aren't you trying every possible way to hope that Kotoko and I can be together? If Kotoko and I continue to be together, we'll become a real family. Aren't you looking forward to that day?!"
"But brother, you can't force relationships. It was me who tried to force your relationship, but ended up hurting you and making you what you are today."
Tears welled up in Irie's mother's eyes, and her voice gradually choked: "If I had stood up earlier, you wouldn't... and Kotoko wouldn't... I was wrong."
"So forget it, brother."
The collapse of heaven and earth was just like this. Irie's tears almost instantly flowed down his face.
He seldom shed tears since he was a child, because he did not have the ability to be moved or sad, and rarely felt happy or surprised. He was born immersed in a pool of stagnant water, living a numb life, completing his smooth and boring life without challenges or surprises.
It was not until Kotoko appeared that he realized that he could also worry about the future and feel how hot the love from another person was. There were countless people who loved him, but in the end they all left him. Only Kotoko, despite suffering setbacks and hardships, still wanted to stay by his side.
With Kotoko's vibrant vitality, tenacious fighting spirit, and ever-soaring luck, she'll surely thrive no matter what life path she chooses. While Irie is certainly a perfect marriage partner in the eyes of outsiders, isn't marriage just a means to happiness? Kotoko, already blessed with an abundance of happiness, doesn't need to consider marriage a necessity.
But Kotoko still chose Irie. After discovering that her lover was just a beautiful facade, she still loved Irie unconditionally. She ignored his thorns, accepted his coldness, awkwardness and imperfections, and led him out of the stagnant water that trapped him, to experience a more colorful new life.
It was through Kotoko that Irie began to look forward to the future for the first time. When he was in pain and helpless, only Kotoko could give him comfort that touched his heart. Although she looked not very smart, she could always grope her way into his heart, illuminating and nourishing him like sunshine and air.
However, it was also Kotoko who trapped him in an inescapable purgatory on earth. He held on until now, only to find that the end of his efforts was still a dead end. Apart from tears, Irie could not even find any other way to relieve the pain.
Before he traveled through time, he treated Kotoko very badly, which made Kotoko disheartened time and time again, but his mother was always there to match them up. Even when Irie decided to marry Sahoko, his mother still stubbornly persuaded him to turn back.
It was not until Irie traveled through time that she understood her mother's good intentions. Being good at seeing through people's hearts, she must have known that her son was saying one thing and thinking another, and she could also see how deeply in love Kotoko was. It was for the sake of their future happiness that she was determined to avoid them missing each other at all costs.
However, now even her mother has given up, which means that the future she can see for Kotoko and Naoki no longer has any possibility of happiness. Kotoko doesn't like Irie now and will never like Irie in the future. Everything is irreversible.
Even the indomitable mother Irie had to admit defeat.
She said that it was her mistake to insist on bringing Irie and Kotoko together.
She said to Irie, please give up Kotoko.
Forget it.
46
Kotoko returned home on a sunny afternoon.
It's strange to say, but according to people's stereotype of the weather, only gloomy rainy days are full of dangers and unfortunate accidents are likely to happen at any time, while sunny days should bring some beautiful stories, such as reunions, long-awaited reunions, romantic encounters, and young lovers walking hand in hand on the road with flowers blooming on both sides.
However, when Irie recalled his stories with Kotoko, he found that most of them happened on sunny days, like when Kotoko confessed her love to him and they kissed in front of the auditorium in Okinawa, and when Kotoko rejected his proposal, Kotoko helped to match him with Rika, and then had a big fight with him and ran away from home.
It turns out that the weather has nothing to do with the success or failure of things. Irie knew this very well, but when he saw Kotoko reappear, with the sunlight behind her forming a dazzling backdrop, he inexplicably felt a surge of anticipation.
When Irie's mother saw that Kotoko was willing to go home, she was so excited that tears filled her eyes. She held her hand and kept asking about her well-being, fearing that she had not eaten well or slept well these days and had suffered some unnecessary hardships.
Kotoko's biological father, Mr. Aihara, was standing by with a frown on his face. He was very dissatisfied with the way Kotoko handled the problem. He wanted to teach her a lesson and was racking his brains over where to start.
Haomei also came forward, and she and Irie's mother held Kotoko on either side. The three of them were very affectionate.
As usual, Yuki watched coldly. Ever since he found out that Kotoko was dating her brother while thinking about someone else, he disliked her even more.
Kotoko first comforted Irie's mother and Yoshimi, who were concerned about her, and then walked straight to Irie. She was calmer now, no longer as aggressive as she had been a few days ago. When a rabbit doesn't bite, it's still a docile and harmless rabbit. Her voice was very gentle. "Irie-kun, is it convenient for us to talk now?"
Let's talk. It's rare that she is willing to talk.
Irie obediently followed Kotoko out the door. They walked in silence for a long way until they confirmed that the people who had been secretly following them had finally gone home. By then, it was almost completely dark. No matter how bright the day was, without the sun's shining, the world would be plunged into monotonous darkness.
There were lights on everywhere, and the dim lights on the street were dim and gray, turning the scenery in the field of vision into a series of old photos. Kotoko walked in front of Irie, looking very small and could be easily swallowed by the darkness.
Irie was still angry with Kotoko during the day. He would not let someone who had let him down be happy alone. If his words and actions could not hurt Kotoko directly, then he would make a big fuss about Sano Hidekazu, whom Kotoko cared about. At worst, both of them would perish together. If they entangled to the end, no one would have an easy life.
But the moment Kotoko came back, all of Irie's resentment disappeared. He couldn't help but make excuses for Kotoko in his heart, as if Kotoko was still thinking about Sano Hidekazu, and he didn't ask about Sano's recent situation or try to contact Sano.
Perhaps the name Sano Hidekazu no longer represents a person, but Kotoko's carefree high school life.
Irie began to reflect on himself again. Kotoko's behavior of pushing him to Rika was certainly outrageous, but that was also the result of his misguided behavior. He had intended Kotoko to misunderstand, and she had misunderstood as he had hoped, simply not giving him the reaction he expected. Could he really blame Kotoko for this? It seemed more likely that he should blame himself for his lack of tact than Kotoko.
To be honest, Irie couldn't really tell right from wrong. He always blamed Kotoko for a while, and then blamed himself. He stubbornly wanted to find a reasonable reason for the current predicament, because he was still hoping to find the root of the mistake and then correct it. It seemed that as long as he did this, he and Kotoko would still have room to maneuver.
It doesn't matter that his mother doesn't support his and Kotoko's future, it doesn't matter that Yuki denies his love, even Ikezawa has stood on the same side of happiness as him and casts a look of pity on him, none of these matters.
Irie believes that the relationship is just between him and Kotoko, and as long as Kotoko doesn't run away, there is no reason for them to end it.
Irie wanted to reconcile, and he and Kotoko wanted to compromise and put the matter of Rika behind them. He would not provoke Kotoko again, and Kotoko would not act on her own and treat him in a way that he didn't need.
As if sensing Irie's thoughts, Kotoko, who was walking in front, stopped and turned to face Irie. Kotoko seemed to have not been having a good time recently. Her appearance had nothing to do with beauty and exquisiteness. She had a standard cute girl-next-door face with round features, fair and rosy skin, big eyes and long eyelashes, and her smile was very contagious.
However, at this moment, Kotoko certainly couldn't smile. She had lost weight, with dark circles under her eyes. She looked haggard and tired, and her hair on her forehead was a little messy. Irie couldn't help but reach out and try to help her brush it away, but Kotoko reacted faster.
She turned her head sharply and dodged Irie's hand.
"Irie-kun." Kotoko looked fearlessly at the man in front of her, with an undisguised indifference on her face: "Let's break up."
tbc
The next chapter will be the finale, and there is expected to be a side story, and then it will be all over.
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