Disclaimer: I don't own the original characters and the original story. This is a pure fanfiction.

Note: When writing this, I am using some original dialogue and some of my own. I also may have deleted or added scenes or made the scenes a little different or switched scenes around. I hope you enjoy my version of Itazaru na Kiss, ISWAK and TKA.

Synopsis: What of there was a reason for Kotoko's stupid behavior? What if there was a secret she was holding on to? What if Naoki wasn't so geniusly stupid all the time? What if he found out her secret? Will their love remain the same? Will it disappear? Or will it ignite even more?

~:::FINDING FAVORITES:::~

December 2005

A year had passed since Kotoko and Naoki decided to try and be friends. At school, he ignored her or was mean to her, but at home was a different story. The school seemed to accept the fact that they lived in the same house, and since the relationship between the two "wasn't getting better", they stopped bothering Kotoko. Kotoko's Japanese was getting better and her teacher was telling her that she could move up a level or two if she wanted. Kotoko didn't find it necessary. During the summer, the Irie and Aihara families went on trip to Europe, which kind of brought Naoki and Kotoko closer. Though they still had their fights. Sometimes they would be really heated and they wouldn't talk for days. Mostly the fights were about Kotoko keeping secrets and Naoki was trying to be a friend. Much to Kotoko's amusement, she found out that Naoki actually acquired the book, How to be a friend. It was funny to watch him try and do the things the ridiculous book said. And the way it made him look wasn't better. But it was the thought that counted right? It was the end of the year 2005 and they all went to Australia. The room arrangement of course was the same, but it was expected. Machiko wasn't one to give up when she was up to something.

"Does your family always travel to warm places during the winter?" Kotoko asked, as she unpacked her clothes and deposited them into the dresser.
"Not really. We don't usually travel, but mom seems to want to show you different places of the world."
"And all of them have to be hot."
"Why you don't like hot whether?"
"Not particularly. My favorite season is the winter after all. I don't mind hot whether, but seeing some snow every once in a while would be nice."
"What about you?"
"I don't really know."
" You don't have a favorite season?" Kotoko asked in disbelief, stopping to stare at him. He continued his unpacking.
"No."
"Do you have anything favorite? Like a color or animal?"
"Not really."

"Wow."
"Why?"
"It's the first I heard someone didn't have a favorites something."
"Is it that important?"
"Well, not really. But having something favorite makes people get to know who you are."
"It never bothered me."
"Of course it didn't."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing." Kotoko answered quickly. "Well I guess we have to find your favorites."
"Why?"
"Because I'm your friend and I want to help you. I'm also curious, what a geniuses' favorites would be." She smiled as she closed her drawers.

In order to make her plans work, she had to tell Machiko about them. And of course Machiko was excited that Kotoko was so interested in Naoki.

The next day, they visited the zoo, the aquarium, gardens and parks. Of course Machiko took lots of pictures to record memories. At the zoo, Kotoko took notes on the animals that Naoki looked more interested in as well as at the aquarium. In the gardens, she took note of the flowers and plants Naoki observed more. She tallied up the number of times he looked at the plant or animal and how long he examined the species. It made her like an obsessed stalker but she was a woman on a mission.

At dinner that night, everyone was chatting about their likes and dislikes.
"So Naoki, what did you like more?" Kotoko asked.
"I uh. .. I'm not sure. It was all ok." Naoki answered. Kotoko sighed. Good thing I took notes, because then this genius would be walking around this world like an empty shell.

The next day, they decided to do some shopping. They clothes shopped and souvenir shopped. They ate at various places trying all kinds of foods. Of course Kotoko took notes of what color items Naoki looked at most and what foods he ate most of. As they sat in their room after dinner and Naoki was watching TV, Kotoko was running over her list again. She stopped at the food. All of the food he seemed to eat involved rice and salad. He never ate noodles or beef. He rarely ate pork and fish was never touched. Her thoughts trailed to all the dinners they've had so far and she recalled that he usually ordered rice with salad. And if there was no rice, he just ate salad.

Music and seasons was a cycle that kept going. There were several concerts that they attended as well as parties. Kotoko observed which songs he was completely bored at and where he looked interested. When he tapped his foot to the beat and when he would run out of the room. They also went to a music store and that helped a lot. She watched what CD's he would choose and to her surprise they had a lot in common.

The next day everyone decided to stay in and rest before the party tomorrow night. The adults and Yuki were all sleeping, while Kotoko and Naoki were lounging in their room.
"Have you thought about what you want to study when you get into University?" Kotoko asked while lounging on the bed flipping through a magazine.
"Why are you still asking me this?" Naoki asked annoyed.
"It's a simple question. And I'm not the only one that would ask it once you get toward the end of your high school years." Kotoko replied.
Naoki started at her. This was not the Kotoko he knew. The Kotoko he knew wouldn't be able to answer with a reasonable answer. She would give some stupid reason like " Because I want to know you more." Kotoko felt a chill run down her spine as she glance up at Naoki. For a moment, the world around them stopped. They stared into each other's eyes barely breathing.

Kotoko's POV

What is this? Why is my heart beating so fast? And why does he keep staring at me? Naoki never stares. Not in the eyes at least. Wow…his eyes are so beautiful. It's the first time I've seen their true color. They're so deep and brown. More black than brown actually. And his hair. The way his bangs fall over one eye. Mmmmm. Kotoko's breathing increased in speed. Though she wanted to stay frozen at this moment, but the silence was getting a little uncomfortable.
"Naoki?" she called to get his attention.

Naoki's POV

My God, was I wrong about her? There's something so different. There's something off. There's no way a stupid person could ever become smart in a year even with being tutored by a smart person. Could it be...? No. But then again, you never know. She holds so many secrets. Naoki kept arguing with himself in his head trying to figure out why the sudden change in her attitude and answers. As he thought his eyes trailed around her face. Wow. Her eyes are so big. Hmmm, I've never seen brown eyes with a blue border. How interesting. Her facial features are so small and delicate. She actually looks almost pretty. Not that bad if you look close enough.

He was brought bad to reality when Kotoko called his name.

Regular POV

"Yeah?"
"I lost you there for a second." Kotoko replied.
"Oh sorry. What was the question?"
Kotoko raised one eyebrow. Seriously? Did Naoki actually ask that? Wooooow.
"About what you wanted to study in university." Kotoko said slowly.
"Oh, I haven't thought about that. I don't really know."
"A smart person like you doesn't know what to study in university?"
"Is that so wrong?"
"Well people like you mostly have everything in their life planned out already. And it's surprising that you don't know who you want to be. Didn't you ever want to be like a firefighter, or cop or someone when you were little?"
"No."
"You've never dreamed of being someone?"
"No."
Oh my God. Sometimes being smart isn't that good either. Well, of course it isn't. I know that first hand.
"Well, anyways lets go through this list of favorites." Kotoko pulled out her notebook as Naoki watched surprised. Not surprised that she had it, just surprised how organized it was.

"Is it really that hard to choose a season?" Kotoko asked after about an hour of discussion. "When do you feel more comfortable? When it's Hot, Warm, Cool, or Cold?"
"I've never paid attention to that."
"Ok apparently you can pay attention, you just don't realize it. Look." She pointed to her notes. "When we went to the pet store, you liked dogs more than any other animal. When we went to the aquarium you didn't really have a preference. So it is easily concluded that you like dogs in the animal kingdom. Then in the plant kingdom, you liked to hand around lilies. Of all the plants and flowers in the parks and gardens, you were always around lilies the longest."
Naoki listened attentively. He was more and more amazed at how Kotoko was acting. But Kotoko was too engrossed in trying to help Naoki find the essential parts of his life, that she didn't realize her cover was being slowly uncovered, layer by layer.

"And look at this, you never eat any meat, or fish, you always order rice and salad. Always. And most of your clothes are green. Therefore your favorite color is green. So now it's the same with seasons. When do you have the most fun? Do you like it when it rains and then the flowers bloom? Do you like it when it's hot and you can go to the beach. Or you like it when the trees turn a reddish color and the leaves start to fall. Or you like a white snow covered land where you can make snow angels." Kotoko layed out pictures of the seasons.
"Snow angels?" Naoki looked at her weirdly.
"Forget about that. So what do you think?"
Naoki observed the pictures closely. He had never been asked this question and never noticed the things that happened in these seasons. He about them and that in eat season something happened according to the course of nature, but he never stopped to notice in great detail, how Kotoko did.
"I would have to say…..probably…..Autumn."
"Cool. Ok now finally the last one. Music. From what I've observed, you hate country and hard rock. You have various tastes but no particular favorite. Overall, you like all music."
"Wait...you observed?...when…oh….never mind"

After lunch that Naoki decided to take a nap. The morning was too weird and exhausting for him. You would think that there was nothing special in what happened but it was. Kotoko on the other hand, decided that Naoki couldn't not know who he wanted to be and decided to draw various options. She went to the gift shop of the hotel and bought a sketch book. In the sketch book she precisely sketched Naoki's face and him in several different outfits showing him the career. Several pictures were showing action. Her art skills were refined by her grandmother who loved perfect. By the time she finished, and she was surprised with herself, there were only two blank pages left in the sketchbook that contained 25.

After dinner, Kotoko decided to turn in early and after taking a shower went to sleep. Naoki returned late and as he got ready for bed, he saw both the notebook and sketchbook on the dresser. Quietly taking them he sat in the arm chair and flipped through the notebook again. When he opened the sketchbook his heart almost stopped beating. It was almost as if he was looking into a mirror. Wow. This girl has talent. It's actually really good. There was a sticky note on the inside cover listing the careers: 1. Dentist 2. Vet 3. Professor 4. Computer Programmer 5. Businessman 6. Surgeon 7. Artist 8. Musician 9. Producer 10. Actor 11. Athlete 12. Artist 13. Writer 14. Therapist 15. TV Host 16. Radio Host 17. Scientist 18. Astronaut 19. Investor 20. Race Car driver 21. Designer 22. Inventor 23. Police Agent
Naoki smiled after looking through it all. After climbing into bed and turning off the lights, he glanced over at Kotoko's sleeping form. The moon was shining through the window and illuminated her face. A strand of hair lay across her face. Naoki reached over and gently pushed it to the side.