Forever
Step 01 - We meet again
A/N: Revision one of this chapter. Hopefully the series will be better! Again, I apologize for any of this that seems OOC. For new readers - This is a continuation of the series GALS! However, I have not read the entire series, and didn't get the last chapter that ran in Ribon. So I have no idea how the series ends. Which is fine by me. ^^;;
Everyone is about 25 now, making it roughly ten years since they've seen each other.
"Unbelievable," Rei muttered as a woman in a police uniform caught his eye. He stared at her for a moment, trying to decide if she was who he thought she was. Shrugging his shoulders slightly, he called out "Kotobuki!" The brunette in a classy, slightly modified version of a police uniform turned, flashing a friendly smile. Her face morphed to confusion, then to mild shock, and finally to reunited glee.
"Otohata Rei. What brings you here?"
"Internship." Ran held back a laugh, it seemed Rei didn't say much more than was necessary, as usual. Well, ten years doesn't mean everything changes about a person, right? Rei's eyes held confusion, probably wondering what Ran found humorous.
"Doctor," she asked, referring to a comment Yuuya made last week. He informed her of Rei's internship, but she hadn't expected to meet him out on the streets, while working. Besides, no amount of warning could prepare you to see someone you haven't seen in ten years.
"Yeah. You've changed," he remarked, not only referring to her classic clothing (probably modified to suit her needs) but her more mature brown eyes. She looked more adult, although the rash unpredictability still shone brightly.
"Ironic I became the one thing I refused to become, eh? Did you ever talk to Aya after graduation?" Rei shook his head no, feeling a tinge of regret and guilt. At the time she was serious about their love, and he wasn't. He couldn't be, considering his career choice. Ran sighed with disappointment, she knew he would never see Aya again, but a small part of her still hoped for the romance that her friend longed for.
A cry of help stunted her thoughts, and Ran turn to the noise, seeing a lady in a yellow dress wave her arms wildly. She looked past the lady to see a boy running against the crowd, hunching his shoulders as if to hide himself.
Easy catch. She turned to Rei, grinned, and asked "Wanna see something interesting?" She gestured to follow her, then broke out in a fast dash to the offender. The moment she neared him she caught the hood of his sweatshirt and pulled back. He fell on his rump, and turned, glaring. A second later he jumped to his feet and tried to punch Ran in the face. Ran caught his fist, twisted his arm back, and forced the boy to his knees.
"You! Do you know it's a crime to do what you just did? If you want money, do it with honor by obtaining a job!"
"Don't mess with me bitch! Let me go," he cried, and tried to twist away. Ran reinforced her grip on the boy's arm, and spat back with equal venom,
"If you smart off to me again, you're going to go to the station! Now shut your mouth and go apologize to that woman. If you do, I'll let you go free this time." The boy glanced up at her dubiously, then with an annoyed sigh, he relaxed his body and stood slowly. Ran loosened her grip on the boy's wrist, but kept the firm sternness in her eyes.
Rei smirked slightly. Ran had changed in style, but in personality she was the same old kogal. Ran stood by the kid until he apologized, then wove her way back to him, smiling.
"Stupid kids, they've lost all respect, ne?" Ran glanced at her watch, then at the crowd, searching for someone. "Where is Yamato? His shift started five minutes ago!"
As if on cue, Yamato came rushing to them, calling out Ran's name. "Sorry, but Miyu was out getting food for Takeshi and I needed to stay and watch him."
"It's okay. Tell Miyu I said hi when you get home, kay?" Ran turned to Rei, "So, you want to get some coffee and talk?" Rei shrugged with indifference and walked in silence to the nearest Starbucks.
Rei's silence, although normal for his personality, unnerved Ran. Ten years had passed; there had to be something to talk about! As they neared the coffee shop, a plan came into her mind. She smirked, then opened the door for Rei. He glanced at her oddly, then shook his head and entered first.
When the lady asked for their order Ran looked over at Rei and gave her best pout. "Hey, I'm a little short on cash, care to borrow me some?" She laughed at his immediate annoyance, and winked playfully, "Just kidding. I'll buy you some, think of it as payback."
"Hmph, nice to know you've matured slightly."
Ran glared, "Just what is that supposed to mean?!"
"Nothing, nothing, just get me a number four tall."
Ran sighed, "Two tall number fours please." They sat in an awkward silence at a small table by the window. Ran frowned and chewed on the end of a straw she requested - somehow the vile coffee tasted better through a straw. After it cooled, that is. After a minute or so, she decided to talk about what the group had done over the past ten years, starting with Aya to gauge his reaction. "Aya's an author now, have you read her latest novel? It's really good."
"I don't care for romances," Otohata replied casually.
Ran bit her lip; only three of Aya's nine novels were romances. Then again, her debut, 'Butterfly' was halfway autobiographical. Rei probably shunned her books after that, although Ran couldn't understand why. Instead of probing further, she continued onto Tatsuki.
"Have you heard of Blurry Moon," a nod, "Tatsuki's the owner. We all get V.I.P. entrances and don't have to pay the cover charge. You should go over there sometime, you never know what'll happen!"
"I have to study."
Ran had to keep herself from frowning, the small talk was annoying, and Rei would answer in one sentence negatives. Plan B, force him to talk. "So, what's up with you and Yuuya? You two keep in touch?"
"Occasionally. He's going to try to get me a job as a company doctor when I finish my schooling. What about you and Tatsuki? Did you ever let him kiss you?" Ran looked away and frowned slightly, and Rei almost spat out his coffee. "You still haven't kissed anyone yet!?"
"I've found no one to love," she replied softly, then grinned broadly. "Anyway, awhile back Miyu and Takeshi had a boy named Takeshi. You should go see him, he's the most adorable little thing!" Rei coughed out a chuckle, it seemed odd for Ran to be talking about cute little things. She had changed; her wild carefree attitude had calmed. . . . Ran shot a lady the finger who made a rude comment about the police . . a bit. He halfway laughed and shook his head.
A laugh, now they were getting somewhere. "What about you? Are you attached?"
"Nope."
Ran's eyes widened. "Unbelievable. You're the one I thought would be the first to get married!" Well, technically the second, but Miyu and Yamato were destined to hitch first. Still, Rei looked like the type of guy who would have a girlfriend and take care of her until they were old and grey.
"Not exactly psychic, are we?"
"That sarcasm still doesn't suit you," she muttered dryly.
"So it does."
"It was fun back then, wasn't it? We were all so carefree," Ran stated nostalgically. She would be sitting here, bumming off of Yuuya, who would fight with Tatsuki, and Mami would get mad and blow up, then Rei would get mad and make a comment, Aya and Miyu would laugh. . .
"Or immature."
Ran growled, "Were you always this rude or is this a recent development?"
"It's a matter of opinion. Ten years is a long time. We've changed. I'm glad to see you're still not sporting that kogal look."
"Heh, I'd forgotten how much you hated kogals. Wish you were still a teen idol?"
"Never again." Ran smiled, she'd expected that. Too bad he wasn't her type . . . Ran bit down on her straw hard, how could she be thinking such things! Although her kogal look disappeared after starting college, the attitude of independence remained. Besides, Rei was a cold fish in love. Look what happened to Aya!
"What are you thinking about," Rei asked with an inquisitive stare.
Ran coughed and blushed slightly, "Nothing! Hey, are you busy tonight? We can go to Tatsuki's club!"
"You're going to make me go even if I deny, aren't you?" Ran grinned, and Rei sighed and nodded reluctantly. "If I'm late tomorrow-"
"Don't worry! If you're so worried, I'll give you a wake up call!" Like Ran's voice would be the first thing he wanted to hear in the morning. Torture, she was torture sometimes . . . "Rei?"
"Hn," he said, snapping out of a reflective trance.
"Here are directions to my house. Pick me up around eight, kay? And wear something you can dance in. It's no fun if you don't!"
"Pick you up," he stated dubiously, giving her a confused look.
"How else am I going to get there," she replied, rolling her eyes, "Besides, if you pick me up then I can guarantee you'll show!"
"And if I don't come?"
She stared at him square in the eye, "I have connections Otohata Rei. I'll use them to find you and drag you to his club."
"You still like Tatsuki, don't you," he asked, noticing how her eyes seemed to sparkle whenever she talked about Tatsuki.
"What's that supposed to mean," she replied, heart skipping a beat.
Rei half smiled, "Nothing, nothing. See you at eight." With those words he left the shop, leaving a confused Ran and two tall beverages.