Remembering ME
By: Monsterlife
Summary: It's hard to stay in the sideline watching him marrying your best friend, the person he dumps just to stay with you. And all you can do is watch the other way while he receive happiness from her.
Disclaimer: Don't own anything.
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Chapter 3
Reunion and the onslaught of memories.
AYA's POV
"Rei!" I said happily and jump out of the car and into his arms. Ignoring the hooting we got from our friends that were in the gate, he gave me a slow tantalizing kiss in the lips and when we broke off he smiled lovingly at me. If he was not holding me right now I might just turn into a puddle from all this sweetness coming from him. He really is different from the guy I know back from high school.
"Did you find a gown yet?" he asked, his hands holding me in the waist.
"Hmm…not yet. But the others force Ran to design one for me. She is now a designer by the way, working for a famous brand!!" I said brightly back at him, looking at his face. Call it jealousy or whatever but I dreaded the fact that if I look at him he was not looking at me but looking longingly at my guest. But to my surprised he was still focused on me and not even a second he look at Ran. I guess I am way into soap drama to believe that he might rekindle the love he had for her. Unrequited love is always like that, take me one for example.
"I know that you are gonna be newly weds soon but can you wait for that before you act so sweet in front of all of us?" Mami said disgustingly as she went down from the car. She flipped her hair and surveyed the place, "Where is Yuuya anyway? Why is he not here welcoming me?"
"Yuuya's at the back, barbecuing." Rei explained.
A voice from behind startled us and we immediately whipped our head to the noise to see what the commotion is all about.
"Careful Miyu. You're pregnant!"
"Ran I am not gonna get an accident by just going down the car. You are worst than Yamato." She said affectionately. Yamato took her in his arms and hug her just like the way Rei is hugging me. It's like valentines in September.
"Gah! This is like Valentines in September!" Ran said jokingly, as if reading my thoughts and sharing it to others.
"Then find a boyfriend!" Yamato joked, laughing slightly, "At least you won't feel left out."
"I already have one Yamato. He is New York and stuck in his work. Don't worry all of you I will introduce him to you before the wedding. I'm sure he would finish all those loose ties."
"Rei! This is Ran, incase you have forgotten. She looks so different that I even mistook her for someone only Yamato can distinguish his sister from that popular designer Elle." I said, holding both of their hands. I have to admit when I saw Ran in front of the doorstep in the Kotobuki's household I was shocked because of the transformation. And then uncertainty kick in but seeing Rei like this I am just too happy that I made the right decision.
"Otohata." Ran said flatly but few of us notice. I did not even notice the way she keep pulling her hand away from my hold or the way she look away when Rei look at her. Because as much as I like to keep an eye to my friend, I much prefer to look at Rei's face. But I still could feel the tension coming from the both of them.
"Kotoboki."
"You finally propose to Aya! Congrats! You actually had the balls to do that!" Ran said cracking a huge grin, "I thought you would never grow a brain! Or balls for that matter."
"I am unlike you Kotobuki. You actually stop coloring your hair." Rei said coldly and I have to tug him and tiptoe to only whisper 'be nice' to his ear. He looks at me and drew me closer to him, "I hear your making Aya's dress, and you better do it well."
"I have lots of talents in designing. Don't worry about it. I'll make Aya's dream wedding gown. And make her more beautiful and shining in her wedding day." She said guilelessly. But still I have to wonder if her voice carries coldness to it. I look at the others, frowning, but the reassuring smile that Yamato and Miyu gave me comforted me. I guess I was just imagining it.
"I want to see my Yuuya! Let's go to the backyard."
I nodded and smiled to them. Rei lead us to the back but before I could follow them Ran stopped me in the shoulder.
"What is it Ran?"
"You were right; this house is a dream house." She said wistfully as she stared at the house that I would be living after the wedding.
"I told you didn't I?" I said happily and tugged her in the arm, "C'mon let's see the others."
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"RAN!!" Mr. and Mrs. Kotobuki, Sayo, Yuuya, Tatsuki said happily and hug her tightly, "When did you got back?"
"Where are you staying?"
"Are you going to stay here again?"
"Are you going back?"
"What happen to you?"
I smiled happily as friends and families gather around Ran. I look up at Rei and he smiled at me and squeezed my hand.
"Looks like your friend steal your spotlight." He said jokingly, a small smile on his face, "You look beautiful."
"Mmm…really?" I asked impishly, "So how did everything go in here? Is everything ok?"
"Don't worry about it. Tatsuki has already found us a musician, then I already book the reception area." he said, encircling me in his arms. I look up to his face and kiss him in the lips, "Happy?"
"Really happy." I said smiling widely, "I love you, Rei."
"I love you too Aya." He said, also lost to our own world. The shout coming from Ran startled us and we immediately look at their direction.
"OHHH!! Hot couple!!" She said jubilantly, cupping her hands to her mouth. We all laughed at her antics, "Wait for the honeymoon guys!!"
"You also look hot, Ran!" Tatsuki shouted, stealing her away from everyone, "Why did you ever got here?"
"Tatsuki that's the wrong question." Miyu said and everyone laugh with her, "Your supposed to asked when did you get here?"
"I guess I am just too shocked to see my lovely Ran back!" Tatsuki said excitedly, hugging Ran until she suffocates.
"Yeah, it is really shocking that she came back." Rei murmured to himself, "I thought she died or something."
"…" I really don't know how to react to that statement.
"You're suffocating me Tatsukichi!" Ran said and everyone back off to give her air, "Second to answer your questions, I just got back this afternoon. I am staying in a hotel. I would come back to New York after the wedding. I will visit you however if I have time. And great things happen to me!"
"Everyone break off!" Mami called clapping her hands to get attention, "We're eating now. But first a toast to the happy couple."
Everyone clap and the bride to be blushed at the attention. Then the sound of spoon hitting glass tore away their attention to Mami and to Ran who was smiling widely to everyone.
"A toast to OTOHATA AND AYA! May you have a fruitful union, if you all know what I mean!! Ain't you excited to see little Otohata and little Aya running wildly around?" She shouted happily which made a lot of teasing from all of my friends and family. I smiled at them, feeling my face hot all over. And my mind imagining to little Aya and little Rei, it sounds nice, real nice.
"Otohata don't make Aya cry again!" Ran said, winking at me and I smiled at her for the luck that I've got.
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Ran's POV
Everyone was laughing and eating, enjoying thoroughly the merry making. The bride to be is happily chatting to Otohata and her parents. The groom to be is with her, his arms on her shoulder, laughing at some joke. I should enjoy this. But my heart really hurts so badly. It hurts to the point that it is hard to breath.
"His laugh sound so gay. I really don't know what Aya sees in him. He is a snob, ugly to the point the mirror will break if his reflection reflected on it and worse of all that gay laugh of his. I never for once like that laugh." I said to myself.
"Careful you're gonna break the glass." A voice whispered in my ear and I sharply turn around to see Tatsukichi's smiling face.
"Excuse me?" I asked sassily but slowly soften my hold in the glass.
"Your glass it might break." Tatsuki said, looking smugly at my hand that holds the glass. Piss off and slightly embarrassed I put the glass down at the table and face him off angrily, "Hurts isn't it looking at him laughing with his new fiancée. Stab you from the heart, right?"
"Me? Hurt? I played with lots of men before I hook up with Alfie. Why would I be hurt listening in that baboon laugh?" I said laughing. But my laugh sounded so force and crack that I almost want to get away from here.
"Want me to tell you why?"
"Spare me." I said my eyes avoiding looking at his sympathetic ones.
"It's because that laugh would never be yours. It will permanently belong to her."
I look at the aforementioned girl. She was looking lovingly at Rei and while he at her. And I unconsciously tighten my grip at the table. And I could feel my tears threatening to come out. Why am I feeling like this? I guess this is what Aya felt back then when Rei was supposedly in love with me when they were still together back in high school
"Good for her! She's been gaga over the guy since high school and as for me, I really care less." I said jokingly but I still cannot see a crack of a smile in his face. I tugged him in the sleeved and with a big smile I said, "Come on! Let's rock this place. I supposed your wife won't be mad if I take you for a second."
"I'm just glad that you are not hysterical right now. Since this house held many precious memories. How can you ever withstand the onslaught of torturous memories of those joyous times?" He said and I stiffen visibly. It had taken me a lot of effort to just step off the car. Seeing Rei again after all those years in the hands of another woman almost made my resolve crumble to dust, "I heard you are gonna make Aya's gown."
"I'm just glad they are marrying." So that I would not hope like I did the last few years that he would come back and remember those times we were together. But past is past. It would never come back.
"Excuse me Tatsukichi I have to go to the lady's room!" I said jubilantly, slapping him in the back. I need to get away from you and your concerns.
"You should ask Aya where it is! Everyone might think you own this place once!" He shouted earning a laugh from everyone. Aya heard it obviously and laughing her way to me, she stops in front of me and Tatsuki.
And once again I could feel myself burning hot in anger at her joyful face and the way his eyes followed her everywhere.
"Rei looks so in love with you." I said and I feel like I've been stabbed in the heart. Because saying only those words made it hurt so badly. Impossible! This is not because I still love him or anything! I love Alfie now! Not him! "SO where is the lady's room?"
"Near the library. Let's go." She said and led me inside the house.
I am afraid to go inside it but I cannot help it, I really need to pee. And Tatsukichi is right the onslaught of memories is terrible. Because once my feet step into the house, memories from before plagued my mind and the lid that I firmly put on my brain finally open, letting all those memories flow. It was unstoppable and instantaneous and my heart barely prepared for the onslaught.
Flashback:
"Why are there so many house magazines in your apartment? You're studying medicine right?" I asked that late evening as I skim through the pages. The smell of spaghetti rolled in my nose and I breathed deeply to smell it, "Hmm…that smells nice."
"Of course, I'm cooking it. I'm a genius at everything." He said smirking, "And those magazines are for research. My friend needs them."
"Oh wow. You become helpful." I said sarcastically. I look at his yummy back and grin impishly. A nice specimen of a man all to myself. I am one lucky gal, "Can I taste the sauce?"
He seems to mull over it, much to my annoyance but he turn to me and motion for me to come, "Come here then. Here, taste it."
I sipped the sauce in the spoon and relish the sweet and tomato-ish taste of it and I grin in satisfaction.
"Like it."
"Love it!"
"Now then be a good kid and go back to sit." He said jokingly and patted me in the head. I pouted at him but he brushed it off and kissed me on the lips and murmured to my ears, "Your right it is tasty."
I blush at this and immediately got away from him. Sending him a glare that he laughed off, I sat back and watch him do his magic. But bored out of my wits seconds later I turn back to the magazine and skim the pages when something caught my eye. It was a kitchen. It was modern but cozy and spacious. There is wood as its table in the center and the floor is also made of wood. But the rest can just be described as modernized but not modernized to the point it is for show but it is something for a mother.
"It's my perfect kitchen!" I said gleefully, "Look! Look! Isn't it nice?"
I showed the picture to Rei and he scoffed at it.
"You do not even cook."
"Oh shut up! A girl can dream for her perfect kitchen!" I said angrily slumping back to the chair, "And I can cook even if it is barely edible."
End of flashback.
"Ran? Are you ok?" Aya asked worriedly, "You stop in the middle of the hallway."
"No. I am ok." I said smiling. My gaze looking to the first room in the hallway. There is wood as its table in the center and the floor is also made of wood. But the rest can just be described as modernized but not modernized to the point it is for show but it is something for a mother. But Aya's personal touches with it made it cozier.
"Oh, that's the kitchen." Aya explain, "It's nice isn't it? Rei's father said it was specially made for someone. I guess it was for Rei's grandmother or great grandmother. This house was with them before he gave it to me."
"I see." I said nodding idiotically, my legs going weaker by every step.
Flashback:
"What is so nice about this anniversary gift of yours that I have to be blindfolded?" I whine at him but he just ignored me and pushed me further, "Hey careful! I am a precious person!"
"Here. Now open your eyes." He said while untying the blindfold. I open my eyes slowly and it widen like a flying saucer and my mouth hang until the ground as I saw the place. It was my dream living room! I look around the house, my mind still cannot accept that everything here is what I've dream off.
"Is this a dream?" I asked, "Because if it is then don't wake me up."
"Happy anniversary Ran." He whispered to my ears and I whipped my head instantly to him. My smile broadens and I could just feel the tears going down my eyes.
"For me?" I asked hesitantly.
"Yup. For you."
"B-but how? Everything here is just what I want it to be! It's like you memorize every dream things I throw at you!!" I said confuse. Touching everything I can touch just to reassure myself that this is real and not a dream.
"Well those magazines help."
End of flashback.
"By the way Ran I am way too curious about this Alfie person. When we were in the car you mention his work and everything. But you never mention how long you were together!" Aya asked, waking me up from my reverie.
"A year." I said, tears forming in my eyes. I want to run away. But when we reach the living room my feet skidded to a stop and my heart feels like it was running in a mile. Because in the middle of the room there hang Rei's picture. It was so badly sketched but to me it was so familiar. It was so achingly familiar, "This is badly drawn. Why do you still hang it there?"
"It's Rei's picture. He wants it down but her father insisted on putting it up. It's the only thing that he insisted to do in this whole wedding preparation. So we just let it hang there. I guess a friend of his father made it for him."
Wow, I was right for not hoping.
"Who made this?"
"Rei didn't remember who made it for him." she said, now besides me, "I suppose the one who made this really value their friendship. It looks like it is really made with love."
He didn't remember.
Those words hurt more than I could imagine.
My fingers trace uncertainly in the frame and like a password to a computer, it triggers something in my memory and before I can stop it, like 3D I went back to a time to my past.
Flashback:
"What is this? It looks like a dog!!"
"Rei Otohata!!" I said angrily, my face reddened with shame. I should not have given him a personalized drawing of his face. I knew it! He would only laugh at it, "That's my anniversary gift for you!! Can't you see that's you?"
"Well…not really." He said, turning it around and around while laughing so hard. Embarrassed and angry I snatch the painting away from his hand and sat down far away from him. I held the painting protectively and stare venomously at the ungrateful man. He laughed at this and walk towards me enveloping me in his embrace, "I look like a dog but I love it."
"Stupid! Egghead! You don't know art!" I said pouting. He laughed silently and to appease me he kiss my forehead, the tip of nose, and all over my face aside from my lips, "You are just lying."
"I am not kidding. If it's coming from you I love it." he said. I look up to him and a smiled formed in my lips. I could never hate him. I kiss him smack in the lips and hug him tightly, "Happy Anniversary Ran."
"Happy Anniversary, Rei." I said, we look at each for a moment and grin simultaneously. My eyes gaze over the empty house and I really have to wonder where he got the money, "Are you really serious? You're really giving me this house?"
"It's your dream house isn't it?"
"Well, yeah you really followed it to T. That's why you keep showing me those houses magazine. Just to create this beautiful house. But this most be expensive! Not that I am saying I don't like it because I love it but I'm worrying about the price."
"I want to marry you. I want the very best for you. You're my princess and anything you like I would give it to you. And don't worry about the price, I work part time modeling, remember?" he said and kiss me on the lips. He took the picture forcibly away from me before I could utter a protest, "Now where to put this?"
"Wait? Your gonna hang that?"
"A portrait is made to be hang. Didn't your college professors tell you that? And to think that you study art." He said while expecting every place in this nice, furniture-less house. I followed him and halted to a stop when he stopped at the place near the doorway, "We'll put it here! So that everyone would see the drawing you made just for me."
"But I thought you said it was ugly! And people would just laugh seeing that. I would."
"They would be laughing at my face. And plus I love it, that's all that matters to me. And they would be jealous because my beautiful future wife made me this."
End of flashback
"Ran? The CR is here."
"Yeah," I said wiping the tears hurriedly at the back of my hand, "I'm coming."
Continued on the third chapter…