Summary: Not a big fan of weddings, the missing groomsman bails on his speech. The event organizer just wants her proposal. But life has other plans. [AU]
Hello. A BIG BIG apology for only updating now. Half of this chapter was hanging for months and I just had no drive to finish it until recently. I suppose to explain, I had my bar exams recently, and prior to that I was reviewing for months. After the exams I just lost energy. And recently I started reading again because I experienced a loss, and reading helped me cope. Then one of my favorite fanfic authors made a new story that kind of gave me the boost to finally get my ass going for this. So, sorry for the long explanation. As always, I hope this chapter finds you well. Hoping to get the next chapter out in a week or two.
Disclaimer: I do not own GALS! nor any of its characters. Neither do I own the song "Hanging By A Moment" by Lifehouse.
"Hanging by a Moment" by Lifehouse
There's Nothing In This World That Can Change My Mind
The array of cakes is not at all helping her choose and, if anything, is making her more confused.
Her friend had suggested the bakery to her one time, and she set out to try it. "A hidden local gem" her friend described, and she was not kidding. The strawberry shortcake looks absolutely delectable, but the caramel mousse cake seems like it will melt in her mouth, and don't get her started on the chocolate mille crepe cake.
She bites her lower lips as she goes over the cakes on display on the glass chiller while the bakery's employee patiently waits for her to decide.
"They all look so good," she heaves in frustration. "But I only need one for today. This is so painstakingly hard."
"You can't go wrong with the caramel mousse for your first try," says a voice from behind her.
In her surprise she turns around and finds an oddly familiar face.
"It's you!"
The blonde man let's out a nervous laugh as the corn-haired woman dangerously points a finger toward him in an almost accusing manner. "Uh, well I am me. So…"
"The caterer!" she clasps her hand together with a triumphant smile on her face. She notices the man's confused look and she clarifies, "I'm Yamato Kotobuki's sister."
It was as if a bulb lit up on top of his head. "Ah yes! The maid-of-honor!"
She grins brightly, "That too."
He lets the smile linger a few more seconds before he starts some small talk. "So, what do you need the cake for?"
Instantly she remembers that she hasn't picked a cake and that she's probably keeping the nice girl at the counter waiting for a while now. "Um, I heard about this cake shop from a friend and I really wanted to try it. I thought I should just buy a whole cake to bring home to my family," she shrugs. "So here I am, struggling to buy a cake."
The chef couldn't help but chuckle at her predicament. "Tell you what," he says. "You go buy the whole caramel mousse for your family, and I'll treat us both to a slice of the short cake."
Bright stars seemed to form around the young woman's eyes at the prospect of free dessert. "Well, ain't it my lucky day to be treated to a slice of cake?"
She had the mousse wrapped in a box for her to take home while Tatsuki takes the two slices of cake prepared by the staff and picks a table somewhere in the center of the quaint cake shop. He takes one of the seats and waits for her to take the other, as she carefully places the box on the empty chair beside her.
Immediately she takes the small fork and a substantial amount of the cake and takes a bite. She doesn't notice him eye her reaction as she savors the dessert, enjoying the taste and contrast in the textures. She delights in the creamy goodness and it tempts her to buy her own box (she internally decides against it). It takes her a while to catch him watching her and it causes her to raise an eyebrow in curious wonder.
"What?" she asks, suddenly a little conscious of her actions. "Is there something on my face?"
He chuckles a little, shaking his head. "I just wanted to see your reaction to the cake. I'd like to take pride in my ability to suggest good food, so I'm really glad you like the shortcake."
"Well, if your taste is this good then I can't wait for what's in store for my brother's wedding," she smiles excitedly.
A small whistle escapes the chef. "What a way to pressure a man, eh?"
"You were the one who first brought up your skills."
"No," he corrects. "Only my ability to distinguish what's good food."
"A skill you need in cooking," the young Kotobuki insists.
They share a few laughs in between their small talk while they eat their cake and drink some tea, definitely surprise at how at ease she was with a stranger, but she was never one to deny a new friendship.
"So," starts Ran. "How's Aya been doing?"
Tatsuki, who just took a sip of his tea, raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Ran shrugs, never being shy to bring up a topic she wants to talk about. "I heard about what happened with her and her boyfriend from Miyu," she explains, earning an understanding nod from the man opposite her. "I hope she's okay."
Tatsuki doesn't reply immediately, biting his lower lip as he contemplates his answer. "She's better, I suppose. Aya doesn't bring him up, really, and I guess that's for her own sanity. So we don't bring him up either. So she's immersing herself in work, and she's lately been hanging around my kitchen too, trying to learn how to cook. And it's fun and all, after you get past a few burnt soufflés and a very salty apple pie," he laughs nervously, "but she gets too serious sometimes so it gets really annoying when she's trying to get everything exact, you know? Cooking is all about getting a feel for just the right taste, and—oh, I'm rambling, aren't I?"
The idea of the two friends in the kitchen in the way that Tatsuki described kind of amused Ran. "It's not a problem," she insists. "Sometimes a break-up can make us want to do new things, learn new things, you know? There's something cathartic about starting fresh."
"I suppose," Tatsuki shrugs.
"I don't know Aya that well, but I can tell she has a strong heart," Ran reassures.
Tatsuki nods in agreement. "She just needs to believe in herself a little more."
"And she has you guys as her friends," Ran adds. "I'm sure she'll get through this."
There was a heavy sigh that Tatsuki let off. "Of course Mami and I will always be there for her. But, I sometimes wish Rei dropped by again more often, I think he'd be able to tell Aya off when she's trying too hard. I haven't seen him this whole week, actually. Kinda miss the guy."
That little statement piqued the corn-haired beauty's interest. "He hasn't been going to your office?"
His shoulders suck in his seat as he pouts, "Yeah."
"How strange," whispers Ran. "He used to have lunch with you guys pretty often, didn't he?"
"Or dinner, whatever time he was most free."
"Why'd he suddenly stop going?"
"He says he's busy with work or something," responds Tatsuki in a tone that doesn't try hard to hide its disappointment. "It's not like I thought he'd always be there, you know? I know we've just recently become friends, and he's got other friends too, and I shouldn't always expect him to be available all the time, especially when I've made a new receipe—"
"Tatsuki," Ran interjects, causing the chef to stop midsentence, blinking. "You're rambling again."
"Oh, right, my bad," laughs Tatsuki.
"Don't worry, I'll tell the fool you miss him."
"Tell him Aya misses him too," Tatsuki quickly adds.
A perfectly shaped brow rises. "She does, does she?"
Tatsuki chuckles, absently scratching the back of his head as if he's said something he shouldn't. "Well, she didn't actually say that. But she asks sometimes, you know, if he'll drop by or join us for a meal. Those kinds of things. I'm sure Aya would appreciate it too if he'd come visit, after everything she's going through right now."
The revelation makes Ran think, and she's someone who doesn't like to think to much of things (they're too much trouble if you ask her). But her best friend is a man of few words, and his actions speak more volumes than anything, and if anything, his sudden absence means something. She's not quite sure what's changed in him the past week or two, after all, they've only met for their weekly brunch, and he wouldn't voluntarily share such information. She makes herself a mental note to ask him when she gets the chance.
"So basically what I'm saying is, don't tell him I told you all these cheesy things," says Tatsuki, and Ran has forgotten that he was still talking. "But you can tell him I miss him. He'll get what that means."
Ran frowns, a little confused. "Are you sure he'll get that?" she asks, a little sarcastic.
The man takes no offense, however, and instead gives her a cheerful grin. "Just tell him to show himself some time."
Ran sighs, "Fine. Consider it delivered."
Tatsuki smiles gratefully. "You're quite a cool gal, Ran Kotobuki."
"Why, thank you," she grins, showing off an impeccable smile. "Tell me something I don't already know."
The blonde laughs along with her, both of them finding their small conversation quite delightful.
"You know, Tatsuki," says Ran. "There was a time that I was kind of jealous that Rei was spending a lot of time with you and Aya." She notices how her statement surprises the man across her. "He had a pretty rough couple of years and it's been really hard to get him to enjoy himself again. But now I get it."
"Get what?" he asks, rubbing the nape of his neck.
"Why he likes hanging out with you guys," she answers. "You're good friends to him. So, thank you for that."
Ran doesn't know where that came from, and clearly neither does the man she's talking to. But she's always been one to speak what's on her mind and on her heart, and at the moment, she's feeling a lot grateful.
Reeling from the honest words, Tatsuki gives her a warm smile. "I really don't know what you're thanking me for. We didn't do much of anything. Also, we can be friends too, if you'd like."
Returning the smile, she says, "I'd like that."
It takes them a couple of more minutes to finish their food, filling in the time with conversations about recommended restaurants, the best way to make ramen, and the newest dance craze that Ran wanted to learn. They bid their goodbyes when they were done eating, with Ran heading to her parent's place to bring the cake and with Tatsuki going back to his kitchen to try something new he just thought of.
Ran loves coming over to her parents' place (a fact she'll never admit to them) since she started living alone in the condo. She misses her old room where her old girl band and action movie stars posters were hung, the old but homey couch where she'd wrestle her sister and dad for the television remote, and mostly her mom's home-cooked meals. Visiting home was secretly her favorite part of the weekend. She was expecting Yamato, Miyu and Sayo to be there as well.
To her surprise, Rei Otohata also happened to be at her parents' home with Yamato. It wasn't like Rei was any stranger to the Kotobuki house, he spent a lot of time there in from middle school to high school, he's practically the fifth Kotobuki sibling, next to Yuuya who once truly intended to become a part of the family. Rei was always welcome for dinner, especially when his parents were always too busy with work to be reminded that they had a child waiting for them at home.
"I didn't expect to see you here today," was how she greeted the brown-haired groomsman, taking her place across him in the old dinner table she grew up with.
He merely shrugs in response.
"Come on, Ran," says her dad, pleasantly surprised by the treat his daughter has brought home. "Let's have some of that cake."
They let a few moments pass with some family catch-up—her dad had recently learned how to make little wood work carvings (his newt pass time since taking care of bonsai plants), her mom has just recently finished the television drama she's been hooked on and was asking for new suggestions, and Sayo was going to get her own column in the newspaper she works for.
When her parents and Sayo leave the table to go to the living room where they can enjoy ridiculous afternoon telenovela for the pure laugh of it, and Yamato takes a phone call from work, she and Rei head over to the patio in the backyard. "So what brought you here?" she asks casually as they sat in the wooden picnic chairs her dad had set-up around the wooden table for family barbeques.
He shrugs in the nonchalant way that he's used to. "Free food is always a good way to attract people into your house."
"Oh yeah? Then why haven't you been in Aya's office for a while now?" she says, almost too fast without thinking.
She notices the slight twitch, barely noticeable that she wonders if it even crossed his face, in his lips, the one that tells her he hadn't expected her to say anything about it. But she was Ran Kotobuki, and if anything, she can't keep things she's curious about to herself.
"Where'd that come from?" he asks, and suddenly the uneasiness in his face was gone.
"From Tatsuki."
"I didn't know you guys knew each other."
"Bumped into him before coming here," she responds. "Pretty funny guy, actually. I get why he's your friend."
"He's a monkey like you, that's why."
The comment makes her eyebrows furrow in feigned offense. "Ha. You're lucky you even have friends, Otohata. So stop diverting, and just answer the question."
"Which was?"
"Are you avoiding Aya?" she reconstructs her earlier question to the more direct one she was intending to ask anyway. "What's going on between the two of you?"
"Nothing," was Rei's quick answer. "And I'm not avoiding her, or anyone. I'm genuinely busy."
"Too busy to see how she's doing?"
And the quick stiffening of his shoulders gives it away for her, she knew she's hit a nerve.
It takes him a while to respond to her. "She has Tatsuki and Mami. She's well taken care of so I don't need to worry about her, okay?"
Ran looks at him curiously, hunching over the wooden table as she leans closer to Rei who avoids her gaze coolly, refusing to budge under her scrutinizing gaze. This was one dynamic of their friendship—if she wants him to break, she'll have to wait for a more opportune time. So she decides to talk about something else she's curious on.
"Okay, fine. I'll accept that answer," she sighs, relenting and letting her body fall back on the chair. "Instead, let's talk about how you and Hana," grinning slyly.
She hears him sigh. "What about me and her?"
"Everything," she says. "Tell me everything."
"What's there to tell that you haven't asked her?" he raises an eyebrow finally turning to look at her, placing his elbows on the table while letting her cheek rest on his open right palm.
Ran pouts. "Yeah but I want to hear it from your perspective."
Rei shrugs. "We've gone out on dates, and she's good company. I don't know what else to tell."
"You're not very good at this."
"I haven't done this in a long time, Ran. When I dated her, I was young, and it was exciting and new, and all those giddy feeling we used to have when we were teenagers," says Rei, keeping his expression soft but serious. "Now we're older, with some heartbreak on our resume, and excitement is masked anxiety, and the expectation of being in love is clouded with the reality of possibly getting hurt again. You can't expect this dating thing to be like how it was, not for me."
It was the longest thing he's said all day, and she can't help but feel like she's pushed him too far.
"Trying to start over doesn't have to be scary, Rei."
"But it is," he says in the sincere tone she knows he used not too often. "It may be not be scary for you, Ran, but for some of us—we're not all as brave as you peg us out to be."
"I'm not as brave as you peg me out to be too," Ran says, this time the eagerness in her voice softened. "I'm just saying, starting over can also be refreshing and can be as if the weight has been lifted off your shoulders. You're not the same person you used to be when you were with her."
"Look, I'm already giving this a try," Rei says. "Can you please be okay with that, at least?"
And she knows that he's trying, she can tell from Hana's stories that he's been a gentleman, and that they've been making efforts to get to know each other, even bringing each other to meet their friends. Ran knows it was a big step for him to even put himself out there again. But there's just something that's holding him back, and she's not quite sure it's the past anymore but something else.
"There's something you're not telling me. I know there's something or someone holding you back—"
"Seriously, Ran?" he says, with an annoyed expression now on his face caused by her insinuation.
But she doesn't back down, giving him the same serious expression he's giving her.
"Look, it's not like I haven't thought about it."
"About her?" asks Ran.
"Which her?" he counters.
She raises an eyebrow. "I don't know, you tell me."
"Stop it."
"Talk to her," she insists before standing up, going back into the house, presumably to use the comfort room.
He doesn't even know how their conversation went the way it did, it's like all of the people around him, even people he's just met, keeps meddling into his love life. It really irks him that people seem to know things about him that he doesn't know, or see things he can't seem to see.
But something moves him to get the phone from his pocket, swiping it open to the list of his messages, scrolling past names until he gets to the one that catches his eye, opening it to an invitation to go out that night to a restaurant he's quite familiar with and has grown to like, using his thumbs to type in a carefully drafted and curt reply, until he was interrupted by a call, and the sudden appearance of a face he hasn't seen in a while.
It takes him a moment to answer, considering if he even should, but decides to take it anyway, pressing the green button before putting the phone to his ear.
"Hey!" the person on the other line greets.
"Aya," he breathes.
"So, guess what?"
"You're not giving me enough clues here, Aya," he says, rubbing his nose bridge with his free hand.
"A potential client came in today, to plan her birthday party. And it just so happens," the events planner pauses for dramatic effect, "she's one of the actresses we saw on that horrible play Tatsuki brought us too!"
His eyes shoots open, and while she can't see his surprise from the other end of the line, his silence probably gave it away. "No way."
He feels her nod on the other end. "She didn't realize that we were the one who interrupted her play, at least. But, I did tell her that Tatsuki loves to watch those plays so she gave me some tickets to her play tonight."
"Seriously?" he asks, incredulousness evident in his tone.
"Yup!" her cheery voice replies. "Don't worry, it's not the same play as last time. And Tatsuki is psyched to watch tonight. So, as a way to make it up to our dear friend, do you wanna come with?"
"Seriously?" he asks, an inexplicable dread chilling him all over.
"Come on," Aya encourages the groomsman. "It would really make Tatsuki's day, and we really did ruin the play for him last time. We can meet up here in the office, and then have dinner before the play, and—"
"Actually," he interjects quickly before she makes further plans. "I already have plans tonight."
His chest was seized by a strange pain, as if rejecting the offer was committing a big sin on Aya, and he becomes really glad they were just talking through the phone right now.
"Oh," she says before quickly recovering. "Of course, it's such short notice. I shouldn't have expected you to be free—"
"Maybe," he quickly says, rubbing his hand on the nape of his neck, closing his eyes. "Maybe I could come by after the play, meet you guys where you are."
"Rei, it's really okay," her voice was kind, just how he remembered it to be. And he's wondering why he's let it been that long since he's last talked to her. "You can make it up to Tatsuki another time. There will be a lot of horrible plays to suffer through for the sake of friendship."
"Okay," he says with regret.
"You never know, maybe if her birthday turns out fantastic she'll give us an all-access," she laughs cheerfully. He couldn't even tell that her heart was recently broken. "Maybe you could bring Hana along. Do you think she'd like to watch plays?"
"Um," he was at a loss for words at the idea. "You know, it's never come up."
"Well, ask her, okay?" He hears some ruffling noises on the other end as if she's now moving around.
"Yeah. I will." He hesitates before saying, "So, how have you been?"
He wonders if the time it takes her to answer was her own hesitation. But then she catches herself and cheerfully replies, "Great! It's been a little busy around here, we've added a few more clients with their events and I just had a 50th wedding anniversary last weekend, and…"
"You know that's not what I mean," Rei says, his voice soft and understanding at the deflection.
The pause was longer this time. "I won't lie. It's been rough,"
A slight crack in her otherwise calm voice gave her away, but he didn't want to point it out, for her benefit. He's been there, he's been on the other end of prying questions, and only wished that people would have accepted his answers as they were.
"But I think," she adds. "It gets a little less rough each day."
"Hang in there," he says, and he doesn't know why he chooses those words, but it just comes out.
"Thanks," she whispers, and he can't tell since he can't see, but a small smile forms on her lips from his words. "Anyway, I have got to go. I have to canvass some venues for a client."
"Alright."
He sits back in the chair, looking at his phone which has returned to the message he hasn't yet sent.
"Were you talking to someone?" a voice calls from behind and he turns to see his friend return from the house bringing with her two cans of soda. "Was that her?"
Taking the soda she reaches out to him, Rei shrugs. "No, it was Aya," he says, popping the can open. "She wanted to know if I wanted to go to another horrible play."
"A horrible play?"
"You know those ones that play on shady small pubs turned mini theaters downtown?" Rei explained after taking a swig of his soda.
"Oh," pipes Ran. "That sounds interesting. How do I get in on that?"
Rei frowns. "It's horrible. Tatsuki brought us to one of those before, and it was insufferable. But Aya needs something to keep her mind off of Takato, I suppose, enough to suffer through another one of those."
"Ah, so… Aya…"
He frowns as soon as her name leaves the corn-haired girl's lips. "Don't, Ran. That has nothing—"
Ran sighs, cutting him off, "Just talk to her, Rei."
"I was going to message Hana but Aya called first."
Letting her cheek rest on her palm, mimicking Rei's favorite pose, she tells him, "You know she's not who I was talking about. I was talking about Aya. You're clearly avoiding her, and I don't know why but you should probably address it."
At that moment, he felt like something was caught in his throat, as if he wanted to explain but can't even begin to understand what was happening in his head. "I don't want things to get complicated," was his short and noncommittal answer.
"Yeah, like those words ever prevented something from getting complicated."
"Look, I'm already seeing how it goes with Hana," he says, "whom you introduced to me, by the way. And right now, simple is okay for me."
Ran sighs, a little exasperated, taking her soda back inside the house to spend some time with her parents.
Rei feels a little relieved that at least she hasn't completely seen through him and has stopped prodding, because he's scared to admit to himself that there is something there for him with her. And before he can give himself the chance to think farther, he opens up his phone, to the message he was typing out earlier and finally sent it.
He opens up another message, and types out and sends.
rain check?
It doesn't take long for him to receive his reply.
Of course. Just know u'll be missing out.
on the play? are you sure we watched the same thing last time?
Haha. On the company, silly.
you painting the town red tonight?
Oh yeah. We're pulling out all the stops.
save some fun for me.
U know how to have fun?
It takes him a while to send his response, but he sends it anyway. i think i'm ready.
Alright, Mr. Otohata, save up that fun for the next couple of weeks. In case u didn't know, Tatsuki's bday is coming up. Pretty sure u'll get invited. Haha y don't u let urself loose there.
He responds with a simple alright.
And when he thought the texting had stopped, a silent buzz came from his phone with another message from the events planner.
Promise i'll score some tickets to another play. Bring Hana next time :)
A big weight sunk his chest down as he sent out a thumbs-up icon to her message, and he felt like there were two different worlds that he's in that are now colliding, and that maybe all along the only world he needed to be in was hers.
End of Chapter