Hello, again! It's been a while, I've been really busy lately so it took me a while longer than I had hope to write this chapter. I wanted the events that happened after to be as realistic as possible. And some of you have expressed your concerns over which couple will not have a happy ending, but I really don't want to say which one until the end (or near the end) so bear with me!
Chapter 12: Lunches
It's been a month since The Wedding That Didn't Happen and the gang tried to go back to normalcy as best they could, and for some it was much harder than for others.
Mami took off to another country, but none knows where, the morning after she had spoken to Yuuya. All they know was that she needed time to think things through. By "time" she only meant a few days, maybe a week, but it's been a month and she hasn't come back and no word as to her whereabouts had reached the group, not even Yuuya.
But since his friends could do no more than be there for him, even they felt a little helpless regarding the young blonde's situation. Yuuya, on the other hand, kept working all day, and drinking all night. While Rei and the others thought that he would get better as time goes by, that slowly he would pick himself up again, instead it has become a rather troublesome routine for them. While he didn't get into much trouble, and while he still managed to keep his business running, they knew how dangerously unhealthy their friend was becoming.
Ran, who at one point in their younger years had an influential hold on the blonde, once tried to talk him into his senses, only to be ignored, much to the Super Gal's annoyance. Instead, she was on the receiving end of very hollow eyes and drunken words.
"I don't know what I'm going to do with that idiot!" she exclaimed, venting her frustrations on her two companions sitting across her. They were at Miyu's living room having lunch on this particular day. "And don't get me started on Mami."
"Ran, calm down," ushered Aya. "It's been a month. I think that at this point we should let it be, because honestly, there's not much we can do."
Miyu sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I'm starting to think this group has a bad luck when it comes to weddings."
Ran gulped, but tried to remain unfazed by the comment. "That's not true," she said. "Yours worked out fine."
"33% is not a good success rate, you know?" Miyu said sadly, sighing again.
It was quiet for a while until Ran spoke once again. "Anyway," she said, brushing off the earlier conversation. "I have something to tell you guys."
The two girls turned their attention to the corn-haired one who had a hint of reluctance in her voice. She coughed a little before continuing, "Tatsukichi called me, he asked if we could meet up for lunch sometime this week." Her friends reacted with surprise, but the policewoman was unsure if their reaction was that of delight or not. "He didn't say why though," she followed when they didn't say anything, "but I said yes, at least I think it's a good sign… that he wanted to talk."
But the look on her face gave her away. There was uncertainty written all over her face, and her last statement was more a question that needed Aya's and Miyu's opinion.
Miyu and Aya looked at each other before returning their attention to Ran. "It's a good thing," said Aya with a reassuring smile. "If he finally wants to talk then it must mean he's ready to forgive."
Ran gave a weak smile, looking down at her arms. "Maybe, I'm not sure. But whether he is or he isn't, I'm just glad he's now willing to even talk to me," she said coolly. But her insides tell her that she hopes this is the first step to mending their broken friendship, or even more. Although she doesn't want to put her hopes up, she couldn't help it since this is the first positive sign she got from Tatsuki since that time.
"I'm happy for you, Ran," said Miyu, recalling the conversation she had with the chef.
"Thanks," she smiled nervously. Ran, being the confident gal that she is, wasn't one to get nervous, at least not on most things, and especially not with regard to Tatsuki. Tatsuki was her comfort zone, he always had been, such that even though her she didn't go through with marrying him, she had always felt that his love for her was so strong and unwavering. But that confidence started to shatter when she realized how much she hurt him and how cold he became after it. Her future with him only became all the more unclear when he introduced a new girlfriend.
Deciding to shift the conversation, Ran inquired on Aya. "Aya, how did your first date with that doctor go?"
Aya turned into a bright shade of pink at the sudden juncture. "Um, it was fine."
"Only?" Miyu made a pouting face at the very small amount of details their raven-haired friend was sharing. "Come on, Aya. Share!"
Aya felt like she was back in high school having some sleep over conversation. This was also how it felt like the time she told them a few days ago that a doctor at her hospital, a resident, had asked her out for dinner. And yet, even now at 24, she was still turning red at questions like these.
"Nothing much. We had dinner, we shared stories, he brought me home and then we saw each other at the hospital the next day," said Aya in a speed faster than her normal talk.
"Yeah, but how was he? What's your take on him?" Miyu prodded further, causing Ran, who was slouched back to lean in.
"He's…" she considered her answer. "Nice. And charming, and smart," she continued, a shy smile forming on her face.
"Oh, Aya, I hope this works out. You should give this one a chance," said Miyu, clasping her hands for emphasis.
Ran nodded in agreement. "He seems like he could be good for you Aya! And next time, show a picture! I want to know if he's as cute as he sounds!" grinned Ran, which only made the doctor blush some more.
"Hmm," a deep voice contemplated. "I'll have the clam chowder and the beef stroganoff please." They were in a restaurant in the mall nearest to the hospital. It was a strategic choice, yet one that came highly recommended.
The dark-haired lady on the opposite side, on the other hand, was seemingly still studying her options with attention. She looked at each item on the main course but she couldn't decide whether to go for beef, pork, or fish. Then she thought maybe should just go with her usual pasta.
"Their cordon bleu is amazing," suggested the auburn-haired man with a sweet smile to accompany it. The lady peered up from the menu, sporting a confused look but quickly recovering her senses.
"Oh," she said. "Yes, that sounds nice. I think I'll get that and a Caesar's salad please." The waiter wrote down their orders and took the menus as he left.
"Are you okay, Aya?" the man asked at her obvious nervousness and discomfort evidenced by the constant fixing of her hair and glances at the other tables.
Surprised, she gave a nervous laugh. "Truth?" She decided that she might as well just tell him what's really going on inside her head, especially because she was not masking her nerves well anyway. "I'm actually quite nervous. Almost just as nervous as the time we had dinner."
He gave a light chuckle. "Why would you have to be nervous? I'm the one who's surprised you agreed to a second date. I'm not sure I made a very good impression the last time."
She raised an eyebrow. "No, that was still probably me, Shin," recalling the dinner and how she could barely make any coherent statement, often dipping the mood of the conversation. "I think between the two of us, I was the one who didn't make a good first impression."
"Not true," he said raising the bridge of his rectangular-rimmed glasses. "You were very beautiful that night."
His deep voice sounded so sincere and his eyes looked at her like she hasn't been looked at in a while that she couldn't help the blush creeping up her cheeks. It's only really at this moment that she appreciated his well-defined features and sharp jawline. His reddish hair was spiked up and messier than usual, deviating from his usual look of being groomed strategically to the side, giving a very clean and dignified look, appropriate for a doctor. Yet he had that crooked smile, which tells you he can be mischievous at times, and optimism that paralleled Tatsuki's that adds to his charm.
"But if you don't mind me asking, why are you so nervous anyway?" he asked, cocking his head to the side. "Someone as beautiful as you must get used to being asked out."
And not to mention the shameless flattery.
Aya considered for a moment. The sincerity in his face did attract honesty. "I haven't been out on a first date in a while," she looked down at her hands. "A long, long while, actually," she added. "So I haven't really had much practice. I don't know any more how to act, what to say. Actually, I was never really good at first dates to begin with."
"Ah," he said thoughtfully. "You've just gotten out of a long term relationship?" It sounded more like a statement than a question, reading her as if she was an open book.
She gave a hollow chuckle, brushing strands of loose hair behind her ear. "You could say that."
"Well then, you are not to fret!" said Shin in a cheeky yet endearing boyish smile. "I'm no expert in first dates either, so we can both be awkward and embarrassing together and, hopefully, cancel each other out. What say you?"
Aya laughed. "Are you sure? I'm a whole lot of baggage, you know," she said, the last part in a solemn tone that she couldn't help.
He waived his hand in the air as if clearing it of her words. "Who isn't? I mean, I have the whole father-complex, the got-bullied-at-school-issue, got-cheated-on drama, the questioning-my-sexuality phase, a quarter-life-crisis and what have you."
This made her laugh even more, genuinely. "See, you're prettier when you laugh," he said, making her blush once again. "And you should get used to many compliments with me, I'm like a complimenting machine."
After letting the laughter settle in, she smiled at him. "Thanks, Shin."
"Oh, don't thank me yet. I might be adorable, but people have often said that I can only be taken in small doses," he said cheekily. "Don't worry though, for you, I'll try my utter best."
The waiter soon came in with their orders, and Aya realized that she was no longer nervous nor fidgety. For the first time in four years, she could now say that she'll be able to move on.
Miyu watched the numbers above the doors of the elevator change in an increasing manner as she held a pot of what she considered a very flavorful soup that made her hungry despite just having eaten lunch. Beside her was her husband who was off-duty that lunchtime, so the two decided to pay Yuuya a visit in his restaurant. But it was just when they got to the restaurant that the staff of the young blonde said that their boss was not coming to work today because he was not feeling well. Not one to be deterred by such set-back, Miyu insisted that they go to Yuuya's apartment, Yamato agreed on the condition that they eat first and just bring Yuuya some food upon their visit.
They reached the 6th floor and walked to the door of Yuuya's apartment. Yamato pressed the doorbell but there was no response, so he pressed once more. The couple could hear grumbling noises coming from inside and figured that Yuuya was coming for the door. When the door was opened, they were greeted by groggy eyes wrapped around in a blue blanket as if it were a hooded cape.
It was the stench that immediately reached the noses of Yamato and Miyu, and it reeked of beer and left over food (and a very high probability that the owner of the apartment had not bathed in a while).
"What do you want?" Yuuya asked grumpily.
Miyu frowned. "Is that the way you greet your friends who came bearing gifts?" she asked, holding the pot of soup, which aroma nicely counteracted the stench that was the apartment.
"It looks like you haven't had lunch yet, anyway," smiled Yamato. "Or breakfast for that matter."
Yuuya stepped aside grudgingly, signaling them to come in. "Any chance you have some disinfectant spray?" Miyu asked as she passed by, causing Yuuya to roll his eyes.
The former number two settled himself in his couch, which looked very much like a make shift bed at that point, while Miyu went to the kitchen to prepare some lunch and soup for the sickly Yuuya and in the process trying to look for some Lysol. Yamato, on the other hand, cleared the table in the living room and dining room of the various messes which consisted of beer bottles, empty plastic noodle cups, plates, glasses, and a box of pizza.
"You look horrible," Yamato remarked as he cleared the table.
"Only a reflection of how I feel," Yuuya retorted. "And that doesn't even do it justice."
"Well, you'll feel better after eating this soup," Miyu said positively. "Which, I may add, was prepared by your very concerned staff."
"Don't buy into their concern. They just want a raise." Miyu ignored the joke as she transferred the soup into a pot and heated it with the stove. While she waited, Miyu, overtaken by her wifely instincts, started cleaning anything and everything remotely dirty around the kitchen.
"Oh, and don't throw away the pizza, I can still reheat that," Yuuya called over to Yamato who was holding a plate of uneaten pizza. The policeman just threw him a look of disgust. "What? It's still food."
"Well, we're going to feed you real food now," said Miyu.
Once she was done, she poured a portion of the soup in a bowl and placed it in a tray to give to Yuuya who was lying down on the couch, his head resting on one of the arms, and his hand placed over his eyes. "Here, Yuuya. Drink it and afterwards I'll get your medicine," Miyu placed the tray on the table in front of the couch.
Yuuya groaned while he groggily got up from the couch. Miyu took her seat beside him in order that she may assist him if he needed while Yamato took to the arm chair. Yuuya slowly took a spoonful, blowing the soup a little before taking it in. The hot soup prickled his tongue, but he didn't mind.
"Why did you guys come over anyway?" he asked after taken a second spoonful. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate them coming over, but he wasn't really in the mood to have guests over. He especially didn't want Miyu over knowing she would just burst into overprotective concern, but that was probably what drove her to visit him in the first place.
"We wanted to have lunch with you, but then we found out you were sick–,"
"So we came here instead!" Miyu interrupted her husband. "And rightly so, otherwise you would have starved to death."
Yuuya snorted. "Doesn't sound like a bad proposition right now."
"Yuuya!" Miyu exclaimed, alarmed.
Yuuya just waived his right hand, dismissing her concern. "I was joking, Miyu." He leaned back on the coach, closing his eyes shut.
"That wasn't very nice," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You shouldn't joke about things like those. And you shouldn't be doing this to yourself either! Look at this place, and look at you! You're… a mess, Yuuya," she said, her voice concerned and sad. "Mami wouldn't –,"
Yuuya shot up and glared at her. "Don't you dare talk about what Mami would and wouldn't do!" Miyu was shocked, her hand pulled away from his shoulder. "Because I thought she wouldn't leave me, but she did! And if I'm a mess, that's none of your business! So if you're just here to berate me and judge me for how I choose to be after my fiancée left me then just leave me alone!"
"Yuuya!" exclaimed Yamato, who stood up in reaction to the harsh words his wife was receiving. Yuuya looked at Yamato with his own share of surprise. "I know you're hurt and upset about everything that has happened to you this past month. But that doesn't give you a right to shout at my wife."
Yuuya was about to say something but closed his mouth just as quickly, realizing his actions. Miyu stood up and held Yamato's arm, a gesture that asked him to let it go, but he didn't. "We're your friend, so we worry. That's our job. If you resent us for it, it's fine, but it doesn't give you authority to be rude and harsh to people who just want to see you be okay, who don't want you to get sick," the older man said. "And Miyu's right. You can't just lie here all day because you think you're entitled to because Mami left you. It's been one month, Yuuya! Get your shit together because even if she does return, do you think she'd return to the Yuuya right in front of me?"
"Stop it." Yuuya glared at him.
"You're miserable—,"
"I said, stop it."
"Pathetic—,"
"STOP!"
"Unbearable!"
"Yamato, stop!" begged Miyu. Yuuya buried his face in his palms, his fingers tugging at his disheveled hair.
"No!" he responded sternly. "He needs to hear it, Miyu. We can't keep waling around eggshells to try not to hurt him. He's hurting already so now he needs to face the world again. We've let him wallow in his misery long enough. Get your shit together, Yuuya."
"Just leave!" he screamed in frustration. Yamato understood his frustrations and his anger, and he knew that he said everything that needed to be heard so he and Miyu left the apartment and the hurting almost-groom-to-be to reflect on his own.
"Would you like to order?" asked the waiter.
Ran looked up at him. "In a few minutes, if that's okay. I'm still waiting for my… friend," she said with hesitance. The waiter folded the menu, groaning under his breath. It figures that he was a little annoyed. It was lunch time and the influx of customers in this restaurant was crazy, so she supposed that having to wait for a table of two who was taking particularly long was no delight. Although she believed that in the service industry, one should have more patience than what that waiter had. And ordinarily she would have something to say about it, but not today, because today—
"Hi, sorry I'm late." Her thoughts were interrupted by that all-to-familiar voice she's known for so long. Tatsuki took to his chair opposite Ran's and sat down.
"It's fine, I wasn't here that long." That wasn't entirely true. The super gal, who once had no notion of time, did not want to be late, not for this day that had her wondering all night and as a result barely getting any sleep.
Tatsuki signaled for the waiter, the one who was just about to take Ran's order a minute ago. The waiter grudgingly went back to their table, although the two paid no attention to his rather discourteous disposition. "I'll have the lemon chicken and a glass of iced tea." He looked to the waiter to return the menu when he noticed that Ran was still looking at him. "What about you, Ran?"
It took a couple of more seconds before she could respond. "Oh, right," she said, rather nervously. "Um, I'll have the Italian meatball pasta, please. And just water."
The waiter left with their orders and the menus, leaving the two in a minute of awkward silence. Ran contemplated for a while on how there was never any dull silence in their dates in the past, and her mouth could run like a motor and he'd just laugh at anything she says because that's just how they are. But now it's like almost anything uttered could be taboo, and she didn't want him to run away, not today.
"So," she started, hesitantly. "How have you… how are you, Tatsuki?"
He noticed the stuttering, and the effort not to use his nickname that she dubbed him, but he was generous enough not to point it out. "I'm good," he said simply, with a small smile, which she mirrored. "I've been a little busy, with the business picking up some speed, but good." He added, "How about you?"
"Everything's fine, on the work front." She could feel the conversation dwindling, but she didn't really know what other topics aren't off limits. "And so glad to here your business is doing well."
He smiled, something she hasn't seen for a long time. "Thanks," and it wasn't long before some complementary soup came, easing their way back into silence. Not long after was their orders, served by the same waiter who seems to have had his mood uplifted in between the taking of the order and the service of the food. The mostly ate in silence, once in a while complementing the food, and it wasn't like neither of them noticed, in fact they noticed it too much.
They finished their main course and the empty plates were taken out of their way when they ordered some dessert. "Tatsuki," she finally said. "Why did you… why did you call me for lunch? I mean, not that I didn't want to, I'm just surprised, is all."
He looked at her in surprise at the sudden question, but it wasn't like he could avoid the topic for long.
"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I just thought," he said, nerves in his voice apparent. "I thought that it was about time that we talk."
She didn't respond.
"I'm sorry," he said. At his words, she felt her chest grow but she couldn't quite name the feeling. She was confused, and surprised, pleasantly.
"Sorry for what?"
"For what I said, remember? In the beach, nearly two months ago," he reminded. She remembered glimpses of the incident with a little pang in her heart, but she ignored it. "What I said, they were hurtful. And, I just… I just want to fix things between us now."
Her eyes grew wide, her heart was beating faster, and her tongue remained frozen as she still processed his words.
"I mean, I'm in a good place now with everything going on in my life. I've grown these past two years, and honestly, two years have just been too long," he gave a chuckle on the last part, scratching the back of his head like a nervous habit. "Two year is just too long to hold so much pain and anger inside."
"Tatsuki," she was able to mutter quietly.
"And if I'm being honest with myself, I don't even know anymore why I was still holding everything in. It wasn't fair to you, even to myself," he said, this time he removed his gaze from her eyes that was transfixed on his. "I was so mad, so angry, at you, at the world, most especially at me, because I didn't know what I did wrong, or what went wrong and how we didn't make it."
"It wasn't your fault," she managed to say, trying to hold back the tears prickling on the side of her eyes.
He looked at her, his eyes were much gentler than they have been whenever he looked at her this past two years. "I know that now. I know that what happened to us, it was neither of our faults. We were just… immature?" he struggled to find the right words. "And maybe it was a good thing," he laughed hollowly. "I mean, look at Yuuya and Mami, they didn't push through with their wedding for something that wasn't doubt about the success of their relationship. What more for you who was so unsure, right?" Ran felt herself stiffen at the reminder. "I mean, if we did push through with the wedding maybe we wouldn't be happily married right now. Maybe we dodged a bullet there."
His words, though true, still caused some pain in the corn-haired girl's heart. "Tatsuki, I never meant to hurt you."
He looked at her with knowing eyes. "I know."
"I'm sorry."
"I know."
It was silent for a while.
"I'm sorry. I didn't ask you here to come point out what went wrong with us," he said, breaking the silence. "I've made my peace with that. And I came here to make my peace with you."
Ran jerked up, a feeling of worry and delight mixed up inside her. "What do you mean?"
"I'm just— I mean—What I'm trying to say is that… I've forgiven you." Her eyes widened at his words, her chest growing. "I thought that at least you deserve to hear it from me after all the harsh words I've spoken last time. I'm ready to move forward from everything that has happened between us, Ran."
"Tatsuki…" she said quietly, feeling a tear fall down her cheek.
"I'd like for us to at least recover our friendship. We can start with that, can't we?" he smiled, weakly.
She smiled, wide and ear-to-ear. "I'd very much like that."
Rei was typing away in his laptop while simultaneously making notes on his medium-sized pad papers he brought along during his lunch break. He was in the middle of a big project for the Yumemura Group of Companies, one of their biggest clients. If it works out, it would his biggest accomplishment so far. And lately his work was his complete focus, being tired of trying to get through to his best friend, tired of his constant fights with his girlfriend, and keeping thoughts away from a certain ex-girlfriend.
"Rei," called the brunette from across the table. He looked up to see the aggravated look on Kaoru's face and responded with his stoic 'Hn.' They were having lunch in the ramen stop across the street from their building, and it took Kaoru some good minutes to convince him to have lunch with her. "I know you're busy but you could at least spare some 20 minutes and have a normal lunch with me."
But the engineer had already returned to his laptop. "You know this is a busy time, with the Yumemura project and all. I don't know why you're surprised I don't even have time for lunch—,"
"I just thought," she said irritably, placing her hands on the tabletop. "I just thought it would be nice to have lunch with my boyfriend. Is that too much to ask?"
He looked at her, noticing her frustration. His face softened a little, sighing. "I'm sorry, Kao. But you know how important this account is. You've handled big accounts too, you know how demanding it could be."
"I know, but…"
He closed his laptop, sighing. "Okay, sorry. Let's finish our bowls in peace. Is that fine with you? I'll continue the work when we get back to the office."
She looked at him, her annoyance was not simmering down but accepted what she could. After all, these days that's what their relationship was all about. She could only get what he was prepared to give, nothing more, and though it seems unfair, she has accepted it, because Rei was still her boyfriend. So she took a sip of her ramen and watched as Rei swallowed some noodles, appreciating that at that moment, he was there, just inches away from her, even though sometimes he felt so far away.
The last month has been very hard on their relationship, and she doesn't know where to pinpoint the cause of when and how it started, but for one reason or another, she can't help but feel like her relationship was going nowhere. It wasn't falling apart, because Rei was still there, they still went out on a regular basis, and it doesn't seem like he's going anywhere. It's just that something wasn't enough. But she was afraid that if she asks for more, she'll lose him since he's not the type of guy who is willing to give more than he can.
"Why aren't you eating?" he asked, cutting her train of thought. She looked at his chocolate eyes, the eyes that mesmerized her once before, but there's something missing now.
She then got a chopsticks full of noodles.
"I'm sorry," Rei said, out of the blue, catching the architect off guard. She looked at him surprised, "I'll make it up to you."
Her lips curved slightly at his small gesture. "It's okay. It's enough that you're here." A lie. But she wasn't ready to ask for more if he wasn't able to give her more. At least, not right now.
Possible storylines:
Rei's mom gets sick, dies, she comforts him in time of depression. Something happens? She gets confused, avoids him. Goes off for some time alone. He follows her.
In Tatsuki's engagement party/Mami and Yuuya's reception, he makes a best man speech about Aya, they dance. He tells her he still loves her but knows that he's lost all his chances because she already has a boyfriend, and she's probably better off with him
She gets mad, saying he always thinks he knows what better for her, but doesn't actually consider what she wants. So maybe they are better off apart.
END OF CHAPTER
To be honest, I really enjoyed writing this chapter. It gave me new ideas on how to go about the ending I want. And I hope I can wrap this up soon because I have ideas for a new fic I want to start, but I don't want to start it without finishing this one.
Anyway, I hope this was to your liking. Please leave a review, comment, suggestion. Thank you!
