Disclaimer : I do not own GALS! No any characters in this anime/manga. I just want to write something about them.

Chapter XVI

Aya…

"Dance with me."

I was keeping myself busy talking to old friends, Satsuki and Rie, when he came and said "Dance with me." The typical Rei Otohata. It was not a request, it was clearly a statement where I cannot do anything but to reach out to his offered hand. I just blinked twice or thrice before accepting it.

I know that eyes are following us as we walk to the dance floor. It was a slow song. It hit me when we stopped in the middle of the dancing people. He faced me. I know my face is all red just because of the way he's looking at me. He moved closer, leaving enough distance between us to move. He got both of my hands and had it over his shoulders, then he placed his hand on my waist. We were just swaying following the movement of the song. None from the both us said a word.

I had my head bowed down avoiding his tempting stares. I just kept on watching our feet move, him taking the lead. This is the first time. I thought.

"I don't dance," he said. I pout at him and that just earned me a laugh. "You look cute, but that won't change my mind."

Fine! I stood up leaving him, returning to the dining area as I cover myself with books. "Aya," I heard him call but I didn't answer. I kept on pretending to be reading. "Aya," another call. I'll just keep on ignoring you. I can also play this game, Otohata.

"Aya," that was the third one, his tone is a little different now. Rei never liked repeating himself not twice and of course, not thrice. But I didn't move. That won't scare me.

"Hey," then he has his chin rested on top of my head. I'm not falling for this. Annoy me in every way you want.

He took the book I was holding. "Hey, give it back! I'm reading!" I said sounding offended of what he just did as I try to reach out for the book.

"You're not, the book was upside down", oh my bad. "Is that how you study now?"

Foolish me for not noticing. So that gave it away.

I got distracted when I heard him say "They seem so happy," I looked up to him and saw that finally he's not looking at me anymore. I followed his gaze and saw that he's looking at the newly weds, Miyu and Yamato. "They've been always beside each other since we met them. I never thought I'd see something like them." He added, still looking at the happy couple. I envy them as much as you do.

I know where this is going. Last night's discussion was enough already. It brought so many painful memories. I just can't do that again. I was about to pull away but he stopped me. His eyes looking at me. His one hand remained on my waist the other on my wrist stopping me from removing my arm over his shoulder. "Don't," he said.

"Let's stop this, Rei." I told him, trying to free myself. "Please. This is too much already."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." I stopped at that. "I just want to dance with you. Nothing else." I calmed myself. He reached out and wiped a teardrop from my eye. I never really have a control over my senses when I am with him. "Can we just pretend for a moment that the three years never happened?" He asked. I don't know how but I felt his loneliness at that request as if he was saying that this is the last time. "Just for tonight, Aya. Can we try being normal around each other?"

With that, I nodded in defeat and willingly placed my arms back onto his shoulders, resuming the dance. Just for tonight, maybe we could pretend to be happy again, together. Maybe this isn't a bad idea.

"This is the first," me breaking the silence this time.

"What?" he asked.

"This is the first time you asked me to dance. Well this is the first timr we ever danced."

"Really?" he said as if not believing.

"I keep note of our firsts, Otohata," I tried to joke on him by calling him with his last name. I know he never liked hearing me call him that way ever since we became official. He always raises a brow on me as if saying You just didn't dare. And just as I remembered, he did raise a brow.

I traced his brow with my fingers as if calming him down. He closed his eyes at my touch.

He hasn't said a word for awhile. I guess, dancing to this slow beautiful music while being near each other is relaxing enough. No words needed. He just kept me close and taking a glance from one another, the way we were before.

I know my face is all red the moment I met his eyes. He caught me looking at him.

"You didn't had a proper sleep last night, did you?" he suddenly asked. "The bags." he added as if reading my mind of what I'm about to ask.

"I did my best to hide them," I suddenly felt conscious of myself. I hope my bags are not that obvious until up close.

"They're fine. You're fine." I just believed him. He won't lie to me anyway, right? "I wasn't able to sleep either." I wonder why. "Your face just keeps popping in my head the moment I close my eyes."

"Should I be worried?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I like seeing your face. It was just a habit of mine, thinking of you before going to sleep. I guess it's been already a part of my system." he admitted. Rei is known to be not fond of saying things such as that. He maybe always blunt but never with his own feelings. I find it a cute side of him before and even now. He's still The Ice Prince anyway. "Is there something in my face? You're just staring." How rude of me. I didn't even noticed.

"Aya?" he called me when I didn't answer. The sound of my name on his lips always made me special.

"I just want to remember this and take it with me, forever. This very moment. This place, the music, the people around us. You." I said. I know we agreed to pretend for a moment that everything is fine, that we're back to normal. But then I thought, there's no pause button on this world. No stop, no reset. We just continue to live and get things over with, whether they're good or not.

"You're leaving," he said. He knows we cannot stop time. This is just temporary. We're just trying to let this day pass without another set of drama. Eventually we'll be back in our own realities, him here in Japan and me back to Germany. I don't belong here anymore. "I understand."

"Rei, I-"

"I want to keep you here. I really do," he stopped with the swaying, I did too. He was still holding on me, and I to him. "But I understand that you need to go back there. It's where your life is now."

Maybe if you could just ask me to stay this time, I might have a reason to stay.

"We've been through a lot. We've both been hurt. Asking you right now to pretend is a selfish request from me. I know it's not easy, but thank you for trying to pull through it for my sake."

No. I also wanted this. I want this to be real. If you could just - Say it.

Just as the song slightly fades away as it ends, Rei had loosen his grip on me.

"I'm glad we still had our first, given we're in this complicated situation," His hands are now back in his pocket. It suddenly felt cold when he released me. "Aya," he called me again. I looked at him and at that very moment I swear I heard his heart crack into several pieces as he smiled at me and said, "Thank you."

He then turned his back at me. Leaving me in the middle of the crowd, hoping and wishing he'll get back. Rei... Don't go.

Rei…

It has been a week since the wedding.

The morning after, she just left without telling anybody. I saw her dragging her things. I didn't stop her, I didn't show myself. I just watched from afar.

"Aya's nowhere," Ran said. "Her room is empty. All her stuffs gone."

"She left," Then all eyes were on me the moment I opened my mouth to say that.

"She left and you knew?"

"I just saw her leaving."

"And you didn't stop her?" I didn't answer that. I could have stopped her if I wanted to, but I didn't.

"Stop it , Ran. Aya-chan is capable of making her own decisions. She left and that's it. Don't blame it on Rei," The older Kotobuki defended me.

"You don't understand, Yamato. Everything Aya does is because of this insensitive jerk right here." And yes, she keeps on pointing on me while she emphasize on the words "insensitive" and "jerk". She does that everytime Aya gets upset. I've been the main reason since day one. But I had enough of it this time.

I stood up and was about to exit the dining hall, "Where do you think you're going?!" Ran shouted at me causing for everyone in the hall to look at her. For Pete's sake Kotobuki, you should know to match your actions on the right time and place.

"Ran-" I heard Miyu calling her, trying to calm her down.

"Why?" she asked me. I looked back at her and I saw how much she cared for her dear friend. "Why do you keep on letting her go, Rei?"

Her last question had been stuck in my head for a week now. I was not able to answer her. I just turned my back from them, ending that confrontation. I left the beach shortly after breakfast. I never showed myself either after that. Why? I even ask myself over and over again. Why be a coward now?

Yuuya still kept on coming to my office, inviting me to dinners. I always say no, this time he's not forcing me into coming. He just let it go.

During that night, the dance, I did thought of asking her to stay. I wanted her to stay. But who am I to ask her that? I am a nobody now. She has her own life. She's happy there. She said she wanted to go away and start a new, perhaps she was able to fulfill that when she got to Germany and decided to stay there for good even after his father left. She never thought of coming back for me. Isn't that a good reason of not asking her to do that now?

Her words are echoing "I just want to remember this and take it with me, forever. This very moment. This place, the music, the people around us. You."

It's as if she has already given up and saying goodbye. It hurts hearing her say it that way.

Knock… Knock…

"Come in…"

There he is again.

"You're not answering my calls."

"I'm busy, Yuuya."

"Busy what? Ignoring everyone else and pretending you're good with what's happening?" Why can't they just leave me alone for once? I'm fine by my own.

He sat at the chair opposite of my table, relaxing himself as if he did had a rough day too.

"What are you doing here anyway?" I asked. "And don't give me that lame excuse that you're just checking on me."

"I'm drained." Well, that's new. "I wanted to ask you to hang out a bit. Not on my bar, on a different one. Outside Shibuya and especially not in Ikebukoro."

Yuuya is the always positive one amongst the two of us. So if he asked for something to drink, it's probably serious.

"Should we get Kuroi?"

"Yeah, that might be a good idea. We might need someone to give us the energy we need for the whole night."

End of Chapter XVI

Author's Note : Yeeeeey! Almost there! Sorry for the typos.Please do leave a review!