AN: Two chapters in one week?? That's a record for me!
"Wow, this is really something," Aya said as they went through the Alice in Wonderland-esque entrance.
"Thanks. I want to make another club that has a different mood per floor. Techno okay?"
"That'll work," Ohkami said, and followed the group to the club.
"Hey Ran, I need to talk to you for a sec," Tatsuki said, and dragged her away, much to the horror of Aki. Miyu and Aya distracted her by initiating some conversation, and Ran made a mental note to thank them before the night was over. Tatsuki took her to the corner next to the bar. "Hey, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"You want to get Aya and Ohkami together?" He grinned mischievously, "Of course I'm in! What do you want to do?"
"Let's get them to slow dance together at least once tonight."
"That'll work . . . I'll get the girls away for a girl talk."
"Huh?"
Ran grinned, "You have to find out what Ohkami thinks of Aya! I'll do the same, don't worry. I'd ask them right now, but you saw how flustered they got at Miyu's."
"He looks like a good guy for her."
"Their personalities seem to clash a bit, but he's changed her. She's a bit more . . open than she was when I last saw her." They glanced over at the group, to see Miyu, Aya, and Ohkami laughing at something Yamato said. Aki was looking at them, and Rei cracked a smile.
"Looks like Aki's jealous again."
"She gets like that easily. I guess she thinks of you as an ex."
"A very old ex. We've been friends, what, nine years now?"
"Yeah," he replied, looking away. His trademark gleam and grin returned and they high fived each other to signify the start of plan B.
"You two took your time," Ohkami said as Ran and Tatsuki neared them. "What were you talking about?"
"Oh, nothing! Hey, can you guys leave a bit? You know, girl talk." All four males gave a look of 'again', but sighed and left to the opposite end of the bar. Tatsuki winked at Ran, who smiled slightly back.
"What are you two up to," Aya asked, knowing Ran's schemes. Ran's face morphed to mock innocence.
"Me? I wanted to talk, without that male jabber. So Aki, how did you and Tatsuki meet?"
Aki arched an eyebrow. "In the club. You know that." Ran sighed, and shook her head. They weren't going to get far with her tonight.
"Aya, did you like Ohkami when you first saw him," Miyu asked, sneaking a glance at Ran. Ran winked, thankful that Miyu caught her plan and wanted to help. Aya smiled and shook her head, laughing.
"I thought he was a rude jerk! As I entered the publishing building he dashes out and crashes into me! All my papers went everywhere, and he didn't bother to say sorry or help! Later, on my way out, he crashes into me again! Then, he has the nerve to ask me out for coffee!" The girls laughed, Miyu shaking her head with amazement. "But we got to talking, and I found out he was an okay guy. He apologized for earlier, and said he was running out because they were towing away his car!" She laughed, "He's always like that."
"He seemed shy when I first saw him," Aki said, finally getting into the conversation.
Aya nodded, "He's like that around people he doesn't know well. Don't worry, he'll be himself before tonight is over. And you Aki-san? How long have you and Tatsuki been dating?"
"About three weeks," she said, smiling happily at being acknowledged as Tatsuki's girlfriend. Aya's eyes widened.
"Is that all? I thought you had been together longer."
"It's complicated Aya, I'll tell ya later," Ran butted in, "So, do you love Ohkami?"
One thing hadn't changed about Ran - she was no master at subelty. Aya frowned, and thought out her answer before replying. "He's . . . special to me. We're like best friends, you know? I don't want to ruin that. But yes, in a way, I do love him. He's changed me, and helped me grow, as a person and writer."
Everyone was in stunned silence for a moment. Aki smiled, and laughed softly. "That is soooo sweet," she cooed, "It's like one of those high school shoujo stories!" All laughed at the absurity.
"Aki's not bad when she's not jealous," Ran thought, "I can see why Tatsuki would like her. But Aya does have feelings for Ohkami - Score one!"
|| Meanwhile . . . ||
"And then I walk out to see my car getting towed - and I dash out to stop them, knocking over Aya. I didn't apologize or anything, 'cause they're taking off and about to round a corner, and ran a mile before catching a stoplight."
Yamato and Tatsuki laughed, and Rei chuckled. "That's insane," Tatsuki commented, "So then what happened?"
"As fate would have it, I crashed into her on her way out because I was late for work! She looked annoyed, and I felt guilty so I asked her out for coffee. She didn't want accept at first, but I finally got her to and we went out to Starbucks. We've been buds ever since."
"Just friends," Tatsuki asked, "You haven't tried any moves yet?"
"You kidding? I've tried everything! She's a bit . . . naive to my flirting."
"She's shy, that's why," Rei commented and took a drink of his glass of water.
"That's one thing I've tried to change about her - and I think it's working. She's more open than she was when I first met her. But you were her high school sweetheart, right? You know how she is."
"A tad too needy, but sweet and caring all the same."
"You know she based Butterfly on your relationship, right," Ohkami asked, not likeing Rei's tone or attitude. "He's a bit cold and aloof on the outside, but he really does care about us, he just had a funny way of showing it," a memory of Aya said, and Ohkami tried to release his feeling of dislike and give the guy a chance. But Aya looked happy to see him, and in all those corny love stories the high school sweethearts get together...
"I knew it the moment I read the first page."
"You don't have to be so cocky. She liked you allot, possibly loved you," he replied, slightly irked at his casual way of speaking for Aya. Tatsuki and Yamato glanced at each other, worried. Tension was beginning to build between the two men.
"I know," he said, and Ohkami clenched his fists and his left eye began to twitch. "I felt the same about her, the more I got to know her." His fists unclenched, but his left eye continued to spasm.
"What's wrong with your eye," Yamato asked, taking notice to Ohkami's irk.
"Nothing, nothing. Hey, let's go get the girls to dance?"
"Looks like they want to dance," Miyu commented as the guys approached. Yamato took Miyu, Ohkami took Aya, and Tatsuki took Ran, to the horror to Aki. Her and Rei watched as they disappeared into the crowd.
"I . . HATE her," Aki said and stompted her foot on the ground.
"Don't get so jealous. Tatsuki wouldn't cheat on you, it's not his style."
"Bull! They're always talking on the phone, looking at each other, and now this!"
"They've been friends since high school," Rei calmly stated, getting slightly irked at the girl. From the looks she gave Ran at Miyu's and her actions before, Aki more than hated Ran.
"Quit defending her! She's a boyfriend stealer, that's all she is!"
"Her and Tatsuki want to get Aya and Ohkami together, and they probably left to talk about it."
"What," she asked, calming down slightly, but still doubting Rei.
"Ran and Tatsuki used to scheme all the time during high school. Don't worry about it. He'll be back, and dance with you the rest of the night." Aki pouted, but didn't say another word, to Rei's relief.
"But if Tatsuki gets Aki . . . then I'm with Ran . . ."
The song ended, and, as Rei said, Tatsuki took Aki and never left her side. Further proving his psychic skills, he and Ran were left alone as the rest danced. "She's changed, eh Otohata?"
"Yeah. I'm guessing Ohkami played a large role in that. You and Tatsuki planning to fix them up?"
Ran frowned, "Is it that obvious?"
"No, just, like you."
"Heh, is that so? Anyway, wanna go out there? I'm itching to go out." Rei nodded, and they left.
"Otohata and Ran," Aya said when she saw them leave, "Never thought I'd see that in my lifetime."
"Why?"
"He's not her type. She said she hates people like him," Aya shrugged, "Is something wrong? Your eye is twitching."
"No, it's nothing. Having fun?" Aya smiled and nodded. She would have to ask Ran and Miyu what's happened while she was gone.
"But why is Ohkami's eye still twitching? He's mad about something . . . Maybe one of the guys said something to him," she thought, then found herself being swung in the air by Ohkami. She yelped with suprise, and looked down to see a grin.
"Don't think so much," he said and twirled her down. "It's a vacation."
"Then, should we go see your parents as well," she asked, "Maybe they can-"
"No, I can never go back there again." Aya nodded, and didn't pursue the subject further. Ohkami's past was a source of pain for him, and she wanted to rid himself of that baggage. The song ended, and a slow love ballad began to play. Aya began to walk away but Ohkami grabbed her arm and pulled her close. "A princess doesn't leave her partner without at least one slow dance," he said, causing Aya to smile gently.
"Wanna sit this one out Otahota," Ran asked as the tune began. "I'll buy you a drink."
Rei glanced at her with one of his indecipherable looks and nodded. "Hey Ran," the bartender said as she approached. He was a gruff, strong looking man, with a patch over his right eye. 'It's an image,' he said when Ran asked him about the patch, 'It makes me look tougher, eh? And it's always good with the ladies.' "The usual?"
"Yeah Takui. Virgin, remember."
"Yah, I know. What 'bout your pal?"
"Nothing. I have to work tomorrow."
"Responsible, eh? My type of guy." Rei stared at him for a moment, not fully understanding his phrase. Ran laughed and playfully punched Takui's arm. "He's new here?"
"Yeah. He doesn't know you're for both sides of the dating spectrum."
Takui laughed, a loud, hearty boom, and shook his head. "Sorry about that. I'll go get your drink."
"What a night. I see Aya, almost have an argument with her 'boyfriend', argue with Aki, and now I recieved one of the strangest propostions of my life," Rei thought and sighed.
"Bored too," Ran asked.
"It's been a weird night."
"Yeah. What you and Aki argue about?"
"What? How'd you know we were argueing?"
Ran had the grace to blush and she muttered, "I saw you, that's why." Rei was confused all over again. Normally such an act wouldn't bother her at all. Women... "And Aki looked pissed and was giving me the evil eye all night."
"She gets jealous easily."
"Yeah."
Silence followed, and Ran took tiny sips of her drink while Rei watched the lovers move together. After the song ended Miyu and Yamato approached, both clearly tired. "We're going to go ahead and go home. Takeshi has school, and I need my rest for tomorrow's shift," Yamato said.
"We already said goodbye to Aya and Tatsuki, so, that left you two. Call me sometime tomorrow, kay?" Ran nodded and they said their goodbyes and left. Once again, Rei and Ran were at a loss for words. Takui watched them from a distance, frowning.
"Is he her boyfriend," he wondered, scratching his head. "I always thought her and Tatsuki were lovers, but he's with Aki. Why'd she go to him?"
"That bartender of yours is staring at us," Rei muttered. Ran shrugged, and pointed to a necking couple behind her.
"He's probably looking at them. He hates that kind of thing in public."
"You know him well?"
"He used to be a guitarist for an indies rock band called 'Embryo'. They were about to get signed by Sony, but something happened and the band split up," Ran replied, twisting a lock of hair around her finger, "Although what exactly happened is beyond me. I've asked around, and gotten more tales than facts. The band was pretty good though. He did some of the vocals as well."
"You don't seem yourself," Rei commented, for Ran spoke the 'facts' in monotone, and lacked her signature enthusiasm.
"I was thinking, that's all. Takui mentioned an 'Aki' once, I wonder if she's the same as our Aki? Then, maybe she's the reason they broke up?"
Aki? It wasn't like Ran to obsess over rivals. Sure, ten years had passed, but personalities rarely do a complete one eighty. She was thinking about Tatsuki, and maybe what exactly Aki had that she didn't. "Why don't you ask him?"
"Takui hates talking about the past. It was about a year or so before he even mentioned he could play the guitar. Another year passed before he said he was in a band, and an even longer time period passed before he mentioned Embryo."
"So that's where you two have been hiding," Ohkami commented. He held his hand out to Ran, "Come on." Ran nodded and he took her out to the dance floor.
"Do you want to join them or stay here and talk?"
"Whatever."
Aya nodded, suddenly feeling shy around Rei. It was both a mixture of old feelings and the fact that she hadn't seen him in over a decade. "What have you been up to?"
"Becoming a doctor."
"Oh. Of what?"
"Heart."
"Wow. But . . . I guess I can see you as a doctor. I knew you'd choose a career like that."
"I never saw you as a writer. More like an OL."
Aya laughed, "Me either. But for Butterfly, I just sat down and it came out. Within a month I had finished it. Then it gets published and life's been crazy since."
"Crazy?"
"I have these crazy deadlines to meet. It's almost as bad a mangaka, only I think it's worse. Writing has always been 'in the mood' thing for me and if I force myself to do it, the paragraphs turn out horrible. Have you read any?"
"Just that horror one you put out awhile back." Aya grinned with happiness.
"You have no idea how cool it is to hear someone say they've *read* my work! Crimson Rose was hard to write, actually. But Ohkami helped me allot."
"Is he a writer too? Or just an editor?"
"He publishes novels under the alias Mikeru Noa. Don't tell him I told you though."
"Those are those books with the insane characters, right?"
"Hm... I wouldn't call them insane. I think it's a kind of therapy for him." Rei arched an eyebrow, but Aya didn't notice. Her thoughts were lost in her worries for Ohkami. "Ohkami . . . it took him awhile to become who he is as well," she muttered, then looked up, "Sorry. He worries me sometimes."
"You're Ran, right," Ohkami asked as he led Ran to the dance floor.
"Yeah."
"Is that guy over there plotting something?"
"Who? Tatsuki?"
"Yeah. With that glaring chick. Sorry about being vague with the names, I'm really bad with those."
"It's okay. Why do you think he's plotting something?"
"He asked allot of questions about my and Aya's relationship."
"We're both curious. Wait, scratch that, we're *all* curious. Aya brings a mystery man, and we all want to know why. Don't take it personally," she paused, "Why did you come with Aya?"
"First, I wanted to meet all her high school friends she told me about. Second, I wanted to make some better memories for myself in Tokyo."
Ran felt the urge to ask what kind of memories but she bit her tongue. A feeling in her gut told her that Ohkami was like Takui with regard to the past. Maybe he told Aya and she would give her a little bit of information. "Today has been filled with too many questions and not enough answers," Ran thought and sighed. Ohkami was a halfway decent dancer, a tad better than Rei, but nowhere near the skills of Tatsuki.
"Friend. That word is used too broadly," with a shake her her head, "Or maybe emotions are too complex for simply being 'friends."
AN: OL is short for Office Lady. Next time - Tatsuki and Ran are still trying to get Aya and Ohkami together - but does their plan backfire? Or did someone spread lies?
"Wow, this is really something," Aya said as they went through the Alice in Wonderland-esque entrance.
"Thanks. I want to make another club that has a different mood per floor. Techno okay?"
"That'll work," Ohkami said, and followed the group to the club.
"Hey Ran, I need to talk to you for a sec," Tatsuki said, and dragged her away, much to the horror of Aki. Miyu and Aya distracted her by initiating some conversation, and Ran made a mental note to thank them before the night was over. Tatsuki took her to the corner next to the bar. "Hey, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"You want to get Aya and Ohkami together?" He grinned mischievously, "Of course I'm in! What do you want to do?"
"Let's get them to slow dance together at least once tonight."
"That'll work . . . I'll get the girls away for a girl talk."
"Huh?"
Ran grinned, "You have to find out what Ohkami thinks of Aya! I'll do the same, don't worry. I'd ask them right now, but you saw how flustered they got at Miyu's."
"He looks like a good guy for her."
"Their personalities seem to clash a bit, but he's changed her. She's a bit more . . open than she was when I last saw her." They glanced over at the group, to see Miyu, Aya, and Ohkami laughing at something Yamato said. Aki was looking at them, and Rei cracked a smile.
"Looks like Aki's jealous again."
"She gets like that easily. I guess she thinks of you as an ex."
"A very old ex. We've been friends, what, nine years now?"
"Yeah," he replied, looking away. His trademark gleam and grin returned and they high fived each other to signify the start of plan B.
"You two took your time," Ohkami said as Ran and Tatsuki neared them. "What were you talking about?"
"Oh, nothing! Hey, can you guys leave a bit? You know, girl talk." All four males gave a look of 'again', but sighed and left to the opposite end of the bar. Tatsuki winked at Ran, who smiled slightly back.
"What are you two up to," Aya asked, knowing Ran's schemes. Ran's face morphed to mock innocence.
"Me? I wanted to talk, without that male jabber. So Aki, how did you and Tatsuki meet?"
Aki arched an eyebrow. "In the club. You know that." Ran sighed, and shook her head. They weren't going to get far with her tonight.
"Aya, did you like Ohkami when you first saw him," Miyu asked, sneaking a glance at Ran. Ran winked, thankful that Miyu caught her plan and wanted to help. Aya smiled and shook her head, laughing.
"I thought he was a rude jerk! As I entered the publishing building he dashes out and crashes into me! All my papers went everywhere, and he didn't bother to say sorry or help! Later, on my way out, he crashes into me again! Then, he has the nerve to ask me out for coffee!" The girls laughed, Miyu shaking her head with amazement. "But we got to talking, and I found out he was an okay guy. He apologized for earlier, and said he was running out because they were towing away his car!" She laughed, "He's always like that."
"He seemed shy when I first saw him," Aki said, finally getting into the conversation.
Aya nodded, "He's like that around people he doesn't know well. Don't worry, he'll be himself before tonight is over. And you Aki-san? How long have you and Tatsuki been dating?"
"About three weeks," she said, smiling happily at being acknowledged as Tatsuki's girlfriend. Aya's eyes widened.
"Is that all? I thought you had been together longer."
"It's complicated Aya, I'll tell ya later," Ran butted in, "So, do you love Ohkami?"
One thing hadn't changed about Ran - she was no master at subelty. Aya frowned, and thought out her answer before replying. "He's . . . special to me. We're like best friends, you know? I don't want to ruin that. But yes, in a way, I do love him. He's changed me, and helped me grow, as a person and writer."
Everyone was in stunned silence for a moment. Aki smiled, and laughed softly. "That is soooo sweet," she cooed, "It's like one of those high school shoujo stories!" All laughed at the absurity.
"Aki's not bad when she's not jealous," Ran thought, "I can see why Tatsuki would like her. But Aya does have feelings for Ohkami - Score one!"
|| Meanwhile . . . ||
"And then I walk out to see my car getting towed - and I dash out to stop them, knocking over Aya. I didn't apologize or anything, 'cause they're taking off and about to round a corner, and ran a mile before catching a stoplight."
Yamato and Tatsuki laughed, and Rei chuckled. "That's insane," Tatsuki commented, "So then what happened?"
"As fate would have it, I crashed into her on her way out because I was late for work! She looked annoyed, and I felt guilty so I asked her out for coffee. She didn't want accept at first, but I finally got her to and we went out to Starbucks. We've been buds ever since."
"Just friends," Tatsuki asked, "You haven't tried any moves yet?"
"You kidding? I've tried everything! She's a bit . . . naive to my flirting."
"She's shy, that's why," Rei commented and took a drink of his glass of water.
"That's one thing I've tried to change about her - and I think it's working. She's more open than she was when I first met her. But you were her high school sweetheart, right? You know how she is."
"A tad too needy, but sweet and caring all the same."
"You know she based Butterfly on your relationship, right," Ohkami asked, not likeing Rei's tone or attitude. "He's a bit cold and aloof on the outside, but he really does care about us, he just had a funny way of showing it," a memory of Aya said, and Ohkami tried to release his feeling of dislike and give the guy a chance. But Aya looked happy to see him, and in all those corny love stories the high school sweethearts get together...
"I knew it the moment I read the first page."
"You don't have to be so cocky. She liked you allot, possibly loved you," he replied, slightly irked at his casual way of speaking for Aya. Tatsuki and Yamato glanced at each other, worried. Tension was beginning to build between the two men.
"I know," he said, and Ohkami clenched his fists and his left eye began to twitch. "I felt the same about her, the more I got to know her." His fists unclenched, but his left eye continued to spasm.
"What's wrong with your eye," Yamato asked, taking notice to Ohkami's irk.
"Nothing, nothing. Hey, let's go get the girls to dance?"
"Looks like they want to dance," Miyu commented as the guys approached. Yamato took Miyu, Ohkami took Aya, and Tatsuki took Ran, to the horror to Aki. Her and Rei watched as they disappeared into the crowd.
"I . . HATE her," Aki said and stompted her foot on the ground.
"Don't get so jealous. Tatsuki wouldn't cheat on you, it's not his style."
"Bull! They're always talking on the phone, looking at each other, and now this!"
"They've been friends since high school," Rei calmly stated, getting slightly irked at the girl. From the looks she gave Ran at Miyu's and her actions before, Aki more than hated Ran.
"Quit defending her! She's a boyfriend stealer, that's all she is!"
"Her and Tatsuki want to get Aya and Ohkami together, and they probably left to talk about it."
"What," she asked, calming down slightly, but still doubting Rei.
"Ran and Tatsuki used to scheme all the time during high school. Don't worry about it. He'll be back, and dance with you the rest of the night." Aki pouted, but didn't say another word, to Rei's relief.
"But if Tatsuki gets Aki . . . then I'm with Ran . . ."
The song ended, and, as Rei said, Tatsuki took Aki and never left her side. Further proving his psychic skills, he and Ran were left alone as the rest danced. "She's changed, eh Otohata?"
"Yeah. I'm guessing Ohkami played a large role in that. You and Tatsuki planning to fix them up?"
Ran frowned, "Is it that obvious?"
"No, just, like you."
"Heh, is that so? Anyway, wanna go out there? I'm itching to go out." Rei nodded, and they left.
"Otohata and Ran," Aya said when she saw them leave, "Never thought I'd see that in my lifetime."
"Why?"
"He's not her type. She said she hates people like him," Aya shrugged, "Is something wrong? Your eye is twitching."
"No, it's nothing. Having fun?" Aya smiled and nodded. She would have to ask Ran and Miyu what's happened while she was gone.
"But why is Ohkami's eye still twitching? He's mad about something . . . Maybe one of the guys said something to him," she thought, then found herself being swung in the air by Ohkami. She yelped with suprise, and looked down to see a grin.
"Don't think so much," he said and twirled her down. "It's a vacation."
"Then, should we go see your parents as well," she asked, "Maybe they can-"
"No, I can never go back there again." Aya nodded, and didn't pursue the subject further. Ohkami's past was a source of pain for him, and she wanted to rid himself of that baggage. The song ended, and a slow love ballad began to play. Aya began to walk away but Ohkami grabbed her arm and pulled her close. "A princess doesn't leave her partner without at least one slow dance," he said, causing Aya to smile gently.
"Wanna sit this one out Otahota," Ran asked as the tune began. "I'll buy you a drink."
Rei glanced at her with one of his indecipherable looks and nodded. "Hey Ran," the bartender said as she approached. He was a gruff, strong looking man, with a patch over his right eye. 'It's an image,' he said when Ran asked him about the patch, 'It makes me look tougher, eh? And it's always good with the ladies.' "The usual?"
"Yeah Takui. Virgin, remember."
"Yah, I know. What 'bout your pal?"
"Nothing. I have to work tomorrow."
"Responsible, eh? My type of guy." Rei stared at him for a moment, not fully understanding his phrase. Ran laughed and playfully punched Takui's arm. "He's new here?"
"Yeah. He doesn't know you're for both sides of the dating spectrum."
Takui laughed, a loud, hearty boom, and shook his head. "Sorry about that. I'll go get your drink."
"What a night. I see Aya, almost have an argument with her 'boyfriend', argue with Aki, and now I recieved one of the strangest propostions of my life," Rei thought and sighed.
"Bored too," Ran asked.
"It's been a weird night."
"Yeah. What you and Aki argue about?"
"What? How'd you know we were argueing?"
Ran had the grace to blush and she muttered, "I saw you, that's why." Rei was confused all over again. Normally such an act wouldn't bother her at all. Women... "And Aki looked pissed and was giving me the evil eye all night."
"She gets jealous easily."
"Yeah."
Silence followed, and Ran took tiny sips of her drink while Rei watched the lovers move together. After the song ended Miyu and Yamato approached, both clearly tired. "We're going to go ahead and go home. Takeshi has school, and I need my rest for tomorrow's shift," Yamato said.
"We already said goodbye to Aya and Tatsuki, so, that left you two. Call me sometime tomorrow, kay?" Ran nodded and they said their goodbyes and left. Once again, Rei and Ran were at a loss for words. Takui watched them from a distance, frowning.
"Is he her boyfriend," he wondered, scratching his head. "I always thought her and Tatsuki were lovers, but he's with Aki. Why'd she go to him?"
"That bartender of yours is staring at us," Rei muttered. Ran shrugged, and pointed to a necking couple behind her.
"He's probably looking at them. He hates that kind of thing in public."
"You know him well?"
"He used to be a guitarist for an indies rock band called 'Embryo'. They were about to get signed by Sony, but something happened and the band split up," Ran replied, twisting a lock of hair around her finger, "Although what exactly happened is beyond me. I've asked around, and gotten more tales than facts. The band was pretty good though. He did some of the vocals as well."
"You don't seem yourself," Rei commented, for Ran spoke the 'facts' in monotone, and lacked her signature enthusiasm.
"I was thinking, that's all. Takui mentioned an 'Aki' once, I wonder if she's the same as our Aki? Then, maybe she's the reason they broke up?"
Aki? It wasn't like Ran to obsess over rivals. Sure, ten years had passed, but personalities rarely do a complete one eighty. She was thinking about Tatsuki, and maybe what exactly Aki had that she didn't. "Why don't you ask him?"
"Takui hates talking about the past. It was about a year or so before he even mentioned he could play the guitar. Another year passed before he said he was in a band, and an even longer time period passed before he mentioned Embryo."
"So that's where you two have been hiding," Ohkami commented. He held his hand out to Ran, "Come on." Ran nodded and he took her out to the dance floor.
"Do you want to join them or stay here and talk?"
"Whatever."
Aya nodded, suddenly feeling shy around Rei. It was both a mixture of old feelings and the fact that she hadn't seen him in over a decade. "What have you been up to?"
"Becoming a doctor."
"Oh. Of what?"
"Heart."
"Wow. But . . . I guess I can see you as a doctor. I knew you'd choose a career like that."
"I never saw you as a writer. More like an OL."
Aya laughed, "Me either. But for Butterfly, I just sat down and it came out. Within a month I had finished it. Then it gets published and life's been crazy since."
"Crazy?"
"I have these crazy deadlines to meet. It's almost as bad a mangaka, only I think it's worse. Writing has always been 'in the mood' thing for me and if I force myself to do it, the paragraphs turn out horrible. Have you read any?"
"Just that horror one you put out awhile back." Aya grinned with happiness.
"You have no idea how cool it is to hear someone say they've *read* my work! Crimson Rose was hard to write, actually. But Ohkami helped me allot."
"Is he a writer too? Or just an editor?"
"He publishes novels under the alias Mikeru Noa. Don't tell him I told you though."
"Those are those books with the insane characters, right?"
"Hm... I wouldn't call them insane. I think it's a kind of therapy for him." Rei arched an eyebrow, but Aya didn't notice. Her thoughts were lost in her worries for Ohkami. "Ohkami . . . it took him awhile to become who he is as well," she muttered, then looked up, "Sorry. He worries me sometimes."
"You're Ran, right," Ohkami asked as he led Ran to the dance floor.
"Yeah."
"Is that guy over there plotting something?"
"Who? Tatsuki?"
"Yeah. With that glaring chick. Sorry about being vague with the names, I'm really bad with those."
"It's okay. Why do you think he's plotting something?"
"He asked allot of questions about my and Aya's relationship."
"We're both curious. Wait, scratch that, we're *all* curious. Aya brings a mystery man, and we all want to know why. Don't take it personally," she paused, "Why did you come with Aya?"
"First, I wanted to meet all her high school friends she told me about. Second, I wanted to make some better memories for myself in Tokyo."
Ran felt the urge to ask what kind of memories but she bit her tongue. A feeling in her gut told her that Ohkami was like Takui with regard to the past. Maybe he told Aya and she would give her a little bit of information. "Today has been filled with too many questions and not enough answers," Ran thought and sighed. Ohkami was a halfway decent dancer, a tad better than Rei, but nowhere near the skills of Tatsuki.
"Friend. That word is used too broadly," with a shake her her head, "Or maybe emotions are too complex for simply being 'friends."
AN: OL is short for Office Lady. Next time - Tatsuki and Ran are still trying to get Aya and Ohkami together - but does their plan backfire? Or did someone spread lies?