AN: Thankies for responding!! Also, I know it's not common practice to
tell someone that someone missing is dead but... ah well. For my purposes,
as long as Usagi's been gone, it'll be practice to tell them she's dead.
And those of you who can't have the manga, Certhy
(http://certhy.mircx.com/release.html) is doing scanlations of GALS!, plus
other Ribon manga. Twenty points to the person who guesses where I get all
my names from! I'm looking for someone who would want to be my beta-reader
and give me suggestions and such. Heart to heart talks abound in this
fic!! (Which of course, means, shoujo fluff ^_~.)
GALS! belongs to Fuji Mihona, not me. Do I wish it belonged to me? Nope. Do I want a Tatsuki plushie? Yes. ^_^.
NOTE: English is going to be indicated by " - ". In other words, -Hello!- is said in English. Yes, this is the end of my comments already!!
"Hey, Takui, need any help," Tatsuki asked as he entered the techno club. The bartender shook his head, and lay down a glass he had been cleaning. After a moment of silence, Tatsuki asked, "Hey, did you think of a name for your band yet?"
"Narcissus in Chains. We were wanting to do a live soon, and we were also hoping-"
"You guys wanna debut here? Fine with me. Just give me the dates and times, and the duration of your set," he replied and took off his apron, smiling slightly.
"Leaving early?"
"Yeah." Takui's eyes widened slightly. Although he had only been working for three months, the owner had never left early. In fact, Takui had deduced that he lived in his office or something. A child-like thought, yes, but you never know. . . "The old gang wants to have a picnic. Wanna come?"
"It's not my place or group." Tatsuki shook his head, brushing the comment off. Actually, through the little chain of connections, he was part of the group, but past scars wound easily.
"I'll introduce you to them. Besides, Narcissus in Chains needs publicity, right? Aya and Ohkami are popular writers. I'm sure they know someone in the music industry." Takui almost laughed at Tatsuki's remark, but held it back.
"You're not going to let me say no, aren't you," Takui asked, and met the grin of his employer. "All right. Let me call the guys." Tatsuki nodded and grinned secretly to himself. Hopefully by meeting her old boyfriend, Aki could settle her cobwebs and finally truly be over her old flame. Of coarse, that reason was probably why Takui refused to go in the first place, however, both needed to deal with it and move on.
Speaking of moving on, while she was talking with Takui, hopefully he could settle things with Ran. The strain on their relationship had been bugging him lately; after all, even if they weren't lovers, that didn't mean that they couldn't be friends. And through the years she had become a dear one to him, in fact.
It's not often you meet a person that would stick with you through the thick and thin.
"Aya," Ohkami stated, carrying several bags of food, "Did you have to get every item on the menu!?" Aya chuckled and stuck her tongue out.
"Tatsuki called and told me he's inviting Takui and the rest of Narcissus in Chains to the picnic." Ohkami moaned and shifted his weight to carry the bags easier. "Do you want any help," Aya asked, watching her friend struggle with the bags.
"No! My momma always said 'Help out a lady'." Aya laughed and shook her head in disbelief. It was hard to believe that those same lips fed on hers hungrily that morning, nor that his eyes became wild and free. An image of his face rolled into her mind, causing an involuntary blush.
"Thinking of me," he whispered in her ear, voice low and breath tickling her neck. Aya felt her face redden further, much to Ohkami's delight. "You're so cute," he exclaimed, dropping the bags and wrapping her in a tight hug. Some of the passersby shot them a horrified look, but Ohkami stuck his tongue out at them and released his hold, smiling.
They continued to the park, all the while chatting small talk. Aya paused for a moment, and looked up at Ohkami, asking for approval. He arched an eyebrow, and felt a jealous pang hit his heart. They didn't need to speak; Ohkami knew Aya wanted to spend some time alone with Rei.
Ohkami smiled and nodded, wondering for a moment why she felt that she had to ask for permission to talk to her friends. Aya smiled and hugged him lightly in gratitude. Ohkami's eyes widened; this wasn't like her. Maybe she still liked Rei...? And that smile, it wasn't her normal smile. It was one of those secret, indecipherable grins that perplexed him to no end.
"Are you sure you don't want to call a taxi? The streets will pummel you, the subway will kill you, the-"
"Nice list of phrases," Ohkami commented and shifted the bags once more, "But we're almost there... besides, I keep my word. You know that." Aya sighed and nodded; besides keeping his word, Ohkami was also very stubborn.
"Ran," Yamato called from across the room, "Miyu and I aren't going to the picnic. Takeshi has a birthday party to attend and-"
"Ok, I'll tell Aya," Ran replied, cutting her brother off. She took no offense to the comment, nor was very surprised. Married couples had a different life than single persons. It was hard to mix, for both sides. Although a pang of sadness hit her ribs. Since Takeshi's birth, her and Miyu had slowly been growing apart, torn between their own lives.
Aya would be disappointed, but Miyu would probably plan something for the two of them to make up for it. Besides, Aya and Miyu needed some time alone together too. Speaking of Aya, maybe she knew something about Ohkami's twin. But she couldn't discuss that until the picnic. Ran growled with frustration.
"I hate not being able to do anything," she yelled, causing the officers in the lobby to look her way with an odd stare. Ran smiled and stuck her tongue out, then dashed outside crashing into a passerby carrying a guitar. Both grunted in pain, and Ran jumped up, apologizing and reaching out her hand to help him up.
"Ran," the man said as he locked eyes with her. Ran cocked her head to the side, thinking, then grinned as the memory came back to her.
"You're Kira, right? One of the guys in Takui's band?"
"Narcissus in Chains," he stated, then nodded. "You remember me?"
"I remember everyone I meet," she replied proudly, which was partly due to her police training. Kira smiled slightly and shook his head. "What are you doing here?"
"I was looking for a place to try out a new song I was writing. It can't be a single for Narcissus, but I was hoping I could find a girl talented enough to sing it." Ran nodded, and took a moment to stare at the young man. His hair was long and wavy, dyed a light brown, and he wore a fashionable suit that somehow made him look sexy and rough. When Narcissus made it big, he'd be a fan favorite.
"How were you going to look for the girl," she asked, curious at a band's inner workings. Kira smiled and gestured south.
"Go to the clubs, of coarse. Are you on your break?"
"Yeah," Ran decided, letting her curiosity get the better of her.
"Wanna come with me then," he suggested, looking away to seem shy. Ran almost frowned. He was an obvious ladies' man and a smooth talker. A smile came to her face, if she had still been in high school, Kira would've received a fist to the face. Although the urge was still there, Ran replied a polite yes and followed him to a small, hidden blues bar located under a mall.
"Lunatic Cafe," Ran asked quizzically, "I've never heard of it until now." Kira grinned and stopped by the entrance.
"Not allot of people have. Sounds like someone is performing right now," he stated and opened the door, gesturing inside the blue-lighted club. Ran walked inside, and found the club to be intimate and cozy. Blue lights lit up the stage, a corner was designated for the bar, and several tables took up the rest of the space. About ten people were sitting, some watching the performer, some chatting over lunch.
The performer had a low, raspy voice that oozed out pain. The song was in English, pronounced almost perfectly. "A foreigner," Ran wondered, then took a seat across from Kira, whose eyes were focused on the performer. Ran too, focused her attention on the singer. Her hair was braided all over, plus several locks were dyed a bright pink; a nose stud decorated her left nostril, and her outfit consisted of several mismatched items that somehow looked good paired together.
"She's pretty good," Kira muttered, captured by her voice. "I think she'd be perfect..." Ran glanced at Kira, then at the performer, who had fixed her eyes on him as well. At first it seemed to be merely talent, but Kira soon developed a lustful glint in his eyes, slightly enerving Ran. The song ended, and the girl jumped off the stage and waltzed over, plopping on a seat in between Ran and Kira.
-Hello! I saw you guys staring at me. I'm that good, eh?-
"English," Ran muttered, and cast an urgent look at Kira, who looked confused with the girl's English as well. The singer looked at both, then burst out laughing.
-Sorry, sorry,- holding a finger up, "It's okay, I'm learning Japanese too. Just speak it slowly, and I can understand it."
"Okay," Ran replied, "The name's Kotobuki Ran. This here is Nija Kira."
"Nice to meet you both. I'm Aneri Mata," she replied, then shook her head, "No! I mean, I am Mata Aneri. Ran and Kira, right? Did you like my song?"
Kira smiled, his flirtatious grin, and nodded. "Your voice is just what I was looking for. Would you like to do a duet with my band, Narcissus in Chains?" Aneri stared at Kira in disbelief, then scrutinizing skepticism, then in acceptance.
"Sounds like a rock name. What's in it for me?"
"We're going to do a live soon at Blurry Moon. I'd love it if we could debut that song there, plus I have another I want you to perform."
"A songwriter, eh? What kind of song? Ballad?"
"Solo ballad; duo rock. What do you say," laying on more charm. Aneri stared at him, frowning, then turned to the unusually quiet Ran.
"Can I trust him," she asked, and Ran nodded.
"Her boyfriend owns Blurry Moon," Kira added, now going into 'desperate' mode.
Aneri's eyes widened with amazement, -No shit?- Ran felt an involuntary flush creep to her cheeks, along with heated anger.
"Ex, and we have been for a long time," she stated with a tinge of hostility. It was hard to get over feelings when people kept confusing the past with the present. Kira smiled and replied a false, 'sorry.' Ran held back her confusion and excused herself to the bathroom, where hopefully she could splash some ice water on her face and wake her up.
Aneri watched her leave with curious eyes. Nothing pleased her more than butting into other people's business. Sure, it had gotten her into more jams than she could count (one of which led her to Japan), but without her meandering the world would be worse off (in her opinion).
She looked across at Kira, liking what she saw. A player by his obvious fine tuned charm, which would suit Aneri perfectly. You go with them, have some fun, then leave them without heartbreak. -What's the song about?-
"What," Kira asked, confused. Even though he had taken English classes since junior high until his second year of high school, he knew close to nothing because he never bothered to pay attention.
Aneri frowned. -I don't know how to say it in Japanese,- she muttered, and ran to the bar, grabbed her bag, ran back to the table, pulled out a Japanese-English dictionary, and searched for the word. Kira watched her with amusement, deciding to say nothing. "What . . . song . . . about?"
"We're going to have to work on her pronunciation," Kira noted to himself, "Lost love. Can you play the guitar?"
"If I did, you think I'd just be singing," Aneri replied, rolling her eyes. If there was one thing she hated most in the world, it was stupid questions from people who had no common sense.
"Rude bitch," he muttered. Aneri frowned again, then searched in her Japanese dictionary. After a few minutes she growled in frustration.
-It's not in here!- Kira arched an eyebrow, "What did you say!" Kira, still confused, just stared at her with a blank face. Aneri gave a look so hostile it would've scared a serial killer. The look didn't phase Kira (after all, he had seen his share of death glares from women) and, seeing an opportunity, leaned forward and kissed Aneri.
Ran practically dunked her head in the sink, and let her head remain in the water until she couldn't hold her breath any longer. She pulled up, gasping for air. "This is a dream," she muttered to herself. Although she was pretty much comfortable in all social situations, being in this particular nightclub made her nervous. Extremely nervous.
She looked at the digital clock on the side wall; three hours until Aya's planned picnic. Which meant she would have to go back to work if she wanted to make it in time. Partly thankful for the reason to leave, Ran exited the bathroom and started to make her way back to the table where . . . Kira and Aneri were making out. If you could call what they were doing 'making out' . To Ran it looked more like sex without the acutal intercourse.
With a small chuckle, she left the bar/club and returned to her policework, which involved chasing a teenage mugger.
||The allotted time arrived. . . . ||
The picnic progressed nicely, with all the participants having a joyous time. Past friends caught up, new friends created new memories, and all enjoyed the time together.
The only people missing were Mami and Yuuya, and Miyu and Yamato. Both had been unable to make it, the former apologizing profusely. Both had other things to do, mostly tying in with the fact that both were married.
However, several people's tension had slowly began to stall the fun. It was obvious that they needed to talk, and thus, they did. Ran walked off with Tatsuki, Aki went with Takui, Aya and Rei left next, followed by Aneri, Ohkami, Ryo, and Kira.
"How've you been," Ran asked, sitting on a bench. Tatsuki sat next to her, replying the standard fine. "Things are wierd now, eh?"
"Sort of," he replied, "Are you mad at me?"
"No, why?" Tatsuki coughed in surprise. "Did you think I was?"
"Yeah. The whole Aki thing."
"You're together, she makes you happy, what more can I want for you?" Tatsuki looked at her, one of those, I-know-what-you're-really-thinking looks, causing Ran to smile slightly. He knew her, inside and out. "I did love you, for a long time. But, I think the love I feel is for a friend, you know? You've always been there for me, and I'm thankful for that."
Tatsuki grinned and wrapped his arm around her. "You, my dear sweet Ran, are my best friend, and I'm glad to have met you too. Who else can I count on to help me when things go crazy?"
Both chuckled, "Of course, the reason things go crazy is due to our crazy plans." This erupted a full fledged laugh, not because the line was that entertaining, but because the tension and seriousness in the air required it. An awkward silence followed.
"Ran," Tatsuki asked, a lead up to a question, and Ran looked, waiting for his words. Tatsuki was silent for a long time, as if gathering the courage to ask a question he knew the answer to. "Do you like Otohata," he asked, unable to meet her eyes.
Even though both admitted their love was that of a friend, it still didn't mean romantic tension disappeared immiedetly. Why Tatstuki was acting shy was beyond him, and even after asking the question he couldn't meet her eyes. Ran said nothing, she merely looked off into the distance, thinking. "I don't know," she finally replied, "I might."
"He's a good man," Tatsuki replied, "I want you to find someone that will make you happy as well." A general reply. This conversation was slowly drifting toward impersonal relations. Ran didn't want that. This was probably the last time in a long while that they would get to talk like this.
"What do you like about Aki," Ran asked. Tatsuki sighed, and leaned back into the bench.
Good question. What did he know about Aki? Thousands of little details floated into his mind, most dealing with sex. That's why he went to her in the beginning, right? He needed more in their relationship, and by the look in Ran's eyes, she wanted it too. But she didn't love him, appearently. . .
And Aki was more than ready to recieve his needs. She was only meant to be a one night stand, a kink in the past. But they met again. And again. Each night, driving each other into new heights of pleasure. Only after spending about two weeks with each other did they question into realms other than sex.
It was then both learned that they shared an unfullfilled love, feelings second best to their love's priorities. They could wrap each other around their pain and heal it, and in the process become closer.
The problem? He didn't feel closer to her than he did that first night in her bed. Sure, both felt somewhat possessive of each other, and sparks tend to fly when they were together but .. . something was missing. The red string didn't lead to her.
"Tatsuki," Ran said, waving her hand in front of his eyes, "You alive?"
"Yeah. I . . . I can't reply to that question," he admitted, then cast her a side glance, "What do you like about Otohata?"
The exact opposite of her type. Cool, serious, quiet, only speaking when interjecting his somewhat sarcastic comment. Yet . . . he seemed to put up with her schemes, help with her ideas, and just be . . . well, Rei. But, what did she know about him, really? Was this all a physical attraction?
Or was it because he seemed to be the exact opposite of Tatsuki? Then, what was the kiss that he gave her the night before? Spur of the moment? Or premediated? No, it had to be premediated. Rei didn't seem like the type to spontaneously kiss someone. Then, why? Why the hell was all this so confusing?
"You know," she began, a light joking tint to her voice, "I can't answer that either. Looks like we're both lost, eh?"
____________________________________________________________________________ ________________
"Aki."
"Takui."
Silence. Both stared away, refusing to meet their eyes. It had been, what, five, seven years since then? Since he left her for music? Since the band broke up? "You look nice," Takui finally said, still refusing to keep his eyes on her for more than a second. Aki smiled, then giggled. Takui looked at her in confusion.
"You used to do that all the time," she said, "Whenever I'd ask you how I look, you'd say, 'Beautiful, Stunning, Sexy' without even giving me one glance." Again, silence enveloped them, until Takui sighed and sat under a sakura tree. Aki frowned, then opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She closed it, looking away, strangely nervous and fearful. "So you have a new band," she asked, sitting down in front of her old boyfriend.
He was more handsome than she last remembered. Good in bed, a good kisser, and best of all, he treated her like a queen. When he wasn't concerned with music, at least. Which was a rarity. Yet, despite all that, she loved him. She loved him as much as he loved his music. But she couldn't be second in his heart.
Tetsu offered her his shoulder whenever Takui gave her the cold shoulder. Tetsu was in love with her, and even though she didn't feel the same, he gave her one thing Takui never did outside of sex - attention. When he discovered their affair, they broke up. Soon after, the band split, right after earning their major deal.
Aki had a feeling Takui still blamed her for that time, crushing his dreams and his bandmates.
Takui ran a hand through his long black hair and nodded. "Narcissus in Chains. We're going to be doing a live at Tatsuki's club soon. At least, once Kira finds a girl."
Aki's eyes widened; "You mean, you're going to have a female lead singer!"
"Yeah. Well, halfway. We're both going to sing. He really wants that Aneri chick to sing with us. Says she has a real raspy, sultry voice. I don't know how good she is; she hasn't sang for us yet. Aki nodded, still not feeling any more calm than she had when the picnic started and she saw his face again.
"You've always loved music," she commented, smiling slightly in an attempt to calm herself.
"You know, I've always regreted leaving you, not showing you the attention you deserved. You were there for me, supported me and helped turn me into the man I am today. And, I want to say I'm sorry, for back then."
Aki smiled sadly, feeling tears well up as her past feelings for him rose. She still loved him, and that fact became appearent as she locked eyes with him. Both of their pain, raw and new, drew the past lovers together in a soft kiss.
"All these years I still longed for you," Aki thought, "I went to Tatsuki's club only when I heard you were working there. I listened to old cds of Embryo, wanting to hear your voice. I still needed you. I'm sorry Tatsuki. I can't belong to you anymore . . . "
____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________
Both were naturally quiet and shy. The frail flowering beauty of Aya, the stong silent strength of Rei. In romance novels, the perfect couple. But life didn't follow the trail of a romance novel, and soon after high school, they split up, and soon after that, lost touch. It felt weird, walking with her high school sweetheart.
They walked in silence for several minutes, both admiring the serenity of nature. If Ohkami was near, the walk would be anything but silent. Aya smiled subconciously at the thought of Ohkami. Her wolf-boy brightened her day considerably. He was her rock.
"I. . . want to thank you," Aya finally said, voice just above a whisper. Rei glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, wanting her to explain, even though he had an idea of her answer. "For high school, for giving me good memories. For wiping my tears and caring for me. You're a special part of my past."
Rei smiled slightly and nodded. It was a moment later that he replied, "Your welcome, and thank you as well." Aya smiled, tears filling up in her eyes. She had always been romantic and emotional. Rei noticed this, half laughed, and pulled out a hankerchief and handed it to her.
"Aya," Rei said after a minute or so, "Does Ohkami have a twin?" Aya gasped and looked at him with wide eyes.
"How did you know that," she exclaimed, starting to feel nervous. If Ohkami found out people knew about his twin, then . . .
"Ran. Appearently she uncovered a missing persons file while at work one morning." He didn't mention how early in the morning however, and a part of him was still irked at her early phone call.
"Have you told anyone else," Aya asked urgently. Rei shook his head.
"Her name is Usagi. She disappeared when they were children. That's all he'll tell me."
Rei nodded, and didn't pursue the subject further. Ran would do that the next time she saw Aya.
AN: THE END. No, not really, but the end of this chapter! *ducks as tomatoes are thrown* This is part one of all the talks (I've been wanting to do these for a loooooooonnnnnnnnnggggggg time) and the rest will be in part two. Which brings me to my announcement.
I'm going to put aside Forever for a bit.
*runs as hate-devils chase her*
No, no, let me finish!! I'm going to put aside Forever for a bit while I work on my new GALS! fanfiction, Cancer. It's about Ran, who has discovered she has breast cancer. After I write chapter one of this new series (it probably won't be that long, I have it fresh in my mind), I'll return to working on Forever. Also, due to a request from two fans, I'll write a shounen ai featuring Rei and Yuuya.
Now, in the next chapter of Forever - Aneri reveals her past. Tatsuki and Aki break up. And the rest is a secret....! See you next time.
GALS! belongs to Fuji Mihona, not me. Do I wish it belonged to me? Nope. Do I want a Tatsuki plushie? Yes. ^_^.
NOTE: English is going to be indicated by " - ". In other words, -Hello!- is said in English. Yes, this is the end of my comments already!!
"Hey, Takui, need any help," Tatsuki asked as he entered the techno club. The bartender shook his head, and lay down a glass he had been cleaning. After a moment of silence, Tatsuki asked, "Hey, did you think of a name for your band yet?"
"Narcissus in Chains. We were wanting to do a live soon, and we were also hoping-"
"You guys wanna debut here? Fine with me. Just give me the dates and times, and the duration of your set," he replied and took off his apron, smiling slightly.
"Leaving early?"
"Yeah." Takui's eyes widened slightly. Although he had only been working for three months, the owner had never left early. In fact, Takui had deduced that he lived in his office or something. A child-like thought, yes, but you never know. . . "The old gang wants to have a picnic. Wanna come?"
"It's not my place or group." Tatsuki shook his head, brushing the comment off. Actually, through the little chain of connections, he was part of the group, but past scars wound easily.
"I'll introduce you to them. Besides, Narcissus in Chains needs publicity, right? Aya and Ohkami are popular writers. I'm sure they know someone in the music industry." Takui almost laughed at Tatsuki's remark, but held it back.
"You're not going to let me say no, aren't you," Takui asked, and met the grin of his employer. "All right. Let me call the guys." Tatsuki nodded and grinned secretly to himself. Hopefully by meeting her old boyfriend, Aki could settle her cobwebs and finally truly be over her old flame. Of coarse, that reason was probably why Takui refused to go in the first place, however, both needed to deal with it and move on.
Speaking of moving on, while she was talking with Takui, hopefully he could settle things with Ran. The strain on their relationship had been bugging him lately; after all, even if they weren't lovers, that didn't mean that they couldn't be friends. And through the years she had become a dear one to him, in fact.
It's not often you meet a person that would stick with you through the thick and thin.
"Aya," Ohkami stated, carrying several bags of food, "Did you have to get every item on the menu!?" Aya chuckled and stuck her tongue out.
"Tatsuki called and told me he's inviting Takui and the rest of Narcissus in Chains to the picnic." Ohkami moaned and shifted his weight to carry the bags easier. "Do you want any help," Aya asked, watching her friend struggle with the bags.
"No! My momma always said 'Help out a lady'." Aya laughed and shook her head in disbelief. It was hard to believe that those same lips fed on hers hungrily that morning, nor that his eyes became wild and free. An image of his face rolled into her mind, causing an involuntary blush.
"Thinking of me," he whispered in her ear, voice low and breath tickling her neck. Aya felt her face redden further, much to Ohkami's delight. "You're so cute," he exclaimed, dropping the bags and wrapping her in a tight hug. Some of the passersby shot them a horrified look, but Ohkami stuck his tongue out at them and released his hold, smiling.
They continued to the park, all the while chatting small talk. Aya paused for a moment, and looked up at Ohkami, asking for approval. He arched an eyebrow, and felt a jealous pang hit his heart. They didn't need to speak; Ohkami knew Aya wanted to spend some time alone with Rei.
Ohkami smiled and nodded, wondering for a moment why she felt that she had to ask for permission to talk to her friends. Aya smiled and hugged him lightly in gratitude. Ohkami's eyes widened; this wasn't like her. Maybe she still liked Rei...? And that smile, it wasn't her normal smile. It was one of those secret, indecipherable grins that perplexed him to no end.
"Are you sure you don't want to call a taxi? The streets will pummel you, the subway will kill you, the-"
"Nice list of phrases," Ohkami commented and shifted the bags once more, "But we're almost there... besides, I keep my word. You know that." Aya sighed and nodded; besides keeping his word, Ohkami was also very stubborn.
"Ran," Yamato called from across the room, "Miyu and I aren't going to the picnic. Takeshi has a birthday party to attend and-"
"Ok, I'll tell Aya," Ran replied, cutting her brother off. She took no offense to the comment, nor was very surprised. Married couples had a different life than single persons. It was hard to mix, for both sides. Although a pang of sadness hit her ribs. Since Takeshi's birth, her and Miyu had slowly been growing apart, torn between their own lives.
Aya would be disappointed, but Miyu would probably plan something for the two of them to make up for it. Besides, Aya and Miyu needed some time alone together too. Speaking of Aya, maybe she knew something about Ohkami's twin. But she couldn't discuss that until the picnic. Ran growled with frustration.
"I hate not being able to do anything," she yelled, causing the officers in the lobby to look her way with an odd stare. Ran smiled and stuck her tongue out, then dashed outside crashing into a passerby carrying a guitar. Both grunted in pain, and Ran jumped up, apologizing and reaching out her hand to help him up.
"Ran," the man said as he locked eyes with her. Ran cocked her head to the side, thinking, then grinned as the memory came back to her.
"You're Kira, right? One of the guys in Takui's band?"
"Narcissus in Chains," he stated, then nodded. "You remember me?"
"I remember everyone I meet," she replied proudly, which was partly due to her police training. Kira smiled slightly and shook his head. "What are you doing here?"
"I was looking for a place to try out a new song I was writing. It can't be a single for Narcissus, but I was hoping I could find a girl talented enough to sing it." Ran nodded, and took a moment to stare at the young man. His hair was long and wavy, dyed a light brown, and he wore a fashionable suit that somehow made him look sexy and rough. When Narcissus made it big, he'd be a fan favorite.
"How were you going to look for the girl," she asked, curious at a band's inner workings. Kira smiled and gestured south.
"Go to the clubs, of coarse. Are you on your break?"
"Yeah," Ran decided, letting her curiosity get the better of her.
"Wanna come with me then," he suggested, looking away to seem shy. Ran almost frowned. He was an obvious ladies' man and a smooth talker. A smile came to her face, if she had still been in high school, Kira would've received a fist to the face. Although the urge was still there, Ran replied a polite yes and followed him to a small, hidden blues bar located under a mall.
"Lunatic Cafe," Ran asked quizzically, "I've never heard of it until now." Kira grinned and stopped by the entrance.
"Not allot of people have. Sounds like someone is performing right now," he stated and opened the door, gesturing inside the blue-lighted club. Ran walked inside, and found the club to be intimate and cozy. Blue lights lit up the stage, a corner was designated for the bar, and several tables took up the rest of the space. About ten people were sitting, some watching the performer, some chatting over lunch.
The performer had a low, raspy voice that oozed out pain. The song was in English, pronounced almost perfectly. "A foreigner," Ran wondered, then took a seat across from Kira, whose eyes were focused on the performer. Ran too, focused her attention on the singer. Her hair was braided all over, plus several locks were dyed a bright pink; a nose stud decorated her left nostril, and her outfit consisted of several mismatched items that somehow looked good paired together.
"She's pretty good," Kira muttered, captured by her voice. "I think she'd be perfect..." Ran glanced at Kira, then at the performer, who had fixed her eyes on him as well. At first it seemed to be merely talent, but Kira soon developed a lustful glint in his eyes, slightly enerving Ran. The song ended, and the girl jumped off the stage and waltzed over, plopping on a seat in between Ran and Kira.
-Hello! I saw you guys staring at me. I'm that good, eh?-
"English," Ran muttered, and cast an urgent look at Kira, who looked confused with the girl's English as well. The singer looked at both, then burst out laughing.
-Sorry, sorry,- holding a finger up, "It's okay, I'm learning Japanese too. Just speak it slowly, and I can understand it."
"Okay," Ran replied, "The name's Kotobuki Ran. This here is Nija Kira."
"Nice to meet you both. I'm Aneri Mata," she replied, then shook her head, "No! I mean, I am Mata Aneri. Ran and Kira, right? Did you like my song?"
Kira smiled, his flirtatious grin, and nodded. "Your voice is just what I was looking for. Would you like to do a duet with my band, Narcissus in Chains?" Aneri stared at Kira in disbelief, then scrutinizing skepticism, then in acceptance.
"Sounds like a rock name. What's in it for me?"
"We're going to do a live soon at Blurry Moon. I'd love it if we could debut that song there, plus I have another I want you to perform."
"A songwriter, eh? What kind of song? Ballad?"
"Solo ballad; duo rock. What do you say," laying on more charm. Aneri stared at him, frowning, then turned to the unusually quiet Ran.
"Can I trust him," she asked, and Ran nodded.
"Her boyfriend owns Blurry Moon," Kira added, now going into 'desperate' mode.
Aneri's eyes widened with amazement, -No shit?- Ran felt an involuntary flush creep to her cheeks, along with heated anger.
"Ex, and we have been for a long time," she stated with a tinge of hostility. It was hard to get over feelings when people kept confusing the past with the present. Kira smiled and replied a false, 'sorry.' Ran held back her confusion and excused herself to the bathroom, where hopefully she could splash some ice water on her face and wake her up.
Aneri watched her leave with curious eyes. Nothing pleased her more than butting into other people's business. Sure, it had gotten her into more jams than she could count (one of which led her to Japan), but without her meandering the world would be worse off (in her opinion).
She looked across at Kira, liking what she saw. A player by his obvious fine tuned charm, which would suit Aneri perfectly. You go with them, have some fun, then leave them without heartbreak. -What's the song about?-
"What," Kira asked, confused. Even though he had taken English classes since junior high until his second year of high school, he knew close to nothing because he never bothered to pay attention.
Aneri frowned. -I don't know how to say it in Japanese,- she muttered, and ran to the bar, grabbed her bag, ran back to the table, pulled out a Japanese-English dictionary, and searched for the word. Kira watched her with amusement, deciding to say nothing. "What . . . song . . . about?"
"We're going to have to work on her pronunciation," Kira noted to himself, "Lost love. Can you play the guitar?"
"If I did, you think I'd just be singing," Aneri replied, rolling her eyes. If there was one thing she hated most in the world, it was stupid questions from people who had no common sense.
"Rude bitch," he muttered. Aneri frowned again, then searched in her Japanese dictionary. After a few minutes she growled in frustration.
-It's not in here!- Kira arched an eyebrow, "What did you say!" Kira, still confused, just stared at her with a blank face. Aneri gave a look so hostile it would've scared a serial killer. The look didn't phase Kira (after all, he had seen his share of death glares from women) and, seeing an opportunity, leaned forward and kissed Aneri.
Ran practically dunked her head in the sink, and let her head remain in the water until she couldn't hold her breath any longer. She pulled up, gasping for air. "This is a dream," she muttered to herself. Although she was pretty much comfortable in all social situations, being in this particular nightclub made her nervous. Extremely nervous.
She looked at the digital clock on the side wall; three hours until Aya's planned picnic. Which meant she would have to go back to work if she wanted to make it in time. Partly thankful for the reason to leave, Ran exited the bathroom and started to make her way back to the table where . . . Kira and Aneri were making out. If you could call what they were doing 'making out' . To Ran it looked more like sex without the acutal intercourse.
With a small chuckle, she left the bar/club and returned to her policework, which involved chasing a teenage mugger.
||The allotted time arrived. . . . ||
The picnic progressed nicely, with all the participants having a joyous time. Past friends caught up, new friends created new memories, and all enjoyed the time together.
The only people missing were Mami and Yuuya, and Miyu and Yamato. Both had been unable to make it, the former apologizing profusely. Both had other things to do, mostly tying in with the fact that both were married.
However, several people's tension had slowly began to stall the fun. It was obvious that they needed to talk, and thus, they did. Ran walked off with Tatsuki, Aki went with Takui, Aya and Rei left next, followed by Aneri, Ohkami, Ryo, and Kira.
"How've you been," Ran asked, sitting on a bench. Tatsuki sat next to her, replying the standard fine. "Things are wierd now, eh?"
"Sort of," he replied, "Are you mad at me?"
"No, why?" Tatsuki coughed in surprise. "Did you think I was?"
"Yeah. The whole Aki thing."
"You're together, she makes you happy, what more can I want for you?" Tatsuki looked at her, one of those, I-know-what-you're-really-thinking looks, causing Ran to smile slightly. He knew her, inside and out. "I did love you, for a long time. But, I think the love I feel is for a friend, you know? You've always been there for me, and I'm thankful for that."
Tatsuki grinned and wrapped his arm around her. "You, my dear sweet Ran, are my best friend, and I'm glad to have met you too. Who else can I count on to help me when things go crazy?"
Both chuckled, "Of course, the reason things go crazy is due to our crazy plans." This erupted a full fledged laugh, not because the line was that entertaining, but because the tension and seriousness in the air required it. An awkward silence followed.
"Ran," Tatsuki asked, a lead up to a question, and Ran looked, waiting for his words. Tatsuki was silent for a long time, as if gathering the courage to ask a question he knew the answer to. "Do you like Otohata," he asked, unable to meet her eyes.
Even though both admitted their love was that of a friend, it still didn't mean romantic tension disappeared immiedetly. Why Tatstuki was acting shy was beyond him, and even after asking the question he couldn't meet her eyes. Ran said nothing, she merely looked off into the distance, thinking. "I don't know," she finally replied, "I might."
"He's a good man," Tatsuki replied, "I want you to find someone that will make you happy as well." A general reply. This conversation was slowly drifting toward impersonal relations. Ran didn't want that. This was probably the last time in a long while that they would get to talk like this.
"What do you like about Aki," Ran asked. Tatsuki sighed, and leaned back into the bench.
Good question. What did he know about Aki? Thousands of little details floated into his mind, most dealing with sex. That's why he went to her in the beginning, right? He needed more in their relationship, and by the look in Ran's eyes, she wanted it too. But she didn't love him, appearently. . .
And Aki was more than ready to recieve his needs. She was only meant to be a one night stand, a kink in the past. But they met again. And again. Each night, driving each other into new heights of pleasure. Only after spending about two weeks with each other did they question into realms other than sex.
It was then both learned that they shared an unfullfilled love, feelings second best to their love's priorities. They could wrap each other around their pain and heal it, and in the process become closer.
The problem? He didn't feel closer to her than he did that first night in her bed. Sure, both felt somewhat possessive of each other, and sparks tend to fly when they were together but .. . something was missing. The red string didn't lead to her.
"Tatsuki," Ran said, waving her hand in front of his eyes, "You alive?"
"Yeah. I . . . I can't reply to that question," he admitted, then cast her a side glance, "What do you like about Otohata?"
The exact opposite of her type. Cool, serious, quiet, only speaking when interjecting his somewhat sarcastic comment. Yet . . . he seemed to put up with her schemes, help with her ideas, and just be . . . well, Rei. But, what did she know about him, really? Was this all a physical attraction?
Or was it because he seemed to be the exact opposite of Tatsuki? Then, what was the kiss that he gave her the night before? Spur of the moment? Or premediated? No, it had to be premediated. Rei didn't seem like the type to spontaneously kiss someone. Then, why? Why the hell was all this so confusing?
"You know," she began, a light joking tint to her voice, "I can't answer that either. Looks like we're both lost, eh?"
____________________________________________________________________________ ________________
"Aki."
"Takui."
Silence. Both stared away, refusing to meet their eyes. It had been, what, five, seven years since then? Since he left her for music? Since the band broke up? "You look nice," Takui finally said, still refusing to keep his eyes on her for more than a second. Aki smiled, then giggled. Takui looked at her in confusion.
"You used to do that all the time," she said, "Whenever I'd ask you how I look, you'd say, 'Beautiful, Stunning, Sexy' without even giving me one glance." Again, silence enveloped them, until Takui sighed and sat under a sakura tree. Aki frowned, then opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She closed it, looking away, strangely nervous and fearful. "So you have a new band," she asked, sitting down in front of her old boyfriend.
He was more handsome than she last remembered. Good in bed, a good kisser, and best of all, he treated her like a queen. When he wasn't concerned with music, at least. Which was a rarity. Yet, despite all that, she loved him. She loved him as much as he loved his music. But she couldn't be second in his heart.
Tetsu offered her his shoulder whenever Takui gave her the cold shoulder. Tetsu was in love with her, and even though she didn't feel the same, he gave her one thing Takui never did outside of sex - attention. When he discovered their affair, they broke up. Soon after, the band split, right after earning their major deal.
Aki had a feeling Takui still blamed her for that time, crushing his dreams and his bandmates.
Takui ran a hand through his long black hair and nodded. "Narcissus in Chains. We're going to be doing a live at Tatsuki's club soon. At least, once Kira finds a girl."
Aki's eyes widened; "You mean, you're going to have a female lead singer!"
"Yeah. Well, halfway. We're both going to sing. He really wants that Aneri chick to sing with us. Says she has a real raspy, sultry voice. I don't know how good she is; she hasn't sang for us yet. Aki nodded, still not feeling any more calm than she had when the picnic started and she saw his face again.
"You've always loved music," she commented, smiling slightly in an attempt to calm herself.
"You know, I've always regreted leaving you, not showing you the attention you deserved. You were there for me, supported me and helped turn me into the man I am today. And, I want to say I'm sorry, for back then."
Aki smiled sadly, feeling tears well up as her past feelings for him rose. She still loved him, and that fact became appearent as she locked eyes with him. Both of their pain, raw and new, drew the past lovers together in a soft kiss.
"All these years I still longed for you," Aki thought, "I went to Tatsuki's club only when I heard you were working there. I listened to old cds of Embryo, wanting to hear your voice. I still needed you. I'm sorry Tatsuki. I can't belong to you anymore . . . "
____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________
Both were naturally quiet and shy. The frail flowering beauty of Aya, the stong silent strength of Rei. In romance novels, the perfect couple. But life didn't follow the trail of a romance novel, and soon after high school, they split up, and soon after that, lost touch. It felt weird, walking with her high school sweetheart.
They walked in silence for several minutes, both admiring the serenity of nature. If Ohkami was near, the walk would be anything but silent. Aya smiled subconciously at the thought of Ohkami. Her wolf-boy brightened her day considerably. He was her rock.
"I. . . want to thank you," Aya finally said, voice just above a whisper. Rei glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, wanting her to explain, even though he had an idea of her answer. "For high school, for giving me good memories. For wiping my tears and caring for me. You're a special part of my past."
Rei smiled slightly and nodded. It was a moment later that he replied, "Your welcome, and thank you as well." Aya smiled, tears filling up in her eyes. She had always been romantic and emotional. Rei noticed this, half laughed, and pulled out a hankerchief and handed it to her.
"Aya," Rei said after a minute or so, "Does Ohkami have a twin?" Aya gasped and looked at him with wide eyes.
"How did you know that," she exclaimed, starting to feel nervous. If Ohkami found out people knew about his twin, then . . .
"Ran. Appearently she uncovered a missing persons file while at work one morning." He didn't mention how early in the morning however, and a part of him was still irked at her early phone call.
"Have you told anyone else," Aya asked urgently. Rei shook his head.
"Her name is Usagi. She disappeared when they were children. That's all he'll tell me."
Rei nodded, and didn't pursue the subject further. Ran would do that the next time she saw Aya.
AN: THE END. No, not really, but the end of this chapter! *ducks as tomatoes are thrown* This is part one of all the talks (I've been wanting to do these for a loooooooonnnnnnnnnggggggg time) and the rest will be in part two. Which brings me to my announcement.
I'm going to put aside Forever for a bit.
*runs as hate-devils chase her*
No, no, let me finish!! I'm going to put aside Forever for a bit while I work on my new GALS! fanfiction, Cancer. It's about Ran, who has discovered she has breast cancer. After I write chapter one of this new series (it probably won't be that long, I have it fresh in my mind), I'll return to working on Forever. Also, due to a request from two fans, I'll write a shounen ai featuring Rei and Yuuya.
Now, in the next chapter of Forever - Aneri reveals her past. Tatsuki and Aki break up. And the rest is a secret....! See you next time.