Love Panic
Chapter 2: Rei Otohata
By: Diana-JaeOh my God! How embarrassing! Aya wailed mentally as she trudged up the marble staircase towards her bedroom. She had just excused herself from lunch with the Otohatas in their patio and could not get over how she had walked straight into the glass sliding door that led to the dining room. She had been too preoccupied with trying to digest Mr. Otohata's speech about entrance exams to Tokyo University – the college of her choice and the reason for her aggressive study habits. Not more than a couple of seconds had elapsed before she felt a sharp pain against her forehead and an exclamation of worry from the Otohatas. Of course, realizing what she had done, Aya politely waved them off saying she was fine and made a strong attempt to immediately remove herself from sight.
Walking into her new room, she dove for the mirror that hung just above a polished bureau in order to examine the slightly bruised patch of skin on her forehead. It hadn't even been one fourth of the day, and she was already hurting herself. Coming to the conclusion that the bruise didn't look too nasty, something she could surely cover up with the right kind of toner and make-up, she sighed and flopped onto the giant mattress of her bed.
This was certainly going to be a long year. There was no doubt about it. She was already having a hard time making herself presentable for the Otohatas. Imagine the entire year! Then there was also a part-time job she was considering. Although it was a given that her parents would provide all of her financial needs, she wanted to make sure that she wouldn't be a bother to the Otohatas, thus, the more things she had to do, the less time she would be at the house. Also, she reasoned, it wouldn't be a terrible thing if she had extra pocket money.
Aya was about to close her eyes when she heard her bedroom door open and something land on her head. Surprised, she looked up to see that there was an ice pack on her bed and Rei leaning against her doorframe looking at her. She felt her cheeks burn suddenly as his impassive features continued to scrutinize her before tearing his eyes away to gaze nonchalantly out the door.
"That's for your," he paused and then looked at her while pointing at his own head.
Aya shut her eyes in embarrassment and unconsciously put the ice pack onto her forehead while thanking the boy. To her surprise and insult, she thought she had heard a mumbled word strangely sounding like idiot, but before she could even look up, he had already walked out the door.
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"Is she cute?"
Rei was now sitting on the floor at the foot of his bed playing a round of video games with Yuuya, who had decided to stop by just when they had finished dinner. For small talk, he carelessly threw out the new information that his parents had offered one of the rooms to the daughter of a couple they knew from work, but at his friend's sudden question on her appearance, the usually blank expression on his face twisted into a slight frown mixed with disbelief.
Not taking his attention and concentration any more than he had, he gave Yuuya a brief, negative answer. "Nowhere near Kotobuki."
"Ah, so you do like Kotobuki."
"No, actually, I was making a comparison," Rei retaliated, and might I add, rather defensively. "Just because I think she looks good doesn't mean I like her."
"Right. Sure."
"Shut up, Yuuya," Rei growled.
And then the other boy laughed.
Aya frowned and continued to walk down the hallway towards her own bedroom. She had not meant to eavesdrop, but on her way back from the bathroom, she couldn't help but overhear Rei talking about her. He hadn't said her name, but he knew who he was talking about. Reaching her room, she was about to turn the knob and walk in, but turned around instead having suddenly decided to take a small walk.
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"Do you always take walks at night?"
Aya whipped her head around and saw Rei standing just a short distance away from where she was sitting on the park bench with his hands in the pockets of his red sweatshirt. She fiddled with the hem of her shirt with one hand and toyed with the tips of her hair with the other. She suddenly felt the same warm sensation dance across her face at being found out. When he still did not move, she guessed that he wasn't going to until she gave him an answer, and Aya was uncertain whether or not she should answer him. She didn't normally take night walks, but after hearing what he had said, she had just wanted to get out. She had not liked it the first time her parents had proposed the idea, and she disliked it even more when she had arrived. Then to make situations worse, it seemed that the son of the Otohatas did not like her either. Aya had concluded that it really was not a good idea to have come at all.
"I… just wanted some fresh air," she replied softly, shifting her attention to the light that the lamppost gave off.
"This far? Unless there's something different in the air out here, I think it would have been more convenient if you just stepped outside the house and sat out on the patio."
Aya posed a questioning look at him. Why was he still talking to her? She had assumed that he would have left it at her rather reasonable answer and get on with his own life. Why did he have to go and analyze it?
"Why are you out here?"
Rei narrowed his eyes at her subject maneuver, but then shrugged. "Mom and Dad thought you were already sleeping, but I saw you walk out. I didn't see you outside when I walked Yuuya to the front so I figured you went out."
"Why do you care?" Aya immediately wished she were dead. She had not meant to sound or be rude, but it just so happened that she was having one of her speak-before-thinking days. "I'm sorry… I meant…"
"If something happens to you out here, I don't want your parents to think my family's mistreating you," he interrupted rather flatly.
Again, Aya wished she were six feet under. Rei Otohata really didn't like her unless he was just having a really bad day. Flipping her head in the other direction, she immediately waved him off and assured him that she would be fine. "I just want to stay out here for another ten minutes, and then I'll go back. You didn't have to come out here. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Rei Otohata, but thank you for your concern."
Silence lingered in the atmosphere for a moment save the rustling of leaves when the chilly, night air passed through it. Aya shut her eyes tightly as if by doing so, Rei would leave, but she could not hear any sign of him leaving. Aya felt her eyes sting as it accumulated liquid.
I don't want to be here. I want to go home. I want to be in my house, my bedroom, my bed…Aya was feeling the pressures of homesickness and loneliness at once, and she unconsciously hugged herself while biting her lip in order to keep the tears from falling. This was the first time she had been away from her house and her parents, and so like most things unfamiliar, it was a frightening experience.
And then to her surprise, she heard footsteps walking away. The tears spilled tumultuously from her surprised eyes the moment she opened them, and whipping her body around in order to watch Rei's figure walk away, she was taken by a greater surprise when the boy was not walking away but towards her. There was a small creak on the wooden bench when he bent down to sit on it. Aya watched him with awe as he stared blankly in front of him as if she weren't there, and despite her desire to ask him why he hadn't left, she found it difficult to speak because her voice had suddenly disappeared.
Deciding that she had embarrassed herself for the last time that day, she got up and was about to walk away when she heard Rei call out to her. Looking over her shoulder, she immediately saw red. The cloth slid from where it hit her in the face and landed in her hands. Aya looked at it a while longer, not completely realizing what it was she was now holding, but when she looked back at the now standing Rei in order to ask him what it was, she immediately saw her answer.
"Don't catch a cold, Hoshino." Shoving his hands into his pants pockets, he walked towards her and before passing her by, he paused a short moment beside her. "It's hard being alone, isn't it?"
And with that, the youth continued to walk down the concrete pathway towards the Otohata residence leaving Aya speechless.
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Author Notes: Yay fortheshort Rei x Aya interaction. :P Anyway, I know that Yuuya used to have a thing for Ran in the beginning, but here, he's already going out with Mami just so that things are interesting (besides, I've always like Yuuya x Mami). There were no hints or dialogues that said it in this chapter, but I thought I'd spill the beans now instead of later. Right. So. One or two things in this chapter are implied, but they shouldn't be too hard to figure out. In other words, I hope this chapter flowed smoothly and was straightforward.
Also, just to clear this one part that I thought was kind of vague. When Aya thinks that Rei doesn't like her, I don't mean like as in romantically. She just thinks that he doesn't like her in general. I won't get into the romantic kind of like until Rei or Aya confesses (whether to themselves or someone else) that they like the other person.
Thank you very much for the reviews. I'm glad that those of you who have read liked what I wrote so far. I hope I can keep you guys interested. :P
Comments, suggestions, flames, constructive and destructive criticism are most welcome.
Standard disclaimers apply.
