ChApTeR 4
"The music may stop now and then, But the the
strings will remain forever..."
- Yuslina
The next day, Aya woke up alone in her bed. Her head felt so dizzy and her heart so heavy. Her eyes felt tired because of the crying session that occurred last night. Her pillow felt a little wet itself.
She stood from her bed rather reluctantly, cause deep down inside she knows that once she walks out of this chamber and face the world the first thing she had to do was tell her friends about it.
Rei was feeling tired himself but chose to get out of bed earlier than wanted to, to avoid suspicions. He had changed his tear stained cloth and was sitting by the fence of the porch, a little dizzy by the hazy things that occurred. He was staring once again at the skies as if wondering if he'd done something wrong to deserve hell.
But right at that very moment, his pondering was stopped as he met a sad look from weary copper orbs.
Aya was staring straight on Rei from where she was standing from the middle of the staircase. Her eyes still held the mysterious sad glint that left him thinking all night, well the rest of the night at least. As he caught glimpse, however, of this gloomy stare Rei took off his own and stared back to the heavens, expertly ignoring the lass. She could only sigh and start to ponder on her own heavy thoughts, 'How am I suppose to tell them…?' she mentally asked herself but hadn't got the chance to answer as Ran's booming voice interrupted their thoughts.
"Hey, you two!" Ran called out her voice echoing from the dining room, "What's taking you too long? Don't you know its rude to keep food waiting!"
Aya giggled at the thought of her cheerful friend. This was sure to be one thing she was going to miss. Ran never fails to paint on a smile even on her darkest hour. Aya sighed a little bit and the faint smile that lingered on her lips disappeared quickly as it appeared. And without her having the faintest idea, she was being watch and someone out there was wishing he knew what was making her feel this way.
Aya settled herself on the table. Not before long, Rei followed. The table was already a complete mess when they arrived. They sure had both missed a lot of fun.
Mami and Ran were on another food fight and Tatsuki was trying hard to calm the two before they actually eat the whole of the food stocks. Miyu was beside Yamatto, (as if there is something new), feeding him like a baby. Yamatto was undeniably feeling embarrassed about this and was trying to fight the losing battle, even though personally I find it useless to fight said losing battle because 1) no one is watching anyway. They are far too busy with Mami and Ran (save Aya and Rei, of course,) 2) it's a losing battle already 3) it says here in the script that Miyu feeds Yamatto like a baby. No Complains will be accepted.
Try as she might to take her thoughts away from the thought and enjoy even only this morning, she just can't shove the thought away. Aya was staring at her food though not really finding interest with them but instead drifting somewhere else while her hand holding her fork was playing absentmindedly with her peas, sending some of them rolling off her plate.
Yuuya noticed the disturbing scene beside her and finally gave up. He cared so much for his friends that he can't just simply let this one away.
" Aya…" Yuuya tried to interrupt, " your peas are rolling off your plate."
Aya seemed not to hear a word and continued with her actions and it made Yuuya sigh. It only proved that something was up with her. He snapped his fingers before her eyes and luckily that snapped her off trance.
"H-huh?" she stammered absentmindedly, "You said something, Yuuya…?"
It made Yuuya sigh even harder before continuing. " Your peas, Aya. They are rolling off your plate."
Aya gasped a little finally noticing the tiny green vegetables scattered below her plate. She gave out an embarrass blush and quickly decided to clean it off. She raised her plate slightly and tried to wipe them with a table napkin but instead the plate hit a nearby glass and sent a glassful of juice flying towards Second Place.
Her eyes grew wider and panicked even more. Everyone grew silent and all eyes were averted to the scene. Aya quickly forgot about the rolling peas and tried to dry Yuuya's clothes with the napkin she was holding instead. Her apologies were the only thing that can be heard.
But even before a single gentle press of the napkin hit him, Yuuya took hold of her hand and got her to look up at him instead, receiving a tiny blush from her and an absentminded scowl from someone else who himself didn't know why the devil he scowled.
"Doushita no? (Is there a problem?)" Yuuya asked, tilting his head a little trying to see her face she had tried to hide. She pulled her hands off his grip at gradually sat back down, face cast down and hidden from everybody.
'Is there a problem?' She asked herself the same question all night. She should be happy about it and they should too. After all she'd wishing for it all her life.
"Aya…?" Ran was starting to get worried and stood from her place to comfort her friend. But even she got any closer the confuse lass finally look up at them and took the chance to tell them about it.
"I… I've got to tell you something, guys…" she said softly smiling, though her voice was between sadness and excitement. How had she felt both emotions at the same time, which is seemingly impossible, is still a mystery.
Everyone was more quiet and hanging on her every word. She shut her eyes, as if wishing to be alone for a while, took a deep breath, sighed and finally took out the courage to tell them. It was useless to hide it anyway they'll find out whatever she does.
"Well, Remember that modeling agency we signed in for?" she started nervously, and got an equal nervous nod from her crowd urging her to carry on and she complied, "I pass…"
There was an uproar even before she could finish. Their nervous look (save Rei, of course, who seem not to care or whatsoever, and Aya, who was still struggling hard to get to the hardest point.) all turned to smiles. Her friends began cheering for her and congratulating her but only receives a faint smile from the future model. Now it felt ten times harder to tell the truth, not that she want their fun to end.
Miyu, being the all-so-sensitive one, read between the lines and understood that there was a catch up. " …Demo…? (…But…?)" She asked expectantly and everyone grew quiet again.
"What do you mean 'but', Miyu?" asked Yamatto beside her. And with that said everyone turned to Aya again who seemed to be looking mortified before them.
And now even Rei found interest in the topic and looked up from his plate he had been staring absentmindedly, secretly listening to his friends. Aya had all eyes on her and it was the last thing she wanted to happen. She felt herself sink deeper and deeper in her seat, wishing there was another, a much easier, way of telling them. She swallowed hard and decided there was no way out. "I'll be leaving for London on Friday to meet them…" She managed to say, though her voice was faltering in every word.
They gasped. Just as anyone suspected, but no one suspected he would feel that way. It was as if he was feeling grief and pain and an invisible collar choking him. Luckily Mami felt like fainting and asked for water. He hurriedly volunteered to get it and found a way to excuse himself from the room.
"Omoshiroi! (Interesting!)" Ran exclaimed out from nowhere after a long while of deafening silence. Miyu crossed a brow at her "What do you mean interesting, Ran, shouldn't you feel bad about that?" she asked her gloomily.
Ran smiled her carefree smirk she was known for and answered in an equal cheerful tone. "Bad? Why would someone feel bad about it? It's Aya's lifelong dream and now she's just a trip away from it. She leaves Friday and we don't have much time. We have to make these remaining days fun. Would you like her to remember were all a sulky bunch? C'mon cheer up! We've got a memorable trip to the shops to make!"
The lot was still quiet until the one they least expect broke it. "Of course!" Aya exclaimed back, her face lighting up. Ran was right. She doesn't want them to remember her glum when she leaves nor did she want her memories of them sad. She was going to make the best out of it and enjoy every little bit of her time with them.
Every one finally got the point and rejoiced. The room returned to the mess that it was earlier that morning. Aya was feeling a lot better now that she knows her friends was just standing behind her in her every step. She now felt like a thousand burden was taken from and she could finally breath normally like she normally does.
"We'll visit my favorite shop and take every little thing we could, down to the last bit. This model needs to look glamorous" Ran said proclaiming to them her plans, and turning to Mami who was always an expert when it came to glamour, "What do you think Mami?"
But Ran's face turned confuse when she found Mami in a rather not in perfect shape form. She decided that maybe over ate lately and needs water. "Mami you look blue. Maybe you need water… Hey! Where on earth is Rei anyway? He was suppose to give you water!" She blurted out, suddenly becoming furious on Rei and on his missing glass of water.
But he never turned out and so was the glass of water.
