After the Sunset
Chapter IV
"When you fall in love, you say it. Right there, out loud. Otherwise the moment just—"
"…Passes you by."
-- My Bestfriend's Wedding
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"I'm not publishing that picture!"
Ran muttered indignantly. The pic featured a buxom-figured model in a typical swimsuit pose—lying on the sand, sipping juice. Except for the legs that were spread a bit too wide. The string bikini was also so skimpy, her breasts were about to pop out. The "bikini bottom" was a piece of cloth held together by the thinnest of strings.
"I'ts supposed to be a fun shot." Hitomi argued sheepishly. "This is our beach getaway article for the fall issue."
Ran huffed. "I know fun." "That" she pointed her finger, now plainly manicured, "is not the kind of fun that I want the readers to get."
Ran took one final look at the indecently splayed legs and shuddered.
"We're a travel magazine, not a porn mag!"
"But we have to finish this today!" Rumiko wailed. He is the resident newbie, and still isn't used to the pressure. "We have to get all of this to the printers tonight, or we'll be dead!"
Ran glared to no one in particular. "Get.me.the.original.picture, the one that I actually approved!"
She took one look at her sleep-deprived, hollow eyed staff and sighed. "Okay, we'll have a half-hour break. We'll go over them again, alright? We'll fix this."
The staff filed out, while another scurried to find the pesky photographer who gave the picture.
Ran massaged her temples in exasperation. It was Takana, she was sure of it. He was the magazine owner's niece, no less. Ran mentally fumed. She was Editor-in-Chief, but her ideas and decisions have been known to have been "unintentionally" shot down by the perverted fop. And he timed his attacks very well too, she might add. If she didn't love the job so much, and if not for the women who had cheered her on for holding such a high position, (and up to now, still hold it) she wouldn't have stayed with Nippon Express… Japan is still a male-dominated society.
Ran suddenly felt the insane need to reach for her boots and thwack it on Takana's head.
She looked down. Oh yes, I'm wearing pumps now.
Ran mentally counted, composing herself. Calmly, she opened the doors and strode out.
"Bad day?" Rika smiled softly from her reception desk.
Ran made a frustrated sound. She rested her head on the cool glass pane. "I hate this job."
"You love this job." Rika said soothingly. "The women of Japan loves you for loving this job… Chougal." Rika couldn't help adding.
Ran raised her head. "Don't start…" she threatened, but smiled herself. Ran straightened herself out, and exaggeratedly flipped her short hair. "I'm going down for a break." Ran announced. "Would you like me to bring you something?"
"A latte would be great."
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The food deck was a circus. All Kanata Building employees suddenly had the urge to eat breakfast at the same time.
Just what she need. She was starving, her knees were beginning to shake, and her feet were killing her.
Okay, Ran. Just like old times. You -can- get back to that elevator. Easy now, no sudden moves. There's a snack bar on the 12th floor…
The elevator doors opened. Ran made a tentative peek.
Jackpot. There was an empty counter.
Ran half- sprinted to the kiosk.
"I'll have a pork tonkatsu and a coke!"
"Miso soup and tofu."
Ran turned around to face the creep who was trying to beat her out of ordering first.
"I got to this line first." Ran said simply. "Go.away."
The man in question seemed stupefied, then smiled bemusedly at Ran. "Reminds you to never to cross a ChouGal in a food line."
Ran opened her mouth, ready with a sharp retort.
Wait.
I know that drawl.
She craned her neck to get a better look.
"Rei?"
Rei almost did not change. He had grown a bit taller, though. His eyes had deepened somewhat, but overall he still was Rei, with his boyish looks and that small smirk at the corner of his mouth.
Ran raised a brow at the smirk. "Well, I got to this counter first."
"So you did."
"Sumimasen, your orders…" the attendant spoke, but neither took notice.
'Well, don't just stand there!" Ran said a few seconds later, breaking into a smile. "Lets find a table and talk." The two paid up and took their trays, their presence already attracting the attention of curious onlookers.
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"Okay. So you practically own the Otohata empire."
Rei observed her from under his lashes. The bleached-blond permed look was replaced with a short, simple bob, and a more subdued, copper-brown color. Her demeanor has mellowed, and her eyes had become cooler and contained. A dark red suit had taken the place of her outlandish costumes.
"Not really." "My father does."
"It's a wonder how you kept yourself out of the news." Ran said thoughtfully. "You are the only son of a tycoon, and you managed to keep that from the public, until recently."
Rei stirred his bowl. "Well… otou-san doesn't stay in Japan too often. He's based in Geneva so… he rarely visits Japan anymore." Rei put down his fork and reached for his cup. "Besides, he had requested the local TV stations to keep quiet about my identity.""A form of protection, I guess."
"How about you." Rei looked at Ran from the rim of his cup. "You're in publishing."
"Never thought of me inside an office, have you." Ran grinned. "I didn't either… I don't know how it happened, actually. One week, I was dancing with Tatsuki. And then one day, I found myself applying for an upstart teen magazine as a contributor. I had read a teen mag a few weeks back, and there were some very interesting stuff—and some very wrong and misleading ones. If teenagers are reading all that, I wanted to give them something worth reading, you know. There's a lot of crap around, especially these times."
Rei hid his smile. Now this is the Ran he knew. Derring-do, passionate, heart-so-big you can wrap yourself around it…
"You're still with Tatsuki?" Rei covered his trepidation by biting on a piece of tofu.
"He wanted to put up his own dance studio. I did a lot of freelancing and it took me all over Japan." She made a slight shrug. "I guess we drifted apart…"
Ran looked at Rei, about to ask him about Aya, but thought better of it. There were some things that shouldn't be talked about at first meeting, especially when their widely-publicized break-up filled the local and International news.
"Do you still talk with Aya?" Rei opened the subject that Ran had refused to touch.
"It's hard to get to her now, different time zones." Ran played with her half-eaten food. "And she lives halfway around the world, busy with her own life." "The last time I talked to her, I learned that she became engaged to a Count."
Rei nodded. "Edward." He leaned forward, reaching for his drink. "He's a good man…"
Silence settled over the two. Ten years of history, and unspoken truths stretched between them.
Ran silently wondered what could have happened that drove her two friends apart. They seemed to be in love when they left a decade ago… and it wasn't long before they got engaged. Everybody expected that they would soon tie the knot. The wedding date was set, invitations sent—and yet at the last moment, Aya backed out…
Ran's cellphone suddenly bleeped.
"Excuse me—" Ran picked up her phone. "Moshimosh—"
"RAAAN!" Rumiko the newbie blared into her ear. "We need you here!"
"Relax, Rumiko. I'm coming!" She turned off the phone. Ran glanced apologetically at Rei.
"I'm sorry… have to go…."
Rei also stood up, looking at his watch. 'I'm already leaving anyway."
Ran nodded, and suddenly gave Rei a light hug.
"Good to see you again." Ran said, patting his back.
Rei sighed soundlessly. For a brief moment, he had her in his arms.
"See you around…" Rei found himself calling after her.
Ran slowed down in the middle of her sprint, and turned around to wave.
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Rei took off his coat and draped it over his chair. His eyes went over the sheets of paper at his desk, waiting for his signature.
"I'll inform the board that you're already here." Senaka, his male secretary stood by his desk, waiting for his answer.
"Not yet. I'll join them after lunch break."
The intercom buzzed. "Otohata-san. Your father is on the line."
Rei furrowed his brows with irritation. "Alright."
The famous Otohata glare sliced through Senaka, who still hasn't left the room.
"Do you mind?"
Senaka was a snoop. He instantly saw through his skulking, dastardly smooth veneer.
Nothing apparently can get through Senaka's armor, as he casually returned Rei's glare with a small, insincere smile. "Apologies, Otohata-san."
The door latch clicked behind the meddling secretary.
Rei picked up the handset.
"Rei." His father's deep voice went. "Where the hell were you?"
"Goofing off." Rei said flatly. The voice at the other end of the line sighed, but refused to be baited. "Kami-sama, I didn't send you there to set off yet another bomb of a scandal."
"The hotel's doing fine, father. Watanabe can be relied upon to handle the issue of whether or not to put up banners on the hotel windows." He fiddled with his pen. "I've already outlined several marketing strategies for the Otohata. We have to consider a fresh approach."
"Very well. I trust that you can handle your position responsibly."
Yes. Unlike you. You failed both mother and I.
The silence from the older Otohata seem to imply that he heard the unvoiced sentiment.
"I want reports done by the end of the week."
-Click-
Rei glowered, curling his fist. His eyes strayed to a nearby pack of cigarettes.
A blessed, rich existence. My life. Rei thought drily, while he flicked his lighter open.
His phone rang again.
"What?" Rei barked.
"…. Gee, Rei." Yuuya said. "Is this a bad time?"
"No, no." Rei put down the light. "What's up?"
A sheepish laugh. "Erm… just called to ask you if you've told Ran yet."
The unlighted cigarette dropped from Rei's lips. "You called--?" he almost laughed, forgetting about his cares. "You're checking if I've confessed my undying love, that I will do anything and everything—"
Yuuya chuckled. "Okay, okay. Cut it out."
Rei shook his head. Yuuya and his romantic streak. "You don't just jump into saying these things..."
"…Idid."
"We were playing tennis, and out of the blue, it just rained. We were soaked to the bone. Her makeup had run, her hair plastered to her face— Mami was no siren. She almost cried, disgusted at how she imagined she looked… while I never thought she could be so adorable that way… Rei?" Yuuya said, as Rei haven't said a thing.
"A real love story that you have." Rei answered.
Rei's voice was deceptively cool, but Yuuya caught on to the sadness behind his flat comment.
"Tell her, Rei. Even if…" Yuuya's heart fell, "-If she doesn't feel the same, at least… You can stop wondering how it could have been."
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Rei leaned back in his chair, replaying the day's events in his mind.
The Ran of Shibuya and Ran of Nippon Express were almost two different people—but of course, he should have expected that. Time changes a lot of things…
…And yet it hasn't done its work for him.
He could still feel her in his arms, smell her scent that lingered in his coat.
If he was hoping that confronting Ran will make the past lose its hold over him, he was sorely mistaken.
Ran only tightened her noose around him, reasserting her claim over his heart.
"Tell her, Rei. Even if she doesn't feel the same…"
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"Are you sure?"
"They have been good friends, Otohata-san." A thoughtful pause. "What do you want me to do?"
"Don't do anything. He will know if somebody's been prying into his life."
The line went dead. Shimaru Otohata formed his hands into a steeple.
"What if your son finds out?" A friend of the older Otohata voiced his concern.
"He won't. This is what Senaka does for a living."
"Spying.""Rei will hate you for this."
A bitter laugh. "He does hate me." His ash-blond hair glittered in the fluorescent lighting. Shimaru was a dead-ringer for his son—only darker, more masculine, and more lethal.
"I'm doing this for his own good…"
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"Hiroto-san, you wished to see me?"
Ran held the door open to the office of no other than The Boss. The real boss. Not back-stabbing, boot-licking Takana. His portly body, encased in a very conservative suit, sat in an equally stuffed chair.
The man motioned her forward, while still holding his phone.
"Yes—please sit down, Kotobuki-san." A few more seconds lapsed, and the conversation was finished. Hiroto urged his seat forward and faced Ran squarely.
"I understand you're friends with Otohata?"
The speed of gossip certainly don't change, Ran thought. "Yes, sir."
"How close a friend?"
Ran's eyes popped out. Even Hiroto-san?
"Sir?"
"Sorry. I didn't mean it to come out that way." Hiroto's disarmingly honest comment brought a smile to Ran's lips.
"I want you to feature the Otohata in our magazine. No one's been really given an indepth view of the Hotel before, but being his friend maybe you could, you know—"
"Pull a few strings?"
"Yes. Do you think you can do that?"
Ran shrugged. "I'm just a friend that he hasn't seen in ten years."
"Whom he went all the way from Ogawa just to see."
Ran arched a brow, smiling. "Sir, are you implying—"
Hiroto let out a hearty laugh. "Nah, just kidding with you. There aren't too many people around here I can have some fun with."
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Venetia There are many reasons why the RanxRei movement doesn't die. (laughs) There were a lot of instances/scenes in the series that gave too much promise for a RanxRei pairing.
lady tsuzuki: They –are- perfect for each other, hehe. I don't plan on writing a very long fic, so this will not exceed 8 chapters… I think. We're already halfway to the finish line. ;p
Matchmaker: The chocolate-giving scene was a touching episode-- and it made me write AFS. (chuckles.) Anyway the scene happened on Episode #45, Second Season. Thanks, and see you next chapter!
Pinklove: It's one of my most memorable scenes in the series.
Anonymous: Talaga, I love RanxRei pairing. I think that Ran is best-fitted for Rei, and vice versa. Kawawa nga lang si Rei dahil apparently Ran doesn't like him. That's what fanfics are for, hehe.