Siopao: (9/27/2024) Back with an update! Sorry for the delay, life's been hectic. Thank you for the reviews! Please enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own GALS!
Setting: Second year University of Tokyo, springtime/summertime.
ONLY YOU
Chapter Four - A Night To Remember
By: Screaming Siopao
Aya's heels clicked as she walked the lively halls of Todai. By now, the students had all long settled into the semester. Students all about the campus were in high spirits due to the weather warming up and the summer season approaching. In a few short weeks, the students would be focused on finals and, soon, the highly anticipated summer break would arrive.
A group of girls that Aya was walking with chatted excitedly about their upcoming summer plans. Aya smiled to herself, thinking how eager she also was to go to Izu with her boyfriend at the start of the break. Ever since she tried on her gown a few weeks ago, the gala had been occupying a great deal of her mind.
A group of animated young men passed the group of girls in one of the bustling hallways of the school. One of the boys in this group was none other than Sho, who immediately spotted his senior.
"Ah! Hoshino-senpai," Sho happily called out when he saw her unexpectedly. He flashed her a dashing smile and waved excitedly amongst his group of colleagues and friends.
"Oh! Sho-kun," she greeted as she, too, spotted her first-year pupil. He had been walking with some of his soccer club mates, from what she could tell (she only assumed so since one of the boys in the group had a soccer ball tucked underneath his arm). This was her first time seeing Sho surrounded by his peers and classmates; seeing a dashing smile on his usually-serious face was quite refreshing.
"Eh? Aya, who's that?" one of the girls that Aya was with asked curiously. She took note of the tall brunette boy with glimmering golden eyes who was currently smiling in their direction.
"Hm? Oh, that's Yamada Sho-kun, the student I'm tutoring in English," Aya stated a matter-of-factly to her companions.
"It's been this far into the spring term and you haven't introduced me to him?" Kana said as she clutched onto Aya's arm.
"Eh? Why would I need to do that?"
"Hello? Aya, he's a hottie!" Kana exclaimed, albeit in a hushed voice. "You mean to tell me he's just a first-year?"
"He's quite handsome. Not to mention, he's tall and has an athletic build," another one of Aya's classmate's observed as a small blush formed on her face.
"Well, he is in the soccer club," Aya pointed out.
"He's soo my type," Kana said, practically drooling at this point. "Do you know if he models?"
"Eh, he's never mentioned it… we simply stick to English tutoring so I don't know much about his personal life."
"Ugh, figures. There's Otohata and Asou… even Amane and Hayate… Aya is surrounded by such gorgeous men all the time that she isn't even phased by it anymore," one of her classmates joked with a giggle.
"Okay, ladies, that's quite enough," Aya huffed as she rolled her eyes at the comment. "I'm going to say hi to him. I'll introduce you another time, Kana."
She excused herself from the group of girls and strolled over to Sho, who also quickly broke away from his group of companions.
"What a coincidence seeing you here, Sho-kun," Aya said happily. It wasn't often that they ran into each other outside of tutoring sessions.
"I was just thinking that," he agreed. In truth, he'd actually seen his senior on campus a handful of times already, but he never approached her since she was usually in the company of Otohata during those moments. "But I'm glad I ran into you, senpai. I wanted to show you something!"
In a few moments, Sho rummaged through his bag and pulled a sheet of paper to show to his senior.
"Ah! Is this your last English exam?"
"Yes, and I got a perfect score! It's all thanks to you, senpai," he said with a smile. "I've improved so much since the first exam."
"I'm just doing what I can. You're a quick study, so give yourself some credit," Aya praised, proud that Sho was her student. "Before you know it, you won't even need me to tutor you anymore!"
Sho paused for a moment. It didn't occur to him that he would stop needing lessons from Aya at some point in the future. Obviously, it would be the natural order of things, since he wouldn't be taking English classes forever, right? Plus, he noticed that Aya was right— he was understanding the concepts more easily, even just after a few brief weeks of tutoring. Maybe he wouldn't need her anymore in the near future. The thought saddened him, somewhat. He wanted to get closer to Aya, not drift away from her.
"Ah, Sho-kun, I've got to head to my next class. My friends are waiting for me," she said, quickly glancing at her classmates nearby.
"A- Alright," he said, his voice quiet. His mood was down a bit after thinking those earlier thoughts.
"I'll see you in a few days for our next session—" she said as she was turning away. However, Aya stopped mid-sentence once she felt a warm hand around her wrist. She was caught off-guard by the firm hold and looked directly into Sho's golden eyes. "Eh? Sho-kun?"
"Ah!" the boy blurted, snapping out of his thoughts. He was mortified that he actually reached for her like that; he didn't know what suddenly came over him. "Sorry, senpai! I, er, just wanted to say thanks again! S- See you!" he stammered. He then quickly turned around and scampered towards his club mates, who were all waiting at one of the courtyards nearby.
"Hmm, he seemed a bit off. I hope Sho-kun isn't pushing himself too hard," Aya whispered to herself before walking back to her group.
From a short distance away, Rei had seen the whole interaction as if he were a discreet fly on a wall. He crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned on the wall beside him. He didn't sense anything odd from Sho in the past when they had met before but Rei could surely see that the boy had an obvious attraction towards Aya. Still, he figured it to be an innocent school-boy crush that he would never act on. Perhaps Rei would have to watch the first-year boy more intently than he had originally anticipated.
The spring term ended without a hitch. Finals for both Aya and Rei were tough but they both made it out alive (and with top marks, at that). As for the rest of the student body, they all left campus to pursue their highly anticipated summer plans.
Today was a big day for Aya and Rei, for it would be the day that they would both embark to Izu together. Yes, this was the first weekend of their summer break and it would also be the weekend that the gala was being held.
Rei and Aya were currently en route to Izu in Rei's car, ready to face the busy but exciting weekend. Aya could hardly sit still and couldn't help but fidget in the passenger's seat as Rei focused on driving. She tried to think about all she had packed earlier– her gown, her shoes, her makeup… not to mention pajamas, underwear, and her skincare items. She tried to think about anything she may have forgotten, even though she spent several nights in preparation to make sure that nothing was left behind. Surely, she was just nervous, right? She tried looking out the window to try and distract herself, observing the landmarks and signage on the road.
Beside her, Rei reached out and took her hand in his, giving her fingers a slight squeeze.
"Aya, relax," Rei said as he kept his eyes on the road. He had noticed that she was a bit restless and barely spoke a word the whole time in the car. They were about halfway through their three-hour drive.
"I'm trying but I can't help but feel overwhelmed. I get to meet your mother and father for the first time, after all. N- Not to mention, all your other relatives…" she stammered. "I hope they all like me."
"Why wouldn't they? You're my girlfriend."
"Otohata-kun…" she whispered with a blush. It still gave her butterflies whenever he said things like that. "As long as you're by my side the whole weekend, I'll be okay."
There was a pause. Aya could sense that Rei was deep in thought.
"Aya, listen," Rei spoke, his tone suddenly very serious. His dark eyes remained fixed on the road ahead and his brows furrowed. "There's something… that I haven't been completely honest about."
"Hm? What is it?" Aya asked, her eyes curious.
"It's about the fundraising gala. Remember how I told you that my family participates in it every single year? Well, the reason for that is… because we're the ones that actually host the event. You see, uh," he paused.
"Go on," she encouraged as she continued to look at him, sensing that he was trying to be careful with his words.
"Well, my father is actually the CEO of a major corporation called the OT Group," he finally admitted. "This gala is connected to the business, in a sense. A lot of my family is involved in the business, as well."
"Ah…" Aya mouthed as she nodded her head. "I see."
"You don't look or sound too surprised. Did you already know?"
"Well, I had a hunch. I remember that the last time we were in Izu, those boys on the beach mentioned something about the OT Group when they recognized you…" she said as she recalled their passing comment from last summer.
"Ugh, I was hoping you didn't hear them," he grumbled, shaking his head.
"But there were other hints that I picked up on, too. Otohata-kun's family home is so luxurious and is in a really upscale part of Tokyo. Also, you're always showering me with such high-end gifts that other normal college students wouldn't be able to afford. It wasn't difficult to figure out that Otohata-kun's family background was prominent."
"You figured all that out on your own? Why didn't you ever say anything?"
"Well… I guess I was just waiting until you were ready to talk about it yourself," she said straightforwardly, her eyes soft and her voice gentle. "We've been getting a lot closer lately so I was hoping that, someday, you would finally bring it up yourself. Thank you for telling me, Otohata-kun. It probably wasn't easy, right?"
"Aya…" he whispered, appreciating her patience. She was so understanding of him, despite his efforts to be more reserved about his private family life and other personal matters. How long had she been waiting for him to open up to her like this? "I should be the one thanking you."
Rei looked ahead at the road ahead of him, feeling more at ease that he was finally able to be a bit more transparent. He sighed, releasing some tension in his shoulders that he did not know he was holding. Rei had never brought up the topic regarding his family background due to never finding the proper time to explain everything. Admittedly, he was feeling a bit anxious about it, too, since he didn't quite know how she'd react. Only Yuuya was aware of the details regarding his family, amongst the friend group.
A lot of other girls in Aya's situation would have likely reacted differently if they were in her shoes. With the Otohata family's prestige, wealth, and influence, it would have been easy for Rei to be taken advantage of by others. He has certainly experienced girls in the past approaching him with ulterior motives, but Aya was never like that. His good looks, his rise to popularity in high school, his social status… she looked past all of that. None if it ever mattered to her.
He didn't know how he got so lucky with Aya. She saw past the superficial things and was always able to build a deeper, more meaningful connection with him. This was the case ever since the beginning. Admittedly, it was what scared Rei at the start of their relationship in highschool. How was such a young person like Aya able to be so serious about love and relationships? At the time, he didn't know that she was exactly what he needed. Now, he had no doubt in his mind that Aya was the only person he wanted to share every aspect of his life with.
"Ehh, this room is so beautiful," Aya gasped as she opened the door to the hotel suite that she would be staying at.
Before her were classy pieces of furniture, a large king sized bed, and vast windows that looked out onto the nearby beach. Aya set her bags and luggage to the side and quickly ran over to the windows in order to get a better look. She was several floors up and had a great vantage point on the sandy shore and the glistening ocean waters below.
"I can't believe I get to stay at such a high-end hotel like this…" the brunette gal said with a dreamy smile. She really loved being close to the ocean. Her boyfriend nearby smiled at her excited form. It seems that her anxiety from earlier had faded away by now.
"The event tonight will start in about four hours," Rei said as he glanced at his wristwatch. "It gives you a bit of time to rest, freshen up, and get ready.
"Only four hours? I need to start preparing right now, then!" Aya said, her eyes wide with concern.
"Aya, relax for a bit. Maybe even take a quick nap. I'll be in my room–"
"Y- Your room?" she asked in a confused tone. Wouldn't he be staying in this room with her?
"Well, yes," he replied a-matter-of-factly. "My room is just down the hall; I'll be sharing a suite with my brother. Wait, did you think…"
"F- Forget it!" Aya yelped, her face red with embarrassment. Rei couldn't help but chuckle.
"I've got to do a few things for the party prep, so I'm going to go now. I'll tell Rina to come check on you in a few hours and guide you towards the event hall on the first floor. I can't wait to see you later," he said, kissing her forehead sweetly.
"U- Un…" she whispered, with a slight blush. "I'll see you later, Otohata-kun."
Aya sighed as she watched Rei walk down the hall and disappear from her line of sight. She closed the door to her room and suddenly felt a bit lonely in this massive room by herself. Loneliness quickly turned into determination as she realized that she had a lot to do before the event.
She put away her bags and belongings, being careful to hang up her gown properly so that it wouldn't wrinkle. She admired the midnight blue cloth as it held a subtle glimmer at certain angles.
"I'm going to meet Otohata-kun's parents soon…" she whispered, stroking the dress gently. "I hope they approve of me."
Aya figured it would be good to calm her nerves by taking a warm shower to freshen up. She thought it best not to dwell on the uncertainties; she was at Izu again with her beloved Otohata-kun. She should enjoy her surroundings and savor their time together. She wanted to make the best out of their little getaway.
The sun was setting on the ocean's horizon, causing orange and pink light to cast dreamy hues on the walls of Aya's room. There was a knock at the door. Aya wondered who it could have been.
"Coming!" Aya called out as she scurried to open the door to her room.
"Aya-chan!" Rina exclaimed as she immediately embraced the brunette gal as the door swung open.
"O- Oh!" Aya yelped as she felt the impact of the hug from the taller pink-haired girl. She had almost forgotten that Rei said she would be stopping by her room around this time. "Rina-san, it's nice to see you again!"
"It's been too long!" Rei's older cousin said as she grinned. Aya was able to see that she was clad in a beautiful ruby-red evening gown. Her pink hair was also styled into an elegant up-do.
"You look so beautiful, Rina-san," Aya admired.
"And your hair and make-up both look so good!" Rina complimented. Indeed, Aya's hair was also in an up-do, with wavy wisps of hair delicately framing her fair face. Her make-up was simple, as always, and she looked as elegant as ever. "But I see you're still not dressed…"
"Yeah, I, uh, kind of fell asleep for a bit," Aya admitted with a nervous laugh, recalling the quick nap she took right after her shower earlier. She hadn't meant to doze off but she hardly was able to sleep the night before due to excitement. Aya looked down, eyeing the hotel robe that she was still wearing from earlier.
"Well then I came at the perfect time, then," Rina spoke as she walked towards Aya's closet. "I'll help you into your gown and then we can head down to the event hall together."
"Do you know if Otohata-kun is already there?" Aya asked as Rina helped her into the evening gown.
"Hmm, he was a bit busy with the prep earlier but, yeah, he should be there right now," Rina replied, zipping up the back of Aya's dress. She smoothed down the luxurious cloth, making sure everything was perfect from every angle.
Aya quickly put on a white-gold necklace with a solitaire diamond pendant as her accessory– it was simple but effective (plus, it was a gift from her mother when she got into Todai). And, of course, she was already wearing the heart-shaped tanzanite earrings that Rei had gifted her from before. She never went anywhere without them. She slid on her stilettos to finish off the look.
After a few final touches, Aya was ready. She gave her floor-length gown a quick twirl.
"So gorgeous!" Rina squealed, admiring Aya's look for the night. "Rei is going to fall in love all over again."
"Ah…" Aya blushed at this statement. "Thank you for your help, Rina-san. I wouldn't have been able to wear this dress without you."
"Don't mention it," Rina said as she took Aya's hand. "Also, we're running a bit late. Let's both make a flashy, fashionable entrance!"
"Un," Aya agreed with a shy smile.
The event space was on the first floor, so the two ladies had to ride the elevator a few levels down and walked a bit to find large double doors with ornate designs etched onto the wooden panels.
"This is it!" Rina announced once they had arrived. Aya could hear classical music behind the closed doors. The heavy double doors were opened by the hotel staff and a beautiful sight was revealed.
"Oh," Aya whispered as she gazed up at the beautiful chandeliers and elegant decor of the hall. Tall windows lined the large space, making her feel like she was in a castle. She had never been to such a lavish event before. It felt like she was stepping into a whole new world.
As Aya entered the room, a few eyes turned to look at the newcomer. Some whispers could be heard as she took the first few steps into the ballroom. She suddenly felt a bit self-conscious.
"Hey, look, who is that? The one walking next to Rina," one voice whispered.
"Not sure, I've never seen her before at this event," another voice said.
"Maybe it's their first time? Look how nervous she looks," another spoke.
"But she's really pretty…"
"You think she's here with a date?"
Aya continued to walk forward, trying to find a certain face in the crowd. There were so many people and it was such a large space, so it wasn't an easy task to spot Rei. Her eyes scanned the room carefully but it was a bit difficult to focus when she was feeling so self-conscious from the surrounding chatter.
From across the room, two certain brothers were casually conversing with one another.
"Hn. Aya's late," Rei spoke as he checked his wristwatch. "Maybe I should go to her room and get her myself."
"No need," Reo, his older brother, said with a calm tone as his eyes landed on a certain brunette gal. "It looks like Aya-san is here. Look."
Rei spun around to find his mousy girlfriend gingerly walking through the entrance and into the crowded ballroom. He could have sworn that his heart skipped a beat as soon as he saw her; he did not even know his heart was capable of doing that.
She wore a midnight-blue, floor-length evening gown, which mildly surprised Rei– he wasn't so used to seeing her wear such bold, dark colors. The dark cloth contrasted perfectly against her flawless porcelain skin. Aya's petite shoulders and clavicle regions were exposed due to the dress having an off-the-shoulder sleeve design. The dress hugged her waist and hips perfectly; it was as if the dressmaker had Aya in mind when designing this gown. The flowy skirt of the gown trailed behind her, making her look all the more ethereal. She looked like absolute royalty, in Rei's eyes.
"Aya…" he whispered. She was absolutely breathtaking.
"You better hurry up and get her," Reo said with a low laugh. "I can see Ryou making his way towards her. You already know how girl-crazy he is."
"He better not do anything weird. I don't care if he's our cousin, I'll still kill him if he touches her."
"Go on, then," his brother urged. Without another moment's hesitation, Rei took off in the direction of his girlfriend.
"Miss!" a red-haired boy suddenly approached Aya with a slight bow. "Let me introduce myself! My name is Otohata Ryou, and I couldn't help but notice your radiance as soon as you arrived." He took Aya's hand in his and bowed down even lower to give her dainty fingers a gentle kiss.
"A -Ah, I'm H- Hoshino Aya," she stammered in return, not really knowing how to respond to his very forward introduction. He's an Otohata as well? Maybe he's Otohata-kun's cousin? she thought.
Aya turned to her side to see if Rina could further elaborate but noticed that the pink-haired gal had been pulled away by some nearby elders. She must be speaking with family members, Aya thought. She thought it best not to bother Rina for the rest of the evening– after all, she had already helped her with so much.
"Aya… Aya-san. What a beautiful name fit for an angel such as yourself. I was hoping that you would honor me with a dance later tonight?" Ryou boldly asked as he held her hand in both of his, looking deeply into her eyes. His eyes were an interesting honey color, Aya noted, as she flinched from his intense gaze.
"Um… the thing is… well, y- you see," she stuttered, trying to find the right words to kindly decline him.
"She's with me, Ryou," a familiar low voice said from behind Aya. In a moment, she felt warm, protective hands snake around her petite waist, pulling her away from the red-haired newcomer.
"Ah– Otohata-kun!" she yelped with slight surprise as she glanced up at him.
"Damn it! Not again!" Ryou complained as soon as he realized how close Rei and Aya seemed. "Why's it always gotta be you, Rei? Hogging all the beautiful women to yourself, as usual."
"Ignore my cousin, Aya," Rei said, shaking his head gently. Ah, so he was his cousin, after all, Aya thought, confirming her earlier deduction. "He's just a kid who falls for every new girl who walks in the room."
"I'm not a kid! You're only twenty months older than me!" Ryou protested. "Aya-san, I'll have you know that even though I'm still just a third year in high school, I'm already eighteen. I'm very mature for my age and I'm even the tallest in my class–"
"Anyway, Aya, let's go find our table," Rei said, ignoring Ryou's speech.
"Ah, sure. It was very nice to meet you, Ryou-kun," Aya sweetly said with a small curtsey.
"Tch," Rei grunted under his breath as he walked away, Aya in tow. She even called that brat by his first name, even when they only just met… he thought, a small tinge of jealousy arising.
"Otohata-kun, you look quite dashing tonight," Aya spoke, complimenting him on his all-black three piece tuxedo. It wasn't often that she got to see Rei dressed in this manner, complete with a bow tie.
"I pale in comparison to you," he replied, gesturing to her attire.
"Ah, that's right, it's the dress you got for me and it's the first time you're seeing it… Do you like it?"
"It suits you quite well," he said as he looked into her eyes while gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Aya blushed at his tender touch, feeling a few stares of some of the guests. "Hmm. You're just missing one little detail."
"Eh? What is it?"
In that moment, Rei removed a delicate bracelet from his jacket pocket– it was a vintage white-gold bracelet adorned with multiple shimmering sapphires as well as dainty diamonds. The patterns on the piece of jewelry were ornate yet subtle– truly something that was timeless. Rei clasped the bracelet around Aya's left wrist, admiring the way the gemstones glimmered.
"The sapphires match your dress, don't they?" he said, amused by the unplanned coincidence.
"Otohata-kun… what is this?" she asked, curiously looking down at the beautiful bracelet that was now adorning her wrist.
"Isn't it obvious? It's a gift."
"Another gift? You've already given me so much. Please don't tell me you spent even more on me…" Aya was beginning to feel really spoiled by Rei.
"Actually, it didn't cost me a thing. It's a family heirloom. My grandmother passed it down to my mother when she was young and, well, since my mother didn't have any daughters, she told me to hold onto it for her."
"It's beautiful," she said, admiring the unique details. She was so moved. "So, this is your mother's?"
"It's a matching set, actually. My brother was given the necklace version. I, uh, was told to give it to someone special to me when the day comes. I thought tonight would be the right time to give it to you."
"I see… Thank you, Otohata-kun. I'll treasure it forever," she said with teary eyes as she held her wrist up to her heart.
"Don't cry here. I have lots of cousins who don't know how to mind their own business. Come on, let's go find our table so we can be seated for dinner," he said as he gently pulled her across the ballroom.
"Un…" she whispered, stifling a sniffle.
Aya looked down at her left hand, which was currently enveloped by Rei's warm, protective hold. The dainty bracelet dangled around her wrist ever so perfectly. Each individual diamond and sapphire glistened with each movement of her hand. She smiled, feeling grateful for all the abundant gifts that came from Rei. This one felt even more special, knowing it was a unique heirloom that once belonged to other women in Rei's family. She wondered what other surprises were in store for her this evening. After all, the night was just beginning.
ONLY YOU
Chapter Four - A Night To Remember: End
Siopao: Can't wait to write more! Please continue to review. I love hearing your thoughts & opinions. Also open to suggestions for future writing points!
