Siopao: (7/15/2024) A back-to-back update!? lol I just couldn't wait to write more. Enjoy chapter 3~ it's a bit longer than usual.
Disclaimer: I don't own GALS!
Setting: Second year University of Tokyo, springtime.
ONLY YOU
Chapter Three - A New Face
By: Screaming Siopao
"And that about sums it up," Aya said to Sho as she closed her English notebook. "If you remember all those key points, then you should be completely set for your next exam."
Today, since it was almost summer and the weather had been warming up, the two decided to have their English lesson outdoors. One of the smaller courtyards on campus had benches and tables scattered about and it was the perfect place to enjoy the warm sun rays while studying.
"Wow, that was easy to understand," Sho, her first-year pupil, said with astonishment. "Whenever the professor explains it, it seems so complicated. You're way better at explaining the concepts, senpai."
"It's nothing, really," she said with a cute giggle. "I'm just doing what I can to help."
"Look, it's Aya-senpai," a first year boy said to his friend as they entered the courtyard. They were just a short distance away, so Aya and Sho could easily hear the voice. "Eh, she's tutoring that guy over there. Ugh, he's so damn lucky."
"Now that you mention it, I've seen them together a few times. Wait, did you see that? She just smiled. How cute," the companion said, blushing.
"I'd do anything for her to tutor me. Maybe I should start flunking English on purpose." The two boys started to laugh after this statement.
"Ah… um, let's end the lesson here today," Aya said, feeling uncomfortable. She started to quickly gather her belongings and pack them up in her bag. Much to her demise, her "fanclub" of first-year boys was still at large. She still was not used to getting so much unwanted attention.
"I can tell them to get lost," the brunette boy spoke, turning his head to look at the two other guys. Sho stood from his seat, ready to stand up for his senpai.
"D- Don't worry about it, Sho-kun!" she said as she placed a dainty hand over his in order to stop him from leaving. He froze at her gentle touch; her hand was so small compared to his.
"But they're bothering you, senpai," Sho said, his golden eyes reflecting disgust at the oblivious pair of first-years.
In the past month of being tutored by Aya, he had come to see how meek and reserved she was. She often avoided confrontation, whether it be from her own fanboys or Otohata's fangirls. He hated anyone who bothered Aya and had come to be quite protective of her in the last few weeks. Aya noticed this and was quite grateful.
Sho sat back down, Aya's touch calming him down a bit. She gave him a small, weak smile.
"Thank you for standing up for me but it's fine. Most of them just stare or say weird things from a distance but they hardly ever come up to me," she said. Only a handful of times have some of the first-year guys come up to her to ask her out face to face.
"Let me know if you want me to take care of them for you," Sho said with his arms crossed. "No one messes with my English tutor."
Aya laughed at Sho's tough-guy act. She knew he wasn't the violent type. Over the past month, Aya had come to know that Sho was more reserved and bashful. He was the studious type who did not really care much for popularity or status.
"Sure, sure," she said, playing along. He smiled at her laugh. He was glad to lift her mood a bit.
"Aya," a low voice said as a new figure approached. She would know that voice anywhere. She whipped her head as she met his cool eyes.
"Otohata-kun!" she said happily as she stood from her seat to greet her boyfriend. "You're here early."
"The professor ended the lesson a bit sooner than expected," Rei explained with a shrug. The heartthrob's eyes then wandered to the brunette boy who was beside her.
"Oh! This is your first time meeting, isn't it?" Aya noticed. "Otohata-kun, meet my English student, Sho-kun."
"Nice to meet you, Otohata-senpai," Sho stood as he greeted Rei. He gave a small bow in respect to the older student. Sho had seen Rei in passing several times already while on campus but this was indeed their first direct interaction.
"Likewise," Rei said coolly. He had already heard several stories about the student that she was tutoring from Aya herself. He was now finally able to put a face to the name. "Thanks for taking care of Aya."
"Not at all! She's the one I should thank. She's a great teacher," Sho admitted, feeling a bit shy. Sho could now definitely see why the great Otohata Rei was the subject of every girl's affection on campus; he was certainly good-looking and cool, Sho noticed.
"Is she now?" Rei said with a smirk. "Maybe you found your calling, Aya."
"I'm just trying my best. Sho-kun is definitely exaggerating," Aya said with a blush. She had never considered teaching before but thought that it was pretty rewarding.
"Well, I think I'll get going first, senpai," Sho said, checking the time on his watch. "I've got to head to soccer club today. It was nice to meet you," the first-year said to Rei, giving another bow.
"Un," Rei replied.
With that, Sho had walked off with his belongings, leaving Aya and Rei in the courtyard.
"He seems like a good kid," Rei commented, once Sho was out of earshot. He had some initial doubts when Aya said that she'd be tutoring a first-year boy, since a good amount of them seemed to be quite infatuated with his girlfriend. He did not feel any strange vibes coming from Sho just now, however.
"Yep, I definitely got lucky with such a good student," Aya replied happily. "Ah, so why did you ask to meet up at this time, Otohata-kun? Don't you still have one more class for today?"
"Yeah, I do. But there's someone I want you to meet," he stated as he held her hand. They started walking off towards the direction of one of the main roads surrounding the campus.
"Hm? Who?" she asked, curious. This definitely seemed out of the blue.
"You'll see," he said calmly as they continued on their walk. He figured that it would be easier to explain once they met up with this said person.
Within a few short moments, they reached a bright yellow Maserati parked on one of the roads by the campus. Immediately, Aya's eyes were drawn to the flashy vehicle, since this was not really a common type of foreign sports car seen in this part of Tokyo. Aya realized that Rei was leading Aya closer towards the car.
"Reiiii!" a bubbly voice called out as a girl unfamiliar to Aya stepped out of the Maserati. She was extremely pretty, Aya noted immediately. The girl was a bit taller than her, had sparkling hazel eyes, and had her long, bubblegum-pink hair thrown up into a high ponytail. Not to mention, her fashion sense was great and she sported some designer items, Aya noticed.
"Hm?" Aya chirped as the girl approached the two of them.
"You must be Aya-chan!" the girl greeted in a cheerful tone as she boldly took Aya's hand. "You are so pretty! Just like Rei described!"
"Aya, I want you to meet Rina. She's my cousin," Rei introduced, not amused with how boisterous his cousin was being. He was already used to this type of behavior from her; it also slightly reminded him of Ran's disposition.
"C- Cousin!?" Aya said, her mouth agape from surprise. The difference between these two was so stark, she thought, as the cousins stood side-by-side. The difference was night and day.
"Un. She's actually Rui's older sister. She's one year older than us," Rei explained.
"It's very nice to meet you, Rina-san!" Aya said as she bowed deeply. "I'm Hoshino Aya!" Rina laughed at the introduction.
"I already know who you are."
"Ah… R- Right. But, Otohata-kun, why is it that I've seen Rui-kun so many times already but you never once introduced Rina-san?" Aya asked curiously.
"Rina studied abroad in Australia all throughout high school and her first few years of college," Rei explained.
"I've recently come back to be closer to family! So I'll be finishing up college in Tokyo. Although, I'm not as smart as to get into Todai, like you two," Rina continued ecstatically. "And, as Rei requested, I'm here to sweep you away, Aya-chan!"
"Eh? Where are we going?" Aya asked, still confused.
"Well, since summer is starting, the fundraising gala is only a few weeks away. I figured that Rina could accompany you while you go shopping," Rei explained. "You haven't been able to find a dress yet, right?"
"That's true," Aya said, recalling that she had mentioned her conundrum to Rei just a few days ago.
"That's why I'm here! I'm going to take you to my favorite dress shop in Ginza!" Rina exclaimed as she opened her car's passenger door. "Come on in, Aya-chan! We're going to have so much fun."
"Is it really okay?" Aya asked, unsure. She felt a bit out of place going on an outing with someone she barely knew, even though Rina was Rei's family. "I wouldn't want to impose."
"Go ahead Aya, my cousin loves doing these kinds of things," Rei urged. "Her major is actually related to fashion, so feel free to rely on her."
"R- Really? Well, if you say so," she said as she looked towards Rina's car. The pink-haired gal was patiently waiting for Aya to get in. Aya was somewhat reminded of a golden retriever who was ecstatically wagging their tail.
"I'll see you tonight after my last class. Have fun," he bade as he walked Aya towards the passenger seat of the luxury car. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before closing the door.
"I'll take good care of your precious girlfriend, Rei!" Rina spoke with a thumbs up. "Leave it all to me!"
"Everything she buys is on me, alright?" Rei said in a low voice as he inconspicuously handed his cousin a premium-looking black credit card. "She's also way too modest and polite, so she might try to reject an item, even if she really likes it. Get her whatever she wants."
"Ohoho? How sweet of you, Rei-kuunn!—" Rina said in a teasing voice as she clasped her hands together. "Who knew that my little cousin would grow up to be such a doting boyfriend?"
"Stop joking around," he huffed. "Also… Aya doesn't know yet. You know, about my dad or anything about the family business. So, don't go off blabbing about it. I'm planning to tell her sometime soon."
"Hm? That's surprising," Rina said, a bit shocked. "You would think, after all this time…"
"There was never a good opportunity. So just avoid the topic, okay?" Rei snapped.
"Right, whatever you say," Rina said as she started making her way to the driver's side of the car. "I'll drop her off at your place tonight! See ya, little cousin," she said before she disappeared into the yellow vehicle.
Rei watched in silence as the showy sports car quickly sped off onto the main roads. He sighed as it disappeared from sight. For some reason, he felt a bit anxious. Maybe it was because his cousin had a habit of saying a bit too much due to how friendly she was. Rei would just have to trust Rina.
"Eehh," Aya gasped as she entered the sparkling department store. She was greeted by the cool air from the air-conditioning. The white tile floors were glistening as if they were brand new and the elaborate chandeliers above looked so luxurious as they twinkled. "I've never shopped in this part of Tokyo before."
"Ginza has all the best stuff! Whenever I came back home to visit, this place was my go-to spot for clothes," Rina explained with a thumbs-up and a wink.
Aya looked around her and saw all of the high-end clothing displayed all about. In one end of the luxury department store, there was a tailor's corner so that everything could be customized for the client. At another end, there were designer dress shoes and heels. Aya had a glimpse at one of the beautiful floor-length gowns on display and happened to see its extravagant price. Her eyes widened with shock immediately at the high number; it was no wonder she had never stepped foot in this store before. These items were simply not in her price range. Aya was about to protest and suggest a different store but, at that moment, a store employee had approached them.
"Oh, Rina-san," a store clerk greeted with a warm smile upon seeing the two ladies. It was a middle-aged woman clad in professional business attire. "It's been a while. What brings you in? Is your mother also here today?"
"Hamasaki-san! You look well! Nope, I'm actually shopping with a friend today," Rina replied happily as she placed an arm around Aya's shoulder. "This is Aya-chan!"
"Oh? It's very nice to meet you," Hamasaki-san said with a bow. Aya bowed back in response, feeling a bit shy and out of place. "How may I assist you young ladies this afternoon?"
"We're here for formal attire! You remember that annual fundraising gala, right? It's for that. Aya-chan, what's your style preference?" Rina asked excitedly.
"W- Well, I prefer something simple… but also elegant. I've never shopped for formal clothing before so I'm not quite sure what would look good on me," Aya replied. She thought it was a safe answer; surely, with a simple dress, the price wouldn't be as steep, right?
"Hmm," Rina hummed as she placed an index finger to her chin. "You're a bit on the thin side but have excellent proportions. Your dark hair is definitely a focal point of yours, since it's silky and healthy. Your skin is a pure ivory, making you quite delicate-looking," she observed.
"I was thinking all those same things," Hamasaki-san pointed out. "Might we try something that would contrast well with Aya-chan's skin? Perhaps a gown of a deep gemstone hue?"
"My thoughts exactly," Rina said with a smile. "A deep ruby or sapphire color would look great against your complexion, Aya-chan."
"You think so? I'm not so used to wearing very dark colors."
"My fashion radar is never wrong," Rina spoke proudly. "Let's go try on some options."
"This way, ladies," Hamasaki-san spoke as she escorted the two deeper into the store.
In a few moments, they arrived at a section that was wall-to-wall luxury gowns. There was no one else in that area of the store, so it felt like an exclusive shopping experience— as if Aya had her very own little private shoppe. Aya couldn't help but stare in awe at the store's beautifully-curated selection. She brushed her hand against the soft fabric of a lovely pink gown adorned with sparkling jewels. Everything seemed fit for actual royalty.
"I'll be taking some measurements, Aya-san," Hamasaki-san said as she took out a tailor's measuring tape and started wrapping it around Aya's slim waist.
Aya had never experienced anything like this before. The attention to detail was incredible. She was starting to wonder how she would be paying for a dress that requires this amount of work, taking a mental note of her bank account's funds. She did have a bit saved up from her part-time job at Mami's store. She sort of felt like a fish out of water during this experience.
"Aya-chan," Rina suddenly called out, her expression soft and mellow for the first time all afternoon. "Thank you for letting me take you out like this. I haven't been back in Japan for very long, so I haven't had many chances to make new friends. It's felt a bit lonely lately. I hope we become good friends." Her voice was tender and sincere.
"Rina-san…" Aya whispered, touched. She held her hand out to take Rina's. "Of course. I hope so, too. I'll come hang out with you anytime, just ask, okay?" Aya thought that it might also be a good idea to introduce her to Ran and Miyu.
"Plus, we're kind of like family, right? Because you're with Rei," Rina pointed out.
"Ah, I- I suppose so. Although it's not like we're engaged or married or anything…" Aya said, laughing nervously. Her body's measurements were finished being taken, by this point, and Hamasaki-san had excused herself to go and fetch some gowns.
"Hm? But Rei is very serious about you, I can tell. I haven't seen him with the same girl this long before. In the past, he's—" Rina's eyes suddenly widened, realizing what she had just blurted out. "Ah! Sorry! I didn't mean to say that!"
"It's okay," Aya reassured, looking down. "I actually remember Rui-kun saying something similar before… That Otohata-kun had a 'mountain of girls' from his past." Aya's eyes looked a bit sad and Rina did not fail to notice.
"That bratty little brother of mine. Don't listen to him. That's definitely an exaggeration."
"But, um, Rina-san… Is it true that Otohata-kun had a lot of girlfriends before me?" Aya asked, genuinely curious. She would never dare ask such questions to Rei himself but she also couldn't help feeling curious about his dating history.
"Well, I wouldn't call them all 'girlfriends' since nothing really lasted. But I do recall that Rei went out on a few dates in middle school."
"Ah, I see. I don't have much dating experience so sometimes I wonder if I'm good enough for Otohata-kun," she said softly.
"You're definitely good enough! Perhaps too good! If Rei ever makes you cry, come tell me, okay!? I'll beat him up for sure," Rina huffed, her arms crossed. Aya laughed. She could tell that she and Rina would become fast friends, at this rate.
"No need to worry. Otohata-kun is very good to me."
"I'm glad. But, seriously, he only has eyes for you. Everyone in our family can see how he's changed lately. He has a bit more of a soft demeanor, now. It's quite amazing, really."
Aya smiled at Rina's reassuring words. Of course, she would try to speak of Rei highly since he was her family member. However, she could definitely feel the sincerity behind her words. It calmed her anxieties and put her mind at ease. She shouldn't worry about Rei's past too much and thought it best to focus on the present and future with him.
In a few short moments, Hamasaki-san returned with a few gowns in tow for Aya to try on.
"Aya-san, I've taken your body type and measurements into consideration and think that these would suit you best. I can fetch a few more if these aren't to your liking, but let us start with these. They've recently shipped in from a well-renown designer."
"We'll help you get them on!" Rina suggested. Aya nodded as she walked towards the fitting area. She felt a bit shy about removing her clothing to expose her bare skin to someone she had just met but could sense that Rina was a professional when it came to fashion. She definitely trusted her.
The first was a long-sleeved ruby gown that was adorned with gold accents. There was a deep "V-cut" at the front and a long chiffon train that trailed behind the dress. The dress fit Aya well but Rina believed it to be too mature-looking. Aya agreed that it felt a bit revealing at her chest and she worried it would not be the best choice when meeting Rei's parents for the first time.
The second was an amethyst gown with whimsical puffed sleeves. Tiny crystals were embedded into the dress as well, giving off their twinkles each time Aya moved about. Rina noted that it had a softer, more feminine look than the first dress and that it gave off a princess-type feel. It suited Aya more than the first option but Rina thought that it was a bit too "fairytale-like" for the occasion.
"Here is the last dress from this designer that I'd like you to try on, Aya-san," Hamasaki-san said.
"Hmm, a gorgeous dark-sapphire color. I like it. Let's get this on you," Rina said as she held the dress.
"I've never worn anything quite this dark before," Aya pointed out as she held her long hair all to one side. Rina zipped up the back of the dress and smoothed down the soft fabric with her hands. Indeed, the dress was such a deep color that it looked almost like a midnight sky.
However, once the dress was completely secured onto Aya's body, it was an absolute perfect fit.
"Aya-chan… This is the one," Rina said while tearing up a bit. "This dress was made for you."
"I do like how simple it is. Simple, yet elegant," Aya commented as she gave the dress a twirl while looking into the mirror. It was just the style she was looking for.
"The classic route tends to be the best option. It appears that we had saved the best for last," Hamasaki-san commented. "Aya-san's natural beauty is the main show and it is simply complemented by the dress."
"Very true! Aya-chan, this dress is hugging you in all the right places, if you catch my drift," Rina commented, an eyebrow raised playfully. "Rei simply will fall head over heels once he sees you in this."
"A- Ah, you think so?" she asked as she looked down, her cheeks turning a bright shade of red.
"Ugh! I'm so jealous that Rei found such a cute girlfriend," the pink-haired girl said as she hugged Aya. "How is it possible to be so cute?"
"Heh… Rina-san, you flatter me," the smaller brunette said while wrapped in the embrace. "Um, Hamasaki-san, I'll be going with this gown."
"We will just need to tailor the hem of the dress to make it a bit shorter, but otherwise… the fit is perfect. We'll have the dress ready in a week's time. Will that suffice, Aya-san?"
"Yes, thank you. Oh, Rina-san, you'll be at the gala as well, right? Will you be looking for a dress as well?"
"I'll do my shopping another time! Today's for you, per Rei's request. Let's go look at some shoes and accessories next!" Rina said ecstatically, dragging Aya to another area of the store.
"W- Wait, Rina-san, I have to take this gown off, first—"
Hamasaki-san laughed at the lively young ladies as they raced off to another section of the store, hand-in-hand. "Oh, to be young again…"
"Well, here's our stop," Rina said as she stopped her car in front of Rei's luxury apartment building. By now, it was well past eight in the evening, so the street lights were vibrantly illuminating the lively city. The two girls had stayed out later than anticipated since they also grabbed a bite to eat after shopping. Trying on intricate dresses was quite tiring, to Aya's astonishment.
"Thank you for today, Rina-san, I had so much fun," Aya said as she looked next to her. "Even though you and Otohata-kun slyly went behind my back with those purchases…" she said, referring to Rina sneakily using Rei's black card to pay for everything at the store.
"Don't worry, it's coming from Rei, after all. There's more where that came from!" Rina said, realizing that she let the statement slip out by accident. She promised Rei that she wouldn't discuss the family business or the fact that Rei was the son of the wealthy CEO of OT Group.
"Hm? What do you mean by that?" Aya asked, oblivious to what Rina was alluding to.
"N-Nothing! Oh, look at that, here comes Rei! Just in time!" Rina suddenly said, pointing towards the apartment building. Indeed, Rei had just emerged out of the building's front doors and was walking towards the yellow Maserati. He opened the passenger's side door, greeting his girlfriend. He courteously held his hand out for her to take.
"Otohata-kun!" Aya greeted happily, excited to tell him all about her day. She eagerly took his hand and stepped out of the vehicle.
Rina also exited the car and popped open the trunk to retrieve Aya's belongings. There were two luxurious shopping bags as well— one held Aya's new shoes and the other smaller bag held a few neatly-wrapped accessories that she picked out. Rina handed the bags over to her cousin.
"And the dress?" Rei asked, waiting for a larger bag.
"It still needs some minor tailoring," Aya explained. "I'll be picking it up next week."
"You're in for a treat, Rei. Aya-chan looks drop-dead gorgeous in the gown," Rina said, elbowing her cousin's side in a teasing manner. "Not to mention… she has a killer figure. Way to go, Rei!" Rina made sure to say the last part quietly so Aya would not overhear.
"Ugh… you—" Rei grunted as he heard his cousin's unwarranted comment. "You didn't do anything weird, did you?"
"What do you mean? Aya-chan and I are besties now," Rina said as she embraced the brunette gal once again, rubbing her cheek against the top of Aya's head.
"Hm?" Aya chirped, a bit confused. Rina sure was affectionate, Aya noted.
"Get off of her," Rei said as he gently pulled his girlfriend away from his cousin. "Don't cling onto Aya like that."
Rina laughed heartily.
"Well, I guess I'll see you two in Izu after a few weeks!" she bade as she walked back towards her car.
"I'm looking forward to it," Aya said with a wave.
With that, the flashy sports car sped away like a whirlwind. Rei was exhausted from just that short interaction with his cousin; he couldn't imagine how Aya put up with her all those hours. She was much more patient than he ever was.
"Did you have a good time?" he asked as he led his girlfriend into his apartment building, hand-in-hand.
"Of course! Rina-san is so nice and funny," Aya beamed. "She helped me so much with picking out the right things. She's very knowledgable about fashion, like you said."
"I'm glad you two get along. I apologize if she was a lot to handle; she's one of the crazier ones in the family," Rei sighed as they rode up on the elevator. His apartment was a penthouse on the top floor.
"Not at all! I'm getting excited about the event since I'll get to meet even more of your family. Getting the dress today made me realize that summer break is just around the corner."
"I'm looking forward to seeing you in it," Rei said with a smile.
"Ah, that reminds me. I noticed Rina-san using your card to make all the purchases. Otohata-kun… you shouldn't have done all that," she fretted, her eyebrows furrowed with concern. "If I had known that you were going to buy everything, I wouldn't have agreed to go to such a high-end store."
"Don't mention it. I wanted to get all those things for you. I'm the one who invited you to the event, right? Consider it a gift," he stated as they both stepped off the elevator.
"Still… It's too much," she said as Rei opened his apartment door and they stepped in.
"Aya, it's fine. It's priceless if those things made you happy. Plus, I get to see you in formal attire for the first time, so that in itself is like a reward," he said with a smirk.
"I- If you say so," she said softly. He could tell that she still was not convinced.
"If you really want to pay me back, there is something you can do," he said as he leaned in closer to her.
"What is it? I'll do anything," she said eagerly.
"Stay the night for the rest of the week," Rei said with a sly smile.
"O- Otohata-kun!" she exclaimed with a blush. He chuckled at her embarrassed disposition.
"I'm kidding," he said, patting her head. He knew how shy she felt about doing so.
"I… I'll do it."
"Really? You don't have to force yourself." He was surprised that she was agreeing to the request, even though he did kind of mention it jokingly.
"I want to be with Otohata-kun as often as possible. Is it okay?" she asked shyly. Rei bent down and planted a kiss on her cheekbone, just below her right eye.
"You already know my answer," he said in a low voice.
Aya smiled. She felt content; it seemed like their relationship was growing and that they were taking many steps forward together as of late. She thought that she should try harder for Rei's sake. After all, he had already done so much for her without asking for anything in return. The material things that she's received from him so far were all just a fraction of his gifts. She felt so spoiled by his love.
Aya sighed as she recalled the sapphire gown that she tried on this afternoon, hoping it would be to Rei's liking. Just as importantly, she hoped that it would help make a good first impression with Rei's parents. She would have to certainly try her hardest to contain her excitement during the next coming weeks. She would soon be let into a part of Rei's world that was all too new to her.
ONLY YOU
Chapter Three - A New Face: End
Siopao: Woo, more new characters! Rina is my OC, of course, but I wanted her to be the big sis of Rui. If you gave this a read, please kindly review. :)