Super GALS Fan Fiction ❯ Silence for Naught ❯ Storm Damage ( Chapter 8 )

Silence for Naught

Chapter Eight: Storm Damage

"Tatsukichi!" Ran yelled, waving at her boyfriend as she neared him on the streets of Shibuya. Jubilantly, Tatsukichi came bounding toward her in joy, arms stretched out ready for a big hug. She danced around him, eluding his embrace and immediately whining for some food. "Buy me something, please? I'm starving!"

“Ran-chan! You're so cruel,” he said, as he pathetically hugged the air. Ran snapped her fingers at him.

“Uh-uh, no touchy until I get some food!” Ran demanded. She rubbed her belly. “I need my energy if I'm going to be working soon.”

“Working?” Tatsukichi's eyes lit up. “Did my Ran-chan get a job?”

Ran laughed evilly, puffing out her chest proudly. “I did! Now stop yourself for a moment, Tatsukichi,” she said, striking a pose. “I'm going be Para-Para dancing in a video for the amazing pop idol, Rinjou-Y!”

“Wow!” Tatsukichi exclaimed, lifting his arms in the air for celebration. “My Ran-chan's going to be a star!” Ran laughed again, her ego rising. Tatsukichi proceeded to dance around her, screaming Ran's praise wildly to everyone on the street's.

“Ohohoho!” Ran crowed, and Tatsukichi continued to fawn over her.

“Ah, my Ran-chan is so popular, even the idols want her to dance for them,” he cooed, and somewhere in the middle of Tatsukichi's fawning Ran got her hands on a soda. She guzzled the drink down noisily and smacked her lips in satisfaction. “Well, I am pretty popular,” she responded with a breathy sigh. “However, if it wasn't for Rei I probably would have never met Yumiko-chan.” Her last words were intoned like a purr as she referred to Rinjou-Y so formally.

Yet when Ran mentioned Otohata, Tatsukichi's face fell immediately, and she looked at him curiously, seeing pain swelling in his eyes.

"Oto-chi got you the job? Are you going to work with him?" Tatsukichi asked softly. 'Since when did she start calling him Rei?' he thought suspiciously.

Ran nodded, and she furrowed her brow. "What's with that look, Tatsukichi?" Ran clenched her jaw. Seeing Tatsukichi's miserable expression made her stomach retch. Was he gearing for another argument? The last one about her hanging onto Otohata's bag still got on her nerves when she thought about it. 'He's not going to lay into me about Otohata again, is he?' She had enough trouble with Aya. For the past two days, Aya still hadn't returned her phone calls.

"Ran-chan," he intoned with a deep, serious voice. "Is Oto-chi hitting on you again by getting you in with his music crowd?"

Ran gaped at him, and she gritted her teeth. "What? No! Why the heck would you think that, bonehead?" She bopped him on the head with an angry open fist. "For your information, Rinjou-Y picked me out at the last party when we went to the Para-Para club. She wants local dancers and asked Otohata if he knew me. That's all! Why are you always so suspicious of him?" She huffed, and then she sucked loudly on her drink. Ran met Tatsukichi's worried gaze, and she glared at him.

"Ran-chan, we all know that Oto-chi likes you. He hasn't denied it, and he isn't trying to cover it up." Tatsukichi paused, and Ran saw his eyes narrow at her. "You don't seem to be minding the attention yourself."

Ran stepped back, aghast at Tatsukichi's boldness. Her last nerve was about to fry. Why was everyone always worried about her giving into Otohata's attractions? It didn't make sense. It was like no one trusted her, yet she still did her best to act exactly the same everyday. She didn't change! Her feelings didn't change! And to hell with Otohata's feelings. She had made that perfectly clear to him, and she assumed they resolved to be nothing more than friends.

Yet, Otohata's little crush was causing the exact same dissension in her friends in which she feared. Now, Tatsukichi was basically accusing her of giving into Otohata's whims.

And to accuse an innocent gal, that pissed her off.

Ran balled her one fist at her side, and the can in her other hand crackled from the pressure. Tatsukichi actually stood his ground. He straightened his back, and leveled his gaze with hers.

"Ran-chan, I don't think you should work with Rinjou-Y on her pop video."

Ran's eyes widened, and her mouth opened at his audacity. Her face reddened, and she started to move toward him. Tatsukichi stood rigid like a statue, biting his lip and weathering her rage.

"What did you say to me?" Ran's voice was low - dangerous. Her eyes spiked with fury.

"Ran-chan, you're going to be working with Rinjou-Y on her video, and you're going to be working with Oto-chi. As your boyfriend, I can't let you do that. So, you have to make a choice."

Ran crushed the can she was holding and liquid spewed out, trailing down her hand. She whipped the can at his feet, and his eyes flinched. "Why should I give up my dream of working with a pop idol just because you can't trust me?"

"Ran-chan, I do trust you, but -"

"Liar! What kind of boyfriend makes his girlfriend give up her dreams? I'm sick of your jealousy. For the hundredth time I do not like Otohata. I like you! Why can't anyone see that?" Her voice bellowed, yet her words were laced with desperation.

Tatsukichi looked at her sympathetically, and he noticed tears brimming in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Ran-chan. You either choose to work with Oto-chi, or I'm going back to Machida." Tatsukichi's muscles tensed in his face, and he had doubts to whether or not he was making the right decision. Still, something needed to be done about Ran's loyalty. She'd only kissed him once, and she hardly made any indications of affection toward him. And worst of all, whenever she saw Otohata, she bounced toward him happily, hanging on him and always - always thinking about him first. He was starting to wonder if all those times she was just doing it for Aya's sake or her own underlying self-interest. Ran needed to be honest with herself. Did she really like Tatsukichi? And could she give up Otohata's friendship? Working with Otohata at Rinjou-Y's studio seemed like a very bad omen. He was worried, and Tatsukichi believed it was only a matter of time when those obvious affections Ran hid deep inside came to the surface after working so close to Otohata.

Ran continued to glare at him, searching his expression for a weak point. But Tatsukichi would not break. He felt strongly about this. So he added, "And I'll go back for good."

Ran's mouth dropped, and her face softened just slightly. "Go back?" Tatsukichi was beginning to find hope in her changing expression. Yet, instead of pleading with him to stay, her mood changed for the worse. She bared her teeth at him and whacked him on the head again. Tears fell freely as her anger flowed. "You jerk! You tell me I have to choose between you and working for Rinjou-Y? Are you crazy?"

"But Oto-chi-"

"This is not about him! This about me and Para-Para dancing - professionally. People are always telling me I should be a cop, but I like being a gal, and being a pop idol is the gal status I'm striving for! If I gave up this opportunity, who's to say this isn't what I want to do with my life? You? You think I shouldn't do this?" Ran snapped at him accusingly.

"Of course not Ran-chan. I believe you can do anything you set your mind to. Another opportunity will come - without Oto-chi," he said, his eyes darkening. His response only seemed to upset her more.

"This isn't about him!"

"It is to me!" Tatsukichi lashed at her, his unexpected tone causing her silence. Suddenly, he sighed heavily and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. Then, his confession rolled out of him. "I'm scared - so scared of losing you to him. I just know it will happen. I can feel it Ran, just by the way you both look at each other every day."

"But I don't-"

"Please! Let me speak. You don't see it, of course. And we're not intimate Ran. You kissed me once on the cheek, but that was it. You barely show me any affection. It's not like I don't think you can. I want to go deeper with you, at your pace of course. But I can't seem to reach you at all when Oto-chi is around.” He paused, and Ran took her opportunity to speak.

Her tone softened, and she watched her boyfriend with concern. “Tatsukichi…”

“And you're right. I am jealous of Oto-chi. You might not see it, but you light up when you're around him. And when he helps you fight crime or talks you straight when you're going off, you two become like pieces of a puzzle. And you value his opinion of you, and I can tell that it really annoys you when he doesn't play into your whims - but he really gets you, and everyone can see that.” He sighed dejectedly. “I wish we could be like that Ran-chan, but we're not.”

“But…I don't understand any of this.” Her anger flared again, tainting the light moment. “I haven't done anything but be myself!”

Tatsukichi's lip curled into a sad smile. He gazed at her with understanding. “And that's exactly what I'm talking about. If you don't change, we can't change Ran-chan.”

“What are you talking about, stupe?” She crossed her arms and huffed, looking away from his piercing gaze.

“Ran-chan, you want everyone to be friends just like we are and always have been in high school. But we can't be like that anymore. We're growing up.”

“You sound like Nii or Mami-Rin. Feh! What's wrong with wanting our friendships to be the same after high school? Why do they have to change? It sucks if we all get mad about this and don't move on.”

“But that's just it, Ran-chan. You can't move on. Not until you face your feelings about Oto-chi,” Tatsukichi pleaded.

“But I have!” Ran snapped.

Tatsukichi looked at her, and Ran knew he didn't believe her. He wasn't going to budge from his feelings. Did he really think she needed to change? That she really did have underlying feelings for Otohata? It was crazy!

Ran grunted, looking away again. “Are you still going to go back to Machida if I take this job?”

Tatsukichi nodded, and Ran kicked a rock on the ground in annoyance.

“You're making a big mistake, Tatsukichi. I think you're being an idiot,” Ran said, and she turned to him, peering straight into his eyes. He was taken aback by the venom rising in her voice. “You go back to Machida, we're done. I don't need a boyfriend that can't trust me or one that wants to stop me from doing what I want to do.”

“I'm going then, Ran-chan,” he said, and he lifted his hand up, tracing his thumb down her clenched jaw. Her lip began to tremble as he released the touch. The moment she blinked, Tatsukichi was gone, walking down the bustling streets of Shibuya. Ran watched him go in defeat, tears welling in her eyes.

As soon as he was out of her sight, Ran quickly swung around and kicked a nearby parking meter in anger, lashing out a warrior's cry.

“Stupid Tatsukichi! With your stupid monkey face!” She grunted as she continued to kick the parking meter with all her force, causing a mangled dent. She was about to muster the strength to rip it out of the ground and fling it, but someone held her back.

“Whoa! Calm down, Ran-chan!” And strong arms pulled her back. She spun around, ready to lash out at the person who dared to interrupt her. When she looked up, Nii-chan and Mami-Rin were staring at her in surprise.

“What do you think you're doing? You're causing a scene!” Mami-Rain chided her.

“I don't care! I'm pissed!” Ran seethed, giving the innocent parking meter one final kick. The dented thing clanged mournfully in response.

“What the heck happened?” Nii said, releasing her. Ran stood up, glared at the parking meter and crossed her arms.

“Tatsukichi made a very stupid decision and now he's on his way back to Machida.” She huffed. “Fine. Whatever. He can't trust me anyway.”

“Hold on! He doesn't trust you?” Nii asked, confused. Mami-Rin harrumphed beside him.

“I always knew he was no good,” she added, and Yuya put up a hand to ward off any more of her quips. He addressed Ran sympathetically.

“Why doesn't he trust you, Ran? You've never done anything unfaithful… to anybody,” Yuya said, stroking his chin in contemplation. It just seemed like such an odd occurrence that Tatsukichi would act this way.

“He told me I shouldn't take the job with Rinjou-Y.” Ran looked up at them, and they both appeared to be bewildered. “I told you about it, right?”

“Yes, yes,” said Mami, waving her hand. “You called us all to brag about it. So what's the big deal about you working for a pop idol? Is he scared you'll find a better boyfriend with all those GL dancers around?”

“No, that's not it,” Yuya said, his voice low and understanding. He sighed. “Tatsukichi was worried about you working with Rei, wasn't he?”

Ran's eyes peered at him harshly. She bit her lip. “Yep. He doesn't trust me. He thinks I have feelings for Oto-chi that I'm not expressing yet.”

Yuya sighed, but Mami-Rin looked at her nails as if she were bored. She said, “Well, you do. Everyone knows it.”

“Mami!” Yuya yelled at her, and Ran gritted her teeth at Mami, still angry and ready to strike at anyone or anything that pissed her off more. Yuya put up his hands in surrender to calm Ran down before she started a scene with Mami.

“Ran, calm down. What Mami was trying to say is…”

Suddenly, Mami stepped forward and pushed Yuya aside. She put her fists on her hips and met Ran challengingly.

“Listen here. Don't be a dope. We all see you have feelings for Otohata. Even monkey-boy wasn't that stupid. But don't take your frustrations out on us. For a long time your friends have been silent and have played oblivious that they don't see what goes on between you and Otohata, but I'm not like them, and I've known you even less.

“Still, I wouldn't sit by while people were hurting by obvious truths that were just being kept silent. You've been pushing Otohota on Aya ever since she made googily eyes at him, but you never thought for once that maybe he didn't see her like that. But he pursued her because he couldn't have you, and I'm sure he had other reasons too. So… until you own up to your feelings, Kotobuki, you're just going to just keep hurting people like Aya and monkey-face. Do you understand me?”

Ran's fists were shaking, and she was looking down at the ground. Yuya saw tears stream down her face, and she looked like she was ready to explode.

Her voice crackled, and all she could say was, “You're wrong, Mami-Rin. Wrong.”

“Oh?” Mami-Rin refused to let her guard down, and her voice was edgier than before. If anyone could talk some sense into Ran, it was Mami.

“Yeah,” Ran said, and suddenly her shoulders relaxed and she stood up. She eyed both of them angrily. “Everyone is wrong. I don't have feelings for Oto-chi. You're all making a huge mistake.”

“Ran…” Yuya held his hand out to her, but Ran started to march away.

“Leave me alone!” She began stomping off, kicking rocks, garbage cans, and anything in her way. Yuya and Mami-Rin looked on as Ran took off, and they both knew she was angry, yet more than anything she was hurting inside. She obviously didn't want to show weakness in front of her friends, or even concede that they were right.

So instead, she stormed home.

“So does this mean Ran and monkey-boy are over with?” Mami-Rin asked with an exasperated sigh.

“Yeah,” Yuya confirmed. “It's look like he's actually gone this time. Ran's really mad. I've never seen her this hurt before.”

“So she really cared about him?” Mami asked incredulously.

“Of course,” Yuya answered. He took Mami's hand and smiled. “When Ran cares about someone, she really cares - a lot. It's just how she is.”

“Phoo… whatever!” Mami said. But Yuya could see some compassion in Mami's eyes; she really did consider Ran a friend and she played the role of giving Ran the tough love she deserved.

Mami squeezed Yuya's hand and raised one eyebrow. With a Cheshire smile she said, “So, you think Otohata would like to know that Ran is single again?”

Yuya laughed. “Yeah, I think he would.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He shook his head, the thoughts of the day tumbling around his skull. “Man, my head really hurts.” He dialed Rei's number, but was only able to leave a message.

“He's not there, but he'll find out,” Yuya said, closing his flip phone. He put his arm around Mami and led her down the streets of Shibuya.

“Ready for some ice cream?” She giggled playfully.

“After all of that drama, I'm going to need at least four scoops.”

“Well, you are buying,” Mami cooed at his side.

Yuya sighed.

--

Work had been exhausting and rough, and when Rei finally settled down in his empty home, he was relieved. The softness of his bed welcomed him, and he was fully tempted to ignore the continuous beeping from his cell phone.

Sighing, he gave into temptation and looked at the missed call from Yuya.

He'd been annoyed with people all day, so he really wasn't sure if he wanted Yuya's voice to be the last one he heard before going to bed.

However, he hadn't heard from Yuya in awhile, and while his best friend became an extension of the power house known of Mami Honda, he felt slightly grateful Yuya still had time to call him.

As Yuya's voice filtered from the message into his ear, Rei noticed that his friend sounded more excited than usual.

And when the message was complete, Rei's eyes widened and his heart began to swell in his chest. He licked his lips, and the recent vivid dreams he'd been having traced over his brain, haunting him in full force.

He smiled, and his body filled up with hope.

To Be Continued…