Super GALS Fan Fiction ❯ Silence for Naught ❯ An Angry Divide ( Chapter 9 )

Silence for Naught

 

Chapter Nine: An Angry Divide

 

During the two weeks of the video shoot, Rei felt like he was working in a daze. He concentrated on his tasks, and he worked diligently to provide Rinjou-Y with the finest beats possible. He worked with her crew, and he even became chummy with her boyfriend, Makoto Tadashi, who was also her producer. Rei guessed that Yumiko must have explained to Makoto about his delicate situation with Ran because he never brought it up, and he carefully tried to keep Rei away from the dancers. Rei was pleased, mainly because he could watch the dancers from the sound booth but didn't have to interact with them personally.

 

Only during lunch and studio breaks did Rei even have the slightest opportunity to speak with Ran. Most of the time, Ran was really cold to him, and her answers were short. He figured she was still angry about Tatsukichi and Aya, who both hadn't spoken to her since the day he offered her the job, or so he assumed.

 

Rei inwardly scoffed. He hardly thought he should be blamed. His breakup with Aya really wasn't Ran's concern, and it wasn't his fault that Tatsukichi had given her such a cruel ultimatum.

 

Ran was mad anyway, and if she needed to blame him, Rei let her. He decided to let her initiate any conversation first, and he made no attempt to be nice to her if she was giving him the cold shoulder anyway.

 

"Stupid drama," he muttered under his breath, and as he threw away his paper cup during his break, he was glad this was the last day of production.

 

On his way to the safe haven into the sound booth, Rei was stopped by Makoto, who had a questionable grin on his face. Rei wouldn't have minded the attention from the producer if a certain girl hadn't walked by.

 

“So are you taking anyone to the party tonight, Rei?” he asked, a question that piqued Ran's interest as she slowed her step walking by them. She shot Rei a look, obviously interested in his response as well.

 

“I don't think I'm taking anyone,” Rei said, miffed that Ran was listening to their conversation. He turned his gaze from Tadashi and looked straight in her eyes. A smirk crept on over his lips. “I was thinking about taking my friend Aya.”

 

Just as he had predicted, his answer got the worst reaction out of Ran, who narrowed her eyes at him and stormed over.

 

“Are you crazy? After all you've put her through?” She slammed her fists on her hips, and Makoto looked at her with surprise.

 

“Ran-chan!” Makoto called, but his presence was soon ignored by both of them as Rei looked down at her with indifference.

 

“It's none of your business, Kotobuki. So go back to avoiding me like a good girl and get back to work.” He saw her face redden with anger, and he took that moment to leave her. He turned to go back to the sound booth, but she pulled him back by his arm.

 

She ignored the `good girl' comment and went into reaming him about Aya. Like always, Ran had put her friends before herself.

 

“You better not go back to calling Aya and getting her hopes up,” she seethed at him, and he tried to feign indifference as his temper rose from her onslaught. He winced when she squeezed his arm hard, and she made sure he was looking into her eyes. “You don't know how hard it was to get her to talk to me again after the stunt you pulled. It was bad enough Tatsukichi left me, and I was close to losing Aya too.”

 

“I don't know why she took it out on you. It was our problem, not yours,” he shot back at her, pulling his arm away from her grip.

 

“But I was part of the problem! I don't know how you can't see that, but I can!” Ran shouted. People were looking at them, and Rei was becoming exasperated and embarrassed.

 

He grabbed Ran's arm and pulled her with him into the sound booth. She protested, but when he drew the blinds, he hoped that people wouldn't be interested in their skirmish anymore if they couldn't see or hear anything. He turned his attention to Ran.

 

“Are you admitting something, Ran? What sort of problem were you to us exactly?” Rei challenged.

 

“Ha! You're one to say that to me. I'm not the one who should admit anything. I'm an innocent bystander! Yet, I get dragged into your couple's fight, and I lose my own boyfriend because of it! Are you happy about that? Huh?” She crossed her arms and grunted.

 

He stood back and leaned against the wall. He looked away and sighed heavily. “I'm not happy about hurting Aya, and I certainly didn't intend for you guys to break up.”

 

Ran harrumphed, sticking her finger in her ear idly. “I wish I could believe you.”

 

“Don't waste your time then,” Rei said, feeling honestly incensed. Not only was he embarrassed, but also an outburst like that with Ran was definitely something he wanted to avoid. He turned to the doorknob, intent to shoo her out and go back to work, putting this unsavory and tired argument behind them.

 

Ran put her hand over the doorknob, and Rei looked at her with surprise. Anger continued to storm in her eyes. “I'm not finished.” She poked a faux nail at his chest. “It's time we settled this. I'm going to warn you, as Aya's friend, leave her alone. Don't call her, don't even think about her - you guys are done, and yes, I'm interfering.” She paused, looking away. He saw tears ebb on the sides of her angry eyes. “I've seen her cry a lot before, but what I saw when she finally talked to me, I never saw her in so much pain.” She snapped her attention back to him. “You did that to her, and even though you're my friend too, I'm seriously pissed at you, Otohata.”

 

Rei froze, taken aback by her rage. Guilt seeped into his insides, and he couldn't shake the sadness he felt for Aya's pain. Ran was obviously the better friend here, and though he knew the break with Aya would have been messy regardless, having Ran say it to him like that stung more than ever.

 

“I'm sorry. I can't say anything to appease you about Aya. Breakups are never easy, and I knew it wouldn't be.” He looked at her seriously, and for some reason, he felt it was the perfect moment to slightly open up to her. She deserved at least that; if they continued to argue and dwell on things, the tension between them would only get worse. “I wish you could understand how I felt about Aya, and that I knew it wasn't right. I'd ask for your forgiveness on her behalf, but I'm afraid right now that's asking too much.”

 

She charged at him. “Then why make a statement back there to Tadashi that you were even considering her?”

 

Rei sighed, crossing his arms. “I wasn't serious. I just wanted to get a reaction out of you.” His eyes met hers again, and he tried to see past the anger. He hoped his truthfulness would reach her in some way. “You've been avoiding me, and I've been avoiding you, and I'm tired of it. I just wanted to…”

 

“Whatever,” she said, waving a hand. The redness of her anger had dulled to a rosy pink over her cheeks. “I'm going back to work. See you at the party tonight.”

 

“So you're going?” Rei asked, surprised after all that arguing she still wanted to sit through a social event with him. The tension was still thick, and he feared that anything could happen tonight. Another argument, perhaps? Or worse.

 

Ran turned around, and her anger was fading. A confident smirk appeared on her lips. “Of course I'm going! I don't care about some stupid argument! I'm going to enjoy my first party with Rinjou-Y and celebrate my first of many pop videos. She lifted her chin and met his eyes challengingly. “I don't care whether you're there or not. I'm going to have fun!”

 

Rei smiled at her despite himself. His smile must have taken her off-guard because she froze and looked at him curiously before huffing and quickly retreating out the door.

 

Rei stared at the spot where she was, and he began to dread the party tonight, even though in the back of his mind he had some hope for it. He chided himself for being delusional, but the chance to be with Ran around people who were practically strangers held interesting possibilities for him.

 

He sighed and flipped up the blinds, ignoring the inquiring eyes outside his booth. He immediately went back to work, shaking off his personal feelings and trying to do his best on the last day.

 

The party would be there for him, and after having such a miserable time lately with Ran, Aya, and all that other craziness, he felt he should be allowed some fun.

 

He hated to admit that Ran Kotobuki was right. A once in a lifetime party with Rinjou Yumiko was reason enough to shelf away the tension for now.

 

--

 

He was ready to take back his earlier thoughts about the party when the shoot finally ended. Immediately after he locked up his booth and retrieved his equipment, Ran jumped on him, reminding him to steer clear of Aya before the party.

 

When he was ready to forgive her for the embarrassing outburst earlier, her unfair nagging had erased any guilt, and he felt his temper slipping. Finally his exasperation got the better of him.

 

“I thought we were done with this conversation,” he intoned nastily at her. If Ran wasn't already set off for whatever reason, she was much angrier now that he was biting back.

 

“No! We will never be done until I get my friends back and everything goes back to the way it was!” She threw up her arms in the air in frustration.

 

“You're asking too much, Kotobuki,” Rei said, turning toward the bus stop. Ran pulled him back again, and before she could holler anymore, he stripped his arm away from her grip. He leaned in closer to her face and stared into her eyes. “Just give it up, Ran. We're graduating high school soon; we're growing up, so you're foolish to think we'll always be the same.”

 

Ran's anger subsided momentarily. “But why can't we?” Her voice was ebbing sadness. Still, Rei remained stern with her.

 

“It doesn't work that way,” he finally said, and Ran bit her lip, glaring at him. He didn't know what she was expecting, but he couldn't give her what she was asking. They would never be the same, and deep inside he was sure she knew that as well. “Look, Kotobuki. I don't know why it always fell upon me and Aya working, but we can't be the reason you lose your friends. Blame me, sure, but never blame Aya or Tatsukichi.”

 

His words came out colder than he wanted to, but Ran was silent, obviously affected by their meaning.

 

“When this photo shoot is over with, you never have to deal with me again. You know that. I'll be gone, and you'll be able to make amends with everyone without me interfering.”

 

“But I don't want that either!” she demanded, and Rei was taken aback. Ran seemed to be shocked by her own words too.

 

Rei put his hands in his pockets, trying not to read more into her words than he should. It was silly, he thought. There was no way that was the prelude to a confession from Ran Kotobuki.

 

Though, he wanted it to be.

 

He sighed heavily. “I think it'd be best if I don't go to this party tonight. Have your fun; I won't spoil it for you. Since I'm touring with Yumiko this summer anyway, I'll have plenty of parties to go to that'll make up for it.”

 

He turned to leave, but he was pulled back again. His jaw dropped, and immediately he thought it was Ran.

 

“You're coming to this party tonight, Rei-chan!” a stern voice demanded.

 

“Yumiko-chan!” Rei turned and met Yumiko's stormy eyes. They were wet, filling with tears. He'd never seen the starlet look so angry before. She hooked her arm with his and hooked her other arm with Ran's. “You're both going and that's final!”

 

“But Yumiko-chan, you know how I feel…” He stopped himself, looking at Ran. He almost blurted it out, but Ran didn't seem to suspect. Rei grimaced.

 

“I don't care, Rei-chan. You and Ran need to make up,” she said, looking at Ran. Ran's expression was perturbed as she turned away from Rei's gaze.

 

“I don't think we're ready to make up just yet, Yumiko-chan,” Rei said in a smooth voice. He stared at Ran, who still refused to look at him. “I want her to have fun. I'll make the next party.”

 

Ran huffed audibly. Yumiko pouted.

 

Rei watched the starlet's limo pull up to the curb, and then he felt a hard tug. “We'll take about it in the limo.” Yumiko shot him a scary look. “I'm not finished discussing it.”

 

“But Yumiko-chan!” Rei protested.

 

“Hey!” Ran called out, and she was dragged into the limo too.

 

Yumiko giggled loudly as she had clearly won this argument. Ran and Rei looked at each other dumbfounded as Yumiko shoved them side by side into the limo with her, so she could watch them from the other side of their seats.

 

She smirked like a cat, turning to them both. “Now who wants to have a pre-party?” She handed Rei a glass and then one to Ran too, who automatically took them.

 

She poured them drinks of sparkling champagne and then took a sip, smacking her lips together loudly that was reminiscent of Ran. Rei raised an eyebrow, and she gave both Ran and Rei a devilish look. Sighing lightly, she settled comfortably into the limo seat.

 

“Now, what's the problem? Tell Yumiko-chan all about it.”

 

Rei and Ran looked at each other uncomfortably. It appeared as though they were going to get through this whether they wanted to or not.

 

And who could say no to pop idol Rinjou Yumiko?

 

---

 

Ran glared at Rei from her spot inside the limo as Yumiko poured a refill of champagne into her glass. Rei looked away from her, and when Yumiko was done, Ran took a big gulp of it, coughing slightly, but enjoying the tart taste. She took another sip, still glaring at a placid Rei, who continued to ignore her.

 

Then Ran took another sip. And another. And with every sip she took, she started to feel less and less angry at Rei. And the more that Yumiko rambled on about the importance of their friendship, the more she felt perplexed toward him.

 

TBC...