Super GALS Fan Fiction ❯ Silence for Naught ❯ Now is the Time ( Chapter 14 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Silence for Naught

Chapter Fourteen: Now is the Time

When Rei disembarked from the plane, he was amazed that he even remembered to breathe on the way back. He admitted to being nervous, of course. Yuya and his parents were waiting for him in the airport, and then after he settled at home, Yuya was dragging him to a homecoming party at their old hangout in Shibuya. Rei hadn’t been to that place in four years, so he wondered if it would still feel the same way to him.

He hadn’t seen Yuya in a long time too, save from webcam hookups, and he talked to him quite often on the phone. If anything, Rei had talked to Yuya more while he was in California than he did when he was in high school. It sounded like the poor man needed a masculine influence after being around Mami and her friends all the time.

As he rolled his bag through the exiting gate, he spotted his family immediately and they waved him over. He felt relieved upon seeing them, and soon his niggling thoughts about Ran began to take a backseat. He’d been daydreaming about her for most of the time on the plane, and not even a book he picked up from LAX could hold his complete interest.

“Hey, Rei!” Yuya called, and immediately the young man stepped back so Rei’s mother and father could get in the first hugs. His mother had been crying, and Rei held her extra longer and told her he loved and missed her. His father looked upon him with proud eyes and bowed. Behind them, Yuya was without Mami and looking at him with glee.

“I missed you all,” Rei said humbly, and he turned to Yuya with a wry grin. “Hey, you. Where’s your other half?”

“She has tennis practice today, so she couldn’t make it. She’ll be at the party though,” Yuya said with a quick chuckle.

“Amazing that she left you out of your cage for me,” Rei said dryly. “I’ll have to thank Mami-rin.”

Yuya laughed. “It’s good to have you back. I missed your bad attitude.”

“Ah ah, I don’t have a bad attitude,” Rei said. His mother laughed. “I’m just realistic.”

“Let’s go to baggage claim and pick your things, son,” his father said, and Rei nodded as he followed behind them and chatted with Yuya. Getting his things and leaving the airport went faster than Rei realized, and when he stepped foot on his front porch, he stopped and gazed at the house longingly.

He was just glad to be home, even though he wasn’t going to live here anymore. He had an apartment in downtown Tokyo he was moving into tomorrow.

--

As they settled at Rei’s coming home party, Rei gazed around the old restaurant and realized that it just wasn’t the same anymore. It looked fairly similar inside, yet there was a little remodeling on the walls and in the booths. Younger crowds of unfamiliar faces began to hang out there, and he couldn’t help but appreciate that this place would become important for other groups of friends like it did with his.

A modest amount of people showed up for his party, mostly out of curiosity for the fame he gathered. He talked to people from his school and from Ran’s that he barely knew, but he was eager to engage them and tried to be as civil as he could if the conversation turned dull.

Yuya stuck to his side for the entire duration, and even Mami (though her expression said otherwise) seemed content to let her boyfriend enjoy his friend’s company now that he was home. Rei made a mental note to steal Yuya from her clutches once in awhile so he could have some guy time, even though Yuya was clearly still head over heels in love with the woman.

Aya didn’t make it, but she sent along her best with Miyu and Yamato-kun. According to Miyu, Aya married that young man from her college class from four years ago, and the two of them lived in an upscale place in Paris. Aya was the mistress of a fine mansion, and had two children to look after while her husband learned the ropes of his father’s successful trading company. Rei was relieved and proud for her, and he was glad she got over him and was able to be with someone who obviously treated her as number one in his life. He never regretted letting her go. It would have been wrong to use Aya like that when his heart always belonged to Ran.

Miyu and Yamato-kun were also still happily married, and Miyu was working as a manager of a supermarket, and she and her husband were expecting their first child. They had a modest house close to Yamato’s police box, and Rei was glad to see them content and happy with their lives.

Yuya and Mami seemed to be close-knit as well, and Rei overheard several instances where the two of them talked about marriage, and that her father was finally settling on accepting Yuya. His friend had already asked him to stand up for him, and Rei accepted.

As everyone shared their current lives, Rei couldn’t help but wonder about Ran. Yuya had told him she probably wasn’t going to make it, even though he called her and left a message.

“She’s been really busy lately. Miyu hardly sees her anymore. She’s still working part-time for her father’s detective force contractually, and then she has her TV show. She’s been doing a lot of volunteer work too,” Yuya told him.

Mami chimed in: “She really took that ‘poor girls who can’t afford fashion’ thing to heart. She’s been organizing a lot of drives for the needy as well as setting up kiosks in malls to makeover girls to promote her show and side work.”

Yuya laughed. “She’s made so many people happy. She’s a local hero.”

Rei smiled, and he saw Yuya and Mami watching him intently. “That’s good to hear,” he said.

Yuya sighed loudly. “Man, I wish she would come. I heard from Miyu she’s been following your career over there.”

“Ha!” Mami said loudly, and Rei became increasingly curious. “The last time I hung out with her for a shopping spree, she had some of your mixes for Rinjou-Y blasted at full volume. She couldn’t stop saying ‘OH, that part is Rei,’ and then ‘There too, and there!’ It was so annoying.” Rei noted Mami’s exasperation, but the woman was smiling wickedly at him, awaiting his response.

“Interesting,” he said and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. It really was. Rei was about to burst inside, but he kept his composure and kept it cool. He didn’t want Yuya to know he was still hung up on Ran, but he was sure his friend already suspected – and Mami too.

As the party winded down and people filtered out, Rei said goodbye to Yamato and Miyu as they were the last one’s to leave before Yuya and Mami. Mami was getting impatient, and she had ordered the car around without Yuya’s consent. He flustered apologetically as they prepared to leave, and he even offered Rei a ride home. Rei still hadn’t picked up his new car from the dealership yet and was planning on getting his car, moving into his apartment, and doing other errands tomorrow.

Rei declined Yuya’s offer anyway. “I think I’ll walk home.” He had a lot to think about, and he wanted to see his home again and take in the sights and sounds.

“Okay,” Yuya said. He gave Rei another affectionate hug before Mami peeled him away. Rei watched their car leave somberly, but he changed his mind and turned around and headed to his empty apartment within a Shinjuku high rise.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets, and he listened to the chatter in the background of people walking around him. Rei stopped for a minute when he thought he heard someone screaming his name. He looked around, and the crowd of people in the night seemed large and encompassing, and when he didn’t hear the cry again, he turned around and shook his head. He was probably hearing things.

“Otohata!” That was more distinct.

He turned around with wide eyes when he recognized the voice. Before he could reply none other than Ran Kotobuki bombarded into him, drawing her arms around him in a big hug.

“Kotobuki?” he asked shocked, for he didn’t expect to see her at all. Was fate laughing at him? As she pulled away, he looked into her face and almost forgot to let the air back into his lungs.

This was the moment he’d been waiting for.

She put up her hand and tried to catch her breath. For someone who often caught criminals and ran after bad guys, she looked positively beat. He wondered how far she had run to catch up with him. Still, she looked the same from four years ago and she looked even taller than she appeared on her TV show. Rei gave her a light smile.

“I tried to make it…huff…huff… but my stupid producer would not let me leave!” She regained her composure again, and she met his eyes with jubilation. “Looks like I missed the party though.”

“You did. Shame on you,” he said tersely, which made her gape at his audacity. “It was no fun without you.”

“Ha! That’s the truth,” she said boldly. “So now what? Are you going home?”

“To my apartment in Shinjuku, yes, at least to make sure my stuff got delivered there properly,” he answered.

“EEE, you have an apartment in Shinjuku, that’s posh!” she exclaimed excitedly.

“Uh, yeah, I’m making enough to afford it,” he said shocked at her excitement. “Don’t tell me you still live at home with all your success and fame.”

Ran grinned sheepishly and said, “I have a bit of a money budgeting problem. Sometimes I can’t choose between rent and the new Prada handbag.” Rei sighed but continued to smile: same old Kotobuki. “Not only that, but my father insists I stay home until I’m married. Mom doesn’t really care, but dad is hard to argue with. And well, I can’t really say no to him. He gets me some of my best jobs. The show does alright, but the contract jobs are more exciting and better paid.”

“Ah, I’m surprised that your TV show isn’t doing as well. I watch it all the time,” he said.

“You do?” Ran asked. “Even in America?”

Rei nodded, and the two of them began to walk together down the street. “Kotobuki, are you busy? Would you like to go somewhere for… coffee or dinner?”

“Oh man! I haven’t eaten since lunch! Sure, let’s go!” She took his arm and pulled him along. Rei met her excited eyes and felt at peace. “I know the perfect place!”

He couldn’t help it. He was stuck in this moment with her, and he never wanted to come out. They ducked into a bistro that Ran raved about, and as they sat down, Rei couldn’t take his eyes from her as she chatted on about herself.

Dinner, coffee, and dessert came and went, but Rei didn’t want to leave her. He didn’t want to part ways at this shop and go home to a lonely apartment or to his parents’ house with company that wasn’t Ran.

The conversation died down, and Ran refused a refill on her coffee. It was an indication that it was time for them to go.

“Do you have a new phone number?” Rei asked, remembering the times when he called her old one and the number was disconnected. He felt he wasn’t being too bold here, and maybe it would save him face for never calling her in these four years – or even trying.

Ran sighed. “Oh, that’s right. I lost that old phone with the number I gave you. Didn’t Nii-chan give you my new number?”

Rei gave a hard look into her inquiring eyes. “I’m sorry. I never asked. I figured you wouldn’t want to talk to me after the way we left.”

Ran frowned. “Oh, that does make sense.” She paused. “Then I’m sorry too, I guess,” she said flippantly. He wondered if she really felt it. She avoided his eyes and stared at another table. However, Rei noticed she wasn’t ready to leave. So what was bothering her?

He pulled out his phone and she watched his movements. When he was ready, she gave him the new number and that was that. Rei stood up from his table, and Ran pouted and her brow scrunched.

“If you don’t want me to call you after all these years, I can…”

“No!” Ran said angrily. “No. That’s not it,” she snarled to herself. He heard her swear under her breath. Something was really bothering her, and Rei was dying to know what she was thinking.

“Do you… want to see my new apartment?” He was nervous, but the words didn’t come out that way. His tone was smooth, teasing, and he was sure she wouldn’t fall for it. He was a lot older now – they weren’t kids to see such signals as premeditative and cheap. If anything, Rei had always been serious about everything he’d done toward Ran.

Ran blinked and jumped up from her chair, her sour mood suddenly gone. “Really? I’m dying to see your place.”

“I will warn you. It’s pretty empty. Save for some furniture and boxes that is. Some things came with the place, so I don’t exactly know if I’m keeping them yet.”

“Oooh, even more fun! It’ll be like opening presents.” Ran laughed and Rei enjoyed the sound of it. He left money on the table when the waitress passed them by, and he made sure to leave a big tip. As usual, Ran gave him big puppy eyes to have him pay her share, but he didn’t protest. He was going to anyway.

They walked out to the street, and Ran suggested they forego a cab so they could keep talking. He agreed, but he was silent again for most of her talk. However, he didn’t mind since he was learning a lot about her that he’d miss in the last four years.

“I talked to Tatsukichi the other day,” Ran said, and the name caused Rei spin around toward her. He felt a lump form in his throat, and he was worried they were back together.

“Oh?” He tried to sound neutral.

“He’s found yet another fixation,” she said with a groan. “I swear he’ll never settle down if he goes for the first shiny thing he sees.”

“So are you guys back together?” Rei blurted.

“What? Oh no! I dumped him years ago, but we’re still friends. I mean, he tried to reconcile, but I just couldn’t. After he told me to choose him over a job, I couldn’t trust him. What if he started denying more from me? No, no, I need a guy who will let me do what I want and not control me,” she said. Then she sighed. “Which might be expecting too much these days.”

Suddenly, Rei felt his heart beat faster. If there were ever an opportunity to act, it would be now. He’d been wondering for years if she was still dating actively and finally after one bold question, he’d gotten his answer. She’d been having trouble as much as he had, though his troubles were self-inflicted.

Quickly, he grabbed her hand and pulled her aside against a building. He lightly dropped her arm, but he did not release her. He searched her eyes for any anger, any potential rejection.

“So, this means you’re not with anyone at all right now?” he asked softly. He felt anxious, but he kept his cool reserve as she gaped open and scrutinized him. He smiled slightly, hoping it would put her at ease.

Unexpectedly, Ran laughed instead of hitting him. “You haven’t changed. Are you playing me or what?”

“I swear I am not,” he said, turning and feigning offense. Ran laughed louder, and she pulled her arm from his light grip and dipped down and took his hand.

“So you’ve been brooding about this all night, haven’t you? No wonder your party sucked!” she joked.

“Not all night,” he said truthfully. Her mood froze and she stared at him curiously again, and he left it at that. She didn’t need to know he’d been waiting for her since she kissed him goodbye the day he left for college.

She didn’t pursue it and left the conversation dead as she shifted to another subject. “So you’ll have to come on my TV show some time. I rarely have celebrity guests. I need the ratings boost.”

“You think I’m a celebrity?” Rei asked amused.

Ran cocked her head. “Don’t be a jerk, Otohata. You know you are. You’re mixing for some of the hottest idols in Japan, not too mention Rinjou-Y has laid her claim on you to use you whenever she wants. Your mix with her latest dance number sold over 40 million singles, and that’s not counting international sales.”

Rei raised an eyebrow and grinned at her. “You’ve been keeping up on me.”

“Humph. Of course I have. You’re my friend, and well, Rinjou-Y is my idol,” she said as-a-matter-of-factly.

“Sure, I’ll come on your show,” he agreed, and she cheered with a squeal. “You just can’t taser me.”

“Ahaha, you saw that episode,” she said. “Boy, that was fun.” He gave her a stern look. “Of course I wouldn’t taser you,” she said with a weak cough, but he didn’t entirely believe her.

She chatted more about her show, and in no time, they were standing in front of the high rise that housed his apartment.

“Wow!” she said, looking up without blinking. Her mouth gaped open and Rei almost saw stars in her eyes.

“My suite is on the fifth floor. It used to be Rinjou-Y’s before she moved to her penthouse,” he said, and Ran was almost drooling.

“So you’re getting her old apartment AND some of her leftover stuff?” she asked in disbelief.

“It appears that way,” he said.

“How can you be so calm about this? I’d be freaking out if it was me.” She followed him inside after he punched in the security codes and waved his ID to the guard. Ran even gaped at the guard, who didn’t care she was there as long as Rei had the proper identification.

“Oh my God, you have the fuzz guarding you too!”

“Be careful, you’re starting to drool,” he droned.

“Hey!” she called, coming after him and waving her hands. “Be nice! You haven’t seen me in four years.”

“And you haven’t changed a bit either,” he said, and they strode into the elevator and Rei pushed the right button. Ran glared at him, but Rei knew she wasn’t really mad.

“I have so changed. Do you how busy I’ve been? All the work I’ve done?” she huffed.

“Of course,” he said, turning to her with a light smile. “I’ve kept up with you too all these years.”

Ran’s anger subsided, and Rei noticed her expression turned torn again, like it had at the coffee shop. He almost regretted teasing her this much.

Silently, she followed him to the right door, and she looked around, absorbing the scenery and ‘oohing’ and ‘awwing’ to the high-class décor.

“This is so couture!” Rei led her inside his new apartment, and she gasped when she saw the large white couch Yumiko-chan had left him. She took off and dove for it, hugging a pillow. “Oh my God, it even smells like her!”

Rei watched her with light amusement, taking in her excitement as it became his own. He wished he could tell her that this could all be hers too, if she accepted him. He didn’t want to scare her though; he just got back.

He just had to be sure that she had some feelings for him, that maybe someday he’d have a better chance.

“Well, if I know Yumiko-chan, there’s probably something to drink here. I’ll go check the mini bar,” he said. “Now that we’re older and wiser enough to drink properly.”

“Ha! It sounds strange coming from you,” she said, and he could feel her watching him as he poured the drinks. He turned to her to her with a confident smirk.

“I promise, it’s only champagne, and I’ve worked up a tolerance while I was at school,” he said, handing her a glass. She stared at it before turning to him.

“I didn’t even realize… I’ve been talking about myself, and you’ve said nothing about what you did in America,” she said.

“Oh, so you’re interested?” he teased.

“Of course,” she snapped at him, sticking out her tongue.

“Well, there’s not much to tell. I was probably just as busy as you were. Yumiko-chan had a lot of contacts there, and also, my schoolwork and clubs’ work kept me pretty busy. I was probably the most boring college student ever, but my friends were nice enough to bring me a long to a few parties.”

“And you probably had girls lining up,” she said with a scoff, and she leaned back against the couch and looked out the large window to the night sky.

“Well, I wouldn’t say that, but I didn’t have time for that, nor did I really care for American girls,” he said. “Some of them are worse than ganguro.”

“Haha!” Ran said. “I would have been mad if you said kogals.” She poked his chest playfully.

“I don’t know any annoying kogals,” he said seriously.

“Liar! You always gave me a hard time,” she said, but her mocked anger settled into a smile. She looked away and her expression seemed nostalgic. “I miss those days.”

“Hn,” he said, taking another sip. Truthfully, he really didn’t. The things with Aya and then dealing with his unrequited feelings were some of the things he was glad he was finally beyond.

“It’s not the same, is it?” she asked with a sigh.

“No,” he said simply. “It was never going to be the same.” They fell into an awkward silence, and Rei became tired of skirting around the real issues with her. He wanted to finally make or break it and tell her his feelings. He knew that if she rejected him, he’d be devastated. But he’d survive. He did these four years, but it didn’t mean he was going to stop loving her. He would just do it all on his own if worse came to worse.

“Do you still think I ruined our group of friends?” he asked boldly. He met her eyes, and she frowned.

“I never thought that,” she said resolutely. “At first, I blamed you for the Aya stuff, and well, I couldn’t understand why Tatsukichi just couldn’t get over it. However, I was blind for awhile.”

She put her glass down in the small end table next to the arm of the chair. She shook her head and said, “He was right. I just didn’t see it.”

Rei’s heart froze. Was this how it was going to be? Did she have something to tell him before he could reveal his feelings again?

She wasn’t looking into his eyes when she continued, “That night when Yumiko-chan and I brought you home, you told me… how you felt. You kissed me, and I was pissed. But I… I didn’t hate it.”

Rei took a strained breath.

“At the airport, I wanted you to kiss me again,” she said. Her eyes flashed with anger, as if she’d been mad at herself for a long time.

Rei turned to her on the couch and held her arms, pulling her close to him. “Ran, why didn’t you tell me?” He didn’t expect to be more hurt that she kept this from him.

“Because dummy! If I kissed you, you would have stayed! You would have given up your dream to be a DJ, and I couldn’t let you do it!” she seethed, but Rei’s grip lessened when her words soaked in. “You would have stayed, right? You would have given everything up for me, and you couldn’t do that. I wouldn’t let you.”

“But Kotobuki…” Rei said. He couldn’t believe she gave him up because she wanted him to fulfill his dreams. It was the sweetest sacrifice, yet the fact that he had to wait this long left a horrible ache in his heart.

“Tatsukichi was right. Hell, Mami-chan was right when she said I liked you and didn’t know it. I never realized this until you were gone.” She paused and slipped out of his grasp. She stood up and began pacing his living room. Rei stared at her empty spot on the couch. “There were days when I wanted to call you about the silliest things. If I had a problem or if I knew I was going to do something stupid, I knew you would talk sense into me. I knew your opinion would always be right and fair. But you were gone, and I didn’t have that anymore.”

She stopped and turned to him, and he met her eyes. There were no tears, but she looked relieved, like a huge weight had been taken off her. She seemed to stand more confidently, and she raised her chin and peered at him with resolve.

“You’re probably right. I would have stayed for you,” he answered.

“And you would have been doing just what Aya did when she decided to change schools to be with you,” Ran said wisely, and Rei agreed.

“I would have thought you were worth giving school up for, Kotobuki,” he said. “I still do.”

Ran watched him silently, but soon Rei saw a smile form on her relieved face. “You waited for me, didn’t you? You idiot, you waited for me.”

He grinned. “It wasn’t the right time back then. You weren’t ready. That’s what I always thought.”

“Do you think I’m ready now?” she asked defiantly with her hands on her hips.

He rose from the couch and walked over to her. He put an arm around her back and drew her near. “I can only try, but I must warn you, I am prepared to be devastated.”

She went still in his arms as he leaned down, and soon her soft lips were under his, and he was taking in her mouth that he so longed to taste. He felt her sigh against him, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer as her tongue delved deeper, dancing and tasting with his. A memory flashed before him, and he recalled how he boldly imposed upon her that one drunken night. This time, however, felt new – her lips willing and her body ready. He pressed her closer and grew hungrier, and she made no motion to stop him.

She made a noise of protest as he pulled away, and when his lips found her jaw, she craned her neck back and sighed. His pulled away, his lips hovering just above the V of her shirt.

He drew back, and he met her eyes with a sensual smile.

“Kotobuki…”

“Ran,” she said. “Call me Ran.” He stopped, and he looked at her curiously. “I hate when you call me ‘Kotobuki’. It always feels like you’re yelling at me.”

“Okay, then, Ran-chan.”

“No, just Ran,” she huffed.

“Ran-ppe,” he said quickly.

“AH! You’re teasing me,” she raged at him, and he snaked his arms around her as her face buried in his chest.

“Ran,” he said softly, and she ceased fidgeting.

“Rei,” she said, with her tone confident and resolute.

“Stay here,” he said.

“For the night?” she sounded on the verge of anxiety and defense. Rei laughed.

“For as long as you want,” he said.

She pulled out of his hug and looked up. “Really?” Her eyes roamed around his apartment excitedly. “Can I help decorate?”

Rei’s grin widened. “We’ll see about that.” Ran snorted unhappily. “Come on, let’s order a movie. Then maybe we can order take out.”

“Sounds good! You’re buying,” she said, and she pulled his arms and drew him over to the couch, where they sat down and nestled against one another. She grabbed the remote and began playing with his satellite TV, and he let her pick the movie, though he did get in a few remarks about her choices (some of them not to Ran’s liking).

“Argh! I’m choosing this one!” she said hotly, and Rei chuckled against her shoulder.

“You know, I take back what I said about the movies you picked,” he said.

“Eh?” she raged at him. “I went through all that abuse for nothing?”

“Yep, because I don’t think I’ll be watching any of them,” he said, and he stole the remote from her hand and tossed it to the floor. Ran gaped and Rei moved in for a kiss. He led her down onto the couch and settled over her. He watched as her hair fanned out underneath her.

“I just noticed,” she said, and her eyes looked above his crown. He stopped as she stared. “You have a red streak in your hair.”

“Yes,” he said and he kissed her temple.

Their eyes met, and Ran shook her head. “You really are a dork.”

“Maybe, but that’s not it at all,” he said, and their bodies shifted more comfortably on the couch. Until now, Rei didn’t realize how large this couch was until they snuggled together.

“Don’t leave me in suspense, what is it then?” she asked with feigned annoyance.

“You don’t even have to ask, Ran,” he said. “I already told you why four years ago.”

She nodded, and he felt her nuzzle closer against him. “As long as we’re being honest, I feel the same way too.”

He chuckled, and he looked over to see the flush on her cheeks. It was just like her not to come out and say it – but that was part of why he liked her, and why they were perfect for each other.

Ran let out an angry strained sigh. “So the super cool gal falls in love with the clean cut jerk.” She snuggled closer as a chuckle rumbled in his chest.

“The end,” Rei closed off with amusement, and as he ran his fingers through her hair, he felt her shaky hand sneak under the edge of his shirt. When her soft fingers met warm flesh, he drew her in for another kiss - one that lasted longer this time.

And it was within her kiss that marked the beginning of an even longer night, the very night the both of them had been wanting for these past four years. It had all come to this, and Rei wouldn’t have played it out any other way.

+O+

The Next Morning…

Ran yawned loudly as Rei snuggled next to her on Yumiko-chan’s large comfortable couch. The two of them managed to unearth some blankets and snuggled next to each other all night long. Despite being mostly up for anything, Rei was a gentleman and did not rush into anything last night. There was no pressure, and Ran didn’t ruin the night when he just wanted to hold her.

He really was a good man, and Ran sometimes hated herself for not seeing it sooner. It didn’t matter now, however, since they’d finally found each other.

She slipped out of bed soundly as Rei continued to sleep. She heard a light knock on the door, and she wondered who could be calling at this time in the morning. Did anyone even know who was here? She stepped cautiously toward the door and looked out the peephole.

She sighed when no one was there, and slowly she opened the door. Looking down, she realized the morning paper had come. Only it wasn’t an actual newspaper.

“AHHH!” she screamed, and Rei woke up quickly distressed.

“What is it?” he grumped, rubbing his eyes.

“The paper! Rei you gotta see this!” she exclaimed. She ran to the couch and plopped down in the mess of blankets wrapped around him. He blinked and took the paper she had shoved onto his lap.

His eyes went wide when he noticed the cover, then he sighed in exasperation.

“Renowned DJ Artist Otohata Rei and Talk Show Host Ran Kotobuki Hooking Up? Details inside.”

“That’s us!” she said frantically, pointing to the picture of them sitting in the coffee how chatting. Rei turned the page and saw many more tabloid shots of them, one of them by the guard signing them into his apartment.

“Huh, well you were right, Ran, I am a celebrity!”

“No duh, and so am I!” she said and she grabbed the rag of a tabloid from his grasp and stared at it. “I don’t know whether to burn this or frame this!” Rei saw her hands shaking, and she looked upset, and he wondered if she was going to cry.

Instead, she leapt from her spot and laughed. “This…this is the first racy story about me! I’m going to get a lot of ratings!” She laughed wickedly and Rei exhaled heavily as he fell back into bed.

“Well if you’re happy, then please put that down and crawl back into bed. I didn’t plan on getting up until 7 today.”

“Don’t be a stick in the mud, Rei. This is really good news! I wonder who sent it though; ah well, doesn’t matter,” she said. He raised an eyebrow and looked at her sternly.

“I am not a stick in the mud,” he said, and when she paced over to him, he grabbed her arm and pulled her onto his lap. “You know what this means, don’t you? The tabloids and the attention?”

“What?” she froze and she actually dreaded what he was going to say next.

“It means I have to go on your show now. I’m obligated,” he said teasingly. She relaxed in his grasp and laughed. “But no tasers.”

“Don’t worry about the tasers! I promised,” she said, and when she met his gaze, he saw wickedness in her eyes. “However, I am doing a show about getting over the fear of spiders and snakes.”

Rei shuddered. “No, Ran. I won’t do it.”

She leaned in and smiled coyly at him. “Oh yes you will.” She shifted her body and leaned her arms on his shoulders as she straddled him. “Because you’ll do anything for me.”

“I don’t know about that,” he said, feigning indifference. “I don’t think you really know me.”

She leaned in close and rubbed her forehead affectionately against him. “Don’t be rude, of course I do.”

His voice dropped to a whisper. “Then did you also know that I want breakfast right now?”

“Ooh! Me too,” she said, her mood quickly changing. Before she could bolt away, Rei held her back.

“Who said anything about treating you? I’m going to get dressed and go out myself,” he said mockingly.

“Oh! You are not! You’re taking me out and buying!” she demanded.

He pushed her off and stood up. He stared down at her as she pouted. “No spiders. No snakes.” If her lips could pout any lower, they would.

“Fine, but you’re still buying me breakfast,” she said, and she watched intently as he peeled his shirt off from the night before. He met her eyes again and smiled knowingly.

“Well, then, I guess you really do know me.” He held out his hand. “Come on, let’s go.”

Ran bounced up and followed behind him. The warmth of her hand in his was a new yet beginning comfort for him, and once they had finally accepted each other, he couldn’t help but desire even more from her.

And now that Ran Kotobuki was here – with him, they needn’t be silent about such things ever again.




THE END

AN: Thank you so much for support of this story! I really enjoyed writing this. I know it took me awhile to finish, but I’m so glad I was able to still share this with all of you. It started out just as a guilty pleasure to make up for some unresolved thoughts I had about the direction of the manga, and I’m really pleased on how this story turned out. If you follow the links to my profile to my writing journal on Livejournal, there will be a post with my author’s notes on thoughts to this story.

Take care, Ran and Rei fans!



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