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A GALS! Fan Fiction

"What It Takes"

By Bloody Priestess

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Summary: (1) Rei and Ran. People often say that, "No LOVE is worth as much a TRUE and lasting FRIENDSHIP." But, do tell me honestly, do you have what it takes to chose FRIENDSHIP over your one, and TRUE LOVE?

(2) REIxRAN. Rei Otohata can barely speak his mind, what more with his feelings? So, he becomes part of a (rock) band. Under the shroud of his songs he bares his soul and his true feelings for Aya Hoshino & Ran Kotobuki.

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Author's Notes: I apologize for the very, very, very (VERY!) late update. You must know that I have seriously considered deleting the story—but like when I first wrote this, it was my intention to "tell them how I felt"… and so, the story remained posted. Sigh. I'm really, really sorry for the minuses that seemed to have outweighed the pluses of immediately writing this chapter and the whole story in general... too much painful memories are tangled with this.

But here it is—

Love it or hate it... I'm quite indifferent about it now. (...or so I like to keep telling myself, in hopes that I'll actually become that. )

:'/

Chapter Four: Valor

"A rose by any other name would smell such as sweet." Or so Shakespeare once said. Valor, Courage… whatever, is not the absence of fear but the capability to act without care of the latter consequences.

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Fanatical high-pitched screams.

Rei Otohata felt a headache coming though. He just had about all he can take with all this foolishness. He swore under his breath, deftly dodging the reaching grasps of the large mob of young ko-gals hanging about outside the Palm Tree Café—out in the blistering cold (nonetheless!) just to get a glimpse of members of Lost Cause—Rei Otohata, Yuya Asou, Ryu Muuji, Daisuke Umura, and Akio Tamari.

A sentry, all deck out in black and complete with an earpiece and shady sunglasses stood in the doorway blocking off those who had no real business in the café. Otohata turned to his left. He and Yuya recognized the former Detective Kudou beneath the disguise.

Rei wanted to smash his head against the concrete wall as a renewed waves of screaming crashed to his ear from the girls in his left. Actually, it was just the usual frickin' cynicism setting in that triggered the thought. Most of these assembled girls weren't going gaga because of the music they make, Rei thought disgustedly. They were here for, as what the Ko-Gal magazine referred him and the guys, "man-candy". Rei sighed for the nth time, massaging his throbbing temples, managing to keep his temper in check. He needed to be pleasant and charming. For Lost Cause, he reasoned.

"Welcome!" Greeted the pretty waitress, whose name plate reads, Sally, as they entered the café… Obviously recognizing them, she ushered the five young men to the booth where a reporter awaited for them. "This way, sirs."

"Well, well, well, well!" The reporter began as her blood-red rouged lips curled in a Cheshire Cat's smile. "The infamous Lost Cause. You made it!" She was dressed à la Gothic Lolita—her black baby doll dress was fluff-up with layers, upon layers of alternating slips of black and white petticoats; trimmed with black and red lace; and finished off with narrow rows of black velvet ribbons in the edges of her sleeves, bodice and skirts. There stood a smiling Sashiko Kagesawa.

This was going to be one of the longest sixty minutes of relentless 'interrogation' he and the rest of Lost Cause has to endure for a KO-GAL Magazine, "GALS!". Rei thought, grounding his teeth together.

Oh, they knew her by journalistic reputation. She is called the 'Gossipy Bloodhound' but never to her face.

Daisuke, being the gentleman he's all-so known for, deliberately disregarded the fact that she was not the reporter who originally requested to do an interview with the band. "Good afternoon, miss. Yes, we did. I see, Miss Tsusane did not."

Her gray eyes peered through her darkly lined eye make-up, reminding Daisuke of ominous moonlight through the cover of night. The smug, knowing smile on her face faltered a little. "Are you disappointed, Mr. Umura? That I'm here instead of Michiyo Tsusane?"

"Of course not, Miss Ka—"

"You're related to her, aren't you?" She cut in, cooly. "A cousin — she is the second daughter of your mother's sister, is she not?"

A slightly wavy light brown hair nodded, cordially.

Rei could not help but be impressed. The girl did her homework. In the corner of his eye, Daisuke motioned to the seat behind her. "Shall we begin? We're sure you're a very busy lady."

Very busy! Akio scoffed. His air, unmistakable. Gossip never sleeps and so does she!

Everyone who read GALS! Magazine knew that Sashiko was relentless in the pursuit of a good story. And her definition of a good story was that A good story is the hard-hitting truths behind masques. Essentially, her forté digging up lies and falsity from the people she interviewed, no matter what the cost. She had hung her chances on being called "sweet, agreeable" to get what she wanted— the honest-to-goodness TRUTH. Local celebrities (especially those with something to hide) dreaded her and her interviewing techniques... for she always got what she wanted.

The dark haired lead guitar and -in secret- the band's vocalist squeezed in between the mahogany brown haired Ryu Muuji and the ever-animated, flame-haired Akio Tamari on the window booth of the posh café. Akio, scooted a little to accommodate Daisuke. And so the latter, sat the end of the semi-circular table, adjacent to him was Yuya.

It appears that, she ordered for them. Drinks were already set and waiting for them on the table. She may be the way she is—but they have to commend her for her thorough and accurate research. For their drink preferences were on the table, ready.

And the interviewer, Sashiko Kagesawa wasted no time, tossing a running tape recorder on the table, right before the extra stool was popped at the "head" of the booth for her. Her ink-black hair bounced in its fashionably messy, curling pigtail as she took a stool provided and regarded Yuya, who was nearest to her with an almost boorish interest.

"Mr. Asou. Yuya Asou? Can I call you 'Yuya'?" Before Yuya could put in a word, she cut him off. "We're all friends here, aren't we?" Sashiko smiled vehemently, thus duly keeping him from responding too soon. "'Yuya', then! Our readers would love to know…"

"Ye—?"

"What's with you and your fellow band mate, Rei Otohata's girlfriend?" She blurted out with out preamble. Her grey eyes glistening with carefully obscured "random" line of innocent inquiry.

Ryu Muuji's eyes flew to Rei, who was cool as cucumber, expressionless, as usual. While, Akio chocked on his drink—the flame-colored haired drummer prided himself to be accustomed to blunt and straight-to-the-point questions but this woman was too much!

Miss Kagesawa (though she knew otherwise) took the long silence for confusion. "Oh. Sorry. I am implying Rei's girlfriend." She waved a hand in emphasis to her long, curling dark hair. "You know… that relatively pretty dark haired girl that usually tags along her highness; the No. 1 Ko-gal of Shibuya, Miss Ran Kotobuki… that girl's name escapes me…"

She was being coy. She was up to something. Of course, she knew that 'that relatively pretty dark haired girl'—she was a good researcher. She was most definitely up to something. A forced, albeit reluctant confession, perhaps?

"I don't have a girlfriend." Rei stressed, his beautiful eyes taking a slight menacing gleam. And the horde of girls screamed with unrestrained delight.

A chic, shapely eyebrow rose at Rei's interjection. There was a wicked glint in Sashiko's startling gray eyes. She shifted her body to Rei like a falcon closing on a prey. They realized she was about to pose a "damaging" question at Rei. Sensing that, Yuya quickly put himself in the hot seat, parrying the question for Rei.

"Oh. You must mean, Aya Hoshino." Yuya smiled smoothly. "We're friends." However, his brown eyes studied the tape recorder anxiously. And wondered if there will come a time if scientists would be able to engineer a tape recorder that would read minds… Then, only will they—especially Aya—get to hear what he REALLY thought and wanted to say.

"Hm. Yeah sure… Whatever," But GothLoli-dressed reporter was no near in writing the name down. "Friends, huh? But what's this we're hearing? A little birdie told me that they saw you guys all so lovey-dovey as you two were walking along the streets of Shibuya—not to mention a 'serenade scene' you got going on with that girl by a local shopping mall's outdoor fountain just three days ago?"

A hesitation. "Oh, we were just hanging out. Friends, you know?" Yuya continued with a rueful finality in his tone. "JUST friends."

Sashiko Kagesawa smiled sweetly… Too sweetly, Akio noticed fretfully. He had seen that look before… it was the sort his little sister, Ameka gave whenever she was up to something wicked… His previous encounters of that countenance lead to nothing but trouble.

Sashiko turned to Rei. Her eyes simmered maliciously at Rei. "What can you say about that, Rei sweetie?"

"Nothing. It does not bother me at all. Heck, not one bit." Rei shrugged, emphasizing his lackadaisical attitude. I can't believe that you're making it seem that I am supposed to be so bothered! Do you mind? Rei grimaced slightly, and for that he was grateful. He didn't want the darn reporter to sniff-out (and, most likely ask!) about the reason for this illustration of agitation.

Too late! An ink-black head in pigtails turned sharply to Rei's general direction… Dammit, no… Rei thought, perking up for a fight… but it never came. As it seems, Sashiko seemed to have dropped the subject entirely as she bent her head and scribbled away in her notepad like there was no tomorrow.

And just when Rei and Yuya thought they could breathe a little easier and get on with the same old-run-in-the-mill questions. She looked up from her notes. And then... when she looked up to gaze at them. Her innocent expression had them reconsidering why they let their guard down.

"I can't seem to get over the fact that you and that somewhat lovely dark haired young lady," She's merely nosing around for something vile to print… Someone thought. Keep your cool, man. Keep your cool. "You know —one of the many friends of Shibuya's darling number 1 Ko-Gal, Ran Kotoboki whose name I do not kn—"

That was the last straw for Asou. Rising from his seat, he slammed his hands on the table a tab bit too forcefully making the cups and saucers dance, "AYA! Her. Name. Is. Aya Hoshino. For the love of god, Miss Kagesawa, get that fact through your head and commit it to memory! You make it seem that she's an unimportant second fiddle!"

… I know how that feels. For I too AM a second fiddle. Yuya thought fiercely, careful not to glance at Rei's reserved yet inquisitive expression. He was not defending Aya—he was defending himself too. In all fairness to the first fiddle—no other than, Rei—it was not his best bud's intention to make so… It just happened and no matter whatever Yuya did the label stuck. And hurt.

Everyone within the café's confines stopped and was now listening in. Sally, the waitress who just removed herself from behind the bar counter, was openly gawked with her orders in a round tray that was popped on her upturned hand.

A small, blood-red smile quirked at the blonde's outburst. Gotcha. "Why are you suddenly so worked up, my dear Yuya? Surely," she said in a convincingly innocent, bewildered tone, "you do not love her MORE than a friend. After all, that's all you claim her to be in your life... A. Friend." She pouted, prettily. "Personally, I find it very odd... and very inconsistent to what you have three minutes ago."

Amber eyes in its silent, well-reined fury shimmered like molten gold. Tartly, Yuya asked, "What are you getting at?"

"Nothing... I just simply mused aloud if you told the truth just now... or earlier." Sashiko replied, undeterred... but this time, her eyes were solemn at her inquiry. The young men did not realize that she was communicating her 'condolences' at her actions.

Daisuke abruptly stood. Gently placing a hand over the blonde's shoulder, he firmly made the fuming blonde to recline back down his seat. Lost Cause's keyboards/synths gave Sashiko a look that completely tore that Cheshire Cat's smile from her pretty face like a false masque. "Miss Kagesawa," Daisuke began diplomatically, but the hint of an edge was obvious, "...weren't you asking us a question and NOT making commentaries?"

Sashiko, Rei observed, was chastised. Why do I have a feeling that I am missing something between these two?

Is it me or does Umura have a certain effect on Kagesawa? Akio folded his arms behind his head before reclining in his seat. What's going on here?

"I was getting to that." Sashiko grudgingly said with a pout like a small child.

"Surely," Daisuke continued, in a tone like that of an admonishing elder. "...you have other questions to ask us than that."

That, made Yuya cease shaking with anger. Unmistakably, that was a clear case of 'Adding insult to injury'. And to think, Daisuke was supposed to be the most gentlemanly of them all. "Damn, if I know better some thing's goin' on between the two of you."

A pair—one light brown haired young man and the other a dark haired with hot pink and purple highlights— turned winded to face the blonde. And Rei was grateful that he kept his mouth shut—

Heaven knows, he could not stand people looking at him with such mortification of voicing out the truth. The lead guitarist was a firm believer of "do unto others what you want others to do unto to you". He'd rather lie and pretend not to care than to do what Yuya just did—in dread that the very thing would be done to him... in this case, be in Umura and Kagesawa's shoes of embarrassment.

And just when Rei was starting to feel good about himself and his justifications— Daisuke spoke, "Wrong, Yuya... it would be more accurate if you used the past tense."

Sashiko eyed the roll of tape spinning idly inside the tape recorder and hastily said, "Gee, we're really far from the agenda of that day, gentlemen. I still have the other, well actually, loads of other questions to ask." With another moment wasted, she fished out a list from her delicate black and white lace trimmed reticule. "Here are!" She announced pleasantly.

And the rest of the interview flowed predictably. When the interview was all over, Rei was not sure if he was truly pleased the truth was not pried from him. He had been an introvert for too long—and that's was why he began expressing himself through (really loud) music… and now, given all this shitty things NOT happening in the way he intended—

He was back to square one. The introvert he tried so hard to vanquish… still lives.

Otohata thought of Valor and what the song meant to him... Damn! The past tense.

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Reality can be one real mean bitch.

But then again, Aya revoked, slightly discomfited by her earlier, heartless statement, C'est là vie.

Sheltered from the prying eyes of the world in Towa's café corner-most booth, the trio—she, Miyu and Ran were trying to be ordinary as hell. Thank the Gods for some sort of commotion in the far end of the café—for all the sparse customers eyes were drawn there and not here…

After all, Ran came clean with her break-up and all… Waterworks was most likely a given. Miyu was seated next to Ran, awfully quiet, her arm over the red-head.

"It's wrong for me to act this way." Ran dolefully, "But rejection hurts." She pushed away a box of tissues, as if the sight of it would convince her that her mascara was not worth trouble of reapplying.

Tell me something I don't know. She felt oddly thrilled, eying Ran from across the table. Now, YOU know how it feels! The raven haired girl grimaced at the thought as it formed in her head. What a mean thing to say, Aya… But some voice declared snidely, But it would be a lie, to say that something inside her did not mean every word. Her big brown eyes stole up to Ran's teary profile and found herself smiling spitefully. Aya froze, her slender hands fisting on her black tights clad lap. What's wrong with me?

"Aya? You're looking a little pale... What's the matter?"

"Nothing's the matter with me, Ran..." Aya immediately straightened, sending her glorious long mane of bluish-black hair in a becoming sweep behind her while a sweet, kind smile played in her lips. And thank GOD! Better you than me. Aya visibly winced at later commentary and fell into troubled silence.

Miyu thoughtfully eyed the lovely brunette. "Everything's starting to fall apart..." The blonde said under her breath. "Composures and pretenses has finally been over powered by the overwhelming weight of the painful truth tha—"

"Aya?" Ran with her eyes at their driest—quite over her misery, sensing Aya's—reached for the brunette's firmly fisted hands.

Soft brown eyes were deep pools of raw, primal ire as Aya slapped Ran's hand away.

It was impulse that made her react that way! Or so, Aya justified. She felt hot and embarrassed… Not understanding this new pouring and driving emotion in her, she did the next thing that came into mind. A relatively Rei—her love, move. Remorselessly grabbing her lavender and maroon-hued coat she carefully draped over her chair, Aya got up and stalked out the café. It was not when she slammed the door behind her, did she realized that it was more of a Ran move than anything else.

Aya brought a hand hard to the side of her face, ceasing the flow of tears. Wasn't this what that redhead did to her way back when? In the lovely brunette's head were the stinging sensation of the slap and the thought of Ran, as if it was the aforementioned girl who gave that most recent hurting.

In a way, it was true. Ran had hurt her. Aya's gleaming mane of dark-hair vanished as she plowed her way through the throng of animated Gals idly by a specific window.

Ran cringed at the sound of slamming doors. Miyu looked more thoughtful than ever before. "It was my fault…wasn't it, Miyu?" Ran began, a red head tilted not like anything Miyu had seen before, "I was selfish to say what I felt… I should have kept my mouth shut. She looks up to me as a model of behavior, you know? I did not see it at first but—ever since, damn."

Miyu listened, understanding completely that it was against her iron-clad rule to repeat a friend's less-than-flattering moments and patiently waiting for Ran to finish whatever she was comfortable to share.

"She mostly supposed, being the intelligent girl that she is, that by emulating this 'strength' in me, she did get by the way I do." A dark, smeared-mascara droplet from the eye scarred Ran's flushed face. "I should have kept my mouth shut—then I wouldn't have hurt her with the truth… the truth that I am NOT so strong after all. Oh Miyu, I betrayed her image of me. It's like learning your movie icon is a filthy little tramp that ruins marriages and the like! I hurt her!"

"The truth that has been dying to get out... And the truth that has finally got out." Miyu thought of Aya, then of Ran as she said that. The pretty blonde young mother-to-be left a handful of bills on the table and chased after Ran with the redhead's winter coat in hand.

"After all, one who is only pretending not to care cannot be sincerely and brutally honest with herself."

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Here ends, Chapter Four

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Author's Notes: More of Gothic Lolita notes, you may visit en . wikipedia wiki / Goth(underscore)loli (copy what's bold-ed and delete the spaces)...

An extremely short chapter... A turn for the better, I hope. If I lengthen this (to equal the previous chapters' length) I'd end up blabbing and bore my plot bunnies to tears so much that they start to bounce away.

Is this the right course, my readers?

Sighs. Here's to more plot and less blab then... Ü

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The Next Chapter: It Hurts

- I watched a slow, passionate and romantic kiss. Her arms were around his neck. His hands were on her waist. Her eyes were closed and so were his. It was like watching a kissing scene from a movie… Ideal, genuine and breathtaking! I would have been happy for them …if it they were not the guy I love and my best friend. -

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