Note: One of my older works so I'm sorry if it looks weird
It was a busy day. Christmas had just passed and people are now preparing to welcome the New Year. Reiko sat on the windowsill while staring at the window, one hand holding a bottle of light beer... the other holding her favorite paperback novel. She was lost in thought and did not notice that someone was approaching...
"Rei?"
Reiko craned her neck and gave a lazy dimpled smile at her room mate/band member/soul mate who smiled back...Jessica sat across Reiko on the window sill and also stared at the city lights... the two basked on the comforting silence and the younger took another sip of the light beer she was holding...
"Are you sure?"
A low chuckle was heard from the younger girl and Jessica glanced at Rei whose gaze did not move from the colorful city lights...
"Jess, you've asked that for the third time today..."
Jessica sighed and crossed her arms, "I'm sorry but you can't stop me from being worried."
"I want to do this Jessica... no, I need to do this. It's been 7 years and with each year that I hide what I feel... a part of me slowly crumbles... I need closure so I can move on. "
"I've told you a million times that he likes you, you just don't want to believe me. But that's not what I'm worried about though, what I'm worried about is your way of telling him."
Reiko emptied the bottle of light beer and laid it on the floor, "it's not that I don't believe you Jess. I'm just not convinced."
"That's just the same thing!"
Reiko stood and grabbed the empty bottles of light beers lying at Jessica's feet. Jessica followed Reiko with her eyes, "Dan is coming back tonight to celebrate the New Year with us..."
The black haired girl had a weak smile on her face and replied in a soft voice, "I won't be here tonight..."
Jessica angrily stood and grabbed Reiko's arm, "See? That's why I'm worried! I can't understand why you need to be away when you finally tell him how you feel! How the hell can you be sure he doesn't feel the same way?! Besides i-if he doesn't feel the same way, I'm sure he would not discard all the years of friendship you two share. And Daniel is not fickle minded. I'm sure he would understand you."
The phone's loud ringing resounded throughout their shared dorm, Reiko lightly pushed Jessica's arm away and smiled, "Answer it. It's probably Ken...Roan already called earlier."
"Rei..."
Reiko saw the worried expression on the band singer's face and she shook her head, "don't feel bad, Jessie... this is all my choice. Now go... answer the phone."
Jessica helplessly watched as Reiko padded the cold floors barefooted going to the direction of her room. Once the younger closed the door, Jessica took the cordless phone off the hook, "Hello..."
"Jessie! It's me!"
"Dan?"
Even with the gripping feeling in his heart, Jessica smiled at the enthusiasm of her slightly younger cousin... "I'll finally be there tonight! I miss you and Rei but you know I can't celebrate Christmas there cause of work and all that stuff."
"Yes I know Danny... it's okay."
"I'll try to be there real early so I can give your presents, kay? I was supposed to give them last Christmas but there were things that I had to do plus it was hard to look for a perfect gift for Roan and Rei... you know how picky that bully is and I can't just give something imperfect to my Reiko, you know what I mean right?"
"Yes I do of course... just come here okay? We're waiting for you."
The other line went quiet and the older thought her cousin had already placed the phone down, she was about to remove the phone from her ear when she heard a whisper..."Is everything all right Jess?"
Jessica was unsuccessful in biting back a smile; her normally dense cousin has become perceptive. The band singer smiled weakly, "yeah... everything's all right. I'm just a little out of it."
The band singer heard a chuckle on the other line and breathed easier... Daniel may have gotten more perceptive through the years but his trusting nature has not wavered even a bit.
"I suppose you are still in shock at the prospect of Ken and Roan spending the New Year with us... but you should get over that shock soon. We have to be happy because our group would finally be complete at the start of the New Year."
It was Jessica's turn to chuckle at Daniel's enthusiasm, this boy man has always been the like a ray of sunshine and he always succeeds to infect everyone. "Uh so, do you want to speak with Rei?"
"Hm? Nah... I'll talk to her later."
Alarm suddenly registered on Jessica's beautiful face, "Ah but Dan--"
"Yes cuz?"
"N-nothing uh I-um we'll see you..."
Jessica can feel the younger one shrug over the phone, "all right, if you say so... I'll call again. Bye bye!"
The band singer massaged her forehead and placed the phone back to the receiver; she gave a weary glance at the composer's door and exhaled loudly.
"If only I didn't promise Ken I'd quit smoking" *sigh* "I think I need a stick right now."
Jessica grabbed her IPhone and tweeted some pictures of their apartment to take her mind off her cousin and soul mate's situation...
Later that night, a few hours before the New Year
"Roan, can't you walk a little faster? Those long legs aren't just for decoration!"
The youngest scowled and jogged to get closer to his irritated childhood friend, "Ken... I know you miss Jessica but please do not take it out on poor awesome me. If you want to run, be my guest..."
"Tch. You perfectly know that she will have my head if I didn't bring his little Roan with me."
"Oh right... so that means you need to follow my pace..." *smirk*
Ken gritted his teeth and allowed the younger to lead them to the apartment, the older one grumbling along the way.
After several minutes of climbing the endless stairs (they refused to use the elevator in case people would see them and both cannot risk it so they ended up climbing to the 24th floor), Ken leaned on the wall breathing heavily and sweating profusely. Roan smiled innocently at the band leader, "you need help? I can carry you."
"Shut up! Just knock on that door!"
Roan grinned and followed his childhood friend's order but it was not until the youngest's patience had started to grow thin when the door opened.
"Jess? Uh...oh I think you got the occasion wrong... we're celebrating the coming of the New Year, Halloween ended a month ago."
Jessica scowled and punched Roan lightly on the shoulder earning a playful grin as reply. Ken gasped when he saw the weary looking Jessica, "Honey! What happened to you?"
The band singer scowled, "Rei and Dan happened."
Ken walked towards the love of his life and hugged her tight, "what did those two do this time?"
The youngest smirked and crossed his arms, 'knowing those two... nothing. And that exactly is the problem."
Jessica sighed and motioned for the two to get inside the apartment, "actually this time Reiko did something and because of that I'm worried."
Roan rushed inside the apartment followed by Jessica, leaving Ken to close the door behind him. The youngest made himself comfortable on the couch, grabbing a bag of chips along the way. The oldest wove his hand around the band singer's waist and the latter snuggled closer to the boyfriend she missed.
"So... Reiko-chan did something... then why are you worried? Shouldn't you be glad she even attempted at all?"
"I'm glad that she finally decided to confess but what I'm worried about is how she plans to do it."
Ken sighed and tightened his hold on Jessica's waist, "I'm guessing Reiko doesn't believe that Danny loves her back."
Jessica nodded and exhaled loudly, "I've been trying to talk to her but she just won't listen! I don't know what to do anymore..."
Roan opened the bag of chips with a pop, "I think it would be better to leave those two alone. You both know how stubborn Rei-chan is so anything we say will just fall on deaf ears so let's just wait for the outcome. Hopefully Danny would know what to do."
"And the wise one has spoken..." Ken grinned and the younger man stuck his tongue out making the band singer laugh.
"Finally you laughed Jessie! I was worried the food would taste awful if you kept on frowning"
"Thank you Ro... I hope things would work out for those two..."
Jessica moved out of Ken's arms for the meantime and smiled warmly, "I'll start on cooking for tonight's celebration."
"Noooo you don't. Get some rest first."
Roan popped another chip into his mouth and nodded, 'Ken is right... go have some sleep first. It won't be nice if you sleep while cooking. My beloved food might be affected."
"I'll come with you."
Roan immediately rushed to get a hold of Ken's shirt hem, "No! I can't risk you both going in there together. Go on Jessie... Ken stays with me and my potato chips."
Both Ken and Jessica pouted but the youngest seemed unfazed, "those won't work on me. You both could go at it after the new year celebration when the food is done."
Jessica was about to get into her room when the door beside hers opened revealing a warmly dressed Reiko. "Jess, why do you look like a zombie?"
The band singer crossed his arms and glared at her soul mate, "YOU are asking me WHY???"
Reiko looked at Ken with wide questioning eyes and got a shrug as an answer, Jessica huffed and stomped inside her room and slammed the door.
"Did I say anything wrong?"
Ken gave a nonchalant shrug. Reiko then stared at Jessica's door thinking what she might have done or said wrong so she could apologize. Sighing, she shook his head and turned to the direction of the door,
"Running away Rei-chan?" Roan munched on the chips and smirked.
"Shut up Ro. I'm not running away."
"Suuuuuure...." *munch* "You just happened to be out of the apartment on the day you leave a confession letter to the person you loved for the past 7 years or possibly more."
Reiko gritted his teeth and walked past Ken towards the door, "you just don't understand."
"Oh I do Rei... I just don't agree with it."
Reiko wore the knitted cap she was holding and wound the scarf on her neck to hide more than half of her face, "I'll be back later."
"Be careful out there Rei"
"Rei-chan!!! Bring me anything to eat when you come back!!!"
The composer/bassist grumbled but nodded and walked out of the door. Ken sat beside the drummer and narrowed his eyes, "what was that earlier? I thought you said we should leave them alone."
"I just voiced out my observation. I wasn't meddling."
Ken rolled his eyes and tried to grab the chips from Roan's hand except the youngest was faster. "Get your own."
"Aish..."
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Reiko was walking in the street, kicking stones that were on her way and ignoring the thick snow that had situated on the sides of the street. She was thinking about the drummer's words before she left their apartment. She hates to admit it but Roan is right, she was running away.
She knows it wasn't right to run away but she was scared. Yes, the beautiful and sought after composer is scared of being rejected by the person she had loved all these years. Reiko sighed and sat on the bench close to a large tree. She chuckled and stared at a familiar sight on the sky.
"Ah... everyone's accompanying me and giving me hope and courage hm? Well then, I'm not sure what's going to happen later but I will keep my hopes up until the set time...hm, come to think of it... How did Roan know about the confession letter? Ah never mind, I can't decipher how his mind works anyway."
Reiko made herself as comfortable as she can despite the cold, reveling at the beauty all around her.
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A few hours later, the door to half of Spiral's quiet dorm suddenly burst open effectively waking up the drummer who had fallen asleep on the couch.
"Charismatic Daniel has arrived!"
A pillow effectively hit the newcomer on the face and a loud shout was heard making both Ken and Jessica run from the kitchen to the living room.
"Dan!" "Danny!"
Daniel picked the pillow lying on his feet and stomped towards the couch where an innocently smiling Roan was laying.
"Why did you throw that pillow on my face?!"
"Oh is that you Danny? I thought you were a noisy neighbor or something"
Daniel threw the pillow on the still smiling drummer and glared, "I mentioned my name you bully!"
"Oh you did? I heard something like schematic or automatic earlier. Dan, you could have just said duck face so I could have easily guessed that it was you."
"Why you!!!!"
Ken cleared his throat and Jessica chuckled making the two youngest stop. Jessica patted the band leader's shoulder signaling that she would go back to the kitchen to continue cooking. Ken smiled at the band singer then turned a stern look at the younger members, "No fighting alright? We can't waste our time together like this."
"Yes..." "Okay"
Ken ruffled Daniel's hair earning a wide smile from the latter. The youngest positioned himself back on the couch and grabbed the pillow Daniel attempted to hit him with. With a charming grin directed towards the leader, Roan settled on the bunch of pillows.
"O mighty and handsome leader, please wake me up when it's time to eat. I'm sleepy."
Ken chuckled and patted the head of the drummer who was slowly drifting back to sleep. Daniel looked around and frowned, "Where's Reiko?"
"She went out a while ago..."
"What? But it's snowing outside and she has asthma!"
"I'm not sure why either, when Roan and I came she was already about to go out and we had no time to ask why."
Daniel was about to say something else but their talk was interrupted by a shout from the kitchen, "Kenny! Can you help reach the chili powder? Reiko placed it on the top shelf again!"
"Be there in a sec!"
Ken winked at the younger member and whispered, "Gotta go...wife calling."
"But Ken..."
The leader patted Daniel's shoulder and smiled, "she said she would be back later...not sure when though. Sit down and relax, it's almost midnight. We'll eat then."
Daniel watched as Ken jogged to the kitchen to help his honey. He sighed loudly and looked at the door of Reiko's room, somehow he has been getting this mental image that the composer is somewhere outside freezing. Shaking his head lightly, Daniel decided to place the things he was holding (the member's presents) inside his room. Careful not to wake the grumpy drummer, Daniel quietly made his way to his assigned room and opened the door.
Placing the presents somewhere close to his closet, Daniel stretched and plopped messily on his bed. He felt a weird pull of sleepiness washing over him as he just had very few hours of sleep that day. He had been planning since after Christmas but it looks like he won't be able to execute it because of a certain missing person.
Daniel turned to his side and glanced at the pictures on his bedside table. He smiled when he saw the one in the middle...it was a picture of them in New York. Daniel's arm was on Reiko's waist and both have silly smiles on their faces...Dan smiled when he remembered Reiko's flustered face when Jessica declined the invitation to eat out with a smirk, "I don't want to disrupt your quality time. Have fun kids! Danny go easy on Rei, okay?"
As he stretched to get the photo, Daniel saw a blue envelope with weird alien prints and he immediately knew that it was for him. Intrigued, the keyboardist sat up and grabbed the letter from the bed side table. His heart started doing backflips and cartwheels when he recognized the neat handwriting of Reiko on the paper. He slowly opened the letter and read...
My beloved duckface,
I know you are surprised because of this letter. I don't look like the type of girl who does stuff like this... actually, I really don't do stuff like this but I'm making an exception for you.
Daniel paused reading the letter and buried his head on his pillow to hide the grin he made before continuing to read the letter.
STOP grinning! I haven't even started yet...ahem... as I was writing... it has been a few years since we have met hasn't it? Who would have known that the two most awkward members of Spiral would eventually be as close as we are now? Everyone knew that the two of us are polar opposites and the only thing binding us is our love for music which proved to be enough in the end.
I want you to know that I'm proud to be your best friend. Aside from being the best in Asia, behind the cameras you are the strong and invincible Daniel that I admire the most. In these troubling times, you have been my sunshine...amongst the five of us, you were the one who kept the faith at most. You kept positive even though things seemed helpless... it was you who became our pillar of strength.
Ah I'm rambling... I'm sorry... the first two paragraphs doesn't actually relate much to what I'm going to say next...I mean all of it though. Forgive me for being vague, this isn't easy at all. The thing is... I haven't been completely honest with you, Dan... I did promise to not keep a secret from you but back then I thought this was the best idea. But as time goes by, I feel that I'm slowly getting restless and its taking a toll on my work and on me.
You see, I have fallen in love with a boy who has beautiful green eyes, cute nose, natural blond hair, and radiant smile. He also happens to be the best friend who I treasure the most. Since I know you're kind of dense, yeah... I am in love with you Daniel Lee.
Ah I've finally said it... I know that what you feel for me is nothing more than a best friend /band mate and I accept that. I am not asking for you to return the feelings I have for you so don't feel guilty. Nothing of this is your fault anyway; I am pretty much satisfied to just stay by your side.
I hope you would understand the reason why I am not around at the time you read this letter. I wanted to give you enough time to think (so you won't be awkward around me when you finally find out about my feelings) and I need time to digest my decision to let my feelings go.
Yeah I finally decided to let go of the love I have for you because I know you enough that I'm sure you would be thinking of ways on how to make it up to me despite the fact that I told you not to worry. I'm just somewhere close by so don't worry, I'm a grown woman already. I'll be back after midnight with a new resolution.
P.S. I know I said I will forget my feelings for you as the new year comes in but let me say this... for the first and last time. I love you Daniel Lee...with all my heart.
Yours then and now,
Rei
With reflex even Daniel didn't know he had, he stood and stormed out of the room... he ran back to place the letter he accidentally dropped into the drawer of his bedside table before running out of the room. He grabbed his jacket and went past Ken who was about to fetch the younger ones.
"Where are you going? It's just 10 minutes before the new year..."
Daniel's eyes widened, "10 minutes...I need to go Ken... I can't explain now...I'm sorry..."
Ken watched as Daniel opened the door and hastily ran out, "I wonder what happened to him..."
"He's trying to fix his love life..."
Ken turned and looked questioningly at the drummer who yawned..."Is the food ready leader?"
The leader just shook his head and smiled at the youngest, "yeah... Jessica's setting the table. Get up Ro."
"Yes! New Year food!"
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Reiko stretched and looked at her watch, "last 2 minutes... I guess I better start walking back to the dorm, I'm starting to get hungry..."
She stood and adjusted her scarf so it now covers half of her face again. The composer stared at the stars and adjusted her cap, "Thank you stars for accompanying me while I waited. Even though my heart is broken right now... at least I wasn't lonely"
Satisfied with the twinkling of the constellations as an answer, Reiko placed her gloved hands into the pockets of her padded jacket... "One more minute... goodbye love of more than 7 years...it's time to move on. Hm... maybe I should accept dates soon."
Reiko was about to take a step away from the bench she was sitting on when she heard a very familiar voice... "Don't you dare make a single step away!"
Reiko sighed and scratched her head, "Oh great! Now I'm hearing things..."
"Reiko Shibasaki! I swear if you take one step away, I will tell everybody that you own a pink bunny designed set of underwear!"
The composer stilled and slowly turned, face completely devoid of color..."D-Daniel?"
Daniel stopped beside the composer and placed both hands on his knees as he tried to calm his breathing. "Stupid girl...making me run all the... way here..."
"W-why are you here? H-how did you find me?"
Daniel straightened and ignored the previous questions, "did I make it?"
The fireworks started to go off behind Reiko signaling the New Year and she turned around to marvel at the different colors and different designs of the fireworks.
"Hey you! You made me rush here and yet you have the guts to ignore me!"
Reiko slightly jumped at Daniel's unusually scary tone and she reluctantly tore her eyes away from the colorful fireworks to gaze into the younger man's eyes, "I...this is a...dream, isn't it? I must have fallen asleep on the bench and then I acquired a high fever due the exposure to extreme cold."
Daniel sighed and flicked a finger on the composer's forehead, "you and your fantasies...they do amaze me sometimes."
"Ow! Wait.. that hurt! So... this is not a dream?"
The smile returned on Daniel's face, "As real as I can be, honey. I did make it right?"
Rei's dimples had made their existence known as she nodded and walked closer to Daniel, "I can't believe you are really here."
"Is it really that hard?"
"Well yeah... cause I thought that you would never even look at me again after you read my letter..."
Daniel moved to hug Reiko but the latter crossed his arms and pouted, "Aren't you going to say something?"
"Do I have to? I know you feel the same way."
"That's not enough... I want to hear it from you."
Daniel wrapped his arms around Reiko as he whispered, "I love you Reiko Shibasaki... with all my heart and soul..."
"I love you too...clumsy Daniel"
"I'll let that slide for now. So... are we..."
Reiko laughed and gave the composer a peck on his cheek, "Happy New Year boyfriend..."
"Happy New Year babe..."
Daniel touched Reiko's cheek and frowned, "you're cold... we need to go back to the dorm. Tch... Whatever possessed you to wait here in the open"
"I'm sorry..."
"Your sorry is not enough... you need to think about yourself sometimes, you're a grown woman for Christ's sake!"
Reiko sighed and pinched his younger boyfriend's nose, "I know... what can I do for you to forgive me?"
Daniel's eyes glinted and he smiled mischievously, "I can think of a lot of ways..."
"Pervert!"
The keyboardist's rich laughter filled the empty park as they walked hand in hand back to the apartment, "Rei, if I didn't make it on midnight, were you really going to forget your feelings for me?"
She smiled sadly, "yeah...I would rather have you as a best friend than lose you completely."
"Good thing I made it then..."
The composer stopped and gave a light kiss on Daniel's cheek, "I'm glad you made it."
"How you go from cute to sexy to romantic that fast is a mystery to me..."
Reiko chuckled and squeezed her boyfriend's hand, "Wouldn't you like to know? It's a secret technique though so you can't get it."
"Oh I'm sure I can get it... even if I have to slowly strip you, I'll do it."
*sigh* "I got myself a pervert for a boyfriend."
*chuckle* "I love you too."