She is a Fangirl

Following the Fangirl

“Why don’t you treat me and Rena on some buffet restaurant downtown this weekend, since it’s your fault why we’re miserable these days.” Tora said to his best friend through his computer screen.

“My fault? Come on, dude…I didn’t tell you to loan nee-chan your uniform. You let her bully you.” Aki retorted.

“Maybe…but I wouldn’t really call that bullying. She asked nicely after all.”

“Yeah, right. Knowing exactly what she’d do it, and knowing how Ryu-nii will react the second he finds out? Of course, you let her borrow it, just because she asked nicely.” Was the sarcastic reply.

Tora just rolled his eyes. “At least I didn’t get the love of my life heartbroken.”

“Now you make it sound like I dumped her.” Aki shook his head. “It’s not my fault they broke up.”

“Dude, we all know you tempted Jason to turn to the other side the second you realized he’s having an identity crisis.” He smirked knowingly.

“I was helping him.”

“By bringing him to a gay bar? Really?”

“Of course! How would he know if he’s really gay or not if he’s not exposed?” Tora rolled his eyes at this. “And he met his new partner there. He should be thanking me.”

“Exactly! You sealed his fate when you brought him there. And now Rena is miserable.” 

“Fine!” His friend sighed. “But you can’t really blame me for grabbing the opportunity. I’m a guy in love.”

“If you just made your move earlier she wouldn’t even have dated him. Just admit that you’re a sissy.”

“So said the one who let a girl manipulate him.”

“Aria-nee was doing a research. I was happy to help.”

“Excuses. Excuses. I bet nee-chan’s holding something against you.” Aki smirked, and when he saw Tora unconsciously smile, he knew he hit it. “Bull’s eye! What is it?” 

“Well…she found out my little escapade with Sierra last month.” He grinned.

“What? How on earth did she find out?” Aki laughed. “Sierra’s the next council president of our school. No guy can even come near her without going through nee-chan first. You’re lucky she let you go unscathed.”

“I really thought I’d get swallowed whole, but then she asked me nicely about the uniform.” Tora joined Aki’s laughing. “Aria-nee’s bipolar moments never ceases to amaze me.”

“I can just imagine. You’d wonder why guys still can’t leave her alone.”

“You mean guy, not guys.” Tora stopped laughing and raised a brow.

“No. No. I’m not talking about Ryu-nii.” He shook his. “I’m talking about her date next weekend.”

“Are you serious?” Tora asked, looking really shocked.

“Yeah. She was bragging about it last night.”

“Do you think nii-san knows?”

“I don’t think so. And I think it’s better that he doesn’t. It’ll be chaos.”

The two sighed heavily at the same time. Totally seeing what could happen. And then they both fell into silence; especially Tora who even strained his hearing towards his partly open bedroom door.

“He heard?” Aki asked Tora when he saw that his friend sighed in relief.

“I think he did.” He nodded. “The way he slammed his door was pretty heavy.”

It was Aki’s turn to feel relieved.

“Aria-nee is really scary.” Tora shook his head. “Only she can dare do this to him. And I can’t believe I let her black mail me again.”

“As if you’re still not used to her.” Aki snorted. “If it’s not our grades, it’s the girls we have our eyes on.”

“It’s like she has her eyes everywhere.”

“I think she really does.”

They both sighed heavily again.

Thirty minutes to 8 the following weekend, Kashiwagi Ryu already stationed himself somewhere hidden but with perfect view of the Minami household. On any other occasion, he would’ve just let himself in. After all, Aria’s parents already considered him and his brother their adopted sons of some sort. This time though, he didn’t. He came wanting to confirm something he had heard a couple of days ago.

The said something came thirty minutes later in the form of a young man, probably a couple of years older than he is. Not long after, Minami Aria came out all pretty, smiling from ear to ear. It looked to Ryu that she was really so happy to see the guy. At that moment, he wanted to strangle him on the spot. 

Ryu had never met the guy before, nor remembered Aria talk about him. Because even though he insisted that he doesn’t care about Aria’s friends, especially her otaku friends, she kept on insisting that he meet them; and even how hostile Ryu is towards them, he’s still quite familiar and civil to them afterwards. 

But this guy he really had not seen before, it’s also quite impossible that he’s from Aria’s school, since he looked old enough to be in his late years in college; and Ryu had visited Aria’s school a couple of times and is familiar with the students’ faces, especially the guys, who might want to be around their student council president more than normal.

Ryu is confident that Aria wouldn’t let anyone get close to her like he does anyway, until a few days ago that is. Ever since their brothers’ conversation a couple of days ago, he’d been restless. He wanted to call Aria and confirm it many times, but his pride won’t let him. So he waited for the weekend to be able to confirm it himself; thus, here he is, following them as inconspicuously as he thought he could.

And for half the day, Ryu did follow them around. They went to a lot of otaku-related shops that sold Manga, action figures, video games, CDs and costumes that would always get them first on arguments before he agrees to go in their previous dates. And somehow it made him regret it a bit. After all, Aria seemed to really enjoy herself with the guy.

It was already in the afternoon when the two decided to have a break on Aria’s favorite cake shop. Ryu was furious by then, seeing as the two got closer and sweeter by the minute; not to mention the fact that Aria had been holding the guy’s arm every time she can all throughout the day.

Ryu though stayed on the coffee shop across the street, for his sanity’s sake. He felt that he would not be able to maintain his cool if he gets in less than five meter radius of them. And the last thing he wants is to make a scene.  

But then again, everything has its limits. Even the calmest guy can lose his cool.

When he saw Aria stood up, to perhaps get their order, and the guy tried to pull her back down as if to kiss her…Ryu lost it.

He dropped the mug he’d been holding and was about to stand up and leave the shop to beat the hell out of the guy when a light flashed and surprised him.

“Aria, dear, we got your boyfriend’s picture.” A cross dresser’s, but not quite, voice said to his phone; while the one who took Ryu’s picture, giggled at the image he took.

Ryu sat back down on his seat and blinked a couple of times at the duo. He recognized them as Aria’s friends from one of her Cosplay organizations, and Aria’s closest gay friends. 

Not long after, Aria and the guy she was with arrived at the café. She sat next to Ryu, while he gave her his coldest glare, as he suddenly realized what was going on.

“How was your day? Had fun following us around?” Aria smiled at him, making him glare at her more, which just made Aria smile wider.

“If looks could kill, you’d be dead a hundred times by now, Reyna dear.” Commented the one who took Ryu’s picture.

“But I’d kill to be under Ryu-sama’s gaze for even just a couple of minutes more. Don’t you, Reyna?” Said the other one. “Jinia, send me the picture later.” He winked at his friend. 

“I don’t think so. It had been the most uncomfortable hours of my life.” Reyna pouted girlishly. “Ryu-sama is so scary.” Ryu just stared blankly at him. Somehow, the hostility he’d been feeling since this morning is slowly dying out.

“Ryu, this is Reyna. He’s the president of a fan club me and the girls entered recently.” Aria introduced bemusedly. “A Yaoi fun club to be exact. And yes, he’s gay.”

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Ryu-sama.” Reyna offered his hand but took it back anyway when Ryu ignored it and just continued staring at him blankly. “Not even a shake?” He pouted again.

“Don’t even think about it.” Aria glared at Reyna, while the other two giggled. “Don’t even think of touching a strand of his hair.” She hugged one of Ryu’s arms.

“Insecure much?” Reyna rolled his eyes at her.

“I know, right?” Jinia commented bemusedly. “She’s always jealous with our beauty and sexiness, neh Teiga?”

“You are so right!”

The three of them then squealed.

“As if! You three better get yourselves a mirror each and see how delusional you are.” Aria said, looking disgusted.

Without another word, Ryu stood up to leave.

“Hey! Where are you going?” Aria frowned, taken by surprise.

“Home. This is a waste of time.” Ryu said coldly, not stopping a beat.

“Ooohhhh…” The three giggled.

“But I hadn’t had my Chocolate Mayonnaise cake yet.” She pouted and followed him to the door. “Let’s have it first, and then you can take me home.” She grinned at him, of which he only answered with a blank stare. “See you later guys!” She smiled at them.

They did have the cake though, before heading home; and as if nothing had happened. The atmosphere around them also became calmer and more comfortable, and although Aria was the only one who talked non-stop.

“Is this how it’s always is?” Reyna asked the other two, who are now enjoying each of their coffee at the café.

“Believe it or not, that’s how they normally date.” Teiga took a sip on his mug, moaning when the liquid entered his mouth.

“They’re just so different to be together. It’s like they’re dating and not at the same time.” Frowned the former.

“They’re both single and not available.” Commented Jinia as he savored the odor of his Latte. “They’ve known each other and have been dating for such a long time, but haven’t gotten around making it official.”

“Why? It’s so obvious that they’re so into each other. What’s holding them back?”

“Honestly. I don’t see the problem if they make it official or not. It’s the same either way.” Shrugged Jinia.

“It’s just a matter of when their differences will finally break them.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Teiga! It’s so obvious that they’re meant to be together. You can’t possibly think otherwise.”

“I can dream, right?” Teiga said dreamily.

“You better not let Aria know what’s in your head, girl. She’ll turn you bald.” Jinia smirked.

“Not my hair!” The former exclaimed dramatically.

“Does he have a brother?” Reyna stared dreamily at Ryu at the other side of the street, as if he hadn’t heard the conversation between the two.

Both of them just looked at each other and shook their heads. As if saying how hopeless he’d become.

Earlier that day.

“What are you two looking at?” Rena asked Tora and Aki when she realized that they both stopped walking and were just looking at something on the other side of the road. “Is that Ryu-nii? Is he following that couple?” Her eyes widened. “No way! Is that Aria-nee? Who’s that guy she’s with?”

“A gay friend from one of her otaku orgs.” Answered Aki, still not taking his eyes off the three.

“Eh? But why does Ryu-nii look like he wants to strangle him?”

“Nii-san doesn’t know who he really is…” Tora said, doing as Aki did.

“Are you serious? Wait. Why do you guys know then?”

“She threatened us on tricking Ryu-nii.”

“My brother was worse these past few days than he usually is at home.” Tora looked like he wanted to cry. “I hope everything gets better now.”

“You guys are pathetic.” Chuckled Rena. “What did Aria-nee had against you this time?”

“She used Mori Sierra against him.” Aki immediately responded, which earned him a glare from Tora.

“That girl that’s always with Aria-nee these days?” Rena asked, surprise written all-over her face.

“Well then, she used you against this guy.” Tora smirked as he pointed at Aki, which the latter returned with a glare of his own.

Rena blushed brightly when she realized what Tora meant.

“I…uh…I remembered I still have to finish something at home. I’ll…uh…go on ahead. T-Thanks for the treat, Aki. Bye.” Rena left them in a hurry without meeting Aki’s eyes.

“Tattle tale.”

“Sissy.”

The both sighed again.

“Sometimes, your sister is scarier than my mom.”

“Tell me about it. I bet its Rissa-obaa-san that’s been coaching her anyway. She made her worse than she already is.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised. If she wants Aria-nee as a daughter-in-law, she’ll need her to be able to tame nii-san.” 

“Aren’t they already trying to tame each other all these years?”

“You’re right.” Tora smiled wryly.