CHAPTER 2 TITLE: Second meeting

SUMMARY: Ruki couldn't forget the things those girl said to him during the fan signing, in one of their concerts which happened a week ago now. He hates the fact that of all the different faces of strangers and people he knew that he met everyday of his life, the only person who seemed to mark on his memory, was that girl and her voice still ringing in his head. But what will happen if they meet again? Read on!

Ruki was not in the condition to rehearse for their new concert tonight, at one of the biggest venues in Tokyo. He was still inside the member room, while smoking his cigarette. Uruha called him already for three times to go out and come to the stage to do his vocalizations, but still he didn't follow him. He checks his phone, but as usual, it was filled with missed calls from his girlfriends, messages from their agency and friends from other bands, anonymous new numbers and the same things he have also seen to his band mates' phones. Ruki glances to the wall clock in his right side and saw that concert is only an hour and a half away. He didn't feel any excitement. He was thinking of not continuing to perform tonight anymore.

"Ruki!" a familiar voice called near him. Ruki saw the unexpected person for the first time, since their first concert last spring.

"You came…" Ruki said in a bored tone of his voice.

"Uruha told me that he already called you for three times, but still you won't show up for the rehearsal. What is the problem this time again? Another girl who broke your heart?" the man said as he walked closer to Ruki.

"Iie. I'm feeling un-well manager, that's all." Ruki lied.

"If you're really exhausted and thinks you'll be sick, we may cancel the show." The manager suggested, feeling a bit worried for Ruki.

"Hai, that's exactly what I'm thinking. Can you take me back to the hotel? I really need to rest. Tell the organizers to apologize to our fans, from me and from the rest of the band. I'm not in the condition to perform tonight. Gomen ne…" Ruki stated and stood from his seat. The manager was somewhat surprised to Ruki's immediate decision to cancel the concert, which is supposed to be one of their major through out their lineup concerts for the whole spring. But even so, he still considers Ruki's health and the bad condition he may deliver to his fans, if he's going to continue the show.

"Orai! Our staff will help you guys to ride on your tour van, to avoid sneaking from the fans secretly. You'll also be assisted by the security. Ja! Let's go and tell the others." The manager agreed and together they walked out from the member room to tell everyone that the concert will be cancelled.

Uruha, Aoi, Reita and Kai were all disappointed when they found out that the concert was cancelled, because of Ruki. The four of them were all quiet at the backseat of their tour van, as their manager started the engine and drove away from the venue. Ruki knows that they were all pissed off to his decision, but still he was not feeling sorry for them because all he wants to do is to rest and have a long sleep, after they get to the hotel where each of them has their own suites reserved. He decided to remain silent through out the whole ride, as he views outside the van's window. He was sitting behind their manager before the four guys at the back. When they passed the main entrance's gate of the venue, he saw hundreds of their fans gathered together outside. They look upset and angry and Ruki thought, that maybe the organizers already told them that the concert has been cancelled. Ruki was somehow feeling sorry for his fans. Suddenly, the movement of the van is starting to get slow because of the fans starting to disperse from the venue.

"Wrong timing." He heard Uruha said, who was feeling irritated as ever because of the consequence happened when Ruki decided to cancel the concert. But Ruki just ignored him.

"Be careful. The fans must not notice that we're inside this van. Can you drive a little bit faster and find shortcuts, so that we can avoid the crowd?" Ruki asked their manager.

"I think it will be difficult for us to avoid them Ruki. There just so many of them!" the manager answered stressfully.

"Now it caused traffic…" Uruha spoke again as a way to blame Ruki, but still he didn't say a word.

Meanwhile…

Yuri joins the others in going back home. She was really upset that the concert has been cancelled and that she won't have the chance to find her friend. Almost a week ago, she found out from Ayane's mother that she went to Tokyo to move into a new school. Yuri knows that she was the main reason on why Ayane dropped out from their school back in Osaka, because of what happened the night she made a scandalous act during the fan signing of Ayane's idol after their concert. She knows how much Ayane hated her since, that's why she traveled all the way here in Tokyo to find her and ask for her forgiveness. They were friends since grade school and Yuri doesn't know what she is supposed to do, if ever she loses her only best friend. She bought a ticket to The GazettE's concert, because she thought that Ayane will attend it too. But the sad thing was, the concert has been cancelled and it seems like there's no chance of finding her anymore. Because of thinking too much, Yuri didn't notice that she was almost been hit by a van, which made her wake up back to reality.

"What the hell is this girl's problem? She's blocking the way!" the manager inside the van exclaimed angrily.

Ruki's attention was caught by the girl who was blocking their van's way. He observed her carefully and finds her familiar, like he saw her some place before.

Finally, Ruki was able to remember her…

"The angry girl at our Osaka concert! Get her in!" Ruki exclaimed with a bitter smile in his lips.

"What are you talking about Ruki?" the manager asked him.

"I said get her inside the van." Ruki repeated. The four guys at the back were surprised after hearing what Ruki just said.

"You're out of your mind Ruki! You cannot just bring some fan here!" Uruha said alarmingly in disbelief.

"What's wrong with you? You're getting us all into trouble!" Kai exclaimed still in shock.

"I'm not out of my mind and there's nothing wrong with me. Please just do what I said or else, I'm the one who'll get her. Do you want the fans to gather around here like ants?" Ruki warned them seriously. He heard sighs and complains, but he was really determined in what he wants to happen. Their manager has no choice, but to get out from the van and talk to the girl.

"Miss! Are you alright?" he asked, while looking at the girl.

"Hai, I'm fine. Gomen ne if I blocked your way." She replied and starts to walk away from the van, but he stopped her.

"Matte! Are you lost? Ano… or are you searching for someone?" the manager asked, hoping that he'll be able to guess the girl's problem. This caught Yuri's attention.

"H-how did you know?" Yuri asked curiously.

"I can help you." He lied.

Yuri felt that her hope is starting to rise again, when the stranger told her that he's going to help her. She didn't have any doubt with the man's kindness, because she was really desperate to find Ayane. Yuri went to Tokyo by herself and there's no one who could help her find her friend. Even Ayane's mother won't tell her the exact place she's staying, so it's all by her effort to find Ayane. Yuri smiled at the man in front of her and said in disbelief…

"Really? Arigatou! I really think you can help me, by guiding me to the places here in Tokyo because it's my first time to be here, and I'm not familiar with the directions. I'm looking for my friend who moved here almost a week ago." Yuri said to the man in detail. But the manager is feeling impatient and a bit worried on what he's going to do with the girl. He felt angry as he remembers Ruki, who's the mastermind of this troublesome plan. The manager thought that Ruki probably likes this girl and that he'r going to make her one of his pastimes. But even so, he didn't care. All he needs to do is to give Ruki the satisfaction, to protect him against the press and to cover all his lies. These go also to the rest of the members in his band. That is his role as their manager.

"Don't worry, I'll help you. Now get inside the van and we'll start finding your friend." The manager assured her as he continues to lie.

"O-orai! Arigatou gozaimashita Dannasama." Yuri thanked the man cheerfully. She decided to sit behind the driver's seat of the van and when the two of them were already inside, Yuri couldn't believe that she's now facing Ayane's idol. The manager starts to drive again and Yuri became thunderstruck in a sudden, speechless as she stares at Ruki whose just sitting next to her. When she heard someone spoke at the back seat, that's the only time she noticed that there are other people inside the van too. Her heart starts to beat faster, feeling embarrassed and trapped in the situation.

"So who is she Ruki? What is this all about?" Uruha asked, while observing the girl.

"What's your name?" Ruki asked her ignoring Uruha's question, as he stares at the girl from head to toe. Yuri doesn't know what to say. She was too startled that no word is coming out from her mouth. Until she remembers the man who told her that he's going to help her. She now knows that she was just been tricked.

"Gomen ne if our manager lied back there. It's my entire fault. I found you familiar. You were the angry girl at our Osaka concert during the fan signing. I thought you hated me? But why did you attend our concert?" Ruki asked her again. Yuri started to feel irritated from Ruki's dominant gesture. She has no idea what the hell did the man bring her here for in the first place. Yuri clears her throat as she began to speak…

"I thought you were sick? But as I see you look just fine. So you lied to your fans?" Yuri asked, now having the strength to face a rock star.

"You really are a brave girl, talking to me in that way? Do you know who I am?" Ruki said coldly as he smiles bitterly at Yuri. The atmosphere inside the van is now building tension between them, and Uruha, Aoi, Reita and Kai, as well as their manager are all getting confused with the situation.

"I'm not a fan of your band. I just attended your concert to find my friend Ayane. Do you remember her? Probably not, because you never want to recognize any of your fans. She moved here in Tokyo after that incident during your Osaka concert. Ayane hated me for saying bad things about you, so she dropped out in our school and moved here to transfer into a new one." Yuri explained, now having the courage to speak.

"It's your entire fault then. I know how much your friend admires me and respects the band. You're such a bad girl, you shouldn't have done that." Ruki blamed her.

"I admit that, but I'll never take back what I said because it's all true." Yuri replied and avoided looking at Ruki, by staring outside the van's window beside her. Ruki felt irritated as ever with the girl's statements, but Kai gave him a sign to control himself.

"Listen young lady. I don't care if you hate me, but I want you to apologize from what you did to me at Osaka. Don't you know that because of the things you said to me, some of my fans are thinking the same now and their posting their thoughts about it on our forum sites? Look how much damage you did to this band's reputation!" Ruki said angrily as he throws a hateful look at Yuri. All of them were shocked from Ruki's violent reaction.

Yuri's attention was caught by Ruki's statements, which made her quiet in a sudden.

"Nande? Hanashi!" Ruki shouted now his temper rising. Yuri thought that all the good things Ayane told her about this good looking man were all wrong. She now knows how fake stars are and how blind their followers may be.

"Iie, why would I? Apologize to my friend first and keep the bracelet she made for you. That's the only time I'll apologize and if you'll be true to your fans, I'll promise to be the president of your fan club, wakata? Dannasama manager, stop this van, it's getting late I want to go home, kudasai…" Yuri said, unconscious to what Ruki's reaction would be. The manager stopped the van and in a sudden, Yuri was gone in front of him.

It seems like something heavy fell on Ruki, after hearing those words from her. It was the first time that girl made him feel something different…

Yuri just captured Ruki's heart! :)

OWARI!

A/N: Finally chapter 2 is over! Forgive my common usage of some words and incorrect grammar. This is getting closer to the story's highlight. Up next chapter 3!