Prologue

Tohma Seguchi sat at his desk staring at a letter he just opened. Tohma is the president of NG, the biggest record label in Japan. He looks a lot younger than his years. Tohma is usually soft spoken and seemingly gentle. Only those who know him well would be able to tell what was going on behind his steely eyes.

"So this I going to start. Precautions need to be made. I won't just let this happen." Tohma put down the letter and picked up the phone. "Hello K,…"

Chapter 1

"Shuichi, is there something wrong?" Hiro asked. Shuichi Shindou and Hiro Nakano make up 2/3rds of Bad Luck, the hottest band in Japan. After their highly successful national tour, they are back in the studio preparing for a charity concert. They want to unveil a new song.

"He probably just had another fight with Yuki," chimed in Suguru Fujisaki, the last 3rd of Bad Luck. "I'm going back to the studio to work on the song," said Fujisaki as he left trying to avoid the look Shindou shot at him.

However, Hiro wasn't so sure. Shuichi Shindou, lead singer and head of Bad Luck, was a slim guy, he still looked like a teenager. He and Hiro had been friends since elementary school, and Hiro knew Shindou inside and out. When Shindou started dating popular romance novelist, Eiri Yuki, it was a wild ride that everyone went on. But Hiro knew that would happen, Shindou never could hide his emotions, he acted more like an out-of-control teenager than someone serious about singing. But, that was all part of his charm. No one was ever the same after meeting Shindou. When ever he and Yuki fought, work stopped, Shindou seemed as the world was ending, and everyone was dragged into it.

Except, this time. "Well, what happened," Hiro asked as he stared at his friend. For about a week, Shindou had been quiet and withdrawn. And, to Hiro, this was a bad sign. Shindou told him everything.

"Nothing, I'm going back to work on the new song. You coming?," was the response from Shindou.

Is he getting thinner? He looks pale. Hiro thought as he watched his friend get up. "I'll be along shortly, I'm waiting for a call from Ayaka." Ayaka is Hiro's girlfriend, well he hoped they were at that stage. Ayaka was once Yuki's fiancée, but now she and Hiro were dating. Things were still moving slow.

"Fine." Shindou left the room. Fine, what kind of response was that! Before Hiro had time to think about it more, his phone rang. "Ayaka, hi…"

"Is Shuichi there?"

"Yuki!?" Eiri Yuki had never called him before. Actually, they had only met a couple of times.

"Well, is he?" Yuki's harsh voice came over the phone. Why Shindou fell for him, Hiro would never understand.

"Well!"

"Yeah, he's here. What's going on with you two?"

"That's what I want to find out. Make sure he doesn't leave!"

Now Hiro was really concerned, this didn't seem like any normal fight. "Yuki, listen…"

"Hiro! Hiro! Come quick!" It was Fujisaki.

"I'll be right…," was all Hiro could get out. He had expected that Shindou was acting up & Fujisaki had had enough. But Hiro wasn't prepared for the sight before him. Fujisaki looked scared.

"Please come quick, it's Shindou, he's collapsed!"

"HE WHAT!" Hiro and Yuki said in unison.

"Yuki, I've got to go."

"Wait,…"

But, Hiro had hung-up already. His only thoughts ere of Shindou. Hiro had made himself Shindou's protector. Hiro wouldn't let anyone hurt Shindou, or make him cry (at least without a good reason, Shindou cried easily) or get in the way of his dream. But this, What's going on!

As he and Fujisaki rushed into the recording studio they saw Sakano, the band's producer, panicking as usual and K the band's manager, who was holding Shindou. "Shuichi, hey, can you hear me? Come on, open your eyes."

Hiro came over and took Shindou from K. "What happened?" K just shook his head. Fujisaki filled Hiro in, "We were working on the new song. Shindou wanted to try something different. I was looking at my keyboard when he stopped singing. When I looked up, he was already falling. I'm sorry Hiro."

"No, it's not your fault. Come on Shuichi, wake up." Shuichi was very pale, he was sweating, but very cold.. "If, this is your idea of a joke…" But Hiro knew better.

"An ambulance has been called," said Sakano.

"I thought you were just panicking," said K.

"I can still think. Shindou didn't seem well when we started. I have a bad feeling about this." That went for all of them.

Hiro sat in the waiting room of the local hospital. What the hell is going on. Shuichi hasn't been acting like himself and now this. Please, just let him be OK! Hiro, Fujisaki, K, and Sakano were all in the hall waiting to hear world of Shindou's condition.

"So where is he?" Hiro looked up and saw Eiri Yuki walking down the hall.

"How did you know where to come?"

"I have my ways. So, where is he?" Yuki sounded as cold as ever. But when Hiro looked at Yuki's eyes he could see the concern.

"In there." Hiro pointed down the hall. "We're waiting to hear…" But Yuki was walking down the hall. "Wait, you can't go in there yet!" Hiro shouted as he followed Yuki. Yuki wouldn't be deterred. "Wait!," was all Hiro could get out as Yuki opened the door.

"Now, Mr. Shindou, didn't I tell you this condition would kill you if you let it go unchecked." This stopped Hiro and Yuki in their tracks. "I'm going to change your medication and you have to eat. I know you don't want to, but you must. You can't let this get worse."

"What the hell is she talking about!" Yuki threw back the curtain to reveal a female doctor talking to Shindou, who was sitting on the bed. His head snapped around, "Y-Y-Yuki, Hiro, what are you doing in here," squeaked Shindou.

"Answer my question," barked Yuki.

"And who are you and why are you interfering with my patient?" The doctor was a very pretty woman. She was 5'2" and slender, her long dark hair was pulled back into a bun. She had dark brown eyes that held a very fierce look. "I want to know what your talking about," shot Yuki, with just as fierce of a look.

Hiro decided to try a different approach. "Shuichi, what's she talking about?" But all Shindou would do was hang his head. "Shuichi?"

"Mr. Shindou, who are these people," demanded the doctor.

"I'm Hiroshi Nakano, Shindou's best friend, and this is Eiri Yuki, Shindou's um, um."

"I'm his lover," Yuki practically spat out. Hiro was trying to keep things calm, but Yuki was ready to explode and Shindou wasn't helping by saying nothing. But Shindou always said something, always.

With Hiro's introduction, the doctor's tone soften and her fierceness left. "Mr. Shindou, you haven't told them about your condition yet? I told you, you can't do this alone."

"What condition?" Hiro and Yuki said in sync.

But Shindou just looked down. He kept his face hidden, he looked like he was trying not to cry. Shindou, not cry!? Something was really wrong.

The doctor went over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Mr. Shindou, this isn't your fault. You have to stop blaming yourself. Shall I tell them?" Shindou just nodded. "Let's start over. I'm Dr. Kagome Hitachi," she said as she turned to Yuki and Hiro, but she kept her hand on Shindou.

"About two weeks ago, Shindou came in complaining of general fatigue. So we ran some tests." She looked gently at Shindou, but he still kept his head down. "Mr. Shindou was, umm… attacked about a six months ago by three hoodlums. One of them had a disease which was passed to Mr. Shindou. This disease is a cellular parasite. It attaches to the red blood cells and feeds off of the nutrients. No matter how much is replaced, the patient will lose their appetite, go through wild mood swings and the body will weaken. This is a fatal disease and there is currently no cure. However, it can be kept under control. As long as the patient takes the proper medications, eats, and takes general care of himself, the life span can be extended."

Yuki and Hiro just stared in silence, first at the doctor and then at Shindou, both dumbstruck. "Apparently, Mr. Shindou hasn't been eating and is under a lot of stress."

"I'm not calling off the concert." A small voice came from the direction of Shindou. Hiro never heard his friend sound so distant and unsure of himself.

"If you insist on doing the charity concert, then you need to take care of yourself. If you keep this up, I'll have to keep you here and make sure you are taken care of, that means no concert." Kagome's voice was gentle, but her eyes looked ready to kill. Shindou only looked down. Kagome now turned her dark eyes to Yuki. "Have you been tested lately?" Hiro looked at Yuki, he was staring right at Shindou, who was still looking down. Yuki was shaking, but Hiro wasn't sure if it was from anger or from concern.

"Mr. Yuki…"

"I test every year, my results are due soon. So that's what this has been all about." Yuki took a step toward Shindou. Shindou still wouldn't look up. Yuki opened his mouth to say something, but stopped. He turned around and left. How could he leave Shuichi like this! Hiro just stared after him.

"Mr. Nakano, will you be able to take Mr. Shindou home? I'll give you a list of his medications and when he needs to take them." She seemed so calm. How can anyone be calm at a time like this?

"Mr. Shindou," Kagome walked over in front of Shindou and once again placed her hand on his shoulder. "Please remember, you can still have your life. You just need to follow my directions…and please eat." She smiled softly. Shindou nodded his head, but still would not look up. And with that she left the room. Hiro's head was spinning. He thought he was going to need a doctor.

On the drive back, Hiro tried to start several conversations, but he couldn't bring himself to actually form words. At least things make sense now. He was carrying this burden all by himself. He's probably worried about giving this disease to Yuki. And to be given a death sentence. No wonder he's been withdrawn.

"I can't stay with Yuki any more." Again, Shindou's voice was really small. "If the press finds out… If I've given this to him…" Just as Hiro thought.

"Listen, Shuichi…"

"No, I've put Yuki through enough." Now he started to cry. Not the melodramatic tears, but slowly at first and it built. "First the press finding out about us, then I put him in the hospital, made him remember a past he wanted to forget, and the whole time, I just kept thinking - 'I can't lose him, he can't leave me.'" Shindou was practically hysterical at this point. Hiro pulled the car over, but didn't stop Shindou.

"Even when I found out about this-this condition, I thought as long as I stay close to him I'd be ok. But I didn't want to sleep with him, I started sleeping on the couch. Then I didn't want to even touch or look at him. I just wanted to get away, he'd be better off without me, but I just could let go, and now…" Shindou cried hard and Hiro held him, it was the best he could do for his best friend. But at least Shindou wasn't alone anymore. As Hiro held him, he too started to cry.

When they reached the apartment that Shindou and Yuki shared, it was dark. Yuki wasn't there waiting. As Shindou opened the door, Hiro expected the place to be empty of all of Yuki's stuff, it's just the thing Yuki would do, but everything was where it should be.

"Where should we start?" Hiro asked, Shindou had started walking to the bedroom, but he was staggering. "Most of my stuff… my stuff… is in here." He must be tired, this has been a long day for him. "Shuichi, why don't you rest for a while, I'll start getting your stuff together."

"No, I'll be fine. I want to get this done before Yuki comes back." He was talking slowly like he had to concentrate on every word and he was getting more wobbly in his walking. When they got into the bedroom, Shindou started toward the closet, but fell to one knee. Hiro went right over to him. "Shuichi, please rest. Remember, the doctor said you have to take care of yourself. Let me help you, that's why I'm here." That's what I've always been her for.

"Ok Hiro," said Shuichi as he crawled into bed with Hiro helping and fell right to sleep. Hiro looked at his friend. Don't worry Shuichi I'll make sure your ok. Hiro closed the bedroom door and went to the kitchen to get Shuichi's things. He heard the front door open. Here it comes.

"What are you doing?" Such a harsh voice. Hiro took a deep breath and turned around. There was Yuki, holding three grocery bags and looked ready to kill.

"Look Yuki, Shuichi has decided that it would be best to move out. And I think he's right." Yuki looked really mad, but Hiro stood his ground.

"So he sent you to get his stuff?"

"No, he's here. He wanted to get out before you came back, but…" Hiro closed his eyes and remembered Shindou's fall to one knee, how hurt and afraid he looked. "But he needed to rest." Yuki looked over his shoulder to the bedroom door.

"Get out," Yuki said as he turned back to Hiro. Now Hiro was getting mad. "I'm not leaving him here…"

"I'm not going to let him go anywhere. Do you understand me."

Hiro was going to protest again, but by the look on Yuki's face, he knew he didn't have to.

Shuichi slowly opened his eyes and blinked. He felt terrible, where was he? His mind came back into focus. Oh yeah, I'm at Yuki's, I'm leaving him. The though made his heart ache. No, it's what's best for Yuki, that's all that matters. As he laid there a wonderful smell came from beyond the door. Normally, this would make his stomach growl with anticipation, now it just made it turn in on itself. I'm going to miss Yuki's cooking. Wait, if Yuki's here…oh no…Hiro!

Shuichi shot up and flew out of the room. There in the kitchen was Yuki, but no Hiro. Shuichi didn't know how to approach Yuki who kept his back to him the whole time. Does he even know I'm here? Well this isn't going to be easy, so might as well get this over with.

"Where's Hiro?" Yuki didn't respond, he just kept cooking. "Hey, I asked you where Hiro is, he came here to help me." Yuki finally turned around, he had a plate full of wonderful food. He placed it on the table. "Sit, eat."

"I'm not a puppy, tell me where Hiro is!" Shindou was starting to picture all kinds of horrible things that Yuki did to his best friend. "I said eat." Yuki's sharp eyes drilled into him. I get it, no talking until I eat something. Shindou stared at the plate of food. I just can't. Shindou's stomach felt as if it was going to tear itself apart. Yuki just watched him. Shindou slowly picked up the chopsticks and started to eat. He took three bites and Yuki got up and started to walk into the kitchen.

"I'm clean."

Shindou stopped in mid bite. "What."

"My test results came in this morning, I'm fine."

He's Ok! He's Ok! was the only thought that kept going through Shindou's mind. Yuki walked back over to him, "Shuichi…"

"Oh, Yuki, I'm so glad!" Shindou was crying. "I've put you through so much, and if I'd given this to you, I'd never be able to live with myself!"

Yuki lowered himself so that he could look right into Shindou's eyes. "And you're going to be ok, too. I'm going to make sure of it."

Shindou was confused. "Yuki what do…"

"I'm not letting you leave. I'm going to make sure you eat and take your medications. I won't let you go."

"But, Yuki, what if the press finds out? It could ruin your career."

"I don't care. I'm not letting you go, ever. I won't let you go through this alone." Yuki pulled Shindou close. "Do you understand me?" Shindou grabbed onto Yuki and cried harder. Yuki held him tight. I'll never let you go without a fight.

Outside, Hiro, who was waiting just incase things went bad, smiled and left. Inside, Shindou's cell phone was going off, but recently he had put it to vibrate only, so that he could avoid this particular person's calls.

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