The Price for Loving You
A Gravitation Fanfic
Chapter One

At that same moment, across the pacific ocean in a very different city, a Sailor Moon-shaped alarm clock started blaring. Its alarm played the theme from the shoujo anime in a high pitched, and highly annoying, tone. From the pile of dark blue and green bedcovers on the bed it sat next to a hand emerged to hit the snooze button. It then snaked back under the covers, and the covered form on the bed remained motionless until the alarm clock rang out again to announce that fifteen minutes had passed.

A protesting sound, muffled by the layers of covers, came from the form and the hand reached out to hit snooze again. Despite that it was now sometime between ten and eleven am, and the alarm obviously meant it's owner had to be up and about for some reason, the form on the bed made no attempt to awaken.

The third time the alarm sounded it was silenced by a torpedo blowing it - and the outer wall of the penthouse - to pieces. The form in the bed gave a grunt and turned over, still not moving.

"Sakuma!" A girl in her late teens with chin-length hair and glasses dressed in a business suit and carrying a torpedo launcher stood in the doorway to the bedroom.

The bed covers moved, and a pink plushy bunny wearing a red bow around the neck peeked out of the covers. "Ohayo, Reiji-chan! Ryu-chan is still sleeping! Plus, he has a headache! Shh!"

"That's why he shouldn't have drunken all that champagne last night." Reiji said pointedly.

"Hai! Hai! Kuma-chan agrees, but Ryu-chan never listens!"

"Well, if Sakuma-san doesn't wake up and get out of bed soon he'll miss his photo-shoot." Reiji aimed her torpedo launcher at the bed. "And as his manager I won't stand for it. You better tell him that bed's gonna be blown away in ten seconds, Kumagorou-san!"

"Ne?! Reiji-chan - no fair!"

"Ten!"

"Ryu-chan just bought these pillows!"

"Nine!"

"And the sheets too! They're all silky and comfy!"

"Eight...Seven!"

"You already owe him a new alarm clock!"

"Six...Five!"

"There must be a better form of motivation!"

"Four...Three!"

"Like Pocky! Or Glicko-Kaplicko!"

"Two!"

"Or cheesecake!"

"One!"

"I'm up already!" Tossing the bedsheets to the floor, serious green eyes many years older than his young manager's glowered at the torpedo launcher armed teen. Dressed in a tank and draw-string pajama pants, the man ran a hand through his brown hair.

He winced at the sunlight pouring in through the hole in his wall. "You gotta stop doing that."

"You've gotta stop drinking at the promotional parties." Reiji replied. "You know you never want to get up in the morning when you do."

Ryuichi snorted, rising from the bed and stretching. "Depends on what there is to get up for. A photoshoot isn't much of a motivation. New scripts to look over would be better. And I'm rarely late to rise when I'm filming."

"Photoshoots probably do seem dull after how many you've done over the years, but you know they're necessary."

"Sure, rub my age in..." He muttered under his breath. "Necessary and boring. And perfectly capable of waiting on me." He crossed his arms.

"Arrogant pain-in-the-ass." Reiji muttered. "That kind of attitude's gonna give you a reputation for being a prima donna." She pointed out.

"Already got that. Had it for years. What Ryuichi Sakuma wants, Ryuichi Sakuma gets."

"And the magazines ask why you're still single. Well, with that kind of attitude." Reiji muttered to the side. "Maybe what you need is a more personal form of motivation."

"I'm flattered, but not interested." Ryuichi replied, tossing the covers into some semblance of order.

Reiji glowered. "Like you're even my type! Get over yourself! I meant you should go find yourself someone!"

Ryuichi rolled his eyes. "You write my schedule, see any time for a lover?"

"If you hadn't overslept, you would have had half-an-hour for a personal moment."

"A whole half hour? Really? That's like an eon..."

"If you had someone I could write the time in." Reiji replied, ignoring the sarcasm in his voice. "Maybe they could get you out of bed for me, too."

"Provide match-making services for your clients often?" Ryuichi asked, growing amused.

"Whatever's necessary." His manager replied, and found herself holding Kumagorou. "Eh?"

"Watch Kuma-chan for me while I grab a shower." He pulled his tank top over his head, and glanced back - his eyes glinting. "It might almost be worth saying yes just for a kick, but I'm not that crazy. Let's just drop it. The last thing I need is a lover."

Reiji scowled at the bathroom door as it closed. "Prick." She looked down at Kumagorou. "I don't know, what do you think, Kuma-chan? Should I try it anyway? Has to be someone who won't interfere with his career, though. Hmm..."


One week later...

In the Nittle Grasper decorated walls of his bedroom in his family's traditional-style home, Tatsuha lay on his futon thinking about a dark-haired, intense-eyed singer. And for once it wasn't Ryuichi Sakuma.

In the week since he had first met Nagi, not a day had gone by when he couldn't help but think of the singer. No brief flirtation had ever had such a profound effect on him before. He was disappointed to find that despite having his phone number, and - for that matter - even knew where he lived, Nagi hadn't contacted him at all.

'I can't believe I'm still dwelling on this...So he hit on me, but didn't feel like going any further - it happens all the time. Heck, I've done it dozens of times myself...'

When the bell rang he sighed, burying his face into his pillow for a moment - tempted to not answer. His father was away for a ceremony, though, which meant there was no one else to answer the door. And if his father new the bellringer, he'd get it later for not answering. With a sigh he rose from his futon to go see the insistent visitor - part of him praying they'd leave before he got to the door.

He was glad it was one prayer the gods decided not to listen to, when he opened the door to find Nagi on the front step. "N-Nagi!"

"Ah! You remember me!" Nagi grinned. He was dressed in a black pressed shirt and jeans, sunglasses perched on his head.

Tatsuha was suddenly acutely aware of his own disheveled state. He'd pulled on a pair of jeans, but had only unbelted his sleeping yukata - not even bothering with a shirt. He hastily ran his fingers through the uncombed locks of his dark hair. "You're not easy to forget." He replied to Nagi's comment.

"Well, you were pretty drunk. I've been nervous about calling." The other boy admitted.

Tatsuha felt strangely elated. So the reason he hadn't called had been nervousness, not disinterest! He broke into a grin. "Don't be nervous, I don't bite - unless asked." He gave a flirtatious wink.

A slow, seductive smile swept across Nagi's features. He let his eyes slide down Tatsuha's frame, his gaze lingering on the bare skin of his chest visible through the open sleeping yukata. His eyes continued down the lower half of Tatsuha's body before retracing the path back up to the teen's flushed face. "I'll remember that." He purred.

Tatsuha felt his already flushed face heat more, and he coughed in an attempt to cover his embarrassment. "Would you like to come in?" He stepped away from the door, automatically bowing slightly.

"I thought you'd never ask." Nagi replied, entering. He quirked his eyebrows at the other boy's position. "So traditional..." He teased. "Should I have brought a gift? Rice? Sake?"

Tatsuha hastily straightened, trying to laugh off the torment as he slid the door close. "No, no - of course not. It's just the atmosphere of this place."

"I don't think it is..." Nagi said, his eyes studying the younger man. "No, I think you are quite traditional. Hm...should I switch tactics? You've seemed to like things so far."

Tatsuha blinked, then smiled in amusement. "Are you actually standing there asking my advice on how to seduce me?"

"It would make things easier." Nagi admitted with a grin.

Tatsuha chuckled. "Nagi, I do believe you are a man without shame...and I like it." His eyes sparkled mischievously. "It may disappoint you do know though, that I'm more likely to jump into bed with someone I'm not overly interested in then with someone I actually like."

"That seems a bit backwards." Nagi commented drolly, then he purposefully bridged the space between them, leaning close enough to Tatsuha for them to feel the warmth of eachother's bodies. "So...if I asked to see your room, you'd say...?"

"Not today." Tatsuha replied, ignoring the feelings of desire stirring within him.

"I'm glad." Nagi whispered, tilting his head so he could say the words in the dark-haired boy's ear. "I hate being a passing fascination..." He drew back, breaking off the sensual moment. "So, how about we go with a cold drink, and spend the rest of the morning just talking - getting to know one another?"

"I'd like that." Tatsuha admitted. "Let me go throw on a shirt first, though."

"You don't have to." Nagi teased. "I definitely don't mind the view."

"You'll find the kitchen straight back to the left. You can't miss the fridge." Tatsuha pointedly ignored the comment. He turned to head down the hallway to the right - which lead to his bedroom. Suddenly Nagi's arm blocked his path. He turned, startled, and found himself frozen in place by intense dark eyes. "Nagi, I-"

He was cut off by Nagi's mouth crashing down on his, his tongue taking advantage of the silenced words to push inside. He forcefully explored the wet cavern of his mouth - tasting, claiming. He ignored the hands Tatsuha brought up to push against his shoulders, and pushed forward - trapping the young monk's body between him and the wall. His hands gripped his face, tilting his head back so he had better access to his mouth. His tongue pushing deeper inside before pulling back, and he sucked briefly at his captured mouth as if trying to drink him in.

Suddenly he released him, stepping away. Tatsuha clung to the wall for support, looking up at the singer in confusion. Nagi's eyes were unreadable, and his closed-mouth smile held no warmth. He reached out to chuck Tatsuha under the chin. "Don't ignore me, Tats, I don't like it." That said he headed up the hall toward the kitchen. "Don't be long or I'll have to come looking for you."

Tatsuha retreated to his bedroom, sinking onto his futon. The violent kiss had shaken him. The fact that he'd kissed him so forcefully because he'd ignored a simple suggestive comment seemed a bit disturbing. As had the fact that he'd ignored his attempts to break off the kiss - had in fact only pressed closer.

He had, however, found the kiss very arousing. Had thoroughly enjoyed Nagi's flirtations up to this point. "Maybe he just wanted an excuse to kiss me." He found himself excusing.

Remembering his threat of coming to find him if he took too long, he lept up - tossing the sleeping yukata on the futon. Hastily choosing a red muscled shirt from his closet to pull on, he ran a comb briefly through his hair before hurrying out of the room.

Nagi was sitting on the back porch with an open soda in his hand and an unopened one beside him. He was watching the koi pond, but turned when he heard him approach. "I was beginning to think you wanted me to come find you." He smirked.

Tatsuha sat down on the porch next to him, but found himself frowning. "When I want you to follow me to my bedroom I'll tell you. I certainly don't lead a chaste life, but I don't sleep with just anyone. And I don't appreciate being forced farther than I've agreed to go."

Nagi froze, then slowly set down his drink. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I've wanted to kiss you since I first saw you in the club. I guess my horomones got the best of me."

Tatsuha listened, and felt himself relax. "It's okay. I mean, I really didn't mind that you kissed me. But when you didn't stop...let's just not get ahead of ourselves."

"Alright. So why don't we start with you telling me about yourself." He offered him the unopened soda.

Tatsuha took it, tilting his head to one side questioningly. "What do you want to know?" He asked curiously.

"Everything!" Nagi replied with a grin.

Tatsuha laughed, but settled into a comfortable position. This could take awhile.


The tune to 'Welcome to My Romance' began to play from a black cellphone with a collection of mostly Bad Luck related cellphone charms hanging from it. The cellphone case that housed it was sheer sparkle-dusted plastic on one side and shaped like a guitar.

It was hastily snatched up by a blushing dark-haired young woman, who ignored her group of friend's knowing grins as she answered it. "Ayaka here." She waved her friends on. "Go on, I'll catch up...Oh. I'm just shopping with some friends. I was hoping you'd call..."

"Hi, Nakano-san! Aya-chan misses you!" One of her friends leaned in to call into the phone.

Ayaka gasped, covering the mouthpiece hastily. "Stop that!" She hissed at her friend, before turning back to her cellphone. "Sorry about that, Hiro...just Taya goofing off again. She says Hi..."

"I said more than that!" Her friend put in.

"Uh-huh...ah, is Shindou-san late back from lunch again? Ah, I see...it's alright, I know how busy you are."

"She ought to, she buys every magazine he's in." Another of her friends commented.

"She tapes his tv and radio appearances, too." The third pointed out.

Ayaka shot them a glare. "Hm? I have the rest of the weekend off, actually...are you sure? It's a long drive from Tokyo..."

"Come see her! She's been whining about not seeing you enough all week!" Taya leaned into the phone again.

"I was not whining!" Ayaka snapped at Taya, then realized she hadn't covered the mouthpiece. "Ah! Sorry, Hiro - Taya was teasing me and...well I may have mentioned a couple times that it's been over two weeks since we had a chance to see eachother..." She found herself playing with a lock of her hair. "I know, and I understand. I just can't help but miss seeing you..."

"Holding hands, kissing." Her second friend side commentated.

"Passionate embraces." Taya added.

"I'll see you tonight...I love you too." Ayaka turned away, blushing. "Bye..." As she hung up her friends collapsed into giggles. "You three, really!"

"You two are so sappy - it's cute in a pathetic kind-of way!" Her third friend told her, still giggling.

"You should say what's really on your mind!" Her second friend spoke up.

"Yah, like - Oh, Hiro - I miss you so much! I yearn for your kisses!" Taya pulled out her cellphone, speaking into it dramatically.

"Oh, Ayaka!" Her second friend pulled out her cellphone, deepening her voice in an attempt to sound masculine. "I burn for your touch! I need you, darling!"

"Hiro, please can't you skip practice today? I need to be swept into your arms!"

"I could never refuse you! I'll fly to Kyoto on my motorcycle right now!"

"I can barely wait! I'll see you soon."

"It could never be soon enough. I love you Ayaka."

"And I love you!"

"Are you done now?" Ayaka crossed her arms, looking sarcastically at her two friends.

Her third friend was giggling madly. "That was worth it!"

"Hmph." Ayaka turned her nose up, and started to walk away.

Taya ran after her, catching her arm. "Oh, c'mon, Aya-chan! If that had been Niko calling Hina-chan - you'd have been the one teasing."

"Maybe." Ayaka admitted grudgingly. "But that whole romance novel conversation! I mean, really! I'm not that clingy!"

"Nah, you need to be more clingy. Like Hina." Her second friend opinioned.

"Hey!" The third protested.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ayaka tilted her head, confused.

"It's just...I mean...he's in Tokyo - you're in Kyoto."

"Email, cellphones, text-messaging. No such thing in the modern world as a long distance relationship." She countered.

"But it's not the same. I mean..." Hina spoke up. "You don't see eachother for weeks on end."

"Yah, don't you worry he'll meet some sexy actress at one of those premiere parties and well...y'know." Her second friend shrugged.

"Cheat on me?" Ayaka stared, then laughed. "You read too many tabloids! Believe me, the reality isn't so glamorous. He barely has time for himself, let alone us. He doesn't have time for an affair."

"But the reason he has so little time for you two is because you live so far away."

Ayaka glanced around at her friends concerned faces, and felt a twinge of worry. Was she really in the wrong? Shaking it off, she smiled brightly. "Alright, let's put this into perspective. You're suggesting that Hiro - Hiro - who on our first date - at the movies - barely got up the guts to hold my hand, is going to have a passionate affair with some fame-obsessed rising starlet?"

Her friends blinked, then glanced at eachother accusingly.

"I didn't say-"

"Hina's the one who's always worried about-"

"Me?! You're the one who said she needed to be clingy!"

Ayaka giggled. "You're all worry warts! I trust Hiro, that's all there is to it. C'mon, let's hit one more shop before we go!" She headed up the walkway, ignoring the slight twinge on the back of her mind. The tiniest spark of lingering doubt...


"So your sister's married to the president of NG, and your brother's a famous author?" Nagi and Tatsuha had moved inside around lunchtime. They were currently in the living room. Tatsuha lying on the floor and Nagi on the couch - his legs flung over the arm.

"Yep."

"That must really suck."

Tatsuha couldn't help but laugh. Nagi's impressions were so refreshing. So different from everyone else's. Though the longer he let him stay the greater the risk that his father would come home to find him there, he didn't want to ask him to leave. He wanted to keep talking. To hear what he'd say next, or even just the sound of his voice.

"Sometimes it really can." He replied. "Especially since my brother and I look alike."

"Oh? How much?"

"Practically identical. You've really never heard of Yuki Eiri?"

"I don't really read much in the way of romance novels."

Tatsuha chuckled. "Somehow I guessed that." Sitting up he wandered over to a bookshelf, pulling some books off to reach in the back. His father would never admit they had a copy of every one of Eiri's books. Pulling out the most recent one he flipped open the back cover to the author's bio - offering it to Nagi.

Nagi took it and paused. He seemed to freeze as he looked at the picture. Tatsuha waited. He knew what he's say next - he'd been hearing it his whole life.

'Look at Tatsuha, he's like a mini version of his elder brother.'

'Wow, you look just like Eiri Yuki...'

'You really do look exactly like him.'

Tatsuha paused, realizing he wasn't saying anything. "Er, Nagi?"

"So you're also the brother-in-law to Bad Luck's lead singer, huh? Geez, being related to that many famous people really must be a pain."

Tatsuha blinked, then leaned in to see what he meant. Oh, right - in Yuki's latest bios he mentioned his live-in boyfriend. So he'd been reading the bio. "You didn't say anything about the picture."

"Hm? Oh, right. Well, he does look alot like you. But I guess I prefer brunettes...or maybe that sparkle of mischief in your eyes." He closed the book, laying it aside; reaching up a hand to turn Tatsuha's face towards him as he turned to lean on one arm. "You just seem far more attractive to me..."

Tatsuha felt his face heat in a blush, but he didn't pull away. Nagi leaned in closer and his eyes slid close - his heart speeding up as he remembered their earlier kiss.

"Tatsuha!"

The sudden calling of his name startled him, and he lept away - grabbing up the novel to hastily put back; not missing Nagi's amused grin.

"Tatsuha! Are you home?"

"Yes! I'm here!"

His father entered, dressed in his robes. He frowned slightly at Nagi - who hadn't bothered to stand up. "I see you have...company..." His father's disapproving tone made him wince.

"Yes, this is Nagi. Nagi - this is my father." He gave the couch a small kick.

Nagi took the hint, and stood up. "It's nice to meet you, Uesugi-san." He bowed.

The action mollified his father slightly. "You as well, Nagi-san." The old man bowed in return, before turning back to his son. "The stones have not been watered yet today."

Tatsuha resisted the urge to grimace. "The koi were fed." Seeing his father's stance not waver, he hung his head. "I'll go water them. I'm sorry, father." He bowed.

"I have to be going." Nagi spoke up.

"Oh?" Uesugi arched an eyebrow.

"Well, he's been here since-" Tatsuha began.

"Lunch." Nagi broke in. "I couldn't impose further. And I'm expected elsewhere soon anyway."

Tatsuha figured that 'elsewhere' would be a gig for Vendetta, and shot him a grateful look for his discretion. "I'll show him out."

"Hm..." Was Uesugi's reply as he headed for the kitchen.

Tatsuha led the way back into the foyer. "Sorry about that." He whispered as Nagi slipped his shoes on. "My father's just-"

"You don't want to upset or disappoint him."

"Eh?" Tatsuha froze.

"It's obvious in the way you react to him. I can tell your family means alot to you. It's in the way you talk about them, even your brother - though you hate being compared to him.

"I used to resent him for it. For awhile I felt like everything I did was compared to him and I couldn't stand it. Silly, huh?"

"No, not at all..." Nagi replied, looking at him intently.

Tatsuha found himself unable to meet his gaze. He stepped forward to open the door. "When will I see you - " His words were cut off when Nagi stepped forward and kissed him - briefly and heatedly.

"Call me. Tell me when it's safe. When your father's not here." He whispered, and was gone.

Tatsuha found himself looking bewilderedly at the paper he held with the singer's phone number, wondering when he'd found the time to write it down for him.


"Where have you been?" The blonde musician of Vendetta demanded when Nagi entered the band's dressing room.

"Had some business out of town." Nagi shrugged, beginning to change out of his casuals into his stage costume.

"In Kyoto?"

"And if I said yes?"

"Dammit! We don't need this right now, Taki! We just got back on our feet!"

"I told you not to call me that!" Nagi whirled, tossing a bottle at the blonde.

He dodged, and the bottle narrowly missed the brunette who'd been standing to one side. "Watch it! Geez, what's the matter with you? And Ma-kun's right, the last thing we need is to call attention to ourselves. If you mess with a relative of Eiri Yuki's-"

"Brother. He's his younger brother." Nagi replied cooly.

"That's even worse!"

"Nothing's illegal about breaking hearts."

"Nagi!" Ma-kun couldn't find the words to express his concern and frustration.

"It's none of your business!" Nagi snapped. "You don't know everything. I owe them all. And little Tatsuha Uesugi's going to help me do it. I'm going to make that spoiled punk fall for me. And then I'm going to break his heart - right in front of his precious family."

To Be Continued...


Man, I bet everyone saw that one coming from a mile away. Yep, Vendetta is ASK, and Nagi is none other than Taki Aizawa. But Tatsuha doesn't know that, and wouldn't know what it meant even if he did. Will Taki make Tatsuha fall for him? Will Ayaka doubt Hiro's loyalty? Will Reiji matchmake Ryuichi? Wait and see!! R&R in the meantime!

Salmon