Chapter one: Heaven don't hear me



I am so high, I can hear heaven
I am so high, I can hear heaven
Oh but heaven, no heaven don't hear me

-Hero, by Nickelback



Shuichi didn't really understand why it had been such a shock to him. If he really thought about it, he figured he might've always known about it on some level. He had always felt this empty place in his heart, the one that singing had already filled. But there was also the fact he looked almost nothing like anyone else in his family, except maybe for the short stature.

Shuichi had a naturally pink hair and dark violet, wide and sparkling eyes. His mother had short brown hair and grey eyes. His father had black hair and light blue eyes. Maiko was like a mix of both her parents – brown hair that she had grown out, and light blue eyes.

In a way Shuichi was also grateful. It was better to know the truth now than years later, and feel betrayed because he had been lied to for so long. So why did it hurt so much? For three days straight, Shuichi didn't come out of his room, where he just kept lying on his bed and crying. His parents luckily didn't even try and pressure him to come out, just delivered his meals outside his door.

The third day's afternoon, Hiro came over to see what was wrong. Shuichi told his mother he would see him when she asked him. He honestly needed to talk about this to someone who wasn't his parents or sister. He didn't want his parents to think he was blaming them. He knew adoption was a sign of immense and unselfish love, and that deep down he was actually very lucky. At least he hadn't been sent to an orphanage. And Maiko was still too young to understand these kinds of things in his option. He didn't want to burden her with it. Besides, he sort of feared that if she had known, she might not think of him as her brother anymore. Although the two of them were constantly at each other's throats, Shuichi really did love his sister, and often defended Maiko from the bullies who had been harassing her with Hiro.

When Hiro came, Shuichi ended up telling him everything. He knew he could trust Hiro to keep a secret. And Hiro was two years older than him so Shuichi was sure he would understand.

And he did. Hiro didn't judge him at all, merely held him as he cried. Feeling much better afterwards, Shuichi went back to school the next day.

After Shuichi returned to school, some time passed quite normally. Shuichi held on by not thinking about his father's words. He supposed he had been in a bit of denial. But it was only because of that that he had survived those months.

But after those months passed, all the classes had exams at school. Shuichi had got a rather bad grade again, and his teacher had talked to him about it.

"You're ten now, Shindou-kun. You need to start thinking about life more seriously, and respect it. And do you want everyone to see you as stupid? Do you want them to stop respecting you, loving you? Because that's what is going to happen unless you start respecting life."

Shuichi had dismissed the teacher's words in his mind, letting them drift in from one ear and out from the other, just as he always did. He told himself that he was going to be a big star someday, and being a star didn't require good marks.

It was only when he got home that the teacher's words hit him harder. When he stepped inside his house from the front door, he saw Maiko being complimented by their mother for her good grade. And suddenly he felt a stab of guilt for getting such a bad grade. His parents had adopted him and this was how he repaid them? By being disrespecting and bringing a bad mark home? By bringing shame upon his family's name?

Then, his mother had noticed him, and smiled at him. "Hi honey. How was your test?"

And as his knees gave out on his guilt and he wept, Shuichi promised himself that he would never again bring shame to his parents by bringing bad grades home, nor by any other way either.

-

"Morning, Shu!" now 17-year-old Hiroshi Nakano greeted his friend as he stepped out of his house with a friendly slap on the back. Over the years, Hiro had grown into a very tall and handsome young man indeed. His once shoulder-length dark red hair was now much longer, down to his shoulder blades, and his dark eyes were wiser.

Not book-wise maybe, as Shuichi himself very well knew, but streetwise. And because Hiro wasn't planning on going to college or anything of the sort after High School, that was perfectly alright. It was the street smarts you would really need in the dirty world of professional music. Hiro was already dressed in his dark blue boy's High School uniform, which hung rather loosely on him because Hiro was so slim.

"Good morning, Hiro." Shuichi greeted slightly more quietly and formally, but still using the old nickname for his friend and wearing a warm smile on his lips.

Shuichi's pink hair was still short, and his dark violet eyes wide, but they had lost some of their innocent sparkle that had been there when the two of them had been young. For a 15-year-old, he was rather scrawny, and even slimmer than Hiro. But unlike Hiro's uniform, his didn't hang loosely and messily all over the place. When he had entered High School last year, the school had ordered him a uniform of his own size, just for him, because he was such a special student.

Yes, last year. After that day when he had come home with a bad grade, Shuichi had really taken it to his heart to be a better son. But at least in Hiro's option, he had taken it all a little too far. Shuichi had started to study like crazy, and had begun to always be on top of his classes. He got better grades than Hiro would even dare to dream about. To Hiro, marks weren't important. All that mattered was just that he passed somehow. But anyway, Shuichi's mad studying had eventually somewhat paid off, and he had been allowed to skip a few grades. He had managed to get to the same year in High School as Hiro when in truth he was actually two years younger.

"Can we get going, please? I'd like to be on time for the first day of school for once." Shuichi spoke up, shaking Hiro from his thoughts, and beginning to walk.

Hiro grinned slyly, starting to follow his friend. "Looking forward to seeing a certain someone after a long summer without him?"

Shuichi's cheeks got a little redder. "I don't know what you're talking about. I merely want to be on time, because I'm going to hold the speech for the new first years. And I really don't want Sakano-Sensei to yell at us for being late again."

"At least it would make the math period pass faster." Hiro replied, still grinning. No matter how much Shuichi may try and deny his crush, Hiro knew him too well. That blush told more than a thousand words to him.

"I don't believe you sometimes." Shuichi huffed. But then he grinned as well. "Either way, I think you'd be the one more excited of the two of us. Suguru is in the same school as us now too. You must be happy."

Now it was Hiro's turn to blush. He began staring up to the sky, trying to fake that he didn't care. "Well, it'll be much more convenient for us, you know? We'll be able to rehearse during recesses and stuff…"

Suguru Fujisaki, who was a young prodigy like Shuichi, was the third member of their small band group, Bad Luck. Even though Shuichi had already declared that he wasn't going continue with music after school after all, he hadn't been able to bring himself to quit singing altogether, especially since Hiro had begged him to continue at least until the end of High School.

In Junior High he and Hiro had started their band, Shuichi on vocals, Hiro on guitar. But the two of them had always felt like there was something missing in their duo. Their music sounded slightly…empty.

Then Shuichi had met Suguru through the evening classes they both attended in. As much as Shuichi loved Hiro, and was grateful for a friend like him, there were a lot of things he couldn't talk about with him, because the red-head wouldn't be able to understand a word of what he was saying. But when he had been paired up with Suguru in the evening classes, it had been like meeting your kindred spirit, because Suguru was so smart. He was a year younger than Shuichi, but the moment they began talking, they were connected. Suguru was just as smart as Shuichi, but unlike him, who had had to work hard to get where he was now, Suguru was naturally talented. He was however very modest about his talents, and kind of timid, so he had never had many friends. Shuichi took a pity on him, and offered to be his friend. He also introduced Suguru to Hiro, and they were all friends together.

Then one day, when Shuichi and Hiro had gone over to visit Suguru over his house, and his mother had opened the door for them, they found out he was quite talented with the piano and the keyboard. But when Suguru noticed they had been listening to him, he had been rather startled and embarrassed, and had hastily explained that because of his lack of friends, in his loneliness he had turned to the piano. It was then that they knew what had been missing in their band, and asked him to be the keyboardist for their band. And Suguru had agreed.

Now, like Shuichi, Suguru had been able to skip some grades. He would begin his first year of High School today, even though he was only 14. Shuichi knew very well Hiro had a crush on their younger friend, and that the said friend was completely in love with Hiro as well. But Shuichi had long time ago decided that they should work that out for themselves and that it was none of his business. But he had to admit, Hiro did have a point in that they would now be able to practise during the recesses, too. At least there would be more time left for homework.

The two friends chatted a bit more about music and school and nothing and everything, and it didn't take long for them to reach Tohoku High School. Right when Shuichi and Hiro stepped inside the gates of the schoolyard, Shuichi could feel the stares and points on them and hear the whispers, and he knew Hiro could too.

"Looks like we haven't lost our charm and popularity over the summer." Hiro grinned jokingly, waving to one group of girls staring, making them blush, squeal and giggle. "Think we're a challenge for Sakuma-Senpai in popularity yet?"

"Like I care." Shuichi huffed. He would much rather have them just leave him alone.

-

A while later, the two friends were putting their new books and old shoes into their lockers. The whispers and stares still continued.

"Hiro-san! Shuichi-san!" They then heard a boy's voice. Turning to the direction of where the voice had come from, they saw a boy even scrawnier than Shuichi hurrying towards and waving with a smile on his face. He had short and ruffled up dark green hair and chocolate brown wide eyes.

"Hi there, Sugary(1)." Hiro greeted with a grin and a small wave as the boy stopped in front of them, and blushed brightly at the nickname.

"Good morning Suguru. How was your summer?" Shuichi greeted his younger friend with a smile, his math book in his arms.

"Alright I guess. I missed our band rehearsals, though." Suguru's family took off every summer and spent the time either abroad or on their private beach house at Okinawa.

Shuichi was about to reply, but hearing the whispers get louder, he stopped.

"Isn't that the school band, Bad Luck?"

"Hey, you're right!"

"Nakano-Senpai is looking so good today."

"When isn't he? And just look at Fujisaki and Shindou! Too bad they are so young…"

"Who cares about a small age difference? They're hot and smart and play in a band! What more could you ask for?"

Shuichi slammed his locker door shut with such a bang that everyone nearby jumped and shut up.

-

"I am sure many of you have already forgotten many of the things we studied last year, so for a quick recap, we're going to hold a pop quiz. Isn't that great?" Sakano-Sensei, the hated and strict math teacher of Tohoku High, spoke with a sinister smile on his face when he heard the groans, sighs and panicked voices of his students, and began passing the papers to them.

Shuichi didn't really care. He studied even in summer, so he knew he would do well. Hiro next to him was looking rather carefree as well, but that was just because he didn't really care if he failed. He was just grinning at his friend, who was even after all the denying of his crush, staring at the boy sitting across the room and next to a window.

Eiri Uesugi, the assistant printer of the school paper. He was a genius in languages and literature, not so smart in maths, but he had dreams of becoming a novelist. Their sweet and attractive classmate with natural blonde hair and light amber, almost golden eyes with long eyelashes planted on his long and slim face. He was tall and lean, and Shuichi's crush since seventh grade.

But as much as Hiro tried convincing his friend that it didn't matter who you fell in love with, Shuichi denied his crush because homosexuality was 'immoral'. Yet he never judged Hiro for his interest in Suguru. But there was also that, quoting Shuichi, even if he was interested in Uesugi, it seemed like the blonde already had a girlfriend.

Many times last year he had been picked up at the school gates by a beauty with silky and long brown hair, and clear dark blue eyes. As far as Hiro knew, she was called Ayaka Usami, and had gone to the same Junior High as them. She was a year younger than Hiro, so she was here now too. Shuichi actually recalled seeing her among the new first years when he had kept the welcoming speech to them earlier.

"You want to go jam to the music room after this? I think I'll need to blow some steam after the summer." Hiro whispered over to the pinkette.

"Sure." Shuichi whispered back, already beginning to look forward to it. Only when he was singing did he feel completely free, and all of his pretences dropped. When he sang, he was suddenly nine again, with the naive dreams and hopes of being a rock star.

Just then, they got their test papers, and began looking through the questions.

-

Shuichi and Hiro found Suguru rather easily, since he had told them he would be having biology first, and the three of them headed for the music room together. It was always open for their use, as their music teacher just adored their music.

Hiro and Suguru quickly arranged their instruments as Shuichi quietly practised his voice just a bit.

"We're ready here." Hiro announced.

"I'm ready too." Shuichi replied, taking the mic in his hand. "Let's start with Glaring Dream, okay?"

"Sure." Hiro replied, and Suguru nodded as they began playing the intro to their first song ever.

After the intro was over, Shuichi began singing the words he knew by the heart already:

"The whisper that dissolves into the bustling crowd
makes the memories scattered underfoot blur together
The blazing of the street where I walk about lost
(glaring one way)
illuminates me as coldly as though it freezes
…"

-

"You had a math test on the first day of school?! That's immoral!"

Eiri was just about to nod to his childhood friend Ayaka, when something other than her angry butchering for his sake reached his ears. Was that…music?

"So, how did you do-?" Ayaka was about to ask when she noticed her friend had bolted off. "Hey, where are you going, Eiri?" She yelled as she rushed after him.

"I think I'm hearing something! A song!" Eiri yelled back at her over his shoulder.

"What?"

And then, Ayaka heard it too. It was coming from the music room. And she noticed actually quite many people had gathered over around its door. Most of them were girls, who wore dreamy expressions on their faces, but there were some guys there too.

She could now hear the lyrics of the song:

"The cold times make dreams fall like rain and slip through my hands
When I woke up from the countless wishes,
you are reflected in a shimmering illusion –
The silhouette whose faint smile leads me along
."

The lyrics were a little rough around the edges, as Eiri would probably say, but this voice…it was amazing. It was as if it didn't sing into her ears, but straight into her heart. It wasn't even a voice that was singing, it was just a sound.

Ayaka could see Eiri was absolutely enchanted as well. His eyes were wide and surprised as he stared at the music room's door.

"Excuse me." She heard her friend ask from one of the girls there. "Who is this who is singing?"

The girl looked at him in disbelief. "Have you been hiding under a rock, Uesugi? It's Shuichi Shindou of Bad Luck, of course. The honour student of this school who goes to the 2-B class at the age of only 15!"

2-B…wasn't that Eiri's own class? Ayaka suddenly remembered hearing back in Junior High that there had been a very major student who had been able to skip a few grades and had entered High School at the age of only 14. No wonder the honour student who had kept the welcoming speech had been so small! She was older than him by a year!

The song ended just then, and Eiri took the opportunity to his advance and pulled the door of the music room open with a rush, despite the loud protests of girls that if Bad Luck found out they would never again get to listen to them in secret.

Ayaka saw the honour student from earlier, as well as one of the boys who she had seen among the new first years like herself with green hair, and a tall red-head who she didn't recognise. They looked just like they had been caught, like they had been. Shindou still had a microphone in his hand and his mouth was open, the red-head's fingers were still on his guitar, and the green-haired boy's on his keyboard. They all looked shocked and frozen into place.

Eiri and Shuichi stared at each other in silence, and Ayaka saw that a blush was slowly starting to reach Shindou's face.

Eiri broke the ice. "That was great, Shindou-san! You've got a really good voice! The lyrics might need a little bit of work, though…" Shindou wasn't saying anything.

"Shindou-san?"

"WHY ARE YOU ALL EAVESDROPPING ON US PLAYING!" Shindou screamed on top of his lungs into his microphone.

Ayaka was sure her ears would be ringing for days afterwards.


(1)This was one of the words LiveJournal offered in the place of 'Suguru' since it doesn't recognise the name, and I thought it was cute. Hiro calls Suguru this when he wants to tease or be affectionate.

The idea of a strict-math-teacher-Sakano makes me smile :D.

I wonder what I should do with Taki…I am somehow kind of uncomfortable making him a good guy. He's just the kind of character I love to hate, I guess. And I love his obsession with Shuichi and defeating him, it's candy for my dirty mind XD. If I don't come up with anything, I guess I'll just leave him out.

Senpai: Upperclassman

By the way, ages in this story, in case someone got confused:

Shuichi: 15
Eiri: 17
Hiro: Also 17
Suguru: 14
Ayaka: 16