DISCLAIMER: I'm back with chapter two. None of the gravitation characters I own, well except the barber. I would also like to thank my dear readers following this story. hugs to all!
10:00 in the morning. Saturday. Yuki's bedroom.
The sun shines brightly all over the room. The blinds have been pulled up. Yuki still with his eyes shut extends an arm to his side only to feel a pillow beside him. He sits up and rubs his eyes to surveyed the room.
"Baka!"
His and Shuichi's clothes were littered all over the room.
"He didn't even…."
He halted. Memories from last night began to rain on his head. He quickly picked up their clothes and stashed it to the side of the bed.
He must be sleeping on the damn couch again.
He consoled himself. But when he opened the door, Shuichi was not there. A trail of blood spots were on the carpet floor which were leading to the bathroom.
Yuki's eyes rounded in horror.
"Shuichi!"
Oh God, no! This can't be happening.
The bathroom was a mess. Fragments of broken glass still remained on the sink. He was even more horrified to find a piece of broken glass with blood on it inside the wastebasket.
"SHUICHI?"
No answer came.
He looked inside the kitchen and saw a towel. He picked it up and suddenly dropped it. It had blood soaked in it. He drops on his knees and covers his face.
What have I done? This can't be happening. Shuichi…..
He proceeds to the guest room and finds Shuichi's bags were still there. His Ryuichi collection. No notes on his table. His favorite mug was still amongst the dishes.
"Where could he be?"
He dials the phone.
All he got was the operator's voice.
Did he bring his cellphone? Is it turned off? Out of signal? He never leaves without his cellphone.
He calls again. Still no Shuichi.
Was it stolen? Was he mugged? Assaulted?
He didn't like the ideas going through his head. No time to lose. He quickly dressed and drove his car.
Back in the hotel……
The front desk clerk greeted Shuichi, "Ohayo gozaimasu."
"Ohayo. I'll be checking out now."
"Did you enjoy your stay, sir?"
Shuichi smiles at her wanly. "I sure did."
He walks out of the hotel. He is wearing large dark shades and a hat which he purchased from the hotel's gift shop.
He enters a barber shop. The barber shop looked like it catered to old folks. Shuichi tried to avoid establishments that catered to young people. He was immediately greeted by an old bald barber at the door.
"Irrashai!"
"Hai."
"What would it be?"
"A haircut, something different."
"Would you like to try our promo, sir? Hair coloring treatment and you get a free haircut and massage."
"Wow. Very well, my hair is in your hands."
"Very good, sir."
NG Building.
The door to the recording studio suddenly bursts open.
Bad Luck producer Sakano was shocked. "Ah, Yuki-san!"
Yuki was grim. "Shuichi wa doko da?"
"He's not here. Didn't he tell you, Bad Luck is taking a year off starting today. We've had quite a busy season last year."
Yuki was irritated. " I know that."
K testily replied, "Isn't he supposed to be at your place? "
K arched his eyebrows but not looking at Yuki while he continued cleaning his magnum.
"Would I be here if he was?"
K smirked, "Figures."
Sakano was beginning to fidget.
Someone else arrives at the studio.
"OHAYO!"
"Huh?"
"Ah! Hiro-kun!" Sakano was relieved.
Sakano looked even more nervous than ever. He had felt the slight tension growing between K and Yuki but now with Hiro here…..he just hoped things would not go ugly.
"I just came in to get my CD case. Ah! Here it is!"
He grabs the black CD case near the corner table and was about to walk out the door when he notices Yuki.
"What brings you here?"
"Shuichi?"
"How am I supposed to know that?"
"Shuichi wa doko da?"
"Why are you asking me? Isn't he supposed to be with you?"
"He's not that's why."
"Don't tell me something happened again."
"He left last night. All his stuff is still there. I tried calling him but no answer."
"Of course, he won't answer, it's YOU!"
He takes his cellphone and dials.
"Shit! He's not picking up his phone. All I'm getting is the fucking operator."
Hiro's irritation was growing by the second. K put back his magnum in his holster. Sakano swallowed hard and silently prayed there won't be a scene in the studio.
"I told you so." Yuki replied.
That did it. Hiro lunged forward and grabbed Yuki by the collar and pinned him on the wall.
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO HIM AGAIN, YOU ASSHOLE?"
Yuki merely looked at him defiantly.
"ANSWER ME!"
"Hiro-kun, relax a bit. We won't be able to find Shindou-kun like this."
K pulls Hiro away from Yuki. Yuki loosens his collar.
"If Shuichi-kun isn't with any of you two then he must have returned to his parents' home." K took a seat.
"He didn't say anything like that." Yuki looked away.
"There's no harm in checking it out." The producer quipped.
"I'll make the call." The gun-totting manager announced.
"No! I'll go there." Hiro disagreed.
"I'm going too." Yuki presented.
"Very well." K nodded.
Shuichi's parents' home
Maiko greeted them at the door. "Hiro-kun! Ohisashiburi!"
"Hisashiburi da na, Maiko-chan!" They hugged.
"What's up?"
"Is Shuichi here?"
"No."
"Did he call you?"
Maiko became concerned with the question. "Iyya. What's going on, Hiro-kun?"
"That's what I need to find out."
Yuki gets out of the car.
Maiko became suspicious. "What the hell is he doing here?"
Hiro looks behind. "He came to look for Shuichi too."
"What's going on?" She frowns never leaving her sight at Yuki who was now approaching.
"We'll look for him okay? Where are your parents?"
Distractedly she replies. "They went for a camping trip. They said they'll be back next week."
"So you're all alone here?"
"No. Some of my cousins are here." Her impatience was rising by the second.
"Okay. Just stay put. Keep your line open and I'll call you as soon as I know anything, ne?"
Just as Hiro was about to ride on his motorbike, Maiko walks to Yuki's car and slams on the front of the car.
"YOU ASSHOLE! WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM? WHERE'S MY BROTHER?"
Hiro cuts in. "Maiko-chan, there's no point asking him that now."
He takes Maiko back to the front of the house.
"But…."
Maiko's face was flushed with sudden anger. Tears began to flow.
"I want you to stay at home, okay. Nakanaide, I'll take care of this. I'm angry too but that won't solve anything. Don't tell your parents anything yet ok. I'm sure I'll find Shuichi very soon, ne?"
Hiro hugs Maiko who is shaking with anger and still glaring at Yuki.
"Okay." Her voice breaks.
"That's a good girl."
Back in the barber shop…..
"How do you like your new look, sir?"
"It's incredible. I feel like a new man. You did it." Shuichi admires his new hair on the mirror.
"Back to basics, sir. You remind me of my grandson."
Shuichi smiles. "I do?"
"Black hair suits you fine, sir and the short hair too."
"I'm quite satisfied."
To be continued...
