Chapter two – Eiri Yuki
Flames, burning, burning very hot. "Help!" I cry, but my voice can't seem to escape my throat. My skin is burning, bubbling.
I watch in horror as my skin turns to something akin to liquid wax, spilling off over my flesh to pool around my feet, scalding my toes.
Ba-thump, ba-thump, ba-thump, the sound of my rapid heart beat fills my ears.
A shadow falls over me and I look up, fear clutching at my heart I see somebody standing not far off, smoke spiralling from a glowing ember on the end of a white stick perched between his lips.
"Why won't you help me?" I scream. He just stands still, his features cast in shadows.
"HELP ME!" Shuichi screamed.
Shuichi thrashed wildly, his fingers tangling in wires and other important hospital gizmo's.
"Shuichi! Shuichi, calm down!"
"Hiro?" Shuichi groaned, his eyes fluttering open to star blearily at his best friends pale face. A look of relief crossed the guitarist's face and he heaved a sigh, standing next to Shuichi's bed.
"Thank god. The doctors' said you'd be waking up sometime soon. You inhaled a lot of smoke there…" Hiro eased back into the hard backed chair beside Shuichi bed as the pink haired teen looked numbly around the hospital room.
He realized the wires he had been caught in earlier were attached to a foggy oxygen mask and something resembling a peg clipped painfully to his index finger. "Hiro?" He warbled uncertainly as his vision wavered.
"Hold on Shuichi, I know it's disorientating, but the doc will be here in a minute." His friend soothed, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. Hiro's expression was shadowed and concerned, his face a white shade of pale. "Man, I'm so sorry. So, sorry." He muttered.
"Maiko?" Shuichi wheezed. Hiro looked away.
Panic fluttered deep in his heart and he shot bolt up right, ripping the peg from his finger. "Shuichi! What the hell are you doing!?" Hiro cried, leaping up to fight Shuichi back down on the hospital' scratchy, white bed sheets.
"She's not dead is she?" Shuichi demanded, tearing the oxygen mask from his face and gulping in real air.
"No! She's in a coma! Now calm down." Hiro demanded forcing Shuichi back down just as loud voices flooded into the room.
"Is Shuichi okay?!"
"Hold on miss! You can't go in there! It's a private hospital room!"
The door was flung open by a hectic looking Riko, her blond hair in a slippy pony tails wearing ill matching clothes that didn't not boost her usual fashion savvy attitude, a frantic looking nurse trailing after her.
"Ri-chan?" Shuichi said in surprise as his panicked girlfriend suddenly threw herself at him, sending him reeling back to his pillows as she sobbed uncontrollably in to his chest.
"I saw it on the news and recognized your house! I was so worried I thought I was going to be sick! I'm so glad you're alright Shu-chan!" She wailed, hugging herself tighter to his chest well Shuichi stroked her hair, bewildered.
"Riko, Shuichi's still weak. He inhaled a lot smoke. Give him a second to rest." Hiro said gently, tugging the hysterical girl off of his friend and guiding her back over to the nurse who led her out of the room. "I'll give her something to calm her down and send somebody back in her." She said to Hiro and he nodded, closing the glass door behind her.
"You'd think it was her house that burnt down." Hiro muttered under his breath as he trotted back over to Shuichi.
"Hiro, I wanna see Maiko." Shuichi said firmly and Hiro's expression softened.
"I don't know if that's a wise idea Shu. She's badly burnt, I dunno if you could take that." He explained gently, placing a hand atop Shuichi's head.
"You got off lucky, I mean you pulled that damn Hiro stunt and you get away with serious smoke inhalation and minor burns on your left arm." Hiro shook his head, expression dazed. "It's a damn act of god."
Shuichi remained silent, staring at the light scabs that wrapped around his wrist. The last thing he thought of himself as was lucky. His parents… Were gone. His loving – somewhat overbearing – Mother, his easily impressed dad… His younger sister was fighting for her life in ICU and he was barley injured. It wasn't right.
Hiro gauged his expression. "Jesus Shu, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way. I'm just glad you're alright…" He heaved another sigh just as the door opened.
A balding man with wire rimmed glasses wearing a long, white coat that hung oddly over his frail frame strode in, clipboard in hand, followed by a pair of uniformed police officers.
"Good evening Shindou-san." He greeted in a gravely voice, checking the chart at the foot of his bed and frowning when he saw the peg and mask discarded on the sheets. Shuichi resisted the urge to say 'what's so good about it?'
"I see I'm hardly needed here." He said examining the monitor. Shuichi frowned at him as he scribbled down on his clipboard. "Now, you'll be short of breath for a while so I advice against laborious exercise for a few weeks, and don't strain yourself. I've prescribed antibiotics so your wrist won't get infected." He mad a small tick on the board and nodded at the police men before leaving the room with as much haste as he'd entered. Hiro stared after him in disbelief.
"That guy has zero bedside manner." Muttered a light haired cop, shaking his head. He turned to his darker haired companion and muttered something to him. He left the room. The cop turned back to Shuichi.
"I'm Yoshigaku Negami. You can call me Yoshi." He offered his hand and Shuichi took it, Yoshi giving him a firm handshake. He was small and slim but had the look of somebody who worked out often, reminded Shuichi of a Leith panther he'd once seen on TV.
"What's going to happen to me?" Shuichi asked. He was still only seventeen. He didn't have enough money to live on his own and his parents hadn't been real rich. The majority of there investments had been in the house, which, was now a pile of charred cinders.
Yoshi grimaced in genuine sympathy. "We did a bit of poking around after your friend told us you had no other relatives and found out your mother had an estranged half sister." He said, glancing down at a small notepad cupped in his hand.
"Sister?" Shuichi repeated. He'd known that his mothers' father had run off with another woman but not that he'd had another child.
"Yeah, your aunt. Her names Nola. She has a kid bout' your age called Saijo. We contacted her and… She agreed to take you."
Something about the way Yoshi paused before adding in an almost bitter tone that he could live with her made Shuichi's heart stop for a second.
"But… I don't want to live with her. I don't even know her." Shuichi said weakly. Yoshi sighed sadly. "Sorry kid. There's not really anywhere else you can go." He said. Shuichi felt like his heart was repeatedly being ripped up. It wasn't fair. His life had been so good. He had everything he ever wanted. It felt like god had gone 'whoops, made a mistake there' and had decided to take it all away from him. It was like waking from a brilliant dream.
"How's my sister?" Shuichi asked. Yoshi looked at him with squinty but kind and crinkled blue eyes. "I ain't no doctor, but if you want my opinion… She doesn't look that great." He reached out and gave Shuichi's shoulder a gentle squeeze.
"Hang in there kid. If you need anything, anything at all, gimmie a call." He said handing Shuichi a small white rectangle with his number printed on it. Shuichi watched him go sadly.
"I don't want to go to my Aunts place, Hiro." He whispered forlornly.
"I know, but it doesn't seem like you have much of a say in this."
***
Shuichi felt uncomfortable, like he was being stared at by everyone when he knew that was not the case. He was standing at the train station toeing a small blue bag with the new clothes the police dept. had brought for him on his way to his aunts place which wasn't to far away from his current school. He'd been glad at least when he found out she lived in the same town.
There was the chugging of a heavy engine straining to work and the sleek train pulled into the station, its door creaking open. Very few people rode the trains these days, mostly just those who didn't like the crowded subways or had too much luggage.
Shuichi joined the throng of people fighting there was inside, stumbling when he broke free of the crowd. He began searching for an empty compartment and was appalled when almost all compartments were full. With a sinking heart he headed for the end of the train and was surprised when he found a compartment with only one person in it, a young man reading the paper.
With a sense of relief, Shuichi opened the door and slid in, placing his luggage in the rack behind his seat. He sat down and turned to the person sharing the compartment. He stared blankly at him for a second before leaping back up like he'd been shocked.
"YOU!" He shrieked, pointing a finger at the Golden eyed blond staring at him in something in between amusement and annoyance, a lit smoke in his mouth despite the clear NO SMOKING sign behind him. He turned a page of his paper.
"Hey brat. Glad to see you didn't slam into the glass door this time." He sneered, speaking to Shuichi for the first time.
"YOU OPENED THAT DOOR ON ME THE OTHER DAY! I DIDN'T SLAM INTO IT!"
"You're too loud. Sit down."
Despite himself Shuichi sank back onto the seat and glared at the man. "Why are you here?"
"Why? I'm catching a train obviously."
"Why are you catching my train?"
"You don't own the train. And this happens to go right to my station."
"Get out."
"…" The man took a long drag of his cigarette and leant forward so his face was only a few inches from Shuichi's startled face and breathed out all the smoke.
Startled, Shuichi recoiled and noticed for the first time his head was pounding. His vision flickered and the mans face swam out of focus.
Smoke, everywhere. Obscuring his view, the smell of burning flames filling his nostrils… Unable to walk straight, he –
Shuichi pressed a hand to his head as the disturbing memory disappeared and he was once again looking at the blond man who was reading his paper. There was the sound of a tolling bell and the train eased in the next station. Shuichi glanced out the window and leapt up, grabbing his bag just as the man stood and stretched.
They stared at each other. Feigning disinterest Shuichi turned away and left the compartment. He was astonished when the man strode after him. Shuichi spun around. "This is MY station! MINE!" He said in dismay.
"I'm about as happy about this as you are. Now move your ass before I kick it." The man growled pushing him forward and out the door.
Shuichi strode off with out looking back but he could hear the footsteps of the man following after him in the direction of the car park.
There were only two cars parked there, a sleek black modern car and a white sedan. The man headed to the black car. Logic argued that the white one must belong to his aunt. He was proven right by the blowing of a horn right in his face.
Shuichi saw a scowling red head sitting behind the wheel, taping her fingers impatiently, glaring at him she jerked one thumb back and mouthed 'get in'
Shuichi gladly obeyed, swinging open the passenger door he looked up to see the man watched amused from his car. Hating himself, Shuichi pause and decided to ask.
"What's your name?"
The man tossed his smoke onto the ground and seemed to debate not answering.
"Eiri Yuki." He said sliding into his car and slamming the door shut. He jerked the car in gear and sped off. Shuichi gaped after the car for a second before his aunt tooted the horn again and he recalled he was meant to be getting in the car.
He had only just tugged the door closed and clipped his seatbelt into place when his aunt hit the gas and they sped off.
The car was filled with awkward silence for a second. His aunt spoke.
"You'll call me Nola or ma'am. Not aunt or chan. And as long as you are in my house you'll follow my rules. If you don't follow my rules there will be consequences. Understood?"
Shuichi was taken aback. "Yes Ma'am."
Nola shifted her piercing green eyes that reminded Shuichi of a frog he'd once refused to dissect in science.
"I don't like your tone. I don't know how that spawn of my father raised you, but things will be different from now on."
"Yes Ma'am."
The rest of the car ride was spent in silence, Shuichi gazing out the window, watching the landscapes wiz by his thought on Yuki, the chain smoker.
And Hiro things I'M a smart ass. Shuichi thought bitterly. I hope I never see him again for as long as I live.
Shuichi's mind twinged, as if asking him weather that was true.