Chapter 4: First the Confusion and then The Lie
"Eiri?" A woman walked up to him the following week.
"What do you want?" Eiri asked, staring outside his balcony window.
"You're not still pinning over that girl are you?"
Eiri looked at the woman, "What gave you that idea?"
"You look like as if you'd been slapped . . . hard."
"I just can't believe she'd tricked me like that."
The woman scoffed, "Serves you right for tricking her like that first."
"At that moment I really felt something for her. And it doesn't make sense." He moved from his spot and went to the coat rack and grabbed his coat.
"Where are you going?!"
He grabbed his keys. "To go and find out why I feel this way."
He slammed the door shut leaving the woman slightly happy.
* * * * *
"Let me hear your soft voice once more." Sam said.
"What would you like me to sing?"
"That new one." Sam then started to close his eyes.
"No, Sam! I mean . . . I can't sing when your eyes are closed. I need to see them open."
He opened them slightly. "Tell me something . . ."
"Anything,"
"Why won't anyone let us be together? Is it because I'm rich and you're poor? Is it because I'm worthy and you're not? It doesn't make sense."
Tears welled up in Crystal's eyes. "Nothing ever makes sense, Sam. You know that."
"Yeah. Please . . . the song."
"Okay." And so she began to sing.
As she sang the song Sam smiled and closed his eyes. Slowly his grip on her hand falters and his head leaned to one side. Still Crystal kept singing, not caring that Sam wasn't moving, but just because it was his last wish. Just because he always wanted to hear a song that explained how two totally different things clash, making one help the other. And just because she loved him.
But still . . .
"So safe now I rest breathing in roses." Crystal hung onto that note. "That's what you are, Sam. You're Autumn that soon protects me in a field of beautiful roses. You can't die. I'll be Winter all over again . . . I don't want to be alone. Please Sam . . . please don't die." She rests his hand on her cheek. "Please . . ." She whispers and cries as the curtain falls.
"That was great, Shuchi!" Shuichi cried out.
"Encore! Encore!" Hiro yelled.
The curtain rose and Shuchi stepped out wearing her favorite spring green dress with matching sneakers. Her hair was out and her eyes were sparkling with pride. "Thanks you guys." She wiped her tears and jumped off the stage, holding down her dress with one hand. "Hey, Shu? You think you could get me something from the store?"
"Sure!" Shuichi agreed happily. "What do you want?"
"The usual pound cake and vanilla Pepsi." She told him.
"Okay! Be right back!" He ran out the studio.
"Was that a wise thing to do?" Hiro asked.
"Nope. But it got him away for a while didn't it?" Shuchi asked, looking at Hiro.
Hiro shrugged and Shuchi laughed.
* * * * *
While Shuichi was walking back from the store with Shuchi's things he was stopped when a hand was placed on his shoulder. "Hey! What was that for?!"
A man with blond hair was staring at him. "Shuchi? What did you do with your hair?"
"What do you mean? first off: my hair's always been like this. Second off: you must have me confused with my twin sister. My name's Shuichi." Shuichi then looked at the blond more closely. "Wait a minute! You're the guy who's been messing with my sister in the first place!"
"I'm the guy who has some kind of weird connection with your sister." He blurted out.
Shuichi stared, "You like Shu-Chan?"
"Yes. I don't know why either."
"My sister hates you. She doesn't want anything to do with you." Shuichi lied.
"What?"
"She said and I quote, 'I don't want anything to do with that guy. If you ever see him, Shuichi, tell him I hate him and that I never want to see his face again.' " Shuichi glanced down at the bag he was carrying. "Sorry about all this. She could really take a grudge seriously."
"It's alright. I understand. Tell her I said, 'Good luck on the play.' "
Shuichi nodded and turned. So did the man.
"Wait! Before you go . . . what's your name?" Shuichi asked.
The man turned back around. His face showed sadness. "Eiri. Eiri Yuki."
Shuichi nodded his head again and walked off saying, "Bye Yuki."
When Shuichi was out of earshot Eiri whispered, "Goodbye . . . Shuchi Shindou."