Solitude Chronicles Chapter 6: Chapitre 4: Away From Home, a gravitation fanfic

Before you read on, I'd like to make one thing clear. NO CANON WILL END UP WITH OC! I repeat, no CanonxOC. There will only be one-sided OCxCanon. Okay? Okay. This chapter is a bit late because I had to double-check whole concert thing. And the crappy song 'Away From Home' in this chapter is MINE. Also, forgive me for writing a short chapter!

"And does it make you sad
to find yourself alone?
And does it make you mad
to find that I've grown?
I'll bet it hurts so bad
to see the strength that I have shown."
- 'Not Coming Home' by Maroon 5 -

CHAPITRE 4: AWAY FROM HOME

Locke and Carl observed the crews setting the stage up for the opening of their tour. Carl was currently fiddling with his laptop keys while Locke chewed on a mint-flavoured chewing gum. The tour crews planned for One to rock Tokyo Dome. Their record company, Heavenly Talent Records (HT Records), had faith in them. The trust of everyone around them was reason enough for Ryuichi and Shuichi to make their first concert legendary. Their arrival at the airport the previous day was so grand and blinding. There were even enormous banners with the message 'WELCOME HOME!' hanging there. For a moment, the two singers forgot their emotional wounds. They waved, smiled and laughed. Their cheerful façade was perfect. Locke and Carl found themselves worrying about the mental state of the mega stars. Compared to masks of coldness and indifference, masks of a smile are the hardest to don. Shuichi and Ryuichi tested the microphone a few times and instructed the crews to arrange the device to their liking.

"How's the ticket selling?" asked Locke. His eyes did not stray from the two singers on stage though. Carl looked at the report on his laptop and smiled slightly. "Sold out. We expected that to happen, didn't we? The VIP and VVIP tickets and backstage passes sold out three hours after the ticket counters opened. Normal ones sold out in two hours. There are going to be over 55,000 audiences here tomorrow night. I have to say it's a good thing this dome is air-supported or we'll all suffocate before the concert even start." The look of satisfaction faded into a frown. "This concert had better be good or we're doomed."

Locke rolled his eyes. "You're making it sound like you don't know Sage and Rage. We're talking about two most prominent stars here. But I do worry about Sage, though. Do you think his condition allows him to perform live for four hours straight in a hall packed with people? The lighting could cause him pain," this was said with a deep frown. For a moment, Locke looked like he was forty years old instead of his actual age, which was 28. Carl said nothing. To be honest, he was not sure himself but he had faith in Shuichi. He brought his gaze back to Shuichi and Ryuichi again. He knew that they were putting their sanity at risk by wearing that mask of farce exuberance. 'What a pair of masochistic fools…' Carl groaned inwardly. Just then, Shuichi shouted for Locke to join them on stage. The young manager put his best smile on his face before running over to the brown haired singers. From where he sat, Carl smiled too. 'That Locke guy can never resist Sage.' Yes, Carlain knew Locke's current top secret.

The manager was in love with the younger member of One…

… much like Carlain was with the older one.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

In the midst of the elegant Tokyo Dome City, a group of seven famous people made their way to the biggest concert hall in Japan. Sakano could not join them because he had unfortunately caught a fever. K could be heard loading his automatics. They all kept a good distance from the ponytailed blond for the sake of their lives. Yuki Eiri went through One concert schedule in his hand for the fourth time that day:

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
"One"
The World Tour - Japan (February 20 April 20)
Events and Venues Guide

1. Concerts
Tokyo Dome (February 20 and April 19)
Nagoya Dome (March 3)
Osaka Dome (March 13)
Fukuoka Dome (March 26)
Sapporo Dome (April 10)

2. Mini Concerts
Yokohama Arena (February 28)
Osaka Castle Hall (March 18)

3. Official Media Conference
Tokyo International Forum (April 20)

4. Autograph Sessions
HMV (February 25 – February 26)
Central Park (March 5 – March 6)
HEP Five (March 20 – March 21)
Canal City Hakata (March 28 – March 29)
Tanuki Koji Shopping Arcade (April 12 – April 13)
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Hiro snatched the schedule from Yuki, earning a patented glare from the novelist. Yuki said nothing, though. He knew Hiro was trying to mask the hurt he felt. The guitarist frowned at the paper in his hand. "So, they'll kick-off and conclude their concerts here before the official media conference. Gives me ample time to form strategies," Hiro said to himself but they all heard him. Suguru winced at the venom in Hiro's words. The Fiery Star vocalist was angry with Shuichi too. He wanted a good explanation as to why the latter left without a single reason. Still, he wondered what Hiro meant by 'strategies'.

Tohma sighed, drawing attention towards the blond. For once, the NG Records president did not wear his usual smile. He looked almost sad, and solemn. Noriko and Tatsuha wore the same expression too. Yuki kept his public image of a mysterious, indifferent novelist, which pissed Hiro off even more. "I've spoken to One's producer (K growled furiously at the mention of his brother) and their manager. I told them that we are coming over. They'd lead Shindou-san and Ryuichi-san to us today, without them knowing."

Tatsuha tilted his head, confused. "Why not tell the two of them first?" He appeared calm and nonchalant on the outside. Inside, he was dying to see Ryuichi again. The same was in Yuki's case.

"We don't want to cause a scene, Tatsuha-san. I'm afraid they'd avoid us at all cost if they know we are going to be here," explained Tohma. "Besides, we get to see how Shindou-san and Ryuichi-san react." They silently nodded their head and agreed with Tohma. Even with the solemn look, he was still the cunning president, ex-keyboardist extraordinaire. By the time they reached the concert hall, Shuichi and Ryuichi were just about to sing a song. The seven of them were careful to sit at the seats at the farthest back of the hall. They were also wearing dark outfits to boot. Yuki groaned and rubbed his temple as soon as the music started. "Not this song!" It was one of One's sad songs, 'Away From Home'. Instead of a happy melody with depressing lyrics, the music was melancholic and heart wrenching to match the words.

I wake up to the sunlight on my face.
I look around, expecting to find you in my haze.
(And then) The fog clears and I remember.
I've been away from you since that day in November.

Feels like a razor dancing across my skin
as my tears find their way down to my chin.
I miss you dearly but I am not giving in
after all that I have tasted, heard and seen.
I wonder if you're missing me too
but deep inside, I know it's untrue.

Now I'm so far away,
far away from home.
There is nothing left to say
and I'm here all alone.
I miss you, day by day
and I never want to feel this way (never again).
I wonder if you ever noticed at all
that I'm so far away from home.

I used to always try to make you laugh
but you acted like I never existed – like a bluff.

(I tried) I pretended like everything was alright
but inside, I housed only pain and fright.
I miss you dearly but I am not giving in
after all that I have tasted, heard and seen.
I wonder if you're missing me too
but deep inside, I know it's untrue.

Now I'm so far away,
far away from home. (Yes, I'm away)
There is nothing left to say (no more)
and I'm here all alone. (without you)
I miss you, day by day (I do)
and I never want to feel this way (never again).
I wonder if you ever noticed at all (Did you? Do you?)
that I'm so far away from home.
Away from home.

I don't want to go home
You never wanted me there
But here, I'm lonely and alone
It's just not fair!

The song, although sung by both Shuichi and Ryuichi, was written and composed by Shuichi alone. Therefore, Yuki knew perfectly well the song was written specifically for him. Shuichi did left in November a little over a year ago. Too caught up in the singers' rehearsal, the party did not notice Carlain approaching them. "You," K hissed, being the first one to spot the calm blond. He shook hands with all of them except K. He still valued his life. "Please follow me. Sage and Rage will follow shortly."

A very confused Shuichi and a perplexed Ryuichi followed Locke, not knowing where the manager was leading them. Asking was proven pointless because Locke kept saying that he was not supposed to tell. When they stopped in front of a closed mahogany door, Locke took a deep breath and opened the door to reveal the occupants of the room behind the door. Tohma offered them a wary smile, which caused Ryuichi to wince inwardly.

K sent a cold glare that said 'I'm not going to even talk to you yet' towards Shuichi and Ryuichi before forcefully dragging a surprised Carlain out of the room. Locke was so tempted to break the uneasy silence but he knew better. Shuichi shot his manager a furious glare. "What are these people doing here?" he asked coldly in English, shocking everyone there. Yuki couldn't say anything. Shuichi sounded as cold as when he called him on the phone. "Mr. Seguchi wanted to see the two of you before the concert."

"And you didn't tell us why?" This time, it was Ryuichi who asked. He sounded as cold as Shuichi if not colder. Locke had no answer to that so he kept quiet. Shuichi scanned the room. His eyes found a pair of golden eyes. He suppressed a gasp at the sight of the eyes. They were cold, like he remembered them. But there was something inside them that Shuichi could not comprehend. Other than that, the novelist looked perfectly fine… and was as charming as always.

Ryuichi was startled the most when he met Tatsuha's eyes. The young man's face was sullen and dull. Ryuichi wanted so much to just forgive whatever the boy did to him and return to his embrace but he simply refused to give in to his desire. "Shuichi…" Yuki took a step forward but stopped dead when Shuichi stepped backwards. "I don't need to speak to my past," he spat coldly and fled. Ryuichi followed the younger singer, leaving Locke stunned in the room. Noriko promptly burst into tears. Hiro and Suguru were totally surprised. How could someone like Shuichi change so much? Whatever it was, their 'Plan A: Talk to Shuichi and Ryuichi before the first concert' failed miserably, much to Yuki and Tatsuha's frustration. The way the songsters ran away from them did not help either. It was then that they fully realised that they were note going to be dealing with the old Shindou Shuichi and Sakuma Ryuichi. They were going to be dealing with two very different people, hardened by emotional pain and constant disappointments.

A whole new plan needed to be formed.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The unexpected confrontation bothered Shuichi and Ryuichi a lot. Both could not forget how hurt their friends looked. Ryuichi stood looking into nothingness in the comfort of the hotel room he shared with Shuichi at Tokyo Dome Hotel later that night. Tokyo did not change much in a year but the sense of loss lingered heavily somewhere in his heart. Shuichi sighed for the hundredth time that night. Their concerts would première the next day. Ryuichi had remained in the position for the past hour and Shuichi was starting to get really worried. "Ryuichi, you should get some sleep," Shuichi tried to reason but Ryuichi appeared to be lost in some kind of trance. Shuichi even whined but was ignored completely. The older singer wore a blank expression on his face, betraying no emotion. "I was on a Nittle Grasper mini tour that day."

"Eh?" Shuichi was confused. What was Ryuichi talking about?

"I'd been away for two months. I called him at home. It was supposed to be seven o'clock in the morning in Japan. I was so eager to let him know that I was going to be home early. It wasn't him who answered the phone, though. It was a girl."

Shuichi's eyes widened considerably. Ryuichi was talking about Tatsuha! Ryuichi was telling him why he decided to say goodbye to his beloved. "And then?"

"I was about to ask the girl who she was but he snatched the phone from her and greeted me. I could tell he sounded nervous. I asked him who she was and he told me she was a friend coming over to discuss about their school assignment. I knew better, Shuichi. What kind of girl visits a lone guy in his apartment to discuss about studies at seven in the morning on Sundays? I didn't press the matter, though. I just let it go. We were so happy together and I thought I could overlook his infidelity just this once. He was young, after all. One day, I wanted to pick him up from school just to surprise him. Guess what I saw? He was making out with some girl, his schoolmate I dare say."

"Ryuichi…"

"The moment was brief but it still hurt me. I thought my mind was playing me tricks so I shrugged it off. The next few days, it happened again. He never saw me waiting for him there. He looked happy, you know? So I thought things over. I'm twice his age. Him being with me clipped his wings of freedom. Later, I guess I just… broke. I decided to set him free… and walked away." Ryuichi ended his story there and turned to face Shuichi. "But now I don't know anything anymore." Shuichi was about to say something when something unexpected happened.

Someone was knocking at their hotel door…

- To be Continued -

You know what? I LOVE talking to my reviewers. (Glomps all of you) You make me feel loved! You know, this one author e-mailed me an insult. Her exact words would be: "How could a stupid, crappy story like yours get so many reviews? Mine is a million times better!" Then she proceeded to babble about how blind readers are. I am so not at fault here, am I? Anyways…

GETTING UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
Steelsings: Sure, bambi eyes always work XD. Yay, you actually understand why Ryuichi left Kumagorou behind. Yes, it's a sign that he decided to drop his mask of exuberance. And I understand those things about cutting too. I even call myself a 'masochist'. Like Ryuichi, I like running sharp objects across my skin too. Not enough to draw much blood but enough to let me feel the pain. I don't know. It just feels good. Erm… Moving on. Yes, Yuki won't be OOC in public. He'll still be the 'cold bastard' at most times. Old habits die hard XP And about Tatsuha… Well, he's no longer a monk (refer to Chapitre 1). Angel of Angst? Wow… That's so COOL! Go me!
laseri: First of all, welcome to GurabiteshiyonDotNet! Thank you for spending time reading (and most of all) reviewing this humble fic. I'm just glad youfind the grammatical errors and typos bearable. Sometimes, I write too fast for my own good and missed the errors when I go over what I've written before posting them on the sites. I don't think I'd make Shu and Ryu act lovey-dovey towards each other in this fic, though. That's reserved for my future fic (which will start after I finish AitSWS). I'm thinking about making Yuki and Tatsuha jealous – with Locke and Carl! In this fic, Locke looks like Yuki (read on). You're right, your loooong review made me smile, with WAFF inside. Thank you for your support! Good luck with your essay, btw.)
calbee: Your name seems familiar… Is it a brand of some sort (like food maybe)? Ahem, sorry. Actually, I do believe that Yuki isn't such a cold bastard. In the manga, Yuki is very possessive and sweet, esp in volume 9 and above. Remember his expression when Tohma told him Shuichi might end up staying permanently in the US depending on how Sakano handle the situation? As for Ryuichi, his reasons are explained in here.
KittyKisa: Tatsuha crying was weird but as for Ryuichi, it isn't hard to imagine. Just look at Shu-chan. They're practically twins esp in the manga!
MayNeuma: Original and refreshing? Woot! Go me! Yes, I love the virus attachment thing too. K rocks!
flippy: Wow, you reviewed all of the prologues and chapters! Fucking awesome? I'm flattered XD
Kitty in the Box: Yay, it's you! You got it right – Shuichi IS dying. Aren't I nice?
Lai: That depends on me. He he.. How cruel could I get?
Shirubaa Kitsune: LOL! A filler… I guess I have to agree.
Random Person: I'm dying to write that part as well but that have to wait. I want it to be accidental. K and Carl… Hahaha!
SpiritsFlame: You really, really made me happy. Reviewing and complimenting even when you haven't read the whole story. Wow, I guess the summary must have been 'that' good. I hope you won't take back what you said after you read the chapters.
ichigo-chan: There's a reason the genre is Romance/Angst. Wait… crying is 'refreshing'? O.o I rock? Yay!
MonkeyGurL: Take that, Yuki you jerk! Ahem, sorry about that. That part, I was trying to make the chapter longer by putting it there. Later, I found it fitting. So… hehe. Oh, and I updated AitSWS. Go see!
Winged-One Angel: Ooh, a 10! Thank you so much! Love that waterfall comment :--)
lilith: Then keep reading, and you'll make me happy in the process.
DeMoN4EvA: That sounds like in 'Friends'. Maybe you could e-mail me your Xanga. For some reason, doesn't allow links.
ali: Sad… That's right. But that's the way we all like it, right? Right.
DarkMetalAngel of Destruction: Wow, you're the only one who actually like the idea of me killing one of them (preferably Shu-chan). Let's see…
LilBlue-Hedggie: Actually, I want that e-mail too. French, I love that language. It's quite hard to pronounce the words but I can read it okay. I learn French on my own and it's more fun than learning at school.
Bram: I wonder what you're yelling for… Hope it's not at me! (Hides behind a Bram-proof shield)
SuzieQT: Patience, dear. Read on to find out why Ryu decided enough is enough.
Shado-Fyre: Really? Thank you for the fav!
jaderoseangel: TQ! TQ! I hope I decide to get them back together too but my traitorous mind thought… Uh, never mind!
pikapikaryuchan: Cute name there! Your friend won't think you're crazy over that, LOL! But it's nice to know this fic triggered such feelings in its readers.
tangerine-asuka: And I'll try to live up to your expectation. Read on, please!
Shuuichi-Shindou Uesugi: Me don't like cliffies too but me loves to write one. Twisted, I know. Let's see what you think of this chapter.
Fuyuko-chan: No, you have every right to think that because it's supposed to create that effect XD
Hyper Chef: In-denial!Shuichi is fun to write. You're right, Ryu should thank Yuki for unintentionally saving him from himself but our Ryu has other ideas. And… And… I read your fic! I read it! I read your Broken Heart! Did you read my review?
Languish-Dreams: And to think it all started with an imagination… Thank you! I'd want a Kuma-chan Beam even if I finish it. Like Shuichi said in the OAV, "I can die happy now."
Moonfairyhime: (Pats your head as you cling to me) Thank you. You really should sleep before reading this fic, though (wink)
Chibi-Midnight Sakai: If you can't help it, the please keep reading it. I'm so, so glad!
otherworld: Yes, that's the perfect way to describe it! Mine is 'Angst comes before happiness'. Hehe!
Eudoxus: Don't be so sure, honey. Me don't like Moulin Rouge. Yuki won't be like that. It would be too OOC (winks).
Kenz: I shall. It's going to be a long way until the do get back together… that is if I decide to get them together!
Christy: It's supposed to be sad. Happy phone call wouldn't fit the plot at all.
Annabel: (Squee) They're there!
Blackrose451: OMG! OMG! OMG! How many 'please' was that again? Okay, here's an update!
Lav: Oh, yay! You reviewed this one too XD I LOVE YOU! There's a huge difference between this Shuichi and AitSWS-Shuichi. AitSWS-Shuichi is really that cold but this Shuichi is just pretending.
Yukichi: I would like to get my stories published one day. Am working on my first novel! Hehehe…
firewithin: And I'll put more efforts to make the pulse beat faster. Haha! Enjoy the story!
animegirl12182: Some say it's a cliffie and some say it isn't. Whatever! Please enjoy this chapter!

Thanks a lot for all of your support. I love you people! I really do!