Nii-san? Lover?

Forgiveness Is What We Ask Of You

Shuichi woke up at 5:00am with Mayna's head resting on his lap. He blinked his eyes for a couple of times and looked around his surroundings. He slowly and carefully lifted Mayna's head away from his lap and slowly stood up.

He went down the hallway and opened the the door that lead to the bathroom. He swithed on the lights and stared at his reflection on the mirror. His eyes were red and swollen, tear stains on his cheeks were visible and a frown on his lips.

He splashed water on his face and looked up but all he saw was that his eyes were crying once again. Shuichi scolded himself in a whispered tone for being too weak to handle what happened 8 years ago. "I shouldn't be so hurt anymore, I'm fine, I got over it."

Shuichi cried, tried his best to keep quiet as to not wake his little sister. He slid to the ground his knees against his chest and hands over his eyes.

Shuichi tried his best to not be affected but everytime he tried to forget, the memories of that day just kept coming back. The way the men talked so casually the way it all felt from the beating...to the touches. Shuichi shivered. "I could never forget, but I don't have to break down like this either." said Shuichi in a low barely audible voice.

He tried to smile but for the first time, he just couldn't. He stood up and wiped away his tears he was just about to leave but he was faced by his little sister on the bathroom doorway.

"Onii-san." Mayna started. "Is something the matter May-chan?" Asked Shuichi trying to look like he didn't just have a melt down a few seconds ago.

"I think its okay" Mayna said looking at his brother. Shuichi kneeled. "What's okay" Shuichi asked confused.

"To cry,onii-san." said Mayna looking down at her feet. Shuichi was at lost for words. She hugged Shuichi much like she did last night.

"You can break down when you feel like its too much to hide, Its alright if you still can't forget about what happened but maybe others can help you heal. I'll help if you need me to." Shuichi looked at Mayna and smiled. Silence. Then, "Thank you."

After sometime they both stood up and Mayna and Shuichi was getting dressed for school. "What do you think your doing." said Mayna sounding much like a mother. "Your not going to school I called the attendance office already. Hiro-nii will take me to school today."

Shuichi was about to protest But Mayna wouldn't hear of it. "Onii-san you need a break from school even just for a day." And with that the discussion was closed.

Shuichi sat on the couch eating straberry pokey while watching random comedy moveis on tv but he was really bored it was about 1pm and he needed to go outside. I never liked being alone when my head is in the past. It gets me thinking more.

With his mind decicded he put on some casual clothes and left a note that said: I'm bored went out for a while, need fresh air. Just incase you need to ask me something or other i've got my cellphone with me.

Shuichi left the apartment and left to walk around. After sometime he sighed 'I think i'll just...face my fears." Shuichi went back to the apartment but went straight to the garage. Inside was a parked dark blue Mercedes benz. His mom bought it for him on his 16th birthday. He never used it but he let Hiro borrow it maybe once or twice, he wasn't much of a car riding person.

He got inside and rode off. He took a route that was so familiar yet so different. He was in a car ride for about 2 hours and when he finally got to his destination it was around 3:30

He smiled and inhaled the air around him and his smile only became wider. Shuichi walked down the street and entered a store called, J's.

"Shuichi is that you?" asked a man who looked to be in either his late 40's or early 50's.

"Jubei-san." Shuichi had gone back to his childhood hometown.

He helped around the store for about 2 hours and while doing so he and Jubei talked about how life has been and reminince about the past. Yuki was even mentioned.

"Have you heard from Eiri?"

"Actually he, his sister and brother-in-law are back in Japan now. Did you know that he actually started on becoming a romance novelist?"

"Really now. Well tell him i'll wait for his novels i'm sure my wife would love to add a new novel in her collection." Shuichi smiled.

Shuichi walked around for a while. Went to the park, drove by his former house and finally his final destination.

He walked to a store and heard a bell ring as he past the entrance door. Shuichi had a frown on his face and in his view was a lot of computers. This was the internet cafe he went to when he wanted to email Yuki. After openeing a new email account and surfing the net for an hour he stood up and payed and then left. The sun was just setting when he came out.

He walked through the side walk then after a few minutes he stopped. looking at his feet, his head down.

Shuichi then looked up and looked to his left. He saw a small garden with a light post in the middle and two benches on either side.

"Why couldn't it be like this 8 years ago instead of that dark alleyway." Shuichi whispered in a tone that couldn't be described as one emotion alone.

Shuichi turned when he heard a small gasp from three different voices.

"Oh my! your that little boy." said one of the women with long wavy hair. Shuichi looked at the three women imediately recognizing them as the three sophmore girls who beat him up. At the moment of realization Shuichi's breath hitch and he gasped and grasp his shirt above his chest. Asthma attack.

The woman on the right whom Shuichi knew as the leader took out a phone and called 911. But that's all he saw till everyhting blacked out.

Shuichi woke up, imediately sitting up with a loud gasp. He didn't know where he was for a moment till he saw the while walls, beds, sheets and doors. 'Hospital' he thought and then layed back down. As he did so a doctor came in.

"Shuichi Shindou, Its nice too see you again but maybe it would be better if it were on a different circumstance." said the doctor with a smile. "Doctor Mim I agree but i guess it couldn't be helped." Dr. Mim was the very same doctor Shuichi used to go to 8 years ago.

"Uhm...did you call my mother?" Asked Shuichi with a worried voice. Dr. Mim looked up from some of the beeping machines.

"Well I didn't yet, I don't know her current number, I'm not your doctor anymore am I?" She said with a smile "You don't want me to tell her do you?"

"She'll be too worried and plus she's in Kyoto right now." answered Shuichi. "Very well then I won't inform your mother but i can't let you leave this building unless someone you know that's 18 years of age sign you out." Shuichi nodded. Yuki is out of the question I haven't seen him for a week and when he finally does i'm in a hospital. That's a big no-no. Maybe Hiro.

As Shuichi thouht about this he did not notice the three women who walked in. The one in the left had long wavy hair that almost reached her waist and she was about as tall as Shuichi. She also held the expression of guilt on her face. The one on the right had short straight hair that was up to only reached her neck and she held the same expression as the first one.

The one in the middle was probably as tall as Hiro. She had her hair in a bun and her bangs tucked behind her ears. Her face Shuichi noticed was different it held no guilt it was stoic her lips were set firmly like a frown. She looked like she was about to do buisiness but if you looked at her eyes you could see she cared and her eyes held more emotions than the other two did.

The woman in the middle spoke and Shuichi listened trying his best to forget what they did. "Don't freak out were not going to hurt you." She said as if talking to a little kid and for once Shuichi wasn't as polite as he normally would.

"I'm not a kid so don't talk to me like that. And second you've got to be kidding! Like I'd believe a word any of you say!" said Shuichi glaring at the three women in front of him. He had used the same glare that Hiro witness yesterday. He was honestly using his glare way too many times for his taste but guess it can't be helped.

The woman whom Shuichi knew as the leader 8 years ago seemed undeterred. And introduced herself. "My name is Yui Nakari, the one on my left is Hina Yamashi and on my right is Tamiko Takara." Said Yui and all three bowed showing respect.

"And exactly why do you think would I care about your names?" Shuichi was having a hard time being mean since all three of them looked so sincere.

"Well were here to apologize for what we did to you 8 years ago we shouldn't have acted the way we did and since I know i'm responsible for what happpened to you I ask for your forgiveness, We all do." Yui said sincrely.

Shuichi looked at the three women, he knew they meant it but he needed to vent. "It took you 8 years to apologize! because of the three of you I expreienced something no kid or even adult should experience!" screamed Shuichi. He lowered his voice when he remembered he was still in the hospital.

"I don't understand why you did it in the first place you could have h-helped me when those m-men came I s-screamed for your help but all you did was walk away and as I recall Yui you showed no mercy to me at all." Shuichi said his voice low and his voice broke every few words. Shuichi looked to the three waiting...

But they did not say anything to counter, instead Yui slowly kneeled infront of Shuichi and bowed her head. "I'am truly sorry and i understand if you cannot forgive me but please find it in your heart to at least forgive Hina and Tamiko. They were reluctant to hurt you from the very beginning."

Shuichi nodded and the two sighed but Yui kept her head bowed. Shuichi and let out a sigh when he saw that Yui was still on the floor. "Yui-san" started Shuichi his voice calm and gentler. " If you really want my forgiveness Yui-san then I will forgive you if you do me a couple of favors."

Yui looked up determined " I do and will."

"Okay then first of all, please get off of the ground it kinda makes me feel uncomfortable." Shuichi said with a smile. Yui was suprised as she looked up at the smiling teen the whole time the've been here it seemed that Shuichi was never going to forgive him but now he was smiling.

It was then decided in a couple of minutes that Yui was the only one to do the favors Shuichi had in mind and Hina and Tamiko coud go ahead and leave. Shuichi looked up at Yui.

"You know when I said favors its not gonna hurt i'm not one for revenge i just needed to vent earlier." explained Shuichi.

Yui smiled 'This kid is way too nice how could we have ever hurt him.' she thought.

"Well first things first could you please sign me out of this hospital I hate being in here."

Shuichi was suprisingly comfortable around Yui she had an aura kind of like a mother's. Right now Yui and him were driving back Shuichi's place. Shuichi's favor was to drive him home since Dr. Mim said he should drive right now; just for safety. Before the ride back they had eaten at a near by restaurant for dinner. Shuichi and her started to converse about the lives they had and both seemed at ease and what happened 8 years ago was forgotten.

Shuichi noticed something on Yui's left hand . "Are you married?"

Yui laughed and showed her left hand while keeping her right hand on the wheel "Yes for about 2 years now and we've got a 1 year old baby daughter."

Shuichi just smiled and said "Eiri-nii is back from US you know."

"Really, do you two still get along?" asked Yui with a smile but it was uneasy. "Yeah" Shuichi blushed then noticed Yui's expression. "Are you worried that he'll be mad at you because of what you did?" Yui only nodded in response. "You don't have to worry," Shuichi started and finished his explanation looking out the window. "No one knows about you, Hina-san and Tamiko-san. I didn't mention anthing before the two men appeared I had said that i couldn't recall anything."

"I see" answered Yui with a frown. Silence soon took over and the atmophere tensed so when Shuichi's phone rang he was grateful. "Moshi moshi."

"Aniki where are you? Hiro-nii and Eiri-san are here at the apartment were worried about you."

"What! you have nothing to worry about I'm going home right now... Am I on speaker?"

"Yes onii-san you are." said Mayna the next voice he heard was Hiro's "I saw the garage door opened and your car was not there and honestly we've been trying to contact you since 6:30 and its 9:00 right now, we got worried. Eiri-san is here because aparently you two haven't seen each other for a week."

Shuichi let out a sigh. "I was bored so i decided to go for a ride. I'll be there soon."

"Where are you Shuichi?" asked Hiro seriously "What time will you get here?"

"Uhm..." He couldn't exactly lie on what time he got there so "I'll probably be there in..." Shuichi then remembered he hadn't been paying attention to the road and he didn't know when they'd get there. Yui noticed that Shuichi had no idea so she answered hearing the question. "We'll probably get there in an hour Shuichi."

Hiro Mayna and Yuki heard and all three of them shouted. "Are you with a woman?!"

Shuichi winced from the shout and almost dropped the phone. " What the hell! What's wrong with that?" asked Shuichi a little annoyed.

"Okay now I'm curios more than worried." said Hiro. "You were bored, now it will take you an hour to get home and you've got a woman with you. Do you have like a secret lover or something."

Shuichi blushed. "No. I don't she's an old friend. I'll explain later. I'll talk to you later." And Shuichi hanged up. Yui looked at him and smiled "Maybe I shouldn't have talked."

Little did Shuichi know that at the other side of that phone call a quiet blonde was frowning with his head down. Thinking 'If you were bored Shuichi why didn't you go to me?'
A/N: Was that a good enough encounter?

The three women are the ones that beat up Shuichi 8 years ago. They are now 24 years old. Sorry that Shu and Yuki haven't officialy gotten together and that they haven't had an alone time. I'll see what i can do about that. Let me just finish this part about the past.