Colder

Chapter 14: Side Story:

Uso!*

Making sure everything was on its place, Tatsuha ran to open the door for his guests. Deep down he hoped that his brother would appreciate him more when seeing how he's trying to put the two of them together. But, Tatsuha knew, you never knew with Eiri. Either he would be grateful or, which was more likely, he wouldn't give a damn.

He had bought champagne with zero percent (a.k.a. children's champagne), knowing that Eiri had had drinking problem. Everything was going to be just fine, he thought.

The pink haired singer entered, and second later, the world's famous romance novelist followed. Yuki's face was serious and apathetic, as if he was trying to say something along the lines:" I have come here only because Shuichi forced me to". But still, Tatsuha knew, Yuki deeply cared for him, and every once in a while the siblings would arrange to have lunch or dinner together.

They both sat on the couch and he offered them some coffee. They both accepted. There was something very wrong with the picture, the young monk thought, while retreating to the kitchen, there was something wrong between the two. Declaring their relationship as 'just friends' was something that Shuichi naturally wouldn't do. There was something on the singer's mind and Tatsuha was a little worried about that.

"I apologize, but Ryuichi couldn't make it. He's working on his new album." he said after they finished dinner. "You know, he's so worried about Tohma-san and he wants to do everything in time, to make it easier for him." the young man of his twenty-two chuckled and continued. "Damn, I've never seen him this serious. He's only serious when it comes to Tohma, music, and…well…"

"Sex" Shuichi said nonchalantly. Tatsuha blushed.

"Yeah." he admitted, scratching the back of his head.

Suddenly, Shuichi became serious.

"Hiro is really fucked up because of that, you know" his heart sank. "And I dunno how to help him."

"You don't need to help him. K is helping him in various ways." Yuki said sarcastically.

Shuichi looked at him, perplexed.

"And how would you know that?"

"Oh, c'mon. Everybody knows about their fuck scheme." Yuki replied. "So much about everlasting love. Poor Tohma."

Shuichi looked at him, a little bit annoyed.

"I think that you are the last person who can judge Hiro-san" Tatsuha retorted. "Weren't it the same with you and Shuichi-kun?"

"It's none of your business, brat!" Yuki hissed, ready to stand up, only to be held back by Shuichi.

"It's ok, guys! Let's watch a movie or something?" the singer suggested, wanting to make the atmosphere more bearable. Tatsuha nodded.

"Yeah, sure. I'll just go to the store to buy snacks. You guys pick the movie. There are a lot of CDs in Ryu's and my room. I mean, if it is ok with you, brother." Tatsuha offered.

"Yaaay!" Shuichi cried, looking at Yuki with pleading eyes.

"Ok, fine." Yuki rolled his eyes, obviously not satisfied with this. Tatsuha winked and ran to the hall to put his shoes on.

"I'll be back in a minute" he said. He was secretly hoping that the two of them only needed some time alone to sort the things out. Maybe to talk…or to do something else.

---

Shuichi pulled Yuki's arm and was heading cheerfully toward Tatsuha's room. But sorrow was in his heart, remembering that in the very same room he had made a pact with Tatsuha to revenge to Yuki. He remembered that night, when he had discovered Eiri's infidelity. He mentally shook his head and opened the door. Yuki quickly found the switch and turned on the lights.

The room was ordinary; beige walls, one huge bed; everything was neat and on its place. Shuichi ran to the shelf where an imposing collection of CDs and DVDs was. He took one of them, not in the mood to look thoroughly before choosing.

"Ok, I picked one!" he turned and smiled at Yuki, who nodded and switched the lights of.

They returned to the living room and sat next to one another.

"Really, Yuki, I dunno what to do with Hiro. I know he's with K now, but his heart isn't there."

Yuki completely understood Hiro regarding that. The very thought of the day when he had been discovered by Shu was enough.

"You worry too much for others. And not to mention that in that condition, you should worry about yourself." he said seriously.

Shuichi wanted to say something, but he knew that everything he said would be wrong. He wasn't ill at all. He didn't know how it looked like. So why not worrying about others? But to tell Yuki that was out of the question. Not now, not at this point…

They heard the door open and close and two voices talking. Ryuichi popped in and grinned.

"Look whom I brought!" said Tatsuha, who was behind him.

"Shu-chan! Yuki-san!" squealed Ryuichi. "You're so sparkly tonight!" and then he looked at his rabbit. "Kumagoro, say hi to our friends!"

Yuki rolled his eyes and Shuichi punched him with his elbow, grinning at Ryuichi.

"We thought you weren't able to come" said Shuichi.

"Well yeah, but I finished earlier so I could be with Tat-koi and to see you guys. Plus, Kumagoro really wanted to see you, Shu-chan!"

"We were about to watch movie, so why don't you and Kuma-san take bath together and then join us?" offered Tatsuha.

Ryuichi's face turned even brighter. "That's wonderful idea, love!" he hugged his husband. "Why don't you guys play the movie, and Tatsuha and I would be back in a minute?" Ryuichi dragged the ex monk along and soon after, Yuki and Shuichi remained alone again.

"Ok then" Shuichi sighed. "Let's see…" he inserted the disk into DVD player and took the remote. He clicked the play button and sat comfortably next to Yuki. The novelist was a little nauseated by everything that had happened this evening, but was calm.

At first, the picture was unclear and the voices could be heard in the distance. Shuichi frowned. Ok, maybe the disk was scratched. He shifted closer to Yuki.

"Ok, copy that? You sneak in and place Kumagoro someplace invisible." The muffled voice said.

"Yeah, I understand. But I'd like to see money first." Said the unknown female voice.

"Ok…This is in advance, and the rest you'll get after the job is done." the voice was very serious. And then, the camera rotated and settled on a well-known face. Shuichi gaped as well as Yuki.

"Ok, Kumagoro! This is your first mission: How to make Yuki-san more apart from Shuichi! Don't let me down!..." then the camera, which was, obviously, in Kumagoro himself was taken by another person. "Do it well" Ryuichi said.

"What the fuck is that?!" Tatsuha cried behind them, eyes glued to the screen. "I don't remember that vid!" he sat next to two of them.

The next scene was Yuki in bed with a woman. That was the video which had circulated around the world. Well-know video, indeed.

"I should have known! This was that idiot's plan." Yuki muttered, enraged. Shuichi was just staring at the screen, holding his hand. Tatsuha's face seemed nauseated.

"Ryu…Ryuichi?" he whispered. He could hear footsteps from behind.

And then the footsteps stopped. Tatsuha got up, piercing the vocalist with his dark, disappointed eyes.

"What the fuck is this, Ryuichi?!" he yelled, pointing at the screen. Ryuichi's face showed his uneasiness.

"Tatsuha…"

"I should've known! I should've known from the beginning!" he was pacing through the room. "Always: Shuichi this, Shuichi that…Non stop!" he entangled his long, trembling fingers in his dark hair.

"You don't get it…" Ryuichi started, just to be interrupted by his many years younger husband. "Why? Why were you lying to me?! You…you fucktard!"

"Aw, don't say words like that! Kumagoro is around!"

"Fuck the damn rabbit! It's a dead thing, you old man with the brain of a five year old!" Tatsuha pushed him. "You know nothing better, you pervert, than to play with your toys! Useless piece of shit!"

Shuichi gulped, feeling uneasy.

"Yuki, maybe we should go" he whispered.

"Why? I wanna see this drama." Yuki said flatly. "And later I'll deal with this retard."

The singer gulped again. What if some of them blurt out that Shuichi had never cheated on Yuki with any of them?

Ryuichi approached Tatsuha in order to hug him, to explain to him, but the younger pushed him away.

He stormed into another room and slammed the door. Ryuichi followed.

---

Tatsuha sat on the bed and Ryuichi kneeled before him, desperate.

"Tatsuha, please…" only then did he realize that Tatsuha was crying. The singer was wiping his tears with the corner of one of Kumagoro's ears. "Sweetheart, look at me…" when he saw Tatsuha wasn't resisting, he nuzzled the youth's nose. Tatsuha looked at him.

"Why is it, Ryuichi?" Tatsuha whispered. "Why are you the same as Tohma-san? He married Mika just to be closer to Eiri…"

"No, baby…I'm nothing like Tohma…"

"No, you're not. At least he can wipe his ass on his own." Tatsuha looked at him with mischievous eyes. He had to maintain his dignity. "You fuckin' dependent asshole. You cannot even jerk off on your own! Your rabbit has to do it for you! Pink as fuckin' Shuichi's hair!"

Ryuichi's eyes became glassy.

"You're so mean, Tatsuha! So mean!" he stood up, shaking his head. "So mean, so mean!" he started to cry, running out of the room.

Tatsuha rested his elbows on his thighs, and his face in his hands.

---

"So mean! Tatsuha's so mean!!!!" Ryuichi stormed out of the apartment.

"Follow him, Yuki! He might hurt himself!" Shuichi screamed, running to see if Tatsuha was fine.

Yuki obeyed, dissatisfied and exasperated. But that was the price he had to pay in order to make Shuichi's last days better. And, when he thought better, he had something to ask Ryuichi…

---

TBC…

* Uso (jap). Lie(s)