Fandom: Gravitation
Title: Look-alike
Pairing: Hiro + Suguru
Rating: PG
Description: Suguru always admired his music teacher, but he only found his feelings at the end of their sessions. Later, he finds someone who looks just like his sensei...

Disclaimer: Gravitation isn't mine. All of it belongs to Murakami-sama.

The more I looked at him, the more my heart began to ache. For it was all the same...
And the more I saw him everyday, the more I was reminded of the first time I met both of them...

Look-alike
by Miyamoto Yui

When I came into the room, my parents had left me there with no warning or mercy. They pushed me into the room or other unknown homes always knowing I wouldn't undermine their authority or embarrass them.

And so, I found myself in the living room of a young man who introduced himself as 'Izumi'.

"We're just going to skip this whole, 'Fuyutsuki-sensei' business," he told me with a smile. Patting my shoulder, he laughed. "Just call me Izumi. It won't make me feel so old. I'm only 23-years-old."
I stood back a bit with my suspenders feeling more and more tight than they were supposed to be. Then, with that warm hand, he ran his fingers through my hair as he knelt to look at me on eye-level.

That gentle touch...those friendly eyes...

My consternation at the whole ordeal slipped away as I began to smile back at him though I tried not to. Unable to stop, he poked my cheek. "See, I knew you were a good kid."
He pushed me towards the grand piano in the middle of his living room. Blinking, I shook my head.

I KNEW I couldn't handle something like that...

But he just smiled. That assuring smile...

He sat me on the chair and began to teach me. "See? You do it like this..."
Izumi didn't talk to me like a little kid. To him, we were equals. And I felt very secure next to him.

I looked so forward to his instruction. In fact, it was one of the few things that I could show that I was very happy without being scolded for indulging too much in it.
My parents were overjoyed at my enthusiasm. But their smiles meant as much as Izumi's.
He was so encouraging.

For two years, I'd been so extremely shy and sheltered that I didn't even perform in front of people until my first recital. Even through that initial performance, I almost messed up and even got harshly lectured by the perfectionists taken for my parents.

As I went to a room and cried, Izumi came in and patted my head. Without a sob, I just stopped and clenched my hands.

I was taught that you do NOT cry in front of anyone. No matter what.

He gently unclenched my fists and hugged me. "It's okay, Fujisaki-kun. Everyone makes mistakes."
"But...but..."
"This isn't for your parents." He kissed the top of my head. "I hope you realize that."

At the age of eight, I knew what it meant to do things for yourself...

As the weeks and months passed, they became years. I became older, but to me, Izumi-sensei didn't. He was still the same height, still had the twinkling, quiet smile, still had the same warm hands...

Then, one day, I was packing my things into my bookbag to slide over my arms as Izumi-sensei began to play a song on his piano. It was something I had never heard before.

But I could remember it until now.

I watched him as he lifted his head and closed his eyes to this not-so-happy melody. This melancholy integrated itself into the song that I was caught off-guard by its beauty.
I stopped to watch him for he'd never done that before.
For nine years, I'd watched him get up with me after placing his hands over mine or pointing out the music to me if I really didn't get it. And each time, I would blush and become flustered. I didn't know how I was truly feeling, but I acted like everything was so natural for he didn't flinch an eye or do anything wrong...

But never did he play as he did now.
And never with such depth...

He wasn't one of those extremely preppy people that you'd expect him to be. No.
He was just a genius in ordinary people's clothing. So, how did my parents go for someone like him?
Simple. He was the best in his field. Recommended by cousin, of course...

His long hair fell like a woman's around his shoulders. And his long, white polo was cuffed only at the wrists just to be able to play the piano or any other instrument he wanted to teach me.
He even wore jeans like a commoner, as if he never dealt with other people in the upper class.
But only select parents wanted him due to his 'unruliness'.

I liked him all the same. Very much so.

When he finished playing, he gave me a smile that I had never seen on his face before. Then, he stood up and glanced at me. "That was for you."
Blinking my eyes, I smiled happily. "I...I'm so honored."
Putting his hand to his forehead, he sighed. "You are still a child, I guess."
Shaking my head, I tilted my head. "I don't quite know where you're getting at."
Again, he smiled in that usual way of his (different from the one a minute ago) and came over to hug me. Whispering to me full of pride, he said, "Congratulations. You pass. I cannot teach you anymore."
I stood there frozen.

This was supposed to be such a joyous event and yet it was breaking me up inside.

I almost wanted to scream, "No, you're wrong! I...I want...actually, I...want..."
Taking his arms off of me, he lightly pushed me away to the door. "Now, you're ready to kill the music world."

I wanted to shake my head and protest...
But being the child always told what to do and not to disgrace his parents as the heir, I had always listened. For a second, I stopped to look back at him as I put on my shoes at the entrance of his home. Staring at him, I didn't want to cry.

I can't...let...it be like this...

Dropping my other shoe to the ground, I went against everything I'd ever done, represented, or would do...
Tap...

I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him.

He dropped all the music sheets to the floor...
Flap, flap, flap...

Pushing myself away, I shook my head, "I'm so sorry! I...I don't know what got over me."
He shook his head. "Go, Suguru..."

I thought he was mad at me. And so, I quickly turned around to walk away...

I can't have him mad at me...
Not after everything...

That was until he grabbed my hand and kissed me back...
Opening my eyes, I was so shocked until I found myself holding onto him too...

Sensei...

"You better go, Suguru."

Suguru...he called me by my first name...

He said this, but his arms were still holding me. "If you don't, I might do something we'll both regret..."
Slipping away, I bowed. "Thank you for everything, Izumi."
Still smiling, he waved his hand.
I turned around and walked out.

Boy did I cry in silence when I got home...

And we never saw each other since.

I only saw his new student in the paper, but I knew who I was to him...
...for he never got married or had any relationships with anyone.

+/+/+/+/+/

Three years later, on that day I had left him, I walked out of the elevator ready to go to the office of my cousin. As I did so, very deep in thought, I bumped into someone. "Sumimasen! I'm so sorry!"
He waved his hand and said, "It's all right."

The way that man dresses, even the way he acts...he's like-
Stop it, Suguru. Forget it.

As I opened the door to my cousin's office to find two people in front of him. They were the members of Bad Luck he'd talked so well about.

Oh? Isn't this a small world...

As the one who I'd bumped into earlier turned around to introduce himself, I almost gasped. I began to cough from the shock.
"Excuse me, but I have to use the restroom." I escaped the office to shed a tear in the bathroom. I washed my face before the mirror, but when I turned off the water, some drops still fell down into the sink.
I gripped onto the counter and looked down as the water dripped before me.

It still hurt.

"You look exactly like him..." I mumbled to myself. "Hiro, was it?"

Owari.
-
Author's note: This is to Ami-chan and Avamea for being too cute...
Was that enough fluff for ya Ami-chan? ^_^v

2001