A Gravitation Fanfiction
Author's Notes: Gomen! Gomen! Gomen! Sorry it took me so long to release this part! I had a bunch of midterms to deal with so I had no time to write! I swear! I want to thank all of my readers for the TREMENDOUS support from you all, thank you! (and thanks for the lovely gifts!) ^_~ *bows down*
Clarifications and Responses: I was reading the reviews and thanks for all the comments. I'd like to address one in particular, actually I am aware that I change between tenses when I write, its been a problem of mine ever since high school and I still haven't been able to fix it. ^_^;; My problem is that I don't know where I made the mistakes, so if anyone would like, could you do some grammar editing for me? Or else, I don't think I will catch my mistakes otherwise! If you are interested in becoming one of my beta-readers/editors please let me know in a review or email me at sabrinne@hotmail.com Thanks!
Warnings: Will contain spoilers! And some shounen ai (duh! Its gravi!) Expect some rampant OOCness!
Disclaimer: All rights to Gravitation belong to Maki Murakami-sama, SPE Visual Works, Sony, and WOWOW. But don't I wish they were mine! ^_~
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Sabrinne: *Looking sparkly eyed over the lovely gift she got . . . life-sized poster of Yuki! Oooooo, yummy! And then glances enviously at Eike's chocolate Shuichi* Can I have it now, please, please?
Shuichi: Wahhhh! You got more presents! I want a present too! Yuki!!!!!
Yuki: Don't involve me brat. All I want to do is to make it out of this story alive.
Shuichi: Meanie! Bri-chan, make Yuki give me lots of presents.
Sabrinne: Ano . . . can I do that?
Yuki: Dammit, can we just get on with the fic?!
Sabrinne: Hai, hai! *sweatdrops*
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Part 3: Unraveling the Doubts"La Li Ho!!" Shuichi shouted in a singsong voice as he threw open the door to the recording room with an energetic grin. Jogging into the room, he looked curiously at the current occupants of the room, which included, K, Sakano, and Fujisaki, all of whom were busy staring at him open-mouthed.
"What?" Shuichi scratched the side of his head, confused by their reaction to him. Squeezing between K and Sakano, Shuichi poked at the dumbfounded Sakano, who didn't even blink. Then Shuichi moved on to K, but before he could wave a hand across K's face, he found a silver magnum aimed at his temple.
"Freeze." K drawled in accented English as he cocked the gun in his hand.
A muscle ticked on Shuichi's forehead as he laughed nervously. "Maa, maa, K-san. What's wrong?"
"Shindou-kun, what are you doing here?" Sakano whispered as he tried to get K to lower his gun.
"What do you mean 'what am I doing here'?" Shuichi was getting more confused by the minute. "It's nine, aren't we starting to record the new album today?"
"But . . . but . . ." Sakano sputtered as he looked back and forth between the clueless Shuichi and K who pressed his magnum harder into the singer's temple. "You're twenty minutes too early. Did something happen with Yuki-san again?"
"Early? But it's nine exactly!"
"That's why we're surprised." Fujisaki finally piped up from the corner where he was fiddling with the keyboards. "We've never seen you arrive on time at the studio. Ever. Shindou-san, are you okay?" This was the first time that the keyboardist had sounded worried about Shuichi.
"Eh, he, he," Shuichi laughed nervously as he backed towards the door. He had never realized that he was late so often. But now that I finally get here on time, they are annoyed with me! "Maybe I should leave and come back 20 minutes from now?" He suggested as one of his hands fumbled for the doorknob. Finally grabbing on to the metal object, Shuichi twisted it open quickly and fell right into Hiro.
"Shuichi?" Hiro looked down at his best friend curiously. "Oops, am I late?" He laughed nervously as he checked his watch. "Hnm, it must be off." Mumbling to himself, he grabbed Shuichi's arm and led him back into the room. "Gomen, everyone! I just got back from Kyoto, my watch must be off today!"
"Ano, Nakano-kun. You aren't late at all." Sakano smiled at the guitarist politely.
Digesting this piece of information, Hiro turned to look at Shuichi who was giving him an innocent smile. "What happened with Yuki?"
"Nothing." Shuichi said through upturned lips. Seeing the disbelieving look that Hiro was giving him, he sighed. Well they've got to know sometime or another right? Better now than later. Looking directly into Hiro's eyes, he dropped the bombshell. "I dumped him."
Jaws dropped around the room, the entire recording studio was silent except for the faint buzzing from the electronic equipment in the room. Everyone was busy staring at Shuichi wondering if their hearing was quite right.
"C'mon, minna, we shouldn't be wasting time like this!" Shuichi said as he walked to the microphone and pointed it at Hiro. "Let's go!"
"But, why?" Hiro was still too surprised to move.
"Can we talk about this later?" The pink-haired singer sent his best friend a pleading look.
Nodding in consent, Hiro removed his guitar from its carrying case and walked into the recording room. "Fujisaki! We're starting now!" He called out to the keyboardist, who finally snapped out of his daze and also made his way to the room.
For the next few hours, nothing was mentioned of the blond writer.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Finally, Bad Luck was allowed to take a lunch break around mid-afternoon. As soon as they left the studio, Hiro cornered Shuichi in one of the empty meeting rooms in the NG Building.
"Shuichi, what's going on?" Hiro asked as he sat Shuichi down in the chair across from him.
"Nothing." The singer was unable to meet his eyes as his gaze traveled around the room.
"Don't lie to me. Everything was fine when I left for Kyoto, what happened?"
"Oh yeah! How was Kyoto? Did you have a good time with Ayaka-chan?" Shuichi babbled as he tried desperately to change the subject. After the previous night's fiasco when he tried to compose lyrics, the last thing he wanted to talk about was Yuki Eiri.
"We had a lot of fun! Went on dates, met her father, I think I might propose." Hiro babbled on with a faint blush on his cheeks and a silly grin on his face. But the lopsided grin faded when his mind finally got on track again. "Hey Shuichi! Don't change the subject!"
Shuichi chuckled nervously as he realized that the game was up, he'll have to explain to Hiro what had happened with Yuki. "I just came to my senses Hiro." Shuichi said quietly, his head bent so that wispy pink bangs covered his eyes.
"What is that suppose to mean?" Hiro was worried by the look on Shuichi's face as he leaned closer to the singer. He knew better than anyone that Shuichi wouldn't give up on Yuki, the past two years worth of conflicts were proof enough of that.
"I just mean that Seguchi Touma was right." Shuichi raised his face to look Hiro in the eye. "He and Mika-san both told me that we would do nothing but hurt each other in the end. They were right."
"I don't believe that. Don't bullshit me Shuichi, what did he do to you this time?" Hiro's hands were clenched into a fist under the table.
"Nothing, please Hiro, it was my idea to move out. I didn't even discuss it with Yuki. Can we just leave it for now?"
Hiro opened his mouth to protest loudly but he abruptly closed his mouth when he noted the determined look on Shuichi's face. I think this time Shuichi is serious. How is Yuki Eiri taking this? He snorted as he imagined the condition that the writer was probably in at the moment. Heh, he's probably smoking a cigarette and sitting at his laptop. Probably doesn't even realize that Shuichi is gone. "Fine Shuichi, I'll leave it alone for now, but are you truly okay without him?"
"I'm fine." Shuichi then shook his head, he was not used to lying. "Iie, I'll be fine." He corrected his previous statement.
That correction was telling as Hiro stood up and held a hand out to his friend. Shuichi wants to be freed of Yuki Eiri but can he ever do it? "C'mon, I'll treat you to lunch, we better be quick or else K will be aiming his guns at us again."
A bright smile appeared on Shuichi's face, replacing the saddened look from before as he grabbed his friend and ran with him through the building. They were both breathless as they reached the entrance to the NG Building. Running out into the bright, sunlit afternoon, Shuichi pulled Hiro along by the hand towards their favorite fast food place. Neither boy noticed the pair of golden eyes that watched from a distance.
Yuki stared as Shuichi said something to Hiro with a sunny smile. He's already moved on. He can smile and laugh already. Why are you here? He thought to himself as he turned around to lean against the cool concrete on the side of the building. Since this morning's unexpected visit from Shuichi's annoyingly meddlesome sister, he had been feeling restless. The torrent of tears in the shower had helped him clear his head as he realized that he was being a idiot, all he had been doing was feel sorry for himself the past two weeks. The visit from Shuichi's sister was a cold shower, a reminder that Shuichi may still love him, but the singer was probably trying his very hardest and succeeding at putting the past behind him. The past that contain him, Yuki Eiri.
Taking a drag of the cigarette in his hand, Yuki closed his eyes with a long sigh. He had found himself wandering around the streets of Tokyo aimlessly since midmorning. It was not long after noon that he stood, staring up at the NG Building, foolishly hoping that he would get a glimpse of Shuichi. His heart had leaped painfully when he caught a flash of pink hair coming out of the building a few hours later. He hadn't realized that he'd been starving for just a glimpse the singer, but his happiness quickly dissolved as he watched Shuichi walk off hand in hand with his best friend. Nakano loves him, probably as more than a friend. He would probably be better for him than I could ever hope to be. Yuki dropped the still glowing cigarette butt and crushed it under the heel of his shoe. Turning around to go back home, he paused when a soft voice a few feet away stopped him.
"Yuki-san I presume?" A short, green-haired boy smiled at him.
Yuki examined the boy closely, he looked oddly familiar. After a few seconds, his brain matched the face with the name as he gave an uninterested nod to Bad Luck's keyboardist. "Fujisaki."
Suguru Fujisaki didn't reply as he studied the writer curiously, his large brown eyes boring into him. Yuki's shoulders tensed slightly as he met the boy's gaze directly. He grew impatient as the boy continued to stare at him with eyes that were far too perceptive. Fighting the urge to turn around and stalk away, he fisted his hands in his coat pocket and spoke again. "What do you want?"
"I heard that Shindou-san left you." Suguru stated as he walked closer to the writer.
Heh, word certainly goes around fast, doesn't it? Yuki thought bitterly as the corner of his lips turned up into a slight smirk. "Do you have a point?"
"What did you do?" The accusation flew out of the keyboardist's mouth. Brown eyes widened with surprise as Suguru lifted a hand to his mouth, he hadn't intended to throw accusations at the writer when he had first spotted Yuki Eiri, but the words had come from his mouth against his will.
"Che, you brat. It's none of your business is it?" The blond writer spun around and began to walk away with long strides.
"It is my business." Suguru spoke calmly. "When it affects Bad Luck, then I make it my business."
"If you're dying to find out, then go ask Shuichi. He knows why, since he made the decision." Yuki said quietly as he turned his head to the side to gaze at Suguru. "Besides, it looks to me that Shuichi is just fine."
"Yes, in fact, Shindou-san sang better than he had for months." Suguru said with a small smirk. Looking into Yuki's eyes, he waited for the man to respond to his silent challenge. C'mon Yuki Eiri, he pleaded silently, either prove to me that you are letting Shuichi go for real this time or show me that you still care. His smile fell a little as the blond man turned away coldly.
"Good for him." Yuki spoke as he turned his icy, emotionless gaze from Suguru.
"Is this the attitude you show Shindou-san? No wonder he left you!" Suguru spat out disgusted.
Something snapped within Yuki as he whirled around and stalked towards the petite keyboardist. Grabbing Suguru by the collar of his shirt, Yuki growled down at him with eyes that were molten with anger. "Don't presume that you know everything! I know perfectly well why Shuichi left, and personally I don't blame him!"
"I was right on the mark, eh?" Suguru gave Yuki a mocking smile as he met the taller man's gaze unflinchingly. "Why do you keep your feelings away from Shindou-san? Or am I wrong to assume that you do love him?"
Yuki wanted to tell the arrogant boy that Shuichi meant nothing to him, but he also realized that such a lie he couldn't tell. Besides, the brat already seemed to have figured out everything. Well obviously he got that damned sense of perception from his uncle. So instead of answering the boy, Yuki set him down on the ground again and looked away. "Say what you want and leave me alone." He stated at he searched his pocket for another cigarette.
"We all know how much Shindou-san loves you. And now I'm sure that you feel the same way towards him. Don't screw things up for yourself this time. Shindou-san still loves you now, but the longer he believes that you don't feel the same, the more his feelings will fade." Suguru crossed his arms on his chest.
"Why are you telling me this?" Yuki sighed, exhausted.
"I care about Bad Luck. At this rate, you will break Shindou-san." Suguru replied. "Shindou-san, he cares deeply for everyone but he, just like everyone else, needs those words every once in a while. Give him something back for once, give him something to hope with."
Yuki hated the sound of Suguru's voice as he took all of the complicated conflicts that he and Shuichi had had and dissected into a single problem. He was a selfish bastard. He was so spoiled by everyone's unconditional love for him after the incident in New York that he didn't care how any of them felt. He used them selfishly and Shuichi was the one that he had used the most.
"I've said all I've wanted." Suguru said quietly as he turned to walk back into the NG building. "The real question is if you love him enough to risk the truth."
Yuki watched as Suguru walked back into the building with a thoughtful look on his face. He turned and began to walk away, although on the surface he was cool and careless, the jumble of thoughts and doubts in his mind was slowly unraveling.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Shuichi looked at his watch with a sense of dread. The digital numbers showed that he was going to be yelled at when he got home for sure. The recording had gone so well today, that he and the other members of Bad Luck had hardly noticed the time that had gone by. By the time Sakano had stopped them it was past 11pm. So, to avoid the coming lecture for as long as possible, Shuichi took the long route home.
Half an hour later, Shuichi stood by the railing of a familiar park as he looked up into the night sky. He hadn't even realized that he had to go through this park on his way home when he picked this route. Yuki and I first met here. His mind drifted as he recalled the fateful night that he had met the writer. He still couldn't decide if it was the worst or the best day of his life yet. Sighing heavily, Shuichi pushed away from the metal railing that he was leaning on and turned to be on his way again. But a figure standing several feet away caused him to freeze in his tracks.
Yuki walked along the familiar path with a sense of sickening nostalgia. He had wandered through the city most of the day like this as he considered Fujisaki Suguru's words. In the end, he knew what he had to do because the past two weeks that he had barely lived through was proof that he couldn't leave things like this, he had to talk to Shuichi. Now all I have to do is find him. He thought with a small smile. And admit defeat. It was if his prayers had been heard, when Yuki rounded the corner and spied the person in question. Yuki paused as he stared at the pink-haired singer. In the moonlight, he saw the small details that he hadn't caught during the day. He's thinner and the expression on his face. Oh god. He wanted to run over there right then and shake the saddened expression from Shuichi's face. No, his Shuichi was never supposed to ever feel emotions like these, only he was supposed to. Yuki tensed when he knew that Shuichi had finally spotted him. I will do this! He needs it. I need it.
-TBC
Author's Notes: Hehehe, well sorry about the large amount of author babble in this part. Please, C&C is always welcome! I love feedback from my readers. I accept all comments, questions, flames, and not to mention lovely gifts! ^_~ Part 4 should be up in a week's time or less. 'Til next time everyone! Ja ne!