Again, Gravitation is made by Maki Murakami. I own nothing but this story's plot. This chapter has Tohma x Mika in it. For a yaoi anime, this is my favorite couple in Gravitation ^^; There isn't much Yuki x Shuichi just to share, but the plot's going the right way.

LESSONS IN LIFE
(Chapter 3 - Mika Seguchi)

This morning went as all the mornings I can remember had. Tohma woke up earlier than I did, took a bath and had breakfast while I remain lying on the bed. He checked his things to see if he left anything out, and walked around the house picking up things he needed. Upon seeing that he's all set, he picked up his suitcase and passed by the bedroom again, bidding me an, "I'll be going now, see you later." I know all these things because I only pretended to be asleep, and each morning I watch him go by up until he leaves through the front door.

I often wonder about our relationship. Tohma and I aren't like most couples. We're not the touchy-feely kind, as some might call it, we barely even hug. We both have our own separate lives, and I admit that I don't know what's going on around NG. I never asked him, just as he never asked about what I do around all day.

Even my younger brother, Tatsuha, noticed it. Very few people may notice, but Tatsuha's really perceptive, and he sees things not everyone seem to see. Once while I was driving him back home, he turned to me and asked me how I was doing with Tohma. I didn't expect that question, and not knowing exactly what to say, I decided on a simple, "Fine" instead. He frowned at me, but said nothing else. But it certainly had me thinking a lot lately, more than I usually do.

Tohma and I are pretty formal around each other. He still calls me "Mika-san", which is rather strange for a husband to call his wife, even if it is out of habit. But I never asked him about it, and I never acknowledged him as my better half to others unless I found the need to.

It's not that we're both hiding each other from our own acquaintances. Tohma's not that kind of person, and I'm certainly not like that either. And after all, why would anyone pass up an opportunity to tell the world that their husband is a part of Nittle Grasper, Japan's top band for years in a row? But maybe it's because I, we, really don't feel that way. What we have is a lifetime companion who'd stay with us under the same roof, but everything else ends there.

I reflected upon this last thought as I parked my car in front of Eiri's apartment. This is yet another routine I keep on doing; visiting Eiri even if I know he hates being pampered. But it's not only about him. I think it's my instinct as the eldest sister to keep watch over my younger siblings, it gives me a source of comfort knowing that I'm doing my part for them.

But there are times when I think that I'm doing this partially for Tohma. Tohma harbors a deep fondness for Eiri. Even when we were younger, I remember that my husband was actually closer to my brother than he was to me. We weren't really the closest of friends. Much as I would want to deny it, I had a feeling that Tohma only noticed me because I was Eiri's sister. Both of us wanted to act out the position of a guardian, and we both wanted to take care of Eiri. As far as common traits are concerned, that's all we really have.

Jealousy is not my main trait. Eldest children aren't especially prone to it. And it's also not that Tohma is a bad husband, he's really very thoughtful. I had been a young girl in her early twenties before, but I wasn't one who'd easily fall in love. I was far too caught up in my work and in my family to think about other things. Only Tohma seemed to understand this, and maybe that's one of the main reasons why I married him. While he watched over Eiri, he'd come to me and give me the respect I deserve, as I give him his. But even after we married, we couldn't get rid of the formality that went around us both.

I stepped up to Eiri's door, but nobody opened it even if I rang the doorbell thrice. Pushing my thoughts aside for now, I let out a frown and directed it to the door. It never changed. Eiri's always this way.

The door is unlocked, so instead of waiting for Eiri to welcome me himself, I allowed myself in like I always do. His apartment is always quiet, but strange as it may sound, it was more quiet than usual. Almost deafening.

"Eiri?" There was a small slit of light coming from the study just across the living room. Narrowing my eyes, I walked towards it. Sure enough, he was there, sitting in front of his laptop, but he didn't seem to be doing anything. His back was to me, but I clearly saw that all he's doing is staring up at the blank screen.

I walked up to him, standing over his shoulder to let him know I was there. I looked at the screen for a while, taking note of the cursor left idle if not for it's blinking, before I turned to him. "Where's the rest of your work? Haven't you been writing it this past week?" I asked him.

With a tired sweep of his hand, he reached out for the box of cigarettes that laid a few inches from his laptop, lighting up a stick before answering me. "I threw it away. It makes no sense to me now."

I blinked up at him, obviously taken aback. "What? But you have to finish it by the end of the month!" I always knew that scolding Eiri is useless, but it's been a habit I can't get rid of.

As I had expected, Eiri completely ignored my last remark. Instead, he inhaled more from his cigarette, letting it out in a careless puff before putting the stick back in his mouth.

I sighed, yet again defeated. "Eiri, I just hope you're all right. You're not yourself lately," I said, watching him look at something obviously far more interesting than me. I decided to shift the topic to something I thought would lighten things. It was obvious that it had been my mistake. "How's Shuichi?"

That seemed to strike a nerve. A sudden tension came over Eiri's shoulder, only to disappear like it's never been there at all. A frown creased his face, and he was now glaring at the ashtray he had beside him. "How the hell should I know?" he snapped irately, breathing in from his cigarette again.

I stared at him. He's evidently in a bad mood. Usually he'd still frown, but he would tell me that Shuichi is fine. That's how he always responds when I ask him. "Have you two been fighting again?" I asked him, guessing that that must be the case.

Again, I was right. If looks could kill, or at least harm something, that glass ashtray should've shattered by now.

I sighed again, not knowing whether or not I should feel sorry for him. From my knowledge, Eiri and Shuichi's fights mostly are caused by Eiri himself. I admire Shuichi's patience. All of my brother's past lovers never lasted longer than a week. They all found his faults and hated him for it. But despite the warnings everyone around him gave him, Shuichi still went on dedicating himself to my brother. I wonder if Eiri could see that.

"He left."

This certainly brought me out from my thoughts. I stared up at Eiri, not exactly sure of what to make out of what I just heard.

He seemed to notice this. He leaned down to stab his cigarette stick on the ashtray, breathing out the last of the dirty white smoke before turning his gaze back to me again. "He left, early in the morning most probably. I checked and all his things were gone," he said, without even a hint of emotion in his voice. The coldness almost made me shudder.

"Did he...say anything? Did he leave a note?" I asked, standing up. I couldn't bear to sit still anymore after that.

There was a wince in his expressions that I just knew he was trying to fight back. There was a sudden knot in my stomach as I watched him sit there, probably contemplating on what to say to me. Despite a lot of things that has happened, Eiri held Shuichi dear to him, perhaps just as much as Shuichi does him, only a little more discreet. I thought Shuichi knew that.

"No," he finally replied, his glare still fixed.

"Why, though? Why did he leave?"

"How the hell should I know!?" Suddenly, I found myself the object of that glare's attention. "All I know is that he's a complete moron for doing whatever it is that he's doing." A pause. "Not that I expect anything sensible from him. That - idiot."

I pretended to ignore that fighting choke in his last words, and proceeded to just watch helplessly as Eiri grabbed the cigarette pack again. I sighed, knowing that there isn't more I can do for him, and decided to leave him for now.

"Tohma."

"Hai, Mika-san?"

Even from behind my cellphone, I can feel Tohma's smile. He always does that. Smiling comes naturally to Tohma, it's a habit he seemed to have perfected. He said that it relieves him somehow. But most especially, I think he does it so that people around him wouldn't worry about him. He does so much, and will inevitably look tired if he let his guard down. But to him, he is the one who does the protecting. He is far more comfortable that way.

"It's...Eiri."

"Oh." There was a short pause before he spoke again. "I expected that."

"So you know about it then? About Shuichi?"

"I was only filled in by Sakuma-san. Well, Kumagouro anyway. I figured that if something's wrong with Shindou-san, it had to be connected with Eiri-san."

"What are you going to do about it, Tohma?" I asked, not trying to suppress my worry. I like it that way. If I'm worried or nervous, I let Tohma know. He's the only one who knows the extremity of my worries. To me, he's the only one who could take it well.

"Nothing."

I was mildly surprised by this. I expected Tohma to check up on Eiri, because that's what he'd usually do. It's his nature to worry about him. But just when I was about to say something, he cut me off. "I don't think Eiri-san needs me to mob him right now. Besides, there isn't anything I can do."

"Tohma..." I suppose that years of getting used to Eiri and Shuichi's relationship has finally got to him. I couldn't help but wonder what he's thinking about. Did it bother him?

"Mika-san?"

Again, I woke up from my reverie. "What is it?"

If something was bothering him, I couldn't tell. Something about the tone of his voice made me think that he's still smiling. "There's this recently opened Italian restaurant near NG, and I was told that they served really good food in there. Would you like to try?"

Tohma and I rarely go out, which is most probably why I was surprised. At first, I thought of asking him why, but then I knew that I can't let that out without sounding cold or ungrateful. And I did want to go, I just wasn't used to the idea that Tohma's asking me out after what felt like ten years of uncomfortable formalities.

But that was when I realized that I should read more into what Tohma's asking. We never really got to the point where we decided to make things work for us. We both had busy schedules, which I admit, are hard to cope with. But if there was anybody who can cope with a busy schedule, it was Tohma. And perhaps I've been to cynical about us. Maybe this could work.

Would you like to try?

"Mika-san?"

"What about Eiri?"

"Eiri-san has been through this before. He and Shindou-san always worked things out. I hate to say it, but they can go on without us. It's better off that way."

I smiled. All his life, Tohma has always taken care of Eiri. I've noticed that he gave much attention in watching Shuichi to see if leaving Eiri to him would be all right. By the way things were going, I suppose Shuichi passed his test.

"You're right," I said. "I'd love to go."

It's my turn to do my part. All those times that Tohma went around holding on to Eiri, I've always waited so I would catch him once he finally let him go.

End of Chapter 3

Three times. I rewrote this chapter three times! *bursts her stress out and places an ice pack on her head*

I know this may come as a bit of a disappointment compared to my last chapters. *frowns* I know this isn't as good as the last two, and I'm terribly sorry for that. That's why I took so long in updating. I rewrote this over and over again because I couldn't get it right. I just didn't want to focus solely on Yuki and Shuichi. All the other character have their own lives, and I'm paying as much attention to them as I am with the main couple. But I feel so terrible for not doing this right, I promise to do better in the next chapters.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed. Your reviews mean so much to me. Please do review as I go along so I'd know what you'd expect ^-^