Disclaimer:
Gravitation is the property of Sony and Maki Murakami and X Japan owns the
titles.
Unfinished
As they exited the automatic doors of the increasing occupancy of Tokyo
International Airport, Fujisaki Suguru and Nakano Hiroshi experienced the
frosty chill the morning day brought with its beautiful sky. The late fall's
peaceful dawn was filled with the trees in the far distance that lost their
leaves. The sky towers and offices were a welcomed addition against the
backdrop of the cool blue sky with its various shades of pinks and lavenders
along the horizon. Each individual window rippled the rising sun's image on its
mirrored surface. It was a good morning to fly with a windless blanket that
awoke the senses, carrying the smell of perfume from passing women in its nippy
embrace.
"Boy its cold," Hiro commented to Suguru, as they walked through the
mounting group of arrivals to the van waiting for them in the parking loop. The
ebony automobile's luxurious appeal was nothing less than what NG Records could
offer. It was sure to have a heated interior to bid more than his blue jeans
and white pullover did. His long brunette hair added some warmth around his
neck and face. "I suppose it'll warm up as the day goes on. Then maybe
Ayaka-chan and I can go out if the weather stays nice."
"I honestly don't care about it much," Suguru mentioned under his
breath, not appearing excited about being back in Tokyo as he was before.
Something was bothering the young teen, but he wasn't in the mood to discuss it
with present company.
"Bet you wish we could have brought back the warm weather of Nagasaki with
us," K expressed, the manager nudging the two young men along.
"Hey, it might be in Shuichi's backpack," the guitarist joked,
recalling the weight of the overstuffed red bag he was forced to lug until he
found its scampering possessor.
"Well, it seems we brought back something from Osaka, and I don't mean the
crowd," Suguru announced, stopping to point up at the long but remote line
of gray clouds that beckoned to shatter the splendor of the upcoming afternoon.
Passing him by, Producer Sakano acknowledged the keyboardist's observation, as
he followed the others, acting more composed than usual, either for or because
of his Shacho's approval. Feeling awkward carrying Ryuichi's pink bunny from
helping him with the band's luggage, Sakano held it out to K, hoping that the
singer's former manager was used to it more than he, and K willingly grabbed
Kumagorou's ears. "The TV stations inside have listed a fifty-fifty chance
of freezing rain, as the temperature drops. Looks like we may be in effect for
an early winter. We're lucky to be leaving the airport before rush hour."
Suguru blew on his hands, keeping them warm. With a shake of his head, he
resumed his walk to the car, greeting the driver who was assisting the men with
putting their luggage behind the last row of seats. "Don't say anything
about this to Shindou-san," he warned, "unless you want to hear his
complaints the whole way about Yuki-san driving home in it."
Shrugging his shoulders in indifference, K headed towards the van's open-
sliding door, patting his holster. "It doesn't matter. No weather or
traffic delays for us, or airport security to confiscate my gun."
"Let's be thankful for that," said Sakano sarcastically,
straightening the suit he slept in on the plane before entering the van. K
snorted to his companion's comment as he crossed his arms and leaned against
the framed opening. With K around, there was little need for a security force, looking
like a soldier surveying the scene, though the stuffed animal in his hands
diminished the effect.
"By the way Nakano-san," K voiced, "did you ever figure out what
was bothering you?" Remembering K asked about yesterday's concerns, Hiro
pondered whether he could answer today. Never did he mention Shuichi's run in
with Taki Aizawa, or the bold things Shuichi claimed to have said to the man
who apologized for his horrid act. Everything seemed fine once more; until he
woke up and had the distinct feeling Shuichi was trying to avoid him. On the
other hand, Shuichi was in a hurry to find Eiri, so naturally he had to take a
backseat to his lover. Once again, Hiro was thinking he was trying to create a
problem that didn't exist.
"What are you guys talking about?" Suguru asked, and Hiro briefly
glanced away to think. The teen let out a huff and simpered. "Does this
have something to do with whatever you and Shuichi were chatting about last
night?"
"What did you hear?" K asked, cutting in before Hiro could reply.
Anything that might harm Bad Luck's members personally and publicly made K
disconcerted. Hiro was also curious as to how much Suguru overheard on the
plane.
"Only Shuichi's loud mouth talking about Bad Luck, Yuki-san, and some
apology by a guy," he recalled fuzzily. "Did you two really have to
talk so loud? I was sleeping."
"Again, sorry about that," Hiro apologized.
"We don't have a problem, do we?" inquired K with censure in his
tone.
Not wanting him to start investigating something that might already be
resolved, Hiro waved a hand in dismissal. "It's all right, K-san. Shuichi
ran into a guy in the airport, when we went to find a drink, and I was worried
about what may have happened. Like Suguru said, the guy apologized to Shuichi
and he's fine. Shuichi said he handled things. You saw him this morning. How
did he look to you two?"
"He was running so fast to find Yuki-san how could I tell?" Suguru
laughed, speaking the thought Hiro previously considered. "That's typical
Shuichi behavior."
"That's what I want to hear," K said with zest, nodding with a grin,
"because if there is a problem, I will find out. I always do."
Claude K. Winchester, or K for short for both his privacy and being easier on
the Japanese tongue, was a six feet tall, thirty-six-year-old, blond and blue
eyed American, who was excellent as a manager, willing to do absolutely
anything for the sake of Bad Luck, no matter how embarrassing it was for the
band, as long as they came out fan-fawned. They were grateful for everything he
did nonetheless, but K had a way of motivating that bordered manipulation, when
the trio endeavored to get out-of-line or disobey him. It was comical to anyone
not under his supervision, unless they upset K as well.
"Fujisaki-kun, being Tohma's cousin, you've been to America," Hiro
began in a low voice for only him to hear, as he deposited his luggage in the
back and then put his icy hands inside the fleecy pockets of his pullover,
keeping an eye on K. "Are all Americans like K-san?"
Adjusting the collar of his magenta dress shirt after it flipped up when he
removed the luggage strap from his shoulder to place it with the groups',
Suguru considered his question. "There's the NRA, but I don't think even
they act like K-san."
"Let's be thankful for that," Hiro whispered with a laugh, and Suguru
stifled his own. Thinking about what K said referring to a problem; Hiro was
trying to do the same. Shuichi's his best friend, and if there was a personal
problem, Hiro wanted to discover it before anyone else in order to give Shuichi
real help. If Shuichi didn't want to talk about something, he would have a good
reason, and Hiro didn't want K intruding on territory that didn't concern him.
"Let me ask you one more thing," Hiro started, keeping his voice low.
"Yes?" he responded.
"Would you tell me if you notice anything peculiar about Shuichi?"
Taken by the question, Suguru was bewildered. "I thought you said
everything was okay with Shindou-san."
"It is!" Hiro declared. "At least I think it is. He does seem
tired to me. I just don't want K, Sakano or Tohma bothering him if things
aren't. Let's keep this between us."
"Okay," Suguru accepted, though nevertheless puzzled.
"Thanks," Hiro said with a smile to assure him as he turned away.
"Nakano-san," stopped Suguru. "I'm not sure if I'm remembering
this correctly and it may be none of my business, but did Shuichi say that he
wanted this guy who apologized to him to go to Hell?" Suguru could see
Hiro flinch. "To me, it sounds like it wasn't a stranger who Shuichi ran
into if he could be so harsh. Do you know the guy?"
"Let's just say that if Shuichi wants him in Hell, it's perfectly fine
with me," Hiro stated, not caring if he sounded cold.
Surprised by his bluntness, Suguru reverted to the original subject. "I'll
let you know if I notice anything funny with Shindou-san."
"Thanks," Hiro said.
"Did I know him?" Suguru asked abruptly.
"What?" Hiro asked.
"The guy Shuichi collided with, do I know him?" They looked at each
other and Suguru noticed Hiro's answer by the look on his face. Briefly, Suguru
considered he was butting in on something personal, but Hiro nodded an
affirmative to his question. "Who?"
"What's holding us up?" they heard their manager call. Shocking them
out of their conversation, Hiro peered over to see K was not shouting at them.
It was to the middle-aged, portly driver.
"I'm sorry Sir," the driver announced in a gruffly voice that the two
musicians could hear with the back doors open, "but Seguchi Tohma-san has
not arrived."
"Is no one here reliable?" K muttered to Kumagorou.
Suguru exchanged curious looks with Hiro. Weren't Tohma and the others behind
them? Sakano and K were already present, but they were three people short of
their party. Looking from their perspective in the parking lot, not one of the
people huddled outside to leave the airport were who they missing.
"Where is my cousin?" Suguru questioned with some impatience.
"And where's Shindou-san and Sakuma-san?"
Suddenly many of the people near the airport doors began to stumble forward in
surprise, opening up a line through the path as Sakuma Ryuichi came charging
through, and for a split second Suguru and Hiro were afraid the press or fans
were aware of Bad Luck's return from their tour, despite K's deception to the
press that the band wouldn't be returning to Tokyo for another day. Having
Sakuma Ryuichi with them could only fuel their fire. Running his way through
the crowd like he was racing to a finish line were bringing more people to the
man in the olive green parka with tinted hair's attention. To make matters
worse, he was calling for K loudly whose head snapped up quickly to sight him.
Instinctively, K reached inside his black trench coat, but he did not remove
his weapon.
"Okay, we found Sakuma-san," Hiro huffed. Coming up to the ageless
man, K and Hiro were prepared to help get Ryuichi quickly to the van, but they
couldn't leave without Tohma or Shuichi. What if they were stuck inside by a
mob of fans?
"Ryuichi?" K said flatly, grabbing his wrist and tugging him away.
"Sakuma-san, what's happening? Are you all right?"
"No," Ryuichi answered. "It's---"
"What?" Hiro asked.
"Cold-cold-cold-cold," chattered Ryuichi, clenching onto K's sleeve.
The American removed his hand from the magnum in his holster, and sighed with
an accompanying eye roll. Much like Shuichi, Ryuichi could complain over the
littlest things. Being his former manager, it was an almost easy transition to
manage Shuichi. "I don't like morning cold, na no da!"
"I know, I know," replied K, putting a hand on the back of Ryuichi's
neck and pushing him towards the car.
"Kumagorou and I only like the cold when it's raining," Ryuichi
continued, happily accepting the plush bunny K pushed towards his chest.
"Yes I know," K repeated, looking at Hiro with a funny grin.
"Or when it's snowing," he went on.
"Or Christmas," Ryuichi and K said in unison, obviously having heard
this on other occasions. "All right, get in the van. It's warmer in
there." More than happy to obey, Ryuichi bounced into the van, causing it
to momentarily rock.
"What about Seguchi-san and Shuichi?" Hiro inquired, curious to their
whereabouts.
Ryuichi popped his head back out of the van, resting his pink bunny on his
shoulder. "Tohma and Shu-chan said they'd be out soon. They took a
detour."
"Detour?" Suguru repeated, confused and a bit annoyed for what seemed
like no reason. "To where?"
"Coffee break!" Ryuichi clarified, but beginning to pout. "Tohma
wouldn't let me come. He never lets me drink any coffee, saying decaffeinated
isn't decaffeinated enough for me, whatever that means." K averted his
face to hide his smile. Sakuma Ryuichi on a caffeine buzz only translated to
emanate danger. "Tohma knew I wanted to hang out with Shuichi, but he
insists I come here instead. I hope they aren't doing something
secretive."
"Me too," Hiro muttered lowly so K and Sakano wouldn't hear.
"Shuichi doesn't like coffee."
"You said he was tired," Suguru replied, thinking of the most obvious
reason. "I'm sure my cousin talked him into getting a cup with him. He wouldn't
have any reason to otherwise, right?"
"I guess," he mumbled, leaning against the doorframe.
"Tohma and Shuichi are such slowpokes," Ryuichi complained, but his
pout quickly turned into a smile as his face brightened with a suggestion, his
body already hopping out of the van, planning to disperse the crowd with his
energy. "Hey, Kumagorou and I can go get them."
"No way," K yelled. Not wanting Ryuichi causing another scene, he
snatched Kumagorou and threw it far into the van, accidentally hitting Sakano
in the head.
"K-san!" he cried.
"Kuma-chan!" Ryuichi wailed in horror, diving in after his precious
bunny, crashing into the already flustered producer. The feisty American
grabbed the handle of the sliding door, and slammed it closed with a 'whoosh,'
almost crushing a startled Hiro's hands with it, if he hadn't jumped back like
he did.
Taking his friend and moving towards the row of seats behind the dazed Sakano,
Ryuichi made sure the pink cotton stuffed animal was all right. Mimicking the
cocked head of the forever-smiling plush, Ryuichi stared at its black bead
eyes. "K-chan can be such a meanie," he commented, putting the bunny
on his lap, giving him a tight squeeze. But then Ryuichi looked down at his
friend with a harsh look. "Hey!" he exclaimed, holding Kumagorou at
arms length and looking it in the face. "Seems you got to fly at the
airport, after Tohma told us not to. Don't misbehave like that again. Now you
sit and save Shuichi a seat, while you think about what you did," he reprimanded,
placing the bunny next to him, as he buckled his seatbelt. "I'm sure he'll
be here any minute now."
* * *
Many passengers coming and going from the airport were flanking to the
Starbucks within the food court, ordering whatever various coffees were offered
on the menu. The entire area smelled of the rich flavored beans being grounded
and cappuccinos being poured, topped with creams and dustings of spicy cinnamon
by the busy workers behind the counter for the desire of the customers moving
down the lines.
For Tohma, it wasn't the best place to get a cup of simple coffee. Hanging
around a crowded place where he and Shuichi could be noticed was reason enough
to leave, but Tohma had a busy day ahead and this may be the last time he could
talk to Shuichi. It was the uncomfortable flashes of anxiety from him losing
his fake sense of cheer that compelled Tohma to think of a place to go and
fast. There was something still left to discuss between them, but they were
interrupted by their companions.
It was shortly after Sakano and Ryuichi had approached them that Tohma decided
for both him and Shuichi that they would go get refreshments. It was easy to
disperse Sakano by easily requesting he go to the car, but Ryuichi required
prying him off Shuichi and ordering him to leave. Any other time Tohma wouldn't
mind his friend tagging along, as long as he behaved, but Ryuichi didn't like
to be around complicated things, and the fashionable blond was pretty sure that
Shuichi didn't want to discuss whatever was bothering him with Ryuichi either.
After paying for the two black coffees, Tohma headed out of the food court.
They had both decided it would be better to talk somewhere else. Too many
people sitting at the other tables could recognize them, so they would be
better off standing in a more secluded place towards the exit. They could only
keep their party waiting for a certain amount of time before they start
wondering why their coffee break was taking so long.
When he finally found Shuichi leaning against a pillar, Tohma handed the
younger man the hot paper cup. It seemed that he had been occupying his time
staring down the row of payphones ahead of them. With rounded shoulders and his
sunglasses on the top of his head revealing his puffy eyes, Tohma was sure that
Shuichi needed this cup of coffee more than he protested it. "Thanks
Seguchi-san," Shuichi said with gratitude, peeling back the plastic lid's
lip and taking a long sip.
"I thought you didn't drink coffee?" Tohma commented, surprised that
Shuichi was drinking down the dark liquid without a cringe of disgust or
choking from the bitter taste.
Swallowing another sip, the vocalist let out a small smile. "I don't, but
I force myself on the days when I have to get up early to make it to one of K's
meetings. He has a tendency to get carried away with himself if I'm not awake
while he is talking. The taste of this coffee is better than the taste of a
magnum in my mouth."
"I see. Still doesn't explain why that doesn't motivate you to get to my
meetings on time," he remarked with a soft laugh. Shuichi wasn't
expressing much in return, and Tohma knew that it was because of what he said
to him during their walk.
"Seguchi-san, why did you buy me coffee?" Shuichi inquired, looking
over to where Tohma was standing, but instead Tohma's gloved hand was reaching
down to pick up the yellow notepad by Shuichi's feet.
"For whatever caused this scribbled mess," Tohma replied in his
sinuous voice. "I thought maybe you could use something to wake you up,
something to tie you over until you get to Eiri's flat. You're making people
worry, and if you are going to keep telling people you are fine, you better
start acting like it." Raising his eyes from the paper, Tohma saw Shuichi
had returned to staring down the hallway of payphones. The NG Records'
president knew that he was good at being indirect with people, almost having it
down to an art form. However, there were times he decided to be blunt. Shuichi
was well aware of what they discussed in the private conversation before they
were interrupted.
Most people might consider what he was asking Shuichi to do was cruel. They
might think asking was to kind of a word, when it really sounded like he was
telling him what to do. It couldn't be helped in this situation. Accepting
Shuichi in Eiri's life meant Tohma had to be accepted too. There was no way
getting around it. To both men, Tohma was influential. To Shuichi, he was his
boss and a man he looked up to as what Shuichi could become, though Tohma felt
that may no longer ring true. To Eiri, he was the one person who was there for
him during his hectic youth. The help Eiri needed didn't come from Tohma in the
end, but Tohma was his sister's husband, and couldn't easily be forgotten.
"You should throw this out and start over again," he voiced, stepping
in front of Shuichi to get his attention, handing him the writing tablet.
"Let's go. We don't want to keep K-san and the others waiting. I'll help
you with your things." Lifting the red backpack from the floor, Tohma
swung it over his shoulder, the bag clashing with his refined clothing. He was
amazed at how much the little bag weighed, and spilt a tiny amount of coffee on
the feather cuff of his jacket when trying to adjust it on his back. "Oh
dear, I'll have to get that cleaned," he added as he proceeded to leave.
"You want me to be totally normal, but you don't even ask what
happened," Shuichi stated suddenly, causing Tohma to stop mid-step and
turn around.
"I don't need to," he said simply, dropping his façade of a good
mood, causing the pink-haired singer to be taken back. They watched each other
for a moment, understanding each other without words. Tohma had experience with
this situation before, with Eiri. Being the first to look away, Shuichi threw
away both the notepad and practically full coffee cup in a nearby trashcan,
putting the sunglasses over his eyes. Tohma resumed his smile.
"I want you and Eiri-san to be happy, Shindou-san," he pronounced,
following Shuichi by his side as the young man dragged his rollaway behind him.
"I'm sure I won't have any reason to check up on either one of you. You
know how to handle your situation. You're fine." To visit Eiri often to
check up on Shuichi would surely raise suspicion with the romance writer, and
the one thing Tohma always wanted to protect him from was being hurt. Besides,
the musician had many important plans of his own that had to be handled. Trying
to find a way to dismiss Shuichi would hurt Eiri, so he made sure to coach
Shuichi instead.
"By the way, he apologized," Shuichi quickly added as they exited
through the automatic double doors to the outside.
"And what did you think of that?"
"Everything is fine, remember?" Shuichi smiled, returning Tohma's
indirect ways.
"Then I suggest you learn to like coffee and write your little heart out
in your song," Tohma suggested. "And tell Eiri-san hello for
me."
TO BE CONTINUED
Liked my ending? It suddenly came to mind, so I'm most proud of it. REVIEW
please.
And want to know what is bothering Suguru? You'll have to read the next chapter
to find out, won't ya?! ^_^
So what do you think? Do you think Shuichi will be able to keep up his little
charade and hide his feelings about the situation with Aizawa from Yuki for
long? Let's just say there wouldn't be any point to this story if that were true.
Look forward to a lot of exciting things to come with Shuichi and other
characters!
And Yuki soon makes an appearance. Are you thrilled? I am. I would like to
thank the many people who have said to me in my other story (License to Shrill)
that I write Yuki well. That means so much to me.
Review if you haven't already!
