Disclaimer: yui doesn't own Gravi.

kikoeru ka? (can you hear me?)

(prequel to the Nagareboshi series)

by miyamoto yui

Chapter 11 – lollipop flavored.

April 5th, 1997 (part 2)

(Changed) Song of the day: all the things she said by tatu

Touma never failed to surprise me.

As I was looking at the window with worried eyes, I sighed and heard a knock on my hotel door. I jumped as I heard the knocking again. Slowly, I got up and went to look at the peep hole.

Touma!

I grumbled to myself as he continued to knock on the door. "You better open this door," he commanded.

I wanted to protest, but knowing Touma, he wouldn't let up. I might as well have given in before he did something drastic. So, I opened the door and he came in. All he said was, "Dress up, we're going to see Tatsuha."

I blinked at him. Then, I kissed him on the cheek as I glomped him. "Touma~! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

He just nodded as he lifted up his chin while folding his arms. "The things I do for you, brat."

I smiled and then I put on jeans and a t-shirt while putting on a cap and a jacket too. Then, we were off.

When we got there, we saw Eiri sitting in Tatsuha's bedside. He shook his head and sighed. "I don't know who's worst. You or my father."

I looked at him and gave him a slight smile. Bowing from the waist down with my hands to my sides, I thanked him. He just shook his head and smirked.

Then, he and Touma left to talk outside. They closed the door behind them, but I was still standing only a few feet away from the entrance. As I walked over and pushed the curtain around us, I stood at the foot of the bed and looked at the sleeping Tatsuha. He was coughing, but then, he turned to one side.

I just continued to look at him in awe.

I wanted to be near him.

I wanted to touch him for a year now.

Now, he was before me, and only one touch away…

It seemed like forever for one year to pass between us, but that was all.

On his end, it probably was just a year, but for me, it had been an eternity and then some more.

Slowly, I watched him as I sat down in Eiri's seat.

Peacefully, I watched Tatsuha breathe in and out. His face was towards me as his arms were touching one another. He did sleep as weird as Eiri had warned me, but he looked so cute.

If he slept beside me, I wouldn't mind him. I'd just probably stare like this though and be amused.

I reached out and then I shook my head.

I shouldn't touch him…

But, I couldn't help thinking when I would be so close to him again.

I put my hand on his cheek and watched his eyes scrunch up a bit. But then, his peaceful face came back and he even smiled.

Then, suddenly, he mumbled, "Ryuichi-sama, I…"

"You?" I whispered to him softly.

"I want to go to the zoo with you someday." Then, he smiled wider with his eyes still closed. "Yes, the zoo."

"How odd," I thought to myself, but then I said, "I promise to take you someday."

"Really?" he asked.

I put my hand on his hand and grabbed it firmly. "Yes, I promise. I won't forget."

He didn't say anything, but I closed my eyes a bit as I breathed a sigh of relief. I was so happy to see him doing well. And I was also holding his hand…

His warm hand.

At that moment, I looked at him and closed my eyes as I kissed his forehead. Running my fingers through his hair, I then whispered the thing I couldn't say to his face while he was awake, "I love you."

Before I knew it, I leaned forward to kiss him on the lips.

In shock, I looked from side to side and kept my hands to myself as I sat in my seat. I blushed as I looked at the floor. Tatsuha just murmured something inaudibly and turned to the other side of the bed.

I took a deep breath and that's when Eiri and Touma came back into the room. I got up, thanked Eiri with all my heart, and left with Touma. But before I left, I pulled out a keychain of Kumagorou that I had especially made for Tatsuha. He took it and nodded his head.

Touma drove me back to the hotel I was staying in and sighed. "Now, please get a good night's sleep."

With a sheepish grin, he asked, "Forgive me now, Ryuichi?"

I smiled at him and nodded while kissing him on the cheek again. "Of course!"

At that, he turned around, put his hands into his pockets and walked away quietly and calmly. I closed the door and just plopped onto my bed. I grabbed the framed picture of Tatsuha and hugged it against my chest.

I was guilty of doing something very wrong…

What if I stole his first kiss?

What would he think of me?

Would he be upset with me? Mad? Frustrated? Happy? Shocked? Surprised?

I began to sigh to myself and became a little depressed.

"Why didn't I ever think before doing things like this?" I sighed to myself.

But, as I looked at the picture before me, I smiled to myself and fell asleep, while still feeling the peaceful air around Tatsuha.

Something deep inside of me gave me hope, though.

The kiss didn't feel wrong…

It felt so right.

I smirked to myself. His lips tasted like a certain lollipop because they're so sweet…

I'll have to try them again to figure out the flavor, though…^_~

Tsuzuku…

--

Author's note: Angsty Ryuichi has finally met Tatsuha! And aww…aren't they so cute?!

Okee, so Ryuichi did something he wasn't supposed to do, but if he didn't, he wouldn't be Ryu, huh?