Lesson 3: BASH HIS JOB UNTIL HE BLEEDS. SORT OF.

~~~

Yuki was working on his manuscripts again while listening to Bad Luck's recording session. So, his strange....estranged cousin finally paid a visit after nine years of America, his sister conveniently forgot to tell him she was expecting twins and....he couldn't hear himself think.

"Ryuko..."

"Hai?" she asked, turning around from cheering on the band.

"What's so great about this band, anyway? The lyrics don't make sense."

"That's exactly why I like them. Life doesn't always have to make sense. Like your personality and the genre of novels you write."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You wouldn't expect anyone as cold as you to write romance...or have someone like Shindou-Chan as a boyfriend..."

"Well, I wouldn't exactly expect someone with your immature personality to write hardcore shonen."

"See? That's exactly what I mean. Life doesn't make sense."

Everyone face-faulted as Tatsuha walked into the recording room.

"WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Hiro demanded.

"Where's Eikichi?" he looked through the window. "There he is." He walked out of the room and up to Yuki. "Yaro..." he growled.

"What's your problem?"

"You let me get drunk last night and now I'm having the worst hangover of my life." With that, he fell facedown on the floor.

"With the exception of Tatsu-Chan," Ryuko said, poking her young cousin to see if he would respond.

"I can't believe I'm about to say this, but you're right," Yuki said, rolling his eyes.

"Ne, Ryu-Chan," Ryuchi began. "I know this is off-subject, but what's going to happen in the next volume of Seven Days?"

"Ya, ya, no spoilers, Ryu-Chan..." Ryuko said shaking her head.

She and Ryuchi face-faulted as Tatsuha reached up and grabbed her ankle. "If Ryuchi wants spoilers, Ryuchi gets spoilers..."

"Th-That's okay, Tatsuha...." Ryuchi said, waving his hands frantically. "If Ryu-Chan doesn't want to give spoilers, she's the author...I can't do anything about it..."

Tatsuha stood up and glared at Ryuko. "Why is the light on?"

"Tatsuha, go home," Yuki said. "You need to be at home, getting some rest."

"Can I go to your apartment? Otou-San will kill me if I came home like this."

"Go. Home. No, scratch that, I'll drive you." With that, he stood up and walked his brother out of the room.

"What was that?" K asked.

"Don't worry, K-Chan, he's been doing that since he was eight," Ryuko explained.

After the recording session was FINALLY over, Shuichi, Ryuko, Ryuchi, Hiro, K, and Fujisaiki were all heading back to Yuki's apartment.

"Ryu-Chan," Shuichi pondered.

"Hai?" Ryuchi and Ryuko asked, turning to him.

"Matte, matte, matte, matte," Hiro said shaking his head. "Let's specify here...Ryu-Chan," he said, pointing to Ryuko. "Ryu-Kun," he finished, pointing to Ryuchi. "That okay?"

Everyone nodded.

"Hai, Ryu-Chan," Shuichi went on. "You're anime is called 'Seven Days', right?"

Ryuko nodded.

"K-San, would it be okay if she used that song for her opening theme song?"

"Hai," K said with a nod.

"That's right!" Ryuchi exclaimed. "The theme songs are only eye-catchers with instrumentals in the background! Ryu-Chan, would you be willing to use one of Nittle Grasper's songs for the end theme?"

"I don't know...who's your----" she stopped when she turned to him. "Ryu- Chan, don't cry...great, now I'm crying too!"

Hiro, Fujisaiki, and K gave each other strange glances. Shuichi eventually started crying, too, and the three were crying on one another's shoulders.

In the midst of the crying torrent, the group had stopped. K rolled his eyes. "Yes, she can have one of Nittle Grasper's songs for the end theme song."

"K-San, I thought you weren't their manager anymore," Fujisaiki said with a confused look.

"Ryuchi's manager quit today and asked me if I wanted to...why not?"

"This'll be so neat!" Ryuchi exclaimed. "It'll be like we're all doing a trio!"

"That's awesome!" Shuichi added.

"That is cool! I'll be doing a trio with my favorite band and a fan!" Ryuko went on.

"Shuichi!! Hiro!!" a familiar voice called from behind.

"Maiko?!" Shuichi exclaimed.

"Shuichi, who is this girl? You better not have ditched Yuki-San!" Maiko scolded.

"This Yuki's cousin, Ryuko----" Shuichi started but Maiko cut him.

"Ryuko Uesugi?!"

Ryuko looked around "Hai...?"

"I LOVE your work! Shuichi, how did you run into Ryuko Uesugi?!"

"Actually," Ryuchi interjected. "She nearly strangled Yuki. I thought it was funny. His face was a pretty blue color. Wasn't it, Kumagoro?"

The stuffed, pink rabbit nodded.

"Uesugi-San," Maiko said, sprouting cat ears.

"No, no, Ryu-Chan will do."

"I'm sorry!" Maiko said with a blush. "It's just I never thought I'd be here talking to you....back to the subject!" Shuichi's younger sister reached in her bag and pulled out the first graphic novel of "Seven Days". "Would you sign inside the cover? Onegai?"

"Hai," Ryuko said, taking the pen the girl had whipped out as well. She signed the book and handed it back to Maiko.

Maiko blinked. "Eh? It's in romanji."

"Hai, my handwriting with English is better than hiragana, katakana, or kanji for that matter."

"Well, I love your story and your style of drawing, and so do all my friends. They'll just die when I show them..." the girl said, dreamily. "Well, ja, Ryu-Chan!" With that, she skipped off.

"No goodbye to her older brother..." Shuichi lamented. "Just like Maiko."

"Eh? That was your younger sister, Shindou-Chan?" Ryuko asked.

"Unfortunately..."

"She seemed like a nice girl to me..." Ryuko said, tilting her head with a warm smile.

"Do you think Yuki would mind if I dropped by tomorrow and had Ryu-Chan sign my Seven Days things?" Ryuchi asked.

"Does it matter? If you come, Shuichi and Ryu-Chan will let you in anyway," Hiro said with a shrug.