I'd never actually thought that I'd let myself get too carried away and turn this into something dramatic… It was supposed to be funny! cries hysterically Just… go and read it… I need to be alone…

Thoughts when on the phone are enclosed like this…

Disclaimer: I already said that I already disclaimed everything I needed to disclaim.

Rating: Uhm… P-13? Due to sarcasm and a bit of sick humor… but then again… even Sesame Street (for someone like me) deserve a PG-13 rating.. :)

Note: This might probably be the second to the last time Eri will be present… so I guess you guys can rejoice… I won't say anymore… :( Just… just… read and review okay?… :(

ELEMENT 7:

Worthlessness

"Shindou-san?" Eri asked cautiously, poking the motionless singer. 'Don't tell me I've done it again… Curse my reflexes and my ability in karate… I just hope it's nothing serious…'

Of course it was nothing serious.

It was only dried blood present at the back part of the pink-haired boy's head… and he was only unconscious— nothing serious… until… he actually regained consciousness…

He sat up, opened his eyes and stared at Eri for a second before recoiling.

"Wh-wh-who a-a-re you…?" he asked the raven-haired girl, looking at her with fear.

"What?" asked Eri, "don't joke around Shindou-san…"

"Shindou-san? Is that my name?"

"Stop kidding…"

"…"

"Dammit Shuichi-san…" said Eri, feeling as though she was about to be sick. 'Great… I had to panic…'

She ran out of the bedroom and into the bathroom, bending over the sink to throw up. She had never felt so frightened… she was in so much trouble…

She ran away from home, kidnapped a rock star and made him lose his memory all in the same week.

This was punishment, she just knew it…

'Whoever's listening up there…' she said softly, 'I'm sorry that I didn't befriend Ryuichi… I'm sorry I bought this apartment… I'm sorry I didn't go to my cousin's birthday… I'm sorry I didn't go back to my mother's place… I'm sorry I had no intention of going back at all… I'm sorry if I kidnapped Shindou Shuichi and made him live here… I'm just sorry okay? Please don't curse him too…'

And with that said, she threw up some more…

But even after the touching speech she made in the bathroom, Shindou Shuichi still had amnesia.

There was hell to pay…

"You never answered my question," Shuichi told Erika the moment she stepped out of the bathroom.

"What question?" Eri asked, bewildered. 'Great, now I have amnesia?'

"Who are you?" Shuichi repeated.

"Oh… I'm um… Taka Erika…" Eri said softly. 'Damn… I'm so screwed…'

"Are you my cousin?"

"..no…"

"Sister?"

"..no…"

"Mother?"

".. of course not!" Eri snapped, assisting the singer to stand, "we should really eat...."

"Friend?"

".. technically— I mean— yes… I'm your friend." Guilt wrenched at Eri's heart. 'I'm the friend who accidentally whacked you on the head and caused you to lose you memory… Yep… I'm the best friend you'll ever have in your life.'

Yuki watched the snow fall slowly.

He had put his whole life on hold and it was all the weather's fault… hell, it was all HIS fault.

The phone rang.

He didn't want to answer it… It was probably one of the many previous callers… but then again, maybe it was Shuichi…

"Hello," Yuki said gruffly, "(Good morning Eiri-san) Tohma… (please… call me oniisan…) What do you want? (Do you have any idea on where Shindou-san is?) … (He was supposed to be here…) … (We haven't heard from him… we've already tried contacting his cellphone…) Well, I'm not that damn brat's keeper... (So he's not living there anymore? Tohma sounds delighted) Not exactly… (Don't lie to me Eiri-san. What happened to Shindou-san?) He… he left… It's technically true (Well, is that really what happened?)"

Yuki groaned, 'I don't have time for you "brotherly" concerns right now…'

Tohma gave up, probably knowing that the conversation was going nowhere.

"(Well… goodbye now, Eiri-san…) …Bye…"

Yuki hang the phone up and sighed audibly.

Tohma was even more of a pain when Shuichi wasn't around…

"K-kun…" Hiro said worriedly, "Shuichi's missing."

"Well now…" said K, "that is a bit alarming… how long has he been missing?"

"For about three days now…"

"You haven't heard from him at all?" asked K, idly polishing one of his machine guns.

"Not a word… I tried calling him but his phone is not even on," said Hiro.

"We'll wait for about three more days, then we'll officially ask for the police department's help… Because we all know that our Shuichi can't last for a week without his Yuki… besides, we can't call a person missing until about a week has passed," said K, examining the bullets one by one, "we'll find him before winter ends, don't worry too much."

"Erika-chan," Shuichi asked cautiously, "why are we living in the same house?"

Eri didn't immediately answer, too pleased at the sound of Shuichi's voice when he said 'Erika-chan'.

"Um… see… we sort of bought this house. You know… your money… my money… that kind of stuff…" Eri lied, she licked her lips (lying is a lot harder than you guys think!).

"But…" said Shuichi, causing Eri to hold her breath while fearing for the worst, "how could we have afforded something like this?"

"You… /are a rock star… and if we really had the intention of buying a big apartment, you wouldn't have needed my help any way/… asked your parents to help… and I asked mine…" said Eri, avoiding his curious gaze, "besides… I'm a model, in case you forgot!"

Shuichi recoiled at the sudden harsh tone.

"I'm sorry…" Shuichi said sadly. He felt like such a jerk, he knew how it must have sounded to Erika— accusing and annoying.

'Great.' Eri thought gloomily, 'I had to lose my temper…'

"I'm sorry too… for snapping at you… C'mon, let's eat," said Eri, taking Shuichi's hand and leading him to the kitchen.

'Weird. For some reason, I didn't seem to mind that she snapped at me. I was surprised—yes— but hurt? Not at all… It feels as though I'm already used to being snapped at,' thought Shuichi as he sat down on the mahogany table.

Meanwhile, in the Bad Luck's recording room. Hiro has been pacing around in front of K, who was now polishing a magnum.

"K…" said Hiro, a bit desperately.

"Two more days, Hiro-kun," K said calmly, "be patient."

—end of element—

note: It has already been day three and day four of Shuichi's disappearance. What would happen in the remaining two days? Dun dunn dunnn dunnnnn!!! :) Go on now… do the thing you've been dying to do since you started reading… REVIEW! Please… the more reviews I get, the faster I'll post the rest (it helps if I know that people are actually reading what I write you know…)… No, I'm not blackmailing winks that's Tatsuha's job.