Waah! sobs uncontrollably Gomen nasai minna!!! Sorry I took so long… I was facing the worst case of writer's block in the history of the planet… and I had low grades… so I was depressed… sighs anyways, I decided to write that thing about Ryuichi and Erika… Sorry if this whole story isn't focusing solely on Yuki and Shuichi— I just thought that you guys might like it if there wasn't too much Yuki and Shuichi thingies, which are getting a tad tedious… but don't worry… they have the next elements all to themselves… don't worry ne?

Disclaimer: I guess you guys have read so many fan fictions, you know the drill already… Clears throat I DO NOT own Gravitation and all the rest of the characters… However, some songies or new characters are mine… I guess that's about it… enjoy. :) So do not steal my Taka family from me, k?

Rating: Nope… won't tell… I don't know how to rate… but then again the whole story is rated R… :) Maybe not in this particular element though… Sorry to disappoint… :)

Note: This is a story revolving around Erika and Ryuichi… To make people understand what they went through four years ago… you will see this: before a flashback and this: ::::: after…

ELEMENT 10:

(a sub-story)

Part 1: Emptiness

FOUR YEARS AGO…

Taka Erika blankly stared out the car window, immersed in her own thoughts, not noticing the snow that was gently making its way to the grounds nor the decorations of green and red.

'I miss Japan,' she thought a bit bitterly, 'I don't want to be here… but then again… I can't do anything about it…'

She knew that she was sick… they didn't have to rub it in… but she wanted, more than anything, to just— die… Maybe in another lifetime she wouldn't have such over-protective parents and stupid illnesses… and maybe she would find someone who actually loved her, not out of pity…

"We're here…" her mom said as the car slowed down to a halt in front of a huge apartment.

'Great,' Eri thought bitterly, 'but at least this isn't the hospital anymore…'

Sakuma Ryuichi leaned back as the limousine glided smoothly down the busy streets of New York. He held his pink bunny closely and whispered words of assurances, since he was pretty sure Kuma was a worried as he was.

He looked happily at his manager who was fondly wiping his magnum.

"K-san!" he said suddenly.

"What?" asked the American manager, putting down his gun beside him.

"Where are we staying?"

"At an apartment owned by a Japanese fashion designer… Taka Keira…"

"I see," Ryuichi muttered in his serious tone.

"What's wrong Ryu?" K asked, peering over his sunglasses to look at the vocalist closely.

"Nothing K-san…" the famous Nittle Grasper singer said nonchalantly, "I just miss Tohma-san and Noriko-chan…" '…So much…' he added silently.

"Where the hell are you taking him K?!" Noriko demanded, slamming her fist at the dining table at Ryuichi's place.

"America," K said simply, "he's going to start a solo career there."

"But… but…" Noriko said, breathing unevenly.

For a moment, Ryuichi feared, she looked like she was about to have a heart attack.

"Noriko-chan…" Ryuichi muttered sadly, "I don't want to… be selfish…"

"Ryuichi…"

And that was when K had enough common sense to leave the two to talk.

"…I don't understand…" Noriko said softly, taking Ryuichi's hand, "why are you saying this?"

Ryuichi momentarily forgot he was holding Kuma, dropped the stuffed bunny to the carpeted floor, and held Noriko in his arms.

"I love you guys… so much… and it hurts me… seeing you guys spending more time with me than your families…" he said in his serious tone, "I don't want Saki to grow up thinking that her mommy doesn't love her…"

Noriko cried softly.

Ryuichi's eyes widened. He hadn't meant to hurt her… he hadn't meant for her to react like this.

"You're not a burden Ryuichi…" Noriko said sadly.

"I must do this… I mustn't be too dependent on you and Tohma… but I shall be back…"

"You promise then, baka?" she asked, smiling slightly.

"I'll be back… especially when I have a challenger na no da!!!" he said happily, picking up the pink bunny and holding it close to his heart.

"Baka…" Noriko said affectionately, ruffling his olive green hair, "no one would be idiotic enough to challenge you…"

'Noriko and Tohma have always been supportive of me…' he thought as he got down the limousine after K, 'I guess I just have to do my best then…'

He took one look at the apartment and felt a sense of longing. But he had to be strong… so that he could stop being dependent for once.

Erika refused to speak to anyone that night. She didn't even smile at the people who brought their stuff from the car, she just… stretched out her bed and stared vacantly at the ceiling.

She couldn't stand the thought of staying in New York for who-knows-how-long while her friends were there in Japan… She couldn't stand being far away from them…

She finally decided to stop sulking and tried giving the new apartment a chance… after all, her sister did mention about having someone fun over…

"Oh," said Taka Keira (Eri's mom), "you must be Sakuma Ryuichi…" She smiled widely at the sight of the olive-haired boy and the pink bunny in his hands.

"Please… call me Ryu-chan!" exclaimed the hyper-active boy happily, "meet Kuma-chan!!!" waving his stuffed friend at Keira.

"Er… Right. C'mon then Ryu-chan," Keira said, "I'll show you to your room… K-san, would you like to come along?"

K shook his head, "I'm going to my family. I'll be with you tomorrow Ryuichi."

"Bye… bye K-san," Ryuichi said, after hugging the blond manager.

K merely raised a hand as he went out the door.

Eri could hear the commotion outside.

'Hm… must be that Japanese celebrity Haruko was talking endlessly about…' she thought as she chuckled to herself, 'she must be all over him by now.

She knew Haruko almost as much as she knew herself.

That's what sisters were for, right?

She laughed inwardly at the thought of being blood-related to that fangirl who did nothing but record every interview with famous people.

Haruko was obsessive, there was no doubt about it…

All of a sudden, Eri heard an alarmed cry and a crash from somewhere outside the room.

'Typical Haruko,' she thought, shaking her head as an image of Haruko clomping a famous artist, 'I guess when it comes down to it… I'm more mature than she'll ever be…"

"Ah!!" screamed Haruko, joyfully jumping up and down at the sight of the breath-taking vocalist, "Sakuma-san!!!"

Ryuichi smiled widely and waved.

Haruko jumped towards the green-haired boy and brought them crashing to the floor.

"Haruko!" her mother scolded, "show some manners to our guest…"

Haruko smiled shyly and bowed. "Gomen nasai… I was just so… thrilled… to see you here…"

"It's okay!" said Ryuichi, unfazed by the awkward greeting, "I'm thrilled to be here too…"

After a few seconds, Keira decided it was better if the other model showed him around.

"Come on then Ryuichi," Keira said, going towards Erika's room, "this way…"

Eri could hear footsteps coming closer.

She tried looking indifferent as she opened the door for her mom and Ryuichi (she heard her mom talking outside… that's how she knew the celebrity's name… aside from the fact that she was also a Nittle Grasper fan…).

"Hey mom," said Eri cooly, casually glancing every other second at the guest.

"Do you mind showing him around?" Keira asked, but Eri recognized that it was a command more than anything.

"Not at all…" said Eri. As much as she wanted to object, she realized that what her mom says, goes and this particular event was no exception. 'Whatever you say,' she added to herself.

She looked at Ryuichi carefully. She noticed that there was something different about him… although she couldn't quite put her finger on it…

"I'm Ryu-chan," Ryuichi unexpectedly exclaimed, putting a halt on Eri's thoughts.

"Eh?" she was too awestruck to reply. She hadn't noticed before how incredibly… cute… this guy was.

"Ryu-chan!!! Nice meeting you, na no da!!" he repeated, shaking Eri's hand, "what's your name?"

"E-Erika…" she managed to say, despite the sudden tightening of her throat.

"Come on then!!" he said, tugging at her sleeve, "let's TOUR!!!"

She laughed and finally gave in. 'Man… Haruko's going to kill me…' she thought as she let Ryuichi run before her, still holding her hand.

Eri watched as Ryuichi hopped gleefully into the music store.

"Instruments?" a saleslady asked us politely.

"No thanks," Eri said.

"Microphone?"

Ryuichi's ears perked at the word. "Microphone?" he repeated, "can I buy one?"

"Microphone?" asked Eri, a bit puzzled, "don't you have those already?"

"One can never have too many microphones!" exclaimed the excited Ryuichi, who dashed after the saleslady, with Kuma in one hand.

Eri looked at the green-haired singer and shook her head laughingly.

After the trip to the music store, they sat comfortably in one of New York's fast food stands.

Eri didn't want to voice anything out just yet… she wasn't quite sure what she wanted to say anyway… she wanted to know the tragedy behind the façade… she wanted to know everything about him… for a reason she couldn't understand…

"Why are you here, Erika-san?" asked Ryuichi in a serious tone, which surprised Eri.

"Um… You see… I'm a model…" said Eri, 'well… at least that's half of the reason I'm here… I hope he buys it though…'

"That's great!" said Ryuichi, genuinely happy, pretending he didn't catch her sigh of relief.

"How about you?" she asked politely. She knew that Ryuichi was a bit hard to fool, but she was thankful he didn't probe on the question further.

"I… decided to take a break… It was partly K-san's idea… but I guess I just needed to rest…" he said, gently hugging Kuma, "everyone needed a break…"

"You sound wistful…" Eri observed, placing her hands on the table and resting her chin on them.

"Yeah…" said Ryuichi, "I'm sorry… I don't mean to sound sad… I mean, we've just met…" 'Yet I feel so comfortable talking to you…' he added to himself.

"I don't mind…" said Eri, smiling widely, "you can tell me anything… I kinda do that stuff you know… comfort people and act like a friend-psychologist in times of need…"

"Thanks," said Ryuichi. 'Finally… someone who'd listen…' he thought as he looked at the cheerful model in front of him.

It was closing time and the food they've been munching on were long gone…

"Oh… sorry Ryu… we have to go… mom might get worried…" said Eri, tapping the green-haired boy's hand.

"Okie…" said Ryuichi cheerfully, carrying the bags containing the stuff they bought.

"HOW DARE YOU!?!" Haruko shrieked the moment Eri set foot inside the apartment.

"Eh?" asked Eri, puzzled at the weird behavior.

"I said… HOW… DARE… YOU?!" said Haruko, dramatically emphasizing each and every syllable.

"How dare I what?" asked Eri, "what did I do this time?"

Haruko just stared at her younger sister.

Eri immediately read what was on her elder sibling's mind.

"I DIDN'T!!!"

"YOU DID!"

"DID NOT!!!"

"DID TOO! YOU EVIL SCHEMER!!"

"I did not… come on Ryuichi," Eri said, pulling the said singer and leading him up the stairs, "let's leave that insane fan girl…"

"You come back here and look into my eyes…" said her sister stubbornly.

"But I didn't… idiot," muttered Eri, panting a bit when they reached the top of the stairs.

"What was that all about na no da?" asked the puzzled Ryuichi.

"Nothing," said Eri reassuringly as they continued to walk down the hall into their separate rooms, 'and I actually thought she was different now...'

Eri couldn't sleep that night, even after she spent hours writing on her journal. She was too overwhelmed by powerful emotions from deep within her heart... confusing her and leaving her in ambiguity.

She didn't understand why she felt so different…

But somehow, she knew, the emptiness in her heart had disappeared…

The next day, Eri woke up early and had the sudden urge to cook breakfast.

She walked down the stairs, careful not to wake any of the other models in the apartment— or Ryuichi for that matter… but when she arrived at the bottom of the steps, she found that her mission was a bit impossible.

"We need to talk," said Haruko, eyeing Eri scarily.

"… um… I really need to… cook breakfast…" muttered Eri, a bit frightened at the look Haruko was giving her. This was one of those moments when Eri questioned her sister's sanity.

"What were you doing with Sakuma-san last night?" asked Haruko with much vehemence.

"Nothing!" said Eri, slowly backing away from her terrifying sister. 'Haruko must be drunk… or high…' she reassured herself, 'or maybe this is normal fan girl reaction.... she can't be crazy again…'

Haruko slapped Eri, something she had actually been wanting to do for the past two years. She smiled a twisted smirk as she watched her younger sister slowly crawl away from her, holding one hand on her cheek.

"I really didn't…" said Eri, begging silently that any of the others would wake up. 'I don't want this… I don't want this again…' she thought as she tried to get up.

"You were always a schemer Erika," Haruko said, randomly kicking things as she approached the crouching figure, with her eyes glinting menacingly, "you were always out to get what I wanted… Akito… Riku… Hisashi…"

"Dammit Haruko!" exclaimed Eri, "I was never out to get whatever you wanted…"

"Liar," Haruko hissed, landing a heavy fist on the younger girl's jaw.

Eri closed her eyes and tasted blood. This wasn't helping at all… 'I can fight back… but I shouldn't…'

She could feel the blows her deranged sister was giving her but she didn't care, she just remained in her passive-defensive position…

That was the last thing she remembered before she finally lost consciousness…

Ryuichi awoke with a start, breathing heavily as he clutched the frightened Kuma to his chest.

He didn't know why he felt like he had just ran a mile. He tried asking Kuma about it, but all he had was a gruff reply.

"Let's go check on our new friend then… just in case … but it's probably nothing …" Ryuichi reassured his stuffed friend, "don't worry Kuma..."

He tiptoed quietly out the door, careful not to wake any of the other occupants of the house. The worried singer heard some unfriendly bickering but ignored them as he made his way to Eri's room on the other side of the residence.

"Knock knock!!" said Ryuichi as he gently tapped on Eri's door.

No reply.

"Knock knock knock na no da!!!" said Ryuichi with more cheerfulness, as he tried blocking out any painful images his imagination was conjuring.

No reply.

He could her whimpering, sobbing and Kuma's constant insistence that Eri was the source of the said sounds.

He ran.

Haruko's eyes went wide with horror when she realized that it wasn't a dream.

She placed a trembling hand on her lips as she slowly backed away. She shook her head forcefully, as if trying to block out the image in front of her. She let out a whimper and dropped on her knees unto the carpeted floor. 'I'm sorry Erika… I'm sorry… I thought I was just dreaming… and I was finally in control… I'm so sorry…' she thought, hoping her unconscious sister still could read her mind.

Ryuichi ran all the way down the stairs. He didn't know what Kuma was trying to say, so he decided to go check it out for himself.

He gasped when he saw his new friend, Erika, sprawled on the floor at an odd angle.

"Erika-chan!" cried Ryuichi, bending over and feeling for a pulse.

He felt one…

She was alive… barely.

"Tohma-chan," Ryuichi had said a week ago, "I'm leaving for America…"

Tohma didn't respond, he just looked at Ryuichi with those piercing green eyes.

"Um… will Tohma miss Ryu-chan?" asked the olive-haired singer, timidly.

"Of course," said Tohma truthfully, putting his arms around the lovable vocalist, "we will all miss you Ryuichi…"

Ryuichi sighed as he lost himself in his friend's embrace.

"I don't want you to worry na no da…" said Ryuichi, finally returning the hug.

"Ryu… it's normal to worry for the people you really care about…"

It's normal to worry for the people you really care about…

'So… does that mean I care for Erika? It's… impossible… I just met her yesterday…' thought Ryuichi as he put an arm under her neck, under her knees and lifted her off the floor, 'but nobody's ever looked at me as a person before… It was always Ryuichi the Nittle Grasper vocalist or Sakuma-san the famous one… It was never Ryuichi the normal guy with normal feelings…'

He opened the door to his room and placed Eri on his bed. He took out a kettle, placed it on the stove and started boiling water.

He hummed to himself as he brought out a towel and soaked it in warm water. He secretly wished that she wouldn't suffer anything permanent from the ordeal.

"Be okay… okay Erika-chan?" Ryuichi told the limp figure on his bed, "be better…"

Eri's eye twitched a little at the sound of Ryu's voice.

"… uh… wha—"

"Shh… don't speak yet…" said Ryuichi, wiping her forehead with the damp cloth, "just rest…"

"What happened?" asked Erika, opening one eye, ignoring the pout Ryuichi was giving her.

"I don't know… don't you remember?"

"I…" (I don't want to tell anyone what happened…) "…don't remember…"

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it…"

"That's not it… it's just that… I don't want Haruko to be in trouble because of me…" she said, tears forming in her cerulean eyes.

"I understand," Ryuichi said, sitting beside the worried model, "I would also do everything to protect the ones I love…"

—end of element 10 part 1—

notes: GOMEN! GOMEN! (I feel like speaking in Cebuano today… 'Pasensya kay nawagtang akong utok kadjut…') (translation: 'Pardon because my brain disappeared for a while…') Hehehe!! I will upgrade element 11 (the continuation of the Eri-Ryu series) the day after tomorrow I guess… sorry for the delay… School was making me extremely busy.. . Thanks to those who read… and of course, thanks to those who reviewed…

… Oh and about the lemons!! I think they'll be in element 12 or 13… not sure… will finish it first! hastily encodes weird words in a weird scene Ja matta!!!