Here are a few authors' notes from me:

Please R&R! I really like the comments and suggestions! And don't ask where Mika is in this chapter, she's not really a part of the story so I did not put her in any pictures… you'll see when you read it.

Shuichi walked over and clicked the button. The machine starting rolling the tape. "Mr. Uesugi, we took you blood test in early, there are some things you should know. Just call me at my office tomorrow." He let out a sigh of relief that the woman who called was a doctor, not a lover. But he was then overcome with a blanket of worry; the idea of Yuki being sick swept the life out of him. Yuki walked in just then, a loaf of bread in his arms. "Shuichi… now what are you crying about?" He looked to the tearing singer and stood silently for his answer. The small pink haired boy turned to him and spoke softly threw sobs. "Yuki… you're sick…" He fell to the ground cold and lifeless.

The hardwood floor was cold against the back of Shuichi's neck; he only felt two warm hands holding his back up. "Yuki?" He asked calmly. "You brat! Don't worry me like that again, okay?" He heard Yuki sniffle and shot open his eyes. He pulled Yuki's hair back away from his face and looked at his glistening wet tears. "Yu-" Yuki slapped him across the face. "Did you hear me? Are you okay?" Yuki brushed away his tears with the back of his sleeve and looked at Shuichi in the eyes. Shuichi nodded and spoke softly. "Yuki tell the truth... tell me everything right now."

"Tell you about what?" Yuki asked confused. "Tell me why a doctor was calling for you! Why did you need blood tests?" Shuichi grabbed Yuki's shirt tightly. Tears streamed down his small face and onto the hard floor. "You remember… my stress." Yuki looked away standing up. "You said it was getting way better! You said you were off your medication! Besides, BLOODTESTS? Is it THAT serious?" Yuki sighed. "It's come back… But the last time I had a headache I passed out on the porch."

"What did the doctor say then? Will you be okay? Is it serious?" Shuichi pleaded for answers Yuki didn't even know. "She just said I need to relax- otherwise I'll just rely on the medicine. I'm taking the strongest dosage they can give me right now. I'll be fine. Just leave it alone." Yuki swung around and started towards the bedroom. "How can I leave it alone when-" Shuichi started but Yuki had slammed the door loudly and locked it tight in the middle of his sentence. Yuki just needs to relax and have some alone time I guess… Shuichi thought.

"Hiro! Open up! It's Shuichi! I need to stay here a few days! HIRO!" Shuichi pounded on the Hiro's door, but he did not emerge from the small apartment. "Hmm- Shuichi is that you?" "Tatsuha? What are you doing here?" Tatsuha smiled and grabbed Shuichi in a tight hug. I'm here because Ayaka's ran away again, So I thought she might be here." "Hiro's not home- he must be out with Ayaka then." He frowned. Tatsuha noticed Shuichi's bags, walking behind him to see them better. "What's with the bags? 'Movin in with Hiro or something?" Shuichi smiled again. "Nope, Yuki needs some time to himself so I thought I could rely on Hiro to take me in- but I guess I was wrong…" Shuichi started to pull his bags down the steps to the car. Tatsuha rubbed his chin and started thinking. "Hey Shuichi! How about you stay with me? I've never had a sleepover before! It will be fun!" He bounced up and down with excitement. "Umm… I guess I have no other choice." "By the way- why does bro' need that alone time you were talking about?"

By the time Tatsuha and Shuichi got to the old temple Shuichi had explained everything from the doctor calling to the first knock he put on Hiro's door to ask to stay with him. The gates to the temple were so pretty in the setting sun, so were the lily pads slowly turning in the small pong outside in the garden. "You can stay here as long as you'd like." Tatsuha picked up one of his bags and carried it to the door. "I think I'll only need about a week until I can go home- are you sure it's okay for me to stay on such short notice?" Shuichi stepped up the wooden stairs and opened the door for Tatsuha who had no free hands.

"I feel really bad for leaving Shuichi out in the cold… with Tatsuha." Hiro sipped his hot cocoa and turned to smile at Ayaka. "It will be okay, Tatsuha is a very kind person." She assured him. "I know… but we should have at least answered the door to tell him good luck with Yuki…" Hiro yawned. Ayaka was too busy thinking to hear. "I actually haven't seen Tatsuha in awhile… he's always out with that new friend of his." She re-crossed her legs and sat back into the old kind of musty couch. "Huh… anyways I just feel really bad for shutting Shuichi out. He has always been there for me. Like the time K accidentally shot me in the ear, he was there to bandage it when no one else was."

"This is your room; it was bro's when he lived here. Thought you'd like it." Tatsuha threw his bags down, and pulled a blanket out of the closet behind him. "Dinner is at 6:00, we're having rice and beef!" He slammed the sliding wooden door shut with a bang. "Wait! Tatsuha aren't we going to hand out or something?" Shuichi asked poking his head out of the door. "No. It's only 5:30; I'm going out with a friend. You'll be having dinner alone with my Dad. Have fun!" He grabbed his coat and ran down the hall. Shuichi sighed and went to explore the giant unfamiliar house.

At home, Yuki woke up on the bed face down in the pillow. He was breathing heavily, and his head was achy and sore. It felt like someone had hit him with a bat. He picked up the phone and dialed the doctor's office. "It's Eiri Uesugi." "Oh Mr. Uesugi, calling about the blood test?" "Huh? The results are back already? I was just there this morning." "You're a very special case. I made sure myself it got done." "Well thank you… I guess…" He rubbed his head and closed his eyes a minute. "Your test came back very interesting, very interesting…"

Shuichi roamed the surprisingly empty temple. The walls were all bear, only an occasional table with a flower pot or small statue. I know I've gone this way before… Shuichi kept repeating in his mind. He slid open a door that lead to a furnished room, quiet with another door to the dark outside. There were two small cushions on the floor, a small table set in front of them. Another similar taller table was placed against the wall; it had a few old pictures on it. Shuichi noticed one frowning blonde-haired boy in the first picture frame along with a similar looking boy with dark hair smiling next to him. "Yuki and Tatsuha?" Shuichi looked down the line of photos. The same two boys were in every picture, but in every one Yuki still frowned. Shuichi picked up the most recent picture. "Hmm… Yuki…" "HYAA!" Shuichi was hit with a heavy blunt object on the back of the head. He blacked out; he fell backwards onto the floor smashing the picture onto the hard wood floor.

Shuichi regained coconsciousness tied to a chair in a dark room. "Where am I? Why can't I move?" He strained his eyes to try and look for a light in the dark. "BOO!" A flashlight clicked on against the dark. Yuki's father's face lit up in the light. "Let me go!" Shuichi struggled and yelled. "Why were you in my house? Did you break in? Where is my son? Did you kill him? Why was there a picture of my other son in your underpants? Are you a stalker?" He questioned him. "What the hell- why were you in my pants?"

Shuichi growled angrily. "Listen! I had no where to stay, Tatsuha is a friend of mine and invited me to stay here! He went out with some friends, so I went to explore the house out of boredom! Now let me go!" He hopped on the chair from side to side anxiously. Mr. Uesugi smiled. "I'm sorry young man. Let me get you some dinner."

"Are you sure?" Yuki asked the doctor over and over again. "Yes. I'm very sure. Tests don't lie Mr. Uesugi." "Thank you then… goodbye..." Yuki let the phone drop the floor. He was about to break out in tears. They swelled in the corners of his eyes, waiting to stream down his pale face. They magnified his eyes making them shiny and sparkly. His throat almost closed. He suddenly felt cold because - - - - he was dieing.

"I'm sorry for earlier," Mr. Uesugi started before putting dinner on the table. "So what was your name again?" "Shuichi Shindo sir." Shuichi grabbed his rice bowl and shoveled it down his throat. "Don't worry Mr. Shindo; Tatsuha will be punished for not taking proper care of his guest." "Oh no, that's quite alright. You don't have to do that. I'm the one who should be saying sorry for coming on such short notice." Shuichi smiled. He felt as if he needed to side. He just wanted to run away or mask his face. His pink hair swiftly fell in front of his face as he looked down. What am I suppose to say? I'm dating your son. It's ALL over the news. So DAD, do want to know the date of the wedding? Why am I joking myself…? "Mr. Uesugi I have one question… why- earlier- did you look threw my underpants… and can I have my picture back?"

"No." Yuki whispered to himself. He remembered what the doctor was said clearly. "Mr. Yuki you have a fatal stress disease of the brain, you might only have a few months left. You can pick up some documents on it at my office tomorrow. I'm very sorry." Yuki's face became distorted with fear and an un-ending sadness that plagued him. What do I do? He asked himself. He just wanted to sleep and cry. He ran to bed, and jumped onto it quickly. He stuck his face in the pillow and screamed as loud as he could. His head ached more than it ever had. Tears dripped down onto the pillow and the smell of wet salt rushed into his nostrils. There was something not right though; he noticed threw all of this. He looked over to the other pillow- the one with the small head print in it form that morning. That's what was missing. His Shining Shuichi.