NEW RULE... if you didn't like my first chapter, than you shouldn't have ever gotten this far. I do not accept flames or insults... if you don't like my fic, don't read. CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM is accepted happily, but it has to be just that- constructive. Cruel reviews will be erased and ignorant reviewers will be blocked. Simple as that... end of subject. Rude reviewers grate on my nerves.
On a happier note, arigato for all the feedback and ideas! It helped me out a lot! Actually, as I was reading through your reviews and e-mails, I was thinking how similar some of your ideas were to mine! Funny, ne? Well, I still need more of them, so keep up the e-mails!
Here's part two of Ryuichi's nightmare. Gomen ne, minna... I know it's really long, but there's one more part to it after this. For now, enjoy!
Note: The song, 'Meteor' is not a Gravitation song... it is composed by Daisuke Asakura, but T.M. Revolution sings it and the song is from Gundam Seed. I used it to be sung by Nittle Grasper because D.A. composed the music, it has pretty lyrics, and I ran out of songs for N.G. Yeah, I'm that simple-minded... deal with it.
Disclaimer Insert standard Gravitation disclaimer here.
Regular italicized writing indicates thoughtsBold italicized writing indicates conscience
Chapter 15: Beautiful Illusions to Hide What Isn't There
Flashback #3:
"That one, Onii-san! Kaida wants that one! Iie, Kaida wants that one! Iie, iie...Kaida wants them both!" It was Ryuichi's last day in Japan before he and the rest of Nittle Grasper would be heading to the United States for a yearlong tour.
The members had agreed to cancel practice for the day so that they would have time to pack and spend some time with their family or loved ones.
Noriko was spending the day with some guy she had been dating the past few weeks. If memory served him right, Ryuichi remembered her calling him something like Tetsuya. It was an older man of course... she seemed to have a thing for the old farts.
Tohma was dating as well... some girl named Mika. It turned out he was planning to meet her family that day. He seemed especially excited about meeting one of his girlfriend's younger brothers. Supposedly, the boy had been picked on in school due to his non-Japanese appearance.
As for Ryuichi... he had chosen to spend the day with his little sister and give his regards to his father. Though he had invited Akinori, the offer had been turned down when his lover found out the little girl would be there as well.
So now the two Sakuma siblings were walking down the main streets of Tokyo having the time of their lives. The vocalist knew that he was spoiling his sister, but she was so cute, he couldn't resist.
Plus, they wouldn't be able to see each other for another year. It was okay to spoil her every once in a while.
"You want them BOTH?! Oi, Kaida-chan! You're going send me to the states a very poor man!" Ryuichi lightly pinched the child's cheeks as the 'puppy eyes' were promptly turned on.
"Onegai? Pretty please? Kaida really, really like them na no da!" She gave her prettiest pout and the argument was won. The singer gave an exasperated sigh as he reached for his wallet once more.
"Okay, alright. You can have them." He quickly paid for the items requested and handed them to the toddler. Her arms full, she barely managed to hug her brother's legs in thanks.
Ryuichi grinned at the enthusiasm dancing in the child's eyes. He bent down until they were eyes level and glanced at the items in amusement.
"A blue bear and a pink rabbit, eh? What are their names, Kaida?" Bright blue eyes shone with delight at the question.
"The blue bear's name is Usagi-chan and the pink rabbit is Kumagorou." She proceeded to pull the red ribbons from her pigtails to tie one around the bear's head as a headband and the other around the rabbit's neck in a bowtie.
Ryuichi raised an eyebrow at his sister's choice of names.
"Um, Kaida-chan... shouldn't that be... reversed?" The vocalist was reluctant to correct the child, as he was afraid it might upset her.
"Iie, iie Onii-san! The reversing them would make them not as pretty! Naming them this way make them lots more pika pika, na no da!" The child didn't even hesitate in her answer. It was almost like she had named them long before she actually owned them.
"Pika pika, huh?" A smirk made its way to the singer's lips.
"Hai, hai, na no da! And see? Blue is Kaida's favorite color, so Usagi-chan is me, na no da!"
Ryuichi had a funny feeling about the other stuffed animal.
"Eh, so that would make Kumagorou...?"
"That's Onii-san, na no da!" The dancing blue eyes laughed as her brother processed the interesting piece of information. Ryuichi groaned mentally at the human-to-pushie pairing.
Kumagorou seemed to laugh at him too.
"Of course. I'm the pink bunny. Why didn't I figure that out already?" He tried to keep the sarcasm out of his voice, but he knew he'd failed when the toddler stopped laughing.
"Onii-san doesn't like it? He's angry with Kaida, na no da?" The sparkle disappeared from her eyes as they turned to a deeper shade of evergreen.
Ryuichi mentally put his foot in his mouth.
"Iie, I like it Kaida-chan! And I'm not angry at all!" He tried his best to reassure the child that he liked Kumagorou. She seemed to consider the idea for a moment before pushing the pink rabbit plushie into her brother's hand.
"If you like Kumagorou, than you should walk hand in hand with him, na no da! That way he won't be lonely, na no da!" Ryuichi could feel the sweat forming above his brow. It would not be a good thing for him to be recognized in downtown Tokyo carrying a stuffed animal.
But a second look at his little sister's face told him that he couldn't refuse.
And so, Kumagorou held Ryuichi's hand, Ryuichi held Kaida's hand, and Kaida held Usagi-chan's hand.
Flashback #4:
"Ah, Ryuichi! Nice of you to come by. Sit, sit! Have some tea. Let us talk." Ryuiji greeted his son as both of his children arrived at the Sakuma residence.
He made a gesture for the singer to take a seat across from him on the floor. A small floor table was set for two, meaning the father was planning on conversing with his son alone.
Kaida was sent to her room to play with her new toys and commanded sternly by the eldest Sakuma to behave and stay quiet. The child nodded in obedience and scurried away.
Ryuichi took the seat prepared for him and waited silently for his father to begin talking. The usually tanned and muscular man seemed to be a bit pale. The singer dismissed this as a sign of old age.
Ryuiji raised his tea to take a sip, removed it from his lips to gaze at the cup, and then set it back down on the table carefully. He seemed to be considering something very important in his mind. The vocalist watched his father intently, apprehension growing in the room.
Finally, the father made eye contact with his son, charcoal eyes dark with determination. Ryuichi held his breath as the silence was broken.
"Nice weather we're having, isn't it?" The pointless question astonished the singer. He had been expecting something a little more important than that.
"Uh, yeah... very nice." Ryuiji smiled calmly at his bewildered son before he continued.
"Did you know that beautiful weather comes just before a hurricane, Ryuichi? And in the midst of the storm, there is an eye. That eye can be as clear and beautiful as it is now, but you can't forget that the other half of the hurricane is yet to come. That is very important to know, my son. You would do well to remember that."
The vocalist nodded as if to say he understood, but in truth, the random piece of information puzzled him further. It obviously held some type of importance, but pertaining to what, he didn't know.
"So you will be leaving for the states tomorrow?" The elder man abruptly switched topics much to the dismay of his son. The last riddle still weighed on his mind and he wanted to know what his father had meant. Instead of pursuing though, he simply answered the new question.
"Hai, we'll be touring for an entire year, Otousan." The Grasper gave a curt nod in answer. The strange behavior from his father had him at a loss to say much more.
"Good, good. You have much talent. I'm sure you will do well." Ryuiji gave a nod of his own, letting his eyes wander away from his son's bewildered face.
"Hai, arigato Otousan." The compliment failed to warm the singer's heart, as it would have usually done. The bizarre change from one subject to the next seemed only to serve as a way to distance the son from the father.
"Well, I won't keep you any longer. I'm sure you have much to do before your departure." The elder Sakuma reached for his tea once more as he began his parting words.
"H-hai..." The vocalist stuttered his agreement but was immediately cut off by Ryuiji.
"Keep in touch. I'm sure Kaida will wish to hear from you often." And with that, Ryuichi had been dismissed.
Another moment of silence and he finally stood up to leave. As he reached the doorway, he paused one last time to steal a glance of his father.
Ryuiji was gazing at his son's retreating form with eyes full of emotion.
Emotions like...
Then they were averted to the wall before Ryuichi had a chance to analyze what the eyes held. Ryuichi bowed deeply in respect for his father.
"Sayonara, Otousan." He turned and left the room without another word spoken.
"Kaida-chan?" Ryuichi called the child's name softly before making his way into her bedroom.
Upon entering, he glanced around the room for the toddler. Instead, the sight of pink rabbit ears and a single beady eye peeking over the side of the bed caught his attention.
The uneasy expression that had settled into his eyes, a result of his short meeting with his father, melted away instantly. A familiar grin found its way across his face instead.
"Kumagorou is going to miss Ryu-chan, na no da." A comically high voice accompanied a nod from the plush toy. The vocalist stepped further into the room and crouched at the opposite side of the bed from where the voice came from.
"Ah, and I will miss you too Kumagorou. Almost as much as I'll miss Kaida-chan." Ryuichi played along with his sister's new game and answered the rabbit alone.
"Ryu-chan will miss Kaida lots more than Kumagorou?" The stuffed animal tilted its head to the side as the question was asked.
"Hai, I'm going to miss Kaida-chan the most!"
"Kaida will miss Onii-san the most too, na no da!" Dirty blonde hair peeked over the side of the bed to reveal the beaming face of the little girl.
"I have to leave soon, Kaida-chan. Come say goodbye to me." Ryuichi held his arms open to the toddler, who responded promptly to the gesture by leaping over the bed and into a tight hug.
The room remained still while the siblings embraced. The singer pulled away from the hug after a few more minutes and brushed the stray strands of hair away from the child's face. Her face held an expression more solemn than she had ever worn before.
She settled herself on her brother's knee with arms still around his neck. He smiled encouragingly at her, hoping to keep their goodbye as tearless as possible.
"Onii-san... will you remember Kaida when you leave?" The innocent question hurt Ryuichi more than having the child cry.
"Oh course! I would never forget you, Kaida-chan! How could you think I could ever forget my darling sister?" He gave her firm hug to reassure her.
"That makes Kaida happy. I love you, Onii-san."
"I love you too, Kaida-chan."
Flashback #5:
It was Nittle Grasper's eighth month in the United States. It was there that they had released their hit single, 'Be There.'
It was an amazing success. Rising to number four on the charts within the first seventy-two hours of its release, everyone congratulated themselves on a job well done.
They were currently on stage at Roxy Theatre in Hollywood, California. Their concert had sold out within a week of its sale.
Ryuichi was in seventh heaven. The stage was his universe, and at that moment, nothing else mattered more to him that the words he sang.
"Help me, somebody help me!
But if you think I'm your burden
Then I'll say 'So long' and flee."
The blinding lights hypnotized the vocalist with their rhythmic motion and changing colors.
I should write a song about that.
"Help me, somebody help me!"
This is where I want to be for the rest of my life.
"I've come to a treacherous border"
I don't need anything else.
"I know it's time to say goodbye"This is what I've been searching for.
"But can you help me restore order"
Here is where I can shine.
"Before we let our love die."
I don't want this feeling to end.
But the euphoria ended as the music died down. Ryuichi knew it would... it always did.
After the bows and a few waves, the members of Nittle Grasper retreated to their separate dressing rooms. Make-up artists and various workers rushed around him, prepping him for their next song.
Their voices reached his ears as a mere buzzing. He didn't even bother trying to listen to what they said. It was always the same.
Blah, blah, blah... you're the best.
Blah, blah, blah... that was great.
Blah, blah, blah... everyone loves your voice.
Blah, blah, blah... Nittle Grasper is unstoppable.
Blah, blah, blah... you're so sexy.
Blah, blah, blah... I want your body.
Yeah, it was the same shit... different day. He didn't really care to listen anymore since he had heard it all before.
At that moment, his cell phone rang. Rousing himself from his post-singing stupor, the vocalist automatically raised the device to his ear and pushed the 'talk' button.
"Sakuma here." Answering it with his usual greeting, he tuned out the noise around him. In the distance, he could hear his manager screaming at him to get off the phone cause it was time to get back on stage.
"Ryuichi? It's me." Identifying the caller immediately, Ryuichi grinned widely into the phone.
"Akinori! How are you, koi?"
"I miss you, Ryu-chan. It's lonely here without you."
"I know, I miss you too. But I'll be home in a few more months." The singer waved a hand at his manager, acknowledging the call to stage.
"That's too long... I want you here with me now. Can't you come and visit for a few days at least?"
"I can't, Aki... you know that. We're booked for either a performance or an interview every day for the next two weeks. And we never get more than one day off at a time." A small half-frown played over the boyish face.
This wasn't the first time that Akinori had called in the past eight month, begging Ryuichi to come home. And the vocalist gave the same response each time.
There was a deep sigh at the other end of the phone. Then a sad whisper.
"I miss you, Ryu-chan. I love you."
"I love you too, koibito. Listen, I have to go. I'm late going on stage." Ryuichi tried to wrap up the conversation with his lover.
Through his open door, e could see Noriko marching towards him in the distance. Within a few more seconds, she'd be right in front of him.
If he was not off the phone by then, she'd most likely drag him onto stage. She was a great believer in using force when necessary. Or maybe using force at every opportunity.
"Oh. Okay. Ja." The goodbye was spoken without much enthusiasm and Aki hung up before Ryuichi could respond. The singer deepened his frown and jabbed at the 'end' button with more strength than necessary.
It annoyed him to no end when his boyfriend went into one of his sullen moods.
But at that moment, he didn't have time to think about it. For Noriko had reached her destination and was in the motion of yanking him up by his hair.
"DID YOU NOT HEAR THE STAGE CALL, YOU MORON?!"
In the back of his mind, Ryuichi noted that the color of Noriko's face faintly resembled her hair. Thankfully, he was in too much pain to mention it out loud.
"ITAI, ITAI, ITAI!! Noriko-san! I hear you!" His arms flailing as he desperately waved his surrender, Ryuichi rose front the chair in great haste.
"We're late, thanks to you! Hayaku!" And with that, the two Graspers made their way to the stage.
There, Tohma gave a nod along with one of his amused grins. As Ryuichi walked past him, the keyboardist whispered something that made the singer roll his eyes.
"Let me guess... Ishikawa-san called? Lover's spat?" A soft chuckle accompanied the question. Ryuichi kept walking.
Flashback #6:
It was Nittle Grasper's final month in the United States. Having made a permanent mark in America's music history, they were at their final stretch of the tour. Preparations were already being made for the return trip home.
But before that could happen, they still had to perform their farewell concert in New York City at Madison Square Garden.
Tickets to the concert were once again sold out. It was two days before the concert and already fans were gathering at nearby hotels and clubs.
Indeed, Nittle Grasper's success in the states was no longer questioned. They had risen above the top American bands and stayed there.
"Oi, Sakuma-sama! You have a phone call on line one!" Sweet voice of their new Japanese intern called out the message across the studio.
Ryuichi raised an eyebrow at the announcement and made his way to the company phone. It was rare to have anyone call for him through the company number, and even rarer still that it would actually get through to him.
As far as he knew, all phone calls for Nittle Grasper were intercepted by the receptionist and never actually reach any of them.
Pushing the 'line one' button on the phone, he cleared his voice before answering.
"This is Sakuma Ryuichi." Nothing prepared him for the voice at the other end.
"Onii-san no baka! Kaida and Kumagorou miss you and you haven't called in forever, na no da! Don't you love us anymore?" The child's voice brought an enormous smile to the man's face as he decided how to answer his little sister.
"Huh? Who are Kaida and Kumagorou? Do I know you? Are you a fan?" He could hear the child pout at his teasing.
"Onii-san you meanie! It's not nice to tease us like that, na no da! We called to say we missed you so you can't pick on us, ne Kumagorou?" There was a pause and sounds of shuffling as the 'speaker' changed.
"Hai, hai! Ryu-chan can't be mean to Kaida! Kaida misses him lots and lots, na no da!" The high-pitched voice reprimanded the singer as he gave a low chuckle.
"Oh! Now I remember Kaida and Kumagorou! How is my darling imouto?" Ryuichi decided to end his teasing and grinned at the enthusiastic response.
"Kaida is fine, fine, na no da! Kumagorou and Usagi-chan keep her company. Demo, it's not as pika pika here without Onii-san, na no da! Even Otousan says he misses you!"
The vocalist choked on his Ramuné soda at the last comment. To think, even the old man missed his presence in Japan.
He gave a snort of amusement at the thought.
"How is he doing, Kaida-chan?"
"Otousan? Well, he's been a little sick lately. Demo, he went to the doctor last week. He said the sensei told him nothing was wrong and not to worry. He has some medicines to take, so I guess Otousan will be better soon."
Ryuichi frowned at the news of his sick father. The eldest Sakuma had never been sick a day of his life... until now that is.
It concerned the singer to hear news that his father was ill at his age. Ryuiji was approaching sixty, and it was well known that elderly people didn't heal as fast.
"Does Otousan look any better now that he had the medication?"
"Uh, I guess so. I can't really tell, na no da. He always says he's okay, demo he always says that, ne Onii-san?" Ryuichi burst out laughing at his sister last comment.
"Yeah, that's Otousan for you. Well, tell him to get better real soon, okay Kaida-chan?"
"Okay, na no da! Kumagorou misses you Onii-san! He asks if you'll play with him when you come back." The childish voice was full of hope at the veiled request.
Ryuichi smiled, imagining himself playing with the stuffed rabbit.
"Tell Kumagorou that I will."
"You promise, na no da?"
"I promise... na no da." The vocalist added the last phrase as an afterthought, causing the little girl at the other end to giggle.
"Okays! Ja ne, Onii-san!"
"Ja, Kaida-chan. Be good."
"Kaida is always good, na no da!"
Flashback #7:
"They touch, although with icy fingertips illuminated by the frozen moon."
This was it.
"My flawed heart still embraces the night, even as it burn out."
They were doing the last song of their final concert in the United States.
"That feeling that glittered off in the distance for a split-second- If it's love, I'll try for that vision."
The members of Nittle Grasper were high.
"The light is freed and falls through the sky, sacrificing its warmth only for hope."
It wasn't a drug or alcohol induced high.
"The flame that's born of dying stars burns on in this, my final dream."
No, it was a purely musical high.
"If the sin that falls and covers everything turns to kindness, and if a thorn could become a smile."
Ryuichi could feel the hypnotic energy crash around him in waves of pure exhilaration.
"Like the unheard scream of a flower before it falls,"
The screaming of fans had dulled to a distorted roar that barely reached his ears.
"The pain that searches for the fragility of a prayer stirs the period when the two of us met."
There was nothing beyond the music anymore. Nothing at all.
"The grief and the light are swallowed up by the waves, and in the midst of all this pain, you awaken."
Surrendering his body to the music, he was just another instrument.
"This bond that could be created because we were hurt is beginning to paint over the loneliness."
The music stopped suddenly as the stage went dark. This was the climax of the song.
"Pouring my life into this; with whatever wings you have left- I'm begging you, please wrap me up in them."
The lights flashed back on, and there was Ryuichi at the edge of the stage with his shirt torn to shreds. It was done in an artistic fashion that revealed just enough to make the fan girls swoon.
"The light again falls through the sky, sacrificing its warmth only for hope."
Ryuichi dropped to his knees for the dramatic end. Tohma and Noriko took the cue to hold the last chord for an extra painstakingly slow second.
"This mistake caves in and comes to an end, and my final dream continues on."
The final notes were played, music silenced, and lights cut off completely.
Judging by the crowd, the concert was a complete success. The applause and cheers were deafening to the human ear.
After final bows and goodbyes, the set of Nittle Grasper retired backstage.
Noriko fairly bounced there as her eyes sparkled with glee. Tohma had broken out of his usual polite smile and was laughing heartily with the stage crew.
Ryuichi just started stripping.
Everyone stopped what they were doing to stare.
Noriko cleared her throat noisily to catch his attention while Tohma merely raise an eyebrow in amusement.
Ryuichi paused for a second before raising his own eyebrows in confusion.
"Huh? Nani? Why is everyone staring at me?"
"Hmm... let's see. Maybe cause you're stripping in public?" That sarcastic remark came from the ever-critical Noriko.
"I'm only taking off the ripped clothes! It's not like I'm getting naked!" Ryuichi tried his best to defend himself, as he turned crimson from all the attention.
"Eh, well maybe it's a good idea to wait until you get to your dressing room, Ryu. The cameras are still rolling and you have one focused right on you at this moment." Tohma covered his mouth as he said this, trying desperately not to laugh at his friend.
Ryuichi blushed even more at that realization and hurried to his dressing room. He'd forgotten about the stupid camera. And whatever shots the film had captured would most likely be aired over international television the next day.
For this concert had been a part of the International Music Festival. Nittle Grasper had received the honor of being the final act. And they happened to be very liberal with their editing... not much was censored out.
Ryuichi groaned as he imagined everyone he knew in Japan seeing him begin to strip down in front of the camera.
Flashback #8:
It was a relief to be getting off the plane. Even flying first class on a direct flight didn't hide the fact that it was still spending half a day inside an oversized metal bird.
Ryuichi didn't even bother checking to see if he had all his bags... he knew someone else would get them. His manager perhaps, or maybe even one of the interns. It didn't matter. Sakuma Ryuichi wasn't to be bothered with menial tasks such as luggage pickup.
Yes, there were much more important things on the singer's mind at this point.
Like who be greeting him when he got off the plane.
He wasn't sure whom to expect. When he tried to contact his family, there was no answer and the same happened when he called his boyfriend.
Sure, there would be the media, some suites from Crown Records, and countless fans. But all in all, Ryuichi could've cared less if any of the above showed or not. They weren't the ones important to him.
At all.
Walking briskly down the passage connecting the plane to the terminal, the vocalist left his fellow band mates far behind. His bodyguard jogged to keep up with him.
Entering the terminal, bright light and hoards of people rushed to meet him. He rewarded them with complete silence as his eyes scanned the crowd for a familiar face.
After several minutes, he came up empty. The singer's heart sank as he realized that no one he cared about had bothered to come and meet him.
A few minutes later, the crowd had been cleared by airport security and there was only the crew Nittle Grasper and executives of Crown Records remaining.
Ryuichi frowned as his searching gaze fell to the floor in disappointment.
Suddenly, the busy airport seemed too lonely and quiet for him.
Not removing his eyes from the grimy tile floors, the Grasper walked silently towards the exit where a limousine was waiting.
Due to his lack to attention to what was in front of him, the singer's body collided with one that was in front of him.
"Itai! Oh, gomen ne mister! It was my fault! I wasn't paying atten-" The singer's apology was cut short and the person interrupted.
"Heh, you should be sorry... Ryu-chan." The blue eyes widened in disbelief, as he froze in mid-bow. This voice was definitely familiar.
As the blue eyes rose to meet the speaker's, a smile bloomed across the vocalist's face.
"Aki-chan! You came! You, you... JERK!! Where have you been?!" The excitement turned into a vengeful growl as Ryuichi remembered the fact his lover had been nowhere to be seen initially.
Akinori simply rolled his eyes at the mood swing. Leaning forward to place a soft kiss on his lover's lips, he whispered his explanation calmly.
"Baka... how did you expect me to get past the psychotic media and rabid fans?"
"Oh. Ahhhh..." Understanding dawn on the Grasper's face as he began to blush at his first assumption. The taller man just nodded wisely with a triumphant smirk.
Trying to recover from his mistake, the singer changed the subject.
"If you're here, are Kaida-chan and Otousan around here somewhere too?" The hopeful expression died from the vocalist's eyes as his lover frowned. Akinori visibly flinched at the mention of the singer's family.
Ryuichi uncoiled his arms from around the taller man and took a step backwards. The look in his boyfriend's eyes scared him. It was dark and foreboding.
Something was wrong.
Something bad.
Inside twisting in fear of what the news would be, the Grasper began to tremble from head to foot.
"Aki...? Nani...? What happened? Where are they?" Voice hoarse and ragged from apprehension, the singer held his breathe as he waited for an answer.
Akinori averted his eyes from his lover's pained expression.
"Ryuichi... your father... he's sick. Very sick. He hid it from you and Kaida... and now...." Akinori discontinued his sentence as he raised his eyes once more to his lover's face. He tried to step toward the smaller man and reached out to give comfort, but was unsuccessful.
The vocalist shivered and jerked away from the invasive hands. Akinori pulled away from his trembling lover as soon as he saw the defensive gesture.
Ryuichi could feel the edge of his vision begin to haze over as his body turned numb from shock.
Inside his mind, he felt as if he were watching a remotely interesting movie. His thoughts held no trace of the anguish and despair his body suffered.
Instead, a calm and unemotional sense of rationale took over his thoughts. It was as if his mind and his body were no longer connected to each other.
Without blinking an eye, the singer asked one last question through his cracking voice.
"Is it too late to save Otousan?" The blue-green eyes became glassy, as his lover remained silent.
Akinori's bit his lower lip, mentally running through his list of ways to tell the rock star the truth.
"Ryuichi, your father had cancer. Really bad cancer. He waited too long."
TBC...
Phew, I'm finally done... more details on Ryuiji's illness in the next chapter. And hopefully, the next chapter will wrap up Ryuichi's nightmare. Be warned, this is only the beginning. Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter... let me know! REVIEW!!
