Authoress here. Finally.
I apologize for the unnecessarily long wait. Sentiment, coupled with school commitments and a titch of Writer's Block have prolonged chapter twenty's absence.
Welcome, dear readers, to the last official chapter of Three Way Tie. I say official, because there is a possibility of a short epilogue to follow, and, per the request of a reviewer, there might be another email-only lemon. But I would like everyone to leave a review with a request for this additional lemon, or I won't bother writing it.
Thanks to everyone who has reviewed my little story with such fervor. It really means a lot.
Now, onto the chappie!
A Three Way Tie
Chapter Twenty: Release
Eiri Yuki
It's been a month since she left.
Shuichi is still the perfect picture of Panglossian bliss. He swears Aoyou has heard his new tune, this song called "Right Now." He believes she'll come running back the second she hears his heartfelt call. I know better, but for his sake, I humor the brat. I don't voice my thoughts on the subject.
My new book, which Mizuki entitled Mi Hatsu Yayakoshii, or Three Hearts Tangled, is still waiting for publishing. Apparently the company I work with doesn't like my ending. Mizuki begs me daily to write something different, and has even offered to rewrite the ending herself. She'll have no luck. I hate the book anyway; it's salt in a wound now. Why bother?
Shuichi's concert is tomorrow night, and nothing I could say would convince the dunce that Aoyou won't be there. I don't try. Better for him to experience the heartache and realize it's pointless to keep thinking about her.
I doubt even I'll attend. Shuichi will be there on stage, lit by flashing lights and the glow of his own stupid hope. He'll sing Right Now and follow it with moronic love songs and he'll scan the crowd 'till his face goes blue.
He won't find her. He doesn't think she has it in her to stay away forever. I know better.
Just the other day Aoyou's friend dropped by the house. Himoru something, I forgot. Whatever she was called, she gave me Aoyou's phone number in America. Her parent's home phone, she said. You can reach her there.
I dismissed her. If she's in the States then she doesn't want to hear from Shuichi or me. She might not even be at that number. Maybe she moved in with that blundering American idiot that came all the way to Japan a little over a month ago. Maybe she's pregnant now, engaged, earning the rest of her college degree after the early mid-life crisis that sent her to Japan in the first place.
Whatever. I ceased to care a long time ago.
My computer screen glows annoyingly bright in the darkened room. I've been sitting here for an hour and a half, sipping at the chardonnay I poured to help my muse along. The cursor blinks accusingly, but every time I set my fingers to the keys, my mind goes blank.
I haven't been able to write well since that bitch left us.
I take my fingers off of the keyboard for the umpteenth time and instead I light a cigarette. Drawing in the smoke, I feel the nicotine sooth my frazzled nerves. As I shut off the laptop, I curse whatever made us love her.
Shuichi Shindou
"Hey, Shu."
"Hey, Hiro." My longhaired friend looked excited, and I had to agree with his reason. Our concert was tomorrow, where we'd be headlining at the Tokyo Dome. Reporters and newspapers had hailed this concert as the musical event of the year, and K has been doing an excellent job setting up interviews and press conferences to increase the advertising. Within the span of one month, our concert has been sold out.
I had saved two tickets, which I instructed to be left at the door. One was for Yuki, and the other was for Aoyou.
Yuki always gave me these condescending looks whenever I mention her, which I do on a daily basis. He doesn't think she'll be coming back, but I know better. She loved us, I'm sure of it. And you just can't turn your back on people you love!
Yuki thinks I'm an idiot, I'm sure of it. But he's a perfect example. He's tried to get rid of me so many times, but he always lets me back in. Although he hardly ever gets the guts to express his feelings for me, I know they're there. And I know that Aoyou will eventually come back.
Yuki mentioned once that he doubts we'll even ever hear from her again. I can't think that. I know she'll be home, someday. Now all I have to do is wait.
"Shuichi, K told me about your tickets." Hiro's voice was quiet, but he broke into my thoughts all the same.
"Yeah?" I started scrutinizing the music lineup for the concert. I knew what was coming.
"Shuichi, you have to realize there's a big chance she won't come." Hiro was such a good friend, trying to break the news gently while trying to introduce me to reality. Too bad I already decided I wasn't going to listen.
"Mm."
"Shuichi!" Hiro said, annoyed. "Are you even listening?"
"Sure."
"Listen, I want her to come back as much as you do, so I can see you out of this weird mood you've had for awhile now." Hiro sighed, running a hand distractedly through his hair. "But is has been a month."
"At least it hasn't been a year." I pointed out. He just glared at me. I felt my face cracking into a grin at the sight of him, standing with his hands on his hips, looking dreadfully like my mother when she got angry at me. His guitar was slung over his back, and he wore a dark purple button-up shirt open, revealing his chest. Ah, how the girls would swoon! But now, he just looked silly, trying to tell me off looking like a mother hen at a rock concert.
I couldn't help it. I giggled.
"What's so funny?" Hiro demanded, cocking his hip in annoyance. The movement only made me howl louder.
"Y-Y-You look like M-M-Mom…with PMSss-s-s…." I choked out. His expression darkened and he quickly folded his arms over his chest. I managed to get my laughter down to a subdued giggle, and then I gave my best friend a hug.
"Thanks, Hiro. I know you're only looking out for me."
Hiro returned my hug, if somewhat grudgingly. "So why don't you listen to me?"
"You're not saying what I want to hear." I returned.
He had me in a headlock and was in the process of rumpling my hair with his fist when K and Sakano walked into the conference room.
"Okay, boys, break it up." K said languidly. Sakano was a little more upset with our obvious lack of concentration.
"Am I the only one around here that seems to realize we have a concert to put on tomorrow night at the TOKYO DOME?" Sakano screeched, looking slightly pale. "Come on, we have so much work to do and all you two do is mess around!"
"Chill out, Sakano-san." Hiro laughed. "Shuichi needed a good roughing up in order to focus."
Sakano mumbled something about becoming an alcoholic before marching out of the room. Hiro and I sighed before following him to go double check the sound system at the Dome. He was right; there was a lot of work to do.
Now if only Aoyou came. It would make all the work worthwhile.
Aoyou Tsumaru
I knew after the first night home in America I needed to go back to Japan. But something kept me from getting the plane ticket and packing up. Perhaps I felt guilty about coming home and then doing a 180 on my parents. Maybe I felt guilty about Alex. Or, I might have been just guilty in general.
I spent a month here, hoping to ease my conscience a little by spending time with my parents and some American friends.
I came dangerously close to slipping up and telling people the real reason I had come home. I really didn't want people to know about my relationships with Yuki and Shuichi; that would only lead to more embarrassing questions.
One of these times was only half a week ago, when I was out with several high school friends. I had them called up to see how many still lived in the area, and before I knew it, a close friend named Jessica Heason had conjured up a party for me.
Jessica came and picked me up, escorted by her new fiancé, Joshua Gibs. We chatted the entire way over to her apartment, skirting sometimes a little close to the subject of my love life.
Then, upon entering her apartment, I was assaulted by all of my old friends. Angela Marike, Lindsey Jameson, Rachel Souka, and five or six more who I hardly recognized anymore.
With cups of lemonade in our hands, we sat around Jessica's large dining table and exchanged pleasantries. For awhile it was going smoothly, but then Gretchen Andersine piped up.
"So, Aoyou, pick up any men out in Tokyo?"
"Uh…" I hated lying to my friends. And when I did, they usually saw through it anyways. I gave it a shot. "I did meet someone, but I think that's over."
"Do tell!" A girl nicknamed Fluffy because of her, well, fluffy hair leaned foreword expectantly.
I sighed. "Well…" I thought of Yuki and Shuichi, surprised at how wistful I felt. "He's got….strawberry…um, strawberry blonde hair, and um, kind of gold…violet…eyes." It was hard combining them together. Or at least, it was hard making their combined appearances sound believable. "He's…uh… a writer."
"Oh?" Angela inquired. "What does he write?"
"Um…" I was just on the verge on panic. "Lyrics."
"Awesome." Rachel sighed. "Would we know for what band?"
"Probably not." Thank goodness, an easy answer.
"Why'd you leave?" Jessica asked.
Good question. I thought ruefully. Now, more than ever, I wanted to have Yuki wrap me in his arms, and Shuichi gently tousle my hair. "I guess…I guess I was scared."
That was all the answer my friends needed.
It erased all doubt from my mind. I had to go back. Back home.
So here I was at one AM, hurrying with my luggage through the Tokyo airport, rushing to call a cab to take me to Yuki's house.
If only they'd let me back.
Gravitation
Yuki groaned, pulling himself out of the silken sheets at the insistent pull on his doorbell.
Whoever it is at the door is either going to be punched, kicked, or destroyed horribly in literature when I start my next book, Yuki thought irritably, wiping sleep from his eyes and shrugging on yesterday's rumpled white button-up to cover his bare chest. He didn't bother with putting on jeans over his boxers. If whoever was at the door minded his pant-lessness, he would remind them they came to his door of their own free will at two-forty five in the morning.
He pulled open the door and froze, eyes trained on the young woman standing meekly at his doorstep. Aoyou?
"Yuki?"
At the sound of his name, Yuki shook himself from the shock. "What do you want?" His voice sounded unreasonably harsh to even him.
Aoyou winced, but continued on. "I j-just wanted to say s-sorry for my behavior awhile ago, and-"
"I don't want to hear it." Yuki replied, eyes narrowed.
"I understand if you don't want to have anything to do with me, but I just wanted to apologize to you and Shuichi, and see if maybe…" Aoyou faltered.
"See if maybe you could please be welcomed back with open arms?" Yuki retorted, a frown etched between his brows.
Aoyou looked like she was on the verge of breaking into sobs, but she nodded.
"Maybe we don't want you back." Yuki heard himself say, and he berated himself silently. YOU IDIOT! KEEP YOUR VINDICTIVE MOUTH SHUT!
Aoyou's chin wobbled a little as she held her tears back bravely, reaching down to pick up her suitcase. "I understand. I'm sorry for disturb-"
"AOYOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"
Her words were cut off as Shuichi, who had followed his lover out of the bedroom to investigate who was at the door, launched himself at Aoyou. He leapt past Yuki and grabbed Aoyou in a tight hug. Her expression was a mixture of shock, disbelief, and sheer joy as she hugged him back.
"Oh, Aoyou, we both missed you so much!" The rock star proclaimed, bringing color to Yuki's cheeks. "Never, ever never leave again!"
"Well, if you like her so much, I suppose we have to keep her." Yuki sighed, a smile claiming his face. Aoyou did start crying then, and Yuki added his arms around her. He inhaled deeply, face pressed up against her neck.
Finally, Shuichi, Yuki, and Aoyou's three-legged stool stood firm again. In the race for love, there was a very perfect three way tie.
The End
End Chapter
Authoress here.
Oh, this makes me sad. It's over!
But, I still have a short epilogue to play around with, and possibly (if my reviewers deem it necessary) a "Coming Home" lemon to write.
Thank you again to all my glorious reviewers. You were the fuel that kept me returning to this story for so long. Thanks especially to Kuja2001 (PerpetuallyAnnoyedEiriYuki) for saving the story when all thought it lost!
This is Authoress, signing out.
(Zips away on the Broom 'o' Doom.)
