Oooh! Lookie! Over 100 reviews. I'm soooo glowing with happiness! THANK YOU! THANK YOU FOR READING MY FAN FICTION! PLEASE KEEP READING AND SUPPORTING ME! Now to get personal :
Kimika:
True love… Yuki and Shuichi… (drools)
ichigo chan: I
think Shuichi with a gun is cool. Hehehe. It's quite hard to write
that scene with Taki and Arashi, though. I'm glad it turned out
okay. Now I have to get K to give Shuichi a verbal lashing for
stealing his gun.
kriziamoon: Eiri will always be safe
until I put up the death warning sign. Hopefully, I don't have
to.
i love athrun: Done!
asato-chan: Yes,
'Shuichi with a gun'! I just killed all of his cuteness with
this image, didn't I?
wolfie: Actually, Eiri is pretty
damn sweet in the manga, especially in volume 8 and onwards. The OVA
and TV series are quite unsatisfactory for me. Thank you for reading
this fic!
Jai-mOony: Er, Eiri is not an uke in this
fic. He's still the seme (refer to Tracks 5 and 6). Glad
that you like how I picture Shu-chan
TaraYuki-Uesugi:
Yep, Heroic!Shuichi. Cool, huh? Shuichi's going to beat the crap
out of Taki and Arashi, that's for sure. Just wait and see.
Mizuky:
Aww, you're so very sweet! I like Shu being protective. That's
why I write this fic. Writing gives me the power to create the world
that I want. Thank you for reading and reviewing. Please stay until
AitSWS ends.
MonkeyGurL: Like I said, Hiro's too handsome
to die. I'd rather it be Sakano (no offence, Sakano fans – Hey,
it rhymes! Hahaha.) I hope you love the length of this
chapter.
LilBlue-Hedggie: You really would! Wow, I totally
respect you! I'd just convince my dad to let me get myself a gun
license when I'm old enough.
Bram: Taki is involved in
what? Um, you really think it's Kuro-chan? Hehehe… Well, I
dunno.
Kitty in the Box: I wonder how my readers will react
if I let them rape Yuki before Shu arrives… Nah! Not going to risk
anything. Anywho, I'm glad you like the murderous Shuichi.
Hyper-cutie-murderous-rage!Shuichi… Hmm… You're right, that
wouldn't work.
Kolie: Yep, silly anime-Yuki. I really,
really, like the manga-Yuki, though. So possessive but cute towards
the end. Umm… Back to topic at hand. Yep, the whole sixth sense
thing. Glad that you like it too. It was a spur of the moment
addition when I was typing, really. The original plot didn't have
that. Yay, you updated ILaH! Like I said, I like Aiko (winks).
Correction! In Track 9, Suguru was supposed to call Shuichi 'Shindou-kun' instead of 'Shindou-san'. Okay? In this chapter, you are going to be treated with a crap load of emotional displays.
"Crawling through
this world as disease flows through my veins
I look into myself,
but my own heart has been changed
I can't go on like this
I
loathe all I've become"
- Away From Me - Evanescence –
A kingdom of emotions
in
TRACK 10: UNRAVELLING THE PAST
The atmosphere was never this uptight in Shindou-Sakuma residence. The air-conditioned living room felt warm. Shuichi sat on the sofa, glaring coldly at the object of his irritation: Akai and Koori. Mika and Tohma were looking after Eiri in Shuichi's bedroom. The novelist's wounds had been cleaned and dressed long before the sleeping drug in Shuichi's system wore off. Shuichi had wanted to confront Taki and Arashi straight away but Akai and Koori held him back. "What were you there for? Have you guys been following me or something?"
The two bodyguards shared a glance.
"Well, aren't any of you going to speak up?"
Koori sighed and took a seat beside Shuichi. He put a hand on the vocalist's shoulder, earning a pointed glare from the young man. "There's no need to lie now. A little over a week ago, Tohma-kun called me to his office. He told me about the return of Shindou Aoshi to Tokyo and hired me to guard you. He felt as though something bad was going to happen to you."
Akai sat down beside Shuichi as well. It was easier for him to speak when he was closer to the addressee. "On the same day, Ryuichi went to see Hoshino-san at Sakuma Holding. He asked the man to hire some bodyguards for you. Hoshino-san contacted me straight away and I accepted the job without a second thought. I would have volunteered had he not hired me anyway."
Shuichi could not believe his ears. Tohma and Ryuichi had arranged a few bodyguards for him behind his back. Did they think he was fragile? "Let me get this straight. You (he pointed to Akai) work for Ryuichi and you (he pointed to Koori) work for Tohma. Is that right? Why, pray tell, didn't anyone inform me of this? In case you haven't noticed, the people around me obviously need more guarding than I do. Ryuichi, Hiro and Eiri were hurt and you guys were guarding only me! What kind of injustice is this? My life is not that valuable!"
"That's nonsense!" A new voice from the doorway interrupted Shuichi's tirade. The group's eyes went wide upon seeing the person. Standing there wearing black jeans and loose brown shirt was Ryuichi, who looked way out of character. His anger was showing through although it was unclear as to whom it was directed to. "How did you get here, Ryuichi? You aren't supposed to be out of the hospital yet!" Shuichi reprimanded. He would have shouted if Eiri was not in his room, sleeping under the influence of a sleeping drug. A taller man emerged from the doorway, chuckling softly despite the eerie atmosphere around him. Akai raised an eyebrow. "Shiro?" Shiroi mock-saluted his brother and turned to Shuichi. He was not fazed by the icy glare being sent his way. "Ryuichi insisted he was fine enough to be discharged. The doctor refused, of course. Then he started singing 'Resurrection' at the top of his lung and went around attacking the doctor and nurses with his infamous 'Kumagorou Beam'. They had no choice but to let him have his way. I swear, this guy is a manipulative devil in disguise."
"Where's Tatsuha?" asked Shuichi. The anger on Ryuichi's face subsided. "He went to Tohma's to get his stuff. He's staying here with us." Shuichi's eyes immediately went wide at the statement. He grabbed Ryuichi's hand and dragged him into their mini studio, ignoring Shiroi's shout of "Oi, be careful! He's just been released from the hospital!". Good thing the room was soundproof. "What do you thing you're doing? Tatsuha can't stay here!" Shuichi hissed, stressing the word 'can't'. Ryuichi shook his head. "Of course he can. This is my house too and I have the right to invite whomever I want."
"You'd be putting him in danger! I'm already a danger to you and now you're getting Tatsuha involved too."
"They're bound to get me sooner or later. I'm not putting Tatsuha in more danger than he already was in. I'm keeping him near me so I can make sure he's fine."
"Eh?"
"If he's around, I can always be sure that nothing bad happens to him. Tohma is arranging Tatsuha's transfer to Tokyo. He'll be studying at Tokyo Private High School. Uesugi-sama promptly agreed when Tohma told him Tatsuha was in danger. He didn't even ask what kind of danger his son was in. He trusts Tohma and Tohma trusts me. I'll make sure he's safe by keeping him near me."
"I knew it," Shuichi sighed. "You're in love with him."
Ryuichi nodded. "I am. I have come to accept the fact, shoving aside our age difference. It scared me to death but I'm not going to give up before even trying. You know, I've never blamed you for anything, Shu. But I must say that your method of trying to keep Eiri-san safe is wrong. Very wrong."
Shuichi blinked. He was almost convinced that Ryuichi could read minds. Getting no answer from the much younger man, Ryuichi continued. "You told him to go away because you thought it would keep him safe. You thought the bad guys won't go after him if he's not by your side. You can try to deny but I know better, Shuichi. How long do you think I've known you? I know you feel something for Eiri. That's why you pushed him away."
Shuichi looked away. He stared at the guitar resting against the keyboard stand. A few strings were undone and he hadn't bothered to replace the broken strings with new ones. He forgot Ryuichi could almost read him like open book. Eiri… The novelist had somehow managed to find a way to his heart with his soft smiles and honey words. It was painful for Shuichi to let him go. It was even more painful for him to say he didn't even like the other man when he really liked him. Was Ryuichi right? Was what he had done wrong?
"Of course it's wrong, na no da!" A small voice spoke in his mind. It sounded so much like his old self - his self when the butterfly was still dancing and bathing in ethereal sunlight. "How would you make sure he's safe if he's out of your eyesight? You're so, so silly na no da!" said the voice again. Ryuichi knew Shuichi was having a battle with his inner self. He waited for the boy to start talking again.
Meanwhile, three men related to each other stood staring at the closed door of the mini studio. "What are they talking about in there? I don't like secrets," Akai mumbled to no one in particular. Shiroi rolled his eyes at his brother's words. "Don't be such a hypocrite, Akai-oniisan. You keep a crap load of secrets to yourself as well. God knows how many times Aoki-oniisan tried to dig them and you told him 'Secrets are secrets'." Akai glared. "Must you always be a smartass, Shiro?" Shiroi grinned. "Not really. I just love to piss you off." The intensity of Akai's glare grew. How he'd dealt with this guy for twenty seven years, he didn't know. "Masochist," Akai mumbled under his breath.
Koori was staring at a grandfather clock situated at one corner of the living room or rather; he was staring at the swinging pendulum. He was so worried when they found Shuichi holding the gun. He remembered what Tohma told him six years ago.
About young Shuichi and guns…
Okay, it was not the right time to drown in memories. "Shiroi," he called without taking his eyes off the pendulum. "Shouldn't Kuroi be with you? Where is he?" Shiroi pondered the question for a while and shrugged. "I don't know. He's got a day off today. He went out at seven and hasn't called to tell me of his whereabouts. To tell the truth, he's been more distant than before these past few days. I wonder what's wrong with him. You know Kuroi. He's even worse than Akai-oniisan." Akai huffed but chose not to comment on what Shiroi said. Like the Inspector stated before, he just loved to piss his brother off. Akai was not about to give his youngest brother the satisfaction.
Without warning, the door to the mini studio swung open with a bang. Shuichi took a few big steps towards the front door, grabbed his helmet and put on his shoes. "Where are you going, Shuichi?" asked Koori. Shuichi turned to them and glared. "Out. And don't follow me. Akai, you should go check on Tatsuha-kun. Make sure he's perfectly safe. Koori, stay here and check the entire house; first and second floor altogether. The key to my study is in the drawer of my nightstand. K will take care of Suguru, Sakano-san and Hiro. I don't want to be followed and that's that." With that, he slammed the door shut. He hoped he didn't wake Eiri in the process.
The conversation he had with Ryuichi had taken another turn when the older man asked him who the culprit who attacked Eiri was. Shuichi remembered the names as clear as day. Aizawa Taki and Kotoba Arashi. He did not know who the latter was but he'd heard of a romance novelist named Kotoba before. He did not care what their excuses were. No one hurt his friends, certainly not his lover. Those two shall pay dearly. As he descended the floors, Shuichi made a quick phone call to NG Records.
"Good morning. You've reached NG Records. May I help you?"
"This is Shindou Shuichi. Have the members of ASK arrived yet?"
"Yes, they have, Shindou-sama. There's also this handsome guy with black hair with them."
Shuichi smirked. The aforementioned 'guy' must be THE Kotoba Arashi. "Good. Don't tell anyone I called."
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
"Aoshi-sensei! I did it! I did it, na no da!" 8-year-old Shuichi jumped up and down with joy after playing the entire music note to his tutor. He was careful though, to make sure nothing would damage his violin in the process. Tohma and Ryuichi were on tour. Nittle Grasper was growing bigger day by day. Shuichi missed his Tohma-oniichan and Ryuichi-oniichan so much but he was never bored when his Aoshi-sensei was around. Aoshi clapped his hands, smiling brightly. "That was great, Shu-chan! I never met someone as young as you who could play the violin just as greatly. Tohma-san and Ryuichi-san were right. You're a natural."
"You really think I'm great, na no ka?"
Aoshi nodded sincerely. Even after almost a year of being this boy's music and art tutor, Shuichi never ceased to amaze him. The boy could compose a complete melody within an hour. "Yes, Shu-chan. I think you're great and you're going to be greater. People are going to love your music so much that they would be hesitant to turn off their TVs and radios. But there's something you have to know." Aoshi held up a finger.
Shuichi tilted his head in confusion. "What is it, Aoshi-sensei?"
"A melody is not complete without words. A message cannot be delivered without lyrics. A melody is the soul of music but a lyric is what gives life to it. Remember, there's no real music without melodies and lyrics. When there's no real music, there's no song. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"
"Um… A little. You mean, unless I give words to my melodies, they can't be considered music?"
"Exactly! That's why I'm going to teach you how to write song lyrics. Then you can learn to sing like your Ryuichi-oniichan and play like your Tohma-oniichan. They're going to be so proud of you. Your parents will be too."
Shuichi immediately brightened. He put his violin on the table and jumped into Aoshi's arms. "Waii! Shuichi is so happy, na no da! Shuichi loves Aoshi-sensei so much, na no da! Arigatou!" Aoshi laughed and swung the boy around.
…………………..
…………………..
…………………..
That was the happy days.
That was a memory of lives before the storm.
Aoshi stared at the glass in his hands absent-mindedly. His talk with Kuroi and Shiroi the night before was so unnerving. Still, he did not blame them for suspecting him. He just could not. He had gained their trust once and he had broken it. Although the crime was committed in the absence of rationality, the guilt never stopped eating at him. The hatred in the Inspectors eyes was so apparent that Aoshi did not dare to meet their eyes. It felt like six years ago again. The difference was that there were four people confronting him back then - Tohma, Ryuichi, Akai and Koori. A few months later, Akai and Koori resigned from their position. No one knew why but Aoshi presumed it had something to do with the disaster he had caused.
After the confrontation, Aoshi visited Shuichi in the hospital. What happened there, he would never forget for as long as he was alive.
…………………..
…………………..
…………………..
Aoshi swallowed the lump in his throat as he approached the 12-year-old Shuichi in his hospital room. The boy had his back to him, staring at nothing at all out of the open window. The cold sweats trickling down Aoshi's forehead built up in amount. Shuichi and silence did not mix. No, they did not mix well at all. "Shuichi," he called the boy's name but received no answer. So, he tried again. "Shuichi, Shu-chan… I… I'm sorry."
Shuichi hesitated for a while but in the end, he turned around to meet his mentor's eyes. Aoshi almost had a heart attack at what he saw. The usually bright eyes were gazing at him coldly, void of their brilliance and sparkle. The love, admiration, respect and adoration they eyes once held for him had been replaced with hatred and extreme loathing. The smiling face was gone. In its place was an emotionless expression wherein the lips were clamped shut. "What are you doing here?" 'Oh, God!' Aoshi gasped. That was not Shuichi's voice. It was too cold to be Shuichi. A twelve-year-old shouldn't sound this cold! "You've lost the right to call my name or even think about it the moment you sold my family."
"Shuichi…" Aoshi shook his head and tried to reach for the boy. His hand was rudely slapped away. "Don't touch me, you traitor! There's enough germs on me without you touching me. Get out! Get out and don't you dare come near us again. GET OUT!" Shuichi bellowed. Aoshi stumbled back at the force in his voice. What had he done? What the fuck had he done? His sweet, loving Shuichi… He, Shindou Aoshi, had killed the boy! "I… Please, forgive me. I didn't mean to –"
"SHUT UP! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOUR EXCUSES! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT! GET OUT OF MY LIFE! I HOPE YOU ROT IN HELL, SHINDOU AOSHI! I HATE YOU! I LOATHE YOU!"
With tears in his eyes, Aoshi turned around and ran. He did not know how long he cried but he knew enough that he almost became blind. It did not matter if he did, though. It would not be enough punishment for his sin.
The next day, Shindou Aoshi disappeared without a trace from Japan.
…………………..
…………………..
…………………..
To these days, Aoshi still could not comprehend what had possessed him to consume so much alcohol and told the enemies of the whereabouts of his protégé's family when he knew very well they were in hiding. He could not even remember the men who asked him and gave him the money. Why did he not remember?
Wait, he did remember.
It was someone close to Shuichi and his family. Someone very close…
But who was it?
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
"Suguru."
"Suguru, wake up."
Suguru groggily opened his eyes as he felt someone softly shook his shoulder. He was greeted with Hiro's smiling face as soon as his vision cleared. Tears unconsciously filled his eyes. "Hiro! You're awake! Oh, God! You're really awake!" Hiro blinked, surprised at Suguru's reaction. The younger boy had his hands around Hiro's neck, careful to avoid putting pressure onto his wounded abdomen. When Suguru pulled away from the hug, he started to sob. He was being way out of character. The usually calm, Tohma-tic Suguru was breaking down in front of him! "I was so scared when I saw you on the floor. You wouldn't move! You wouldn't answer me! Oh, Hiro! I thought you were dead!"
"Suguru…"
"I screamed for help. I was so afraid that the help would arrive too late "
"Suguru…"
" and the blood just kept flowing! I thought you were going to die and I mmph!"
The rest of Suguru's words died as Hiro's lips covered his own. He blinked stupidly. It took a while for his mind to register the fact that his secret love was kissing him. Suguru closed his eyes and kissed back. 'It's okay, Hiro won't hate me for this. He kissed me first after all.' The kiss lasted for only about a minute but it was enough to make Suguru flushed cherry red. "Why'd you do that?"
Hiro smirked. "To shut you up."
Disappointment was evident on Suguru's face. "Oh…" He failed to notice Hiro's playful grin. The next thing Suguru knew, he was in Hiro's embrace. "Damn, this isn't like you. That was only partly true, Suguru."
"Eh?"
"That kiss was to shut you up but (Hiro nuzzled Suguru's cheek and whispered into his ear) it's also something I've been dying to do for a while now."
The flush returned to the keyboardist's cheek. "Eeeeeeeeeh?"
Hiro trapped his face in between his hands, his eyes boring into Suguru's. "When I was attacked, the last word I remembered saying was your name. I thought I was going to die too. The pain was so unbearable that I passed out. Before I blacked out, I regret never telling you how I feel about you. I thought I'll die before telling you that."
"How you… feel about me?"
"For God's sake, you're so bloody clueless for a genius. Suguru, I. Love. You." A chaste kiss landed on Suguru's forehead. For the second time that morning, tears stung the boy's eyes. "Oh, Hiro! I love you too! I've always loved you! I thought you have something for Shindou-kun and I thought I won't stand a chance with you!"
"Idiot. Stop crying. This is so unlike you, Su-chan."
Suguru giggle despite his tears. "Su-chan? I like that." Hiro kissed the younger teen's tears away, running his fingers through Suguru's hair. The two leaned in for a kiss…
… but was interrupted by the sound of someone clearing his throat.
"I see you're awake, Hiroshi," K was leaning against the doorway, smirking evilly. Sakano ran to Hiro's side, crying. "Nakano-kun! Thank God you're awake!" The producer looked so pathetic with tears streaming down his face. Suguru and Hiro sweatdropped at Sakano's emotional display. "How are you feeling?" asked K, drawing the attention back to him. Hiro gave a victory sign. "Just a little sore. The headache isn't bad either. Damn concussion." The last sentence struck something in Hiro's mind. He inwardly cursed whoever it was that attacked him. "And damn the bastard who attacked me. Have the police found the suspects yet?"
"To be honest, all of NG Records employees are the suspects."
Hiro's jaw dropped at what K had just said. Suguru, having pulled away from Hiro and still blushing, squirmed in his seat. Hiro was staring incredulously at K. His gaze shifted from K to Sakano and from Sakano to Suguru. "All?"
The guitarist paled as he received an affirmative nod from K. "Yes, all. Even Tohma, Shuichi and your own self."
"What the fuck does that mean? Did they think I hurt myself?"
K then proceeded to tell Hiro about the threat directed to Shuichi. If possible, Hiro's expression grew paler. He had known Shuichi for more than three years. Although his friend was usually cold, he was not a bastard enough to have people after his life. The vocalist did smile occasionally even if those smiles never reached his eyes. Who could be after Shuichi? Their little discussion was interrupted when a doctor entered the room. Hiro was healing fast and could already be released the next day. Thankfully, the stab on his abdomen was not serious. Hiro had to keep himself from laughing out loud when K told him how Ryuichi convinced the staff to release him earlier. If only he was awake by then…
Hiro made a mental note to talk to Shuichi later. From what Suguru told him, Shuichi was pissed-off when he heard of Hiro's attack. K growled angrily at the mention of the words 'Shuichi' and 'pissed-off' in the same sentence. He still had not confronted the young man about stealing his gun.
Well, there was plenty of time yet.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Taki's head hit the wall with a sickening thud. Ma and Ken were already knocked unconscious at one corner of the room. Arashi was trying to lessen the pain on his stomach. His jaw was almost dislocated. Ouch! Who would have thought the small Shindou Shuichi was so powerful? A swift blow to Taki's abdomen made the singer groaned in pain. Shuichi's eyes were filled with murderous rage that no one thought was possible. "The pain you're feeling is nothing compared to what you put Eiri through, you bastard." Another blow and a powerful kick sent Taki flying backwards, hitting the wall even more. "You… You're a murderer!" Shuichi yanked his head and bang it against the wall, taking pleasure when Taki cried out in pain. "Say what you want, Aizawa. If you ever lay a finger on Eiri again, I'll personally kill you and throw your rotting corpse for the stray dogs to eat. And you – " He used his other hand to yank Arashi's bowed head. "Threaten Eiri again and meet the same fate as this dunderhead here. Am I understood?"
The two pitiful celebrities nodded fearfully. Shuichi smirked again and banged their heads against each other, knocking both of them unconscious. Just then, the door swung open to reveal a panting Tohma. "You're late," the vocalist stated the obvious nonchalantly. Tohma looked at the scene in front of him and gasped. "Shuichi? You They "
"Chill, Tohma. They're still alive, unfortunately." Shuichi wiped his bloodied hands using a handkerchief as Tohma sighed in relieve. "Really Shuichi, you shouldn't have done this. Aizawa and Kotoba are going to be arrested, anyway."
"When they are, I can't beat the shit out of them anymore. Better have the fun before it goes away."
"Shuichi…"
"Don't 'Shuichi' me, Tohma. Two people I cared about were attacked on the same day. I have every right to be pissed-off once in a while. Who told you I'm here? And aren't you supposed to be taking care of Eiri?"
"He's awake. Mika's taking care of him. She wanted to bring him home but he refused. As for me, I have to 'entertain' the raging media and talk to the police about Eiri-san and Nakano-san's attack and the men you've just beaten up."
"… I'm going back. Make sure they get what they deserve."
Tohma did not stop Shuichi from leaving. Sure, you don't mess with a pissed-off Shuichi unless you have a death wish. Taki started to regain consciousness. With a smile, Tohma took off his glove and punched the soon-to-be-ex-singer's back into the land of darkness. "That was for beating up my brother-in-law and threatening our precious Shuichi." He happily called the police and waited until they were taken away. Knowing Tohma, he was going to use all of his power and influence to make sure Taki and Arashi would spend their life in jail.
Uh-huh, Seguchi Tohma ruled the universe.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
"Tatsuha-kun!" Ryuichi immediately glomped Tatsuha as the teen entered the apartment, with Akai in tow. Koori was still checking the second floor for hidden cameras or surveillance bugs. Shiroi had left the apartment after receiving a call from Kuroi. "Woa, careful Ryuichi! You just got out of the hospital!" Ryuichi let go of Tatsuha and pouted. "I'm perfectly healthy, na no da! Kumagorou says so too. Nee, Kumagorou?" He made the plush bunny nodded its head and stuck his tongue out at Tatsuha. The singer then helped put Tatsuha's luggage in the guestroom on the second floor. Akai, on the other hand, made himself at home in the living room. Tatsuha was about to hang his clothes in the closet when Ryuichi's hand covered his. He looked down at the man he secretly loved and openly worshipped and gulped. "Ryu… Ryuichi?"
"Tatsuha-kun," he gave Tatsuha's hand a light squeeze and looked into the boy's eyes. "You already know about the threat, right?" Tatsuha nodded, wondering why Ryuichi was being so serious all of a sudden. "I want you to know that I will always be there for you. I won't let them harm you like they did me, Hiro-kun and Eiri-san. I'll protect you." Tatsuha was overwhelmed with emotion. Ryuichi promised to protect him… His God had just promised to protect him, a mere mortal who was hopelessly in love with said God. "Ryuichi… You don't have to do that."
"But I have to. I can't let them harm you!"
"Why?"
"… Because I care about you and I… and I…"
Tatsuha breathed in sharply. Was Ryuichi going to say what he though the man was going to say? "And you…?"
"And I… I love you, romantically."
Tatsuha's gasp of shock filled the silent room. For a moment, no one spoke. "Ryu… i… chi…"
Apparently, Ryuichi mistook Tatsuha's lack of response for rejection and started waving his hands around frantically. "Look… I know I'm too old for you but I can't help it. I just… know that I love you. I don't know how or when it happened but I… God, Tatsuha-kun, I'm sorry if I upset you. I just want you to know how I feel. I'll just leave you alone to unpack." Tatsuha quickly pulled Ryuichi back and pinned him to the bed before the vocalist could flee. Kumagorou was thrown across the room in the process. "Tatsuha-kun?" Ryuichi suddenly felt like crying. What if he had made Tatsuha upset the the boy was mad at him. "You know, I've come to know you as a very selfless person so don't you start being selfish now. How could you say what you wanted to say but try to run before I had the chance to reply?"
"Tatsuha-kun…"
"Listen, I know I'm young. People say you don't fall in love when you're my age but they are not always right. Just because I'm young doesn't mean I don't know what love is! You should have known how I feel by the way I acted around you."
TAP!
Ryuichi blinked as a drop of warm liquid hit his face. "Tatsuha-kun… You're crying."
"When I first saw you fell down that day, I was frozen where I stood. You didn't move and I was so scared. I couldn't bring myself to look at the blood on the floor. In the hospital, I did the only think I could – I stayed by your side. I've realised my feeling for you is more than that of a fan towards his idol. So I cried. I cried because I don't think you'd ever feel the same. I love you, Ryuichi."
Ryuichi squealed happily and pulled Tatsuha into a kiss. The kiss was chaste but sweet, like a promise of a life for two. "Tatsuha-kun, I'm so happy! I promise I'll be with you for as long as you want me!" "Hmm… Then you'd better get used to how I act because I'm not letting go of you forever."
"Hai! I hope Mika-chan won't kill me for this."
"If she tries to, I'll be there to protect me like you'll protect me."
Ryuichi giggle, hugging Tatsuha close to him. "I really love you, Tatsuha-kun."
"I know. I love you too."
Koori suppressed the urge to chuckle as he overheard the new couple's conversation. Maybe Akai was right. He should have opted to work as a spy or a private investigator instead. Hino Koori – The Master of Eavesdropping. Who would have thought? On his way to the first floor, he heard the sound of the front door softly clicking shut. A weak "Tadaima" was heard, and Koori let a relieved sigh escaped his throat. Shuichi went straight to the kitchen, followed by Akai and Koori. The bodyguards were taken aback at the sight that greeted them. Shuichi's hands were red with traces of blood. His shirt was also stained with what looked like blood too. "Oh my God! Shuichi! There's blood on you!" Koori shrieked.
Shuichi shrugged nonchalantly, taking the stained clothes off and threw it straight into the waste bin. "Not mine." It took a while before the message got through. When it did, a look of horror crossed Akai and Koori's face. "Shu… You didn't…" Akai stammered but Shuichi cut his words off. "No, I didn't kill anyone. I wish I did, though." Shuichi took a medium sized pot and put it on the stove. Koori watched as the singer took vegetables and sliced chicken meat out of the fridge. "Are you making chicken soup?"
"Don't ask something you already have the answer to."
"Smartass. Back to our previous topic. What do you mean you wish you did kill someone?"
"… They treated Eiri like the guy wasn't human.You should have let me killed them."
Akai banged his fist on the kitchen table. "And what? Let you shoot them so you can repeat history? Remember what happened the last time you shot someone, Shuichi?"
"Shut up! This time it's different. I know what I'm doing."
"What if you shot Eiri-san, then?"
Shuichi stopped what he was doing. He turned to face them and pointed sharply at the door. "You know what? Why don't you get out of this kitchen so I can work in peace? Someone is sick in one of the bedrooms, if I recall correctly." An eyebrow was raised, challenging Akai and Koori to contradict him. The two ex-police officers huffed and retreated to the living room, muttering something about 'stubborn fool' and 'cold-hearted git' under their breath. Shuichi smirked but Akai's last words annoyed him greatly.
"What if you shot Eiri-san, then?"
Shuichi shook his head violently and returned to the task at hand. The soup was finished within an hour. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on his bedroom's door. Mika opened said door and glared as she saw who it was. Shuichi ignored her completely and balanced the tray he was carrying, making his way to Eiri's side. The novelist brightened up as he saw Shuichi entered the room. "Shuichi!" Mika rolled her eyes and slammed the door shut as she left the room, leaving the two together. "What's that? Chicken soup?" Eiri asked happily. Although he seemed happy, his energy was still not enough to allow him on his feet by his own. So, he was stuck in bed. Shuichi said nothing, he just spooned the hot soup, blew at it for a few seconds and help the spoon up to Eiri's lips.
Eiri blinked stupidly before it registered in his mind that Shuichi was feeding him! He promptly got starry eyed and opened his mouth eagerly. The soup tasted heavenly! Eiri always liked Shuichi's cooking. His sister couldn't cook to save her life. Shuichi was so gentle with his movements. He made sure the soup was not too hot before it reached Eiri's lips. The process replayed until the bowl was empty. Eiri licked his lips and beamed. "That's the most delicious chicken soup I've ever had. You're so great, Shuichi!"
"Stop it." Shuichi's voice was low but hard. Eiri couldn't see his face because Shuichi had his head bowed, his face hidden underneath the magenta locks.
"Shuichi? What's wrong?"
"Stop acting like nothing's wrong! Stop smiling when you're in pain!"
Eiri frowned. "What? I'm not acting!"
"I confronted the bastards - Kotoba and Aizawa. It was because of me. They hurt you to get to me! How could you still smile at me knowing it was me who caused your pain?"
"Kotoba was jealous of me and wanted me to stop writing. As for why I still smile, it's because I love you and I know you cared about me although you keep saying otherwise!"
Eiri expected Shuichi to call him 'baka' but what the singer did surprised him. Shuichi broke down and buried his face in Eiri's stomach. His shoulders shook with heart-wrenching sobs. "It was always me! Ryuichi and Hiro got hurt because of me! You got hurt because of me! My parents died because of me! Why? Why do I bring so much pain to everyone? Why can't I be happy? WHY?"
"Shuichi…" Eiri didn't know that Hiro was hurt the the previous day too. Then, he remembered what he overheard Shuichi said a few days ago.
"If he stays with me, they'd kill him."
"Shh… Stop crying, Shuichi. I'm okay, don't cry! This isn't like you at all. Please, stop crying. I hate to see you like this. Please, tell me what's going on. I'm so confused. What's with people around you being attacked? What's happening?"
Shuichi didn't answer. He continued sobbing until he fell asleep. The last thing on his mind before slipping into an exhausted sleep was:
'Tomorrow. I'll tell everyone tomorrow. No more. I'm tired of pretending. So tired.'
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Hiro was discharged the next day after the doctor changed his bandage. He was not to do heavy tasks for a few days. K drove them to Shuichi's apartment. The night before, the vocalist had called K and requested their presence in his apartment that day. K gave Shuichi a full fifteen minutes of verbal lashing for stealing his gun, which Shuichi ignored completely. Sakano kept fidgeting in his seat while Hiro and Suguru were talking animatedly at the back seats. 'Lovers,' K groaned inwardly. Why was everyone around him seemed to be gay or bi? Well, at least none of them ever tried to hit on him. When they arrived at the Shindou-Sakuma residence, Tohma, Mika, Noriko, Eiri, Koori, Akai, Tatsuha, Ryuichi and Shuichi were in the living room waiting for them. They were all glad that Hiro was okay already. "So, Shuichi…" K started. "Why is it that you want us all to be here?"
Shuichi cleared his throat and looked at them one by one. Except for Koori, Akai, Tohma and Ryuichi, everyone looked confused and curious. "I guess you've all known about the threat note that was meant for me, right?" They all nodded. "Well, according to the note, all of you are in danger because you're close to me."
A chorus of "What?" rang throughout the living room.
"I'll recite what the threat says:
The bloodied hands of
'the little child' shall bleed once more
but this time with
his blood instead of ours.
Sweet, sweet vengeance! The day shall
come.
No sun will shine on him anymore.
His beloved shall take
the first trips -
and we'll laugh; watching him suffer.
I know it sounds odd but 'the little child' in the note is me."
"How do you know that, Shuichi-san?" asked a curious Tatsuha.
"That's why I asked all of you to be here. Since the bastards have dragged you into this mess, the least I could do is tell you how and when it started even though it would pain me greatly. This is the only time I'll tell you so please listen. It's not a fiction, not a fairy tale. What I'm going to tell you is the story of my life, which is somehow related to Tohma and the rest of the Sakuma family including the Tenshis and the Hinos."
Mika stared at his husband with worried eyes. "Why do I feel like we're not going to like what he's going to say, Tohma?" Tohma squeezed his wife's hand encouragingly and gave her a sad smile. "Trust me. No one would. It wasn't meant to be pleasant, anyway."
Shuichi took a very deep breath to calm down. His heart was beating a mile a minute. "Alright. I'll start from the very beginning." He looked at Ryuichi, earning an affirmative nod from the older singer. He looked at everyone again.
"Let me re-introduce myself. You know me as Shindou Shuichi. But in truth, my name… is Sakuma Shuichi."
Silence, and then…
"W H A T !"
To Be Continued in Track 11: Innocence Retold
Been wanting to write that last part since the beginning. SAKUMA SHUICHI! YAY! Check out Track 2.1 and let me know if you could find where I left the first hint. Just for reference, you can view the plan for Shuichi and Ryuichi's apartment at: www dot predilection dot org slash shuryufirstfloor dot gif. Did I ever mention that they have second floor as well? I'll draw it later. Anyways, if you want some extras for this fic and my future Gravi fics, always check out my livejournal from time to time: http colon slash slash siriusangel dot livejournal dot com. (wink).
I hope you all like the length of this chapter. 13 pages with Arial 10pt font. Woot! Okay, reviews anyone? PLEASE?
