Disclaimer: ..blink blink... Do I look like I own Eiri Yuki?... of course I don't but if I did... :evil grin:... yea... you would too...HA... read on.. read on... review... review...

Chapter Three: Fury and Grief

"Eiri..."

"Make it quick Seguchi, I got a deadline." Yuki retrieved his burning cigarette from the ashtray next to his laptop. It was one-something in the morning and he was on a roll until the phone had rung. He hadn't expected to have a serious brainwave like the one he had a good half hour ago. With a long drag from the cancer stick he leaned back in his chair, propping his bare feet on the edge of his messy desk.

"Have you talked to Mika lately?" A pang of sorrow lacing Tohma's voice from the other end of the line.

"Can't keep up with your wife?"

"A simple 'Yes' or 'No' will do." He said pointedly.

Yuki smirked at Tohma's sharp tone of voice. "Then the answer is no, no I haven't. Is that all you wanted?" He started to wonder now where would his loud mouth sister be if she wasn't home now, it was almost 2 a.m. The other end of the phone was silent for what seemed like an eternity.

"Thank you." Then the line died. He looked at the cordless phone oddly before deciding that he needed another cup of coffee. As he walked to the kitchen he found it hard to just brush the conversation with Tohma off. He had called and not sounded like himself. He sounded depressed… a little desperate. He sounded like he was truly hoping that Mika was just there with him and not out…. With another man? Could they be having marriage problems? What kind of question is that, of course they could. Tohma wrapped himself so tightly in Nittle Grasper and N-G Records that he barely even left the building. If they were having problems now, it has been a long time coming.

It was too quiet in his spacious apartment. No T.V. fuzz, no stereo noise, no loud annoying racket, and the place was only illuminated by the night sky. Wait…

'Where in the hell is my baka…'

"Mr. President, He has arrived." The secretary's voice chimed in from the speaker of his conference phone. He looked up from his important papers and stared at the button, then finally pushing it to respond.

"Send him in."

The door slowly opened and in walked the lead keyboardist of Nittle Grasper.

"I'm glad that you could meet with me, Mr. Seguchi" Fujisaki greeted his guest. "Take a seat; we have much to talk about." The older man obeyed the request without a word and the youth moved to stare out the window. The time had come for them to actually talk about the real issues.

"You say there is much talk about but yet you say nothing." Tohma commented dryly.

"Where would you like to start?"

"How about the part where you take over my company, play with my musical career," He was now growling through gritted teeth. "…My wife." Fujisaki turned to survey a furious Tohma sitting on the edge of the uncomfortable chair with his fists clenched. He smiled at this anger.

"Suguru…" She whispered.

"Would you like a drink?" He offered the enraged legend.

"No, I'd like an explanation."

"I insist," Fujisaki walked towards the mini bar and quickly returned with two glasses of liquid. "Drink, you will need to relax before I consider talking to you about anything."

"Suguru, wake up..." She stroked his hair as he slept soundly.

Cautiously he accepted the glass and watched as Fujisaki gave a dangerous smile before drinking a healthy amount of the goblets contents. Deciding that it wouldn't change the situation if he did or did not drink the beverage Tohma downed it only to find…

"Suguru, we forgot to set the alarm…" She started to rub his arm now trying to wake her lover without startling him because that's just no way to wake someone up.

...The room… He couldn't breath… it felt as if… as if his lungs where closing. The room began to spin and the glass shattered to pieces on the hardwood floor of the office. Shakily he stood and lunged for Fujisaki who was now laughing manically. "You… you bastard!" He gasped as the concealed knife in his hand penetrated the left arm of Fujisaki's suit.

"Ahh!" Mika was surprised when Fujisaki grabbed her wrist forcefully. His eyes shot open and blinked until his bedroom was clear. It had been a dream. Sweat dripped from his body, it throbbed from the nightmare. When he finally registered the grip he had on Mika's wrist he let go. She moved swiftly from the bed clutching her wrist to her chest with the shock from a few nights before returning. Her voice was barely audible now because of the shock as she spoke. "We forgot to set the clock last night. If you don't hurry you'll be late…" She turned and started to walk out the room. He was up quickly after her.

"Mika, wait…" She continued to walk without looking back. "Mika, I was having a nightmare and I'm sorry I-"

"Hurt me?" She threw the words over her shoulder. "God, I've been hearing that too much lately, don't you think?" She whirled around to find him frozen by her remark. "Look, just go get ready for work, I'm fine." She backed the rest of the way down the hall trying to read his face then turned into the kitchen to make coffee.

After taking what had to be the worlds quickest shower, Fujisaki dressed and met Mika by the front door where she was holding a hot cup of coffee for his ride into work. He took the cup from her and placed it on the foyer table behind her. Reaching for her bruised arm he surveyed it carefully. A tiny knot formed in his throat. The kind of knot you get that is hard to swallow and you are just about to cry. He touched it lightly and watched as she flinched a little.

"It's nothing." She lied.

"No, you should go get this checked."

"I'll be fine. I won't die from a bruise."

"I have to make it up to you when I come home tonight, will you be here?" He asked painfully remembering that she had an actual husband. She looked off to the side for a second. He leaned down to kiss her bruises. " I didn't mean to do this."

"I know." She said softly and watched him get into the elevator with his coffee in hand.

When he had arrived that morning Shuichi could tell that Fujisaki was in no mood to be social, not even a little. He was going to tell him that he had stayed over night to finish three other songs for the album, but determined it wouldn't matter to the man anyway.

Without many words they all greeted each other and began to work immediately. Mr. Sakano had finally gotten a new pair of glasses and was in the listening booth instructing them about the day's goals and what they planned to accomplish.

"…Also we should be expecting a visit from the president before we finally wrap up this recording session. After today there will be one more week of recording which will complete the album. Then there will be a week of promotional interviews and meet-and-greets followed by a much needed break of two weeks." He waited for the applause of happiness to be finally receiving a vacation… it didn't come. The room was just as dead and tense as it had been for the past sessions. He cleared his throat. "Uh, right then. Let's begin." Shuichi readied himself at the mic and nodded for the music to commence. The synthesizer sounded through out the room with a curious rhythm that died and transformed into classical like violin cords.

Do you love me?

Shuichi closed his eyes as he focused on his lyrics. The background melody combined the synthesizers pulse with the classical violin of the ever talented Hiro. When they had found out about his hidden talent they convinced him… which means K threatened him with an assault riffle… to use it to surprise the many un-expecting Bad Luck fans. 'Keep'em on their toes.' He had said dislodging the weapon from Hiro's ears with a grin.

The sound was unlike anything that the band had ever embarked upon it proved to be very promising. They would be setting a new trend in music of their time. Everyone was content with the new addition. This did not apply to all their new songs, just two or three off the album. There was no way that he could stop playing the guitar because it was his first passion.

Or am I just another trip,

In this strange relationship.

You push and pull me, yeah

But I'm about to lose my mind

'Cus it's just a waste of time

Tohma took the keys from his ignition and sat staring at the empty space where Mika parked her little red sports car. She still hadn't come home. He was supposed to be meeting with Bad Luck to hear them perform the songs for him to hear live, but his mind wasn't with N-G Records at all right now. It was on his troubled marriage and his missing wife. He started to notice that she had not called him as often to talk about things that they had planned to do together. Dinner parties and concert after parties where they usually rubbed elbows with other top executives and business owners. She would be by his side playing the role of social goddess. Polite and very business oriented, always proposing ideas and setting up potential meetings and clients for his company.

But now she hadn't come home in three nights. How many nights had gone by with her not being home… where he hadn't noticed?

Give me that strange relationship

Never felt pleasure and pain like this

He entered the eerily quiet house. Everything looked so perfectly cleaned and expensive… like the flawless home you dreamed about. Tohma walked straight to the dinning area opened a cabinet to reveal a large array of wines and liquor. He gathered ice into his short old-fashioned glass and poured himself a Brandy. The ice crackled.

Something so right

But it feels so terribly wrong

I keep holding on…

He walked to their master bedroom and couldn't smell her perfume. How long had it been since they'd been in the same room? He bitterly couldn't remember. Sitting on the edge of the bed he downed the rest of the liquid hoping it would clear his thoughts and help him sleep… but he couldn't. Instead he laid staring at the ceiling, letting the alcohol rush over him… choking on his silent tears.

OOH poor Tohma… it's okay though. I am very proud of this chapter. Hiro has a hidden talent :smiles: among other things LOL… I did that because I figure his parents would've had him play the violin since he was smart and very talented… then he found the guitar.

Hope the dream sequence of Suguru didn't confuse anyone. In that section his dream is italicized… And in this last section the song lyrics pour over from the section above it to give the effect of hearing the song while Tohma is thinking about Mika. Review me, and I will return the favor.

The song is called "Strange Relationship" by Darren Hayes.. This story is based on his song "Ego" from his latest solo album Tension and The Spark... you may remember him from a group called Savager Garden... he is my heart...

Rave.