Ne minna! I'm sorry that this chapter is kinda late. I was gonna post it Tuesday, but I lost my document somewhere in my system. ::cries:: I've been searching for it since then, and I even had the head of the computer dept. at my mom's work look for it and she couldn't find it. It was kinda my fault tho…anyway, I hope that I can remember all that I wrote because I thought that the chapter that I had rocked! Till it went bye-byes on me that is. ::sigh:: BTW, I used my teacher's last name, Yamane, for Shu-chan's first customer. Yamane-sensei was my teacher in Japan, Gomen Sensei! I couldn't think of a name and that was the first one that came to mind. I mean nothing by it.

Misa-chan: Thanks for the heads up! I had no idea that there was another fic like this one. It is truly an odd coincidence! I'm open to suggestions for a new title, I was thinking of changing it anyways.

PockyPoo-san: I didn't think that an AN in the first paragraph was a mortal sin. I thought it was kinda cute.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything. Isn't that a shame? ;

Pretty Shuichi—Chapter 2: Setting Up For Things to Come

(I hope that I can remember what I wrote the first time!!!)

I can't believe that I'm doing this. Shuichi thought to himself as he followed Yamane to an all night Love Hotel near the bar. I wish that Hiro was here, I really need his advice. The pink-haired singer imagined his red-haired band mate and imagined what Hiro would say: No amount of money is worth your self-respect and dignity. That is exactly what Hiro would have said. While the singer had been lost in his own thoughts, Yamane had booked a room and was saying something to the manager and in turn, the manager agreed.

"Shindou-san, come with me please." Yamane said in a pleasant tone.

At the thought that the climax of this weird evening was soon at hand, Shuichi began to have serious doubts and wanted to bolt right out of there and forget about their sordid deal. But Shuichi didn't have the courage to do that. Instead, he sniffed a little, and proceeded to follow Yamane down the hall. They arrived at a room not too far down the hall and Shuichi noticed that Yamane was comfortable in that kind of situation, suggesting that he had done this before. That just made the frightened bishie tremble even more. The businessman sat down on the small bed and motioned for Shuichi to do the same. Shaken, he complied.

They sat there for several minutes, Yamane smoking a cigarette, and Shuichi hyperventilating next to him. Yamane slowly put an arm around Shuichi's slender shoulders and Shuichi's reacted by jumping so high that he almost fell off the small bed. Yamane leaned against the boy, an amused smirk on his face. "Mou, you're jumpy." He teased. Shuichi sniffed back tears and mumbled, "Well you're heavy." That got a true laugh out of the older man. After his laughter dissipated, he left out a content sigh and idly stroked Shuichi's soft hair and back. After a few minutes, Shuichi began to relax; he felt a little drowsy, kind of like a cat that was being petted. Yamane leaned in as of to kiss the boy, but instead, the man whispered huskily, "Ne, bishie-chan, I'll give you some free advice: never kiss a dan'nasan[1] on the mouth."

In usual fashion, curiosity got the better of the singer and he asked a little awe struck, "Why?" he breathed.

The older man shrugged nonchalantly, "It's just not done. Kissing on the mouth is supposed to be saved for someone you love. Oh, that's another thing. Never, ever get involved in a relationship with a dan'nasan. It is the cardinal rule in the baishunfu handbook."

"There's a handbook?" the boy squeaked. Yamane glanced at the boy and did a double take. Shuichi's eyes were unfocused and as round as saucers as he listened to the seemingly sage advice from the older man. The boy's mouth was shaped like a tiny 'o'and there was a little bit of spittle dripping from the corner of his pretty pink mouth. There were tiny stars and funny shapes swirling around his head as he sat there gazing admiringly at the man. Yamane gave the singer a funny look and shook his head. Shuichi blinked and suddenly laughed as he put one hand behind his head, "So uh, if I'm not supposed to kiss a..a.. dan'nasan on the mouth, then where should I kiss him?" The gods above winced as Shuichi set himself up for one hell of an opening.

Yamane gave him a shark-like grin as he undid his belt. "Oh, there are a few places that I can think of." Wide-eyed, Shuichi gave a small "eek!" as the older man grabbed him and pulled him to the bed.

Shuichi left the Hotel a little after six the next morning. He usually never got up that early, but considering that he got no sleep whatsoever the night before; he wanted to make sure that he got out of there as soon as possible. He didn't even bother to check the amount of money that Yamane gave him. He just snatched it out of his hand and shoved it in his jacket pocket. Yamane grabbed the bishie's arm as he swept past him. "You have great potential, Shindou-san. You should consider doing this on the side as you continue on your quest to be a musician. I will follow your career because you have something special in you." The genuine smile on the man's face made Shuichi feel a little better, but then it was quashed as he remembered where they were and what had happened the night before. Shuichi bowed stiffly and said goodbye and all but ran from the Hotel.

He wandered around Ginza for a couple hours, watching it fill with people shopping or going to work. He saw school kids on their way to school and he wished that he could be one of them again. He had been a total slacker in school, the second worst student in his graduating class. He barely graduated, and that was all attributed to Hiro saving his ass on tests throughout the years. Everything was so innocent then; all I wanted was to be like Sakuma-sama and play music and be famous. Now that seems so childish. I feel so violated, so dirty. But I was the one who went along with it. Sighing deeply, Shuichi found the nearest pay phone, fished out his Nittle Grasper phone card and punched in his and Hiro's number.

About forty minutes later, Shuichi was sitting on a bench in one of Tokyo's many parks[2]. It was quiet in the park at that hour and the day turned out to be a gorgeous one. As Shuichi waited, he finally was able to look at the money that he had earned the night before. As he fished the yen out of his pocket, a couple empty Pocky packages fell out as well and he picked them up and deposited them in the trash can that was nearby. He unfurled the bills and his thin eyebrows rose as he counted 30,000¥[3]. Sugoi, I can't believe I actually sold myself to that etchi guy! He involuntarily remembered what happened the night before. Rough hands pushing him down, careless fingers undoing buttons, hot, smoky breath in his nostrils, Shuichi crying out, a big hand covering his mouth and he whimpered softly as Yamane took from the bishie singer what he had paid for.

"Oi, Shuichi!" Hiro hailed him from further down the walking path. Shuichi looked up, eyes wet with tears. As soon as his best friend/band/room mate was close enough, he lunged forward and latched himself to Hiro in a rib-breaking hug. The good-natured guitarist almost fell backwards but he was used to this kind of thing and he quickly regained his balance. He patted the smaller boy's head as the singer wailed "Hirooooooo, I did some-something t-t-errible!" Smiling ruefully, Hiro extracted himself from his best friend and crossed his arms. "What's the deal? I was worried about you when you didn't come home last night. I even called your parents. Your sister almost bit my head off over the phone. I was seriously afraid for my life. You should get a leash for her or something." Hiro waited for a reaction. Usually, when the singer was like this, Hiro would make a crack at Maiko-chan, Shuichi would laugh, then they would go get a burger and the whole incident would be forgotten. This time, Shuichi just stood there, sniffing with his head down as he stared at the pavement under his sneakers. Hiro was now deeply troubled at his friend's reaction. He leaned in closer, noting the smell of cigarettes and...something else...on his clothes.

"Shu," Hiro said in a serious tone, "What the hell is going on?" Shuichi looked up with tears in his violet eyes, looking so lost and hurt that it broke Hiro's heart. "H-Hiro, I-"he broke down and spilled the whole sordid story, leaving the graphic details out but saying enough for Hiro to get the picture. When he was done, his legs gave out and he collapsed, totally spent, onto the ground. Hiro just stood there, totally shocked at what Shuichi had just told him. This kind of behavior was completely out of character for the bishie singer. "Shuichi," Hiro breathed, "this is a complete shock." Then, he raised his voice, something that rarely happened, "How could you have been so stupid? You're a frickken hooker!" He raised his hands in the air in a gesture of frustration. Shuichi looked up at Hiro, then he handed him the money that he had earned. Hiro blinked as he mentally tallied up how much Shuichi was holding. His anger forgotten, Hiro knelt down and whistled. "Sugoi, he gave you all that?"

"Un," Shuichi said.

Hiro cleared his throat and said calmly, "Shu, you're my best friend and nothing will change that. I know we need money badly but this is just not the way to do it. I'm sorry that you felt that this was the only way that we could get money." He grabbed Shuichi's hands in his. "We'll make it somehow, and become famous rock stars like Ryuichi Sakuma." Then he let go and stood up, wiping his hands on his jeans. "It's your body and you can do what you want, but if you want to become a baishunfu, I'm afraid that you can't live with me anymore. I'll still be your friend, but I can't be a part of this." Shocked, Shuichi gaped at his best friend, "Demo Hiro, where will I go? I can't go home. I'll be out on the street!" he wailed. Hiro sighed and held out a hand to the boy, Shuichi took it and stood up shakily and put the money back into his pocket. . "Gomen, Shu-chan," was all Hiro said as he turned and walked away. Stunned, Shuichi tried to call out to his bestest friend in the whole world, but it only came out as a strained whisper.

"Hiro."

TBC

OMG! Am I twisted or what? Don't worry, Yuki will be in the next chapter, and Shu-chan and Hiro are still friends, if not roomies. There will be a fast forward in time in the next chapter to get things moving. This is all background and scene setting.

Translation time!

dan'nasan: male customer Tokyo's many parks: This is the park that Shuichi first met Yuki; it will play a bigger role later on. 30,000¥: approx. 300 bucks US. This is a rough estimation not taking into account current exchange rates. I base this on the $1-100¥ rate. It's easier that way.

Well, until next time gentle readers! Ja!