All my readers... I give you: AN EARLY CHAPTER!

If you look at all of my update dates , you will find that this is the fastest I have ever posted a chapter. Everyone who's stuck with the story up 'till now, thank the Windsorite secondary school Professional Development day. We get a three-day weekend! And no anti-shounen-ai parents lookin' over my shoulder! They've got work! Yesssss!

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Hiro and Shuichi arrived at NG before their other band mate and manager. They lived a little farther out, and and might not have checked their messages until this morning. Thus - they would have rushed to get changed and arrive at work on time, be unsuccessful, and get there extremely surprised because for once in their entire career Shindou Shuichi would have arrived before them.

A miracle. No - really.

Never gonna happen again.

Shuichi stood at Suguru's synth, picking out a rhythm on the once-familiar black-and-white keys. He started playing some chords, then some music to go along with them...

"Hey... Hiro, d'you remember this song? From before we got this record label? This is from when we first started!"

"Hmm.." He nodded in reply, tuning his guitar.

"And I couldn't think up any lyrics... My sister said it was stupid 'cuz it had no sound..."

Hiro's fingers ran across his instrument, and the twang mixed in perfect harmony with Shuichi's sharps and flats.

"But when we played it together..."

A haunting, pleading sound filled the room. The song grew and swelled - the rhythm set pace with their heartbeats and chanted to their souls. The song spoke to them of everything that they've ever wanted that was a step too far away. Of the sickness of humanity that would never be healed.

But then as the last tones of their wordless ballad echoed through the air, clear notes showed the limitless future - the peace and life that could be achieved.

"That was so beautiful..."

The two boys - still somewhat lost in their own music - turned to face a sobbing Sakano.

"It - It's too bad that it can't go on to your next CD. 'Cuz there won't be a CD of course..."

"What do you mean?" Shuichi had a bad feeling...

"Didn't you hear? Didn't you get the call? Why do you think that K-san and Suguru-kun aren't here today? Shuichi's never early."

"You mean were..." Hiro's eyes grew large with anticipation.

Sakano nodded tearfully.

"It's a tragedy, really, to let such promising young men like yourselves go... I don't know what Shacho's thinking... He's been stressed... You can tell by his eyes... I'll talk to him... but I -"

Shuichi's face was pale and shocked.

"I can't guarantee anything. I'm s-sorry... You have to leave now. After today... Only employees are allowed in here."

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Mika had gotten the call on her way to her father's house. Now she had to make a detour. Her youngest brother's house was exactly the opposite direction of her father's house relative to where she had been staying. If this wasn't serious, Tatsuha would have to pay for her taxi and a bus to dad's place

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Shuichi stood in the middle of the studio floor which was empty except for the boxes in which the last year was packed. He was riveted to the spot, insipid face and blank eyes he looked almost zombified.

"Shu, we've gotta go. There's a van outside, waiting for us."

He remained where he was, trembling.

"Shuichi, let's go."

"No..."

Hiro stopped in the doorway, trying hard not to drop the box of equipment he was holding.

"What?"

Shuichi shook his head.

"Just... no. I'm not leaving here."

Hiro sighed and leaned up against the wall.

"You have to leave. Or else somebody will call the cops. Be reasonable. You can't sleep here."

Hiro put the box down, sensing the beginning of as lengthy conversation.

"I don't mean it like that! I... my whole life is here! I can't survive anywhere else."

"W can always get other jobs."

"I don't want another job! I wanna stick with NG! My Idols were created here! My future was created here! Hiro, can't you understand? Even though we might still be in the music business -"

"Music business? I never said -"

"It won't be the same! We won't have Mr. K, or Fujisaki - Nittle Grasper won't be hanging around or anything... We have to work to get our jobs back, Hiro!"

"Shuichi, listen, I -"

"We could get Suguru to talk to Tohma, or I could call Yuki and see if he would... But he probably wouldn't... I'll even talk to Tohma if I have to - Hiro, Hiro... We have to get our jobs back..."

"Shuichi!"

Hiro met his friend's wide-eyed expression with a reassuring smile.

"Calm down, Shu. The break'll be good for us. You seem really stressed already, y'know?"

Shuichi shook his head, teary eyed.

"C'mon."

Hiro put his arm around Shuichi's shoulder.

"You in the mood for exotic food? Let's go get some pizza!"

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"Hey."

"Tatsuha, what's wrong?"

"Eiri just got checked in. They don't really know what's up yet."

After a second call from her brother, Mika had met up with him at the local hospital. They sat in the reception area, waiting for a doctor or nurse to tell them whet was happening.

Mika paced on the tile floor, almost envying her youngest brother while he slumped in one of the cushioned chairs. She stopped suddenly; sighed.

"What happened?"

"Nnn?" Tatsuha looked up at her and rubbed his ear with a sleeve.

"At your place - what happened?"

"Oh. Uh..." Tatsuha righted himself in the seat before leaning towards the other side.

"He barged into by house. he broke one of my glasses and slammed me into the wall."

"So you called the police?"

His puzzlement turned to outrage.

"No! I... He started to get really upset all of a sudden. He let go of me and backed into a corner. I called the hospital."

"I can see that."

"So why'd you ask If I called the cops?"

She rolled her eyes and sat beside him.

"No reason. Go to sleep."

He promptly put his head on her shoulder. Mika shrugged

"This is a hospital waiting room, Tatsuha. Only big boys can stay here. Don't make me send you to the kiddie area."

Tatsuha sulked in his seat.

"Mika?"

"What?"

She rummaged in her purse for her compact mirror.

"I feel sick."

"Hung-over?" She had snapped open the compact and was now re-applying her makeup.

"No..." He moaned, "Mika, my head hurts."

"I don't know why exactly I feel a pressing need to take care of you,"

She closed her mirror and returned it to her purse. She grabbed hold of Tatsuha's chin and turned his face towards her.

"Ouch."

"How many fingers am I holding up?"

She made a 'V' sign with her index and middle finger.

"What?"

"Are you sure you don't need to be admitted, too?"

She looked into his half-closed eyes - bleary and unfocused.

"I need to puke."

Mika all but shrieked.

"Not on my Vanderbilts, you don't! Come outside! Fast!"

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Admittedly, it wasn't a very wise decision. However, HE was the boss of this company and he could do what he wanted if he was pissy or whiny or depressed. And what he wanted to do was cause somebody pain. Someone annoying. He wanted to see them suffer.

What better way than firing Shuichi?

True - it was wrong. Cruel and cold hearted - it would probably cost the company most of their stock... But he felt entitled. He had given up most - if not all - of everything for one man and Shuichi had to go and take it all away.

And for what? Yuki was probably at home brooding and not taking his medication while Shuichi's friend and band mate Hiroshi tried to cheer him up. No doubt stuffing him full of some 'exotic' American food that wouldn't leave his system for decades. And if he ever did return to the music business, he'd die of a clogged artery.

And with the way his luck was going, Tohma would probably lose the McDonald's lawsuit, too.

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They stood before a miniscule doctor - awaiting the verdict on their brother's health. The stony expression on the small man's face chilled them and they began to fear the worst.

"He's alright physically."

They breathed a sigh of relief.

"But we still don't know what happened to him mentally."

"Mentally? What do you mean?"

Mika's eyes narrowed in concern.

"I mean under normal circumstances, he wouldn't be acting the way he is. We're sending him up to neurology for a few CAT scans and an MRI. We're calling his psychiatrist and -"

"Wait, time out -" Mika held her hand up.

"He's seeing a shrink?"

Now it was the doctor's turn to look puzzled.

"Seeing as you're Uesugi-san's next-of-kin I assumed you knew...?

"No! No, he's never told us about this before, he - Tatsuha, did you know about this? Tatsuha? Tatsuha!"

He stood, expressionless.

The doctor edged closer to Mika, studying the silent teen.

"Is he... high, miss?"

"No! How could you - Tatsuha, are you okay?"

She stood in front of him and placed her hands on his shoulders, shaking him gently.

"Mika, my head hurts."

"Tatsuha? Hey, Tat...Oh my god...his ear's bleeding... Doctor... "

Tatsuha squeezed his eyes shut, trying to clear his vision.

"Mi...Where are we?"

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A/N Thank you for all your wonderful reviews!

Bag of cookies and a grapefruit (!) to anyone who can guess what happened to Tatsuha...

BTW...Shuichi used to play synth before Noriko (then Suguru) entered the band; Yeah, we all know pizza's not an exotic food, and even if they're in Japan, they've probably Americanized enough to not consider pizza other-worldly. Hiro's only joking... Maybe.