Ok… this chapter focuses on Yuki… mainly. Thanks to Emma-san, who reminded me that I have to explain YukiAtsushi a little. Hee… and please pardon me for my poor command of the English language. My English is only passable at most… I get confused with the tenses as well! And my vocabulary sucks! I've long passed the stage of my life where I have to attend English lessons… well, actually it has only been a year (But I still shudder at the thought of having to attend the class taught by THAT teacher of mine. She's terrifying… so unpredictable and sarcastic and mean). I'm starting to forget all the 'rules' and such. Erm… I've never been really good at it from the beginning though. And I'm so adept at using the English language in any way I like: speaking in weird broken English blah blah blah… haha… I'm horrible.
So please ignore and grammatical/verb tenses/etc/etc/etc errors! Thanks! I know some parts sound weird, but even after changing it here and there… they still sound just as weird. (Sighs and deflates…)
Notes: (1) Nani :What (2) onegaishimasu: please
DISCLAIMER: Gravitation does not belong to me.
MOU ICHI DO
Chapter 9 – Upcoming Storm
"Well then, Eiri-san, I'm leaving now…" Miyabi called out to the novelist in the kitchen as she held the door open.
There was no response.
"Bye. And thanks for a wonderful night…" She smirked and left.
My, my… He's such a jerk. But then, I have to admit that he's excellent in bed. She pressed the button for the lift and narrowed her eyes. Too bad you had to be a novelist, Yuki Eiri. If you aren't one, I wouldn't mind being with you. But since you are… I have to get rid of you. Only that way would I be able to claim the no.1 spot as a romance novelist. You don't deserve that title at all. The only reason why you're so popular is because of your looks…
The lift doors open and Miyabi was ready to step in when a man stepped out. He had on a long black coat and wore sunglasses.
Hmm… Weird… Miyabi stepped into the lift as the guy passed her. Wait. Maybe…
Her curiosity got the better of her and she peeked out quietly, just in time to see the guy unlocking a door with a key.
The door to Yuki Eiri's apartment.
The sides of her mouth curled up into a dangerous, sly smile.
"This is going to be interesting…"
xxxxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxxxx
Was I too harsh yesterday? I seemed to have hurt him again… Yuki was sitting front of his laptop tapping a key mindlessly. What did I do? …Shuichi…
He thought of the brat's girlfriend.
Haruko, eh? How apt… 'haru' equals spring, while 'yuki' equals snow, which represents winter.
His eyes softened.
I guess he's better off with spring…
Besides, there was something wrong with that brat. He used to sing so well, so naturally… yet last night, it was as if he had lost his voice… and he looked like he was going to faint…
Yuki frowned, perplexed.
"Eiri-san?"
Yuki jumped at the sudden intruding voice and swiveled his chair around to face the man standing at the door.
I swear… he moves as quietly as a ghost sometimes…
"What the heck are you doing here so early in the morning!" Yuki snapped as he tried to conceal his surprise.
Atsushi smiled and presented a box through the opened study room door. "I bought you some cakes."
"…" Yuki turned back to his laptop. "Just for that?"
"Well… aren't you going to eat some? After all the trouble I went through… And besides, don't you need to replenish your energy after having fun with that lady last night?"
Yuki continued staring at the screen of the laptop, while Atsushi hovered at the door.
Flashback:
A small pink fluffy head popped in through the doorway.
"Yukiiiiiiii! You need to get away from that evil laptop some time! You need to eat and sleep and bathe and watch TV and spend time with meeee!"
"…"
"Ok! You don't need to spend time with me, but please at least eat something! I can't bear to see you falling sick! Please! Yukiiiiiiii!"
End of flashback.
Why am I remembering such things now? Yuki sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Fine. Just leave it outside. I'll go out later." Once my mind has settled down…
"Ok then." Atsushi smiled and left for the living room.
Yuki sighed again, this time inwardly. Atsushi can be such a nag sometimes… Why did I even let him have the key to this apartment?
Yuki leaned back in his chair. More importantly, why did I even let another guy come close to me? The numerous women… he understood. But a guy!
He remembered the time when he first met Atsushi. He was at a bar drinking quietly, already a little tipsy:
Flashback:
Darn… this is getting boring. Let me just find a woman to fuck tonight and go home…
He scanned the area, trying hard to focus. All of a sudden, someone came up beside him, and leaned over the bar-top, blocking his view. The guy was quite fair and slender and tall, with black hair. He had his eyes closed, as if he was trying to sleep.
"Hey…" The guy whispered quietly.
Yuki's eyebrows lifted in surprise. A stranger trying to talk to him?
"Do you wanna go have some fun together?" The guy had his eyes closed still.
"…" Yuki looked away from him and drowned his beer. "Are you talking to me? If you are, take your homosexual ways somewhere else. I'm not interested."
Shit. If I drink anymore, I don't think I'll be able to drive home. I'm getting really tipsy by now. Maybe I should call Seguchi…
The guy smiled a little. "But it's more interesting and fun this way… Are you sure you don't want me?"
Yuki frowned in irritation. "How many times do I have to say this! I said-"
Frustrated and agitated, Yuki stood up and turned to face the guy, ready to lash out his fearsome verbal attacks, when he was met with a pair of somewhat familiar eyes.
Deep, clear, shining, beautiful, big violet eyes.
"Shuichi…" Yuki gasped softly, before he wobbled unsteadily. He leaned against the bar-counter for support.
"Come… I'll take you home…" The guy reached out and held Yuki's arm gently, looking directly into Yuki's golden eyes through the lightly tinted sunglasses the writer had on.
Yuki stared hard at those violet orbs. Finally, after some time, he closed his eyes and smirked. "Fine… Let's go."
He did not bring home any woman that night. Instead, he slept with a guy… Suzuki Atsushi.
It was supposed to be just a 'one-night-stand', like what he did with all the other women he had brought home. But Atsushi kept coming back for some reason he didn't understand and didn't bother to try to understand at all. Gradually, Atsushi became a regular sleeping partner, someone who had the key to his apartment. And soon, Mika and Tohma began nagging constantly at him about this matter...
End of flashback.
So… he got himself involved with another guy just because of that pair of violet eyes? How stupid... Yuki slapped a hand to his forehead.
Another image flashed into his mind abruptly. Those violet eyes looking so dead, so pained, and so lonely… those eyes in 'Broken Doll'.
Not again… Yuki grimaced as the image continued haunting his mind.
Flashback:
"Yuki… do you love me?"
"…"
"Do you like me then?"
"…"
"Just a little?"
"…"
"A tiny, tiny, tiny bit?"
"Don't you get tired of asking that? What do you want me to say?"
The baka's face fell and his purple eyes clouded with unshed tears. "Nevermind…"
End of flashback.
Damn. What's happening to me? Why am I getting these flashbacks now?
He groaned.
That's because that brat is back.
But the difference between Shuichi and Atsushi is so glaring. Shuichi needed lots of love and attention. He was stupid and clingy and overly sensitive, crying over the tiniest thing. Most importantly, he needed to hear those words - "I love you", and he needed lots of commitment.
On the other hand, Atsushi did not need all of these. He had never asked me if I loved him and he didn't need me to commit myself to him solely. He didn't mind if I slept with a different women every night. He didn't need much attention. And he never took my uncaring, hurting words seriously. It's simple being with Atsushi…
Yuki got up and left the room, heading for the bathroom, desperately needing a cold shower to calm his disturbed mind.
xxXxXxXxx
Half an hour later, Yuki was seated in front of the TV, devouring his cakes, while Atsushi continued gliding round the kitchen.
"Oh yeah… Something interesting happened today at the shop I bought those cakes from…" Atsushi began.
But Yuki continued staring absentmindedly at the TV screen, ignoring Atsushi completely.
"I bumped into Shindou Shuichi…"
Yuki's ears perked up at this. "What?"
Atsushi chuckled in amusement. "Shindou-san is really cute ne? When I stepped into the shop, he was kneeling down in front of the counter, peering hard through the glass at all the cakes, frowning and mumbling incoherently to himself. It seemed like he had a hard time deciding what to buy…"
That sounds like what that baka would do…
"So… did you…"
Atsushi turned around to face Yuki. "Yup. I went up to him and introduced myself. He remembered me from that time in the park though…"
"Oh." So they're acquainted now…
"He looked extremely tired though… and pale… it must be due to his job…"
Worry starting making its way into Yuki's heart.
"But anyway, I started advising him on which cake to buy. It was strange and awkward but we ended up discussing that for 20 minutes, before he finally decided on blueberry. But when he reached the cashier and had to pay up… he realized that he had forgotten to bring enough money!" Atsushi was laughing harder in amusement by now. "So I lent him some… ah… Shindou-san is really a cute and interesting and funny guy!"
"Baka…" Yuki rolled his eyes. That is really a stupid act that only he can perform…
Yuki almost smiled thinking that.
"Hmm… but I noticed that he had violet eyes like me…" Atsushi frowned thoughtfully. "His eyes are beautiful… but they look somewhat sad too…"
Yuki stiffened at that.
I wonder… No… I'm quite sure that Atsushi knows that the relationship between Shuichi and me was real in the past… even though he doesn't mention anything about it. He's a sharp guy…
"Well, I need to go now. I've got some matters to attend to. But Eiri-san, I've bought some groceries and snacks so you won't have any trouble settling your meals today and tomorrow… take care of yourself. Don't forget to close all the windows. It's going to get really stormy by then." Atsushi picked
"…" Yuki blinked blankly. "Huh? Storm?"
Atsushi sighed. "Just as I suspected. You don't know anything about it? It was on the weather report. Tokyo is going to be hit by a slight typhoon later in the afternoon… it shouldn't be anything serious since, fortunately, it's not one of those strong typhoons. There'll just be strong winds and heavy rain... stormy weather, that is. So, you'll have to stay indoors for today. I wished that I could accompany you, but I can't…"
"Right. Just leave already…" Yuki turned back to the TV.
"Ok then. Jaa…"
xxxxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxxxx
It was early afternoon. Shuichi sighed as he sat in the park, drinking soda and watching people pass by.
He recalled his meeting with Atsushi this morning.
So the name of Yuki's lover is Suzuki Atsushi…
I really got a shock when he came up to me… I had been debating with myself which cake to buy… speaking aloud and such. God… it was so embarrassing. I felt like dying…
But honestly, he is quite pretty… tall, slender, fair… and he's so polite, friendly and mature… so different from me…
I remember the first time I saw him… he was making out with Yuki…
Shuichi shook his head rapidly in order to clear his thoughts.
I shouldn't be thinking such things…
He looked around the park.
This is pathetic… He brought a hand up to his forehead. I cried so much last night that my eyes became so swollen. Then in order to avoid Haruko and the others, I left the hotel early in the morning, leaving a note saying that I'm going to visit my family and maybe sleepover there tonight. Well, I did go visit them with cakes earlier, but…
He cringed as he recalled the endless bombardment of questions from his mum and his sister, Maiko.
There's no way I'm staying there… I don't think I'll survive.
And it's lucky they believed me when I told them the reason why my eyes were swollen was because I was too busy with work to get a good sleep…
Shuichi sighed, frustrated. "What do I do now! I don't feel like returning to the hotel yet… I don't want to have to deal with Akiha and his stupid antics… Maybe I should call Hiro… but he'll just start asking me about last night. Maybe I should ask K out… but I don't want to get shot by him. Maybe I should look for Sakuma-san… but I'll just be dragged around by him and Tatsuha will most likely come after me…"
He sighed for the third time, and hung his head low.
"Shindou-san?"
Shuichi snapped his head up. A familiar woman with short and straight brown hair was standing before him, smiling politely.
"Mizuki-san?" Shuichi frowned. "How did you know it was me?"
Mizuki, Yuki's editor, laughed quietly. "Well, you were talking so loudly to yourself, and I heard some familiar names like 'Hiro' and 'Tatsuha'. On closer look, I realized that it was you."
"Was… was I really that loud?" Shuichi asked innocently.
"Yup…"
"Oh…" Shuichi blushed in embarrassment. "Sorry…"
"I heard that you were coming back as a Sakurai Akiha's model for the exhibition held at Sense Gallery, but I didn't expect to meet you here. What are you doing here alone?" Mizuki took a seat beside Shuichi on the bench.
"Well… I went to visit my family earlier and now I have nothing to do…What about you, Mizuki-san?"
"I'm rushing to Yuki-sensei's house to pass him some of his drafts that needs some changes."
Shuichi fidgeted uncomfortably when he heard Yuki's name.
"Anyway, I heard the exhibition is coming along fine and many have been swarming to have a look. Although I haven't been to the exhibition yet, I'll be sure to go! I'm sure all the photographs of you are beautiful…" Mizuki smiled brightly.
Shuichi blushed again. "Ah… no… they're nothing really special. But thanks for your compliment."
At this point in time, Mizuki's mobile phone rang.
"Sorry. Excuse me for a moment."
Shuichi nodded and watched as Mizuki spoke to the person on the other line.
"Eh! Nani(1)!" Mizuki cried out in shock. "But I've got something on!" She looked really aggravated. "Ok then. I'll be right back. Don't do anything. Wait for me. Bye!"
Shuichi jumped back as Mizuki whirled around to face him, her eyes pleading with tears. He felt something ominous coming up.
"Shindou-san, I know that it's too much to ask you to do me this favor, but I really need to rush back home as an urgent matter has cropped up. Would you help me deliver this to Yuki-sensei, please? Onegaishimasu(2)!"
"Eh!" Shuichi froze on the spot.
"Please! This is a matter of life and death! And I really need to get this draft to Yuki-sensei by today too!" Mizuki was begging desperately by now, on the verge of tears.
There was no choice but to accept it.
Well, I just have to pass it to him and leave immediately… right?
"Ok then…" Shuichi agreed. He didn't know what he had got himself into.
Mizuki brightened in a flash.
"Thanks a million! It's still that same old apartment." She passed a brown envelope to Shuichi. "Oh! But Shindou-san, you should get there quick and return to your hotel right after that. Don't stay outdoors any longer."
"Huh?" Shuichi was totally puzzled.
"Don't you know?" Mizuki's voice was tinged with surprise. "There's going to be a slight typhoon hitting town later. The weather is going to get quite stormy… But luckily it's just a slight one, not those powerful, destructive types. So, just stay indoors and you'll be fine."
"Oh, okay…"
"I've got to go now. Thanks so much for your help! Bye!" She waved and walked off hastily.
Shuichi stared at the brown envelope in his hands.
"I guess I have no choice but to go visit Yuki… before the storm hits…" He sighed once again and started in the direction of Yuki's apartment. There were butterflies in his stomach.
I hope nothing bad happens…
xXx TBC xXx
Ok… I hope that YukiAtsushi won't appear to be that weird now. Violet eyes… haha! It's kinda funny.
Argh…
And the typhoon? Notice that I kept emphasizing that it's only a SMALL one? Well, I'm not very familiar with typhoons… but I know some can be extremely destructive. But this typhoon in my story is only one characterized by continuous heavy rain and FAIRLY strong winds. Nothing really destructive. Just a normal thunderstorm. Maybe the city will be a little flooded, but the water level won't rise to such a high level that it'll cause people to drown.
Just keep that in mind…
Next chapter: YukiShu. At last! I love writing YukiShu parts! (madly waves YukixShuichi love love banner)