Don't own a character, nope.

Was it possible? Could they actually finish this album in time? The crowd that started to appear in the studio when they only had a few hours left either thought so or wanted to be around to see the death of Bad Luck by manager following president's orders.

But they'd always loved a crowd. Even the minimal energy was infectious. They stopped recording because they were on a deadline and started performing because there was an audience to entertain.

Bad Luck never left and audience unsatisfied. Tohma and Sakano even made an appearance at their in-studio concert to see them nail their next to last song on the second try. They hadn't been able to do that two days ago when they were well fed and rested.

Then there was only one to go. Shuichi looked at Hiro and Suguru, who were more alive than they'd been in days, and they all nodded. First recording. They could do it.

And they did. The people crowded outside the booth went wild. They seemed as excited as the band members were. Word of their imprisonment must have spread through the entire building. It might have even reached the tabloid. It was a great story- platinum album recorded in three days!

They'd better not expect them to do it again, though.

"That was excellent, you three." Tohma let himself into the booth as they congratulated each other and started to set down and shut down the equipment. They were more than ready to get out of there. Even the audience had already left. Shuichi wondered what time it was. "But I wouldn't pack up just yet."

He blanched. "More? There's more?" Suguru and Hiro didn't look anymore prepared for the announcement than he was.

"Well, you see, your rousing performance was great for the stage, but unless we're recording a live show, we still need all those part separately. And no background cheering this time. Don't cry Shindou, you've done an incredible job here. Just this one last thing and you can get home. I'm sure Eiri will be happy to see you."

He wasn't even able to summon the energy to be excited about the prospect of seeing Yuki again. But he missed him, the moody, irritable author who teased him endlessly and infuriated him at every turn. Even his stupid cigarettes.

"You're the boss." He sighed, turning to his band. "One last time." He pleaded. Hiro wanted to be home to call Ayaka and Suguru wanted to go out and see his secret lover, no doubt.

"What's another few hours?" Hiro laughed.

"At least there's an end in sight." Suguru cracked his knuckles and played a scale.

Shuichi smiled. He couldn't think of two better people to be locked in a room with for three days. "Okay. We're ready when you techies are." He called into his mic.

Sometime between the first and second carton of cigarettes Yuki had started to write. Now by trade, he was a novelist, but every now and then he turned out a short story. This was one of those short story times.

He surprised himself with how rapidly he churned out the story, a troubled romance (weren't they all?) about a man following the footsteps of his self destructive scorned lover leading up to her suicide on the anniversary of their final meeting.

It took someone truly impassive to not get depressed after writing that. But like most writers, Yuki was a troubled person on the inside and wrote to escape his troubles, not to fall into them. Therefore, short story was a quick fix to numb some current turmoil brewing in him.

The heavy curtains in his office kept the sun out, but his computer clock told him it was just after dawn when he finished. He smoked the last cigarette in another pack as he waited for the story to print. Maybe he'd drive it to his editor's later. He was sick of his own house and getting sicker of it with each puff of smoke that filled the room. He was making himself into a prime candidate for cancer, though.

Because any time your ashtray is so full of cigarettes, as his was then, that you can't put another one out, you're probably smoking too much. Yuki swept his hand across the desk in disgust and whisked the entire ashtray, butts, ashes and all, into the trashcan beside his desk. He dropped the empty pack on top and stood up. If he was going out, he at least needed to shower.

"So we're done this time?" Shuichi dared to hope he could leave now.

"You're done. All that's left are the finishing touches. You've all worked hard. You can go now. If we need anything else, we can get it tomorrow." Tohma smiled and held the door open for them to pass.

They didn't even protest. As long as they got to leave for a little while. If they had to stay in that recording booth any longer, Shuichi swore he was going to kill himself. They showed themselves up into the lobby.

"Hey, Bad Luck. Stop right there." No! They were almost out on the sidewalk, home free! It's not right to snatch away freedom like that.

But they all turned.

"K!" Suguru shouted. He still had his oversized gun slung over his shoulder.

"Where the hell have you been?" Shuichi had almost forgot that he'd been holding them hostage. He couldn't remember seeing him in hours. After a while they knew they weren't getting out before they finished.

"I was waiting for someone to try sneaking away." He mimed scoping out a target and blasting them back into last week, before things go so out of control.

"Otherwise known as napping?" Hiro pointed to the red marks on the side of his face that looked like the barrel of his gun.

"Exactly!" Their manager was one scary guy. "But the point is, I wanted to tell you to go ahead and take a few days off."

"What about the president?" Suguru asked.

"I'll take care of him." Shuichi looked at K's assault rifle and a part of him hoped he would take care of Tohma, but he didn't say it. No sense in jeopardizing himself when he was this close to getting away.

"All right." Shuichi nodded. "I'll see you guys next week." He waved and started walking. He wanted out and he was leaving before someone else changed their minds. He wanted to get home to real food, a warm bed, and Yuki.

Maybe not in that order.

Loving this? Next chapter is the last. Will they finally meet at home or will one of them have a tragic accident, keeping them apart forever? -shrugs- Go find out.