Eternal Naoki here, back in full force! Well, not really, but I'm getting there. As you can see, I've changed my pen name again. I had to change it, because 'NaokiX' became really old last night. The winds of change are upon me, yes they are.

I spent most of the night in tears, but my spirits have lightened a little. Our gloomy weather isn't helping things, but several things have lightened my burdens. Another Gravi fic, 'Leaving Affections', has certainly given me a huge energy boost. I've mentioned it several times before, but now I'm going to mention it in a way I've never mentioned it before; IT RULES MY WORLD!

It is certainly THE BEST Gravi fic I've read so far. If I could throw a parade in its honor, I would most certainly do so. Angst, suspense, romance, tribulation; this fic has it all, and even more. It's a package fit for a king, queen and ten princes! Definitely Oscar material. The latest chapter still has me in tears.

The author of that fic may not know this, but LaDiDaanifan has certainly inspired me. I've developed a new appreciation for Hiro thanks to that story of unrequited love. So, to show my newborn appreciation, this first half of this entry is going to focus on Hiroshi Nakano's search. Please feel free to enjoy my masterpiece, and stay tuned for the action-packed finale!

This entry is dedicated to 'Leaving Affections', LaDiDaanifan, Dejichan, Leeren and all other Gravi authors. The author would also like to dedicate this to her oldest sis, the one that found her wings two days ago.

I can't tell you all how many times I've read the Gravi manga! I WUVVY VOLUME 12! HEE HEE HEE...'Kakumei' is my own spin on the Gravitation finale...hee hee hee!

IF ONLY MISS MAKI COULD SEE US ALL! WUNDYFUL STORIES, YES?

Heh heh, sorry.

It's always in the back of your mind

When everything is dark, still something shines...

-Tim Finn's 'Winter Light'

Three days passed since the beginning of the battle.

It was December 23. There were only two days before Christmas, the most beautiful day of the year. It was the day of eternal love, loyalty and bliss...a day that was meant to be shared between lovers, friends, and families. Unfortunately, the beauty of the holiday was going to soar right by several individuals, for they were all drowning under a tidal wave. The tidal wave was composed of impenetrable darkness, and the darkness increased with every passing hour; the passage of time offered no type of relief to any of them. They were on the hunt, searching for a star that had fallen from the skies...but none of them had been able to find anything. A few of them felt as if they were searching for a dream, a mirage that had never existed in the first place.

Three individuals were rooted on the Gochomebashi Bridge, trapped in whirlpools of intense emotions. The weather was pleasant; light, breezy and touched with the scent of rain. It was nothing like the merciless storm within Tokyo, but the weather was completely ignored by the trio. All of them were lost in deep silence, the kind of silence that removed a human from the boundaries of everyday reality.

All of them were lost in their own thoughts, but all of them were within the same boat. None of them had found anything on the missing vocalist, and they weren't too pleased with their empty search. Two of the individuals felt as if they were failing the third one, for they had made a vow to protect him...and yet they were unable to keep his tears from falling.

The world, which was vibrant and bright to everyone else, was cold and dark. All three of them felt as if they didn't even belong on the planet, for they were years away from the other human beings. They too were once a part of the joyous celebration known as life, but their joy had been swiped from under their noses...and now none of them were in the warmth they once knew.

Hiro was in between his two companions, Suguru and Yuuji. His mind was nowhere near them, for it was trapped in an ocean of thoughts...an ocean that was purely crafted from the beauty of a star's smile. The light breezes were pushing strands of his soft hair into the air, and each strand was a perfect accompaniment to his tears; he bore the appearance of a mourning maiden. His two friends wanted to comfort him, but their past attempts to do so failed miserably...and they could think of no more options. Suguru and Yuuji felt awful: they were unable to bring Hiro's heart back.

Thirty eternities elapsed between them, then Suguru spoke. His voice was soft and apprehensive...it was as if he was afraid of breaking Hiro with a loud volume.

"Well, I guess we'll check out the western area tomorrow. Maybe we'll find something. Or who knows? Maybe one of the other groups will find something."

Those words only made things worse. The look on Hiro's face almost brought Suguru to tears. He just looked so sad...

"I hope something comes up." Yuuji said softly, placing a hand on Hiro's shoulder. His voice was hoarse and fragile. "I feel as if we've gone over the entire planet. I never thought that searching for someone would be so hard. Whenever I even think of Shuichi, my heart twists inside of my chest. It's as if I know he's in danger somewhere...but I don't know where he is."

His eyes fell into Hiro's, which were intolerably hard to look into.

"I'm sorry, brother. I know how much Shuichi means to you. I hope we find something soon."

Hiro came back to reality, but his return wasn't complete. His eyes were the eyes of a brokenhearted wolf, a wolf that had spent his entire life searching for something precious. His eyes were red, and filled with the weariness of a broken heart. His voice was no different.

"You don't know how much he means to me. No one does."

"What?"

Suguru and Yuuji exchanged glances with each other, their faces radiant with shock. It was as if Hiro had declared war on an army of plastic soldiers.

"Nobody knows how much Shuichi means to me."

The mere sound of Hiro's voice brought Yuuji to tears. Hiro was normally cheerful, energetic and upbeat; now he was a soul without a heart, a torn body without the strength for life. The guitarist of Bad Luck was the epitome of sadness; his eyes made the fact evident. He was just so sad...so sad and lonely...

"What are you trying to say, Hiro?" Suguru asked him softly, still unwilling to raise his voice beyond a gentle breeze. Hiro's face fell even further.

"Nobody knows I love him. Well, I guess you guys do now...but no one else does."

His two companions exchanged worried glances with each other, then they placed their attention back on the guitarist, looking at him as if he were a time bomb. Hiroshi continued to speak after a moment of silence, his eyes gazing into the night. His voice was filled with vivid emotions; sorrow, anger, and confusion were powerful forces within his words.

"It's true. I love him. I've always loved him. It was hard...for me to watch him with Yuki. Sometimes I couldn't even look at him...for it would have been too hard for me to bear. Every time I saw him, I always wanted to reach out and hug him, you know. I wanted to protect him...wanted to make him laugh and smile. I wanted him to have my heart...and I wanted him to have mine."

Suguru and Yuuji looked as if they had just received the most beautiful marriage proposals. They were shocked, happy and sorrowful at the same time...it was inexplicably difficult to place their reactions into words. After a moment of excruciating silence, Yuuji found the strength to speak.

"Hiro, did Shuichi know? I mean...did you ever tell him?"

Soft anger pierced the guitarist's face. "No. I couldn't. How could I? He was stuck on Yuki. I was nothing more than his friend. Just his friend."

Listening to Hiroshi was like listening to an endless death cry. The guitarist's emotions were deep, vibrant and heart-rending...they were too painful to absorb, too painful to even witness. He truly loved the missing vocalist; his love shimmered in every one of his words. Suguru's eyes overflowed with tears, and Yuuji felt his heart scream against his chest...looking at Hiro was just too hard.

"Hiro..." Suguru asked him after an eternity of silence, placing a hand on his other shoulder. The guitarist was shivering; he was dangerously on the verge of tears. "...you'll get the chance to tell him. You'll get the chance to tell him everything. I know you will."

"I don't know if I want to. I don't even know if I'll see him again...but if I do, I don't think I should tell him."

Suguru reeled away from him, horrified by his decision. "Why?" he asked, his eyes wide with shock. Hiro looked into his face, which made things even harder for the other band member of Bad Luck.

"I don't know what's going to happen. Don't forget about the way Yuki acted when this all started. He turned into a completely different person. It was as if someone pulled the curtains apart, and he took out his true colors."

Yuuji's eyes went to the saddened Suguru.

"Why do you think his reaction was so strong if he caused all of this?"

Suguru shrugged, realizing that the elements of the outside world were completely foreign to him. People were talking of the latest news, but his mind was nowhere near strangers. His attention was on Hiro; the firm tone of his voice made that perfectly clear. "I don't know." he said to Hiro's brother. "Maybe Hiro's right. Maybe Shuichi's disappearance brought him to the light. You know what they say. You never know what you have...until it's gone."

His last statement hit all of them like a ton of bricks.

A lump developed in Suguru's throat, and it caused his voice to become hoarse. "He's out there, somewhere." he said gently, squeezing Hiro's shoulder with the devotion of a determined brother. "We just have to find him. We're searching for a needle in the haystack, but we'll find our needle eventually. We just have to keep trying."

"You guys..."

"What is it, Hiro?" Yuuji asked gently, dangerously close to tears himself. Hiro looked like a dog that had just been abandoned by his most precious friend.

"What if we don't find him? What if we never see him again?"

The ability to produce speech was shattered.

All three of them fell into an embrace. They were unable to speak, but they communicated in a way they had never communicated in before. Their tears spoke clearly, and their soft sobs tied them all together...in a bond of brotherhood.

"Shuichi Shindou, the young vocalist of Bad Luck, has been missing for several days. Many seem to believe that he may have committed suicide, due to the abuse he endured under Eiri Yuki."

"Do you seriously think that he killed himself? It's just not possible!"

"Many believe that he was abducted by a pack of frenzied fans. Others say that he simply could have taken off into parts unknown. The reasons behind his abrupt disappearance are unclear, but the search is going on."

"He was always so cute...the poor thing...right before Christmas too..."

"Why in the hell was that Yuki guy so cruel to him? I mean, come on! Shindou never did anything wrong! Of course he was irritating at times, but that was the way he was! And he loved the guy to death! Sheesh! Some people just don't appreciate anything!"

Shuichi's disappearance was wreaking havoc in the hearts of his fans. The news of his disappearance was swiftly spreading throughout Japan like an epidemic, and it was producing a wide variety of side effects. Many were angry, others were confused...and others were even grief-stricken. His band had an enormous fan base; almost all of Japan was under Bad Luck's spell, and so the entire nation was drowning in a massive epidemic of emotions. One thing was for sure; all of them wanted to see the vocalist's smile again.

Unfortunately...he was nowhere near Japan.

Hotel Sunroute Nagasaki was a haven for another broken heart.

Tohma Seguchi and Eiri Yuki were on the second floor, dwelling in a room that carried the necessities for relaxation. The room was soft, elegant and melodious, beautiful enough for an emperor to enjoy...but the beauty of the room was completely lost on both of them. At the moment, Eiri was the only one in the room; Tohma was on the search for a healthy meal. In times of despair, the Seguchi gave him the position of Eiri's caretaker. He had served as his caretaker several times in the past, but his services were being pushed against the ropes during the current round. He loved Eiri; loved him, cared for him, protected him...but looking after him now was no different from watching a silent, ravenous murderer. He was silent, and that silence made him unpredictable. Tohma treated him as if he were a time bomb, for he was completely quiet...and he was also heartbroken.

The novelist had altered his appearance. His usual glasses weren't present, his hair was a darker shade, and there was an elegant hat sitting on the top of his head. He had altered his appearance because he had no desire to be bothered by the public, let alone the media. He had received enough grief at the beginning of the battle, and he knew he had committed a horrendous crime. He didn't want anyone else to rub anything in his face.

Twenty minutes elapsed.

Tohma had successfully located healthy nourishment. Eiri had refused to eat anything ever since the beginning of their search, but the Seguchi was determined to get something down his throat. The novelist had no desire to eat, but there were other noticeable facts too. He didn't look at any type of alcohol; it was as if alcohol had become his eternal enemy. Cigarettes were no longer his closest allies, for they too had become poisonous to him. In times of deep misery, many people turned to drugs and alcohol...but the novelist threw off his habits. That was strange, but excruciatingly difficult to think about.

The Seguchi placed his findings on a nearby table, removed his card from his pocket, placed it into the slot...and heard the door click open. He placed his hand on the doorknob and slowly revealed the room...unaware of what he was about to find.

"Yuki, guess what? I've found-"

The sight that greeted him broke his heart.

The novelist was listening to the radio. His eyes were no longer the eyes of a heartbroken zombie, but they were still lifeless and mournful. There was a soft, gentle song drifting in the air...and...

...he was singing.

Eiri Yuki, a person that would have chosen death over singing in the past...was singing.

"What is it I'm waiting for, in this room without you

It's just the clock's ticking, but it resonates in my sleepless heart like

The sound of footsteps.

Even now I'm waiting; I stop here alone.

From where do you now see the moon we saw together on that day?"

Tohma recognized the lyrics immediately.

The song on the radio was a Bad Luck song...and it was being performed by none other than Shuichi Shindou.

Tohma's eyes overflowed with tears. His heart exploded in pain...and he fell to the floor, heavy from sorrow.

For the first time, Eiri Yuki and Shuichi Shindou were singing...together.

"So what's up? Have you found anything yet?"

Two minutes had passed since Tohma had discovered the miracle within the hotel room. The voice of his wife, who was none other than Eiri's sister, was reaching him through his cell phone, but it was providing no relief. Eiri's sister was the reflection of Eiri himself; their physical appearances, personalities and voices were shockingly similiar. Those similarities, coupled with the fact that he loved her, just made everything harder...

"No. We haven't found a single trace of Shindou-sama. I'm afraid he's vanished into thin air."

Silence drifted between them for an eternity, then Mika's voice touched his ears once again. Her voice was fragile, but filled with qualities he had come to love deeply.

"It looks like my idiot of a brother did a perfectly good job of scaring Shuichi. The poor thing must be scared stiff somewhere."

"How are you? Is everything all right? Are the amenities of the hospital to your liking?"

She laughed at him gently.

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine. Just make you sure you come back, all right? I don't want our child to grow up without a father."

Her kindness always made him smile. He felt a small smile break out on his face, even though his entire body was aching from massive pain. "I'll be all right." he assured her, speaking to himself as well. "Don't you worry about me, Mika. Everything's going to be fine."

Everything's going to be fine.

"And...Tohma?"

"Yes?"

His voice was strange to him. He felt as if his voice belonged to another person; it was faint, distant and almost foreign. One could have said that an alien was inhabiting his body, for everything about him felt completely strange. It was almost scary.

"Make sure my brother comes back in one piece. I know he was a prick in the past...but it sounds like he's showing his true colors now. I've waited for him to throw off the jackass act, and so...I want him to start over. I want things to be the way they were meant to be. Do you get me?"

"I understand, dear."

I understand everything.

The conversation between them came to an end a moment later. The softhearted Seguchi closed his phone and made another attempt to enter the room, his heart throbbing against the tides of fear. He was no different from a frightened teenager in a horror film, for he was afraid to place his eyes on the room's events.

He opened door...

...and was instantly greeted by a smile.

Eiri Yuki was sitting on the bed, wearing a smile that shattered the Seguchi's heart. It was a sorrowful, mournful smile...a smile of eternal pain and weariness...

"Hey."

The nourishment that had been found was completely forgotten. Tohma's eyes filled with tears, but he was determined to keep a smile on his face. "Hello, Yuki-sama." he said gently, making an attempt to keep his voice steady. "Did you enjoy your song?"

He wished for the opportunity to erase that question as soon as he said it.

"Yeah. It's strange, but...I felt as if the two of us...were singing together. It was..."

The author's voice trailed off, which made things even worse. Silence tore at both of them for a minute, then Yuki's voice pierced the air again. It was soft, too soft to listen to...and there was another smile on his face...

"Tohma?"

"Yes?" He was perilously close to tears. He could barely even breathe.

Eiri's simple words broke his heart.

"Good night."

Two minutes later, Eiri was lost in another night of painful slumber.

Tohma Seguchi had his back slumped against the hotel door. The member of Nittle Grasper was lost in tears.

-The lyrics are from the Bad Luck song called 'In the Moonlight'. Hotel Sunroute is a true place in Nagasaki. As all of you know, Mika can't help with the search because she's about to have her baby!

I hope all of you enjoyed this chapter. ANGSTY ANGSTY ANGSTY! HEE HEE HEE!

Yeah, I'm almost back to my old self. AND IT'S THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!

Shuichi kinda reminds me of Chi...hee hee...BYE FOR NOW! HAPPY TRAILS TO ALL, AND GRAVI FOREVER!