Eyes Of Change

by Butterfly Thoughts

What would happen if Yuki Eiri had a kid sister that was 16 and she was called in to be a fourth member of Bad Luck? Read and find out. Hinted mm couplings Second Chapter now up! Please R&R! I own nothing but the OC.

1. Chapter 1

Eyes

Of

Change

By: Butterfly Thoughts

Note: I do not own Gravitation or any of the characters here within, though I wish to God I did! I do however own one character inside this story, her name is Beka. Everything else belongs to the creator/s of Gravitation. I hope you enjoy!

Part One

The air was heavy with slight winds every now and then. The scent of Cherry blossoms clung to everything the light breeze touched. A young girl who appeared to be in her mid teen years with waist length black hair and fair skin stood on the balcony of her fifth floor apartment. Her name was Uesugi Rebekah but every one called her Beka. She gazed out at the cityscape with heavy lidded eyes. A small gust of wind blew about her, causing her long black skirt to rustle gently around her legs. Though it was quite warm, she held her light weight red sweater to her tightly. She had been chilled to the bone since a week prior; since 'it' had happened. She seemed incapable of getting rid of the cold that seemed to touch even the deepest recesses of her very soul since that night. Her bright yellow topaz eyes, which were so much like her beloved brother's, had lost their shining brilliance and were now dark with sadness and fatigue. With a sigh she turned and looked inside the small apartment which seemed so hollow and empty now. As tears welled up in her eyes she slid down, resting her head on the balcony guardrail.

Beka hated the spring time, she always had. The days would grow too long and the nights too short. Reaching up a dainty hand she swiped hastily at the tears that now flowed down her cheeks. To her, spring time was a time of depressing days and restless nights. Now that she was gone, she knew it would only be worse. She had been the only one that could brighten the days; the only one that had ever been capable of chasing away the loneliness of the nights. Only when she had been there with her had she ever truly been able to sleep in the spring time. What would she do now that she was gone? It had already been a week since she had left and she had not slept but a handful of hours; hours that had been filled with the long forgotten nightmares that had haunted her throughout her childhood. Faintly she heard the clock inside the apartment chime. It was two in the afternoon now.

Standing with great effort Beka made her way inside and to the washroom. Carefully she washed away the traces of the tears that had sprung forth and refreshed her make-up, erasing the sadness that had plagued her only a moment before. After she was satisfied that she looked presentable once more, she left the washroom and entered the living room. She went to the small stand and picked up the telephone and dialed the familiar number of the local cab service.

"Hello, City Cabs," a man on the other end answered after a few rings.

"Yes, I need a cab sent to 1006 East Drive," Beka answered in to the receiver.

"Ah Miss Beka nice to hear your voice again," the man spoke cheerfully to his most prominent costumer. "I will have a cab there for you in no more then ten minutes."

"Thank you, Jeff," Beka answered, her spirits lifting slightly at the sound of the man's voice. She then hung up the telephone and gathered her purse and keys. She headed out of the door, locking it behind her then made her way to the elevator. She punched the button labeled 'L' for the lobby and tapped her foot as the elevator sprung to life. As the mechanisms of the elevator whirred with their decent she dropped her keys into her purse. When it stopped and the doors opened she exited and crossed the lobby to the door of the complex. She stepped out into the fresh air and sighed deeply as she seen the cab pull up. Forcing a lighthearted smile she got into the cab and nodded at the familiar face of the driver.

"Where to today, Miss Beka?" the cabbie asked.

"East Medical Building," Beka answered as she settled in for the twenty minutes drive.

With out another word the cabbie took off in the direction of the Medical Building. Beka sat silently looking out the window at the passing scenery, falling into deep thoughts about the night a week ago her entire life had turned upside down. No one knew what happened that night, or even that she was depressed save for her and soon her psychiatrist. That was where she was headed now, to her appointment with the female shrink. She had been going to her for the past almost seven years, since she had seen her beloved brother, Eiri, kill his sensei. Somehow she didn't feel as though it was helping her anymore especially in sight of everything that had happened over the past week. The cab suddenly came to a stop and she snapped back to herself, not realizing she had been lost in thought for the entire twenty minute drive. With out saying anything she handed the man the money for the fare and exited.

"Need me to come back in an hour as usual, Miss Beka?" the man asked kindly.

"No, I have other business a block away after my appointment here. If and when I need you I will give the company a call." With that she walked away and entered the towering building. Crossing the lobby she went to the elevator and hit the button which would bring her to the tenth floor. Again, she tapped her foot on the floor of the elevator gently as she waited for her ascent to end. Once the machine stopped and the doors opened she made her way down the hall and into the shrink's office. She nodded to the receptionist and seen the girl motion her on in to the office. She went in and sat down in the over sized dark leather chair she always sat in and sighed heavily.

"My, my, looks like someone is in desperate need of today's appointment," the female shrink replied as she turned her attention to her patient.

Beka looked over to the woman and gave a small weak smile. "She left," she said plainly and then leaned back, resting her head on the high arched back of the chair. "Last week after I went home from our last appointment," she finished in a broken voice. Sighing, she finally let her tears come again, this time though; they flowed more heavily then the last time.

An hour later she left the psychiatrist's office with prescriptions for some sedatives and tranquilizers, not feeling any better. She then headed for the next block, dropping the prescriptions off at the pharmacy next to the Med Building on her way. She then went to another large building and entered. She went up a single flight of stairs and in to a moderate sized office and sat down in front of the desk. She looked at the man behind it and smiled gently at him and noted the ever present Sakuma Ryuichi and nodded to him as he sat there playing with his stuffed bunny. She looked back at the man on the other side of the desk and sighed.

"K-san, can I ask you something?" Beka finally asked, speaking for the first time in her native Japanese after a long moment of silence.

"Of course, Beka-kun," the blonde man answered in Japanese himself as he sat back in his seat, placing all his attention on the female in front of him. Though he was American by birth and nationality, he spoke Japanese quite well due to the fact that Ryuichi and Beka was Japanese.

"Do you think that it is fair? The title I chose for my new project I mean?" Beka asked as she pulled out a small black case from her purse and unzipped it. Bringing out a blood glucose tester and prepping it with out looking up at the man.

K watched her a moment as she tested herself and sighed. He earnestly thought the question over for a moment longer and then smiled brightly with a nod. "I do. Though I must admit, I would love to know why you chose such a title."

Beka frowned slightly as she seen her test results of her blood glucose and shook her head. "I will need to get something to eat and take a dose of insulin here shortly." She looked up at the man across from her which was now looking at her with concern. "It's ok K-san. It isn't that high, just ten points above normal." She closed the case and slipped it back into her purse and then back up at him. "I chose that title because it seemed to be the best one for it; the most descriptive."

"No doubt you chose it because it was slightly suggestive and teases the mind into wanting to know why the title is what it is as well." K leaned forward and placed his arms on top of the desk and looked the girl over. He could tell she wasn't as happy as she appeared to be. He had known her long enough by now to know when something was eating at her. He looked over at his other client and smiled at him. "Ryuichi-san, can you excuse Beka-kun and I for a few moments, we need to talk privately." He saw the man smile and nod as he stood and went to the door. Shaking his head as the man slipped out of the room and closed the door he looked back at the girl.

Beka looked at the door and then back at K with a nervous giggle. She didn't like being alone with him like this for the simple fact he usually pulled out his Magnum on her when they were alone to persuade her in to something in a way that was purely K. She began to fidget slightly and was relieved when all the man did was smile at her with sympathy.

"What is wrong, Beka-kun? And don't say 'nothing', I know you well enough to know it isn't the truth." K was growing more and more concerned about the girl lately. She usually shined like the sun itself but now, she was as dark and gloomy as a stormy night.

Beka looked at the man and sighed heavily and rubbed gently at her face. "She left me…" she said, instantly getting choked on the words. She could feel the knot in her throat growing and felt the hot vengeful tears starting to flow once more. She felt K come up to her and tug her to him, hugging her softly. For the first time that week she didn't fight it, merely let the cries out that had been threatening to come forth since she had left. Clinging to her manager and friend she cried softly in to his chest. "I can't breathe…" she sobbed out in a pitifully weak voice.

K felt his heart breaking for the girl as he held her to him. Even he had not seen the signs that the relationship between the two girls was in trouble. If he had, he would have tried to help mend it for Beka's sake, but it looked as though he had failed her miserably by missing the subtle signs. He softly petted her hair and back as he cooed and hushed her, trying his best to console her. "It will be ok, Beka-kun, I promise. I will help you get through this." It then hit him that perhaps the reason why she had chosen the title she had for her new project was that she had seen the signs he had failed to. 'The eyes of change indeed,' he thought to himself. 'It is the best name for it after all, not just a flashy teasing title to draw people to it.'

Finally as her tears slowed Beka looked up at K with an exhausted weak smile and pulled away. She wiped away the lingering tears as she looked at her poor friend's shirt. "I got make-up all over your shirt…" she said in a low voice. "I'm sorry…" she said as she brought her feet up to rest on the edge of the chair, hugging her knees to her chest. Lowering her head, she rested her forehead on her knees and sighed heavily, already on the verge of crying again.

K looked down at his shirt and frowned somewhat. "It's ok, Beka-kun, don't worry about it." He didn't know why she was so concerned about some ran mascara on his shirt when she should be worrying about her grieving. He slowly reached out and petted her cheek, alarmed at how hot it was. Suddenly he stood and reached his hand out to her. "Come on, you need to get something to eat and take your insulin before you get sick. I bet Ryuichi-san would like to get something to eat as well by now. Besides, he somehow can always bring a smile to your face and that's what you need right now."

Beka shook her head vigorously at the suggestion. "I don't feel like being around Ryuichi-san right now. I would just wind up snapping at him and hurting his feelings. I'm going to the recording studio. I will order something and have it delivered in a little while." She sighed and picked up her purse, taking out a small compact and opening it. She fixed her make-up and then slipped the small compact back in her purse. Standing with a groan she stretched and went to the door. "I will be fine, K-san, I promise. I just need a little more time." With that she left her friend standing in his office worrying about her and went down three flights of steps to the recording area and entered. She seen the familiar surroundings and sighed in relief as she went to the mix board. She placed her hand on the man's shoulder she knew well from working with him for the past year or so. "You ready to make some music Mi-san?" she asked a bit more happily then she had spoken all day.

The man looked up at her with a bright smile. "When it's with you, Beka-chan, always!" he said with a poor Japanese dialect. He seen her wink at him and smiled even more brightly. "K coming down here too?" he then asked in English.

Beka shrugged and gave a small giggle. "He might, if he doesn't have his hands too full with chasing after Ryuichi-san," she answered the man in English knowing that he wasn't that good at Japanese. With that she entered the sound proof area of the room and placed on the over-sized headphones and plugged them into the synthesizer as she turned the instrument on. She looked up to see the man she affectionately called Mi-san, for his name Michael, give her a thumbs up and watched as he switched the board in front of him on. She then started to play around on the keyboard of her instrument masterfully, loosing herself in the sounds she was producing. Her music, her art, it was the one thing in her life she could always count on having control over. It was the only thing in her life that was constant; the one thing in her life she could always count on.

After a small amount of time had passed, Beka glanced up to see K and Ryuichi sitting with Michael listening to her music as she tinkered around. She noted that K had changed his shirt and had to give a small smile. She then stopped tinkering around momentarily, speaking in to the microphone to be heard in the next room. "Could you call Taste of Thai and order me something K-san? I don't care what as long as it's spicy," she said and then added as a second though; "Oh, and I would really like one of Chezer's chocolate tiramisus."

K lifted an eyebrow at the girl with a light-hearted smirk on his face. "I see," he said teasingly, knowing the girl understood the jest behind the words. He knew she only wanted spicy Thai food and chocolate when it was that time of the month for her. He was not disappointed either, for he seen the crimson flooding her cheeks. "I will go call them now, keep working." With that he stood and left the room returning to his office to make the calls.

Ryuichi sat listening to everything that was said, a quizzical look darkening his features momentarily at the joke between K and Beka. He shook his head, clearing the words out of his head that he didn't understand and started to make his bunny dance about on the edge of the mix board. A smile then invaded his face as he looked up at Beka with hopeful eyes. He leaned over to the microphone, and began to speak. "Can I play with Beka-kun?" he asked in a boyish tone even though he was around thirty.

Beka lifted an eyebrow as she looked through the sound proof glass at Ryuichi, contemplating on whether or not she wanted him to be messing with her music. Finally with a sigh she nodded. "As long as we do it my way, understand?" she asked in Japanese. She had finally found some control and did not want to loose what little precious amount she had at the moment.

Ryuichi beamed and nodded vigorously at her. He then jumped up and ran in to the next room with her, instantly grabbing her in a bear hug. "Just tell me what to do and I will do it, boss!" he exclaimed as he huggled her tightly.

"For starters you can let me go so I can breathe," she grunted out. As she was released from the death grip of the hug she smiled smally as she breathed in deeply. She then went to a pile of some music sheets she had nearby in the room and sifted through them for a second before producing several sheets. She turned to him and handed them to him. "These are the lyrics to the songs I'm working on right now." She paused a moment before she added; "and I mean it, Ryuichi-san, no add-libbing or rearranging, these are my songs and they are the way I want them."

Ryuichi nodded and made a salute to the girl. He could tell she wasn't feeling that good so he decided to do as she said just this once instead of making her do things his way. He went to the microphone and put on the headphones, plugging them in and turned to her with a nod. "Ready, boss!" he chimed out, ready to sing with the girl who had became one of his closest friends over the past few years.

Beka rolled her eyes and smiled despite herself. K was right about one thing earlier; the guy had a way of always bringing a smile to her face. She began to play the music to the first song she had handed him, slipping into the music. As she heard Ryuichi's voice singing the lyrics she looked up at him with awe. With out even seeing the words before he was singing it perfectly. She doubted he even understood the emotions behind it and he was singing it as if he had wrote it himself and went through what it was about personally.

K reentered the recording studio surprised to see Ryuichi in the room with Beka singing the lyrics of her song. She hardly ever allowed anyone to sing the words to them, hardly ever even singing them herself. He sat down as he listened to the song, feeling like bursting into tears as he heard the pain of the song, something he was certain that the ever lovable and simple Sakuma Ryuichi didn't hear.

Beka paused on the music for a moment as the first song came to an end and looked at Ryuichi. "I will be singing this next one as well," she informed and seen him beam. She knew he loved the rare chances he was given to sing with her. She turned back to the instrument in front of her and began to play.

Ryuichi was so ecstatic that Beka was letting him sing for and with her that he could barely contain himself. That was something that changed drastically as he began to sing the song with her. As he heard her voice as she sang her part he turned to her with his mouth slightly gaping.

K listened intently as Ryuichi literally stopped singing. He watched vicariously as Beka took over, tears welling up in his eyes as he heard her voice and the words she sung. Her voice was so beautiful, like an angel's voice, that it made one want to cry as it was. However, the sadness and emotion behind this song was even more heart wrenching. As the coda neared and both Beka and Ryuichi sung the song together the tears in his eyes slowly slid down his cheeks. "Perfect…" he said in a voice that was barely above a whisper. "This song was made for the two of them to sing together…" he added. Their voices were blending perfectly together and went masterfully with the music. He could also hear the hurt starting to enter Ryuichi's voice as he was bombarded by the meaning of the songs finally.

After the song was finished Beka cleared her throat as the knot in it showed itself once more. She lowly excused herself and exited the room, leaving the studio. She entered the women's washroom and closed the door, locking it behind her. Leaning against the door she allowed the tears to spring forth and slide down her cheeks as she herself slid down the door to her knees. Closing her eyes she took several deep shuddering breaths.

K watched as Beka left the studio in a hurry and sighed. He turned to see Ryuichi standing next to him with a worried look on his face. "She will be ok, Ryuichi-san. She's just a bit sad right now." He reached over and petted the guy on the head with a reassuring smile.

"K-san, why is she so sad?" Ryuichi asked in a small hurt voice. "Did I do something wrong?"

K shook his head and patted his back. "No, Ryuichi-san, it wasn't you. Her girlfriend broke up with her," he said as he went to the door. "Stay here; I will go check on her. I'll be back in a minute." He saw the other two men nod and left the room. He went to the washroom and knocked on the door lightly. "Beka-kun?" he asked as he put his ear to the door. He could hear her sobs and sighed heavily. "Beka-kun, unlock the door and let me in, please?" he asked already knowing she was the only one in there. She was the only female in the building that day oddly enough.

Beka scooted over away from the door and reached up unlocking it. She sniffled and swallowed hard against new tears that were threatening to come out as she heard the door open. Hugging her knees to her chest tightly once more, she closed her eyes and buried her face in her arms, her forehead resting against her knees.

K entered the washroom, closing the door behind him with out saying a word. He slipped down next to her and wrapped his arms around her tenderly once more. Resting his cheek against her back as he held her in silence, he silently began to wonder if she would ever be able to stop crying. He knew she needed to let the tears out though, and he was just thankful that he could be there so she wouldn't have to do so by herself. As he heard her sobs die down he hugged her to him a bit further. With a sigh he lifted his head and rested his chin on her shoulder. He nuzzled her neck softly and placed a light kiss on her cheek. "I promise it will get better," he finally said lowly.

Beka didn't say anything merely shifted, leaning over and placing her head in his lap. As she felt him petting her hair and cheek she let out a small sigh. "I shouldn't have let him sing them. I shouldn't have even tried to sing them. It hurts enough just playing the music for them." She sniffled slightly as she buried her face in his lap further.

K looked down at her, a soft sympathetic smile on his lips. His attention was then shifted to a knock sounding on the door. He and Beka both looked up as it cracked and of all things Ryuichi's pink bunny popped inside. He lifted an eyebrow at the sight and shook his head with a sigh.

"Kumagorou wants to make Beka-kun feel better," Ryuichi's voice said from the other side of the door.

Beka and K watched as the pink rabbit slowly slid down to rest on the floor next to them and the door closed. As she sat there looking down at the stuffed animal that was always in Ryuichi's possession, she couldn't help the smile that started to form on her lips. She reached over and picked it up, bringing it to her chest and hugging it warmly. Inhaling deeply, she had to smile further. The thing smelled just like Ryuichi's cologne where he was always holding it. She nuzzled her nose into it and let out a murmur of approval.

K watched her with a small smile on his lips as well. In that moment she looked so young to him. 'She is young though,' he reminded himself. 'She may be one of the most talented people around, but she is still only 16' he thought. It surprised him at how often he actually forgot that fact because she was so talented and well spoken. 'Plus she never really had a childhood, so in a lot of ways she just like Ryuichi,' he then thought. He petted her lightly on her back as he watched her snuggle with the stuffed animal. Finally with a silent sigh he leaned back, resting his head against the wall behind him. "I don't want you spending the night by yourself until you feel better, Beka-kun," he began as he slightly shifted to get in a better position so he and Beka both would be more comfortable for the moment. "After we get through here at the studio I will bring you to your apartment to get some stuff," he continued as he started to play with her hair. "Then I will bring you to my place. You can stay there with me until you feel better."

Beka sniffled one last time as she looked up at K. With a small smile she held Kumagorou up to him. "Kumagorou said he wants him and Ryuichi-san to stay too," she said in a playful and childish tone.

K lifted an eyebrow at her as he seen how childish she was being. Though when he saw the small glimmer of hope that danced across her features he smiled softly and nodded. "Ok, they can stay too," he said and had to give a chuckle when the girl squealed happily. He watched her dart up and over to the sink, fixing her make-up once more. He then stood himself as he seen she was done and opened the door for her.

Beka felt incredibly better now. She skipped down the hall back to the studio, hugging the bunny to her lovingly as K followed behind her. When she opened the door and skipped in to the room a huge smile flashed on to Ryuichi's face. As K entered and closed the door behind him, Beka skipped up to Ryuichi holding Kumagorou out to him. "Kumagorou wants you to stay at K-san's with me and him for a couple days," she said in a small voice.

Ryuichi beamed further as he took his bunny back and looked over at his manager. "Can I?" he asked in a boyish voice. When he seen K nod he too squealed and began to bounce about cheerily.

Beka smiled happily and went about her work as normal. Stopping for a short while to work on some of her writing she had been working on lately. Occasionally jotting down scores to scrap paper for a song she was humming as she went on doing the other things. She was notorious for doing that no matter where she was or who she was with. She was always working on new music and such.

K smiled at her softly and watched as she and Ryuichi tinkered around with her music. He had to admit that when Beka and Ryuichi worked together it always surprised him at how well their two styles went together. He was incredibly relieved that she seemed to be doing better also. He supposed it came from knowing she wouldn't have to be alone for at least the next few nights and it put him to ease further to know it as well.

Ryuichi finally settled into the groove Beka was going in and was beaming because he was getting to help her. He was ecstatic because he would get to spend the next few days with both her and K. He was also happy and relieved that his Kumagorou was able to help her to stop crying earlier. He was happy Kumagorou and he could be there for her while she was sad.

Beka smiled as she stopped to watch Ryuichi bounce about the studio a few times before returning to her and what they were doing. After waiting a few moments to see if the man was settled back down she went back to working on her music. She had come up with a new arrangement idea for one of the songs she had been working on. As she went about mixing the different sounds she wanted for the song she began to loose herself in her work once more. It seemed no time at all had passed before everyone's lunches had arrived. As she heard the intercom buzz to life with K's voice she jumped and looked up.

K chuckled slightly at the startled jerk the girl made. He then cleared his throat slightly. "Lunch is here, time to take a break, Beka-kun," he said, the amusement still present in his voice. He watched as she gave a small nod and went about stopping the music samples.

Ryuichi had finally left Beka alone to work on her music by herself for a little while and was now sitting in one of the chairs, spinning in circles with the ever present Kumagorou in his lap. Stopping in mid spin he looked over to the door of the sound proof area as Beka exited. Giving a joyous laugh, the man jumped up and attacked her with hugs. "Your music sounds great, Beka-kun!" he exclaimed as he went on huggling the girl tightly. "When Beka-kun is done with the new arrangement can Ryuichi-san and Kumagorou sing with her again?" he then asked.

Beka grunted as she tried to pry the over enthused man off her. When she finally succeeded she took several deep breaths in. Looking over at K and seeing the expression on his face she could not help but give a small embarrassed laugh. He was holding up her food with a huge grin and was making his eyebrows dance up and down. She could feel the heat flood her face from the knowing actions he was displaying. "I suppose, if we do it like earlier," she replied as she walked over to K and grabbed her food. "Which means you have to sing them like they are written," she finished as she plopped down and began to take her food out of the bags.

K chuckled and turned his attention to his own food. He sat there silently listening as he began to eat. Every once in a while, though, he would glance over to the girl, happy to see she was still wearing a smile. "Oh, by the way, Beka-kun," he began as he turned to face her completely. He leaned over and picked up the girl's purse and held it up in her direction. "Do not forget to take your medicine," he finished with a bright smile.

Ryuichi ate his food with small noises of approval with almost each bite. He looked up to see Beka take her purse and excuse herself. He then looked over at K with a small frown. "Is Beka-kun sick? Why does she have to take medicine? What is it for?" the man asked in a small childish and worried tone.

K looked over to him and smiled reassuringly at him. "Beka-kun is diabetic, remember? She has to take her shot." He then went back to eating his own lunch, wondering if the girl was truly feeling better as her behavior suggested. Glancing over for a second to see Ryuichi nod and go back to eating himself he gave a relieved sigh. 'At least he isn't asking anymore questions for the time being.'

Beka went into the women's washroom and took out the small black case that had her diabetic supplies and such in it. She took out a small syringe and the vial of insulin as well as an alcohol pad she laid them on the counter of the sink. She then pulled her shirt up and opened the alcohol pad, swabbing the area she was going to take the shot in. She then drew out the amount of insulin she would need and injected it in her stomach. Recapping the needle she threw it in the trash as well as the used alcohol pad. Placing the insulin back in the case she closed it, zipping it shut. She dropped it back into her purse as she exited the washroom and returning to the studio.

Ryuichi smiled at the girl as she came back in and then went back to eating. Occasionally he would stop and start talking to Kumagorou momentarily about how excited he was they were going to get to sing with Beka again before continuing to eat. After seeing a song once he had it memorized, so when he was finished eating he went and got the lyrics to the songs he was going to be singing with her and went over them.

K watched the two of them as he sat quietly and ate his meal. After a few moments he noticed Beka got out a sketch pad and some charcoal and began to draw. He looked over to the empty containers that her food had been in and grinned as he saw that she had eaten the entire meal for a change. As he finished his lunch he threw away the empty containers from his as well as Beka and Ryuichi's. He then sat back down, contentedly watching Beka as she drew.

After about an hour of drawing, Beka looked up and smiled at K who she knew had been watching her. She held the picture out to him and beamed as he took it. "What does K-san think?" she asked hopefully as she watched him look over the picture.

Ryuichi ran over behind K and looked at the picture Beka had drawn, instantly letting out a happy squeal. "It's amazing Beka-kun!" he said a bit shrilly and started bouncing around the room again with his bunny in his famous happy dance.

K laughed at Ryuichi's display and turned to look at Beka. "It is amazing, Beka-kun," he answered and looked back at the drawing. He took in the fine details and careful shading of the picture and smiled further. It was a sketch of a person's face, though the only detail was the eyes. Everything else was blended in shadows. He then looked up at her with a questioning look. "Why are you working on art when you are supposed to be working on you music?" he asked curiously.

Beka giggled and nodded towards the picture. "It's an idea I thought of for the cover art of the album, so it is for my music" she said and stuck her tongue out at him with a wink. She beamed further when she heard him laugh and jumped up. Grabbing Ryuichi, she started dancing about the studio with him and Kumagorou. After a few moments she stopped to catch her breath and looked over at K. With a small sigh she grabbed Ryuichi and dragged him in to the sound proof area of the studio and nodded at Michael to start recording.

Michael gave a nod and a laugh as he turned on the mix board and gave the pair of musicians the thumbs up to show he was ready. Turning to K he smiled and nodded towards the two in the other room. "They are quite the hyper pair aren't they?" he asked and seen the other man nod with a smile. "How do you keep up with the two of them?" he asked with a hearty laugh.

"Practice and patience," K answered with a bright smile as he turned his attention to the pair. He watched as Beka tinkered around for a few moments before announcing that she was ready to start. He then sat back and watched waiting to hear the newest version of the songs she had created.

Ryuichi stood and listened to the music for a moment as he waited the signal from Beka to begin the singing. Once he was given the signal he turned to the microphone and began to sing the lyrics. With his eyes closed he crooned out the words to the music. Allowing the song to take over him he slipped in to his 'other' self; a self that usually only showed itself when he sung.

Beka smiled sadly as she played the music to the song and listened to Ryuichi's voice singing the lyrics. After the first song was finished she gave him a nod. "That was excellent Ryuichi-san. The next one is the one that I sing as well," she said and seen him nod happily. As she started the music she closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, preparing herself for what had to be the saddest of the songs she was working on for her new album which was the title song.

K watched timidly listening to Beka and Ryuichi as they began to sing the next song together. Once more he was in complete awe at how well their voices went together. Unaware of it, his muscles tensed of their own accord as the coda neared and both began to sing together. It was the part that had disturbed Beka so much earlier, so he was quite relieved when she actually got through it with out much of an incident this time. Once the song was finished he cleared his throat and spoke to them via the microphone. "That was great, you two! It is getting pretty late now though so we should wrap things up for the day. We still need to stop by your places to get you some stuff before we head to my house," he said and seen them nod.

Ryuichi tore the headphones off and ran over to Beka, hugging her tightly. "Ryuichi-san loves singing with Beka-kun!" he exclaimed and then released the girl. He took Kumagorou out of his shirt and held him up to her and began to speak as the rabbit. "Me too! Me too!" he chimed out for the bunny.

Beka laughed and shook her head as she turned off her equipment and took the headphones off. She then went to work gathering up the music sheets and her few belongings she had with her. As she exited the sound proof room of the studio with Ryuichi trailing after her she stopped to thank Michael for his help and then turned to K. "I have to stop at the pharmacy next to the Medical Building first to pick up some new prescriptions," she informed him.

K nodded wondering what kind of prescriptions they were. Standing with a stretch and a groan he looked at the two of them and nodded. "Let's get going then," he said and waved them to follow. They made their way through the building to the parking garage and piled in the van. He started the motor and drove the small distance to the pharmacy, parking to wait on Beka to get her medicine.

Ryuichi shifted in the back seat and looked up at K through the rearview mirror with a pouting expression. "I thought you said Beka-kun wasn't sick. If she wasn't then she wouldn't need to get new medicine," he complained boyishly. He then took his bunny and started to snuggle it. "K-san lied to us, Kumagorou, doesn't that make you sad?" he asked the stuffed animal. He held it up to K's shoulder and made it nod. "Yes, it makes us very sad!" he said for the rabbit.

K sighed and shook his head, his hand on the hilt of his gun. His eye twitched several times as he tried to contain himself to keep from pulling the weapon. "I didn't know she had new prescriptions until she told me before we left, Ryuichi-san, so please, stop pouting," he remarked in a carefully controlled voice.

Beka paid for the prescriptions and thanked the pharmacist. She dropped them in her purse as she turned and exited the building, going back to the van. As she climbed back in and buckled her seat belt she met the worried expression of Ryuichi and the upset look on K's face. She noted he had his hand on his gun and looked back and forth between the two, swallowing hard. "It's nothing…Guthers-san just thought that some sedatives and tranquillizers would help me right now," she said in a defeated tone as she settled back in her seat.

Ryuichi frowned and then turned his attention to Kumagorou, talking to him. Every few seconds he would look up at the two in the front seats and then back to the bunny. He would whisper something to the stuffed animal and then glance back up before returning his gaze to the toy in his arms.

K looked over at Beka with a soft expression as he finally released the hilt of his gun and began to drive off towards her apartment. "Why didn't you tell me about this earlier, Beka-kun?" he asked his tone soft and full of worry.

Beka sighed and rubbed her face slightly before turning her gaze to K as he drove. "I didn't want to worry you about it. As it is you have been coddling me all day long. I really don't like being the center of that kind of attention." She then turned in her seat to look out the window as they drove to her apartment. Finally after a few moments of silence she turned back to him. "The nightmares are back. They started again after she left. That's why Guthers-san wanted me to take the new medicines. She said it would at least help me to sleep."

Ryuichi looked up and glanced between the two in the front seats once more. He then turned to his bunny and snuggled it. "So sad, so sad," he began. "Poor Beka-kun, we wish we could make her feel better don't we, Kumagorou?" he asked the rabbit. He made it nod and answer with a pathetic yes.

K glanced in the rearview mirror and then over to Beka before he returned his gaze back to the road. He sighed heavily and gave a small sad chuckle. "I do too," he said and reached over to pet the girl on the leg. "I'm sorry if I have been to overprotective today. I am just really worried about you. The two of you were together for almost three years," he replied and glanced back to her then to the road again. "I know how hard a break up is, especially when it comes with out warning like yours did." After a moment of thought he gave another sad chuckle. "I truly thought the two of you would be together forever," he added as a tear welled up in the corner of his eye.

Beka gave a small smile and nodded. "I did too…" she began. She then stopped and sniffled slightly. Picking up her purse she took a small piece of paper out of it. It was the note that she had found left on their bed when girl had left. She then re-read the words scribed on it.

I know this is sudden, but I have left. I have to ask you though; do not try to find me.

I hope that some day you will understand

And be able to forgive me for this.

I hope with all my heart that you find the

Peace, happiness, and love that you

Deserve in life. Just know that even

Though I have left like this, I will always

And forever love you with all my heart.

I will always be devoted to you and you alone. I'm sorry; A-chan.

As the van came to a stop in front of her apartment complex she handed the note to K.

Ryuichi leaned forward to see what was going on and read over the note and frowned. He then sat back in his seat and hugged Kumagorou to him tightly. He didn't know why people had to hurt others like that. He was so angry at A-chan for leaving Beka this way. Why? Why with only a small note like that? He thought it to be the cowards way out which made him even angrier at the girl.

K read the note over and over before he looked back to the girl with a dark and sad expression. "She shouldn't have done it like this. No wonder you're in such bad shape right now." He read over the note one last time before he returned it to her. "I don't even remember the two of you ever having any fights or even raising your voices to one another. You always seemed so happy together," he said and then added as a second thought; "I wonder when she thought it was starting to go bad to do something like this…"

Beka shrugged helplessly and sighed. Unfastening her seatbelt she opened the door and exited the van. Almost as if it were a second thought she popped her head back inside. "Would the two of you like to come up for a few minutes while I gather my things?" she asked softly. She then forced a lighthearted smile and added; "I think there is a few cold beers left in the fridge from the last time Eiri-san visited."

Ryuichi looked at the girl and knew instantly that she didn't want to be alone and nodded. "Kumagorou and I would love to visit Beka-kun's apartment for a few minutes!" he chimed. He undid his seat belt and jumped out of the van, stretching slightly. He walked over to her and wrapped an arm about her shoulders, flashing a bright smile at her.

K smiled sympathetically at her and nodded. "A cold beer does have its appeal right now," he replied and exited the van himself. He went over to the other two and placed an arm around Beka's waist as Ryuichi had placed one around her shoulder. As they walked in to the complex together through the lobby, he noted the evening manager at the desk look up at them with a disapproving glare. Placing his free hand on the hilt of his gun he looked straight at the man who quickly averted his gaze to something on his desk which caused K to give a smirk.

Beka smiled as she walked between the two men, finding great comfort in the small show of affection they gave her by having their arms around her. Stopping in front of the elevator she punched the up button. Once they were in the gantry she hit the '5' button and waited as they were brought to the floor of her apartment. When the doors opened she broke free of the two men and went to her door. Fishing her keys out of her purse she unlocked the door to the domicile and entered. She half way noted that K and Ryuichi entered behind her and sighed. "Beer is in the fridge. Help yourself" she remarked to K as she disappeared down the short hallway to her bedroom.

Ryuichi ran over to the balcony doors and looked out with a smile. "Beka-kun has a great view of the city!" he purred in approval. He then turned as he heard a can being popped open to see K take a drink of a beer. "I don't see how anyone drinks that stuff. It doesn't taste good at all," he quipped as he went over to the couch and sat down. He watched as the other man took a second drink and shook his head with a chuckle.

K smiled and nodded at Ryuichi and then held the can up. "It is an acquired taste I suppose." He then turned his attention toward the bedroom and sighed. "I am going to go check on Beka-kun, be good." He looked over to see him nod and snuggle his stuffed bunny and shook his head with a smile. He then turned and walked down the hall to the bedroom door as he took another drink of beer, stopping to lean leisurely against the frame. He watched apprehensively as the girl went about placing several outfits in to a duffle bag. "You ok," he finally asked in a low tone of voice as he seen her stop. He took another drink of the beer as he watched her closely.

Beka looked up at K, her lower lip quivering as tears formed in her eyes. Sniffling she nodded and swiped at the tears slightly. "I will be fine," she finally answered in a barely audible voice after a moment. With a sigh she zipped the bag closed and turned to her nightstand. She took out a few books and reading glasses, placing them in an overnight bag she had already placed several blank music sheets and art supplies in. She then made her way over to her vanity and gathered up her make-up and placed it in a small make-up bag. Bringing it over to the overnight bag she dropped it inside and closed it. "I'm ready," she said as she picked up the two bags and walked over to him.

K nodded and finished the remaining beer he held. As they went to leave he walked next to her stopping long enough to motion Ryuichi they were ready to leave and to drop the empty beer can in the waste can. They walked in silence back to the van and piled back in to it. He started the motor and drove off, feeling uneasy at the stillness in the small confines of the vehicle. A short drive later they were in front of Ryuichi's apartment. He watched as the man jumped out of the van and ran up to his door and disappeared before he allowed his gaze to fall upon a quiet Beka next to him. Not knowing what to say he merely reached over and touched her cheek tenderly with a smile.

Beka looked at K with dark eyes and smiled briefly before she returned her eyes to Ryuichi's door to watch for him to exit the building. Wordlessly she reached up and grasped his hand, bringing it to rest in her lap. She lightly squeezed the man's hand with her own and leaned her head back against the head rest of the seat. Slowly her eyes shut and as she wondered how many times she had sat next to A-chan, holding her hand as she now did K's.

Ryuichi went about his apartment in a whirl, grabbing a few outfits and what ever else he thought of that he may need. He finally stopped for a moment in the living room and grabbed his favorite C.D's and placed them in the bag with the clothes and other odds and ends. He then smiled brightly as he grabbed a Chinese checkers game and stuffed it in the bag as well before closing it and heading for the door. He closed the door and made sure it was locked then ran back down to the van. He jumped in quickly and fastened his seatbelt before he finally looked up. "I'm ready to go!" he chimed happily.

K glanced back over his shoulder with a small smile. "Then let's get going, shall we?" he asked as he reluctantly pulled his hand away from Beka. Starting the engine once more he pulled out and drove off in the direction of his house. Again he was unsettled by the silence that had fallen over the van. A short time later he pulled in to his driveway and killed the engine of the van. "Well, let's get inside," he said, glancing at his watch. "It's almost time for Beka-kun's favorite television program."

Beka looked over at him for a second before she realized that he was right. She had forgotten all about the show until just now. It was an art program that was on a local channel that she always watched. She nodded finally and gathered her stuff, hoisting it over her shoulder as she exited the van. Walking around the front of the vehicle, she came up to K and stood beside him as they watched Ryuichi explode out of the backseat and close the door. Shaking her head she turned and started to walk to the front door with K right beside her.

As Beka and Ryuichi settled down on the couch K flipped on the television to the channel that played her favorite show. He then disappeared in to his bedroom as they watched the program. Picking up the phone he dialed Yuki Eiri's number and waited for the man to answer. As he heard the other man's voice echo over the phone he smiled. "Eiri-san its K, I thought you should know that your sister is going through a rather difficult time right now. Her girlfriend left her last week with out warning."

"I see. I will come to New York then, I should be there in two days tops," Eiri's voice said sadly on the other end before hanging up.

K sighed and hung the phone up and turned. He walked over to the closet and opened the door, looking through all the similar outfits that hung inside it. He then pushed back the shirts and pants to expose a small safe tucked away in the back left corner. He stooped down and punched in the familiar combination, which was the numerical value of Beka's birthday. Opening it he looked inside at the files that he had collected over the past three years. He took out the one that was on top, leafing through it. He knew that what was inside the file was something that Eiri didn't know. It was something that Beka had kept from him, and had even tried to keep hidden from even him. He closed the safe door, resetting the digital lock on it, and crossed the room. He then slipped the file in his hand in to the drawer of his nightstand. He knew it was time for Eiri to see it and the information it held inside. 'It may hold the reasons why A-chan left,' he thought to himself as he sat down on the edge of his bed to gather his thoughts.

Ryuichi was snuggled on the couch as he watched the art program with Beka. He had started to fall in and out of slumber, bored because K had disappeared on them. After the program was over he seen Beka get out her art supplies and smiled happily as he watched her begin to sketch something. He brought his bunny up to snuggle it against his chest as he watch the girl work.

Beka hummed to herself lightly as she drew, occasionally stopping to jot down the score to it before returning to her art. She loved drawing almost as much as she loved music. She smiled and thought, 'I love anything creative'. Suddenly a frown darkened her face briefly before the girl shifted to lounge on her stomach in the floor in front of the couch. She then went back to work on the picture she was drawing and on the music she was humming.

Eiri sighed as he stood looking down at the phone. 'Why didn't she call when it happened?' he wondered. He heard Shuichi come in and looked over at him with a sad smile. "I have to leave shortly, my baby sister isn't feeling well and I need to go be with her for a few days." He crossed the room and went up to his lover, touching his cheek softly. "I trust you will be good while I'm gone?" he asked and seen the boy nod. With a chuckle he leaned down, placing a light kiss on the boy's cheek.

"What happened to her, Yuki? Is everything ok?" Shuichi asked as he went over to sit on the couch. Today had been a rather busy day for him and he was exhausted. He seen his boyfriend nod and go back over to the phone.

Eiri picked up the phone, ignoring Shuichi for the moment, and dialed his brother's number, tapping his foot impatiently as the call rang through. Finally when the boy answered he sighed. "Tatsuha, we need to go to New York as soon as possible," he said in to the receiver with out introducing himself. It was not need.

"I see," Tatsuha said as he looked over at the clock on the wall. "I should be ready in thirty minutes tops." He reached up and rubbed the back of his head as he thought for a second. He knew this was about their sister, Beka. She was only a year younger then he was, so they had always been really close. He had already known that something was wrong with her for the simple fact he had been in a really depressed mood all week. That was something that only happened when something was wrong with her. Though he hadn't figured it was so bad that he and Eiri would have to go to New York to see her. "What happened to her? How bad is it?" he asked his brother, the worry starting to resonate in his voice. He was beginning to feel like punching the wall knowing that his baby sister was obviously in some type of crisis.

Eiri sighed and shook his head. "I don't know how bad it is yet. All I was told was A-chan left her this past week. She's having a hard time with it and she needs us to be there with her. I will pick you up in thirty, be ready or I will leave with out you." With that he hung up the phone and went in to his bedroom, packing a small suitcase with a couple outfits and the other things he would need. He heard a rustling at the door and turned to see Shuichi leaning against the door frame. "Its ok, I will be back in a few days, maybe a week. Depending on how fast she gets to feeling better," he replied as he went back to packing.

"I know, it's just, I have never seen you like this. You don't get this way over Tatsuha-san or Mika-san," Shuichi remarked as he went over to the man, wrapping his arms around his waist and resting his head against his back. "She means a lot to you, doesn't she?" he asked softly.

Eiri nodded and smiled. "She means the world to me, and to Tatsuha. She is the baby of the family so he and I try our best to look out for her any way we can."

"But Mika-san doesn't?" Shuichi asked in a low voice as he hugged into the man further.

"No, she doesn't. She, as well as our parents, disowned Beka three years ago when she got involved with another girl." Eiri sighed and turned to Shuichi and hugged him to him warmly. "I wish you could meet my baby sister, her name is Beka. She is only sixteen, yet she makes me and my novels look amateur. She is quite talented and well spoken. She too is a musician." He smiled further as he added; "She graduated University at the age of twelve with majors in art, literature, and music."

Shuichi looked up at Eiri and the soft expression that played on his face as he thought of his little sister. He then thought of how he had said their parents and older sister disowned her for going out with a girl. "Your parents sound like major idiots to disown her for being with a girl. They don't care about us being together, what's the difference?" he asked as he fought back tears that threatened to spring forth on the girl's behalf, though he had never met her and only heard about her a few times.

"None, there is no difference, that is just the way they are." Eiri smiled down at the boy and sighed heavily. Leaning forward, he drew him in to what had to be the tenderest kiss he had given him. Finally with great reluctance he withdrew from him and turned, picking up his suitcase. "I have to go now. I will come back as soon as I can. Feel free to have Hiro-kun over while I'm gone to keep you company." With that he left to go pick up Tatsuha.

Tatsuha was standing outside his apartment when his brother pulled up to the sidewalk. He walked over and opened the back door, tossing his bag into the back seat. Closing it he then opened the passenger side front door and climbed in. "You're late by the way. By ten minutes. What happened? Did you have to say good-bye to your lover?" the boy jested in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere which was thick and heavy.

"Something like that now shut up and put your seatbelt on so we can go." Eiri looked over at him and rolled his eyes. He then pulled out and headed to the airport.

About an hour past before K went back in the living room of his house. He seen Beka stretched out on the floor on her stomach with headphones on. He noted a few rough sketches laying out in front of her and a few music sheets with scores jotted down on them. He smiled lightly and went over to her, coming to rest on his knees. Placing a hand on her shoulder he couldn't help but laugh when she jumped.

Beka took the headphones off as she sat up and looked at K with a disapproving glare. "I wish you would stop sneaking up on me like that K-san." She then looked over to see Ryuichi had fallen asleep and smiled. "Where did you go for so long? Waiting for you to come back wore poor Ryuichi-san out."

"I had to make a few business phone calls and such." K turned and looked at the slumbering Ryuichi for a moment before he turned his gaze back to the girl. "I also made a personal call on your behalf. I called Eiri-san," he said as he braced himself for the tirade he was certain the girl would throw. He was surprised when he heard her give a short giggle and tilted his head in questioning.

"I wondered when you would call him. I'm actually surprised you didn't phone him as soon as I told you. When did he say he would be here?" Beka asked. She was quite relieved to know that her eldest brother, more then likely both of her brothers, would soon be there for her.

"He said in no more then two days though I wouldn't be surprised if he showed up as soon as tomorrow evening." K looked down at the floor; a bit ashamed that he had went behind the girl's back to tell her brother what had happened. Though the emotion was quickly stunted by the simple fact that he knew she needed her brothers more then him at the moment. He felt a sharp twinge in his chest then that reminded him of how much he wished that he was the one that she needed most and had to sigh. Finally a few minutes later he lifted his hand, gently hooking a finger under her chin to tilt her face up to his. Leaning forward, he placed a light kiss on her forehead and then each of her cheeks. He then moved slightly until his lips were just a small breadth away from her's. "You should take a nice hot bath; it will make you feel better. While you're in the bath I will call in an order for dinner."

Beka flushed deeply at how close K's lips were to her own. They were so close she could feel their warmth. Confused at this sudden display he was showing, she nodded at his suggestion and stood. She turned and walked away, going into the bathroom and closing the door. With a sigh she leaned against the cool wood and closed her eyes. 'What is happening…I don't understand…' she thought. She then walked over to the bathtub and began to run a hot bath for herself.

Ryuichi had woken up and had seen the display between K and Beka. Sitting up slowly he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Why did K-san almost kiss Beka-kun? Does he like her?" he asked in a childish voice.

K turned and looked at Ryuichi and sighed. He stood and went to the couch, sitting down next to him with a defeated smile. "Yeah, K-san does like Beka-kun. But I know that it isn't right for me to say or do anything about it, not now of all times. That is why I didn't actually kiss her." He leaned back in his seat and sighed heavily. "Why oh why does everything have to always be so complicated when it comes to a Uesugi?" he asked overdramatically with a wave of his hand.

Ryuichi gave a laugh and shook his head. "Because the Uesugi clan is notorious for being cursed with to much intellect," he quipped. "They allow their minds to dictate their hearts because of it." He looked over to his bag and smiled further. He went and took out the Chinese checkers game he had placed in it and took it over to where K was on the couch.

"The Uesugi family, they are like Chinese checkers. Each move has either a direct or indirect effect on all other pieces around them." He took the game out of its box and set it up. After a moment he picked up a red piece and showed it to K. "Beka-kun. When Beka-kun met A-chan and they started going out, that caused an effect with her sister and parents," he began and placed the piece down on the board. He then picked up a second piece and held it up. "Beka-kun's mother and father. They disowned Beka-kun for her feelings for A-chan." He placed the piece down and picked up a third piece. "Wanting approval of their parents her sister then disowned her."

K watched as Ryuichi laid the third piece down and picked up another one and placed it with the one that he had said was the parents to make a pair. He was surprised that he actually understood any of this but he did. Ryuichi was telling the story using the game to emphasize his point quite effectively. The guy may seem dense and simple minded most of the time but he was quite intelligent.

Ryuichi picked up another piece and held it out. "A-chan. She fell in love with Beka-kun, and was disowned, not for the same reasons though. A-chan was disowned because Beka-kun is Japanese and not American." He placed the piece and retrieved another one. "A-chan and Beka-kun moved in together, unwanted by their families. They only had each other." As he picked up another piece he smiled. "Beka-kun's two brothers arrived, telling the girls they would support their decision to be together," he said and placed it with the two that represented the two girls. He placed the next piece with it to symbolize the other brother as well.

K nodded and reached down picking up a blue piece. "K-san entered the picture with Ryuichi-san. He showed the girls support as well." He placed his piece symbolizing himself down with the four representing the girls and Beka's brothers. He looked up to see Ryuichi nod and smile brightly in approval. He saw the man motion him to continue so he did. Picking up another piece he smiled. "Ryuichi-san becomes friends with the two girls as well as K-san." He laid the piece down and picked up another one. He stopped and looked at it darkly knowing exactly what it was that that particular piece represented.

Ryuichi nodded and gave a grim expression as he plucked the piece out of K's hand. "Something bad happens to Beka-kun. A-chan feels guilty and blames herself." He laid the piece down in place of the original piece that had represented A-chan. "That is when it changed, when A-chan changed. That is when 'eyes of change' was born."

K gasped and looked at Ryuichi. How could the man have seen that? More over, how could he have not seen it? That was when things changed. It was two years ago. K picked up another piece finally and looked at it. He then replaced the one that represented him with it and nodded. "That is when K-san realized how important Beka-kun had become to him and how deeply he cared for her." He sighed and shook his head as he thought; 'That was the day I used my gun in earnest. Something I never told Beka-kun, though I know she has her suspicions.' Pushing the thought aside he plucked up another piece. "Beka-kun's brothers hold good to their promise to take care of the two girls and protect their decision to be together. That was the day that things went bad for Eiri and Tatsuha with their parents."

Ryuichi nodded and sighed. "You see the whole picture now, don't you K-san?" he asked and seen the man nod. "You are going to tell her brothers what happened that day two years ago, aren't you?" he asked and again seen him nod. "They should have been told then. But Beka-kun, she never told anyone. Not even K-san. He found out any way though." He reached out and touched the hilt of K's gun with a finger. "I know what K-san did to protect Beka-kun." He looked up to see the shock on the man's face and shook his head. "I also know that her brothers helped to cover it up. I always knew. I knew you were going to before you did it. I will never tell anyone though, K-san. Truth is I would have done it as well. I was going to do it but you got there before I did."

K looked at the man in shock. This was not the loving Ryuichi that he had known for the past three years. This was a man that could cause harm to someone over a person that was dear to him. 'Just like me,' he thought and nodded. "I understand, Ryuichi-san. I am glad I did beat you to it. You are too much of a kind soul to do something like that. It would have destroyed you in the long run."

Ryuichi looked at K with a dark expression and shook his head vigorously. "It would have been worth it. It would have been for Beka-kun."

Beka sunk down in to the steaming water and sighed. Closing her eyes she allowed the decadence of the hot water lapping at her to soothe away her worries for the time being. She then slowly began to slip in to deep thoughts of the past three years of her life and of memories of A-chan. She and the girl had gotten along from the moment they had met. Quickly they became friends and started to go every where and do everything together. There had also been an instant attraction between the two, though neither of them had ever even considered that they could ever be attracted to another female.

Beka smiled softly as she thought about how in the beginning A-chan had been somewhat attracted to K as well. Still, she had to admit that she could see why she was attracted to the man. He was quite handsome with his golden hair and sapphire eyes. She supposed that she had been attracted to him as well. Her mind snapped back to a few moments prior, when K had almost kissed her. She could feel the heat flood her face and she shook the thought from her mind quickly. Slowly her mind went back to thoughts of A-chan. She had been so incredibly bashful in the beginning, always blushing deeply every time she would pay the girl a compliment.

A bright earnest smile lit up Beka's face as memories of her and A-chan's first date came to the surface of her mind. She had been so beautiful that evening. Her long dark hair had been down, cascading around her shoulders and sweeping across her back. The long loose tendrils of ringlets had looked to her like silk swaying back and forth on her back as they had walked down the Metropolitan area. She swore she could still smell the vanilla and coconut of the girl's perfume.

She had looked so much like an angel that day in the outfit she had worn. The long sleeves of the white satin shirt had glowed in the evening sunlight. She had had the top three buttons of the shirt undone to just barely show off the beginning of her more then ample cleavage. She had worn a long ankle length sky blue skirt with it. Beka blushed slightly with a small smile as she recalled how the skirt had hugged the girl's round full hips so snuggly.

Eiri and Tatsuha finally were aboard the plan that would take them straight to New York with out any delays. It had taken him some doing but Eiri had finally pulled enough strings to get a flight that was nonstop to New York. He settled back in his seat for the long flight as his brother fidgeted next to him. He knew he wasn't the world's best flier so he tried to not get agitated at the boy. "Calm down, Tatsuha. It will be fine, we will get there in one piece," he assured the younger boy. He sighed as the boy shifted again and turned to him. "However, if you keep fidgeting against me like that, then you may not make it in one piece," he finally said.

Tatsuha looked at Eiri and huffed. "How in the hell can you be so calm on these things?" he asked. He was not fond of planes in the least little way and it always made him quite uncomfortable to be on one. Though he supposed that since it was for Beka's sake then he could try to at least make an effort to hold back some of his displeasure with the flying contraption. He finally settled down and leaned back, though his grip on the arm rests was so tight that his knuckles were turning white from the pressure.

"I have been on them countless times so I am used to them. Now just relax, everything will be ok. You have a better chance of being killed by Mt. Fuji erupting then you are in a plane crash." Eiri looked over at him and smiled evilly at him before turning his gaze to stare out the window.

Tatsuha swallowed hard at the mental image of being in the way of Mt. Fuji as it erupted. "Damn you have one hell of a weird way of trying to make a person feel better," he remarked as he shook the picture from his mind. With that they fell silent as they awaited take off.

K and Ryuichi finally reset the Chinese checkers board and played a game of it before K phoned in the order for their dinner. Knowing how Beka was during this time he had talked Ryuichi in to having spicy Thai again. He also called Chezer's again and ordered one of their whole 'Death by Chocolate' cakes that they were renowned for. After a little while had passed, K had went and got a book from his study and began to read, waiting on dinner to be delivered.

Ryuichi sat on the couch talking to Kumagorou about how he had played Chinese checkers with K. He began to gloat to the stuffed bunny about how he had won as well, and asked him if he had been watching. He made the bunny hop over beside K and nod. "Yes, I did. K-san got beat by Ryuichi-san!" he made the bunny speak. He then began to laugh heartily and hug the rabbit.

"Ryuichi-san, it is a good thing that Kumagorou is a stuffed animal instead of a real one," he remarked as he looked over to the guy. He seen the confused look on his face and laughed. "You would kill a real animal if you hugged it that tightly," he clarified. He seen the color drain from the man's face and shook his head. "You are too lovable for your own good, Ryuichi-san."

Ryuichi shrugged and laughed. "That is what makes Ryuichi-san Ryuichi-san." Just then the door bell rang and he jumped up with a squeal. "Dinner is here!" he said enthusiastically, doing his happy dance with his bunny. He watched K go answer the door with a huge smile on his face.

K paid for the food and thanked the delivery boy for getting it to them so quickly. He then closed the door and brought the food to the dinning area. He sat it on the table and smiled as he heard the door bell again. "That must be the dessert!" he chimed as he went back to the door. Sure enough, the delivery guy from Chezer's was there holding the bag that held the boxed cake in it. He paid for it and thanked him. He went and laid it on the table with the rest of the food and looked over to Ryuichi. "Don't get in to it yet. I will go tell Beka-kun it is here." He seen the guy nod and sit back on the couch to wait for Beka to rejoin them before eating.

Beka sighed deeply and let out a happy murmur as she recalled how she and A-chan had gone to Chezer's for their first date. It had all been so perfect and romantic, the way a first date should be. They had been too enthralled with each other to really eat much that night though and wound up only eating dessert. 'Only because we were feeding it to each other,' she thought with a small giggle. She beamed when she thought of how much A-chan loved Chezer's strawberry shortcakes. That was what they had had that night. Suddenly her reverie came to a halt as a knock sounded on the bathroom door. She jumped and sat up looking towards the door. "Yes?" she called out, the sadness returning instantly.

K was standing on the other side of the door and had to frown when he heard her answer him. "Are you ok?" he asked in a worried tone. He had half expected that as long as she had been in there that she had fallen asleep. He wasn't so sure she hadn't either. He lightly pressed his ear to the door to hear if the girl was moving around and heard water splash. A slight blush came in to his cheeks as he cleared his throat and raised a hand to rub at the back of his neck at the mental image he got.

"Yeah, I'm fine, K-san. I will be out in a few minutes." Beka pulled the plug and started to let the water out of the bath tub as she stood and got out. Grabbing a towel she began to dry off turning to her clothes.

"Ok," K answered and went to leave. He then on a second thought turned back to the door. "The food was just delivered. You might want to hurry up. I don't know how long I can keep Ryuichi-san out of it, especially the Death by Chocolate cake that I ordered for dessert." He smiled brightly as he heard the girl start to rustle around a bit faster and turned to go back to the dinning room.

Ryuichi watched as K went back to the food and began sitting it out. He went over and took a deep breath in with a smile. "It smells so yummy!" he exclaimed. Watching intently, his eyes went huge when K took the cake out of the box and set it to the side for after they ate. "Mmm, I can't wait to get a piece of the cake!" he said as he stared it down.

Beka finished dressing and went to the mirror. She quickly brushed her hair some and then pulled it back. She twisted it a few times and then clasped the bundle of tresses on top of her head to make a loose mock bun of sorts. She then turned and opened the door, going to the dinning room. Once she was at the table she smiled at the two men and sat down with them. She then remembered she had not tested her glucose level yet and excused herself to do so, telling them to go a head and start eating. She grabbed the small black case and went to the bathroom once more, taking out the tester. She tested herself and seen that her level was good enough that she wouldn't need a shot that night and smiled. She returned to the table and sat down, starting to eat her meal silently.

K and Ryuichi chattered amongst themselves as they ate their dinner, occasionally trying to include a silent Beka in the conversation. They had failed miserably though. K was glad though that at least Beka was getting a semblance of a normal appetite back. She had not eaten much for the past week but she was more then making up for it. He was amazed that she finished off her meal and then when they had the cake she had eaten two big slices of it.

Later that night K told Beka she could have his bed and he would sleep on one of the couches. Ryuichi had already laid claim to one of the two and was already fast asleep on it. Beka had nodded and thanked him. She gave him a small hug and said good-night then disappeared in to the bedroom. As she tried to rest, her mind flittered from one thought to the next restlessly. She sighed and turned over on her left side, looking at the empty space next to her. She then thought about how A-chan had always been in the empty space of the left side of the bed. In that moment the full weight of the past week pressed against her and her heart truly broke.

She began to cry, curling up in the fetal position. She felt so alone and lost then, wanting so badly to slip out of herself so she wouldn't have to deal with the pain that she was in. Then out of the blue, for the first time in several weeks, Eiri and Tatsuha's faces flashed in to her mind. She wished they were already there; wished that she could curl up with her head in one of their laps as the other sat beside them and petted her, just as they had countless times growing up.

'Eiri, Tatsuha,' she thought. 'They have always been there for me. They are always some how able to make me feel better, even under the worst of circumstances.' She then thought of how only one other person had ever been able to accomplish such a feat and that had been A-chan. Sobs racked her even further as she though of the three people she loved most in the world, Eiri, Tatsuha, and A-chan. Eiri and Tatsuha lived in Japan on the other side of the world and she didn't get to see them nearly often enough. A-chan had stolen her heart away from her and then had shattered it in to a billion pieces. She had left her so suddenly with out a word and with out so much as letting her know where she had gone. On the contrary, she had asked her not to try and find her in that stupid note she had left her.

K heard the faint cries coming from his bedroom from over top of Ryuichi's snoring and sighed. He got up and went to the room, entering with out knocking. He seen Beka curled up in a tight ball shaking fiercely with her cries. With a sad smile he went over to the bed and sat down next to her. Gently he reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Beka-kun?" he said as he gently pulled her to him. Hugging her to himself tightly, he violently cursed A-chan mentally for leaving her the way she had.

Beka clung to K as she sobbed, her heart shattering further with each second that passed. That night she cried until she couldn't anymore. Finally after she had stopped she watched as K went over to her purse and took out the new sedatives and tranquilizers, reading over the instructions. He then gave her one of the tranquilizers. She took it and gave a pathetically weak smile as she eased back down.

K smiled at and reached over, petting Beka's cheek and hair for a moment. He then turned and went to leave so she could get some rest. He was stopped by the feel of her hand grasping his wrist. He turned back around and looked down at her. "What is it Beka-kun?" he asked softly as he sat down on the side of the bed.

Beka looked up at him with dark eyes and sniffled. "Please, K…I, I don't want to be alone…" she said in a small whisper. She seen him nod and watched as he positioned himself next to her. She sighed as she moved over slightly and snuggled in to him. With her head resting on his chest, she began to listen to his heartbeat. The sound of it was strong and steady, causing a small smile to play across her lips as she allowed it to lull her to sleep.

K sighed after a while as he gently hugged the slumbering Beka. "If only you knew how much you mean to me…" he whispered as he placed a kiss on her forehead. He then closed his eyes and let sleep take him as well.

It was almost ten in the morning New York time when Eiri and Tatsuha got off the plane. It had taken around thirteen hours for the flight and both brothers were more then a little testy from the long distance they had traveled. It was also more then apparent that they both were suffering jetlag as they went to the car rental depot in the airport. Eiri had almost lost his temper with the woman who was trying her level best to help them. Finally though, they had gotten a car and were driving towards their sister's apartment. When they finally arrived and went up to the small domicile they found she wasn't there. They then went back to the lobby and asked the manager in English if he knew where she was.

"Ah, yes! Miss Beka came in last night for a few moments with a couple of guys, a Japanese fellow and an American. But then they left. She had a couple bags with her; she might have gone to spend the night with one or both of them. They seemed to be quite friendly with her, the way they both had their arms around her walking through here. The American had a gun on him too. I remember because it made me worried for her safety."

Tatsuha had had enough of the way the guy was sprouting insinuations about Beka. He slammed his fist down against the top of the desk, causing the guy to jump. He leaned over, sneering at the man. "You pompous idiot, you know my sister, she has lived her for three years and never once in those three years caused one problem for this complex. How dare you imply such things about her!" he yelled out in English with a thick Japanese accent.

Eiri sighed and shook his head, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Calm down Tatsuha. From the sounds of it she is with K-san and Sakuma Ryuichi-san. That means K must have had her stay with him," he said in Japanese trying desperately to be the voice of reason. "But I agree that this idiot had no right to imply such things. When we do find her, we will make sure she moves out of this complex. I don't want her to live somewhere that she will be accused of such outrages things. Let's go, Tatsuha. This will also be your chance to hang out with Sakuma Ryuichi-san some."

That did it. Tatsuha perked up at the thought of Ryuichi. Of course his main priority while in New York was his sister, but there was always time for Ryuichi as well. He stood up and straightened his shirt, giving the man behind the desk a scoff before walking back outside to the car.

They drove to K's house in silence though Eiri noted that Tatsuha had become quite hyper since he had mentioned he could have a chance at hanging out with the singer that was his obsession. As they pulled in the drive it was close to eleven. They seen the van parked and knew they have found Beka. They parked and got out of the car, walking up to the door, ringing the door bell.

K woke up at the sound of the door bell going off. He looked over at a still sleeping Beka and smiled. Carefully he eased away from her and got out of bed. Stretching heartily as he made his way to the door he saw Ryuichi sit up and rub at his eyes. K opened the door to meet the faces of both of Beka's brothers. "Damn you two that was fast. I didn't expect to see you until at least this evening. Come in," he said, still speaking Japanese, as he moved aside to allow them entrance in to his home and stifling a yawn.

Tatsuha entered right behind his brother, his eyes instantly falling on the freshly woken Sakuma Ryuichi. Suddenly he felt a hard smack on the back of his head and turned to look at his brother, his hand going up to rub at the sore spot the impact had made. "What the hell was that for you jerk?" he asked hotly.

Eiri lifted an eyebrow to him and snorted. "You had better behave little boy," he quipped seeing a blush form on his brother's face momentarily. He shook his head and turned his attention back to K. "Where is she?" he asked the man. He seen him point to the bed room and nodded. Turning back to his brother he sighed. "Don't just stand there, idiot, go introduce yourself. I mean it though, best behavior. I am going to go check on Beka." He turned back to K and motioned him to the side. They went in to the dinning area out of hearing range. "You might want to keep an eye on Tatsuha around Ryuichi. My brother is insanely obsessed with him and might try to molest him if given the opportunity."

K's mouth shot open at the remark. He then cleared his throat and nodded. "I understand. I will keep an eye on him and make sure he behaves like a gentleman. Beka-kun was asleep when I answered the door. She had a pretty tough night. I will tell you more about it later, right now I think I should be chaperoning those two in the living room," he said as he seen Tatsuha getting a little too close to the poor clueless Ryuichi. K excused himself and went into the living room and cleared his throat again. "Tatsuha, would you like some coffee or tea?" he asked as he crossed the room and seen the teenager shake his head with out taking his eyes off of Ryuichi. K sighed and rolled his eyes as he sat down next to the boy's intended victim. He then gave him a stern 'you better not even think about it' glare, placing his hand on his gun for further impact. He smiled happily when he seen the boy blush and sit down, behaving himself.

Eiri turned to see what was going on in the living room and sighed as he watched the three men for a moment. He then went to the bedroom to check on his sister. Entering the room he went over and sat down on the side of the bed, watching her for a moment. He then leaned over and placed a kiss on her shoulder. "Beka, sweetheart, it's Eiri," he said softly in to her ear.

Beka murmured and started to wake up. As she opened her eyes and they began to focus, she seen her eldest brother sitting next to her. Instantly she was sitting up on the bed, hugging him tightly. "Eiri…" she whimpered out as she clung to her brother.

"It's ok, Beka, I'm here," he said softly as he held his sister. He smiled softly as he pulled away slightly and nuzzled her cheek with his nose. "Tatsuha is here too. He is in the living room with K-san and Ryuichi-san." He lifted a hand and placed it on her cheek as he rested his forehead against her's. "What happened?" he finally asked after a moment.

Beka sighed and nodded as she moved away from her brother. She got out of the bed and went over to her purse and brought out the piece of paper. She brought it to him and sat down as he took it to read it.

Eiri read the piece of paper over and frowned deeply. "Was this all that was left? She didn't speak to you in person about why she left or anything?" he asked and seen her shake her head. "To do it like this," he began in a low tone. "This is the coward's way out." He then laid the paper down on the night stand and turned back to his sister, hugging her to him again. "The two of you didn't have an argument or anything?" he asked.

Beka shook her head and sniffled as she started to feel the weight of the situation again. "We never once had a fight; never once even raised our voices to each other." She buried her face in to the crook of her brother's neck and began to cry once more.

Tatsuha cleared his throat as he heard muffled cries coming from the direction of the bedroom. He frowned and shook his head. Standing up he looked at Ryuichi, who he desperately wanted to spend time with. He then looked back towards where Beka and Eiri were and knew that she needed him. He had to think of her before his own selfish wants. He turned to K and motioned towards the bedroom and seen the guy nod. He gave him a polite smile and left the living room. He went in to the bedroom and piled in the bed with his brother and sister. With out saying anything he snuggled up on the other side of Beka and hugged her warmly. "We're here for you little sister. We will make it better," he said lovingly.

Beka slipped out of Eiri's arms to rest her head in his lap as she had done countless times before. She felt him and Tatsuha petting and snuggling her and let out the cries she had been holding in the past week up until the day before. "I'm so cold…" she cried. She wrapped her arms around Eiri's waist, holding him to her tightly. "Why…why did she have to leave? What did I do wrong? What is so bad about me?" she sobbed out, pleading for answers that she knew now one had the answers to.

Eiri hushed her as he held her as best as he could in the position they were in. He looked up at Tatsuha with tears in his eyes and seen that he too was about to cry. He sighed heavily, feeling so inadequate that it infuriated him. Catching a silhouette in the corner of his eye he turned to see K standing in the door frame with much the same expression that was on his and Tatsuha's faces at the moment.

Tatsuha watched as K entered the room and went to Beka's purse. His eyes narrowed as he saw the man take two prescription bottles out and open them. He glowered at K as he took one of each out of the bottles and closed them back, replacing them in her purse. "What the hell is that?" he asked defensively.

K smiled and shook his head. "Tranquillizers and sedatives, her psychiatrist prescribed them for her yesterday. She needs to take them before she makes herself sick," he answered softly as he brought the pills with him to the bed. He sat down on the edge and touched her shoulder. "Beka-kun…sweetie you need to take these," he said as he seen her shake her head and cling to Eiri further. He looked up at the older Uesugi brother for help.

Eiri sighed and reached down, pulling Beka up to look at him. "Beka, he is telling you the truth. If Guthers-san told you to take them to help you then you should. Please," he said as he held his hand out to K. He nodded as the man dropped the medication in to his hand and then looked at Beka with a soft smile. "I know you don't like taking this kind of medicine, but right now you need it."

Tatsuha hugged his sister's back to his chest. "We only want to try and help make you feel better, honey. So please, take them? For us?" he asked as he nuzzled her neck. He felt the chill that ran through her and gave a small smile. The back of her neck had always been a ticklish spot for her. He as well as the other two men sighed in relief as she reluctantly took the pills and swallowed them. He then placed a small kiss on her shoulder. "That's a good girl."

Beka sighed and leaned back over to lay her head back in Eiri's lap. This time however, she reached up and tugged on K's hand, wanting him to be with her as well. She had been wrong last night. There weren't only two men in her life that she cared about, there were three. K was the third one. She felt better having all three of them there with her. She glanced up to see the confusion on K's face and tugged at his hand again.

Eiri smiled and petted Beka's hair as he looked at K. "She wants you to snuggle with her like we are. That's what it means when she does that when she feels like this." He then returned his eyes to his sister, wondering exactly when K had became so important to her that she wanted him to comfort her like him and Tatsuha.

K nodded and scooted over on the bed, leaning over and resting his head on her back. He sighed deeply as he wrapped his arms around her as best as he could. As he held her, his eyes closed and he silently thanked the heavens that she was allowing him to try and comfort her.

Tatsuha watched somewhat anxiously as K snuggled up to Beka so readily and eagerly. He could tell the guy cared about her as more then just a manager and friend and it worried him. She didn't need that kind of attention from anyone right now while her wounds were still bleeding. Finally though, seeing how much more at ease Beka was becoming by having the third guy there, he relaxed a bit. K was obviously a big part of her life now by the way she was accepting him in to their circle of comfort as she called it so for her sake he would accept him too. Laying his head on her shoulder, he glanced up to see Eiri nod in understanding.

Ryuichi started to feel left out of the loop as he sat in the living room by himself. He wanted to be in there with Beka too. He wanted to help make her feel better as well, not to mention he thought Tatsuha was adorable and wanted to be near the young man. Finally he stood armed with his bunny and walked into the bedroom. He took in the sight of the four of them on the bed snuggling and smiled. With out saying anything he walked over and climbed in the bed as well, handing the stuffed animal to Beka. He then masterfully maneuvered himself next to Tatsuha to be close to him as well as to comfort the girl.

Beka smiled sadly and hugged the rabbit to her and closed her eyes. She was happy that she was wrong again. There were four men with her right now, all wanting the same thing, to make her feel better. They all had dropped everything to be here with her right now. Slowly she realized that the cold that had invaded her to her core was starting to fade and be replaced with the warmth she was craving so much.

Tatsuha had to hold his breath as he seen Ryuichi join them. The singer he loved so much had settled down between him and K. He was so close to him that he could feel the heat of his skin. Gritting his teeth he tried to push the thoughts away. 'This is Beka time, not Tatsuha time,' he reminded himself. 'She is the one who is important right now.' He closed his eyes as he snuggled up to his sister even more. 'Damn he is sexy though…' he thought with a small grin.

After an hour or so everyone started to get cramped and started shifting around on the bed to get more comfortable. Eiri noted how Ryuichi had gotten dangerously close to Tatsuha and gritted his teeth, hoping that his brother didn't do anything stupid because of it. Finally he decided that it was too much temptation for his idiot brother to handle and cleared his throat. "Tatsuha, can you take my place? I need to go to the washroom," he said in a half lie. The truth was he did have to relieve his bladder before it exploded, but it was also the perfect excuse to get some distance between his brother and the man he was obsessed with. He watched as his brother nodded and maneuvered off the bed and came around to where he was. He slipped out from under a half-asleep Beka and held her head up gently as their brother slipped underneath of her. Knowing all to well how she was when she was half asleep like she was he placed a pillow on Tatsuha's lap before he laid her head down.

K looked up, half asleep himself and rubbed at his eyes. "The bathroom is down the opposite hall on the far left." He seen Eiri nod and laid his head back down on Beka's back. He was the only one so far that had not shifted around. He couldn't complain about it, he slept in more haphazard positions than that all the time. He then glanced over to see Ryuichi was falling back to sleep quite quickly.

Tatsuha looked down at Beka as she groaned and shifted slightly. He gritted his teeth as he felt her head press down hard in to his lap. "Thank God Eiri put the pillow under her head," he remarked aloud. He then looked over to K and smiled. "Has she ever slept with her head in your lap before?" he asked and seen the man shake his head. "Well if it ever happens, have a pillow between you and her head. She likes to press down quite hard," he quipped with a chuckle. He then seen the man blush and raised an eyebrow. "You care about her a lot don't you?" he asked, the true meaning behind the question echoing in his voice.

K blushed further and finally sat up to stretch. He then looked down at the now sleeping girl and smiled softly. "Yes, I do. She is really important to me. That's why I wish I would have seen the signs that her relationship was in trouble. I could have at least tried to fix it before it ended like it did." He sighed and reached out, stroking her back and hair softly. He then heard soft snoring coming from Ryuichi and smiled with a chuckle. "Well sounds like Ryuichi-san fell back to sleep," he quipped.

Tatsuha smiled and looked at the slumbering man. "I never knew he was a snorer." He reached over carefully and brushed a stray strand of hair out of Ryuichi's face. He seen he had a hand resting on Beka's shoulder and rested his own hand over top of it. He looked back at K who was smirking at him and blushed. "Sorry, I can't resist his charm."

K laughed softly and nodded. "Most people can't. With you it's a bit different though, now isn't it?" he asked playfully and saw the young guy nod with a deep blush. "It's ok, I understand. But I have to warn you, Ryuichi-san, he isn't like most people. He really isn't aware of the signs that people are attracted to him in that manner. Hell I don't even think he's ever been with anyone that way, man or woman."

Eiri had gone to the washroom and was now standing in the doorway to the bedroom listening as K and Tatsuha talked. It really hadn't surprised him to hear that K had developed feelings other then friendship for Beka. He then seen her stir slightly and sighed. "We should go in the living room if we are going to be talking so we don't wake her or Ryuichi-san up. I would like to hear about her condition last night anyway."

Tatsuha nodded and sighed in regret at the thought of leaving his sister and his slumbering love. With reluctance he slid out from under Beka with a masterful skill that came from years of practice. He then stretched and gave the sleeping pair a finally gaze before going to the doorway.

K nodded and went to his night stand pulling out the file he had tucked away inside of it the night before. He then motioned the two Uesugi brothers ahead of him. He walked in to the living room behind them and went over to the couch, sitting down heavily. He held the file up to Eiri and looked up at him with a dark expression. "That file has all the information in it about the night you two helped me cover up the 'incident'. I think its time you seen it for the simple fact that I believe it is one of the reasons A-chan disappeared like she did."

Eiri's eyes went dark at the words he heard come from K's mouth. He opened the file hesitantly and started to read over it. Not even half way through his stomach twisted and lurched. He dropped to his knees and gasped for air, the file sliding across the floor a small ways. "It…was those men…"

Tatsuha furrowed his brows at his brother's reaction. He went and picked up the file, going through it himself. "My God," he exclaimed in a whisper. "Why did she not tell us?" he asked to no one in general.

"This can't be…right…it can't…" Eiri groaned out. He then looked up at K who was wearing a serious expression. "Why did she tell you the truth and not us?" he hissed out.

Beka had woken up to find that her bothers and K was not in the room anymore. She had left quietly as to not wake up Ryuichi. She heard K and her brothers talking and stopped. As she heard what was being said her eyes went huge and panic froze her feet in place. She leaned heavily against the wall as she listened to the exchange between the three men in the next room.

"She didn't tell me. I found out through having connections of mine investigate that night for me. Up until I received that file I thought it had been a group of girls who had attacked her." With a sigh K fell back on the couch and stared up at the ceiling. "I think A-chan left finally because she blamed herself so much that the guilt just eventually broke her, or perhaps she was afraid it would happen again and she wanted to protect her from it. I'm not sure. All I know first hand about that night is Beka and A-chan went to a party with a few friends. It was at a girl's house they had met a few months earlier. I was here in my study working on some papers when Beka and A-chan came over trying to get me to go to the party with them. I told them I couldn't because I had work to do, even though Beka was begging me with the pouting face of her's. They finally gave up and left. I got a call about three hours later that Beka was in the hospital. I didn't stop to ask any questions, I just grabbed my keys and left. When I got there, she was really bruised up." He sighed and leaned forward again.

He rubbed at his face and thought a second before he continued. "A-chan was already there, she had gone to the hospital with her in the ambulance. Now, looking back at it, with the recent advents of this week and knowing what I know now about that night, I can see that A-chan was acting as though she was holding herself responsible for the attack." With another sigh he closed his eyes, recalling how badly Beka had been beaten up that night.

"When I interrogated A-chan about what had happened she told me she had left Beka for only about ten minutes to go in to the next room to talk to a few friends she had spotted. When she went back to get her, she wasn't there. She asked around and found out she had went outside with a few guys they knew. She said that when she got outside she found her on the sidewalk, unconscious and beat up. That is when I put my connections to work to find the guys that had went outside with her, knowing they themselves had done it to her or they had seen who had. As you both already know, I found them. They said that they were the ones who had beaten her up then started calling her names; insulting names. I doubt if they would lie while I had a gun to their heads. I believe we can trust that it was the truth and they didn't do anything else to her other then physically hurt her. That was enough though for me to actually pull the trigger like I did. I couldn't allow them to live, not after they hurt her like that."

Eiri nodded and sat back on his heels. He and Tatsuha had been visiting Beka that week so he knew exactly what K had done to protect his sister. He had known in that moment that he cared about her deeply. He and his brother had helped K to get rid of the bodies and cover up the events that took place. That had been the second time a life had been taken for a Uesugi. So far they were successful at keeping it a secret; no one had found out that they were aware of. "Did you ever find out why they did it?" he finally asked, more or less already knowing.

Tatsuha clenched his fists and huffed angrily. "You know why they did it! It was because she was with A-chan. They seen a girl that's as beautiful as Beka and they couldn't stand the fact that she was with a girl. They couldn't respect her decision. That's why they did it, out of hate and jealousy."

K nodded in agreement. "The kid is more or less right on target with that." He brought his elbows up to rest on his knees and dropped his head in to his hands. "I swore I would protect her. I screwed up once by not going to the party with them like she begged me too. Now I have failed to protect her again…by not seeing that A-chan was going to leave…" he said as tears began to stream down his face. "I want so much to protect her…but I just…keep failing her…"

Beka felt as though she was going to vomit. Hearing that they knew what had happened and why. She had already known that K had gone after the guys, that her brothers had helped cover it up. It had been all over all three of their faces the next day when they came to see her in the hospital. Hearing K talk about how much he cared for her that he had literally killed to protect her, it made her heart ache suddenly. Her mind flashed back to the previous night when he had almost kissed her. With a heavy sigh she reached up and rubbed her face. Why had she never realized, never seen that he was in love with her? Hearing that A-chan felt guilty over it, knowing that was most likely the reason she left, it made sense. She had had her suspicions about it. After that night A-chan had never really looked at her the same.

Hearing that her brothers and K knew the truth about why she had been attacked; it made her heart ache even more. She never wanted them to know the cold and ugly truth about that night, that is why when they had thought it to have been a group of girls she let them believe it. Finally her legs started to function again and she slowly walked in to the living room, her eyes going from Eiri to Tatsuha and then to K. Tears began to poor forth from her eyes again as she collapsed on to her knees. 'He thinks he failed me…failed to protect me…' was all that she could think of.

Eiri, Tatsuha and K rushed over to Beka as they seen her fall to her knees. K was in front of her, trying to get her to look at him. When he finally got her face tilted up and the hair out of her eyes he seen her tears. "I'm so sorry Beka…" he cried as he hugged the girl to him. "I am sorry I didn't tell you before that I knew. I am sorry that I told your brothers like this, but they had to know why they were helping to cover up what I did. I'm sorry for failing you…for letting you get hurt again…" he cried into her shoulder.

Eiri hugged himself into his sister's right side and felt Tatsuha hugging her from the left. "All we knew was it was for you. That it was to protect you. That was all we needed to know. We had our suspicions about what had happened we just never knew how right we were. God…I didn't want to be right!" he whispered into her ear.

Tatsuha sniffled as tears streamed from his eyes. "We would do anything for you, Beka. Just like we know you would for us. Just like we know you have for Eiri when we were kids."

Beka's tears started to ebb slowly as she clung to K and heard her brothers' words, oddly finding great comfort in the three of them in that moment. The knowledge that they were willing to do anything for her as she was for them; it made the weight on her heart and mind ease significantly. "You…you never failed me…K…" she finally began in a soft whisper. "None of you have. I understand that you want to protect me from anything that can hurt me. I'm glad you care about me that much. It shows that you truly love me."

Beka then pulled back slightly and held K's face up to look at him. "You can't protect me from everything. Like with A-chan. You can't protect me from getting a broken heart by some one else's hands, K. You can only try to keep from breaking it yourself. I knew what you did to them. I knew, but I never said anything because I knew you didn't want me to know you were capable of doing something like that, even if it was to protect me. You didn't fail me the night they beat me up. You had no way of knowing something like that was going to happen. No one could have known. You didn't fail me by not seeing A-chan was going to leave. You never once failed me, not even for a second."

Eiri was left speechless by his sister's words. He sank back on his heels as he watched and listened to her. They had come to mend her and here she was the one that was mending them. He looked over at Tatsuha who was leaning against the wall, his face in his hands crying. He slowly dragged himself up and went to sit next to his brother, pulling him into a half hug. "She's right. We had no way of knowing. It still hurts like hell to know we weren't there for her, but there was no way we could have seen it coming. It isn't anyone's fault except those guys who did it. They're dead and gone now. She is right about not being able to keep her from getting a broken heart too, K," he said as he looked over at the man. "We can only try and not hurt her ourselves and to comfort her when someone else does. That is all we can do."

Beka smiled softly at K and nodded. She seen tears spring back into his eyes and wiped at them softly. "It isn't your fault. You are not to blame for it. It was something that none of us could control." She hugged him to her, kissing his shoulder before resting her head on it. "No more tears…not for what happened two years ago, or what has happened this week. It hurts like hell, yes. I gave her three years of my life, so it is to be expected that I will be hurting for a while. But now, now I see who truly cares about me. I see who loves me the way I need and want to be loved. That is something that I will always cherish. Because I know that no matter what, you will be there for me. I know now that you will always be by my side, and I wouldn't trade that for the world, K," she said softly as she kissed him on the cheek. "Not even to have A-chan back in my life."

Tatsuha raised his face up in astonishment. "Looks like her big brothers weren't the ones that could fix it for her this time, but some one completely unexpected on her behalf." He looked over to Eiri and saw him nod with a sad smile. "I guess that sometimes brotherly love isn't the kind of love needed to make the pain go away," he said as he seen Beka pull K into a deep kiss. He had to smile at the sight, though he felt the heat of a blush rush over his cheeks. "They look like they were made for one another, don't they, Eiri?" he asked as he leaned his head over on to his brother's shoulder.

Eiri nodded and smiled with a sigh. "They are, you idiot. It just took a while for it to be realized," he said caringly as he hugged his brother. He then let out a soft chuckle. "Seeing them like this makes me want to be with Shuichi right now, even though he is annoying as hell most of the time."

Beka heard the comment and had to break the kiss she and K were in to laugh. She looked over at him and shook her head with a smile. "You are helpless you know that don't you Eiri?" she teased. She saw him nod and giggled as she turned back to K, tackling him to the floor. She came to rest next to him, her head on his shoulder.

Ryuichi woke up as he heard commotion in the living room. He sat up and looked around and smiled as he seen his bunny next to him. He picked it up and left the room to go back in the living room where everyone apparently was. When he got there he stopped and looked at everyone. He shrugged and went over to them and plopped down next to his adorable Tatsuha. He looked over at him and smiled brightly. "I'm glad Beka-kun is feeling better now!" he chimed and held the stuffed animal up to the boy next to him. "That is the power of Kumagorou! He always makes people feel better."

Tatsuha smiled and nodded. "That he does, Ryuichi-san that he does." He wrapped his free arm around the singer he had been in love with for several years and hugged him to himself. He leaned his head over and rested it against Ryuichi's and smiled as he watched his sister begin to tickle K.

Eiri glanced over to Tatsuha and Ryuichi a bit nervously. He gritted his teeth to keep from saying anything in front of the singer, who his brother was crazy over, about it. He was a little relieved to see that he was showing restraint for the time being though. 'Maybe getting to know him will help the idiot get over his infatuation with him,' he thought. 'Or then again, it could just make it worse'.

After a few hours had passed, Eiri and Tatsuha decided they would go home a few days later. Eiri asked K if he could use the phone and saw him give a nod. He then excused himself to use the phone in the bedroom. He dialed his home phone number and waited for it to be answered.

Shuichi jumped a bit startled as the phone rang. He had been in deep thoughts of Yuki and had fallen half asleep on the couch. He stood and went over to the stand, picking it up. "Hello, Yuki Eiri's residence," he answered politely.

Eiri smiled as he heard the dazed sound of the boy's voice. "Did I wake you up, lover?" he asked in a soft tone.

Shuichi's heart skipped a beat as he heard his beloved Yuki Eiri's voice. "No, not at all! I was just thinking of you," he said and smiled with a blush. 'Thinking of what you did to me the other night…' he thought. He then cleared his throat slightly, clearing the memory out of his mind for the time being. "Is everything ok, Yuki? How is your sister?"

Eiri chuckled at the boy and sighed. "She was in pretty bad shape when we got here. A lot of things came out that should have been told a lot sooner. She seems to be doing a lot better now though. I think she just needed me and Tatsuha here with her for a few days." He sat down on the side of the bed.

"Well at least she seems to be doing better. That is what is important, so take your time and come home when you think its ok to," Shuichi said with a big smile. He was glad to here the girl was doing better.

Eiri gave a small chuckle and shook his head. "This is the first time I have heard you place someone else before you and what you want," he remarked with a second chuckle. "That is incredibly attractive," he added in a sensual tone. He smiled happily at the silence on the other end, and swore he could hear the blush flooding the boy's features.

Shuichi cleared his throat and tried to calm himself. "You know what that voice does to me, Yuki," he finally said in a low voice as he brought a hand up to rub at the back of his neck.

"Of course I do, that is why I use it," Eiri quipped playfully. He then let out a soft sigh and groaned. "I miss you, Shuichi," he said, smiling softly as he envisioned the boy in his mind.

Shuichi's eyes went huge. 'Did he just say…he misses me?' he thought. "I...I miss you too, Yuki." His head was spinning now. The way the man was speaking to him, so softly and caringly, it made him wonder if he was lying about everything being ok. "Are you sure everything is alright, Yuki?" he finally asked.

"Yeah, everything is fine. I promise. It's just…being here with Beka, the way she is taking her girlfriend leaving her so hard…" Eiri began and sighed. "It makes me realize how bad I have been treating you; how bad I have been hurting you. I don't want to be the one that does that to you," he admitted softly.

Tears formed in Shuichi's eyes as he heard the man he loved speaking so honestly to him about his feelings. "I know, Yuki. It's ok; I understand." He then took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "I love you, Yuki, and will take you anyway I can get you."

Eiri smiled brightly and chuckled. "I know. It still doesn't make the way I have treated you right. I promise I will treat you better from now on. I should go and spend time with Beka, I just wanted to call to let you know everything's ok and I should be home in two or three days."

Shuichi nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Yuki; I will be here waiting for you when you get back."

Eiri closed his eyes once more and thought of the boy and what he looked like. The mental picture of the boy instantly warmed him to the very core of his being. "By the way, Shuichi, I…I love you too." With that he hung up the phone, not particularly feeling like hearing the boy's shrills of happiness that would bust forth from him for hearing him saying he loved him for the first time.

Shuichi blinked several times as he heard the dial tone and hung the phone up. Suddenly he squealed loudly and began to bounce around the room chanting 'Yuki' over and over again. "My Yuki said he loves me! This is the happiest day of my life!" he exclaimed cheerily.

Eiri stood and left the bedroom, reentering the living room. He froze in mid stride as he seen Tatsuha on the couch with Ryuichi almost sitting in his lap. He watched a moment as Ryuichi bounced about playing with the stuffed animal he always had with him and saw that Tatsuha had a deep flush over his face and his eyes were half glazed over. He knew that look well from watching the reaction his brother had when he watched Nittle Grasper videos. He knew that Ryuichi was about to get in to a seriously bad situation with the boy.

K looked over to Eiri who had stopped dead in his tracks and was now as stiff as a statue. He hesitantly followed the direction of his gaze to the couch. "Oh my…" he quipped in English seeing the look on Tatsuha's face. He knew the boy was trying to be good but the way Ryuichi was squirming around almost on top of him was making in nearly impossible. He also knew that there were plenty of volatile turns that the situation could take, none of which were good for Ryuichi. He cleared his throat and stood up. "Tatsuha, would you do me a favor, please?" he asked, converting back to Japanese.

Tatsuha cleared his throat as he tried to contain himself and looked over to K with a nod. "Sure…" he said; the strain in his voice more then apparent. He looked back at Ryuichi and swallowed hard as the man grabbed him in a hug. He looked over at K and Eiri with an 'I'm trying to be good' look.

K glanced over to see Eiri's eye began to twitch and he shook his head with a sigh. He then turned back to the boy. "Could you run to the market with me? I need to pick up something for lunch and I don't know what you and Eiri like, so I could use the help." He was relieved when the boy nodded with a silent 'thank you' all over his face.

Beka looked around and snickered at the expression on Tatsuha's face. She then stood and went over to the couch and sat down on the other side of Ryuichi. Reaching over she tapped his shoulder and smiled as he turned to her. "Would Ryuichi-san and Kumagorou like to help me with some of my arrangements and lyrics?" she asked, knowing that the two had to be separated before poor Ryuichi was molested.

Ryuichi beamed and nodded his head vigorously. "We love helping Beka-kun with her music!" he exclaimed. Aborting his relentless teasing of his adorable Tatsuha for the moment, he jumped over on to Beka and hugged her tightly. He had misjudged somewhat however, and they toppled over on to the floor. His eyes went huge for a moment as he landed directly on top of the poor girl, his lips almost touching her's.

Beka grunted as she hit the floor and looked up at Ryuichi who had landed on top of her. Blinking a few times, she averted her face somewhat to put space between his lips and her own. She had to giggle, though, as he nuzzled his face in to the crook of her neck, the small action tickling her. She glanced over to see a mortified look on Tatsuha's face and deliberately reached up to pet the man on top of her. "I love Ryuichi-san!" she said as she rolled over on her side, causing Ryuichi to fall next to her. She then reached down and petted the bunny with a smile. "I love Kumagorou too!"

Ryuichi beamed and hugged Beka tightly. "We love Beka-kun too!

Tatsuha looked on in disbelief at the display. He then heard both K and Eiri clear their throats and looked over at them. He flushed violently and cleared his own throat as he stood. "Shall we go to the market now K…" he asked, his voice still strained.

K nodded and turned on his heels, going out to the van with Tatsuha right behind him. "Ryuichi-san almost kissing Beka-kun was purely an accident. You know she only started petting him like that and saying that stuff to tease you" he said once in the vehicle he started the motor and looked over at the boy to see him nod. "Ryuichi is a lovable guy. He loves on everyone like that," he explained to the boy as he pulled out and drove toward the market. "For you though, it was too much temptation, wasn't it?" he asked playfully.

Tatsuha sighed heavily and shifted in his seat. "Extremely," he said, turning crimson. "I kind of got the feeling he was trying to tease me…" he added as he turned his face to the window out of embarrassment.

K chuckled and nodded. "From where I was it looked like it too. But I know him so I know that he really wasn't thinking about anything like that." He fell silent for a moment before letting out a laugh. "He does like you though. He wouldn't be trying to play with you and snuggle up to you if he didn't," he said as he turned a corner.

Tatsuha nodded and smiled weakly. "Just not the way I want him to," he said in a low voice. He looked over to K and seen the sympathy on his face. He then returned to looking out the side window as they drove. A short time later they pulled to a stop in the market parking lot. He finally turned back to the guy with a small smile. "You know, I can see why Beka finds you attractive," he finally said as he reached over to brush a lock of hair out of the man's eye. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to come on to you or anything like that. I am just saying you are really handsome. Plus, there is the fact that Beka absolutely loves blue eyes." He gave a smile and exited the van.

K lifted an eyebrow as he too left the van and walked over next to Tatsuha. "I never knew she was attracted to blue eyes. But know that you mention it, A-chan's eyes were light blue," he remarked with a sad smile. "You know, it's ok if you were actually coming on to me. It doesn't bother me. I know that you wouldn't over step any boundaries with knowing how I feel about your sister and how she seems to be starting to feel about me." He placed his hand on the hilt of his gun and winked at the boy, whose face suddenly went quite pale. "I'm flattered you think I'm attractive; just don't ever think you could get away with trying something." He walked on ahead a few steps before turning and adding; "Not to mention if you ever were to make a pass at me, after I got through with you, Beka-kun would get a hold of you."

Tatsuha nodded as he swallowed hard at the thought of what his little sister would do to him. She would make this gun-wielding maniac look like the lovable Kumagorou. "That is why I clarified that it wasn't a come on. Hell, I'm too crazy about Ryuichi-san to really think of anyone else like that. I only have eyes for him; it's been that way since I caught my first glance of him in a Nittle Grasper video," he said as he finally found his voice, shaking his head slightly as he walked behind the man.

"Good, then we are in total understanding of each other!" K chimed and entered the market. "By the way, what do you and Eiri-san like? I know for a fact that right now Beka-kun would like something spicy and maybe some chocolate." He had to smirk as he said this.

Tatsuha snickered and nodded his head. "So you figured out the secret to the spicy and chocolate theme, did you?" he quipped and seen him nod. "She's been like that since she first started. It took me and Eiri quite a while to figure it out though, I guess because a brother really doesn't want to know things like that about a sister."

K laughed and nodded in agreement as they walked down the International isle of the market. He spotted Beka's favorite pre-made curry mix and picked it up and got an individual heat and serve bowl of noodles. He looked at the two items in his hand and shook his head with a chuckle. "I really don't see how she likes this combination but she goes crazy for it every time."

Tatsuha looked over and to see what he meant and laughed. "Hell that isn't anything. Try putting chocolate pudding and dilled relish in front of her some time. She mixes the two together and eats it like that." He plucked up a box lunch for him and Eiri and smiled at the look on K's face. "I know how you feel. Just the thought is enough to make you sick, but she loves it. Get some and see what happens."

K wrinkled his nose and shook his head. "She has the eating habits of a pregnant woman," he commented. He seen Tatsuha nod from the corner of his eye and laughed. "Makes you wonder what her eating habits would be like if she were to get pregnant."

Tatsuha lifted an eyebrow at K and his last remark. He then laughed and smacked the man on the back. "No doubt she would eat normal things then," he answered. He then saw some instant ramen which he knew to be Ryuichi's favorite food and picked it up with a huge grin. "Ryuichi-san loves this stuff, I know because I read it in an interview he had."

K looked over and nodded. "Yes, he does love ramen. Though, he usually eats two of those in a sitting, so you might want to grab another one." He then turned and walked towards the sweets isle and looked over all the different selections of chocolate that they had. Remembering what Tatsuha said, he got a couple packs of pudding. He knew everyone would more or less eat chocolate pudding. He then went and picked up a jar of dilled relish and went to the check out as Tatsuha joined him and placed what he held down.

Tatsuha noted the pudding and relish and laughed. "Man, Beka is going to love you forever now. Curry and noodles with chocolate pudding and relish, her two all time favorites." He saw the grin on K's face and nudged him with his elbow in a jest. "What, pray tell, are you sucking up to her for? What are you expecting to happen, other then her squealing, hugging and then eating?" he asked with a playful wink.

K laughed and shook his head. "You, Uesugi Tatsuha-san, are incorrigible and impossible, you know that?" he asked light heartedly. He saw the boy nod and felt the nudge on his side again and laughed further. "You and Ryuichi-san are a lot alike with the way you like to joke around and have fun. If nothing else, the two of you will become at least really good friends." K paid for the food and picked up the bags, exiting the market and heading back to the van.

Tatsuha laughed as he followed K to the van and climbed inside. As he watched the other guy start the engine, he leaned back in his seat and fell in to thought for most of the drive back to the house. Finally he looked back over to the man next to him and smiled. "Did you really mean that? About me and Ryuichi-san becoming good friends?" he asked in a boyish tone.

K looked over at Tatsuha and smiled with a nod. "I did, yes. Does that make you happy? To know that you at least could be friends with him if not anything else?" he asked the boy with a gentle tone. He saw him nod and smile as he turned in to his driveway. "That is the most important thing about caring for some one, Tatsuha-kun; being their friend first and foremost, and wanting nothing more then to see them happy. That is what true love is." He killed the motor and picked up the bags, exiting the van.

Tatsuha smiled and nodded as he too climbed out and walked next to K back to the house. "That is all I truly want with Ryuichi-san. I want to see him happy and smiling. Rather it is from beside him as a friend or lover or from a far as just a fan," he admitted to the older guy softly.

"Then it is safe to say, Tatsuha-kun, that you are indeed in love with Ryuichi-san," K answered as he reached over with his free hand and muddled up his hair. He smiled warmly at the boy as he opened the door and ushered him in before he too entered the house. He held up the bags and announced that lunch had arrived, even though he more or less knew it was actually their breakfasts.

Ryuichi's head shot up and he squealed happily. Abandoning Beka and the music he rushed over, tackling K with a thank you hug. He then turned to his adorable Tatsuha and tackled him with a hug, sending them both crashing in to the floor. He had fallen right on top of the boy, just as he had with Beka. Though, with Tatsuha it was on purpose, unlike it had been with Beka. With a grin he sat up on top of him and grinned down at him. "K-san didn't pull his gun on Tatsuha-kun did he? He didn't scare Tatsuha-kun?" he asked.

Tatsuha swallowed hard and cleared his throat. It was almost to much for him to take having Ryuichi on top of him like that, but he somehow managed to keep control over most of himself. He smiled and shook his head. "No, K-san was nice and behaved himself. Did you and Kumagorou have fun helping Beka with her music?" he asked and seen the guy nod happily. "Good."

Eiri watched the display and sighed heavily. "At this rate there will be no saving the poor guy," he quipped as he walked over to the two on the floor. Stooping down and smiling, he looked at Ryuichi and pointed to Beka. "I think Beka is getting lonely with out her two helpers," he replied. Relief flooded through him as the guy jumped up and ran back over to Beka. Standing back up he offered his younger brother his hand and tugged him up easily when he took it. He saw the boy go to make a protest and just put his hand up and shook his head. "I know, Tatsuha, it wasn't your fault. But you do need to be a bit more inconspicuous," he said pointing to the boy's pants.

K saw the deep blush invading Tatsuha's face at what his brother said and pointed out. He sighed with a chuckle and shook his head as the boy quickly disappeared toward the bathroom. "The poor boy is trying to behave, he just isn't succeeding," he said as he placed the food on the counter. "I will talk to Ryuichi-san in a little while in private and see if I can't get him to calm down around him some."

Eiri nodded and sighed. "That may be a good idea. I know Tatsuha and the temptation is too much for him to take for too much longer. Him running off to the bathroom like that is warning enough that he is about to snap." He saw K nod as he went about taking the food out. He then lifted his eyebrow again. "Curry and noodles with chocolate pudding and dilled relish. That has to be Beka's; either that or your pregnant, K-san," he quipped with a grin.

Beka heard the words curry, noodles, chocolate, and relish, and was instantly up and in the dinning area. She smiled brightly at the sight of the food. "So, Tatsuha told you about the pudding and relish did he? I will have to pay him back for that later. Right now however, I have a date with one of those puddings and some relish."

K's eye twitched a bit as the girl snatched up a cup of pudding and opened it. "She really isn't…going to put relish in it is she?" he asked Eiri who merely closed his eyes nodded. Again, his eye twitched as he watched the girl actually mix some relish into the chocolate. "How can she eat that?" he asked and saw her eldest brother shrug.

Ryuichi went up to see what Beka was doing and smiled. "Beka-kun has weird tastes," he jested as he watched her take a big bite of the concoction she had just mixed together. "But as long as she likes it I suppose its ok!"

Tatsuha had finally calmed down enough to go back in the living room to see Beka eating the pudding mixture. He smiled and went over to the dinning area where they all were and laughed at K's expression as he watched her. "I told you, she is crazy about that combination." He went over and wrapped his arms around her waist and watched her take another bite. "You have one sick appetite, little sister."

K's eye twitched again and again with each bite the girl took. "How can anyone…eat something…like that?" he asked and heard her giggle. He pulled back slightly as a spoonful of the pudding and relish mix was held up to him by the girl. "Uh…no…thank you."

Beka pouted as she ate the bite herself. "It's really good; you should try it some time." Finally after finishing off the weird snack she picked up the curry and noodles. She walked absently in to the kitchen and put it out on a plate, popping it in the microwave for a few minutes.

"That was…disturbing …" K remarked as he tried to keep his stomach from lurching.

Eiri chuckled and shook his head. "You should never actually watch her eating it. It will make you sick every time. That is why I had my eyes closed. It's a good trick, take it from me." He smacked K on the shoulder with a chuckle. He then turned to the boxed lunch that was for him and picked it up, looking in it to see what it was. He smiled and nodded. "For once, Tatsuha, you got it right." He then went to work eating his meal.

"You mean you're not going to call me an idiot or smack me for a change?" he asked in mock disbelief as he grabbed his chest and added; "I think I am going to have a heart attack!" he said playfully and saw his brother shake his head with a small chuckle.

Ryuichi saw the ramen noodles on the counter and beamed. "Are those for me?" he asked eagerly. He seen K and Tatsuha nod and squealed. He scooped up the cups and went in to the kitchen with Beka. "Ramen is so yummy!" he exclaimed as he sat the food down and went to work turning on a kettle to heat.

Beka looked over and smiled. As the microwave went off she took her plate out and went over next to Ryuichi. "I bet that Tatsuha picked those up for you. He knows that it's your all time favorite." She smiled as he began to beam brightly. "You really like Tatsuha don't you, Ryuichi-san?" she asked in amusement as she listened to him sing his ramen song.

Ryuichi nodded and stopped singing, turning to look at Beka. "Tatsuha-kun is nice to me and Kumagorou! We both like him!" he gave a big smile as he leaned in a bit closer to her. "Ryuichi-san thinks Tatsuha-kun is adorable," he whispered to her and gave a chuckle. "But don't tell him, promise?" he asked and held his pinky finger up.

Beka raised an eyebrow and shook her head with a giggle. She then hooked her pinky finger around his and shook it. "I promise, and if I break that promise may a thousand Kumagorous huggle me to death!" she said happily. 'So he thinks Tatsuha is cute, huh? Well that definitely explains his behavior all day,' she thought as she turned to her food and started to eat.

Later after everyone had eaten, Ryuichi decided he was going to take a bath. As he went to prepare a tub of hot water, K followed him to talk to him for a moment. Once away from everyone else K cleared his. "Ryuichi-san, can you do me a favor?" he asked and saw him nod. With a smile and leaned against the wall. "Can you try and calm down a bit around Tatsuha-kun? The way you have been all over him since this afternoon is bothering him somewhat."

Ryuichi furrowed his brows as he looked at K and then back to the living room. "Does he not like Ryuichi-san?" he asked in a childish tone. 'Perhaps I have gone a little too far with playing with my adorable Tatsuha,' he thought.

K shook his head and smiled. "It isn't that he doesn't like you, Ryuichi-san, it is that he does. A great deal," he remarked and saw what he took as confusion dancing in the man's eyes. "In other words, he likes you like I like Beka-kun." He lifted an eyebrow as a huge bright smile lit up Ryuichi's face.

"That's so sweet! Tatsuha-kun is so nice to Ryuichi-san. It makes him happy and want to be friends with him even more!" he exclaimed and went in to the bathroom closing the door behind him. 'So Tatsuha-kun likes me, huh? That has to be the best thing I have heard in a while!' he thought to himself as he stripped and got in to the hot water. 'Well, that makes things a whole lot more interesting,' he mentally quipped with a devious grin.

K walked back in to the living room, rubbing his face with a sigh. He looked over to Eiri and shook his head, seeing the man nod with a frown. He knew exactly how the man felt. This was quickly becoming a very haphazard and vicarious situation. He didn't know how long he, Eiri, and Beka could possibly keep the other two separated enough that poor Tatsuha wouldn't loose control over himself. With a tired sigh he walked over and sat next to the girl on the couch.

Beka looked over to K and frowned. "Is something wrong, K?" she asked as she moved closer to him. She saw the weak smile he flashed her as he shook his head and she had to lift an eyebrow. "Bull, I know you well enough to know better," she shot towards him as she moved. She sat on her knees in front of him and looked up at him with her world renowned blank stare. "Tell me," she said in a deadly calm voice.

Eiri looked on, glad that he wasn't on the end of that look and voice for a change. He knew that the girl was about to go off, she always got that look on her face and that tone of voice before she blew up. "K, I suggest that what ever it is, you tell her. You don't want to mess around with her when she gets like that. I am going outside to smoke," he said and quickly made his exit.

K watched as Eiri ran away from the girl with his tail set firmly between his legs. He knew, though, that she was something to be feared when she got that way. He had seen her like that before a few times in the past three years; not one of those times did it end well either. He finally sighed and gave another weak smile. He patted the couch next to him and wasn't surprised that she didn't budge. He looked up to see Tatsuha go outside as well. 'Cowards, being afraid of their little sister to the point of scattering to the winds,' he thought momentarily before shifting his sights back to the girl. "It's Ryuichi-san. I asked him to calm things down a bit around Tatsuha and of course I had to tell him why. Strange thing was that it seemed to make him more determined to become friends with him. He said that he was sweet and nice."

Beka just stared at him. 'Of course it made him more determined, idiot, he's as attracted to him as Tatsuha is to him,' she thought a bit sourly. "And?" she asked; her voice more calm then the last time. She watched as he began to fidget under the weight of her stare and had to fight to keep the smirk off her face.

K groaned and rubbed his face, trying to at least avert his eyes away from that dead stare of her's for a moment. "We can't keep going to his rescue every time he gets Tatsuha worked up like earlier," he said as he finally looked back at her. He swallowed as he saw her expression was still unchanged; if any thing it had became more vacant and deadly. Leaning forward, trying to keep the uneasiness the look caused him at bay, he reached out and caressed her cheek. "I just don't want Ryuichi to get himself in trouble. I don't even think he understands what is going on. I sure as hell don't want to see Tatsuha getting himself in trouble because he ran out of will power and self control." He laid his hand on her shoulder, letting it slide down her arm to her hand. Taking hold of it, he lightly tugged on it, relieved when she allowed him to pull her up on to the couch next to him.

Beka sighed and nodded finally as she leaned in to K. "I understand. But maybe, just maybe, we should let Tatsuha loose control at least once long enough to get a kiss out of him," she said with a sigh. 'Wouldn't they both just love that,' she thought to herself, fighting the grin that wanted to spring forth with the thought. "Ryuichi may not understand now what is going on, but if Tatsuha kissed him; well he is smart enough to understand then and would calm his hyper behind down some." She looked over as the door cracked open and Tatsuha popped his head in. She lifted an eyebrow at him and smirked. "That is a good way of getting your head lopped off, brother dearest." She watched as he quickly ducked back outside and closed the door and laughed. "Simpleton," she giggled out and shook her head.

K had to shake his head with a laugh. "You have those two well trained," he quipped as he snuggled Beka up to him. Placing a small kiss on the top of her head, he then rested his head on her shoulder. He thought for a moment about what she had said about letting Tatsuha kiss Ryuichi. Yes that would make the singer understand, possibly even calm down, but it was too much of a chance to take. Poor Tatsuha might not have the control to stop at just a kiss; plus there was always the possibility that Ryuichi would react badly to the situation. "I don't think letting your over hormonal brother kiss poor Ryuichi would be the best thing. It might not stop at just that. Not to mention, you know how Ryuichi is, he may seriously freak out over it."

Beka choked on the laugh that suddenly wanted out. 'Freak out my ass,' she thought. 'He would love it as much as Tatsuha.' She nodded in agreement though and faked a troubled sigh. 'Man is it going to be hard to keep Ryuichi's secret,' she thought. "I suppose we could always spray Tatsuha down with ice water every so often to keep him cooled off," she offered with a giggle.

K laughed and hugged the girl to him. "That just might work. We will have to keep that one in mind," he said with a bright smile. He saw her shift and smiled even brighter as she came to rest with her head in his lap. He reached down, playing with her hair. "You getting tired?" he asked with a caring tone.

Beka smiled and shook her head. "No, just felt like laying in your lap for a little while." She turned as she heard the door open and close to see her brothers coming back in. "So, you two finally got enough balls to come back in, did you?" she asked with a grin. She saw both of them roll their eyes at her and laughed.

"You seriously have no clue how unnerving it is to see you with that look on your face. It would scare the crap out of the devil himself," Tatsuha retorted with a wave of his hand. He had to laugh though. It was a funny thought; two men running away from a girl. "But I do see your point," he laughed out. He turned to Eiri who was just standing there shaking his head. "Oh, come on Eiri! Two men running away from a young girl," he said and saw the smile form on his brother's lips. "See the thought is funny as hell, now isn't it?" he asked as they both started laughing.

Eiri shook his head as he tried to stop laughing. Finally when he was capable of speaking he nodded. "Yes, I admit, the thought is funny, but understandable to someone who knows Beka and her temper first hand." He walked over to the couch that was opposite the one K and Beka were on and sat down. He watched a moment as she rested with her head in the man's lap. "You feeling ok?" he asked; narrowing his eyes a moment.

"Hmm," Beka asked as she turned to her brother. "Oh, yeah, I'm…" she began but was instantly cut off by Ryuichi streaking in to the living room in a towel. "Where the hell is your clothes at?" she exclaimed as she watched him run over to where they were.

Tatsuha's eyes went huge as he took in the sight of Ryuichi in nothing but a towel. Clearing his throat and closing his eyes, he turned his back to the sight. 'Now that is to tempting to watch,' he thought as he forced himself to think of other things other then the half naked man. 'I can take it when it's the encore song on the Nittle Grasper video collection and he gets naked, but definitely not in person,' he thought as he felt the head flood his face and chest.

"I forgot them," Ryuichi began as he ran over to his bag with a laugh. He glanced over to see his adorable Tatsuha with his back to him. 'Tatsuha-san is playing bashful now,' he thought with a small smile. 'He knows he wants to look but is afraid to.' He fished out an outfit and ran back towards the bathroom, closing it hard enough for them to hear it shut.

Eiri's eye was twitching again. "Does he do that often?" he asked, trying to control his stress level with out much success. He looked over to Tatsuha who had thankfully turned his back on the sight. 'Well at least the idiot had enough sense to turn away from the sight of temptation.'

K gave an awkward laugh and nodded. "Yes, I am afraid he does, though usually it is later at night and just me up in the living room at the time. Sorry," he said as he shook his head. He looked over to Tatsuha and smiled sympathetically at him. "You ok over there, Tatsuha-kun?" he asked noting that the boy had not turned back to them yet. He was surprised that the boy had had enough restraint to turn his back on the sight of Ryuichi in nothing but a towel.

Beka giggled and shook her head. "I don't think he is; give him a few minutes to cool down and then ask him again," she said teasingly, earning herself a middle finger from Tatsuha. She started to laugh so hard that she doubled up with her face in K's stomach.

K snickered himself and shook his head. "Well at least you showed a good amount of restraint, Tatsuha-kun, by turning around. God only knows how bad it would have gotten to you if you had watched him until he left."

Eiri's eye twitched again acutely. "If he had, the towel, as well as Tatsuha's clothes, would have been thrown across the room and we would be witnessing molestation right now." He shook his head and chuckled. "You did well, Tatsuha, turning around like that."

Tatsuha was about to scream. "Would you just leave me alone for a few minutes?" he asked. He heard his sister laugh even harder and sighed heavily. With out another word he went outside.

K chuckled and shook his head. "Poor Tatsuha-kun; we shouldn't have teased him so badly," he said only half meaning it. The truth was he wanted to laugh as hard as Beka to a point, but he, being a man himself, knew how embarrassing a situation like that was. He had been there plenty of times himself when he was the boy's age.

Beka was holding her sides, trying to stop laughing. "I…can't…breathe…" she gasped out, rolling over on to her back still snickering. "Damn…that was funny." She looked up at K, grinning as wide as she possibly could. "Maybe we should try the ice water right now…" she said, loosing it once more.

Eiri quirked an eyebrow as he watched his sister roll around in a laughing fit. The sight was enough to send him to laughing as well, though not so uncontrollably. He noted that K, too, was laughing at what she said; leaning over with his face on her hip. "Dare I even ask?" he quipped through laughter.

K shook his head vigorously, unable to really say anything from laughing. He then jumped and laughed even harder as Beka buried her face in to his side, being extremely ticklish on that spot.

Ryuichi dressed and went back to the living room, stopping to take in the sight of Beka and K doubled up on each other laughing. He looked over to see that Eiri was laughing himself, just not as hard. He snickered; more or less knowing what they were laughing about from the bits and pieces he had heard while in the bathroom getting his clothes on. He noted then that his adorable Tatsuha wasn't in the room and seen that the door was cracked. He made his way across the room to the door, going outside undetected by the other three. He saw Tatsuha standing at the edge of the walk way, leaning against the corner of the building. Silently he walked up to the boy, placing his arms around his waist. "Is Tatsuha-kun ok? Why is he out here by himself?" he asked as he snuggled in to the boy's back.

Tatsuha froze as he felt Ryuichi press against him and gritted his teeth. Taking a few deep breaths he cleared his throat and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine, just wanted some fresh air is all." He turned to face the man with a bashful smile. Reaching a hand up, he brushed a lock of hair out of Ryuichi's face before tugging him in to a hug. "I'm sorry if I worried Ryuichi-san by being out here by myself," he said as he nuzzled his neck and shoulder. He felt his arms go about his waist and smiled. Realizing that the forever present pink bunny was absent for the first time he pulled back and looked at the man. "Where's Kumagorou? You usually have him with you," he asked as he reluctantly pulled away.

Ryuichi smiled brightly and pointed to the door of the house. "He is in there, sitting next to Eiri-san. He wanted to watch them laughing. It's nice to see Beka-kun so happy after being so sad earlier." He leaned up against the wall next to Tatsuha and sighed happily. "It is because Tatsuha-kun and Eiri-san are here that Beka-kun is so happy. She always smiles more when her brothers are here."

Tatsuha smiled at Ryuichi and nodded. Placing an arm around his shoulders and let out a sigh. "I just wish we could be here for her more often. It sucks just coming to see her when something's wrong." Again he felt the man slip his arms around his waist and smiled at him. "You really are a lovable guy, Ryuichi-san, you know that?" he asked as he hugged him back.

Ryuichi smiled and nodded. "Ryuichi-san loves everyone, especially people like Beka-kun and Tatsuha-kun," he said with a small laugh. "The two of them are adorable!" he exclaimed as he nuzzled the boy's neck and then added; "especially Tatsuha-kun. He plays bashful a lot. Ryuichi thinks that's really cute."

Tatsuha's breath caught in his throat at Ryuichi's remark. He then quickly reminded himself of what K had said earlier. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly and gave a soft chuckle. "I'm glad Ryuichi-san likes me. I would really like to become friends with him," he said in a low gentle voice as he placed a kiss on the man's shoulder. 'Damn if this isn't confusing,' he then thought to himself. He could swear Ryuichi was coming on to him in his own way, but as K had said earlier he really wasn't trying to. It was just in the man's nature to be kind and lovable. "We should go back in. I'm sure Beka and Kumagorou is wondering what we are up to," he finally said as he reluctantly pulled away from the guy.

Ryuichi nodded with a bright smile and bounced his way back in the house. Going over to the couch Beka and K were on he reached over and lightly poked them in the sides. He laughed and beamed happily when they both jumped with laughs. "Ooh! Looks like Ryuichi-san just found out that K-san and Beka-kun are ticklish on their sides!" he exclaimed with a huge smile.

Tatsuha smiled and nodded. "Beka is extremely ticklish on her sides," he said as he sat down next to his brother, picking up the cute Kumagorou and holding it. "Especially around her hips and waist," he then added. Seeing the girl flash him a mean look, he couldn't help but laugh. "All is fair in love and war, little sister," he quipped as he leaned back in his spot.

Beka lifted an eyebrow, wondering if Tatsuha had told her little secret for revenge where she had laughed at him earlier. 'Knowing him, it probably is the reason. The brat,' she thought. She looked up at K and grinned. "K is just as ticklish as I am. Right here," she said as she attacked the most ticklish spot on his side; right above his waist. She giggled as he started to squirm and laugh.

K tried several times before he caught the girl's hands to stop her tickling. "Please don't do that," he asked as he leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Or I will have to get you back," he then added. He heard her giggle and smiled. "Just remember, Beka, I know where you are ticklish as well," he threatened playfully. He saw her stick her tongue out at him and shook his head with a laugh.

Ryuichi sat down next to Beka and K with a happy smile playing on his face that lit up even his eyes. He was incredibly happy and relieved that she was feeling better. He then glanced over to see that Tatsuha was holding Kumagorou and snickered. He saw that Eiri was just sitting there, watching Beka and K with a smile. He could tell that Eiri didn't like showing emotions too much and had to wonder what had happened to him that he would try to close himself off to others.

Beka suddenly thought of something and jumped up, going over to the music sheets she and Ryuichi had been working on earlier. With a huge smile she turned back to the other four and held them up. "I want to go to the studio so I can work on this song!" she declared as she stood and walked back over to them. "I want Ryuichi-san to sing it with me too. He did help write it after all." She smiled and reached over, petting him on the head before turning to her brothers. "Will you come with us? Please?" she begged, holding her hands up to her chest; clasped in a show of pleading.

K lifted an eyebrow at how excited Beka had gotten. "That song must be a number one hit if you are allowing people other then me and the mix board master inside the studio while you prepare it," he quipped as he stood. He knew that she usually didn't like too many people together when she was freshly starting out on a song unless she expected it to be great. He turned and looked at the two men on the other couch. "How about it you two? Would you like to go watch your sister's genius at work?" he asked.

Ryuichi was already up and standing at the door waiting on everyone. He loved working with the girl and was eager to get going. "Yeah, Eiri-san, Tatsuha-kun, come with us! Ryuichi-san will even let Tatsuha-kun keep Kumagorou company while we work!" he chimed.

Eiri nodded with a bright smile. "I have always wanted to watch Beka at work to see how it is she comes up with the sounds she does. I will go." He stood and walked over to Ryuichi and nodded. "It would be nice to see you sing again too, Ryuichi-san," he added as he muddled up the man's hair. He saw the bright twinkle in the man's eyes and smiled further.

Tatsuha smiled and nodded. "I will go; some one will have to keep poor Kumagorou company while Ryuichi-san is singing. Plus it would be cool to see the inside of a recording studio and how it all works." He then turned his attention to his sister, seeing how excited she was about working on the song. "Plus I would really like to know what has her so hyper all of the sudden," he said with a wave towards the ecstatic Beka.

K nodded and smiled happily. "Well then, everyone to the van," he said as he fetched his keys from the entrance stand. He walked out to the van, opening it up so everyone could pile in. He watched as they all took their seats and fastened their safety belts before he too climbed in and started the engine. He pulled out of the driveway and headed towards the studio.

Once they were parked and in the building, Beka excused herself to use the restroom before they got started. When she returned she saw Ryuichi in the sound proof area, jumping around happily. She looked over to her two brothers, whom were sitting with K and Mi-san, and smiled. She went over to the mix board and placed a light hand on the shoulder of the friendly guy who was always helping her. "Hello Mi-san. Are you ready to make a new song?" she asked as she patted his shoulder.

Michael nodded and smiled brightly. "I am ready when you are, Beka-chan!" he said in his poor Japanese dialect. "I'm glad you seem to be in better spirits today," he added as he reached up and petted her hand.

Eiri watched the girl interact with her mix board master with a small smile. 'They seem to be good friends as well. He is even making an attempt to speak her native language for her,' he mentally quipped. He looked over to Tatsuha who was still holding the pink bunny and chuckled. "Tatsuha-kun here would like to see how the mix board works, Michael-san," he said in English.

Michael looked over and smiled brightly. "Well then, young man, pull your seat up here and I will teach you," he said as he motioned to the space next to him.

Tatsuha beamed as he moved his chair over next to the guy and took in the sight of all the buttons, switches, and dials on the mixer. "Wow! I have never seen anything so intimidating before, except maybe her when she gets ticked off," he quipped pointing to his sister.

Beka giggled and shook her head, going to the sound proof area of the studio and preparing to get started. She glanced up a few times as she set up the equipment to see Tatsuha completely absorbed in to what Michael was saying and showing him. She finally looked over to Ryuichi and nodded. "You ready, over there?" she asked.

Ryuichi smiled widely and nodded. He turned to Michael and Tatsuha and nodded to them with a thumbs-up. He chuckled when he saw that Michael let Tatsuha turn the controls on, showing him where most the bars should be. He then put on his headphones and turned his attention back to Beka. "Ready, boss!" he chimed.

Beka smiled and nodded, placing her headphones on as well. She then turned the synthesizer on and started to program the new sound she wanted in. She then gave a thumbs-up herself and saw Tatsuha start the recording.

Ryuichi stood back and listened as Beka played through the first wave of the music for the song, occasionally singing a few lyrics here and there for the background. He smiled as the second layer started and she sung some of the lyrics with him.

K sat back and watched contentedly at the two making the song together. He glanced over to Eiri who had an amazed look on his face. Leaning forward, he touched the man's arm to get his attention. As he saw him turn to him he smiled and nodded towards Beka. "She is amazing isn't she?" he asked and saw her brother nod. "She told me a month or so ago that she had talked to you about possibly co-writing a novel with you, is that true?" he asked.

Eiri smiled and nodded. "It is, yes. I am afraid to let her though. We each have our own styles. They may blend together to a point but I don't think I am on a level that I should be attempting to co-write a novel with her just yet. Maybe when I have a few more under my belt I will consider it more." He turned to watch Tatsuha for a moment at the mix board and smiled brightly. "It looks like we found something that Tatsuha loves as much as Ryuichi," he quipped.

Tatsuha heard that remark and turned to meet his brother's gaze. He smiled brightly and nodded. "This is really fun," he chimed and turned back to the board. "This is something I can see my self doing a lot of," he added.

About two hours later, Beka finally began preparing to play the final layer of music for the song. A-chan might be gone and that chapter of her life over, but she could no longer feel sad about it. At least not as sad as she had been the past week. She still, after all, had her brothers, Ryuichi, and K. 'They are all I need, I know that now,' she thought briefly with a smile. As she and Ryuichi sang the lyrics together she couldn't help but be happy.

K, Michael, Tatsuha, and Eiri all was astounded as they heard the pair sing. They were perfectly in sync with one another. After they had finished singing the song, it took them all a few moments to snap out of their awe. "How can two people sing so beautifully together?" Tatsuha finally asked as he watched Michael stop the recording and switch the board off.

K smiled with a nod. "I ask myself that every single time I hear them sing together." He turned to Eiri who had tears standing in his eyes. "Are you sure your sister isn't an angel sent to all of us from heaven?" he asked in a bit of a boyish tone.

Eiri turned to look at K and shook his head. "After hearing that I'm not that sure she isn't," he remarked. "That was the song that she just started today?" he asked and saw K nod. He turned his eyes to the door to the sound proof area as it opened. Watching as Beka and Ryuichi exited, he stood up. Going to his sister, he hugged her tightly. "That was truly amazing, little sister," he said softly as he nuzzled her neck. He then turned to Ryuichi and smiled, reaching over to mess up his hair. "You two are great together."

Ryuichi beamed with a happy laugh. He then went over to Tatsuha and plucked his bunny up out of his lap and hugged it. "What did Tatsuha-kun think? Was it good?" he asked hopefully.

Tatsuha was still speechless, nodding to answer the question. Finding his voice after a minute longer he smiled tenderly and stood up. "It was the single most amazing thing I have ever heard," he remarked. He flushed deeply as an excited Ryuichi grabbed him in a hug. He wrapped his arms around him and hugged him back gently and then released him. 'How could I of all people ever hope to be with someone so touched by God?' he asked himself. 'There is no way I could be with Ryuichi; he is far too pure to get involved with someone like me. I would only wind up destroying him, and I don't want to be the one responsible for that,' he thought as he petted him on the head with a sad smile. 'All I can do is try to protect him and that innocence.'

K lifted an eyebrow at the difference in Tatsuha now. He could see that hearing Ryuichi sing with his sister had changed him some how and had to smile. 'They have that effect on everyone,' he thought to himself. He walked over to the two as he looked at his watch. "We should call it a day, it is dinner time." He placed a hand on Tatsuha's shoulder and gave him an understanding smile and nod.

Beka was ecstatic that the song turned out so good. She hugged herself into Eiri and sighed. She could see the difference in Tatsuha and was certain that Eiri and K did as well. She looked up to Eiri and winked at him. Stretching up on her tiptoes she whispered in his ear; "I knew if I got Tatsuha in here to listen to Ryuichi sing with me it would help him." She then pulled back with a small giggle.

Eiri looked at her for a moment and then shook his head with a chuckle. How it was that his sister always seemed to know what others needed he would never know. She had obviously deliberately had them come to the studio with her and Ryuichi to listen to the song they had created. She had done it to prove to Tatsuha how special Ryuichi truly was and it had worked from the looks of things. "You are very underhanded little sister," he quipped lowly with a smile. Seeing her shrug he chuckled again and hugged her.

After they left the recording studio they headed to a small restaurant to have dinner. They sat and chatted amongst themselves as they awaited their meals. Once everything had been served, they ate and then headed back to K's for the night. It had taken her some doing, but Beka had finally gotten Eiri to agree on staying there. They all sat up for a while and watched a few movies once they had returned. Ryuichi had fallen asleep; his head resting on Tatsuha's shoulder and the pink bunny snuggled to his chest.

Tatsuha had gently maneuvered the man to a laying position next to him and smiled, watching him sleep for a few moments before going back to watching the movie that was playing. He had noted the approving smiles on every ones faces at his actions, which had caused him to blush somewhat.

Eiri was getting tired as well and stretched out on the couch K had said he could sleep on that night. After the second movie was over he watched as Beka retreated to K's bedroom for the night as K stretched out on the other couch. Looking over to the floor where the slumbering Ryuichi was he got a bit nervous. He wasn't sure if the change in Tatsuha would hold out or not knowing that he would be sleeping next to his obsession. He knew that, as light of a sleeper that he was, if anything happened during the night it would wake him up. With that in mind he allowed himself to drift off to sleep.

Tatsuha looked around to see he was the only one left awake and sighed to himself. Stretching a bit, he too stretched out on the floor and watched Ryuichi sleep for a while. Early the next morning, he woke up to feel something stirring around against him. Slowly he fluttered his eyes open and blinked a few times to adjust his sight. He then looked down to see Ryuichi snuggled up almost on top of him. With a deep sigh he closed his eyes and placed an arm around him; the situation still not registering. Suddenly it did though and he shot wide awake. Suppressing a startled and happy squeal he watched as the man slowly woke up.

Ryuichi brought his hand up to rub at his eyes for a second before he tilted his head up to look at Tatsuha. He smiled sleepily at him and then laid his head back down on his chest, snuggling in to him some more. He had woken up in the middle of the night and seen the boy asleep, looking rather lonely. He had decided to keep him company and snuggled up to him. Finally after a few moments had passed he sat up and stretched. Looking down at the boy he smiled brightly.

Most of the following day K seemed to be a bit agitated at something and was a bit snappy with Ryuichi. Beka had watched on helplessly as the poor guy had a gun pulled on and pointed at him a few times; each time it just happened to coincide with the fact that Ryuichi was snuggling up to Tatsuha. Beka was on edge that entire day because K was on edge. She didn't like it when the man was upset and touchy like this. To remove herself from the situation as much as possible, she had put on her headphones, listening to music and drawing most of the day.

Around six in the evening Eiri announced that he and Tatsuha would be leaving the following morning. He reassured his sister, though, that they would come back soon. They then talked it over and decided that he and Tatsuha would come visit her with a regular schedule from then on, choosing every other weekend to do so. After dinner that evening they all watched a few more movies. During the last one they all fell asleep. K and Beka were snuggled up together on one couch and Eiri was stretched out on the other. Ryuichi was snoring gently in the floor as Tatsuha was passed out next to him.

The sound of Tatsuha letting out a sharp eep woke everyone up early the following morning. They all sat up, rubbing at bleary eyes to see what had happened. Beka's eyes went huge when she saw that Ryuichi was curled up on Tatsuha, his hand laying in a very dangerous spot. She couldn't help it, she started to laugh and shake her head. 'Looks like Ryuichi got to feel Tatsuha up,' she mentally quipped. 'Just too bad for both of them it was while they both were asleep.

K had sighed and went over to the two of them, gently pulling Ryuichi off the boy and resting him in the floor next to him. He shook his head and sighed. Eiri's eye twitched as he too shook his head. "We should be leaving anyway. I need to get back to Shuichi before he destroys the house and I have a novel I need to finish and Beka seems to be doing fine now." He watched her as she disappeared in to the bathroom. "Get up out of the floor Tatsuha and get your things. The sooner we get to the airport the sooner we will get home." He stood and stretched as he looked over to Ryuichi who had woken up and was now sitting up.

"Tatsuha-kun and Eiri-san are leaving?" he asked in a childish voice. He saw them nod as they gathered their bags. Jumping up, he fetched a piece of paper and wrote down his number on it. 'There is no way I am going to let my adorable Tatsuha leave with out this.' He thought to himself. He walked over to him and handed the piece of paper to him with a huge smile. "Tatsuha-kun has to promise to call Ryuichi-san when he gets home! He has to call him at least once a day while he isn't in visiting!" he chimed as he grabbed him and hugged him.

Tatsuha sighed and smiled. "I promise I will," he said as he hugged him back. "We should get going," he said as he slipped away from Ryuichi and headed out to the car.

Eiri turned to K and nodded. "Take care of our little sister," he said as he left himself. As he drove the car to the airport he glanced over at a quiet Tatsuha. "What happened to you? Every since we went to the studio with Beka you have been keeping a distance from Ryuichi as much as possible." He asked.

Tatsuha turned to him with tears in his eyes and sighed. "I realized something when I was listening to them sing together."

Eiri lifted an eyebrow. "What was that?"

Tatsuha sighed again and turned to look out his window. "I can't be with him. I would only destroy him," he said lowly and fell silent again.

Eiri frowned and sighed. He didn't like it when either of his younger siblings was hurt like this. 'It is a good thing that he realizes it now rather then later I suppose, at least it will hurt less,' he thought. Soon they were on the plane heading home. During the entire thirteen hour flight they really didn't say much. Eiri felt sorry for his brother, as well as his sister. 'At least she is feeling better, now I guess it's time to try and fix the idiot,' he thought.

To be Continued

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