"Come on, you need to get some sleep Hiro." Aaron urged him into his bed.
"What's the point? She's dead, I have no reason to live on." Hiro said sadly.
"Hey, don't talk like that!" Aaron said. "You can have plenty other girls!"
"I don't want another girl, I want Ayaka." Hiroshi sighed. Aaron made a frustrated noise and held her head with her hands. "I should call my uncle to make sure he knows I'm safe, can I use your phone?"
"Sure, it's in my kitchen." Hiro said mono-toned. Aaron stared at him sadly again then walked off.
"Hey, uncle K." Aaron paused, "I'm sorry… It's just… I found Hiro… and Ayaka died." … "Yeah, I know, I'm just helping him," … "Okay, bye."
Aaron hung up the phone and walked over to Hiroshi. She heard him talking to himself. "Ayaka, I know your up there looking down on me… but... Why did you have to die?" Aaron looked down grimily.
"Listen, I want to tell you something," Aaron said as she walked into his room. "Would it have lasted between Ayaka and you? Would it have lasted for all of your life?"
Hiro was a bit tooken back by the sudden remark. "Well… I guess it might not of gone on for my WHOLE life… but what are you talking about?"
"I want you to stop thinking about Ayaka. I want you to pretend that she isn't dead, that she just broke up with you." Aaron suggested to him.
"Thanks for your concern, but I really don't think I could do that, ever." Hiroshi said, "Ayaka was my world, whenever I was with her I felt like I was in a bliss, walking on air, it was the best time of my life, she was my first true love. There is no way I can forget about her… ever." As Aaron listened to this she felt her heart open up, he explained it perfectly, it was how she felt when she was with Ryuichi. "That may be true." Aaron said, "But it doesn't mean you can't love again."
Hiro looked at Aaron confused. "First loves never work out, or else many girls will have had never been available, like Ayaka herself."
"How did you know?" Hiroshi asked surprised.
"My uncle filled me in, but that's not the point, Aki herself was in love with you, its okay for relationships not to work out, it was not meant to be."
"But I was cheated! Ayaka was stolen from me! She was killed!" Hiro shouted. Aaron looked down. "That is the most elegant thing that could happen to a relationship, rejection is even worse." Aaron half-smiled to Hiro. "I should go now, you need the rest of the night alone, think about what I said." Aaron walked out of the house after a brief phone call to her uncle to pick her up.
"Get in." K growled to Aaron as he pulled up in front of Hiro's apartment. Aaron saw dark circles underneath K's eyes. He was probably up all night, he practically bit her head off in the phone conversation before, and he would've if it weren't for the news of Ayaka. "I'm sorry uncle… but Nakano-san really needed the help."
The car ride home was silent other than the passing traffic of the early birds. Aaron didn't notice for she was deep in thought. Ryuichi… I know I love you, but…if it obviously wasn't meant to be how am I supposed to let you go? Aaron thought about Hiroshi a lot. How strong he must have been, he had been on the verge, but he never really did cry. She respected him for that… but there was something about this respect for him, that made it much different than the other kind of respect.
Aki was frantic. She was pacing her house, trying to prep herself for what she was going to do tomorrow… or today. She looked at the clock, 2am. She had not gotten any sleep; it is hard for one to sleep when they are going to confess they're feelings that day. She had decided for it, she was going to apologize and then fess up, in a blind hope that Aki's observation about Suguru liked her too was correct.
Her mother walked in on her pacing. She stared at her. "Aki!" She said disappointed, "you need to go to sleep!" Aki stared at her mother with nervous eyes. "Oh Aki…" Her mother cooed holding her daughter's shoulders, "I don't know why your so nervous, so I won't ask, the thing is, you need to at least try and get some sleep." Aki nodded silently. "Okay," she replied.
The night for Suguru was as about as restless as it was for Aki, he was dealing similar items as her. "How could I treat her like that? It's not her fault that see likes Hiro, besides, it's not like we're boyfriend and girlfriend anyway…" Suguru made himself mad at this. "It's not as if she likes me as much as I like her… and I can't make her feel the way I do." He looked at the clock. "Jeez!" He turned out his light; "I should probably get some sleep…"
Down at NG studios, Tohma had stayed after work, none other than Sakano accompanied him, and Tohma was giving him advice. "I'm sorry to tell you Ayaka has died," Sakano looked surprised, "Somehow I feel it as my duty to tell you, Nakano-san most likely won't come in for work for a while, and if he does, he'd probably be too depressed to play." Sakano nodded. "This is why I believe you should get a temporary replacement for him."
"What!" Sakano outburst. He stood straight upward. "Tohma-sama… Nakano-san is a part of Bad Luck… regardless of what's going on… we could never replace him."
"Well then I suggest you get a back-up guitarist, many bands have them," Tohma scoffed. He was angered that Sakano dismissed his advice so quickly.
"Thank you, Tohma-sama, I'll start interviewing today." Sakano said. He bowed and was about to leave the room. "Oh, and Sakano-san…one more thing," Tohma said seductively. "I was wondering if you'd like to accompany me, I'm going out for dinner at 8pm today."
"What business do we have to discuss?" Sakano asked. Tohma pouted, "Come now… we're friends right, nothing guilty in two friends going out for dinner, right?" Sakano blushed. "Of course, Tohma-sama." Tohma stared at Sakano through one eye as he yawned. "I don't want you to feel obligated, you come if you want to come." Sakano nodded, "Understood, where are we to meet?"
"Outside of Mudai's Sushi Bar, do you know where that is?"
"Yes, Tohma-sama." Sakano bowed and left. Tohma smirked to himself. "I still haven't broken him in."
It was time for morning practice at NG studios, much to everyone's surprise, since the news had spread like a title wave, Hiroshi showed up to practice. As he entered there was an awkward silence that darkened his already black mood. Aaron stared at him with sympathy, the whole room did. Sakano babbled on about news and what he worried about, he brought up a new back up guitarist was to be chosen, if it was okay with Hiro. He simply nodded his mind was elsewhere. Practice started and Hiro simply sat there, plucking at each string like it added a weight to his back.
Aaron and Sakano, who had seemed to become friends with each other, were talking. "I was with Nakano-san last night, he was really down, but… not as down as most people would be, I don't think you have to worry about anything." Sakano nodded. "But… look at him, I think we should stay on the safe side and hire somebody… just in case."
"Well… how about you hire me, I'm sure a replacement would want to take over… or want some publicity before performing." Aaron smiled sweetly.
"And what exactly is in it for you?" Sakano asked with a raised brow. Aaron stared at Hiro and smiled. "I'm just looking out for Nakano-san's best interests." Aaron realized something as she stared at Hiroshi. She didn't like Ryuichi anymore. N-no… how could this be? Ryuichi was my life… I cried for him and now my love for him… it just disappears like lust? I thought it would be harder than this… it must be some fluke. She thought. "In the meantime, I'll just practice with the band as a bassist… is that okay? I really love the music, and I think I could give Bad Luck an awesome beat." Sakano agreed he wrote a contract with Aaron and she signed it. It was agreed it would be for only a temporary part in time. Aaron walked into the practice room with her bass guitar and felt about as nervous as she could possibly be. I must come off as such a bitch… just coming out of nowhere and freeloading off Bad Luck. They probably think I'm like everyone, just trying to make my face famous.
Aki screamed, "Really!" She jumped up and embraced Aaron in a hug. "This is great! I'm so psyched!" Aaron smiled. "Well it's not like I could let you get away without a bassist." She scolded. Aaron was surprised that the band was so well mannered to her. It seemed things were going great, little did she know there was a sly reporter trying to break bad luck apart with scandals. From behind the office door, Ai, an amateur reporter snapped photos of the two girls hugging, hoping to make Fujisaki grow apart from his so-called girlfriend. "Listen closely Aki," She spat disgust it her name, "I'll make sure that Suguru-san will be mine, and there's noting you can do to stop me."
A security guard rounded the corner, "Hey! You're not supposed to be here!"
"Uh-oh…" Ai ran down the hallway and out of the building.