Chapter Four - Five Days and Counting

The days following the incident at the club had been pretty much the same. Shuichi was acting like a cold-hearted bastard, always writing his novel, and Yuki had been acting like a bouncing, whiny brat, and had even managed to record a song.

But on this day Tohma, in his infinite wisdom, had decided they had to go to the mall. So, after a few threats, Shuichi and Yuki were walking around the mall with Tohma, who had a smug smile on his face.

Suddenly, Yuki spotted a jewellery store. He bounced over, slamming his face against the glass, peering inside. He turned excitedly to Shuichi.

"Ne, Shuichi! When are you gonna get me an engagement ring? Huh? When?" He bounced. "Engagement ring, engagement ring, engagement ring!"

Shuichi lit up a cigarette, exhaling noisily. He turned, walking away. He paused for a second, tossing a comment over his shoulder. "The day I marry you, is the day Tatsuha throws out all of his porn mags."

Shuichi walked away, fighting the tears that blurred his vision.

Yuki was left staring after him, hurt and guilty. 'He really believes I'd say that, doesn't he? Wait… how the hell did he know about my brother's dirty magazines?'

Deciding he didn't want to know the answer to either mental question, he pasted a smile on his face, and bounced into the jewellery store, completely ignoring Tohma, who was looking inexplicably sad.

Tohma sighed as he removed his hat, scratching his head and deciding he didn't care if he messed up his image.

----

Three Days Later

Tohma, Yuki, Shuichi, Tatsuha, and Mika were in one of Tohma's limos, heading to Kyoto. Tohma had insisted that they go to see Yuki's father. Yuki privately thought he was nuts, and Shuichi thought he was scheming, and told him so.

Tohma merely smiled innocently, closing his eyes. "Do you think so?" he said, amused.

Mika rolled her eyes. "Stop acting innocent, we all know you're not!" She crossed her legs, muttering. "Silly bastard."

Tatsuha snickered. "Hey, at least this time Shuichi won't end up flashing the old man. That's a shame…" He said, eyes gleaming.

Shuichi, who was sitting opposite him, lifted his foot, and brought it crashing down onto Tatsuha's.

"AAAAAH!" Shuichi's glare of death shut him up, but he continued to scowl, muttering to himself.

Tohma suddenly spoke. "We're here." He was relieved, too. He didn't think Tatsuha would be in one piece if it took much longer.

----

Yuki's father stood outside of the temple, his craggy face set in a scowl. "Eiri… the disappointment of the family. Haven't you gotten rid of that… boy yet?"

Yuki pouted at him. "Father! I looooove him! I'm not getting rid of my Shuichi!" he said, clamping his arms around Shuichi.

Shuichi smirked, cigarette hanging out of his mouth. "The day I let him get rid of me, is the day you drop dead, old man, and you seem to have a bit of kick left in you, so I think I'll be sticking around."

Yuki's father practically turned purple. He shook his wrinkly fist at Shuichi's blonde head, scowling. He turned back to his son, and stared.

"Eiri… why is your hair that revolting shade of pink."

Yuki scowled cutely, stomping his foot. "Shuichi's hair was this colour before! He looked like a cute little bunny! I love it!"

Shuichi squealed mentally. Just to make Yuki's father mad, he tugged on Yuki's pink hair. "I think it suits him. At least he looks like the girly uke that he is."

Yuki's father hit the floor with a crash.

There was silence.

Until…

"SHUICHIIIIII! You MEANIE! Why did you say that!" Yuki pouted.

Shuichi calmly exhaled smoke into Yuki's face, which didn't help his nicotine craving one bit, and shrugged.

"The old bastard deserved it."

Just as Yuki's father regained consciousness, Shuichi walked into his house without taking off his shoes. "Got any beer, old man?"

In the end, everyone gave up trying to revive the old monk, and simply covered him with a blanket.

----

Everyone was sat eating dinner. Yuki's father had finally managed to stay conscious for more than a minute at a time, and so far no brawls had began.

Tohma, the bastard, just sat with a highly amused, and totally smug, smile on his face. Mika kept glaring at him, but it had no effect on him. After all, he was the most feared man in Tokyo.

Tatsuha had brought out a stash of sake… which meant all would not be well. Shuichi had been knocking it back like it was water, and Tatsuha was trying to challenge his sister to a burping contest.

Even Tohma was drinking, and he was giggling without even taking breath.

Things only went downhill from there. Yuki had decided to repeat Shuichi's little incident, just to annoy everyone, and flashed his father.

His father was still unconscious the next morning.

Shuichi had ended up staggering outside, throwing up in Yuki's father's favourite flowerbed, and passing out underneath the Sakura tree by the lake.

Tatsuha had ended up walking around the house naked, just because he "felt free", with a porn magazine in hand.

Tohma was face down on the floor, snoring loudly.

Mika, the only one who was conscious and who still had dignity, was actually in bed, thinking of ways to torture everyone in the morning and generally make their hung-over states worse.

Yuki was sat outside, looking at nothing in particular, thinking about the way Shuichi had acted throughout the challenge, and sneaking a cigarette now that nobody was watching.

He sighed. 'After this is over, I'll never treat him that badly again… I have to change, and if it's for him, I can do it.'


Rin-chan: Hope you enjoyed!

Kei-chan: Please review!