Shuichi sat on the bench for a long time staring out over the lights of the city and paying no mind to how late and cold it was getting. In fact, it was nearly three o'clock in the morning (though Shuichi had no idea) when he heard a voice floating through the darkness.

"I thought I'd find you here." There was something like a sad smile in the voice, bitterness mixed with pity.

Shuichi did not even look round. He knew that voice by heart. It was coming from just outside of the circle of lamplight he was sitting in.

"What are you doing here?" Shuichi asked hollowly. "What do you want?"

"I'm here because I knew you'd be here," he said as he stepped into the light to stand by the opposite end of the bench. "Surely you know what I want."

"To tell me it's Okay when it's not." Shuichi tried to make it sound like a joke, but he couldn't.

"Shuichi," said Hiro with a sigh. "I'm really sorry." He step nearer to his friend and took the magazine page from Shuichi's hand. "If I'd known it was true..."

"You knew!" shouted Shuichi jumping to his feet and glaring death at Hiro. "You knew? You knew all this time and you didn't tell me?"

"No, Shuichi, please! Tohma called K and was acting all smug," Hiro began.

"Tohma," Shuichi spat. "I thought so."

"Would you please listen? Tohma called K to see how the tour was going and everything. He didn't come out and say what had happened, but he hinted that something was up with Yuki. K told me because he was worried. I figured it was just Tohma being his twisted little self and so I didn't tell you because I knew it'd just upset you and I thought I'd just be worrying you for no good reason. I'm so sorry." He sighed again, shaking his head.

"Hiro." The pink-haired singer swallowed, trying to make his voice function. "Hiro, I thought he really loved me. I thought he really cared."

"I know," said Hiro as he sat down with Shuichi on the bench. "And I know it doesn't help much to say this, but I seriously doubt that this was his idea, you know? He didn't wanna marry Ayakaso maybe it's the same thing now, maybe it's just his family."

"There's no way that woman's gunna let him back out it even if he doesn't want to marry her," said Shuichi, his throat tight. "You should have seen her!" He began to tell Hiro everything that had happened since they'd parted. "And he only looked sorry for a minute," he said again when he'd finished. "Why would he do this to me? How could he do this to me?"

"I don't know. I really don't know." Hiro gazed at his friend's face. It was tortured with agony and he wanted nothing more than to wash that pain away. Tomorrow, Eiri Yuki was going to pay from making Shuichi, his Shuichi, look like that. "Shuichi," Hiro whispered.

He turned his sad eyes to his friend.

Hiro wanted to say, "forget him," but it came out "forgive me."

"It's not your fault," said Shuichi in a dead voice.

"I should have told you."

"It would have ruined the tour."

There was no arguing with that. The two sat in silence for a long time, watching the lights of the city. Hiro listened as Shuichi lost and regained control over his tears. Finally, he had to speak.

"Shuichi, maybe you should just-," he began in a rush.

"Just what?" Shuichi cut in. "Just forget him? How can I? I love him! I love him more than anything else in the world. I'd do anything for him. I'd die for him!" He stopped to gasp for air through the tears he was struggling to suppress. "But apparently I don't matter to him. How can I just forget that?"

Shuichi was too blinded by tears to see the pain in his friend's eyes at his words.

"There has to be something, someone, else you care about," he said in a broken voice.

"I guess, but not the way I care about him."

Again, there was nothing to be said and again they gazed out over the lights of the city for several minutes.

I could be everything you want him to be, thought Hiro, the words twisted with pain even in his head. I'd do anything for you; I'd die for you. Why are you so blinded by him? I'm everything you want! I'm everything he isn't. How can you want him after everything he's done to you? He's not god for you. I'm perfect for you. Why can't you see that? Why can't you see that-

"I love you, Shuichi." Hiro finished his thought aloud.

Shuichi slowly turned his head to stare at Hiro, too stunned to speak.

--

Thanks to DarkMetalAngel of Destruction for the idea of having someone else after Shuichi's heart. I'm not really a fan of Shuichi/Hiro, but I thought it would make the story more interesting. Hope you think so too!