Chapter One: Like Strawberry Milk

"Oh, c'moooon, Yuki!" Shuichi whined, tugging at his lover's sleeves. "It's just for a week! You can come and hang out with us! Pleeeaaaase, I don't want to go without you! We could even dress up in matching outfits! "

Yuki decidedly stuck his fingers in his ears. "God, you are so loud!" he declared, snapping shut his laptop. "Look, Shuichi," he sighed tiredly. "I do not want to go to hear your stupid band, nor that other band. I do not want to go to New York, as should be obvious to your tiny brain," he scoffed scathingly, tweaking Shuichi upside the head. "And I absolutely do not want to take place in a bogus holiday that is specifically made to give kids cavities. And I don't want to dress up like an idiot with you. Got it? Good."

Shuichi pouted, sniffling slightly. "Puh-leaaaase, Yuki, puhleeeaaasse? You don't have to dress up; you won't have to leave the hotel at all, except for the concert! Me and Sakuma-san are doing a duet together for the occasion! I want you to see it!!!" be begged, hugging Yuki's leg for emphasis.

"No!"

"Please?!"

"Shuichi, I said no, and I mean it! I have a deadline in four fucking days, now get out!!! I'll watch the damn concert on the television if it means so much to you! Out!" Yuki articulated, pointing to the door.

Shuichi seemed happy with his small victory, and trotted out of the room, after giving his novelist lover a kiss on the cheek.

Yuki grumbled and took off his glasses; Shuichi could be such a pain in the ass.

Shuichi gently poked Yuki's cheek, earning a slapped hand. "Ow," Shuichi whimpered. "I just wanted to say good-bye before I left."

"Bye," Eiri grunted,shoving his head under the pillow.

The vocalist giggled. "You're so cute!"

"And you're so dead if you don't let me sleep," threatened the drowsy blonde.

"I'd be hurt if I didn't know that's how you expressed your deep love and adoration of me," Shuichi said loftily. "Anyway, I've gotta go, my plane leaves in an hour. Have a good week," he murmured, lifting the pillow kiss Yuki on the cheek. "Love you."

And then he skipped off out to the car that was waiting outside for him, which already contained the members of his band, K, Sakano, and a sleeping Ryuichi.

"Where's Tohma?"

"He's already there, doing PR control," Hiro answered, leaning around from the front seat, jerking as K suddenly floored it. "And Noriko's taking her own car. This is all we could fit in the car."

"Oooh, I see," Shuichi said gravely, moving his foot as Suguru reached for the trashcan, still not quite used to K's reckless driving.

Hiro laughed amiably. "No Yuki, huh?"

"I begged and begged but he wouldn't come with me—oh!" Shuichi blinked and blushed as the still sleeping Ryuichi fell over into his lap after a sharp turn.

"Well, it's to be expected, I mean, Yuki hates New York right… besides it's better if he didn't come, Shindou-kun," Suguru piped up, still very green around the gills.

"Yuh-huh," Shuichi said, highly resisting the urge to pet the older idol's hair. 'He's cute…' "What the hell am I thinking?!" he shrieked.

Suguru blinked, once, twice, then a third time. "Well, I didn't ask you to agree with me," he said, miffed.

Sakano looked up from the map he was reading. "K, you needed to turn right!! Not left!"

"Right-o!" K declared, pulling a U-turn in highway traffic.

"We're going to die!!!" Sakano whimpered, staring at the oncoming tractor-trailer in their path.

Shuichi found it odd that Ryuichi had managed to sleep through the entire, chaotic ride to the airport. But then, he reasoned, he himself could sleep through almost anything.

"Hey, Sakuma-san… Sakuma-san," Shuichi whispered, shaking the older singer gently. "We're at the airport."

Ryuichi stirred, hugging his Kumagoro as he yawned. "Shuichi…?" he mumbled as he sat up.

Shuichi grinned. "Good morning Sakuma-san!" he chimed.

Ryuichi brightened and grinned back, hugging the boy, giving him a swift kiss on the mouth. "Good morning, Shu-chan!" he laughed, surveying Shuichi's look of disbelief.

"C'mon, c'mon!" Sakano cried, waving a suitcase in his hands. "We're going to be late, and then Sacho will be mad!"

Ryuichi giggled, and scrambled out of the car, followed by a wide-eyed, blushing Shuichi.

"Shuichi tastes like strawberry milk!" Ryuichi whispered to Kumagoro, a dangerous glint in his eyes as he smirked back at Shuichi.