AN: lol. It's been some time huh? I'm sorry, I had to concentrate on fulfilling the wishes of my evil biology teacher. lol. I hope you'll all forgive me!

Chapter Six

Eiri slammed his fist against the elevator. Damn. It had seemed that he was a little too late as the door closed seconds after Shuichi entered the box. Cursing the world, the young novelist, who had spent most of his life locked up in his study, decided to take a small 'jog' ten stories high by the stairs. None too please, the young blonde pushed through the crowds and flung the door to the emergency stairs.

This is emergency. Yuki thought, ignoring the yells of the staff that had seen him.

Winding down the stairs, Yuki gripped the handles in balance as he took five to six steps at one time; he hoped other floors delayed Shuichi's progress.

Damn that Maru. He growled to himself. He knew that he shouldn't have tricked his editor, since the other had the habit of biting people's asses back whether it was an enemy or his favorite writer. AKA Yuki Eiri. So, that's how it ended up with Shuichi looking upset; frankly, Yuki was not sure if the kid was jealous or embarass by Maru's statement of Eiri's 'talents' day and night.

Yuki hoped that maybe Shuichi would be a little bit more on the jealous side rather than upset.

Soon, out of breath, hair flung everywhere and clothes disarrayed, Yuki pushed through the entrance of the building just in time to see a mess of pink hovering on air disappearing inside a cab.

Perfect timing for his jacket to get caught on the doors.

"Shuichi!" Yuki yelled, trying to pull free his jacket while keeping his golden orbs on the vanishing vehicle, containing the love of his life. The cab disappeared around a corner.

Damn.

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The drive to the airport was too silent to have been considered normal. Maru sat on the back of the passenger seat with a scared Ryuichi, fidgeting with the door handle while Ryuichi hugged his pink bunny underneath his chin even tighter. Both men had been blitzkrieg thoroughly by a certain blonde only moments ago, and it had scared both of them when Yuki left and came back with this hideous attitude on mask.

If only the two knew that what brought Eiri's 'temper tantrum' was because he had lost his chance to be alone with Shuichi. If only the two knew that upsetting Shuichi would also cause the same effect to Yuki, and only if they knew that Eiri was none too please by the song.

The writer only stopped yelling at them with the final announcement that they were leaving the country, period. (Eiri had gone back to the hotel and packed all their belongings, then rented a car).

Maru sulked and Ryuichi cried.

"Maru...I don't want to go back to Tohma yet!" Ryuichi whispered none too subtlely.

Eiri's grip on the wheel tightened. "Shut up."

"I didn't even say anything!" his editor protested, tears gathering at the ends of his eyes.

"Shut up! Just..." Yuki lowered his voice threateningly, "be quiet." He caught sight of Maru playing around with the car's door handle.

Sniffing, Maru lowly voiced, "You can't just blame all of this on us you know. You brought this mess on yourself too."

Eiri's face scrunched. It was his fault. But Maru made the wrong move of saying that now. "Lecture me when we're in the plane."

It was quiet again, and a whole second passed by until Maru and Ryuichi both regained their courage.

"Eh?!" they both yelled.

Maru, dived to the front seat and looked at his writer with a shocked expression, "It can't be! You're coming back to Japan too?"

"NO!" Ryuichi shouted just as loudly, bawling his head off before Eiri could get a word in, "You can't give up! Shu-chan needs to be sparkly and it's only there when you're with him!"

The car suddenly stopped, and the three looked up at the terminal.

"It's no use." Yuki whispered, his voice slightly cracking- finally revealing to the two how much damage done on te gajin Japanese.

Then it was gone. Yuki had gotten out of the car and walked off towards the building.

"Ryu-chan, stay here." Maru quickly said, spurring his reflexes to work as he ran after the miserable man.

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"Eiri-san!" Maru called, disregarding the angry calls of children and women he accidentally trampled over as he caught up with the miserly novelist. He was smoking again as he made his way to one of the smoking area. "Yuki-sensei wa, did you really mean it when you said you'd return?" the editor could not help but feel a slight glow inside him. That meant his sensei could get back to work, the company they both worked for would be quite happy, and hopefully, he'd also escaped Tohma's sooner to come wrath if and only IF Yuki returns.

"Hng." Yuki replied through the smoke, puffing it all too purposely on his face.

The smaller man coughed. There goes seven seconds of my life. He thought, waiting for the smoke to clear before speaking up, "Sensei, did something happen?" was the curious question, "Did we really make you that angry?"

Eiri didn't reply. Who was he to ask this questions? And more importantly, should he receive an answer? Maru was only a friend, nothing more, Maru was his editor who saw through his novels and straight to a writer's heart. Just a man who was straight and didn't know anything about that feeling in him that was welling up, accumulating into something too much that if he didn't try to concentrate hard enough, he would be reduced to sobbing man.

"I understand that you love him." Maru softly said, his voice almost losing its way as a person walked by. "It may have uspet him to hear what I had said. But I meant nothing but to get revenge to my sensei," he glanced up at the person addressed to, "But I swear I wouldn't have done it at his expense."

"Yea. That's why I'm going back too." came the reply. A solid string of words that Maru none too easily deciphered, finding behind it a sound of quiver and regret. His novelist, his sensei, his beloved friend, Eiri Yuki, was not meant to go back. Not yet, and not even if his career depended on it or Maru's life in the hands of his powerful brother in law.

"You're not ready." Maru said.

Eiri accidentally dropped his cigarette. He would have thought his editor would be most happy...but instead, instead Maru was being his usual self again, that annoying person that wouldn't let Eiri's mind settle on one thing. Yuki's golden eyes shifted to his side and watched in silence as the man by him waved at Ryuichi who was dragging their luggage behind him.

Kumagoro too.

"I thought you'd be happy to hear." Eiri grumbled, "You were complaining at first, and now I really do want to go back. Otherwise, I'd just lose him again." Yuki sighed while Maru crossed his arms together.

"This was what it was all about? You keep talking like it was all your fault in the first place. Hm. Maybe I suppose it is, but you've stooped into a lowly level of tricks and magics just to try and steal away the boy. Why stop now?" a pause, "I'm not saying I'm all too well please since you've caused his fiance to cry, but hey, it's never fair in love and war."

Maru giggled at the frown that Yuki returned to him with- "Isn't it All's Fair In Love and War?"

"That's not the point sensei." The older, but smaller man, bent over and tied his shoes, keeping that serene smile on his face. "If you want to consider what I think, I'll tell you. I think that you should just tell him that you love him. Tell him that you were stupid for not going after him eight years ago and for never seizing the opportunity to do so. Ask him for forgiveness, plea to him what your heart's been always telling you."

The lecturer grinned,

"Is that too much?"

Eiri opened his mouth to answer when his phone began to vibrate suddenly. Both men blinked as the lesson was broken all of a sudden; Yuki reached for his cell and looked at the name on the screen, flashing a bright color of UNKNOWN caller.

"It's not too late." Maru whispered, patting his friend's shoulder, "You are not ready to come back to Japan yet...so I'll see you whenever you think to come back." Maru leaned up to kiss Yuki's cheek, "with your prize of course. I expect to know Shindo-kun a little more better. Maybe as friends next time." and then he pulled away, punching Yuki lightly on the arm and then leaving him behind with his ringing device.

Leaving Eiri behind, in America.

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"Hello?" Yuki answered, his mood a bit lighter since he turned his back from the gateway. He still had to get out of the airport to make sure that he didn't chicken out. Thank god for Maru that he had convinced him to stay, because in all honesty, Yuki was getting sick of seeing Shuichi smile brightly with Jutaru...and why should that brat leave the guy for Yuki when there was no guarantee that Eiri would give him eternal happiness? Let alone commitement such as marriage.

"Eiri?" Ah. It was Jutaru...sounding very panicked.

The said man straightened his back as he stood on the escalator, "Yeah, it's me."

"Hey, have you seen Shuichi around? He left more than an hour ago and hasn't come back. You wouldn't happen to be with him...are you?"

Yuki heaved a heavy sigh, "Did you call his hotel?"

"Yeah." there was hesitation, "Someone saw you leave at the same time, so I wasn't worried, but then, I thought that it's too dangerous for Shuichi to be running around in the city especially if he happened to be NOT with you." there was a hint of oncoming tears, "Please tell me he is with you."

Jutaru had waited for a reply, but there was none. He waited patiently wondering if Eiri was preoccupied currently with another matter...and preoccupied he was.

Who else would be standing before the entrance of the airport but a pink haired baka rendering a palely haired Japanese man speechless? The baka that had made Eiri pause in between the sliding doors of the building-stopping before the swiftly moving crowds.

There Shuichi stood with legs slightly apart, fists clenched, brows furrowed, mouth parted and clearly out of breath. Shuichi's eyes told Eiri what to answer to the man on the phone.

"N...no." Eiri replied quickly, "I haven't seen him...since." and before Jutaru could answer, Shuichi snatched the handy device and closed it. Errupting all of a sudden.

"Yuki you BAKA!" he yelled.

The addressed man was taken aback. Fool? Fool about what? Why?

He continued staring at the angry face of Shuichi.

"Where do you think were you going?" the smaller man pursued, "Why-" but he stopped when he was aware of the curious glances directed at them.

"Shut up brat." Yuki gruffly said, snatching his tiny wrist and dragging him out and into his rented vehicle. Only when he had safely pulled out of the parking lot did Yuki speak again, "Where have you been?" he asked, playing the concerned part, or actually, change that to annoyed. "Everyone's been looking for you."

"Don't speak to me like that!" Shuichi snapped, huffing in silent anger, and Yuki could swear anytime the boy would burst beside him, "Maru called me and told me about a little scheme. You were planning to leave me all alone and deal with the wedding all alone?!" slumping on the seat, he added in a whisper, "What a friend you are."

Over-ruling, the quiet air drifted back and forth of the two. Yuki hadn't even realized that they weren't heading anywhere near where Jutaru and his family were suppose to be, but he didn't care. Driving made him feel in control, but right now, that wasn't helping since his usual genki boy was now quiet as a mouse. Eiri sighed, he supposed it was understandable since...he had sort of promised the boy that he would stay. To top it all off, Shuichi must have felt grief stricken when he was called by Maru telling him that Eiri wasn't staying to see him walk down the aisle.

"I-" Yuki had started, but immediately stopped in the middle of his throat when he heard a sob break out from beside him. Stopping at a red light, Eiri stared away from the road and to his passenger. To Shuichi who was in his familiar posture, knees tucked underneath his chin, feet on the leather seats and head buried on his chest as his arms encase around him protectively. There was another sob, and before Eiri could input something to make the situation better, Shuichi started with his damaged voice.

"You're so stupid. I thought you weren't going to leave...but you planned it anyways...and you didn't even want to say good bye to me." Shuichi gasped light as he felt Yuki's hand pet his head, "Am I so horrid Yuki? Even as a friend you can't accept-"

"That's enough." Yuki cut him off, completely ignoring the green light. "I wasn't planning on leaving. Well...I was, but Maru just scammed you so you'd come to the airport..." Eiri decided to twist the truth a little, "He was the one leaving and he wanted to say good bye to you and he thought the bringing up my name would make you hurry over...but his plane departed before you got here."

The novelist smiled a sly grin as Shuichi's grief stricken face was replaced with a 'uh-oh, guess who looks stupid' expression.

"Why would he?" Shuichi asked; he settled with a giggle, "Nevermind. I'm so jealous that he can't be jealous of me since...we were...together. I wish I could be accepting like that." he heaved out a heavy breath; something much unbefitting to him.

"You were jealous?" Yuki asked, smirking. He winced slightly as Shuichi hit him on the arm,

"Hey! I'm not like you okay? You may be able sport around that expressionless face around but I'm different I get jealous 'cause you were..." Shuichi bit back in a last second hesitation.

A loud beep from behind Yuki urged his rented car to go on and finally allowing the cars behind him to pass. Yuki had to admit that the boy had stopped short, and it scared him a little as to why. What was Shuichi about to say? Something hateful? Something sappy?

"I was?" Yuki finally asked, braving the waters. Shuichi may explode again, but when it didn't happen, Yuki glanced at the boy and helf his gaze until the singer decided on his own to look away, his face was red and his lips were turning slightly bruised from the assault of his teeth. Yuki thought the kid would start bleeding badly if Shuichi didn't stop biting his lip.

"You were..." Shuichi attempted again. His voice slowly dying as he repeated, "You were mine." Eiri closed his eyes for a second at Shuichi's words. He hadn't know it he'd feel this good if Shuichi ever claimed him, even if the boy meant in the past. In the past..."Will you stop the car here Yuki?" Shuichi finally said, breaking the sanctuary of silence. The driver stopped.

Yuki was bewildered. Did he scare Shuichi now? The novelist didn't think he could take it again if Shuichi was made upset once more for this evening.

"You're getting out?"

Shuichi giggled, "C'mon Yuki." he called, opening the door and stepping one leg out, "I would think you'd want to come here. C'mon!" When Eiri didn't budge, Shuichi frowned and hopped out, running around the car, he opened the driver's seat and tugged at the blonde's wrist.

It reminded Yuki of the countless time Shuichi had reproached him to leave his work behind and enjoy the small things lovers should in the world.

Before he knew it, Eiri's feet were working on their own, and what they wanted was contrary to what Yuki had thought of. They were running after Shuichi who held on to his wrist like a toy. And that was what Eiri felt. A toy that only came to life with Shuichi.

"You're so slow!!!!" The pink haired man called, pulling harder.

The novelist looked down on the ground. He realized that planning to go back to Japan was wrong after all. That simply he could not give up Shuichi. He realized that...that he felt good when Shuichi was near him, let alone touch him even in the most innocent way. Eiri Yuki graced himself with a smile.

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"Here we are!" Shuichi finally exclaimed, out of breath at the same time.

Yuki tore his eyes off of Shuichi for a moment and realized where they were. They were in a cemetary. "You want to bury me alive already?" he attempted as a joke, but he didn't need to hear Shuichi. It had been too long now, eight years that he had visited...visited his sensei. The taller man took another step towards the dark, and that was when he was stopped by a pair of hands tugging him back by the arm.

He turned to look at Shuichi, and he wondered why the genki boy looked so troubled.

"Don't go in there." Shuichi said in a soft pleading voice.

Eiri glanced at the ominous darkness. "You're scared?"

He received a furious answer with pink locks going in all direction as Shu shook his head. "It's just...just please don't go in there Yuki?" the dependancy on his voice...it made Yuki want to gather the man within his arms. Why not?

"Y-Yuki!" Shuichi shrieked, laughing as his best friend lifted him and carried him off opposite of the direction the cemetary was located to. He laughed even more when Yuki carried him with one arm hooked on the back of his knees and the other on snaking from his back to his side. Would he feel like this too if Jutaru carried him like this on the night of their wedding? The younger man found himself pushing his fiance to the very back of his mind, occupying himself with this man, his best friend, his lover, his all as Eiri Yuki trudged up a small grass hill and plopped both of theirselves on the ground. They were slightly tangled from Shuichi's squirming around, but Yuki had his arms around Shuichi's waist, and Shuichi was between his legs with one of his long limbs hanging from Yuki's knee- one arm on his shoulder and the other resting on the novelist's chest. "Why'd you do that?!" Shuichi huffed, bumping his forehead on Yuki's own.

Yuki smirked. He didn't need to see that grave that he hasn't visited since; Eiri then realized the sudden change with the weather.

"Are you cold?" he whispered, he could more than feel Shuichi shaking in the meanwhile that he received a nod. The popstar's face reddened even more when the novelist decided to take off his jacket, draping it over both of them and pulling him closer. "Better?" was the almost 'wasn't there' voice asked. Yuki had sounded so different. Concerned.

Loving.

Shuichi snuggled to Yuki, "Yep." he let out a small laugh,

"So why did you bring me here if you didn't want to go in?" The older man asked, staring back silently at the dark land of the graves. He felt Shuichi's hold on his shirt tighten.

"I didn't want you to be hang up on him again." Shuichi said, "You always tended to do that...and then...you go away." the younger man hid his face from Yuki, "He always reminded you of things...and..."

Yuki didn't need to hear anymore after that. He knew what Shuichi was talking about. He knew that the man with him at this hour was feeling resentment towards his tutor Kitazawa. The man he had murdered so many years ago had gotten his revenge eight years ago. He was the reason why the two used to be lovers had broken off things. Well...the root of it all, but ultimately, it was Eiri Uesugi's fault.

"I'm sorry." Yuki whispered barely audible to his one man audience.

Shuichi raised his head, "Yuki?"

"Eight years ago...why did you leave?" Yuki disregarded the small gasp. This was the topic the two had been avoiding for such a long time, "You left me that one night, you left behind everything including that message on the phone."

'Yuki? Yuki please pick up. I...I didn't want to leave this as a message but...I'm leaving. T-to America.'

"Yuki..." Shuichi had started, but was cut off as he found Eiri embracing him, intoxicating his nostrils with that soft smell that was always on those blonde forest.

"You didn't come back." was the slow murmur.

Shuichi felt Eiri's lips hovering on the nape of his neck, warm breath sending electricity everywhere in his nerves. He'd missed Yuki as a friend, but he'd missed him most when they were still lovers. When both were single and free from all worries. But...

"You didn't come after me." Shuichi mumbled, bringing his arms off of his Yuki and placing his carpals on his face; ready to wipe away those tears that were threatening to fall.

Eiri's breath hitched, and he pulled off slightly from his beloved. There wasn't much light, but the small lamp post on the street was enough to show him the singer's violet eyes staring at him, clouded and ready to reveal those tears Yuki hadn't seen from their break up eight years ago. Nearly close to a decade. Yuki had himself to blame. It was true, wasn't it? He didn't go after Shuichi...if he did, if he had thrown his pride away, would he be the man instead that would be making the commitment? Would he be the one wearing the black and white suit ready for his man bride? But...

Yuki could have sworn he ran after him. Or had it been a dream?

If the novelist hadn't gone after Shuichi, then where was he at the time?

Suddenly he remembered Maru's words...'If you love him, just tell him.'

"Shu, I-" Eiri bit back a breath. It was such a fast movement, but the effect, it was there, those fingers that were soft as sakura blossoms, warm like a summer breeze...they were caressing his lips. And Shuichi was gracing him with the softest smile that made him feel whole. The young boy's eyes looked glazed with adoration, suffocated with want. Eiri saw that and pulled his waist closer to him.

"Yuki." Shuichi said. It wasn't to address or anything. Eiri felt the popstar had just said it to please himself.

"Shuichi..." Eiri whispered, moving his closer to the other.

The singer bumped his forehead back to him, smiling ever so delicately, "...Yeah?"

Then came a whisper from the blonde, "I have to tell you something."

"Hm?

Their heads were nudging each others now, going back and forth, and everytime they were coming forth, their lips seemed to ghost over each others. That space, that Eiri was sure it was getting smaller was begging to be closed...and then...

Then the moment was gone. Both Eiri's and Shuichi's pockets vibrating with their ringing devices.

The two stared at each other for a moment, what to do? Shuichi finally looked as if he remembered that he was engaged with someone else, that his wedding day, dreaded by some, would only be five days away. Shuichi remembered it all as if jumping into cold water-and Eiri, Eiri looked as if he'd just missed what he'd been waiting to do all his life. The window of opportunity had closed as soon as their devices rung out shrilly.

Shit. Why didn't I turn off the fuckin' cell?

"You don't have to worry about Kitazawa anymore." Yuki stated, trying to at least salvage one more dilemma and move it out of the way, "I think I'm still hung up on you." well, at least Shuichi's shock expression looked priceless, "What I mean is, I'm...I'm not engaged to Maru-" and then he couldn't say anymore. His old lover just sat there and that soft smile that had vanished returned, then hardened, and fully transformed into a smirk.

Eiri was surprised when it was Shuichi who decided to plant a kiss on the corner of his mouth, and before he could reply, Shuichi pulled away and off of him, removing that warmth that had evolved between them. Without another word, both men stood up, snatched their STILL ringing cell phones and answered at the same time,

"Fuckin' hell- What?!"

AN: EeeeeeeeEEEeeeEeeeEkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't kill me! I know you wanted them to kiss, but come on, that wouldn't be fair to the ever so faithful loving Jutaru ne? I mean HE IS all of our favorites- hahahaha, I'm just kidding! Don't kill!

' Sooooo...what's on the next chapter? hm, hm, I think I'll have Shuichi return to Japan, there's still five days left to till his single days are over right? lol. Okay, later fellows. Oh- one more thing, please review? I love you guy's appreciation even though all I ever give you guys are crap !! I think I'm gonna cry...:sniff: Oh one more thing, probably as a treat, maybe, no promises, just maybe I'll put in Shuichi and Eiri's fight...oh the pain! Till then, see ya! . kiss .