IMPORTANT WARNINGS AND DISCLAIMERS: i do not own gravitation, bleach, the song 'life is like a boat', and sleeping beauty

Thanks to those who reviewed! thanks also to Andi linberg for emailing me! and for those who still don't know about the continuation of gravitation.. just feel free to ask me.

Chapter 13

The Scandal of Modern Sleeping Beauty

Shuichi winced as he awoke at Eiri's place. He sat up and rubbed his eyes while yawning. He had a nightmare last night, and all the bad memories Tachi gave him swarmed on his mind. He could smell butter and garlic being sautéed in the kitchen and decided to take a look. He got up from bed and the blanket fell from his shivering small body.

"Huh? Why am I wearing different clothes?" he looked at the new sleeping outfit he was wearing and scratched his pink head. "I wonder where Eiri is." He walked to the kitchen and sniffed the romantic aroma of soup and buttered vegetables.

"Hi! Good morning Shuichi!" Tatsuha greeted him. "How was your sleep?"

"Uh, I'm sorry, I don't know what happened – I mean, why did I sleep here?"

"You don't remember anything?" Eiri asked while pouring soup on Shuichi's bowl.

"Yeah, all I remember is that I felt dizzy and my head hurt so much that I wanted to sleep."

Tatsuha looked at his brother and back to Shuichi. "Oh, yeah, that's – that's right, you fell asleep because you were dizzy. Tell me, is there anything else that you remember?"

Shuichi sipped his soup. "No, nothing else." He blinked. "Why? Do I have to remember something?"

"Uh, nothing." Eiri replied for his brother and drank his own soup. "Hurry up; we're going to be late for class."

"Alrighty!" Shuichi grinned and finished his bowl of soup. He went to the bathroom and showered.

"Aniki, what happened? Don't tell me nothing happened and he just fell asleep!" Tatsuha whispered once Shuichi was out of earshot.

"Something happened, but he's too sleepy to move. The drug you gave me was so dangerous Tat, where did you get that?"

Tatsuha scratched his head and sighed. "I got it from the music club room. I decide to seduce Ryu sensei but there was no one there and I found a plastic on the floor and when I picked it up, I noticed it immediately." He yawned. "I don't know, I just feel like getting it, I thought there would be a use for it someday."

"And indeed it has a use." Eiri snickered and got up to take a bath.

"I'll be going now aniki, I need to return a book." Tat said and rode his bicycle.

"Right, see you." He said while slamming the bathroom door close.

"Hm, Eiri, my head is spinning." Shuichi rubbed his head during their lunch time at school.

Eiri didn't say a word, like he didn't care. He sipped his milk shake and read the newspaper.

"Eiri, I just said my head is spinning!" Shuichi pouted a little hurt that he was being neglected by his koi. "Why not give me a massage?"

"I'll cut your head off." Eiri said coldly and buried himself more on reading the newspaper. Shuichi frowned and spotted Fujisaki on the canteen.

"Fujisaki kun!" he waved and the emerald green haired youth joined their table. "Fuji, where's Hiro?"

"Good afternoon, Shindou san, and you too, Uesugi san." Eiri just nodded curtly and pretended to read the political updates on the paper. "Nakano went back home, he said he will get his guitar so we could practice later for the band tournament."

"That's great, good thing I brought my lyrics with me." Shuichi smiled and drank his strawberry float. "But, I'm afraid I can't practice with you today, we have a practice for our school play."

"That's bad." Fujisaki rubbed his chin when an idea crossed his mind. "I know, just give us the lyrics and we'll make the beat later. How's that? Then, if you're free tomorrow, we'll just let you sing it so we could have a new arrangement."

"Oh, ok." Shuichi said absent mindedly.

"Shindou san." Fujisaki frowned. "You're not sure of me, is that why you're out of energy?"

"H – huh?"

Fujisaki sighed. "Don't worry, I'm not a bad kid who would ruin a great song."

Shuichi looked down and nodded. "O – ok." Shuichi said simply and spared a glance at Fujisaki.

"I'm glad I joined." Fujisaki smiled and left their table.

"Great song huh?" Eiri teased and snickered.

Shuichi pouted. "So, you were listening huh?"

"I have no choice; I couldn't concentrate on reading because you two were noisy."

"Sorry." Shuichi said simply, but then his eyes lit up. "I know!" he clapped his hands together. "Eiri! Aren't you the greatest in our class when it comes to writing and literature! Why don't you comment on the lyrics I made?" he scribbled through his bag and a crumpled paper with messy handwriting emerged. "Here, have a look at this. Tell me what you think.

Eiri took the paper and scanned it. He had his eyes focused intently on the lyrics, with a serious look on his face. Then, it turned blank, and all of a sudden, his whole face showed disgust.

"So, What do you think?" Shuichi asked after minutes of silence.

The school bell rang and they heard the students standing up to go back to their respective rooms. On the other hand, Eiri stood up and turned his back on Shuichi.

"Eiri! Wait!" Shuichi tried to ask for a compliment, but all that came out from Eiri's mouth were the words:

"You have zero talent. Give up."

And at that moment, a large billboard fell on Shuichi's head. It had the words: ZERO TALENT, written in red big bold letters.

"You don't have to say that!" Shuichi cried as Eiri's back said bye - bye to him.

Shuichi sniffed and wiped the snot which was hanging from his nose. He was with all of his classmates at the auditorium to practice Sleeping Beauty. Tachi and his friends were making fun with the props when they saw Shuichi curled up in one corner. Ken nodded at them and went beside the brat.

"Candy kun." Tachi wrapped his arm on Shuichi. "What's the matter? Someone dumped you?" He said in a soothing but irritating tone. "I can comfort you if you want." Then he leaned closer to Shuichi's ear. "If you know what I mean." He licked his lips and bit Shuichi's earlobe.

Shuichi turned away from them and completely ignored Tachi. Eiri showed up at the practice room and looked at the scene. Tachi grinned and followed Shuichi.

"Candy eyes, if someone dumped you, you should not be depressed." He hissed on Shuichi's ear. Eiri knotted his eyebrows, trying to hear Tachi's words. "We are guys you know; we shouldn't let the girls be very confident with themselves." Tachi grinned to himself, knowing from the start that it was not a girl who made Shuichi sad.

Shuichi ran away from them and before Tachi's group can reach him, the leader for the play showed up.

"Konnichiwa minna!" a cute and bubbly tone greeted them.

"Konnichiwa Ukai san." They replied and sat on the floor.

"I have great news for you guys!" she clapped her hands and flipped on some pages of the pamphlet she was holding.

"I wish they'll cancel the play." One student said.

"I hope it would be moved to a more convenient day." One student sighed.

"According to this new plan arranged by Mr. K, the play will be moved –

"Yehey!" the whole class erupted and jumped together.

"Aw, as expected, I know you'll be this excited." Noriko smiled and continued her speech. "As I was saying earlier, the play next month will be moved –

Shuichi crossed his fingers and panted while cold sweat ran through his back. Ukai san, please say the play will be moved next next month. Or next next year!

- will be moved next week!" Noriko finished and all students were brushed with silence.

"NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY!" they all shouted including Eiri, who was holding his own breath. "No way, sensei! We only started practicing last week!"

"Oh, you don't like it? But Mr. K said you were all excited to do this play! Anyway, you can't argue now. It's all settled, it would be on Monday next week!" and she gave a hearty chuckle.

"Monday next week." Shuichi mumbled to himself and elicited an ear splitting scream. "Monday next week! It can't be!"

"It can be, Shindou kun." Noriko said and jumped like a ballerina around the room. "Oh, I can't wait." She said dreamily.

"No." Shuichi fell on his knees and wailed violently.

Shuichi looked depressed and dead after school play practices. He didn't talk to Eiri or to everyone else – heck, he didn't want to talk at the moment. This was a really bad day for him with Eiri insulting his talent and lyrics, with Tachi getting closer and closer to him and with the rescheduling of the play. It would've been ok if he was just an ordinary knight or servant, but no. He was the main character of the show. He was sleeping beauty and he was definitely not proud of it.

He decided to pour out his frustration by walking from school to his room on the mansion, which by the way was at the 4th floor. He could feel the burning sensation of his feet and the aching muscles of his entire body. All he wants to do now is get his peaceful sleep. As he stepped his feet in front of his bedroom door, he breathed in and sighed out. He reached for the golden doorknob and twisted it and –

"How are you, baby?"

"Hm, I'm fine. I want to sleep and – (he froze and his mouth fell on the floor while his tongue kept rolling on the ground) – WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!"

"Ahaha, you finally noticed me." Said a high giggle and flirty accent.

In front of Shuichi was a girl with brown curly hair, curly lashes and a sexy body. Her nice and long legs were sitting prettily on top of Shuichi's study table. She wore high heel boots, short brown mini skirt and a black tube top, not to mention the fancy luxurious beads hanging from her neck.

"Hi Shu chan." She waved and blew a flying kiss on the depressed brat.

Shuichi covered his eyes with his left hand and started dodging all the kisses she blew with his right hand. "My goodness, could you stand up and leave my room! I can see your bikini – for goodness sake!" Shuichi shouted and in an instant, a heavy figure glomped him and they fell on the ground.

"You missed me, right?"

"There's no way I'll miss you!" Shu replied.

"Baka!" the girl pouted and kicked him on the stomach. "Fine then, no strawberry pocky and yogurt for you!" she said and started stomping out of Shuichi's room.

"Wait! Did you say strawberry pocky?" Shuichi clutched his stomach while his other hand was holding the girl's ankle to prevent her from leaving.

"Hmph." The girl said.

"Alright, fine, I miss you ok?" Shuichi rubbed his ass and he was once again glomped by the same figure.

"Shu chan! I missed you! Mwuah!" she placed a kiss on Shuichi's cheek and the brat sighed.

"Maiko, you're clutching me, I can't breathe!"

"Oops, gomen oniichan, I missed you so much!" she hugged Shuichi tightly to the point that the latter's ribs cracked.

"What are you doing here? I thought you'll be back by the end of the year, the 'ber' months haven't even started!"

"I know. I just feel like staying with you a little longer. If you insist that I should still be in another country, I'll make you come with me."

"Maiko, I'll only go with you during vacation right?" he disentangled himself from his sister. "Besides, I like it here."

"Oh? I don't think so. I've heard this news from others that you're always crying because of one person. You can't hide anything from me dear brother, tell me what's going on."

"Who told you that bullcrap? Me? Crying? Hello Maiko, since when did you see your brother cry?" Shuichi waved and shouted frantically in front of his sister.

Maiko fell silent; the Shindou siblings stared at each other, with dotted eyes. Then Maiko punched Shuichi and the latter crashed on the wall.

"Don't shout at me!" she flared "For your information, you cry everyday Shuichi!" she stared at her nails and examined her polish. "Ah, someone needs an explanation." She picked Shuichi on the floor and pinched his cheek. "Who made my brother cry?"

"Maiko, it's really not that serious! Com'n I need to sleep!"

"I won't let you sleep until you tell me what's going on." She said with a tone of authority on her voice.

Oh no, this is bad, she's really serious. What will I do? Ah, I'm really tired. Shuichi sighed and slumped on the floor.

"Alright, Maiko. This started with a guy named Uesugi Eiri…."

Eiri had to cover his ears just to enter their classroom the next day. The whole class was so noisy, that it reached up to the ground floor.

"What the heck is going on? K san will punish us if all of you are talking like you are in the market place!" Eiri shouted once he opened the sliding door of their room. The whole class was silent for a moment, looking at him like they saw a trespasser. They ignored Eiri and continued chatting. They formed a circle around Eiri's chair.

"Could you step aside? I want to sit down." Eiri needed to shout just to talk to his classmate who was blocking his way. "Honestly, why are you all gathering around…… my…… ---- my -----

Eiri stopped talking and stared at his own seat.

"Hi, handsome – chan, would you like to sit down here with me?"

Eiri looked at the girl like he never saw a beauty before. Then he shook his head. No, I'm just dreaming, there's no way a girl student could enter in this school. Then he stared at the girl again. She looks familiar. Ah, no, she looks like Shuichi. Yes – that must be it. I'm just hallucinating. This may be the after effect of the drug Tatsuha gave me. The girl winked at him. No, it can't be…. I'm not seeing a girl; this is Shuichi in front of me.

The girl walked in front of him, pulling his collar and sniffing his scent. "Hm, you smell good." She giggled and winked at everybody else.

The sliding door flew open and the whole class saw a panting and exhausted Shuichi.

"Good, I'm not yet late." He murmured and walked towards his seat.

"Hi Shu chan! You're pretty early today."

"Yeah, I can't believe I'm not – (he had a 'what the f- 'look on his face) – you! Wh – what are you doing here?"

The girl chuckled. "Oh, I'm just bored; I wanted to check on your classmates. They all seem nice." Maiko said.

"You know this girl, Shindou?" Ma kun asked.

"Ah, she's my –

"He's my brother!" Maiko said and walked past them. "Bye Shu chan, have a nice day at school!" she waved and spared a darkened glare on Eiri. Eiri returnedit with a 'do I want to know you' look and cursed inwardly.

The whole day was not that good for Shuichi. He was constantly being bugged by his classmates, asking him why his sister was there earlier. He made up lame excuses like sleepwalking and morning disorders, and to his surprise, his classmates believed him. By afternoon, they had their school play practices again.

"Eh? Aizawa's not here?" Noriko checked on the attendance. "He better show up on the day of the play or else he'll suffer the consequences."

"He was here earlier, right? So, where is he now?" Ma kun asked.

"No idea. I don't remember him telling us he has a job." Ken replied while scratching his hair.

"I thought you said your sister was in another country?" to Shuichi's surprise, Eiri talked to him for the first time of the day. The blonde rested his back on the wall and opened an eye to look at Shuichi.

"I – I was surprised too, I didn't know she'll come back this early." He gulped and felt his body shiver. He could still remember last night when he told Maiko that he fell in love with a bastard named Eiri. Maiko didn't take it seriously at first, but as the story went broader and broader, she was forced to believe the truth.

And, being the over protective sister that she was, she wanted to know about this Eiri Uesugi who hurt his brother.

Eiri raised an eyebrow and grabbed Shuichi's butt. Shuichi almost jumped in surprise.

"What the heck Eiri! What was that for! My, why are you doing that in a public place?"

"Because I want to know the truth." He said simply.

"Know the truth by molesting my butt!"

"No, your butt gets bigger when you lie."

Shuichi gave him an odd and unexplainable look. "Eiri, did you eat breakfast? Hello? Earth to Eiri?" he waved. "My butt is still the same no matter what you do. Honestly why –

But his speech was cut off by Noriko, insisting that they should practice for the play. To Shuichi's happiness, there was a singing part in almost all his scenes.

Saturday came quickly than they expected, with almost all of them memorizing their pieces by heart. Tachi / Taki only showed once, but surprised everybody with his great acting ability. Ma and Ken were not that good in acting but they handled their roles of being fairy godmothers well. Eiri was as good as Tachi and though he doesn't want to admit it, Shuichi was the best actor of them all.

But, everybody's curiosity rose to the highest level when Shuichi was asked to sing away from everybody else, and with the private assistance of Ryuichi Sakuma.

"That Shindou is one lucky kid." His classmates gathered to talk about him that day.

"First, he has this beautiful sister."

"Yeah, but Shindou looks cute too, right."

"Uh huh, but he looks like a girl."

"That's why he looks cute. She looks like a girl."

"Second, he was asked by Sakuma sensei to do voice lessons in private!"

"If I were him I could've died in happiness."

"Yeah, Sakuma san's way too cool!"

"And gorgeous."

"And hot!"

And the whole conversation was focused on Ryuichi. Eiri just sat beside his classmates, killing time by listening to their little talk.

Ah, nonsense. He thought.

Monday came and all of them were nervous. They peeked from behind the back stage and grunted. There were so many people in the audience; they could've sworn they saw politicians with the principal in the front row. They crossed their fingers and hugged each other, thinking that this was their last day on earth.

Maiko was sitting prettily among the luxurious crowd, shaking hands with some of the higher people that wanted to talk to her. She would just smile at them and stuck out her tongue when they turn their backs. She knew they just wanted a share of their money and she was not that dumb to mingle with them, so she joined the crowd on the back stage.

"Look, Shuichi's sister is there." One of his classmates said and several others tired to peek through the red closed curtain.

"Gee, I want to back up!"

"Shut up! You're just a servant so don't complain. I wish I won't have to wear this stupid dress." Ma kun said.

"Yeah, you look like you're gonna puke. Nakano's section is so lucky. They're just going to do Three Little Twits - " Ken said, fixing his head dress and toy wand.

"Pigs, baka! Where's Tachi?" Ma asked.

"I think he's at the dressing room." Ken said while waving a wand and accidentally poking Ma kun's nose with it. "Oops."

"Watch it Ken! I'm gonna kill you after this."

Meanwhile, Eiri hated the fact that he was being surrounded by his gay classmates, who was drooling over him. He wore a black trench coat, black shirt, black skirt – like pants, black gloves and was holding his black witch hat. His black lipstick was revealing his fair and smooth complexion.

"Yo Eiri, you look like a punk." Ma kun said after wiping the blood on his nose.

"Thanks for the compliment, I would've appreciated it more if you shut up." he said while trying on his hat. He loosened his black necklace and ironed his trench coat with his hand.

"Guys, we're starting in five minutes." Noriko called out and checked on her watch. "Where are Shindou and Aizawa?"

"Aizawa is at the dressing room, Ukai san."

"Shindou is at the dressing room too, ma'am."

Eiri's fair and smooth complexion tuned pale, and he tried to run on the dressing room but he was called by Noriko.

"Uesugi, could you please help me set up these props?" Noriko asked him but shoved the materials on the blonde's arms before he could complain. "Thank you very much."

Eiri gritted his teeth and sighed.

"Woo, if it isn't your highness." Tachi grinned at the sight of Shuichi. He kneeled in front of the brat and took one hand and kissed it. It was just the two of them inside the dressing room and Shuichi didn't like it. He removed his hand away and ran to exit the room but he was pulled by Tachi.

"Oh, princess, why are you running away from your prince?" Tachi teased and tightened his hug on the brat.

"Stop it Tachi! It's not funny!"

"Oh? Then what's funny?" he licked Shuichi's pursed lips and smirked.

"Gah!" Shuichi pushed him and ran away, closing the door behind him.

Tachi fell on the floor and laughed by himself. "The fun hasn't even started yet, Shuichi." he said to himself and laughed again.

"Alright, here it goes, we'll start now!" Noriko said and winked at his students. Behind the curtains, they could hear the murmurs of the audience.

She pulled a rope and the wide red cloth parted to reveal a stage filled with people dancing. The music was lively and all the participants danced to the beat. Before the music died down, they swung to the side to present a big guy with long beard, sitting on an over sized luxurious chair. Beside him was another guy wearing a wig and elegant dress. The audience assumed it was the King and Queen. The 'Queen' was holding in his arms their bundle of joy, which was a toy baby, rocking it softly and humming a lullaby.

"Good morning dear fairy godmothers. This is Aurora, our princess, beautiful isn't she? She's to marry King Hubert's son, Philip."

"Beautiful, indeed, beautiful. I, Fairy Flora will grant her the gift of everlasting beauty and grace." Ken swooshed his wand and several sparks appeared from it. He smiled at the audience and went back on his place.

"Thank you Flora." The King smiled and twisted his beard. "What have you got our daughter, Fauna?"

The said fairy stepped forward and tapped the baby's throat. "I, Fairy Fauna, am giving you the gift of song." The fairy twirled his wand and stepped beside Ken.

Before Ma kun could step forward, the lights dimmed, opened and dimmed again. The people inside the castle stage ran and hid behind the props, while an unwanted breeze caressed them. In a few seconds, a loud tapping noise was heard. The audience looked at the left side of the stage. Eiri walked with great poise. The audience hooted amusingly.

"Ooh, the witch is too damn hot!" a viewer said and the others nodded in agreement.

Ma and Ken smirked.

Eiri swayed his trench coat and chuckled. These gave all of them the creeps. He smirked at the King and began his speech.

"Tsk tsk tsk. Your highness, why did you not invite such an important fairy in this party." He said with his best German accent. He looked at the baby. "Because you failed to invite me, I will put a curse on your daughter." He traced his long and fake black fingernails on the baby's cheek. "On her sixteenth birthday, the princess would prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die." He let out an evil laugh.

"No, No, please Fairy Maleficent, there's no need for curses." The queen pleaded but it was too late.

"She. She will die!" Eiri laughed again.

The king ordered his guards to capture Eiri but he vanished with a puff of black smoke. The queen cried and cradled his / her baby. "I've waited so long for a baby to come. And now, she'll be taken away from me before she even becomes a lady." He / She wept and rested her head on the king's shoulder.

"Do not cry, your majesty, I have not yet given my gift to the princess." Ma kun smiled and stepped forward, his long and emerald green gown shining in the dim light. "I have no power to remove a curse, but I can change what Maleficent did." Ma kun raised his wand and swayed it. "On her sixteenth birthday, she will indeed be pricked by a needle of a spinning wheel. But there's no need to worry, because she will only fell asleep and be awoken by a real kiss of love."

The King was not satisfied by this and ordered that every spinning wheel in the kingdom should be burnt. And so it happened.

Nevertheless the three good fairies thought that it would not stop Maleficent to accomplish her revenge, and so they planned to raise Aurora as a peasant in the deep forest until the age of sixteen, when the curse finished, and then to take the princess to the castle again, with her parents. The king and queen agreed, for the sake of their daughter.

The red curtains closed and the lights were turned off. The audience could hear a bewitching tone emerging from the stage. Some students recognized it as the same voice which made them stop dancing during their school ball a few days ago.

It was a cool and heart – touching tone. They focused their eyes as the curtains started to part again, this time, revealing a forest filled with flowers and fireflies, and a girl with long (I repeat, long) pink hair, sitting by the meadow, and picking up some flowers and strawberries.(1) She was wearing a pink and simple gown, with flowers as head dress and bracelets.

Nobody knows who I really am

I never felt this empty before

And if I ever need someone to come along,

Who's gonna comfort me, and keep me strong?

The wind blew on the girl's direction and the petals flew on the air, giving a majestic effect. The girl stood up and smiled and placed 'her' hands on 'her' chest. 'She' looked at the audience with a blank expression and continued singing.

We are all rowing the boat of fate

The waves keep on coming and we can't escape

But if we ever get lost on our way

The waves would guide you through another day

She walked towards the waterfalls and played with the water while singing. Just then, a light flashed at the audience's place. They murmured and turned around and saw the prince walking on the aisle. Tachi smiled at the ladies and walked up the stage. He stopped behind the girl who still hasn't show her face on the audience.

"Such a beautiful voice." Tachi said.

The girl stood up and backed away, revealing for the first time, her, rather, his face. Shuichi wore pink hair extenders which flow until his butt.

"Sorry, did I scare you my lady?"

"N – no, not at all." Shuichi tried to make his voice as girly as possible. The audience awed and clapped as they liked the face of Shuichi.

Shuichi could feel his heart stop. He breathed in and almost lost his balance, luckily, Tachi caught him and their faces were just an inch apart.

"Y – you're beautiful." They danced on the forest.

"T – Thank you." Shuichi said and the two of them became lovers from that very day.

Some viewers chilled in excitement, others sighed in contentment, like they can feel the love.

"What is your name?" Tachi asked and Shuichi pulled away, a little frightened.

"I shall see you again at the cottage!" Shuichi yelled and disappeared from the stage.

"We shall meet again." Tachi said dramatically, his hand rose as if trying to reach Shuichi. Then the curtains closed again.

The audience applauded, Tohma winking at Noriko and Noriko winking at Ryuichi. At the backstage, their section was massaging Shuichi's shoulders while praising him.

"That was romantic, Shindou! We didn't know your voice was so powerful, I almost cried!"

Shuichi smiled and wiped his sweat. "Ah, here goes the finale." He said and once again the curtains opened.

The princess returned to the castle to meet her parents and alas, they were reunited. They gave her a golden crown and she waited at her room until sunset.

A glowing ball appears before princess Aurora/Shuichi. Mesmerized, Aurora gets up and blankly begins to follow the ball through a secret passage. The fairies then hear Maleficent's laughter and realize that Aurora is in danger. They search throughout the castle looking for Aurora. Maleficent has led her to the highest tower in the castle. There the ball stops and turns into a spinning wheel. Aurora's hand goes out to touch the spindle. The fairies shout in desperation for Aurora not to touch anything. But Maleficent's spell is too strong. The fairies burst into the tower room and see Maleficent who pulls away her cloak and vanishes, leaving Aurora collapsed on the floor.

Shuichi was placed on a bed filled with flowers. Fireflies swarmed over him, giving a romantic effect.

Oh, no, here it goes. He thought and tried to open his eyes a little just to see a blurred Tachi approaching him. At the left side of the stage, the other participants were sneaking up and admiring the play. Shuichi looked like a goddess in a white dress.

Eiri stared at Shuichi's face then his heart sank. Then he shook his head.

Why am I feeling this? He looked at Tachi and felt a sway of annoyance. Annoyance? Or is it jealousy? He gritted his teeth.

Tachi walked beside Shuichi and sat on the bed.

"That's not part of the script." Noriko whispered and Eiri's eyes widened.

Tachi's back wasn't facing the audience as planned. Instead, he sat on the side of bed where his face could be seen. He traced his finger on Shuichi's lips and murmured something only Shuichi could hear.

"You're mine."

And with that, he leaned forward and kissed Shuichi.

The whole crowd gasped.

"What the f…….." Eiri curled his fist while Noriko shrieked and collapsed beside him.

Shuichi's eyes opened immediately as the lips pf Tachi touched his'. They stared at one another for a moment, Tachi's eyes glowering at him. So as to complete his performance, he closed his eyes and deepened the kiss. Shuichi's eyes were still wide open and he cast a glance at the audience. The first person that he saw was the principal.

A tear fell down on Shuichi's cheek, and with all his pride, he pushed Tachi to fall on the floor. He sat on the bed, furious; one arm covered his mouth, wiping his lips. He panted and just stared at Tachi, who was giving him the exact look. Tachi stood up and attempted to advance to him, but he was pushed on the ground once more by a punch on the back.

Shuichi covered his mouth with his hands and almost shouted.

A blonde figure appeared behind Tachi as he fell.

"E – Eiri." Shuichi whispered.

"Has he done anything wrongwith you, my princess?"

For the second time that day, Noriko collapsed.

"W – what?" Shuichi asked.

"Ah, we'll be together again, my princess." Eiri hugged Shuichi and the latter hugged back, not really comprehending what Eiri said.

"What is going on!" K shouted and fired his gun at random places that the audience covered their ears. Nonetheless, they were still eager to watch the play.

K went up at the stage and pointed his gun at no one in particular. "What is going on? Explain this to me in one sentence." He said in a warning tone while his yellow hair was glistening behind him.

Eiri gulped and Tachi felt he'll never live again after this. Shuichi clutched at Eiri's black trench coat tightly, but the blonde stood up.

"K – ka san(2)!" Eiri said dramatically and stepped forward. K pressed the cold metal on Eiri's chest. "Mother, there's no need for violence."

"Mother?" K raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, mother. I've captured the witch, and he disguised as a prince. And… (Eiri looked around, hoping for other things to pop in his quick mind. He spotted Shuichi, still sitting on the bed.) And, here's the lady I want to marry."

"What did he say?" came the comments from the viewers.

"Man, it's confusing."

"Are you stupid? They altered the script and changed the flow of the story!"

"Yeah, I think it's great!"

"Instead of retaining the real story, they changed it and turned the witch into the prince and vice versa."

"Oh is that it? It's funny!"

Eiri smirked. He had turned the falling story into a comical romance. K had question marks on his head, Tachi was just sitting on the floor as if a comet hit him, and Shuichi was dumb founded.

Eiri returned to Shuichi's side and pulled the brat close, encouraging him to dance, just as the original script indicated. Eiri looked at the dried tears on Shuichi's face and examined his glistening amethyst orbs. There was a sudden feeling that engulfed him, a feeling he could not understand. His heart skipped merrily on his chest as he saw Shuichi smiling at him. It was a real true smile that he had never seen in his entire life. And without anything else on Eiri's mind, he pressed his lips on Shuichi's.

The audience applauded while several others were gaping in shock.

Noriko awoke and at the sight of the two kissing and dancing couple, she fainted again.

Shuichi could feel his eyes water again. He was totally confused and totally tired. He parted away from Eiri as the curtains closed and their classmates ran towards them.

"You – you kissed Shindou?"

"But you handled it well, Eiri!"

Eiri's arms were still wrapped around Shuichi's waist. As he looked at the brat, he felt cold hands gripping his arm away from the brat's waist.

It was Shuichi's own hands.

"Shu –

"Save your breath, Uesugi." Shuichi said darkly, his head bowed low that all can be seen from his face is his quivering lips. He trembled in anger and clutched his fist. He removed his pink wig and threw it harshly on the floor and ran away from everybody.

a/n: (1) i know, strawberries does not exist in forests such as this. i just wanted to type it.

(2) oka san or ka san means mother

please review! i would really appreaciate it if you give me a review!

next chap: Maiko makes her move, Eiri and Tachi's fight, and... the revelation of the dare. what will Eiri do!

thanks to those who reviewed!