Hiro shook his head as he sat in the black leather chair. He was caught between anger and hurt and sadness. Something inside of him felt like it was about to burst, but not out of anger, out of love. He wanted to make Shuichi better. He wanted Shuichi to be able to get up and say, "Just kidding."

Hiro looked at the doctor who had his hand on Hiro's shoulder and he stuttered, "Lu….leukemia." He furrowed his eyes. It was slightly confusing. When has it come about? Why hadn't Shu-chan told him? "Dr. Fujishima, is there anything that can be done?" Hiro pleaded with the middle aged doctor. He was balding, but he had a sense of compassion about him. Hiro chewed his lower lip and started at the deep green floor.

The doctor nodded slowly, "Yes, but it's risky and even the procedure might not do. Though….." He looked at Hiro, "He's the only one who can decide if he wants to do it. If Mr. Shindou says no, then we can't go through with it." The doctor let out a sigh like he was just as upset as Hiro, "I would call his family. It's pretty far a long and even if we do the procedure….he could die." Hiro nodded as he listened. The whole Shu-chan dying part of it was not what he wanted to hear. He had wanted to hear that he would be fine and nothing was going to go wrong and that Shuichi was okay.

Hiro was upset because he had heard the exact opposite. He heard the doctor stand and leave, his foot steps echoing in the noisy crowded room. Hiro felt like he was the only on in that room; like no one else was there or even mattered. That was because they didn't. Shuichi was sick and possibly going to die. He couldn't do anything. He let a few tears fall from his amber eyes.

Slowly, mustering the strength that had drained from his body in an instance, Hiro stood and sauntered over to the phone on the wall. It was in a secluded area to allow for privacy. Reaching in his pocket, Hiro pulled out some coins. He had a few, enough to call Shu-chan's parents (a must) and either Yuki or Suguru and Mr. Kay. He was sure that Suguru would tell Kay and vice versa. He also knew that he only had to tell one of them for it to circulate throughout the whole company. It was something that had become predictable.

He decided that he would call Shuichi's parents first, seeing as it was their son. He could make the choice between Yuki and Suguru later. Inserting the coins, Hiro dialed the number to Shu-chan's home. He had dialed it so many times that it had become natural to him. His fingers found the buttons with ease and he pressed the cold numbers. He recalled all the late night phone calls from Shu-chan and making many of his own to him. The phone rang for what seemed like an eternity before the answering machine picked up. It was his mother's voice that had been recorded, but before it was Shuichi's. When he moved out, Shuichi's parents had changed it to their voice. The sweet lady's voice brought some warmth to his heart, which caused him to make his next decision….to hang up. He was not going to tell her through a message left on the machine. He could not do that to her. She was the mother of his best friend…someone who accepted him like he was her own son and loved him and approved of what he and Shuichi did. Sighing, Hiro clicked the phone back into place.

Biting his lip, Hiro wondered whom he should call…..Suguru or Yuki. The company needed to know, but Yuki, even though he didn't like it very much….actually not at all, was Shuichi's lover. The one who Shuichi loved and the one he made love with every night. Hiro wanted to be that person. He was jealous of Yuki. How could his best friend love someone who hurt him; caused him emotional pain? It seemed unfair to him and he longed to just take Shuichi away from that man. Yet, Yuki had a warm heart at times. He did care. Hiro knew it and he sighed. He would be just as cruel as Yuki if her didn't call and even worse if he made his band mate choose between him and Yuki. He could never do that to Shuichi.

Inserting the coins, this time he dialed the number to Yuki's, but not without slight hesitation. He wanted to do what he knew he should, but at the same point he wanted to keep Shuichi for himself, but his heart told him it wouldn't be right. After a few rings, Yuki picked up.

"Hello?" He asked into the phone. The deep male voice woke Hiro up and caught him slightly off guard. He had been thinking about how to explain it all to Yuki, but he decided it best if he was just straight forward.

"Yuki…..It's….It's Hiro. Listen," Hiro was about to continue on when Yuki jumped in cutting him off.

"Is Shuichi with you? I'll come and get him…." He sounded slightly worried and tired too. It was like he hadn't slept without Shuichi. This also took him by surprise. A man that he had known to be so cold could show such emotion. Hiro just hoped it wasn't all an act.

"No….well….yes, he's with me….but…" Yuki cut him off again.

"Are you at your place? I'm on my way." Hiro shook his head…

"No….we're not….We're..." Yuki cut him off for a third time. It was like he was more impatient than Shuichi. Couldn't he wait for a few minutes. He needed to get the explanation out.

"Then where are you? I will come and get him….just tell me where you are." Yuki barked into the phone and Hiro bit his lip. He wanted to say 'I'm trying to tell you that your lover is dying!' Hiro held off.

"We…..we're at the county hospital. Come down here and we can talk then." Hiro barked back into the phone. He slammed it down and a few nurses looked his way. He stormed off. Hiro knew it would take at least an hour for Yuki to get down there, so he decided that he would go and check on Shu-chan. His friend needed him, but more or less he needed to be with his friend. All Hiro really wanted to do was break down and cry and be hidden, but Shuichi was really the only one with that right.

Walking down the white halls, it seemed so sterile. He hated this feeling, but he made his way to the room the whole way fighting the uneasiness he felt in his stomach. It was too clean and quiet. Hiro peered through the door way to see Shuichi sitting up in bed, half asleep. He seemed too different. Was it the breathing tube attached to his nose or was it the needles protruding from his arms? No….that wasn't it at all. It was that his usually full of life friend was so still and so void of the life that he once knew him to have. Hiro bit his lip and stepped forward.

Slowly walking over to the large white bed that seemed to make his friend look smaller and weaker than he was, Hiro grabbed his friend's hand. How long had he been sick? How could Hiro had not seen this? He blamed himself. He should have paid closer attention to his friend and noticed that he wasn't well. Grabbing his band mate's hand, he leaned over the side of the bed, "I'm…..sorry." He muttered. Just then, the hand came to life. The once still hand was now cupping his chin.

"Don't blame yourself…..I didn't want you guys to worry." Shuichi's voice rang through Hiro's head. Shuichi was fully alert now, even though he didn't look it. Hiro's heart yearned to reach out to him.

"Shu-chan…….I have to tell you something. Listen…I know I can be a mess up and a pain…" Shuichi put a finger to Hiro's lips.

"I like you the way you are….and if anything I am the biggest trouble maker." Shuichi teased. He smiled. Hiro's heart leapt for a moment He was happy to see that smile. He leaned forward and kissed Shuichi on the mouth. His lips felt dry against his, but he didn't care. He savoured the moment taking it all in. Shuichi seemed slightly shocked, and then he did something completely unexpected.

AN:

I would like to thank homework for giving me a reason to procrastinate.

I would also like to thank Shelby - for being the first one to comment and from trying to convince me to NOT give Shu-chan lukemia...
To Cassie - for giving me someone to talk to while typing and for saying you seemed like a science experiment.
To Cheri - for not yelling at all my mistakes
To SangoKagome - for making me laugh...a lot.
To Hillary - for saying it was a cute plote
To Chloe - for being so amazingly...you
To Krystal - for not taking interest in this story because you might actaully convince me to write a Raven fanfic...I am still working on that.