Disclaimer: Gravitation's characters settings and etc (even though I wish it all was) are not mine. The plot in this case is mine but I do owe definite gratitude to my Mizuki, Amber Hermione.

A/N: Ok sorry it took so long; my Mizuki and I wanted this to be right. So we had many edits to go through. And this silly classes still get in our ways but here it is and I hope that you

Enjoy :)

Ch 2

Through My Gray Eyes

Ten Minutes Ago

"Ayaka, why I don't understand?"

Ayaka stood looking straight down to her shoes, "My parents have informed me that we can no longer be together." She said almost hesitantly, "They do not approve of me dating a band member."

Hiro stood puzzled "So it's me then." She glanced up catching a glimpse of the anger and pain in his eyes. "Errr, so it's ok to be engaged to a person that writes his work out but not to date one that has the guts to perform his own work on stage? It's not like I'm some garage artist passing my free time strumming cords! I record with N.G. the biggest recording studio in Japan ,we are topping the charts," The anger left his eyes leaving only the pain, "what more could they…" he sighed looking away from her.

"I have tried to explain it to them but they still will no..t…" her voice quaked.

Hiro pulled Ayaka into an embrace resting his chin on her head. "We will find a way to make this work. I can still come and see you in Kyoto."

Hiro could feel the dampness on his shirt from her silent tears. "They have already enrolled me into a university in America so I can finish my schooling without distraction."

He held her tight "How long do we have?"

"Classes start in the late summer." She relaxed in his arms taking a breath, "I am to go get settled in… in the beginning of June."

'Her birthday' he thought. "That's not even a month away." She leaned in burring her head in his chest. Forever would they be standing in that lingering embrace in Hiroshi Nakano's memory.

"That was almost two months ago," I sighed. Ayaka has long since gone but just before she left she made it clear that waiting for her parents to change their minds would be futile. Even though neither of us liked it we had agreed to date other people. I stopped walking and looked at the pond where, two and a half weeks ago, we had said our final goodbyes. Before she got in a cab leaving for the airport; from which she got on the plane to go to America. I continued to walk out of the park in the direction of my apartment.

The lights of the city lit up the skies above me; one in particular illuminated a sign that caught my attention. It was the billboard for Bad Luck's next CD. Shuichi was at the front with a mike in his hand; I was at his right with my guitar, and Suguru was to his left with the keyboard visible just behind him. We were situated to give the illusion of closeness between the three of us, but no one knew that those bright smiles were the product of a gun just to the 

right of the photographer pointed at our heads. That was taken just after Ayaka's announcement, and Shuichi had been going through a rough patch with Yuki. So naturally Suguru was not pleased, and it was only K that kept him near us.

'They wouldn't understand. Would they?' I turned the corner and continued walking. There was a restaurant across the street from where I was 'Food?' I thought, 'I haven't eaten much all day but I really don't feel like eating,' and kept walking. "Ayaka why can't they let us be?"

When I turned another corner I accidently bumped a young lady passing by. Turning to apologize I found a pair of stunned brown eyes. Her friend started to say, "Isn't that…"

"Hiroshi Nakano!!"

They both looked at each other, "Bad Luck!!"

I tried to smile, but my grin vanished when I noticed that more and more people were starting to join them. I turned and started running down the street towards my apartment. But I spotted a traffic light about to go red, and decided to cross the street. I managed to lose most of them but there were still some behind me a ways off. I darted through an ally way and into the closest door, which appeared to be a restaurant.

I dove into the closest booth that I could see without anyone in it. I heard the screams pass, and looked around a plant towards the door. "Whew." I turned to get out of the booth when I spotted a pair of startled beautiful blue eyes. "Ah… Hi. Sorry about that."

"Oh it's ok."

"I'll just be going." I slid out of the booth to leave.

"Oh." Looking back I saw the small glimmer of hope that twinkled in her surprised eyes suddenly vanish; it wasn't that of meeting someone famous just of meeting someone. She had an essence of loneliness that I can't explain.

I slid back into the seat across from her, "I have a while before I need to go, I can stay for a little bit." I figured that since I had escaped the fan girls I shouldn't risk going out just yet.

With that a warm smile brightened her face. "Thank you." We both paused in the awkward silence. "So what brings you in here?"

"Oh just the streets were getting too crowded." 'Just a little too crowded for my liking'. With an unsure laugh she smiled again, "So ..what.. about.. you? What brings you to a place like this?" I gestured around at the charming surroundings.

"Oh me? I'm staying in the hotel here. I'm on vacation."

"Really," 'she can't know Bad Luck then,' I really wasn't in the mood for more crazed fans tonight; "Vacation in Japan. So where are you from?"

"America."

"America you must really be excited; that's quite a ways to travel."

"You could say that, I'm here visiting my brother."

"Your brother," 'then she might know but she doesn't seem to.' I frowned for a moment before I decided that I didn't really care. 'What does it matter she's not being all rabid fan girl.' It was a nice change because ever since the band had become famous I was "Hiro, Bad Luck's Genius Guitarist!", but tonight I was just Hiroshi Nakano again. "So what does he do?"

"My brother, you could say he works security. So what do you do Mr…"

"Hiroshi." I held my hand out asking her name.

"Catherine. So what do you do Mr. Hiroshi?"

"Just call me Hiroshi, Miss Catherine. I actually work in the music business."

"Then it's just Catherine, what part of the music business do you work?"

"You could say… production."

"Really? It sounds exciting." 'She really seems interested'

I almost laughed 'Exciting… with Tohma, Shu, and everyone else how is it not'. "It sure is."

As we talk through the night I learn that she is on summer vacation from college. She is still not quite sure where she wants to go with her degree; but is currently thinking law enforcement. The conversation shifts to me, and I oblige with some information of my own.

"So my friend then stands up on the back of my bike and gets smacked in the head by the road sign."

She covered her mouth as she snickered, "I do hope he was wearing a helmet." Her eyes were sparkling with the laughter she was failing to suppress.

"Oh he was and he's just fine." I waved a hand dismissively, "he does things like that all the time and always bounces back."

"You two sound like good friends."

"That we are. We've been friends since before Junior High."

"Friends like that are good to have."

"Sure are." I sighed thinking of my friend for a moment. 'Shu can understand this… isn't this the same as what happened to him and Yuki?'

"So, did I understand you right that you have a motorcycle?" Her eyes twinkled in anticipation of my answer.

"Yes. Why?"

"Oh I just love cycles, someday I hope to get one." A dreamy expression crosses her face for a moment.

"Maybe before you leave we could go for a ride." I didn't expect to make the offer, but I wasn't going to take it back once I'd made it. She smiled again.

Every time she laughed her smile grew. With every smile her cheeks grew more and more flushed until she regained some control. She glanced at her watch, "Oh man its 2AM already," she chuckled even more. I wasn't sure if it was just the alcohol, or if this girl was really that fascinating.

I glance at my watch to see, "No It's 4AM." 'How long have I been sitting here with her? Wow, it doesn't feel that long, but we've been sitting here for hours.'

All the color faded from her face in an instant "FOUR!!" She slammed the palm of her hand to her forehead. "Oh man I got to go!"

"Wha…" I watch her quickly shuffle her way out of the seat. Standing she wasn't too much shorter than Shu, probably up to the top of his ear. "When can I see you again?"

She turned back to look at me obviously thinking. "How about Thursday night?"

A genuine smile finally crossed my face for the first time in months, "sounds great see you then." She turned to leave, exiting through the lobby. I watched her go before returning to my drink, 'I haven't felt this happy since… Ayaka.' I sat my drink back on the table, I sighed "Ayaka…" I slumped back into my seat; sulking I returned once again to my drink. When I finished I left for home with a new misery weighing on me. 'How could I allow myself to forget her?'