Shuichi's birthday continues into this chapter...

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Disclaimer: I don't own Gravitation

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Chap 4: "Time to party"

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Hiroshi and Shuichi drove in relative silence. "Shuichi, you must really be sick" he whispered, concerned. He knew his friend wasn't ill. In all the years they'd been inseparable, that boy was sick maybe three times it was really quite impressive.

Peering out the passenger seat window, wind blew pink hair in all directions. "Yu-" (how he hated the name!) "Yuki and I kind of had a fight" he quietly confessed.

Hiro briefly looked over "I thought so". Turning his eyes back on the road he moved red hair behind an ear. After several moments, "Shuichi, come on, today's your twentieth birthday, you're officially not a teen anymore, no matter how you act" he laughed.

"Hiro it's a left turn, not right" the singer mentioned. "I know, we're goin' to a restaurant, or bar, whatever you want".

"But I"

"You do wanna celebrate, don't you?"

"I dunno"

Putting a hand on his shoulder of his pink-haired comrade "Come on, when have we ever not partied for your birthday?"

Chuckling, color slowly returned to his band-mates face "Never".

Regarding his success Hiro yelled "That's right, never!" he put his head out the window, "Happy birthday Shuichiii!"

Looking over to the smiling singer, "Come on Shuichi, you try".

"It's my birthdaaay!"

Raucous laughter and hit songs filled every car they passed on the busy highway.

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Since Hiro knew Shuichi better than anyone, he invited their friends to the club he would pick. The moment they entered, they were greeted by booming music, and shortly after they were directed to the private lounge.

Before they entered, "What's going on Hiro? This is the really expensive part".

Shaking his head his friend said with a grin, "Shuichi it's not expensive for us, not anymore. We really did it, we made it to the big time". Multicolored fluorescent light faded as the door closed.

"That's right, a-and it's your birthday so we're here for a- a double celebration!" a familiar stressed voice said.

"Sakano-san!" Shuichi turned and greeted their former manager.

Beside him sat their current manager, drinking a particularly dark liquor with ease. "Happy birthday Shuichi!" he said in English.

"Thank you K-san"

Chuckling, with a heavy American accent, the blonde declared in Japanese "We know if Shuichi is sad, the music is bad".

Looking around the room, Shuichi saw his friends sat at each lamp-lit table. On one table a large square cake covered nearly half the space. In bright pink "HAPPY 20 BIRTHDAY SHUICHI" was written in a familiar childish handwriting. Three tables circled it with "fancy lidded" entrees (as Hiroshi put it).

From his spot on the floor Ryuichi jumped onto his friend. "Shuichi! Kuma-chan and Ryu are happy you feel better!"

Looking as serious as usual, their sixteen year old band-mate pulled him off the dazed singer ,"Happy birthday Shindou-san". Obvious to everyone in the room, the teen was extremely bored and irritated that he was forced to attend the surprise party, Mr. K was very convincing though.

"Hiro, you planned this all?"

Arm around his shoulder, "Well Seguchi-san helped make the reservations since business isn't my thing", he smirked.

"Mhm"

Hiro glanced at the door, saying quietly "Someone is missing though".

"What'd you say Hiro?"

"Nothing Shuichi" he grinned, "What're we waiting for? It's time to party!"

At the guitarist's "ridiculous idea of a code phrase", the youngest band member took their instruments and two cordless microphones from under the "cake-table".

Shuichi smiled with sadness lost in the excitement, "Let's do it!"

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With ears still ringing from the music and the two excited singers' numerous duets of both band's songs, things calmed down (including ecstatic fans who burst in for autographs), and the party began to fill their bellies with delicious food and drink.

Popping a rice ball into his mouth the now twenty-year old looked to the table beside his band's. "Segufi-shan, fank ru tho murf" he swallowed "for setting this up", then Hiroshi chimed in "Hey hey", "The reservations I mean" his friend finished.

"It's no problem Shindou-san really, besides I paid for it with a portion of Bad Luck's earnings", the CEO nodded to Hiro.

A bit embarrassed, the inebriated guitarist said "Yeah even he agreed to it", he gestured to the sixteen year old, who rolled his eyes, and sipped more of his tea.

Shuichi nudged his pal, "Bet that wasn't so easy". Hiro chuckled, "No way".

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Noticing his glass was drained of the warm, sweet beverage, "Hey I'm gonnagonna getta refill, d'you need something?"

"What're you, a waitress? Let the "servants" get it for you", peeking across the room Shuichi said, "K-san is distracting them". Hiro shrugged.

Reaching the drink table, Shuichi peered across the room to the single uncovered window. Leaning against Tohma's car with cigarette smoke floating above his head stood the man he loved.

"Eiri" he whispered. Quickly discarding the glass, he speedily made his way to the front door. As he opened the door, he came face-to-face with the blonde.

"Thought I'd come by" the blonde said in that sweet smooth voice. Looking through sun-glasses, looking past him, "Here" he said holding out a plastic bag.

Inside Shuichi saw the latest copy of his favorite manga, it wasn't even on the shelves yet.

"I persuaded my publisher to give me this early release" he said matter-of-factly, dropping the cigarette onto the sidewalk and stepping on it.

It's like we're right back to the way we used to be, before he... before he...

Struggling, he cried "I thoughtyoutrusted me!"

No surprise showed on the author's face, instead passively he asked "I was told you like to read this junk".

Frustration bursting his control, Shuichi shouted "We'vebeen together almost a year! I toldyou everything about me, and you... you even told me... Allofasudden it's like I'm astranger toyou!" He pushed the older man, then staggered.

Barely budging, the blonde removed his sun glasses "You're drunk".

"YeahIam, sowhat?!" the pop-star shouted, putting all his weight into a punch, but his lover caught his arm mid-swing.

"Lemme go!"

Blurring violet eyes caught dusted orbs, "Why? Why can't I call youyour name? Why isit only okayto say his name?! I love Eiri! EiriEiriEiri!"

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The yelling disturbed many nearest the windows, causing a commotion in the club. Both Tohma and Hiroshi sensed trouble, and rose.

Approaching the exit, Hiro's worry grew as he caught sight of Yuki grabbing Shuichi, while Tohma's concern increased upon hearing his brother-in-law's name screamed in pain.

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Rushing to the couple Tohma called "Eiri!"

Hiroshi pulled Yuki off of his dear friend, delivering a punch of his own to his face. "Bastard! If you hurt him I swear!"

Squeezing his shoulder tightly Tohma stepped toward the guitarist, "Nakano-san it would be in your best interest to not lay another hand on-"

"Just look! Yuki's got nearly a foot on him, outweighs him, and he's ready to beat down Shuichi!", the distraught man yelled at his employer.

Tohma's grip did not loosen.

"Tohma it's fine, barely hurt" his brother-in-law said coolly, not turning away from his lover.

Dropping his hand from the guitarist's shoulder, Tohma said "Eiri, I believe you and Shindou-san should choose a better venue for a quarrel, people are beginning to gather". Indeed, folks were exiting the club, and walking up the main sidewalk to observe the famous lover's fight.

"Doesn'tmatter anyway!" Shuichi shouted. Still in the taller man's clutch, he tugged hard.

Finally letting the arm out of his grasp Eiri regarded his quivering, reddened face. "Shuichi, we should leave".

Shaking his head, "I'll leave, but not with you".

Unable to mask his surprise, his boyfriend asked "Are we over then?"

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End of chap 4

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Waaa! Keep an eye out for the next chapter