Gravitation
Disclaimer: I don't own Gravitation. Maki Murakami does.
Angel Eyes Kiyone: My beloved readers. I bow to you in shame. I know I do not deserve forgiveness for making you wait this long for an update. Though it is true that there have been many difficulties that I was facing, still I apologize. I missed you all dearly. But I will not bore you with my troubles any further. Here is the next chapter. Enjoy!
Hiroshi had arrived at the hospital with Mr. K and Fujisaki. He had been too distraught to ride his motorcycle, so he called K. to come and pick him up. When they arrived, they were greeted by Yuji, Hiroshi's older brother.
"What are you doing here?" Hiroshi asked hugging him.
"Mom and dad are here," Yuji told him. "We all saw the news and that kid's confession.
"I'm glad his parents came forward." Hiroshi said.
"Me too." Yuji replied.
Just then, Mr. and Mrs. Shindou pulled in with Meiko. They all gathered together for a moment. The Nakano family offered their condolences. Mr. and Mrs. Nakano comforted Mr. and Mrs. Shindou for a moment. Hiroshi held Meiko in his arms as she cried silently. It took them all a long while before they finally turned and headed towards the hospital; slowly and in silence.
~In Room 204~
Eiri's head rested next to Shuichi's. He had cried himself to sleep. The radio kept playing on as the blonde started to dream. It was the same old dream though. This time, he walked. Fear was pouring down on him, but he kept his pace.
"Take the children and yourself"
"And hide out in the cellar"
"By now the fighting will be close at hand"
"Don't believe the church and state"
"And everything they tell you"
"Believe in me, I'm with the high Command"
~In The Horizon~
The man and woman stood up abruptly. They were looking out at the sea. Shuichi could see it too. It was the boy he was trying to help. There he was right in front of him only a few feet away. Shuichi held both of his hands out to him.
"Can you hear me?"
"Can you hear me runnin"
"Can you hear me runnin' can you hear me callin' you?"
"Can you hear me?"
"Can you hear me runnin'?"
Can you hear me runnin' can you hear me callin' you?"
"Come to me." Shuichi told the boy.
~The Hospital~
Eiri dreamed that he was walking in the rain. He was soaking wet, but he kept on going. In the distance, he could see a light. His goal was to reach that light without giving in to his fears.
"Be a good boy." Came one voice.
"You're a good and honest boy." Came the voice of his mentor.
"Thanks for the kid." Came another.
"After you." Said Kitazawa.
Hot tears streamed down Eiri's face as he continued to walk towards the light.
"There's a gun and ammunition"
"Just inside the doorway"
"Use it only in emergency"
"Better you should pray to God"
"The Father and the Spirit"
"Will guide you and protect you from up here"
"I won't let them hurt you," came a voice from a distance. It was the light in front of him. "I'll protect you. I promise."
Eiri's eyes widened with hope. His heart beat loudly in his ears.
"I can see you," he said to the light, "please…help me!"
~The Horizon~
Shuichi could feel everything now. He felt the boy's pain; his agony. He felt his joy and hopefulness. He even felt his sadness at being betrayed by the people he once cared about.
"Swear allegiance to the flag"
"Whatever flag they offer"
"Never hint at what you really feel"
"Teach the children quietly"
"For someday sons and daughters"
"Will rise up and fight while we stood still"
"I'm here," Shuichi said smiling warmly. "Come! Come to me!"
~The Hospital~
Eiri's path was becoming much clearer. The rain started to dissipate and the voices seemed like they were far away now.
"I'm sorry, Eiri," came Tohma's voice. "This is all my fault."
Eiri felt a sharp pain in his chest. He didn't stop though. Instead, he decided that he was going to accept it. He accepted everything. Eiri felt different. It was as if he was walking on air. The light came into full focus. There on the other side was none other than Shuichi.
He still looked the same as when Eiri had imagined him. He looked as though he had been beaten to death. He was hunched over slightly. His arms and legs were bruised and his lower lip was bleeding. Plus, his clothes were torn.
Eiri's heart ached at the sight of his lover. He felt responsible for Shuichi's current condition. Had he done that to him? He didn't know anymore. All he knew was that he had to make things right between them.
~The Horizon~
Shuichi could see the boy clearly. He kept coming towards him. But Shuichi's heart ached at the sight of the poor boy. He looked like he had been beaten to death. He was bloody and bruised and he was limping towards Shuichi. His clothes were also torn. The boy was in ruins. He continued to walk though. He didn't stop or slow down. Shuichi took one step forward.
"You're almost there!" He told the boy. "Give me your hands! I'll keep you safe, I promise."
"Can you hear me?"
"Can you hear me running?"
"Can you hear me runnin', can you hear me calling you?"
~The Hospital~
Eiri's eyes brightened when he reached his destination. He reached out both of his hands to Shuichi and placed them in his. Suddenly…the rain stopped completely. The tormenting voices ceased. The two men found themselves standing in the dark facing one another. Something forced the two to release each other.
~In The Darkness~
Eiri found himself standing under a bright light. Suddenly, something appeared in front of him. It was a mirror. However, Eiri didn't see himself in the mirror. He saw Shuichi. He saw him the same way he had imagined him for a while; in ruins.
On the other side, Shuichi found himself staring into a mirror under a bright light. But he didn't see himself in the mirror. He saw Eiri. He looked the same way Shuichi had seen him in the water; in ruins.
On both sides, the reflections changed and both men took a step back. They were now looking at themselves in the mirror. They were seeing what they had seen in each other the whole time. It was then that they both realized that they were looking at a reflection of each other in their current state.
Both Shuichi and Eiri had suffered trauma in their lives. It lead them to despair, anger and distrust. But Shuichi dealt with his despair better than Eiri did. And that is why Eiri needed Shuichi. The boy wasn't one to hold a grudge for long. He had a good heart.
The mirror disappeared and the two men were facing each other once more.
"I didn't think I was ever going to reach you." Eiri said.
"But you did." Shuichi replied warmly. "You're a lot stronger than you think."
"No, I'm not." Eiri said looking away. "I'm weak. I'm nothing."
"Hey, look at me." Shuichi ordered. But Eiri kept his head down. "Look at me!"
This time, the blonde obeyed him. He looked into Shuichi's eyes. There was so much sincerity and seriousness in them that Eiri was stunned to the core. This wasn't the Shuichi he knew. Who was this boy standing in front of him?
"You were scared." Shuichi explained. "You felt as if you couldn't trust anyone; like the whole world was against you. I understand that. But you are not weak, Eiri. You were manipulated."
The blonde's eyes started to tear up. He couldn't say anything because deep down he knew it was true.
"You didn't do anything to deserve any of that." Shuichi went on. "They did that to themselves. Tell me why would an innocent teenage boy deserve to be raped and killed for no reason? Why did you deserve that at all?"
Eiri didn't have an answer to that question. He knew that Shuichi was right. He didn't deserve that. If he hadn't pulled the trigger, he would be six feet underground right now. No one would have ever known Eiri Yuki. They would only know Eiri Uesugi, the sixteen year old boy who died in a tragic shooting in New York.
"I couldn't think for myself." Eiri said in a low voice. "I was so dependent on my brother-in-law. I couldn't see that he was manipulating me."
"That's not your fault." Shuichi replied. "He made it that way. He wanted you to believe that you could trust him completely. He took advantage of your innocence."
It all made sense to Eiri. The two men that he once trusted most had no conscience. They were users and they used Eiri like a disposable cloth. Eiri knew that now. But he also knew that he had to stand on his own two feet now.
"You're right." He told Shuichi. "They did use me. They never cared for me; not at all."
Tears spilled like rain from Eiri's eyes. His heart became so full that he broke down crying. Shuichi pulled him into his arms and held him tight.
"Do…you…c-care about me?" Eiri asked while in Shuichi's embrace.
"If I didn't care about you," Shuichi told him, "do you think that I would have helped you?"
Eiri smiled. That was all he needed to hear. The two released one another and looked into each other's eyes. Eiri was so glad that he could finally tell Shuichi how he truly felt. He didn't have to hide anymore. For the first time in seven years, he felt at peace.
~The Hospital~
When the Shindou family entered the hospital they headed to the front desk. The receptionist looked up at them. She looked around at everyone in the room in surprise. What shocked her the most was to see the gaijin standing with there.
"We are here to see Dr. Kasugano." Mr. Shindou told her.
"Yes, he's been expecting you." She told him. "I'll call him in right away."
"Thank you." Mr. Shindou replied.
Two minutes later, Dr. Kasugano came in and greeted the Shindou family as well as everyone else that was with them. He paused for a brief moment before continuing.
"Now, are you sure you're ready to take your son off of life support, Mr. and Mrs. Shindou?" He asked adjusting his glasses.
Mrs. Shindou said nothing. Her hand was trembling in her husband's hand. Mr. Shindou could see the fear in his wife's eyes. It was a difficult decision for them both, but someone had to make the choice now.
"Yes," Mr. Shindou answered, "we're ready."
"… …Very well then." Dr. Kasugano said with a nod of his head. "Follow me."
Just then, a nurse burst through the double doors startling everyone. There was panic in her eyes.
"Dr." She said coming towards Dr. Kasugano. "The patient from room 203 is gone!"
"Who was it?" The Dr. asked her.
"Eiri Uesugi!" She replied.
"What?!" Everyone in the room said in unison.
"He better not have gone anywhere near our son!" Mr. Shindou snapped releasing his wife's hand.
"Honey, wait!" Mrs. Shindou called after her husband.
He burst through the double doors and headed towards Shuichi's room. Everyone followed after him, including the nurse and doctor.
~In The Darkness~
Shuichi and Eiri held each other's hands and stared into each other's eyes. Suddenly, the darkness turned gray. The two men found themselves standing in a grave yard.
"Where are we?" Shuichi asked seeming confused.
"We're…at the cemetery," Eiri answered, "in…New York."
"New York?" Shuichi replied in surprise.
The pink haired boy looked around the cemetery. He suddenly froze after what he saw next.
"Eiri." He said in a dead voice.
Eiri turned around to face the boy. Shuichi pointed a finger at someone standing not too far away. Eiri followed his gaze. He froze at the sight in front of them. It was Yuki; Eiri's former mentor. They both stared at him in utter disbelief.
Shuichi took Eiri's hand. The blonde looked at him. Shuichi looked at Eiri with a warm reassuring smile. Eiri understood. Shuichi would be right there with him. He would not leave his side no matter what. They walked hand in hand towards the man in front of them. They stopped just about seven feet away from where Yuki stood.
"Hm, never thought you'd see me again, huh?" He said in a sly, arrogant tone.
"No." Eiri replied boldly. There was no trace of fear or hesitation in his voice. "I didn't. Why are you here?"
"You tell me." Yuki said in a low voice. "One minute, I'm burning in the blazing fires of hell and the next minute I'm here."
"You sound as if you were enjoying it." Eiri retorted.
"It's better than the mortal world." Yuki chuckled. "After all, the mortal world stole the two people that I cared for the most. So why should I care?"
"Is that why you killed all of the kids that you tutored?" Eiri asked him dead serious.
"Partly." Yuki replied. "But I've always had a thing for sweet, young flesh. Of course they'd get on my nerves eventually so my friends and I would dispose of them afterwards."
"How could you be such a monster?" Shuichi asked this time.
"Me?" Yuki asked in mock hurt. "A monster? What about all the people that kept tearing me down for no reason? I was a genius. The kids in school hated me for it and they wouldn't leave me alone for one minute. So I left. No one would give me the time of day. Then my parents were killed and my wife was taken from me. My son is fatherless and my baby brother is all alone."
Part of this sounded very familiar to Eiri. The rest of it made him laugh.
"You should have thought about that before you decided that you were going to rape and kill me." He told the man point blank. "You have no one to blame but yourself. You could have done things differently you know."
"Psh! don't stand there and preach to me, you little shit." Yuki hissed. "What about you? You were always too afraid to do anything on your own. I saw the way you would always look up at your so called brother-in-law for approval. And look at what happened. You never even knew that he was in on the whole thing now did you?"
Eiri scowled at the man in disgust. He was seeing the real Yuki Kitazawa for the first time. This man was malicious.
"All of the kids that you tutored," Eiri asked, "why did you hate them so much? If you didn't you never would have killed them. So why did you do it?"
"You were all a constant reminder of what was taken from me." Yuki told him. "I lost my mother and father. You all had your parents who were still alive and loved you so damned much. So I figured why not let the parents suffer this time? Take a little piece of their soul that was taken from me."
"So you never cared for me at all?" Eiri asked even though he already knew the answer. "You didn't care even a little bit for any of us?"
"No." Yuki said simply. "I didn't. Not one bit."
"I see." Eiri replied smiling at the man. "That's all I needed to know. Thank you, Yuki."
"Oh, you're welcome." Yuki mocked. "But tell me, how are my son and my little brother doing?"
"Well, from what I've heard," Eiri said, "they're both doing well. However, your little brother…well let's just say that he's your little sister now."
That made Shuichi giggle. There was no expression on Yuki's face though. It was as if he didn't care.
"I see." Yuki replied. "At least they're both okay. That's all I needed to know."
Eiri smiled at him. It wasn't out of mockery. It was a genuine smile. He was telling him that he forgave him. Yuki looked at them both. A certain look crossed his face that Eiri hadn't seen before.
"You two really do make a cute couple." Yuki said truthfully this time. "Really."
And with that, the man disappeared. The graveyard also vanished and Shuichi and Eiri found themselves standing in the dark once again.
~The Hospital~
A beeping sound could be heard coming from Shuichi's room. Mr. Shindou was the first to burst through the door. K. caught up to the man and grabbed him by the arm. Mr. Shindou was enraged. The nurse and the doctor pushed passed them. One checked Shuichi's vital signs and the other tried frantically to wake up Eiri. His right hand was laced together with Shuichi's.
"Mr. Uesugi!" The nurse said shaking him. "Mr. Uesugi, pleased wake up! Mr. Uesugi!"
Eiri didn't budge. He laid motionless with his head against Shuichi's arm.
"Get up, you son of a bitch!" Mr. Shindou roared. K. still had him by the arm and wouldn't let go.
Then Hiroshi, Yuji, Meiko, Fujisaki and Mrs. Shindou came in after them.
"What's happening?" Mrs. Shindou demanded.
"Daddy?" Meiko called to her father with panic written all over her face. "What's going on?"
Soon more doctors came in after hearing the signal. One doctor helped the nurse try desperately to wake up Eiri. They tried prying their hands apart, but it was as if they had been super glued together.
"You better wake that bastard up right now!" Mr. Shindou ordered.
"Mr. Shindou, please calm down!" Hiroshi said grabbing the man's other arm.
Fujisaki did the same thing he did with K and stood in front of Shuichi's dad with his arms out. Though he was small and weak, he wanted to do his part in making sure that Shuichi's dad didn't attack Eiri.
"He's going into cardiac arrest!" One doctor announced.
"Get everyone out of here now!" Dr. Kasugano ordered.
The doctors tried to usher everyone out, but no one would budge. Mr. Shindou was way passed furious. Mrs. Shindou and Meiko were crying their eyes out. Yuji helped Hiroshi and K. restrain Mr. Shindou and Mr. and Mrs. Nakano were comforting Mrs. Shindou and Meiko.
"I can't wake this guy up!" Another doctor said to Dr. Kasugano. "He's out cold!"
"I don't care how long it takes," Dr. Kasugano said, "get him up!"
"Wake his ass up now!" Mr. Shindou barked.
"Mr. Shindou, please calm down!" Hiroshi pleaded.
Shuichi's heart monitor was beeping like crazy which meant that his heart could stop at any given moment. The doctors and nurse worked frantically to wake Eiri up. One of them even slapped him over the head, but the man wouldn't move a muscle. This could be it. Shuichi could die at any given moment.
~In The Darkness~
"Shuichi?" Eiri said holding the boy close to his chest.
"I'm here." He replied wrapping his arms around the blonde's waist.
There was a few seconds of silence between the two. They held each other close and tight.
"It looks like you finally got your answers." Shuichi said quietly.
"Yes, I did." Eiri replied. He looked down at the boy who in return smiled lovingly at him. "Thank you, Shuichi. Thank you for staying by my side. I…couldn't have done this alone."
"I would never leave your side, Eiri." Shuichi told him with a serious look. "No matter what…I will never leave you alone."
Those words sank deep into Eiri. Tears formed in his eyes as he felt himself melt into the boy's arms.
"Never." Shuichi said as he reached up and pressed his lips against his lover's own.
Eiri looked deep into Shuichi's eyes. He could now see the love and devotion that had always been there for him and him alone. And for the first time in seven years, he was not afraid to let that love in. He absorbed it all.
"I love you so much, Shuichi Shindou." Eiri told him genuinely.
"I love you so much too, Eiri Uesugi." Shuichi replied with genuine love in his voice.
The two shared another long kiss before the darkness started to crumble around them.
~The Hospital~
The sound of a straight line pierced through the room and everyone went quiet. Dr. Kasugano and the other Doctors stopped what they were doing and looked at the heart monitor. Suddenly, Mrs. Shindou screamed in agony and fell to her knees sobbing. Meiko buried her face in Mr. Nakano's chest. Mrs. Nakano knelt beside Mrs. Shindou and held her close. Fujisaki trembled violently and tears fell from his eyes. Hiroshi stumbled towards Shuichi's bedside. The doctors pulled him back but he fought to get out of their grasp.
"Let me go!" Hiroshi screamed. "Shuichi!"
Mr. Shindou stood frozen in place with the gaijin still holding his arm. He swayed a bit as if he were dizzy. K held him steady as he hung his own head down in sorrow.
"Call it." Dr. Kasugano said to the doctor standing next to him. "Time of death 1:25pm."
"No." Mr. Shindou whispered as he too fell to his knees.
Two doctors gathered up the sheet that was covering Shuichi from the waist down and carefully pulled it up over his head. Just as they were about to release the covers...
Beep…beep…beep…beep…
"What the-" Dr. Kasugano muttered in surprise.
Then…a cough. It made everyone in the room jump. One doctor that had the sheet still in his hand yanked the covers down. The coughing was coming from Shuichi. Eiri's head shot up from the bed as if he had just been under water for a long time. He breathed heavily for a while, then looked at Shuichi.
The boy's eyes fluttered open after they had been squeezed shut due to the coughing. The first person he noticed was Eiri.
"Yu-ki." He said with a hoarse voice.
"Oh my God!" Came Mrs. Shindou's voice. "Shuichi! My baby!"
Without a second thought, the woman got to her feet and shoved the novelist out of the way. Eiri stumbled back nearly knocking his chair over. Everyone rushed to Shuichi's bedside, including Mr. Shindou who had forgotten about Eiri. The blond stood back and looked on in relief and hope. Tears formed in his eyes as he looked at his beloved angel, still weak, but alive. His mother smothered him with kisses. Meiko, Hiroshi and Fujisaki hugged him from all sides. His father laughed and ruffled his hair. Mr. and Mrs. Nakano and Yuji stood back and watched with tears in their eyes. Yuji held his mother and father together with a warm smile on his face.
More doctors started pouring into the room to see what was going on. They made the family members and friends clear a path so they could check Shuichi's vital signs and temperature.
"This is unheard of." Dr. Kasugano said more than surprised.
"He wasn't supposed to come out of that coma." Another doctor replied looking at her chart. "This is absolutely incredible!"
"How are you feeling, Mr. Shindou?" Dr. Kasugano asked Shuichi.
"Alive." Shuichi replied hoarsely. "My throat hurts a little bit."
"That's probably because of the oxygen mask and lack of air you were unable to produce on your own." The dr. explained. "You just need some liquids and something to eat. You'll be fine."
"Dr," Mrs. Shindou said grabbing the doctor's arm, "will my son be alright? When can we take him home?"
"He still needs more rest." Dr. Kasugano explained. "Plus, he's going to need a lot of physical therapy to help him walk again. The impact he received from the car caused a small fracture to his legs. Luckily, the time he spent in the hospital allowed the bones to heal without any problems."
Everyone let out a sigh of relief. Shuichi wasn't paralyzed or brain dead. He could still live a normal life like he always did.
"Thank goodness!" Mrs. Shindou squealed hugging the Dr.
The doctor looked over at Eiri. "Can someone please get Mr. Uesugi back to his room? You're rather pale, Mr. Uesugi. I'd like to keep you here for at least another day or two."
Without a word, Eiri nodded and another doctor escorted him to his room. He took a look over his shoulder at Shuichi who looked back at him before he exited the room.
"Shuichi, honey," Mrs. Shindou said caressing her son's cheek, "are you feeling okay?"
"Yeah." He replied in a low voice.
"We'll have someone bring up some food for you right away." Dr. Kasugano told him.
"Thank you." Shuichi replied hoarsely.
"In the meantime, I think it's best if everyone clear out for now." Dr. Kasugano ordered. "Family members can stay and visit for now. Friends can come in one at a time."
Everyone agreed and piled out of the room except for the Shindou family. Fujisaki came in first to see his band mate. Though the two couldn't stand each other, they still cared for one another. He gave Shuichi a hug; a rather long hug. Tears streamed down his face as he tried to speak.
"I'm sorry." Fujisaki whispered as he wiped his tears away.
"Hey now," Shuichi whispered, "it's alright. Nobody did anything wrong. I'll be fine. For now, just look after Hiro for me, okay?"
Fujisaki nodded his head in agreement as he wiped his tears away. There really wasn't much else he could say. He smiled and left the room. K was the next person to enter.
"Hey." He said with a grin. "How're you feeling?"
"Better." Shuichi replied weakly. "Has the media been here?"
"No." K. said point blank. "The hospital was well protected from the media. Anyone carrying a camera or voice recorder was not allowed within an inch of this hospital."
K. never said anything about the man that tried to smoother the boy in his coma, nor did he mention anything about Tohma setting the whole thing up. Shuichi and his family didn't need to know about that; at least not at the moment.
"Looks like I won't be in the studio for a while though." Shuichi said with a disappointed look.
"It's going to take some time," K. told him, "but you'll get through this and be back on your feet in no time."
"Is Mr. Seguchi okay with this?" Shuichi asked.
K. kept his composure and answered the boy's question. "He's fine with it. You don't have to worry about him. Just focus on getting better, okay?"
And with that K. bowed and left the room. The Nakano couple came in next. They both gave the Shindou family a hug. Mr. and Mrs. Shindou thanked them for being there for them and being so supportive.
"Hey what…happened to that little boy that I saved?" Shuichi asked. "Is he okay?"
"He's fine." Mrs. Nakano told him. "His parents came out with a public apology."
"Yes, however they're going to consider him a juvenile delinquent for being out past curfew." Mr. Nakano added. "As are his friends."
"They shouldn't be so hard on them." Shuichi whispered sadly.
"Those are the rules, buddy." Mr. Shindou explained. "Those kids should have known better. That boy's lucky they're not going to try him as an adult."
"Yeah, that would have been worse." Mr. Nakano added.
"I'd actually like to talk to him someday." Shuichi said.
"You just might." Mr. Shindou told him. "We'll see what happens when you get better."
"Get better soon, dear." Mrs. Nakano told him.
The Nakano couple said their goodbyes and left the room. Shuichi looked at his mother and father with relief in his eyes. They explained everything that happened while he was in a coma. He was happy that the Nakanos had a change of heart. He loved Hiro like a brother and never meant to do anything to jeopardize his relationship with his mother and father.
Next, Yuji came in with a huge grin on his face. He gave everyone a hug including Shuichi who he nearly suffocated.
"Glad to have you back, kid." Yuji said warmly.
"Thanks." The boy squeaked. "How have you been?"
"Oh, I'm getting by." Yuji said shrugging his shoulders. "You know that kid that you saved? His parents came out with a public apology."
"I've heard." Shuichi replied.
"You know if you ever get to see that kid," Yuji went on, "you should beat the crap out of him."
"O-okay, Yuji," Shuichi snickered, "I just might do that. Thanks."
Everyone in the room cracked up laughing. Yuji was always the life of the party. He knew just what to say to brighten up someone's day. The Shindous loved him dearly as much as they loved Hiroshi.
"You just let big brother know if you need anything." Yuji said cutely.
"Yes, big brother." Shuichi chuckled.
After Yuji left the room, Shuichi mumbled something under his breath. Meiko snickered and Mrs. Shindou gently scolded her son. Just then, Hiroshi entered the room. Everyone went quiet for a moment. Hiroshi stepped closer. Tears were streaming down his face as he looked at his best friend who was looking back at him; smiling.
"Hiro." Shuichi said sitting up in his bed.
Hiroshi made his way over to his best friend's bedside. Shuichi took his hand and squeezed it tightly.
"I'm so glad that you're okay." Hiroshi choked. "I thought…that I was going to lose you."
The red head buried his face in his friend's side and cried his eyes out. Shuichi stroked his hair with his other hand and gently shushed him. Mr. and Mrs. Shindou and Meiko left the room to give the two of them some privacy. After a few minutes, Hiroshi finally calmed down. But something suddenly came over Shuichi and he laid back down on his bed and put an arm over his eyes.
"What's wrong?" Hiroshi asked him.
"I was just thinking about how peaceful things were in the other world." Shuichi said point blank.
"Other world?" Hiroshi asked surprised.
Shuichi shook his head. "It's called The Horizon. Everything was so beautiful and peaceful. You didn't have to worry about sorrow or pain or hate. But now I have to wonder if things will go back to being the same with me and Yuki."
Hiroshi looked away. He was the one who chose to forgive Eiri and invite him to see Shuichi while he was still in a coma. Hiroshi had told Shuichi numerous times that Eiri wasn't good for him. At the same time, he remembered what Mr. K. had said to him.
'"Shuichi must learn to make his own decisions whether they are right or wrong."'
What could the red head say to his best friend now? He had threatened Eiri before and then had a sudden change of heart. He still didn't trust the blonde. At the same time, he knew he couldn't run Shuichi's life for him. He couldn't keep telling him what to do.
"Shuichi-"
"I'm tired, Hiro." Shuichi said sadly.
Hiroshi could see the tears falling from Shuichi's eyes from under his arm. He didn't have to be a rocket scientist to understand what Shuichi meant by that. He couldn't make a decision for his friend, but perhaps he could help him reach a decision for himself.
"Do you still love him, Shuichi?" Hiroshi asked. Shuichi nodded his head. "Well, what if he's had a change of heart?"
That certainly got Shuichi's attention. He removed his arm from his eyes and looked at his friend.
"What do you mean?" He asked suspiciously.
"I'm just saying," Hiroshi went on, "in some circumstances, people can have a change of heart. I know that I've told you that I don't trust Mr. Yuki. Truth be told, I still don't. But you almost lost your life. We all could have lost you. That means him too. Imagine the pain he would have gone through if that had happened."
"Are you saying that I should go see him?" Shuichi asked with a raised eyebrow.
"It's up to you, Shuichi." Hiroshi told him. "You have to make that choice. No one can make it for you."
Shuichi smiled at his best friend. "Thanks, Hiro."
"That's what I'm here for remember?" Hiroshi joked.
The two exchanged a warm hug before Dr. Kasugano came in with a nurse rolling in a food cart. Hiroshi's eyes grew wide.
"You're really going to eat all of that?" Hiroshi asked jokingly.
"I guess so." Shuichi laughed, but he ended coughing afterwards.
"Alright, Mr. Shindou," Dr. Kasugano said, "time to eat now. Mr. Nakano, I'm going to have to ask you to go now. Mr. Shindou needs his rest."
The red head agreed. He gave Shuichi one last hug and told him to get well soon. He passed by Mr. and Mrs. Shindou and Meiko. He gave them a hug and they thanked him for being there for their son every step of the way. When he reached the waiting room, Mr. K. and Fujisaki as well as Yuji and their parents were waiting for him. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits. Hiroshi hugged his parents and his brother.
"We're proud of you, Hiroshi." Mrs. Nakano told her son.
"You too, Yuji." Mr. Nakano added.
"Thanks dad." Yuji replied with a smile.
Hiroshi smiled when Yuji said that. When their parents claimed to disown them, Yuji stopped calling them mom and dad. He would refer to them as Mr. and Mrs. Nakano. Hiroshi did the same. But Shuichi's accident was a wakeup call to the couple. It could have been Hiroshi in that accident. Yuji could have been on the road that night and fallen off of his motorcycle. Both their lives could have easily been lost. Every parent knows that you can never replace the children that you lost no matter how many you have.
"Are you boys' hungry?" Mrs. Nakano asked her sons.
They both looked at her in surprise and then at each other. They both nodded in agreement. Mr. Nakano laughed at his sons reactions.
"Come on," he told them, "let's go."
Hiroshi said his goodbyes to Mr. K. and Fujisaki. Mr. and Mrs. Nakano thanked K. for bringing Hiroshi to the hospital safely. They parted ways and Hiroshi road to his parents' house in their car while Yuji followed behind them on his motorcycle. Mr. K. drove Fujisaki back to his house. When the boy opened the door to his house, his parents were sitting there on the sofa looking at him.
"Mother," he said seeing their concerned faces, "father? What's the matter?"
"Come sit down, Sugaru." His mother ordered gently. "We have something to tell you."
Fujisaki did as he was told. Something wasn't right here. The last time his parents told him to sit down on the couch was the time they told him his grandfather had passed away. He didn't like this one bit.
"What's going on?" He asked cautiously.
"It's about your cousin, Sugaru." His father told him.
"Touma?" Fujisaki asked curiously.
"Yes." His mother replied.
~Meanwhile~
As K. was driving to the studio, his cell phone rang. He checked the caller id and saw that it was Ryuichi.
"Yes, Ryuichi?" He responded.
"Where are you?" Ryuichi asked in a depressed voice.
"I'm on my way to the studio." K. told him. "What's the matter? You sound down."
"Can you come over?" Ryuichi asked sadly. "I need to talk to you."
"All right," K. agreed, "I'll be right over."
"Thanks." Ryuichi said before hanging up the phone.
K. made a U-turn and drove off in the opposite direction towards Ryuichi's house. When he got there, Ryuichi was standing outside in front of his mansion waiting for him. K. quickly got out of the car and ran to him. The vocalist didn't look very good. His skin was pale and his eyes were red and puffy. His hair was a mess and K. couldn't tell whether he had been eating or not.
"Ryuichi?" The gaijin said curiously. "What happened to you? You look like hell."
"I feel like hell?" Ryuichi replied before turning his back to the blonde. "Come inside."
Now K. was really worried. He didn't like this side of Ryuichi. The vocalist only got this serious when he was on stage or in a meeting or during an argument. Something was seriously wrong here. K. followed him inside. Ryuichi ushered him over to a sofa. The two sat down and remained silent for a few seconds. The silence was beginning to kill K. so he broke it first.
"Ryuichi." He said sternly. "What's going on?"
"Did you know that Touma is in prison?" Ryuichi asked him.
K. nearly fell off of the sofa. Was Ryuichi being serious? K. was on his way to the studio to see Touma, but now he's just been told that he is in prison. Ryuichi looked so depressed though. He couldn't possibly be joking.
"Ryu…how do you know this?" K. asked him.
"I take it you haven't been watching the news." Ryuichi replied.
That was true. After Shuichi's accident, K. got sick of watching the news. The accident was all they could ever talk about. Instead, K. chose to occupy himself with other important matters like keeping an eye on Hiroshi and Fujisaki and checking out the other bands that Touma had lined up. Plus, he made sure to check on his wife and son in the states. Not to say that Shuichi's condition wasn't important; but the media was always making up stories about things they knew nothing about. And K. was sick of it.
"The cameras were there when he was arrested." Ryuichi told him. "So was I."
K. looked at the brunette in shock. "Why? What were you doing there?"
"I'm…the one who got Touma arrested." Ryuichi confessed.
"What?!" K. yelled jumping up from his seat. "Ryuichi…why?! Why would you have Mr. Seguchi arrested?!"
"Because he's the main reason Shuichi ended up in a coma." Ryuichi told him. "And he hired someone to kill him."
"Ryu-"
"The same man who killed my parents." Ryuichi finished.
K. was at a loss for words. How did Ryuichi know who killed his parents? K. helped him search for his parents' killer years ago, but no leads ever came up. The vocalist must have dug up some dirt on his own. This made K. angry.
"Damn it, Ryuichi!" The gaijin yelled. "Didn't I tell you not to go doing any investigating on your own?! I told you how dangerous that was!"
"I know," Ryuichi said calmly, "but I couldn't let it go. Did you know that Touma was involved in a lot more than trying to have Shuichi killed?"
"What do you mean?" K. asked curiously.
Ryuichi picked up the remote control from the coffee table and turned on the television. There was the news again except this time it had nothing to do with Shuichi. They showed a clip of Touma being carried away in hand cuffs from his house. Ryuichi was also in that video clip. He was shown being escorted to a police car while officers shielded him from the media.
"Why does Touma look like he's been coughing so much?" K. asked curiously.
"I punched him in the gut." Ryuichi replied without hesitation.
K. sat back down quietly. He stared at the television screen with a blank expression. He should have known that Seguchi would get involved with someone like Junochi Shinagawa. Those two were a lot alike. K. didn't know what to do at this point or what was going to happen next. Who would take over NG Records? Noriko was a good fit. She had the smarts and skills to run a record label. But there was also Fujisaki. It would make sense that the company be handed down to him. K. just wasn't sure if the kid could handle the pressure.
"So…what's going to happen to Nittle Grasper?" K. asked already knowing the answer to that question.
"We're done." Ryuichi stated point blank.
~Owari
Angel Eyes Kiyone: I have no excuse as to why this chapter is a year late. Life just gets in the way. I missed you guys so much. I'll try not to keep you all waiting too long with the next chapter. So please remember to R&R. Love you all!