The Key to My Heart

Title: The Key to My Heart: Chapter 13 (re-posted)
Author: JadeHeart
Archived: Found on gurabiteshiyon.net. If anyone else would like it, please ask me first!
Fandom: Gravitation / Fake
Rating: R
Warnings: angst, bad language
Timeline: After the anime/manga finishes.
Characters: Yuki/Jim/Tohma/Ryo/Dee/Bikky/Carol/Lai/Lass
Feedback: Feedback is always welcome! If I don’t get feedback, I don’t want to continue!
Summary: Just how far would Yuki go in search of Shuichi?
Author’s Notes: This chapter has been revised. I’ve put back in some portions that I had originally written, but took out at the time of posting. I was encouraged by bakayaro onna and ashcat to return the chapters to their original form which I have now done so.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, they belong to the creators of ‘Gravitation’ and ‘Fake’, nor am I making any profits from this.


The Key to My Heart: Chapter 13 (edited)


“I hate to have to leave you in the lurch like this again.” Jim said.

“You can hardly blame yourself, Jim, for having to go back to work.” Tohma said holding the phone to his ear. “You’ve done more than enough for us. Besides, we’ve still got Ryo and Dee assisting us.”

“Huh!” Jim snorted. “I’m not sure you should be thanking me for leaving you to the tender mercies of those two idiots!”

Tohma chuckled. “You know that’s not true. Honestly, they are pretty good, aren’t they?”

There was silence for a moment, and then Tohma heard Jim sigh. “Yeah, they’re good. If you’re going to get anywhere at all, they’ll be able to make it happen. Just don’t tell ‘em I said that!”

“My lips are sealed.” Tohma said with mock seriousness.

“Huh! Look, keep in touch, Tohma. I mean it. I want to know everything that’s going on, okay?”

“I will.”

“Alright then.” Another sigh. “I had better get back to things here, before my boss thinks I’m on a permanent vacation. Say hello to Yuki for me.”

“Sure, and, Jim?”

“Yeah?”

“Consider your IOU paid in full. With interest. Now I owe you.”

“You know that’s not true, Tohma.”

“I mean it. You don’t owe me anything, but if you ever need my help, let me know. Do we have a deal?”

“Okay, deal. Talk to you later. Good luck.”

Tohma hung up the phone and sat staring at it for moment. He missed Jim’s company, his easy-going nature. Tohma had enjoyed having someone around who knew him quite well. Even better in many ways than Yuki knew him. He sighed and stood to join Yuki downstairs for dinner.

**************

“Shit!” Yuki swore vehemently under his breath. Just his luck that someone actually recognized him, actually knew who he was. Damn it! He seethed and turned sharply away.

Fucking pathetic chattering monkeys! he fumed, trying to push past the ever increasing crowd.

He knew it had been a mistake coming into the centre of the city, but Tohma had thought it would do them both good to have some time to themselves this day. To get away from the constant drive, the seedy streets they walked, get out where the ordinary people where. Have a day just for themselves to try and clear the mind and start afresh, but they had made the mistake of walking into a ‘Barnes and Nobel’ store. Unfortunately, it also happened to be one where Yuki’s latest book was still being promoted, and the current manager was a keen fan. She had recognized him immediately with a small scream and wide eyes. It was an expression Yuki had seen many times before, and knew exactly what it meant. He was trapped. It was too late now to avoid the gathering crowd as all eyes in the store focused on him, and the females present closed in.

Damn, damn, damn! He cursed, knowing he couldn’t escape. He could feel his tension rising, knew his anger was building, and he would soon lose his temper if the people crowding him didn’t leave him alone! His hands clenched into fists at his side, his sunglasses hiding his icy glare.

Suddenly Tohma was at his side, a gentle hand resting lightly on his arm, calming him. He cast a swift glance towards Tohma, at the pleasantly smiling face, the cheerfulness, the calm politeness that fooled everyone.

Everyone except Yuki. He could see that Tohma was angry also, but his calm surface veneer showed nothing of his inner thoughts. Tohma could hide a multitude of sins behind that seemingly innocent smile.

“Thank you, thank you all. You are too kind.”

“Are you going to do a book signing, Mr. Yuki?”

“Are you? Are you?” the clamouring crowd wanted to know.

Yuki gritted his teeth. If he didn’t get out of here soon he was going to snap, and these fans would suffer the brunt of it all!

Tohma suddenly turned to the almost swooning store manager. “If you wouldn’t mind, I would like us to have somewhere private to discuss the possibility of just such a thing.”

The flush on the Store Manger’s face deepened with pleasure. “O...of course! Come this way!”

As they tried to move away from the human crush, the voices called out, rising in pitch with excitement.

“So is there going to be a book signing?”

“When?”

“Where’s it going to be?”

“Please tell us!” The din was becoming unbearable in the small space.

Tohma held up a hand for silence and surprisingly got it. It always amazed Yuki just how he could do that. He seemed such an unimposing man, yet people would fall at his feet to do his every bidding. Yuki was envious of this knack in his brother-in-law.

“Please, details have not been worked out yet, but it will be released in the press as soon as they are. Thank you for your patience.” and he turned from the crowd back to the manager. “If you don’t mind now, shall we discuss a few matters?”

“This way, please! Come this way!” Tohma followed, with a reluctant Yuki trailing.

“Firstly,” Tohma began, taking a seat. “We have no intention of making this a large formal event. Eiri is here more on private business at the moment, but he would be glad to conduct a small signing session tomorrow. What publicity you intend to undertake is up to you, but we do not want it on the national news or the like. We would like this to remain a more personal interaction, with Eiri’s readers.”

“Oh, we can do that. One day doesn’t give us a lot of time, but there will be plenty of people out there now who will help pass the word around this area.”

The manager gazed adoringly at the silent Yuki. “You have no idea how honoured I am you chose to conduct this in my store! I’m such a big fan of yours! I’m so glad your books have been translated, and I never thought I would ever have the chance of meeting you in person!”

Tohma stood. “Very well then. Shall we say about 11am tomorrow then? To allow for people on their lunch breaks to also attend if they wish to?”

“Oh, that is so considerate of you! I’m sorry, but are you Mr. Yuki’s manager?”

Tohma smiled, whilst Yuki snorted. “No, I’m actually his brother-in-law. My name is Tohma Seguchi. I’m pleased to meet you.” He gave a small formal bow.

“Oh, oh!” The manager was flustered at the formality, before awkwardly trying to return the gesture. “I’m pleased to meet you also. Yes, we’ll see you tomorrow at 11am.”

“Very good. Now, if we can trouble you for one more thing?”

“Yes?”

“Could you direct us to a back door?”

As they excited into the alley, Yuki grabbed Tohma by the coat and nearly threw him against the wall.

“Oof!” Tohma grunted as the air was pushed from his lungs at the impact.

Yuki’s hand curled around one shoulder, gripping hard, forcing Tohma back against the brickwork. Tohma could feel the indentation and imperfections digging into his flesh as he was pinned there.

Yuki glared at him, his golden eyes peering over the top of his sunglasses, piercing Tohma like a pin in a mounted butterfly. “Just what the fuck do you think you are doing?!!” he snarled, fingers curling into Tohma’s shoulder, digging into tendons.

Tohma winced at the pressure. “Eiri,” he tried to calm Yuki down. “We weren’t going to get out of there without something being done. If we had just tried to walk away, it would have been all over the news that you were here, and speculation would have begun. It’s been difficult enough to keep this under wraps as it is. This way, we keep the media contact minimal and local, and we have a plausible reason for you being here that matches with the story your publishers have already put out back home.”

Yuki’s grip eased a little. “My publishers?”

“Yes,” Tohma replied. “I spoke with them while we were in Washington, and they agreed to cover for your absence.”

“Just what else have you fucking organised without my knowledge?” Yuki growled, leaning in closer, fingers digging hard back in.

Tohma looked Yuki directly in the eyes, his gaze just as hard as Yuki’s. “Everything that needed to be.” he said flatly, daring Yuki to argue further.

Yuki held his gaze, glaring, waiting for Tohma to drop his eyes. He didn’t. He maintained his gaze, looking into Yuki’s cold eyes, not flinching. Tohma was one of the few people who wouldn’t drop their gaze, when Yuki was like this.

“Everything, huh?” Yuki said, finally backing away and releasing Tohma.

Tohma reached up to gently massage his abused shoulder. “Whatever I could do at the time.”

“Huh!” Yuki lit a cigarette. He inhaled deeply, then watched the smoke drift away as he exhaled. “So, we’ve got to come back to this dump tomorrow?”

“That’s right. You can start at 11am, and finish when you decide. It’s not like you have a set contract for this event.”

“Hmm.” Yuki stood in silence for a moment longer. “Guess we had better get back then.” and he moved off down the alley.

Tohma pushed himself away from the wall, straightening his coat, before bending down to retrieve his hat that had fallen during the scuffle. He brushed it off and settled it firmly on his head, then followed Yuki.

******************

“So, Mr. Yuki, this is a small event for you. Are you looking at perhaps doing a much larger and longer book tour soon?”

“Yes, it might be possible.”

“I understand you are over here also on personal business? This is with your partner, Shuichi Shindou, is that right?”

Yuki had to clamp down hard on his emotions. Tohma had warned him to expect some questions about Shuichi. Even over here, they had heard that he and Shuichi were together.

“Yes, Shuichi is over here also.” It wasn’t a lie.

“How are you enjoying your stay so far?”

“It’s been….tiring.” Again, no lie.

“So, you’ve been very busy, have you?”

“Yes, extremely. There’s been a great deal to do.” Only too true.

“How long do you intend to stay here in America?”

“That depends entirely on Shuichi.” Again, no lie at all. Just honest, blunt truth. Where the hell was Shuichi?!!

“Well, we hope you continue to have a wonderful time here!”

“Thank you.” Yuki gritted his teeth and managed to make it look like a smile.

The reporter then swung towards Tohma, standing quietly to one side. “Ah, Mr. Seguchi, our sources have told us that you are the president of the company, N-G Records, which is actually the label that produces ‘Bad Luck’, the band Shuichi Shindou is lead singer for.”

Tohma smiled pleasantly. “Well, I must say you have been well informed.”

“So what brings you over here?”

“I just thought to accompany my brother-in-law on a portion of his trip.”

“Oh, come on, Mr. Seguchi! You are hardly the type of businessman to come over here just for a brief holiday!”

This reporter was being far too inquisitive, and was far too perceptive. Not perceptive enough to see the tightening around Tohma’s eyes and mouth, a sure sign of his irritation.

“I see it would be pointless to deny it then.” he said with his false smile.

Yuki froze. Was Tohma about to tell them everything? Tell them about Shuichi? He didn’t want these vultures finding out that Shuichi was missing, that he had been hurt! He didn’t want them dragging every little thing about Shuichi through the public forum, circling like carrion eaters around a corpse! He would not have that happen to Shuichi! His fists clenched as he made ready to throw himself at Tohma to shut him up.

“You are quite right. This is not just a holiday, though it gave me a good opportunity to take a short break from my work and spend some time with Eiri. Family is always important.”

“Yes, that’s right. You are married to Mr. Yuki’s sister, right?”

“Correct.”

“Is she here with you also?”

Unfortunately, no. She was unable to make this trip, so I alone accompanied Eiri.”

“So, what’s your other reason?”

“Well, I am making a few assessments whilst I am here, as to the further promotion of bands from Japan.”

“And this would include ‘Bad Luck’?”

“Of course. Among others.”

“So, Shuichi Shindou is also checking things out whilst he is over here?”

“I’m sure he would have only the best interests of his band in mind.”

“So when might the American public get to see ‘Bad Luck’ live?”

“It is far too premature for that at present.”

“Japan has another wonderful export here in the US, Ryuichi Sakuma.”

“Yes, that is right. Ryuichi has done very well here, and the American music world has welcomed him.”

“You also were a part of the same band, Nittle Grasper, as Mr. Sakuma.”

“Yes, I was.”

“Are you planning on rejoining Ryuichi while you are here and playing with him?”

“Not at all. Ryuichi and I conduct different business now. We only maintain contact on a social basis.”

“I’m sorry, but that’s all the time we have now.” The store manager appeared then, making shooing motions to the reporter. “There are a lot of fans still waiting and we can’t take up all of Mr. Yuki’s valuable time.” With a few more grumbles, and a couple more flashes of a camera, the reporter and photographer moved away, allowing the crush of female bodies to swarm forward.

“For fucks sake!” Yuki muttered under his breath. “I’m going to fucking kill you for this!” he snarled at Tohma, before spreading a fake smile on his face and reaching for his pen.

**************

“I’M HOME!!”

The call resounded through the apartment, almost deafening all those gathered there.

“SHUT UP, YOU SIMIAN BRAT!!” Dee roared back, just as loudly.

Ryo just looked pained at all the noise, and turned to his guests. “Sorry about this.” he said, a little embarrassed.

Tohma waved his apology aside. “It’s quite alright.” he said, watching with veiled amusement as Dee threw a cushion at Bikky, catching the boy on the back of the head, and then having to duck as a shoe came sailing back towards him.

“THAT IS ENOUGH!!!” Ryo suddenly shouted, abruptly standing.

Everything stopped as the tableau froze. Even Tohma and Yuki looked quite surprised. This was the first time they had ever seen the mild mannered Ryo lose his temper.

Ryo scowled at Dee and Bikky. “You…will….both …sit…down….NOW!” he dragged the words out, pinning them with his glare.

Suitably chastised, they both slunk to their seats. Yuki almost laughed at the mirrored pouts on their faces.

“Now,” Ryo said, in a far more normal voice, and turning to the front door. “Won’t you come in and join us, Carol?”

Yuki turned to see the young adolescent girl standing there. She smiled brightly and entered, coming straight to Ryo to give him a hug and quick peck on the cheek.

“Hi, Ryo!” She peered around Ryo to the look at the two huddled on the couch. “Hi, Dee!”

“Humph!” was the only response she received. She grinned impishly and stuck her tongue out at him. Dee growled, but was silenced by a look from Ryo.

“Now, let’s begin this evening again, in a more civilized manner, shall we?” Ryo said, being a gentleman and assisting Carol to a seat, before taking one himself.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” groused Dee.

“So what have you found, Bikky?” Ryo asked, picking up his steaming coffee mug.

“Just like you, I couldn’t find out much more in the ‘hood. No one seemed to have seen anyone out of the ordinary, no new faces in the old hang outs. Old Man Cutter reckons he did notice a kid that looked a bit like your man, talking to Crazy Chan a while back though.”

“Who’s Crazy Chan?” Yuki wanted to know.

“He’s one of the gang leaders in the area. He’s not too bad. No worse than most anyways.” Bikky explained, swinging his legs.

“Is it worth speaking to him?” Ryo asked.

“Nah! You wouldn’t get anything out of him. He hates the cops.”

“Well, then it looks like Shu didn’t stick around that neighbourhood. We weren’t able to find out much more either.” Dee put in.

Bikky shrugged, leaning back with hands clasped behind his head. “Not from what I can find out. He would have been spotted by now if he had.”

“So scratch that trail.”

“But we did come up with another idea.” Carol suddenly spoke up.

“We?” Dee questioned.

“Yes, we!” Carol poked her tongue out again at him.

“Stick it out again, and I’ll cut it off!” Dee growled.

“Nyay, nyay.” was Carol’s response.

Ryo rolled his eyes, and heaved a long-suffering sigh. “Can we get back to the business at hand? Please?” he asked pleadingly.

“Sorry, Ryo.” Carol apologized, leaning against Ryo’s side.

He smiled crookedly down at her. He really was a sucker for kids, Yuki thought.

“Anyhow,” Bikky was saying. “We thought we could probably get you a bit of inside help with Chinatown.”

“How?”

“You know Lai and Lass?”

“Your two friends?”

“Yep. Well, Lai’s Chinese, and he actually comes from a pretty well-to-do family. His brother is the president of the Spencer Corporation. Their Head Office is in Manhattan.”

“The Spencer Corporation is a financial backer for many of the largest music production companies here in New York.” Tohma put in quietly, lifting his coffee to sip. “I have had some prior dealings with them, though it has been more from a distance and through a third party, than direct.”

“I’ve heard of it, too. They’re really big time stuff here! You never told us this before!” Dee said, directing the last to Bikky.

“Why should I?” Bikky replied, shrugging his shoulders. “It’s none of your business!”

“Why, you….”

“Dee.” Ryo said warningly, and Dee subsided. “Would they be willing to help us?” Ryo asked Bikky.

“Sure!” Carol said brightly in answer. “We’ve already asked, and they said that if we want to meet up with them tomorrow and give them some more information, they’ll see what they can find out.”

“Well, that’s really good news! Thanks, you two!” Ryo said, smiling at Bikky and Carol. The kids beamed back at him, basking under his praise.

Yuki just shook his head. Ryo seemed to be able to charm anyone. Look at how he had Dee whipped!

“What time did you organize to meet with them?” Dee asked.

“We said about 4pm. I wasn’t sure what shift you were on.” Bikky said.

“We can do that.” Ryo said. He turned to Tohma and Yuki. “How about we pick the two of you up about 3pm?”

“We don’t want you to put yourself out.” Tohma said.

“Not a problem. It will be easier if we all go together.” He turned to Bikky and Carol. “You two stay at school, and we’ll meet you there, okay?”

“Sure.”

“So, what do you all feel like for dinner? How about some pasta?”

“Yeah!!” was the chorus, from more than just the kids.

Ryo looked over at Tohma and Yuki with a smile. “Sorry for the noise.” He said indicting the mock fight that had already begun between Dee and Bikky, with Carol acting somewhere between a cheerleader and a referee. Though for whom she was cheering on was a little unclear. “I’m afraid this is rather normal!”

Yuki just scowled at the noisy jumble of bodies in the corner, wincing as the voices rose higher. He felt a headache coming on. Tohma also looked at the writhing howling mass, an expression of distracted curiosity on his face. “It is rather…..different.” he finally said.

Ryo’s smile grew broader. “You don’t have to be polite, you know.” he winced himself at a particularly loud shout as Dee pursued Bikky into his bedroom, with Carol clinging to his back. Ryo let out a sigh as the door slammed behind the three and a welcome peace settled briefly over the room. “I know they’re all a bit much to take at times, but if they weren’t acting like this I’d know there was something wrong!”

Tohma reached for his coffee. “It’s quite all right, Ryo. Eiri and I don’t mind.”

“Only because you don’t have to be here all the time!”

“Got that straight!” Yuki growled around his cigarette.

Ryo just laughed as he got to his feet. “Make yourself at home. Dinner won’t be long.”

Just then the bedroom door burst open once more and a seething mass of human limbs surged back out into the living room and began to circle the circumference, before collapsing in a heap on the lounge, arm and legs everywhere.

Yuki reached up and pressed his fingers against his temples. Gods, he had a headache!

******************

Ryo pulled up outside the school where Bikky, Carol and two other juveniles were gathered. They wandered over to the car as the adults got out.

“Hi, Ryo!” Carol called out, waving.

Ryo waved back with a smile as they crossed the street, Tohma and Yuki followed behind.

“You know Ryo and Dee.” Bikky said, speaking to the Asian boy at his side. “These two are the ones looking for the dude I told you about.”

The boy looked Yuki and Tohma up and down, his face inscrutable. Yuki studied the teenagers before him.

Tohma smiled and held out his hand. “I’m Tohma Seguchi. This is Eiri Yuki. And you are?”

The boy clasped his hand in a firm grip “Lai. Lai Spencer. This here is Lass.” indicating the girl standing quietly a little behind him.

“Thank you for offering to help us.” Tohma said.

“No problem.” The boy shrugged. “Don’t know if we’ll be of much help, but should be able to at least make a few inquiries for you.”

“That’s good enough.”

“How about we head over to that ice cream parlour on the corner? I’ll treat you kids this once.” Ryo said.

“Woo hoo!” Bikky shouted with his usual exuberance, whilst Carol let out a little squeal and clapped her hands in delight. They each grabbed one of Ryo’s hands and began dragging him, laughing, down the street.

“He’s way too soft on them.” Dee said, shaking his head. “Come on you two.” he directed to Lai and Lass, who were looking after the trio disappearing down the street. “We’d better catch up before they scoff the lot!” and he followed after with the other two adolescents trailing.

Tohma looked over at Yuki. “I guess we may as well join them.” he said with a smile, stepping out to follow.

“I hate ice cream.” Yuki muttered, and slouched along in their wake. Dealing with four teenagers was more than he was feeling capable of doing so at the moment. Especially having to try and be polite. He couldn’t piss them off if he wanted their help.

They had all managed to crowd into one booth. The four teenagers sat on one side, Ryo and Dee on the other, whilst Yuki and Tohma had pulled up chairs to sit at the end. Their orders of ice cream had arrived, and currently held down the corners of a map.

“We’ve been asking questions through Chinatown for a few weeks now. Drake got in touch with one of his buddies in the 18th precinct, Chinatown falls under their jurisdiction, to see if he had heard anything through his contacts, but there’s been nothing so far” Dee said, taking a scoop of ice-cream to his mouth.

“We’ve had no luck at the hospitals and doctors’ surgeries in the area. That was one of the first things we did, getting in touch and providing them with a photo ID to ensure that they notified us of anyone that remotely looked like Shuichi. It should have been made a lot easier as we know what type of injuries he has from the medical report. However, there’s been nothing reported, not a word.” Ryo was saying, pointing at various points on the map.

“We had two sightings reported from local pharmacies a week ago, of someone matching Shuichi’s description buying up gauze, cream, bandages and pain killers. As the pharmacists could see that the kid obviously needed it for himself, they didn’t think too much of it. Most of them don’t want to get too involved. That was in this area.” and Ryo marked a red circle on the map spread on the table between them. “We haven’t got anything since.”

“The thing is that he must be getting medical help from somewhere. He would still need help with dressing the wounds, and he would have to be in some pain from it all. There’s also the risk of infection as well, so he would have be getting check ups.” Dee put in.

“That’s not really a problem, you know.” Lai put in. “There’s plenty of medical help in Chinatown, just not the official sort.”

“Meaning?”

“Chinese medicine. There are plenty of practitioners down there, and not one of them would be found on any medical registry, but they’ll all have full patient listings. If he needed help, he could easily go to one of them, and they don’t bother keeping patient files or filling out forms and stuff.”

“What about painkillers and things like that? That sort of medicine has to be by prescription most of the time, and marked off through the pharmacy outlets for distribution.”

“They handle all of that sort of thing too. It’s all traditional medicine, most are herbalists, so they could whip him up anything he needed. Because it’s all natural ingredients it’s not like there’s any sort of drug listing they have to keep. He really wouldn’t have to go any where else.”

Dee looked skeptical. “You saying you believe all that stuff about ying and yang, spirits and crap?”

Lai fixed him with a glare. “Just because your mind’s too closed to appreciate anything else, doesn’t mean it’s not real!”

“I think it is a very valid supposition.” Tohma interjected. “The use of traditional medicines is not unusual for us, nor for Shuichi.”

“Huh!” was Dee’s only response.

“So, I guess he really could be getting all the medical help he needs and wouldn’t need to go to a hospital at all.” Ryo said, stirring his sundae. He took a sip. “That’s not going to make it any easier to find him at all.”

“Look, I can ask some questions. Most of the practitioners talk to each other in the place, so even though one may not know this guy, they can ask the others. If he’s there and needing medical help, one of them is bound to have met him.” Lai replied.

“They won’t mind talking to you?”

Lai shrugged, picking up a wafer and biting into it. “I don’t think so. Can’t hurt to try though.”

“We appreciate it.”

“Hey, anytime. Do you mind if I take a couple of copies of this photo?” he indicated the photo of Shuichi that was laying on the table top.

“Not at all.” Ryo said. “I’ll give a few copies to Bikky to give to you tomorrow.”

“Is he really a famous singer in a band?” Lass asked with wide eyes, looking down at the photo.

“Actually, yes.” Tohma replied with a smile to her. “They are very big in Japan. That’s why he was coming over here. To promote the band, and look at doing a tour.”

“Wow! That’s awesome! He’s so cute!”

Yuki scowled at her.

“What?” she said, looking at him in confusion.

“Oh, don’t worry about Mr. Grumpy there!” Carol said, draping an arm around Lass’s shoulders and giving her a supportive hug. “He’s just jealous because you think his boyfriend’s cute!”

Lass’s eyes widened as she stared at Yuki’s handsome face. “Boyfriend?” she squeaked, glancing back down at the photo of Shuichi’s smiling face. She raised her eyes back to Yuki’s dark countenance. Suddenly, her eyes sparkled even more brilliantly. She clasped her hands together, as she looked endearingly at Yuki. “Wow! You two make such a gorgeous couple!!”

Yuki jerked back in surprise. That was the last thing he had been expecting to hear!

“Yeah, I think so too.” Carol was saying, head leaning close to Lass’s. “They’d look even better if /that/ one,” meaning Yuki, “Actually smiled once in a while!”

“Oh, I’m sure he smiles for his guy!” Lass said with conviction. “Don’t you? You do, don’t you?” she directed to Yuki.

“Uh….” Yuki was at a loss for words at this sudden outpouring of feminine support for his relationship with Shuichi. Bikky and Lai just looked pained and rolled their eyes over the top of the girl’s heads, slouching back with a sigh.

“Don’t mind them.” Bikky said to Yuki with a long-suffering air. “Girls are silly like this. They go all ga-ga over any guy they think is good-looking.”

“Yeah, well, you would hardly know about that, would you?!” Carol said, turning and pulling Bikky’s ear.

“Hey!” he responded, grabbing the abused portion of his anatomy.

“I don’t know what all the fuss is about.” Lai put in calmly. “I don’t think he’s /that/ great looking.”

“You have no taste, that’s why!” Lass said, turning to him and dishing out the same punishment that Carol had to Bikky, with exactly the same response.

“Will you brats settled down!” Dee snapped, glaring at them. “Stop making a spectacle of yourselves in public!”

All four teenagers glared back at him, and he crumbled beneath the onslaught. “Not fair when they gang up on me!” Dee grumbled, slouching in the seat. Ryo just smiled.

“So, if he’s so big, how come no-one’s noticed him over here yet?” Bikky wanted to know, getting the conversation back on track.

Lai looked at him with scorn. “Why should they? Do you expect a famous pop star to be doing dishes in your back room?”

“Huh?” Bikky looked confused.

Lai sighed. “Look, my people are pretty private, and we respect others privacy. Why would anyone think that the boy doing their deliveries, or walking into their small family shop, would be some big name star? It’s not like he’s gonna be all dressed up like some pop star, with an entourage following him around. He’s probably not even gong to be acting in any way like a pop star because he doesn’t remember he was one! I mean, come on! Would you expect your favourite singer to just suddenly turn up in your apartment?”

“Guess not.” Carol said, thinking.

Lai shrugged. “See? Most people wouldn’t recognize him at all. Even if they thought he looked familiar, or a bit like the lead singer of a band, they would just pass it off as coincidence, and they certainly wouldn’t try and pry any further. So it doesn’t surprise me that no-one’s noticed him. After all, it’s not like his band’s really big over here, so it’s only going to be a few, even in the Asian community, that might be following them here.”

“Makes a lot of sense,” Ryo said. “But it doesn’t make our job any easier in trying to find him.”

“Well, we can start making some inquires. I’ll ask Law to check things out as well.”

“Law?”

“He’s my older brother.”

“The one who runs your family’s company?”

“That’s the one.”

“Isn’t he a little busy to be bothered by this?” Ryo asked.

“Nah. He’ll enjoy the change. Besides, he may move in different circles, but he still has the contacts. So he might find out something.”

“If he’s willing to help, we won’t say no. We could really use a break about now.”

Lai stood, holding out a helping hand to Lass. “Look, I’ll let Bikky know if we turn up anything, okay?”

“Sure. Thanks you two.” Ryo said with a smile.

“Thanks for the ice cream, Ryo.” Lass said, placing a soft peck on Ryo’s cheek. She turned to Yuki. “Hope you find your guy!” and startled him by placing a soft kiss on his cheek. He couldn’t help the blush that coloured his cheeks at the unexpected gesture. Lai just rolled his eyes again.

“Bye!” they called out and the two of them left.

Ryo folded up the map and slipped it into his coat pocket. “Well, let’s see where that takes us now.” he said. He looked at his watch. “Come on, Carol. I need to get you home. Bikky, haven’t you got homework?”

Bikky groaned, but refrained from saying anything at Ryo’s glare. “Let’s go. Staying for dinner, Dee?” he asked.

“What are you having?”

“Thought I’d do a Caesar salad.”

“Not rabbit food again!” Dee complained.

“You don’t have to eat it.” Ryo said with steel in his voice.

Dee sighed. “Alright. I’ll come.”

“Don’t force yourself!”

Dee grumbled and followed Carol and Bikky outside.

Ryo then turned to Tohma and Yuki, who had been silent through most of the discussion.

“What’s on your minds?” he asked, leaning on the back of a chair, guessing there were things they wanted to say.

Tohma looked up at him. “Do you really think we’re getting any closer by doing this? Enlisting the help of these children?” he asked bluntly.

Ryo thought for a moment before answering. “Honestly? I have a feeling that we are. There have been two sightings that I think we can pretty much say are confirmed. So we know he’s in the vicinity at least. If we can get a couple of more leads and narrow that area down, we’ll really be on to something. With Lai’s help, things could start to move a lot quicker. They may be children, but don’t underestimate their usefulness. They can go a lot of places we can’t, and adults can sometimes speak a lot more freely to children than they would to another adult. I think it’s the right choice.”

“Is that the truth, or are you just spinning us some bullshit?” Yuki snarled, itching for a cigarette which he had had to forgo whilst they were seated in this place. He craved the nicotine at the moment.

Ryo looked him dead in the eyes. “It’s no bullshit.” he said seriously. “My gut instinct is telling us we’re going to find something soon, and I for one, believe my gut instinct. It’s kept me alive this long on the Force.”

Yuki just looked at Ryo for a moment more, then nodded his head. “Okay. Guess we just keep looking.”

“That’s all any of us can do. Dee and I will continue to make our inquiries, see if anything else comes through the official channels, and we’ll let you know as soon as we get anything. It’s still worthwhile you both checking out Chinatown. The more visible you are, word might filter back to Shu, wherever he is, and it might make him come look for you. Lai and Bikky will keep following up around the area as well.”

“Hey, Ryo! Will you get a move on!” Dee’s voice drifted into them.

Ryo flashed a smile at the call. “We’d better move and get the troops back home!” he said, standing. “Want to stay for dinner?”

“No, thank you.” Tohma declined for them both.

“Then I’ll drop you off first. You going to call Jim?”

“Yes. He asked to be kept informed each day. Not that we’ve really had much to tell him, but I promised I would do so.”

“Bet he bit your head off after hearing about your little tussle the other week.” Ryo was referring to the attack on them both.

“Well....,” Tohma rubbed his chin a little self consciously. “I didn’t exactly tell him about that.”

Ryo looked at him, and then began to laugh. “Oh, that is just too rich for words! You lied!”

“No. I just failed to mention it.”

“He’s gonna kill you when he finds out!”

“Then we’ll just have to make certain he doesn’t, won’t we?” Tohma said pointedly.

Ryo held both hands up in surrender. “I promise it won’t come from me.” he said. “But you had better be ready to duck for cover if he ever does find out!”

“Hhmm. I think you might be right on that.”

“Ryo!!” a chorus of shouts rang out.

“Come on!” Ryo said, leading them out. “The ravenous hordes await!”

As he walked past Yuki, he dropped a hand onto his shoulder and squeezed gently. Yuki looked up into Ryo’s face, noting the gentle comforting expression he wore. “Just keep holding on. You have to believe that we are getting closer. We will get there eventually.”

“Yeah.” Yuki replied. Another quick squeeze on his shoulder, and then Ryo left them.

“Can you believe them?” Tohma asked Yuki, looking at his friend.

Yuki stood and automatically reached for his cigarettes as he made his way to the exit. “Don’t have any choice, do I?” he replied, walking out.

“No,” Tohma said quietly to himself, before he finally moved to follow Yuki. “No, I’m afraid you don’t.”