Haunted

Chapter 4: Sudden Changes

“…tell me you’re here, tell me you care, I’m giving you one last chance, baby, and that’s all I’m giving…” Shuichi sang as he tried to ask some suggestions from Hiro and Fujisaki.
“So what do you think about that part?” Shuichi asked.
“Hmmm,” Fujisaki fell silent, closed his eyes and nodded, “It’s clear that the first party wants to give the second party another chance, but you’re being redundant about the ‘giving’ part.” he commented.
“Yeah,” Hiro agreed, “you already said you’re ‘giving one last chance’, and then you say ‘that’s all I’m giving’—it’s unnecessary.”
“Oh…how about; ‘…tell me you’re here, tell me you care, I’m giving you one last chance, baby—so don’t fuck it up.’—so how’s that?” Shuichi asked, grinning.
The three of them laughed when K suddenly entered the scene.
“Shuichi, how’s the new songs coming?” he asked.
“Poorly.” Fujisaki commented.
“Barely meaningful.” Hiro added.
“Quite successful.” Shuichi said, laughing heartily.
“You guys,” K started frustratingly, “I want you all to be serious about this, or else…” he warned, “that concert is getting nearer, and you’re starting to make my blood boil, especially you, Shuichi,” he pointed out.
“What did I do?” Shuichi whined like a kid,
“You’re sucking up, and you’re not paying attention to your English tutor,” K reasoned, “the old woman called me last night and told me you weren’t attending her classes anymore and you can barely speak one complete sentence.” K raked his hair thorugh his fingers and exhaustingly added, “Damnit, Shuichi! Can’t you even say ‘I love you’ in English?”
Hiro and Fujisaki covered their mouths to prevent their selves from laughing.
“What?” K raised a brow, looking all startled.
“It’s just that,” Hiro broke off and laughed again…
“Well—” Fujisaki began but was immediately cut off,
“Knock it out, you two!” Shuichi interrupted them before they can even speak of the damning truth.
“Shuichi, I’m asking you,” K paused, taking a deep air for support, “can you say ‘I love you’ in English?” he waited with his arms folded in front of his chest.
“Shuichi!” K snapped.
“Yeah, Shuichi.” Fujisaki teased, still laughing with Hiro, “say ‘I love you’…we wanna here your wonderful English pronunciation!”
“I…I…I” Shuichi began in English.
There was complete silence and utter anticipation inside the room.
“…r…r…rove…you.”
Fujisaki and Hiro broke into hysterical laughter and K shook his head in disappointment.
“Oh no…” K said in English, “this is not good.”
“What did he say?” Shuichi asked nervously,
“He said it sounded perfectly fine.” Hiro lied.
“Really?”
Fujisaki and Hiro laughed again and almost fell off their chairs.
“Shuichi!” K called and startled the three of them, “if you won’t be able to learn how to speak in English in two weeks,” he warned, “there will be no big concert at Tokyo.” he threatened and left the studio with a huge vein bulging in his neck.
“You are in big trouble, man!” Fujisaki spoke in English and slapped Shuichi’s back.
“You got that right!” Hiro added, in English as well, deliberately trying to provoke their friend with his disadvantage.
“Will you guys stop speaking in English now?! So fine, I don’t know how to speak fluent English, but I’m telling you,” Shuichi said, “I’m going to master that language in less than two weeks.” he boasted and folded his arms.
“Yeah, right.” Hiro snorted, doubting his own best friend.
“Like pigs can fly.” Fujisaki added and once again laughed with Hiro.
“Haha.” Shuichi mimicked and left the studio to go down the hall.


Shuichi wanted to take a break. He couldn’t go too far, so he decided to visit the cafeteria instead. He ordered some food and stared outside the windows while waiting for his meal.
When all of a sudden, Shuichi tried remembered the last time he went to this place.
When was that again? He thought
“Oh God,” Shuichi whispered hoarsely to himself, “the doll!” he exclaimed.
Shuichi ran to the staff members of the cafeteria and asked about a missing doll.
“A purple doll?” an old lady said and scratched her head while pausing from her work, “I’m sorry, Shuichi-san. I don’t think I’ve seen a doll here before, why don’t you ask the janitors?” she suggested and smiled at him.
“Thank you, ma’am.” Shuichi said and ran off to the maintenance office.

Shuichi watched for the labels of each door as he passed by the second level of the NG building, looking for the maintenance office.
When he got there, he saw a man with his legs up on the desk, reading a magazine.
“Excuse me, have you—
Shuichi stopped short when he saw a small doll displayed on the table just right beside the man’s crossed feet.
“Whoa! That’s my doll!” Shuichi shouted, pointing out excitedly.
“Oh this little thing?” the middle aged man blushed a bit with embarrassment, being seen in such a lazy manner. He took the doll and gave it to him with a shy smile, “I found it the other day inside the cafeteria. I thought it was kind of cute. Th-they don’t make this anymore,” he told, “I have a sister who travels a lot. She showed me a picture of this kind of doll once, I think it’s from…what’s that country again?—Oh yeah, Slovakia—in Europe. So I decided to make it a display on my table until the owner gets it back.” He finished, although his last statement seemed so unbelievable.
“Oh, um, thank you.” Shuichi said and bit his lip.
Shuichi thanked the man and bade goodbye with a curt bow of gratefulness. After that, he left the level as soon as possible, thinking about the meal waiting for him back in the cafeteria.
Slovakia? He thought wonderingly while studying the doll once more, and in Europe? He added.
Shuichi held the doll in his arms. It was tiny but it fitted well in his hands.
He glanced at his watch and decided to go back to the studio.
At least I have my doll back, Shuichi thought, feeling a peculiar likeness towards the doll.

But suddenly he stopped short and something felt strange.

Shuichi felt cold and numb. He was shaking vigorously and thoroughly.
He felt he was going to die!
His body turned cold and he collapsed down on the floor. His body curled up and he groaned as he felt the excruciating pain. He wanted to shout but it was too painful.
And then he saw blood, and it was dripping from his mouth.

In a few seconds the pain was gone. But in those very seconds, he really felt he was dying.
My God, what was that? What’s going on?! He thought in a panic.
Shuichi saw the blood that spilled from his mouth on the floor. He wanted to cover it up but he felt scared and sick.
He then ran into the men’s room and gargled thoroughly. He watched the tinted red water in front of him flush away inside the tiny black pit.
His eyes narrowed, watching his own pale reflection in front of him.
“What’s happening with me? …”


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“No.” It’s been three hours since Mika arrived at her brother’s place and she was so tired from nagging Yuki to come along in their father and mother’s wedding anniversary. And as far as she tried, all she got was a lousy ‘no’.
“First of all, the woman is dead. What’s all the celebration for?” Yuki justified which caused his sister to stare at him wide-eyed with disbelief.
“Yuki! What is happening to you? Why do you speak so ill of mother?” she cried, “even if our mother is dead, we still have to celebrate such a—a joyous occasion! It’s not just an anniversary, we both know that father has been very lonely for the past several years, the least you can do is visit him.” Mika insisted.
She was waiting for Yuki’s reply but all Yuki did was go back to his study room, with Mika following behind.
Mika watched her younger brother sulk on his chair and open his stupid laptop.
“Yuki.” Mika called, feeling incredibly exasperated, and moving forward, closing the laptop herself.
“Stop this.” She began, “Come home…please, I’m asking you—no—I’m begging you…please come home…even just for an hour, or half an hour. Just show your face to father… he wants to see you. We—”
“He wants to see me?” Yuki spoke in a mocking voice.
Mika fell silent and Yuki chuckled.
“You go home…it doesn’t matter if I’m there, he wouldn’t care.”
Yuki opened his laptop and ignored his sister once more

Mika grew hopeless. This is pointless, she thought. She shook her head knowing that she failed in convincing her brother to come home and so she went off to the door.
Just as when Mika was turning the knob, she tilted her head around and said,
“Mother would have really appreciated it if you’d come… at least she would.” She emphasized, challenging Yuki’s conscience and leaving him in peace.
Yuki sighed deeply in obvious defeat and laid his back on the swiveling chair in a lazy attitude while staring at the ceiling.
“Just half an hour…” he recited, loud enough to be heard, and closed his eyes.

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“Serena, Serena!” Monette kept on shouting along the hallway inside their house
until she finally saw her sister.
“Serena!” She called out again and Serena’s attention was now focused on her younger sister.
“What’s wrong, dear?”
In all Monette’s life, even if she and her sisters were shouting like the whole world was about to collapse, Serena never got mad…only of course if there were guests inside the house, only then would she be irritated and call them ‘rude’.
But Monette wasn’t trying to be rude right now, only excited.
“Is it true? Are we really going to see Sakura at Sunday evening?” Monette asked with an unseen smile on her face that Serena swore she only saw when their parents were still alive.
“Yes, we are.” Serena said and gave back a warm smile, speaking in her gentle voice.
Monette always admired her eldest sister. She was so cool and composed. Serena never got mad at anyone. She was always demure and refine to everybody and she was such a fine, diplomatic woman when it comes to handling her problems—their problems.
‘I can’t believe it…” Monette gasped and covered her mouth, “I’m finally going to see my sister after so many years…” she said while tears flooded her eyes.
“We’ve waited for so long…” Serena agreed, embracing her little sister, “you deserve better, my angels.”
For some reason, Serena always called her sisters her ‘angels’. She was so caring for them, and she treated them like princesses and even loved them more than herself. She was always obligating herself to be the boss of everything. It was all because she wanted to protect her sisters. Seeing Serena work so hard for her sisters just made it seems like she’s holding the entire world on her shoulders.
Having a research scientist for a sister was never easy for all of them. Especially when their family came from a former secretive research facility that was completely buried and abandoned. Even though Serena was off with her new businesses, sometimes she gets caught with the past when people from before visit her and talk to her about the failure of their project

Even if Serena was tied up in her hectic schedule, she always seemed to have all the time in the world for her sisters.
Serena never missed any performances of her sisters, not one. She was always there when the recitals came in, when the school play was on, when one of them was sick—even if the thermometer says it’s only thirty-eight. It’s just too unexplainable how unconditional her love is for all of them. Maybe it was because she promised their parents that she would take care all six of them.
But that was the problem,
There were only five of them.

And now they’ve found their sixth sister.

“I want to go shopping with Sakura when she’s finally with us.” Monette said with a gleeful smile, “We’ll go to amusement parks, parties and soirees—she names it, we’ll go there—I am so excited in meeting her, aren’t you?” Monette asked imploringly, staring intently at her sister.
“Of course I am…but I’m not really sure if our sister feels the same way…”


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“How is it?” Yuki asked quietly and sat slowly on the chair, waiting for
his doctor’s comment.
It’s been a long time since he had another check-up. He just thought he didn’t need it since the pain hadn’t been present lately, but last night, after he made love with Shuichi, he felt that he was going to die in pain.
He had to go to the bathroom to continue coughing in agony. He had a hard time reaching for his pills. He didn’t want to wake Shuichi up, and he didn’t want to worry the boy either.

He didn’t want him to worry…

“Yuki-san,” the doctor started, the expression on her face seemed to have said a lot already, even though she hasn’t explained yet. “I’m afraid I have bad news for you.”

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“Where is he?” Mika came in all of a sudden when Shuichi opened the door and thought it was Yuki who rang.
“He’s not yet home…but he said he’ll be back in an hour…” Shuichi spoke softly and turned away.
“So how are you?” Mika asked, putting her bag on the couch, taking off her sunglasses and flipping her pretty brown hair.
“I’m…good…and you?” Shuichi asked.
“Like shit, as always.” The woman said and sat herself on the couch.
Since Shuichi and Yuki had a relationship, this woman, Yuki’s own sister, Mika, started to hate him.
Shuichi didn’t understand why.
Wasn’t it obvious that Shuichi and Yuki are perfectly happy together? Why is she continuing to be against their relationship? It’s really none of her business whoever her brother lives with, or loves. And it’s not like she can control people’s feelings.
“And your relationship with my brother? How’s it doing?” Mika asked with a forced smile on her haughty pale face.
If you were a man, I could have hit your pretty little face a long time ago, Shuichi thought.
“Splendid,” Shuichi said, “Very, very splendid.” he added some more and smiled back.
Mika chuckled and stood up from the couch, she stood by the huge window and folded her arms.
“Oh, by the way, please tell Yuki to come over at our parents’ wedding anniversary at Sunday evening. I know he won’t listen to me, but he might listen to you.”
“Of course he will.” Shuichi said, feeling all confident.
Mika raised a brow,
“You’ll never give up, will you?” The woman said in a mocking sigh.
“No, I won’t.” Shuichi said plainly and shaped his hands into fists, “why do you hate me so much?” Shuichi asked.
“Darling, I don’t hate you,” Mika said, “I just don’t like you hanging around with my brother.” she said flatly.
“Well in that case, you’re gonna have a problem, cause I’m I’ll be hanging around him for a very long time, and you can might as well get used to that idea.” Shuichi said and folded his hands as well.
“You’re quite tough,” Mika started, “for a silly little boy.” She said and continued, “you know Shuichi, you’re smart and very talented. But I don’t understand why you’re trying so much to be with my brother, I mean, isn’t it obvious that he’s only using you? For pleasure, of course.”
Those words she said actually hurt like a knife slicing through Shuichi’s flesh and straight to the insides.
“No, Mika. I don’t think Yuki is using me for pleasure.” Shuichi stated assertively,
raising his chin high,
“I think Yuki likes me very much and I find that very true because I’ve been under this roof for almost one full year, without breaking up with him,” he added unhesitatingly,
“which means I am not one of Yuki’s little toys you are referring me to, and I am certainly not being used.” he guaranteed and even added, “if so, I should’ve dumped him myself a long time ago.” He said which enraged Mika all the more.
“You puny little imbecile…” Mika said softly with such loathing. And then out of the blue, she laughed, like the devil she is.
“Fine,” Mika said, “Say what you want to say, I don’t care…”
“What do you mean?” Shuichi asked all startled.
“Don’t blame me for not warning you, Shindou Shuichi.” Mika said, “You’re playing with fire here, and I’m known to be one helluva player when it comes to tough games.” She added and took her bag from the couch.
“Oh really? Then that makes the two of us,” Shuichi said, “but seriously, this is not even close to my kind of game.” Shuichi said, “In fact, you and your silly little plans is nothing but a spec to me.” Shuichi boasted and chuckled.
Mika’s eyes grew big in fury and obvious defeat. She stormed out of the condominium, and before she can turn the knob, Shuichi spoke.
“Try to get some ice to cool yourself down, honey,” Shuichi said, “you don’t want to get your pretty face burned, do you?” he added with triumph in his hands and smiled as he watched Mika strode off.

Shuichi sighed and shook his head. He really didn’t want to start a fight with Mika.
He was a good kid, and playing with fire was one game he never played.
Both literally and metaphorically.
“Did you have fun making my sister mad?” Shuichi spun around at the familiar voice of Yuki.
“Yuki…” Shuichi watched Yuki’s cold gestures as he walked past right him.
Yuki took off his trench coat, settled it in on the couch and took out some cigar.
“I-I didn’t mean to speak that way, I was just trying to defend myself, but she—
“Enough!” Yuki said, “don’t speak to my sister, nor to any people acquainted to me that way ever again.”
And at that moment, Shuichi saw those cold eyes that he thought he had diminished when he knew he had Yuki in love with him already.
It’s back.
The old Yuki was back.
“Gome…” Shuichi whispered and bowed his head.
“Here.” Yuki threw something to Shuichi, and when Shuichi caught it in the air, he was puzzled.
“This is your lighter… uh, do you want me to smoke? I don’t—
“Trash it.”
“What?”
“The next time I see you put stickers on my belongings, you’re out of here.” Yuki said and went inside his study room and closed the door.


What’s this? What’s happening?
Shuichi fell down on the floor on his knees. His eyes were all misty with tears while he stared at the lighter where he stuck the neoprint of him and Yuki.
He just wanted to remind Yuki that he was there whenever he tried to light a cigar.
Does this mean Yuki doesn’t love him anymore?
Shuichi rose up to his feet and went to the sofa. He sat there and curled himself up and closed his eyes.
“This is all a dream…just a dream…when I wake up, Yuki’s going to kiss me and hug me and everything will be back to normal…” Shuichi repeated those words again and again, with his eyes tightly shut, trying to erase in his memory the way Yuki acted so coldly towards him.
He kept saying to himself that this would be over as soon as he wakes up while he cried softly on the sofa.
“Yuki…”

The sounds were around Shuichi now. There it was again. He felt he was inside another person’s body. It was the little girl’s body in his dreams.
He was being carried by someone, and it was the pretty lady with green eyes.
She was so beautiful.
And then she slowly lowered Shuichi on the ground. And Shuichi ran to someone. Shuichi ran across a pleated blanket with lots of food around it.
It was a picnic.
The little girl opened her arms to a woman who was waiting for him. Her arms were open wide as well.
It was the same lady who had the huge pearls circling her neck in the drawings Shuichi saw in the backpack that which the nuns gave him.
Her eyes were like Shuichi’s eyes, and her smile was so radiant.
And then Shuichi said something,
“I love you, mama…” Shuichi heard the little girl spoke.
“I love you too, darling…” the woman replied and then Shuichi heard some female voices behind him.
“Sakura! Sakura!” They called, their soft melodic feminine voices called.
The little girl turned around and smiled at them.
There were at least five of them, and they were all so very gorgeous!
All as lovely as one another
All such breathtaking facades

And then somebody carried Shuichi from behind.
Shuichi heard the little girl gasp and followed it with a tiny laugh,
“Papa!” The little girl shouted.
“Where have you been, my angel?” a man with a chubby face and thick mustache asked.
The same man Shuichi saw in the drawings…
“I’ve been drawing all of us, papa. Do you wanna come and see my drawings?” the little girl asked.
“Okay… Papa will do anything for his little angels…” The man replied and surprised the little girl with a kiss on her forehead.


My angels…

“Angels…”
Shuichi heard himself whisper and suddenly woke up.
It was at the middle of the night, and he was still on the sofa.
“Yuki…” Shuichi moaned and stood up from where he seated.
He saw a small crack from Yuki’s door.
He was still working.
How Shuichi wished Yuki would stop that for a while and carry him to bed.
How he wish…

“May I come in?”
Shuichi, though a bit nervous, smiled widely, noticing Yuki’s passive, concentrated, undivided attention towards the computer.
“You are already in.” Yuki spoke in a cold familiar voice.
The kind of voice he often hears when their relationship was still starting.
“Oh…sorry about that…um—”
“Hurry up, what do you want to say?” Yuki grunted impatiently while he continued typing,
“Uh…a-a while ago, when Mika was here…I just wanted to say sorry about that…” he mentioned,
“Is that all you came here to say?” Yuki asked.
“Well…there’s this other thing Mika said…um, I heard you’re going to your father and mother’s wedding anniversary…when would that be?” Shuichi asked, trying to put a smile on his face.
Yuki didn’t stop from typing and suddenly said,
“That’s none of your business.”
If this was the way Yuki is going to act towards Shuichi, then Shuichi would prefer to be stabbed by that bitch, Mika, than to be standing there looking all pathetic and weak.
“I understand…” Shuichi whispered and finally went out and closed the door.
As soon as Shuichi left, Yuki slumped against his chair, took off his glasses and covered his face with his hands.

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“So when are you planning to see her?” Gilfred asked while he and Serena sat on a bench at the park at this late hour
“At Sunday evening…” Serena spoke softly and gazed upon the stars above them.
“That’s good…so are you going to tell her everything already?” Gilfred asked.
“Not everything.” She said.
“Why not?” Gilfred asked and slowly, Serena took her gaze off of the stars.
“Because I don’t want to scare her away…”
Gilfred didn’t go on. He didn’t want to start an argument. Besides, he has no rights to interfere with the siblings…he’s only a bodyguard.
That’s right. Just one of the employees.
But his job was to protect Sakura…
And he failed.
“Good luck then.” Gilfred said and stood up from the bench and walked away.

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“Shuichi!” K shouted and pointed out to Shuichi, “how’s our English tutorials from the ever-s-great-sensei-Yuki Eiri?!” Just the sound of Yuki’s name makes Shuichi numb.
“Fine!” Shuichi said and pulled a smiled on his face.
Hiro noticed Shuichi’s fake gleeful actions and went beside him.
“Really now, how’s your English doing?” Hiro whispered while Shuichi tried to get ready for their recording session.
“You heard me a while ago,” Shuichi said, fixing the microphone, “I said it’s doing good.” He said.
“Okay…I’ll believe you in one condition,” Hiro said, “if you can answer me back in English, once I asked you something in English, that means you’re doing good.” Everybody inside the studio heard Hiro, and so, it resulted to a very peculiar anticipation,
“And how would I know if you’re asking me something very complicated? Please don’t forget that I’m just a beginner.” Shuichi said with a sly look on his face.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be asking you the basics, and I promise you, it’s not that hard.”
Hiro folded his arms and waited for Shuichi’s approval,
“Yeah right.”
“So let the game begin!” Sakano cut in all of a sudden with a red flag on his hand, feeling like he was some sort of referee.
“How do you do?” Hiro asked in English.
I know this, Shuichi thought.
Did he just say ‘Where are you’?…wait, I know!
“’Go..o-d Nigh-t…to you… too’…?” Everybody started guffawing and Shuichi felt his face could compete with the color of tomatoes.
“What?! What did I say wrong?” Shuichi moaned, but everybody was too busy laughing.
“Shuichi-san,” Fujisaki started, “Hiro-san didn’t tell you good night, he was asking ‘how were you doing?’!” he translated and felt out of air.
“Well at least I know I tried! And at least I said something in English—not to mention in right grammar!”
Shuichi tried to reason out, but nobody was listening to him.
“Alright everybody, let’s get back to work!” K instructed, and as soon a he did, everyone stopped the rambling and began concentrating instead.
“Shuichi,” he said, “come with me, I need to talk to you.”
K turned around, leaving Shuichi feeling a bit nervous as to why his manager was looking so serious.
As soon as the door closed behind them, K spoke,
“Walk with me.”
Shuichi was getting all startled. What’s he thinking right now? Was he going to lecture him again for not doing well in his English?
“Shuichi,” he started, “is something wrong?”
The question sounded more concerned than irritated.
“Huh? W-what do you mean?”
K smiled and stared intently at Shuichi,
“You don’t have to hide your gloomy face, Shuichi,” he said, “something happened between you and Yuki Eiri, am I right?” he asked, leaning on the wall taking out a cigarette from his pocket,
“I don’t know what you’re talking about…” Shuichi lied and looked away.
There was a long pause between their conversation, and then suddenly, K turned around, his back facing Shuichi and spoke softly as if it was the only way he could penetrate into Shindou Shuichi’s shell,
“You can cry at my back now, nobody’s watching.”
And with that simple gesture, everything inside Shuichi crumbled and he quickly placed his forehead on K’s back, crying and cursing Yuki’s name.
After a few long minutes, the crying subsided and K could only hear Shuichi sniffing this time,
“You feel better?” K asked, turning his head at his back.
Shuichi nodded and got off.
He turned around to face Shuichi and sighed.
“I don’t want you crying or feeling sad every time you come inside the studio.” he said, “That’ll just reflect in your songs, and it wouldn’t sound good, you have to feel alive when you sing your songs, even if the lyrics are sad, you have to feel great about yourself.” He explained,
“But I can never feel happy if Yuki’s cold towards me…”
The confession was true, but it seemed somewhat surprising for K.
“Cold to you?” he asked, a deep crease forming between his brows, “Since when? I thought the two of you were doing fine for the past whole year.” he reasoned and folded his arms in front of his wide chest,
“C’mon, K,” Shuichi moaned, “not all couples are happy all the time…but the truth is…I was staggered myself because I asked the same thing last night…” Shuichi said softly.
“What happened anyway?” K asked, worried for the boy as his manager,
“I don’t know…all of a sudden, when Yuki came back home, he was acting all strange…he didn’t want to talk to me, and I don’t even know if it’s because of Mika.”
“Mika? What has she got to do with the two of you?” K asked.
“She’s Yuki’s sister, remember?” Shuichi said sarcastically this time.
“Oh I’m sorry, I’m being quite forgetful lately.” K rolled his eyes heavenward and remembered that Mika and Shindou Shuichi doesn’t seem to have a peaceful relationship, “Listen, forget about Yuki, if you feel sad, vulnerable or angry, let it out while you’re singing, feel your emotions, try to get in touch with yourself.” He advised,
“Really?”
“Really-really.”

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The recording session finished with a blast. After the talk Shuichi had with K, he felt better. The advice certainly helped and it even worked a lot. Shuichi really felt his songs all the better, he especially asked everybody to do the ‘sad’ songs first, because he was feeling depressed. He was sure he could relate deeply with the lyrics which obviously pertained to his condition.

After he sang the first sad songs, they went with the upbeat ones. Following K’s advice, Shuichi let it all out, feeling the rhythm within him and definitely felt the ‘rage’ running through his veins.
In short, the session was successful, but Shuichi still felt the same way, and oddly, he felt crushed more than ever.
“I guess that didn’t help…” K said quietly, scratching his head while he accompanied Shuichi on their way out of the studio.
“No, no! That’s not true, your advice helped me a lot… it’s just that…even though it’s hard to admit…even though it’s painful…I really miss that jerk.” Shuichi said feeling all sober and shook his head.
“You know Shuichi… I haven’t told you this before because I didn’t want to sound cruel or anything…but now I just want you to know…that there are other people out there besides Yuki, and try not to make conclusions between you and him…I’m not telling you this because I’m your manager, I’m telling you this as a friend,” he said carefully, “and as a friend, I never liked my buddies getting hurt or miserable, especially when it comes to their…erm… ‘love-lives’…” he teased and chuckled heartily.
“Thanks.” Shuichi smiled at K, and somehow, the man’s sweet proclamation made him feel special,
“Your welcome…call me when you need any help.” he offered and waved goodbye at Shuichi as he walked away.

It was already dark and Shuichi sighed as he decided to take the subway back home.
He started walking along the pavement, thinking about Kei’s last words to him.

When suddenly his body froze.
It’s happening again…
Shuich’s whole body was shaking and he felt strong pangs of pain, his chest was throbbing like hell and the part where his manhood was located was excruciatingly painful.
It was the same pain he felt when he was at the hallway the other day.
And he remembered that blood was spilling from his mouth…
And it was happening again.

Shuichi had to cover his mouth so nobody would see it. He went inside an empty corner along the streets and continued wringing in agony.
Am I going to die? The question popped straight away in his head, and he began to get scared.
The blood was still flowing and his jacket had huge stains of it, even his pants was wet with blood.
Oh my God…Oh my God…

After that night, Shuichi got scared like hell. He wanted to go to a doctor, but he was too afraid of what the doctor might say. He decided to go home and change his clothes as fast as he could. It was also a good thing though that Yuki wasn’t there.
Shuichi anyhow successfully washed his pants and his jacket. He decided to lay down afterwards so he could think about this whole problem and think of a way on how to solve it without creating a commotion.

When Yuki went out this afternoon, Shuichi felt he was losing his mind. Not only was he losing his mind, but he was also losing his creative ideas. (Yeah right, creative ideas—how colorful). When suddenly he heard a knock from the door and thought that Yuki must have forgotten something.
“Your back—”
Shuichi stopped short when he saw a man towering over him.
It was the black hair version of Yuki Eiri.
In short, Shuichi was standing right in front of Yuki’s brother, Tetsuha

“Tetsuha-kun?,” Shuichi began, baffled , “what are you doing here?”
Tetsuha quietly smiled at him and went inside without being asked. He was wearing his black leather jacket and some rugged old pants—the perfect outfit to catch any girl’s attention…or…er…boy, Shuichi thought. (not that it wouldn’t catch HIS attention)
“I just wanted to drop by and say hi to my brother, where is he anyway?” Tetsuha asked and immediately made himself at home by going straight to the fridge, picking himself a beer and taking a cigarette out of its pack on top of the fridge that belonged to Yuki.
“How the hell should I know?!” Shuichi exclaimed and took the cigarette from Tetsuha’s hand.
“Did you two have a fight?” Tetsuha teased and tried to grab the cigarette back from Shuichi.
“No.” Shuichi replied, slapping Tetsuha’s hand away,
“You look like you did.”
“Is it that obvious?” Shuichi asked, looking all worried—and certainly caught off-balanced whichi finally gave Tetsuha the chance to snatch the cigarette away from him, lighting it up and smoking it without delay.
“Look, if you really need to talk to Yuki right now, try to come back later, because he’s visibly not here and he’s not the kind of person who tells where his heading to—unless you’re his damn computer.” Shuichi drawled out exasperatingly and shrugged on the sofa.
Tetsuha blew the smoke out and leisurely went up to Shuichi,
“Ah… ‘Lovers’ quarrel’” he quoted, “…I never knew that it happens to my brother—not that he never had anyone besides you, but—”
“What is it that you really came for anyway?” Shuichi asked, getting riled up, “in all honesty, I am about to pop if my irritation continues.” He threatened,
“Okay, okay, no need to get all…cranky.”
“Cranky?! You—”
“Shut up, here it goes: ‘I just wanted to tell Yuki to be at our parents’ wedding anniversary at Sunday evening.’ There. That’s all I wanted to say.” Tetsuha said and dropped lazily onto the sofa beside Shuichi who looked rapidly more disheartened.
“Oh…well…um, I hope you guys have a nice time together.”
Shuichi stood up quietly while his shadowed face turned away from Tetsuha.
”You’re not coming?” Tetsuha asked.
“…hehe…” Shuichi mumbled, trying to play dumb, “why should I?” he added, his tone of voice with a trace of hurt.
“I see…” Tetsuha understood and watched Shuichi walk towards the kitchen.
“Look, it’s no big deal.” Shuichi tried to put a wide smile on his face, but Tetsuha knew better, “I don’t mind…it’s not like I’m a part of your family…” he said and decided to walk away to end this conversation.
“Hey, wait.” Tetsuha called, thinking of a fast way on how he could comfort his friend, “If Yuki did something ‘smart’ to hurt you, then on behalf of his blood, I’m sorry for his
‘jerkness’.”
Shuihci found himself touched by the humorous banter, but the soft smile tugging at the edge of his lips slowly vanished
“That’s very nice of you, Tetsuha-kun, but I don’t think that’ll help.” Shuichi said and sighed.
“I know,” Tetsuha didn’t argue, but he had a plan,
“And that’s why I’m going to make you my guest at the party.”
“What?”
It all swiftly made sense to Shuichi when Tetsuha said this to him.
“If Yuki’s not going to invite you, then I will…I don’t think there’s anything wring with that, and I always invite some of my friends over, and since you are a friend of mine, why not, right?” Tetsuha was grinning already, but he was surprised when Shuichi jumped off from his feet and embraced him.
“Do you mean that, Tetsuha? Do you really, really mean that?” Shuichi asked, looking all teary eyed again.
“…uh, hehe…’course I do.”


“Did you get the details?” Serena asked to Gilfred while they ate inside a classy
restaurant.
“Yes, I have…it’s all planned out: Sakura will be leaving the condominium by morning and return at night, the other bonus is, Yuki Eiri will be going out of town to visit his parents’ wedding anniversary. Funny though, his mother is already dead.” Gilfred snickered when he said the last word and thought stupid of Yuki’s folks, “So at least that’ll help you make your way easier in talking with your sister, without the interference of Yuki Eiri.” Gilfred confidently stated, leaned on his chair, smiling thoroughly and offered his toast.
“Good.” Serena deviously smiled at the sleek plan and becoming excited at the thought of meeting her sister at last.
Unexpectedly, Gilfred’s mobile phone rang.
“Excuse me, Madame.” Gilfred bowed and stood up from his chair, walking away from the table.
“What’s happening?” Gilfred said immediately as soon he was out of Serena’s sight.
“What?…How?…What time?…Shit!” Gilfred hissed and walked back and forth.
“Are you sure about this?” he demanded “Didn’t you hear it beforehand?” he added, raking his fingers through his hair, “Damn!” he cursed and finally turned off his phone.

“Madame,” he began gently when he approached the table, “I think we have some bad news.”
“What is it now?” Serena asked, her forehead forming a deep furrow,
“The bastard’s brother is going to invite your sister at their parent’s party.”
“What?!” Serena got herself up from the shock, “When did this happen?! And how?!” she stipulated fussing in rage, getting other customer’s attention.
“If we may, we should continue this conversation outside…” Gilfred advised, trying to avoid a commotion.
“Tell me, now.”
Gilfred gulped, loosened his tie and went on,
“My team heard from the micro device they placed inside the condominium that your sister was being invited—that’s how. And the invitation only arrived a few minutes ago,” Gilfred added in a low whisper, “they contacted me as soon as they heard about it.”
“Those sonuvabitch!” Serena roared, “They’re trying to ruin me and my sisters’ lives!” she shouted and pounded on the table. She took a deep breath, placed some cash on the table, took her purse and stormed out of the restaurant leaving many startled customers behind.