Gravitation Fan Fiction ❯ Apogee ❯ Chapter XIV ( Chapter 14 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: Gravitation is not owned by me, it is owned by Maki Murakami. I own nothing.

Author's Note: Again, thanks to all of my reviewers everywhere this has been posted. Enjoy!



Shuichi stepped out on the balcony while he finished buttoning his shirt. Four months in Southern California had been an experience he wouldn't soon forget. When he'd first been told where they were going and for how long, he had wanted to scream and refuse, but the calm, stubborn look on Hiro's face and K fingering the grip of his magnum had made him reconsider. He'd been blown away when he arrived and realized that he really was going to be living in an apartment that was bigger than the house he'd grown up in. His bedroom here in Santa Monica was the same size as his entire apartment in Tokyo. But what had captured his attention and not let go was the ocean. He had a beautiful view of the beach and the Pacific Ocean from his balcony, and he spent hours out here, thinking, working or just staring, watching the waves. He'd seen the Atlantic Ocean when he'd gone to New York, but this was a completely different animal. It was all just water in motion, but the Pacific seemed warmer, more vital and more alive to him.

He heard Hiro's voice calling out, asking if he was ready to go yet and turned back, grabbing his cell phone off the dresser and following Hiro out to the door. Even though they were in America, the four of them had continued the traditions engrained since childhood and they all left their shoes in a neat arrangement near the front door when they came in. Shuichi glanced around and smiled again. They wouldn't be here much longer, since they had just finished the last song for their latest album, but he would miss this place. It only had three bedrooms, so Hiro and Shuichi had ended up sharing the largest bedroom, but all three had a private bathroom so they weren't constantly fighting over it. Separate water heaters even meant that he and Hiro were the only ones who ever fought over someone using all the hot water.

Shuichi climbed into the limo waiting downstairs followed by Hiro, Fujisaki and K, and the driver headed off into traffic, heading as quickly as was possible in the LA traffic toward the club where they having a small party to celebrate the album's completion. Shuichi looked out the window, catching sight of his reflection and thinking back over the time he'd been here. When they first arrived, he'd been upset that no one had wanted to include him in this decision, but he'd felt better after a short while. That had quickly been ruined when Hiro and K had told him they wanted him to go to counseling. They had told him they had managed to find a counselor who had grown up in Okinawa, was half-Japanese and spoke the language fluently. He had refused at first until he realized that K was serious about postponing the release of the album and not letting Shuichi anywhere near the studio until he went. When Hiro had dared to tell him it was for the best and they only wanted him to get better, Shuichi had calmly moved the blanket and pillows from Hiro's bed onto the couch and locked him out of their bedroom.

Now, four months later, Shuichi had to admit he had needed someone impartial to talk to, someone who understood the expectations and constraints of Japanese society but was able to look at things through an objective lens. He had hated the whole idea of counseling at first, and still wasn't sure she had done much more than ask well-timed questions and let him work the rest out on his own, but he was willing to admit that she had made him think about a few things. Some of the songs on their new album had come about directly because of some of the things she had asked, so he supposed he couldn't call it all bad. Shuichi looked over at his best friend sitting across from him in the limo and wondered if Hiro had figured out just what Shuichi had done when he had insisted on the order of the songs on the disk and the bonus single that he wanted released on the same day. He smiled as Hiro looked over, shooting him a quick grin as they arrived at the club.

Shuichi bounded out of the limo when the driver opened the door, ready to start the party already. The director of the LA offices of NG had rented out the entire club and only those in the company were invited to this party, where Bad Luck would be performing. Shuichi looked around as they walked in to the club, trying to spot the director. Jason Nikagawa was a half-Japanese, half-British man who had dragged himself up past his grandmother's low expectations for her half-blood grandson and was running the LA offices by the time he was twenty-five, according to office gossip. Shuichi saw him after a moment, waving enthusiastically and pulling Hiro along behind him to where the director was sitting at large table with a sign that read 'Bad Luck' in kanji obviously written by someone who had never been taught to write it correctly.

Jason stood as they approached and bowed slightly before waving them into the booth, his hand on Shuichi's arm making sure Shuichi was the last one in and sat next to him. They ordered drinks and talked about the album, Shuichi joining in here and there but for the most part staying rather quiet as he looked around the club. Some people were on the dance floor and when the DJ started a song that Shuichi knew, he insisted he had to dance. Jason stood to let him go and watched as Shuichi's natural enthusiasm and charisma attracted attention while he found himself a place on the floor and danced with his eyes closed, body swaying and moving to the beat in a way that other brave souls tried to imitate and none managed to come close to.

Shuichi lost himself in the music and when he heard a Nittle Grasper song start he laughed aloud and unconsciously began to imitate the video he knew so well, having watched it almost obsessively in high school. When he felt a pair of warm hands settle on his hips and someone pull him back against a strong chest, he was too lost in the music to protest, only raising his hands above his head as hot breath played over the back of his neck and he continued to dance, following the subtle lead of his new partner.

When the song ended and the DJ announced a five-minute break, Shuichi turned around and stared in surprise that his partner had been Jason. He'd never expected that the man knew how to dance, and from the stares they were getting, Shuichi knew how it must have looked. He was trying desperately to figure out something to say when Hiro appeared, pulling him along to get ready to perform, saving him from what had swiftly become an awkward situation.

"So, Shuichi," Hiro said as they walked backstage, throwing his arm around Shuichi's neck and pulling him close to avoid being overheard. "It's good to see you moving on. You have a thing for powerful men, huh?"

Shuichi blinked, looking up at Hiro. "You mean, out there?" He laughed, shrugging off Hiro's arm as they walked into the room they'd been given to prepare for their performance. "Nah, that was just dancing, Hiro. There's nothing going on there."

Hiro looked like he was going to argue, so Shuichi picked up the CD player and headphones that had been left for him, checked the disk and started the song he wanted, head bobbing as he listened. Shuichi peeked out from underneath his lashes to make sure Hiro had bought it and sighed, trying to concentrate on getting ready to sing. By the time they were called to the stage a few minutes later, Shuichi was ready to sing, game face firmly in place.

He fed from the enthusiasm of the crowd, many of whom didn't speak Japanese but still listened to it every day and knew Bad Luck's music. Shuichi had again insisted on having his way with the songs they chose and the order, though everyone agreed that it seemed a natural progression, 'Rage Beat' first, followed by 'In the Moonlight' and ending with their newest song, 'Fate'. The last was the one Shuichi wanted released as a single the same day as their album, insisting it was essential in such a way that even K hadn't wanted to argue, merely saying he would pass on the message and Shuichi's intensity of feeling to Sakano, who would relay them to Seguchi for the final approval.

As the opening chords of 'Rage Beat' began, Shuichi played to the audience, treating them to a performance worthy of a sold-out concert at the Tokyo Dome. The crowd cheered and danced, and Shuichi felt the adrenalin rush he always felt from performing. When the song ended and the next began, he lifted his eyes to the rafters, looking between the spotlights, recalling whom he had written the song for and allowing a small tear to flow down one cheek. He hadn't seen Yuki in so long, hadn't been able to talk to him before he left Japan, and he missed him. He had wanted to call him for a while now, but wasn't sure what he wanted to say. Asking for an explanation of Yuki's actions the last time they'd been together was high on the list, but Shuichi wasn't sure how to do it. So instead he sang his heart out, giving a silent prayer to whoever was listening to help him figure out what to say when the time came.

When they came to the final song, the beat changed, becoming fast and driving and Shuichi gave the girls in the front a devious little smile as he began to sing, knowing they all spoke Japanese since he dealt with them on a regular basis. When he came to the chorus, he glanced up to the back of the crowd, his eyes lighting briefly on Jason and then flying away, not wanting the man to think the song was about him.

The end of their short performance brought the house down, and Shuichi left the stage literally bouncing off the walls on the way down the hallway, not caring that he banged his shoulder several times and would probably bruise. When the band convened in the dressing area, he let out a fierce, triumphant howl.

"Never let me go that long without performing again, Hiro! That's what I needed!"

Hiro laughed at Shuichi's grin and ruffled his hair, silently thinking that he was glad Shuichi had kept the streaks pink. Though it might not be the mature look he knew Shuichi wanted to portray, they fit and the pink hair had become Shuichi's trademark in a way. It had been along time since Hiro had seen Shuichi this happy, and he wanted to see it more. He sighed quietly. He hadn't liked what he and K had done at first, but the longer they were here, the more he knew it was the right choice. Shuichi had needed to get out of Tokyo and away from the two manipulating bastards who had been fighting for control of his life.

As he watched Shuichi exulting in a successful performance, he thought back to when they had left Tokyo. It hadn't been hard to convince K they needed to leave, and it had been simple enough to get the correct forms put together and signed by K. Then it had been up to Hiro to get Seguchi to sign them. The look Seguchi had given him when he'd presented the papers was one Hiro wasn't likely to forget soon. For the briefest of moments, he had seen anger, hurt and betrayal in Seguchi's expression before it was schooled behind a careful smile. That expression was what gave Hiro pause when he thought about how he was going to explain to Shuichi that this wasn't a temporary move. Shuichi had only learned the barest amount of English, just enough to be able to go to the store and pick up a few things without being completely lost. Hiro had asked about it just the other day, wanting to know why Shuichi wasn't trying harder to learn. Shuichi had calmly responded that there didn't seem much point, since they'd be going back to Tokyo soon. Hiro still didn't know how he was going to break the news to his best friend. The last time Hiro had explained he was doing something in Shuichi's best interest, Shuichi had kicked him out of their room for three days and refused to talk to him directly for almost a week.

When the three of them left to rejoin the party, Shuichi immediately headed for the dance floor, eager to expend some more of his seemingly boundless energy. Hiro scanned the room and hurried to the bar where he had spotted K sitting in a quiet corner. He couldn't bear to look at Shuichi at the moment; not knowing how crushed his friend was going to be when he found out Hiro had been lying to him. He ordered a drink and waited until it arrived before looking over at K. Following K's gaze, he saw Shuichi on the dance floor surrounded by eager girls from the secretarial pool. He looked back at K and then took a sip of drink, deciding for the moment not to say anything until he heard a low noise from K and saw his eyes narrowed. Looking again, Hiro watched as Jason led Shuichi off the dance floor and over to a secluded booth, waving at one of the waitresses for two drinks. He continued to watch for a moment as Shuichi and Jason began to talk, Shuichi seeming more subdued than he normally was. Finally, he looked over at K.

"Well, maybe if Nikagawa-san makes a move tonight, Shuichi won't be quite so angry when I tell him we're staying."

K looked at Hiro and just shook his head slowly before continuing his observation.