Gravitation Fan Fiction ❯ Second Chance ❯ Chapter 8

Eiri arrived at the shop but didn't see Shu anywhere. He spotted a boy that worked there and said, “I'm looking for Shuichi Shindo. I was told he works here.”

 

“Um well he does but he's left for the day.” The boy answered.

 

Eiri started cussing under his breath and left.

 

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As Eiri was walking he was a few blocks away when a familiar voice hit his ears. The song wasn't something he knew. However the voice was one he'd never forget!

 

He went inside and there on stage was Shuichi. Doing what he does best, singing his heart out and the crowd was eating it up. Eiri sat at the bar and ordered a beer.

 

Seeing how Eiri was watching Shu the bartender said, “The kids pretty good, huh?”

 

Eiri just nodded.

 

“Yeah we were holding auditions to find a new lead singer after our last one screwed around on his skateboard doing stupid stunts and earned himself a compound fracture of his leg. Surprisingly this kid never auditioned. My sister knew I was looking for a singer and found that kid at a karaoke bar and sent him here. Best investment we've ever made. That kid's been bringing in a more business than our last singer ever did!”

 

Eiri was only half listening while watching Shu on stage. Their eyes met and even though the rational part of Eiri's brain told him that the kid wasn't his lover in this time and place he could help but think that the kid was singing just for him.

 

Eiri stayed there as long as Shuichi was there playing. The kid never left the stage so he never got the chance to confront him. A waitress would take drinks up to the stage. A twinge of jealousy riled up in him when he saw how Shu was laughing and cutting up with his keyboardist. Some breaks were taken backstage too.

 

Eiri couldn't help but wonder if Shu was in a relationship with this keyboardist. It was clear even from where Eiri sat across the room that if they weren't, that the keyboardist at least wanted it. Eiri was unsure if they were or not but the boy didn't look at the keyboardist they way he always did him.

 

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Soon the show was over but with so many fan girls and just people in general there was no way Eiri could get to the stage. Even though he'd satisfied his curiosity into knowing what happened to the boy and now knowing he's safe and sound, he couldn't help but want to talk to the boy. Maybe see what happened. Try to figure out why he was never signed with NG. It continued to bug him. The boy had the talent and skill; otherwise he wouldn't be as successful as he was in the world he knew. So why wouldn't he get signed, just because they never got together? He hoped the boy would know the answers to these questions.

 

Outside he never got the chance to talk to the boy, that keyboardist was next to him still. They along with the guitar player were rushed out and helped to the train by bouncers hired specifically to protect them.

 

Eiri sighed, perhaps he should just pursue his goal of finding Eiri and try to learn the answers to his questions about Shuichi later. But as he lifted his lighter to light his cigarette he was shocked to discover that his lighter still held the photo sticker that he and the boy took at the amusement park. He had noticed also when Ayaka had first mentioned they were married that he wasn't wearing a wedding ring, he'd been confused at first; if this was real and he was married to Ayaka, then why no ring. But then later he'd chalked that up to everyone's saying that the marriage was more of a business arrangement than a marriage. So it then made perfect sense as to why he wasn't wearing one, but this sticker being here made no sense! Did…did he and Shu know each other in this world? If so then why didn't Hiro or Tohma know that they knew each other? Could it mean that none of this was real? Was it just a realistic dream? This whole damn thing was confusing as hell. One minute it seems real the next it doesn't. But if it wasn't real then why could he feel pain? Why could he smell the cigarette smoke?

 

Eiri was so confused at this point. He just started walking. A bit unsure as to where he was going at this point he just continued to wander. Soon he found himself in the same park he met Shuichi in.

 

As he leaned against the railing smoking, thoughts continued swirling in his head. When suddenly a piece of paper hit him in the head. Then he heard, “Hey don't lose that!”

 

Eiri looked up and almost smiled seeing Shuichi standing there in the same spot he stood in the day they met. Eiri looked at the paper the boy had told him not to lose. `This dribble is worse than the first stuff I read of his.' With that Eiri allowed the wind to take off with the paper!