Gravitation Fan Fiction ❯ Specific Gravity ❯ Lucky Girl ( Chapter 2 )

Author's Note: There will be lemons in this story, I promise, but like good foreplay, these things should not be rushed. Oh, and since someone asked, in this story, Yuki is 18 and Shuichi is 16.

-o-o-o-o-

Chapter 2: Lucky Girl

Maiko and Eiri Yuki were the talk of the school by Monday and Shuichi was sick of hearing about them by the end of the day. All day Monday, girls kept stopping him in the hallways and coming up to him during breaks demanding to know if it was true that his sister was dating Eiri Yuki. His response became a litany that he just started chanting as soon as a girl approached him, without waiting for her to ask the inevitable question.

“He took her to dinner Friday night. They saw a movie, too. No, I don't know what movie. They went out for coffee Sunday afternoon and he stayed for dinner at our house. Yes, he's very charming. You'll have to ask Maiko if you want to know anything else.”

After he had repeated this mantra for the third time during lunch, Hiro started to laugh.

“Why don't you just tell them to leave you alone?”

“And be accused of being rude?” Shuichi grumbled. He picked at his bento box without really eating anything. Hiro watched him for a moment and then reached over and snagged a piece of seaweed out of his lunch. “Hey!”

“What? You're not eating it.” Hiro popped the morsel into his mouth.

“Why did he have to pick my sister?” Shuichi complained. “How am I supposed to concentrate on my music with these damn girls pestering me all the time?”

“So what's he like?”

“Huh?”

“You said he had dinner at your house. What's he like?”

Shuichi groaned. “Not you to?”

Hiro helped himself to more of Shuichi's lunch. “I've heard he's charming but kind of distant. Is that true?”

“I don't know.” Shuichi thumped his elbows on the table and put his chin in his hands. “I guess so. He was really nice to my parents. I think my mom's in love.”

“What about Maiko?”

Shuichi rolled his eyes. “Oh, her, too.”

“So are they going to keep going out?”

“I hope not.”

Another girl approached their table and Shuichi groaned. “Not again!” he grumbled under his breath.

“Oh, Shindou-san…” she began, and Shuichi immediately repeated his prepared statement for what seemed like the hundredth time. She clasped her hands together in excitement. “I'm so excited for Maiko! She's so lucky! Thank you, Shindou-san, thank you!” She scurried away.

Shuichi slumped forward and hid his face in his folded arms. “I don't think I can survive this all day. If it doesn't die down before tomorrow, I know I'll fail the placement test.”

“Have some self-confidence, Shuichi.” Hiro patted him on the head. “We studied really hard this weekend. I'll come over tonight for a refresher and you'll do fine tomorrow. Your English paper came out great, didn't it?”

“Yeah, thanks to you.”

“All right, then. As long as you have me, you'll do fine on the test, too, right?”

Shuichi grinned lopsidedly at him. “Right!”

-o-o-o-

After the testing ended on Wednesday, Shuichi was in high spirits. He skipped to the front gate humming cheerfully, where he found Hiro surrounded by girls as usual.

“Helloooo, Hiro!” he warbled. He bowed elaborately to the girls. “Hello ladies!”

“You're in a good mood for a change,” Hiro said. “I take it you like how you did on the placement test?”

“I think I surpassed myself,” Shuichi said with grin. “In fact, I feel so good I thought of a new song, so I'm off to do a little composing. I'll see you tomorrow!” He skipped off down the road, singing.

Shuichi burst into the house in high spirits when he arrived. “I'm home!” he shouted, but there was no response. He found a note from his mother in the kitchen.

Shuichi, I'm at my new cooking class. I'll be home around 6pm. Remember, Maiko has her theater class, so you'll have to start dinner. Love, Mom.

“Great!” Shuichi muttered, but then he brightened. “Wait, that means I have the house to myself for three hours. Yes!” He dashed upstairs to his room and hauled his keyboard out from under the bed. He set it up on its stand in the middle of the room, turned the sound way up and began composing.

He had been working for a couple of hours when the doorbell rang. “What now?” Shuichi grumbled. He trotted downstairs and opened the door.

Eiri Yuki stood on the front step with one hand in his pocket, looking cool and sophisticated. “I was starting to think no one was here. I rang three times.” He smiled down at Shuichi. “I could hear the music, though. Was that you?”

Shuichi flushed. He couldn't tell if Yuki was making fun of him or not. “I'm composing a new song. I didn't hear the bell.”

“You write music?”

“Yes.”

“That's very interesting.” From the way he said it, though, it didn't sound like Yuki thought it was all that interesting. Shuichi had to suppress the urge to close the door in his face. “Is Maiko home?” Yuki continued.

“No, she's with her theater group.”

“I thought that ended at four.”

“It's supposed to, but they always run late. She usually doesn't get home until six. I'm the only one here.”

“I see.” Yuki looked past him into the house. “Would you mind if I waited? She invited me for dinner and I have nothing else planned between now and then.”

“She did?” Shuichi exclaimed in irritation. “That's not fair. She knew she wouldn't be home till late and Mom just started a new class. I'm the one who gets to make dinner tonight.”

Yuki smiled. “Oh, really? I'll help, if you like. I'm actually quite a good cook.”

Shuichi immediately brightened. “No kidding? That's great, because I'm a terrible cook. I only make fried rice `cause it's the only thing I don't screw up. Come in.”

Yuki stepped inside. “It's a little early to start dinner.”

“I know. You may as well come upstairs and listen to me practice. You can tell me if it sounds right.”

“I'm a writer, not a musician.”

“That's ok. Right now, I'm just trying to get the mix right. But I like to get a second opinion sometimes.” They entered his room and Shuichi suddenly realized what a mess the place was. He quickly gathered up clothes scattered on the floor and the bed and shoved them into the closet. “You can sit on the bed. It's more comfortable than the floor.” Shuichi sat back down at his keyboard. Yuki was watching him intently and Shuichi's pulse sped up. “Do you mind closing your eyes while you listen?”

“Why?” Yuki fixed his beautiful hazel eyes on Shuichi's face. “Does the color of my eyes bother you? Some people are disturbed by my light eyes.”

Shuichi quickly looked away. “I think your eyes are kind of pretty. It's just sometimes it makes me nervous when people watch me.”

“Aren't you a performer? Shouldn't you be used to having people watch you?”

“It's different when I'm composing.” Shuichi felt his cheeks grow warm and realized he was blushing. “Do you mind?”

“Of course not.” Yuki closed his eyes and leaned back on his elbows.

Shuichi immediately began to play. He purposely did not look at Yuki until he finished. “There, what do you think?”

Yuki spoke without opening his eyes. “It's nice, but I think the drum beat is a little too strong. If you were singing, I think it would overwhelm the words.” He opened his eyes and looked at Shuichi. “But that's just a writer's opinion. I really don't know anything about music.” He smiled.

For a moment, Shuichi just stared. Eiri Yuki's smile was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. He shook himself and dragged his eyes away. “N… No, that makes sense. I thought maybe it was too loud.” He adjusted the controls on the keyboard. “How does this sound?” He played a snippet of the song with the drum beat reduced in volume.

“That sounds better.” Yuki sat up. “But I'm not sure my opinion is all that valid.”

“Why shouldn't it be? You listen to music, don't you?” Shuichi stared down at his keyboard. “May I ask you a personal question?”

“Certainly.”

“Why are you going out with Maiko? There are a lot of girls who want to go out with you.”

“I like Maiko. And she's less irritating than most girls.”

“Oh.”

“Is there something about your sister I should know?”

“No!” Shuichi said quickly. “Maiko's a great girl. It's just…” Shuichi hesitated.

“You think I'll dump her after a few dates and break her heart.”

Shuichi nodded quickly without speaking. His cheeks were flaming.

“It's sweet of you to worry about your sister.” Yuki crossed his legs and draped one arm over his knee. “Maybe you've heard I don't often go out with the same girl more than once. But I'm not a gigolo. I don't take advantage of girls.”

Shuichi didn't think it was possible to blush any more. “Are you talking about…?”

“Sex,” Yuki said calmly. “I don't have sex with a girl unless she really begs me for it. I might not even then. You can trust me with Maiko. I'm always a gentleman with the nice girls.”

“I'm glad to here that,” Shuichi said faintly. He put his hands on his cheeks. They felt hot.

“We still have some time to kill,” Yuki said. “Why don't you play something else?”

“Ok.” Shuichi was glad for the distraction. For some reason, thinking about Yuki and sex really embarrassed him. He started playing the first thing that came to mind and he kept his eyes fixed on the keyboard. When he finished, he looked up to find Yuki staring at him. Shuichi's pulse started racing again.

“You're very good,” Yuki said.

“Thank you.”

“Do you sing, too?”

“Yes.”

“Would you sing something for me? I imagine you have a very nice voice. You're speaking voice is quite pleasant.”

For an instant, every song he had ever written disappeared from Shuichi's mind completely. Yuki's intense hazel eyes held him spellbound. “I… uh… I…” Shuichi stammered. Then at last, a song came back to him and he closed his eyes. There was no way he could sing with Yuki's eyes swallowing him up like that. It was only after he started singing that Shuichi realized he had picked a love ballad. He felt his cheeks burning again. He was singing a love song to Eiri Yuki!

Shuichi managed to sing the song all the way to the end without flubbing it too badly, but when he opened his eyes, he discovered Yuki grinning broadly at him.

“Have you ever had a girlfriend?” Yuki chuckled. “Those lyrics are a little corny.”

“What does having a girlfriend have to do with it? It's poetry!”

“Well, I've written a few romantic stories and I find it comes off a little better when you've had some experience.”

Shuichi folded his arms and frowned. “Well I'm still just a sophomore, you know! We can't all be Greek gods, like you.”

Yuki chuckled again. “You think I'm that handsome? Thank you.”

“Th… That's not what I meant!” Shuichi stammered. Why am I always blushing around him?! “I just meant…”

“I understand,” Yuki interrupted him. “Maybe we should go start dinner?”

“I guess so.” Shuichi turned off his keyboard and led the way downstairs. “I don't know what we have,” he began when they entered the kitchen. “Mom usually has some fresh fish and there might be noodles…” He started poking around in the refrigerator.

Yuki put a hand on his shoulder. “Why don't you start the rice? I'll do the rest.”

“I don't know,” Shuichi said, flustered. “It doesn't seem right to make the guest cook dinner.”

“Don't let it bother you. I like to cook.” Yuki favored him with another dazzling smile and he started fetching items out of the refrigerator.

Shuichi turned to the rice cooker feeling a little breathless. Yuki's smile sent shivers down his spine. He wondered if this was how Maiko felt when she was around Yuki. The thought stopped him in his tracks. He was a guy! He shouldn't be thinking about another guy the way his sister would! Shuichi closed his eyes. This was all wrong.

“How's that rice coming?”

Shuichi started. “I… I'm starting it right now.” He quickly put water and rice into the cooker and started it. He leaned over it to wait for the water to start bubbling. This is ridiculous! he thought.

“Watched pots never boil.” Yuki spoke from right behind his shoulder and Shuichi whirled around in surprise. Yuki's light brown hair spilled across his forehead, accentuating the color of his eyes. He held Shuichi's gaze for several heartbeats. “I found everything I need. Do you want to help me?”

“Uh, sure!” Shuichi saw cucumbers sitting on the counter. “I can peel and slice those.” He retrieved the peeler from the drawer and began skinning one of the cucumbers. His heart nearly stopped when Yuki caught his hand and stopped him. Yuki moved up right behind him until Shuichi could feel the heat radiating from Yuki's body.

“No wonder your mother makes you wear an apron,” Yuki said with a warm chuckle. “Your technique sucks. Let me show you.” He reached around Shuichi on either side, putting one hand on Shuichi's where he was holding the cucumber and wrapping the fingers of his other hand around Shuichi's hand that was holding the peeler. “Hold it like this and then slide the peeler down the side in a long, smooth stroke. See? You get more skin and less flesh when you do it this way. You're wasting half the cucumber the way you do it.” He continued to move Shuichi's hands until the cucumber was completely bare. “Now,” Yuki continued, “when you slice it, you want thin, even sections like this.” He demonstrated, once more moving Shuichi's hands for him. “Do you see?”

“Yes,” Shuichi breathed, but he was barely aware of what was happening to the hapless cucumber. All he could feel was Yuki's hands on his and the scintillating warmth of Yuki's chest against his back. And then there was the occasional exciting tickle of Yuki's hair brushing against his cheek. Only when he spoke, did Shuichi realize he was holding his breath. He drew in a deep breath and his nostrils filled with the intoxicating scent of Yuki's skin. He began to tremble. “I think I can do it now,” Shuichi whispered, although his hands were shaking so much he doubted he would be able to hold the peeler when Yuki released him.

“Good.” Yuki turned back to whatever he had been doing and Shuichi closed his eyes.

Oh God! Shuichi thought. I'm going insane. I'm not supposed to react like this to another guy! What's wrong with me?

It took every ounce of attention and focus he had to keep his mind on the cucumbers in front of him. Despite Yuki's instruction, he ended up mutilating the cucumbers in his usual clumsy way, but Yuki didn't say anything. He just smiled as he added them to whatever he was preparing.

“I'll set the table,” Shuichi announced. He needed anything that would get him out of the kitchen, if only for a moment. Being alone with Yuki was driving him crazy.

The front door slammed. “I'm home!” Maiko called.

Shuichi nearly collapsed with relief. “We're in the kitchen!”

Maiko came in, but stopped in surprise when she saw Yuki. “Oh, Yuki-san! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to keep you waiting.”

Yuki gave her one of his stunning smiles. “No problem. Shuichi's been keeping me company.”

“And making you cook, too, I see.” Maiko frowned at Shuichi. “Shame on you, making a guest cook.”

“He volunteered!” Shuichi quickly defended himself.

“I did,” Yuki concurred. “It will be ready soon. When do you expect your parents?”

“Mom should be here any minute. Dad usually doesn't get home until 6:30.” Maiko bowed slightly. “If you'll excuse me for a minute, I'm going to go change.” She hurried out of the kitchen.

Shuichi had finished setting the table and was helping to put the food on when Mrs. Shindou arrived.

“Yuki-san! How good to see you!” Mrs. Shindou said. She leaned over the table and sniffed. “That smells wonderful, Shuichi, I'm impressed.”

“I didn't make it,” Shuichi admitted. “Yuki-san made dinner.”

“You did? Thank you so much, Yuki-san.” Mrs. Shindou bowed. “You're such a fine young man. Here is someone you can look up to, Shuichi.”

Shuichi didn't say anything. He avoided looking at Yuki as well. He was afraid he would just start blushing again. All through dinner, he tried to keep his eyes fixed on his plate, because he realized whenever his eyes fell on Eiri Yuki, he started staring. But even when he wasn't looking, he could picture the way Yuki's hair fell against his forehead and feel the hypnotic pull of his eyes. Shuichi alternated between being unable to eat at all and wolfing his food down so fast his mother chastised him.

Shuichi escaped to his room as soon after dinner as courtesy allowed, but he was unable to concentrate on his composing. Thoughts of Eiri Yuki kept intruding. He finally sat on his bed with his head in his hands, reminding himself over and over again that there was nothing wrong with him.

Sometime later, Maiko knocked on his door and let herself in without waiting for his response.

“Isn't Eiri Yuki wonderful?” Maiko exclaimed dreamily.

“Charming,” Shuichi answered faintly.

“He said you played for him.” Maiko didn't seem to notice how distracted Shuichi was.

“He showed up while I was practicing. I couldn't just make him sit downstairs till you got home.”

“That was nice of you, Shuichi.”

“That's me: Mr. Nice Guy.” Shuichi combed his fingers through his hair, making a complete mess of it. “Next time, tell me ahead of time when you invite him over.”

“Ok. I invited him over the day after tomorrow to study.”

Shuichi stared at her. “That's Friday night. You're going to study on a Friday night?”

“Yes!” Maiko grinned delightedly. “He already asked me out for Saturday!” She twirled in a circle. “Isn't it wonderful, Shuichi? That will be our third date, plus he's had dinner here twice. That's more times than any other girl has seen him. I think he really likes me!”

“It would seem that way.”

“Well, good night.” Maiko danced out of the room.

Shuichi hung his head again. “I'll have to see him every time he comes over. Dammit! Why does that excite me?”