Gravitation Fan Fiction ❯ Yuki ❯ Unreality (1) ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: Gravitation does not belong to me. Ne, I doubt Gravitation would be as good if I owned it anyway. I'm not making any money out of this either and am just borrowing its characters….

A/N: *claps her hands and goes all teary* Wow, I got lotsa reviews this time! I feel happy - THANK YOU! Anyway, I'm so sorry this one does not have Eiri meeting up with Yukito yet but that's because this is just the first part - I actually have more written down, but it's getting so amazingly long (like ten pages long right now) so I had to cut it into two. The second part is only halfway finished, and I should have that one done in a few days. Now, that one should really have Yukito and Yuki meeting, as well as Hiro's thoughts on Yukito. This chapter deals on the entrance of more characters and, after this, there probably won't be anymore new characters. Which is good, ne? No more confusion! Once again : I'm so sorry! SORRY! I promise, I'll work hard… >.< Don't hate me? Once again, this is still unedited but I like to think I'll get back on editing this story one day - I mean, I already have minor edits for some of the previous chapters… Drop a review! Reviews are good! And I need to know what I'm doing wrong…. Also, I know the style this chapter is somewhat different and the characters are a bit off, but I guess I'm still getting used to the Gravi characters…. Anyway, Enjoy!

Eight: Unreality (1)

He was standing alone in the dark hall, his back pressed against the cold wall while he held his mobile phone close to his chest tightly, as if afraid to lose the only connection he had with his lover. He hung up only moments ago and even though his lover had not picked up the phone to talk to him, he knew deep down his lover had been listening to every word he said over the phone; right from his greeting to his tender bidding of goodnight. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, his eyes closed all that time. He would see him tomorrow; that was for sure. He was getting back.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Eiri."

His voice was trembling when he whispered those words, doubting himself for a reason he wouldn't have been able to explain had he been pressed to do so right at that moment. The last exchange he had with his boss had been troubling, true enough, but why was it troubling him so much? It was nothing! He was safe and everything was going to be alright.

He didn't hear the footsteps and failed to notice the shadow cast over his small form.

---

Rage turned her head slightly to her right, acknowledging the presence of her adversary with unusual calm. "And what if I don't?" She questioned in the same flawless English the other woman had used earlier. As she waited for the other woman's response, she was already measuring the time it would take for her to draw her own gun.

"That's simple: I shoot." The other woman replied a matter-of-factly, her voice smooth and confident. Rage knew by the tone of her opponent's voice that she wasn't kidding. But kidding or not, Rage was not going let the woman have her way, whoever or whatever she was.

A few moments of silence passed and the tension between them continued to build up until Rage, in one fluid movement, pulled her handgun out from its holster and spun around before rolling away just in time to avoid the speeding bullet fired at her direction. Now standing right beside her opponent, she pointed her gun at the other woman's temple and realized, by doing so, that she was taller than her by a few inches.

She cocked her gun. "Who are you?!"

"None of your business." Her opponent took a step back before sweeping her hand in an arc and firing several shots at Rage who dodged each and every shot with practiced ease. Exchanging gunfire with her opponent, the thought of injuring the other never came to her mind, perhaps because her opponent was skilled - too skilled to be an ordinary journalist, or reporter, whatever she was.

She tripped and rolled unceremoniously on the cold cement floor when a bullet grazed right leg, cutting through the thick material of her denim jeans and leaving a thin cut on her skin underneath. Realizing her vulnerability, she fired at her opponent's general direction to keep her back. She missed, of course, but she hadn't intended to injure the other woman by doing so in the first place.

Rage's green eyes[1] met with the other woman's deep blue ones and the two engaged in a staring match. Rage made no move to stand up, while her opponent remained rooted on her spot, her gun trained on Rage.

The other woman broke into a smile suddenly, completely taking Rage off-guard. "You're good. Now it's my turn to ask… Who sent you?" She twirled the gun in her hand and then began reloading it. It was a signal for Rage to get back on her feet.

Rage rose then, brushing the imaginary dirt on her coat and pants before tucking the strands of misplaced red hair behind her ears. "Nobody sent me." She replied conversationally, though the tension between them never lessened.

The other woman's lips curved into a smirk as she lifted her gun to aim it at Rage. "I know who sent you." she said softly, her gaze on her softening for a few moments before turning into a glare. "Seguchi. It was Tohma Seguchi, wasn't it?"

Surprising Rage once more, the other woman just smiled at her when she did not reply. "Right?"

Rage opened her mouth. "No-that's…"

"Miss RAGE!" She turned her head to the direction of the voice and managed to catch a glimpse of her bodyguard's blonde hair before a hand grabbed her by her shoulder and pulled her back. She let out a cry of protest when she realized what her bodyguard was up to, but was too late to stop him.

"Bill!" Rage howled but her bodyguard was not listening. She didn't really need this now; she was sure by who the woman thought she was that they could talk things out. Bill cocked his gun, eyes unreadable, as it always was when a threat to his boss was present.

To Rage's relief, and amusement, the woman seemed to know they could resolve things in peace and instead of answering to her bodyguard's movement by cocking her own gun, she gave it a playful twirl before putting it back in its holster.

Suddenly looking far younger, the woman held her hands up and smiled at them. "Gomenasai." She chirped before turning to Rage and establishing eye contact. Deep blue eyes, no longer cold, met with green eyes. "You're Rage…. Melissa Rage?"

"How…" Bill started but was forced to stop right there when Rage stepped up and placed a hand over his shoulder. She gave him a silent look that Bill easily understood and he withdrew his gun, placing it back in the hidden pocket inside his blazer.

"How did you know?" Rage questioned, arching an eyebrow and then crossing her arms over her shoulder. Forgetting about the little bullet-exchange between them earlier, she continued. "And why did you think Seguchi sent me?"

The woman did not reply and she tilted her had up, as if to listen, before taking a few strides towards Rage. "I know a great western cuisine restaurant a few blocks from here, how about I treat you for lunch?" When Rage frowned at her, she gave the redhead a winsome smile, "Don't worry, Ohya will fix things from here - he won't say anything."

Bill started but the woman held her palm out. "Nah, I'll explain everything to your boss, okay? I'm good."

She linked her arms with Rage's as she led them out. "Oh, by the way, I'm Kyoko. You can call me Kat, if you want - that's my nick."[2]

---

Bill was leaning against the hood of their black nondescript car, waiting and watching them under the oversized shades he rarely ever used. Rage stole a glance of him from her seat beside the window, wondering briefly how he could stand waiting so much and guessed that was probably part of the extensive training they were put through, before turning to Kyoko who was seated across the table. The nineteen-year-old Business Management student was dictating her orders in Japanese to the waiter assigned to their table and picking for her as well.

Once she was done giving her orders, and the waiter was gone, Kyoko turned all her attention to Rage. "So, what do you want to know?" She asked casually. The younger woman rested her chin on a propped up arm and waited patiently with a smile. Rage found it a bit hard to believe she'd had a firefight with the same girl seated across the table less than half-an-hour ago.

"Mmm…" Rage began, ignoring the curious looks the other patrons inside the restaurant directed at them. Both of them agreed it was better, not to mention, easier to converse in their mother tongue instead of Japanese. Besides, both of them knew the topic of their conversation was a bit… confidential. "First of all, how did you know about me? How did you know I was interested…?"

Kyoko bit her lip, "That's a bit hard to explain. But… you see… I have my sources."

"That doesn't really qualify as an answer, y'know? And you're nineteen… sources?"

Kyoko laughed, "Yeah, it doesn't, no? But… I found information on your check when I ran my own - my father has friends in the CIA… and.. some other sources…"

Rage started.

"Don't ask -" Kyoko cut her off, holding her palm out to the redhead as a sign, "I really just did. And… I got curious, so I did my homework."

"I don't get why a nineteen-year-old Business Management student is interested in this, honestly." Rage cut in, folding her arms.

"That's… a secret. But, anyway… I found out stuff about you. You were Shuichi Shindou's manager for a few months, and you quit XMR to go to Japan with him before later on returning to America and XMR as Ryuichi Sakuma's new manager[3]-"

"That's common news though…."

"…. Eh.. well, I found out you were .. close… to Shuichi so-"

"Close?"

"…Sort of anyway." Kyoko corrected, frowning. Leaning closer, she continued, "I wanted to meet you so you can help me and I can help you… y'know? A collaboration. And it was just my luck, I guess, you went there the same time I did."

"So you didn't plan that?"

"Nope."

Rage was unsatisfied with Kyoko's answers and she folded her arms impatiently just to get that fact across. "So what did you mean by 'your report' in your conversation with Ohya then?"

Kyoko's mouth opened in an 'o' before Rage even finished. She gave Rage an amused look before going; "Oh, so you were eavesdropping! I was wondering how long you've been there-"

Rage frowned. "My question?" She tried not to sound sarcastic, but did so anyway.

"Hmm…" Kyoko cupped her chin and looked thoughtful, "How do I put this into words now…?"

Just then, the waiter came to their table again, this time carrying their orders. After laying their plates on their table, the waiter left with a silent bow and a quiet 'Enjoy your meal' in broken English. Kyoko waved at her afterwards before handing her a fork and a spoon. "Try it out." She said, "The curry here tastes awesome."

Hesitantly, Rage took the utensils in her hand before giving the plate before staring at her plate warily. "Okay…" She dug her spoon in.

"Don't worry, ne, trust me - it taste's good." That said, Kyoko spooned a spoonful from her own plate into her mouth to demonstrate and after swallowing she continued. "Anyway… the report? You're wondering about the report…." She trailed away and looked up the ceiling, thinking.

"I got a deal with a TV station and they agreed to help me. See, they want this story too… It's going to air tonight." Her expression turned serious and she suddenly looked older than Rage. "It's going to show the whole of Japan some of the facts they left out last year."

Rage's eyes narrowed. The plate of curry in front of her forgotten, Rage leaned forward and listened intently to what Kyoko was saying.

Kyoko turned to her, her lips curved into a smile that was both serene and mysterious, before continuing, "I'm going to reveal to Japan… to the world… " her voice dipped, "that Shuichi Shindou was murdered." Her eyes narrowed as she turned to Rage once more and with a mischievous glint in her eyes she finished, "And I have the videotape to prove it all."

Rage let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. "You've seen it." She breathed.

Kyoko looked away, smirking before returning her gaze to the redhead seated across the table. Planting her hands on the table, she rose from her seat and leaned close to Rage until Rage could feel the younger woman's warm breath on her skin. "I intend to unravel this mystery and show the world who are to blame…." Kyoko let out a low chuckle, knowing that didn't quite answer the redhead's previous statement. She spoke then in a low whisper that sent shivers down Rage's spine:

"You'll see later, what I mean. Tonight, Japan is going to be given its truth."

---

"So, where are you Ruka, anyway?" Yukito watched the patch of red outside one of the windows on the second floor, "Give me your exact classroom…"

Ruka's reply was abrupt; "2-B, and make it fast, okay, chibi?"

Yukito grinned and the pink-haired teen standing beside him gave him his best pout while he waited for him to finish talking to the phone. He laughed before giving Ruka his response. "OK. Be there in a jiffy then."

He hung up and then turned to the pinkhead beside him, amused. "So, what's up Juni?" He slipped his mobile phone in his pants' pocket before beginning to take small steps.

The pinkhead, who was just about his height, followed him. "You're supposed to be on a plane to Germany right now, with your fiancée for some lovin' lovin' time…." Juni pointed out in a teasing tone. Yukito stopped and his cheeks had red tint to it.

"Okay, what do you want, Juni?" Yukito asked with a laugh, spinning around sharply to face the pink-haired boy and give him a suspicious look.

Juni held his hands up in the air as if to show Yukito he was hiding nothing and smiled innocently, "Want me to park your car for you?"

Yukito arched an eyebrow before placing both hands on his hips. "You have a price, don't you?"

The pinkhead licked his lips, nodding. "Yup." He said proudly.

Yukito turned his back on Juni and began walking away, his left hand already in his pocket, fingering the car keys there.

"Bird for me later, Yuki?"[4] Juni asked tentatively and Yukito stopped, twisting his body slightly before sending his keys sailing towards the pinkhead's direction.

"Sold."

He threw his head back and laughed when he heard Juni's triumphant cry behind him before breaking into a run into the school building.

Intent on getting as fast as he could to the classroom Ruka was in, Yukito ran across the halls at breakneck speed, knowing very well nobody would be wandering the walls aimlessly at this time. He was taken completely by surprise when someone walked into his path and was too late to stop himself from colliding with that someone.

He let out a small yelp when he fell on his rear.

"Are you alright?" A female voice, sincerely worried, asked and when he looked up the first thing he saw was a silver ring on a pale, slender ring finger of the hand held out to him. He took the hand and he realized the person he'd just collided into was a woman. He deduced the woman was left-handed since she helped him up with her left hand, not her right.

The woman was beautiful, with long black hair kept in a single, neat braid that ran down to her waist, and warm brown eyes. Her skin was slightly tanned, but that did not detract from her beauty at all.

"Thanks… ah, I'm sorry about that! See I was hurrying! Sorry! Sorry!" He bowed apologetically at the woman. When the woman didn't say anything, he looked up and found the woman watching him curiously.

He felt awkward under the woman's gaze. "Um… what?"

The woman laughed softly, lifting a hand to her mouth. "It's funny, for once I thought I ran into Shindou Shuichi."

Yukito blinked and he stared at the woman in confusion for a few moments before realization finally hit him. He managed a smile, "Eh… that's a first. I'm usually mistaken for Sakuma Ryuichi…."

The woman nodded, and then remembering something suddenly, bowed her head, "Oh, I haven't introduced myself! I'm Nanae Kasumi… you are?"

Yukito smiled, bowing his head, "Fujiwara Yukito… it's a pleasure to meet you."

Nanae laughed, nodding. "Same here - oh…. Do you know where the restroom is?"

Yukito nodded and opened his mouth to answer her but was interrupted when an all-too-familiar classmate of his marched up to them. Setsuna bowed at Nanae, his coffee-brown hair falling over his eyes, "I've been looking all over for you, Nanae-san."

He straightened up, and as if only noticing Yukito's presence, regarded the brunette with a flat, "Oh, you're here."

Yukito's eyes narrowed dangerously - he never did like Setsuna. It wasn't because Setsuna had anything against him - if any, the coffee-haired senior who was a year older than him, ignored him usually - but rather because Takumi and the guy were rivals. Bitter rivals, from what Yukito had seen.

"Sorry for worrying you - " Nanae told Setsuna as he led her to, Yukito guessed, their assigned room. Yukito turned on his heels and was about to leave when Nanae waved at him. "I'll see you around, Fujiwara-san."

Yukito replied with a nod and a smile, happy that at least Nanae was nice, before heading off to the nearest staircase.

Nanae watched the brunette go and let Setsuna lead her off to their assigned classroom, which was just a few steps away. Once they were inside, Setsuna excused himself once more, leaving her with the only other occupants of the room. She took a step forward and clasped her hands in front of her.

The long-haired blonde, at one end of the room, stood away from the wall and regarded her with a curious look while the brunette standing beside him unplugged the earphones in his ears. Both watched as the tall Japanese woman glided across the near-empty classroom towards the lone figure seated beside the window, looking out in silence.

Hearing her quiet footsteps, the black-haired man regarded her by turning his head to her and then turning his head again, back to the window, as if to say her arrival wasn't important. The man murmured, "So, you're back?"

Nanae smiled.

"I ran into someone who looks like Shindou Shuichi on the way, Aizawa - this school is really going all out with their Music Fes, I suppose."

Aizawa Taki's head snapped to her direction and he gaped at Nanae, shock clearly written on his face.

---

[1] We don't really find out what her eye color is, I think, and I can't remember if I decided a color for her already or not, so for now it's green :-) I swear, I'm the world's most inconsistent writer.. ^_~

[2] Yes, another new character. But anyway, when Rage and Kat (and K and basically any other character) speak in italics it usually means they're speaking in English- hopefully nobody got confused.

[3] Like I said before, I think, my chinese isn't very good, but I re-read that part from volume 12 and now I'm pretty sure Sakuma Ryuichi broke down Grasper again to go with Rage to America…

[4] Next part….. Does anybody know what he meant there? :-O ^^

And, finally - My friend's recently gotten me hooked on W-inds songs so the next chapter will probably have inserts from songs by that group. And Super Lover is top on the list… *sniffs* It's almost Christmas but it looks like I won't be finishing it before that…. Must work hard! I need more Shuusama and Breaking Away!

^__^