Thankful Meeting

Hey all, it’s me again. The one and only Xunxin. Well, here is another chapter for your enjoyment. Hope you all enjoy. It’s a little longer than the other two but hey I didn’t know where to stop. You guys don’t mind right? *Big grin*
Disclaimer: I don’t own the song in this chapter. It belongs to Evanesence.

Zafiro carrillo: thank you so much and don’t worry, I’m sticking with this fanfic till the bitter end.
Honoo: I’m so glad you like it and this chapter was for you.
All others: GROUP HUG! Thanx for reading.

“words”=talk; ’word’=thought; [word] =song

Chapter 3: The Reason Why

“Let’s try it one more time from the second stanza guys. We need to change the pitch in a couple of spots.” Suguru said after their third time going thru the new song. “Shuichi, why don’t you try to sing a slightly higher note in the second verse?” Shuichi, in the recording room, took a drink of water from his bottle at his feet and stood back up next to the microphone and waited for the music. When Hiro and Suguru started playing the music, Shuichi started to sing.

[I’m frightened by what I see
But somehow I know that there’s much more to come
Immobilized by my fear
And soon to be blinded by tears
I can stop the pain if I will it all away

Don’t turn away
Don’t give in to the pain
Don’t try to hide
Though they’re screaming your name
Don’t close your eyes
God knows what lies behind them
Don’t turn out the light
Never sleep never die

Fallen angels at my feet
Whispered voices at my ear
Death before my eyes
Lying next to me I fear
He beckons me shall I give in
Upon my end shall I begin
Forsaking all I’ve fallen for I rise to meet the end]

The music fading, Shuichi then asked, “How was that?” As he took another drink from his bottle.
“That was perfect. Hey, I think we can take a break and wrap it up for the day.” Suguru said while shutting down his keyboards and putting them away.
Shuichi came out of the recording room and blew out a breath. The redness around his eyes, from trying not to cry earlier, had finally faded away making him look tired. Hiro, putting his guitar away, walked over to Shuichi who was gathering his stuff. “Shu, are you okay?” Shuichi looked up from his bag and into Hiro’s concerned face.
Smiling, he picked up his bag and swung it over his shoulder saying, “Don’t worry so much, I’m just great. You’re being a worrywart. You sure you didn’t knock something out of place before?” He laughed, but Hiro noticed that it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Shuichi waved good-bye to Suguru and jogged out the door. Frowning, Hiro followed him out and stopped him in the hall of the front lobby.
“Shuichi, you sure you’re alright?” Hiro asked him still concerned.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Why do you keep asking me?” Shu looked at Hiro with and annoyed look.
“Well you’ve been acting weird the last couple of months. Whenever we ask you about Akuma, you answer quickly and brush it off with a change in topic. Is something wrong? Did anything happen?”
At the Shuichi started to get a little nervous but quickly covered over that with his anger. “Hiro, I’m fine! Will you quit asking, it’s really annoying. Whatever is happening is none of your damn business! So just butt out!” Shuichi then turned around and walked out of the building leaving Hiro in the hall with a worried expression.

***

Akuma, a well-known producer, walked in to his office. He had a meeting at one to discuss a new film promotion and need to prepare for it. Sitting at his desk, he glanced at his watch. ‘It’s 12:15, just enough time to set up. I should call my Shuichi if I have time.’ Akuma started up his computer and began to think about what a wonderful morning it had been.

*Flashback to this morning*

Akuma sat on his couch watching the morning news while waiting for Shuichi to finish getting ready. “Jiko Tori (accident street) will be momentarily closed this afternoon due to a water mane break caused by an accident when two cars collided.” The announcer spoke. When Shuichi walked by the TV, Akuma turned off the TV and followed him into the hall. After they had put on their shoes and Shuichi started to reach for the door handle but Akuma intervened and grabbed his wrist, the broken one, and started to squeeze hard. Shuichi gasped in pain. “Now make sure you don’t say anything stupid at the hospital. That goes double for your little band.” Akuma said in a harsh tone and then a soft smile came across his face. His voice took on a sweet tone while he let go of Shuichi’s wrist and cupped his cheek in his hand. “You don’t want anyone to take you from me. Only I can take care of you!” With a kiss on the forehead Akuma pushed Shuichi out the while Shu held onto his arm and cradled his wrist in pain.

*End flashback*

Akuma sat back in his chair and thought about Shuichi. Or in his mind it’s HIS Shuichi. ‘That’s what the kid deserves for not doing as told. We care deeply for each other; he would be lost without me. We’re meant to be together, he just forgot that and needed to be reminded.’ Akuma then picked up his phone and decided to check up on Shuichi, dialing his cell number.

***

Shuichi was walking down the street still upset about Hiro. ‘As much as I want help, I don’t need any.’ Shuichi thought as he turned the corner. Not wanting to go home yet, he decided to drop by the coffee shop a few blocks down. As he crossed the street using the pedestrian walkway, his cell rang from inside his pocket. Taking it out, he answered “Hello?” Just slightly annoyed.
“Hey Shuichi.” Akuma’s voice said thru the phone. Shuichi stopped dead in his tracks, not moving forward. “Something wrong?” Akuma asked him.
Eyes wide, Shuichi swallowed before he said, “Akuma. No nothing’s wrong it’s just I’m surprised that you called.” He tried to keep hi nervous voice under control. “Um, I just got on break. What’s up?”
“Just wanted to check up on you. So, how was your morning?” Akuma asked.
“Uh, fine. I was late for work but we’re recording a new song. It’s pretty good. Oh, I stopped at the hospital this morning. I got a cast and medicine to help with the pain.” Shuichi said as if speaking to an old friend.
“Good to hear. Now what did you tell them?” Akuma’s voice, charming, suddenly grew cold.
Shuichi got scared and nervous again by the change in Akuma’s tone. He responded quickly with an elevated voice, “I didn’t tell them anything, honest. Just that I fell down my stairs, that’s it!”
Akuma smiled into the phone. “That’s right, you did fall. Remember what I said this morning? Don’t ever think otherwise!” His voice going from nice to hard as it commonly does. Then Shuichi heard a soft click and Akuma hung up.
Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, then slowly releasing it, Shuichi continued to walk down the street. He crossed a small side street and reached the coffee shop in no time. Shuichi opened the door and walked inside, the scent of freshly brewed coffee seeming to be calming. A few seconds later, Shuichi had managed to take a seat in the back away from the lunch crowd, with a large cup of strawberry tea. Relaxing his eyes and taking small sips.

***

Yuki stepped into the coffee shop shortly after going to the drug store. Going thru the door he glanced around thru the crowd and surprisingly spotted a pink head way in the back corner. “I wonder if…” Yuki mumbled to himself. He ordered a large black coffee and made his way back to the table. Approaching the pink haired man, ‘Yup, that’s him alright. Same slim body.’ Yuki smiled and called out, “Shuichi right?”
Shuichi spun around in his seat a little terrified to who it might be, but soon recognizing the man in front of him. “Yuki!” He said with a full out smile. “Hey, want to join me?” He asked brightly. Yuki’s lips graced another small smile and he took the seat next to Shuichi on his right. Shuichi looked down into his tea and said quietly, “Sorry about before, this morning I mean.”
Yuki looked over and saw Shuichi lightly blushing. “Don’t worry about it. I didn’t mind. So how did you manage to break your arm?”
Shuichi instantly brought up his head and looked into Yuki’s eyes, ready to tell the same lie he told everyone else. As he opened his mouth to speak, the words died on his tongue. He found that for some reason he just couldn’t lie to Yuki. So, for some other reason, Shuichi found himself telling the very first person the truth. “Well, he got mad and broke it.” Shuichi said quietly while looking down. Then his head shot up and he said quickly, “But it’s not his fault. Really.”
Yuki raised his eyebrows and questioned, “He?”
Shuichi’s grip on his cup tightened as tears started to from in his eyes. But before they fell, Shuichi wiped at them and continued to explain. “My…boyfriend did it. I came home late. He doesn’t like when I’m late and instead of coming home like I should have…” Shuichi trailed off and pressed his lips together still looking down.
“The bruise too?” Yuki asked and Shuichi just nodded.
Then his head shot up again as he realized Yuki’s worried tone. “It’s nothing to worry about!” He said quickly and continued as his voice softened. “Happens all the time. No matter how much it hurts or how much I cry, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s my fault.” Shuichi explained, tears beginning to fall down his face. He sniffed, wiped at his cheeks and went on. “He wasn’t always like this though. But he is now, because of me.”
Yuki, heartbroken, was trying to keep his anger in check as he asked, “And what in the world makes you say something like that?”
A sob racked Shuichi’s body and more tears fell with a soft plop on the table. Shuichi cleared his throat and tried to answer despite the tears. “A while ago, maybe three months back, I was going to leave him. I had everything packed and was walking out the door. That’s when he came out of the elevator. He was early coming home and when he saw me and my bags, asked what I was doing. I explained to him that I wasn’t going to put up with him anymore, all the lying and cheating and that it was over.” Shuichi took a deep breath to hold back his tears. “I was walking past him when all of a sudden he got really angry and thru me back into the house. He pushed me so hard against the wall that I ended up knocking my head. I was out for a couple of minutes. When I came to the first thing I saw was him holding a shotgun to my legs.” Shuichi started crying in to his hands. He managed to sob out with a tear filled voice, “He threatened to shoot my legs off if I even tried to leave. Said I didn’t know what I was talking about and that it was best for me to stay. That I was his property and he’d kill me before he’d let anyone else have me.”
Yuki trying not to cry as well, reached over and cupped Shuichi’s chin in his hand and brought his face up to meet his own. “That doesn’t give you the right to blame yourself.” When Shuichi started to shake and more tears fell, Yuki pulled him into an embrace and held him tight. “You have every right to cry so go ahead. But stop blaming yourself for something that you didn’t cause.” Yuki whispered and pulled back to lay a kiss on Shuichi‘s forehead.

***

Akuma got out of his meeting early and headed for his office. With nothing more to be done, he decided to head home. ‘Maybe I can convince them in letting Shuichi leave early. His break should be over with by now.’ Grabbing his suitcase, Akuma headed down to the garage to get in his car. Once inside he dialed NG and was transferred to the studio room that Bad Luck always occupied. Akuma heard one of Shu’s band mates answer the phone.
“It’s nice to hear from you Akuma. What can I do for you?” Suguru asked into Akuma’s ear.
“Well I was hoping I could get Shuichi out early today. What do you say?” Akuma asked in his best friendly tone.
Suguru only laughed and said, “We mush have been reading each others mind. We all left an hour ago. I’m the only one still hear.”
Akuma frowned into the phone remembering what Shuichi had told him. “Really? Well thanks then. Talk to you later.” He hung up his phone and drove out of the building, his temper rising above breaking point.


AN: well that’s it for now and sense next week is vacation I’m not sure when I will update. Probably Friday so keep watch. Isn’t it getting good? *BIG SMILE* Sorry to end it there but it was getting really long as it is. Please review for me?! I love hearing what you think! Gotta go! *tear*