Perfect Harmony [[For Akira&Shiki and Yukio]]

[Akira&Shiki]

Aoi's smile… it was fake. And that upset him, very much so. Eiji looked at his stepfather, then at the leaving figures of Aoi and Tatsuo. He watched them as they went to sit at their designated seats. He turned back to Nami with a small smile. She looked rather confused, but as soon as the model's eyes went back to her, her face turned red.

 

"Um…" Eiji said, still keeping Aoi in the corner of his eye. "I guess that I have permission."

 

Nami giggled. "Yes, I see."

 

Someone grabbed the two models and brought them to the actual shoot. The photographer set them together.

 

"Eiji-kun, Nami-chan, you two are a couple walking in a park," the photographer exclaimed, quickly snapping shots.

 

Eiji turned to the backdrop to see a beautiful autumn background. He posed with Nami, grabbing onto her waist and smiling brightly. This was his element, his everything. He enjoyed modeling. Not only because he was good at it, but because he enjoyed the fact that he was useful. After the first pictures were taken, Nami and Eiji were changed three more times.

 

Finally, the photographer put down his camera and told them, "Great! That's enough for today. Next time, we'll go to a beach and take pictures there."

 

Eiji looked at Riku. That guy knew that he hated the ocean. So why…?

 

After Eiji put his clothes back on, he went over to Aoi and Tatsuo.

 

He smiled. "Thank you for coming. I'm glad you both came." He turned to Aoi personally. "And thanks for standing up to Keisuke. It's pretty embarrassing… I'm an adult and I can't stand up to him."

[Yukio_of_the_Snow]

Sitting ideally by Tatsuo as the shoot took off, Aoi did his best to maintain the same perfect mask he had donned the moment he realized coming here was a horrible decision. It was Eiji's job to pose with models and perhaps flirting with them was probably something that helped him create a relaxed atmosphere when he was around them. However, that didn't mean that Aoi couldn't help but continue to feel the jealousy swarm in him.

 

Regardless of that, Aoi made himself proud by being able to sit calmly and ignore his emotions as Eiji did his job. He even went as far as signing some autographs from a few of the staff in the area. It became a saving grace for him. Something to take his mind off the man few photographer was focusing on.

 

Hearing the mention of the beach, Aoi lifted his head from a conversation he had been having with a few of the male and female staff who had not been busy. Frowning a bit at the thought of the large body of water that came with anything related to the bench, Aoi glanced for a second over at Eiji in confusion.

 

He had thought the man didn't like the ocean.....but perhaps he had gotten over that dislike. He seemed quick in getting over things it seems.

 

Having been lost in thought for several moments, Aoi didn't realize that Eiji had approached them until his voice registered in his mind.

 

Pulling on that same fake smile he had before, Aoi stood calmly before addressing the model. "It's our pleasure to be here" he said smoothly before adding "And you don't have to thank me. He's your stepfather, it's perfectly logical you wouldn't want to contradict him. I just thought that perhaps I should put my opinion in at the moment. It wasn't a big deal".

 

The air of aloofness and detachment clung to him as he turned to Tatsuo saying "I do think it's about time we start heading home, right Tatsuo? The others are probably starting to get restless".

 

Nodding, Tatsuo pulled his phone out as he stood as well. "I'll give our driver a call and let him know where to pick us up. You stay here. The last thing I need is for you to get mobbed by a crazed fan who just happens to be passing by this location" he grumbled, phone already pressed onto his ear as he walked away.

 

Shaking his head in a brief flash of amusement, Aoi pulled out his own phone to distract himself with while he waited.

 

Without even glancing back up at the model, he mussed "Shouldn't you be over there with the girl. I'm sure she's waiting eagerly for you to take her to that dinner you invited her to".

[Akira&Shiki]

Watching Tatsuo leave, Eiji turned to Aoi. When he heard Aoi's question, he froze. Was Aoi… jealous?

 

He smiled, knowing that he was treading on dangerous waters. "You should know that I'm just flirting. I don't have the time to take her to dinner, especially not tonight. Especially after this project we've got together. And anyways-"

 

Riku suddenly appeared, placing his hand on Eiji's shoulder. "Good job, Eiji." He looked at Aoi. "I hope you enjoyed it."

 

Eiji frowned at his manager. "You jerk! You know that I hate the ocean! But you signed me up without telling me about the shooting at the beach!"

 

Riku sighed. "I apologize, Eiji. Your stepfather wanted you to do this job."

 

Eiji sighed and looked at the floor. He really, really, really hated the ocean and water. He couldn't believe that Riku would do this…! The actual terror was evident on his face, and he sighed heavily.

 

"Again, I apologize," Riku said.

 

Eiji sighed. "Well whatever."

 

He had to do this job even if he felt uncomfortable.

[Yukio_of_the_Snow]

Narrowing his eyes at his phone screen while listening to Eiji talk, Aoi felt his hands tighten around the device and the moment he thought he would just snap out a reply and end the conversation, Riku-san thankfully stepped in to change the subject.

 

Glancing between the two as they spoke, Aoi rested his gaze once again on Eiji when he took note of the fear in the man's voice.

 

"You should learn to stick up to your father. If you don't want to do something, then don't. No one is holding a gun to your head and putting your life on the line should you disobey" he said after a moment, putting his opinion into the situation "If you don't want to do a shoot and your reasoning is logical and just, no one is going to force your hand".

 

Turning, he began to walk away towards the direction Tatsuo had taken. His gaze had strayed once more towards his phone so he didn't see the body charging at him. The only time he realized something was happening was when the wind rushed out of his lungs in a surprised grunt and strong pair of arms had lifted his feet off the ground as they wrapped around him.

 

"AiAi-chan!" A voice exclaimed in his ear, filled with happiness and excitement.

 

Eyebrow twitching in a sign of mild annoyance at the nickname used, Aoi grumbled out a sharp "Put. Me. Down", in a tone that could have been frigid had laughter not be sparkling in his eyes.

 

"Eh?! But why?! You haven't seen me all day and you don't even want me to hug you?!" the voice demanding, the pout in it all to clear.

 

"Tohru, if you don't put me down right now....I'll kill you" Aoi hissed, pushing down his amusement at the situation as the constricting arms vanished and his feet once again felt the floor beneath them.

 

Brushing himself off, Aoi looked up annoyed at the sheepish green hues peering over at him.

 

"Honestly, you act like I've been gone for ages" Aoi mussed, raising a brow and crossing his arms as he regarded the tall brunette in front of him. His lips twitching up into a smile.

 

"Well it feels like ages, it's so boring without you at the condo. We always finish our individual songs quickly and then we're left with nothing to do.....Besides, I'm not the only one who came to pick you up" the taller man replied, pout growing by the moment.

 

Frowning, Aoi glanced in the direction the man had come in only to see four other guys waving cheerfully while standing beside a exasperated looking Tatsuo and a beautiful laughing ginger haired girl.

 

"Good grief....." Aoi sighed a sure sign of his own exasperation at the situation of having the whole of Celestial come pick him up. Truly, his group had grown quite closely attached to one another.

 

Turning to Riku-san and Eiji, Aoi shot them a small apologetic smile whole saying "I apologize for his exciting nature.....It been a pleasure being here, gentlemen. However, I have to be going now".

 

Looking back at Tohru who was gazing at Riku and Eiji with mild curiosity, Aoi lifted a hand and gently gave the back of his head a small slap.

 

"Come on, you giant child. It's time to go home" he said, smirking at the Grumbling he received as Tohru rubbed where he had been hit and walked back over to their laughing friends.

 

Taking one last glance at the manager and his model, Aoi nodded politely saying "Take care of yourselves" before turning his back to them and walking towards where his group was waiting for him.

[Akira&Shiki]

Yeah, Aoi made a whole lot of sense. But his suggestion and reasoning didn't work out well in this situation. Eiji couldn't just stand up to Keisuke. Why? Because Eiji and his mother relied on Keisuke. And Keisuke was a snake behind closed doors. HE would happily support Eiji's mother in the hospital, but only if Eiji made a certain quota and worked his butt off. Keisuke was a slave driver. He didn't care much about Eiji, but about the money and fame that came from being the stepfather of the aspiring model Eiji Nakahara. And Eiji despised Keisuke for that. But he still needed him and there was no way he could pay those crazy hospital bills all by himself. So he had to rely on Keisuke.

 

As he watched Aoi interact with the group Celestial and a few others, a deep feeling pierced his guy. That must have been jealousy. He was jealous to see Aoi with friends and people who cared. People that he would never be able to replace or know. And he couldn't help that. Riku said his goodbyes and pulled Eiji out to their car. He swiftly sat the model in the backseat. Even though Eiji was an adult and could drive himself in need be, he preferred to stay in the back. He felt unsafe in the front. After all, his father died in a car accident. It was a miracle that Eiji even got into the car.

 

Riku started up the car and they were on their way home. Eiji watched the streetlights as the car passed them. They swished in the background. Sometimes, the tired and exhausted Eiji could be awed by such simple things.

 

"Eiji, don't be upset with Kamui-kun," Riku said from up front.

 

Eiji turned to his manager. "I'm fine. I'm not upset with him." An obvious lie.

 

Riku didn't even entertain the clear lie. "He doesn't understand the extremes that your stepfather goes to make sure that you work. If he knew, he'd take back his words. But don't forget that you have said some unforgettably offensive and hurtful things today."

 

"I did?" The model was genuinely confused.

 

Riku looked at him in a mix of pity and frustration. He decided to let Eiji figure that out for himself. The car was parked in the garage and soon, Eiji was in the house. Instead of eating, the exhausted model trudged up the steps and into the bathroom. He undressed and stepped into the shower, letting the heat touch his skin. It felt so good and relaxing. That's shat he needed: something to calm and relax him. Aoi's showing up didn't help him in one bit. After his shower, he went into his room and went straight to bed. Before he dozed off, Riku, now dressed in casual clothing, came in and sat beside him.

 

"Eiji, what do you think of Kamui-kun showing up now?" Riku asked, his voice barely a whisper.

 

Eiji turned to face his manager. "I think that fate either wants to rub my bad luck in my face or I'm getting another chance. I'd love to think that it's the latter, but…"

 

Riku nodded and caressed the model's blonde hair. "I understand. Not everyone can get who they love."

 

He stood up, but before leaving, he stopped at the door. "Three things, Eiji."

 

Eiji sat up. "What?"

 

"The beach photo shoot is next week. I truly apologize for not notifying you."

 

"It's okay, Riku."

 

"Also, your mother sends her regards from the hospital with much love. Visit her tomorrow. And the third is that the producers and Keisuke want to have a meeting with you." Riku rolled his eyes. "I think it's another pointless publicity stunt. They want to meet around 12:30 tomorrow."

 

Eiji nodded. He didn't want to meet with them and be forced to adopt some stupid habit or quirk to make the fans love him more. He hated that. But of course, he wouldn't object.

[Yukio_of_the_Snow]

After piling into their car, Aoi and the rest of Celestial had a calm ride back towards where the group lived. Though they all talked on the drive back, Aoi was quieter than was usual, even for him. And though his friends noticed, they decided to give him his space for the time being. For now, they'd let their manager handle things.

 

Arriving back home, Aoi quickly broke away from the group for a quick warm shower before heading towards his bedroom after a round of good nights to everyone.

 

It was about an hour now of which he had been laying in bed, eyes refusing to close. Staring up at the ceiling of his room, Aoi barely noticed when the door to his room was opened and Tatsuo walked in. Closing the door behind him, he casually leaned against the door, crossing his arms over his chest.

 

"I know this is a stupid question but seriously, you ok kid?" He asked after a long bout of silence.

 

Releasing a heavy breath, Aoi kept his blue gaze up on the white ceiling while saying "I don't know, to be honest".

 

"Wanna talk about it? You know I have nothing else to do now" Tatsuo replied, in his own slightly gruff way of showing that he cared.

 

".....I don't think I wanna do this project thing" Aoi stated, having held his voice back for a long few minutes.

 

Without appearing surprised at all, Tatsuo blinked knowingly but asked nonetheless "Why not?".

 

"I doubt its healthy......" Aoi said softly, unable to hide the pain in his voice.

 

He knew he was being ridiculous but his mind kept going back on watching Eiji flirt with that other model just a short distance from him. The hurt he had felt then was still running a mess in his mind even now. Especially when Eiji had the nerve to just say he had "only been flirting" when Aoi had subtly brought it up.

 

Had their relationship meant that little to him? Granted they had split up 4 years ago, but to flirt in front of his face like nothing? That had bothered Aoi more than he had wanted to believe. It brought about feelings he'd rather not have to experience a second time.

 

Besides what was the point of working with someone that was so under their step father's thumb. It would result in a strained partnership for sure.

 

Call him a coward, a chicken for running away from his past.....he didn't care. He just knew he wouldn't willingly set himself up to get hurt once more by decisions that were beyond his control.

 

"Well we could certainly give Hijikata Industries a call tomorrow afternoon or something, just to pull you out of the project. We could claim that something came up and your scheduale suddenly got to full to squeeze this new project in.....I'm sure they'd understand and find a new partner for Nakahara.....But are you sure?" Tatsuo asked gently, normally cold eyes now holding a sympathy in them for the Idol laying in bed.

 

For a long time, Aoi said nothing before he gave a small nod. "I'm sure.....I don't need this right now.....If Nakahara has a problem with it, he'll just have to deal with it" Aoi replied in a resigned tone of voice.

 

Nodding, Tatsuo sighed saying "I'll let them know if not by tomorrow then the next day then".

 

Walking further into the room, Tatsuo paused at Aoi's bed and bent down to do something anyone who did not know him would think odd. He placed a gentle, affectionate kiss upon the long haired Idol's forehead.

 

"Aoi, I know where you're coming from....but understand that running away won't solve anything" he murmured softly. Straightening up, he shot the Idol one last loving glance before adding "Let me know if you change your mind, kid".

 

Hearing Tatsuo leave the room, Aoi watched him go as he released a heavy sigh. Curling up on his side slowly, he closed his eyes and prayed for sleep to take him under its clutches and shut his mind up.

 

--------------------

 

By the next morning, the Idol was a slightly grumpy mess. Most of the night had involved tossing and turning. Anyone could tell he hadn't slept well by the shadows under his eyes. Nevertheless, he made an effort to be energetic and show happiness for his friends.

 

They had a few things planned to take care of this morning. From album recordings to music videos being filmed, it would be a busy few hours. However, Aoi had still not changed his mind and he wasn't in a rush to go anywhere outside where his schedule demanded him to be.

 

He was sure if Riku-san or Eiji wanted his attention, they'd either give him a call and simply find out where he was filming.

[Akira&Shiki]

Eiji woke up with an intense headache. He wondered down to the kitchen where the chef was cooking. Riku was already in the dinning room, eating. Eiji walked in on his manager, who was happily reading the morning newspaper. He looked up when he saw the model, but he said nothing.

 

"Good morning, Riku," Eiji said, sitting down beside him.

 

He looked at his manager in confusion. Riku seemed flustered…

 

Riku looked at Eiji again. "How did you sleep?"

 

"I have a headache," Eiji answered.

 

"Take some painkillers after you eat. Be ready to go in an hour, you have a busy day," Riku said.

 

Eiji nodded and reached over to his manager's plate. "This looks-"

 

He stopped when Riku hit the back of his head. "Eiji, stop being so rude. Firstly, apologize to Kamui-kun. Secondly, stop trying to eat other people's food! There's plebty."

 

Eiji smiled mischievously. "I'll try not to… but how do I apologize?"

 

Riku was about to snap, but Eiji quickly shook his head. "I mean, we're not scheduled to meet up today, so how should I?"

 

"Use your brain," Riku said, standing up. Eiji watched him as he trudged down the hallway and into the living room.

 

Eiji immediately took out his phone. He decided to text Aoi… He felt bad, though he wasn't sure what he did wrong. He was just going to apologize and keep it simple.

 

He wrote out his text: Good morning, Aoi-kun! I don't want to bother you too much this morning because I know that we both have a busy schedule, but I wanted to apologize. I hadn't meant to offend you in any way. You know I'm dense and that I am pretty much slow. So please, don't take it to heart. Again, I am very sorry. Hope that this project goes well! )

 

There… he was done. But before he pushed the send button, he texted in a few more words: PS. I'm happy that we get to work together. It means a lot to me.

 

He finally pushed send and trudged upstairs to get ready. Once he was ready, Riku dragged him to the car and drove them to the hospital. The hospital was a ways off. They were visiting Eiji's mother. She was ill, so ill to the point that she had constant surgeries and medicines to take. She couldn't go home and she could barely see. The doctors had no clue as to what she had. They could only treat her as best as they could.

 

When Eiji's mother heard his voice, she smiled happily. "Eiji, you're here!"

 

Eiji walked to her. "How are you?"

 

"Like usual," she mused, reaching to her son. "How is Keisuke?"

 

Horrible as ever, Eiji thought. But instead, he said, "Fine. Boisterous as usual."

 

His mother smiled. "Great. I want you to be happy with him. So don't worry too much about old me. You've got a great life to live."

 

Eiji hated it when she told him not to worry. How could he not worry? Riku smiled and pulled Eiji away around 11 o'clock. Soon, he would have that meeting with the producers and Keisuke. As soon as they got to the building where the meeting would take place, Eiji felt a tad nervous. He didn't like this feeling in his gut at all…

[Yukio_of_the_Snow]

Feeling his phone vibrate in the middle of getting to leave the condo for the day, Aoi pulled it out with a soft sigh. He wondered who was texting him at the hour. As far as he knew, he didn't have any prior agreements with anyone for them to be sending him messages. Looking at the name of the messenger, Aoi frowned a bit and tilted his head. Eijj he thought a bit confused.

 

Reading the message sent to him, Aoi's shoulders slumped as he grumbled a soft annoyed mumble under his breath. Of course, the moment he mad up his mind not to do something, the person who was the core reason he wasn't going to do it decides to text him.

 

Thinking a bit, Aoi finally began to answer: Yes, your are quite dense, however you have always been that way. Though I'm not really upset anymore, I'll accept your apology if you accept mine. I might have said some things rude yesterday concerning your relationship with your father and I'm sorry for that. It was my place to say anything......I'll be honest, Eiji, I don't know if this partnership will work....But I'll give it a shot. It might not be the best or smartest thing to do, but I'm glad to be able to spend time with you again. Even if the reason for that is work...I'll see you later, if you need me for anything, you have only to call.

 

Looking at what he had written for a little longer, Aoi shrugged to himself as he sent it and locked his phone once more.

 

Glancing up when the others began to leave, Aoi quickly followed them, pausing for a moment beside Tatsuo.

"Sousuke.....Don't make the call" he said softly, earning himself a smirk and a knowing gleam of icy blue eyes from his manager.

 

"You've come to your senses then, huh?" Tatsuo asked, a mix of pride and amusement in his voice.

 

"I'm willing to give this another try. I'm making no promises to stick to this in the long shot, but I will try my hand for now" Aoi answered with a matching smirk as he brushed past his manager to follow the rest of Celestial.

 

For today he had several tasks to do and he couldn't afford to be distracted by thoughts of the new project. That all could wait for the next few hours.

[Akira&Shiki]

When his phone vibrated, Eiji was already in the meeting with the three men. They looked at him in plain curiosity. Then he said hello to each of them, trying his best to remain calm. Seeing them there, watching him, a red flag rose straight up. He wondered what to do…

 

Keisuke have him a small smile and touched his shoulder. "Eiji, we have called you here so that we can talk about how we would like to publicize you. You're an asset to this company and we want you to succeed.

 

Yeah, right, Eiji thought. He took a quick glance at Riku to see a regularly calm face sprawled with irritation. He was reading the Manila envelopes that had been given out.

Eiji reached to get his, but he stopped when he noticed Keisuke watching him.

 

"Yes sir?" Eiji asked.

 

Keisuke smiled. "Oh, nothing. Just, do you know what we are planning? Or this nee to you?"

 

"New," he answered truthfully.

 

The other two men gave small grins.

 

"Well then, Nakahara-san, we want you to do a number of things: one, we want you to spend a summer in Florence, Italy. Two, you will have to switch companies. That means that all projects and jobs you have now- dropped. Thirdly, you must date Mina Akashima."

 

Eiji frowned. "No, no, and hell no."

 

He didn't mind the Italy one, but number two and three were horrible! Eiji enjoyed Hijikata Hart. The employees were relatable and likable. They treated him like a person, not an object worth killing each other over. And number three. Forget number three. Mina Akashima hated Eiji's guts with a burning passion.

 

Now why did the loved singer of the popular girls rock band Starz hate Eiji? Because he had already made his move on her, but she easily turned him down. She wasn't a prize to be won, but it did slightly hurt his pride. Every time they encountered one another, the atmosphere became unreasonably tense.

 

"You signed the papers saying that you will abide to our rules," one of the men said, his voice bothering Eiji.

 

Eiji looked up to say something, but Riku broke in: "Yes, that is true. But that was for Hijikata Hart Industries and Productions. If you plan on taking him out, the law abiding papers have been cancelled and he is no longer under your care. So either he stays or you say goodbye."

 

Keisuke looked at Riku and cursed beneath his breath. "Eiji-chan will stay then."

 

Riku ushered Eiji up and out, but before they left, Keisuke said, "Consider number three, Eiji-chan."

 

Manager and model plopped down in their respective seats.

 

Eiji looked at Riku. "Thank you, Riku."

 

Riku turned around and gave a nervous chuckle. "It was a little scary."

 

Eiji grinned. "You seemed like a brand new Riku!"

 

"I don't think that's good," the other noted.

 

"So where to next?" Eiji inquired, picking up his pj becaus remembering that it had vibrated earlier.

 

"The rest of your day is free. What do you want to do?" Riku asked, starting the car and pulling out.

 

Eiji didn't answer when he read Aoi's text. He didn't know that Aoi had felt that way…

 

"I apologized," the model said.

 

Riku nodded. "Good. So what did he say?"

 

But Eiji didn't get a chance to answer. A car that ran a red light collided into theirs.

[Yukio_of_the_Snow]

Openly laughing at something Kaname had said in order to tease Tohru, Aoi had to wipe tears from his eyes at his amusement of the situation. The man being teased was pouting and glaring half heartedly at Kaname while the girl merely patted his shoulder gently as almost a means of being apologetic over her joke at his expense.

 

They were in the middle of filming one of their group videos and had all decided to take a quick break for the moment. Though they were all tired, none of them was overly vocal about it. This was their jobs after all and they loved it. Tired or not, they wouldn't have this any other way.

 

Glancing over at Tatsuo who was talking to one of the camera guys and the director with a stern expression on his face, Aoi shook his head and relaxed even further as contentment filled him.

 

This really was the life. Everyone treated eachother with respect and kindness in the music industry he worked for. Though he didn't know how other branches of the entertainment district treated their Idols, Aoi was glad he had found a home in music. He wouldn't have changed it for anything in the world. Especially not after gaining this extended family of his.

 

Sharply pressing a hand to his stomach when it suddenly rolled, Aoi couldn't help a small grimace that touched his face when a feeling of dread hit him.

 

Something was wrong.....he didn't know what but something was terribly wrong....Aoi didn't know how to describe what he was experiencing, but his heart sunk further as the dread seemed to rise all the more, making his hands begin to shake lightly.

 

"AiAi-chan? Are you alright?" Tohru's voice sounded off and Aoi lifted his gaze from the ground to look up at the taller singer. Making an effort to shoot him a reassuring smile, Aoi nodded.

 

"I'm fine, Tohru. I think I might have had something bad to eat this morning. It's probably not agreeing with me, that's all" Aoi replied, brushing off the other man's concern.

 

Taking a deep breath, Aoi squared his shoulders and straightened up again. Brushing his hair from his face, the singer ignored the worried glances his friends shot at his sudden pale appearance.

 

He didn't know why such an overwhelming feeling had suddenly hit him but he couldn't dwell on it. Especially when there was no logic behind the dread coursing through him.

[Akira&Shiki]

The impact caused Eiji to have a major panic attack. He had a great dislike of cars because of his father's death. Though the accident wasn't fatal, it left Eiji, who had been sitting nearest to the the impact, traumatized. The car skidded forward for a few seconds. Finally, Riku fought to bring it under control, but by the time the car stopped, Eiji was in the back, unconscious. The two were immediately rushed to the hospital.

 

Media coverage was all over the incident, showing the unlucky driver of the car that had hit Eiji Nakahara. Cameras shot over the wreck; the cars were messes. The driver's car was tilted on the side and almost completely damaged. Riku and Eiji's car was fine relatively fine compared to the other driver's, only their right door was completely damaged and a few other things.

 

The local news stations covered the wreck first: "This is Rinka at the sight of a horrible accident. The model, Eiji Nakahara and his manager have been hit by a vehicle. Apparently, the driver was drunk. Eiji-san has been confirmed unharmed… what's that? He is unconscious?" The anchor woman frowned. "Further details will be released once we are notified of anything. Thank you for watching Tokyo TV."

 

Riku tssked and turned off the TV set that he was hearing the news on. They were making a huge fuss. All Riku got was a bump to the head. Though Eiji… he seemed to be out of it. He was unconscious up to the point of being put on an IV. The needle must have woken him up. His eyes flew open and he let out a scream. Riku tried to calm the model down, to shush him, but nothing worked. Eiji remained awake, but he seemed totally out of it.

 

As the doctor, a few nurses, and Riku watched the blonde shake in small convulsions, they pondered what could be happening.

 

"You know Eiji-kun," the doctor said to Riku. "There is nothing relatively wrong with him. I believe the problem is now psychological."

 

Riku looked at Eiji. "He dislikes cars… his father died in a car accident. The impact today might have scared him."

 

He reached to touch the model, but his hand was soon swatted away.

 

He looked at Eiji and sighed. "There's not much we can do then, eh?"

 

The doctor shrugged. "I'm not a psychiatrist, so I'm not sure. Does he have a personal psychiatrist?"

 

Riku shook his hand. "I don't think he's had problems like this for a while. Close up to ten, twelve years."

 

The doctor sighed and looked at Eiji, who could barely focus. He looked a mess.

[Yukio_of_the_Snow]

"Aoi!" Tatsuo's voice called out for the singer in the middle of a small talk he had been having with a few of the makeup artists.

 

Glancing over at his manager who hovered at the doorway with what looked like a troubled expression, Aoi quickly excused himself to walk over to the older man.

 

"Sousuke, what's wrong?" He asked, only to have his wrist grabbed and be tugged out of the room almost immediately.

 

"You're not gonna like this, kid" Tatsuo grumbled, pulling the Idol along behind him into another smaller room that contained a television in it with the news playing.

Shooting Tatsuo a confused look, Aoi turned his attention on the T.V. screen to see what the fuss was all about.....What he saw made his heart stop.

 

Eiji.

 

That was the only thought going through his mind at the sight the media was projecting of the accident. Everything around him seemed to fade away as his wide, disbelieving eyes continued to watch the news on bated breath.

 

"-Hara is alright from what I've been able to pull up. He's just unconscious according to the reports" Aoi could hear Tatsuo saying in what sounded liked a great distance though the man had been standing right next to him.

 

"I managed to figure out what hospital they have been taken into......Kid....AOI!" Tatsuo finally snapped, causing Aoi to jump slightly beside him before he slowly looked over.

 

"We can go to see him if you want, I know that we won't be able to get anything done today with the state you're in right now" Tatsuo said gently, hand gently lifting to be placed comfortingly on the singer's arm.

 

"Yes....please....take me to where he is. I just have to see for myself that he's alright" Aoi replied quietly, getting a firm nod from Tatsuo.

 

The drive to the hospital was a blur for Aoi. His mind solely focused on Eiji, wanting to truly confirm that the model was truly alright. Though Tatsuo stayed beside him the whole time, talking to him on occasion, the man's voice sounded like it was coming from the end of a long tunnel.

 

Feeling Tatsuo lead him out of the car and through the halls of the hospital after he had pried information out of the front desk, Aoi blinked into focus when they finally stopped in front of a door.

 

Reaching out, Tatsuo knocked briefly before pushing the hospital room door open and gently ushering Aoi inside.

 

Taking note of Eiji's manager being in the room, Aoi quickly looked him over as Tatsuo gave the man a small nod of greeting.

 

"Riku-san, we heard about the accident. I'm glad to see you're alright" Aoi greeted the man with a small, barely there smile before his eyes immediately shot to Eijj.

 

His hands itched to reach out and touch him, to send him all the love he still had for the man. Yet he didn't know how that would be taken by the model. Especially in the shape he seemed to be in.

 

"How is he, Riku-san?" Aoi asked in an almost hesitant manner, eyes never leaving the man on the bed.

[Akira&Shiki]

Before Aoi and Tatsuo came, Riku was still talking to the doctors. The doctors had been urged to "fix" Eiji. Though that seemed rather impossible to do.

 

"The problem," the doctor said, "is more of an emotional shock."

 

Riku tssked. He hated this. What exactly was wrong and what needed to be done? No one could tell him how this situation could be resolved. He felt slightly responsible, though he knew that it was mostly the other driver's fault. Riku's phone rang and he stepped out to answer.

 

"Is this Riku-san?" That soundes like Eiji'a mother…

 

"Yes. This is Nomur-san, right?" Riku asked.

 

Eiji's mother sighed. "Yes. Is Eiji alright?"

 

Riku sighed back. "He's fine. I think he's shocked… you know…"

 

She remained silent. "Please give him my love, Riku."

 

"Yes ma'am," and he hung up.

 

The pressure was all on Riku. Even though he wasn't at fault, he still felt guilty. It was clear on his face.

 

When Aoi and Tatsuo came in, he straightened up. Riku gave a slight nod to Tatsuo on greeting, then turned to face Aoi. But the singer was occupied with watching Eiji.

 

He sighed. "Eiji is awake now. He's just very shaken. There's no bodily harm. I guess it's all his psychological state. He's in a state of shock. They think it may be a panic attack as well."

 

Riku frowned. "I don't know if he's picking up or registering anything, but his eyes are opened, as you can clearly see. Try to talk to him."

 

Leaving them alone, Riku headed over to Tatsuo. "You heard about it through the news? Shit… hopefully Keisuke Nomura doesn't come here. I don't need him worrying Eiji any more than this."

[Yukio_of_the_Snow]

Nodding quietly at what Riku-san said, Aoi hesitated for a moment before moving forward to stand beside Eiji's bed. He was uncertain about what he should do and what he shouldnt, it showed clearly in his growing hesitance. However, this was Eiji and he wouldn't abandon him.

 

Slowly sitting down at the edge of his hospital bed, Aoi slowly lifted his hand to brush a few strands of hair away from the model's eyes. An affectionate gesture he used to always do when they had been together.

 

"Eiji..." he called softly to the man, voice gentle and quiet as to not startle him should Eiji react. "You need to come back from wherever you are, Eiji. You're safe now, everything is fine....Come back to us, Eiji...Please, we need you to show us you can hear us" he coaxed gently, eyes never leaving the man's face even as he lightly grabbed Eiji's hand. Throwing caution to the air.

 

Watching Aoi talk quietly to the man he clearly still had feelings for, Tatsuo sighed and shook his head slowly before turning his attention on Riku.

 

Crossing his arms over his chest, the man said "Leave Nomura to me if he shows his face. While Aoi insists on staying here, I won't let that man lay a hand on anyone in this room. He'll back off if he knows what's good for him".

 

Observing Riku for a few more moments he parted his lips to add "You shouldn't blame yourself over this. None of it is your fault. There was no way you could control what would have happened while you were driving".

 

Tatsuo's monotone, cold voice never changed but his normally frigid eyes appeared perhaps just a hint softer and sympathetic.

[Akira&Shiki]

Maybe Aoi's voice got to Eiji, or maybe it didn't. But he calmed down and stopped shaking, closing his eyes looking like he was finally resting. Riku exhaled in belief and massaged his forehead. He felt incredibly tired. He just knew that he couldn't leave Eiji alone in this room. Even if Tatsuo and Aoi weren't there, he still wouldn't do it.

 

Riku looked at Tatsuo, looking tired and stressed. "Thank you… oh, and thank you for bringing Kamui-kun. He's seemed to help Eiji a lot."

 

He sighed and looked at Eiji's now peaceful body. "I'm so glad he's asleep. Kamui-kun, we are in your debt. Thank you."

 

Just as soon as he finished his sentence, the door opened and Keisuke walked in. Riku's mental alarms sounded. He knew exactly what he was going to do and how he was going to do it. If that man even brought up anything about work, Riku would…!

 

Keisuke ignored Aoi and Tatsuo and turned to Riku. "When will he wake up?"

 

"I'm not sure," Riku answered.

 

"He has a shoot tomorrow," Keisuke spat, scowling unpleasantly.

 

Riku crossed his arms. "Well he can't do it."

 

Keisuke raised his voice. "Then I will not be paying his mother's hospital bill this month. If he wants it paid, he'd better do his job."

 

Riku scowled. "You know that this is unfair…"

 

Keisuke smirked. "Don't you love your little Eiji-kun? Why don't you use your power of love to wake him up?"

 

The manager quickly shut his mouth and looked at the ground. That seemed to be a sore topic…

 

"Oh? Want me to stop talking about your love for Eiji-chan? Well too bad! No good gay-"

 

"Shut up!" To everyone's surprise, that was Eiji.

 

He still seemed pale and sickly, but his voice was surprisingly loud.

 

"Leave Riku alone…"

[Yukio_of_the_Snow]

Having been listening to the spat between the two men, Aoi exchanged a small look with Tatsuo. Neither entirely sure what to do. Though Tatsuo was very capable of shutting Nomura up, he seemed to be waiting for the right moment to break in.

 

All turned to look surprised at Eijj when the model awoke. Though he still looked weak, his voice was loud and strong.

 

In the silence that followed, Aoi flickered his gaze once more towards Tatsuo, meeting his manager's gaze calmly as the older man inclined his head at him.

 

"I do believe it's about time we might consider calling the hospital security, neh Tatsuo?" Aoi mussed softly, voice emptied from all emotion and his cold mask firmly in place.

 

"Perhaps.....all this ruckus can't be good for the patient......And before you spurt out questions about whether or not we know who you are, Nomura....You should ask yourself who do you think Kamui Aoi is. Not only his fame but that of his family as well" Tatsuo replied in his normally carefree, frigid tone of voice.

 

Tossing his hair over his shoulder in a haughty manner, Aoi smiled coldly at Keisuke saying "I truly recommend you don't step on my family's toes, Nomura-san. You won't like the result".

 

It was extremely rare the times Aoi recruited his family for help. Despite the divorce of his parents, he was still in relatively good terms with his family. The problem was that Aoi preferred to act independently.....without seeking their help.

 

Though if he needed them for this case, then he wouldn't hesitate in bringing them. The Kamui name had power not only in Japan but also in surrounding countries. Not many liked to tousle with them.

 

"Now if this is about Nakahara-san's mother, that won't be a problem. I would be willing to pay her medical bills of you like, Riku-san....I don't have anything better to do with my money" Aoi added after a moment.

 

Yes it would mean extra work for him to fund the charities he was currently supporting and take care of the medical expenses of Eiji's mother, but to be honest, he truly didn't care. If it was for Eiji's sake then he would do it.

 

"You could also have her transfered to your grandparents hospital to the East of Japan. They might be able to accommodate her more comfortably than wherever she is" Tatsuo suggested, voice holding a lazy drawl to it.

 

"True, but that would have to be with the consent of Nakahara-san. Though having Nomura-san as her husband might make things a bit difficult, I'm sure we could handle things. If we pointed a few things out of his treatment of his step child and his threats to the media, it might work in our favor......Don't you think Tatsuo....His behavior is rather distasteful for someone in his shoes" Aoi put in thoughtfully, eyeing Keisuke with cold, calculating eyes.

 

"That's all very true" Tatsuo agreed easily enough, his expression matching that of his Idol. Turning to the pathetic man that had decided to cross Kamui Aoi, Tatsuo smirked before saying "You're choice, Nomura. Either withdraw or keep digging yourself deeper in this mess".

[Akira&Shiki]

Keisuke looked at the two. They were clearly throwing a barrage of threats at him. He cursed beneath his breath and stood up straight. With a quick glance at Riku and Eiji, he swiftly left the room. A stiffling silence hit the hospital room. Riku looked at Eiji, a little ashamed at having to looked at Eiji after that.

 

He moved his gaze to Aoi and Tatsuo. "Thanks again… you two do a lot for Eiji."

 

Eiji looked at the singer-manager duo. "He's right, you really do a lot for me." He slightly lowered his head. "Thank you."

 

Not only did Eiji feel indebted to them, but he held an extreme amount of happiness that Aoi cared.

 

"Oh," the model said, his eyes getting heavier. "You don't even have to worry about paying for my mom's bill…" He yawned. "Keisuke-san's not going to stop. He has a… a public image to hold."

 

Riku sighed. "Go back to sleep. It's clear you're tired."

 

Eiji nodded. "Sure will."

 

He closed his eyes and prepped himself to doze off, he remembered that he wanted to talk to Aoi. He quickly sat up and looked at the idol.

 

"Can I speak with Aoi…? Alone?" he asked, more of directing the question to Aoi more than anyone else.

 

Riku looked at Tatsuo and Aoi and waited for their response.

[Yukio_of_the_Snow]

"It isn't right for anyone to be degraded the way Nomura-san seems to make a habit of doing to you two. We can't help but want to help" Aoi replied kindly with a small smile and shrug as Tatsuo merely huffed quietly under his breath.

 

Nodding at what the man said about the bills, Aoi smiled lightly at him saying "Alright. However if that ever changes, don't be afraid to ask us for help".

 

Watching Eiji prepare for sleep, Aoi readied himself to get up and walk over to Tatsuo. However, he wasn't expecting Eiji to sit back up so sharply, so he couldn't stop his mild jump of surprise.

 

Blinking curiously at the Model, Aoi glanced over at Tatsuo after the man's request. He could see his manager wasn't keen on leaving him alone in there so he did the best he could think of.

 

"I could really use a cup of coffee, Sousuke. Mind getting me one?" he asked with a pleading gleam in his eyes.

 

Rolling his eyes in playful exasperation, Tatsuo nodded saying "Sure thing, kid". He knew Aoi really didn't need anything and it was a mere excuse to get him to leave him for a few minutes, but he didn't mind much. As long as Aoi knew what he was doing.

 

Watching his manager leave the room, Aoi smiled politely at Riku-san before he stood up calmly and turned his eyes back on Eiji.

 

"What is it you wanted to talk to me about, Eiji?" He asked in a simply polite, formal manner. Pulling his professional nature back on now that Keisuke had left.

 

As much as he cared about the model, he didn't know if he could afford to show what he held inside.

[Akira&Shiki]

Riku followed after Tatsuo, knowing that there wasn't mich he could do. He didn't want anything bad to happen… because he knew that Eiji said cruel things unintentionally.

 

Riku spoke up to Tatsuo. "Let me apologize beforehand… if Eiji offends Kamui-kun in anyway, please don't hold it against us. I'll get Eiji to apologize right away… well, that's if he hurts Kamui-kun."

 

The manager respected Tatsuo, who was a much seasoned manager. He knew the ways of the business and Riku knew that he needed to learn much in order to be of use to Eiji.

 

As the two managers spoke, Eiji looked at Aoi. He felt a little awkward but there wasn't much to do about it.

 

Eiji smiled. "So um… yeah. Thank you, Aoi. I really appreciate that… but that's not really what I wanted to talk about."

 

He looked at the ground, then back at the singer. "Um… I…"

 

Again, he stopped, his face red. "Ugh! This is hard and embarrassing! I want to be serious, but I cant!"

 

Eiji had wanted to hurry up with it, but it was weird. He just wanted to say "There's somebody that I think I like, but I'm not sure what to do, since it's not right." But he couldn't say that. Because one, it was too embarrassing, and two, the person that he liked… was Aoi. And he didn't think it wasn't right. He knew it wasn't right.

 

"Aoi… after I get out of here, can I come see you sing?" he asked, feeling very embarrassed. "I like your singing, actually. I'm an undercover fan…"

 

He said that last part in a whisper as he blushed like a bright tomato.

[Yukio_of_the_Snow]

Glancing at the man who was talking to him, Tatsuo raised a perfectly arched eyebrow in a mild form of slight interest. Honestly, apologies probably wouldn't work on him if Aoi was hurt by careless statements for the model. Tatsuo valued all his Idols, every single member in Celestial was like an extended part of his family. He was their older brother/father figure and he would make whoever hurt them, regret crossing his path. The man had a reputation in the Idol world for his fame while he himself had been a singer. Though he had retired from the spotlight, he now worked on molding the next best of the best...which in his mind and under his hand, would one day be Celestial. However, though he was very professional when it came to his work, he would not tolerate anyone hurting his Idols. He took that as a personal offense.

 

Nevertheless, Tatsuo found Riku and his model vaguely interesting. It wasn't in his way of being normally, but he was willing to give them a few free passes for whatever stumbles there might be between Eiji and Aoi in the future. As long as the damage wasn't extensive.

 

"I'll keep your early apology in mind, however, that doesn't mean I will turn the blind eye on verbal blows toward my charge. Our boys have history between them but that makes no excuse for petty insults being thrown in the air...... As long as we manage to maintain a working enviroment between them, then I will do my best to tolerate a few stumbles" he replied, voice as monotone and cool as always.

 

Blinking at Eiji as the model seemed to stumble with his words, Aoi tilted his head to one side in a curious manner. His inquisitive gaze never left Eiji while he waited patiently to hear what the other man was trying to valiantly to say. When the words finally came out, Aoi couldn't help the shot of surprise that went through him and cause his eyes to widen slightly.

 

Eiji wanted to hear him sing......he truly hadn't been expecting that.

 

A smile lifted the tranquil expression Aoi had been sporting as he chuckled softly at the model's obvious embarrassment. "I have a concert at the end of this week. It be a pleasure to see you there. I can grant you access backstage if you'd like, it would probably make things a bit less chaotic. I don't think you'd want to be surrounded by a mass of crazed fans while listening to me sing" he replied in an amused tone of voice.

 

Thinking for a moment, Aoi shrugged before adding "Of course, I could give you a little taste of the concert now. I don't mind singing for you while you're stuck in here". The soft amusement in his eyes never fading.

[Akira&Shiki]

Riku looked at the other manager. His cold words didn't bother Riku anymore. In fact, he was pretty used to this entire situation.

 

"Well then," Riku said, "I agree. No petty statements will be said, though. At least, intentionally. We both know that Eiji needs to… learn how to deal with others. But otherwise, he won't do much harm… hopefully."

 

When Eiji heard the first proposition, he nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! I would love that! Will it be just you? Or Celestial? And yeah… please give me that backstage pass. I don't want your concert having some type of unnecessary distraction."

 

When the second proposition was brought up, Eiji's eyes gleamed in satisfaction. He looked like a kid that was just spoiled with his favorite candy.

 

"You'll sing? Now? Please!" he exclaimed.

 

Words couldn't describe how much Eiji was a fan. He couldn't go to the concerts on a regular basis, so he made sure that he bought CDs and singles and listened. He didn't want to ever admit it to Aoi, but he was fine with it now. After all, it had given him a good chance at going to s concert with a backstage pass! That was beautiful!

 

As the two idols were holding their conversation, another idol was rushing through the hospital, trying to find Aoi and Eiji.

[Yukio_of_the_Snow]

Eyeing Riku skeptically for a few long moments, Tatsuo finally inclined his head in a minor sign of acknowledgement. "I'm glad we've come to an understanding....I'm sure we'll get alone just fine as long as neither of our boys are harmed".

 

Looking thoughtfully down the hall, Tatsuo crossed his arms before adding "About what Nomura said earlier.....Don't pay that fool much mind. He's to full of himself to realize the ridiculousness that flows out of his mouth on a daily basis....As far as I've seen already, you do a fine job with Nakahara. Don't let anyone else's words bring you down....You'll never survive in this world if you do".

 

Tatsuo wasn't known for being overly encouraging towards those he didn't really care for, but he found that he didn't mind Riku so much. He might as well impart some sort of help on the younger manager's shoulders. There was no harm in that after.

 

"Celestial will open and close the show but for the most part, I will be singing individually" Aoi answered with a little shrug. Often when their schedules of individual activities coincided, Celestial would open and close the individual concerts of their group mates. It had been something that had quickly become tradition after their first debut together. "I'll talk to Tatsuo about getting you and Riku-san a backstage pass" Aoi added after a moment.

 

Chuckling softly at Eiji's enthusiasm just to hear him sing, Aoi sunk gracefully into an empty chair near the model's bed. "Very well, hopefully this will satisfy you for the time being" he said, tone keeping the good humored note to it as he closed his eyes slowly and relaxed, preparing to sing. He supposed one of his older songs, Nanairo no Compass, would work just fine. In a way it spoke of what Aoi would always feel inside. For his friends, his fans, his family, and yes even Eiji.

 

Parting his lips, the first hauntingly beautiful note came out and in no time, his perfectly balanced voice escaped into the room. His singing was quieter than how it would have been if he had been preforming, but it was beautiful nonetheless. It had a way of reaching inside almost anyone and making them feel peace, warmth, love and happiness. A talent he had almost lost when he had been forced to break off his relationship with Eiji, yet had found again in the hands of the group of singers he now belonged too.

 

Hitting the last note perfectly, Aoi exhaled a soft breath before opening his eyes once more to gaze at Eiji. "Was it to your liking?" he asked quietly.

[Akira&Shiki]

Riku nodded. "Keisuke… doesn't know how to keep quiet. But it's fine."

 

He hadn't expected to hear the next words out of Tatsuo's voice. It was advice. Riku nodded slowly at first, then he finally stopped.

 

"Yeah… I'll do that," he responded. "Thank you, Tatsuo-san."

 

When Riku looked back up, he noticed a girl with blonde hair… that looked very familiar. He got the other mamager's attention.

 

"Hey, is that Mina Alayama? You know, the Starz singer?" he asked, trying to make sure he was seeing her.

 

If it was her, what in the world was she doing there? Was it because of…?

 

After hearing Aoi sing, Eiji was enchanted. When Aoi asked him if he liked it, he nodded happily. Just hearing a snippet of the song made his heart feel so weird… kind of warm. And this was surreal. Lately, he had only heard Aoi sing through recordings. Not in person. This experience was perfect. Aoi's voice not only sounded great, but it made the mind at peace. No wonder Aoi was so famous and revered.

 

"That was great… no, not great, it was breathtaking…" Eiji sat up to look at Aoi. "This is why I'm your fan. I can't beat your fan girls, but I'm still a huge fan. I haven't met anyone that can sing like you! The only one that can come a little, tiny bit close is Mina Akayama. But she's a monster. Not cute at all. Oh, by the way, have you ever heard her music?"

 

And as of right on cue, the hospital room door busted open and Mina walked in.

 

"Talking about me, huh?" she asked, glaring at Eiji.

 

Eiji sighed. "What're you doing in here?"

 

Mina grinned and looked at Eiji. "To see you die, of course."

 

"Well look here." Eiji pointed at Aoi. "He's already here to see that. Take a seat outside and wait."

 

Mina's eyes followed Eiji's finger and when she saw Aoi, she immediately blushed. "Oh my God! A-Aoi K-Kamui of Celestial?! Can I have your autograph? Please, please?!"

[Yukio_of_the_Snow]

Merely grunting lightly when he received a thanks for his advice, Tatsuo frowned before glancing at the direction Riku was looking. Catching sight of the blonde, he nodded "Yeah it looks like her. Wonder why she's here".

 

Smiling at Eiji's answer, Aoi felt himself blush a bit at the compliment Eiji was giving him. He had never thought his voice extremely amazing. Yes he loved to sing and provide his fans with music, but Aoi was also a very modest individual. He didn't have as big an ego as others in the field.

 

It always helped to hear his music could touch someone so greatly as it seemed to touch Eiji. It wasn't the first time the model had heard Aoi sing, when they had been together, Aoi had always made a time for just Eiji to hear him. Yet it had been so long since he had heard such compliments from the other man.

 

Blinking thoughtfully at the name of the singer Eiji spoke of, Aoi nodded slowly before "I do believe I have a vague knowledge of Akayama-san".

 

No sooner had those words left his lips that the room door was thrown open and a blonde woman walked in. Watching the interaction between her and the model, Aoi couldn't help the confusion and curiosity festering in him.

 

Clearing his mind when Eiji pointed at him and spoke to the woman in a mildly rude manner, Aoi laughed softly.

 

"No need to be so rude, Eiji. I was getting ready to leave anyways, so she can stay....I have work to get back to" the long haired singer lightly chastised the model.

 

Turning his gaze to the blushing girl whose attention was focused on him, Aoi turned on the charm by smiling sweetly, almost in a princely fashion at her.

 

"Of course you may, Akayama-san.....And please, call me Aoi....Where would you want me to sign my name?" He asked, charm still at full force.

[Akira&Shiki]

Riku sighed. "I think the company sent her here…" He cursed beneath his breath and walked to the hospital room to intervene.

 

He knew what the producers wanted, but he wasn't going to let them get their way. Riku rushed down the halls to make sure that he made it to Eiji and Aoi before Mina could do anything crazy.

 

Meanwhile, Mina was dancing in the inside. The only thing that she and Eiji could agree on was that Aoi was one of the greatest singers to ever live.

 

"A-Aoi?!" she squealed, not hiding her delight in any way. "P-please call me M-Mina, then!"

 

Eiji chuckled. "Aren't you the fan girl?"

 

Mina turned to him. "Shut it! It's no fair that you get A-Aoi all to yourself! Shut up and let me talk to him!"

 

Eiji just shrugged. "Whatever then."

 

Mina turned to Aoi. "P-please-" She stopped mans suddenly hit her cheeks. "I am Mina! Starz singer! I can't act like a fan girl! I can be a fan, but no fan girling!"

 

Finally, after muttering to herself, she turned to Aoi again, clearing her throat. "I apologize for losing my cool."

 

"You've never been cool," Eiji added.

 

Mina turned to him. "Will you just hush?!"

 

Eiji frowned. "Nope!"

 

"Ugh!" She turned to Aoi again. "Would you sign…" she looked around the room and found Riku's notebook. "…here maybe?"

 

Mina handed Aoi the notebook and looked around for a pen. As she did that, Eiji sent the "please don't leave me with this crazy girl" stare. He and Mina would tear down the hospital of they were left alone. They just didn't get along that much.