Part 2

Toshiya rolled over sleepily in his bed. His alarm was beeping on his
bedside table. He picked it up and looked at the bright digital display.
06:00. Ugh. He had to get up soon.

He sat up slowly and tried to remember what he had to do today. Wake up,
eat something, go to work and he had practice that night. He sighed
heavily at the thought of commuting all the way up to Osaka again. It
was tiring not to mention expensive.

It really did seem like it was going to work out with Dir en grey. Maybe
he should move up to Osaka. He could always come back if it didn't work
out. He chewed on his fingernail thoughtfully for a moment before
hopping out of bed and busying himself with his early morning
activities.

He suddenly remembered that Kaoru hadn't called him back last night and
ran back into his room to grab his mobile phone. Kaoru should be awake
now and if he wasn't well, too bad.

The phone rang three times before he picked it up.

"Moshi-moshi." Kaoru answered groggliy.

"Kaoru, you never called me back last night."

"Eh, Toshiya? Oh I'm sorry. Kyo got pretty drunk so I had to take him
home. By the time I got home it was really early so I guess I forgot.
What did you want to ask me?"

"Well I asked about Shinya and…"

"Oh yeah, you wanted to know where he lived. Sorry Toshiya, I don't have
a damn clue."

"But you said…"

"Maybe you should ask him about it. I'll see you at rehearsal today
right?"

"Yeah, I'll see you." Toshiya grumbled before hanging up the phone.
Kaoru was not telling him was he was going to tell him last night.

***

Toshiya arrived for rehearsal at 6:30. They were supposed to start at 6
but, luckily, Toshiya found they were still setting up.

"Morning Toshiya." Die waved cheerfully from across the room. Then he
turned back to Kaoru and resumed chatting about the chords on such and
such song.

Kyo was wandering around the room with the chord to his mic in his hand.
He followed the snaking lead from the amp down along the floor, crossing
several times in front of Toshiya, until he finally reached his mic.
Toshiya thought that was curious behaviour and asked him about it.

"I like to know how it gets there." Was Kyo's blunt reply. Toshiya only
raised his eyebrows and shrugged.

Shinya was sitting in the corner with his drum set, absently tapping on
a practice pad. His eye's followed Toshiya around the room as he set up
his bass.

When Toshiya looked up and caught Shinya's eyes he waved a little and
smiled. Shinya cast his eyes sideways and tried to pretend he hadn't
seen him.

Practice was going well that day. I seemed that the group was finally
falling into place. No one forgot their parts and the music just seemed
to happen. Toshiya was daydreaming between songs about how neat it was
going to be when they were famous one day when Kyo suddenly jumped off
of the tall stool he was sitting on.
He pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and announced to the room that
he was going to smoke.

"Gawd, I need a smoke." He said loudly before dramatically lighting his
cigarette. Die and Kaoru both nodded and pulled out cigarettes as well.

Toshiya cast a glance over at Shinya who was still sitting in the corner
at his drum set. He was fuming, his cheeks red with anger. Toshiya was
about to say something cheeky about Shinya exploding when the drummer
stood up and began to yell.

"I can't believe you guys! It's bad enough that you are killing
yourselves with those this but you don't have to take me with you! I'll
probably be the one who ends up with some kind of horrible lung cancer
from second hand smoke." Shinya ran his hand across his eyes.

Everyone stared at him their faces blank. The offensive cigarette
dangled on Kyo's lip dangerously, threatening to fall to the ground.

He looks like he's going to cry, Toshiya thought. Shinya looked at them
shocked and teary-eyed before he ran from the room.

"What's wrong with Shinya? I've never seen him act this way."

Kaoru's expression saddened.

"Shinya's got a new girlfriend."

"That's supposed to be bad?"

"He's not really very happy with her. We all met her and she's a real
nutball. She's very possessive and won't let Shinya do anything."

"He's being controlled by his girlfriend?" Toshiya almost wanted to
laugh.

"Shinya's a delicate guy. He was really upset when Kisaki left. This
girl is just some cheap replacement."

"Isn't that unfair to the girl?"

Kaoru shrugged.
"She doesn't seem to mind."

Kyo hopped back onto his seat after pulling a second cigarette out.

"Well we can't start again until Shinya comes back, and now that he's
gone, I can have another smoke."

Die looked at Kyo and pulled this new cigarette from his mouth.

"You really are mean Kyo."

"Am not. He's gone isn't he?" As the squabbling broke out between Die
and Kyo Toshiya set down his bass and slipped out of the room.

Toshiya wandered around looking for Shinya until he found his way out a
small side door. It led out to a concrete landing and a small flight of
stairs in a chilly alleyway.

Shinya sat on the edge of the landing, kicking his heels against the
cold concrete. He held his hands in his lap and was aimlessly twiddling
his thumbs. A few still tears clung to his chin at the end of the wet
trails down his cheeks.

Toshiya sat down next to him. He shivered slightly in the cold evening.
He hadn't brought his jacket with him and the sun was almost set. He
noted that Shinya was also with out a jacket and the goose bumps ran
along his arms and the back of his neck.

After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, except for the sound of
Shinya kicking the concrete, Toshiya spoke.

"They can be kinda mean can't they?" He laughed nervously.

"I guess." Shinya replied flatly. Another long silence.

"Aren't you cold?" Toshiya asked.

"No." Shinya said, harshly as he shivered.

"I think you're lying."

"I don't care what you think."

"I know. But if you catch a cold and die I'll feel bad."

Shinya stopped kicking his feet quiet suddenly and turn to Toshiya.

"Why?"

"Because we are band mates now, and whether you like me or not we will be
together. We are supposed to look out for each other. I don't care if
I've known you a month or your whole life." Toshiya said, his voice rose
then dropped. "Besides, it'd be a terrible waste of a pretty face if I
let you die now." He said softly.

Shinya stared at him, wide-eyed. Toshiya let out a short laugh.

"Don't look at me like that! You make me feel like I've done something
wrong."

Shinya looked away and stared down into the pavement of the street below
his feet.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

"I didn't mean it badly." Toshiya whispered back. He put one hand on
Shinya's shoulder. "You can look at me how ever you want."

Shinya glanced at Toshiya hand and then looked up into his eyes.

"Alright."

Toshiya got up and nudged Shinya to do the same.

"We should go back inside. It is getting to cold out here now."

Reluctantly, Shinya stood up. He walked inside when Toshiya held the
door open for him and headed straight back to the practice room.

***

Die looked up when Toshiya and Shinya walked through the door together.

"Oh so there you are. Are you okay Shin-chan? We were worried about
you." Die asked.

"I'm fine." Shinya said. He walked back to his drum set and began to
fiddle with it, adjusting the height of the drums and cymbals, to avoid
anymore questions.

Toshiya crashed into his chair, lolled his head against the back and
closed his eyes. He felt very tired now.

He winced, his eyes still closed, at the sudden feeling of someone
sitting in his lap. He opened his eyes to Kyo's face peering intently in
his own.

Kyo was seated in Toshiya's lap his tiny hands holding onto the edge of
the seat as he leaned forward.

"What do you want Kyo?"

"Are you very sleepy Toshiya?"

"Yes, I woke up early and worked all day plus, a two hour commute is not
the most pleasant thing in the world."

"Have you thought about moving up here?" Kaoru asked with the utmost
seriousness.

"I had but, I don't have time to go house hunting. Between my job and
rehearsal I'm booked."

Kyo bounced in Toshiya's lap and clapped his hands together.

"Oh Toshiya can move in with me!" He said cheerfully.

"Why should he move in with you?" Die smirked.

"Because I'm better company than either of you two." Kyo said, gesturing
at Die and Kaoru. "And Shinya still lives with his Mom and Dad. Besides
I have and extra room." Kyo stuck his tongue out. He turned back to
Toshiya. "So do you want to move in with me?"

Toshiya blushed intensely. He felt like he was going to move in with a
girlfriend.

"Aww, look at him blush!" Die cackled. Even Shinya was giggling in the
corner.

"Yeah okay Kyo. I'll move in with you."

"Yay!" Kyo threw his arms around Toshiya's neck and hugged him. "We are
going to have so much fun!" He got up and danced around the room
happily.

Kaoru sighed and began to pack up his guitar.

"I don't think we'll get much done now." Kaoru checked his watch. "Our
time is almost up anyway. So who wants to go out for a drink?" He said,
grinning happily.

"Oo, me Kaoru-san!" Kyo grabbed Kaoru's hands and tried to make him
dance with him.

"You are too much trouble to go drinking with. You were very drunk just
last night."

"Aww, but that was last night. I haven't been drunk yet tonight."

Kaoru sighed again.

"Don't you ever get hangovers?"

Kyo blinked and smiled cutely.

"Nope."

"What about you Toshiya? Wanna go out?" Kaoru asked as Kyo continued
flailing both of their arms around wildly.

"Can't. I really gotta get home. I have to get up for work in the
morning."

"Oh, work." Kaoru looked at Kyo. "Don't you have to work tomorrow too?"

Kyo expression dropped. He let go of Kaoru's hands and walked to the
other side of the room, grumbling.

"It's a good thing Toshiya's going to move in with you Kyo. Then someone
else can play Mommy for you sometimes." Kaoru said smiling.

Kyo glared at him before grabbing his jacket and kicking open the door.

"I'll call you later Toshiya!" Kyo called as he ran out the door,
flashing a grin and sticking out his tongue.

***

Two weeks later all of the arrangements had been made and Toshiya was
ready to move his things over to Kyo's apartment.

Dressed in short cut-off jean shorts and a white T-shirt, his long dark
hair tied up effectively under a scarf, armed with a tape gun and
several brown cardboard boxes, Toshiya prepared to pack up all of his
things.

Some of his things, like keepsakes and such, were going to be stored at
his parent's house but the rest was all coming with him.

He was filling one of the boxes with his collection of mangas and
magazines he'd collected over the years, when Toshiya heard a knock at
the door. Before he could even get up to answer it Kyo's head popped in
the door.

"Toshiya?" He looked around the room and his face brightened when he saw
the bassist's figure crouched over a box. "Oh yay! This really is your
apartment."

Toshiya stood up to greet Kyo.

"Yeah. What would you have done if you had just barged in here and it
wasn't my apartment?"

"I'd shut the door and leave to find you, silly." Kyo walked into the
entry, leaving the door slightly open. "Anyway, Die and Kaoru couldn't
come to help pack your stuff but they will be by our place later. But
you'll never guess who I got to come!"

Kyo reached into the hallway and pulled a flustered Shinya into the
room. He snickered and wrapped his own short arm around Shinya's longer
one.

"We told his Mom that he was going shopping with me all day. So he could
sneak down here and help."

At the mention of his mother, Shinya blushed and looked at the floor.

"Well, thanks for coming. It's nice to have lots of help." Toshiya said
cheerfully. He offered to take their jackets and put them in the small
closet in the entryway.

"Aren't you cold?" Kyo asked pointing at Toshiya's long, bare legs.

"Not really." He answered, blushing. He placed his hands over the
exposed part of his thighs in an effort to his them. "It's warm in here
anyway." He felt very aware of exactly how short his shorts were and was
suddenly rather embarrassed by it.

It didn't take long between the three of them to pack of Toshiya's
belongings. Toshiya changed into a sweater and jeans to go over to his
parent's house. He went into the living room and picked up a few boxes
but it was more than he could carry alone and he toppled over,
scattering the boxes across the floor.

"Would you like us to help you take that stuff to your parents house?"
Shinya asked.

"I could use the help if you don't mind. It's not very far to walk."

They gathered up the boxes and began to walk along the quiet streets.
They had almost reached Toshiya's parent's house when it began to
drizzle freezing rain.

Toshiya opened the door carefully and set his boxes down in the hallway.
He pulled Kyo and Shinya inside and motioned them to do the same.

"Tadaima!" He yelled. His voice echoed through the house.

Toshiya mother came running out of the living room to greet her son. She
was as short as Kyo and dressed in a housedress and slippers. She hugged
Toshiya and kissed both his cheeks.

"How is my sweet little son? Father! Our dear little Toshiya-chan is
here!" She looked Kyo and Shinya up and down and turned back to her son.
"Who are your friends sweetie?"

"This is Kyo and Shinya. They are from my new band, remember I told you
about them?"

Toshiya's mother faced Kyo and Shinya and peered at them before braking
into a big smile.

"So you are the ones stealing our dearest Toshiya away?" She reached up
and pinched Kyo's cheek and gave him a quick little kiss there. "Well
aren't you just the cutest?" She gushed.

"Thank you Mom." Kyo grinned.

She looked at Shinya and stood up on her tiptoes to give him a quick
peck on the cheek too.

"You are so pretty Shinya-chan but don't let our naughty son talk you
into wearing all that make-up. It makes him look like a girl!"

"Mom…" Toshiya whined.

"Oh hush up Toshiya and invite your friends in."

"We can't stay long mom. I have to drive up to Osaka with the rest of my
things. Remember today is moving day?"

Toshiya's mother sighed.

"Yes I remember. Well you can come in and have a little something to eat
before you go? And you must bring your friends to meet your father."

"Okay, mom. But I have to put these things in the attic first." Toshiya
said, picking up some boxes and slipping past his mother and dashing up
the stairs. Shinya shrugged and took the last of the boxes and followed
Toshiya up the stairs, leaving poor Kyo alone with Toshiya's mother.

***

Shinya crawled up the ladder to the attic with the last box, and handed
it to Toshiya. He rocked back on his heels and listened to the sound of
rain beating softly against the roof. It was warm up there and the attic
smelled fragrantly of wood.

"I've never heard the rain like this." Shinya said softly.

"It's pretty isn't it? I used to come up here when I was little and
listen to the rain." Toshiya laughed shortly. "Sometimes I would fall
asleep and my mother would worry that I had wandered outside and gotten
hit by a car."

There was a long silence between them as they listened to the rain.

"Aren't you afraid you are going to be homesick?"

"I am, I will miss my family but, they aren't that far away." Toshiya
paused. " And I think I have just made a new family."

"Toshiya! Aren't you finished up there yet?" his mother called from
downstairs.

"Yes! Coming mother!" Toshiya shrugged and smiled at Shinya. They went
downstairs, and found Kyo sitting in the living room chatting with
Toshiya's father who looked, only vaguely interested in what Kyo was
saying.

Toshiya's mother came bustling in with hot chocolate.

"Aww, mom. We cannot stay!"

"Oh you have to stay for a little while dear. We might not see you for a
very long time."

"Mother." Toshiya grumbled under his breath.

Kyo took a cup of hot chocolate, sipped it and made a smacking noise
with his lips.

"Oo it's so nummy! Thank you Mommy!"

"Aww, aren't you sweet. You should be more like your friend Kyo and make
you mother happy."

Toshiya glared at Kyo while Shinya laughed softly into his own hot
chocolate. Toshiya grumbled some more as he also began to drink.

When they had all finished Toshiya stood up and pulled Kyo out of his
seat.

"Mom, we really have to get going now."

"Okay dear, if you really think you can't stay any longer. Stay out of
trouble, and be sure to call every once in a while." Toshiya mother
ushered them to the door and gave Toshiya a big kiss on both cheeks
before he left. She also gave Kyo a big hug and a pat on the head. "It
was so nice to meet you dear, and you too Shinya."

"Bye bye mom!" Toshiya waved as he and Kyo and Shinya began to run back
to his apartment in the rain.