"JIRO!"

The bassist jumped out of his skin at the sound of his name. Looking up, he met the unconceding look on the leader's already ticked off face. "You're calling me?"

"As I've had for the last fifty times already, yes." Takuro sighed then entwined his long arms before his chest. "Are you with us?"

"Yes…of course…" Absentmindedly, he traced his finger along the edge of the table. "I was just thinking."

"Of what?" Takuro wasn't going to let him get away so easily.

Jiro could lie, but he knew that Takuro would see through his best fib, not to mention the fact that he had never really been good in that sort of thing. "Things," he dismissed vaguely. "Unimportant things."

The acerbic stressed leader simply glared at Jiro, letting the other man know he wasn't buying the excuse. But he had to let the subject drop. He stirred his head, getting *everyone's* attention now. "So, have we got everything clear?"

"Hai," was the unanimous reply, even though Jiro hadn't exactly meant it. *Nothing* that Takuro had been blabbering about for the past two hours chronicled into his mind.

"Alright, then. Meeting's over." The studio was suddenly filled with noises of chairs being pushed back and deep resonance of wooden heels and sneaker squeaks against the vinyl-tiled floor. Everybody must be anxious to leave after being cooped up in the meeting for hours. Takuro could really lose his sense of time during such moments that he talks out his position as Glay's leader. But Jiro remained in his seat, an arm draped over the backrest of his chair. His mind had gone back to where it had been all the time Takuro was presiding over the meeting.

It wasn't until Toshi tapped his arm that Jiro paid attention to anything else again. "Ne, are you planning on staying here the whole day, Jiro-kun?"

"Nah," Jiro countered, putting up a smile. "I just don't want to be part of the mad dash, that's all."

The chubby drummer gave Jiro's shoulder a slight slap. "I'll go on ahead. See you tomorrow, then?"

"Tomorrow?" Jiro echoed.

"Yeah, we've got another meeting tomorrow, remember?"

There were no feelings of any joy with Jiro's grin. "Of course."

Toshi looked worriedly at Jiro. It was obvious he wanted to ask whatever it was that was bothering the young man but he opted to keep his questions to himself. Perhaps the bassist would speak up whenever he was ready. He always did. Toshi put on his shades. "Mata ne."

Jiro's blonde-brown head simply nodded then watched the other man leave. Maybe he should've told the drummer what he was going through. He certainly felt like he couldn't go through this on his own and a second opinion¾maybe even a third or a fourth¾would be beneficial. He later abandoned the thought. There were only two people he had to talk to, and one was taken cared of the previous night. His gaze chanced upon a classic acoustic six-string festooned on one of the studio's walls and the face he always associated with it came into mind. Jiro had admitted he wasn't sure he was ready to confront Hisashi, but he was positive that the longer he'd put this off, the longer both of them would suffer.

//Both of us?// Jiro thought. //Scrap that.// He was certain only he would agonize in the run. Hisashi didn't even know what he wanted. For all the saints knew, the guitarist was just having a bad case of lay-loss. But Jiro had always known from the start what he desired to have.

A few more seconds and Jiro finally realized he was alone. Slowly he got up from his seat and slung his black knapsack over his shoulder. He chucked a final glance at the room he was leaving then turned out the lights.

A lone figure was waiting across the foot of the staircase, someone slim reposing his back upon the wall, a foot raised up and flat against the concrete partition. Hisashi immediately relaxed from his position when he saw Jiro coming down. "Hi," was the soft greeting. It was the first word Jiro had heard from Hisashi for the day. As far as his eye had captured, Hisashi had been rather quiet as him during the meeting, though he reckoned the guitarist had paid much more attention to Takuro than he did.

Jiro halted in front of the small man. "Hi," he replied with the same amount of prudence. "Waiting for someone?"

"Yes…" There was caution in the guitarist's eyes as he spilled out the rest of his words. "I was waiting for you." Hisashi tucked a tendril of hair behind an ear. "I gotta talk to you. I mean, I want to talk to you."

Jiro nodded. "When?"

"The soonest, I guess."

Jiro shrugged while slipping a hand into his jeans' pocket. "I've nothing planned for the day."

"That sounds good." The guitarist toyed with his skull ring, twisting it around his middle finger a few times. "But I kind of need you to do something for me first."

"What is it?"

"Will you please pick Ayu-chan up from the vet's? My car's down so I really can't do that right now."

"So how did you get--"

"Masahide," Hisashi replied, cutting him off.

"Yesterday it was a flat tire, now it's a busted whatever." Jiro couldn't suppress a grin. "Get rid of the damn car, Hisashi."

"I would, I would…once I've found a better one."

Jiro shrugged. "Anyway, why don't we just go there together?"

"I think we both perfectly know it would be very awkward in your car en route to the vet's. We might just end up saying things we hadn't planned on saying." Jiro's nod confirmed the other man was correct. "I suppose I could go ask Masahide to drive me there but I've already bothered him enough. Besides, he has to pick up his kid from school." Hisashi shifted his weight on one leg to fish for his wallet from his back pocket. He handed Jiro a thin plastic item. "I guess this ought to cover the extra expenses for Ayu's stay there."

Jiro stared at Hisashi's credit card as an excuse to buy time to think of something to say. "Why are you making me do this?" he finally asked after what seemed like an eternity.

"Well, my car's in a really bad shape and I--"

"Hisashi…" It was a warning tone as though to say the guitarist knew what he was pressing an answer to.

"Because you know where the clinic is, because the vet knows you, because Ayu's comfortable with you…" Hisashi blew onto his bangs. "And because I trust you enough to put Ayu's life in your hands."

The words made Jiro smile. He slipped the plastic between the bills in his own wallet. "As long as I have your credit card, can I go shopping as well? There's this really cool Jaguar convertible I saw."

"Do that and you'll be taking the bed Ayu will be leaving at Dr. Kobayashi's clinic," was Hisashi's joking threat. It was accompanied by a smile which gradually subsided when silence clothed them. "So, uhm, how are you, by the way?"

"Fine."

"And Reiko?"

"She's okay." Jiro head bent askew. "Why do you ask?"

Hisashi shrugged. "You just looked kind of out of it back at the meeting. I was wondering if things were okay. After all, Takuro did tell me that…" Hisashi halted, sensing he had acquired a *lot* of Jiro's attention. "Never mind."

"What did Takuro tell you?"

"Well, he kind of mentioned something about you and Reiko heading for Splitsvi--I mean, your relationship being on the rocks, that's all."

"Oh." Funny for their leader to assume. Jiro had never told Takuro anything but a vague mention of a disagreement with her.

The guitarist scratched the back of his ear, as though embarrassed at being so tactless. Yet, it was obvious there was still more on his mind. "So…is it?"

"Hm?"

"You and Reiko…I mean, are you…"

Jiro sighed. "Well--"

Hisashi suddenly let his hand up. "No, wait. Don't answer. It's none of my business, really. I shouldn't have asked in the first place. Sorry, I was being too nosy."

"It's alright."

"No, really, I'm sorry," Hisashi insisted. "I guess I better hit the road, anyway. Masahide's probably waiting for me."

Jiro nodded. "What time will you be expecting us?"

Hisashi checked his wristwatch, strikingly identical with the one Jiro had on. "Five-ish? Maybe six? I've got to catch up on my tidying the flat. I wouldn't need for Ayu to swallow all those thingamajigs scattered around."

"Six would be fine."

"But you can fetch him as early as now. The clinic closes pretty early. Might as well baby-sit him for a few hours…"

"Sure."

"Great!" Hisashi cried in relief. "So, I'll see you then?"

"Yeah."

"Great." The guitarist smiled another time. "I *really* gotta get going now. Ja!"

"Ja!" Jiro watched as the other man started for the door. Though there was only one exit, Jiro decided not to walk with Hisashi on the way out. It would only cause another round of never-ending good-byes.

A few feet from where he'd left, Hisashi suddenly stopped in his tracks. A turn around and hurried steps brought Hisashi back in front of the bassist, closer than they had been just a while ago. Jiro was about to ask if the guitarist had forgotten anything but Hisashi tipped on his toes, prompting Jiro to dismiss the question. The next thing he felt was the quick but gentle caress of Hisashi's lips to his cheek.

"Ja ne," Hisashi whispered one last time to Jiro's ear. Before the bassist could whip up a response, Hisashi put on his shades then ran down the hallway.

It took Jiro a moment before he could once again blink. His hand reached up to his cheek, still moist from being pressed against Hisashi's lips. The need to talk and straighten things out with that man grew even stronger. He couldn't wait for the clock to strike six.

"Here you go," Jiro said as he set a bowl of milk before the black-and-white feline. He had offered Ayu some tuna earlier but the cat simply sniffed it before backing off, rubbing against his new master's leg as a plea for something else.

After confirming Ayu's satisfaction with his new treat, Jiro roosted down his couch. His eyes never left the beloved pet, busy lapping quietly at the liquid. He leaned forward, propping his elbow up on his knee and resting his chin on the heel of his palm. For some reason, watching the cat drink brought Jiro some sort of peace from within him. Perhaps it was the way Ayu feasted on the milk: hungrily like he hadn't had one in over a decade, yet with grace and elegance as that of a royal animal. Jiro grinned. //Exactly like Hisashi.//

The bassist relaxed in his place and lay down on the velour couch, left hand nestling the back of his head while the other dangled off the edge of the seat, almost touching the floor. The blue-haired man's face quickly came into his mind's focus, as though he could see a vivid image off his ceiling. What is it with that man lately? It had started off as making an effort to be friends and now, the guitarist was acting like the vamp of the century, not that Jiro was bothered because he didn't want that kind of seductive attention. Jiro was troubled because it was working. It was so easy to succumb to the call, yet there was one big point to consider: What did Hisashi really want? Jiro was desperate to know.

A faint licking of his fingers startled him out of his thoughts. Looking down, he saw a full Ayu nudging his head on Jiro's huge hands, begging for attention. Jiro scooped the cat into his arms and let the feline make a cozy bed of his clothed torso. He gently scratched the cat's belly, lulling the animal to sleep. Ayu sure had a subtle way of demanding, pretty much like his real master. Jiro wondered if there was a proven scientific finding of masters and pets acting so much like each other after years of togetherness.

As the cat settled in blissful sleep on his chest, Jiro smiled. Ayu was the root cause of everything that's been happening to him. Because of Ayu, he had gotten along better with Hisashi, making the erstwhile strangers the best of friends in a matter of…//One week//, Jiro mentally calculated. He sputtered. It took him years to try to secure a start on getting to Hisashi's good side!

His gaze drew to the beloved pet with eyes that conveyed a huge amount of gratitude. If it hadn't been for Ayu, none of this would've happened. If he hadn't held the cat much more important…//I still would have Reiko with me, and probably feel miserable for the rest of my life.// He closed his eyes, his mind drifting off to the events of the previous night, the very moment after Hisashi walked out the door, leaving him to face up to the woman he mistook would make up for the one thing he thought he could never have…

"Aren't you going to kiss me 'hello', Koi?"

Jiro sighed before he took one step towards her. Immediately, Reiko sprang into his arms then wrapped her own limbs around him. She leaned closer, standing on a tiptoe and kissed Jiro, like a girlfriend should kiss her boyfriend after a rough day at work, like how a couple very much in love would kiss.

Except Jiro wasn't responding.

Reiko loosened her hold on him and released his lips, watching as his head bent down, an expression of pain and regret masking his face. Shock paled her features while she stepped back. "Yoshihito?"

Jiro gulped when she called her by his real name. He had wanted to avoid this moment, praying that there was an easier way to deal with this. He usually melted under her touch. It had always rendered him weak. But for some reason, it failed this night. It didn't make him feel anything but an ounce of courage to tell her the truth, before things get out of hand, before it would become harder to let it out.

Bravely, he raised his head up and looked at her, trying to see what her round eyes conveyed. He had wanted to tell her that he no longer felt the same way for her, but he found he didn't have the heart to. He sighed in defeat. "Maybe we should do that again," he said instead then leaned down to her face.

It was her turn to step back. "No."

He was stunned, never expecting that kind of a reaction. "Reiko?"

"We need to talk."

He only stared at her, waiting for more words, waiting for her to say that she didn't mean what she just said, waiting for her to kiss him again. She never did any but walk further to the center of the living room. Unexplainable fear gripped him. He'd seen a lot of relationships end when one of the pair says that they need to talk. He had the feeling that by the time this talk of theirs would end, one of them would end up crying. He feared even more that it wouldn't be him.

Jiro sighed then nodded. "What are we going to talk about?"

"Quit acting stupid. You know what the problem is." Reiko hugged her elbows. "This has been going on for weeks now. Two months to be precise since I started counting. I can feel it, Jiro. I know you wouldn't say it, but I can tell that you don't feel for me the way you used to anymore. Something has changed in you. Dare I assume somebody else did that to you?"

"Reiko, you are not making any sense at all."

"Am I?" she dared. "I may be a lot of things, Wayama but numb is definitely not one of them, and so is being dumb."

Jiro was stunned to his place. It's been a long time since he last heard Reiko call him formally like that. It had also been a while since he saw her this grim, but he couldn't contradict her. He felt that everything she had to say would have to be true.

"Look," she went on, but never looking into his eyes, "I don't want to make this any uglier than it is and I have no intention of begging as well. So why don't we just spare ourselves both the misery and quit dragging it all around?"

"Okay." Jiro meant it. No matter how much he wanted this to end, he didn't want to be the one to drop the bomb.

"I want out, Jiro. I know you do, too."

"Reiko, that's not--"

"Do you still love me, Jiro Wayama?"

He gulped and stared at her for a few seconds. He couldn't control it; he cleared his throat. "Of course."

"Damnit, Jiro! Listen to yourself! You cannot pull this off no matter how hard you try. And I'm not gonna stand here listening to your denials." She took a moment to gather herself together. Her voice was suddenly a soft, soothing tone when she spoke up again. "Jiro, you know you're never a good liar. That's what I love most about you. But I cannot go on living and pretending I still cause your happiness. And if you still insist that nothing has changed, Jiro, please open your eyes. If you can't be honest with me then at least be honest with yourself."

Jiro felt like a ton of bricks was dumped on him. It wasn't so much with the way Reiko was breaking things off with him--he knew it was coming--but it was with her very words that subtly told him she knew the change in his feelings. And it caused goosebumps on his arms. "I'm sorry, Reiko."

She forced a smile. "What's there to be sorry about being honest?"

He bit his bottom lip. Reiko had obviously planned this breakup very well. He could see it in the stiff upper lip she'd been showing. "Rei…"

"So, uhm, I guess this is it."

"You'll be alright," he assured. But he knew it was a useless pathetic line. Reiko loved him too much not to feel any sort of pang when they part ways.

"I know. Just the thought of you not being tied down to me by force or obligation is enough to make me feel okay, you know." She straightened her spine then moved towards him but kept a civil distance. "You need to be where you'll be happy. And I know where it is because I saw it in your eyes earlier. I do not have to know how long this has been going on or what sparked the change or what sort of miracle brought you two closer together. I just know your feelings can't be denied because I saw them in your eyes. I felt it, and you know I've never been wrong about my intuitions."

"Reiko?"

"The way you looked at *him*…that was the way you used to look at me." She let a few seconds pass for her words to sink into Jiro before she casually extended a hand. "Thank you very much for everything, Yoshihito Wayama."

There was a moment of hesitation. He wanted to ask her how she could be so sure but then chose not to. Intelligence and sensitivity had always been two of Reiko's strongest traits. Jiro accepted her hand amicably nonetheless. He noted the tingling sensation whenever he held her was absent. "This doesn't mean we won't be friends anymore, would it?"

She shrugged. "Let me find my time, okay?" The unfeeling smile was back on her face. "I guess I should be going now."

It was a cue for him to let go, but he didn't. Instead, he pulled her close to him and held her, knowing she could break so easily in times when she tries herself to be tough. But she didn't cry. She didn't even make a sound. It made Jiro even guiltier. He prayed she'd curse him off for hurting her, to warn him that the day would come when he'd realize his stupidity and crawl on his knees to ask her back again. Still, she remained silent. Reiko extracted herself from Jiro's arms then stood on her toes, just enough to plant a tender kiss on his forehead.

Jiro stared blankly at her feet, those small ones that would be taking her away in a while. He could not bring himself the see the pain he'd caused on her face. She tried to hide it, but he knew it was there.

Reiko totally withdrew her hand from his grasp. "Goodbye, Jiro."

He could only nod, listening to her almost inaudible steps towards the door.

"Take good care of…of each other. And tell him to take good care of you, too. I hope you two work it out."

It was only then that Jiro heard the door close. Reiko didn't know it--she probably never would--but as soon as she closed the door, Jiro headed for the window and watched her leave. At first she walked straight to her car like nothing had happened, but when she opened her door, she scrunched over the roof of her car, crying the tears she'd been holding back.

The sight caused a stab in his heart. He'd never had a girl cry over him. It was always he who cried whenever a relationship ended. But no matter how much it ached him, no matter how much it bugged his conscience, he knew Reiko was right. He needed to be honest with himself. And the only truth he knew was that he was in love with someone else.

He was in love with Hisashi.

A loud clap of thunder jolted Jiro out of his daze and soon realized he had fallen asleep. He rubbed his eyes then yawned. A faint movement rendered him aware that Ayu was still curled up into a furry ball on his chest, the adoring feline seemingly cozy on the nest he made of Jiro's sweatshirt. An index finger smoothed down the cat's black-and-white forehead, giving the fuzzy animal pleasure of being petted. "You like that, don't you?" Jiro said. Ayu responded by licking the finger that stroked him. It tickled Jiro.

Another blast of thunder roared from outside, loud enough to cause the house to rattle. Ayu further rolled himself up, paws clawing into Jiro's bulky sweatshirt as though trying to make himself any cozier. The rumble had obviously frightened his sensitive ears.

"Hey, it's alright," Jiro cooed to the helpless cat. The bassist finally got up, arms still cuddling Ayu, and walked towards the window. The sky was dark, a mixed palette of midnight blue and gray. The only light Jiro could see was from the lampposts and neighboring houses, as well as the bolt of lightning that flashed from time to time. "Maa, this is bad. Looks like a storm is brewing." He eyed the cat. "What do you think?" The cat only gave him a slight purring, as he had expected. Frantically, he searched around the house. "What time is it anyway?"

The digital lights on his VCR timer registered 5:43PM. "I guess I better take you back to your master then." He scrunched up his face at the cat. "You miss him terribly, Ayu-chan?" The animal meowed in response. "Yeah, I know. You're not the only one, you know."

Gently, he settled the cat down on his couch and entered his room to squirm out of his hairball-laden shirt and into a fresh one, plus a parka. He examined himself into the mirror, trying to gather his nerves up. He was going to have that talk with Hisashi in a matter of minutes. Whatever confusion going on between them has to come to an end and hopefully, it'll end with them holding each other, not wanting to let go. //'Can't blame me for hoping.//

Hisashi lit the scented candles adorning his room one by one in an almost ceremonious way. It cast a soft light on his room, almost erotic and romantic at the same time. He wasn't sure why but for some reason, he felt this room would see some interesting times in a couple of minutes. Jiro was coming over and they were going to talk. Hisashi knew that no matter how many times he'd put it off, the time will come when either of them would take the initiative to seek for an understanding.

He wasn't going to fool himself; there was no need to. The thought of him and Jiro talking whatever it was that's going on between them scared him. He was never really good at this sort of stuff. Normally, he'd just stay quiet, letting everything he'd hear enter his right ear then flow straight out the left. Or he'd storm out of the room, leaving everything in the cold. That was how he managed to keep silent about the past apathy he had with the bassist. He never took the time out to sit down with Jiro and discuss their differences out. Hell, just the mere thought of Jiro and Hisashi *talking* was a very novel idea on its own.

A streak of light glimmered from beyond his window, followed by the deafening clamor of thunder. Hisashi discerned bad weather was up ahead and he wondered if Jiro and Ayu would be able to make it after all. The rain hadn't stopped pouring heavily since it started an hour ago.

Hisashi shivered, prompting him to zip his jacket further up to his chest. The weather was really horrendous. "Maybe I should call him to cancel." He pondered for a few moments then arrived at a decision. He picked up the phone and started to press the buttons only to slam the receiver down the cradle halfway Jiro's number. Even in the overpowering bellow outside, he heard him knocking on the door. Hisashi checked himself in the mirror for a final glance then ran to welcome his guest, straightening his clothing along the way.

"Just a minute," he called out sweetly, almost melodiously, after another pounding on his door. Hisashi placed his trembling hands on the knob, took a deep breath, then pulled open the door with a smile. "Hello, Ji--"

"Hi."

The arch of Hisashi's lips was quickly replaced by a slight gape of surprise at the man shivering by his doorway. "Teru?"

part 7