Gravitation Fan Fiction ❯ Blank Slate ❯ Chapter 1

Summary: Rated T for minor cursing, a possible concussion, and a few mentions of suicide. “A person is so much easier to control when they're a blank slate.” -Naraku from the English dub of Inuyasha.

 

“Aaaah! Shindou-san, you haven't finished the song yet? Shachou is going to kill us, more specifically me!”

Of course, Shuichi was not listening. “Yuki just kicked me out for no reason! He just said, `You're annoying me. Get out.' That was it! I can't write lyrics under that kind of emotional distress!” he whined to Fujisaki. The younger boy just put his hand to his forehead. “What possessed you to think that I would even care why you're wasting my time? All I care is that you are! I'm going home. I could've been at school…” he complained as he grabbed his bag and headed out the door.

“Fujisaki-kun, you're not leaving too! Now we'll really never get any work done!”

He suddenly stopped and backed up. The barrel of a familiar rifle soon appeared, everyone in the room having had it pointed at their skull at one time. Soon hands, sunglasses, and a tall body crowned with a high blonde ponytail walked the teen back to his keyboard. He tried to appeal to his manager's sense of logic. “Shuichi-kun hasn't done any work, and any more work that I can do depends on him now! I should be allowed to go home.” The American sighed, “I personally agree, but if you leave I think Sakano-san's going to jump out the window.” The band's producer was currently pacing the studio floor, mumbling about the lyrics, the concert, and the shachou. He flinched at hearing his name.

“I wouldn't have to resort to such drastic measures if you would actually do your job for once!” Sakano yelled in a very un-Sakano-like fashion. “At least when I was their manager I attempted to do the task of managing them!”

K smirked. “And that's why Seguchi-san called me in.”

Sakano calmed somewhat, quieting his voice. “He wanted me to do what I do best, producing. Unfortunately, my job has only gotten harder since you arrived.”

The older man's smirk turned into a glare. “So you're accusing me of driving you to suicide? Don't give me that crap. If you didn't live with a stick up your ass and your lips glued to Seguchi-san's, you'd make a half-decent person.”

“I was expecting you to help me handle Bad Luck. That's what you were hired to do. But things are, if anything, worse! And I'm talking about sales!”

“But isn't that what ultimately matters in that head of yours? That and what Seguchi-san thinks? Therefore, as long as Bad Luck has its contract, haven't I done my job? On the other hand, the band was precariously close to flopping before I came.”
Sakano put his hand to his head. “We're always close to losing our contract! If you actually paid attention at the meetings, you'd know that!” A sigh. “I don't know why I put up with you. Jumping out the window, it'd be all over.”

K's glare hadn't lessened. “Then do it. The window's right behind you. Go ahead. I'm not stopping you.”

At this moment, the band, who'd been shocked into silence by Sakano's behavior, suddenly sprang back to life.

“What are you thinking?”

“That's somewhat eccentric, even for you. Sakano-san's an important member of this team.”

“You can't be telling me you want him DEAD!?”

The manager looked at the young men. “I'm tired of him threatening suicide to get what he wants. That's weak. He needs to learn that people aren't going to bend to his every whim.”

Unfortunately, a cardinal rule is to NEVER dare a suicidal person to complete the act, especially when the person has attempted to do it before. That rule K realized as he looked back toward the window, to see…no producer. He didn't…

Thud.

K's eyes widened. I didn't think he'd do it. As he headed to the window, a sickening thought appeared. We're on the eighth floor… “Oh, shit,” he whispered in English as he raced to the window, seeing Sakano face down on the ground below. He turned to his band with a huge grin. “You are all free to go home. I have some business with Sakano-san to finish up.” With that he left. But the three were glued to the floor. They could be unobservant, but they weren't stupid. They knew what had happened. With zombie-like speed, they shuffled over to the window, where K was scooping up Sakano and putting him in his car.

“Well…that was weird.”

“Do you think he'll be okay?”

“He'll be fine. I'm going home. I'm getting Yuki to open up that door if it kills me!” Shuichi yelled with one fist in the air. The others fell over anime style.