Gravitation Fan Fiction ❯ Bundle of Dreams ❯ She Doesn't Even Look Like Him! ( Chapter 3 )

TITLE: Bundle of Dreams

AUTHOR: WolfPuck

FEEDBACK: K and his bazooka humbly request you leave a review or send feedback to ba88_osapup@hotmail.com.

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing remotely related to the Gravitation manga, anime series, or creator Maki Murakami. I own the storyline and the character of Arina, both of which were summoned from the darkest pits of my imagination. I'm looking to acquire a Kumagorou plushie, but we'll see how well that goes. *cross fingers* Christmas is coming up soon.

RATING: PG-13 for language, as well as some sensual imagery.

 

This fiction is based off the anime series, not the manga. The events take place at an undisclosed time after Yuki's return from New York at the end of the series.

 

 

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Chapter 3

 

“Shuichi! There you are!” Hiro exclaimed, relieved that his friend had finally decided to join them. The president of NG, Touma Seguchi, would be there at any moment, and it was never a good idea to keep him waiting.

 

“Shindo! There you are! Where have you been?!” Sakano cried, having his usual morning panic attack right on schedule.

 

“Yeah, where have you been?” Hiro asked, looking slant-eyed at Shuichi. The pink-haired singer shifted uncomfortably, but didn't offer an answer to the question posed by his red-headed band mate. “Shuichi…” Hiro prompted, narrowing his eyes slightly for effect.

 

“Yuki,” Shuichi answered, his tone clearly signifying that this was not the time to talk about it. Before Hiro could reply, Sakano was tapped on the shoulder by Touma's secretary.

 

“All right, you two,” Sakano announced, turning to the pair. “Mister Seguchi is ready to see us now.”

 

****

 

“You heard me yesterday,” Yuki growled for the third time that morning. This growl, like those before it, had been directed at his older sister, Mika Seguchi. She had come over to the apartment not long after Shuichi left it, and Yuki had the distinct impression she had done so on purpose.

 

“So you're going to ignore this wish of our father's as well?” Mika asked, her sapphire eyes snapping.

 

“Yup.” Now it was Mika's turn to growl.

 

Several months earlier, Yuki had nearly succumbed to an arranged marriage set up by their father. The girl he was to marry, Ayaka Usami, was young, beautiful, and perfect. But there was Yuki's own stubbornness and pride to consider. And then there was Shuichi. In the end, Yuki opted to stay in his relationship with the pink-haired, violet-eyed rocker. His father was less than pleased, to say the least, but that was no bother to Yuki. But for the old man to try something so desperate and under-handed twice was…unforgivable.

 

“Fine,” Mika snapped, snatching up her purse and storming toward the front door. “I'll let you tell Touma!” And with that, she flounced out the door, slamming it unceremoniously shut behind her.

 

“Wonder what the hell that meant,” Yuki pondered out loud. Shrugging off the thought, he lit a cigarette, taking a deep breath and blowing it out as far as it would go.

 

****

 

“Good morning, Mister Shindo, Mister Nakano,” Touma greeted his artists, the original duo of the hit band Bad Luck. “Where is my cousin this morning?” he asked, clearly puzzled by the lack of keyboardist on the premises.

 

“Oh, he called earlier. He's not feeling very well this morning. Something about a party last night at your house,” Hiro replied, tightening strings on his guitar and strumming a few notes to test his work.

 

“Ah, yes. I thought he looked a bit off-color yesterday evening,” Touma agreed. “Well, no matter: today's meeting is merely a formality. Actually, I wanted you all to meet someone.”

 

“Who?” Shuichi asked, looking back and forth between Touma and K, the latter grinning like the pink-haired singer had never seen him do before.

 

“Everyone, this is my little sister, Arina,” Touma announced, gesturing for Arina to come over. Hiro gasped, Shuichi's mouth dropped, and K remained unfazed, having already met the young woman the night before.

 

“Younger sister, Touma,” Arina reminded, joining the small group at the end of the long conference table. “I stopped being smaller than you when I turned 17.” Touma seemed less than pleased by this statement, but had apparently decided to ignore it for the moment.

 

“Touma has a sister?” Shuichi asked, staring dumbfounded at the girl. His gaze snapped back and forth between her and the president, still searching for some family resemblance between the two. Arina's eyes were a similar hue of green to Touma's, certainly, but her golden hair shimmered in a way the NG president's platinum blond never could. Even their facial structures were different.

 

“Sadly yes, that is his fate,” Arina quipped, pretending to hang her head slightly. Hiro laughed appreciatively, as did K; Shuichi remained scratching his head, while Sakano—oblivious to the entire situation—continued flipping switches on the television set in the corner.

 

“Well, Arina,” Touma intoned, clearly less than pleased by the entire situation, “I think it's time you got back to the house.” Arina considered scowling at her brother for ruining a perfectly lovely exchange, but thought better of it. “I believe Mika is expecting you.” Upon receiving this tidbit, Arina nearly bit her tongue.

 

****

 

“Didn't you know he had a sister?” Yuki asked, barely looking up from his laptop.

 

“No!” Shuichi cried, gesticulating wildly in the doorway to Yuki's office. “I mean, she doesn't even look like him! How can they be related?”

 

“Wouldn't know,” Yuki answered shortly. “I've never met his sister.”

 

“Huh?!” Shuichi fell silent for a moment. “But he's your brother-in-law. That makes her your sister-in-law! How can you not have met her? At Missus Mika's wedding, at least.”

 

“Nope.” Yuki's one- and two-word responses were starting to wear thin, even on Shuichi, but the young man didn't dare press for more. If and when Yuki chose to share more information, then Shuichi could find out more details. But until then…

 

“I'm going to Hiro's,” Shuichi informed his lover, turning and walking to the front door. No answer.

 

With a sigh, Shuichi put on his shoes. He pushed out the front door without a word, turning his steps resolutely toward his best friend's house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, so much for the best-laid plans of mice and men - or of one very late-posting author. Sadly I must apologize again for the lack of updates. I have had zero inspiration for my fictions of late (chalk it up to the `ex-boyfriend-blues' if you need a culprit *gags*). Hopefully posting this chapter will help out. *crosses fingers tightly* Hope you all enjoyed it! And now I'm off to go kick some Writer's Block butt—after I work on my physics homework. Does college suck, or is it just me? *blinks*