New Beginnings

"Will you be performing tonight?"

Hakuei tossed the keys to Yoshiki and began pulling the chairs down from the tables. "Kirito's going to sing a few while I pretend to know how to play Toshiya's bass, then I might sing a few songs later on."

Yoshiki nodded and opend the cash register. "My parents called while you were still asleep this morning."

"Oh really?"

"They wanted us to come visit for a week." He paused to swiftly count the bills, then put them in their appropriate slots. "I obviously can't leave this place for that long, but I thought you might want to go." He eyed his son pointedly. "Especially with all that's happened lately."

Hakuei leaned on the table, rag thrown over one shoulder. "When do they want us to go?"

"My sister and her kids are going to be there starting tomorrow, but will only be staying for a few days." Yoshiki came around the counter, patting his son on the back. "Some have never met you, and the rest haven't see you since you were a small boy. They really want you to be there."

Hakuei nodded his head slowly. "Might be nice."


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Yoshiki held the door open for Rose as the blonde hauled his enormous bass drum inside the bar. Kiyoharu followed with the snares, then Tora, Kisaki and Kirito with the rest. They made their way through the crowded room to the back where several tables had been pushed aside to make room for the night's entertainment.

Hakuei crouched on his heels, fighting to hold down a kinked, unruly mic cord. He managed to tape down a small section with some tape, his other hand fishing for the roll somewhere behind him.

The silver tape suddenly appeared infront of him and he looked up at the man bent beside him.

"Will you be singing tonight?" Tsukasa asked, arms resting on top of his knees. "Kirito said during practice that you might."

Hakuei tore off two pieces of tape and set the roll at his feet. "If Kirito can take over the bass, I might sing a little." He graced the other man with a long, sideways glance. "Why, got a song to request?"

Tsukasa shrugged and stood. "I'll look forward to whatever you sing."


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Yoshiki closed the dishwasher and pushed the start button. "You really don't have to do this."

"Why? I know how to mix drinks and I certainly know how to count money." Atsushi grinned. "Nothing to it. Besides, it's getting too busy for you to be short two bartenders, if both of them are going to perform." He took a step forward, pressing his body against the other. "And its not like you have to pay me, at least," he ran a hand down Yoshiki's side, playfully grabbing his ass, "not in money anyway."

Yoshiki grinned and swatted the man on the shoulder. "Hentai." He placed a quick kiss on Atsushi's full lips and led them back out to the busy bar room.


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Kirito flopped down on a barstool, head flat on the counter, the palm of his hand pounding the slick wooden surface. A glass of water appeared in front of him and he drank greedily.

"Ah, Arigatoiu gozaimasu" he exclaimed after a moment, then peered through narrow eyes at the dark haired man smiling down at him. "Do I know you?"

The older man bowed his head slightly. "Atsushi-desu," he said, "I'm an old friend of Yoshiki-san's."

Kirito nodded slowly, still eyeing him curiously. "You just remind me of someone...." it suddenly dawned on him and he grinned, "and I think I just figured it out, Sakurai-sama."

The other man laughed as he filled another order, then turned back to the young vocalist.

"You guys really have talent."

"Coming from you, that's certainly a compliment." Kirito drained his glass and smiled. "Thank you."

Atsushi shrugged. "A couple of your songs need some fine tuning, but..."

The younger man chuckled. "I realize we are not at our best tonight. Hakuei's not really our bassist, though he has one hell of a singing voice, and should be putting it to use in just a few minutes." He peered over his shoulder as his friends started making their way back to the 'stage'. "Another friend of ours is actually our bassist, but he's out of town just now. Rose and Tsukasa also switched positions as well."

Atsushi raised an eyebrow and Kirito shrugged.

"Tsukasa is probably a better drummer, more coordinated when it comes to the complicated stuff, but Rose is more.. enthusiastic, and good as well though new at it, so we switch things up every now and then. Just as Hakeui and I are taking turns before the mic, Tsukasa and Rose will switch back as well." He drummed his fingers on the counter. "We also have a couple of other friends that play with us sometimes, but one moved away and another is often too busy with school."

Atsushi leaned forward slightly. "You seem to have quite a talented mix of friends."

"I guess music's just in our blood."

"Have you ever thought about forming an actual band, with a name and a record company? Performing at places other than bars every now and then?"

"Ideally? Yes, of course." Waving caught Kirito's eye and he stood. "But that'll probably never happen." He inclined his head towards the older man and jogged off to join his friends.


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Tora sat a couple of tables back and to the left of the band, leg tapping, head bobbing to the fast paced beat of the music. He had to admit that Hakuei certianly did have a great singing voice, very unique, though he and Kirito had alot of similar qualities. Both mixed well with the music they wrote and played.

His dark eyes drifted past Kirito and Bou playing back to back, and settled on another. The young man behind the massive drumset hardly smiled, so concentrated on his work, but when he did finally look up, their eyes met and Tsukasa blushed slightly before looking away.

When the set ended, the crowd cheered and clapped, some leaping to their feet. The five men bowed deeply, then immediately set to work taking down their equipment. Tora made his way up to his friends, stopping just behind the tallest as he began unscrewing the cords to one amp.

"You sing well."

Hakuei looked up, surprise clearly written across his face

"I'm impressed." Tora smiled down at him. "You guys work well together."

"Yes, we do."

Tora stepped out the way as Bou came by carrying several guitars and a small amp. The smaller man shot Hakuei a startled look, but kept moving, disapearing into the crowd. After a moment, Tora stepped closer to the tall man, bending over so that he was crouching at Hakuei's level.

"I need to talk to you," he said quietly, "alone."

Hakuei paused, the thick black cord tangled around his arms. "Why?"

The other man's eyes darted around, making sure no one he knew was close by. "I need to tell you something, about me, why I've come back after being gone so long."

Hakuei shook his head and continued to try and pull up the cord from the floor, trying to keep it from tangling further. "I already know what happened between you and Tsukasa, about what his father did to you guys. I-"

Tora placed a hand on his arm. "There's more to it than that... more than Tsukasa knows."

Hakuei's brow furrowed. "How so?"

Tora sighed. "That's what I think you should know. My life... has not been easy, these past few years. I... I'm not well." He looked down at his hands. "I want to be upfront and honest with you; I think you deserve that much." He looked over Hakuei's shoulder as the others ran around disassembling this and that, laughing and joking amongst themselves. "But I don't want to worry the others. No use in that."

Hakuei stood, then paused, thinking. He looked down at the other man. "I have to close tonight, but if you want to wait until then, we can talk after everyone's gone home.

Tora nodded, then began pulling off the stubborn tape trapping the cord to the floor. Hakuei smiled, and followed the man's slow but stready progress as they made their way to the wall.


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Hakuei filled to glasses with water and walked around the bar counter to join the other man on a stool. Setting one glass infront of Tora, he smiled.

"So, what's on your mind?"


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He closed and locked the door behind him, then slumped against it, head pressing almost painfully against the wood for several long moments. He closed his eyes and took several slow, deep breaths before pounding one fist on the door in frustration, jaw clenched, face red.

"Life's never without complications."

Hakuei whirled around at the sound of the unexpected voice, eyes resting on the blonde man smoking on the couch.

"One minute, evrything seems fine," Yoshiki tapped his ashes on the tray beside his hand, "life's good, friends are happy, the world is at peace. Then BOOM," the older man gestured wildly, "all hell breaks loose." He sighed. "It's always something." He patted the chair beside him, and after a slight hesitation, Hakuei joined his father in the living room.

"Bad night?"

The younger man sighed and looked away. "I had a ... long talk with Tora. He told me some things...."

"Ah." Yoshiki stubbed out his cigerette, then handed one to his son before lighting another. "So he told you."

Hakuei nearly choked on his smoke. "You knew?!"

The older man nodded, face turning down in a sad frown. "His doctor and I have had a couple of long talks with Tora."

Hakuei burried his face in his hands. "I wish I didn't know..."

"Life would be easier if we stayed blissfully unaware of the hardships of others, especially ones we consider rivals." Yoshiki's eyes narrowed. "But what about him? It took alot for him to tell you what he did. I really didn't think he'd tell anyone, except maybe Tsukasa, though I even doubted that. I don't think he'd want to worry him." He crossed his legs, resting one arm over his knee. "But now you do know, and I have a feeling he's put something else on your mind as well." He paused. "SO what are you going to do about it?"

Hakuei shrugged his shoulders, the night's weariness showing on his face. "I don't know. I honestly... God DAMMIT!" He bared his teeth at no one in particular. "on the one hand, I feel horribly sorry for him, for his plight, for his... life has not treated him well. But on the other hand... " he eyed his father sideways. "I know what he's asking of me, and I'm not sure I can do it. I love Tsukasa very much..... and thats half the problem."

"Why is it a problem?"

"Because... because I can see how much Tsukasa loves Tora. I don't know wether he loves him more than he loves me.... I'm not sure I want to know." he leaned back against the chair, eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. "But a part of me wonders.... if I... deny what Tora is asking of me.... would Tsukasa really be happy? What if that little bugger does something stupid and... could I live with myself knowing that I stood in the way of possibly the last chance Tsukasa has of being with the first person he ever loved? A person he still loves so deeply?" He shook his head. "

Yoshiki took a slow, deep drag on his cigarette. "Tora's a good kid. I didn't see him as often as the others, but I remember how he and Tsukasa were, when they were together." He sighed. "Under different circumstances.. who knows what might have happened in five years time."

"It's not fair of him to ask this of me." Hakuei said quietly. "But it's not fair.... It's selfish of me to think that, even though we've only known each other for a short amount of time, that I could possibly mean more to him than Tora." He closed his eys. "I told Tsukasa I'd do anything to make him happy again, and I ment it."

Yoshiki crossed his arms. "Even if that means giving him up for someone elses sake?"

Hakuei bite down on the insides of his cheeks.

"Can you really do that? Can you really live with just being friends with Tsukasa, wether it ends up being for a short time, or forever?"

Hakuei took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

"Honestly? I don't want to." He raised his arms up over his head, letting them dangle behind the couch. "But..... this isn't about me." His jaw clenched and eyes narrowed. "I already told Tora yes."