Shinya crossed his hands over his lap. He uncrossed them and ran

his fingers through his hair before settling them on his lap again.

Then, as if though his long fingers were too itchy to stay still,

they clasped at each other before unclasping and resting uneasily

against his side. He looked up through his bronze tinted hair to

check if Die had arrived before looking back down at his watch.

The hands pointed to half past eight.

Die was half an hour late, which wasn't too unusual but it sure

kept him fidgety and bored. If there was one thing he hated doing, it

was waiting for other people. Even if those `other people' happened

to be people he was close to. Especially if it was Die.

Shinya closed his eyes, letting out a yawn.

` I need sleep� I bet I *could* get to sleep but Die insisted on

meeting me.. And now he's late and I'm wasting my time..'

Shinya's serene face turned agitated as his eyes flew open again.

His keitai began ringing a cheerful tune, alerting him. His hand

snatched the little phone from beside him and pressed the `on'

button.

" Moshi moshi?" He hoped it wasn't Die.

" Moshi moshi? Shinya?"

It was.

Shinya sighed. He hoped the red head wasn't about to cancel

whatever it was he wanted from him.

" Haii, where are you? I'm freezing here and I'm sleepy!"

" Ano.. gomen ne Shinya! It's just that something came up and-"

He *was* cancelling.

" Can't you say it over the phone? Say whatever it is that's so

important you just *had* to intrude on my plans?" Shinya asked, his

voice growing annoyed.

" Ano.. it's kind of.. well,.. I can't say it.. like this," Die's

voice was stammering and sounded far-off. " I'd rather if we met some

other time.."

" Ando Daisuke is this your way of teasing me again?!" Shinya's

anger suddenly flared. " I can't believe you kept me waiting when

I've been tired out for over 2 weeks now! You insensitive jerk!"

" Iie-Listen, Shinya..," Die cut in, rather hurriedly, " I *do*

need to speak to you but something *has* come up and.."

" You know what, shut up, Die." Shinya said, his voice louder than

it usually was. " I know you've got this thing about annoying me but

this really is IT. I've had enough of this from you.. I'm hanging up."

" Wait-no-"

BEEP.

Shinya let out a frustrated sigh. He ran his hand through his hair

again, this time wishing he could pull them out. Standing and walking

away from the meeting area, he made his way back to his apartment.

` Bakayarou..'

~~

Die stared at his phone for the longest time.

" So you've cancelled your plans-again?"

Die turned to glare at Kaoru.

" Don't start."

The leader of Dir en grey merely smiled knowingly, leaning back

against the sofa with a contented sigh.

" You're not gonna get him if you keep on lying to him, you know?"

Kaoru said, his eyes shut. " You know Shinya. He can only take so

much of your teasing him. It's a wonder that he can still take you

seriously at times."

" I'm not lying to him. And I'm NOT teasing him." Die shot back at

his bandmate. " Something DID come up."

" Yeah, the chicken in you." Kaoru gave a snort.

" Why don't *you* try confessing to a guy!" Die looked irritated. "

Why don't *you* try confessing to someone like Shinya!"

" If I did try, you'd kill me before I even get my whole confession

out." Kaoru joked.

" It's not as easy as it seems." Die looked exasperated. " I can't

give him something like chocolates cause he doesn't really eat all

that stuff.. and jewelry, well, he's got that by the tons�, and I

can't go off buying him flowers cause he's not a girl! And why are

you just sitting there grinning like that! You're supposed to help me

out here!"

" I am helping," Kaoru said lazily, " I'm here, aren't I?"

Die rolled his eyes.

" You're hopeless."

" Hey, I already told you to just come out clean with him." Kaoru

shrugged. " Then you chickened out and called me here.. again. Like

you said, you can't just shower him with gifts. He'll think you're

trying to bribe him into doing something. And you can't exactly send

him love notes�"

Kaoru chuckled.

" Though really, I can't imagine you writing love notes to

*anyone*.."

Die's cheeks coloured.

" Hey, I can write love notes.. it's just that I don't want to."

Die sat on the sofa across from Kaoru, his shoulders slumping as he

recollected the conversation he and Shinya just had over the phone.

" Die." Kaoru's voice called out to him.

" What?"

" Just tell him."

" I can't." Die bit his lip, his hand reaching into the pockets of

his jeans for a cigarette. He was getting tensed from thinking

of `confessing' to Shinya.

" Why not?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow. " Are you really sure you even

like him enough to want to confess? I don't mind a relationship in a

band but if it's just one your fleeting, insatiable crush.. then.."

" No, I know I like him." Die said, nodding his head as if though

to confirm his own words to himself. " It's just.. I've known him

since he was still a high school kid, and he's still a kid.."

" Die." Kaoru's voice was weary.

" What is it now?"

" Shinya's 24."

" Well, that's still young, you know?" Die shrugged.

" Uh-huh." Kaoru chuckled again. " Just don't say that he's a kid

to him. Shinya'll blow a fuse if you say something like that."

" I know!" Die said, looking irritatingly at Kaoru again. " I'm not

stupid."

" You act like you are."

" Hey!"

" Listen, Die," Kaoru leaned forwards, " Go to Shinya, now. If you

keep stalling, you'll keep on stalling till God-knows-when. Maybe

you'll be an old man by then and you'll lose all your charm that

keeps Shinya sparked."

Die let a lop-sided grin come onto his face.

" He's still mad at me."

" When is he *not* mad at you?" Kaoru asked logically. " Just go.

You're wasting your time talking to me. I'm wasting my time here

talking to you if you don't actually *do* something!"

" Alright, alright..," Die said, standing up again. He let out a

shuddering breath of air. " I wonder if I can really do this."

" You can." Kaoru said firmly.

~~

Shinya clutched at his pillow, burying his face deeper into the

softness. The blanket wrapped around his slim body was warm against

the lovely cool breeze that came in through his opened windows. He

curled in deeper into his bed, smiling at the rest he was finally

able to have after the long tour.

DINGDONG!

He groaned in his sleep.

` This can't be happening..'

DINGDONG!

He turned to his other side, pulling his blanket over his head. He

pressed his pillow against his ears.

` I refuse to believe this is happening..'

DINGDONG!

" Go away�," Shinya threw off the covers, his voice pleading, yet

annoyed. " I haven't slept for the past 2 weeks�"

DINGDONG!

The ringing of his doorbell was still persistent.

Shinya gave a loud sigh and got out of his bed, shuffling over to

his door. He hated having to wake up but he couldn't sleep with the

doorbell ringing in his head. He tugged on a jacket over the

sleeveless shirt he was wearing as he twisted the doorknob.

The colour red and the reflection of yellow light against

spectacles that framed sheepish-looking eyes. The grin wasn't so

welcoming either.

Shinya gave a groan and slammed his door shut again.

KNOCKKNOCK!

" Shinya open up! I really need to talk to you!"

" Go away!" Shinya shouted. " I told you I need to sleep!"

" Shinya please!"

The auburn head gave another loud sigh.

`This can't be happening.. this is all a dream.. I'm gonna wake up

and I'm gonna find that I'm still touring and this dream is a sign

I'll never find sleep again..'

" Shinya!"

KNOCKKNOCK!

" Shinya, open the door!"

Begrudgingly, he opened the door again. He leaned his weight

against the door, still holding onto the knob. He looked up at Die,

who was now looking at him in relief.

" Say it quick." Shinya said, sleep still tinting his voice.

" What?" Die looked surprised. " Here? You're not going to invite

me in?"

" Why should I??" Shinya shrugged. " Say it quick, I really want to

sleep.."

" But Shinya-"

Shinya gave an irritated sigh again.

" God Die you are so annoying! If you don't have anything to say

I'm going to say `good-night'!"

Die was quiet.

Shinya threw his hands up.

" Good night."

The young drummer was about to close the door when Die grabbed hold

of his wrist, pulling him out of the apartment. Shinya looked up at

Die through heavy-lidded eyes in surprise.

" Die?"

" Shinya.. I.. I.. I like you." Die said, his face serious.

Shinya stared at him for the longest time. Die's words settled into

him slowly yet they finally did make sense to him. The auburn head

gave a laugh and shook his wrist free from Die's grasp.

" You know what, Die, I appreciate you trying to humour me but

really," Shinya shook his head, " Couldn't you wait till morning?"

" Shinya, I really mean it! I like you!" Die said, insisting. " No,

don't shake your head like that, you're making me dizzy!"

" *I'm* making *you* dizzy?" Shinya laughed, looking comical. "

Die, I'm the one who's about to fall of my feet here."

" But-"

" Listen, just go before I really get mad." Shinya said suddenly. "

I'm not mad at you now but if you keep on pestering me like this I

will get mad. And I don't like getting mad cause you're gonna tease

me and it'll just be a waste of my energy so please� just go."

Die looked at the young man helplessly. He couldn't just leave

feeling that Shinya didn't return his feelings because Shinya didn't

*believe* in what he was saying.

" Shinya.."

" Good-night, Die." Shinya said curtly. " I'll see you in the

morning."

In one last attempt to get the drummer's attention, Die pulled at

Shinya's hand, holding the auburn head in his embrace as his lips

touched Shinya's tentatively.

The kiss was short and a bit too abrupt.., and Shinya was looking

up at him in a questioning manner. So he bent to kiss Shinya again,

capturing his lips fully, finally able to taste them as he had

fantasized against his during those long hours of practices.

They broke apart and Die opened his eyes to stare back at Shinya's

impassive face.

Shinya's hands gently pushed Die away, backing into his apartment

again. His eyes were unsure, and there was a slight quivering in

Shinya's lips as he tried to keep his gaze on the red head.

" Good night, Die."

And the door closed.

~~

It was morning again and Kaoru was waiting for Die when the

guitarist entered the recording room. The red head looked tired,

there were tell-tale signs of a troublesome night and his movements

were slow, even when the Die was just placing his guitar on the

floor.

" So, how did it go?" Kaoru asked, though he had an idea on how

things went.

Die hesitated.

" I kissed him."

Kaoru's eyes widened but he didn't let any of his surprise tinge

his voice.

" Oh?"

" And then he closed the door on me."

" Oh." Kaoru didn't know what else to say. " He didn't even say

anything to you?"

" He thought I was just teasing him so I kissed him." Die said, his

voice hollow. " And then he closed the door on me."

" But-"

Before Kaoru could say anything else, the topic of their discussion

entered the room.

Shinya noticed that their eyes were on him but he decided not to

say anything. He was sure that Die had told Kaoru, since the two were

always together, so there was no use questioning it. Even though he'd

never question anything anyways.

" Ohayou." Shinya greeted them, settling to his place behind his

drumset.

" Ohayou." Die and Kaoru both echoed at the same time.

Shinya took his drumsticks and when he raised his head again he

noticed that the two men were still staring at him. As soon as their

eyes met though, the two hurriedly looked away, suddenly engrossed

with some work or other.

He shook his head, sighing inwardly.

` This is going to be a long day�'

~~

Shinya waited by Die's car, he didn't realize that the red head

would take such a long time to pack up. Die was usually the first one

out of the recording room, racing out to his car and zooming out of

the parking lot before anyone could even blink.

Today, the carpark was already empty and still he saw that Die

still hasn't appeared. He checked his watch, noticing he did that a

lot whenever Die was involved in his thoughts, then looked up again

when he heard the sound of footsteps nearing him.

Die looked surprised at Shinya waiting for him.

" How long have you been standing there?" Die asked, still

surprised.

" Doesn't matter," Shinya gave a shrug, " I need to speak to you."

" Of course." Die nodded, gulping. His hands fumbled for his

keys. "My apartment or yours?"

" Actually, right here will be fine." Shinya said.

" Oh." Die dropped his hands into his pockets. He strolled over to

Shinya's side, " What is it you wanted to talk about?"

" What else?" Shinya gave a little gesture with his hand. " Why did

you kiss me last night?"

" I told you, I like you." Die said, feeling dumbfounded that

Shinya still didn't believe him. " Why else?"

" Well, there's the fact that you're always trying to find a new

way to annoy me." Shinya said, his words straight to the point. "

Then there's the fact that you cancelled before even when I told you

I needed rest and then you came to my apartment when it was obvious I

was trying to sleep. It's proof that you're probably just annoying me

again."

" I'm not trying to annoy you Shinya." Die sighed. " I do like you."

" Then I don't believe you." Shinya said, " This is just too weird

to be true."

" Shinya�"

" I really don't care if you want to start kissing men, Die, but

for my part," Shinya paused, " Leave me out of it, `kay?"

Die didn't say a word for a minute. He stared at Shinya for the

longest time before pulling out his car keys again.

" So this means you don't like me." Die said.

" Huh?" Shinya looked confused.

" Why you're telling me to back off-you don't like me, right?"

Shinya continued to look baffled at Die's question.

" I.. I.. well, I..*like* you.. I mean, we're in the same band and

all.."

Die laughed. He'd never seen Shinya stammer before.

" I mean, you don't like me in the way I like you?" Die asked.

Shinya seemed to think about his answer for awhile.

" I guess not."

" You don't seem so sure." Die said, his usual teasing smile

appearing across his face.

" Fine then, I don't like you the way you say you like me." Shinya

said, narrowing his eyes up at Die. " And for what it's worth, I

still think you're teasing me again! You've probably got a tape

somewhere and you're gonna let Toshiya, Kyo, and Kaoru listen and

laugh yourselves silly!"

Die chuckled.

" I never even thought that far."

" Argh!" Shinya looked worn-out. " You're impossible!"

He turned away from Die, intending to leave when the red head's

voice caught him.

" Ne Shinya!"

" What?" He turned, still looking viscious.

" Come to the movies with me." Die offered, opening the door to his

car.

" What?" Shinya's visciousness melted away into one of surprise. "

W-what?"

" A date. Come to the movies with me." Die said. " I mean, if the

girl doesn't like you, you can still try and ask her out so that

she'll grow to like you, ne?"

` If I'm not myself around him he's gonna keep on thinking I'm

lying to him..' Die thought as he waited for Shinya's reaction.

Shinya caught onto what Die was implying in his words. He fumed.

" I'm not a girl you baka!"

" Fine then. You're not." Die shrugged, " Come to the movies with

me."

" Why should I?" Shinya snapped.

" Because I'm inviting you to and it's not nice to not accept and

invitation." Die grinned. " And since you're not a girl, it's not

like you can't really `reject' me or anything."

" If for one minute I even think that this is one of your stupid

tricks again-" Shinya warned, pointing a finger accusingly at Die.

" Aww.. Come on Shinya, it's a good movie!" Die opened the door

from his driver's seat.

Shinya gave a grunt but stepped inside Die's car anyways. He

crossed his arms over his chest, looking as if though he wasn't

pleased by the idea at all.

Die smiled, feeling happier.

" Ne Shinya?"

" What?" Shinya wouldn't meet his eyes.

Die leaned in, giving a quick peck on Shinya's cheek. The drummer

turned to look at him in surprise, one hand on his cheek.

" I really adore you, you know?" Die said, his outstretched hand

running through Shinya's hair.

Shinya blushed before looking away.

" Just drive and let's get this over with."

Die didn't answer but he turned on the engine anyways. He switched

on the radio and hummed a tune to himself as he drove them out of the

parking lot.

` One thing at a time..,' Die though, glancing over at the man

beside him, ` ..I won't give him up so soon.'

**

Owari (??)

Notes: This fic seems to be without point� ~_~;; I wonder if that's

because my life is lacking point now (exams, exams, homework, exams�)

I want to write more.. maybe a second part but I really have little

time for the net� ;_;