(no subject)
Title: Give Me...Nothing (ch. 6)
Pairing: ??? x Kyo, KaoruxKyo
Summary: When you're left out of touch with man kind, can you measure time? Or is time merely at the control of who's in control of you? Meet Niimura Tooru--a 32 year old musician who awakens and finds himself completely dependent on someone he can't even see. Can obsession equal love, and can delusions become reality?
Rating: NC-17 overall, R for this chapter
Warnings: Violence, language
Disclaimer: Don't own them, blabalbla.
Word Count: 4128
Previous Chapters: Chapter 1 || Chapter 2 || Chapter 3 || Chapter 4 || Chapter 5
Author's Notes: I'm really, really touched by the reception I've received for this story. ♥ You guys don't know what your comments mean to me. Please continue to enjoy this fiction as the plot thickens.
It was approaching the year mark since Kyo's disappearance. Various theories as to where the eccentric vocalist was rose throughout the fanbase, rumors ranging from foul play to Kyo simply running off on his own. The police investigation was at a stand still for the past three months, though they continued to receive anonymous tips and sightings in regards to Dir en grey's vocalist. They never lead to anything though, furthering to disappoint those closest to Niimura Tooru. There was no telling what had happened that night. The only person that may have the slightest inclination as to where Kyo could be was Die.
However the police had already taken the guitarist in for questioning dozens of times in the past year. Each time he stuck to his story. He was drunk, had gone out with Kyo, and couldn't recall what happened after. There was no way they could have linked Die to the disappearance and honestly they didn't have any reason to suspect him. Why would the guitarist do something to jeopardize his steady career or someone that he visibly seemed to care about? No matter how many times the police called him in for questioning, they couldn't see him being a person of interest.
After the investigation of the fan that had attended the show, their trail had gone cold. That had proven fruitless, as did all of the other significant leads they had chosen to follow. The one question that seemed to be on all of the Japanese rock scene's minds was why? Why was Kyo missing, and what happened to him? How someone as eccentric as he could disappear into thin air was an absolute mystery. Especially to those that spent the most time with him.
Kaoru had refused to give up hope. He knew that Kyo wasn't dead. The vocalist was far too stubborn to be murdered. There was a feeling in the pit of his stomach that something wasn't right. He knew they were close to something, but what that something was he wasn't quite sure. His intuition was never truly wrong. Kaoru happened to posses a rather strong sense of the happenings around him, it was one of the reasons he made such an excellent band leader. It was easy for him to figure things out that other people couldn't.
Though nowadays he was nothing but stressed. It felt like his famous intuition was blurred by false hopes. Kyo had been someone who was dear to him. Sure, he had romantic feelings for the blonde and it made things worse. The band members could tell that Kaoru was suffering more than anyone else, even if he remained stoic and relatively business like through the entire ordeal. His eyes and voice alone gave him away, though. Even someone as strong as Kaoru could feel sorrow, that much was certain. And with a year of unanswered questions, it was beginning to show in his appearance, as well.
All of the band members (sans Die, really), appeared worn out and exhausted. Toshiya, who had once been labeled as the free spirited one had lost that boyish charm about himself and instead taken on the appearance of a tired man, having not given a genuine, carefree smile since that night at the live house. Shinya was more reserved than ever, not even bothering to make his eccentric jokes that only those that knew him would understand and almost seeming to shrivel away in his own mind thanks to the fact he had lost one of his closest friends. They all had been sitting around Kaoru's apartment in silence, not bothering to utter a word as the clock ticked loudly in the background.
“Do you think they'll ever find him?” Shinya was the first to speak, his voice soft though tone almost harsh as he let his eyes rest on Kaoru's.
“I'm sure they will,” the leader reassured him with a wry smile, though deep down they all knew what he had meant. If they did find him, they weren't holding hopes that he was still alive.
It had changed from a mission of rescue to a mission of recovery. A year with no sign of the blonde or physical evidence that he was alive? They were convinced that he was dead. Surely someone had killed the vocalist and dumped his body somewhere. There were vicious rumors of Kyo being involved with a drug ring of some sort and his failure to pay back the group had got him killed. They didn't want to believe it, truly they didn't, but there were so many people that supported that rumor that even the band was starting to agree. Kyo was a private person, eccentric, moody, and always refused to hang out with anyone or go to after parties. To think that he was a drug addict just kind of made, well, sense. Especially in the scene that they belonged to.
Now they just wanted to recover the body, to find closure. They wanted their questions to be answered and to put a rest to their frantic minds. They just wanted to bring Kyo back to Kyoto and put everything to rest. And the fact that they couldn't even do that tore the group up inside.
“Maybe he doesn't want to be found,” Die suggested finally, running a hand through his hair. “Maybe he's happy where he is. I mean, he didn't seem to enjoy his life with us, right?”
“Don't be stupid,” Shinya spoke harshly, throwing his glare over towards the annoyed looking guitarist. “Kyo may be a bit fickle but he would never disappear without letting even his family know. You know that as well as I do. He wouldn't want to be a burden and let people worry. If he had a problem with his lifestyle and wanted out, he would have told us to our faces.” The drummer was always particularly defensive when people brought up the idea that Kyo had ran off on his own volition. To him the idea was purely ludicrous. Anyone who knew Kyo would realize this.
Please state your name.
Terachi Shinya.
Are you aware that this conversation is being recorded?
...Yes.
Can you recall the events that happened before Niimurasan's disappearance?
We had been on our latest tour, it was towards the middle of it going towards the last six shows or so. Kyo had been sleeping poorly, he always did as of lately, come to think of it. He would stay up all hours of the night and then take naps throughout the day. I'd suggest that he maybe got up to two hours of sleep a day.
Did Niimurasan take any prescription medication to help with his sleeping issues?
Oh, God no. Kyo's not really one to like to take aides for anything. He doesn't like hospitals, claims that they're a waste of time, so he wouldn't go and get a prescription for anything. Instead he just chose to work himself to exhaustion and hope for the best. ...Come to think of it, after the performance Kyo looked a bit ill. Like he was going to throw up. He left the stage earlier than usual in a bit of a hurry while we were all throwing out our items to the crowd. Die followed shortly after.
Did you see Niimurasan after he rushed off the stage?
No, I didn't. I had gone to look for him maybe twenty minutes after he and Die had left the stage but I couldn't find either of them anywhere I couldn't understand it.
“Shinya, it's okay, we know. Die's just trying to be positive,” Kaoru was the first to intervene as the two band mates glared at one and other.
The tension between band members had rose since Kyo's disappearance. They knew they couldn't go on with their vocalist, yet still insisted on being around one and other. Perhaps they felt that if they were still together and Kyo returned, maybe things could return to the way they were before. Maybe, by sticking together, they had a chance of finding him better than when they were apart. However it wasn't long before they had thrown accusations at one and other, forming mini cliques within the group of four. It seemed like it was Die versus Shinya, while Kaoru and Toshiya had chosen to remain neutral. Shinya's defense of Kyo made him an easy target for Die to accuse him of harming Kyo, claiming that he was too innocent sounding to have done nothing at all, and Shinya took the argument that Die was too positive about the situation to have no involvement.
“I just want my friend back,” the drummer spoke softly, heaving a sigh of frustration as he buried his face in his hands. The youngest member seemed to have aged five years in that past months, his expression haggard and tired. “I don't want to believe that he's dead. He can't be. Kyo wouldn't...he can't...”
“Shinya, it's okay,” Toshiya repeated, sending a sympathetic gaze over towards the distraught blonde. “Really, Shinya. I know he's alive.”
“How do you know that?” Die questioned with a light frown, almost glaring over at Toshiya.
“Because!” The bassist glared defensively at Die, ignoring the scornful gaze he received from Kaoru for raising the tension in the room. “I have faith in him. Kyo's stronger than that. If he died then...then I'd feel it.”
“You just feel it? Toshiya, don't be naïve. We all know he's not coming back, why the hell can't we just accept that? I don't get why we keep having these meetings to look for him or discuss this bull shit. I want to move on with my life, we can't keep living in the past!” The guitarist argued, his voice rising in annoyance and volume.
The bassist stood to his feet, looking about ready to punch Die's lights out as his eyes flashed angrily. “What the fuck, Die? You wanna flake out on us, go ahead! Fuck you! You don't give a shit about Kyo or this band, that's your own damn prerogative, but don't go ahead and try to pull this bull shit on us and fill us with doubt. Kyo's alive, and I'm going to find him! We're going to find him!”
“Give it up, Toshiya! He's gone!” Die snapped, patience completely gone.
“Fuck you!” The bassist made a lunge at Die, only to be grabbed by Shinya and slammed back down onto the couch he had previously been sitting on. Toshiya kept trying to make his way out from Shinya's strong hold, screaming curses and threats at Die as the guitarist simply stood there and glared. “He's not dead God damn it! He's not!” He shouted, the entire room silent as Toshiya began to sob. He always was the sensitive one. “He's not, he's not, he's not!” He began chanting, a mantra to help to destroy the doubts Die had put in his head.
Please state your name.
Hara Toshimasa.
Are you aware of the fact that this conversation is being recorded?
Yes, I'm aware.
Could you please describe your relationship with Niimurasan.
We were bandmates. I couldn't really say we were friends, I mean, it's more complicated than that. Kyo wasn't really friends with anyone in the band, except maybe Shinya, and that's because they had known each other for so long. Kyo was polite to me, though. He was never really cruel to any of us, just kind of distant. He kept to himself and if he really felt like he needed to talk to someone, he'd talk to Shinya and then maybe Kaoru.
Did you have any contact with him after he had rushed off stage that night?
No, can't say that I did. I walked back stage and had been talking to a roadie about how my bass had sounded off that night. I remember hearing someone shouting after Kyo as he ran off, but I can't remember who it was. A male voice, yeah.
Can you recall anything suspicious or out of the ordinary that occurred that night?
Nothing at all. Just seemed like a normal night.
Gradually the hysterics calmed down and Shinya found it safe enough to let go of Toshiya, releasing him and sitting beside the bassist in order to be able to subdue him should he try and attack Die again. The red-head scowled a bit as he sat back down, ignoring the suspicious looks he was receiving from Kaoru. It was evident that Die was fed up with everything, and Kaoru was growing more and more confused for this. Why?
One thing that Kaoru had noticed since even before Kyo's disappearance was Die's growing dislike for the lead guitarist. He always seemed to challenge his authority and speculations, almost as if he had known something that he didn't. Whatever Die's problem was, it was growing on his last nerve. He wanted to strangle the man himself, for God's sake. Had he not chosen to remain neutral for the sake of the band, his suspicions would have immediately gone towards Die.
After all, Die seemed to be the one who cared the most for Kyo. Only a fool would be able to not see that. Kaoru chose to disregard Die's feelings for Kyo, however, rather selfishly blaming it on the fact that he was also rather fond of the blonde haired vocalist. He had grown fond of him over the years, even if Kyo showed no interest towards the male gender of the species, let alone dating in general. The man had always been so God damn private.
And to him it seemed like he wasn't interested in Die in the least. So why should he have been punished for wanting Kyo? If he didn't want Die, that made him fair game for Kaoru, and he was certain that the guitarist would have accepted that. After all, he didn't see him as the psycho jealous type, especially when it came to someone that did not want him. Though before Kaoru could even verify whether or not his feelings for Kyo were returned, the vocalist had disappeared, leaving Kaoru with more burning questions than anyone else in the band. It was heart breaking.
“Maybe we should all go home for the night,” Kaoru suggested, voice tired as he gave a sweeping look towards the members in his living room.
Please state your name.
Niikura Kaoru.
Are you awa--
Yes, I know it's being recorded. Please, can we hurry up with this?
Very well. Could you describe the events of the days previous to Niimurasan's disappearance.
Well, we were performing. Kyo seemed in good spirits, he and I were spending a lot of time together. This was rare considering the fact that he was a relatively secluded and distant person. I think it was because he was trying to quit smoking at the time. I was watching him like a hawk and I guess he took entertainment in that. He'd try sneaking off and I'd follow and he'd just laugh at me as I yelled at him for trying to smoke. Eventually he and I had been joking around in the tour bus with Die and I gave in and let him have a smoke. Usually Kyo was with me, before the performances and after. But the night he disappeared he ran off before I could find him. I think his combination of lack of sleep, lack of food, and sudden reintroduction to smoking made him sick or something.
Did anything seem out of the ordinary?
Come to think of it...Die seemed a bit more testy than usual. He's a bit of a jokester, so it's out of character for him. He was distant for a while.
Is this the same Die that had ran after Kyo after he had gone off stage?
Huh? Yeah, there's no other Die, anyway. That was him. He was gone for a while after Kyo disappeared. In fact he was gone all night and most of the day, came back in the afternoon.
Did you know where Die went?
No. Wait, you're not suggesting Die has anything to do with this, right?
Anything is possible, Niikurasan.
The group began to part ways, muttering bitter goodbyes and words of encouragement as they left Kaoru's apartment. However, something was eating at the band leader. Something that was bothering him since he had been interviewed by the police so many months ago. Die seemed different since the days before Kyo's disappearance. Something was wrong. And for someone who apparently cared for Kyo, he was acting far too relaxed about all of this. The guitarist didn't want to doubt his fellow band mate, truly he didn't, but what choice did he have? He needed to satisfy his curiosity. And there was one way to do that.
He waited a good five minutes before exiting his apartment, walking briskly down his complex's stairs and onto the street. Through the crowds of people he could make out Die's form walking down the street in a direction that was unfamiliar to where he knew the guitarist to live. Kaoru kept his distance but followed, wondering why in the hell he had been stricken with the sudden inspiration to follow Die. It wasn't like he didn't trust Die, after all. But his intuition had began to take control and when he felt like he was on to something, be it musical direction or in life, he went for it. Kaoru was wise enough to stay twenty meters behind the guitarist, keeping him in sight but making sure to blend in with the crowds of people walking on the side walk. Luckily it was a rather busy hour for the city, and hiding in the crowds of people and being relatively small made his mission rather simple.
Die seemed to be walking with a purpose. He was heading in a direction where he appeared to know where he was going, though where Kaoru had no idea. The side of town Die was heading towards was growing less and less pleasant and more and more suspicious looking. Vacant buildings were present in a lot of places, even more so were the presence of unfinished buildings. Apparently a group of building companies had gone out of business before they could complete their projects. However the streets remained relatively busy, enough where he could walk behind a person without seeming suspicious.
Kaoru was confused. This wasn't the kind of place Die would go to, so why was he here? This was far from where he lived. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest quickly, his mind continuing to chant for him to follow. He was on to something.
Please state your name.
Andou Daisuke.
Are you aware this conversation is being recoded?
Quite aware.
What happened to Niimura Tooru?
How am I supposed to know?
Don't play dumb with us, Andousan.
I'm not playing dumb. I don't know where he is.
You were the last person known to have contact with him. What happened?
I had gone outside to see what was wrong with Kyo. He had been sick, and complained of wanting a drink. So we went to the bus and got a couple of drinks in us. I remember him getting drunk before I did, and saying he wanted to go out, and I dragged him along with me into the city to go to some places, I think. I'm not sure where, my memory went fuzzy after we went out together.
And you expect us to believe that?
Of course I do, it's the truth!
You are aware that those who have reported seeing you when you were carrying Niimurasan off stated you seemed sober.
I'm a coherent drunk, I've drank enough in my day to be able to hold myself up in a conversation and what not. I just have a shit memory after I drink.
Where is Niimura Tooru?
I don't know. Why don't you get off your asses and start looking for him instead of asking an innocent man?
You are aware that you'll be going away for a long time when we find him.
Of course I won't be. I have nothing to hide. Search my place, search whatever you want. You won't find anything.
Why the hell was Die going towards this complex? Kaoru looked confused as the guitarist entered the abandoned building, Kaoru stopping and waiting a bit until he followed suit. He remained quiet as he followed Die, his excitement building. Something was going on here, he concluded as he went higher and higher into the deserted building. Eventually he stopped to where Kaoru felt as if he could climb no more stairs, crouching down behind the rail as Die looked around before entering a room and shutting the door behind him.
Kaoru moved quickly, pressing his ear to the door. He could hear muffled sounds, faint voices that were indistinguishable. The guitarist remained with his ear pressed against the door for quite some time before he felt like he was getting no where until footsteps came back at least two hours later. Panicked, he dove into the nearby apartment adjacent to the one Die had entered and waited once more. He remained in the deserted home for at least thirty minutes before he dared to go out.
Slowly he crept towards the room Die had went in, bracing himself as he gripped the door knob. With a deep breath he closed his eyes before flinging the door open. He stepped inside of the apartment as his eyes widened and his heart sank.
Nothing.
There was absolutely nothing in the small apartment. Not a soul. What the hell was wrong with him? What had he been expecting? How could he have doubted Die, to think that he would have kidnapped Kyo and had him captive in such a place? The guitarist felt like his world came crashing around him. His intuition was wrong, Kyo wasn't here, and he had nothing else to cling to in regards to hope. This was the end, wasn't it?
Though as he turned to leave he heard a faint sound in the room. Something unfamiliar to something that was supposedly vacant. Kaoru walked around the room to try and hear the voice, before it became louder behind an area that was covered by a shelf and a television set. His heart began racing again as he moved the deserted items, choking on his own breathing as he saw a door once the items were removed. This time he wasted no time entering the room, greeted by the sight of a small figure curled up on a bed in the far corner.
It was a man with dark hair and a small frame, unrecognizable from the back. Kaoru crept slowly towards the silently sobbing figure, his body trembling in disbelief. “K-Kyo?”
The person reacted, tensing for a moment before he rose to a sitting position facing the wall and turned to face the voice. It was Kyo! There was absolutely no doubt about it! This was Kyo! His hair was dyed dark, he had lost a significant amount of weight, but the tattoos and that face and those eyes were completely recognizable. The vocalist looked visibly shocked before he got up quickly and stumbled over towards the guitarist, holding onto him tightly as he began mumbling in hysterics.
“Kaoru! Oh God Kaoru! Please tell me you're not working with him. Please tell me you're not going to hurt me, too. You're going to get me out? Please? Please I'll do anything! I want to go home!” The vocalist sobbed, clutching what Kaoru could consider tightly onto his shirt as his entire frame was racked with trembling and shivers.
“Shh, Kyo, it's alright. I'm going to get you out of here, I'm going to get you to a hospital and then you can go home. Jesus Christ, what is going on? Did Die really do this? Is Die responsible for treating you like this? Kyo, you're a mess...” Kaoru spoke frantically, feeling tears of relief prickling in the corners of his eyes as he stared down at the sobbing man in front of him, holding onto his thin frame tightly.
“Kaoru, please, just take me home. Just take me out of here. Don't talk, no time, pl----Kaoru!” Before he could register the frantic voice of the frightened vocalist, Kaoru felt something hard hitting him in the back of his head.
The last thing he could remember was the loud sound of Kyo's screaming.
Pairing: ??? x Kyo, KaoruxKyo
Summary: When you're left out of touch with man kind, can you measure time? Or is time merely at the control of who's in control of you? Meet Niimura Tooru--a 32 year old musician who awakens and finds himself completely dependent on someone he can't even see. Can obsession equal love, and can delusions become reality?
Rating: NC-17 overall, R for this chapter
Warnings: Violence, language
Disclaimer: Don't own them, blabalbla.
Word Count: 4128
Previous Chapters: Chapter 1 || Chapter 2 || Chapter 3 || Chapter 4 || Chapter 5
Author's Notes: I'm really, really touched by the reception I've received for this story. ♥ You guys don't know what your comments mean to me. Please continue to enjoy this fiction as the plot thickens.
It was approaching the year mark since Kyo's disappearance. Various theories as to where the eccentric vocalist was rose throughout the fanbase, rumors ranging from foul play to Kyo simply running off on his own. The police investigation was at a stand still for the past three months, though they continued to receive anonymous tips and sightings in regards to Dir en grey's vocalist. They never lead to anything though, furthering to disappoint those closest to Niimura Tooru. There was no telling what had happened that night. The only person that may have the slightest inclination as to where Kyo could be was Die.
However the police had already taken the guitarist in for questioning dozens of times in the past year. Each time he stuck to his story. He was drunk, had gone out with Kyo, and couldn't recall what happened after. There was no way they could have linked Die to the disappearance and honestly they didn't have any reason to suspect him. Why would the guitarist do something to jeopardize his steady career or someone that he visibly seemed to care about? No matter how many times the police called him in for questioning, they couldn't see him being a person of interest.
After the investigation of the fan that had attended the show, their trail had gone cold. That had proven fruitless, as did all of the other significant leads they had chosen to follow. The one question that seemed to be on all of the Japanese rock scene's minds was why? Why was Kyo missing, and what happened to him? How someone as eccentric as he could disappear into thin air was an absolute mystery. Especially to those that spent the most time with him.
Kaoru had refused to give up hope. He knew that Kyo wasn't dead. The vocalist was far too stubborn to be murdered. There was a feeling in the pit of his stomach that something wasn't right. He knew they were close to something, but what that something was he wasn't quite sure. His intuition was never truly wrong. Kaoru happened to posses a rather strong sense of the happenings around him, it was one of the reasons he made such an excellent band leader. It was easy for him to figure things out that other people couldn't.
Though nowadays he was nothing but stressed. It felt like his famous intuition was blurred by false hopes. Kyo had been someone who was dear to him. Sure, he had romantic feelings for the blonde and it made things worse. The band members could tell that Kaoru was suffering more than anyone else, even if he remained stoic and relatively business like through the entire ordeal. His eyes and voice alone gave him away, though. Even someone as strong as Kaoru could feel sorrow, that much was certain. And with a year of unanswered questions, it was beginning to show in his appearance, as well.
All of the band members (sans Die, really), appeared worn out and exhausted. Toshiya, who had once been labeled as the free spirited one had lost that boyish charm about himself and instead taken on the appearance of a tired man, having not given a genuine, carefree smile since that night at the live house. Shinya was more reserved than ever, not even bothering to make his eccentric jokes that only those that knew him would understand and almost seeming to shrivel away in his own mind thanks to the fact he had lost one of his closest friends. They all had been sitting around Kaoru's apartment in silence, not bothering to utter a word as the clock ticked loudly in the background.
“Do you think they'll ever find him?” Shinya was the first to speak, his voice soft though tone almost harsh as he let his eyes rest on Kaoru's.
“I'm sure they will,” the leader reassured him with a wry smile, though deep down they all knew what he had meant. If they did find him, they weren't holding hopes that he was still alive.
It had changed from a mission of rescue to a mission of recovery. A year with no sign of the blonde or physical evidence that he was alive? They were convinced that he was dead. Surely someone had killed the vocalist and dumped his body somewhere. There were vicious rumors of Kyo being involved with a drug ring of some sort and his failure to pay back the group had got him killed. They didn't want to believe it, truly they didn't, but there were so many people that supported that rumor that even the band was starting to agree. Kyo was a private person, eccentric, moody, and always refused to hang out with anyone or go to after parties. To think that he was a drug addict just kind of made, well, sense. Especially in the scene that they belonged to.
Now they just wanted to recover the body, to find closure. They wanted their questions to be answered and to put a rest to their frantic minds. They just wanted to bring Kyo back to Kyoto and put everything to rest. And the fact that they couldn't even do that tore the group up inside.
“Maybe he doesn't want to be found,” Die suggested finally, running a hand through his hair. “Maybe he's happy where he is. I mean, he didn't seem to enjoy his life with us, right?”
“Don't be stupid,” Shinya spoke harshly, throwing his glare over towards the annoyed looking guitarist. “Kyo may be a bit fickle but he would never disappear without letting even his family know. You know that as well as I do. He wouldn't want to be a burden and let people worry. If he had a problem with his lifestyle and wanted out, he would have told us to our faces.” The drummer was always particularly defensive when people brought up the idea that Kyo had ran off on his own volition. To him the idea was purely ludicrous. Anyone who knew Kyo would realize this.
Please state your name.
Terachi Shinya.
Are you aware that this conversation is being recorded?
...Yes.
Can you recall the events that happened before Niimurasan's disappearance?
We had been on our latest tour, it was towards the middle of it going towards the last six shows or so. Kyo had been sleeping poorly, he always did as of lately, come to think of it. He would stay up all hours of the night and then take naps throughout the day. I'd suggest that he maybe got up to two hours of sleep a day.
Did Niimurasan take any prescription medication to help with his sleeping issues?
Oh, God no. Kyo's not really one to like to take aides for anything. He doesn't like hospitals, claims that they're a waste of time, so he wouldn't go and get a prescription for anything. Instead he just chose to work himself to exhaustion and hope for the best. ...Come to think of it, after the performance Kyo looked a bit ill. Like he was going to throw up. He left the stage earlier than usual in a bit of a hurry while we were all throwing out our items to the crowd. Die followed shortly after.
Did you see Niimurasan after he rushed off the stage?
No, I didn't. I had gone to look for him maybe twenty minutes after he and Die had left the stage but I couldn't find either of them anywhere I couldn't understand it.
“Shinya, it's okay, we know. Die's just trying to be positive,” Kaoru was the first to intervene as the two band mates glared at one and other.
The tension between band members had rose since Kyo's disappearance. They knew they couldn't go on with their vocalist, yet still insisted on being around one and other. Perhaps they felt that if they were still together and Kyo returned, maybe things could return to the way they were before. Maybe, by sticking together, they had a chance of finding him better than when they were apart. However it wasn't long before they had thrown accusations at one and other, forming mini cliques within the group of four. It seemed like it was Die versus Shinya, while Kaoru and Toshiya had chosen to remain neutral. Shinya's defense of Kyo made him an easy target for Die to accuse him of harming Kyo, claiming that he was too innocent sounding to have done nothing at all, and Shinya took the argument that Die was too positive about the situation to have no involvement.
“I just want my friend back,” the drummer spoke softly, heaving a sigh of frustration as he buried his face in his hands. The youngest member seemed to have aged five years in that past months, his expression haggard and tired. “I don't want to believe that he's dead. He can't be. Kyo wouldn't...he can't...”
“Shinya, it's okay,” Toshiya repeated, sending a sympathetic gaze over towards the distraught blonde. “Really, Shinya. I know he's alive.”
“How do you know that?” Die questioned with a light frown, almost glaring over at Toshiya.
“Because!” The bassist glared defensively at Die, ignoring the scornful gaze he received from Kaoru for raising the tension in the room. “I have faith in him. Kyo's stronger than that. If he died then...then I'd feel it.”
“You just feel it? Toshiya, don't be naïve. We all know he's not coming back, why the hell can't we just accept that? I don't get why we keep having these meetings to look for him or discuss this bull shit. I want to move on with my life, we can't keep living in the past!” The guitarist argued, his voice rising in annoyance and volume.
The bassist stood to his feet, looking about ready to punch Die's lights out as his eyes flashed angrily. “What the fuck, Die? You wanna flake out on us, go ahead! Fuck you! You don't give a shit about Kyo or this band, that's your own damn prerogative, but don't go ahead and try to pull this bull shit on us and fill us with doubt. Kyo's alive, and I'm going to find him! We're going to find him!”
“Give it up, Toshiya! He's gone!” Die snapped, patience completely gone.
“Fuck you!” The bassist made a lunge at Die, only to be grabbed by Shinya and slammed back down onto the couch he had previously been sitting on. Toshiya kept trying to make his way out from Shinya's strong hold, screaming curses and threats at Die as the guitarist simply stood there and glared. “He's not dead God damn it! He's not!” He shouted, the entire room silent as Toshiya began to sob. He always was the sensitive one. “He's not, he's not, he's not!” He began chanting, a mantra to help to destroy the doubts Die had put in his head.
Please state your name.
Hara Toshimasa.
Are you aware of the fact that this conversation is being recorded?
Yes, I'm aware.
Could you please describe your relationship with Niimurasan.
We were bandmates. I couldn't really say we were friends, I mean, it's more complicated than that. Kyo wasn't really friends with anyone in the band, except maybe Shinya, and that's because they had known each other for so long. Kyo was polite to me, though. He was never really cruel to any of us, just kind of distant. He kept to himself and if he really felt like he needed to talk to someone, he'd talk to Shinya and then maybe Kaoru.
Did you have any contact with him after he had rushed off stage that night?
No, can't say that I did. I walked back stage and had been talking to a roadie about how my bass had sounded off that night. I remember hearing someone shouting after Kyo as he ran off, but I can't remember who it was. A male voice, yeah.
Can you recall anything suspicious or out of the ordinary that occurred that night?
Nothing at all. Just seemed like a normal night.
Gradually the hysterics calmed down and Shinya found it safe enough to let go of Toshiya, releasing him and sitting beside the bassist in order to be able to subdue him should he try and attack Die again. The red-head scowled a bit as he sat back down, ignoring the suspicious looks he was receiving from Kaoru. It was evident that Die was fed up with everything, and Kaoru was growing more and more confused for this. Why?
One thing that Kaoru had noticed since even before Kyo's disappearance was Die's growing dislike for the lead guitarist. He always seemed to challenge his authority and speculations, almost as if he had known something that he didn't. Whatever Die's problem was, it was growing on his last nerve. He wanted to strangle the man himself, for God's sake. Had he not chosen to remain neutral for the sake of the band, his suspicions would have immediately gone towards Die.
After all, Die seemed to be the one who cared the most for Kyo. Only a fool would be able to not see that. Kaoru chose to disregard Die's feelings for Kyo, however, rather selfishly blaming it on the fact that he was also rather fond of the blonde haired vocalist. He had grown fond of him over the years, even if Kyo showed no interest towards the male gender of the species, let alone dating in general. The man had always been so God damn private.
And to him it seemed like he wasn't interested in Die in the least. So why should he have been punished for wanting Kyo? If he didn't want Die, that made him fair game for Kaoru, and he was certain that the guitarist would have accepted that. After all, he didn't see him as the psycho jealous type, especially when it came to someone that did not want him. Though before Kaoru could even verify whether or not his feelings for Kyo were returned, the vocalist had disappeared, leaving Kaoru with more burning questions than anyone else in the band. It was heart breaking.
“Maybe we should all go home for the night,” Kaoru suggested, voice tired as he gave a sweeping look towards the members in his living room.
Please state your name.
Niikura Kaoru.
Are you awa--
Yes, I know it's being recorded. Please, can we hurry up with this?
Very well. Could you describe the events of the days previous to Niimurasan's disappearance.
Well, we were performing. Kyo seemed in good spirits, he and I were spending a lot of time together. This was rare considering the fact that he was a relatively secluded and distant person. I think it was because he was trying to quit smoking at the time. I was watching him like a hawk and I guess he took entertainment in that. He'd try sneaking off and I'd follow and he'd just laugh at me as I yelled at him for trying to smoke. Eventually he and I had been joking around in the tour bus with Die and I gave in and let him have a smoke. Usually Kyo was with me, before the performances and after. But the night he disappeared he ran off before I could find him. I think his combination of lack of sleep, lack of food, and sudden reintroduction to smoking made him sick or something.
Did anything seem out of the ordinary?
Come to think of it...Die seemed a bit more testy than usual. He's a bit of a jokester, so it's out of character for him. He was distant for a while.
Is this the same Die that had ran after Kyo after he had gone off stage?
Huh? Yeah, there's no other Die, anyway. That was him. He was gone for a while after Kyo disappeared. In fact he was gone all night and most of the day, came back in the afternoon.
Did you know where Die went?
No. Wait, you're not suggesting Die has anything to do with this, right?
Anything is possible, Niikurasan.
The group began to part ways, muttering bitter goodbyes and words of encouragement as they left Kaoru's apartment. However, something was eating at the band leader. Something that was bothering him since he had been interviewed by the police so many months ago. Die seemed different since the days before Kyo's disappearance. Something was wrong. And for someone who apparently cared for Kyo, he was acting far too relaxed about all of this. The guitarist didn't want to doubt his fellow band mate, truly he didn't, but what choice did he have? He needed to satisfy his curiosity. And there was one way to do that.
He waited a good five minutes before exiting his apartment, walking briskly down his complex's stairs and onto the street. Through the crowds of people he could make out Die's form walking down the street in a direction that was unfamiliar to where he knew the guitarist to live. Kaoru kept his distance but followed, wondering why in the hell he had been stricken with the sudden inspiration to follow Die. It wasn't like he didn't trust Die, after all. But his intuition had began to take control and when he felt like he was on to something, be it musical direction or in life, he went for it. Kaoru was wise enough to stay twenty meters behind the guitarist, keeping him in sight but making sure to blend in with the crowds of people walking on the side walk. Luckily it was a rather busy hour for the city, and hiding in the crowds of people and being relatively small made his mission rather simple.
Die seemed to be walking with a purpose. He was heading in a direction where he appeared to know where he was going, though where Kaoru had no idea. The side of town Die was heading towards was growing less and less pleasant and more and more suspicious looking. Vacant buildings were present in a lot of places, even more so were the presence of unfinished buildings. Apparently a group of building companies had gone out of business before they could complete their projects. However the streets remained relatively busy, enough where he could walk behind a person without seeming suspicious.
Kaoru was confused. This wasn't the kind of place Die would go to, so why was he here? This was far from where he lived. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest quickly, his mind continuing to chant for him to follow. He was on to something.
Please state your name.
Andou Daisuke.
Are you aware this conversation is being recoded?
Quite aware.
What happened to Niimura Tooru?
How am I supposed to know?
Don't play dumb with us, Andousan.
I'm not playing dumb. I don't know where he is.
You were the last person known to have contact with him. What happened?
I had gone outside to see what was wrong with Kyo. He had been sick, and complained of wanting a drink. So we went to the bus and got a couple of drinks in us. I remember him getting drunk before I did, and saying he wanted to go out, and I dragged him along with me into the city to go to some places, I think. I'm not sure where, my memory went fuzzy after we went out together.
And you expect us to believe that?
Of course I do, it's the truth!
You are aware that those who have reported seeing you when you were carrying Niimurasan off stated you seemed sober.
I'm a coherent drunk, I've drank enough in my day to be able to hold myself up in a conversation and what not. I just have a shit memory after I drink.
Where is Niimura Tooru?
I don't know. Why don't you get off your asses and start looking for him instead of asking an innocent man?
You are aware that you'll be going away for a long time when we find him.
Of course I won't be. I have nothing to hide. Search my place, search whatever you want. You won't find anything.
Why the hell was Die going towards this complex? Kaoru looked confused as the guitarist entered the abandoned building, Kaoru stopping and waiting a bit until he followed suit. He remained quiet as he followed Die, his excitement building. Something was going on here, he concluded as he went higher and higher into the deserted building. Eventually he stopped to where Kaoru felt as if he could climb no more stairs, crouching down behind the rail as Die looked around before entering a room and shutting the door behind him.
Kaoru moved quickly, pressing his ear to the door. He could hear muffled sounds, faint voices that were indistinguishable. The guitarist remained with his ear pressed against the door for quite some time before he felt like he was getting no where until footsteps came back at least two hours later. Panicked, he dove into the nearby apartment adjacent to the one Die had entered and waited once more. He remained in the deserted home for at least thirty minutes before he dared to go out.
Slowly he crept towards the room Die had went in, bracing himself as he gripped the door knob. With a deep breath he closed his eyes before flinging the door open. He stepped inside of the apartment as his eyes widened and his heart sank.
Nothing.
There was absolutely nothing in the small apartment. Not a soul. What the hell was wrong with him? What had he been expecting? How could he have doubted Die, to think that he would have kidnapped Kyo and had him captive in such a place? The guitarist felt like his world came crashing around him. His intuition was wrong, Kyo wasn't here, and he had nothing else to cling to in regards to hope. This was the end, wasn't it?
Though as he turned to leave he heard a faint sound in the room. Something unfamiliar to something that was supposedly vacant. Kaoru walked around the room to try and hear the voice, before it became louder behind an area that was covered by a shelf and a television set. His heart began racing again as he moved the deserted items, choking on his own breathing as he saw a door once the items were removed. This time he wasted no time entering the room, greeted by the sight of a small figure curled up on a bed in the far corner.
It was a man with dark hair and a small frame, unrecognizable from the back. Kaoru crept slowly towards the silently sobbing figure, his body trembling in disbelief. “K-Kyo?”
The person reacted, tensing for a moment before he rose to a sitting position facing the wall and turned to face the voice. It was Kyo! There was absolutely no doubt about it! This was Kyo! His hair was dyed dark, he had lost a significant amount of weight, but the tattoos and that face and those eyes were completely recognizable. The vocalist looked visibly shocked before he got up quickly and stumbled over towards the guitarist, holding onto him tightly as he began mumbling in hysterics.
“Kaoru! Oh God Kaoru! Please tell me you're not working with him. Please tell me you're not going to hurt me, too. You're going to get me out? Please? Please I'll do anything! I want to go home!” The vocalist sobbed, clutching what Kaoru could consider tightly onto his shirt as his entire frame was racked with trembling and shivers.
“Shh, Kyo, it's alright. I'm going to get you out of here, I'm going to get you to a hospital and then you can go home. Jesus Christ, what is going on? Did Die really do this? Is Die responsible for treating you like this? Kyo, you're a mess...” Kaoru spoke frantically, feeling tears of relief prickling in the corners of his eyes as he stared down at the sobbing man in front of him, holding onto his thin frame tightly.
“Kaoru, please, just take me home. Just take me out of here. Don't talk, no time, pl----Kaoru!” Before he could register the frantic voice of the frightened vocalist, Kaoru felt something hard hitting him in the back of his head.
The last thing he could remember was the loud sound of Kyo's screaming.