Silver Moon, Black Star

Band: Alice Nine, Kagrra,

Pairing: Saga&Shou, Tora&Akiya, Nao(z Alisu)&Hiroto, Isshi&Nao(z Kagrry,), Izumi&Shin

Rating: 17+

Genre: angst

Warnings: based on a true story, death

Note: Shou knew that something was wrong. But he didn't know that it was such a serious situation.

 Shou was sitting in the dressing room. He was tired after the concert. He closed his eyes and laid down on the couch. At one point he heard Akiya's voice, who, from the sound that followed, probably jumped into Tora's arms, which Amano didn't quite expect, and flopped with his sweetheart on the floor.

"Great concert, Ashi!" called out Akiya.

Well, he always has been like that, when he was excited. And he called Tora this funny shortname.

Shou probably would fall asleep, if he wouldn't suddenly feel a hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes. He saw Isshi smiling fondly while crouching down by the couch.

"Hey, Kazuma" Isshi laughed shortly. "How does it feel to do a solo gig at the Budokan?"

"Shinohara" Shou sat down and dusted himself off the invisible crumbs, then helped up Isshi who finally lost his balance and fell to the floor.

Both Naos were standing next to the door and were talking with Izumi and Saga. He also heard Hiroto's voice, who was telling enthusiastically about what happened. His listener was Shin.

Isshi sat down next to Shou and looked at him with a smile.

"So, Kazuma" started Isshi. "I have to admit that I'm proud of you. You've grown up a lot for these seven years."

Shou finched, when Isshi poked his nose.

"Next to me isn't sitting this Bunny without any self-confidence that I had to heal of his  complexes" said Isshi and hugged Shou. "We're really very proud of you. You are our worthy successors."

"Thank you" Said Shou finally allowed to speak, clenching his fingers on Isshi's left arm. "But we wouldn't be able to do anything without you."

"You're talking nonsense" Isshi smiled slightly, closing his eyes. "You could do it, I'm sure of it."

"Except it's because of you that I'm really here" Shou felt tears running down his cheeks, which he didn't want, but couldn't control his feelings.

"Don't cry" Isshi laughed shortly. "It is enough that my eyes are blurry."

Isshi pushed Shou away from him. He straightened his hair and wiped the tears from the younger vocalist's cheek with the back of his hand.

"Shinohara?"

"Yes?"

"Promise me that you'll always support me" Shou took Isshi's hands in his. "Promise me you'll always be my mentor."

Almost invisible sparks of fear flashed in Isshi's eyes.

"Kazuma" Isshi sighed. "I promise that even if I won't be by your side as a living human, I'm gonna stay with you as a spirit. Okay?"

Shou nodded. He turned around, feeling Nao's and Saga's eyes on himself.

"Shou, could you loyally let go of Shino's hands?" asked Nao. "You played a great concert, you got emotional, but..."

"But look, I told you that vocalists always have to cry like babies, you can't avoid it" Saga laughed.

"Saga, I can still punch you in the nose, I still have so much strength left" said Isshi, standing up.

"I don't think you're that old" Saga smiled slightly. "So, are we going to have a drink?"

"Just don't drink too much. I won't carry you" Shou nudged his shoulder.

"Same goes to you" said Nao to Isshi. "Even though I will have to be carried, too."

"You'll be wasted faster than me, your head is weaker, Yamiyo" said Isshi, to which Nao just snorted.

"Hitoshi Shinohara is proud of me. I went to heaven?" Shou thought as he passed Hiroto on the floor and a concerned Shin who was standing next to him.

He looked at Isshi. For some time he had the feeling that something was wrong. Something was bothering Isshi, he was sure of that. And this wasn't the upcoming Kagrra,'s disband. His friend certainly had a more serious problem. But Shou couldn't figure out, what that could be. But he thought that if Isshi didn't tell him, then he shouldn't ask.

* * *

Several months have passed. Shou was sitting in the kitchen and poured coffee, when he heard the doorbell. Saga left somewhere right after giving him a birthday present and making wishes, so the vocalist had to go open the door himself. Isshi was standing in the doorway with a box.

"Happy birthday, Kazuma!" Isshi smiled radiantly. "Can I go in?"

"Sure, come in" Shou let Isshi in. "You didn't have to come in person like that..."

"You say that every year, kid" Isshi laughed shortly. "Have Akiya and Tora already given you a gift?"

"Yes, I got it on the rehearsal yesterday."

"Well, here you have a cake and a card from Izumi and Shin" Isshi put the box and the envelope on the table, then took a smaller package out of the bag. "And this is from me and Yamiyo. We were careful to not break it."

Shou looked at Isshi. Recently, he had gotten a framed photo of them together, which he hung in the kitchen. What did Shinohara give him this time?

He gently unpacked the CD. To his amazement, he saw a limited edition of L'arc-en-ciel's album, which he didn't have yet on his shelf.

"Shino..." Shou didn't know, what to say. "Thank you!"

Isshi staggered as Shou almost knocked him over, jumping into his arms.

"Haven't I ever told you not to hop like that, Bunny?" asked Isshi. "Saga is gonna kill me when he hears the same songs for the twentieth time, huh?"

"I'll try to stop him" Shou smiled brightly.

"Okay, I have to go to the studio, it's time to work!" Isshi turned around and suddenly staggered so violently that if Shou wouldn't have caught him, he would probably have fallen over.

"Shino?" Shou looked at a slightly embarrassed Isshi. "What happened?"

"I felt dizzy, that's all" Isshi smiled gently. "Sometimes I do. It's okay now."

"Are you sure?" Shou looked at him with worry.

"Don't worry too much" Isshi stroked his head. "Do you have time to see me next week?"

"Sure" nodded Shou. "But are you sure you are okay?"

"Yes, silly Bunny" Isshi walked to the door. "The fact that someone has lost their balance doesn't immediately mean that the world is ending. See you next week, Kazuma."

"See you later" muttered Shou, closing the door behind Isshi.

His hunches grew stronger.

* * *

They met on July 16th in the cafe they always went to. They took the same chocolate coffee and the same cinnamon cookies again. They talked for quite a long time. About work, about everyday life, about music, about the weather, about animals. Just about anything they could.

"Kazuma?" Isshi suddenly said as they left the cafe. "You know you're one of my best friends?"

Shou trembled. On the one hand, he felt honored by the confession, but on the other, his premonitions had reached its apogee. Something was definitely wrong.

"You're my friend too" Shou smiled slightly.

They started talking again. Something strange was in the air.

They stopped outside of Isshi's house. Nao was waiting in the doorway, stroking Otaki's head.

"Take care, Kazuma" Isshi hugged Shou suddenly.

"You too, Shino" Shou didn't know that next week...

...he would wake up on the sofa in the studio and would be looking at Tora sitting beside him with the glass of water.

"Are you feeling better?" asked Tora, handing him a drink. "I had no idea you were going to pass out. Hiroto started to cry, Nao took him home because he was starting to get hysterical."

"And Sakamoto?"

"He went out to smoke. I'm sorry, Shou, I should convey this to you in a gentler way."

The door opened slightly and Saga appeared.

"Erm, Kazuma" Saga walked to them and bit his lower lip. "I smell of smoke a little, but if you want a hug, then..."

Saga froze as Shou knocked him to the floor and just burst out into a terrible sob. Saga sighed, trying to calm his own tears from his eyes, then gently twisted his fingers into Shou's hair.

"Don't cry" he only whispered, realizing that these two words would not glue his beloved's heart, which had shattered to pieces that day.

The end