Title: Understated

Chapter One: Had to sell my soul, 'cause you were so rock and roll...

Author: Occurs

Series: Gravitation

Rating: PG at moment

Summery: My personal chronicle of the relationship between

Uesugi Mika and Seguchi Tohma. This story is should generally

be assumed to be anime continuity, as I've only gotten ahold

of sporadic bits of the manga. This part starts nine years before

the commencement of the series. The rest of the notes are at the

bottom. J

                                                Understated: Chapter One

                The blaring music stirred the crowd into a pumping frenzy,

a slew of sweaty teenaged bodies contorting into obscene poses as

they raised triumphant hands in the air. Sakuma Ryuichi's velvety voice moved

easily across the excited throng, reaching even the farthest

corners of the packed club with its powerful melody.

                "Aah! Aren't they fabulous, Mika-chan?" Watasi Junko squealed

as the synthesized beat gave way to enthusiastic cheers and clapping coupled with

loud screams begging Nittle Grasper to please their crowd with an encore.

                Uesugi Mika shook her head slightly, tucking a strand of auburn-brown

hair behind her ringing ears, and Junko frowned.

                "Can't you get excited about anything, Mika? This band is going to be

huge, and now you can say you were with me on my birthday for their first

live concert ever! It's historic!"

                "Hn." Mika turned her eyes up to the stage, squinting through the wafting smoke

 and blinding light. "Maybe I would care a little more if we could see."

                "But standing in the back means we'll be first out the door for

autographs! You will stand in line with me, won't you Mika-chan? If I have to

talk to them I might just faint and die, right there on the spot!" Junko

clutched herself dramatically, her mind already lost in the hazy daydream of

stardom. "Do you think if I hike up my skirt enough I'll get invited back to the

hotel?"

                "Oh, was that the plan behind that embarrassment of an outfit?" Mika eyed her friend

critically from the top of her sparkly hair clips to her outrageously high platforms, with

very little in between. She was sorely tempted to sacrifice her heavy leather coat for

Junko's sake...it was quite extreme, and the fact that no one else in the crowd had

batted an eye spoke volumes about the caliber of people they were dealing with.

                "Of course!" Junko grinned and gestured to the crowd of similarly dressed

girls bouncing to and fro as Ryuuichi thanked the crowd and agreed to perform a

final number. "What do you think every other girl here is thinking? It's called

fandom." Her look of exaltation showed that she clearly considered this something

to be proud of and Mika bit her lip to avoid snapping at Junko as the girl clapped

and yelled enthusiastically. 

                "If you're so serious about wanting autographs you should probably go get in line

now. People are already leaving to queue up, and I am not waiting until midnight just

so you can have some one-hit wonder scrawl their names on their faces in Pop Beat."

                "Wow, Mika, you're so smart." Junko cocked her head and beamed as Mika turned to the exit,

easily pushing away the few people who stood between her and the door. "Hey! You promised to

wait with me!"

                "I'm going to go smoke." She explained with an exaggeratedly patient look. Could Junko have

really just graduated with her? Some people were so immature... "I'll meet up with you in line."

                "Hai hai." Junko smiled and waved, following her out and heading to the

velvet ropes that marked the path to the autograph tables.

                Her head really, really hurt. Mika made her way out of the lobby of the Ruido to

the back areas of the club, tacitly ignoring the 'personnel only' signs the periodically

dotted the walls. No one seemed to pay her any mind, and Mika sighed as she shoved her

way past whoever it was who was standing between her and a lovely exit that seemed to be deserted.

Quiet. And nicotine. And maybe to sit down. She'd been standing in heels for the better part of

four hours listening to music blasting from a speaker barely five feet from her head

all without the familiar comfort of a cigarette between her fingers and, quite frankly

with no offense to Junko, she could think of better ways to spend her night. The heavy

metal door gave a rusted creak as she swung it open and stepped into an alleyway outside the

building.

                'Fresh air, finally,' Mika thought as she opened her purse and pulled out a

cigarette with one swift motion. Her eyes involuntarily slid shut to try to quell the

pounding in her brain with the silence that rested comfortably in the dark side street.

As she rubbed her temples she heard the protesting screech of the metal door again, then

the distance buzz from the club as whoever had opened it held the door ajar. With a

frown Mika removed the cigarette from her lips and flicked the ash to the concrete.

                "Will you shut the door?" It was an order, not a question, and Mika was not

surprised in the least when the stranger immediately complied.

                "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you."

                The voice was male and pleasant and Mika's eyes slowly opened again as she raised her

cigarette back to her mouth. "It's all right. I'm sorry for my rudeness." The apology

was standard and polite, but did nothing to hide the annoyance in her voice. With a tilt of

her head she looked over at the intruder. He was only slightly taller than she was, with

blonde hair and an engaging smile, and he certainly didn't look the type to try and accost women

in secluded alleys. After quick appraisal, Mika figured if he tried anything she could probably

break him in half...his build was delicate and the fur-trimmed coat and designer sunglasses he

sported didn't exactly scream of machismo.

                "Could I please borrow a cigarette?" The stranger stepped closer and gestured to the red pack

sticking out of Mika's handbag. Mika took another puff of hers and looked at him carefully, watching

as her reflection glittered in his lenses.

                "You don't look like you smoke." She pronounced, blowing out an ashy stream into the

night air.

                He gave a quiet chuckle and smiled again, removing his sunglasses and tucking them in a

coat pocket. "I don't suppose I do."

                "Hm."  Flicking off the ash to the midpoint of the cigarette, Mika turned and offered

him the smoldering, lipstick-stained Marlboro.

                "Eh?" The blonde glanced from the cigarette to its owner with a bemused blink.

                "I don't believe you." She smiled, raising an eyebrow and watching expectantly. "So

go on."

                His confused expression faded into a smirk as he deftly accepted her

cigarette and raised it to his lips. Much to Mika's surprise he took a long, satisfied

drag, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. It took only moments for him to finish, and

he crushed the butt under his heel as Mika lit a second.

                "Are we going to share that one too?"

                This time Mika had to smile. Whoever this stranger was, his good nature was infectious

and the fact that he was attractive enough wasn't hurting matters in the least. "It's

all yours if you like. Here." Stepping forward she placed the cigarette at his mouth, her

fingers lightly brushing his lips. She could hear the way his breath hitched as she let

her hand fall from his face and she would have felt a moment of triumph at her feminine

charms had his eyes not locked with hers and held her spellbound. Mika had never understood

her friends' fascination with the beautiful and sultry men that littered the tabloids and

popular press, but this man...he was certainly and fetchingly handsome, with an

intensity to the way he was looking at her that made her want to possess him. His mouth opened

slightly and he took the barely-touched cigarette and tossed it to the ground, letting it

spark slightly as it hit the pavement.

                "Ano..." He began, his soft voice stilted. "You.."

                "Tohma!!!" The door swung open and hit the side of the brick building with a jerking

clang, a noise matched by the clamor coming from inside. "Tohma, we have to get out there.

What are you doing?"

                "I'm sorry, Noriko-chan." Tohma made a slight bow of apology to his violet-haired

band mate, his expression again cheerful and appeasing. "I'm coming now."

                "Good." Without another thought Noriko grabbed Tohma by the hand and began tugging

him in the direction of the autograph table, away from the shocked Uesugi Mika.

                Mika made her way back to the line, her thoughts jumpy and her pulse still about a

half-beat too fast for comfort. That was Seguchi Tohma? The one that Junko had been babbling

about for days on end? Saa, it served her right for not knowing anything about pop culture!

And here she was, getting all dizzy in an alleyway for some wannabe rock star, whether or

not she knew it at the time. It was such a low point...Artfully she threaded through the

queue of people wrapped at least twice around the lobby, looking for her friend. 

                "Mika! I thought you had gotten lost! Come on, the line's moving!" Junko hugged

her poster and cd close with a drawn-out sigh. "I can't wait to tell them how wonderful

it was...they were late getting out here, don't you think? Oi, Mika-chan, is something wrong?"

                "I still have a bit of a headache." Mika lied as Junko made her way to the front of

the line. Contrary to her fears, Junko found quite a bit to say when she finally made it

to the idols.

                "Ohmygoditwassowonderful!!!I'm Watasi Junko and this is my best friend Uesugi Mika! Here,

sign this and this and this and oh my god could we please get a picture it's my birthday and it

would mean so much to me oh please?!?!"

                "I'm sorry, but no..." Noriko started.

                "Of course." Tohma answered in the same breath, giving Noriko a significant look

over the head of Ryuichi, who was busy congratulating Junko on her happy birthday.

                "Thank you thank you thank you!! Mika-chan, get over here!" Junko grabbed Tohma and

Ryuichi's arms, placing herself firmly between them as Noriko stood to the left, an arm

draped casually on Ryuichi's shoulder.

                "Oh, I don't think...." Mika raised a hand, her eyes only on Tohma. He smiled

pleasantly at her, nothing in his expression suggesting the least hint of awkwardness

or even recognition.

                "Please, Uesugi-san, is it? Your friend would appreciate it I'm sure."

                With a soft sigh Mika stepped in next to Tohma as Junko gave her a 'see, Tohma

cares about what I want' smirk. She could smell the mix of smoke and cologne on him

and could have sworn she felt his hand pass over her waist just before the flash...

at the contact she felt her heart jump and groaned inwardly. She, Uesugi

Mika, did not have fangirl anywhere in her. That thought in itself was ridiculous.

                "Oh, thank you all so much! Can I give you my number?...I think you're absolutely

gorgeous and...."

                "Junko, come on..." Mika pulled her forcefully away. "You're becoming embarrassing."

                "Isn't he wonderful and amazing though?" Junko was practically floating. "They're

so talented...I wonder if he'll call me...he seemed awfully willing to have my picture

done..."

                "You're delusional." As the walked across the parking lot Mika reached into her coat

to fumble for her keys. "The last thing a man like that needs is some silly fangirl to

fawn over him...besides, who would want company after an exhausting...eh?" Her fingers

closed, not around keys, but around a folded slip of paper Mika couldn't remember for the

life of her. With a frown she paused under a street lamp to read it.

                                You should be more careful where you keep you keys. Il Palazzo room 402.

                                                                Seguchi Tohma

                "I don't believe this! Of all the nerve..." Mika stomped her foot in frustration, smashing

the paper between her fingers to hear the satisfying crunch.

                "Huh?" Junko peered over to read the note."Oh my god! Mika-chan, how could you

betray me like this? You're going up to Tohma's room...oh my god, I could die!" She

grabbed at Mika's arm with a vise-like grip, her expression dark and murderous.

                "You're missing the point, idiot!" She hissed, managing a murderous gaze of

her own. "That manipulative little bastard stole my keys. That's not a compliment, that's

assault waiting to happen!" The look on Junko's face clearly showed that they were on

different planets about this particular situation, and Mika sighed tiredly. "Go back

to the lobby and wait. I'm going to get my keys back, and we're leaving."

                "No, no no!" Junko shook her head enthusiastically. "Mika-chan, if you've ever

loved me at all you just have to take me with you!"

                "Absolutely not! Junko, I can't trust you not to be an idiot. Go wait."

                Junko frowned, wracking her brain for a good reason to come. Mika was so

unreasonable...She crossed her arms and looked up at her friend. "You have to take me,

Mika-san. What would people say about the unmarried daughter of a shrine keeper

visiting a flamboyant rock star's hotel room alone? At night? Why, you have a reputation

to keep up and that's a tabloid waiting to happen."

                "No one knows me here, and I can take care of my own reputation."

                "But what if he tries to seduce you or something?"

                "You'd try to join in." But the twit had a point. If nothing else,

Junko would be good insurance against any potential 'misunderstanding'. "Fine.

Come on. Maybe I can trade you for my keys."

                "Really? You always think up the best birthday presents, Mika..."

                "That's not supposed to be a tempting offer."

                                                                ***

                The short walk over to the hotel was filled with the stamping of heels and

rabid chatter. The air had cooled off rapidly, and Mika found herself cold and

coatless after Junko had claimed the leather jacket for herself.

                "So what all did he say again? I want every word, Mika."

                "I don't remember, Junko." Mika tossed her hair as the attendant opened the

front door for the girls with nary a curious glance. She could feel the eyes of the

loiterers and businessmen in the lobby on her as she stormed to the elevators, jamming

the buttons for each in rapid succession. Ire and patience were mutually exclusive.

                After what seemed an unbearably long half-minute, the doors to the leftmost

lift slid open and Mika stepped gracefully in, Junko following closely on her heels.

                "Now Junko-chan," Mika began, leaning against the back wall as the elevator

began it's ascent "the plan is this. We go, get my keys, and leave. You don't talk,

we don't stay."

                "You've already told me that at least five times." Junko complained with a sharp

nod. "I can't believe we're the same age now...you're acting ninety instead of nineteen.

This is the kind of thing normal girls want to happen."

                The doors slid open with a ping and the number four lit up as if signaling a

jackpot.

                "You know I don't like pretty boys." Mika's dark eyes darted back and forth

down the hall as she exited. "204, 204...."

                "His room is right there!" Junko suppressed a squeal to Mika's surprise and

she peeked up at her friend through thickly mascaraed eyelashes. "Do you want to

knock? I'm way too shy."

                "Oh, for crying out..." Mika raised her fist and rapped on the door, setting her

weight back on her heels and placing her other hand squarely on her hip. She was answered

with a soft 'One moment, please', then a click as the lock was turned.

                "Uesugi-san." Tohma's smiling face greeted her as he gestured for her to come

inside. "I apologize for calling you here like this." Mika's lip twisted as she looked

him over and slid off her high heels to enter the room. His blonde hair was still

slightly damp from a shower, he had changed into some more comfortable slacks, and he

didn't exactly look like he was going to try to seduce, extort, or otherwise provoke

a beating from her.

                "You have some nerve, Seguchi-san." Standing toe to toe Mika could almost look

him directly in the eyes.

                "Oh, don't talk to Tohma-san that way, Mika-chan!" Junko shoved Mika out of the

way and grabbed Tohma's hand. "Don't mind her, Tohma-san." She smiled brightly, her eyes full of

stars, hearts, flowers, and whatever other bright and glistening imagery that conveyed

her adoration. 

                "Ah..." Tohma smiled back blankly with a slight nod, glancing over Junko's

head to where Mika was busying herself searching the pockets of Tohma's jacket. He

disentangled himself from Junko with practiced ease, trying unsuccessfully to step around

the fangirl as Mika rapidly shook his tailored coat from the tails down. Her attempts to find the keys

unsuccessful, Mika turned to his drawers, pulling them open and rifling through them with

absolutely no regard.

                "What are you playing at, Seguchi-san." She frowned, pawing through sheet music and

notes.  "I want my keys. And I want to know what the hell you were thinking. In that order.

And if you don't give them to me I'm perfectly prepared to take this hotel room apart,

piece by piece, and leave you with the damage bills."

                Tohma held up an appeasing hand, his ever-present smile straining. "I apologize

again, Uesugi-san. I just wanted to talk with you."

                "There are other ways of going about it than petty thievery, you know." She snapped

back at him. "What kind of a shady man forces a girl to come up to his hotel room, hm?"

                Tohma closed his eyes and nodded slightly. "Only one who has no other way to meet

her, Uesugi-san. But I understand that you're uncomfortable. Here." Tohma gently tugged open

the drawer of his nightstand and pulled out the metal key ring with its accompanying keys.

Holding out his hand he offered them to her, the soul of gentlemanly discretion, but Mika perceived

the challenge behind the words. He was good, that she could see. But as good as he may be,

she knew she was better.

                "Junko," She started carefully, tilting her head to look over to where her friend was

leaning on the wall, taking in the exchange with wide eyes. "I want you to take my keys and

go home."

                "Eh? But Mika-chan...Aren't I supposed to be safeguarding your virtue or something?"

Junko pursed her lips, not sure what to make of the situation.

                "Go." It was the same tone she used with her brothers, boyfriends, and anyone else she

saw fit to keep under her thumb. It was maternally ordering and impossible to argue with.

                "Right..."

                "And don't tell anyone where I am."

                "Right..."

                "And don't wreck my car."

                "Hai, Mika-chan." Junko gave a little bow and took the keys from Tohma's proffered

hand, biting on her lower lip in a confused manner as she looked between the two. If the positions

had been reversed she would be pushing Mika out of the hotel room as quickly as her strength

allowed, but Mika wasn't the type to act loosely. "Call me when you get back home."

                "I will." Mika dismissed Junko with a slight smile, her posture relaxing slightly

as the girl eased her way out of Tohma's room. One less thing to worry about. Wait. Car.

One more thing to worry about...

                "Would you like something to drink, Uesugi-san?"

                "No." She watched him carefully and settled herself on the bed, crossing her legs and

sweeping her hair behind her. "All I would like is for you to be completely frank with me. I

won't scream or do anything silly if that's what you're worried about."

                "No, I didn't think you would." With a smile Tohma pulled a chair out from it's

place by the wall to sit beside Mika. "Is it so very hard to believe that I find you

beautiful and wanted to see you again?"

                "I'm not here to be charmed, Seguchi-san." The fact that she wasn't being charmed

was only due to valiant effort. His expression was soft and endearing, his voice alone

had a relaxing effect, and his eyes...he was utterly gorgeous. Tohma, however,

seemed nonplussed by her criticism. If anything, his smile became brighter.

                "You're a strong woman, Uesugi-san." He leaned back in his chair, lacing his

fingers behind his head and letting his smile fade to a modicum of seriousness. She refused

to give into the temptation to fidget as he stared at her, instead setting her chin and

meeting his gaze head on. She was a little annoyed when he didn't look away or back

down from her harsh glare. Fine then, she'd just have to change her tactics. Leaning back

slightly Mika gave an exaggerated stretch, watching the way his eyes followed her.

                "Well, What is it you want to talk about?" 

                "Eh?" Tohma shook his head slightly for her to repeat. Her voice had apparently

broken his chain of thought, and Mika mentally patted herself on the back. Nice to know she

could create a distraction when needed.

                "You said you wanted to talk to me." Trying to collect her thoughts Mika turned

to the safety of her purse, making a small production out of fishing out a cigarette

and lighting it.

                "It was a whim." Tohma sighed. It was difficult and rarely successful to try

and explain something you didn't understand yourself to a person who wasn't terribly

open to explanations. He watched her smoke, her pretty profile artfully framed by the

window behind her.

                "I'm sure you realize that this is rather odd." She glanced back at him

and Tohma nodded his head in assent.

                "You didn't have to stay."

                "You didn't have to force me up here." 

                "But you were so interesting." He smiled again, with the charming

expression Mika was coming to realize acted rather like a default mode. She gave

a delicate 'hmph', flexing her ankle.

                "Interesting? In many circles that's not exactly a compliment, Seguchi-san."

                "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were here to be complimented."

                Mika opened her mouth to issue a retort, and abruptly realized she didn't have

one. With a rueful shake of her head she laughed softly, finishing her cigarette in

the silence. She was relaxing a little too rapidly, she thought, flicking the butt of

the stick in the nightstand's ashtray. It was hard to maintain a guarded stance around

the charismatic man, and slight doubts about whether she even wanted to were creeping

annoyingly close to her consciousness.

                "Well," She started, standing and turning to look out the window at the lights

of the city. "If we're going to talk you may as well call me Mika, so long as you don't get

too familiar." Her hands rested on her hips as she watched the skyline, a few office

lights and the twenty-four hour businesses lighting up the streets of Tokyo.

                "Of course, Mika-san. And you may call me Tohma."

                "Tohma then." With quick steps she walked over to the glass that had captured

her interest, brushing her fingers lightly over the windowpane. "Are you from

around here?" 

                "Not from this part of Tokyo, no. You're from Kyoto, aren't you?" 

                "Is my accent that much of a give-away? Most people can't tell."             

                "No, but it suits you."

                She smiled at that and turned away from the dazzling city. "Well, let's

go."

                "Excuse me? I didn't say we were going anywhere Mika-san."

                "I know. But if I'm stuck here in the city, I want to see what's out there.

So if you really think I'm that interesting, you're coming with me. Get a coat,

it's cold."  And before he could argue she was at the door.

More Authors Notes: This is actually a series that I wasn't sure I was going to

work on and publish as it's probably the most self-indulgent thing I've ever

started writing (meaning I did it solely because I became enamored of it and

don't really give a darn if anyone else doesn't like it). In theory it's going to

go through the New York incident and then have a post-series epilogue. 

Unfortunately I'll be back in college next week, so the next chapter may

be slow coming (especially if it turns out to be as long as this one. Oi.)