Okay, I'm sorry this chapter has taken so long to upload, it's taken me a while to get around to it because of real life problems.

This chapter is extremely wordy, but it was needed to set up the final few chapters. Thank you for waiting once again, and please keep your reviews coming, I look forward to hearing your opinions on it. Once again, I apologise that this chapter is a little...off the wall from how the story usually is, it is also slightly shorter, but I will make up for it promise.

One last thing, for my next story, I plan to use one original character. It needs to be a male, and I'm gonna hold a little competition as to who this character is going to be. If you would like in on this and the chance for me to use your character in it, this is what I need:

Name:

Age: (this will need to be between 15-18)

Description: (this is pretty important so try and be as detailed as possible)

Short back story: (completely your choice what you do with it)

Depending on how many entries I get for this, I will announce the winner next time i upload, send your entries via PM please.

Anyway! On with the story!

looking for the future

Shou had been in hospital for about a week. His heart had almost completely recovered and he was ready to get back up and sing again. Otoya had stayed with him throughout his stay, never even leaving his side. Natsuki had been informed and was currently on his way back from England where he had been visiting his parents. He'd been so worried when the redhead spoke to him on the phone, he'd insisted on speaking to Shou immediately. Which of course, the blonde said yes, and began to explain everything. Tokiya's attack, falling for a certain guitarist, Kaoru's visit, and finally ending up in the hospital. For the most part, Natsuki only remained quiet, occasionally asking a question to clarify, it was the first time Natsuki had actually been this quiet since they were kids, and it was nice to have him listening. The conversation had ended with another round of on-going apologies (the third round to be precise), which Shou just smiled and gently told him that he was not to blame, and that he didn't need to feel guilty. After the call, he had looked back over to Otoya, seeing his smile beaming back at him, the smile he so deeply adored.

"Well, that's the last of my change" He softly joked earning a gentle giggle from his blonde lover.

"Sorry. I'll pay you back, but I could hardly put the phone down on him" smiling, he gave otoya a quick kiss on the cheek and they settled back down to a general chat of how everyone at the academy was. That's when Shou's face changed, he'd realised that Otoya and Ren, earlier were talking, and caught part of a conversation they'd had outside, when they thought he was asleep;

Ren looked at Otoya with that stoic glance he'd seem to of grown lately, that all knowing stare that always made the redhead uncomfortable.

"Are you going to tell Shou about what he did?" The younger boy tensed, he had tried to forget about what Tokiya had tried to do. He had been getting images of Tokiya touching him all week, and each time they came stronger and stronger.

"No," Otoya's strong voice cracked slightly. "He doesn't need to know," he wouldn't cry, he'd done enough of it. He was grateful to Ren, he truly was. But to tell Shou now? No, he couldn't do that. He wouldn't do that. The tall blonde frowned, making the conversation even more awkward than it already was.

"Tell him Otoya, or I will tell him for you. With that said, the older singer took his leave, giving ther boy time to think over what he was to do.

"Shou? Is everything alright? Should I get the nurse" The blonde was suddenly brought back from his thoughts by a soft hand placed upon his cheek. He turned quickly, seeing Otoya's worried expression, giving him a reassuring smile, before taking the hand and gently placing it in his. His facial expression changed once again. That, confused, worried expression that had plagued him as of late returned, and the older boy took notice. "What's wrong Shou? Please, talk to me." And so, the boy took a deep breath and looked at Otoya square in the eyes.

"O-otoya, did Tokiya hurt you?" the atmosphere between the two suddenly changed. A dark silence dawned upon them. Otoya began to shake, he honestly didn't want to tell him anything, but knew better that lies wouldn't help either. Slowly, the redhead took a long, shaky breath and looked at the hand he currently had interlocked with with his blonde lovers'.

"W-what makes you say that?" The older boy feigned innocence, thinking just maybe he would drop the subject. No such luck, Shou kept that heart felt stare on Otoya. he knew he'd lost the minute the subject had even been mentioned. Slowly he sucked in a shaking breath, and kept his gaze on shou's hand. "Yes" The atmosphere between the two instantly became tenser, if that was even possible. "H-he tried to rape me, but Ren stopped him, thank god." The redhead forced himself to continue, telling his partner everything that had happened in the space between leaving his room one week ago, and returning to his and Tokiya's room. Shou, never took his eyes off of his older lover, offering a reassuring squeeze of his hand when needed. When Otoya had finished, he took one last look at the younger singer, and instantly broke into tears, but Shou caught him in a hug, rubbing his back soothingly.

"There there Otoya, you're safe now. He won't able to hurt you anymore. I promise" The blondes voice was calm as he made the other singer look at him, a gentle smile spilling onto his face, forcing the other to join in, smiling gently back.

Secretly, Shou felt responsible for what happened to Otoya, somehow he had to find a way to make it up to him, but right now he had no idea how. He had so much to do to get his life back on track, and then there was Starish. If he had just found a way to sort all of this without involving the others, maybe he could of avoided all of this. And then there was the boy he had seen in that dark place. Just who was he? Shou had a feeling he hadn't seen the last of him. For now, he had to find a way to make all of this right, and he had to do it fast, before everything fell apart.