Title: Winter Sakura.

Author: Patpat.

Co-author: Quack says the Duck.

Aide: Iname and Drudrue.

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters, except one who'll arrive later in the story. Murakami Maki is so lucky...

Paring: Yuki Eiri / Shindoo Shuuichi

Rating: M

Yaoi, Shounen-Ai, AU and some OCC.

Summary: Shuuichi is a young barman who hardly makes enough money to pay his bills, when one night, he finds a tall blond man unconscious in the dark alley behind the nightclub where he works. Some strange circumstances will bind them together.

A/N: Hi everybody, this is my first attempt at an ENGLISH fanfiction. Indeed I've already written many other stories but all in French (although some are translated into English). I hope you'll like this story because I'll write it with all my heart for you o. There will be Romance, Angst, some Drama and lots of Humor thanks to Tatsuha, lol. I'd like to thank my best friend Drudrue who helped with my very first idea for this story. She wanted to be the beta-reader but she's really bad at English, hehehe. And then, thank you to Iname (you're a real godess with "Cold Play") and my beta Quack says the Duck (Merci d'avoir accepté de me corriger, tu es un ange!).

So here we go with the first chapter. READ AND REVIEW PLEASE !

Speaking in bold. Thoughts in talics.

Chapter 1 : The one who needed help.

Like every morning for the past two months, Shuuichi burnt his pancakes. He wasn't a very good cook to say the least, always burning everything or cutting his fingers. He used to order every meal, except for breakfast: cereal was much easier to prepare than those damned pancakes. But Shuuichi wasn't very smart either; he always forgot important things like "buying the groceries". So of course, he didn't have cereal or strawberry pokkii anymore. His best friend, Nakano Hiroshi, often told him that he would forget the day of his wedding. And Shuu always answered that he had to find the one to marry first.

Cursing and mumbling to himself for having spoiled his breakfast, he threw the burnt pancakes out.

Fuck ! Now I have to eat the yakitori I've had in the fridge since Hiro came and cooked for me.

Opening the fridge, he looked at the only things remaining in it: the yakitori wasn't yakitori anymore. It was more a kind of heap of brown and shrivelled meat in a plastic plate. The smell wasn't very attractive either...

Yeurk... Ooh man, how long has that thing been in my fridge? Now it looks like a bacteria culture. If I put that in my mouth, I'll die on the spot for sure.

I don't think I'll eat anything this morning, he thought with a sad smile. So he decided to work on the song he would sing on stage next week. The lyrics weren't finished yet, and Hiro and Fujisaki Suguru, his other friend, needed them so that they could set it to music. Shuuichi still had more than an hour before going to his first job: waiter in a French restaurant, in the center of Tokyo. As he hardly managed to make ends meet, he had to work all the time, for him and for his sister. How could he pay for her private school, for his rent, for the other bills and for the food without a second job? The day, he worked at the restaurant "Chez Mauricette", and the nights at Nightwish (1), a nightclub where he was a barman with Hiro and Suguru. And each saturday night, he sang on stage with his band, earning some precious Yen to help him.

Obieta mezuki de iradatsu omoi uwaki na kaze hi hakisutete

Kaze ni hakisutete

Hibi-wareta rojou ni toketa Shingunaru

Wa kizauto daka nokoshite-iku

This song wasn't his best one but for some reasons, he liked it. He really was eager to sing it on stage. That mere thought sent a shiver down his spine as he continued to write down the words that poured like water from his mind to his left hand with ease.

Madoronda noizu ga asu o keshi-saru mae ni

yabou ni hibiku kutsuoto okakete

Doko ni mo tomarani

mitasanai emotion

shikato kimete oikose yo

furueteru shai na seikai no

nuke-michi o neratte

tadoritsuku basho e I Want New World

Hey! It's not that bad for a first draft, he told to himself, looking at the sheet.

He wanted to continue, but he knew he had to go to work or else he'd be fired, and searching for a new job would take time. And time is money, he thought, sticking the piece of paper in the pocket of his jeans. He put on his shoes and took his jacket and his keys, and then left for the restaurant.

After his long bus trip through Tokyo, he finally arrived at "Chez Mauricette", and he knew he was late. He managed to dodge his boss and miraculously survived the head waiter's wrath. He put on his uniform and napkin, and then began what he was paid for. Working in a restaurant was really boring; all he had to do was to bring food-filled plates to customers. Not the kind of job he wanted to do for the rest of his life. Shuuichi always dreamt of being a singer, it was what he'd wanted to do since he was a child. One day, his mother told him he would have a great future thanks to his voice. Everybody seemed to think his voice was a beautiful gift. Not that he would complain since singing was his ambition and it was a good thing if people already liked to hear him. His little sister, Maiko, used to call him "little bird"; born to be free and to make people happy with his music.

A little smile appeared on his lips as he thought about the young girl he had not seen for months now. I miss you so much, Maikochan. Mom and Dad would have been proud of you. You're so clever, he thought.

Shindoo! Don't smile like the idiot you are and bring those damn dishes to table 4! NOW!

Obediently, the young man took the two dishes and left the vast kitchen of the restaurant to enter the big hall - decorated French style - direction table 4. He couldn't wait until tonight, when he would spend time with his two friends, even if it was to work too.

XXX XXX XXX

You're late, pretty boy ! a brown-haired woman exclaimed from behind the bar of Nightwish Club.

Sumimasen, Keiko-san, he apologised, taking off his orange backpack and blue jacket.

The silence he got from the owner of the club let him know he was already forgiven. Keiko liked the boy, actually everybody liked Shuuichi. He was childish and not really smart but he had a big big BIG heart. And his pink hair, his beautiful violet eyes, his adorable cheeks and his petite frame charmed the audience as much as his voice and his energy. It was the reason that enabled him to keep his job at Nightwish even though he always dropped bottles or glasses; the boy was very clumsy sometimes. But Keiko knew that, even if he was only 20, he already had a very bad experience in his life: his parents died some months ago and he was the only one who could take care of his younger sister. The barmaid would have been heartless if she had refused him a job or if she had fired him just because he had broken the thousandth bottle of whisky.

Shuu! called a tall young man with long red hair, waving at him.

Hey Hiro! What's up? Where's Fujisaki?

Not here yet, answered his best friend, playing some random song with his guitar. So?

So?

So.

"So" what, Hiro?

So you haven't finished the new song, ne?

Not yet, but...

You know Fujisaki will kick your ass for that. He's been asking you to do it for two weeks now, you know?

Yeah, yeah... But I've nearly finished it. I'll give him the lyrics in a couple of days, Shuuichi said.

And what are we going to play, tonight? asked the guitarist, getting desperate.

I-I don't know... Spicy Marmelade?

Ok then. But nevertheless, Fujisaki is going to kick your arse, you baka.

Stop calling me that, Hiro! the singer pouted.

Then, the two burst into laughter. They'd been friends since their first day at nursery school; in fact they were more than friends, they were like brothers, always sharing the better and the worse. As they took their places behind the bar, Suguru arrived, his clothes soaked from the rain.

Konban wa, minna! the young, green-haired pianist said.

Hi, you little kobito (2)! Shuu exclaimed. You're late!

Pot calling the kettle black, Shindoo? You're the one who's always late so what gives you the right to lecture me? Suguru coldly answered.

Hey, calm down, I was only joking you know!

Have you finished your lyrics? If so I can work on it before the club opens.

Hmmm... Nah... Sorry... But I've nearly finished them.

The younger teen preferred to keep silent, I should just kill you, you lazy pink freak! he thought. Then, after putting his keyboard in the staff room, he joined his friends behind the bar and helped them to finish cleaning up the glasses.

Some hours later, the club was overcrowed, full of people dancing, flirting and jigging to the loud, electro rock music. People who wanted to order drinks had to yell for Shuuichi and his friends to understand. But the three barmen and their colleagues were used to this, and had begun to develop a 6th sense: reading the customers' lips. Then went the moment of each saturday night, the moment of Bad Luck. It was time for Shuu, Hiro and Suguru to go on stage and as soon as Keiko told them to, they disappeared before magically reappearing on stage ten seconds later, each of them wearing their stage outfits, those which made all women - and even some men - drool.

Fujisaki wore dark blue pants, a black button-up shirt and a green coat to match his hair. Hiro, as always, had his favourite jeans and a black shirt, with a Harmany jacket on top, which he'd gotten from his mother for Christmas. But Shuuichi, like everytime he was on stage, wore his long yellow coat. He also had a black t-shirt and a pair of tight, leather pants. You know, the kind which fit perfectly close to his cute little... Mmmmh, excuse-me, I was drooling on my keyboard... Hum... So the three Bad Luck members were on stage, and as soon as the house lights went off, all the customers knew they were about to perform.

Suddenly, the stage lights re-lit, illuminating the band as the opening chords began. "Spicy Marmelade" was one of Keiko's favourites, since it was the one that the customers preferred. And if the customer liked, they came back to spend more money. And money rules the world. Yeah, Keiko was a real capitalist, always begrudging every yen she spent.

'Spicy Marmalade jidai wa marude

Ui himeta kao de madowaseru'

'Nani furueteru kairaku shugisha ga warau

Sameta REERU no ue kizu kazu ni shiku mareta mirai

Kibasa ga jama suru jounetsu ga douka shiteru

Kanari akumu janai? taikutsu ga shouwa shiteru'

'Spicy Marmalade hajiketa mama de

Kon yori no CHANSU o tsukame

Vanish into the night jidai wa maru de

Ui himeta kao de madowaseru

The crowd were dancing and cheering the band as Shuuichi sang from the bottom of his heart. He was alone, having to deal with the real world and protect his little sister from it, but singing was healing his soul from all loneliness. Being on stage always enabled him to forget his life and to dream of a better one. He poured all his feelings into his voice, into his energy, sharing it with his audience. He jumped, he ran, he gave all his being and it was the very reason why people loved him so much.

The song ended and they performed another one, "Blind Game Again", before going into the staff room to change into their normal clothes. The night was over for them and already they were allowed to leave. Hiro would take Suguru home and Shuuichi, who didn't live too far away, would walk. They said their goodbyes and then went on their separate ways. It was still raining, but not so much; as long as he hurried back to his appartment, he could stay mostly dry.

Going through the dark alley behind the club, he began to speed up. He would have been able to continue on his way if he hadn't heard some weird noise. He stopped to listen, but heard nothing more. He frowned. Must be some cat trapped in a bin, he thought, as he went to leave. But once again, he heard it. Like a groan... Looking around for the origin of the sound, a figure laid on the ground caught his attention. As soon as he realised it was a man, most probably hurt, there, he ran towards him. Someone other than Shuuichi would have thought "Humph, another drunk guy sleeping out", but Shuuichi had already seen too much - he'd discovered his own parents lying in a pool of blood in his living room - so refused to take the risk of letting someboby who may need his help be left out in the cold. Kneeling next to the unconscious man, he tried to wake him gently.

Hey! Are you ok? he asked, his voice full of concern.

No answer. Looking at the man's pale face, he feared the worst. Please, don't be dead! I don't want to see that anymore! He put one hand on the man's chest, checking his heart beat.

Please! You can breathe! he tried to encourage the man, as well as himself.

Placing his other hand on the man's forehead, he felt how icy the blond really was. He's so cold... How long has he been lying here? Really worried for that unknown guy he took him in his arms, aiming to keep him from freezing to death. He took out his cell phone and dialled 119 (3). He quickly gave all the information to the ambulance services, not leaving his eyes from the man.

Stay with me, ok? I'm here now so don't die on me. Please, don't leave... he said.

He didn't know why, but he felt like he had the save him. Calling for an ambulance was not enough; he had to stay with the man until he recovered. If he does recover... the young singer thought. Waiting for the emergency services to come and pick them up, he gently ran his fingers through the blond hair. Your hair doesn't seem to be dyed. Is it your natural colour? You must be a foreigner... The man was kind of handsome with his pretty face and his beautiful hair. Why do you think he's handsome, Shuuichi? Is there something not right in your stupid head?! he reprimanded himself.

About ten minutes later, the ambulance arrived and drove them to the hospital. Shuuichi was more than worried, although he couldn't understand what disturbed him so much. After all, this blond guy was just a drunk tramp who was trying to sleep it off behind the club. But have you ever seen a tramp wearing such expensive clothes? he thought. Brushing the idea off, he got out of the ambulance, letting the medical auxiliaries wheel the blond into the emergency room.

I hope you don't die, the singer whispered, his eyes filled with unshed tears.

Following the young blond man, he was stopped by a nurse.

You're the one who brought him here, aren't you?

Hum... Yes, I did.

Can you answer some questions?

Of course but I don't think I'll be able to help you. I don't even know him.

Ok, can you just tell me how he was when you found him?

He was... cold. I heard him groan so I thought he may need my help.

And you were right, the nurse said . Could you give me your name, please?

Humm... Yes. I'm Shuuichi. Shindoo Shuuichi.

Thank you, she said, writing down the singer's name, before leaving him alone in the waiting room.

He could have left too, of course, but he had to know how the blond was first. So he waited.

Some hours later, a doctor came to see him, worry etched onto his face.

You're Shindoo Shuuichi-san?

Hai.

I'm doctor Kazuhiko Inoue (4), he introduced himself, bowing politely. We didn't find any identity papers or personal items that could help us identify him. The nurse also told me you didn't know him, so we'll have to wait until he wakes up.

Is he ok? I mean... He seemed to be hurt and...

He has a bad concussion, two broken ribs and some bruises, but otherwise he's fine. Except he may feel dizzy... He would've been much worse if you didn't find him, you know.

When do you think he'll awake?

Tomorrow, although we can't be certain. We've already transferred him into the regular ward, because he doesn't need to be in the Intensive Care Unit, Doctor Kazuhiko answered with an assured smile.

Poking his fingers together shyly, Shuuichi asked :

Hummm... Do you think he'll be angry if I come and spend some hours with him tomorrow morning, just until he wakes up?

No, I don't think he'll be angry, the doctor said. If I were him, I'd like to know who's my saviour. Actually, I guess he could get angry if you don't come and visit him.

Thank you very much...

With a soft smile on his lips, the pink-haired man left for his place. He needed some rest, especially if he wanted to come and visit the blond. After all, tomorrow is Sunday and I'll be able to spend the whole day with him, to talk to him... And even if he doesn't want us to be friends, I need to know how he really is, he thought, heading toward his apartment.

XXX XXX XXX

As planned, he woke up rather early, took a shower and got dressed, before leaving. He barely ate the pokkii box he'd brought with him; he was much too eager to see him again. But why? He went round to the florist to buy a bunch of lilies: although he nearly forgot to, which seemed absurd - he was much too polite of a boy to not bring flowers.

It was about half 9 when he eventually arrived. After having asked for the blond's room, he went in.

He looks like sleeping beauty, he whispered, staring at the gorgeous man.

He! Stop thinking he's gorgeous! his mind yelled. Silently, he went through the room, looking for a vase for his flowers as he began humming a new tune. Luckily, there was a spare one near the window. The young man poured some water into it, before placing in the lilies. The room was sad and white, without any bright colours, and he didn't like that. Not really the best environment to help someone recover, he thought. It's a good thing I brought some flowers... Realising the curtains were obstructing the sunlight, he opened them.

It's much better that way, he told himself.

Mmmmh... Light... he heard someone mumbling.

Shuuichi turned around to see the blond guy frowning and groaning. A bright smile appeared on the singer's pretty face as he went by the unknown man's side.

Doctor Kazuhiko said you'd wake up today, but 10 a.m. is a bit early, you know? he joked as he was about to leave, with the intention of calling the doctor.

Hey!... Wait!... the blond said, reaching out for his arm. Just stay, ok?...

Hmm... W-what? the singer asked.

Who are you?

The blond man slowly opened his eyes to meet a pink mop of hair, two big violet eyes and a lovely, blushing face. With a slight smile he looked at the boy and asked:

Has the cat got your tongue?

Ano... I... I am Shuuichi. I'm the one who brought you here when I found you...

A puzzled expression appeared on the blond man's face when he realized he was at the hospital. Wondering why, he loosened his grip on Shuuichi's arm, and the boy ran out of the room to tell the doctor the patient was awake. Some minutes later, that strange pink-haired boy came back with a doctor, before moving to leave them alone.

Where's he going? the blond asked.

He'll wait until I finish my little check-up. I need to know how you are, ok? the man with the stethoscope explained. First, what's your name?

You don't want to tell me? I don't care, and I promise you're not in any trouble, I just need to register you on the hospital's list, and contact your family.

Getting no answer, the doctor decided to begin his examination. The pulse was ok, the blood pressure a bit low but nothing wrong, and the painkiller for his broken ribs seemed to be taking effect...

Now, young man, you have to tell me your name. I need it to contact your family and to put a name on the hospital bills, he said.

Why don't you want me to know your name? Are you afraid of something?

I... I can't...

But why?

I can't remember it...

XXX XXX XXX

A/N: Here is the end of the first chapter. I think I'll need about two or three weeks to write down the second one. So please tell me what you think about it in a little review. And even if you feel like kicking me because you don't like it, at least submit a review, ok?

Lyrics from The Rage Beat and Spicy Marmelade

(1)The name of the club is the name of one of my favourite music bands, they play Symphonic Metal and are great.

(2)Kobito means dwarf in Japanese (you know, the kind you put on the grass in your garden, lol).

(3)It's the emergencie services' number in Japan.

(4)It's the name of the actor who voices Yuki