Ch - 2

He knew he had to apologize. He couldn't just leave things the way they were. He stood up from the drum stool and walked towards the door of the practice room, his heart pounding in his chest. He had no idea if Hikari would even hear him out but he had to try. He pushed open the door and stepped out into the hallway. He looked around, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of Hikari. He hoped he didn't walk out of the building, he wanted to talk to him face to face, even if he was a bit scared of his reaction. The hallways were empty, which only made his heart pound harder in his chest. He felt a sense of panic growing in his chest. Where the hell did he go? he wondered, his eyes darting around the hallway. He started to walk briskly down the hallway, looking left and right for any sign of him. He had no idea where to start. He could've gone anywhere. He was about to turn a corner when he heard voices coming from a practice room. He stopped dead in his tracks. Could that be him..? He cautiously walked closer to the door and listened carefully. The voices were muffled, but he could make out two distinct voices. One of them was clearly that of Hikari. He heard him asking for something. His heart was beating fast again but he couldn't help himself from eavesdropping. He leaned closer to the door, trying to make out what the other person in the room was saying. He couldn't hear the other voice clearly, but the conversation seemed to be getting heated. He could hear Hikari's tone growing frustrated. He leaned closer, his ear almost pressed against the door. The voices inside the room continued to grow louder, their words becoming more heated. He could even pick up on some expletives among the words. It sounded like they were having a fight or something. His concern for Hikari overcame whatever reason he had left and he decided to enter the room. Without a second thought, he pushed the door open. The arguing pair stopped at the sound of the door opening and turned around to glare at him. It was then that he noticed who the person arguing with him was... it was Shin the lead singer of Hikari's band. Shin and Hikari both glare at him in surprise, their argument suddenly interrupted by his unexpected entrance. Shin's eyes harden as they land on Nori, a look of annoyance and anger flashing across his face. He's clearly not happy to see him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Shin snaps, stepping forward and towering over Nori. Nori looks up at Shin, a small pang of fear creeping up his spine as he's reminded of the physical difference the other guy has. He swallows down any of his pride and fear, steeling himself.

"I'm here to talk to him." He said, his voice still wavering lightly as he jerked his head towards Hikari, who had remained silent. Shin follows his gaze over to Hikari, a look of realization and annoyance passes over his face. "What the hell do you want to talk to him about?" Shin asks, crossing his arms over his chest and still towering over Nori. He's still glaring at him, his eyes sharp and hostile. Nori takes a deep breath, trying not to let Shin's intimidating presence get to him. He meets his gaze, trying to remain calm.

"It's... personal..." he says, avoiding eye contact with Shin. Shin rolls his eyes, clearly not satisfied with his answer.

"Just spit it out," he says gruffly, still leaning over him. "You can spit it out. Shin here is my older brother he already knows about the job.." Nori's eyes widen in surprise as he hears Hikari's words. He hadn't expected him to be so open about his job in front of his brother. He glances between them, a bit taken aback.

"Wait... he knows..?" He asks, looking over at Shin. Shin nods, a stern expression on his face. "Yeah, I know about the goddamn job. Trust me, I'm not happy about it either." He says, glancing briefly at Hikari before turning back to Nori, his gaze hardening. Nori's eyes go even wider at Shin's confession. He wasn't expecting a member of Hikari's band to openly admit disapproval about his job. He looks at Shin, his expression a mix of curiosity and intrigue. "You... don't like it either..?" Shin shakes his head, a look of annoyance crossing his face. "Hell no, I don't like it. Do you have any idea how shitty it is to know that your younger brother is out there every night, doing god knows what with random strangers?" His voice is laced with frustration and concern. Nori glances over at Hikari, noticing the way he flinches slightly at his brother's words. He looks back at Shin, his curiosity growing. "I... yeah, I kind of understand why you might not like it." He pauses, choosing his words carefully. "But... it's his job. And he does it willingly, right?"

Shin scoffs, his expression hardening even more. "Willingly? Are you serious? Do you think he actually enjoys this? No one willingly goes into a job like that. It's not exactly a dream job, you know?"

Nori falters at his words, unsure of what to say. He knew what Shin was saying was true, but he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the situation than he understood. "Well... I'm sure it's not that bad. It's not like he's forced to do it." Shin's eyes narrow, his expression darkening. "You really think he's doing this out of choice? Do you think he wakes up every day thinking 'Oh wow, I can't wait to go out and sell my goddamn body tonight'?" His voice is sharp and pointed, his tone leaving no room for doubt. Nori falls silent as Shin's words hit him hard. He knows that Hikari's job isn't easy, and he's heard the rumors and stories about the darker side of the industry. But hearing Shin talk about it so bluntly, it hits harder than he expected. "So... you're saying he's being forced into this..?" He asks.

Shin's expression softens a bit, his tone becoming more serious. "It's not that simple. Hikari feels like he doesn't have a choice. He's not physically forced to do it, but he feels like he has to." His voice trails off, a look of sadness crossing his face. Nori nods, his expression dropping. He's beginning to understand the difficult situation Hikari's been dealing with. He looks at Shin, his eyes filled with a mix of sympathy and curiosity. "How long has he... been doing this?" He asks cautiously. Shin's expression darkens again as he thinks back. "Too long. Way too long." He pauses, taking a deep breath before continuing. "He started doing it when he was barely eighteen. He's twenty-two now. So that's like, four years." He says looking sad. Nori's eyes widen in shock. Four years? It was shocking to hear that a young guy like Hikari had been selling himself for such a long time. He looks at Shin, a mix of confusion and concern on his face. "Why did he start doing it in the first place?" Shin takes a deep breath, his expression hardening. "We were in a rough spot financially. I was working two jobs already, but it wasn't enough. And you know, our parents weren't exactly in the picture. They were never there for us, always off doing their own thing. So Hikari felt responsible. He thought he had to do something to help, whatever it took."

Nori's expression softens with understanding. He can see now that Hikari's motivations for doing this job are not simply financial, but more deeply rooted in a sense of responsibility and obligation. "But... shouldn't he have stopped long ago if it hurt him so much?" He asked. Hikari finally starts talking. "I cant stop. They wont let me... ive tried believe me."

Nori's attention snaps towards Hikari as he speaks up for the first time since they started talking. His eyes widen in surprise and concern as he hears the pain and helplessness in his voice. "What do you mean, they won't let you stop?" He asks, his voice filled with worry. Hikari lets out a sigh, running his fingers through his hair. "It's the boss. I told him i wanted out, tried to quit. He said he'd ruin my life if i did." He says, his voice tinged with exhaustion.

Shin's expression grows even colder at the mention of the boss. "What the hell does that mean? How could he ruin your life?" He asks, his voice growing more and more tense as his anger grows. Hikari's shoulders slump, his voice barely above a whisper. "He has dirt on me, stuff that could ruin my reputation. Plus, who knows what he'd do if I actually tried to leave. I can't risk it." He pauses, his expression growing distant. "I feel like I'm stuck. Like I'm trapped and there's no way out."

Shin's expression is unreadable as he hears Hikari's words, anger and helplessness warring within him. He reaches out and places a hand on Hikari's shoulder, his tone softening despite his words. "And what, you think it's safer to keep doing this?" Hikari's expression hardens, his tone almost defeated. "What choice do i have? This is the only way i can keep my freedom. I do whatever he says, and he leaves me alone." He says, his voice growing quieter as he looks away. Shin's grip on Hikari's shoulder tightens, his expression hardening once more. "You think this is freedom? You're still at that guy's mercy, even if you're not physically locked up. This isn't living, Hikari. This is just surviving." Hikari's expression falters, the weight of his situation clearly taking its toll on him. "I know. I know it's not freedom. But what else can I do? I've tried to escape so many times, but I always end up right back where I started. I'm just so tired." He says, his voice wavering.

Shin's expression softens again as he sees the exhaustion in his brother's face. He's torn between anger and sympathy. "There has to be something we can do. I'm not going to let you just live like this forever, okay? We'll find a way out." He says, his voice determined. Hikari looks up at Shin, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "I... I want to believe you." He says, his words tinged with a mix of uncertainty and desperation. Shin's expression turns resolute, his grip on Hikari's shoulder becoming more firm. "I mean it, alright? We'll figure this out, together. You don't have to do this anymore." He says, a look of determination in his eyes. Nori stands off to the side, listening intently to the back and forth between the brothers. He feels awkward, like an outsider in a very personal and emotionally charged moment. He's starting to understand just how deep these issues go, and the weight that Hikari has been carrying for all these years.

Shin notices Nori's presence, his eyes flickering over to him. He's still holding onto Hikari's shoulder, his expression guarded but not hostile. He looks at Nori, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You're still here?" He asks gruffly. Nori's heart skips a beat as Shin addresses him. He's intimidated by the other guy's presence, especially given the emotional intensity of the conversation he's just witnessed. He nods, taking a small step back. "Yeah... I just... wanted to talk to Hikari." He says, his voice small. Shin's expression remains guarded, his eyes surveying Nori up and down. He can tell the other guy feels awkward, and his protective instincts kick in. "About what exactly?" He asks, his tone cautious. Nori tries to keep his composure, his eyes darting around nervously. "I said some.... uhm.. rude things to him..."