"Yes, I am. Surprised?" Die answered teasingly.

"How could you get here? I’ve never told anyone."

"It’s my talent." He bantered, smiling, but Shinya frowned. "I’d asked our manager, Inoue-san. Of course, he’s never been here but he got your address."

Shinya nodded slightly.

"Well…Would you like to talk here?" Die stepped in, without permission.

Shinya was hesitant, Before he opened his mouth, a voice boomed from inside.

"Who’s there? Shinya!"

Die saw Shinya jerked slightly. He looked over Shinya’s shoulder and found a round woman was glaring at him. Die didn’t like her at the first sight. She dressed in a suit like a model in fashion magazines, but looked cheap and like an old maid. Above all, she looked unfriendly to him.

"He’s Die, my band mate." Shinya replied her softly.

"Who?" Die also asked.

"… my girlfriend…" Shinya almost whispered.

"Well…" Die nodded to himself.

The woman walked towards the two guys, she grasped Shinya’s arm, pulling him close sharply. " I’ll go shopping. I hope you can talk to your band mate clearly and do tell him don’t come here again. We need our private life!"

Die could see Shinya’s pain as she griped his arm. He got angry. He glared at Shinya, wanting him to do something, if not he would shove her out soon. Anyhow, she loosened Shinya’s arm and walked pass by Die. Before she left, she stopped in the half way. " Oh! Don’t forget to tell him our plan. You must tell him." She waved and left.

Die found himself hating the girl’s guts. How could his lovely Shinya bear with her?

He pulled a cigarette up to his mouth, ignited it and inhale the smoke into his lungs. He stared at some tardy smoke on the air, a thought popped up in his mind instantly. Shinya does hates smoking. Well…in any case, Shinya was sleeping. If he smoked, it doesn’t matter. Hence the atmosphere over here was so bad. He hardly liked this smell. He opened the windows, but it doesn’t make it any better.

However Shinya would get very angry if he found Die was smoking in his room. Die decided to toss the cigarette on the floor, squashed it with his tiptoe. He did not want to see Shinya angry anymore.

"I’m so worried about you. You are often absent from our rehearsals. Is it because of her?" Die asked irritated.

"She said no need to have rehearsal so frequently. We are good enough."

"You believe her!?"

"Well…she will boil over if I leave her."

Shinya kept silent, avoiding Die’s eyes. Die sighed heavily. "Do you love her?"

"……She’s so smart."

Die rolled his eyes, staring at the ceiling. " Then, her smartness possesses your life, is it?"

" I don’t know Die, but she has everything I’ve never got."

"Fine!" Die snapped. " I don’t care if she’s smart or not. You ought to go rehearsing with me right now." He got up from his seat, pulling Shinya along. Shinya resisted.

"I won’t go rehearsing anymore, Die."

"What?"

Shinya was hesitant before he answered. "She said I’m the most popular in the band. I ought to go a head by myself…. Maybe I should be a solo artist…"

Die stunned for a moment, what Shinya will say next.

"I’ll quit the band."

The silence rang in the room for a moment. Die glared at Shinya, but he was looking at the floor. "Are you kidding?" Die asked in funny tone.

"She said I ought to leave the band. It’s better for me and her." Shinya stated firmly.

"No!!! I won’t let you quit." Die exclaimed.

"She said and she said and she said…. Has she already controlled your whole life? Do you really love that bitch?"

What happened next?…… Die felt pain was creeping in his brain when he tried to recall. It seemed they had an argument. Shinya still insisted what his girlfriend said was right.

"It’s over for good!" Shinya shouted at him. " Please get out of my room before she comes back."

Shinya got up and walked away to the other room, ending the conversation. He felt Die walking after him, but he didn’t even turn to see. He stood still for a moment. "Die…You have to leave…"

Shinya couldn’t finish his words before Die pulled him in his arms. "I love you, Shinya. I can’t let you go…." Die said gently.

"I can’t let you go…" Die murmured himself.

Nothing matters anymore. Die shrugged. His Shinya was sleeping peacefully on the sofa anyway. He will wake up soon and they would talk and laugh together like before. Die wiped Shinya’s scattered hair from his forehead. His face was so white as a sheet. Was he sick? Die concerned. He touched on Shinya’s forehead with his palm. It’s cold. He should be all right. Die smiled and sit on the next couch, turning on the TV. His favourite comedy show is going on air soon.

"Tadaima!" That bitch sounded from the hallway. Die frowned. Her voice could break Shinya’s sleep. He got up.

"Shinya!! Where are you? I told you stay home." She sounded angry. Then she screamed as she stepped in the living room. The blood spread everywhere. Especially, on Shinya’s white shirt, it soaked in blood and became dark red. She ran to her boyfriend who was still laid on the sofa. "Shinya!" She cried out. Before she could touch him, she was grasped from behind.

"Don’t touch my Shinya." Die hissed into her ear, sliding the knife through her chubby neck.

She collapsed on the ground as soon as Die loosened her. Die stared absentmindedly while she was wriggling on the floor. And then, she stopped.

"Bitch!" Die spat.