Type: Novel Summary
Title: Back Stage!!
Series: Love Stage!!
Author/Circle: Eiki Eiki, Amano Kazuki
Rating: NC-17
Language: English
This time: Rei finally manages to get some alone time with Shougo and discovers the truth behind why he avoided Rei at the concert. Plus–meet the other members of the Crusherz!

Chapter 4 (cont.)

The next morning, Rei casually asks after Shougo’s contact information when he arrives at the Sena family home. Seiya agrees to give Rei his cell information, but questions why Shougo all of a sudden? At this, Rei relates what happened to him the previous day, leaving out the part about Shougo running away from him and instead saying he was stopped by the staff and wasn’t able to see him.

Seiya is surprised, but also happy to hear of his son’s activities and expresses his hope that Shougo signs with them. Rei, eager as always to please Seiya, vows to do his utmost to bring Shougo and the Crusherz over to their agency.

After finishing his work for the day, Rei finds himself at his desk in the afternoon trying to decide what to do with the contact information: call? Or e-mail first to test the waters? Deciding that, given Shougo’s reaction yesterday, it would be better not to be too forward at this point, he opts for dropping an e-mail. It’s a very generic professional one, and he figures he’ll receive some sort of response in a few days.

…And only moments later, his phone buzzes with a response–from Shougo: Sorry about yesterday. I’m stuck in an all-day rehearsal at Studio NEO.

What the heck this message means, Rei can’t quite figure out. What does the apology mean? Apologizing for what? Does that mean there was some reason he ran away from Rei? And what does the part about being in rehearsal all day mean? Typically, it could be interpreted as meaning it’s fine if Rei drops in–but after running away like that, how could he now be saying ‘come see me’? Surely…he wouldn’t write something like this if he thought Rei a nuisance, right? Or if he didn’t need Rei anymore?

He realizes he isn’t getting anywhere dwelling on this–but for the time being he’s got to get the ball rolling as a member of SenaPro, and so he heads over to Shougo’s studio.

---

He arrives at the studio and inquires at the front desk as to where the Crusherz are rehearsing–but when he arrives at the appropriate room, Shougo is nowhere to be found. He hesitantly asks where Shougo is, introducing himself as having been told he was here, and two young men immediately jump to attention: “Ah! You’re Rei-san, aren’t you?! I knew it! Man he was right–you’re definitely hot for a guy!”

Rei is decidedly overwhelmed and can’t really respond to their rapidfire conversation, but he eventually realizes these two are the other members of the band, the two guitar members from the previous day–Haru and Rinpei, the H and R members from the show’s introduction. But–how do they know who he is? He’s starting to get a bad feeling about this…

“Shougo-kun never shuts up about you, you know!” “Yup yup, always going on about ‘I’m gonna sell a million albums for Rei!’ and ‘I’m gonna make it big, just for him!'”

Rei allows an uncomfortable smile–this is just great, Shougo’s practically come out about their relationship already. While it doesn’t seem as if Haru and Rinpei have taken it personally knowing that their lead vocal was working this hard for the same-sex object of his affections, most people won’t be nearly so forgiving.

Still, they continue as if Rei isn’t even there: “And then yesterday he totally bolted when he saw you, but man was he worried you took it the wrong way! Going on and on about what do I do now?!” “We kept telling him, ‘Just call him already and clear it up then!'”

Rei has to bite his lip hearing this–because if he doesn’t, he’s going to smile, he knows it. So that‘s what it was–it wasn’t that Shougo had gotten tired of him or didn’t have any feelings for him any more…! But realizing these feelings, he quickly shakes his head in shock at his own relief–really, it shouldn’t matter in the least! At any rate, if Shougo still loves him, it should be easy enough getting the Crusherz to sign with SenaPro!

And that’s when Shougo arrives–and the moment he sees Rei, his face lights up with joy. “You came! Sorry–I was in the bathroom just now.” Seeing this reaction now just confuses Rei even more–he seems genuinely happy to see Rei, but he ran away not 24 hours before…

Rei realizes here that it’s their first time speaking in three years…and he really doesn’t want to do it in front of the other members. The way they had parted three years ago had left Rei feeling awkward as well, and he doesn’t quite know how to deal with Shougo now. Haru, of all people, saves him here, though, by suggesting that they go out and have tea, just the two of them. Shougo initially expresses concern about leaving in the middle of rehearsal, but Haru and Rinpei remind him that they’ve got a lot to talk about–plus, if he lets Rei go now, there’s no way he’ll be able to concentrate on rehearsals! Shougo eventually agrees, and Rei has no choice really but to go along.

They retire to a cafe near the studio, settling outside on an open terrace to talk. Rei reflects on the conversation with Haru and Rinpei–and realizes that yup, Shougo still seems to be head over heels for him. This means that he should easily be able to get Shougo to agree to sign with SenaPro.

And yet…his chest hurts with guilt at the thought of once again using Shougo’s feelings for him for his own gain… He manages to convince himself that this isn’t for personal reasons though–this is for Seiya, and for the future of SenaPro.

They start to converse lightly, with Shougo giving a rough run-down of his efforts over the past three years that led to the Crusherz holding their concert in the Budoukan the previous day.

He then goes on to explain that he hadn’t known that Rei was going to be at the concert–and when Rei presses for an explanation as to why he ran away, Shougo fidgets and flushes and eventually gives in: “Well, it’s just–I was going to seek you out myself after I’d made it even bigger! I was going to make my major debut, hit #1 on the Oricon Charts, sell a million albums and then find you!! That’s been the whole point of keeping my name and face a secret this whole time!”

Rei is, suffice to say, shocked–he hadn’t expected Shougo to have thought this through so thoroughly, and he admits that he thinks it’s plenty amazing enough that he took an indies band all the way to a sold-out Budoukan, but Shougo returns that that was only the first step, that he was going to go on a sold-out dome tour–that‘s the level of amazingness he was going for.

This brings the conversation back around to talk of their debut here, and he presses Shougo for information on where they’re planning to sign. Shougo admits they’ve got quite a few offers from major labels–and Rei cuts in here to tell him he has to sign with SenaPro.

But Shougo, conversely, is adamant that he won’t sign there–why on earth would he sign under the label run by his father–his rival? He’s completely serious when he makes this point–and Rei is reminded here that while many might think he means a rival in the career sense, he very much means a rival for Rei’s heart.

“I made my decision to succeed in some place far from my father’s shadow–and then seek you out. If I don’t do that, I’ll never be able to surpass him, right?”

Surpassing Seiya… he can certainly understand Shougo’s desire on this point not to rely on his father. Shougo apologizes here and excuses himself. “The next time we meet–will be when I’ve become a million-album artist.”

That promise he’d made to Shougo three years before…has now come back to bite him in the ass.

Even if Shougo becomes a million-album artist, so long as he’s signed with another agency, it does nothing to help Rei. Far from it, when he thinks about how his own words have driven Shougo away from SenaPro to another label, it only serves to torment him with regret even further.

And of course, even if that should happen, he’d likely never fall for Shougo anyways.

At this rate, Seiya’s desire won’t be granted, nor will the desire for stability in SenaPro…nor will Shougo’s own desire for love–it’ll all just crumble into Rei having toyed with him this entire time.

He stands up and pulls out his cellphone, opening up his e-mail: I have something important to discuss with you. It doesn’t matter how late–I want you to come over tonight.

He doesn’t know if what he’s about to do is the right thing or not–but it’s all he has left now.

---

Shougo shows up around 1 AM that evening. When he inquires as to what this important thing is Rei called him here to discuss, Rei confesses he lied.

He’s come to the conclusion that all he has left to do is to come clean about what he did, and why he did it. “The person I loved back then…and the person I’m in love with now…is still Seiya-san. Even if you manage to become a million-album artist, even if you manage to surpass Seiya-san…I don’t think those feelings will change.”

After all, a person’s likes and dislikes won’t change so easily–but even knowing that himself, he’d given Shougo a seed of hope in order to spur him on.

Shougo doesn’t say anything, and Rei continues. “When I told you that I’d consider having feelings for you if you surpassed Seiya-san, it was because I wanted you to enter the world of entertainment–or rather, because I wanted you to come to SenaPro. So–if you sign with another agency trying to impress me, it won’t mean anything at all. I just–want you to join SenaPro, more than anything else.”

After a long pause, Shougo finally asks, “…So why go through all of this just to get me to sign? Why do you want me there so badly?”

Here, Rei explains everything that’s happened with the agency–from his father’s surgery to the lack of any new talent to the unknown future of the company, he spills everything.

“…So in other words, you’re asking me to help you…do something you want to do for my father.” Rei can but nod. “…Don’t you think that’s pretty shitty?”

“I know that! I know how messed up it is, what I’m asking you to do!” But he only had two choices: come clean about everything, or pile on another lie–that he loved Shougo and not Seiya. He knew deep down that telling that lie…well, Shougo would see through it easily. After all, Shougo had realized before Rei even had that he loved Seiya, based simply on the way his face lit up when he saw Seiya. He wouldn’t be able to look like that with Shougo, and that would give him away.

So…this was the only thing he had left to do. “Just…I can’t give you my heart–but I swear, I’ll give you anything else you want, my body, anything and everything you want, just please come to SenaPro!”

Shougo turns his gaze away, and for a short time there’s nothing but silence. Then: “…Hey, Rei. If you love my father best…would you at least say you love me second best?”

Rei is, suffice to say, shocked; he’d never even remotely considered it. Who he loves after Seiya…? He’d always only ever thought of Seiya, so…

But, now that he thinks about it…there’s really only one person that comes to mind. “…Yeah. I guess I do.”

When they’d first met, he’d only seen Shougo as someone who had power over him, not as someone to love or hate, and even now he still doesn’t have the same feelings for Shougo as he does for Seiya. And yet–if he hated Shougo, surely his chest wouldn’t hurt like it does right now.

“Then–that means you must like me quite a bit, huh?”

“I–guess so? Enough at least that I was pretty shocked when you ran away from me at the Budoukan…”

Shougo smiles at this. “Just like you want to protect the things that are precious to my father, I want to protect the things that are precious to you.” Rei is blown away–and his heart skips a beat at hearing these words he never expected to hear. This is a completely different Shougo from three years ago. “Really…I think I always understood, deep down–that people’s feelings don’t change so easily. That…there was no way you’d love me if I surpassed my father…” He smiles bitterly at this. “But–I still think I want to try my best anyways, to try and make you fall for me. Just because people’s feelings don’t change that easily–it doesn’t mean yours never will.”

Three years before, Rei had thought that Shougo hadn’t really understood what it meant to love someone–that had been why he’d asked Rei to think of him if he surpassed his father. But now, seeing him again like this, his chest tightens with the full knowledge that someone has really and truly fallen in love with him, and he finds himself choked up at the depth of Shougo’s feelings and gentleness.

“I’m going to join SenaPro,” he announces formally, and smiles again. “I can’t call myself a man if I can’t grant the wish of the person I love.”

Rei doesn’t quite understand how he can smile so genuinely after what Rei did to him, knowing that he had to have been deeply hurt. How can he still…love Rei this much? He can’t help it–a few tears crest over, and Shougo rushes forward to hug him, supporting him.

“…I’m sorry, Shougo.”

“It’s fine~ Even if all you can give me is your body right now, it can just start with that, and then little by little over time…I’ll steal away all of you, just you wait.”

Rei pulls back to look at him through tear-blurred eyes, and their lips are drawn together. They start to touch, tugging off clothes as they go, and Shougo is as chatty as usual, asking Rei how he satisfied himself while Shougo was gone. “Did you jerk yourself off like before?” Rei is as happy about being asked such impudent questions as he was three years ago and snaps at Shougo not to ask stupid things.

“It’s not stupid–this is how our relationship is gonna start now~ Plus–I want to know everything that happened to you while I was gone…” He’s pleased to see Rei’s as responsive as always as he starts in on his nipples.

It’s been three years since Rei’s been touched like this by someone else, and his responsiveness shows it. Rather than dulling with time, instead he seems even more turned on than usual.

Shougo admits that he’d like to take it slow and indulge in every bit of Rei, but since it’s their first time in a while, he doesn’t see himself being able to bear having Rei in his arms for long without embarrassing himself. Rei’s very much the same, already thrusting into Shougo’s hand just by being touched a little bit. Such is the curse of long work-days. He can’t tell entirely, though, if it’s just from being touched by someone other than himself…or from being touched by Shougo.

Shougo settles between his legs and proceeds to start sucking him off, which is nigh on unbearable–until Shougo swipes some of the liquid seeping from his cock with his fingers and uses it to start probing from behind. He easily finds Rei’s prostate and massages it until Rei’s trembling, crying his release as Shougo sucks in hard and takes it in.

With his fingers still buried inside of Rei, he continues to prep him, scissoring in between pressing in and out, being sure to brush against Rei’s prostate for good measure. Then, Shougo breaks the mood with, “Oh right–better break out the lube…”

Yes, even after Rei invited him over only saying he had something important to talk about–Shougo came expecting sex. Shougo doesn’t seem ruffled by Rei’s shock, confessing, “Well, when you said ‘come to my place tonight,’ I got a little excited!” Rei would be more irritated with this attitude of Shougo’s–but he reminds himself it’s probably this aspect of his personality which has prompted him to forgive Rei time and time again.

He grunts at Shougo to get on with his activities–which Shougo does happily, quickly finishing his prepwork. He confesses he can’t wait too long–it’s been three years and he can’t hold back anymore. Rei wants to protest that that’s exactly the reason he needed to go slower with his prepping, but Shougo presses inside anyways, leaving Rei thankfully not in pain, but with the familiar feeling of being filled through and through.

“Huh? Are you tighter than before?” is Shougo’s innocent observation–which, duh, of course he is, as it’s been three years. As he presses in fully, Shougo confesses, “Honestly…I was actually really worried. Wondering what you’d do if jerking yourself off alone wasn’t enough…but I guess I didn’t need to worry at all!” Rei simply glares at him, pissed that he sounds so thrilled Rei’s been celibate since he left. Of course he hasn’t done anything with anyone else: the person he loves has a wife and a happy marriage. “Plus…” Shougo adds, thrusting gently, “It seems this place remembers me well…” He sighs happily, “Man, your body feels so great…”

At this idle comment, something seizes in Rei’s chest: he’d said just my body…and Shougo’d also said just your body.

He can’t imagine a day will come when his feelings will stray from Seiya towards Shougo; that’s how much Seiya is his only person.

And yet…drowning in such pleasure, it makes him wish, so hard…that he was in love with Shougo. If he were, he wouldn’t have hurt this man as much as he has. He realizes it’s really egotistical to feel that way, but he still thinks it.

Shougo’s hand travels back to Rei’s cock, and he proceeds to stroke until they both approach their peak–and Rei comes for the second time that evening as Shougo slams into him hard, frantically jerking at his cock.

Shougo wraps Rei into a strong hug–and Rei reflexively returns it. “Rei…I love you so much…” It’s a soft, gentle voice, tinged with sadness. “Even if you’re not mine, I swear I’ll only ever sing for you.” Rei can only bite his lip at the whispered words. He’s grateful they’re hugging–as he doesn’t want Shougo to see that he’s about to cry again.

Shougo’s become an amazing man over these past three years–completely unlike Rei, who feels he hasn’t changed at all since then. He’s grown–not only as an artist, but as a human being.

He ponders briefly what it might be like…if he’d met Shougo as he was now before he’d met Seiya. If he’d bowed his head to those staff members in that hallway leading to the Crusherz dressing rooms before that winter day when he’d first met Seiya.

He realizes it’s an impossible assumption: after all, Shougo fell in love with Rei because Rei was in love with Seiya, and if Rei hadn’t been in love with Seiya, he never would’ve asked Shougo to become a singer.

He understands all of this…and yet he still can’t help but wonder…

---

Several days later, it’s formally announced that the Crusherz will sign with SenaPro, and Shougo returns home for the first time in three years to his family’s relief. While the homecoming seems happy enough, though, Rei can’t help but think he sees a spark of rivalry flaring now between father and son who are now in the same career field and both attempting to increase their fame.

The coming few months will be interesting indeed, that much is obvious!

After the homecoming, Rei is straightening up his desk in the business area of the house, when he catches the scent of coffee–and he looks up to find Shougo standing in the doorway with a cup for him. He asks if Rei still has work to do, and Rei returns that he’s just finishing up…then he apologizes again. “I really am sorry… Because of my selfishness, I’ve dragged you into this.”

But Shougo doesn’t see fazed in the least. “The way I look at it–Dad’ll kick the bucket before me! And when that happens, I’ll get promoted to #1 in the Rei ranking! So–I’ll just bide my time and wait for that unfortunate day~”

Rei shakes his head, wondering what sort of guy Shougo really is–seems that his basic personality really hasn’t changed that much at all. “Shougo…I was thinking, about that…”

“Hmm?”

“I changed my mind. The one I love second-best is definitely Izumi.”

At this, the merry little smile that had graced Shougo’s lips falls away. “Eh? EH? WAIT–NO WAY!” And this reaction does nothing to make Rei feel any less smugly satisfied.

END CHAPTER 4

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