Hikaru's mother went into labor the next morning, and that afternoon Hikaru held her little sister for the first time.

Kiri laughed at her when she repeated for the third or fourth time, "She's so tiny."

When she looked up at him he asked gently, "What were you expecting"

She would have shrugged but she was nervous about jostling the baby, so she answered, "I don't know, but my mother's belly was huge compared to how big she is."

Kiri laughed again and assured her, "That's normal."

Miri returned from visiting the bathroom and Izumi helped her back into the bed. Hikaru returned the baby to her mother with some relief.

--

Mirage's album release went surprisingly well. They weren't instant stars, but they were no longer a small local band either. They played small concerts in other towns across the country every other weekend throughout the summer.

--

Night Dreams came and played at Hikaru's wedding reception. Of course, Mirage also played some too.

While they were dancing, Hikaru told Kiri, "Taka-ji taught me to play the guitar when he found me trying to learn on my own. But since he could only visit a few times a year, the lessons were really spread out."

"Oh?" Kiri replied quizzically.

She continued, "I did well enough that he promised if I could play the Devil's Song perfectly on my 12th birthday, he'd buy me an electric guitar. I didn't manage to play it perfectly, but I did really well actually. And since he brought the guitar with him, I think he was only saying that anyway."

Kiri grinned at her and asked, "Is that your current guitar? Are you suggesting it's time to get a new one?"

"No!" She protested immediately and Kiri laughed. "Yes, that is my current guitar. And I was just telling you about it because, well, you don't seem to like Taka-ji very much and I thought maybe if you knew more about him…"

He regarded her with surprise and asked quietly, "What have I done that makes you think I don't like him?"

She shrugged and replied, "Nothing in particular, you just get really quiet?"

He thought for a moment before he replied, then said, "He's a little overwhelming, I guess. I don't mind him though. I wasn't trying to be quiet on purpose?"

"OK," Hikaru replied.

Kiri grinned at her, twirled her around, and caught her again before asking teasingly, "And what do you think after meeting my other sisters?"

Hikaru winced. "They love you a lot," she replied promptly.

"Mmm", Kiri murmured.

She rested her chin on his shoulder and added, "I don't think the eldest will forgive me for the fact that my mother is younger than all of your sisters for a really long time."

Kiri kissed her and said reassuringly, "I don't care what she thinks. Don't worry about it."

"I'll try not to," Hikaru promised. "Though I think she's way more intimidating than Taka-ji could ever be."

"Possibly," agreed Kiri.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

--

A little while later, Shizuoka cornered Hikaru and asked, "Help me get a date with your husband's best man?"

Hikaru regarded her with alarm, and asked, "How? Isn't that up to Kazuha-san?"

Shizuoka smirked and replied, "I won't force him into anything. I just want you to start the conversation."

Hikaru replied hesitantly, "I don't know if it's a good idea."

Shizuoka asked with a frown, "Why, he seems sweet, and employed, and he's totally my type. What's wrong with it?"

Hikaru shrugged helplessly and replied, "Nothing, he's just had a rough time. I don't know…" She finished with, "he isn't comfortable with our age difference either."

Shizuoka replied, "If someone has already been rough on him, maybe he'll appreciate a nicer girl. And I'll give up if he refuses."

Hikaru shrugged again and asked, "Just don't, um, don't rush him?"

"Alright," she agreed.

--

It rained on them all the way to the hot spring, despite being the middle of July. Kiri looked at Hikaru anxiously once in awhile as they drove along the winding mountain roads.

"What's wrong?" she asked after awhile.

"You've been tense since we left the reception, maybe I should have rented a van, or hired a limo," he replied.

"I'm OK," she said.

She watched him for a little while and then asked, "What else?"

He shrugged and replied, "It's raining."

She reached over and placed her hand on his thigh.

When he glanced at her she asked, "Is it better if we're touching?"

He laughed and replied, "Yes, always."

--

They arrived and checked in without incident.

Kiri turned to her while they were unpacking a little and changing clothes and raised her hand to his lips and kissed the spot beside her wedding band. "Thank you for agreeing to wear a ring," he said softly.

She blushed and touched his ring and said, "You too Kiri."

He pulled her close and kissed her very gently. Then he asked, "Hikaru, promise me if you aren't enjoying this after a couple days, you'll tell me, and we can go to the coast or something."

She laughed and waved at where the doors were open to the private spring in its little enclosed garden and told him, "It's beautiful here Kiri."

He sighed and replied, "And very wet."

She asked curiously, "Do you hate the rain? You complained about the rain in China too."

Surprised, he denied it quickly, "No, I don't mind rain when I'm not trying to work in it."

Hikaru raised her eyebrows at him skeptically.

He shrugged and said tentatively, "It's not very lucky for weddings though?"

Hikaru laughed and he arched an eyebrow at her. She kissed him again and said, "But it didn't rain during our wedding, only after." She glanced at the garden again and asked, "And isn't it beautiful and green. And that tree looks like it's decorated in a thousand diamonds the way the drops are collecting on its needles."

Kiri wordlessly let go of her and rummaged in his bag until he found a small box, which he handed to her.

Hikaru opened the box curiously, and then stared.

Kiri kissed her again and said, "I wanted to buy you a diamond you'd actually be able to wear, no matter what you decided about rings or names."

She lifted the silver butterfly, which she'd bet was made of platinum like their earrings. It's wings quivered and she gasped.

Kiri took it from her fingers gently and showed her how to open the hair clip without pulling on the springs that supported the wings.

She looked up at him and said anxiously, "Kiri it's so beautiful, I'll be afraid to lose it."

He touched her cheek with a warm caress and said lightly, "I got it for you to wear, not to keep in a box. Go ahead, lose it. It'll give me an excuse to buy you something new next year." He smiled and his eyes gleamed in the soft light.

Hikaru started to laugh but her breath caught as she looked at him sitting there in the yukata he'd changed into and she whispered suddenly, "My husband is the sexiest man I've ever seen."

He reached for her as she moved to him, and the sound of the warm gentle summer rain outside muted the soft moans and heated breaths that followed.

--

TWO YEARS LATER…

Hikaru cuddled her new little brother on the couch and grinned cheerfully at her little sister as she played on the floor.

Kiri smiled and leaned over her shoulder to brush her hair back from her cheek. "You are getting pretty comfortable with this," he commented.

Hikaru tilted her head back and looked at him and said seriously, "Not at all. When we have kids you might really wind up having to act like their mom."

He laughed and kissed her and replied comfortably, "I think it will be fine either way."

She smiled and asked, "Can you watch them for a couple minutes, I thought of a better line and I want to write it down before I forget."

He laughed and gently scooped the baby from her arms.

--

FIVE YEARS LATER…

Hikaru approached Ryuske a little nervously after Rin and Hatsuharu left. They'd just finished arranging the newest song and it had been a longer practice session.

Hesitantly she said, "Um, Ryu, about our schedule this fall…"

He turned to her and grinned. "You're pregnant," he announced calmly.

Hikaru stared at him in surprise.

He reached over and touched her cheek affectionately.

"How did you know?" Hikaru asked. "I haven't even told Kiri yet."

Ryuske regarded her with shock and asked, "Why not?"

She shrugged and replied, "We've been really busy, and I wanted to talk to you about it first." She looked at Ryuske's expression and added, "I need to know if you think we can keep going with Mirage, if we're doing well enough to be OK if Kiri really does quit his job in order to stay home with the baby."

Ryuske looked at her seriously and replied, "We are, and I want to keep Mirage going. I've been afraid… I thought you'd want to leave when you started having kids."

Hikaru reached out and gripped his hand and said firmly, "No, I'm greedy, I want to have it all, Kiri, and Mirage, and children."

Ryuske smiled and replied. "I'm glad."

Hikaru asked again, "How did you know?"

He laughed and replied, "You look more feminine, it's already changing your body. How can Kiri not know?"

She shrugged and replied, "Maybe he does, and he's just waiting for me."