Hikaru tried to explain how Mirage had almost been shanghaied by a pirating publishing company and how they were signing with Inline to Risa and Shizuoka during lunch.

"I don't understand," Risa said doubtfully while kicking her feet. "All this time you're saying Takeshi-san has been a celebrity manager and now you're signing with his company?"

Shizuoka asked before Hikaru could reply again, "Why didn't he tell you?"

Hikaru said uncomfortably, "He didn't not tell me, and he's not one particular celebrity's manager, he's the general manager of the company, just like he said."

Her friends were doubtful about the whole situation and Hikaru got a little angry and said finally, "Kiri is willing to quit and find some other job if things get too difficult or if I ask him to! If he's willing to go so far, I don't see why you won't trust him. Why do you think this was some plot?"

Risa replied anxiously, "We're just worried about you. Did he really say he'd quit?"

Hikaru told them reluctantly, "He promised me on our first date, that if I couldn't stand his job after six months, he'd change it. And last night he was talking about taking the new Field Manager position or taking a different job entirely if it was too much of a conflict."

"Wow," Shizuoka said.

Hikaru said unhappily, "I don't want Kiri to have to change his job. He loves his job sometimes, and not everyone is that lucky."

Risa hugged her and said quietly, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize he was that serious about you. I just worried that he was playing around or that maybe he pushed this contract without you knowing."

Hikaru sighed and laid her head on the table. "Why does it have to be so complicated?"

--

After school she called Ryuske. He picked up immediately and told her, "Come home, I mean, to your mom's place. I came over early after talking to her on the phone a while."

"Oh," Hikaru replied. "OK, I'll be there soon."

"See you," he said.

When she got there, she found Miri and Ryuske sitting across the little table arguing over the paperwork between them.

"Hi?" she greeted them uncertainly.

Ryuske ran his hands through his hair and said, "Hey." He summoned up a smile for her.

Hikaru looked at him sitting there, and suddenly she realized who 'Don't Go' was for. But she couldn't say anything in front of her mother.

Miri stood up and ran to hug her daughter. Hikaru hugged her gently and told her, "You look more pregnant everyday."

Miri grumped, "Don't try to change the subject!"

Hikaru laughed and said, "Sorry, I guess you better tell me what the subject is."

Miri glared at her daughter and declared, "Your contract!"

Hikaru smiled a little sadly and said, "I thought you'd be glad. I never imagined you wouldn't be willing to sign for me."

Miri replied fretfully, "You have no idea how tough things were at the beginning for Akira, or how many demands the production company made on the guys."

Hikaru said quietly, "No, but I know he loved it. He always told us how lucky he was to be able to support us while doing what he loved."

Miri sighed and Ryuske said, "I've tried to reassure her that I'll do my best to protect you from the worst of it."

Hikaru looked at him and told him, "You don't have to. I want to do this. I'm not as good a musician as my father was," Ryuske and Miri both interrupted with protests.

"You are," they insisted.

Hikaru grinned wryly at them and said, "I'm not saying I'm a bad musician, but Ryuske, you're closer to being like him. He wrote music, I just play it. And I love playing it, I'm fine with that."

Ryuske looked at her and said seriously, "You will write it, when you're ready."

Hikaru opened her mouth to protest, but then changed what she was going to say, "It doesn't matter. What is wrong with the contract mom? Takeda-san has already helped us out, but he can't get the legal teams to work for us until we're official."

"Why won't Kiri be your manager?" Miri asked fretfully.

"He knows that relationships rarely survive the entertainment industry as well as your marriage did Miri," Ryuske answered before Hikaru. "As reluctant as I am to trust him, I think he meant it," he said while looking at Hikaru.

Hikaru nodded.

Ryuske closed his eyes and took a deep breath before smiling at her and then asking Miri, "Would it help if you meet Takeda-san personally?"

"Kiri said we're lucky to have caught his interest," Hikaru offered.

They both looked up at her with surprise.

Hikaru settled at the table and picked up the contract. The clause Kiri had suggested had been added. "What did Taka-ji have to say about it?" she asked her mother.

Miri sighed and sat at the table again. She took a sip of her tea and poured a cup for Hikaru before answering. "He said it was an amazing contract for a new band," she said reluctantly.

Hikaru smiled. But Ryuske clenched his fists and said unhappily, "But with me in it, it's not exactly a new band to Inline. They already know they can sell my work."

Hikaru leaned over and put her arm around him. "Are you really going to be OK with it?" she asked.

"As long as you're with me," he replied quietly.

She nodded.

Miri stared at them. "You're both sure about this?"

They nodded.

"What about college?" Miri asked Hikaru.

Hikaru winced and told her, "If my agreeing to go to college is the cost of your approval, I will."

Miri stared at her. After a moment she asked, "What does Kiri think?"

Hikaru hesitated. "I'm not sure, before he said he definitely thought I should go, but last night he said he's been thinking about my job, that he'd been trying to ignore it before, but will try to support me in it. I don't know. I don't want him to have to quit his job though," she said unhappily.

Ryuske stared at her in surprise. "Why would he quit?" he asked.

Hikaru explained. When she finished, they talked about the contract, the video projects and proposed recording schedules. 

Eventually Miri sighed and said, "Alright, I'll sign for you."

Hikaru smiled and scooted around to hug her. "Thank you."

Miri looked at Ryuske and asked, "You promise to take care of my daughter?"

"Mom!" protested Hikaru. "Don't make it sound like you're marrying me off."

Ryuske laughed and promised Miri, "Always."

Miri looked at Hikaru and said seriously, "Your father was as married to the band as he was to me. You'll have to remember to show Kiri-kun that you love and think of him everyday, because it's not easy feeling like you might be in second place to the music."

Hikaru looked at her mother with something like shock. She'd thought her parents had been the happiest and most loving couple in the world. "Did you worry?" she asked after a moment.

"Not really," her mother said with a gentle, wistful smile. "Akira always made sure I knew how much he loved me. And I knew how much music meant to him, so I was jealous of it sometimes, but I never wanted him to give it up. But I listened to the heartaches of many people who weren't so lucky."

Miri insisted they stay to dinner after the contract was signed. At dinner Izumi asked if Ryuske was Hikaru's new boyfriend. 

Hikaru stiffened but before she could reply angrily, Ryuske said in a tone of mock suffering, "I'm hurt that you have forgotten me so easily."

Izumi stared at him and asked, "What?"

Ryuske smiled at Izumi and said, "We played at your wedding. Miri-chan is very dear to all of us, I hope you're taking good care of her."

"Of course I am!" Izumi snapped.

Ryuske smiled calmly and said, "I'm glad."

Miri grinned at him, and dinner finished peacefully. Miri hugged and kissed them both when they left. "I'm really looking forward to the first music video!" she said.