When they finished, the three members of Mirage were pleasantly surprised to be paid 200 each, on the spot, except for Hikaru who was assured by 'Night Owls' owner that she would receive the same plus the usual she got for playing the two hour warm up. 

Ryuske asked "Why are we the only ones being paid immediately?" 

Hikaru told him about the arrangement Yukito had set up, so that she was never carrying much cash when she worked alone.

"Well thought," complimented Rin. "Should we walk you to the bus, we came on my bike."

"I have a ride home," Hikaru replied with embarrassment.

Rin gave her a considering look and asked, "Boyfriend?"

Hikaru nodded.

"OK, see you Friday then," he replied.

Ryuske stood staring at Hikaru until Rin nudged him. Then he laughed and said, "Yeah. And it's the week for cancellations, our Saturday job cancelled too, so let's do an all day practice session."

Rin and Hikaru agreed, then Hikaru left by the side alley door and headed for the front of the bar.

Just outside the alley she spotted Kiri and ran up to him, but then, embarrassed, slid to a stop.

Kiri stepped forward, picked her up in a hug and spun around with her. "You were great," he said with a smile.

"Thanks," she replied, feeling shy.

They kissed for a moment.

Then Hikaru whispered, "Kiri, that guy is just standing there watching us."

Kiri turned and laughed, "Sorry, it's my friend Kazuha, the teacher who helped me with your homework. He invited me to go drinking tonight, I told him I was already planning to come here, so he met me here. He's a little drunk."

Hikaru looked surprised. "A teacher is drunk on a school night?"

Kiri grimaced. "There's a reason," he replied.

Hikaru darted forward and grabbed the man's arm, "Don't sit there Kazuha-sensei! People pee in this alley." She pulled him away from the wall.

"Gods," said Kazuha, "don't call me sensei, I'm not your teacher and having Kiri's girlfriend be high-school aged is creepy enough." He staggered a little and Kiri took his other arm.

They led him to Kiri's car, he started to climb into the front seat but Kiri said firmly, "Hikaru's in front with me."

"OK," Kazuha agreed. "You don't look like one of Kiri's girlfriends," he told Hikaru dubiously.

"Oh?" she asked.

"Nothing," Kazuha made a cupping gesture at his chest.

Kiri hit him lightly and pushed him into the backseat.

Hikaru blushed, and climbed carefully into the front seat with her guitar and buckled herself in.

Kiri got in and after checking that everyone was secure, started driving.

Kazuha asked from the back, "Have you told Chi-chan? I've got to tell Chi-chan you're dating a high-school aged musician." He fumbled for his phone.

"Kazu," Kiri scolded, "Don't drunk call other people's pregnant wives."

"Who's Chi-chan?" asked Hikaru

"Kiri dated her in college, for several years, they were engaged," Kazuha said helpfully.

Kiri grimaced and nodded when Hikaru looked at him. "We're still friends," he said. "We do much better as friends than we ever did as lovers. We used to fight all the time."

"I find that kind of reassuring," Hikaru said.

Kiri looked at her in surprise, then turned his gaze back to the road. "Why?"

"You've had at least one relationship longer than six months," she explained.

Kiri blushed.

Kazuha apologized for meeting Hikaru while drunk.

Hikaru asked why he was drunk on a school night.

Kazuha explained that his girlfriend had run off with another guy again.

Kiri said bitterly, "Stop taking her back."

Hikaru looked at them both and then suggested tentatively, "If you love her as she is, it shouldn't make you this miserable? You sound like this is something she's done more than once. But if you only love how you think she should be, maybe Kiri is right?"

Kazuha nodded miserably and said, "Yeah, I know."

When they arrived at Hikaru's, Kiri got out and walked her to the door as usual.

"Sorry," he said.

"Why?" she asked.

He gestured back at Kazuha.

Hikaru squeezed his hand and said, "It's all right."

Kiri kissed her softly at the door. "See you tomorrow afternoon?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, and kissed him again.

"Goodnight Hikaru," he said, smiling.

"Goodnight Kiri," she replied, and went in.

Kazuha had moved to the front seat when Kiri got back to the car.

"You are right," Kazuha said as they pulled away.

"Of course," Kiri said loftily.

"You're also a smug bastard and your own dating history isn't that great," his friend grumbled.

"Sorry," replied Kiri.

"Will you really be OK dating a high-school girl? If you get arrested, don't call me," Kazuha fretted.

"Some friend you are," Kiri laughed.

"I won't take her back again. And I will take all her stuff to her mother's and change the locks. But I do love her, and it hurts." Kazuha said.

Kiri looked at his friend in surprise. "I think it will hurt less in the end to stop repeating this," he offered.

"Yeah," Kazuha agreed.

… R to R

Rin said, "You may have waited too long." He unbuckled his helmet and pulled it off.

Ryuske fumbled with the helmet he wore and asked, "Waited too long for what?"

"To confess to Hikaru," Rin replied.

Ryuske stopped what he was doing and stared at Rin. "Why would I?" he asked after a moment.

"Because you love her," Rin replied matter of factly.

Ryuske frowned, pulled off the helmet, and though he didn't deny it he said, "Not enough. And I'm too old for her anyway."

"You'll lose her," warned Rin.

Ryuske gazed at Rin seriously. "When I think 'who do I love most', Hikaru is the second name I think of, she needs more than half a love. She deserves more." Ryuske said firmly and handed the spare helmet to Rin.

…