Ryuske was pleased with them, but demanding at this final opportunity to tweak their moves. He had Hikaru and Rin go over some sections over and over, but then he had a surprise for them. Hatsuharu grinned broadly as they saw his wife and eldest daughter setting up speakers in the little park where they'd been practicing the more energetic moves in the last few weeks. A few people had gathered to watch.

Hatsuharu's plump wife grinned back at them as they approached and said, "Practice for us all. I never realized how much work goes into setting up, but we'll be able to handle the concert setup, no problem. The instructions Ryuske-kun wrote were very comprehensive."

They carried Hatsuharu's drums over and set them in place. Ryuske had them take their places and perform their competition entry from start to finish.

"Four minutes and fifty-five seconds," he announced with a pleased grin when they finished.

Their small audience applauded and they packed up the equipment and went to dinner.

The familiar staff at The Pavilion welcomed them and their usual wide corner booth was free. Mirage and Hatsuharu's family chatted happily about their upcoming entry.

"I'm still kind of surprised we got in, even with the starter slot," Rin observed.

Ryuske glanced up at him and said quietly, "It may be conceit, but I think we may be in on the strength of my name. And yours."

Hikaru looked at them curiously and Rin laughed and said, "Kobayashi Ryuske still holds a bit of fame in some circles."

Ryuske elbowed him and said to Hikaru, "Rin's holds more in more circles."

Hatsuharu grinned and said cheerfully, "Mirage will soon outshine both of you!"

Everyone laughed and agreed.

Hikaru asked, "I don't quite understand how this will help us, only the winner usually gets a recording deal don't they?"

Rin pursed his lips and said, "Untrue, and even the winner doesn't always get a good offer, but some years bands who made a good impression get offers even if they don't place in the actual competition."

"Besides which, the companies we're approaching with demo tracks are our targets, we're not waiting for them to approach us. We just need people to recognize our name enough that we don't fall to the bottom of the slush pile." Ryuske said.

Hikaru and Hatsuharu grinned while Rin nodded soberly.

Hatsuharu's daughter asked, "Why now? Why do you need to put out an album and why not just self publish?"

Ryuske said quietly and reluctantly, "Because Mirage needs to grow," he glanced at Hikaru, "and is good enough to be produced by a real production company." He looked at his band unhappily and said, "We've already received one good offer."

Rin stated the obvious for them, "You don't look very happy about it."

Ryuske replied, "It's from the company that had Edge."

Rin whistled and said, "Somebody's got balls."

Hatsuharu said optimistically, "We're not that desperate, we can wait for a company we want to work with."

Everyone nodded, except Ryuske.

"What is it?" asked Rin.

"The person who sent the offer simply said that he'd caught one of our performances and liked us, but, I'm worried that they've been keeping an eye on me," Ryuske confessed.

Rin laughed and exclaimed with a wide grin, "Now you're being conceited!"

Ryuske laughed and agreed.

They finished their supper cheerfully and then Ryuske crowded into the Saito mini-van between the instruments and passed out Rin's bass and Hikaru's guitar. He rode home with Hatsuharu and his family and Hikaru got a ride with Rin.

She told him where Kiri lived while she buckled on the helmet. Then she took up the instruments and mounted behind Rin with practiced ease. Before her mother had married Izumi, Rin had taken her home after almost every practice or performance and caged food from Miri. It was only the last few months that she'd been taking the bus home so regularly from Mirage's performances.

She'd had to point the correct turn out at a few intersections, but they arrived at Kiri's, or rather, she reminded herself, her new home, easily enough.

Uncertainly she asked if Rin wanted to come in, but he laughed and said easily, "Next time." She handed over his bass, which he slung casually over his shoulder, and he left.

Kiri's car was outside, so Hikaru entered the house cheerfully, immediately calling out, "I'm home."

Kiri called back from the office room, "Welcome home."

His mother echoed the phrase from the couch where she was making up her bed for the night.

Hikaru hung her jacket and guitar on the coat rack and slipped off her shoes, then hopped over to assist in folding the bed out.

Tokiko shooed her off as soon as that was done, and Hikaru entered the office just as Kiri was approaching the door of it. He swept her into his embrace and kissed her.

"How was practice," he asked when they paused.

Hikaru grinned and said, "Almost perfect."

Kiri laughed and replied, "Not completely perfect?"

Hikaru shrugged and said, "Ryuske still made us practice the spin exchange at least five times."

Kiri smiled warmly at her and kissed her again.

Hikaru cuddled against him and asked, "Do you have much left?"

He shook his head and said, "The rest can all wait for tomorrow." He ran his hand down her back and asked, "Want to take a bath next?"

Hikaru grinned and kissed him. She asked, "A hint that I'm fragrant after my exercise?"

Kiri leaned closer and inhaled deeply. "Clean sweat can be an attractive fragrance," he said suggestively.

Hikaru laughed and replied, "I'd better wash before it becomes stale sweat then."

He grinned at her and led her into the bathroom. Hikaru blushed fiercely as they crossed the living area in front of Tokiko and called out, "Goodnight," as they passed onto the hall.

Kiri closed the little connecting door again and grinned at Hikaru. She laughed and kissed him. He kissed her hard and pulled her out of the bathroom doorway and into the bedroom instead.

After they finished they took a long bath. Then they cuddled into the wide bed and slept.

--

Thursday was so ordinary that the thread of anticipation for Friday's competition and concert seemed surreal and distant.

School was ordinary. Kiri's mother was spending the afternoon with her middle daughter's family, and Kiri finished work in time to pick Hikaru up when she finished her three hour set. They went grocery shopping and had dinner.

Kiri cuddled with her while she worked on her homework. It went slowly with the distraction, and finally he leapt to his feet and ran his hands through his hair.

Hikaru looked up at him in surprise.

Kiri glanced around his house and said with frustration, "I wish you'd change something."

"What?" she asked blankly.

"I don't know," he replied uncertainly, "something." He sighed and walked into the kitchen to start a fresh pot of tea.

"What's wrong?" Hikaru asked.

Kiri looked at her unhappily and said, "Nothing is wrong."

Hikaru stared at him skeptically.

He shrugged and said, "Everything is wonderful, I love it, it's so ordinary. I love living with you, making dinner, and distracting you while you do your homework."

Hikaru laughed and said, "Me too, but you don't look happy?"

Kiri sighed and replied, "It doesn't seem quite real." He looked around the house again. "Every woman wants to change things. Even women who haven't moved in yet want to make little adjustments. You haven't changed anything. You haven't even unpacked," he said unhappily.

Hikaru replied reasonably, "All my clothes are unpacked. And I love your house."

Kiri brought the tea back to the table and asked, "Want to go buy dishes?"

Hikaru laughed and said, "But I love your pretty dishes."

Kiri cuddled up to her and protested, "But it's a traditional thing that couples buy together, and we'd see them every day. And you keep saying your house and your dishes." He sighed unhappily.

Hikaru set down her homework and turned to him. "Sorry Kiri," she said seriously, "I'll try to change my phrasing, it's my first time living anywhere but home since I've been old enough to remember. My old home," she added.

He nodded and kissed her gently.

Hikaru grinned at him and said, "I love our pretty dishes, and our pretty house." They kissed again and Kiri smiled a little and she added, "And I'm not sure what to do with the rest of my stuff, I think I need some sort of extra cabinets or shelves to unpack into."

Kiri bit his lip and asked, "Should I buy something?"

Hikaru shook her head and said, "It sounds like I should buy something," she stopped his protest with her fingers against his lips and continued, "if I have furniture here, maybe you'll feel reassured?"

Kiri nodded. They kissed for awhile and then Hikaru reluctantly resumed doing her homework. Eventually it was finished and they went to bed.