At the dinner table, my mom had told my papa that I'd been fired. He took it better than we'd thought he would. He was quiet for a bit after being told. We both explained why. Sana had been sitting next to me, listening. I'd noticed he was looking down at his food again. He wasn't making eye contact with anyone. I'd taken his hand, and he'd relaxed a little. I'd realized he was tensed up.

Now it was the time after dinner, and we were in the living room. Strangely for a change, Sana was awake. I was silently celebrating this. It had to be the new medication he was on, regulating his blood sugar. I'd checked his blood sugar count, and it was normal, too. A variety show was on, and my papa was really into it. He was talking to Sana about it enthusiastically. Sana was making small comments back to him. I was eyeing Sana. 

I couldn't pretend I hadn't noticed he'd seemed a little down all day. Despite smiling and laughing with me, I'd noticed he wouldn't make much eye contact. That he seemed nervous with me. 

Before I could think much more about this, my mom stood up from her usual place at the kotatsu. She walked over to us and took my hand. I looked up at her, my eyebrow creased in wonder. 

"Come with me. I want to show you something," she said. Sana looked up at her, too, a curious expression on his face, then he looked at me with the same expression. 

"What do you want to show me?" I asked. She was pulling at my arm. She pulled harder, clearly excited. 

"Just come with me." 

I looked over at Sana. He was giving me a kind of desperate look. It pulled at my heart even worse than my mom was pulling at my arm. He didn't want me to leave. I didn't want to leave him either. I squeezed his knee.

"I'll be right back," I assured him. I didn't want to leave him at all. Not with him acting like this. He needed me. He nodded, but I could tell he didn't want to agree. I got up, and reluctantly went with her. He watched me, and I looked back at him in the doorway. 

"What is it?" I asked her again. I got quieter. "I don't want to leave Sana. He's been acting different all day. I'm worried."

"It's going to be okay. Five minutes." She took my hand, and led me up the stairs, opposite the living room. We turned on the landing, and went up the stairs further. We got up to the second floor, and she was still holding my hand, leading me like a child. 

We entered my parents' bedroom, and I saw Cocoa Bean asleep on their bed in a kitty loaf position. My mom led me to the side of the bed with their dresser to the left. She sat me down, and I saw her fussing with the top dresser drawer. In about a minute, she came and sat down with me.

"I wanted to talk to you," she said seriously. I was taken aback by her tone. 

"What is it?" I asked, just as seriously. I was almost scared by it. This wasn't what I was expecting.

"I've been thinking for a few days. And here. I wanted you to have this." She put her hand in mine, and I felt something small and cold drop into it. I opened it, and my eyes went wide.

I gasped. "Mom," I breathed. My fingers had revealed a yellow gold ring with two small, round white diamonds on either side of a small pink pearl. An old fashioned, vintage ring. It looked, to my experienced eye, to be from the 1940's or 1950's. The band was thicker, obviously hand worked. The prongs holding each individual diamond weren't machine cut, thick. I started shaking my head. "No, no, no, I can't accept this. This is..." I had no words.

She took my hand again, and closed my fingers over it. "Give it to Sana, when you're ready. Marry him." I looked up at her face. Her expression was so soft. Blissful. A small smile formed on it, the definition of pride. 

"Mom..." I whispered. She went a little blurry. My heart was pounding so hard. She moved towards me, and she was hugging me tightly. 

"It was your grandma's from your papa's side. Your grandpa gave it to her as an anniversary gift. I thought of it immediately when you were talking about wanting to marry Sana. It's from our family. I want him to know he is family, by receiving this. He doesn't have to wear it. But, he can have it, and be reminded he is a part of us. He is a Hirano, like you and me. He has to be now, because he'll own your grandma's ring. He'll have a Hirano heirloom."

I nodded, I couldn't speak any words. She patted my back and held me. I wrapped my arms around her. My voice came out a little shaky. "He'll love it. I love it, too."

She kissed my cheek. "I knew you would. I thought of it, because of you. Because you like pink."

"Oh," I laughed a little in surprise. "That's clever."

"Mm-hmm," she said, a clear joy in her voice.

After my parents had gone to bed, Sana and I were in our customary pose. He'd fallen asleep after the variety show was over. Beforehand, he'd been curious as to what my mom and I had talked about. I said we'd spoken a little more about my music career, and not to worry. He seemed satisfied with that, but kept giving me a sad look. I'd rubbed his cheek and held his face until he'd fallen asleep. 

The ring was in my pocket the whole time. 

I put my hand in my pocket, and my fingers wrapped around the ring now. The pearl was smooth on my skin. I watched Sana's sleeping face. He looked so peaceful. 

I wiggled the ring between my fingers in the tight space of my pocket, thinking now. Daydreaming.

Of us on a beach. I'd get down on one knee, and he'd be so surprised. His hands would go over his mouth. He'd be wearing a blue striped, long dress, and a straw hat with a matching, blue ribbon bow with long tails. His hat would blow off his head at that exact moment, and we'd laugh. I'd run after his hat, so romantic, and bring it back to him. I'd say, breathless, "will you marry me?" and he'd cry.

Another one, of us on top of the ferris wheel at Cosmo World. I'd take out the ring, and ask him as fireworks started to go off. He'd be speechless, and I'd slip the ring onto his finger as our words were drowned out by the exploding fireworks above us. 

Of us at Disneyland, in front of the castle. He'd be walking ahead, and I'd get down on one knee and he'd stop and look behind him and fall to his knees in tears. I'd go him and get on my knees with him, and tell him he meant more to me than anything in the world, more than the trees and the breezes, more than the stars. I'd slip the ring on his finger and everyone would clap for us.

I sighed in these daydreams. But I knew, after some minutes had passed, that we couldn't do any of these things. And that was okay. I stretched my arm towards him, and rested my hand on his sweet, soft hair. I'd have to think logically. I knew now, with these daydreams, what I wanted to do.

I wanted to make him the happiest human being in the world. I wanted him to never worry. I wanted him to be safe and protected. I wanted to give him this ring in the completely western way. I wanted to propose to him, because it would mean the most to him. I wanted to marry him, and tell him he was a part of my family now, forever, and he'd never have to worry about not having a family again. He could be surrounded by support, his whole life. We'd all protect him, no matter what.

I wanted to give him a happy home. I wanted him to have the kitchen of his dreams, where he could happily cook and bake. I wanted to adjust it for him, in case he always needed the wheelchair. Make the counters lower. Make it easier for him, with custom cabinets and whatever he needed. I'd work hard. I'd do whatever it took. I'd adjust the house to his needs.

The house. Ah, yes. I'd paid attention when he'd said he liked the house my mom had showed us. I didn't have enough to buy it outright. But, I had enough for a comfortable down payment. If I started working again, I could pay a mortgage. I just had to figure it out. I was still entitled to royalties from my previous music, too. 

It all seemed so easy, but I knew it wouldn't be easy. I could think realistically. A daydream is an easy thing. You don't think about all the hard parts and the details. But something was making me think all of this was so easy. The easiest thing in the world.

My heart was telling me it was right. That I was going in the best direction. It's like it had little wings, and was trying to fly out of my chest, so excited. 

I began to think of a realistic way to propose. He couldn't use his wheelchair on the beach, because of the sand. Cosmo World could make him feel self conscious, because of all the people. I could see he was embarrassed, having to use a wheelchair. I wanted to somehow rid him of that embarrassment, but I knew it wasn't something that could be achieved overnight. We'd work on it, I promised myself now. I'd help build up his confidence, whatever it took. 

Ah, but Disneyland. It was one of our favorite places. No shame, we both love Disney. His favorite character is Stitch from Lilo & Stitch, and my favorite character is Princess Belle. I knew from going to Disneyland so often how wheelchair accessible it is. They make a point to make it as accessible as can be. 

Slowly, I began to think of something. A wide smile spread on my face. The biggest grin. 

My hand slipped to his back, and stayed there. I wanted to hold him to me. My heart was overflowing with a warm feeling. He'd described such a feeling to me before. "Like warm honey filling up your insides, and just as sweet." That was the feeling I had now. From the tips of my hair to the tips of my toes. It made my toes curl, this feeling.

He must have felt me moving, because he woke up. I was a little startled, so in my thoughts. 

"Hmm? Are you okay?" He asked, groggy. 

"Never better." It was the complete truth.

"Hmm?" He moved his head on my chest, adjusting himself. "I'm glad."

I let the ring go in my pocket, and brought my other hand around and wrapped both of my arms around him now. He smiled and let out a small sound of happiness. I sighed. This must be what bliss feels like. No cares in the world, just this perfect moment.

"I love you," he mumbled, clearly still so sleepy. Would he remember this moment?

"I love you, too."

He smiled wider at this. "You're my sweet darling," he said. He yawned so cutely, that my mouth dropped open, overwhelmed in how cute he is. His words caused the honey feeling inside of me to overflow. I squeezed him tightly, and he giggled a little. He made another happy noise and I couldn't help but make one of my own.

"Aww," I said, adoring him. 

He giggled at this, and closed his eyes. He rubbed the side of his face on my chest a little bit, adjusting himself more.

"Are you comfy? Do you want to go to bed?" I asked.

"We can go to bed. Are you tired? I'm sorry." His eyes were still closed.

I shook my head, smiling. "There's absolutely nothing to be sorry about. I was just watching you. I'm not tired at all." I really wasn't. I was so awake, thinking about giving him the ring, about our future.

"Watching me? Why?"

I began massaging his back, and felt him relax completely. I was glad. "Because you're so beautiful." I felt him curl up a little. I massaged with longer strokes, and he eased again. 

He made little incomprehensible noises now. I'd heard these before. He did this when I gave him compliments that made him so happy that he spoke in English, forgetting to speak Japanese. I laughed. "I think you're speaking in English!" I wrapped my arms around him and started rocking him back and forth in my joy. He started laughing, too.

"I- I said, um... That you're gorgeous and I can't possibly compete." 

"Aww, darling. It's not a competition." I stretched my neck, and kissed the top of his head. He giggled. I giggled with him. I stroked his back again, and that smile of his soothed my soul in a way I couldn't describe. "Let's go to bed, okay? Let's get you all comfy. I want to spoon you." 

"Mm, that sounds nice." He was still smiling. So happy after today, where he'd seemed almost anxious, something I could only guess at. I'd wanted to see him relax all day, and now here he was, finally so full of joy. It made me want to hug him and never let go.

"Okay, darling, let's go to bed." I kissed his head again, and he grinned a grin that completed my world.