We all sat in the room together, not saying anything. I had explained the whole story, Sana's decline. Shizue was crying a little, and Hikaru was holding her hands.

In the silence, Nobu sighed.

"I can't believe it happened again. Something like this. I always thought...maybe it would happen. But, I didn't want to believe it. What's going to happen now? I need to know."

I shook my head. "I don't know. It's uncertain at this point. He's just so..." My breath went shaky. Keitaro rubbed my shoulder.

"He seemed like he was doing so well at the party. That something so simple like sugar could do this... All because of an accident? That's all it takes? It's that simple? Was he that fragile?" Nobu wondered out loud, sounding frustrated. "Human life can't be that fragile."

I didn't know what to say to that. He was completely right.

"He's going to get better. I know he is. I want him to sing for me again. I've got so many ideas. I need to tell him what I'm thinking about," Masaki said quietly.

"I know, I've got ideas, too. I was just waiting for him to get stronger, and then I was going to tell him. He seemed like he was getting stronger, even singing with us. I thought we'd be back to normal in a couple of months and that we could start over." Nobu was staring at the floor as he spoke, grabbing at the knees of his blue jeans.

"Maybe we need to accept the reality," Masaki sighed. "Right? I can't bear it. All this hope. He's not like how he was. We have all this hope that it's going to be like it was, but this is the reality. Maybe the sooner we can accept that, the better we can help him."

No one said anything to that.

A couple of hours later, he was with us. Staring up at us. His eyes were so soft in expression. I'd put on his glasses so he could see. I smoothed down his hair gently, because I knew how much he cared about his presentation. He wouldn't want to look sick.

"Look, Lyra is here," I said to him lovingly. "You're not dreaming. Everyone is here, and everyone loves you."

We all stood around his bed, and he looked at each of us in turn. He couldn't speak, but he was there. I held his hand, and Nobu held his other hand.

"You're doing great," Nobu said, smiling at him with his mouth, but his eyes didn't follow. He was trying to appear okay, but it was easy to tell from his voice that he was about to break down. "We all love you, so you don't have to worry. We're all here for you. You're doing your best. You don't have to say anything, we know already. You're amazing."

Sana stared up at him while he was speaking. It felt too much like a good-bye, just what I had feared coming to be. Don't tell Sana it's okay to go, Nobu. It's not time for that yet. Keep it inside, if that's what you want to say.

I rubbed Sana's hand, the place between his thumb and pointer finger. This lovely soft spot. His eyes went to me, and I tried to give him the smile I knew he loved. It's a certain one, that he always compliments. We all heard him sigh deeply.

"Are you comfortable?" Shizue asked. "You're not in pain?" Hikaru took her hand at this, holding it tightly. Her other hand went over her mouth, as her breath went shaky, her eyes going glassy. "I don't want you to be in pain," she said, more quiet now. "If you're in pain, we'll all be here for you. We'll help you through it. It's okay." She made a small sound, and her tears released. "I'm sorry, I..." She sniffled. "I'm sorry, but," she went on, "I wasted so much time. I just found you again. I want you to get better, so we can talk together again. I missed that so much. You're my best friend. You changed my life. I wouldn't be who I am without you, without our late night conversations. Remember those? You were the only one who supported my life decisions. I need you. So, you have to pull through, okay? I love you."

Hikaru hugged her, as she finished speaking. Her words filled me with quiet. She had no idea how much I understood those words. The power Sana had, in that regard.

Sana's eyes were starting to drop down. His eyelids started to flutter. Masaki's mouth opened to speak, but nothing came out. I didn't want to admit what could be about to happen, but I had to say something. If he missed this moment, and it was his only moment... Something was dragging down my heart with claws, trying to take it out of my body, as I opened my mouth.

"Masaki, you'd better say what you need to say," I said, more quietly than I'd intended. Keitaro's hand gripped mine tighter at this. "Please, you need to say it. Don't hesitate. We don't know what's going to happen. I don't know how much he understands, none of us can know, but you might...not get another chance. Every time he wakes like this...might be the last time." My eyes blinked rapidly, the words seeming to come from an alternate universe. It wasn't from our reality. It was like a play. It had to be.

"I-" He started. He shook his head. "No. I refuse. He's not going anywhere. I'm going to take him out somewhere and we're going to have a blast, like usual. Nothing is going to happen."

"Where do you want to take him?" Nobu asked. He was so calm, staring at his hand holding Sana's hand. As I watched, twin tears fell to his cheeks, dripping down off his chin.

"The beach. We'll shoot off fireworks. I'll find all the purple fireworks I can. We'll-" He was starting to struggle. "We'll shoot off all these purple fireworks. Sana, you have to get better, because we're going to go have fun at the beach. You'll see."

Sana stared at him for a few moments. Maybe he was thinking about the purple fireworks. I wanted him to see them, too. I wanted to go to the beach with him. I wanted so many things. I wanted to tell him my dreams, so he could dream, too. Masaki had this beautiful dream with him. But, I did, too.

"Sana," I sighed, picking up his hand. I got closer to him, and leaned over his face, high above. His eyes were locked on me. "Please." I decided to let it all out. Tell him. Make him fight, like Keitaro had said. Make everyone fight for this. Let him know, so he had no excuse. I swallowed, preparing myself to say this thing, this precious thing that had floated into my mind when Keitaro had told me to fight. "Please, I want to go to Enoshima Aquarium with you. To the Jellyfish Fantasy Hall. I want-" I swallowed hard, so I could continue, I couldn't cry, or I wouldn't be able to tell him. I had to tell him. "I want us to have a baby together. We can show our child the aquarium. I want to go there as a family. Please, Sana. I saw it. I want it to be real. You have to fight, so we can have a family."

His eyes were fluttering, still staring at me.

"We have so much to do, so..." I continued, seeing he was still with me. "So, you have to stay. Don't let it be so easy. I know you're not doing well. But, I've seen you fight. Please give it your all. You can do it."

He gave a long blink, and his face relaxed. He closed his eyes, and after a few moments, I knew he was sleeping again. We waited, but it was clear he was resting again. A small sound escaped my throat, and I turned to Keitaro. He embraced me as I broke down.

Sometime in the early morning as I had slept, the members of Lyra had left. I woke up alone, Sana still asleep in front of me. His machines were still beeping. It hadn't been a funeral after all. I stood up and watched him. My hand went to his hand. I stood there for a long time, deep in thought.

Keitaro returned after a long time. He was carrying pastries and coffee for us. "I'm sorry, I thought you'd still be sleeping," he said, setting his things on the table. "Is he... Is he doing okay?"

I nodded. I decided to tell him what I'd been thinking. No avoiding it. "Keitaro, I have to ask you something."

"Yeah? What is it?" He seemed a bit cautious. He patted the chair next to his and sat down. I sat down next to him. I put my hands on my lap, staring at them. I didn't want to admit this, but I had realized it was true.

"I was thinking just now. About...how last night wasn't right. That..." I breathed deeply. I turned to him, and his eyebrows were peaked, listening to me with care. My hands became fists, clenched so hard. I put my head down, pinching feelings filling my belly. "We... I have to call Yami. I have to tell him what's going on. He's Sana's best friend. He deserves to know. I was thinking, I don't want to call Sana's family. But, they're not the only family Sana has. Yami is Sana's family, too, as much as I don't want to admit that."

He nodded slowly. "I don't know the full story of what happened, but it sounds like it was bad. I'm sorry, I can't claim to know what to do in this situation, because I don't know who got hurt in it. If you think it's right to call him, then you should call him. That's all that matters."

I'd expected that kind of answer. I breathed in deeply. I had to focus my breathing. I didn't want to hyperventilate. Too anxious.

He went on, unexpected. "I'm an unbiased third party," he said. "Do you want me to call him? I can do that for you, if you can't do it."

My mouth opened slightly. We were silent for a few moments. I took my phone out of my pocket, and gave it to him. I told him where to find the number, and I stared at Sana as he dialed it.

It seemed like it was taking quite a few rings. Keitaro was patient. But then, finally. He sat up straight in his chair. "Hello. This Keitaro Eguchi. I'm a friend of Tetsu's. I'm sorry to call so early. ...I know this is Tetsu's phone. ...I'm calling because Sana needs you. We're in the hospital." He paused. I closed my eyes, cringing. He continued, finally. "I'll tell you where to go. ...Yes. Well, it's no one's fault. Certainly, don't blame yourself. ...Well, about two weeks ago, we were celebrating their marriage, and- oh! Oh, you didn't know they got married? Yes, they got married. I don't know why you weren't invited. I'm sorry, but I know they want you here now."

He went on to explain to him what had happened. Yami didn't seem to have spoken during the whole explanation. I listened as Keitaro recounted it. It didn't seem real at all, though I'd been through it all. There was a separation there as he said it. Nothing felt real at all. It had to be some kind of play. Something different than this.

"Okay. Yes. You can come now. We'll let them know you're coming. Yes. Good-bye."

He hung up, and gave me back my phone. I put it back in my pocket wordlessly. I wanted to bring my knees up to my chest like a child to get really small. I wanted to shrink away. I didn't want to see Yami.