"You let me win on purpose that time. Here's what I think about your pity win." Masaki sneered at Nobu as he hit his golf ball into the hole on the third course of our mini golf game. With this, he out played Nobu once again.

"How do you know I'm not letting you win now?" Nobu laughed. "Ha, the tables have turned."

"You don't need to let me win. I'll kick your ass either way." They laughed together.

It was true, it was hard to tell who'd won in the end during laser tag, it was so close. We'd gone in, wearing cool gear. I was a little worried about accessibility, but to our surprise, the layout had been pretty wide open. No inclines, and you weren't supposed to climb on things. But, that didn't stop Nobu and Masaki from climbing. This was their fantasy, a video game in real life.

By the first few minutes, it was really their game. Masaki had been true to his word, protecting me from fire by sharply spotting predators. He shot Yami first, as promised. Yami had gone off the field, defeated, with his head down, talking about how he'd wanted to play. We cheered on Masaki, and he quickly took down Tetsu. I waved to him as he left. He looked a little worried, but it was a fast game. We weren't apart for long. Everyone went down one by one, always by Masaki and Nobu.

By the end, it was the three of us left. Diving from behind a rock to the floor, Nobu shot me in the chest when Masaki had been circling behind me. Masaki let out a war cry, and they went head to head, looking so cool. They hid behind rocks, and as Nobu dove out from his again, Masaki was ready, having climbed up on top of his rock, off the floor and technically out of bounds, but we'd all allowed it. He was the victor, but maybe not so fair and square.

We played two more rounds in our allotted thirty minute time. It was always between Nobu and Masaki at the end, easily the best players. It was obvious to me why. I'd seen them play Halo together enough times to know, practicing for this exact scenario.

We'd eaten a snack all together after, talking about the matches. Regrets, awesome moments, valiant deaths. Some of our friends started drinking, but nothing they couldn't handle. The smile on Masaki's face made me so happy. Nobu had wrapped his arm around his shoulders as they sat together, and this turned into giving him a noogie as he slid a beer under his nose, encouraging and congratulating his best friend on well won victories.

"I'll win the next hole. It's about the war, not the battle," Nobu said, taking his putt.

Masaki looked back at us, grinning. The lights all around us lit him up all sorts of colors, white light reflecting off his teeth and eyes. He put two fingers in his mouth, looking back at Nobu. My hand went over my mouth, anticipating. Nobu's putter drew back, and-

"PHWEET!" Masaki let out a loud whistle as Nobu hit his ball.

The ball barely nudged forward as Nobu jumped. His hand went over his heart as he whipped around. "Wow, I thought you cheated at laser tag and now this?!" Nobu laughed. "You know I'm going to sabotage every hole now, right?"

"Good, that makes it more interesting."

Tetsu giggled at them as he watched me line up for my putt. It was different doing this in a wheelchair. I couldn't adjust for the shot as much as I wanted, but I had to remind myself that it was just a game. What was important was the company we were with, and having fun. It was a good thing to remember. My putter hit my ball, and it skated away, a clean line towards the windmill at the end of the course. It knocked into Nobu's foot, and he lifted it.

"Oh, nice shot," he grinned.

"Thanks," I smiled at him.

"What was that whistle?!" Shizue's voice carried over from the fifth course. "Made me miss my shot!"

"Oh, sorry!" Masaki called to her. "I was messing with Nobu!"

"Oh, okay!" She called back.

Behind me, I heard the soft sound of a putter hitting a ball, and I watched a purple golf ball glide ahead of me. It went past Nobu and Masaki, and silkily between the blades of the windmill, through the hole. The clinking of the golf ball sinking into the cup met our ears. Their heads snapped in our direction. My own craned to see Tetsu, who looked just as shocked as they did.

"I might be good at this," he said gently, such a pleased face. I wanted to squeeze him.

"Watch out," Masaki said, smiling with all of us, "we might have some competition."

In a few minutes, we'd all completed course three, and moved on to the fourth. Nobu and Masaki's conversation had turned to the video game Call of Duty, something I knew nothing about. They seemed pretty absorbed in it, talking about the benefits of certain things and the down sides, getting very technical. It made Tetsu and I focus more on the game at hand.

As I lined up my first shot, I jumped a little as his hands descended onto my shoulders, and then he followed, wrapped his arms around my front. His head landed on my shoulder as he hugged me from behind. The wetness of his kiss on my cheek made me close my eyes in love. His hug lingered for a few seconds, but it was too short.

"I'm so glad we're here," he sighed happily. "I love playing like this with you. I want to do it more."

"Me, too," I sighed with him. He went to straighten back up, but I grabbed his wrists, pulling him back down a little bit. His cute giggle met my ears, and he came back. He stayed for longer this time, giggling gently in my ear the whole time. It was heaven on earth.

After we'd finished mini golf, I felt too tired to stay. I didn't want to go, but as we gathered on the sidewalk outside next to the parking lot, Nobu assured me the party would continue and that I should go home and rest.

"We're just going to drink, it won't be too fun," he said. "We plan to get pretty wild. Go home and rest. Hey, tomorrow, want to go over some songs? You're going to be in Tokyo, right? I can come over and we can discuss. Have you been listening to the city pop I gave you?"

I nodded enthusiastically, for how tired I was. The plan was for us to stay in Tetsu's apartment overnight and to go home tomorrow. We'd decided that going home to his parents' house tonight might be too much for me, and I agreed. I honestly just wanted to crawl into bed and immediately fall asleep. I was trying to hold on a bit longer, to say good-bye to everyone.

"Keitaro's been talking about having a meeting with all of us. He wants us to sign our contracts for the tour," Tetsu said, changing tracks. "Maybe since we're in Tokyo, we should stay a little longer and arrange something. I'm sure a meeting would solve a lot of things."

"Hey, yeah, that's a good idea," Shizue interjected, moving toward us. She rubbed my arm, sympathetic to how tired I was. "I have to hand in my contract for the mini-album, anyway. My dad finally finished going over it and approved it."

"Oh, that's wonderful. I'll call Keitaro tonight, then. We'll all figure something out. I know he's on tour, but he's pretty nearby. A train ride away. He'll be excited about this. He's been antsy," Tetsu explained. "But, what are your schedules like? Does 7pm work for everyone again?"

"Hmm, not for me," Shizue admitted, looking apologetic. "My shifts are all evenings this week. But, if we can meet at midnight? Ah, no, I can see how that wouldn't be right..."

Yami shrugged. "We're working an unconventional job. Why not midnight? I agree, at least." He looked around at everyone.

"I don't know if I'll be too tired," I said, putting my head down a little. It was embarrassing to admit it. "Yokohara-sensei has me on this new sleep schedule, and..." What was I saying? Suddenly, I felt like a toddler, having to go to bed at a certain time. I hadn't meant to say that. Tetsu's hand fell on my shoulder from behind, just like on the mini golf course. It made me blush even worse than I already was.

"Oh, that's okay," Yami said gently. I looked up, and he was smiling to me just as kindly. "We'll figure something out. Hmm. How about the morning, then? An early morning? Does that work for everyone?"

I stared at my lap, my heart starting to beat too fast. I couldn't believe I'd said that. Inside their conversation, it sounded so pathetic. The worst part was, it had held them back. More than likely, midnight might have worked for everyone. But here I was, with an actual prescribed bed time? I was so different from them. They were talking about such exciting things, and I was-

"Sana, how's 6am? If that works with Keitaro's schedule on any day this week, then we can do it. It's before anyone has to go to work. How long should this take, do you think?" Yami was continuing talking, not looking at me now.

"I don't know about 6am," I said, maybe a little too quietly. It made me want to hide.

"We'll be aware of the time as we go," Masaki answered him. I thought they hadn't heard me, but he turned to me. "6am is no good? Hmm. Well, I think this is much more important than work for me. What about you all? I'm going to tell my boss that I'm taking a day off. Heck, after tonight I might just quit. Go head on into this."

"That's a great idea," Yami said, putting his hands behind his back. "Me, too." Sawai-san's hand reared back, and then smacked Yami on the back of the head. He immediately began rubbing where it hit. "Geez, then I won't," he tsked at her.

Everyone started laughing except for me. Tetsu rubbed my shoulder, obviously noticing this.

It made me think, though. My prescribed bed time. How would that work on tour? I'd never been on tour before, but I'd read about other musicians who were on tour. Sometimes things occurred at odd times. Practice times, rehearsals, lighting checks, equipment checks. Sometimes, things could only be done at weird times, based on scheduling and when venues and spaces were available for it. How would I fare in that? It made me grip my knees a little. If we were having this much trouble scheduling a time to even meet...

"Well, I'm available any time this week before 2pm," Shizue said. "And Hikaru's off for summer vacation now." Hikaru nodded next to her.

"As much as I'd like to take the day off and meet, I can't do that to my residents," Nobu said, the last one needing to agree. Oh no.

"Come on, Nobu," Shizue took on a begging tone. "Take an extended lunch break then. Meet us for at least an hour. There's so much to discuss."

His lips pressed together, obviously thinking. After an agonizing wait, he spoke. "I'll talk to my boss about it. She knows how much this means. My residents all know about it, too, and want me to go for my dreams, so they understand. I just worry about them."

"Oh, that's sweet," Shizue sighed in awe.

"Yeah, they're really great. Now you see why it's difficult to leave them."

The conversation between all of them went on. They agreed that noon would be a good time, and I agreed also. Secretly, this meshed with my sleeping schedule, but I dared not tell them any more. I'd already embarrassed myself once. Under the lights of the outside of the fun center, I was still blushing. Couldn't believe what I'd admitted.

Masaki checked his watch, and looked up at us. "Well, it's almost midnight. Why don't I take you home?" He asked us. "That way, you don't have to get an Uber. My car's right over there. I can pull up."

"That would be great, thank you," Tetsu said, sounding relieved.

"Okay, I'll be right back," he called to everyone, jingling his keys out of his pocket. We watched him go. His new Gundam was snug under his arm as he went. It made a gladness in my heart, but the redness on my cheeks remained.

We said our good-byes, hugging everyone in turn. I took one last good look at all of their faces individually, and such a love filled my heart, replacing my embarrassment. Their kind smiles. It made me realize, how could I be embarrassed? Every one of them understood. What I'd said hadn't fazed them in the least, all of them carrying on talking so casually after I'd said it. There wasn't a problem at all.

Masaki pulled up beside us, and we waved to everyone. They waved back, and Sawai-san opened the passenger door for me. With great care, Tetsu helped me out of my chair. Sawai-san took it away, and we heard her open the trunk as he guided me into my seat. When he was sure I was secure, he closed the door. I heard some more shouts of good-bye and thanks from outside the car. Their familiar, beloved voices.

As his door opened and he climbed into the car, too, I was overcome with a feeling of love. Love for everyone one of them, including him. A realization, too.

With all this talk about the tour. Their love, their understanding. Them coming together tonight so easily and readily for Masaki, dropping what they'd been doing, even though some of them had just come out of a long, hard day of work. We all loved each other. We'd all do anything for each other.

It made me know, without a doubt, that this tour would be a success. That really, there was nothing to worry about. I'd seen that in Okinawa, too. Our cooperation with each other, how smoothly we went about together. Tonight further proved it.

As Tetsu's arm went around me, pulling me in, I laid on him. He adjusted, one leg off the seat and the other on it. I laid between his legs, my head resting on his chest just like always. In this, I felt him sigh deeply, happily. His other arm went around me, and they joined at my middle, making me secure and safe.

"Ready?" Masaki asked. We heard Sawai-san's belt click into place.

"Ready," Tetsu said, a smile in his voice.

We were ready. That was the word. All of us were ready for this tour. All we had to do now was move forward, and there'd be nothing holding us back. There'd be nothing we couldn't do. I closed my eyes, breathing deeply. Tetsu started to rub my belly, helping me go to sleep. It was the most comforting thing in the world.