We said good-bye to Sawai-san at the airport as she left with Yami. She assured us she'd be with us tomorrow. All of Lyra would. I knew this, because as Sana slept on my shoulder during the latter half of the flight, Yami had come to me and squatted next to my seat. He privately told me in a whisper as a courtesy, that he and the rest of Lyra had been talking and really wanted to come practice in my hometown. He thought it would be easier on Sana rather than traveling back and forth. He said Shizue had come up with the perfect idea, and I'd immediately agreed when he told me about it.

I looked forward to all of us being together at our new house, practicing in the big, open tatami room. It was the perfect space, Shizue had been right. They'd be staying at a hotel while here for the next two weeks, and Yami explained to me that they intended to "grind". It was an American expression for training so intensely and for too long in order to get good really fast. He told me Sana often had used that expression in the past when they had little time before a live show, but they had to really learn their material. They'd stay up all night, because that was the only time they all had in order to do it.

Well, I thought about this on the plane. My hand rubbed Sana's opposite arm as my own was behind him, holding him to me. He was so vulnerable. Not emotionally up to this. He'd shown me that. I was feeling overprotective, but it made me think clearly.

The other members might have wanted to grind, but we still had to take it slow. My mantra, always there: take things slow. Have time to think and consider. We had to plan this out. We couldn't throw caution to the wind due to excitement or an obsessive need. It made me think about incorporating breaks, even if the other members whined about stopping. It wasn't only Sana who'd need a break. Overwork was a sneaky problem, and it could creep up if one wasn't careful. Imagine being overworked before our major debut?

Major debut... I lost myself in thinking about that. We'd be performing in Sendai before Yellow Lizard very soon. That was our major debut. To me, and I didn't know if the other members recognized the significance, but, this to me was the performance of a life time. Our major debut. My major debut. Sana's major debut.

As I thought about what it could be like, the plane disappeared. There was only a stage, and there was only us. He liked to be dressed in white on stage, so he was wearing white. Singing and being beautiful in ways that one wouldn't recognize as beautiful at the start. But, as he evolved and captured you, you'd start to see his expanding beauty. Everything that I see. Finally, reaching everyone.

I had to try hard. We were almost to my parents' house now, and he was asleep, resting on me. Natsuko was jabbering away in the front seat to the taxi driver, who was politely listening. I hadn't heard a word. Still lost in my world. Knowing, that I had to try just as hard as Lyra. I'd "grind" just as hard as them, getting back into form.

This was the dream. This precious moment. What I'd asked for, so many months ago when I thought I'd lose him. Wanting to duet with him, asking Keitaro in the hospital to make it happen. I thought it would be a song for Youtube, but it was so much more. So much more than I could ever dream of.

I'd try my hardest. How do you prepare for something that you know is going to be one of the best moments of your life? How could I possibly...

The car stopped, and I looked up. Natsuko was already getting out. And outside the window, I saw a sight which made me smile like I hadn't smiled in weeks. This pureness of smile.

My mom was running to the van, her arms outstretched. Natsuko got out of the van and collided with her, hugging her. "Don't run! You're old!"

"Oh, shh," she fake grumbled, but she was already fixing Natsuko's hair, trying to see her beloved face better. She'd only seen her a few days ago, but I knew she missed her terribly already.

"Let's get our stuff out of the trunk. Oh, I know. Go help them, okay? I've got our stuff. Sana's pretty tired."

"Of course, of course," my mom said hurriedly. She was coming towards our door again. It was time to wake Sana up, but I really didn't want to. The trunk opened up, and I hoped that would wake him, but it didn't. He was so cozy in here with the air conditioning on. Hot air was already coming in from the open trunk. Would he be okay?

Our door opened, and there was my mom. My heart leapt, so glad to see her in full color. Missing her terribly, our feelings matching.

"Is he asleep?" My mom asked gently. I nodded quickly. I was becoming fully aware that the taxi driver had places to be. We needed to get out, and fast. It was almost like she read my mind with what came next. "I know a way to get people up. Watch."

Like a cat, her arms went up in pounce position. Her face looked so sneaky.

"What are you-?" I started laughing, unable to get it out fast enough.

Her hands landed heavily on Sana's ankles and his eyes shot open. She was grinning so much, and so was I. I recognized this tactic, but I'd never known quite how she did it. I'd always been asleep when it started when she'd apparently done it to me when I was growing up. What had startled me awake back then? Here was the answer after all this time. And not only was Sana awake, he was fully alert. It was perfect.

"Huh- what?" He said in English.

"We're home," I grinned down to him. "Time to get out." Familiar rattling was coming around the van, and suitcase wheels. The trunk shut. His wheelchair appeared in the doorway, ready for him.

"Okay, okay," my mom said, her arms out and ready. She knew exactly what to do, and of course she did. This ease of familiarity was the best feeling of home. This complete trust.

I got up gently, and Sana swung his feet down so he was sitting normally. I took his arm, and my mom reached inside to take the other one. Like this, we guided him across the seat to her and Natsuko. I scooted quickly after him, and held him under the arms. Like this, he got out of the van safely. No risk of falling. My mom guided him the rest of the way into his wheelchair, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Natsuko offered her hand, and I was grinning again, accepting it as she helped me out of the van, too.

As my mom wheeled Sana up the driveway, she stopped and smacked her forehead. I looked at her as I heard the taxi driving away. She was shaking her head, giving little tsking noises.

"Don't ever wake him like I just did. I can't believe it," she scolded herself. "His heart condition. Ohh, that was a serious lapse in judgment."

"Well, actually." Natsuko had a thoughtful expression as we continued on our way. "What you said about him not experiencing any possible heart problems at the concert interests me. I want to explore that more with you. What else do you think about it?"

I was nodding immediately, bringing up the rear and taking our suitcases along. I desperately wanted to know what she thought. She'd been completely right. He hadn't told me about any heart problems at the concert or after. He'd been so excited all day. He'd had a problem from being so excited after, but... Oh, but... What if his shaking did have to do with his heart, and we hadn't known? Had I been too casual? It brought me pause.

I was quiet as we got into the house. Ohh, and in front of us... It almost made me forget my worry. It invited me to.

"Surprise," my mom said. She gestured to the dining room table. Sana's hands were clasped in front of him, automatic. He was just as impressed as I was.

"Yakitori? Did you make all this?" Natsuko asked. "It smells wonderful. Let's eat!"

My mom brought Sana up to a spot in the table that already had a chair removed. I took the seat next to his, and his fingertips were already eagerly on the edge of the table. His eyes were hungry. It had been a little while since we'd eaten. It wasn't quite dinner time, but...

"Wait, with papa not here, when's dinner?" I asked. Natsuko sat down in our papa's usual spot like she owned the thing and reached out to grab a yakitori stick without asking. My mom's hand was ready. She smacked her fingers away, but Natsuko was still grinning. She knew what she'd done. Over eager.

"Any time you like. Why not now?" My mom asked.

"I love it," Sana said quietly. I leaned over to see him better. He was staring at the beautiful array like there were stars in his eyes. It was all food that he could eat, every single piece.

"There's vegetables in the fridge, too. I'll warm them up. This is yakitori and yakiton. I experimented with sauces. It's all safe, I promi-"

There was a dark brown, shiny yakitori already stuck in Sana's mouth. I started laughing so hard. Now who was the rude one? He'd been so quick to reach for it, despite being so tired from travel.

"Well, that's my cue," Natsuko grinned, reaching for her own.

"There's not even plates yet," my mom fake sighed in frustration. "Children are so eager." Her hands went to her hips.

Ahh, it was so good to be home. My hand reached out and took the same kind that Sana was eating. I had to try it. What kinds of tastes were in his mouth right now? It made my toes tap on the floor, too happy.

As my mom passed out plates, I stared at their familiar patterns. These same plates from childhood. My eyes went up to Sana, searching him, too. There was just such a complete feeling in my heart. He was smiling as he was eating, downright being piggy, the sauce getting all over. It must have tasted so good. He was so into it, that there'd be no way he could speak. I wanted to hug him suddenly, almost fall over with him. This happiness in my heart.

After warming up the vegetables and placing them down, my mom sat down across from us in her usual seat. She followed us in American style, not pausing to say thanks for her food. We were all just eating, so happy to be home. So happy to be together.