It was plenty dark when we rolled into Santa Fe. Shizue excitedly pointed out the sign. I hadn't noticed it, since I was faced away from the window. I had to have been listening to this album for the tenth time. It was growing on me. At first, I'd found the songs to be sappy, mostly rock ballads all about very sweet and innocent love. However, they made me think about the person who'd talked about this band at length. What kind of person was he, that this would be an album he'd carry around with him? No doubt, he intended to listen to it many times during this tour. Thinking about the small collection of bands he'd told me about so far. Really, what kind of person was he if this was one of his favorites? 

We drove into Santa Fe, which was smaller than I thought. Was there a hidden metro that we weren't seeing? This area of it was full of low buildings made of that same sandy, tan material. Like on the emporium we'd been to, many of the posts holding up overhangs were colorful. There were many shops that didn't announce themselves in a bold way. The streets were very narrow, almost as if our bus were imposing. Most strikingly, I saw more bunches of red peppers everywhere. Hanging beside windows, around doorways, from overhangs that were everywhere. The golden light coming from inside the windows seemed inviting. 

We pulled up in front of an unassuming building. It had more of a grand entrance than other places we'd passed, but nothing fancy. The driver stood up and announced that we'd arrived. He opened the door and got out just like before. However, this time I heard him shifting bags around immediately from the cargo hold. Sana let out a big yawn, which made Tetsu grin at him. He faked a yawn, looking more like a bear. They giggled together. It made that same blush come to my face and I had to look away again. 

The rest of Lyra got up from their places and stretched out. They began going around the bus, gathering up their things that they'd need for their stay. I realized I'd better be doing that, too. Still listening to music, I got up and went to my bunk, digging around the storage space under it for my toiletries and stuff, putting them back into their black bag. 

About five minutes later, a familiar person climbed up onto the bus. We acknowledged him, but I didn't like him much, so I didn't respond. Koiwai-san began handing out old fashioned brass keys. Real metal ones with tags with numbers on them. He gave mine to me and I looked at it. 

"What's this?" I asked, slipping my headphones onto my neck. The metal was warm in my hand, and heavy. 

"The key to your room," he explained simply, then went away to hand a key to Shizue and Hikaru. 

I was taken aback a little bit. The key seemed like it would open the door to a secret garden that Sana had once told me about from a book he'd read. I put it into my pocket and resumed gathering my things. Mostly everyone was done already, going to exit the bus. I tucked my stuff into my backpack and put it on. Koiwai-san got off the bus and I watched him go. He didn't even attempt to help Tetsu with Sana. 

I jumped into action. Sana was sitting in his wheelchair, looking nervous. Tetsu was in their bedroom, probably getting their stuff together. They had a lot they needed to take. He was in there with Natsuko, though. I saw my mom outside of the window, helping get people's bags out of the cargo hold. She was too old to be doing that. I saw Lyra standing there not helping, of course. Just talking excitedly to each other. I wanted to be useful. Show them what they should be doing. I went to the door, hanging my head out. 

"Hey, driver-san, can you let me and Sana down?" I called. 

Without a word, he got back on the bus, absolutely leaping up the steps. He sat down in the driver's seat and I wheeled Sana onto the lift's platform. I held his shoulders and nodded at the driver. He started the lift, and I briefly saw Tetsu peek out from their room at the noise. His face eased, seeing me taking care of this. 

We got down, and I safely got Sana onto the sidewalk. The lift went back where it came from, and I gestured for my mom to come over. She released a bag she was dragging out of the cargo hold. Without words, we switched places. She held Sana's wheelchair handles and began talking to him about dinner. He seemed too tired to respond. He'd had a headache earlier after all, so I wasn't surprised. Satisfied, I went over to the cargo hold and began slinging bags. Not caring if I was harming the stuff inside. Getting to use my muscles, my anger at Lyra was released. Handling their stuff as they just stood there, letting other people get their bags. 

I got to Sana and Tetsu's bags, though. This caused me to slow down. Handling them with care. But, not a minute after I started, a hand was on my elbow. I stopped, and saw Koiwai-san standing there. 

"You don't have to do that, you're talent," he said as simply as when he'd handed my key to me.

I grunted, hoisting my own large suitcase up and bringing it down to the pavement. "Well, if I don't do it, then who's going to? You? My sixty-something year old mom?"

He backed off at that, instead going into the hotel and bringing a dolly soon after. We were going to need more dollies. I began lifting Sana and Tetsu's bags on to it, since they were the most important. Just theirs alone would take this one up.

At this point, Nobu and Masaki got a clue. They raced inside the hotel and brought two more dollies out. Shizue and Hikaru started loading bags onto them. There wasn't going to be anyone to come help us. We were on our own this time. This hotel obviously wasn't like the first two we'd been to, where there was hotel help to unload our bags and bring them to our rooms. I decided right then that I'd bring Sana and Tetsu's bags to their room. There'd be no way they'd be able to do it themselves.

Tetsu and his sister got down from the bus, laden with bags. They piled them onto the dolly I'd prepared. I saw the look on Tetsu's face and turned away from it. He was about to say "thank you" again. There was no need to thank me, and I hoped he'd learn that eventually. 

Because of my quick work, we were able to get Sana inside pretty quickly. The temperature was dramatically dropping in the dark. The wrap Tetsu had bought for him had been very smart. It was summer, so I bet nobody thought to pack a jacket. 

The inside of the hotel was cozy. Wine red and bright orange walls with blonde wood. There was that same light blue color to accent as the stones we'd seen on the rings at the emporium. It seemed to be a special color, I noticed. It was everywhere here. My room was spacious and bright orange. The window was old fashioned with old glass, just like everything else in this hotel. It was kind of nice, compared to the very modern hotels we'd just stayed in. Kind of comforting. My bed was even lumpy, not entirely relaxing. 

I'd put my stuff away, going back down to the lobby. Everyone was sitting in red and yellow armchairs and couches. The lamps had beads on them. There wasn't a restaurant in here, so we'd be going out. My next immediate thought went to things that were appropriate for Sana to eat. This part of Santa Fe gave off small town vibes. What kinds of places were there to go eat? 

As I stood there, Tetsu received a phone call. He jumped and scrambled to get his phone out. Sana was next to him, his head on his shoulder, resting. We'd have to get him fed and put to bed soon. He'd done a good job at staying awake, honestly. We'd done a lot today. The schedule wasn't a grueling one for Santa Fe, and I'd decided he wouldn't be performing this time. He could rest. It would give him a good two days of rest, in addition to the sleep he'd gotten today. 

"Hello?" Tetsu asked on the phone. "Oh. Do you want me to put you on speaker?" 

I sat on the couch opposite of them and Nobu slid away from me to the extreme left, pressed against the edge like I had some disease. I just settled in like I didn't notice. 

At this exact moment however, my spirits lifted. High heel tickings were on the decorated tile to our right beyond the large archway leading to the check-in desk. Excited voices came next, and I recognized one. More heavy shoes accompanied this. As soon as Keitaro's voice appeared on Tetsu's phone, welcoming us to Santa Fe, so did the face I most wanted to see. 

Ren and the other stylists entered the lounge and Ren's arms were immediately out for Tetsu. It sent a twinge in my chest to see it and I couldn't take my eyes off him. Tetsu took Ren's hand they greeted each other, asking one another when they'd gotten in. Apparently they'd been here for a few hours, getting here on time unlike us. 

It was a little chaotic for a bit as everyone greeted everyone else. It's as if we hadn't just seen them that morning. To be honest, this morning had seemed like it had happened days ago, because we were in such a different place. 

Last of all, Ren greeted me. He waved to me, smiling. I studied his face, not believing I was seeing him again. He'd changed his clothes since this morning, wearing an open see-through black overshirt and a navy blue tank top underneath. His black jeans were skinny. The darkness of his clothes just showed off his bright hair. He sat down next to me, his hand going through his hair to muss it up, which was the current styling. He shook his head, getting his hair to settle back into place. Immediately, I noticed our thighs were touching. I couldn't take my eyes off him still, even if it was embarrassing. 

"So, how was the album?" He asked. Of course it would be the first question he'd ask. 

All the detailed, intricate things I was going to say about it were swallowed up by my head. He was so close to me. The warmth from his leg against mine. 

"Uh, it was great," I replied, unable to say anything else.

"Oh, just great?" He gave a small chuckle. "That's it?"

No. Actually, I listened to it for ten hours and realized this is what you think of love. And that makes me feel strange. That's what I wanted to say. 

"Um. Yeah."

"Well, if you liked that, I have more. I can lend it to you."

"Cool."

Keitaro made a frustrated noise on the speaker of Tetsu's phone. This made Tetsu burst into laughter. "You're like a golden retriever, how can I be scared of you?" Tetsu laughed so loud. 

"Nobody's listening to me!" Keitaro laughed back. 

Across from us, Sana was giggling. It warmed my heart. 

"Fine, Keitaro!" Ren called to him. "What is it?! Is it the end of the world?!"

"Who's that?!" Keitaro asked. 

"It's Ren!" Ren said rudely, rolling his eyes and putting his hands on his hips, his elbow going into me, causing my eyes to go wide at even more of his touch. Everyone laughed at what Ren had done, except me.

"Of course it is," Keitaro sighed. "Well, make your way to the historic plaza, okay? There's a restaurant reserved for us. Yellow Lizard is already here, as well as support staff that everyone has to meet. They'll be with us for the rest of the tour."

"Alright!" Ren called to him.

"Who's phone is this?" Keitaro asked, laughing again. "Why are you the one responding?"

Not even a moment's hesitation. "Because I'm fabulous!" Ren announced, snapping his finger over his head in an arc. This caused Tetsu to laugh the most I'd ever seen, and in turn everyone started laughing. 

I found myself smiling, then finally laughing myself. My face was red with embarrassment, but this time I just couldn't help myself. Enjoying this person next to me. Nervous, unknown feelings inside, but strangely happy.