Monday morning, Aki only got out of bed to walk with me to school. He wore his sweat pants, a hooded sweater, baseball cap, and his leather jacket, hoping he would be warm enough as the sun was only just beginning to rise. I found myself jealous of the way he so effortlessly picked up the previous night's discarded clothes and managed to look as if he had put a lot of thought into his outfit. He didn't have anywhere to be until after classes were over for the day for me, as Yamada-san requested me to be present during the meeting. The request distracted me. I didn't really have anything to do with the things they needed to discuss.

"What are you going to do today while I'm here?" I asked Aki as he kissed me at the front gates of the university.

"I'm going back to bed." He took a sip of the coffee he had picked up as we walked through Ueno park, and offered it to me to take a sip.

"Don't!" I laughed at his remark, not sure if he was serious.

My back was to the wall of the gate, and he put a palm flat against it to lean in to kiss me again. It felt like a more intimate action that he had likely intended it to be, and I felt my cheeks flush with the sudden rush of infatuation it made me feel for him. "You know I won't." He said. "I'm going to meet Kota at the studio. We're going to write a new song."

"Should I meet you there after?"

"I'll come back here to meet you." I was still holding his coffee cup, and offered it back to him. He took another sip and held it out to me. "You want it? You didn't get anything."

"Are you sure?"

"I'll get another on the way to studio."

I nodded thankfully to indicate that I wanted to keep the coffee. After taking a sip I realized how much I wished I had have picked one up on the way through the park as well. I quickly hugged him tightly before he left, turning to wave when he was a few more paces away. It reminded me of the first few days that I knew him, when he would walk with me to high school in Kamakura, take a sip of my coffee, and leave with a wave to go to the studio. Our underlying life together hadn't changed much, and I still enjoyed every single moment of it. I headed inside, taking a look at the coffee cup to see Aki's name written across it by the barista. It made me feel such a swell of love at the simple little gesture he made when he offered it to me.

At the end of the day, I found both Aki and Kota at the front gates waiting for me. I walked between them with both their arms around me, and both my arms around them. It was a special family dynamic that I had with the band, my lover and a bunch of adopted brothers. I was grateful for the relationship I had with them all.

The energy in the studio was tense as we joined Hiro and Fuji in Yamada-san's office. No one made small talk, just waiting for the real conversation to begin. "First order of business." Yamada-san started.

"Hang on." Aki interrupted, and the expression that changed on Yamada-san's face said that she was borderline insulted about it. "How long are we on contract for? Can we audition for a different, more suitable label?"

Yamada-san looked tired, like she had been working hard to come up with solutions to present. "That is one option. Your contract is over this coming summer." She placed a file folder neatly on the desk, giving it a pat with her palm. "Now, don't get me wrong, they have already given me the renewal for you all to sign should you wish to stay on. If you don't get another offer, my suggestion is that you renew."

"Will you set up meetings for us with other labels?" Kota asked, sounding like a child asking permission from a parent.

Yamada-san shook her head, folding her hands together. "No. Guardian has been on this label for almost a year, and has shown great success and growth. You guys need to show your faces. You don't need me to speak for you anymore. The industry here is aware of you."

I stole a glance at Aki, excited by Yamada-san's words, under the impression that it was a beneficial place to stand. Aki was engrossed in the conversation, and I could see his mind working behind his eyes. "Should we start asking for audition time right away? Do you think it will take long for us to get an offer?" He asked. He already knew the answer, and I could tell he was asking for the sake of formality.

Yamada-san nodded, but the expression on her face said that she was aware of how much knowledge Aki actually had of how the industry worked, It said she was aware that Guardian didn't need her as a manager, just as a voice of reason to their rash decision making. "You can start as soon as you want. I want you guys to have a rest over the holidays though. If you want to practice, I'll schedule you studio time."

Aki nodded in acceptance, Kota clapped his hands together. Fuji and Hiro seemed to be there only for the background support of the two, seemingly willing to go along with whatever they agreed to do. I smiled at Kota excitedly looking between Aki, Fuji, and Hiro, and I could see the anticipation he was feeling at the prospect of proving himself.

"I think that the accusations against Aki will die down." Yamada-san continued. "But that's why I think it's a good idea for you to lay low until the new year." The new year was only a few weeks away, and it was almost time to start talking about moving into Aki's house in Kamakura for the Christmas break. "The next order of business concerns Aki in a different way. He already knows, but the rest of you don't. He's been asked by the label to begin a solo side project."

"What? Solo?" Kota shouted through his surprise. "No way, Aki, they'll make you sing pop songs!"

Aki was quiet, letting Kota carry on until he was ready to give his reply. The energy I felt from him was charged, as if he was ready to put up a fight, but I could tell it wasn't going to be the outcome I was expecting.

"If they have a proposal for me, I'm willing to listen to it." Aki said. The room became hushed, everyone intent on listening to what he had to say. "I want to know what kind of concept they want me to do, what kind of music, if I'm going to have control, or if they just want to use me for popularity."

"It's a good answer, Aki." Yamada-san looked at him with pride. They had an exchange as if they had planning the whole conversation out beforehand, but I knew they hadn't. She was simply praising Aki's maturity toward the situation. "I'll set up a meeting for you to meet with them and discuss a proposal."

"I want Natsuko to be there as well." Aki wasn't done fighting. "I have a feeling they're going to want me to do a few things I shouldn't do without her permission."