Today was a big day in Kana's life. Rolling Star's first album had been released at midnight. It was a hit, as 3am had been when they'd released it. She smiled as she walked in to the apartment.

Shuuhei sat at his computer writing his article. The radio was on, but Shuuhei had halfway tuned it out. He barely heard her come in. "I'm almost done," he said without looking up at her.

Kana kissed his cheek. "Take your time." She had learned that 'almost done' could be anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour. She watched him for a minute before she turned to walk away.

"Done." Shuuhei grabbed her wrist and pulled her down for a kiss. "I was thinking..." he began as he kissed her again, pulling her into his lap.

Kana smiled. "What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking we should go out to dinner tonight to celebrate. I lost count how many times I've heard 3am today. They are really promoting the album today" The song on the radio changed and 3am began. Shuuhei grinned at her.

"This song means a lot to me. I think of it as our song," Kana admitted.

Shuuhei smirked at her. "So do I."

"Our relationship started when this song was written." Kana kissed him. "You gave me full control over us. Are you sure that was a good idea?"

"I knew I wanted to be with you, Kana."

"When you met anKa, I wondered what it would be like to have a normal life and date someone like you."

"We don't have a normal life."

"You did back then."

"I like my life now."

"We should get married."

Shuuhei stared at her a moment. He had thought about marriage, but he hadn't mentioned it to her. "Do you want me to propose to you, Kana?"

"No. I'm trying to propose to you, but I'm not doing a good job of it." She laughed and pulled a ring out of her pocket. "Shuuhei, will you marry me?"

He grinned. "Yes, Kana."

"This is your engagement ring, but you can't wear it on your left hand. People will think we're married." She took his right hand and slipped the black band on his middle finger. "If you wear it here, you can wear it and your wedding ring."

"Kana." Unable to form words, he kissed her, hoping his emotions came through to her.

When they broke some time later, it was only because Shuuhei's phone was ringing. Reluctantly, he answered it.

"A limo will be there to pick up you and Kana in an hour."

"For what, sir?"

Kyoraku chuckled. "For your celebratory party."

"A party?"

"Shuuhei, what happened today?" Shuuhei looked at Kana and almost replied by telling Kyoraku they had gotten engaged. "The album's release," Kyoraku reminded him. "The company is throwing a party for Rolling Star tonight. Your limo will be there in an hour."

Shuuhei hung up the phone. "An hour is not enough time."

"For what?"

"To make love to you." He looked at Kana. "Kyoraku is throwing a party for Rolling Star. Our limo will be here in an hour. That's not enough time for me to make love to you and for us to get ready."

Kana giggled. "We could make it fast."

"No. We just got engaged. It should be more special than a quickie." Still, he couldn't keep his hands off her. "Although there's nothing to say we can't start now."

"Start now?" Kana asked as he began to undress her.

...

An hour and several orgasms later as they stepped onto the elevator, Shuuhei whispered in her ear, "This will be a long night for us."

"Longer than the first night?"

"Maybe." He looked at her. "Are we going to tell Yumi and Ikkaku tonight or wait?"

Kana thought a moment as the elevator doors opened. "Let's wait. This night is about Rolling Star."

Nodding, Shuuhei opened the door for her.

"Kana, you look lovely," Yumi said as he waited for them outside the limo. Kana twirled to show off her long, glittery sapphire blue dress. Yumi kissed her hand as he helped her in the limo. "You clean up rather nicely too, Shuuhei." Rolling his eyes, Shuuhei got into the limo. He wore dark blue jeans, a grey button up shirt and a charcoal suit jacket.

"We didn't know we'd be sharing a limo with you guys," Shuuhei said as the limo began to pull away.

"Kyoraku thought it would be nice if we all arrived at the same time," Yumi explained.

They sat in comfortable silence as the limo drove them to the party. Kana looked up at Shuuhei and smiled. He gave the hand he held a short squeeze.

"Shuuhei and I are engaged!" Kana blurted out. She laughed and looked at Shuuhei. "Sorry. I couldn't wait." He just smiled in reply.

"Oh wow. When did this happen?" Yumi asked.

"This afternoon when Kana got home," Shuuhei told him.

"Let me see your ring," Yumi insisted. Shuuhei lifted up his hand, but Yumi already had Kana's hand in his. Yumi looked over at his friend. "She's not wearing a ring. I thought I taught you better than that."

Kana giggled. "I asked Shuuhei to marry me. He's wearing an engagement ring."

Yumi took Shuuhei's hand and looked at the ring. "Titanium. That's nice."

"It's just a black band," Ikkaku noted.

"Ikkaku!" Yumi scoffed.

"It is, but I think I'd look funny with a diamond solitaire," Shuuhei commented.

Kana laughed. "I thought so too."

"Kana, are you sure about this? I mean, this is Shoes we're talking about."

"I know, and I'm very sure." She leaned over to kiss Ikkaku on the cheek.

...

"You aren't with Kana?" Kyoraku asked as he came up next to Shuuhei.

Shuuhei glanced in her direction. "We got separated not long after we got here, and we haven't wound our way back to each other yet." He had tried to get back to her. He kept getting delayed by guests.

"I hear congratulations are in order for more than one reason tonight," Kyoraku whispered as he acknowledged Shuuhei's ring.

"Tonight is about Rolling Star," Shuuhei replied.

Kyoraku raised his brow at him. "Are you planning on making an announcement?"

"We hadn't talked about it. It happened shortly before your phone call."

"Did you have plans for tonight that I interrupted?"

"Not really."

Kana glanced over at Shuuhei who was talking to Kyoraku. She wanted to make her way back to him, but she kept getting delayed by other guests. The one she was with now wouldn't stop talking long enough for her to make an escape.

"My dear, where is your drink? Aren't you thirsty?"

"A little."

"Here," he said, scooping a drink off the tray of a wandering waiter.

"Thank you," Kana said politely. She put the glass up to her lips and smelled alcohol. Panic washed over her as she lowered the glass and looked for Shuuhei. Their eyes met across the room.

"Excuse me," Shuuhei said to Kyoraku as he crossed the room quickly, ignoring people who called his name.

"Kana, is there something wrong with your drink?" the man asked, noticing she hadn't drank it yet.

"Um… no. Have you met Shuuhei?" she asked as he stepped up beside her. Shuuhei handed her the glass he was holding and shook the man's hand.

"It's a pleasure," Shuuhei said. He took the glass from Kana and took a drink. Kana looked at the drink in his hand and the now empty glass in her hand. Shuuhei winked at her.

They chatted for a moment before the man noticed Kana's empty glass. "Would you like another?"

"No thank you."

"Kyoraku wants to see you," Shuuhei told her. They excused themselves and walked away from the man.

"You switched our drinks," she accused.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Shuuhei took his glass and hers and gave them to a passing waiter. "Let's go outside for a minute."

"But you said Kyoraku wanted to see me."

"Yeah, I lied." They walked out onto one of the balconies.

"I didn't drink it," she said quietly.

"I know."

"I smelled it though, and I realized that I didn't want it. I don't need alcohol to have a good time." She looked at him. "That's the first time I've had a drink in my hand in almost 6 years."

"Kyoraku knows."

"Of course he does. He visited me when I was in rehab."

"No he knows about our...Wait. What?"

"He visited me when I was in rehab." She looked at him.

"You never told me that. You never talk about your time there."

"It's not easy to talk about."

"Why didn't you tell me that Kyoraku knew about it?"

"I didn't think it mattered." She looked at him. "You're angry about this."

"No. I'm not." He was angry but not about Kyoraku knowing.

"Shuuhei, Kyoraku had to know. If anyone ever realizes that I was anKa, he'll be better prepared to handle it if he knows everything."

"Why did he visit you in rehab?"

"To give me a nudge to get myself back on my feet. He offered me a contract. I had no faith in myself, and it took me a while to agree to it. After rehab, I took some time to be Kana and figure out what Kana liked to do. Kyoraku visited me several times while I was in rehab, but I wasn't ready."

"He...Several times..." Shuuhei took a breath. Anger clawed at him. He walked back inside and toward the bar. With a sigh Kana followed him. Ordering a drink, he looked at Kana. "Do you want anything?"

"Why are you doing this?" she asked quietly.

"Just water for her," Shuuhei told the bartender.

"Shuuhei." She watched him down his drink. "How many have you had?"

"I believe this is my third... no fourth. I drank yours."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"I thought you limited yourself."

"Maybe tonight I don't want to."

"What about our plans for tonight?"

"What about them?"

His careless tone crushed her. Kana stalked off, angry at him. She walked into the ladies bathroom, sat on the bench and took a deep breath.

Yumi walked up to Shuuhei. "That was nice."

"Shut up Yumi. You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Really? Kana was all smiles in the limo. Every time she's looked at you tonight her eyes lit up. Yet I just watched her walk into the ladies room, and I couldn't tell if she was hurt or angry. She walked away from you. What did you do Shuuhei?"

"Nothing."

"That's bull." They had known each other too long. Yumi knew the rare occasions that Shuuhei failed to tell him what was going on.

"Someone put her in a position she shouldn't have been in. I'm not angry at Kana."

"But you took it out on her," Yumi pointed out. "I'm disappointed, Shuuhei. I thought you were a better man than that. I thought you loved her."

"I do love her," Shuuhei countered as he wondered why the alcohol hadn't eased the guilt of hurting Kana. Looking at his empty glass, he saw the ring around his finger, and he cursed himself. Shuuhei sighed. "Shut up Yumi," he muttered as he walked away. Yumi smirked as he watched Shuuhei walked toward the bathrooms.

Shuuhei opened the door quietly. Kana sat with her back to him. She was alone. He locked them inside and pocketed the key.

Kneeling down in front of her, Shuuhei said her name quietly. Her eyes shot open and in the brief second that they connected with his, he saw her anger. She slapped him. The sound of it echoed in the bathroom.

"I'm sor-," she began, her eyes wide with shock. She hadn't intended to hit him.

"I think I deserved that," he said, cutting her off before she could apologize. "Kana, I'm the one who should be apologizing to you." Shuuhei picked up the hand she slapped him with. "Does it sting?"

"A little. I've never hit anyone before." Shuuhei kissed her palm. His cheek stung, but he thought of it as punishment for hurting her. "You were angry," she said quietly.

He sighed and rested his forehead on hers. "Not with you. Never with you. I am angry with Kyoraku."

"Why?"

"You were in rehab. He knows that. Yet he throws a party for you where there is an abundance of alcohol."

"The party isn't for me. It's for Rolling Star. And Shuuhei, just because I can't have alcohol doesn't mean other people can't have it."

"He put you in a very compromising position. You had an alcoholic drink in your hand."

"But I didn't want it. It is my responsibility to resist it. Not Kyoraku's and not yours. Mine."

Shuuhei nodded in understanding. "Did you tell him we were engaged?"

"No. He didn't mention it to me when I talked to him earlier. I have no idea how he knows. "

"He suggested we make an announcement."

"Maybe we will in a couple of days." Kana leaned in and kissed him. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer. Shuuhei laid his hand on her thigh to keep his balance. His hand was on the slit in her skirt and he ran his thumb over her bare skin. His hand crept slowly under her skirt and up her leg while his mouth trailed down her neck. He nipped at the top of her breasts that spilled over her dress.

"Shuuhei," she breathed. It took Kana a moment to realize the pounding she heard wasn't in her head. She put her hand on his arm. "Shuuhei!" she whispered.

His head shot up as he heard someone shout Kana's name.

"Kana, are you in there?"

"It's Nanao," she whispered. "Just a minute," she called to Nanao.

"She has impeccable timing," Shuuhei muttered as he kissed her.

"I am not having engagement sex with you in a bathroom."

"This would have been makeup sex."

Kana stifled a laugh. "I'm not having sex in a bathroom."

"You've had sex in our bathroom," he pointed out.

"We won't stay much longer," she said, ignoring his comment.

Shuuhei stood and helped her up. He handed her the key and Kana stared at him a minute. "I locked us in. Why do you think Nanao was knocking on the door?"

"Stay here. I'll come get you when it's all clear." Kana unlocked the door and stepped out of the bathroom.

"Kyoraku is looking for you," Nanao said. "He wants Rolling Star on stage, but we couldn't find you or Shuuhei."

"I just needed a minute alone. I haven't seen Shuuhei. I'll help you look for him."

"We looked everywhere." Nanao sighed, and Kana started to follow her back out to the ballroom.

"Did you look in the men's bathroom?" Kana asked.

"Yumichika said Shuuhei wasn't in there."

"Do you mind if I go look? Shuuhei might have gone in there after Yumi looked."

Nanao shrugged. "You have to be on stage in five minutes," she said as she checked her watch.

"I'll be there." Kana walked back to the bathrooms. Checking to make sure no one was around she opened the door to the ladies' bathroom. "Shuuhei?" There was silence. Someone grabbed her hand from behind.

"Looking for someone?" he asked as he spun her around and kissed her.

"Where were you?" He jerked his thumb toward the men's room. "We have to be up on stage in five minutes."

As they made their way to the stage, Shuuhei looked behind Kana. "Mhmm."

"What?" Kana asked as she looked up at him.

"Your dress is backless." He had noticed it when she had left him alone in the bathroom.

"And?"

"And it makes me wonder just how much... or rather how little you have on under it."

"I guess you'll find out when you get home."

...

After Kyoraku's announcement of the sales for their album, it took another hour before Shuuhei and Kana managed to leave. She shivered as they waited for the limo, and Shuuhei took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. Shuuhei did nothing more than kiss her softly as the limo drove them away from the party. When the limo stopped, Kana glanced out the window.

"This isn't our apartment," she said, confused.

Shuuhei smiled. "I'll be right back." He stepped out of the limo and walked into the all-night grocery store where he didn't waste time in selecting his purchase. Shuuhei grinned when 3am began to play overhead.

The cashier was humming the melody. "This is a really good song," she said to him. "I like it a lot. But I've never heard of this band before. I can't remember their name."

"Rolling Star," Shuuhei provided.

"Yeah. I guess they are new."

"They are. I hear their debut album is great. You should check it out."

The young girl shrugged. "Maybe." She took the money for Shuuhei's purchase.

"Thanks," Shuuhei said as he pulled a card out of his wallet and handed it to her. On one side was the web address for Rolling Star. The other side was a picture of the band.

The cashier looked at the picture for a moment. "Hey. This is you." She looked up, but he was gone.

Shuuhei got into the limo and presented the vase of flowers to Kana.

She smiled. "What did I do to deserve these?"

"You asked me to marry you." He sat next to her and took her hand in his.

"I would have waited for you to ask me, but today seemed like a perfect day." Kana leaned over and kissed him.

"It was a perfect day. Marrying you was something I had thought about. I should have thought of asking you today." He brought her hand up to his lips. "I can't imagine life without you, Kana."

"You don't have to. You're going to be stuck with me." She leaned over and kissed him. "When we get home, maybe we can pick a date."

"Maybe," he whispered, his lips a breath away from hers. "You might be busy when we get home. It might be tomorrow." Shuuhei kissed her, struggling to keep the kiss light. He wasn't going to rush. Not yet. Not while in the limo. He had to control himself.

Kana felt his struggle as their kiss changed several times from soft and innocent to needy and impatient. Her fingers ran teasingly up his neck as she brushed her body against him.

The limo stopped at their apartment, and Shuuhei helped Kana out. He held the vase of flowers while they got on the elevator. As the door closed, Kana tugged his shirt free from his jeans. By the time the elevator stopped on their floor, his shirt was unbuttoned, and her hands had been all over him.

"Where would you like your flowers?" Shuuhei asked as he opened the door.

"In our bedroom."

Shuuhei walked into his bedroom. He grinned at the thought of it being their bedroom now. Placing the flowers on the dresser, he took a moment to make sure they were in the perfect spot. He turned and looked at Kana standing in the doorway. As far as he could tell, she wore only his jacket. She had buttoned it, and Shuuhei couldn't tell if she had anything on under it.

Kana walked over to him and slid his shirt off his shoulders. Keeping his eyes on her, Shuuhei reached behind him and undid the buttons around his cuffs. The shirt fell to the floor.

"It was a nice party for us," Kana said quietly. Shuuhei wasn't sure if she was referring to Rolling Star or to the two of them.

"I would have been fine with a quiet evening home alone with you."

She smiled. "Maybe tomorrow will be quieter."

Shuuhei pulled his phone out of his pocket and turned the ringer to silent. Reaching into the inside pocket of his jacket, his hand brushed over Kana's skin. Taking out her phone, he turned the ringer to silent on it also. "Very quiet." Leaning down, he kissed her. "I love you, Kana."

She grinned. "I love you, Shuuhei." Unbuttoning his jacket, Shuuhei took it off her slowly. Beneath it she wore midnight blue lace panties. They were the ones he had bought her to match her bra, and she had never worn them before.

Picking her up and carrying her to the bed, Shuuhei knew there was no one else he'd rather spend the rest of his life with than her.