It had been two days since the idea of being a teacher had been introduced to Mizuki. The day after, she had gone out to look at high schools for teaching positions. The following morning, Mizuki had gone to a high school, and been hired for their English teacher. The week before, their teacher had been deported back to the US for violations of Japanese law. Mizuki had never been so ecstatic.

She had burst into a joyous shout the moment after she exited the building. A few students had peered out of the windows above, surprised by the exclamation. She had shouted up to them that she would be their new English teacher. All of the faces promptly disappeared, not wanting to encourage the strange American woman who looked Japanese. Mizuki danced all the way to the train station. The school had guaranteed her work visa, and she was officially a legal resident of Japan, and Izumi would finally be happy that she had a job.

There was nothing that could be bad about this situation. Her joy was enormous. A few times she had almost burst into dance on the train. She expected a surprise balloon when she got home. Of course, she knew Sano didn't know yet, but even if he did, a surprise balloon wouldn't be there. She thought about what he might do, and Mizuki was drawing a blank. He would be visibly happy, but she wouldn't get a dinner, or a surprise balloon, or much of a celebration. It wasn't Sano's style.

But it was her style. She wanted to celebrate her new job, so she decided right then that they would do something, even if it was all orchestrated by her. The people around her on the train had given her a few extra inches of space. Her convulsions of joy had made a lot of people feel awkward. Extra space was a miracle, since it was currently rush hour, and no one had much room. Mizuki made a note to herself for the future, especially since she would be riding this train a lot now.

Because she was employed. That's right, Mizuki had a job. She danced around again as she realized it once more. She said the sentence in English, in Japanese, and then spelled out each world in her head. Even though it didn't seem possible, her train neighbors scooted farther away.

They arrived at her stop and Mizuki forced her way through to the door. She skipped all the way to the bus stop, danced on the bus, and skipped all the way to her front door. Suddenly, she had the idea of putting Sano through a bit of torture. He could take it. Mizuki wiped the smile off her face, and trudged inside the house.

"Welcome home Mizuki, how did the interview go?" Sano called from his study. Mizuki walked down the hallway.

Meekly she responded. "I'm home…" He turned around in his chair and looked at her, figuring from her glum face that it hadn't gone well. Mizuki was pleased to see him falling into her trap. He stayed silent waiting for some sort of answer to his question. Mizuki suddenly reconsidered her practical joke. It was dangerous to make a joke like that at the moment, especially with the weeks of fighting. "I got the job!" She showed him a huge smile.

Sano smiled back. The joke had still upset him a bit. "Well that's good. I'm glad you've found something."

"We should go out and celebrate Izumi!" Sano had already turned halfway around. He stopped, and looked over at her, trying to consider. In truth, he knew that her getting a job was a very good thing. Mizuki looked at him hopefully.

"Yes. I think we can go celebrate. I actually have some good news too." Mizuki trotted over and sat down on his lap. Sano leaned against her. "Well, you know how Kagurazaka hurt his ankle at the last competition?" Mizuki nodded. "Nike needs a new spokesman until he gets better, and they want it to be me." Mizuki almost bounced off his lap, clapping with a great sense of victory for Sano. "If they like me, I might just become permanent, even after Kagurazaka's ankle is healed."

That news had made Sano's week. He didn't like that his friend was injured, but he was ecstatic that Nike had finally offered him an endorsement. Even temporary was better than nothing from his favorite company.

They sat together for a few minutes, Sano making notes for the contract, and Mizuki thinking about her new job, and all the things she would have to do. Before he finished, she hopped up, having a sudden need to write every idea she had down. The office had explained she would be home room for a good class of juniors in the high school, and English teacher for the seniors and half the juniors. She needed a book list, and lesson plans for the next month, all within the next few days.

That was a crap load of work. With great gusto she jogged into the living room, sat down with a notebook and started working feverishly at her task. She wanted her students to read The Catcher in the Rye, and Animal Farm. Perhaps the Chronicles of Narnia, a childhood favorite. She went through all of her ideas, and after a half hour, she had a working plan for the next month. Of course she knew everything would depend on her students.

The previous teacher had nursed them a bit, allowing them to speak in Japanese during class, and Mizuki would not allow that. It was hard enough for students to learn a second language, but practice was the best medicine. If Mizuki had anything to do with it, the graduating class from her high school would speak nearly fluent when they left for college.

Sano emerged from his office, getting hungry for the dinner Mizuki had mentioned. He sat down next to her on the couch and glanced over her shoulder. "Boy, rigorous schedule there."

"Yeah. The teacher before me was too relaxed. I want them to speak English when they graduate." She put down the notebook and pen. "Where can we go to dinner?"

Sano flipped through a phone book, looking around for a restaurant suitable for their needs. "What about Kura?" He looked over their ad, lots of vegetables and good meats for grilling. He could go for some grilling.

Mizuki looked over the ad as well. She liked the idea of grilling as well, and the restaurant looked fairly nice. "Yeah, that sounds good. I'll call and make reservations for us. Is 7 okay?" Sano nodded and jogged upstairs. "Lets go all dressed up!" Mizuki called up the stairs after Sano. She heard a favorable response, and she looked at the clock. Another two hours, one of which would be spent traveling.

"Hello, this is Kura." A sharp female voice answered the phone.

"Yes, I would like to make reservations for 7:00." The sound of the woman typing came over the telephone,

"Your name? Number of guests? And any special requests?" Every question Mizuki answered, briefly thinking about what a special request could be. Even so, she had none, so it was a moot point. "Anything else Ms. Sano?" Mizuki got a huge smile. She wasn't often referred to as Ms. Sano, but it made her extremely happy. It was going to be an incredibly happy night.

"No, that'll be all. Thank you!" They hung up, and Mizuki sat back on the couch.

She quickly finished off the paragraph of ideas she had been working on, and hopped up the stairs after Sano. He was already looking fairly charming; not quite suit and tails, but a silk tie, nice pants, and a button up shirt. A dress appeared in Mizuki's mind, a dress she hadn't worn for years. It was stuffed away in a box in their storage area, so she jumped down the stairs and started rummaging through her clothing boxes. It took her ten minutes, and nearly destroying the room, in order to find it. When her parents visited while she was in Ohsaka, she had bought this dress so they didn't know exactly how complicated her decision to go to the school was. It brought back fond memories, and she was sure Sano would like it.

After trying to put everything back in its appropriate place, Mizuki trotted back up the stairs and back into her bedroom. She stopped in her tracks when she saw exactly how good Sano looked in his get up. When her dress was on, she hoped Sano would do the same. In the bathroom she put on a bit of makeup, fixed her hair, and pulled the dress over her head. It fit just as well as it had 5 years ago, and she moved with a little extra bounce in her step.

Sano didn't quite stop in his tracks, but he did give her a smile that she hadn't seen since they moved. She put on a pair of inch heels, and pulled a light jacket onto her shoulders. "You ready Mizuki?" He asked from the hallway, scratching Yuujiro's head.

"In a minute or two more!" She primped a little bit more.

Sano returned to the first floor, Yuujiro leading him toward the door. "I'm going to take Yuujiro out for a minute." He shouted back up the staircase. Before stepping outside Sano grabbed a sport coat, Yuujiro already occupied with his normal circuit around the yard. Sano stood at the top of the porch steps, watching and waiting for Mizuki. Before Yuujiro was finished, Mizuki appeared beside him. She smiled, and Yuujiro came back up the steps.

Sano headed down towards the car, warming it up a bit before Mizuki got in. Yuujiro scurried back into the house, and Mizuki walked him to his food bowl, giving him a little extra tonight. She figured everyone deserved a little extra tonight. Locking the door behind her, Mizuki hopped into the car. Inside the seats were warm, and Sano was playing an old CD he had always liked. Mizuki was neutral on it, but even it seemed better tonight.

Both of their stomachs were fairly empty, and the sound of rumbling began to overpower the music. Mizuki had to remember not to act like she had never eaten before. It used to make him laugh when she inhaled food, but it was less amusing now, and since this was a nice restaurant, she wanted to be polite.

It didn't feel like an hour had gone by when they arrived at Kura. A valet approached the car, opening the door for the lady, and another circling around to the driver side. "Would you like to park valet, sir?" There was a faint recognition in the boy's eyes. Sano nodded, and left the keys in the ignition, taking a claim check from the valet.

Mizuki waited by the valet box for Sano, and when he approached she stretched out her hand for his. They walked into the restaurant hand in hand. A warm smell of beef and charcoal filled the air. Wood tones and a very modern style drew the eye around the restaurant, and Mizuki saw the perfect table.

"Good evening!" The same sharp female voice drew her attention to the host desk. Mizuki smiled and approached with Sano. "May I have a name?"

"Sano. We're a little early, I hope that's okay." The woman smiled, and nodded, clicking on her computer and glancing over the restaurant.

The same vague recognition appeared on the woman's face, but just as it had with the valet, it passed. "May I have both of your first names?" Mizuki and Sano both answered, and the woman typed a bit more before the manager appeared to seat them.

"My goodness!" The man looked Sano over once, and immediately bowed to him. "Good evening Sano! I certainly wouldn't expect an athlete of your caliber to join us tonight!" Either the vague recognition had been very well feigned, or the man knew every sportsman by sight. "Please follow me! We have a special room set aside for these occasions."

Sano looked slightly uncomfortable. Mizuki however, looked thrilled. The manager took them down a small hallway, a few tables barely visible through passages in the wall. He stopped in front of one, and guided them in. A few stairs led onto a platform with a low table. The grill was built in, a lovely warmth already emanating. They removed their shoes and took seats on opposite sides.

"Enjoy your evening, and Hanayashiki will be with you in a few minutes." The two nodded, glancing around the room. Mizuki held her hands over their grill, feeling the coals warm her skin. They hadn't received menus, but a drink menu rested on the floor beside them.

"What would Sano like?" She started flipping through the pages. "You seem like a martini guy. Maybe shaken not stirred." Sano smiled at her. He had never actually had a martini before. "I think we should get martinis!" It had been months since their last date, and Mizuki was extremely excited.

"Yeah… we can do that." Sano looked over the menu, although he was inclined to take Mizuki's advice. "Gin or vodka?"

She stuck her tongue out. "Ugh… gin if you like pine needles." He laughed at her expression. "I'm gonna get one of those persimmon ones." He nodded and returned the drink menu to the floor. Mizuki's eyes were suddenly wide, and her jaw was open just a bit. His back was to the entrance, so the switch in expression on Mizuki's face was unexplained until a woman with long brown hair, and very pretty eyes sat down beside them, holding a notepad and pen.

She dropped both when she realized who the two people within this room were. "Sano!" Stars appeared in her eyes, and little hearts floated away from her head. "It has been so long!" She looked like a princess seeing her knight in shining armor. Mizuki stifled a laugh, and again Sano looked just a little awkward.

"Hello Hibari…" To see this one as a waitress was a total surprise, and yet not. After all, it had taken her 7 years to graduate. "How are you? I'm sure you remember Mizuki."

The girl suddenly looked very crestfallen. Hibari's skill had never been hiding her emotions. "Of course I do… I'm doing alright. This is just a side job after all; I have been making appearances in soap operas. My acting career is definitely taking off. Maybe you've seen a few of them Ashiya?" Awkwardly, Mizuki shook her head. She had never watched soaps. "That's alright, only a matter of time before you see me in movies."

The manager walked by, and Hibari suddenly remembered she needed to do her job. Begrudgingly, she took their drink order and handed them two menus. "Go ahead and look at those; I'll be back with your martinis." She slipped down the stairs and into her shoes. How could she, Hanayashiki Hibari, be subject to serving her love, and his… friend. And though her pride was a terrible stumbling block, she sucked it up. She needed this job, even if she wouldn't say that to any man, animal, or plant.

"Whoa…" Mizuki watched as the last strand of Hibari's pride and joy disappeared. "Never thought I would see her again. Or as a waitress." Sano nodded, feeling a twinge of sympathy for what was supposed to be Mizuki's competition. Pushing away those particular thoughts, Mizuki dove headlong into the menu.

There were so many options. Beef, pork, vegetables, rice dishes and of course, fish were all represented in options ranging from a spread for 15 people to a sample of each for two. Mizuki liked the option for two. That way, she and Sano could enjoy everything together. "What about the two person dinner Sano?" Mizuki asked, pointing toward it on his menu.

His eyes trailed over the description. "You are full of good suggestions tonight Mizuki." She smiled brightly again, and they set the menus down. He too held his hands over the grill, and Hibari appeared again, carrying one red-orange martini with a persimmon slice hanging from the rim, and one crystal clear martini with three blue cheese stuffed olives resting on a toothpick inside.

"Fancy choice Sano. Very classic." The compliments gushed forward like a flood. "Are the two of you ready to order?" Mizuki nodded and Sano pointed on the menu to their choice. "Yet again, excellent taste!" The hearts were still floating up, but here came the part Hibari hated the most. Without saying anything, she pulled out a few more charcoals, pulled the grate up, and dropped them in with a wooden log. There was ash all over her hands, and a bit on her ear lobe.

It suddenly struck Mizuki how much sympathy she had for Hibari. She was now a Cinderella. The girl smiled at the two, and glided down the platform and into the hall. Neither spoke about her and their history. Sano did not feel much different from Mizuki, and thinking about it was only an exercise in futility. Hibari's pride was a vain and painful thing, but she chose to keep it. Both Sano and Mizuki wanted to be focus on their success.

They held their glasses up. "Cheers!" And together they took long sips. The persimmon flavor danced on Mizuki's tongue, and Sano realized it was going to take a bit to get used to the martini idea. It was pure alcohol, and he could barely breathe. Involuntarily his tongue came out of his mouth, making a disgusted face. Mizuki mimicked the face and laughed.

He responded with a light glare, but switched to smile, laughing a little himself. "You know, I don't think I'm ready for martinis." Mizuki offered him a taste of hers, which he agreed to. Far better. It might have been pure alcohol, but at least it didn't taste like it. He returned it to her, and made a mental note to get a glass of water when Hibari returned.

"So when did you find out about your endorsement?" Mizuki rested on the marble top of the table wrapped around the grill. It was still a little cold despite the fire.

"It was earlier today, just after you left for lunch and the interview. I was sitting at the desk and my phone rang. It was the national coach, and I figured it had something to do with the competition this week." Sano managed another sip of the martini, trying to adjust a little to the taste. "But instead the coach told me Nike had been trying to get a hold of me. Not having an agent makes that a little more difficult. He told me to call their corporate office."

That had been an interesting phone call. Just like with every corporate office, there was an answering system, and it took him ten minutes to even get the department the coach had said to contact. Then there was another run around to prove who he was. All in all, Sano had seriously considered hanging up four times. He related the story to Mizuki, making her laugh a few times in ways only he could.

"But when I finally got where I needed to be, the man dropped the bomb the first sentence. 'Sano Izumi! We want you to be a spokesperson!'" Sano pretended to be a corporate executive twirling around in his office chair. "I don't even think he said his name. My answer was of course yes. I'm supposed to go in next week to look over the contract." He needed to call his dad and brother about it. One thing his father had told him when he started high jumping again was 'never sign a contract without a lawyer.' It was good advice.

"That is really wonderful Sano!" Mizuki raised her glass to him again. Sano did the same, but took only a tiny sip when Mizuki took hers. Couldn't ignore a 'cheers' for his success. "In a month you will be on billboards! In commercials! Maybe even the movies!" Every time she described a medium her gestures got more extravagant.

He laughed again. This was a good feeling. This was something he hadn't known for months. It was a kind of lightness in the air. "We'll see, one step at a time. I think Kagurazaka was only in print ads." Mizuki remembered seeing one in a magazine a month ago. Sano had shown her and the magazine was still in his desk.

"You'll beat that in a month I bet. After all, you're more handsome than he is!" Mizuki winked at him.

Hibari was standing in the door, trying her best not to interject with an agreement. Carrying a small tray up the stairs, she set down a large bowl of vegetables, three kinds of glaze, and three brushes to braise the vegetables while grilling. Two glasses of water also sat on the tray, which she placed beside the martinis, first Sano, and then Mizuki. "This is a soy sauce glaze, this is a savory bourbon glaze, and this is a fish glaze." She pointed to each individually. "I always recommend the soy glaze with the bok choy. Enjoy your first course, and I'll come back and check on you again shortly." Again, she disappeared down the steps, keeping her pride as high as she could.

Mizuki pulled out the chopsticks wrapped in the red napkin beside her. Using the top end, she began to move the vegetables around in the bowl. There were radishes, types of lettuce, bell peppers, squash, the bok choy Hibari had mentioned, and a few slices of tomato among others. "My my there are a lot of vegetables in here."

Sano had already taken a piece of the radish out and doused it in the bourbon glaze. A few drops fell into the fire, causing it to flare a bit. Mizuki followed his example and quickly the whole bowl was on the grill, covered in the sauce varieties. The smell of char filled their room. Mizuki was the first to taste the soy bok choy, and she agreed with Hibari. Although the bourbon radish was also fairly delicious. Their talking decreased almost to a minimum as the equivalent of a salad course disappeared. Hibari glanced into the room, and when they were clearly enjoying themselves, she left them alone, taking all the first course bowls along.

After the grill was cleared, Hibari reappeared, carrying a small grill brush, a water pitcher, and a few woodchips. "I'm glad to see the two of enjoyed that so much." By now, Hibari had stopped pretending to notice Mizuki. Very rarely did her eyes leave Sano, and it was generally only to prevent her skin from burning. She scrubbed the grate clean of the burnt vegetables, dropped the wood chips in, and filled their water glasses. "I will be back with the main course in a few minutes."

Mizuki and Sano both enjoyed the scent of the smoke changing. It came from something Mizuki's father had used the few times he had grilled, mesquite. Their martinis were slowly disappearing. Sano no longer felt like his tongue was melting when he sipped the martini, and he realized he might just be able to get used to the taste.

As promised, Hibari returned, this time carrying a tray full of meats, two giant bowls of rice, and quite a few bottles. Kneeling beside the table she set each down, describing the items within. "Yellowtail, salmon, Kobe beef, pork, and prawn. Mushrooms, and onions. Each of these bottles is an alcohol to flavor to meat. Be careful, they will cause fires. A chardonnay, a small bottle of champagne, cabernet, cognac, and bourbon. This is another type of fish glaze, a Thai spice glaze, and an amaretto glaze." She set the tray beside her, and looked toward Sano. "May I prepare a piece for each of you?"

Sano looked to Mizuki who responded so positively it echoed in the room. Silently Hibari took two pieces of the Kobe beef, set them on the grill, and doused them in the cognac. The fire exploded up and around the beef, pushing Mizuki and Sano back. Every few seconds, Hibari added a few drops of cognac to the meet until she was satisfied with the color and smell. Taking a set of metal serving chopsticks, she placed the beef on their plates. She bowed, smiled at Sano, and disappeared once again wishing them a pleasant dinner.

"Oh my god this smells so good Sano." Mizuki tried to say it loud enough for Hibari to hear down the hall. It really did, and her slice disappeared in one bite. Sano laughed, and took a small bite, trying to remind Mizuki to not inhale to quickly. It went completely over her head. She loaded the grill before he was finished with his bite, and started doing just as Hibari had. It was a symphony of fire, and Mizuki was conducting.

Each time it flared up, they both backed away, but Mizuki was getting braver. Though it smelled good, Mizuki completely avoided the Thai glaze. Her tongue couldn't handle the spice. There was champagne on the prawn, amaretto glaze on the pork, mushrooms and onions on another piece of the beef, and as many other combinations as Mizuki could think of. Sano filled in the last few spaces.

They enjoyed the dinner a bit slower, and Mizuki did her best not to eat pieces in one bite, although sometimes she was unsuccessful. "This is so good Sano!" Mizuki set her chopsticks down on the table, and rested back slightly. Her stomach was at a perfect state of full. Her martini glass was empty, and the vodka was flowing through her blood. "I'm so glad I found that job." Sano nodded, sipping his martini, the alcohol not quite affecting him. "I can't believe that it worked out so well. My luck never works out like that." As Sano took the last piece of meat from the grill, Hibari returned, collecting the bowls and the rest of the dishes. "Thank you so much Hibari, this has been so wonderful." Hibari nodded and smiled toward Mizuki. It was strange, because it meant she was proficient in yet another skill, but the compliment also felt slightly degrading. She scrubbed the grill again, dropping in a few more coals and stirring the embers.

"Thank you Ashiya. And to you as well Sano. I'll be back with the dessert in just a moment. Coffee?" Both shook their heads, although Mizuki thought it might be good for her mind since it was swimming. The hearts weren't floating up as often, but Mizuki could still see them. She disappeared for the last time, and Mizuki felt the strange twinge of sympathy again.

Sano and Mizuki sat together for another few minutes, talking lightly of the evening, and the day again. Sano hadn't finished his martini, and the olives were still skewered with the toothpick. He ate them, surprised that olives stuffed with blue cheese and soaked in vodka were good.

The fire inside the grill had turned to hot coals and a very concentrated heat. Hibari returned carrying another small tray. She set a bowl of fruit on the table, a metal bowl of chocolate pieces with a plastic spoon, a small bowl of marshmallows, and two long metal sticks, slightly charred at the ends. She set the metal bowl on top of the grill, and stirred it with a plastic spoon. Finally, she set down three bowls of whipped cream. "This is real whipped cream, this is green tea flavored, and this is a nutty whipped cream." Mizuki had never heard of nutty whipped cream. "Be careful, the fruit will burn quickly, and the make sure to stir the chocolate. When the chocolate is melted, you can use the metal sticks to guide it off the grill, just be careful. I recommend roasting the marshmallows, dipping them in chocolate, and then having the green tea whipped cream. Also very good with strawberries." Before she left, Hibari set the bill on the table. "Have a good night… Sano. And you too Ashiya." With that she disappeared one last time.

"Well Mizuki… I'll take some of the fruit, but most of this is yours." He made the same disgusted face at the chocolate. "Although, the whipped creams do sound good." Mizuki had already arranged the fruit on the grill, was helping the chocolate to melt, and roasting the marshmallows in the coals. It was an orchestra of movement, and Sano watched her with a kind of reserved interest. She knew how to enjoy herself.

He had never grilled fruit before. The lines running over the apple pieces and strawberry slices looked a little like art. A few pieces were lost in the fire, but burning fruit still smelled good. Mizuki pulled her marshmallows up, dipped them in chocolate, and scooped a bit of the green tea cream onto her plate. Sano tried all the fruits, and all the creams, but never did he venture to the marshmallows or the chocolate, just as Mizuki expected. "I wish you liked chocolate Sano… this is really good." She pointed to Hibari's suggestion.

"Can't take how sweet that is." There wasn't even a chance for him to try it. The last of the dessert was cleared from the grill, Mizuki scooted the bowl of chocolate from the fire, and each one of the whipped cream bowls was polished clean. Resting back once more, Mizuki smiled at Sano, and there was a pleasant silence between them.

The manager reappeared in their little room, kneeling beside the two, and collecting a few of the empty items. "Did the two of you enjoy everything tonight?" They both nodded, Mizuki recounting how good everything had been. The manager bowed with a smile across his face. "I'm glad to hear that. If the two of you every wish to return to Kura, just call and make reservations. The hostess will ask your name, and we will make sure everything is perfect." He bowed deeply once more, and returned the way he came.

After sitting a minute more, Sano motioned that it was time to leave, and Mizuki agreed. They took the bill up to the woman who had taken Mizuki's reservation hours before. She handed Sano his change. "Did the two of you enjoy the evening?"

Sano nodded, and Mizuki gushed compliments just as Hibari had earlier. "It was wonderful! Hibari was great, the room was great, the quality of food, the drinks. Everything, great." The woman laughed, guessing that the martinis on the tab were affecting the young woman. Sano took her hand and they exited the restaurant the same as they came in.

Standing on the sidewalk, Mizuki twirled around a few times enjoying the cool air. Sano walked over to the valet, who already had his keys prepared. "Have a wonderful evening Sano!" Taking Mizuki again by the hand, he led her to the car and opened her door. Mizuki slid in, and smiled up at him. The door shut, and Sano circled around, saying goodbye to the valets.

As Sano entered the car, Mizuki leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. "I love you Izumi." Her eyes were closed. She would stay here as long as he was driving.

"I love you too Mizuki."