One day a couple of months later found Haruka rushing to get back to the hotel and shower before having to rush right back out to meet up with the Three Lights because she had been scheduled to start off the show in Yaten's place for a couple of songs before trading with him. Things everywhere were hectic in preparation for Thanksgiving and the many parades and festivals that would mean.

She made it back in plenty of time and settled backstage with Taiki and Seiya, since Yaten had made a habit of watching people entering the area before the stage from a safe enough distance to keep himself from being recognized. Taiki sighed as he leaned back in his chair. "You know... as much as I miss our home, I think that I will miss Earth with all its holidays, times set apart each and every year when people make a point to see their family and friends just as much."

Seiya smiled cautiously with a side-long glance at Haruka to check her reaction. "Not near as much as you'll miss Ami though."

Taiki blushed and it was Haruka who made an effort to lighten the mood. "What, you don't ever worrying about some government agency tracking you aliens down?"

Seiya swatted her playfully as his brother laughed. "You know, Haruka, you're not exactly from Earth either."

"No... But I was born here in this life, and I don't literally change my gender as a disguise."

Both brothers began to protest at this before she grinned and got up. "Don't we have a show to start?"

The good-natured argument was forgotten as Haruka led the way out on stage to the keyboard, followed by Taiki with his guitar, and then Seiya who went to the microphone at the front of the stage. As the lead singer started in on a little speech about the marathon and the charity it was for, Haruka glanced out over the crowd, smiling a little to see how different the crowd the Three Lights attracted was from the sort that Michiru and Haruka would play for. She tuned back in at the appropriate moment when Seiya made a mention of her winning the race, lifting a hand to wave briefly before looking down to the keyboard before her and check over everything. Yaten preferred to use a more mobile keyboard, one that he could wear much like Taiki did his guitar, so that he could move about the stage freely. As much as he disdained the female admirers that wrote to him, it seemed to be in his nature to play to the crowd. She looked up in time to catch nods from the other two, nodded as well and then began in on the first song.

She lost track of time as she played through the memorized songs, and wasn't even paying attention as she left the stage with the keyboard and stand in tow to let Yaten take his place. Taking the keyboard further backstage, she set it back up and began to softly play, losing herself much as she would when she sat before her piano. Drowning out the much louder music from the three brothers, and the noise of an enthusiastic crowd, she played and sang softly a song all her own, 'Kaze ni Nari Tai'.

When she finished, she was surprised to hear clapping, and opened her eyes to find that the brothers had announced their break and found their way back to her in time to catch some of the song. She shook her head and turned the keyboard off. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that."

"What sneak?" Taiki asked with a smile. How could you miss Seiya announcing that we're taking a break, and then us coming back here with the crowd even louder than before?"

Seiya chuckled. "It doesn't matter. At least it meant you kept playing like we weren't here... that song was really beautiful, what is it?"

"Ah... Kaze ni Nari Tai... Michiru had Unmei wa Utsukushiku sort of picked out as her own personal anthem, and that's mine." She stood to go elsewhere and noticed that at some point, Taiki and Yaten had gone off as well.

"Haruka?" She glanced back to Seiya, stuffing her hands into her pocket as he approached her. He gave a wry smile. "It's been nearly five months since we started going out and you're still not comfortable with just idly holding my hand."

"Eh... well," she grinned a little. "I'm still getting used to the whole concept of making out with a guy... funny how that seems less personal than just holding someone's hand, isn't it?"

He smiled at the making out comment. "In a way..." He sighed a little. "Haruka, I've been thinking about this for about a month now, ever since during one show I looked back at you at the keyboard and saw how unhappy you were... do you even want to be together, with the risk of me leaving at any time? I could understand if you didn't want to..."

Haruka chuckled, shaking her head. "So that's what's made you thoughtful lately. And here I was, thinking it was something that was worth thinking about." She smiiled a bit, bringing out both her hands to grasp his. "I know I'm going to regret sounding so girly, but I do enjoy spending my time with you, Seiya. I'd forgotten what it felt like to be in a relationship where you were so unsure of so many things. Now it's something completely different before. With Michiru I was always unsure if we would even live to be together the next day, and when I finally could relax, that whole... thing happened, and I was always worried about her health." She paused briefly to make sure she kept calm before continuing. "But in a way, this is all new. I just have to worry about the little things in a relationship that a normal person might have to worry about. How I feel about you, how you feel about me... worrying if one day you will have to leave me... granted, it's different because you'll be leaving the planet," she said with a small laugh, "but still. I kind of like it, actually."

Seiya smiled at her, then glanced away briefly to acknowledge Taiki coming up just long enough to tell him that they needed to get back on stage, then leave. He looked back to her, smile returning. "I guess I did all that worrying for nothing. But at least telling you about it gave me a chance to find out how you feel... I love you, Ten'ou Haruka."

She actually blushed a little and looked down before she felt his hands slip away from hers as he headed back to the stage. He had grown used to not hearing a like response to those words, so he wasn't bothered by it when there was no reply. "Seiya." He paused and turned at the sound of her saying his name and found her walking over to him. She paused, then smiled down at him. "I love you." His shock allowed her a chance to grab his tie this time, and pull on it so that their lips met. When she pulled away, he was grinning and Yaten was coming to grab his arm and pull him to the stage.

"Even if Kakyuu-hime isn't here, we should keep playing, and I don't know how long the people would hang around with the lead singer missing."

"Ah, calm down Yaten," Seiya said, freeing himself before they reached the stage to straighten his tie. "I don't think they would mind me being a couple minutes late if they knew the reason why. I mean, the media was writing about us before we were even actually a couple... funny how it doesn't seem to be as big a deal now that we actually are, isn't it?"

Yaten sighed and swatted his hand, then took over fixing the tie. "You're so incompentent. And... don't take this as a sign that actually care but... I'd savor the time your relationship isn't being blared all over the place. She's the one that's going to suffer all of the attention when it seems to everyone that she's the victim of another tragedy when we'll pretty much have to make it seem like the three of us were killed." He paused, then turned and walked back onto the stage wo a welcoming roar of applause and shouts.

Seiya stood still for several moments before looking back to where Haruka had gone back to playing on the keyboard. Then he forced his saddened smile into a seemingly happier one before making his way back out into the spotlight.