"I'll do whatever it takes to be together with you. I promise." 

             That was the promise he made to her. It felt final; like it was a proclamation. Keeping it was the only thing that mattered to him after she left.

             It has only been 3 years since he last saw her, but it felt more like 20. Finally being able to see her is like a dream to him but now that he's here, he realizes the reality. He worry's about the promise he made with Nana. What would he say to her now? How would he make her dream come true?How would he--

           "Hey!" The eye-catching man in the navy blue tux yelled impatiently at Ren who was daydreaming while the man was trying to talk to him. Ren snapped out of his trance to see Shinichi glaring at him with irritated eyes.

          "What?" He asked curiously, trying to match the man's glare.

           Shinichi snorted. This guy. He plunged his hands into his tuxedo's pockets.

          "She's in there." Shinichi said, jerking his head towards a door with the name NANA carved on a gold plaque attached to the door. "This is her dressing room.She isn't getting dressed right now though so you could go in."

           Ren turned away from the annoyed man to look at the red, wooden door to his left. Suddenly, his mind went blank. He knew he was going to have to face her when he opened the door. He knew he would have to justify himself for not contacting her, but how could he? He has loved Nana for as long as he could rememeber so being able to even speak with her after so long made  his heart skip a few beats. Despite the single door standing between them, he felt miles away from her. Ren felt stupid for feeling like this. For the last 4 years, all he ever thought about was Nana and now, all of a sudden, he was nervous to see her. He nearly laughed at the irony. I'll know what to say when i see her.

        Heart pounding, Ren put his hand on the doorknob. This is it. I'll tell her everything. I'll make sure to keep my promise. He turned his hand and opened the door.

**********

     11 years before. Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

      *sound of off-key piano playing*

      "Lift your hands higher and don't stare at them while your playing a sheet of music; trust them to play the right note." The gorgeous woman lifted the little girl's hands a little higher as they continued to play one of the woman's music pieces. "Try again."

       The green-eyed child made sure her hands were high enough and started replaying the sheet of music.

       "That's it! Nice job, Nana!" The woman smiled and kissed her daughters forehead. "One day you might be professional musician."

       "I'll never be a professional musician. I'm not a good singer or piano player." Nana sighed and turned to her stunning mother. " You're a good piano player! You write your own songs too! Why don't you become a professional musician?!"

        The woman's smile faded a bit. There was also a hint of sorrow in her eyes. "I couldn't be one even if i wanted to."

                  "Why not?" Nana questioned, the hope for her mom to become a star fading in her eyes.

                  Nana's mom hesitated a bit. "Because..... I already own a business with Dad. He can't maintain that huge business by himself." The woman looked at her daughter who was pouting. She put her hand on Nana's head and started her silky hair. " Even if i did become a musician, I probably wouldn't have married your father......" The woman hesitated before continuing. "That is why musician is out of the picture, Ok?"

                 The tone in the woman's voice made it sound final; like she wanted to stop where this conversation was going. Nana stayed quiet for a minute before heading the conversation in a different direction."Mommy, do you know what's so special about next week?"

                 "Hmmmm..... Christmas Eve? Christmas Day? Open presents? Cry about how we have to wait another 365 days till the next Christmas."

                  Nana glowered. "Hey!"

                  The woman put her hands up in surrender. "Just kidding! It's your birthday, I remember. Of course, I remember! What do you want, Honey?"

                 Nana looked pleased." I want more piano songs and--

                 "Mrs. Lee, your husband is asking for you." The maid waited for the woman's reply, which never came before continuing. " It's about your business trip to Seoul, for your company's and Director Choi's company's merge."

                "Oh!' I forgot about that damn trip. "I see, Um......" Mrs. Lee stuttered and turned to her daughter who's expression was now blank. "Sorry honey, I forgot, I have to go on a business trip with Daddy. I'll make it up to you, I promise. Why don't you go with Maid Nagisa to eat lunch?" Mrs.Lee turned to the maid and started getting up. " Maid Nagisa, will you please take Nana to the dining room and maker her favorite lunch?"

               "Yes, Mrs.Lee."

                  Mrs.Lee looked at her daughter and motioned for her to go with the maid. Nana, with a sullen look on her face, got up and walked away with the maid by her side, glancing back at her mother who smiled at her. The green-eyed child smiled back but was disappointed on the inside. She didn't get to finish saying what presents she wanted. I want more piano songs and..... for mom and dad to be with me.

********

                 "No."

                 "And why not?" Mrs. Lee asked. She had been arguing with her husband for the last half hour, trying to convince him to postpone their business trip till after the holiday's; and their daughter's birthday. She knew making the conversation go around in circles would make him give in sooner or later. She knew him like that.

                 "Chitose, for the fifth and FINAL time, we can't afford to miss this meeting. I and CEO Daichi have been trying for 2 years to even speak on the phone with Director Choi and to see him in person is pretty much impossible, even for his own family." Mr.Lee paused as he got another suitcase from the closet. He had been packing everything neatly and accordingly for the trip to see if he could impress Director Choi with his organization. He emerged from the closet, took a deep breath and continued. "So, as you can see, being able to merge companies with him is like an amen from heaven." Mr.Lee glanced at his wife, who was sitting across from him on the couch, to see her roll her eyes at his comment. "It is also a great opportunity for our company's expansion and--

                "Junho,honey, I would love to hear more about how amazing Director Choi and this opportunity is but I'm trying to tell you that I think our daughter's 7th birthday is a little more significant. Maybe, I can't convince you to postpone this trip but couldn't we just come back a couple days earlier in time for her birthday. And it's not just her birthday; it's Christmas. We're supposed to spend time together as a family." Junho tried to interject but Chitose stopped him. "Just listen, I know you care about this business but don't get immersed in your work so much that you forget to take of your loved ones who care about you the most." The desperateness in Mrs.Lee's voice made Mr.Lee comply with his lover's plea.

               "Fine."

                "I knew you would give in." The woman looked pleased with herself. Mr.Lee snorted.

                 "Maid Ichinose?" Mrs.Lee called and few seconds one of the maids walked in .

             "Yes, Mrs.Lee."

              "Has Nana finished her lunch?"

               "Yes, Mrs.Lee. She's in her room now."

               "That's good.... Anyway, will you tell Manager Joon that we need to reschedule our flight back from Seoul two days earlier in time for Nana's birthday."

               "Yes Mrs.Lee."

                "You just do whatever you want to, dont you?" Mr.Lee mumbled as the maid walked out.

                 "I learned from the best" she said, eyeing him like a child.

 ************* A week later

                 "Please fasten your seatbelts. We have some turbulence ahead due to heavy rain and winds. Therefore, our arrival in Japan will delayed. We apologize for any inconvenience."

                 "What a bother." The black-haired man sighed. "This is why we shouldn't have come back a few days earlier." Mr.Lee looked at his wife and after seeing the look she gave him, he changed his words. "W-well... nevermind the reschedule, we should've taken a private jet instead of flying domestic.We would've been in Kyoto by now."

                 " Stop complaining. We'll be there soon enough. No matter how long it takes, I will make it up to Nana, my beloved daughter." Mrs. Lee smiled. "My only sunshine." The woman smiled at the thought of the estatic look on Nana's face when they got home earlier than planned.

                  Mr.Lee, seeing the look on his wife's face, shouted out, "We're coming Nana!! Your handsome father is coming to give you hundreds of gifts!" He was quite funny when he wanted to be.

                "Stop it!" Mrs. Lee said holding back a giggle as the people around them looked at him with bemused looks.

                   We're coming Nana. My beloved daughter. My only sunhsine.

    *****************

               You are my sunshine, my only sunshine

               You make me happy, when sky's are grey

               You never know dear, how much i love you

                Please don't take my sunshine away

           As Nana was looking out her window, staring up at the sky, she sang the song ( with suprisingly a lovely voice) that mattered to her the most.

              You are my sunshine too. Nana thought. I'll be waiting here for you my sunshine. Don't make me wait too long. Please don't take my sunshine away.