A/N: Just a heads up, these chapters a lot longer than my usual ones! If you want to read it fully in one sitting, please make sure to allocate enough time to do so! :)

-3 Years Later-

"CONGRATULATIONS!" 

Cheers echoed throughout the room as Ryosuke entered the apartment. The eight members of the band greeted him with warm and excited expressions as he froze, stunned by the surpise. Ryosuke was only informed that they would have dinner at Daiki's apartment. He even arrived half an hour to help prepare dinner but everyone had already beaten him to the place. 

"What is all this?" He asked, his lips curving into a smile. "Don't tell me..." 

"Getting engaged to Satoko is huge. Obviously we're gonna have to celebrate it!" Yuto said, grabbing a beer from the fridge. He popped the lid open and handed the bottle to Ryosuke. "You're lucky tomorrow is Saturday. You're going to get so drunk tonight... Cheers!" 

Ryosuke threw his bookbag on the table before proceeding to the rest of the group members. After clinking bottles and cheering for the nth time, they finally settled down around the living room. 

"Thanks for doing this, everyone. It seriously means a lot to me."

"Thank Daiki." Yuya said, nudging the younger guy. "He was the one who planned everything." 

"Eww- Save your appreciation. It sounds weird" Daiki joked, handing Ryosuke another bottle before sitting down next to him on the sofa. "I'm just glad that everyone was able to make it." 

"YEAH, Chinen..." Hikaru grinned. "How long has it been since we last saw you?!"

"Now that you mention it, Chinen always seems to be the first to run off after our rehearsals." Kei added on. "What have you been up to these days?" 

Everyone was now staring at the youngest member of the group and Chinen chuckled nervously. "I guess I can't really hide anything from you guys, huh..." He began, taking a deep breath. "We'll since we're all here, I'd like to announce that I'm officially dating Amu." 

Silence immediately followed his announcement. If it weren't for the music playing in the background, everyone would have probably been able to hear the heavy rain beating against the window. 

"Amu- as in..." Keito began as everyone began to shift their gazes towards Daiki. 

"Chinen actually told me about it before he asked her out." Daiki chuckled. "I'm completely fine with it! It's been... how many years? Three? I mean- Chii liked her way before I did in high-school so..." He explained, fumbling with his words in the process.

"Well then uh..." Kota began, grabbing his beer and raising it in the air. "Congrats to you too, Chinen!"

"Congrats Chinen!" Everyone cheered, clinking their bottles together. 

"Ugh. I'm going to pass out at this rate that we're drinking." Hikaru noted, causing everyone to laugh and carry on. 

As soon as the group became occupied in their separate conversations, Ryosuke finally caught Daiki's glance and signalled for the both of them to step away from the group and into the kitchen. 

"You didn't tell Chinen about it, right?" Ryosuke asked as soon as they broke away from the party. 

"About what?" 

"About what happened three years ago." 

"Of course not! I never told anyone." Daiki answered honestly. "And why are you getting so worked up about the past? You're getting engaged!"

"Which is the exact reason why I'm so worked up" Ryosuke sighed. He placed his bottle on the island counter and sat down in the chair next to it. "You know how difficult these past few years have been for me. I'm finally happy again and I'm just worried that Chinen's new relationship would open up chapters that we tried so hard to close"

Daiki lowered his eyes and took a seat next to him. "To tell you the truth, I was worried too.. and I still am. But who am I to take Chinen's happiness away for the sake of mine? Besides, if Chinen is dating Amu then it means she has moved on. I don't think they want to emphasize the past as much as the future they'll share together."

"Do you think we made the right decision? I mean.." Ryosuke paused before continuing in a lower voice. "Johnny never found the stalkers who made the death threats against the girls." He suddenly remembered Rio's face and frowned as he thought of the last memory he had of her. Rio was pleading for him to stay in her life and he had walked away from it all.

"I don't know. But there's no use thinking about it. It's not like we can go changing the past." Daiki said, before hearing his phone chime in his pocket. 

"Is it Mayu again?"

"Yeah... She's wondering when I'd be over." He answered, texting her back. "I should get going soon. I promised her that I'd sleep over at her place tonight."

"Hey Daiki..." Ryosuke paused, thinking of how to word his last question. "Are you happy with her?" 

"Well, this is the happiest I've been in three years so yeah." Daiki said, nodding to himself in affirmation. "Oh, try not to get too drunk tonight. You tend not to hold your liquor too well."

"Yeah, yeah." Ryosuke rolled his eyes as the older boy patted him on his shoulder. 

"... And don't worry about cleaning up. This is a celebration for you, afterall." Daiki added. "Just make sure they don't light my apartment on fire."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Ryosuke repeated, gently shoving the latter. "Go, don't keep her waiting!" 

Daiki softly smiled before grabbing his umbrella and heading out. As soon as he closed the front door, Ryosuke grabbed two more bottles of beer and proceeded back towards the living room.

"Why am I thinking about her today of all days?" Ryosuke thought to himself as he chugged the liquor, hoping that the bitter liquid would wash away all of his thoughts.

-- Meanwhile --

Amu closed her umbrella and made her way up the stairs to the apartment. With her wet umbrella in one hand, and her bag over her shoulder, she fumbled through her belongings as she attempted to find her keys. Her phone suddenly chimed and Amu pulled it out of her pocket, smiling when she saw Chinen's name on the screen.