A/N: Okay, so I've read a lot of fanfiction, but I've never actually written it before. I hope you like my first chapter! I know it's slow, but it'll be important later on and it just kinda tells how everyone's coping, okay? Oh, and thanks to hinamori-pockyluva01for editing my fanfiction, being my bestie at school, and just chatting with me. Love ya!

Note to my readers, the charas mentioned in this story are real people in here, m'kay? I just wanted to clear that up.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara. If I did, it'd have been Amuto when the two first met.

Yaya

"I wanna make a big birthday cake for Amu!" Yaya said excitedly to herself. She was in an empty apartment kitchen with a cutesy apron on. Various cookware and baking ingredients were spread out on the counter in front of her.

"Okay~!" she said gleefully, flipping to a random page in one of ten cookbooks in front of her. Her strawberry blonde hair bounced in its traditional ribbons. "…Red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, then!"

Yaya set to work immediately and seemed to know what she was doing. Her phone rang a couple of times:

"Yuiki Yaya! You're late again! This waitressing job is good so at least show up! Come in tomorrow or I'll fire you!" her boss screamed over the phone. Yaya wasn't worried, though.

Ms. Mitsuharu would never fire me. Besides, she knows what today is, Yaya thought to herself.

She somehow managed to pour the batter into the pan and put the cake into the oven. She then set to busily licking the bowl and spoon while attempting to make frosting. When she finally took out the cake, she frosted it immediately, half of it melting off.

"Happy 22nd birthday, Amu!" Yaya cheered.

The failure of a cake and an overly-wrapped present sat, untouched, on the countertop of the rest of the day.

Utau

"Don't ask me to, because I don't know how I even held on this—last—year," Utau sang. No one was in the sound booth, but that was good. This wasn't a song Utau wanted on a CD, anyways.

Stupid Amu. It's been 4 years and we still have no clue where she is! Utau thought angrily, setting aside her headphones and turning off everything. She locked it all up and walked out of the studio, passing and confusing her receptionist and assistant.

"See you tomorrow, Ms. Hoshina! …I feel you will be lucky in love!" Eru called after her.

"Bye, Utau," Iru said after.

She ignored them both as she found her way to a park. A memory from-10 years?-a long time ago made its way to the front of her thoughts. Utau smiled and stepped up to the fountain in the center of the park.

She began to sing Heartful Song. Even though it'd been years since she first came out with it, it was one ofgg1g161 6161616116kkkzkzzjzzhz4you could've seen it.

Kukai

"See you, Utau!" Kukai called over his shoulder as he left her outside of the ramen shop. A mob of fans immediately circled the star. He snickered halfheartedly. Utau seemed kind of down…?

The brunette flipped his phone open and swore at the date. How could I forget? he asked himself. He slipped his phone into his pocket and dashed home, spiky hair laying flat on his head, for once.

Kukai was panting by the time he made it to his apartment. Even so, he immediately ran to his room and safety-pinned a red armband onto his sleeve. Just a little way to remember, he told himself. Now he knew why Utau seemed so sad. I wonder what she does each year…

"You better be putting that training to use," he muttered to the empty room. "I better not have wasted all that training!"

Unsurprisingly, no one answered. He considered going over to Nagi's but he was sure to be…remembering…in his own way.

Kukai let out a sigh and ran his hand through his hair. Damn. Nagi…Rima…the others. They probably have it a lot worse. I can't think about it too much, so it's easy for me to just put this on and hope it'll pass soon, Kukai thought glumly.

You didn't just leave the Guardians. You left your friends, Amu.

Rima

Rima was silently sitting in front of the TV. She was staring at it intently, but not watching it at all. Her waterfall of blonde hair was wrapped around her like a blanket. She was sipping at a cup of hot chocolate.

I'm not depressed because it's the 4 year anniversary! Rima told herself. She took a furious gulp of cocoa and almost choked. I'm not! she insisted as she swallowed the scalding liquid.

But…there was a cute little scrapbook next to her. She flipped to a page: Queen (2nd) and Joker. The student council's (the 'Guardians') scrapbook from elementary school, where Rima had first met Amu. Rima's copy, at least. The page was filled of pictures of her and Amu. There were even some from high school she'd stuck in there.

I'm just looking back on fond memories, she thought stubbornly. There's nothing to it. But tears welled up in her eyes (real ones) when she saw 'best friends' scrawled on the back of one of the photos.

"Well, that's a lie. If we were best friends, she would've told me what happened!" Rima fumed. She closed the book with a slam and sipped the hot chocolate, ignoring her silent tears.

Nagihiko

He never, ever dressed as his female self, Nadeshiko. But…Amu had first met him as Nadeshiko, so it seemed only fitting. He pulled up his hair and stood in the ready position.

The music started up and Nagi moved into the familiar positions as he began to dance. He hadn't danced like this for so long. Didn't we dance this together in…5th grade? That long…he reminisced. The traditional Japanese dance left him with a nostalgic feel as he finished it up.

Everything really has changed, Nagi thought. Utau's gotten more popular, I'm editor-in-chief for a magazine, even Rima's comedian act has been getting more serious, he thought, as if writing a letter. With no idea where to address it.

He let down his still-long hair with a sigh and sat at the piano. "I don't know if you ever heard me play," he said softly. Nagihiko's limber fingers danced across the ivories as he played a slightly familiar, melancholic tune. "You know, it's supposed to go with Ikuto's piece," he continued to the empty apartment.

The keys stopped for a second as Nagi remembered Ikuto. "4 years you leave him…I pray you can't see him now."

Ikuto

Ikuto knew what day it was, was painstakingly aware, actually. Even so, he didn't—couldn't—acknowledge it. He knew that if he did, he would crack and while there was nothing that was particularly holding him back—it has to be less painful than this damn…—he just couldn't let himself. Ikuto loved Amu with all his heart and the idea that she could be out there gave him just the tiniest bit of strength to keep going.

He'd stayed in Seiyo for the past 4 years, despite everyone thinking Amu had already moved. He wasn't convinced.

Ikuto let out a groan and ran a pale hand through his midnight hair. Don't think about it, he told himself. But, of course, he couldn't forget. Of course, the most painful memory had to surface. She'd said goodbye 4 years ago—

Not that one. Ikuto picked up his violin, trying to drown out his thoughts. The melody that came out of the instrument wasn't the one he'd always played. This one was more slow and sad…full of pain and…almost like a cry for help. Why did I get the goodbye? Why didn't Tadase or…someone? Why only me? he asked.

She hadn't said goodbye to anyone else, or told anyone where she was going or why she was leaving. Only he got a goodbye, which was even more painful. Because, not only did he not get an explanation, but he didn't get a chance. He hadn't told her he loved her since he'd visited for Nikaidou and Sanjo's wedding.

You didn't give me a chance…you left before I could tell you I loved you.

Kairi

He stepped off the plane and went pass lines and every security checkpoint. He didn't stop at the carousels; his luggage was already with him. A true business man. He pushed his glasses up, catching a glint of sunlight.

He hadn't told anyone that he was coming—Kairi thought he'd surprise them-tomorrow. Even he knew today would be the last day to expect a happy reunion. He even remembered Amu in his own little way. Kairi pulled out a Joker card from his jacket pocket, looked at it briefly, and then put it back. It'd be bad if anyone from Easter saw him with that.

…Where have you been, Joker? he wondered. A sleek, black car pulled up in front of him, the windows tinted. Kairi sighed and climbed into the back of the car, leaving the driver to put his bags in the back. A bottle of champagne (with 'Easter' stamped on it) was chilling in some ice.

"Care for some, Kairi?" an eerily familiar voice asked.

Tadase

He flipped open his phone and grinned at the date. Perfect, he thought to himself. Then, the car door opened and he grinned even wider.

A/N: So what do you guys think? I know, again, it's slow! But bear with me, this is going places! So…please R&R! I'd love to know what people think of it!