Hi! This is my first time writing a Shugo Chara! fanfic and I'm enjoying it. I don't own Shugo Chara! Wish I did, but I don't. *sob sob*

Well I hope you enjoy it as I did. I don't know how long this story will be but for now, I have some ideas. Enjoy.

Much love,

Tiche

Finally! I am finally done with high school and next up is college. Getting that damn diploma was the best because of the struggles I had felt during my high school years. I, Hinamori Amu, am now a graduate from Seiyo high school division. YES! I couldn't get better than this. I finished school with all of my friends, the guardians, and it was the best. But something was still missing. He was missing.

"Amu-chi!" Yaya yelled loudly when she found me and made me drift back reality before I could even think about him.

"Yaya, you made, I'm glad." I smiled at the young girl and felt her arms snake their ways around my waist to secure a tight hug.

"Now Yaya is the only one left! Don't leave me! You'll forget me if you leave!" The girl whined and a few tears dropped from her cheeks.

"Now, now Yaya, Kairi is here with you and I won't forget about you. You are my precious friend, remember that Yaya." I said reassuring her with a tight squeeze.

"Do you promise me?" The girl pulled away to look at me better. I smiled and nodded.

"I promise. So don't be upset and let me go." I said and seconds later she pulled away with a big smile.

"Then Yaya is happy as ever! I'll go find the others, I also need to make them promise." The girl said and gave me a slight grin as she dashed away from me.

I was kind of happy and yet sad that we were for growing apart. I don't mean it like we are going to separate and never get to see each other again but in a more different way. We had always spent time together and now we all except Yaya and Kairi needed to move forward with our lives and fulfill our dreams. We would be separated and I will lose my sanctuary but I knew that my friends would never abandon me even though we are apart. We have been through so much together that it seemed impossible to not staying in each other's lives.

"Ahh, Hinamori-san!" I snapped my head back when I saw Tadase calling my name and waved to me before moving towards me. He was alone, which was weird because he was mister popular and always got loads of girl following him.

"Hi Tadase-kun. How do you feel? We have finally managed to do the impossible and graduated without any trouble." I said as I grinned waving my diploma. He smiled and chuckled lightly at my silly expression.

"I am glad we are finished but I'm sad too. We are abandoning Yuiki-san and Sanjo-kun again like we did in elementary school and middle school and soon after that we are all going for our respective ways and then towards our future. It's kind of scary." He was much more talkative than he used to be and especially about his real feelings. IT made me happy that he could tell me all this because it was exactly my thoughts.

"I know what you mean. I feel the same way and confronted Yaya moments ago and promised her not to separate. Let's promise each other too. Pinky promise." I said as I lifted my hand and stretched my pinky. He didn't hesitate and locked his pinky with mine as we sealed our promise. It was hard not to blush by touching his hand. It was like I was my twelve-year-old-self, feeling my cheeks heat up. It even got worse when he didn't let go of my pinky.

"HE'S HERE!" Someone yelled and suddenly the ground began to shake as if it was an earthquake.

Before I could even see what had happened Tadase was swooped away by a horde of girls running far away with him. I wasn't even the least surprised and smiled. That was definitely mister popular for you.

I moved towards the entrance of school but now it would be my exit. It was weird as I looked around the campus. I spent years here and now was my final goodbye. No coming back like before. No Seiyo University. How I wished there actually was a Seiyo University so we could all attend school and be together forever. Forever.

Thinking about forever made me think about Ran, Miki, Su and Dia. I touched my necklace, the Humpty Lock, which I had been allowed to keep. The other's still had their charas while I only had my eggs. I missed the girls and it was hard not having them with me because they were my friends. My most precious friends.

I began slightly tearing up remembering them and our memories and hurried to wipe my tears away with my sleeve. No one should see me like this.

"Amu?" Someone called me and made me panic to fix my face in a hurried manner. I took three quick breath before turning around to meet the person calling my name. Damn I shouldn't have.

"I-Ikuto!" I exclaimed when I saw the twenty-something-year-old man. He got taller and handsomer, more handsome than he had ever looked. His blue hair was just the same as he had when he left and his eyes seemed happier, which made her happy, but why was he here? He has been away for six years, six whole years! And then suddenly show up at my graduation?

"Were you crying?" He asked as he slowly began to approach me. I put my hands up and stopped him in his tracks. I was kind of angry at him. Hell no, I was furious and heart broken.

"What are you doing here and why? You show up six years later and surprise me. You are unfair." I said and began to feel a sting in my heart. I had waited and waited for that stupid man to come back and had moved on or at least tried to do my best to move on but seeing him here in front of me made some of my hard effort just perish away.

"Tadase told me to come. He told me-" I cut him off. He wasn't even here for my sake. What an idiot I was. "Tadase is that way!" I spat and hurried away before my tears began to fall.

I ran with all my might so he couldn't catch up with me but that stupid cat-man just had to be as fast as me.

"AMU!" I ignored his pleas of me slowing that and kept leaping forward.

I scanned my surrounding to find a hiding place because I was getting exhausted and needed to catch my breath if I am going to make it home.

I found an alley with split ways and split ways. Instead of going one of the ways I hid behind a dumpster. I even considered going inside to be safe but because of my graduation gown I didn't want to risk it. You never know what you will find in a dumpster.

"Amu!" Ikuto kept calling my name and I could hear his footsteps closing in.

I did my best to slow my breath so he couldn't hear me panting. It was hard because I had run so fast that I forgot to even breathe a couple times.

"I know you are here. Just listen to me. You don't need to face me." He said.

I tensed for a few seconds because I was afraid of what he wanted to tell me. I had so many scenarios in my mind and none of them was good.

"I'm sorry for not calling or writing and I know that is not an entirely a good excuse to give but I was too busy and engrossed that I couldn't find any time at all. You have all the rights to be angry at me for what I had done. I'm really sorry, Amu."

I held my breath again because I was now crying. That stupid man just knew how to make me cry and was one of the only people in the world that could make that happen.

"And I know that you will become angrier what I have to tell you now but it is something that I can't undo. I'm sorry." He continued his speech and left a long pause before continuing.

"I'm going to get married soon. My parents have agreed that I need to do that."

Wh-what did he just say? My mind wasn't following his words completely.

Did he just say that he was going to marry somebody? Ikuto was going to be with someone else even though I did my best to stand by him so many years even though we were far apart.

Now I know what true heartbreak means. My whole body began to tremble uncontrollably as floods of tears streamed down my cheeks. I did my best to move away from my hideout and look at him with hate, sorrow and hurt.

"Amu…" He said with the saddest eyes and voice I had ever seen and heard but that didn't do anything. I was betrayed.

"I hate you Tsukiyomi Ikuto. I will hate you forever for the pain you caused me. I waited and waited and even caught up to your level and it's only to be thrown aside. For six years my mind has been on you and your wellbeing. I worried about you all the time and this is for that. I didn't have a normal high school life because I waited for you. I loved you so much that this is the worst pain I had ever felt. Don't ever come near me again. I hope we will never meet each other again."

I don't know if he could understand any of those things I said because of my sobs and I didn't care. I didn't want to see him ever again. He broke my heart to millions of pieces and it is my fault. I let him go by a stray cat. It was my fault and my naïve heart that this situation was like this.

"Amu! I truly do love you and I have nothing to do with this wedding. As I said it's my parents' wishes and not mine… I love you and will do so forever. You have grown up to be perfect…"

He hugged me tightly from behind and didn't let me go even though I struggled. "Let me fucking go!"

"No. I'll kidnap you and run away. I don't want to see you hating me forever. I have waited patiently to see you and I now know that you are more important to me than ever. So no, I'll never let you go." He said determined not to let me ever go and as stupid as I was I almost fell for it.

His sweet words had a deep impact on me and could affect me no matter what but I can't fall for it. He was going to marry another woman and didn't even try to break it off. How dare he claim his love for me when he doesn't even stop the wedding!

"I don't want to have to do with anything with a soon-to-be married man. Let me go Ikuto and pretend that nothing had happened. I want to go home now. It is supposed to be my happiest day not my worst, so please let me go." I said with more control over my crying as it was now silent tears that fell down and the occasionally quivers.

He let go of me and stared into my eyes. He too was hurt but I could care less. My heart was broken not his, mine!

"Amu…" He trailed off with a soft yet sorrowful voice. I shook my head and began running away again, leaving him behind.

Heck yeah, he deserves to be left alone. He did that to me and now he needed to suffer. I know don't getting revenge is not the best solution but this couldn't be called revenge either. This was just - hmm, I don't know what to call it. But it was definitely not revenge.

I was through with him. He had shattered every thought of them getting together and even made her forget their kiss. My very first kiss which I was so happy to lose to him now began to hurt. In fact my lips felt heavy and itchy while my heart pounded furiously.

"Amu-chan?" Someone called out to me but I didn't stop running or look at the person.

My heartbreak was getting to me. Moments ago I was brave to confront him but now my walls were closing in. It hurt too much to think about him.

I found myself collapsing to the floor after reaching my house. I was home alone remembering that my parents were probably still at school looking for me but that wasn't even the slightest bit important.

That man, Ikuto, had ruined everything. "I hate him! How could he!" Swearing and cursing him would not make my heart feel better only worse because I should be doing that about myself. I should have left hope as soon as he left me but because of that stupid kiss we shared I had clung to the possibility of us actually being together and waited for him.

I reached up to my disk and pulled my bag with the girls' egg in it. They all were still there and felt extremely warm. It made me happy and reassured that they were here and hadn't entirely disappeared like so many others.

"I just hope you'll come out one day and comfort me like always. I need you guys the most now." I cried heavier this time and hugged all four eggs. I missed them so much even though it has been so long since they had disappeared. But there was no rule how long there has to pass for not missing a person. Missing someone was part of life and a reassurance that you cared for the person.

After a while of crying I stopped and got up. I can't let myself cry all day and worry my family and friends. Today was a day for celebration and not hurting.

"Amu, you are strong. Forget that man and go on with your life." I said to myself in an encouraging way and slapped my cheeks a couple of times.

I called my parents who had called me too many times that I felt guilty.

"I'm sorry I didn't pick up earlier, something came up. No nothing is wrong mama, don't worry. No, I have not cried, I just screamed a bit of joy. Mama and papa don't worry. I'm home now, so just come back." I tried my best to sound normal but my voice was too sore so I had to lie.

"Yes and I'm sorry I just left without telling. Yes, I'll take a shower and met you at the restaurant. Okay, bye."

After hanging up I went straight to the bathroom and took a quick shower. I didn't want to worry my family anymore so I hurried out of the room after dressing and doing my hair and make-up.

We had decided that now that I had graduated high school mama and papa wanted to take us to a family dinner and then send me off to my friends. So when I reached the restaurant I was in for quite the surprise.

"Congratulation on graduating Hinamori!" Kukai said grinning and threw confetti with Utau. "You are finally finished Amu." Utau added.

I was so surprised and couldn't help smile. Everyone had come even my classmates and congratulated.

"You guys, this is such a big surprise. Thanks and congratulate to you too." I said smiling at my precious friends.

"I bet ya didn't see this coming?" Kukai said with his signature smirk.

I shook my head. "Not really. I thought we agreed on meeting later at night but this is nice."

"I glad you like it. We didn't want you to feel sad so we invited everyone even the parents." Mama said smiling gleefully at me.

I returned the smile and gave her a quick hug before Ami tackled me with affectionate hugs.

"Onee-chan is all grown up now. Congratulation Onee-chan." I squeezed her tightly and kissed her little forehead. The once little girl was now 12 years old and still as cute as ever.

"Thanks Ami-chan."

I went inside and greeted everyone's parents. I stopped in my when a familiar color of blue caught my eyes. The man smiled at me sweetly which made me blush faintly and smile back.

"Amu, this is my mother Souko Hoshina and my father Aruto Tsukiyomi. Mom, dad this is the Amu you know about. His treasure." Utau said introducing us for the first time ever.

I was quite shocked but didn't let that show and shook their hands.

"Nice to meet you finally. I heard a lot about you Tsukiyomi-san." I said politely as I could and remembered the fact that Ikuto had left just to find him and here he was, with his family.

"We have heard a lot about you too Amu-chan. It's our pleasure." The man said and smiled almost smirked like his damn son.

I smiled and moved towards my family but Utau stopped me and asked me to follow her a bit so we could talk. Bet she wants to talk about her brother.

"You met him didn't you?" She asked with big curious and a tint of a smile breaking free from her lips.

"Yes and I don't want to talk about this anymore. Glad you didn't invite him." I said and began moving away but she grabbed my arm and looked at me confused.

"What happened? Why are you angry?"

I looked at the girl and didn't wish to be back to crying again so I ignored her questions and pulled her hand off me. "Nothing happened."

She didn't quite believe me and kept staring at me, even glanced at me occasionally during the dinner. She was so stubborn which annoyed me because it was another feature matching her brother.

"Well now that we have eaten and got our stomach full how about we move to the real locations?" Mama said confusing me and my friends. What real location, just what was she planning.

Tadase's mother stood up from her seat as my mother sat down. It was planned. "Well today is a day of celebration so we are going to have a party. It's at our house and we have make everything ready. So what are we waiting for?" (A/N: I don't know too well about Tadase's mother personality other than her being jealous at one point, so I'm making it up as I go.)

It didn't sound as a bad thing actually. A party would definitely help me relieve my stress and hurt.

"Will there be served alcohol?" Kukai asked with a big grin looking at Utau.

Mizue, Tadase's mom, nodded and gave him a slight thumps up.

"Of course there will be. So let's go."

I, with some of the others, walked to the house since it wasn't a long way from the restaurant to Tadase's house. And it was nice walking in the summer evening with the summer breeze brushing against my skin.

"So what happened?" Nagi asked with a concerned tone in his voice.

I looked at him confused and waited for him to elaborate on his question.

"I saw you earlier running away crying. What happened to make you so upset that you didn't even notice me? I wave a few times and called your name." Oh so the person who called me was Nagi. I had no idea.

"I don't want to talk about it today. But I promise to tell you another day. Just not on this joyous day." I said reassuring him with a smile that said I-am-okay-for-now.

He nodded and understood completely and didn't press on the matter, which made me feel grateful.

"What are you two whispering about?" Rima asked looking suspiciously at us both.

I giggled at her expression and shook my head denying that it was anything of importance.

"But you sure do keep track with him, Rima? Don't you trust him after three years of dating?" I said teasing her and making her blush a deep crimson color.

She huffed and went away without even defending herself and making Nagi follow suit. I couldn't help but laugh at the two couple. They were a great pair and suited each other well, and that made me really jealous. I wished I had someone to share my pain and love with.

My mind wandered to Ikuto and I felt my heart feeling heavier than ever. Damn that man!

"Amu, come on, speed up!" They called when I saw the distance between us. I gulped and ran and they followed me. We made it into a fun bet and decided that there would be a punishment for the two last ones. I came in third while Kukai and Utau were in first and second. Rima and Nagi were the last ones though Nagi had tried to run with Rima on his back. Such a cute couple!

"The winner decides the outcome." I said and went inside the front gate.

"A drinking match! We are all going to participate but Nagi and Rima has to drink two extra." Kukai said with a big grin.

"You had this plan from the start, didn't you?" I asked and remembered his earlier question about alcohol.

He smirked and nodded.

"I'll drink four. I'll take Rima-chan's punishment." Nagi said. A true gentleman.

"Fine. So we are all set?"

We all nodded and settle down before pouring shots down after another.

The outcome was clear. We all got drunk and lost count. But one thing was for sure. I was having a blast and had forgotten all about Ikuto for the moment.

"I need some fresh air!" I said and heaved my body up and tried to keep my balance. I had to hold onto the table and chairs if I didn't want to fall.

"I'll come too!" Utau said and followed me.

We both had a hard time walking so we held onto each other to keep our balance in check.

When we reached the patio we sat down on some chairs and felt much better. The wind helped cooling our hot skin.

"I'm sorry." Utau blurted out and confused me.

"Why are you sorry?" I asked confused and struggled to look at her even though I saw her in double.

"Because of Ikuto. He has been home for a while but first turned up today. He is just afraid Amu." Just her mentioning his name made me tear up.

"Is it true he is going to marry another girl?" I asked after gathering some courage.

She yanked her drifting head up and looked at me with surprise.

"How do you know about that? Did he tell you?"

I nodded and wiped a few tears away.

"I'm sorry Amu. I don't know why our parents decided on such a stupid thing. You know Ikuto is a free man. A stray cat. But our parents, mostly our father decided this was the best for him, for our family. Dad hasn't even been home for a year and he already made plans for both of us. If I didn't have Kukai he would definitely also try to marry me off to someone."

It didn't make me any happier knowing that it was Aruto that is the one is making my life miserable. He seemed like a nice man and a father who cared for his children. Ikuto even did his best to find him.

"Why is he doing this?" I asked after several attempts to form the words correctly.

"I don't know. He hasn't said and Ikuto-nii just complied with his word without knowing the reasons." Utau said shrugging her shoulder.

Then why had he sought me out? I would eventually give up hoping for him to come back if he hadn't come. There wouldn't be a reason for me crying.

"He shouldn't have come back. It would have been easier for me." I said and choked on the words as I was crying harder.

I told her to drop the conversation because it wouldn't get us anywhere. And so she did and went inside to the others. I was glad to be left alone. I needed that.

My mind wandered around all my insecurities. Trying my best to suppress my feelings and thoughts I went for a walked around Tadase's backyard. It didn't help as much.

I was just like my twelve-year-old-self. Nothing much had changed actually. Ikuto had just helped me feeling like I did back then. Insecurities and anxieties. These were my emotions. It had been my worries since back in elementary school and my friends had helped me overcome them but now everything poured out of my chest.

I fought myself for six years resulting that my charas went to sleep. I had overcome my lack of confidence and everything else but now, now I was back. Ikuto was the main reason he was the trigger of it all. But I can't solely blame him. I'm a graduate, an adult now and that is my worst fear.

I have to be responsible of my own life and find my path, the path to my future. But I didn't wish for that. I didn't wish to grow up and be an adult so fast. I can't follow up.

"Amu…" A voice so tenderly whispered and surprised me. I was pulled out from my stream of thoughts for a second to look at the person calling my name.

If crying already wasn't enough I began sobbing loudly. Why in the world was I so unlucky that I only met with misfortune?

"Didn't I tell you to leave me alone, already!" I spat at Ikuto, he just had to show up and make my mood ten times worse than it already was.

"I was invited…" He said and jumped down the fence so he could stand next to me. Great, he was the same cat as he was six years ago.

I didn't know what to say next so I began walking but as figured he followed. I couldn't even run because of the alcohol in my blood and walking straight wasn't easy either. But my balance was better than before and I had sobered up a tiny bit.

"I met your father. Nice fellow." I said after a long silence pause. Better talking about something rather the silence, I thought.

"I know. He called me earlier and told me." He didn't say much so I dropped the conversation and continued the silence.

Fortunately my friends came outside to look for me.

"Ikuto nii…" Tadase said when he saw Ikuto behind me.

"I came to find you at the school but I heard some girls kidnapped you. Are you okay?" He said with a smirk that annoyed me.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Come inside and have a drink with us." Tadase said in a happy tone and grabbed Ikuto's arm to drag him inside.

Ikuto stopped him and looked at me.

"I need to talk to Amu. Later."

"No, we have nothing to talk about." I said and wiped my tears away before going back inside.

I wanted to go home. He had ruined my evening with my friends by showing up.

"Amu-chan, are you not feeling well?" Papa asked me when I sat far away from everyone.

"I want to go home if that's possible Papa?" He looked at me surprised but could see that I wasn't in the mood to do anything anymore.

"Wait here I'll bring you something to drink and discuss this with Mama." He said and left me for a short while.

"Congratulations on your wedding Ikuto." The parents said as Ikuto walked inside. His parents must have told them about that.

He forced a smile and bowed as a thanks and looked at my direction. I ignored him and glanced at my father when he brought a glass of water.

"Mama says she'll bring you home in a while. Ami-chan is tired as well." I nodded and gulped the water down in one go.

Ikuto kept staring at me and annoyed me. How dare he still look at me when he made me so miserable?

I hoped my mother would hurry up and finish her talk so she could drive us home. It was hell waiting when he kept looking at my direction.

Twenty minutes later I said my goodbyes to my friends and their parents. We decided to find another day where it would only be us and not our parents. It was hard to say goodbye but I did it without shedding a tear. I was drained for tears.

"I hope you will allow me to explain everything before it's late." Ikuto said holding my hand.

I glared at him and pulled my hand away.

"You don't need to explain anything to me, Tsukiyomi-san."

He looked hurt but it serves him well. I was more than hurt.

I sat in the car and waved goodbye to my friends before the car disappeared from their sights.

"Did you and Ikuto-kun have a fight? I thought you were good friends?" Mama asked when we arrived at home.

I ignored her and went straight up to my room. Right now I needed sleep. Much of it.