Hello guys! For those who have been following this story for the past few years, I apologize for the long wait. I've decided to rewrite some parts of the story since it's been so long since I updated this and lost track of the original flow. So I hope you guys still give story your love!
Disclaimer: I don't own Shugo Chara, and this story was inspired by the Korean drama "Princess Hours".
Amu (17)
Ikuto (20)
Tadase (18)
Chapter 1
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"Amu-chiiiiiii!" An orange haired girl in large red ribboned pigtails squealed as she hugged her best friend from behind.
Amu, a girl with bright pink hair, looked back at her best friend with a bored look and sighed, "Yaya," She said coolly, "we're in the middle of art class," She set her sketchpad down and turned to face her excited friend.
Yaya pouted cutely at Amu's cool attitude as she sat on the grass beside her. "The crown prince is here for a visit!" Yaya said, "I got a peek at him, don't you want to see him?"
Amu shrugged as she leaned onto a tree, "I'm not particularly interested." She was about to reach for her sketchpad once again when her friend suddenly grabbed her arm.
"Come on!" Yaya tugged her best friend from the ground together with her as she stood up. Amu tried to struggle out of Yaya's hold, but she just wouldn't budge. As soon as they stood behind a pillar, Yaya let go of Amu's arm.
Amu crossed her arms over her chest and sighed, "Yaya..."
"Shh!" Yaya shushed, "There he is!" She squealed softly.
Just a few feet from them, a group of bodyguards surrounded a particular good-looking dark midnight haired guy—the crown prince. Groups of girls were trying to get a closer look at the prince and wanting to take photos of him, but the bodyguards prevented the girls from taking a step closer to the prince.
Amu was able to get a clear view of the crown prince's face. As she studied him, the prince suddenly looked their way and Amu knew he was looking directly at her. Yaya squealed loudly this time and the prince looked away.
"Seeing our nation's crown prince up close is like seeing a messenger sent by the heavens." Yaya sighed dreamily.
Amu shrugged once again as she looked at her star-struck friend. "Have you seen a messenger sent by the heavens? Because I'm sure I haven't."
Yaya pouted at Amu's sarcasm, "Just because you're childhood friends with the crown prince doesn't mean normal people like me can't admire him from afar anymore." She stuck out her tongue at Amu.
Amu sighed with a slight roll of her eyes. "I don't understand what everyone sees in him." She crossed her arms across her chest as she walked back towards where she left her things.
"I know you're just as popular as the crown prince himself, but can you please see this from a commoner's perspective?"
"Stop that." Amu briefly glared at her friend. "I'm not popular. Plus stop putting me in the same social class as him. I'm a commoner just like everyone else."
Yaya jumped in front of her friend to stop her from walking further. She made a grand gesture of closing her eyes and rubbing circles on both her temples with her forefingers. "Five years ago, when you first transferred here, you were the center of attention! Until now! You're also well known as the childhood friend of the Royal Duo!"
Amu couldn't help but roll her eyes again after hearing the "Royal Duo". Apparently it was a nickname made by the fangirls of the Royal heirs. The crown prince and his younger cousin.
"You're so lucky that you get to see Ikuto-sama and Tadase-sama any time you want to." Yaya sighed. "So tell me Amu-chi!" Amu jumped in surprise when Yaya suddenly changed demeanor. The shorter girl leaned close as if trying to divulge a secret. "Do you know who Ikuto-sama is betrothed to?"
Amu flinched at the question.
"Do you?" Yaya's round eyes became bigger as she stared at her best friend. "After all, his betrothed should have been decided long ago because the tradition applies to him."
"Ask him yourself." Amu said without much emotion as she flipped her shoulder length hair back and began to walk towards their classroom.
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"What are you looking at?"
The crown prince, Ikuto, looked away from the window when his cousin called his attention. He glanced at the person beside him and came eye to eye with a pair of ruby eyes. "Tadase."
"Ikuto-nii." Tadase returned. He peered over Ikuto's shoulder and instantly spotted the unmistakable pink hair of their childhood friend walking towards another building. A small smile formed onto his lips knowing that she was the reason why his older cousin stopped walking towards the director's office.
Ikuto resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he looked at his cousin's knowing smile.
Tadase laughed, "Are you still not getting along with Amu-chan?"
"Maybe you should've been betrothed to her instead," Ikuto said nonchalantly as he continued to head towards the director's office.
"E-eh. W-what do you mean?" Ikuto smirked upon hearing his cousin stutter, and just as he thought, his cousin was already blushing.
"You two get along well after all."
"She's engaged to you!"
"Becuase of the tradition." Ikuto answered mockingly.
"Ikuto-nii—" Tadase was about to protest when Ikuto raised his left hand, effectively signalling him into silence.
"It's just a political tradition. In every tenth generation of the Royal Family after the previous one, a commoner would be chosen to marry into the Royal Family and be betrothed to the eldest of that generation." Ikuto said emotionlessly, as if he was merely reading a text out loud. "This tradition lets the citizens feel that we are close to them. It is important that the Royalties never cut their connection to their people."
Tadase tried to study his cousin's face, but as usual, he revealed no emotion.
"Since our grandfather had a good relationship with Amu's grandfather, she was recommended to be betrothed to me." Ikuto added.
"You sound like this doesn't mean a thing to you." Tadase sighed, knowing that it was actually the exact opposite.
Ikuto sighed too, stopping in front of the director's office. He looked at his cousin and ruffled his golden hair. "You better get to class. I will just have a quick word with the director and then head out for another meeting."
Tadase grabbed Ikuto's hand on his head and scowled. "Regarding Amu-chan—"
"I know how much you like Amu, you don't have to be considerate of my feelings." Ikuto said right before he entered the office.
Tadase stood speechless for a moment in front of the closed door. After a minute, he finally shook his head, "I should be saying that about you, Ikuto-nii."
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Amu sighed quietly as she gently swung herself on the swing. Right after school, she took a detour to the small park close to her house. Her best friend's question about the crown prince's betrothed kept playing in her mind. It was normal that everyone is becoming more curious about the crown prince's bride. After all, when he turns 21, a Royal Wedding will be held.
"And he's turning 21 next year!" Amu couldn't help but groan out loud as she kicked the dirt on the ground. It was about time that the future crown princess' identity will be revealed to the public.
Her engagement to the Crown Prince. Her school mates had raised their thoughts vocally about being engaged to one of the princes. They all assumed that whoever was was engaged to the Crown Prince would lead a lucky life—they have to think again. They thought that being married into the Royal Family was a fairy tale, when in fact, it was a complete nightmare.
She was taught a lot of things as a child, all in preparation to be married into the Royal household. Her life had been controlled ever since she was little. In fact, she was sent alone to the States when she was ten years old in order to learn English as future Crown Princess. She remembered being so lonely. If it wasn't for—
"Amu-chan?"
Amu jumped upon having her thoughts interrupted. She looked up and saw her golden haired childhood friend walking towards her. "Tadase!"
The younger prince gave her a small wave as he sat on the empty swing beside her. She didn't realize it had gotten so late until she had looked up and the park was already lit. She was just so lost in her thoughts.
"Is something bothering you?" Tadase asked worriedly. This park had a sentimental value to the both of them, and he knew that Amu came here whenever something was bothering her.
Amu shook her head, hoping to ease his worries. "I was just remembering my life in the States."
"Do you wish you could've stayed there instead?" Tadase asked in a small voice.
"Sometimes." Amu sighed, swinging herself lightly once again. It has been five years since she returned from the States, and yet she couldn't forget about it. "I was a bit lonely for two years, but at least I got to pretend that my life belonged only to myself."
"Amu-chan," Tadase said hesitantly, "did you meet someone there?"
Amu stopped swinging at that moment and looked at her childhood friend in the eye. He had a complicated smile on his face as he looked back at her.
He couldn't have. Amu thought. "Of course. I made a few friends there." She quickly supplied.
Tadase studied Amu's expression a little longer before he began to lightly swing himself too. "Do you hate it?" He asked gently. "Being engaged to Ikuto-nii?" He added, seeing her confused expression.
Amu watched the younger prince for a few seconds before answering in a small voice. "Why me? We don't get along in the first place."
"Promise aside," Tadase said, referring to the promise made by their grandparents, "If the Palace thinks that you're not fit for the Crown Prince, they wouldn't have chosen you."
Amu kept silent. She was hearing this for the first time. Chosen? All she knew was that their grandparents made a promise to wed the family, and since she and Ikuto happened to be the eldest…as far as she knows, there was no choice to speak of.
"Did you know what the king told my father when they chose you? He said, 'That kid has a kind heart. She is definitely the right person.'"
"The right person?"
"For Ikuto-nii." Tadase answered confidently as he watched her.
"What about me?" Amu murmured, looking back to the ground. "Is Ikuto-kun the right person for me?"
Tadase felt his heart clench at the sight of Amu's sad expression. There were more words he wanted to offer, but he couldn't say them. He knew that Amu is Ikuto's betrothed, but he ended up liking her anyway. What made it more complicated is that his older cousin is aware of his feelings.
By protocol, he should have been sent away as soon as his feelings were discovered. It looked like the crown prince had pulled some strings in order to avoid it. Tadase sighed. His cousin was too kind for his own good. In exchange, he decided, he would never reveal his feelings to the object of his affections. Being beside her is good enough for him.
"It's getting late," Amu muttered, glancing at her watch. "I should get back before my parents worry."
Tadase stood up as soon as she did. Amu belatedly realized that they were surrounded by Tadase's personal bodyguards the whole time. She only noticed it when they moved from their spot as soon as they saw the younger prince move.
"I'll take you home." Tadase offered with a kind smile.
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"No. No no no no!" Amu groaned to herself as soon as she saw her house. She immediately climbed out of the car without waiting for her door to be opened.
"Ikuto-nii." Tadase laughed softly as he stood beside her. He said the name as if it was the very answer to Amu's panicked reaction.
Amu took in the sight in front of her. Cars, black luxurious cars everywhere, covering the whole block from where her house stood. Four bodyguards were stationed in front of her house while some were patrolling back and forth. Amu could see some of their neighbors peeking through their curtains to see what was going on.
"Doesn't he know how to travel incognito?" Amu complained.
"That's no fun, Crown Princess."
Amu froze upon hearing the deep voice coming from behind her. She could already feel her blood boiling as soon as she recognized the voice. "I'm not your crown princess." She said, turning around to see that it was indeed the Crown Prince behind her with two bodyguards closely behind him.
"Yet." Ikuto smirked upon seeing Amu's annoyed expression. Then he turned to his younger cousin, "didn't you have a dinner meeting to attend to tonight?"
"It's not urgent, Ikuto-nii." Tadase replied, immediately trying to avoid the hand which he knew would start messing with his hair once again. "What are you doing here?"
Ikuto shrugged. "To see my future wife."
Amu couldn't help but roll her eyes at the crown prince's words. "If you're done being ridiculous, I'm going inside." She turned around and began to walk up the steps towards her front door.
Ikuto couldn't help but give a small laugh at the obvious venom the pinkette was giving off. Tadase carefully watched his cousin and couldn't help but smile too. "You're doing it on purpose again," Tadase said.
The crown prince grinned as a reply before sighing, shifting the mood. "You should know better." He said, plopping his hand on top of his cousin's head. "It's a critical time now. The announcement of the crown princess' identity will be released soon. You should know better than to see her when it's already late."
Tadase couldn't help but look at the ground guiltily. "I'm sorry." He murmured. He was already warned by his parents and his cousin about hanging out with the future crown princess in public, but he couldn't help but reach out towards her. It wasn't just because of his feelings, but because they've been inseparable since childhood and it felt wrong to try avoiding her just because they were in public.
Ikuto sighed once again, clearly reading what was going on in his cousin's mind. "Tadase." He said in a chiding tone. "Don't do something you will end up regretting. The last thing we want is a scandal and have you sent away as a precaution."
Tadase gave a small nod. "I should've been sent away a long time ago." He couldn't help but add.
"Can't let that happen." Ikuto said in a low voice. "You are just as important to me as you are to her."
The younger prince looked up in surprise at Ikuto's words, but Ikuto was already walking towards the house of his betrothed. He had a hand raised, waving goodbye at him. "Get home safely." He called out, without sparing a glance behind.
Tadase could only shake his head lightly at his cousin's habit of running away right after saying something important.
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Amu watched from her bedroom balcony as few of the sleek cars in front of her house rolled away. Hopefully, she prayed to herself, the annoying Crown Prince would also leave. Thankfully her family was not at home, otherwise they would insist that the crown prince stay for dinner or for tea. Now, he may as well stand in front of the unopened door downstairs all night for all she cares.
She finally turned around and went inside her room. No more than a few seconds later, she heard a loud thud on her balcony. Amu groaned loudly, knowing exactly what made that sound.
"Knock knock." Ikuto said, lightly knocking at the sliding door separating the balcony from Amu's room. He watched the pink-haired girl turn around in irritation.
"What are you doing here, you stray cat?" Amu asked grudgingly as she dragged herself to joined the crown prince on her balcony. She folded her arms across her chest as she gave him her most annoyed glare.
Ikuto smirked, obviously amused by her attempt. "You're quite entertaining. You haven't changed at all since we were kids." He casually copied the way she stood as he also folded his arms across his chest.
Amu rolled her eyes, leaning onto the rails of her balcony. "As if you know me well enough to compare how much I've changed."
"I believe as your childhood friend, I know enough."
"I believe," Amu said, looking at him in the eyes, "that only applies to Tadase. Where were you when we were growing up?"
"Oh?" Ikuto's eyes narrowed at the underlying accusation in her tone. "Were you actually lonely without me?"
Amu couldn't help but flush red when Ikuto slowly leaned closely towards her face as he said those words. She immediately broke eye contact and took a step back. "I don't need you." She murmured indignantly.
Ikuto took another step towards her, and this time Amu was forced to look up at his tall frame as he cornered her. She immediately sensed a sudden change in his demeanor.
"W-What." Amu sputtered out, not used to his serious expression.
"I need you." He murmured.
Amu felt her face heating up once again as she found herself caught in the depths of his indigo-hued eyes. But before she could react at the crown prince's words, Ikuto's infamous smirk appeared once again.
"As if." He said, leaning away from her.
"Is teasing me your only pastime?" Amu pushed him further away from herself with both hands as she tried to calm herself down.
"One of my favorites," Ikuto supplied with a grin.
"Stop being an ass." Amu glared.
Ikuto chuckled in amusement once again as he brushed his hair back from the night breeze. "I hope you don't talk like that on a regular basis."
"I only talk like this when I'm with you." Amu finally snapped.
Ikuto raised both of his hands in mock surrender, as he chuckled once again. He took a step back and lightly jumped up on the balcony railings. "I guess I've overstayed my welcome."
"You were never welcome in the first place. Where do you think you're going?" Amu added to her remark as the crown prince stood up on the railing with perfect balance.
"Leaving the way I came." He answered nonchalantly, carefully eyeing the tree branch a few distance away from the balcony.
"Why did you even come here in the first place?" Amu couldn't help but ask exasperatedly.
"I came here to give you a warning." The crown prince said in a low tone. Amu flinched as she looked at the broad back of the crown prince. "Whoever you met while you were in the States, you should forget about him."
Amu's eyes widen just as Ikuto took a glance at her as he disappeared from view.
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"How was your talk, Ikuto-sama?" Ikuto's personal attendant, who was sitting on the passenger seat, asked. He took a quick glance at the back of the car to prompt the silent prince.
"We had nothing to talk about." The crown prince answered, refusing to look at his attendant as he continued to watch the passing scenery outside the car.
His attendant laughed shortly, "I'm guessing you two had another disagreement?"
"There was nothing to disagree on."
His attendant sighed at his charge's clipped answer. "Did you get the answer you were seeking for?" When the crown prince still chose to remain silent, he continued to speak, "Didn't you insist on going to see Amu-sama because you wanted to confirm something?"
Ikuto couldn't help but click his tongue in irritation as his attendant finally struck a nerve. His attendant chuckled, clearly unruffled by the crown prince's foul mood. "I'm guessing her answer was a negative one."
"Shut up." Ikuto growled.
This time, his attendant laughed. "What to do with a soft-hearted crown prince." He laughed again. "Did you dig your own grave again?"
Ikuto sighed loudly, knowing well that his attendant was not going to stop unless he gave a cohesive answer. "Her expression said everything. She met someone in the States."
It was something that was constantly tugging at the back of his mind for five years. Prior to her stay in the States, the pinkette was not openly hostile about their engagement. Despite knowing that she was not happy with the fact that she had no choice in it, Amu had kept her feelings hidden. Until she returned from the States. She had become more vocal about her feelings even if it was only towards him. He knew that something must have happened for this change to occur. The only reason he could think of is that she met someone she actually wanted to be with.
"Crown Prince," His attendant said in a somber voice. "Do you want us to find out who it is? If the media gets ahold of it—"
"That person's already part of her past. Let it go. The last thing I want is adding an outsider into the Royal Family drama. The less anybody in the palace knows, the less chance anything will be leaked."
"Understood," His attendant answered, knowing that the crown prince was right. He sighed after a while, finally turning around to get a better look at his charge. "How did that make you feel?"
Ikuto smirked as he looked at his attendant, "Our engagement will be announced soon. She's already mine."
The attendant raised a brow as he took in his charge's confidence. "This is a losing battle for you, Crown Prince." He sighed, shaking his head. "The person who is most invested emotionally is at the losing end."
"What emotions are you even talking about?" Ikuto said grudgingly.
"Ikuto-sama," His attendant sighed again, "please be reminded that I know you better than anyone else. Who was it that desperately wanted to see Amu-sama when she was in the States? Who was it who secretly visited her five years ago before she came back to Japan? And who was it who gave her the—"
The crown prince immediately interrupted his attendant as he cleared his throat loudly. He glared at him with wide eyes. "Shut up or I'll have you replaced."
"Crown Prince," His attendant laughed as he looked straight ahead again, unable to take the pressure of his charge's deathly glare. "As an older brother figure to you, I really suggest you work on your honesty."
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