Normal Pov.
A girl with oddly pink hair woke up with thin streaks of light shining on her eyes.
She immediately ran to her door frame and checked her height.
Two inches!
Today's the day, the pinkette thought, smiling to herself like a giddy little girl. Today's the day he comes home.
Ikuto finally comes home from Paris after a year of studying there.
-flashback-
"Ne Amu," the midnight-haired boy called out as he nudged his girlfriend's arm.
"Hm?"
"What if I suddenly go out of country for a year?" He asked, observing her carefully, waiting for her reaction.
"Eh? What's with that sudden question? Well I would get mad at you, obviously," Amu answered bluntly as she took a sip from her Strawcolate shake.
"Why would you get mad?"
"Because you didn't tell me before hand," she reasoned.
"Oh." was all Ikuto said as fiddled with the tissue he was holding before he flicked Amu's forehead.
"Oi! What'ya do that for?!" She exclaimed quite loudly, making everyone look at them.
She flushed and glared at the man in front her as he chuckled.
"I'll be going to Paris for a year," he said as he looked out the window.
"What? When did you plan to tell me this?" Amu asked him in disbelief.
"...Yesterday."
"When are you leaving?"
"In a week," he sighed.
"That fast?" she muttered, looking down to her moist hands.
"Wait for me, would you?" he asked, his warm hands cupped her face, making her look at his alluring blue eyes.
She only stared at him.
"Oi, if you don't answer now I'm gonna kiss you," he teased.
"W-wha?! F-fine! I'll wait for you!" She puffed out as she felt her face feeling hot.
"Good, now gimme a sip of that," he smugly said, reaching out to her drink.
"E-eh?! No way!"
"You're so bitter, Amu-chan," Ikuto whined.
He's going away and he didn't tell me right away? She sadly thought.
Amu felt Ikuto's stare on her head and looked up to meet his stare.
"Let's spend the days together, shall we, Ichigo?" he said with a soft smile.
And just like that, the days flew by and here they were, standing inside the airport.
"Oi, better get me something when you return," Utau said as she punched Ikuto lightly on the arm.
"Yeah yeah," Ikuto yawned.
"Oi, are you even listening?!"
"You're too loud."
"Take care, ne, Ikuto?" Souko said as she wiped a tear away from her face.
"Be a man and take care of yourself Ikuto, Amu won't be there to take care of you!" Aruto said as he patted his son harshly on the back.
"Aruto! I think that's too hard!" Aruto's wife scolded as the married man just laughed.
The pinkette sniffed back the tears that were about to slip out her eyes.
"Just wait for me," he said.
He suddenly leaned down and kissed Amu at the corner of her lips, making an illusion that it was on the lips.
"I-Ikuto!" she quietly yelled.
"A-Amu! What are you doing?!" Utau frantically asked, witnessing what just happened.
"What? Can't a guy kiss his girlfriend goodbye?"
"I-I didn't do anything!" Amu defended.
The red faced pinkette fiddled with her fingers, unable to retort a word to the man in front of her.
"I'll be back, I promise. And while I'm there, grow a little taller, would you?"
"Sh-shut up! I don't need your comments regarding my height!" Amu said annoyingly, her face still flushed with embarrassment.
Souko giggled at the scene in front of her, while her husband was smiling at the same time.
"The park, ok?"
I nodded my head.
-flashback end-
Amu's Pov.
"Ohwayou, nwee-chwan!" Ami greeted. "Nwee-chwan, nwee-chwan, it's Chwishmash!"
"Hai, it is, isn't it?" I said with a smile.
"Oh, morning Amu, ready to open up your gifts?" Mama asked, walking to the Christmas tree displayed in the living room.
I shook my head. "Not yet."
"Hm, waiting for Ikuto-kun's I suppose?" Mama said, a ghost of a smile appearing on her face. I flushed simply by the way Mama said it.
I made my way to Tsukiyomi's house at 10 am to see if Utau had any news on what time Ikuto would arrive.
Has he changed at least a bit? Did his hair grow longer? Was his voice a bit deeper?
"Oh, ohayou Amu. Merry Christmas," Utau said as she opened the door.
"Amu! Merry Christmas!" Souko-san merrily greeted.
"Ohayou, Souko-san."
"Yo Amu-chan," Aruto-san yelled from the kitchen.
"Excited for Ikuto to come home, aren't you?" Souko-san asked me with a smugly look on her face as she was nudging my side with her elbow.
"Oi Amu, don't make moves on my brother right away when he arrives," Utau requested... well, more of demanded.
"H-hai..." I replied weakly as I was bullied by the Tsukiyomis.
"Ne Amu," Aruto-san called my attention as he gave me a cup of hot chocolate.
"Arigatou, Aruto-san."
"You're excited aren't you?" Aruto-san asked me with a smug look on his face.
With a face red as a tomato, I nodded my head.
Aruto-san chuckled and walked to his wife to give her a peck on the cheek.
Utau's phone suddenly rang and she answered it.
"Ikuto!" she exclaimed rather excitedly.
"Ikuto? Ne ne, what's he saying?" Souko-san asked curiously.
"He says he'll be home by 7."
"That's great! Great indeed, we still have time to go out and get him a gift, don't we?" Souko-san enthusiastically exclaimed, clapping her hands.
The doorbell rang and in came a grinning brunette.
"Yo, Souko-san!" Kukai said.
"Kukai! Ohayou!"
"Hm? O, Hinamori, you're here!" Kukai exclaimed as he gave me a noogie.
"Oi, Kukai! You're messing up my hair!"
"Hair, shmair, you can fix it anyways!"
"Yo, Hoshina," Kukai cheekily greeted Utau.
"O-oi Souma! You're late!"
"Gomen, nii-chan got my phone last night and forgot to return it."
"Well next time don't be late."
"Yes ma'am," Kukai said as he kissed Utau's cheek.
"D-don't just go kissing around people!" Utau'so face went pink.
"Eh? But you're the only one I kiss."
And that made Utau's face go beet red.
"Amu, have some hot chocolate," Souko-san offered.
I'm a greedy human when it comes to chocolate, aren't I?
"Amu, I'm so glad my son met you." Souko-san gave me a soft smile.
"I am too," I muttered softly, letting out a smile break my face.
"Why don't you go out to the garden and sit outside? It's nice to drink something hot during a cold weather."
And out I went to the Tsukiyomis' garden and sat on a sophisticatedly designed chair.
I wish Ikuto and I can be lovey dovey li—wait what?
Me and that Hentai Neko? I could dream on.
If he could just get home faster...
"Oh yeah, here you go Hinamori." Kukai suddenly appeared before me and handed me a pink paper bag.
"Oh, arigatou." I took the bag from him.
"Ne Amu."
"Hm?"
"What can I give Utau for Christmas?"
I sputtered out my hot chocolate.
"Seriously?" I asked in disbelief.
"I didn't have time! I'm sorry!"
"By the way, where is Utau?" I asked.
I wouldn't last a minute with Kukai if Utau were here.
"She went out to buy something..."
"Ah, well then, let's get brain storming."
"Yosh!"
"Well you can buy her a perfume."
"She has a thousand of those, those people that have her as endorser? Yeah, they give her a box of perfumes every month and she just gives them away."
"How 'bout shoes?"
"50 pairs."
"Hair clip?"
"That's your trademark, Hinamori," Kukai chuckled.
Trademark? So we have trademarks now?
"Minion socks?!"
Kukai looked at me weirdly.
"What? Minion is popular, who wouldn't want one?"
Kukai shook his head and started rubbing his chin like he had a really long beard like Gandalf.
"How about a keychain with her name engraved on it?"
The brunette looked at me as if I was a mad scientist.
"Hinamori, you genius!" Kukai yelled as he shook me.
"My world is spinning~" I cooed.
"Ah, gomen," Kukai apologized.
"It's ok~ I can see black cats floating around me~"
"You really do miss Ikuto, don't you?" Kukai laughed.
I snapped out of my kitty-cat world. "W-what? I do not miss him! Not a single bit!"
"Rejection is the first step to the truth."
"Sh-shut up and go get the keychain for Utau!"
"Yes sir!" Kukai yelled as he ran out of the house, after saying good bye to Souko-San and Aruto-San, of course.
Speaking of gifts...
I HAVE TO GET IKUTO A GIFT!
"Souko-san, Aruto-san, I'll be heading out! Merry Christmas!" I yelled as I ran out the door.
A gift. A gift. A gift. A gift.
Holy mac on cheese! How could I forget to buy Ikuto a gift! Seriously! Am I that much of a bad girlfriend? Glob dang it, what is wrong with me?
Shit shit shit shi—
"Oof!"
I bumped into someone tall. Don't ask, I felt it. Yes, I felt it, don't ask.
"Amu-chan?"
I looked up to see Nagi.
"Oh Nagi."
"Ohayou, Amu-chan, what's gotten you in a rush?" he asked as he helped me up.
"I forgot to get Ikuto a gift..." I answered sheepishly, fiddling with my fingers.
Nagi laughed.
"O-oi! Lower down the volume!"
"Amu-chan, what do you think Rima-chan would like for Christmas?" Nagi asked all of the sudden.
"You too?" I laughed.
"Eh? What do you mean?" Nagi asked dumbfoundedly.
"Kukai hasn't bought a gift for Utau too."
"Ah yeah, he's been having that problem for days."
"I think a figurine of a person doing 'bala-balance' would be nice," I suggested.
"Why haven't I thought of that myself?" Nagi wondered, facepalming.
"Add in a sweater too, I think Rima would like it."
"Amu-chan, you're the best! I owe you one too!" Nagi said as he was running away.
Am I the only girl who hasn't gotten my significant other a gift? I'm such a disgrace. I've been walking around for an hour or so until something caught my eye.
It was a poster with a lock that had four diamonds around it with a matching key.
I have to get that for Ikuto!
I went in the store, accidentally bumping by someone with me muttering an apology.
"Excuse me, how much is that?" I eagerly asked the store clerk.
"Ah, gomen, but someone already bought that just now, and that was the last stock too," the store clerk apologized deeply.
What? Did Kami-sama not want me to get Ikuto a gift?
I groaned.
"But the customer only bought the lock, maybe you would like to purchase the key?" she asked hopefully.
This was for Ikuto. It didn't matter whether we matched anything... right?
I bit my lips, hesitant to buy the key.
For Ikuto.
"I'll get it," I told lady.
"Let's check it out shall we? Meet me at the counter and I'll have this ready."
I nodded my head and did as told.
"Arigatou, have a Merry Christmas and come again!"
I exited the shop, feeling relieved that I finally got Ikuto a gift.
"Yosh, time to kill time."
Upon entering the mall, warmness quickly greeted me and I sighed in relief. It was really starting to get really cold. I checked my phone and saw that it was already 5 pm.
That much time has passed?
Two hours left.
I decided to buy extra gifts for the others since I had still had time.
Hm, maybe Kukai and Utau could have matching key chains? Yeah, I guess that's right. Nagi and Rima can have hair ties? They do have long hair... Kairi and Yaya could have same water bottles since Yaya always eats sweets and Kairi has his own activities...
It takes an hour and everything I needed was in hand. I dropped off the stuff I'm everyone's houses and I headed to the park.
What if he looks different?
Don't be stupid, Amu, it's only been a year. Calm down.
What if he's already met someone better than me?
Ikuto's not like that, you out of all people should know that.
It's 7:30 and I'm seated on the swing. The cold weather calmed down a little.
My phone suddenly rings and I answer it immediately.
"Amu?"
"Utau."
"Gomen, it's seems like Ikuto isn't coming home today," she says.
My heart slowly sinks.
Like it really sinks. Like Titanic.
"Eh really?" I ask, my voice almost cracking.
Hold it in, Amu.
"There's a storm in Paris today and it got cancelled."
I sniffle. "It's ok, it's not his fault anyways."
"Alright, I need to go now, Kukai's calling. Bye."
Utau ends the call end I put the phone back in my bag.
My chest hurts.
"Wow Ichigo, I didn't know you missed me that much."
That voice.
I looked back to see...
"I-IKUTO?!"
"Yo," he greets me.
He's just standing there. Like, just in front of me.
Is this for real?
I walk towards him, inspect him and all.
Then I poke his nose.
"Ichigo, what are you doing? Did you really miss me to the extent that you think I'm just a ghost?" He asks, rolling his eyes.
Yep, it's him.
I jump on him. "I-I thought you weren't coming home!"
"Eh? Why not?"
"Because Utau said so!"
"Ah, all part of the plan. You're still gullible," he says as he snakes his arms around my waist.
"S-shut up!"
I sniffle. "I really thought you weren't coming home."
"Ichigo stop crying."
"But I really thought you weren't coming home!" I wailed.
Ikuto sighed. "I was here since this morning."
What?
I looked at him in disbelief.
"Since this morning?!" I shriek and he nods in reply. "Why didn't anyone tell me?!"
"It's because you're too slow." He flicks my forehead after he says that.
"Oi! That hurt!"
Stupid Ikuto, I even got him that key.
...Speaking of...
"Ne, Ikuto. I didn't have time to wrap this and it's pretty lame..." I struggle to get the key but I couldn't move with this guy's arms around me. "Oi Ikuto, get off for a while."
"Nope, it's not that hard to grab something when someone's hugging you. Go ahead."
I grumble, and finally, I was able to get the key.
"Here." I hand him the key. "It's lame and I almost forgot to get you a gift but—"
I was silenced with a kiss.
It was sudden, really. And it was quick too.
"Y'know, Ichigo, having you here with me right now is what I just want," he says.
My face turns red as a tomato.
"S-stop being cheesy," I mumble out.
"If you have that as my gift, here's mine."
Something cold comes in contact with my neck. I look down and to see a lock that had the exact design as the key I gave him.
"That was the last stock too."
Last stock? That sounds really—
"Y-you were the one I bumped into this afternoon!" I yell.
"It's not really hard to spot you with your pink hair, Ichigo. I had to wear the mannequin's beanie just to hide my hair from you," he says with a chuckle.
"E-eh?!"
"You didn't really need to buy me a gift, Ichigo."
Our foreheads touch. Then our noses. Then our lips.
Then we stop to breathe.
"Still sweet as ever," he mutters and I blush harder.
"But you know, Ichigo, you didn't really need to buy me anything."
"And why is that?" I ask, looking into his deep blue eyes.
"Because, all I want for Christmas is you."
Merry Christmas guys!
12.25.15
This story isn't as fluffy as I thought it would be.