It wasn't like Amu to take the long way home. She normally hurried home and went up to her room for pretty much the rest of the evening anyway. It's not like her parents were actually going to worry about her. Besides, it was a really beautiful day. It was peaceful and quiet and-

"Amu-chaaaannnn" Ran whined, "Where are we Going?" She said as she lazily sat on Amu's head.

"I don't know." Amu replied, lost in thought. She didn't know her way very well. All she knew was that her house was about half an hour north from a small white-and-blue Bridge. She'd been here a few times with her parents.

"But Amu, we'll miss dinner!" Miki yelled. "Why are you taking the long way home?"

"And I'm hungry." Su added.

Amu held her head in frustration, "Don't you guys ever stop complaining?"

Amu stopped talking; she could already see the small bridge, and there was someone sitting on it. It was a boy, with red-ish brown hair. Amu Recognized him immediately. It was Kukai Soma, and above him was Daichi, his shugo chara. He was looking at the lake, not moving at all. He didn't look like the everyday Kukai she saw, he looked more serious and bothered.

Kukai hadn't noticed Amu until she was standing behind him.

"Kukai?"

"Hinamori-Chan!" He said chuckling, "You scared me."

"Sorry," Amu said. Kukai had a wide grin stuck on his face as usual, but his eyes had a sad look in them.

"Everything alright?" Amu asked. She sat down next to him.

"Yeah, " he said unconvincingly. "Well, no." He finally decided. Amu stepped closer until she was standing next to him, staring at the lake too.

"What's wrong?" She finally asked, turning to face him. He didn't look back at her; he was looking at his reflection in the water.

"It's nothing." He said.

Amu knew that 'it's nothing' too well. She used it all the time when she didn't want to talk to people about her problems. She wanted to ask him again, and again until she got an answer, but she knew that if she did so she would be here until the next morning.

"So, why are you here?" He asked her.

"I- I don't know." She answered. "Why are you here?" She shot back.

"I didn't really feel like going home."

" Won't your parents get worried?"

"Nah."

"You sure?"

"Positive." He picked up his school books and got off the bridge.

"But it is sort of late so I guess I should head home, since i live kinda far from here." He said.

Suddenly, Amu's X accessories turned into hearts and she no longer had any control over her mouth. " Can you walk me home? I'm super afraid of the dark, and I don't want to walk back alone! "

Amu covered her mouth with both hands as she death glared towards Ran, who was now floating away from Amu. Kukai gave her a confused look. He suddenly realized what had happened and decided to take advantage of it.

"Hinamori? Afraid of the dark? cute." he said chuckling.

Amu felt her cheeks get warm as he walked away. i am so going to kill Ran! she thought angrily.

"You coming ?" He asked when he noticed she wasn't following him. She smiled and hurried next to him.

The two of them walked in pure silence, until Kukai burst into laughter.

"What !" Amu asked, afraid he was laughing at her, or something she'd done.

"Are you actually afraid of the dark?" He asked. "Or did you just say that to get me to walk you home ?" he had a mischievous grin glued to his face.

"N-no !" Amu half yelled, "It's not like that !" But it was no use trying to convince him, for he just grinned and kept walking.

"Sure." He chuckled.

Time passed by quickly, Amu was already standing at her front door. Amu could clearly see her parents spying on her. It's not like they had amazing spy skills or anything. Unless you'd call slightly opening the door and looking through it amazing spying skills… Below her parents was her little sister Ami. They each looked at Amu and Kukai with curious expressions. She tried to just ignore them and focus on Kukai instead, as if that was possible with six eyes staring at her intensely.

"So, um…" she wasn't quite sure what to say to him, "Thanks for walking me home." She said awkwardly.

"No problem!" Kukai said, trying not to look at the people behind the door.

Just as Kukai was about to leave, Amu felt drops of rain fall on her hand. She looked at Kukai who seemed to have noticed the same thing.

"It's just rain, no biggie!"

As if on cue, they both heard thunder not too far away, and to top it off, it began raining harder.

"Amu," Amu's mom had fully opened the door, "You can't let your boyfriend out in this weather!"

"Mom, he's not my boyfriend." She heard her dad let out a sigh of relief. Why were they doing this to her?

"Well then," her mother said gesturing towards the door, "Why don't you invite your friend to eat dinner with us?"

Amu looked at Kukai, she couldn't read the expression on his face.

"I really should be going home-"

"I can't let you walk home in such weather !" Amu's mom interrupted. Before Kukai could say anything else she dragged him into the house.

"Super Characters !" Ami yelled as she noticed Daichi, who was now floating as high as possible.

"We didn't want to eat without you, so dinner's going to be cold." Amu's mom continued.

Amu sighed in frustration. Kukai was basically forced to her house to eat cold dinner. This would be fun...