I roll over to ease my stomach ache that occurred around dinner. The time was 11:00 pm, and I was still awake. I count my breathes out of boredom, awaiting his return home.

Ikuto only worked late on rare occasions. Helping his father as much as he could was really admirable. But Aruto (my father-in-law) and I worry about him over working himself. But being the free cat he is, he does what he like.

I think back on the times Ikuto and I have spent together. We've spent the first two years teasing and bickering. Most of the teasing done by him of course. The memory that struck my mind the most though is when he had came back for me.

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Utau had called me to her studio. I had no idea why, cause I didn't work for her. All she's been doing for the past two months is working on her new demo. It seemed to be really important, so I didn't question.

Pushing my way through the crowds, I tried my best to keep to myself. Since Ran was no longer with me I couldn't defend myself as well. It was understandable why my chara's have left, I was 18 after all.

My friends, except for Yaya, and Kairi, have left for collage about a month ago. I felt collage wasn't the place for me, seeing that I was a well known author around Japan. I realized how talented of a writer I was after Ikuto had left more than five years ago, hearing from him every once in a while. I began to write down my feelings, girly I know. Well it's better than all the tears. Tsukasa-san helped me out a lot in my process, I still even take lessons every once in a while. Lately though, I've been slacking off. My head is in my writing as much as its always was, but my heart has been else where. My passion for writing is strong and Tsukasa-san says I'm a very good pupil.

"You are doing very well in your writing, but your last paper is telling me emotionally that your not putting full feeling in," he didn't seem angry, not that I could tell from his face expression. Now I felt that I had failed him as a sensei, that was not a good feeling.

"Maybe that' just it though, my feelings aren't so understandable and the more I try to express them in my writing the more confused I become." I hung my head trying to hide my shame. I heard Tsukasa-san release a small chuckle.

"You miss Ikuto-kun, don't you?" My eyes shot open and I lifted my head to see his gaze. How could he put that so bluntly? Ikuto had been gone for five years at the time, leaving me a 18 year old, and him being 23. "The pieces of your puzzle are missing," he stood up from his chair and walked over towards the side windows in his office. He was still the chairman of Seiyo Academy. "Ikuto-kun has such a big role in you life that he is part of your puzzle. If even one piece of the puzzle goes missing then the puzzle is not complete," he turned to face me with a smile. "You are not complete without him," he said giving me a soft wink.

'I'm not complete without Ikuto?' That lesson was only last week but I still can't get my feelings straight. Ikuto, I wonder if he did find his father?

I turned the corner onto the street where Utau's studio was located. A cold wind swept across my face, and through my pink hair, still and always will be the same length from when I was a young teen. Only a few things have changed from then, which is my body figure, taking the same body features as my mom. I still lived with them, trying to save enough money for a place of my own. So far so good, but it's easier said than done.

I approached Utau's studio, still clean as ever but something about tonight made me feel weary. I wrapped my fingers around the door handle and pulled it open, the warm air inviting me in. She told me to meet her in the stage room, still I don't know why.

I entered the stage room and closed the door as quickly as I had opened it. Finding that it was greatly pitched black. I still didn't like dark places, it reminded me of haunted houses, which were filled with ghost. Still I held my breath, hoping the tension would soon pass. After a while I couldn't take it anymore. Holding myself close I turned to leave out of fright. Suddenly I heard a click and turned around to face the stage again. A single stream of light shone dimly in the center of the wooden stage.

"Hello….Utau?" I called out while walking cautiously down the isle, holding myself tighter than before. "If your playing tricks, I'm not laughing," I called out once again.

As I inched towards the stage I noticed an object was set in the single stream of light, I already had the thought that this was a setup, of some sort. Part of me wanted to flee but in the end my curiosity took hold of me and drew me towards the steps on the side of the stage. The knot that appeared in my lower stomach continued to grow with each step.

I knelt down and took the object carefully into my arms. A white violin case, his violin case. 'This really can't be Ikuto's violin…..could it?" I thought as I ran my fingers along the straps attached to it. I looked around to find myself completely alone. How? Turning my attention to what was 'his' violin, I felt the edges until I reached the two flaps that allowed access inside. Should I?

'Click', I lifted the top of the case until it couldn't go back anymore. Revealing the beautiful wooden masterpiece. Looking at the violin brought tears to my honey colored eyes, a mix of sorrow and happiness. I traced my fingertips over the smooth wooden frame. I could almost his presence through his violin. Tears sprang from my eyes uncontrollably. Staining my checks as the rolled down my face.

I shut the case quickly, not wanting to change the sound of the violin. Holding his violin close to me, I continued to sob. This was the closest I had to holding him. Whispering his name every time I caught a new breath of air.

"Ikuto, Ikuto, Ikuto…..," I continued to say until my ears picked up something that could only be caught if in the exact same room.

"Amu," I opened my eyes as soon as the last vowel escaped the speakers lips. I gingerly placed Ikuto's violin back onto the spot in which I had found it. I stand up with ease and turn to see who the speaker was. Again I see no one.

"H-hello….who's there?" I said griping my hands, trying to be brave. Really though, I was on the verge of throwing up from how shooken up I was.

Then a tall figure crept towards the dim light, also where I was standing. Each step the figure took forward, I took one back. I was scared, my legs were shaking, uncontrollably I might add. I suddenly relaxed, the tension finally lifting when I saw him step into the light, directly in front of his violin.

"I-Ikuto?!?" Smirk and all, he'd finally returned. He really didn't change. From his height, face, and hair there really wasn't a difference from when he was 17.

"You missed me so much that you look to my violin for comfort," yep he didn't change one bit. Great.

At the moment I had no intension for talk, so before another word could leave his mouth I quickly enclosed my arms around him. He was still about a head taller than me but that didn't stop him from leaning down to hug me back. This was something I wanted to do for a long time. It was a good release for all the pain that had been building up after all these years. It wasn't until after he left that I discovered my feelings for him. I only act a certain way when I'm around him and I love the feeling. He understands me, like he always had, even though his heart ached more than mine did. Now we can ease each others pain with embrace.

I could feel him smelling my hair, his lack of pervertedness did not fade after all these years. It was actually one of the things that I missed about him, even if I do fluster. He ran his long fingers through my hair, as I clung on tighter to him, not wanting him to leave me again. We stood there for a while, with him resting his cheek upon my head, still taking in my sent.

"Hey Ikuto," I said breaking the comfortable silence.

"Hmm,"

"You remember that bet we made?" he took his cheek off my head as I looked up to stare into his deep blue orbs. Taking my breath away, I was starting to fluster, but only a little. "Well…..I win," I stated. He started to smirk his one of a kind smirk, which made me weary. I could soon see why, he pulled me in closer, if that were at all possible. His embrace was tight, he was giving off a vibe as if he was…..needy.

"And do you remember my bet?" he asked. By the tone of his voice I could tell he was thinking of something perverted. How could I forget his bet?

'I'll bet you something too. I'll definitely make you fall in love with me, so prepare yourself.' Honestly it took my by surprise when he told me he loved me. Really how could I not fall in love after that?

I pulled back to look at his face again. There was no kidding my face was scarlet red the whole way to my ears. I closed my eyes and looked down to escape any humiliation that could or would come.

"I…..I love you, Ikuto," surprisingly I didn't stutter as much as I usually do around him. I continued to hide my face, until I felt his index finger and thumb take a hold of my chin and lift my head to meet his gaze. We stood there for a good while, with him wiping a stray tear from my cheek with his thumbs every once in a while. I missed his touch, deeply. Ikuto eventually bent down so that his mouth was right by my left ear. His breath tickled and it made my spine shiver.

"Well, I guess I win," he stated. I pulled away with a smirk of my own forming.

"Then I guess we're even," I said, as he captured my lips into a kiss, our first kiss. The shock seemed so strong that it forced me to back away a bit. He quickly caught on to my elbows and pulled me toward his lips again. I had found the missing piece of my puzzle.

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That moment still lingers in my head every once in a while. Even though it's only been four months since then. Ikuto and I have gotten married and currently live in a rented apartment on the far east side of our town. Coming home to him is probably one of the best feelings I've ever experienced. In any point of view, I was at my happiest.

Wind and fallen Autumn colored leaves hit the window, only making it harder to sleep. I cling onto the comforter of our bed for warmth. Still I was cold. I couldn't wait for him to come home and have him wrap his arms around me. I really couldn't get warm in bed without his presence anymore. I can tell Ikuto loved my presence in bed too. I must still be his human hot water bottle. The clock flipped to 11:27 pm, when I finally heard the front door open and then close shortly after. Ikuto, was finally home.

I toss the comforter onto his side of the bed and make my way downstairs to greet him, like a dog would. The hard wood flooring feels cold on my bare feet, but hearing Ikuto putting his stuff down in the living room kept me going. When I reached the bottom of the steps, he was putting his violin on the top shelf of the closet. He seemed completely unaware of my presence. He shut the closet door and rested his head up against it. He was so tired, I could feel it. He let out a couple of sighs as I walked over to him. He didn't even realize I was there until I took his hand into mine, where he immediately gripped back. His grip was weak, telling me he was more tired than I thought he was. He tilted his head so he was looking at me. So tired. He expressed a small smile of reasurance but I wasn't buying it.

"You work way too hard," I stated urging him to walk back to bed, for sleep he well deserved. Fallowing he replied

"You need to stop worrying so much," he said almost letting a yawn escape. "I'll be fine…," I stopped on the stair above him, making us the exact same height at the time. I turned so that our eyes were in contact with each others. I let out a sigh and ran my fingers through his cat-like hair. Still so soft. When I reached the end of his hair I placed my hands so that they were wrapped around his neck. He let a smirk play across his mouth when he pulled me closer so that our noses were touching, comfortably. There was no way I was going to let him schmooze me out of this 'debate'. I pulled away, only to have him pull me back, hips first. He caught me in a passionate kiss of more reassurance. Jeez whenever he does this to me I never win. He playfully traces my lips with his tongue, begging for entrance which I gladly accepted. We pulled away for lack of air, then continued our way back up to bed.

I was still cold when I got into bed. I was waiting patiently for Ikuto to get done in the bathroom. It didn't take him long, he was a boy after all. He crawled into bed next to me, with his pajama pants on. But whenever it gets colder he would throw a t-shirt over his muscular torso. I usually wore a worn out t-shirt, and pajama pants during the cold nights, but during the late spring and summer evenings all I wore was a t-shirt. That was just fine for Ikuto, he loved feeling my legs.

The second he wrapped his arms around me a flood of warmth rushed through me. He held me close to his chest, only making me warmer. I let a comfortable sigh escape my lips as I took in the sent of his body soap. He let his fingers play with my hair, kissing my forehead every once in a while. Finally my puzzle piece had come home to me for the night, my stomach ache had subsided, and I was finally warm.