...

"It's not ending, everything's starting."
"Wherever I go, whatever the distance that separates us, I will come back to you. And when you grow up and become an adult, I promise I'll come back and find you."

"Because I'll always keep liking you like this."
...


"I promise..."

Those words engraved deep into her heart as she looked down at her hands; the same hands that Ikuto held at the wedding. That was years ago, and now she was ready to graduate middle school. She was ready to move to high school and carry her dreams with her.

Amu Hinamori was like any other teenager, just trying to find a place in this world. In order to work hard and pursue her dreams, she wanted to get into college. Ever since her father lost his job as a photographer, Amu had been helping out the family as much as she could with side jobs. She often helped out at the local daycare where she tended to the children and helped out with the necessities. She even got Rima and Yaya to help whenever they could. It was a delightful feeling that made her smile.

However, there was an empty feeling inside of her. She didn't feel complete without that light. The heartstrings of her life struck and she was lovestuck, rather than lovestruck. Amu had often wondered if Ikuto actually kept his promise. Sometimes negative thoughts entered her mind because she was afraid that maybe he had moved on and forgotten about her. Yet she had no right to feel this way. After all, Ikuto wasn't completely hers.

On the wonderful night of Christmas Eve, Amu was walking home after a long day at the daycare center. The kids were rough today as they kept begging for food or rather just attention itself. Amu sighed as she rubbed her empty stomach that growled.

"Ahh, what a day! I'm glad it's over," Amu said as she stretched her arms into the cool air.

She turned the corner to her house and proceeded to enter her house. A smile was plastered upon her face as she saw all the Christmas lights up around her house. When she was inside, she slipped off her shoes and put on her slippers. However, there was a figure standing in the hallway.

"I'm home," Amu said nonchalantly.

He didn't move from his spot nor did he say a word. Amu tilted her head in concern and walked near her father. Her eyes widened.

"Papa? What's wrong?" she asked.

She watched the tears spill down the sides of his cheeks as he turned to face her. These were true, genuine tears and this was the first time that she had seen her father react in such a way. He stared at her.

"Your sister is in the hospital," he whispered slowly.

Amu dropped her bag and everything froze. Her golden eyes had become blank and she stood still. Her lips parted and she tried to stop the tears from spilling out. Not just tears for her sister, but tears that she had been building up on the inside this whole time. Tears for her father's job loss, stress on her mother, Ikuto, and her dreams. She thought it was a dream. It had to be a dream.

"This is all a dream, right? If I pinch myself, I'll just wake up." Amu said.

Her father looked over at her and Amu kept pinching herself. She kept trying but more tears spilled out. Tsumugu took Amu's arms away from her and he hugged her. She was shaking and she felt so lost. It was the first time that Amu could cry in such a long time.

"Why? ...Why?" Amu cried.


Ikuto had traveled far over the years. He constantly had his mission in mind to find his father alive because he had a gut feeling that he was somewhere. However, he also had his mind set on a special girl, Amu Hinamori. He'd often smirk to himself about how she would react to him in so many ways. Yet he was happy that she had shown him different sides of her that no one had seen before.

His life was becoming better ever since the incident with Easter had ended. He was now traveling with an orchestra that was associated with his father. He was able to show the world his gift of the violin and to pursue his dreams.

Yet on the night of Christmas Eve, everything had changed. He was still located in London and was walking in the town center. Ikuto was preparing to play for the townspeople like he usually did every Friday night. Amu had opened up a side of him that he had blocked from the entire world. She had lighten his heart and now he was able to show the world his dreams.

As he was playing his violin near the fountain, a group of people formed around him. They usually came to hear the soothing noises that Ikuto produced. As Ikuto played, his eyes scanned the crowd and stopped to see an unfamiliar figure. The figure smiled.

Ikuto recognized that smile and once he was done playing, he had set down his violin as the crowd applauded. He smiled and the figure walked up to Ikuto.

"Tsukasa?" Ikuto asked.

"Ikuto, I think I know where your father might be," Tsukasa said.

And thus Ikuto's world started to brighten up more, he was really excited on the inside, even if he didn't show it on the outside. More importantly, he wanted to send another letter to Amu telling her about his exciting news.


The tables were turning for our heroine. Her story was starting to have a downfall. It wasn't full of smiles or dreams now, but pain and sadness. As for Ikuto, his story was beginning to turn around and become better. It wasn't full of pain and sadness, but smiles and dreams.

The heartstrings of their lives plucked once more as the changes were being made.

"Ikuto..."


Hi! So I thought of this idea while roleplaying on tumblr. I named the story after my favorite k-drama. And no, this will have NO relation to that drama whatsoever. Plus when I was roleplaying with Raven AKA Raven De Crow, she kept mentioning heartstrings and I just fell in love with the word
So this is just the prologue! Kinda long in a way, but it's okay. So what happens from here? What happened to Ami? How did Tsukasa find out Ikuto's father's whereabouts?
Find out in the next chapter of Heartstrings!