Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara.
Me: BTW, guys, just to let you know, there'll be KuTau in this chapter. MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA XDDD as you all know, I LOVE KuTau (well, next to AmuTo that is)
Kukai: -smirks- cool…
Utau: -blushes- I'm gonna kill you all!
Me: Fat chance, don't worry; you'll enjoy this chapter, Utau-koi
Utau: HEY!
Me: Oh sorry, I forgot that only Kukai gets to call you that –smirks-
Utau and Kukai: HEY!!
Me: ah, lovers these days… oh yeah, before I forget, there'll also be bits of RimaHiko. Haha everyone has their own love-lives aside from Amu and Tadase; oh well, they'll never get together in this story! Poor Tadase
Ikuto: good to know –smirks-
Hinamori Amu, 15, stowed her clothes inside her pink, medium-sized trolley suit case. She closed the zipper of the bag, and then carefully tossed it to the side. Setting her black shades on her pink head, Amu breathed out a few breaths of homely room atmosphere before she gazed at herself one last time at her full-body mirror.
Golden honey eyes stared back at her as she observed her attire. She was currently wearing a white fitting tank top, yellow mini skirt, a pair of white Havainas flip-flops, and to top it all of, black over-sized sunglasses that was perched on her bubblegum-pink hair. Amu smiled; content with her appearance. She pulled out a yellow tie and fixed her hair in a ponytail. She checked her appearance one last time before grabbing her luggage and her trusty purse. Opening the door, she glanced around her room one last time, and then closed the door behind her.
Amu tried to pull her case down quietly but failed. Every step she took, her trolley would thud loudly behind her, gravity pulling it down strongly. She groaned silently every time she heard the pounding sound of the wheels against the wooden stair case. By the time she reached the last step, her whole family had gathered in the living room and was eyeing her curiously.
"Have fun, Amu-chan" Hinamori Midori smiled gleefully as she clasped her hands together. Her carefree attitude was something Amu was awfully thankful for at times like this; without so much a hassle, Midori would allow her child to have fun, assuring her husband, Hinamori Tsumugu, that Amu was already "all grown up" and "deserves some freedom". Powerless under Midori's intimidating glower, Tsumugu would quietly whimper, before locking himself in the bathroom for quite some time.
"My little sparrow!" Tsumugu began once again, anime tears flowing down his eyes like rivers. Midori and Amu rolled their eyes, "You better keep safe while you're away! Will there be boys?" the man demanded. Amu opened her mouth to argue but Midori cut in,
"Of course there'll be boys, you idiot! That's the point of this vacation; for Amu-chan to find herself a boyfriend! Ne, ne, Amu-chan?" Midori began bouncing up and down, clasping Amu's hands in her own. Sweat-dropping Amu sheepishly nodded. Ami chimed in next, clapping her hands vigorously, her toy microphone hanging loosely on her wrist by the small rope attached to it,
"Good for you, onee-chan!" she cheered, giggling uncontrollably and hugging Amu, "Say hi to Utau-chan for me!" Ami pleaded. Amu backed way slightly, wincing at the pain brought about by Ami's death grip. She felt her cell phone vibrate in her pocket. She reached for it, thankful for the disturbance. Reading it, Amu smiled,
"Actually, Ami-chan, I don't need to do that" Amu grinned. Nine-year old Hinamori Ami confusedly looked at her sister. Quickly explaining before Ami probed deeper, Amu spoke, "You'll see!" she assured. Ami nodded reluctantly, "Open the door" but there was no need to for after a few knocks that echoed, the door flew open and a pissed-looking blonde entered, not minding to show any politeness; oh well, the Hinamoris were used to it, anyway. After all, aside from Rima and 'Nadeshiko', Utau is Amu's best friend.
"YOU!" the blonde pig-tailed girl seethed, her eyes narrowing into dangerous slits at the pinkette sheepishly standing a few feet away from her. Ami released her older sister before prancing giddily towards her idol. She embraced Utau in a death grip and began chanting, Utau-chan, Utau-chan, Utau-chan! Calming down a little, Utau smiled at the youngest Hinamori, "Hello" she said.
"Utau-chan! You'll never guess, you'll never guess!" Ami bobbed up and down. Utau forced the younger to stop by exerting some pressure on her head. The latter stopped jumping, much to Utau's relief, "Guess!" Ami continued.
Utau faked thinking position, her previous anger momentarily dissipating. Please note that the key word is momentarily, people, "I give up…what?" Utau asked after while with her hands by her chin, her weight supported by one leg, and her hip sticking out. Ami smiled jovially,
"Well…" Ami paused for dramatic reasons, "I GOT ACCEPTED TO A TALENT SHOW!" Once again, the youngest Hinamori began jumping up and down. Amu sighed; if things continued like this, they will never get to leave her house. Through the years, Utau has also grew fond of Amu's sister to a point where the idol tolerated her sister's obsession of her, and encouraged her to pursue singing. Now the latter wasn't bad at all but the former! Oh dear god, someone save her when Ami barges in her room at 2 am just ask whether Utau likes milk in her cereals! Up to now, Amu still has nightmares of that.
"Alright, Ami, you could tell Utau all about that once we get back from the trip! But for now, let's go. And weren't you supposed to be dragging me the hell away from here!?" Amu pointed accusingly at Utau who shrugged. Utau was wearing a halter dress that stopped by her knees. It was green in color with golden sequence imitating a butterfly on the bodice. She donned a pair of green Havainas flip-flops, and equally oversized black shades that match Amu's. Typical best friends.
"Hmpf, fine" Ami and Utau pouted. Releasing the idol from her death grip, Ami kissed her sister on the cheeks, muttering her goodbyes. Midori kissed her daughter on the forehead and kissed Utau on the cheek as well. Tsumugu, who had been silently moping in his spot at the sofa all this time, stood up and seriously spoke,
"Be careful, Amu-chan" he said, kissing her daughter on the forehead. He patted Utau afterwards and ruffled her hair a bit, much to the idol's chagrin. "Take care!" he smiled.
"We will" Amu assured her. After a few more minutes of reminders and goodbyes, the two teens finally set off. Just as Amu was near the door, Midori threw her a huge body bag, nearly the size of Amu's suit case, and said that it contained chips. Amu smied. Once outside, Tsumugu rapidly ran to catch up with them,
"Matte, Amu-chan!" he panted. Stopping in their tracks, the two teens looked back.
"What?" Amu demanded, masking her annoyance perfectly. Tsumugu smiled sheepishly before handing her his camera and a few films, "But dad isn't this your—"
"It's okay. Document every thing that happens; life's too short to wait, you know" he smiled. Amu nodded and kissed her father on the cheek before finally hailing a cab. Tsumugu waived goodbye as Amu bid hers as well through the cab's tinted window. Utau sighed then stated the place.
"Where's your bag?" Amu inquired upon realizing that Utau only carried a small purse with her. Utau shrugged, looking at the views through the mirror,
"Kukai;"—Amu smirked at the name—"probably has it. While your dad was busy babying you, Kukai texted me and said that we should just meet them at the terminal instead" Amu nodded, satisfied with the explanation. It was then that she noticed the odd looks the driver was giving them. She nudged Utau.
"Yes…? Is there something wrong?" Amu inquired politely, cutting off Utau's string of insulting comments that would usually involve, 'what the hell are you looking at's and the whatnot. Utau rolled her eyes, seeing past Amu's motives.
"Sorry but, is that…the idol, Hoshina Utau?" he inquired, eyes now staring back at them as the traffic light blared a red color. Utau rolled her eyes. She was about to speak when Amu cut her off. Again.
"Yes—"
"And what if I am?" this time, she cut the pinkette off. Amu glared at her but said nothing, nonetheless. After smirking triumphantly at the rosette-haired brunette, Utau turned her glare to the cabby nervously eyeing them through the rearview mirror.
"Nothing uhm…m-my daughter is a-a h-huge fan so…I was w-wondering if I could g-g-get your a-autograph" he stammered. Utau rolled her eyes but nevertheless agreed. Smiling, the driver sped off towards the terminal, just as the traffic light signaled go.
"Later…" Utau said, then, in a low whisper audible only to Amu's ears, "old geezer" she left out her cusses because she was not up for some sermons. Amu giggled, causing the man to look back at them suspiciously. Utau, however, simply silenced him with an intimidating glare, something that not even Amu was immune of.
Kukai's the only one who could put off with that glare she thought then giggled to herself, causing Utau to cast her glare at her,
"What are you laughing about?" she demanded. Amu did not hesitate to tell the truth,
"About how you and Kukai would make a good couple" Utau nearly gagged. Her and Souma?!
"Over my pile of ashes!" she said. Amu smirked before choosing to remain silent, a sign that she was in deep thought, scheming up a few things. Utau shuddered; she dare not think of the possible matchmaking plans that rosette-head was thinking, the wonders of hanging out with Ikuto. She smiled at the last part, Oh Amu...if only you knew.
"Now what are you smiling about?"
"Oh nothing…if only you knew" curious but saying nothing nonetheless, Amu opted for a different topic. For the next 10 minutes of driving or so, Amu and Utau had kept themselves occupied with girl topics, much to the cabby's confusion who, apparently, deemed their language as 'girls language' therefore not understandable to the opposite sex.
"And then, and then, she was like, no way, and you should have seen Rima! Oh, it was epic!" Amu and Utau laughed. After a few more minutes of irrepressible giggles, the cabby cleared his throat and successfully grabbed their attention. He shrunk, however, under Utau's intimidating glare,
"What?" she spat, venom lacing her tone. How dare someone ruin her girl bonding time with her best friend!? Well, Utau certainly won't let anyone who interrupted her carefree moments off the hook easily.
"U-u-uh w-w-we're here" trembling, the cabby pointed over to the terminal. Utau and Amu sighed, wary that their bonding time was over. Oh well, there's always the train. Then again, much to Utau's chagrin, she wouldn't be the only best friend there. Amu grabbed half the amount from her purse while Utau did the same. They handed the fair to the cabby who continued staring at them.
"What?" Cool and Spicy demanded. Once again intimidated, the cabby gulped. When he thought that only the idol gets to scare the wits out of him, he was dead wrong. He just did not expect the innocent-looking brunette to be equally daunting as her friend. Then again, that's what friends are for, right?
"W-w-well…a-a-a-autograph" he squeaked under the girls' overwhelming glowers. Eyeing each other momentarily, Amu and Utau sighed. Utau extended her hand. Quickly, the cabby reached out for the compartment and pulled out a pen and a paper. After grabbing the materials, Utau quickly scribbled down her signature and a heart sign.
"Girly" Amu commented. Utau scoffed and rolled her eyes. She handed the paper and pen to the cabby before she got off the vehicle, Amu shortly following behind her. The pinkette struggled to lift her suit case, and it took quite some time for her to pull it out of the car. Utau rolled her eyes again, "What?"
"You're such a sissy and you call me girly" she retorted. This time, it was Amu's turn to scoff,
"Whatever. Put your hat on and let's go" she said, pulling her trolley behind her. Utau did as she was told; she donned her green baseball cap—something that horrible did not go with the dress, much to her chagrin—and walked a few steps ahead of Amu who was still struggling with the weight of all her belongings. Sighing, Utau offered her hand to Amu,
"Give me the food and the camera" she said. Obligingly, Amu quickly handed Utau the requested items. Now that her load was lighter, she was able to keep up with the pace of the idol, "You know Amu, I'd like to warn you ahead of time" Utau said.
"Why?"
"Just coz. Now you better ready your heart or else, it might just fail you" the idol looked at her seriously before shaking her head, "But given your case, your hear will fail you" she laughed to herself. Amu, who didn't understand a word her best friend said, decided to let it pass, very mature of you, Amu she cheered.
"Whatever," Cool and Spicy replied. Utau shook her head once more before walking ahead of her, "Wait up!" Amu ran towards her friend. Utau just sighed. After a while of walking, the idol realized that Amu would be too preoccupied with her belongings and the cryptic message she left her to do some errands, to Utau took the liberty of buying the tickets. Approaching the counter, she handed the cash register the needed money, not forgetting to throw her trusty shades on,
"Two please" she said. The guy stared at her for a while, "I said two tickets!" Utau barked. Snapped back to the reality that his customer was growing impatient, the guy quickly punched some numbers on the computer, two red tickets being printed afterwards. Utau took the paper then quickly ambled towards Amu, not wanting anymore attention, "Stupid guy" she muttered as she reached her friend.
Amu laughed, "I wouldn't ask anymore" she said. Utau playfully whacked her in the nape before joining her in laughing. After a while of walking through the sea of people, Amu and Utau finally spotted (more like got their attention called) the group of teens who were frantically calling them. Okay, correction, only one teen was frantically calling them. The rest were just smiling.
"GUYS!! OVER HERE!!!!" Souma Kukai yelled, his hands frantically waving towards them. The other passengers all eyed him strangely while Hotori Tadase spewed out his apologies, much to the brunette boy's chagrin, "You know, you don't need to be so polite, Tadase; I mean, we paid our fair! We ought to have some rights around here" he argued, crossing his arms over his chest. Tadase just shook his head.
"And so did they" Utau pointed out, crossing her own arms over her own chest, a mocking face plastered on, clearly challenging Kukai. The brunette boy smirked then extended his hand to shake. Utau eyed his hand, then him, then his hand, then him again; "Ugh, I'd rather not; who knows what idiot-germs (1) you have in there" she smirked. Kukai's face dropped fleetingly before resuming a grin.
"Well, it doesn't matter. Let's get on the train!" He cheered, tossing his over sized backpack over his shoulder. Utau rolled her eyes and reached out for her bag when Kukai backed away from her, towing her bag as well. Utau glared at him; something that Kukai was immune already (then again, when did Utau's glares ever affected him), "Uh-uh-uh. I'll hold your bag, milady" he smirked.
If it wasn't for her ultra stubborn attitude, Utau would have died on the spot. But no; she wouldn't be called the sister of the certain black cat for nothing. It seemed to their friends that stubbornness just run in the whole Tsukiyomi family; or maybe it was something hereditary from Tsukiyomi Aruto that Utau and Ikuto unfortunately inherited. And so, instead of swooning like any dreamy girl would when their prince charming chose to, well, charm them by being all gentlemanly, Hoshina/Tsukiyomi Utau instead huffed, crossed her arms, looked away, and glared at the nearest inanimate object deprived of visuals of her blushing face: the tiled floor, "Have it your way" she spat.
Only Hinamori Amu saw her; one living soul to see the Hoshina Utau blush. For the first time since Amu met her, Utau blushed for someone else other than her brother; then again, it had been ages since Utau last saw Ikuto, and it also had been ages since Utau realized that what she felt, after all, was sisterly overprotective-ness. Upon seeing the blood tainting Utau's usually pale cheeks, Amy giggled silently. Thankful for the distraction, Utau glared at Amu, immediately silencing the younger girl.
"Well, we'll never get there in time. Are we going or not?" Rima demanded. She was wearing a slightly baggy jersey, really short, shorts and a pair of white flip-flops. She had on white, oversized sunglasses, perched on top of her curly locks. She held her clutch tighter while Nagihiko, who was standing beside her, struggled with the weight of his bag and the weight of Rima's bag.
"Of course we are, Rima-chan" Nagihiko consoled, fearing to feel the wrath of an impatient Rima first hand. Rima rolled her eyes through the tint of her sunglasses but decided to accept Nagihiko's promise. With a strong tug, she pulled the hem of Nagihiko's black My Chemical Romance shirt as she led the way to the train the somehow, amidst their arguments, parked in front of them, waiting for passengers to aboard.
Smiling sheepishly, Nagihiko looked back at all of them. He cowered when he saw their faces: mischievous grins or knowing smirks (Kukai and Utau). Nagihiko gulped but nonetheless followed Rima to the train. Tadase entered next, then Amu, then it was Yaya, who was quiet because of the lollipop she was happily sucking at. As Utau walked towards the train, Kukai fell back a few steps then bowed,
"After you milady" he said politely. The few girls around them giggled. Blushing slightly, Utau concealed her embarrassment with a scowl and a grunt before proceeding to purposely brush Kukai's shoulders with her hands; enough force to almost knock him down due to all the weight he was balancing in his hands. Kukai, however, seemed to found this little gesture amusing, as he smirked then stood up straight, "Feisty…I like it" he murmured to himself, hopping on the train after Utau settled in.
The two walked along the narrow hall of the train. Eyeing cab after cab, Utau and Kukai finally gave out a sigh of relief when they found Amu squeezing herself through an even narrower door to their cab. Utau glowered, "You just had to choose the last cab, didn't you?" she hated it how she has to walk so much, only to find that it wasn't such a comforting ending after all. Amu smiled sheepishly,
"Oh shush Utau, this is the best" she said. Utau rolled her eyes. When Amu finally managed to enter, it was Utau's turn. Her amethyst eyes widened briefly; Amu wasn't lying. The cab they were in was…well…huge; it was like a fancy 5-star hotel room squeezed in a train. There were two velvet chairs parallel to one another, a small coffee table at the center with a few newspapers. There was a door attached to the cab, obviously leading to a bed room. When Utau entered the bedroom, she found two double-decks placed next to each other, a few feet distance between them. On either side of the beds were side tables with a lamp shade perched on top. Again, there was another door attached; the idol assumed it was a CR.
When Utau exited the room, she then realized that athwart to where she currently stood was another door, "What's in that room?" she asked Mashiro Rima who was sitting on the couch, her feet positioned on top of the coffee table. She was sipping some beverages when she spoke, "tiny kitchen" she said. Utau nodded, already used to these kinds of fancying: the perks of being famous, as Sanjo Yukari, her manager, would always say.
"If the room's so good, why'd they give as that door?" Kukai, who somehow managed to squeeze his way in unscathed, commented, dropping his bag down the floor while placing Utau's carefully on the couch. If Utau had—yet again—been another one of those dreamy girls, she would have cracked a smile, blushed ten folds of red, and eye Kukai longingly. But—yet again—, she wasn't; she was this stubborn little idol who refused to let the female population get trampled on by idiotic eggheads who feed themselves with ego. You go, girl.
"The door's jammed" Rima replied, shrugging. Kukai nodded before he went inside the bedroom, only to holler another complaint. Upon this complaint, however, Utau had to agree; after all, she dare not think of inhumane possibilities of how the turn out of events will be. She looked at Rima skeptically, who just shrugged again in response, much to the idol's chagrin.
"Well I won't have it" Utau argued. Rima eyed her before speaking,
"That or the floor"
"I bet you're doing that just so you'd have a valid excuse to sleep with that Fujisaki" Utau spat, proud with her comeback. Rima, who was busy downing some Sprite, began choking uncontrollably whereas, Nagihiko, who just came out of the tiny kitchen drinking some water, spat out the beverage. The unfortunate victim: Kukai, who was on his way to the kitchen, from the bedroom, to grab some snacks. It was a good thing that it was Kukai, otherwise, he would've found himself a brand new reason to keep guffawing through out the night.
"Excuse me!?" Rima shrieked. Nagihiko was sputtering out his constant apologies to Kukai, who, despite the misfortune he jus had, was listening intently to the conversation of the two blondes. Utau raised a brow,
"You heard me" she challenged. Rima glared at her before she seethed,
"Fine, have it your way" she said, defeated, "Girls will have the bigger bed while you guys get the smaller, got that?" but Kukai had other ideas in mind. He decided to smirk deviously and whisper his ideas to Nagihiko, who, at that moment, was still spewing out his 'deepest' apologies, as he would say. The poor lad nearly choked when he heard of Kukai's plans.
"What the heck?" he said. Kukai grinned but said nothing anymore, continuing to the kitchen. Amu and Tadase exited the small room with Yaya tailing behind, just as Kukai entered. Amu sipped some of her soda before she spoke,
"Hey guys we heard yelling, did we miss anything?"
Kukai, who heard Amu's question through the open kitchen door, murmured to himself, "Oh not yet, Amu…not yet" he chuckled.
(1) The 'idiot germs' part sounded like something Hotaru or Natsume would say. Haha. :D
Hey guys, here's a bit of preview on the next chappie, just so you'd be…err…motivated, hopefully, to review.
Chapter 2: Of beds and visitors
"I don't get your point, Souma" Rima seethed, glaring daggers at the brunette boy. Nonchalantly shrugging, Kukai pushed the table aside and motioned for Nagihiko and Tadase to do the same with the couch. Rima hopped off the chair then sat on the floor with a huff, realizing that everyone with her seemed keen about the plan this Souma-boy was scheming.
"Oh don't be such a killjoy, Rima-tan!" Yaya chirped, munching on some chips. Rima rolled her eyes but decided to remain silent. When the guys were finished clearing the mini living room, Rima spoke before the game began and before she forgets what she was about to say,
"By the way, we'll be joined by someone…let's say…about now" and as if on cue, there was light knocking on the metal door, so light it was as if the person was hesitating whether or not to continue. Kukai got up and dusted some of the invisible dirt he had on his khaki shorts. Walking with sock-clad feet, he opened the door and broke into a grin,
"Kairi, ma man!" he hollered. Heads snapped to the direction of the intruder. Amu blushed, Tadase smiled, Utau rolled her eyes, Rima kept quiet, Nagihiko waved, and Yaya pranced on the newcomer.
"Iinchou! Sashibouri!" she spoke. Kairi uneasily replied, balancing a heavy Yaya and his luggage,
"S-S-Sashibouri, Yuiki-san, minna-san" he said politely. Kukai chuckled then grabbed the luggage Kairi was struggling with. Through his spectacles, Kairi gave Kukai a thankful look.
"Well now that you're here, let's get this party started" Kukai said as if expecting this, "The game, by the way, will judge who gets to sleep next to who; any questions…?"
"Yeah," Utau spoke, "What if a guy sleeps with a girl?" she glared at Kukai who grinned again,
"Now wouldn't that be fun…"
Me: WEEEEEE!!! I enjoyed this chapter. Merry Christmas, people! Oh, and don't forget to review! It's the least you guys could do. Haha :D
