Chapter 2:

Amu slowly looked up and there was Ikuto staring at her, and this was no illusion. Ikuto stood her up on her feet and looked carefully at her as though he were afraid of her. All of a sudden Ikuto turned and walked away. Amu ran towards him and grabbed his shoulder. Ikuto stopped in his tracks, but didn't turn around to face her.

Ran, Miki, and Su came out of the door yelling at Amu.

"Why'd you leave us home alone?" Ran said dramatically.

"Yeah, desu" said Su, supporting Ran.

Miki just stayed where she was, looking at Ikuto with a far- off look. Ran noticed this and took it as a chance to make fun of her, "Oh Miki, wondering where your boyfriend is?"

"N – No!" shouted Miki and she started chasing around Ran.

Amu sighed and turned back to Ikuto, only to find out that he'd disappeared. "I- Ikuto" Amu said depressed. Wait, Amu thought, STOP you're not allowed to feel sorry for yourself! Amu, put on a brave face and get your butt over to Yaya's party! Amu changed into another outfit, did her makeup more dramatically and went over to Yaya's party. When she got there, she could hardly move because of how many people were there. Amu could see Yaya surrounded by all of Kukai's soccer buddies, while Kukai just stood there with a pained look on his face. Amu knew what that look meant, Kukai had finally realized his feelings for Yaya.

Well, good for him, thought Amu, at least he knows who he loves AND he always knows where she is. Okay, maybe not ALWAYS, but same difference.

Amu stayed and danced for a little while, but didn't exactly feel comfortable, so she left after a little while. When Amu got to her dorm, she crashed out for several hours.

Sunday came and went and it was FINALLY time for school again. Amu needed something to keep her occupied.

First, second, third and fourth period went by fast, and then it was time for lunch. Amu sat by her friends and tried to keep up with the conversation, but came and went out of it every so often. Lunch ended after what seemed like eternity. Amu hurried to fifth period and when she got situated she noticed the teacher wasn't there yet. Ikuto came in the class then, and Amu sucked in a startled breath.

Oh well, at least the seats by her were taken and she could just ignore him. Ikuto started writing on the board then, and Amu thought that he was going to be in trouble. When Amu noticed what Ikuto was writing on the board, she almost fainted.

Ikuto was writing Mr. Tsukiyomi. Oh no, thought Amu, Ikuto is the new Math teacher! Amu had heard that there was a new, hot teacher for math class, after the last one had quit, but she'd never dreamed that it was Ikuto!

Amu gathered all her things and sprinted out the door. Amu knew that if she stayed in that class, then they would surely have a confrontation. Amu went to the front office and asked to go into a new class, but the lady said that that was the overflow class and there were no other math classes available. Amu really wanted to stay in math so she decided to stay in Ikuto's class.

Amu just sat under the staircases, her favorite place in the whole school, and waited for the bell to ring. Once the bell rang, she hurried over to her next class, but not before Nagi, who had math with her, asked her what happened.

"Well, I was okay until Ikuto came into the classroom and started writing his name on the board." Amu started, "But then I got panicked, packed up, and high -tailed it out of there."

Nagi looked at her carefully, and said, "Amu, Ikuto wasn't in that class, that was Mr. Tsukiyame."

"N- now, Nagi don't make me think that I am crazy, I know he's in town and he was there in that classroom too!"

"Amu, are you sure? No one else saw him, but you..."

"No, you saw him, remember? On Saturday?"

"I just came over on Saturday to see how you were, not because I saw him."

"No, remember, you said that Ikuto hunted you down and demanded to know where I was."

"Amu, that never happened." Nagi looked over at Amu as if she belonged in a rubber room.

The bell rang then and Amu ran to her class. Amu quickly sat in her seat before the teacher could call her name for roll call. As she waited for her name, she thought about what Nagi had said. Well, on that walk I was a little kooky anyways, I know that I was imagining Ikuto lick the other end of my ice cream cone, I was still groggy when Nagi came over, but I don't know how to explain when Ikuto caught me or when he was at the front of the classroom.

Amu heard her name and snapped out of it. "Here" she said and raised her hand. No, it wasn't possible she couldn't be crazy. She'd dealt with Ikuto being gone for 3 years now and she couldn't had just cracked, maybe Nagi was just playing some weird, twisted joke on her. But that didn't sound like Nagi, at all. Ugh, Amu thought, I'm perfectly good.

Amu got through the rest of the day and barely got to her dorm before the wall for the tears broke. That went on for about 15 minutes before she got everything together and started her homework. As soon as her homework was out of the way, she quickly showered and got ready to go to Yaya's dorm, which she had promised Yaya at lunch that she would. Amu was rushing with her head down and so she didn't see the guy right in front of her. She slammed into him and he spilled all his books to the floor. Amu helped him pick them up and looked up just in time to see two midnight blue eyes staring at her.

"Ar- are you real?" Amu said very quietly. She knew that it was a dumb question and he would answer yes, even if she was crazy.

Ikuto looked at her strangely and in his beautiful voice, he said, "Why wouldn't I be?"

Amu started shaking her head and said, "Because your just a fragment of my imagination, aren't you?" Amu thought that through other people's eyes, she must look like a Lune, just talking to herself while kneeling on the ground.

"Amu, I am real, I came back from a college in America, so that I could teach, like my mother used to when she was young." Ikuto kept a careful eye on her, as though she would run away, again.

Amu just stared at him and thought about everything that Nagi had told her.

Nagi

It felt horrible having to lie to Amu, but it was a choice that he had made. He still doesn't know why he had made this promise to himself, to make Amu believe Ikuto wasn't back. Well, he kind of remembers, when Amu told him everything that happened, he told himself that he couldn't let her be like that if he ever left again. Maybe if he hadn't become the new math teacher, everything would be different and he wouldn't have to lie to Amu like he did. That dumb Ikuto, he just HAS to ruin everything, he came into Amu's life and brainwashed her into something she wasn't. Amu wouldn't have to change for him, she could still be the 'Cool and Spicy' girl that she used to be, but now she just puts up an act. Well, then again, he wasn't in control of HER life... but he couldn't let Ikuto damage what was his.

This went on for a little while and Nagi finally decided to tell Amu what he did. Nagi walked out and saw Ikuto and Amu kneeling down, talking to each other. Nagi suddenly got very mad and decided he had to do everything in his power to get Ikuto out of Amu's life.

Ikuto

He had been surprised when Amu ran smack into him, but not as surprised as he was when Amu asked him if he was real, "Why wouldn't I be?" he asked very surprised.

Amu had said something about her imagination and he decided to tell her a lie about why he had left, and heard himself tell her something that matched up with him being a teacher. Truth be told, he didn't understand why he was lying to Amu, after all, she (and her friends) had gotten him out of Easter in the first place. If he was ever going to have her back again, he HAD to tell her the truth.

Ikuto lowered his voice and said, "Meet me underneath the staircase during free period tomorrow.

Amu's eyes widened and he felt a sudden urge to wrap her in his arms, but instead he settled for something purvey.

"I need to tell you something VERY important."

"Why can't you tell me right now?" Amu whined.

"Okay I s'pose so." he said unwillingly, "Come closer though." Amu came closer and he leaned in, so that he was touching her hair with his face. Then he bit her ear, softly of course.

"IKUTO!" Amu screeched. Gosh, he will never get tired of seeing that deep blush cover her beautiful face. If Ikuto could freeze this moment in time and stare at her face forever, he would. Of course, he could never let Amu or anyone else see this; he just had to keep acting like he didn't love her anymore for her safety.

"Okay, fine I'll tell you," Ikuto said cautiously, "The teacher thing is just a façade, "I was really running from Easter."

"Why, they couldn't have done anything to you," Amu stated quietly, "Because they needed you to be alive, right?"

"No, you're wrong, to hurt me, all they had to do was take you out of my life."

"But that is why you left, to get me out of your life." Amu said shaking her head slightly.

"No, I left to protect you; I'm still madly in love with you Amu."

All the breath left Amu with a whooshing sound. Then, Amu started to cry a silent, body shaking cry. Ikuto leaned forward and embraced Amu with his strong arms. The two stayed there until Amu's tears had stopped.

"Why'd you start crying?" Ikuto asked curiously.

"Because, well I don't know. Just because you had to leave me for me. It's just kind of nerve racking, I guess. Here I thought that you left because you didn't love me anymore, not that you loved me so much that you had to leave for my safety."

All of a sudden they both saw Tadase walk out into the empty square.

"Does anyone know where the front office is?" Tadase turned around and suddenly saw Amu and Ikuto entangled in each other. "Oh, oops, I'll just leave yo…"

"Wait," Amu interrupted, "When did you get back?" Amu hurriedly stood up and Ikuto growled.

"Um, just today, I guess." Said Tadase.

What is that pain doing here? Yet another pathetic kid trying to steal Amu away from me? Thought Ikuto.

Tadase started backing up slowly and Amu raced up to him and pointed in the direction of the office. "It's right over there, just past those bushes."

Ikuto then stood up before Tadagay had the chance to leave. Ikuto walked over to Amu and planted a soft kiss on Amu's lips. The kind that would make Ikuto beg on his hands and knees for Amu, if she was sharing with another boy.

Tadagay just stared and then practically ran towards the office.

That'll teach him to mess with my girl.

Amu turned back and glared daggers at Ikuto and he put on his most adorable and forgiving grin, as if he were sorry for what he did. Amu smiled back as though he were forgiven- for everything.

Amu suddenly gave Ikuto a huge hug and whispered into his check, "I missed you."

Ikuto kissed the top of Amu's head and murmured against her head, "I missed you, too and I love you very much."

Amu looked up at Ikuto and gave him a kiss on the tip of his nose and then kissed his lips very softly.

Ikuto kissed her back passionately and somehow they both ended up in the grass until Amu got up and said goodbye to Ikuto.

Ikuto watched Amu walk away and thought to himself for a while. I am so lucky to have her back so easily, I'm surprised none of those mongrels snatched her up, she'd always had a special place in her heart for her friends.

After Amu was out of sight, Ikuto went to pay the Kiddy King a little visit.