..And so the story starts! Welcome to the first chapter of 'That Day' ~
This chapter is set in the present – ten years from the prologue. I'll try to make this A/N short and sweet, but first of all I need to clarify some ages. Although the age gap between Ikuto and Amu is kinda wrong, I like to keep it as realistic as possible (as in, to the manga). This means Amu would be 22 and Ikuto 27 – you can figure out the rest xD
Now, on with the story ~!
"Amu-chan!"
I gave a bright smile as I saw Tadase running towards me. I know we've been boyfriend and girlfriend for almost eight years now, but it still felt.. weird. I blushed as he got closer.
"Tadase-kun," I greeted, noting his flushed cheeks. He gave me a quick peck on my lips as he took my hand.
"I'm so glad you came, Amu-chan, I've got something to show you," he said, flashing a princely smile. I swooned. We began to walk in silence down the street. Something was off, I could tell. The way he kept saying my name, the way he was mysteriously guiding me across road after road, glancing behind us every so often as if we were being followed.
"Tadase-kun.. what's wrong?"
"Huh? Oh nothing." He turned away. I looked at him worriedly.
"Where are we going, Tadase-kun?"
He pressed a finger to his lips, ruby eyes glinting in the warm sun.
"It's a secret."
I sighed. Sometimes I missed the good old days, when I was known as the 'cool n' spicy' Hinamori Amu. Back then I had my charas. They're long gone now, even though I never truly let go of my dreams. I still can't cook, still not the greatest athlete, and even though I'm a well-known journalist – I'm not the best. My friends and I, we've all grown up. For ten whole years we haven't heard of Easter.
Then again, we haven't heard of Ikuto and Utau either. Sometimes we run into Nikaidou and Sanjo and their kids, hear Utaus songs on the radio. Kuukai drifted off after a few years, too, leaving me and the other guardians to brave our new life alone. Well, not entirely alone, for we still had each other.
Rima and Nagihiko were married, Yaya had bumped into Kairi again and the two were going out, and Tadase-kun and I were in a serious relationship. I blushed at the thought. We'd been in the dating stage for eight years, yet not once had he suggested we take it to the next level. But, even though we had kept in contact, we hadn't actually seen one another for four whole years.
"We're here, Amu-chan."
A soft voice broke me from my daze and I immediately looked up. We were at a school, a school that felt like a distant memory to me. It was Seiyo Academy. I glanced back at Tadase who was grinning at me.
"Come," he said, taking my hand again and leading me through the gates.
It felt like an eternity since I had walked through the academy. How I missed the way the other girls and boys admired me, the way Saaya Yamabuki would always try to rise to popularity. The way Ikuto teased me whenever we were alone. I felt a large lump rise up in my throat.
"Y..you jerk! Murderer!" Tears flowed freely down my face as I screamed at him, too shocked and confused to do anything else. "Why don't you just go.. go die! I hate you!"
'I hate you'.
Those were the last words I had ever said to him, before he vanished from my life. I still felt bad, after all these years for what I had said to him. No matter how true it was. They never did find the true murderer of that woman – and I was the only one that knew.
But heck, his face. That look he had given me. The way his eyes had so intensely pierced my very soul. The way the emotion of utter despair and pain had flitted across his face. That was the look that has haunted me every day of my life. Sometimes I could go a whole month without thinking about him, but then something would be said that would remind me of him and the guilt would come back again. I wonder where he is now.
"Amu-chan, this way." I felt myself being pulled around a corner.
Seiyo was beautiful, I had to admit. I loved how everything was so green and lush, so alive. The flowers and trees danced in the breeze, even the grass moved to a rhythm of its own. There were rows and rows of vibrant colours, and you couldn't tell there were weeds from a distance. I walked behind Tadase-kun, dazed by the exquisite beauty of the garden.
"We're here, Amu-chan."
I gasped. It was our old guardian meeting place, were we had tea parties and discussed almost everything together. But that wasn't what had shocked me the most.
"K-Kukai?! Rima? Nagihiko?" i gaped at them all. Before me stood all my old friends, and it suddenly felt as if they had never left. Kukai's brown hair was a tad longer, although he looked the same as before – just slightly taller and muscular. Rima, too looked the same, but had grown since I'd last seen her. Nagihiko had cut his hair, and he gave me a huge smile when I greeted them.
"Yo, King, you kept us waiting. Slow this morning, eh?" Kukai grinned boyishly. He still hadn't changed a bit.
"Ahh! Amu-chi! There you are! How come you didn't greet us, too?" A loud voice caught my attention and I spun around.
"Yaya? Kairi?!"
"Hello, Amu," the boy greeted, nodding. The brown haired girl simply beamed.
"Told you she'd remember us," she yelled, throwing her arms around me. "How ya been, Amu?"
I laughed.
"Great, and you?"
"Alright, I suppose. Have you heard? We're getting married!" Kairi blushed as Yaya showed me her finger and the large sparkly ring that adorned it.
"Really? Congratulations -" I turned to Kairi and gave him a wink, "You snagged yourself a fine one, eh?" His already pink blush turned a dark red.
"So, Amu, how's it been. You and the King taken it a step up yet?" Kukai pushed a fuming Yaya out of the way and wrapped one arm around my neck.
"Um – pardon?" I looked at him in horror. What was he suggesting?!
"You know, when there's a bed and -" The boy was interrupted by a stern voice.
"Kukai, that's quite enough."
Man, I so loved Rima right now.
"Oh hey, Rima." I mouthed a quick word of thanks to her. She just rolled her eyes and patted the seat next to her.
"Sit."
Taking the offered seat I sat down and looked at her. She was a stunner. I could see why Nagihiko had fallen head over heels for her. I could hear the others yelling and screaming like kids again in the background. Rima looked at me warily.
"So you and Tadase.. still dating, huh?" She raised an eyebrow. I sighed and nodded. Pursing her lips she gave me a pat on the back.
"I'm sure he'll ask soon, he really likes you, you know." I shrugged.
"It's been eight years Rima – eight years. If he wanted to ask, he would've done it years ago," I grumbled, leaning back on my chair.
"Tadase will be Tadase. We all know he's not the assertive type. Just give him a chance, would ya?"
Shrugging I closed my eyes and smiled. My friends.. they were really here. I was so happy, yet I felt as if something was missing. Suddenly a hand rested on my shoulder, jolting me from my partial daydream. Curiously I looked up, only to find Kukai's smiling face beaming down on me.
"Hey, Amu, I was wondering," he said, holding out a pen and paper, "what's your number?"
"Huh? My number.. eh I'll write it down for you.." I eyed him suspiciously before taking the pen and scribbling down my number and address down on the paper. As soon as I finished writing he snatched the paper and pen from my hands and shoved them in his pocket.
"Thanks," he grinned, winking at me before joining the others once again. Curious – very curious.
"Well, let's get this party started!" He called, waving at me and Rima to come join them at the table. Sighing we stood up. Better not waste good food.
...
"Ahh, that was great! We should do this every weekend!"
Kukai patted his bloated stomach and leaned back lazily on his chair. Kairi wiped his mouth daintily as Rima elegantly placed down her cutlery. I looked at her plate in awe. It was as if it hadn't even been used. I glanced at Yaya and Tadase. She was literally licking her plate clean – ten years obviously didn't change her maturity level one bit – and the man was shifting uncomfortably in his chair. Nagihiko had his eyes closed and appeared to be asleep.
"Crap – look at the time. I'd better be off. Promised my girlfriend I'd be at the square by eight."
I turned my head towards a standing Kukai.
"Heh? Kukai has a girlfriend?" I looked at him in amazement. For some odd reason I'd never pictured Kukai with any lady before.
"Sure, why not. Hottest chick on the planet, if you ask me," he grinned, stretching. "And in bed –"
"ENOUGH WITH THE BEDS!" Rima roared, sending him a deathly glare. We all looked at her in shock. Nagihiko opened one eye.
"Ooh, touchy with that subject, eh? Maybe Rima's not getting–"
"Kukai, we don't need to know about you sex life," Nagihiko yawned, reaching an arm around a blushing Rima. "And if you must know, we have a very nice one of our own."
Kukai grinned.
"Sure, whatever you say, my Queen," he added, poking out his tongue as he turned away, "I'll be off then. Keep in touch you guys." He waved before vanishing around the corner.
"Well, we'd better be off, too. It's getting late," Nagihiko announced, Rima nodding in agreement as the two stood up.
"Us too, we've got a flight to catch tomorrow morning," Yaya said, suddenly deadly serious. The couple stood up next to Rima.
"Huh? A flight? You guys are leaving?" My mouth opened in horror. Yaya shrugged.
"Kairi got a scholarship to America, and I'm going along with him. We've already gotten ourselves a place there."
"Wow, congrats, Kairi!" Nagihiko beamed at the younger man who blushed slightly.
"Oh my gosh.. so we won't see each other anymore, huh?" My voice cracked at the thought. I suddenly became aware of the tears dripping down my face.
"Oh Amu, please don't cry," Yaya begged, touching my arm, "we'll still keep in contact, right? We'll come back every summer, I promise."
I nodded and hugged her.
"You two keep happy, okay? Stay healthy," I whispered, giving a sad smile. It was a weird thing to say, but that's the only thing that seemed suitable for this moment.
After saying our final farewells to our friends, it was just me and Tadase left to clean up. As I was putting the last dish away I turned to my boyfriend and smiled.
"Thanks for arranging this, Tadase-kun."
"That's okay, it wasn't really my idea, anyhow. Yaya called up, she's the one who suggested we all reunited before she and Kairi left for America," he smiled. Yaya planned the whole thing?
"Well, thank you anyhow," I was about to look down again when something warm pressed against my hand. I looked across the table to see Tadase's hand on mine. I flushed a brilliant red.
"Amu.. Amu-chan, I know this isn't the right place.. but I feel it's the only time.." He said quite suddenly, blushing. I could only stare.
"When I walk down the street, I see happy couples, with kids, loving each other.." he paused nervously before continuing, "I.. I know we've been dating for a long time, and I've never thought about it before. Rima and Nagihiko, they're so happy together.. they're living their lives together, Amu-chan. I'm happy for them, but.. what I really want.. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Amu-chan."
He took a sharp breath, and turned his ruby red eyes to my golden ones. My mind whirled.
"Amu-chan, what I'm trying to say is.." he dropped down onto one leg. My heart stopped.
"Will you.. will you marry me?"
Suddenly my mind was filled with unspoken voices.
Don't say yes.
No, you're not ready for this, Amu.
Are you sure you love him like you say you do?
Amu, what about Ikuto? Have you forgotten him?
I couldn't believe this. My wish, my one and only true wish had come true. And yet part of me was saying no, even bringing Ikuto into my thoughts. Ikuto - I hadn't seen him for ten years. Sure, I might have felt something for him before, but that was years ago. He was gone now, living his own life. And I wanted to live mine. Why should I let him stop me? Something in my heart told me 'yes, let him stop you'. I was more confused than ever. So I said the only thing I could say.
"Yes," I whispered, my mouth moving on its own.
"Yes, I will marry you."
Muhaha I was fully listening to 'Jai Ho' from Slumdog Millionaire the whole time. Such a good song xD (Not to mention Paper Planes =P)
Anyhow, sorry for the Tadamu – I know some of you guys dislike him as much as I do (hate is a strong way to put it) but you could call it realistic. I mean, Amu likes Tadase, and Tadase likes Amu. And with Ikuto out of the picture, Amu would definitely turn to Tadase.
So, please review ~ makes me feel as if my work is appreciated.
(Thanks to strawhat-alchemist for pointing out that 'Kukai has a boyfriend' - woops xD)