Amu returned to school the next day. Tadase was waiting anxiously for her. Please don't talk to me. You're making things so much more difficult. Amu thought.

"Amu...do you love me?" Tadase asked.

Amu was shocked. She thought she might as well be struck dead by lighting.

"ANSWER ME!" Tadase yelled, aggressively. "I'm so sorry for raising my voice." he apologized.

"Uh..Of course...I..love..you.." Amu sputtered, lying through her teeth.

Tadase didn't believe her. "OK, one more question. Are you a dog person----or a cat person?" Tadase forced himself to say it. He was writhing in pain just thinking it.

Amu was relieved that this was an easier question to answer. "A cat person."

Tadase ran away with tears rolling down his cheeks.

What did I say? Amu thought.

I can't stop thinking about Ikuto now. Why did he have to kiss me? Maybe things would have healed with Tadase over time if Ikuto hadn't kissed me, but now I can only think of Ikuto. I really AM in love...darn him.

Ikuto was outside the classroom again. Amu pulled out a pair of veterinary surgical scissors from her backpack. She snipped them in the air twice. Ikuto read the message loud and clear. "Goodbye, Ikuto." Amu whispered to herself.

Rima sat next to Amu. "What happened with Tadase? It's not like him to cry. He's usually so happy. It must have taken a big jerk to make him cry."

Amu laughed once nervously, and blushed. "Yeah...it was me. I don't know what I said, though. He asked me if I loved him and I said yes. Then, he asked me if I was a dog or a cat person."

Rima looked at Amu and turned away. Pondering something. "Tsukiyomi Ikuto comes to mind."

Amu gasped in horror and anger. She understood. Ikuto was going to pay dearly the next time she saw him.

Tadase didn't return for the rest of the day.

At the Guardian meeting, they were visited by Kukai.

Amu was the first to greet him.

"Hinamori!" Kukai said in delight, giving her a hug.

Yaya pouted, crossing her arms. "You didn't give ME a hug yet."

Kukai turned to Yaya. "Of course, how could I forget you, Yaya?"

Kukai lifted Yaya up like a big brother would lift up his little sister, but friendlier.

"Kukai! I missed you!" Yaya wailed.

Kukai laughed. "I missed you, too."

Rima added in. "Hello, Kukai."

Kukai blushed. He was embarassed that he was caught at such an inappropriate moment. "Oh, hi Rima."

Rima giggled slightly under her breath. That is what she intended.

All the guardian charas greeted Daichi.

"Kukai's been training hard. He's captain of the soccer team, and his team is going against a team of monster-sized middleschoolers. "

"I hope he doesn't damage the soccer ball." Ran said.

"Not if I could help it! I might not be able to play, but if it needs fixing... leave it to Su~desu!" Su added.

"Must you always say 'desu' at the end of every sentence?" Miki said, only slightly irritated. She was in the middle of drawing.

"Yes~desu." Su added, smiling.

Kusukusu laughed. She loved that kind of humor.

This is an authors note. Sorry, everybody. I'm still trying to find ways to work Kusukusu and Pepe into the story better. I'm having a little luck with Kiseki but not much. Give me some tips please. You probably won't hear much of the charas for a few chapters, except for Ran, Su, and Miki. OK, back to the story.

The Guardian meeting continued. Nagihiko was there, talking to Kukai. As long as Nagihiko was there, nobody dared to bring up Kukai's second guardian egg.

Meanwhile, Ikuto and Yoru were back at the same meadow they were yesterday.

"Do you think Amu knows what you did-nya?" Yoru asked.

"Tadase is such an idiot that he must have given her some kind of clue that I sabotaged their relationship. I HOPE she doesn't know, though. She'd hate me forever. Especially if she found out what I said about her....I regret that. I had to lie, though." Ikuto replied.

Yoru floated up above Ikuto. "Let's go-nya! We're going to visit our good friend, Lulu de Morcerf.."

"What?! What are you going to do, Yoru?" Ikuto said as he followed after Yoru.

"We're going to get some custom jewelry. Compensation,right-nya?" Yoru replied.

"Oh, I get it." Ikuto smiled.

Ikuto and Yoru arrived at the home of Lulu de Morcerf.

"What do you want?" Lulu asked, smugly.

"You've caused a lot of trouble for a girl I care about and for me. You owe me."

"Fine," Lulu said. "What do you need from me?"

" I need you to make jewelry---regular jewelry. I need you to make a necklace. It will be gold, like her radiance. It will have diamonds, sparkling like her eyes. And many red rubys, to represent how she affects my heart." Ikuto replied.

"Fine. Come here tomorrow. It'll be done by then." Lulu rolled her eyes.

"YOU BETTER GET ON OUT OF HERE!!!!!!!!!!" Nana yelled, appearing out of nowhere.

Yoru shrieked and hid.

Ikuto left Lulu's house. Yoru chasing after him, desperately trying to avoid Nana.

"You must love her-nya......if you're trusting Lulu to make this necklace for her." Yoru said.

"Yes. I think I do." Ikuto said.