Disclaimer: I don't own Shugo Chara.

7:00 A.M.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

I slam my hand down on my alarm clock and fumble for the off button. But as soon as I find it and roll over to get a few more minutes of sleep, it starts up again with the second alarm that I set; this time with the radio on full blast.

7:04 A.M.

"AND THE WEATHER TODAY WILL BE SUNNY-" I startle awake even though this has been my wake up call almost everyday for more than two years. I press the off button again, this time with more vengeance, as if it will prevent it from ringing tomorrow. Even though I know from experience that it won't.

After hunching over for a few minutes in my bed and blinking the sleep from my eyes, I stumble out of bed and into my bathroom. The light from the multiple halogen lamps blinds me and I vow for the thousandth time to change them. But I know I won't because they're a huge part of my awakening process.

I lean against my sink as I squeeze a messy glob of toothpaste onto my toothbrush and count to 300 while I brush.

I spit out the minty tasting foam, rinse, spit again, wash.

7:20 A.M.

I slink to my kitchen, break four eggs in a bowl and whisk while my pan heats up. I pour the goopy mixture in and throw in salt, cheese and sausage. I flip my omelet.

It hardens and I dump it onto a plate. The ketchup is cold and stubborn, determined to stay in the bottom of the bottle when I pull it out from my fridge and draw a messy picture of a sun wearing red, ketchup colored sunglasses with it on my eggs.

7:30 A.M.

I eat my eggs slowly as I read the morning paper. I imagine Ikuto sitting in the seat across from me at the kitchen table, complaining that his poached eggs were too salty and that I was hogging the paper. His blue hair is even messier than usual with bed head and his lids are only half open. I smile to myself as I bring my now empty plate to the sink and rinse.

7:45 A.M.

Then comes the only part of my morning that I pay considerable attention to. I open the door to my closet and pull out a white blouse. I hold it up to myself and consider my reflection in my full length mirror. I rearrange my closet looking for my blue pencil skirt.

I consider my reflection again, I switch my blouse for a white, ruffled shirt.

The skirt is then tossed in favor of a black one.

Then I disregard both and go for a purple dress with a wide belt.

Last, I compare shoes.

8:10 A.M.

I leave my small apartment a little behind schedule and drive to Ikuto's favorite coffee shop 20 minutes away. I order his coffee and mine.

"A regular coffee with lots of room and a small caramel cappuccino."

The shop is busy and service is annoyingly slow. I shoot the teenage boy behind the counter who finally hands me my coffee a venomous look of accusation, as if the slow service is his fault. He shrugs at me.

I go to the long table at the side and fill Ikuto's cup to the top with cream and add two packets of sugar. I rush back to my car.

8:40 A.M.

I drive as quickly as traffic will allow to the tall glass building that is Easter.

9:00 A.M.

The elevator is relatively fast since everyone else is already here. As the mockingly cheerful elevator music plays to my frantic mood, I thank my lucky stars that Ikuto, despite what I believe is his best efforts, is a late- riser and normally gets here after everyone else.

I scurry past desks and cubicles to the back where Ikuto's office is.

Rima's eyes meet mine from the copy machine as I rush by and her cold eyes turn condoling. I gulp, wondering what she is pitying me about.

The source of her empathy is revealed when I screech to a halt outside Ikuto's glass walled office. He is already inside, intently tapping out a document on his computer.

My heart beats faster as I pull his door open and step inside.

I cough when he doesn't look up, "Um, good morning, Mr. Tsukiyomi. I'm sorry I'm late. It'll never happen again." My annoyance grows at my flat voice, if only it could be more emotional and inspire more pity from him.

Ikuto looks up up from his computer screen and blinks at me, "You're late."

Yeah, that's what I just said. "Um, yes, Mr. Tsukiyomi. Traffic was slow, it won't happen again."

"It's fine. Coffee?"

"Oh, yes, of course." I rush over to his desk and hand him a coffee.

I realize too late that the coffee is mine.

I hold out my hand to stop him as he takes a sip. He smacks his lips quietly, stares at the coffee, and looks up at me blankly. "This tastes different." Oh, Ikuto...

"Well, I... I thought you might want to try something new. You know, because you always drink the same coffee everyday and I thought you might like some change. A-And I like this kind of coffee and I thought you might like it too, you know, this coffee..."

"Hmm." He takes another small sip, "It's alright. But I think I'll stick to my old coffee."

"Yeah, sure." He actually bought it.

I slip back to my desk and collapse in my chair. No matter how much I hear it from people, I just can't imagine Ikuto to be the economical and business genius he is. Rima saunters over, smirking, "Did you get in trouble?"

I snort, "You know how absentminded Ikuto is in the morning."

Rima, being a foot shorter than the average person, hopped up to sit on the edge of my desk, "Why don't you ever call him Ikuto to his face? It's always 'Mr. Tsukiyomi, Mr. Tsukiyomi'."

"You don't call him Ikuto to his face."

"I don't call him Ikuto behind his back either. I also don't talk about him fondly like he's my scatter- brained boyfriend-" I jump up, slapping a hand across Rima's mouth, "Shh! He'll hear you!"

"Hmmmm."

I remove my hand, "What?"

"Idiot." Rima repeats, glaring at me. "You should just ask him out. This isn't the 17th century anymore you know, girls can do that now."

I roll my eyes, "I can't ask him out. He's my boss and he barely knows I exist."

"Does he think a ghoul is taking his calls and organizing his paperwork? Of course he knows you exist."

"You know what I mean."

"Whatever, all I'm saying is, you should at least attempt to start a relationship with him."

"I'm trying."

"You are not. At the rate you're going, you might as well give in to Tadase and date him." As if on cue, Tadase walks across the office at that moment and waves at us.

I wave back and think about what it would be like to date the pretty, blonde model of sweetness. I shiver.

For the rest of the day, I think about Rima's advice, and finally, around noon, I deem it absolute bullshit. Guys like Ikuto don't like girls like me. At least not on the level that I like him. A relationship wouldn't work.

Noon is also more or less the time of day when Ikuto wakes up. So around 12:11, he strolls out of his office, stretching. His tie is now loosened, the top button of his shirt is undone, and his sleeves are rolled up. This relaxed persona gives him more of an "Ikuto" vibe and I simultaneously relax and tense at the same time.

"You know, Amu," he saunters over to the side of the desk where I am sitting and leans against the edge, "this coffee actually isn't half bad." He takes a mouthful from the cup in his hand. "What is that? Caramel?"

"Um, yeah."

"Interesting." He muses thoughtfully, and glances down at my desk, to where the other cup of coffee I had bought this morning sat. We both stare at it for a second.

"Is that...?" He picks up the cardboard carton and sniffs it. "Isn't this my normal coffee?"

"I- I don't..." Ikuto is perceptively more insightful when he is awake. "Yeah, it is."

Ikuto studies the cup, turning it in his long fingers then turns an amused smirk at me, "Neither of us were very alert this morning, were we?"

"Err, yes. Sorry." But you're not very alert every morning.

"Why are you apologizing?"

"I... I don't know."

Ikuto chuckles and puts the coffee down, "Keep up the good work. Maybe I'll try your coffee again sometime."

I glow from the praise until he adds over his shoulder, "And add an appointment to my calender. Tomorrow, the XS nightclub. 8:00."

"P.M?" I whisper, already conscious of the obvious answer.

"You know it." He grins and winks at me.

I swallow.

P.S. XS is actually a real nightclub in Las Vegas. I'm not sure where this story is set but I do know it's definitely not in Vegas. But the XS is a beautiful club and suitable for the progression of this story. :)