"Amu-chan…Amu-chan? Amu-chan!"
I was pulled out of my shock by someone calling my name. When I looked over, I saw that it was Nagihiko, with Rima attached to his arm.
"I found him," she stated.
"Oh…yeah…uh, thanks Rima…" I said, still trying to get a grip on what had just happened.
"So I'll leave you two to talk then. I should go make sure Yaya doesn't eat that cake after all."
As she walked away, I suddenly felt a little shy. I knew that I shouldn't, this was Nadeshiko my best friend and Nagihiko a guy who I had been guardians with for a while now, but knowing that didn't help. I cleared my throat awkwardly, trying to figure out what to say in a situation like this. Now that I was actually here I was having trouble remembering what it was that I had wanted to say to him.
"Amu-chan, I would understand if you were angry with me…I know I should have told you sooner, but I kept it from you because I didn't want to risk hurting you…but Rima-chan finally convinced me to tell you—" he started, but I interrupted him.
"Wait, Rima knew about this?! How? Did everyone know except me!?"
"No, it's not like that Amu-chan…Tadase knew from the beginning…and Tsukasa-san let Kukai in on the secret when I came back to the academy to help me transition to being the Jack's Chair…and then Rima-chan figured out on her own the night we went to save Ikuto from Easter. Other than that, no one else knew. So Amu-chan…will you forgive me for keeping this from you?"
"O-of course, Nagihiko! I'm just…glad that you did tell me…and I'm happy that "Nadeshiko" is back…so then…Temari…"
"I'm here! I re-hatched the day Rima-chan found out about Nagihiko!" Said a small voice from behind Nagihiko.
"Temari! Welcome back!" I said, smiling.
"I'm glad we can still be friends, Amu-chan. Maybe we will even be in the same class in sixth grade next year!" Nagihiko said hopefully.
"That would…that would be wonderful!" I said back smiling.
"Hinamori-san, thank you for coming!" I heard from behind me. Looking around I saw Sanjou-san, looking radiant in her beautiful white dress and Nikaidou-sensei looking put together and handsome in his formal suit.
"Yes! Thank you for inviting me, it was a beautiful wedding!" I said back to the beaming bride and groom.
"I assume you are joining us at the reception as well?" Nikaidou-sensei queried.
"Yes, I will! Thank you!" I answered, waving as they smiled and went on their way greeting the hordes of people who had shown up at their wedding. I noticed it was a lot of students.
"So Nikaidou-sensei really is a good teacher after all…" I mumbled to myself again, looking around for Nagihiko, who had disappeared after I talked to the bride and groom, but not able to find him.
"Spacing out again? It's like I can't even leave you alone," said a voice from behind me. Whipping around I was face to face with Ikuto, smirking at me again. What a pain he could be.
"Ikuto!...I…!" I stopped mid-sentence, remembering the man I had seen earlier. He sensed my mood change.
"What is it Amu? Something's bothering you," he said, leaning in close to me.
"I just…nothing…I was wondering…what does your father…look like, Ikuto?" I asked him hesitantly, trying to gauge his reaction. He looked a little surprised, but answered nonetheless.
"A lot like me, actually. Just older. Why? Are you that interested in me?" he said, back to teasing me.
"N-no, I just was wondering since we were talking about him and all," I stated, trying to retrace my steps.
"I see. Well then, I guess you aren't interested in what I was going to give you."
"Give me? What are you talking about?"
"Well, since you were the one who caught them…" he said, pulling out the bride's bouquet from behind him.
"Ikuto…I…thank you," I said, blushing furiously. "How did you…?"
"Well when you fell I caught you and your shugo chara caught the bouquet…and then they ran off and so did you, so I was stuck with these."
"I see…," I said, bringing them to my nose to smell them. "They smell grea—HEY!" What are you doing?!" I yelled as he hugged me from the side and buried his nose in my hair yet again. He really couldn't stop doing that.
"Why are you always smelling me!" I yelled, trying to push him off of me, but he was too heavy.
"Mmmmmm. You smell nice."
"Well...!" I started to say a rebuttal, but then suddenly he wasn't hugging me anymore but standing in front of me, hands in his pockets.
"So princess…will you dance with me?"
"D-d-da-dance!?" I exclaimed, trying to get ahold of my runaway heartbeat.
"Of course, that's what people do at weddings. They eat, they drink, they socialize, and they dance. So how about it?"
Instead of waiting for an answer, he pulled me out into the middle of the floor, causing me to have to practically throw the bouquet down on a nearby table, and started twirling me around. I realized that there had been music playing this whole time though I hadn't heard it. There were a lot of other people dancing near us as well.
I watched our feet for a while, trying to understand the steps. After a couple minutes, I looked up to find him staring at me.
"Wh-what?" I stuttered, taken aback by the small smile that played on his lips.
"Oh nothing. You just make me laugh."
"Laugh?!" And here I had thought he was actually being sweet…
"Of course. Because it's so typical of you. Not realizing how beautiful you are, I mean."
"I…wai…wh-what are you saying!"
Instead of answering he laughed again and drew me in closer so that my head was leaning against his chest. I felt his lips on the top of my head, and my cheeks heated up all over again. But despite my protests, it was…nice. He was warm, and somehow having him near made me feel safe.
It was a strange concept to me, since only a little over a year ago he had been the person I felt the most unsafe around. How had so much changed in that time? How had he worked his way into my heart like this?
I didn't know if that was a question that would ever be answered. But for now, I was content just to let down my guard and allow him to keep spinning me around and around.
