Title: Matchmaking Process
Rating: T
Pairing: IkutoxAmu, NagihikoxRima (side pairing), KukaixUtau (side pairing; later)
Summary: Tsukiyomi Ikuto and Hinamori Amu have hated each other ever since they first laid eyes on one another. Unfortunately, things go haywire when their parents meet. Matchmaking parents are the worse, no? Or do they see beyond the appearances and hatred? Amuto

Author Notes: Well, we don't really know much about Ikuto's mother, but I'm almost completely sure she wouldn't act like this XD. I don't consider the characters OC but the story AU, so I had to adjust the characters to the story. Other Shugo Chara characters show up throughout the story.
Warnings: Rated T for language and, possible situations. Mostly for language, because eraged people speak very harshly and I feel like making a story with swearing words.
Disclaimer: Don't own SC nor it's sexy characters.

Step 4: Attend a (forced) date

-- (Location: Mashiro's house)

(Rima's POV)

I could pretty much spend the entire day in a romantic whirlwind with Nagihiko, but thinking about what Amu might be suffering right now at the hands of Ikuto, isn't one bit comforting. I have to know what they're doing! I try her cell phone...and it's turned off. I try his...and it's on silence. Seriously, why do these two even need cell phones if a person can't even get in contact with either one of them!?

"Sigh, if you can't rest a breath or two, we can always go spy on them."

"Are you really suggesting what I think you are suggesting, Nagihiko?"

"Maybe. I don't think I can stand another minute of you glaring at every little thing that moves and breathes, thinking that it has some kind of connection with Ikuto!"

"No, I'm not!"

"Whatever you say, honey. We'll talk later when the birds outside start hitting on your bedroom window like some kind of woodpeckers."

"All right, already. We'll go. You call Yaya to know where they went and I'll change clothes." Think you can tease me, love? We'll see about that...

As I enter my closet (more like room; I'm rich, remember?) to pick on a nice change of clothes, I hear light conversation coming from my room, no doubt Nagihiko talking to Yaya.

"Hey, Yaya-chan. It's Nagihiko." Pause. "No, I'm at Rima's house, in her room. She's changing right now."

Yaya might have made some comment about his presence in my room, because he instantly coughs. I bet he's blushing pretty deep, too. I can make it go into higher levels. Wanna bet?

"No, we are not doing anything like that... Hey, you're the one who mentioned it!... Oh sure, I've just scared you for life..."

This one. Don't you think this set is sexy? It's his favourite...I think. Or is it that one? Well, maybe he can tell me.

"Y-yaya-chan! Just...just tell me where Amu-chan and Ikuto went. Yaya-chan, stop rambling and answer me!...the zoo, huh? Yeah, tha..."

See, what did I tell you? If he opens his mouth any more I might actually ruin the mood by making fun of him. "Yaya-chan, I'll call you later. I might be busy for a while."

And then he turns off the call and the cell phone. I could have swore I heard a distant 'eww' from the other side of the phone, right before Nagihiko hung up.

"Rima...what the hell are you trying to do to me?"

Those words always make me smirk. Oh dear sweet innocent Nagihiko. Isn't it obvious? "Can't you tell?"

I lock my bedroom door and he approaches me. Nagihiko was right. I'm sure that Amu can handle herself. For one hour at least...actually, make it two instead.

(Amu's POV)

Oh my freakin' LORD! Someone...anyone help me! Oh...you want some visual image? Okay...

"Help! Somebody take me the hell out of this sicko's car!"

"Would you just shut up! For your information, I'm an excellent driver." Yeah, right. And I have bat wings and a trident to shove up your ass!

"If you're an 'excellent driver', then you must have learned how to drive slower!"

That bastard, instead of looking at the way he is recklessly driving to, stares at me smirking. "...maybe." Shortly after his reply, he turned the radio's volume all the way up, till it reached an almost unbearable sound. Urgh...wasn't he supposed to like classical music (just like me), instead of rock?

"How much did you bribe your instructor into giving you your driver's license?"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Great...now I have to repeat, because the death's apprentice can't hear me!

"I said, 'HOW MUCH DID YOU BRIBE YOUR INSTRUCTOR INTO GIVING YOU YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE?'"

"WHAT?"

"Argh...never mind."

After this long and slightly silent moment (the radio, though not as high as before, could still be heard in the background), a poor soul, that actually knows how to drive at a normal speed, came near us (or did we came near him?).

"Move over, you drive like my grandmother!" Should I focus on my safety or in my dignity? Can't do both, my safety belt doesn't allow me to sink any lower in my seat.

"I-Ikuto!"

"Tsk, people nowadays think they own the road..." This is going to be a long day...

After a drive from hell that strangely sounded like my sister playing 'The Simpsons Road Rage', we finally arrived at the entrance. Since it's September, there are no major waiting lines. I'm really excited, to tell you the truth. I always did love the zoo. And coming back here, even if it's with Ikuto...I still get thrilled with the place.

"So...we're finally here. Any preferences?" 'Preferences'? Oh, yeah! I grab Ikuto's hand and off we go.

You don't want to get bored with the entire cycle of 'we walk, walk, walk, see animals and walk, walk, walk again', do you? Then I'll show you the highlights of the day. The farm being our first stop.

Pigs! They look to be having so much fun...and dirt. I don't despise them, but they sure need to take a bath.

"What do we see here...pigs. They surely seem pretty happy, stretching on the mud like that." He likes them? Pfft, sure suits him.

"So? They are pigs, it's what they do!"

He smirks. That smirk. The smirk that might cause him to have something sharp in his throat someday. "I was thinking how you should be in there with them."

We've only just started, and he is already making me fume. "Lets see if you're not the one who gets thrown in there with them, instead."

He just choose to ignore me. "Oh look, pony rides. Get in the line Amu. Little kids can ride them!"

He's sooo funny. I would like to give him a piece of... urgh, I'll just content myself with mumbling. "Keep this up, and you'll be the one I'll be riding..."

"Huh, did you say something?"

"Nothing. Let us continue."

I better drag him out of the farm. Apparently it's a very dangerous place for me. I wouldn't be surprised if he actually practiced what he was going to say to me the entire day. That's what happens when I let him decide on the date's destination. Next time, it will be me! Yeah, you heard me! There will be a next date, and I will show him a thing or two... What? NO! I didn't mean it like that, you pervert! Argh, I'm surrounded by people that think with their pants instead of their brains. Bunch of birdbrains...

Speaking of birdbrains... "Ikuto, look! Those little birds are pretty. And that red one is so cute."

"Cute, yeah. They look even better cooked on a barbecue."

"Ikuto! They might hear you!"

"Sure thing, Amu. The birds might understand me and get very angry."

Asshole...can't he see the beauty in wild birds? "You're an animal's enemy!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say."

I walk aimlessly throughout the place. Don't really have any animal in special that I want to see, and this date isn't as exciting as I thought it could turn out to be. Ikuto seems to be in such a heavy mood, and not talkative at all. Is he always like this?

"Are you always this quiet when you're not teasing or yelling at me?"

"Not really. I'm just doing something I was forced into, so being happy is not on my priorities. Aren't you angry with your parents, too?"

Oh great...he's an emo kind of person! "I am a little, but at the same time I think that this is a great opportunity to get out of the house. If I stayed in the same room as my mother for more than a hour, I would probably do something I would regret."

"Eh, such brave words coming from such a small kid!" Oh, so this is how your mood works? Well, it doesn't matter. I'm a very good player at this game.

"Well, if you turn out to be this lame, then it won't be funny when I embarrass you!"

"Do you seriously think you can do it? I've already did it to you in the farm. Twice!"

"It's a deal, bastard!" Animals. Have to look for animal behaviors and think of something to say to the asshole!

When we reached the next section of animals I had to literally stop. What the...?

"Those Galápagos tortoises..."

"Huh? What about them?"

"Are they...are they doing what I think they're doing?"

Both of us kept staring at the not-so-private activities of said turtles. Shameless little creatures...

"It's a natural process. Don't tell me that sex bothers you..."

"We definitely are NOT having this conversation!"

"Oh, are you...embarrassed?" Embarrassed? Of course I'm embarrassed. This is not something you do in front of everyone, even if you are an irrational animal.

"IKUTO!"

"Ok, ok chill out. Let the turtles have their fun."

Suddenly, a loud moan like sound came from the male turtle. Sheesh, talk about being in bliss (blissful ignorance, too).

"It says here that all of these heavy guys in captivity are older than 70 years. Lucky guy! I want to have this much stamina when I reach him age."

"Wha...eww! Ikuto, leave the poor animals alone doing what they feel like doing." No matter how much embarrassing it might be.

"Are you certain that you want other people to watch this instead of us? It would be such a waste!"

I'm so glad the turtles can't understand Ikuto at all. I pulled his arm and, as an effect, him away from the scene. "Urgh, let's just go, Ikuto!"

Another stop. These guys sure have a lot of space. The giraffes' area is bigger than my house. Even thought I don't mind, giraffes are cute. Lets see what this one will do if I give him a leaf...he ate it. I think I even felt his tongue touch my hand.

"You look like one..."

Huh, very suspicious... "Like one what?"

"A flamingo. Look over there, at those poor guys, no longer the only ones on earth with natural pink on them."

"Hey, it's not my fault I have pink hair."

"Oh really? Are you trying to tell me that's your natural hair? I know how find out if you're being honest or not, you know!"

Oh no. Don't even...too late. Come on out, you damn blush. "You pervert! This is my natural colour. Honestly!"

"Maybe you here a flamingo in your previous life."

Argh, this conversation is starting to get pretty annoying and stupid! Or maybe it's my bad loser side surfacing for everyone to see. Yeah, I know...I have too many sides. Ha-ah! I know the perfect place! And once again I guide Ikuto, this time all the way to the top.

Gorillas...oh, this is going to be so much fun... "Oh look at you..." And I point at the nearest gorilla.

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"Exactly what I had implied. Maybe I should warn the zoo keeper about my suspicious of your possible escape from there."

Ah, now he's angry. "Oh, shut up flamingo-girl!"

"Oh come on, Ikuto. Can't you even see that other lonely gorilla staring longingly at you? She surely must miss you like hell!"

"...that's a male gorilla!"

"So? You don't need to be embarrassed in front of me, Ikuto-chan!" Ha, this is the best date ever. I'll make you red as a tomato, Ikuto. Mark.my.words!

"Lets just take a break, ok?" And don't forget to take that cute blush with you, honey-bunny.

Snack time. How's the score, anyway? Ikuto - 4, me - 1? Not very good marks, if you ask me. But, he's enjoying the date. And if he enjoys it, I enjoy it.

"I'm going to buy ice cream. Do you want one, too?"

"Chocolate ice cream!" I just love chocolate. Whenever I want to go out, and don't feel like going shopping for clothes, I always invite Yaya, and the both of us go out together and practically buy the entire chocolate store. It's great to have a friend that enjoys chocolate as much as me.

"Chocolate!?" He blinks but goes to buy it anyway. Did I drool again? I don't see any pool, so I didn't. Then what the heck was that stare for?

The date isn't going as bad as I thought it would. We are both alive, right? That has to mean something. And the fact that neither of us tricked the other into going inside the lion's cage, is an even more positive sign.

"Hey there, little one. Would you like some escort?" A middle age man asking me about escort in a zoo? Well, I don't need, but I'm about to escort my foot up his ass!

"Excuse me, but what are you doing with my date?"

Ikuto's sneaky. I didn't even see him show up. And he stole all the fun. Lets see if he can do better.

"Chill out, man. I was just asking if she wanted company!" This guy is also stupid. I was just sitting on a bench, waiting impatiently for Ikuto to bring me my chocolate, with probably an idiotic grin on my face, yet the guy thought of that as an invitation to bother me.

"Well, she doesn't. Haven't you got better things to do other than molesting little girls?"

Probably molesting little boys..."WHAT DID YOU SAY!?" Crap, did I say that out loud?

Ikuto grabbed my arm, and the next thing I was aware of was, being pulled by him in order to escape the raged guy. Sheesh, I definitely know how to make people mad...

We ended up on the esplanade, near the bar, where there weren't that many people in the area. Just lovey-dovey couples...gross! "Here's your ice cream, you masochist!"

"Oh...thank you, my hero!"

CHOCOLATE!! We meet again! And the most surprising of all, Ikuto also has another chocolate flavoured ice cream in his hand. Similar tastes, huh? Well, never mind. I'll just eat my ice cream as I see fit.

A nice silence was established as soon as we began eating out ice creams. Out of the corner of my eye, I can tell that Ikuto constantly blushes. Why does he...

"Amu?"

"Huh, yeah?"

"Could you please...stop licking your ice cream like that?"

Like what? Oh...OH! I see. This is priceless! Let's see if I can make him do something very amusing... "Like what, Ikuto? I'm just licking my ice cream. And you are licking yours."

"B-but not the same way!"

"Then please do tell, how much difference there is from your and my way of licking?"

Ah... he has finally reached the limit. My comment throws him into a coughing fit and a hideously cute blush establishes itself in his face. What they say is right. Revenge is a dish served cold. Sigh, might as well contain my laughing urges and help him get his breath back in place...

-- (At the same time; location: behind some bushes on the esplanade near bar region) --

(Rima's POV)

"Think the date is going okay?" We're back to our original plans! After some hard time in finding a free chauffeur (we have five, yet, most of them were all busy?), we spent another hard time in actually finding the missing couple.

I stare at said couple while holding binoculars. I definitely can't let them be aware of my presence. "Well, apparently he's having trouble breathing!"

"Amu-chan surely said something. Most definitely to embarrass him."

"Probably." I have the feeling that she's containing her laughter too, and the urge to hit his back harder.

"This is boring! Can't we go see the animals?"

"We are watching animals!"

"I meant the irrational ones. The ones I actually paid to see."

"I'll pay you back."

"That's not quite what I meant..."

Nagihiko stopped talking altogether and I didn't try to start a new topic. No matter what, my eyes won't leave the table. As Amu asks for, what I suppose is a glass of water, I see Ikuto ravish the waitress with his eyes, up and down continuously.

"Huh...oh, that bastard! He's flirting with the waitress! WOMAN'S ENEMY!!" And now we need to find a new location. If everyone else keeps staring at us, Amu and Ikuto will know for sure that they are being watched.

"Shh, calm down, they'll hear you!"

"I don't care! Are you really up to conforming yourself with just watching and just let that bastard ruin her life?"

"You know very well I don't like him either. But...we have to trust Amu-chan in this matter."

"But..."

"We have to trust her!"

Maybe I'm really not being fair with either Amu, Ikuto, Nagihiko or even myself. Should I give those two a chance? Sigh, I hope I don't regret my choice later.

"I guess...I guess you're right."

"Rima..."

"We can go to that date you were so eager to go, now."

"Really? Wow, I really struck gold with you, today." He may look innocent, but my boyfriend sure knows how to make me blush at the right times. I think I might have rubbed in him some permanent pervert thoughts...

(Amu's POV)

That asshole! We are in a date and he flirts with the waitress in front of me? Didn't his parents taught him what he should and should not do, in front of a girl? Well, it doesn't matter anymore. We've resumed our little stroll, and reached a zone that might be just the incentive that Ikuto was needing to like the zoo.

I have to admit that while Ikuto was looking around in the big cats' section, I stared back at him. For such a bastard, he sure has the cutest face when he's happy...truly happy. Huh, what? Yeah, I really said he's cute. I might hate him, but I do think he is attractive. I haven't gone blind yet, you know!

"You really do like cats, no?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. When I was little I used to have one. I named him Yoru."

"What happen to him?"

"He died."

Damn...he say that with such a straight face, it almost scares the hell out of me.

"S-sure..."

And so he went back into staring at the tigers. I'm bored and want to do something else, something fun. What time is it, anyway? Ah, time for the dolphins. I want to see the dolphins!

"Hey, lets go to the dolphin's bay. The show's about to start!"

And even thought I just finished saying this, grabbing his hand seems to be the most intelligence idea I had so far to make us actually arrive in time for the show.

"Heh. You actually are liking this date, no?"

"...Maybe." I smile kindly at him (because I so can do it in front him), and stare absently at our linked hands. His hand looks big and strong comparing to my skinny and pale one. Kind of warm, too. Well, they aren't bothering anyone, so I think it's safe to leave them there as they are...

As soon as the show ends, and we approach the exit, to leave the zoo, I can't help but feel quite joyful. "Did you see those guys jumping so high!? I wish I could swim with the dolphins, too!"

"Pfft, well, I think you liked more when that sea lion kissed your cheek."

"I did liked it, too. He had such a cold mouth and smelled like fish." Right after that, I notice that we really seem like a couple. Ikuto notices this too, but just like me, he doesn't stop looking so cheerful and doesn't comment on it.

We stand here smiling at each other, all happy and with a cliché feeling around us. Of course the sleeping part of me that hated him like hell, suddenly woke up as soon as I felt that there was something very wrong in here.

"Ikuto?"

"Yes...Amu?" Warm chills run up and down when he says my name like that. Damn...he's good!

"Are you...by any chance..."

"...yes?"

"...GROPING ME?"

And once again hell broke loose. I call him bastard, pervert, and pedophile, and he calls me bitch, pervert, and walking 'rape me' sign. I seriously don't understand what he meant with that last comment...

-- End chapter 4 --

Another chapter done. Half of the story is done and from here on, there will be more romance, less death threats from our favourite pairing. The attraction is already in there. And attraction is not the same thing as romance. But we are going there (well, they are). I'm also hyper! Yesterday my exams grades came out. I had 15 in math in the exam (in a scale of 0 to 20), so I'm extremely happy. No more school for me. FOR EVER!

I had a bit more difficulty into writing this chapter. I did some research onto my country's zoo (their site), so I don't really know if something might confuse you (animals that might not be in your "local" zoo or even shows). Yup, that's Yoru's name you see in there XD

The fact that I said The Simpsons Road Rage and not another game is because Ami is young...and I like playing the game. And so does my nephew. We compete with one another. It's a bit similar with 'Crazy Taxi' so some might know what the driving might be like. -evil grin-

About the turtles... well, actually that happened to me XD. They were busy and me and my family (mother, 3 older sister (I'm 20 by the way), and my youngest nephew (he's 6 now; when it happen he was 4)) just happened to be passing by with perfect timing. One of my sisters even, shamelessly, photographed the entire err..."act". I didn't do anything...because I no longer had any space left in my camera's memory card (By the way, if you don't know the species, they are big turtles, not small ones.). The zoo is a great place, and I, just like Amu, was kissed by a sea lion. And his mouth did smell like fish, too. I have the photo to prove it...he sure was photogenic XD

I will add Kairi next chapter. Only when I finished writing the café part of chapter 3, did I finally realize I was forgetting someone. I'm such an airhead :P

Well, to let you guys know a little bit more of what is going to happen in the next chapter, I'll give you a little hint: most action happens on a certain day, on the 24th of September. Does that date remind you of anything? (series related)

One last thing. This chapter is dedicated to Emuri-chan back at Guardian's Wish forum for giving me the suggestion of making the date on the zoo and for giving me some ideas about dialogues. This happened before I even had started writing the story, so...thank you, Emuri-chan!