Chapter 4.
Where am I again? Oh yeah, in Ikuto's apartment. My eyes were still closed as I knew I was asleep. Or, resting my eyes. Either way, I didn't want to open them. The cool air rushing through my senses in this, cold room, made me feel…good.
The temperature of the room, and the corresponding environment with the rain outside created a nice sensation. It felt sad, but sadness you could feel happy with. Strange isn't it?
Once I started to realize my senses were coming back from my nap, the loud noise of the air conditioner was starting to annoy me. It made a loud noise of air rushing through it; it was pretty cold. Thank god for these blankets.
I pulled the blankets over my head, trying to block it out.
Wait.
Blankets? What the hell? Since when did I fall asleep with blankets? I remember just plainly lying down on the sofa, drowsing away.
I opened my eyes, and I was in a room. Not the living room, a room.
There was a table, with an expensive looking computer on top of it. There were a few books, as musical instruments. Mostly violins, and a few bows. That was really it, beside for a few bookshelves and the lamp. Oh, and the nightstand.
The door was closed.
How did I get in a room? Was I kidnapped? Oh no…if I was, then this would not be good.
I slowly rose, leaning against the wall that was right next to the bed. I rubbed my eyes, and then yawned. What time was it?
I glanced over at the clock. It read 6:25 PM. I looked out the window, and sure enough, it was raining. I could clearly hear the light taps the raindrops would make, something about that annoyed me. But what…
Then it came rushing through my head.
The few events that occurred a few hours ago. As cliché as this sounds, I was having a sort of revelation, some sort of vision.
The way I talked to Ikuto, how he talked to me. The way I bragged about having a date with Tadase, and how it was located there. That sardonic-like voice he spoke back to me with… it felt hurtful. It felt cold, colder than the air in this apartment.
But, since when did I drag myself to a room?
I opened the door, making sure it wouldn't make that creaking noise, but sure enough, it did. And a loud one.
The door opened back to the living room, so sure enough, I was still in his apartment. Thank God.
Then I heard something.
It was a slight groan, or a mumble. It came from the couch, where I slept. I peered over, and sure enough, once again, I saw Ikuto. He had nothing to cover himself with, and he was shaking.
Stupid air conditioner…
He looked cold. Well of course, the freakin' room was filled with the blizzard-like snow-cold from the over-expensive air conditioner.
Oh!
I forgot, he still had to take his medicine. I'm sure if Utau found out he got even sicker than the last time she saw him, she would rip my head off, and feed my body to carnivorous dogs. Oh geez, that wouldn't be so pretty…
"Oi, Ikuto." I hissed, shaking his body violently. I didn't really care if that made him uncomfortable, my head was much more important.
He groaned, and slowly opened his eyelids. His long eyelashes reverberated the contrasting dark room, it sparkled. I couldn't help but admire the beauty, how the extent of his… magnificence shone.
He gave out a yawn, as he sat up. I stood over him, like a UFO about to abduct some cows.
He peeked an eye open, and stared up at me. His facial expression: annoyed. I really didn't understand his attitude now. I mean, I'm here, trying to fix him up and he's trying to… push me away…
"Why are you sleeping out here? It's awfully artic out here…"
He didn't respond, as if completely ignoring me, he continued to rub his eyes. Trying to mentally wake himself from his sleep. What a lazy bastard.
"And if I recall correctly, I was the one sleeping out -."
"You looked uncomfortable." He interjected, immediately, right spot on the nanosecond.
I slightly tilted my head as I tried to grasp the situation, his body language, and his words.
"So," He continued, letting a brief sigh, "I moved you to sleep on my bed."
Wait, what? He's the sick one here…
"Wait, what? Why? You're the sick one for crying out loud, yet here you are sleeping in this blizzard-like snowstorm you call an apartment."
"You looked uncomfortable, once again. I didn't want you to… hurt your back or something." His gaze didn't meet mine; he was blankly staring at the floor. He had his hands together; I could tell it was an action of gathering warmth.
He was cold on the outside, but frozen on the inside. Not even simple heat could melt him…well not any heat.
I made a small groan of annoyance. Man, he really doesn't know how to take care of himself does he? No wonder Utau pleaded me to take care of him. Ugh, what a drag.
"Your date with…"
His eyes looked downcast. Similar to a fallen angel. One exiled from Heaven. A sad sight, isn't it? A divine angel fallen from the sky depths of what you call the perfect world, its wings broken, its heart… shattered. Pretty much the exact definition of sadness. Well, kind of.
"Tadase. You should get going." He said, a tone of glacial icebox.
To be honest, I really didn't feel like going to that date. I would much more, well, spend time taking care of this sick excuse for a musician. He's more like a fat, lazy housecat you can't get rid of but can't get enough of. But, he wasn't fat. His body was…nice.
"I'll be fine by myself. Consider this the last day of your job. You're fired." He continued, trying to stand up. But his efforts were useless.
As he stood up, he almost completely fell. Luckily, the soft cushions helped mitigate his landing. He looked embarrassed. A strong, well-built man like him falling because gravity wouldn't allow him to stand up. Pitiful indeed.
I pushed him down, so he was fully sitting on the couch. I paced to his room, grabbed some blankets, and threw them at him. I'm so evil, throwing things like that to the sick-and-needy.
Wait, never mind. It's Ikuto.
"Just sit there and stay warm. It's time for your medicine anyway."
I walked over to the kitchen counter, and surely enough, there was a small capsule with pills in them. A small note beside it. I picked it up, and of course, it was Utau's handwriting.
Yo Amu,
Make sure to give your boyfriend two of these a day.
Sincerely, Utau.
I crunched up the note, and threw it away in the trashcan with disgust. Boyfriend? What the hell? It's obvious. First Rima. Now Utau. They're all on drugs. Time to call rehab again.
I popped out two pills, they were the white at the top half, and orange at the bottom half. I got a cup of water, and made my way towards the 'sick cat' on the couch, sitting quietly.
I stuck out both hands, one with the pills, the other with water.
"Take it."
He reluctantly agreed, and swallowed the pills. Giving himself a sip of water in the process. He leaned back on the couch; his stare was still at the ground.
What's so interesting about the ground? Aren't I more interes- No. Don't even think like that, Amu. Bad girl, no no.
"Ikuto, are you hungry?"
"No."
"Do you need anything?"
"No."
I twitched my eyes as he answered these questions so… blatantly. It annoyed me. His whole attitude annoyed me.
"Your date. You're going to be late." Once again, his face held nothing. Absolutely nothing.
I let out a big sigh. You know, those big ones.
"I know. Hey, doesn't your sister have anything nice I could borrow?" I didn't want to go all the way back home and change, so I was being resourceful. Utau: girl. Me: girl. Girl: Clothes. Clothes: Here. Yay.
"Dunno."
I gave out another sigh, a small one.
"I can tell you're bothered by this date."
"Not in the slightest bit."
I moved my head to his forehead, and felt the warmth. As I suspected, it was burning hot. It felt like I was touching fire; I couldn't imagine what kind of…pain? He was going through.
"Y-You're burning up…" I stammered. I was scared for him. What if this was one of those sicknesses that killed people? What if-
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
I went over to my cell-phone, and dialed Tadase's number. I knew I had to do this; Ikuto is practically dying over here.
"Hello? Amu?"
"Uh, Hey, Tadase."
"I was just getting ready to pick you up!"
He sounded excited. Too excited. And way too ecstatic.
"About that… I was wondering if we could postpone our date to another day…some things came up and…"
"Is it Ikuto?"
"H-How did you know…?" I almost gasped at his… sly awareness.
"We kind of are good friends, Amu. We were like brothers back in the day, so I know what's going on in his life."
"So, we can postpone the date?"
"Of course. Anything for you."
I slightly blushed at that 'Anything for you' part. He was still the caring prince he always was. It kind of made me feel giddy.
"I'll make it up to you, Tadase." I said with a seductive-charming voice.
He replied with a chuckle, and we hung up. He really was a good friend. Someone I could rely on.
So, moving on, I walked toward Ikuto. He was sitting back, eyes closed, as he breathed the cold air. One of his hands were feeling his forehead. I knew he didn't feel good.
"Guess what, cat-boy."
"I heard."
What the hell? He heard from all the way over here? Oh wait, I'm forgetting. He's a cat. His ears probably pick up people talking from a mile away, literally. I remember when our Charas were still with us… and how he would have those cat ears, and that tail…he looked so cu-
"Are you hungry?" He asked me. A random question; it misfit his current position.
"W-What? Me? I should be the one asking that… you're the sick one, yet you treat me as if I was sick. You really must be sick then, huh?"
He shrugged off my comment-of-concern and worry, and fell asleep once again. I could've left, but I stayed. I sat at the other end of the sofa, sipping my coffee silently. That's right; I found some coffee mix in his cupboards.
I couldn't help but stare at him sleeping. Gently smiling. Oh the nostalgia.
*~~^~~*
"Oi, cat, what movie do you want to watch?" I asked, looking through all the DVD's he had.
"Doesn't matter." He sniffed.
It was 9:07 PM, and we had absolutely nothing to do. I knew it was a mistake choosing to spend time with him here. It's. So. Boring.
But something tells me I enjoy this boringness with him. Maybe it's because it is hi-
"How about this one?" He said, holding up a DVD case. I curiously looked at it, and saw that it read, "The Shining". What a cheesy name. I guess it's supposed to be some kind of horror movie.
"Sure, pop it in."
My 'Cool N' Spicy' act was coming into play again.
He quirked an eyebrow, and opened up the case.
"Are you sure? I doubt someone like you could watch something like this."
I started laughing triumphantly. A sarcastic sense to it. Oh please, horror movies? Maybe when I was 12, they were scary. But please, I'm a grown, dignified, established woman with nothing to fear but financial problems. Please, how could a movie called 'The Shining' be scary? Ha-ha.
"I'm an adult now, Ikuto. Just put it in." I snobbishly laughed.
As he dimmed down the lights, we were sitting on the couch. He was on one side, I was on the other. We both had the same blanket wrapped around us. Geez, why is this apartment always so cold? Is it some kind of cat-thing?
Moments passed, as minutes went by. The movie was at its climax, and…
"Is it over?" I asked, closing my eyes, wrapping my arm tightly around his. To be honest, my body was reacting on its own. Or maybe it was something else.
I could only hear him give a small laugh as he saw me… terrified. Something I would expect from something like him. He might have the looks, but wasn't really the ladies man. Well, actually, he is a ladies man, but still…
"It's over." He said.
I opened by eyes, and brought my attention back to the screen. Sure enough, the two creepy 'Alice in Wonderland' girls were still standing there.
I almost yelped, no screamed, as I dug my eyes back into his chest. It felt… cold. Really cold, but I didn't mind. I remember whenever we used to watch movies together; his body would always be warm.
"You're a liar. You know, that's a sin." I said, in an as-a-matter-of-fact-like like voice.
He didn't respond. He watched the movie, as I did. Neither of us talked for the rest of the movie. Well, we- no I made sounds. Such as the occasional scream, yelp, cry and fake-laugh here and there.
I felt genuinely closer to him. As if the gap I had with him was slowly filling up, with… something I couldn't describe. Or, something I didn't want to describe.
As he turned off the DVD player, and put the disc back in its respective place, someone was knocking on the door.
Who could it be?
"I'll get it, since you're too lazy, cat." I smirked, as I walked over to the door. He nodded in agreement, as he slowly followed behind.
I approached the door, and opened it. I saw a girl. She was about my height. Blonde hair. Cerulean eyes. Her body was… perfect. So was her fashion sense. It rivaled mine. Her hair flowed down to her back, 3/4 of the way down.
"Lulu?" I heard Ikuto say, in surprise and shock.
She walked past me, completely ignoring me. I could already tell, she was a bitch.
A snobby one.
"I-Ikuto…are you feeling okay?" She asked in concern. Who was she to come in our place and act so caring? Wait, our? Oh boy…
"What are you doing here?" He asked, worriedly. I could tell he had some kind of connection with her. Something special. Like something we used to have. Used to.
"I can't come to Japan visit my boyfriend?"
Wait, boyfriend? What the heck?!
She wrapped her arms around his neck, and then pushed her lips up to his.
She was kissing… Ikuto.
*~~^~~*
Ah, remember Amu, envy is another sin.
So anyway, 'The Shining' is one of my favorite horror movies. Yes, I am a fan of horror movies. As well as action, and a bunch of other genres.
Thanks to the few of you who keep on reading this story. I'm indebted to you guys.
I would also like to thanks Angel Lilith, IkutoLover995, and ShugoCharaLuvr for being the faithful reviewers you are. Yes, this sounds corny, so let's move past this.
Ignore my grammatical errors, I know I have some. I would fix them but… eh.
Also, I recommend these stories. (They're wonderfully sublime, and well-made.):
Love is Painful by Natsuya801923
Never Be the Same by RayzieDayzie22
Wife Like by Niix
Light by eDoll
That Day by NyammiToast
In Love and in Paris by Psychedelic-dreams
Amuto: The Secret Truth of Gossip and Amuto: Lost Without You by Kellie413
Honestly, in my opinion, the stories I listed above are very well written. Plus, they know the different between Your and You're. Anyway, although I know those stories are popular and well known by the crowd at FanFiction, you should go read them again anyway. And if you haven't, well, here's your chance.
I'm not going to beg you for a review since quality matters over quantity to me. However… reviews are always appreciated. :D
Thanks for reading!