Show Me Your Smile

"We are having a ball in honor of your last year of being a princess," my mother started, ignoring my horrified look.

This again? I thought with distaste.

"Why not just a small, family dinner?" I suggested and threw in a small, pained smile, just to show my mother just how much I wanted to avoid a ball.

Instead of reprimanding my idea instantly, she merely stated, "We'll see."

I stared, for Mother never gives enigmatic answers. Usually, it was either an affirmative answer or a negative.

I dared not pin my hope upon those two words, however. Mother did not look at me again and I knew the conversation slash negotiation had ended.

Sighing, I was curtseyed out of the room by two maids and, after assuring them they did not have to curtsey so low, I returned to my little office from which I had been called away from.

As I bowed over my work, strands of my hair danced across the paper and I threatened them angrily in my head. My face must have revealed my frustration because a moment later, I heard a voice speak.

"Is your hair bothering you, princess?"

I looked up and smiled a bit. It was Rui, holding a blessed pin. His smile in reply was so bright, I couldn't but smile a little wider.

Smile wavering a little, I questioned myself if my plan was well thought out. Keep my enemy close, befriend him, and discover his secrets. I sighed to myself, doubting that the moment I warmed up to him was a wise choice. For two month now, I had been talking and spending time with him, as if we were actual acquaintances. I learned of his dreams and goals. He did not seem like a killer. Many times, he mentioned how he wanted to change his life and was working on it as we spoke. I, however, still kept a careful eye on him. Mother could not have been any happier. She believed I had completely forgotten about…him…

My eyes snapped to Rui as he walked over and made as if to put the pin in my hair himself, but hesitated and dropped it into my outstretched hand.

"Thank you, Prince Shin. My absurd mother still refuses for the hairdressers to cut this annoying mop of hair lying upon my head."

It was true. My hair had grown at an alarming rate this past month, but Mother assured it was quite alright and it was a sign my beauty was growing. I had rolled my eyes and walked to the royal hairdresser to cut it back to normal length, but Mother had been faster. Already, she had ordered scissors to not be within a foot of my hair.

"Call me Rui," a voice broke through my musings. My dazed eyes focused and I suddenly realized Rui was bent at a position so he leaned over my desk and his face was merely a few centimeters from me. I lurched to the very back of my wooden chair, cursing the fact I was blushing.

His green eyes were beyond amused and I demanded, "What are you doing!"

He simply chuckled, "Calling you back to Earth."

I slumped down and sighed, "Thank you again for the pin, but if you excuse me, I must return to work."

Rui stood up and turned to leave, but then turned back around, as if having unfinished business.

Not looking up, I simply asked, "Is there something you want?"

There was a silence, then he asked quite boldly, "If you don't mind, princess, I would be honored to be your escort to your birthday ball."

I stiffened. Has my mother already spread rumors about this ball? If so, it was the duty of the princess to see it through, I cursed slightly. She must have planned everything out, so that every argument was futile.

I looked up from my letter and met with Rui's flustered face. I sympathized. It must have taken him real courage to ask me the question.

Watching him carefully, I replied, "My apologies, Prince Shin, but I have decided to not attend the ball with an escort." But as the sentence left my mouth, memories rushed into my mind before I could even attempt to stop them.

As we entered the golden doors, Ikuto was fixing his collar. He looked slightly afraid and uncomfortable. I almost chuckled.

.

"What a romantic couple."

"How adorable."

"I see, they are, indeed, in love."

I turned to Ikuto and saw he was staring at me as we were stepping down. I see…his gaze did indeed seem…lovingly.

I expected Ikuto to smirk when he caught my eye and make a remark but, surprisingly, he stayed quiet. Instead, he turned back to look at the crowd gathering at the bottom of the stairs.

My breath stopped as I saw Ikuto reach a hand out to wipe off a remaining tear. My heart thumped painfully as I felt his finger slide across my face.

"Amu…" he said quietly, "Are you alright?" His face looked very unhappy and I suddenly had the urge to wipe away his unhappiness.

I stared him squarely in the eye, speaking the words I have rehearsed countless times during the mere morning before Ikuto came to visit, "I don't love you," I paused as Ikuto was still staring at me expectantly, "Is that enough?" I continued as I felt my heart literally shatter into millions of dust particles.

He strode to the door and, without another word, walked out, away from me and my bitter glory.

"Princess!" With a sharp voice penetrating my painful thoughts, I snapped back to reality.

I attempted to smile weakly, "Do forgive me."

"Your hands," he murmured.

I looked down at them and realized, with a start they were trembling, violently and out of control. I wrapped my arms around myself to try and stop the convulsions, but that just caused my whole body to start shaking. Flashes of Ikuto's pain, his eyes and voice…Ikuto…

Suddenly a warm hand touched my shoulder and I succumbed to it. I grabbed onto the shirt and, in hysterics, began to sob into the shirt. The warm hand rubbed my back and a voice quietly said, "It's alright, it's alright."

Slowly, I began to recover and, embarrassed by the mess I made on his shirt, I tried to revert to my 'cool and spicy self', as I snapped my gratitude.

He stared at me, "You don't…don't have to pretend any longer." Abruptly turning on the ball of his foot, he turned and left me in a state of shock.

...

A few weeks later, I found myself stiffly walking down a hallway in my royal purple dress which flowed onto the ground with golden swirls. As I admired the golden gloves that covered my chapped hands, I prayed a thousand prayers that I would not fall upon my face and be the jester of the event.

When I stepped through the door, I saw many guests scrutinize my every move. I knew what they were muttering behind their lacy fans and pocket watches. They thought me as a disgrace to come into my own ball without an escort. Instead of slumping my shoulders, I held my head high as I entered the ballroom, unattended, and approached the King and Queen.

"Amu, dear!" Mother reached towards me, "How lovely you look!" And, as if catching my surprised look at her compliment, she stated, "Don't give me that look, you always are!"

"This," Father butted in, "is exactly why I arranged for a knight to watch you all night, so no prince will steal you away."

I raised my eyebrow at his attempted humor, which was rebutted by a stern look. I glanced at Mother's face and realized Father was completely serious.

"You are not joking…are you, father? You honestly hired a knight to look after me? I am quite sure his service could be useful elsewhere, such as protecting our kingdom. Or simply reviewing the battle plans or…" I trailed off, as my mother gave me the look.

"I am the King," my father shrugged in his childish way.

As always, I was defeated. My pleading was neither befitting of me nor constructive. I reverted back to my old self, "Do as you wish."

Having no reply, I coolly asked, "Where is this knight, then?"

My mother smiled in her secret way, which instantly caused alarm bells to ring. She said, "Oh he is already here."

I sighed, "I am to wait here, like a damsel in distress."

My mother laughed her tinkling laugh, "Patience, darling. In your flurry of anger, you did notice that your father has gone to summon him."

I sighed once more and stood, tapping my foot in a very unladylike manner.

Ladies dancing with their partners gave me dirty looks, which I happily ignored.

Finally, my mother spoke, "He is here. Turn around."

I turned around, expecting a burly man with a beard, but, instead, caught sight of a messy-haired blue-eyed man. My mouth hung open, which I quickly closed and my heart immediately began beating in sixteenth notes to a second.

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

Hello, everyone. I apologize for such a short chapter in such a long time. The next few chapters will be much longer, I can promise you. How can I promise this? Well... it is because I have officially finished the story! I will try to update once a week, or in a shorter time than that.

Once again, let me know what you think will happen. (I just couldn't leave Ikuto out of the story for too long.) and please review!

Thank you for your patience,

romancerox

Psst, one more thing, as a loyal reviewer, you may request any kind of a one-shot with Amu and Ikuto as the main pairing. This is my present to you in thanks for sticking with my story:)