Thanks for the reviews from . . .

green. tea. chan, RandomDalmantian326, and Chaotic Luna

Here is Chapter 7! :O

Enjoy!


Utau walked into Ikuto's house without knocking. She wished she would have knocked and given her brother some time to prepare himself. Because as she walked into the living room moans filled the air.

It was the blonde woman from before.

Utau had to hold in her rage because Ikuto didn't know Amu was back, but then something cracked inside Utau. It didn't matter if Ikuto knew Amu was back or not; he just needs to stop this disgusting habit of his.

"Ikuto." She said with venom.

Ikuto stopped and luckily they hadn't gone too far. The woman slipped on her shirt as Ikuto sat up and asked Utau what her problem was.

"I just wanted to let you know that Erin was going to come to your house after her meeting." Utau informed him, "But I need to get going to my job, so if you would be so kind and DO NOT do anything strange to her."

"Should I call Rima or someone to take her to your house?" Ikuto asked.

"No, don't bother." Utau shrugged, "I shouldn't be long."

"I could take her to your house." Ikuto then suggested after a few seconds of silence.

Utau was about to refuse, but then Ikuto said, "Okay deal."

Utau kept trying to get words in, but Ikuto was literally pushing her out of his house. She heard snickering and looked back at the girl she forgot about. Utau refused to be pushed out of the house as she spun out of Ikuto's grasp.

She marched over to the blonde woman and growled in her face, "Stay away from my brother."

"Does someone have a brother-complex?" She asked as innocently as possible, but then Ikuto snorted.

"She grew out of that long ago." Ikuto stated from the front door. The girl looked stunned.

Utau turned to Ikuto and said seriously, "You need to stop this, Ikuto."

"He has," The girl fumed as she stood up, but she couldn't match Utau's height, "I'm the only girl he is sleeping with because I. Am. His. Girlfriend."

Utau looked at Ikuto sadly and asked if she was telling the truth. Ikuto nodded, but as much as honesty was seen on his features, Utau also saw that he wasn't so sure of himself. He wasn't sure if he should be with this girl because he still liked Amu and every time he was with her he felt as though he was betraying Amu. It was why he never went far too fast and why he was able to push her away so easily at every opportunity that was given to him.

However, on the other hand, he kept going back because he was hoping that one day he wouldn't feel the pain in his heart every time he was with the blond.

"What about Amu?" Utau said softly.

Ikuto's gaze hardened and he said through clenched teeth, "I'm starting to get over her."

Utau watched Ikuto, he wasn't starting to, but he was trying to. Utau could tell that if Amu showed up right now, that blond girl wouldn't have a chance. Utau's phone began to ring, but she didn't answer until the fourth ring.

"Hello." She whispered; she was feeling sick to her stomach.

"Utau?" Her mother asked, "Are you alright?"

"No." Utau whispered sickly, but she urged her mom to tell her why she had called in the first place. Ikuto watched with concern written on his face, but then Utau walked briskly past him and to her car.

"I'll be there soon." She said.

"What about Ikuto?" Souko asked quickly.

Utau turned to look at Ikuto, who was still standing at open door, and said, "He is busy."

She hung up the phone and stepped into her car. Ikuto had read her lips and saw the emotion on her face. It bothered him that he didn't know what the conversation was about when it obviously contained him in it. He looked back at the girl waiting near the coach.

"Can you please go?" Ikuto whispered through the lump in his throat. She looked about ready to fight with his decision but he was already making his way towards his car.

Utau backed out of Ikuto's driveway and then sped to her mother's house. It wasn't a long enough drive because as she pulled into the driveway of her mother's house, she could still feel the tears running down her face.

It was unjust and she knew it. She shouldn't be the one crying because it wasn't her life that she felt was ruined. It was Amu's. But Utau knew she couldn't make Ikuto hold on to the little connection they shared before Amu moved.

"Maybe disguising Amu wasn't such a good idea." Utau whispered as she walked up to the porch.

She knocked three times, but no more than that because she figured the delay would give her time to wipe away her mascara that was running down her face with the last of her tears. Her reflection was in the glass of the door and acted as a decent mirror, but Utau was horrified with what she saw.

Her eyes were red and blotchy. Had she really cried that much? And as she wiped away the last of her mascara with the tips of her fingers, her mother opened the door.

"Utau." She gasped and then pulled her in for a hug.

"I wish I would have called you sooner." Souko sighed as she pulled Utau in to the house. Utau wasn't sure if that would have changed anything, but she couldn't say anything.

"What's the matter?" Utau whispered as she found her voice.

Her mother wasn't sure if she should tell her or not, but then coughing was heard from up stairs and then a weary voice called, "Souko."

Utau looked at her mother and then up the stairs. It didn't take long for Utau to be at the top of the stairs because it was a fact that both Utau and Ikuto knew very well; cancer has been passed down through the generations.

It claimed their grandparents, and their great grandparents on their dad's side. A doctor warned their dad two years ago (that's what he told them), but Aruto brushed it off.

Utau stepped into the room and collided with the smell of death.

"Dad." She whispered, "Why aren't you at the hospital?" Utau asked as she tried to prevent new tears from forming.

"He refused to go." Souko sighed, but her voice was emptied of brightness, and filled with hopelessness.

Utau sat beside him and stroked his hand. She took in his features that suddenly looked twenty years older than they actually were.

"You should go to the hospital." Utau stated softly.

"You . . .kids . . . Wouldn't. . . visit me." He spoke.

Utau coughed, "What makes you say that?" Tears were falling from her eyes.

He smiled and that only made her cry harder.

"He's had cancer for two years." Souko explained, "The doctors told him that, but he down played it for us."

Souko felt tears forming as she glared at her husband, "You lied to us."

He smiled with a cough and wheeze. He tried to speak but was overcome by a violent coughing fit. Utau stood up and marched out of the room with a red face and her phone in hand.

She dialled the hospital and arranged for an ambulance to come to get her dad. As she hung up her phone their was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it." Utau called and then ran to the door. She stopped at a mirror hanging on a wall and quickly cleared up herself the best she could.

She opened the door and saw Ikuto standing there.

"You have to wait for Erin." Utau said carefully as she tried to mask her troubles.

"And you said you were going to work." Ikuto countered as he stepped around Utau.

Utau stepped in Ikuto's way again and then sighed, "Dad has cancer."

The simple phrase rocked Ikuto to the core. He froze and the one thought that crossed his mind was, how did he hide it from everyone? Ikuto was about to ask the question when Souko walked down the stairs.

"It's time for you two to go." Souko stated with a tired voice, "Your dad is asleep."

Ikuto still didn't comprehending what was going on.

"How long?" Ikuto stated weakly.

"What?" Souko asked.

"How long has the bastard hid it from us?" Ikuto growled.

"Two years." Souko sighed, "But you guys stopped visiting and didn't notice the changes when you did visit."

Souko defended her husband, "You were too busy and even when you came it was only for a short while. You two never asked how we, your parents, were doing. If you had asked or noticed, I'm sure he would have told you."

Utau realized what her dad meant when he told her they wouldn't visit him. Souko asked them to leave, as much as she hated it, because she knew they had things to do. They tried to refuse, but Souko kicked them out of the house because she was angry with herself for suddenly bursting and she was angry at them because she had to call them to ask them to come over.

Otherwise, they probably wouldn't have known until a funeral or until Aruto was in the hospital.

Utau and Ikuto stood outside staring at each other.

"I have to go to work." Utau whispered.

"Just like that?" Ikuto stated roughly.

"What else can I do?" Utau continued, "They don't want us here and I've already called for an ambulance."

Ikuto sighed and then agreed with regret. They said good-bye and then walked to their respected cars. Ikuto pulled out before Utau, but as Utau passed Ikuto as she drove to her job, she slowed and rolled down her window.

"Don't forget Erin." Utau said quickly as she drove away.

Ikuto nodded even though Utau couldn't see him, but Ikuto didn't go home. First, he had to go for a drive and think.


There you have it!

Read and

R

E

V

I

E

W*

*If you want to give me advice on my stories, please remember to show the error, or the part that is confusing. Even briefly describing it would be helpful :)