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CHAPTER 9 – Gibbous Moon

"So *cough* you're telling me that you saw that green-eyed girl again?" Ikuto flipped the pages in a swift, unbelieving what he sees.

I nodded weakly. There were only rustles of the pages being flipped here and there filling up the whole place. His sapphire eyes stuck on the diary, fully concentrated. I found him half believing and half not believing the whole story I told him an hour ago. It was not his fault, though. I myself still couldn't believe nor understand all the mystical things which have encountered me.

Ikuto sighted as he closed the dusty diary's cover and moved approaching the shelf, trying to put the diary back on its place. His right hand which was used to carry the cursed book shakes a little and accidentally dropped the book as he tried to insert it in between the gaps. "Sorry," he mumbled as he bends his back down and took the rust-coloured book into the gaps.

I looked at his every single move in woe. The boy who used to have a straight and powerful back and would stand for his own will. The boy who is now would cough for several times and own not a single strength to lift his body upright. I stared at him down. Devastation overpowered me as I recognized the big difference in Ikuto's figure.

Lowering my head in guilt, the navy blue haired teen found the burden written on my face. He smiled a little and moved back to the spot where he sat before. The long hand of his was stretched to let his wide palm landed on my pink-head just right. "It's okay," he whispered and pulled his hand back as he head to the bed slowly.

I blushed in embarrassment. "Was it really written on my face?" I murmured.

"Yup!"

"Yes desu~"

"Of course Amu-chii!"

"I will never ask you guys' ideas anymore," I murmured, complaining to Ran, Miki, and Suu as they giggled. I chuckle a bit as I saw them smiling ear to ear at me.

"Ah! You finally smiled!" Miki notify me joyfully.

"You haven't smiled since then Amu-chii," Ran giggled happily as she flew around my head.

"Yeah you have been quiet since we left that place desuu~," Suu looked deep in my eyes in relief, "I'm glad you finally smiled desuu~"

I raised my eyebrows in amaze, just realizing how they have been worried about me all along. I stared at them, amused. There was also a strike expression of guilt on their faces which they tried to cover with their smiles. I may presume that they were trying to apologize for leaving me behind and made me fell into the danger all by myself.

I lowered my body to meet their level and smiled at them widely. "Next time you leave me again, don't ever wish for me to smile like this again," I warned them while laughing softly. The red, blue, and green little eyes of them sparkled in pleasure and excitement. I let them go after I grew tired of hearing them thanking me for the billionth time.

I took a deep breath and blew it loudly. I massage my left shoulder in circular then thumping motion to relax my muscle. "It sure has been a tiring day," the husky voiced commented behind my back.

I turned my head around to find Ikuto leaning on the bed with a little weak smirk carved on his appealing face dashingly. I arched my eyebrows towards him which he replied with a low chuckle, "You thought I was asleep didn't you? Too bad I didn't". I sighted. He's definitely a mind-reader.

"Go to sleep already," I brought up my cool and spicy character.

"Oh, I haven't seen this character of yours for quite some days," he chuckled annoyingly. I pouted, feeling as if I'm back being his toy.

"Well you should go to sleep anyway. No one goes to bed and not sleep at the same time you know," I defended myself quite unsure with what I'm saying myself. Well, I did think I said it correctly… didn't I?

"So now you're saying this to me after all the things I've done for you?" he raised his right eyebrow and grinned at the same time as if he was trying to tell me 'I've won this quarrel already. What can you say next?'

To think of it, he's always been there whenever I'm in trouble. I rewind all those memories. He chased after me when I fell into this creepy tunnel, not caring about his injuries. He grabbed on me when I was about to fall even though he knows I was irritated by him. He confronted me when I had the nightmare and made me feel so much better. He gave all his might in digging up all those boulders in order to save me from the darkness, even though he was badly ill. And...

Will I be here without him now?

"I'll be sleeping now as you wish," he went down the small pearl bed and sat next to it, leaning his head unto it quietly, slowly closing his eyelids.

Looking confused, I asked, "Why don't you sleep on the bed?"

"I thought you won't like it when I sleep on the same bed as yours," he explained, still closing his eyes.

He's right though. I really don't want to sleep on the same bed as his. "But you're sick now. You can take my place," I offered him in concern.

"Where do you think I sleep nights before?"

I froze, thinking. To think of it, I've never thought of that before. I stared at him, slightly feeling guilty. "Sorry," I murmured and saw a slight smirk painted on his face.

"Amu-chan! Look what've I got!" Miki flew approaching me while carrying some piece of colourful papers. "Aren't they pretty? The colours of them are so artistic I'm guessing you'll like them a lot!" she threw those shredded papers onto my knees, making all the mess until the floor.

"Aww Miki! You shouldn't just throw them away like that! You're making a mess!" I scolded the sky blue chara while picking up the remaining papers from the ground. Miki unhappily pouted as she crossed her arms, "I was just trying to make all the exaggeration of an art," she mumbled.

"Geez Miki," I grumbled while gathering all the nearest pieces on the floor. Then, I was petrified at what came before my very eyes. A half-torn picture of a very familiar looking face flew right in front of me. I gaped in silence. Could it be…?

Racing by the wind, I caught the picture before it got blown away. I let my eyes face the fact and observed it over and over again. A sweet and smiling face of a girl with Goldilocks' hair and dazzling emerald-coloured eyes. "This can't be-" I whispered half choked.

"Wh-What is it Amu-chan?" Miki asked me half curious half frightened. I rushed to the silent dressing table and opened the rusty drawer. A half torn picture of a body of girl wearing a white dress around my age lied there without any suspicion. I took it out hurriedly and matched both of the pictures together. The picture now created an image of a white dressed girl smiling with her beguiling emerald eyes and gold-like smooth hair shines adorably. Just like-

"…That girl?"

"Amu-chan are you okay?" Miki whispered to me, starting to get afraid.

"No."

"Huh?"

"This is-" I raised the complete picture now to take a better look, "…Lillia."

THUD!!

The sudden din made me jump. I looked around to see who was the culprit who almost gave me a heart attack and saw Suu in front of the scattered teddy bears, surprised all by herself.

"Pheww. I thought I was going to be squashed when I tried to clean all their dusts," she rubbed her chest to stop her thumping heartbeat. I glared at her in anger but gladly she didn't figure it out.

"Anyway," I pulled back the drawer and putted both half-torn pictures inside it and hurriedly closed it tight, not wanting to gain the goosebumps. Miki hovered in confusion but didn't ask any longer about it. I gave Miki the remaining pieces of papers back while trying to pull a smile for her. "Y-You can keep them Miki. I- won't need them for- awhile," I stuttered as she received all the junks.

"O-kay then," Miki clutched all the bundles of paper as she flew away nervously but suddenly stopped in the mid air. "Amu-chan," she called me quite uncertain what she's going to say next.

"Yes?" I looked up at the tiny blue sprite curiously.

She didn't say a word for several seconds but then took a deep breath. "i-if you're having a problem you can fully rely on us, okay?" she exhaled with her face blushing red and flew out in the speed of light, embarrassed.

I was staggered for a moment but blew a small smile. "I can't believe the always cool and calm Miki could say such a thing," I giggled. For a moment there, all my worries about the connection of the girl named Lillia and the emerald-eyed girl vanished. I stretched my arms as my eyes stuck on sleeping Ikuto.

"He did sleep," I talked to myself in quite amazement. Except for papa, Ikuto's the only guy who I've ever seen sleeping right infront of me. I gulped and dared myself to tiptoed and sat beside him, gazing at his enticing look. His long eyelashes stayed calmly, not moving a single bit. His breathing was so slow and calm, almost nothing to be heard. Not a trace of his smirk showed up like he always does; only silent and peace on his face. Without my knowing, my cheek went pink and my eyes were not able to see anything else except for his seductive face. My heart thumped uncontrollably. My fingers moved on its own will, trying to touch his smooth, silky navy-blue hair. I was captivated by him.

"Is it so fun to attack me while I'm sleeping?" the husky voice showed and a grin came up to the surface of his face. I gasped as I figured my hand was about to touch his hair. I quickly pulled it back, feeling humiliated by myself. "It wasn't on purpose!" I tried to defend myself but got a chuckle of his as the reward.

Still closing his eyes, his strong left hand pulled me unto his shoulder and made me gasped in surprise. Without letting a chance for me to ask what's he up to, he pulled me even tighter and made me leaned my head to his chest now. "It's quite late now, don't you need a rest, Amu?" he smirked as if he was enjoying me blushing like crazy.

"I'm taking my rest on the bed, so let go!" I pushed myself from his but lose in a matter of strength. Ikuto didn't plan to let me go at all.

"Won't it be better if we take a rest together?" his smirk was getting wider as my face was getting red.

"NO!! GET LOST YOU HENTAI NEKOMIMI OTOKO!!! YOU SAID YOU WILL BE SLEEPING HERE SO I CAN SLEEP ON THE BEDD!!!" I screamed hysterically as I kept on pushing him in order to escape. But his grip was getting even tighter the more I tried to resist.

"Oh did I? I didn't remember saying such a thing," he smirked teasingly. I felt like punching him on the face this time.

"I DON'T WANT THIS!!" I cried again, hoping this time he will listen to me.

"But I want this," he grinned, declaring my lost. I sighted, giving up.

"Fine. But I won't be sleeping. I WON'T!"


2 hours later…

"And I thought she said she won't be sleeping at all…" Ikuto's sapphire eyes gazed at the cherry-pink-haired girl who's snoring now beside him. He sighted and smiled at the same time, brushing her hair softly.

"Ikuto I'm back nya~" the black cat sprite flew across Ikuto's face looking tired.

"Thanks for your hard work, Yoru," Ikuto patted on Yoru's velvety indigo hair in care.

Yoru's chrome-yellow sharp eyes stared at Ikuto and switched to stare at the pink-headed girl he's holding up to. He exhaled in disappointment.

"What's that sighting about?" Ikuto protested but kept his voice low, not wanting to wake her up.

"Ikuto," the mini figure sat in front of him, lowering his head to be able not to see Ikuto's glaring eyes thrusting into his. "Ikuto, please nya," he begged, "Don't let yourself drown into your feelings. We have to remember our main objective nyaa."

The cat boy turned his head to the other side, trying to ignore Yoru. But he found himself failed.


THUD!!

Ikuto's eyes turned around to find a rust-colour book fell from its shelf. "The diary?" he guessed as he carefully stood up and pulled Amu to the side of the bed, letting her lean on it instead of him. He walked silently to pick up the book as Yoru took a peek.

"What's that nya?"

Ikuto flipped the pages randomly and found his eyes stuck on an entry.


reached to a beautiful place…morning glories and sunflowers…white doll house…bear fruits…

Is this…? Ikuto kept on reading and reading the whole entry and found the word he was looking for: scientific intelligent.

A sudden gust of wind blew past Ikuto onto the drawer of the dressing table. The innocent drawer was forcedly opened itself and let the hidden torn-pictures thrown out from it. Ikuto rushed to pick them up before the landed on the floor. His eyes widened as he recognized the image.

"Ikuto nya~! Come here quick!" Yoru called for him from the golden field excitedly.

The navy-blue haired boy approached his chara to look at the galaxy. " Ikuto nya~! Which one is Sagitarius?" Yoru pulled Ikuto's sleeve while pointing at the zillion of stars scattered in the midnight sky.

"There's no Sagitarius in this kind of season," he sighted in disappointment as he thought the cat chara found something useful to strengthen his analysis.

"Then how bout Cancer nyaa~?"

"There's no Cancer too in this seaso-" Ikuto bit his tounge when he saw the morning glories were still blooming in the moonlight ray. "What the…?" he squatted down to take a better look at the butter-coloured tiny flowers. They are blooming. There's no mistaking it.

"Yoru, do you know why this flower is called as morning glory?" Ikuto asked Yoru, trying to test his guess.

"Umh.. Because they only bloom in the morning nya~?"

Ikuto nodded in agreement and looked up at the sky. A white dazzling moon about to construct itself to a circular figure. "Gibbous moon."

"What's wrong Ikuto nyaa~?" Yoru looked at the same direction as his owner's. "What's so special about the moon?"

"Oh it is special Yoru," he stood up as his eyes still fixed on the radiance of the white moon then smirked in satisfaction towards Yoru, "I think I know how we could get out of here."

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