Hello dear readers!

I'm so sorry for the major delay.
So many things have happened within the past few weeks and I just never had the time to upload the new chapter!
However, it's finally here! Thank you for waiting patiently.

This chapter doesn't have any romance in it since it's about the boys.
It's a chapter full of plot bunnies to make the story progress.

No worries though.
The cuteness and romance will be back in future chapters (:

For now, please enjoy this x2 in length chapter as an apology for my lateness!
I LOVE MY READERS, PLEASE REMEMBER THAT :3

Reviews would be loved!

= CHAPTER 9 =

Amu sighed as she stared out of the window beside her seat. She had kept it slightly open to let a slow breeze in and watched as it rustled her textbook pages softly. It gave her a peaceful feeling of some sort, a moment she could have only hoped would remain till the end of the lesson.

"Today's lesson is as boring as the usual..."

Somehow, we can only wonder if those words were a trigger for the mayhem that was about to take place in her class.

As Amu was about to turn her attention back to the teacher infront, she heard someone running outside near the field. She glanced out of the window, shock screening across her face as Kukai came running into the elementary school. Once the shock had settled in, she questioned his actions and reasons for coming to the elementary school in the middle of lessons.

'Did something happen? To Rei, perhaps?' Amu's thoughts were muddled, but that was to be expected from someone who had no clue of the past events that had taken place away from her eyes.

Suddenly, her classroom door slid open loudly, revealing a panting Kukai. Everyone in class gaped as Kukai glanced at Amu while walking towards the teacher, "I need to borrow Amu for a moment. It's an emergency. Please."

Amu stared at Kukai, panic washing over her as she wondered about all the horrible possibilities that he could be referring to by using the word 'emergency'. Before the teacher could give a reply, Kukai walked over to Amu and dragged her out of the room in a haste.

"I need some answers from you. Right now. Please."

"Eh? This isn't about Rei?" Amu asked quietly, relief settling in as she realised that no unfortunate accidents had taken place.

Kukai shook his head as he tried to catch his breath, "It's about Rei but... nothing happened to her. I need some answers."

Amu remained silent as Kukai finally regained his momentum and nodded, although she was thoroughly puzzled.

"Ikuto..the guy that Rei loves.. right?"

Amu's eyes grew wide at the mention of the name, but then it dawned on her that this was about Ikuto and Rei. She sighed,"You found out about him? How?"

Kukai shook his head, " By chance. Anyway, let me get straight to the point. I need to find him and I think you might know where he could be..."

Amu watched Kukai's expression change from concern to determination. She comtemplated the consequences of letting the boys meet each other. Truthfully, she was sure nothing good could come out of such an abrupt meeting but she knew she had to tell him. She knew that he had a good reason to meet Ikuto; a reason that would help Rei with her current predicament.

"The park. The park we use as a shortcut to get home.."

Kukai blinked in surprise at Amu's firm response to his demand. He didn't expect her to skip the questions and go straight to the answers, "Which part of the park?"

Amu gave Kukai a small smile as she answered him, "There's a fleet of stairs...I think you know where to go, right?"

Kukai places his hands on Amu's shoulders and griped them softly, trying to rid the tension he was feeling for what was about to come and flashed his usual grin, "Thank you Amu! Seriously, thanks."

With that said, he took a step back as he waved goodbye and rushed off towards the stairs of the building. Amu walked back into her classroom and sat down at her desk quietly. She looked out of the window and watched the silhouette of Kukai disappear from the elementary school grounds. Softly, she whispered a few words as a slow breeze came through the window, hoping it would carry the words to its respective recipients.

"Good luck Kukai...Ikuto."

= THE PARK =

Ikuto was nestled in a tree, enjoying the shade from the sun and the cooling breeze that came along with it. Some might wonder as to what he was doing in a tree rather than in school, but that's another story yet to be told.

As he closed his eyes to take a short nap, he remembered the events from the past few days. So much had happened in such a short span of time that he couldn't bring himself to believe that any of it had even happened.

But it had.

Now, he had to go through with it. He had to face his feelings, his decision. That night at Rei's house, everything that took place after his performance was just a spur of the moment. He had no control, no idea that something like that would have occurred but it did and he knew that he would have to face the music soon. The responsibility that came with a relationship, the responsibility of protecting and caring for someone.

As Ikuto was about to doze off once again, he heard a faint rhythm on the pavement below. Due to his chara, he was able to hear further than what a normal person was capable of. He opened one eye and listened to the steady footsteps approaching. He wondered as to who would be running in the park during the day, but when his eyes picked up on the source of the sound, he became alert and dropped down onto the grass below.

In a matter of seconds, the two boys faced each other with a metre of a gap between them. As Kukai caught his breath, Ikuto watched him patiently. To be truthful, he had expected this day to come sooner or later. There was no way he could avoid a meeting with Rei's best friend and...love interest. Well, some sort of love interest.

Once Kukai had caught his breath, he glanced up and let out a quick "Hey" which would have gone unnoticed by Ikuto if he hadn't been staring at Kukai.

"So, to what do I owe the pleasure of this surprising visit from Rei's best friend?"

Ikuto smirked as he leaned against the tree, knowing that his attitude wouldn't be taken the right way by anyone and yet, he refused to act any better because he didn't want Kukai to have an advantage over him in any way. He wanted to show that he was strong mentally, that he would be able to handle this surprise visit and the judgement he would have to face soon.

Kukai took a deep breath before answering curtly, "Answers."

Ikuto raised an eyebrow and gave Kukai a seemingly amused expression. He nodded his head and waited for the younger boy to continue.

Kukai walked over to the tree and leaned against the opposite side of the tree trunk. This way, he could get the answers he dreaded and keep his expression hidden from the older boy leaning on the opposite side of the tree.

Taking a deep breath, he spoke up softly but clearly, "I know that Rei likes you. I know that things didn't seem to be going well between the two of you...till now. I think... that some things have changed. Am I right?"

Ikuto sighed as he replied with a serious tone, "Yes..."

Kukai sighed as he slumped his shoulders, "I knew it...that girl has been acting strange all day. It was because of you.."

Ikuto remained silent as he listened to the steady breathing of the boy behind him. He knew that this wasn't the end.

" I'm...worried. I'm worried about her. That's why I had to find you. She wouldn't tell me anything and I knew that the only way I'd get the answers I wanted was to look for the source of the problem itself. You."

"The answers... I'll give them to you so ask me. If I were her, I would probably have trouble confessing about such things to someone who cares so much about me. So go ahead, I'll answer truthfully..." Ikuto replied softly as he closed his eyes and waited for them... the questions that would get him thinking straight about everything that had taken place over the last few days.

"Do you love her? Do you care about her?"

"I do. I care about her, more than I ever knew."

Kukai snorted and replied, "You mean you didn't know that you cared about her?"

Ikuto smirked to himself, "Not until a little boy decided to snatch my prey from me."

Kukai turned around and glared at Ikuto, "Hey! I'm not a little boy! So what if you're a few years older than me? That doesn't make me any less of a man capable of loving her than you are!"

Ikuto looked at Kukai and gave a soft but brief sigh, "I never said you were any less of a man than me. If I had to be truthful, you're a much better guy for her than I could ever be."

Kukai's eyes widened in shock at Ikuto's confession. However, Ikuto continued to speak before he could retort.

" But...that doesn't mean that I can give her back to you. I can't... and I won't. I didn't play fair, I stole her from you but... I'm a thieving cat. It's what I do best." Ikuto's usual smirk came back and he held his hand out towards Kukai.

Kukai glanced at the hand stretched out before him and looked back at the face of the older boy infront of him.

"I can't promise that I won't hurt her but...I'll definitely not make her regret...ever ditching her cute best friend for me. I can promise you that."

Kukai shot Ikuto a quick glare which slowly turned into a small smile. He stretched out his hand and clasped Ikuto's hand with his.

"If you hurt her, I'll take her back. I'm warning you, if you ever hurt her...I'll do what you did."

"Heh. Good luck with that. I don't think you'll be able to beat me at stealing something... or someone."

The two boys smiled at each other as Kukai released his grasp on Ikuto's hand. In that moment of silence, a bond was formed. Both boys would continue to care for the girl they loved, whether as a lover or a friend.

Of course, the competition wasn't over. Neither had given up but for now, they had a truce. If either broke it, the other would try to save the day. A silent truce, that was all the handshake meant but there was another meaning behind it.

The truce was the only way to keep the girl they loved happy. They knew she would forsake what she wanted if necessary and they wouldn't let that happen; they will not let her give up on the happiness she has been craving for ever since her heart was broken by her first crush and...first friend.

Kukai knew that Ikuto was the reason for Rei's change in behaviour; the reason she was opening up to the world once again after the traumatic accident. He knew that, and as much as he hated to admit it, he was thankful to Ikuto. Ikuto was able to do something he could never do, something that told Kukai how significant Ikuto's existance was in Rei's life.

He watched as Ikuto turned away and gave a slight back wave as he walked off towards the stairs nearby. Kukai sighed in defeat, smiled and whispered the words that had dawned on him as he watched Ikuto's retreating form disappear.

"That guy...I'd never be able to beat him even if I tried."

TO BE CONTINUED.

Awww, some bromance!
Haha!
Rei didn't appear in this chapter but she'll be back in the next (:
The story's not ending yet though, so don't worry!

There are still open plot holes which need to be filled, and relationships to be strengthened.

Till the next chapter!
Reviews are very much appreciated to keep me going and give me inspiration!

Thank you!