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LAST CHAPTER – Ending of A Start

The bench where I sat on was cool and hard, but it was comfortable enough to sit on. I was trying to enjoy myself watching the newly risen golden sun behind the partly midnight sky that was still shyly showing herself to the world, but my mind kept on distracted by things I don't even know how to describe. Tadase, the blonde haired boy who has been my whole life crush cracked a can open. I smell a warm and soothing smell of hot chocolate from two cans on his hands now. Not asking for my permission, he sat beside me as one of his hand offered me the inviting hot chocolate.

"Thank you," I took it near my mouth to sip it.

"Make yourself comfortable," he smiled full of tenderness behind it as he patted my back gently. He opened his fluffy cream jacket and coated it on me so I could get all the warmth from it instead of him. I thanked him with a weak smile which he replied with motherly eyes.

"Move it! Move it! Give some way!" one of the workers raised his arms high and waved it around cautiously. I stuck my head to see what was happening out there. Not to everybody else's amaze, a black jet Porsche was screeching to a halt not far from me. As expected, a properly dressed man came out from the driver's seat with his cap on, quickly walked over the back seat's door cab and opened it fast as he bowed down to the figure who lurked out from the luxury car.

It was a European man around his 70s wearing a rich red Armani heavy coat which made him looks huge from his normal size, especially the over-sized silver Hugo Boss belt that was hanging around his waist. Copper brown pants which were a summer edition from Versace wrapped his legs just right. Not to mention he was wearing the limited edition silver grey Hermes shoes which could cost you a fortune just to wear one. And the ravishing gold Bvlgari glasses hung on his bridge of his up-turned nose shows him not just any rich guy, but an intelligent one. I was amazed to see a person to wear such an unusually high-classed outfit, standing just three meters away from me.

"Excuse me sir Vanguard," one of the workers approached him as he handed out a document. The wealthy-looking man stared at the files as he rubbed his chin and gave himself a few nods before handing the document back to the constructor.

"What's that thing?" I asked Tadase while pointing my index finger to the man.

"A file about you young ma'am," the old man replied in a fluent Japanese before Tadase had the chance to. I blinked my eyes twice, surprised. The luxury man gave me a meekly smile in exchange. He walked up to me in a quick and firm speed, showing he is healthier and stronger than any other 70 years old man I've ever seen.

"My employer reported me there was an accident in my construction place days ago," he took out his glasses and wiped its specs using a small satin handkerchief from his coat pocket, "and we've been trying to track you down since then," he examined his spectacles from any dusts left and lowered it down as he raised his face to mine and then to Tadase's. "This boy," he grinned pleasantly, "has been helping us through days and nights. In fact, he hasn't slept since you were gone."

I widened my eyes in surprise and turned my head to see Tadase's expression. I was even more surprised to see him having dark circles around his ruby eyes as he blushed deeply which means what the old man said was true. I lowered my head sheepishly, "Thank you," I mumbled as Tadase could only smile as shy as I was.

"Anyway," the man cleared his throat, "Miss Hinamori Amu isn't it? The file says so."

"Y-Yes, I am," I answered him as he stared at me observantly. "I-Is there something wrong, sir?" I gulped nervously.

"No," he shook his head lightly, "you just reminded me with an old friend of mine," a weak and solemn smile decorated his face dark. "She died when she was on your age I supposed, but," this time his smile became more cheerful, "let's not talk about that. We don't want to ruin this crucial moment, do we?"

"Yes, I-I suppose," an awkward feeling wrapped me tight, as if this guy was the one I need to look for.

"Is she sleeping?"

"I don't think so, she's dead pale,"

"Are you telling me this girl is a corpse?"

"But she doesn't look like one. Her body looks excellent for a corpse."

Murmurs of the employers were heard from my back just as it caught the old man's interest. "What's with all the buzzing noises about?" his voice stormed out. The entire constructor backed off, not wanting to make a fuss with him.

"It's about another girl, sir," one of the worker walked up to him in anxiety, "She's somehow..." he bit his lip not sure to inform his boss or not.

"What another girl? I'm sure the only girl in the file you mentioned is only Miss Hinamori Amu, am I not correct?"

"Yes, sir. We also had the same thought as yours, sir. But..." he pulled his safety helmet down as a gesture of doubts and sorrow at the same time. The sophisticated old man tilted his head, totally confused now.

"Are they talking about... Lillia?" I questioned myself in thoughts.

"Show me the girl," he ordered

Obeying like a slaved dogs, the workers carried the captivating pale body of Lillia carefully to him like bringing the treasure chest to the captain.

"Hinamori-san, what's happening there? Is that your friend?" Tadase held my hands in concern. I shook my head but kept my eyes still stuck to the crowd.

The old man putted back his valuable glasses as he sharpened his wrinkled lime green eyes on her. I was suddenly anxious about her. What are they going to do with her? What will happened to her? Questions overflowed me as the wealthy old man was getting closer to her.

He swept her Goldilocks' suavely to see a beautiful colourless French doll like face."Is... Is she-?" he suddenly gasped in surprise with his heavy eyebrows raised high.

"Don't harm her!" I jumped out from the bench and bolted toward him leaving Tadase bemused.

"Lillia!" he suddenly cried out the name just as I was about to bulldozed him from the innocent dead girl. I halted, flabbergasted. "You know her?" I inquired him, amazed myself.

He hugged the frozen girl closely in such a longing way which was enough to answer my question right. "Could all of you please leave me and Miss Hinamori alone?" he requested to the whole bewildered audiences with arms were still supporting the fallen angel's body. None of them were a recalcitrant as they moved away obediently. "I'll wait for you," trifles touch on my hand Tadase, the prince charming blonde boy gave me before he pulled himself back and walked away.

As I watched him ambled away, the old man slowly carried her unto the nearest bench, wiped her smooth cheek soft with a caring smile carved on his wrinkled face. I watched every move he made. Lillia must've been someone precious to him.

"Back at 1951," he spoke in such a passionate manner, "We were both stuck in a small damp place where every white was unaccepted back then. We were meant to be sold as a slave to all the ancient Japanese's noble."

"Sold?" I remembered Lillia mentioned that in one of her entries.

The old man sighed, "I remembered everything like it was yesterday. We were so close to each other, like a family. She who was only a year younger than me was like a little sister to me," his eyes narrowed to the eternally sleeping girl. "We were playing hide-and-seek by the river bank when the crazy man bought her to be one of his experiments collections. I should've noticed his motive back then," he stared at her ravishingly etiolated face in guilt, "But I didn't until a year later."

"What happened?" I asked in concern.

His body wobbled a bit but he got himself up again in a second. "I'm just a little weary with all the flashbacks coming unto me again. No worries," he claimed while my hands were ready to help him stand properly in case he falls. "I was happy when I saw him bought her. I thought someone could at least give her a proper food and proper clothes," he continued the story, a little bit shaky in his voice, "I myself was bought by some nobles but they treated me like a proper child, not a slave. I didn't consider myself lucky in the past since I thought everyone was treated the same if they were bought, including Lillia," he sniffed, holding back his tears. I patted his back to make him feel relieved. He thanked me with a quick nod.

"A year later I heard the news from my foster parents. She was-," a long pause was there as his crinkled hands enshrouded his eyes. I could tell he was feeling all blue and stressed out about all the sudden horrible things he should remember. I let him bought the time to repose himself before he continued, "She was told to be tortured then killed by her irresponsible adopter who ran away after being tracked down by the police. Probably to erase all the proofs that could make him executed by the government that day. I had no idea when and how it happened, but it was horrid," he took a deep breath as he proceed, "I was very shocked by the sudden-unrealistic-looking news, but it was surely not a dream itself. I was asking where will the funeral be taken, but no one could answer since they were not able to find her body."

"I thought so," I muttered, recalling how hard it was to find her body if I was not able to guess the hidden riddle.

"But things are fine now," his eyes turned to the charming pale face, "at least all my hard work in searching for her for all these fifty eight years has paid off. And good thing her body was putted in some kind of a freezer or something so I doesn't aged and damaged," he laughed it off.

"An ice pillar actually," I thought to myself.

He took her icy cold hands and handled it with great care, "When I heard the location was rumored to be around here, I quickly hired some experts to find it but the research turned to be a failure after twelve years. I then given up in looking for her and decided to create a building construction corporation here in the memoir of her," an apologizing look came across his face, "That's when you suddenly fell into an un-patched hole and trapped inside there for days. I deeply regretted it," he bowed his head down, truly regretting his workers' mistake.

"N-No! That was not your fault," I felt uneasy now after hearing the entire story he told. "Besides I'm fine. Not even a single scratch here." He lifted his face again with a thankful smile this time as he thanked me with millions of gratitude, "I thank you, Miss Hinamori. You truly are a kind hearted young lad." He took a card out from his coat's pocket and handed it to me. "This is for you, Miss Hinamori. I will always lend you my hand whenever you need me in any possible way. Please do contact me," he insisted as I was about to decline.

"Th-Thank you then, Mister…" I read out the name printed on the card. It says:

Owner of Tohno Co.
Eric Vanguard Tohno

Wait. I read the name on it again twice. The name was still there, printed with the best quality ink and readable font. Eric Vanguard Tohno

"Is there something wrong, you lady?"

"Yo-Your surname is… Tohno?" I gave him a quizzical look which, of course made me looks stupid enough since the answer is right in front of me.

"Why, yes. Since I was adopted by Japanese family, my surname changed automatically. But I still have my first name with me. Ah, but my employers fancied calling my middle name instead. Hope that doesn't confuses you," he smiled sincerely. I kept on exchanging my eyes from him to the card. A European with Japanese parents? How rare is that! But I'm sure he's not lying. Four proofs for that: First, I remembered the name 'Eric' has been jotted down in one of the entries. Second, the card that he gave me had less than 1% chance it could be a fake since it had all those golden logo and unaffordable expensive ink pressed on it. Third, I swear from the way his eyes glistened, he was not lying. And fourth, I was requested to bring Lillia to a guy named Tohno by Ikuto before we separated…

Ikuto… I wonder if he'll be okay…

"Sir Vanguard!" one of those puffy yellow clothed man covered with dirt dashed approaching him. "I'm so sorry sir," he panted exhaustedly, "But we couldn't find *pant* the other boy *pant*"

"The other boy?"

I paralyzed. Did he mean Ikuto?

"What do you mean by not able to find him?" his bushy grey eyebrows were raised, halfway surprised and the other way represented anger.

"We *pant* dug the hole with our whole might *pant* but the boy *pant* was," he took a deep breath of regret, "gone to nowhere."

Felt like stormed by the harshest mixed gust of disappointment, sadness, and shocked, I felt like crumbling to pieces from listening the last three words he said.

"We tried *pant* to find him from where he trapped, *pant* but when we finally pulled out *pant* the rocks, he was *pant* a goner," the construction worker explained with his all last breaths.

"Then how do we get this problem solv-"I pulled his coat lightly, a bit trembled which stopped him from completing his last word.

"Mister Tohno, you said that… you'll help me in any way you can, right?" my voice tottered as my sight was fuzzy with all the teardrops lining to crawled down my cheek.

"Why, yes I did Miss Hinamori," he confirmed it gawkily, most probably because he was surprised looking at me about to cry.

I wiped my tears before it had the chance to stroll down, "Then could you find Ikuto? All I want is for him to be safe. Nothing else, please," I held back my tears as long as I could, but it still dropped in the end.

The man sighed in concern. He squatted down and patted my hair fondly. "Since you've brought my little Lillia back and you forgave us for our big mistake, your wish is our command," he grinned cheerfully which stopped me from losing anymore teardrops. "We will be informing you every time we found a clue about him. I promise you."

I sniffed and nodded twice, "Thanks."

"No problem milady," he smiled betwixt his furrowed reddish cheeks. "And I guess you don't want to keep your friend waiting, right?"

I turned to see Tadase waiting for me patiently under the twinkling street lamp from afar. He waved his hand merrily when he saw me looking for him. Vanguard prodded me with his long yet thin fingers, "Go, now. Don't worry about Mister Tsukiyomi. We'll handle it for you."

I smiled at him in exchange of my word of gratitude and ran towards Tadase who has been waiting for me. Everything will be alright. I will start believing that from now on.

Without my knowing, a bloody red Bugatti Veyron not far away from Vanguard's black jet Porsche was slowing down its speed but didn't desist it. "Would you like me to stop the car, mistress?" the driver offered politely to the passenger seat where an elegant dressed lady wearing rosy red long Louis Vuitton silk dress with her silky caramel hair rolled down her slender figure perfectly although her face was not clear to be seen by the damp shadow light basking her.

"Don't. Keep driving with this speed for awhile," she ordered as her excellent fingers playing on her lustfully vermillion lips as her sexy smoky eyes narrowed, looking at a girl with a pink haired figure running across the road to a blond haired, ruby eyed boy in a hurry. She licked her lips and bit it mildly, "Hinamori Amu."

"Pardon me mistress?"

"Nothing," she putted down her hands, "Speed up now."

"Yes, mistress," the driver obeyed her order docilely as he pulled up the speed of the expensive car on the right speed that pleased his master. She leaned to the left car window, making her hair a bit messy. "Soon, things will be getting more interesting," she sneered to herself, "Hinamori Amu."

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"Thanks for, umm walking me home Tadase-kun,"

"No problem," he shrugged then charmingly smiled, but the way he smiled was different than Ikuto's somehow. We were standing in front of my house's gate, but I felt strange just by looking at it. It feels like years that I've left this house. Maybe I was still not used to seeing my own house after all those tiring experience.

I opened the gate about to enter the entrance when Tadase tapped my shoulder lightly.

"Uh, I'm not trying to not letting you meet your parents or something. I mean they were really worried about you and," Tadase began to lumpish around as he figured he was stopping me from meeting my own family. "I, uh, wanted to say something to you, Hinamori-san," his cheeks turned carroty as his movement were not able to keep him still, "W-well, this might not be the right time or whatsoever… B-But since the last time when we were, uh, doing our homework, we were distracted when I was about to say something," he looked so nervous until he sweated. "I-I'm going to say it now, if you don't mind," he gulped, taking a deep breath, "Hinamori-san I lov-"

"I have to go now, Tadase-kun," I cut the conversation before he managed to finish out the word. He was stumbled, probably shocked by my rude act. Ran, Miki, and Suu were amazed as well with the twist I created. "I couldn't let my parents wait anymore. Especially Ami," I smiled politely as he gave me this crushed expression, as if I broke his confidence and faith to crumbles.

"O-okay then," he looked away with his voice faltered, "I-I'll be seeing you around then," he forced himself to pull out a smile for me as he said, "Good bye Hinamori-san."

"Good bye Tadase, and thanks," I smiled back at him, watching him walking away until he was not able to be seen.

And that was the last time I saw him.

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"Amu-chan are you crazy?!"

"I thought you always tell us how you lovey dovey him and drools over him every night and day!!"

"I didn't expect that to happened desu…"

"I changed my mind, okay? Am I not allowed to do that?" I grumbled over the protesting group of shugo charas of mine.

"But I thought you were looking forward for him to confess to you. But why now you-"

"I just don't feel like it," I scratched my head, "In fact, I think I'm over him."

"Amu-chii…"

"Then how about Ikuto desu?"

"Ikuto?" I staggered.

"Will you wait for him desu?"

I shut in silence. The question had never popped to my mind before.

"Suu, what are you talking about?" Miki putted her hands on her waist, shaking her head fast, "The one that Amu loves is Ta-da-se-kun. Not I-ku-"

"I guess I will."

All my charas were surprised with my sudden answer. I grinned at them, "he did said 'See you later' to me. That means we'll be seeing each other again, right?"

"She's being an optimist," Miki whispered to Ran as she nodded helplessly.

I stretched out my hands to the sky, "Shall we?"

My mini comrades gave me a teeth smile as their approval. I winked my left eye to them teasingly as I hold the doorknob that will lead me to Mama and Papa and Ami who were waiting for me from the other side of the door. The thought of them running into me made me giggle.

I pushed the door open as a smile decorated my face as I shouted throughout the small house "I'm home!"

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